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Associated Press News	2025-03-19 04:03:07+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "Tesla", "Inc.", "Elon Musk", "Pam Bondi", "Ted Cruz", "Business", "Bombings", "Fires", "Department of Government Efficiency", "Oregon", "Barack Obama", "Violence", "Politics", "Portland", "Cargurus", "Government budgets", "Assault", "Seattle", "SpaceX", "Theresa Ramsdell", "Spencer Evans", "Randy Blazak", "Terrorism", "Protests and demonstrations", "Colin Clarke", "Automotive accidents", "Las Vegas" ]	# Attacks on Tesla dealerships spike as Musk partners with White House By Jonathan J. Cooper and Gene Johnson March 19th, 2025 04:03 AM --- SEATTLE (AP) — Cybertrucks set ablaze. Bullets and Molotov cocktails aimed at Tesla showrooms. Attacks on property carrying the logo of Elon Musk's electric-car company are cropping up across the U.S. and overseas. While no injuries have been reported, Tesla showrooms, vehicle lots, charging stations and privately owned cars have been targeted. There's been a clear uptick since President Donald Trump took office and empowered Musk to oversee a new Department of Government Efficiency that's slashing government spending. Experts on domestic extremism say it's impossible to know yet if the spate of incidents will balloon into a long-term pattern. In Trump's first term, his properties in New York, Washington and elsewhere became a natural place for protest. In the early days of his second term, Tesla is filling that role. "Tesla is an easy target," said Randy Blazak, a sociologist who studies political violence. "They're rolling down our streets. They have dealerships in our neighborhoods." Musk critics have organized dozens of peaceful demonstrations at Tesla dealerships and factories across North America and Europe. Some Tesla owners, including a U.S. senator who feuded with Musk, have vowed to sell their vehicles. But the attacks are keeping law enforcement busy. Prosecutors in Colorado charged a woman last month in connection with attacks on Tesla dealerships, including Molotov cocktails thrown at vehicles and the words "Nazi cars" spray-painted on a building. And federal agents in South Carolina last week arrested a man they say set fire to Tesla charging stations near Charleston. An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wrote in an affidavit that authorities found writings critical of the government and DOGE in his bedroom and wallet. "The statement made mention of sending a message based on these beliefs," the agent wrote. Some of the most prominent incidents have been reported in left-leaning cities in the Pacific Northwest, like Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, where anti-Trump and anti-Musk sentiment runs high. An Oregon man faces charges after allegedly throwing several Molotov cocktails at a Tesla store in Salem, then returning another day and shooting out windows. In the Portland suburb of Tigard, more than a dozen bullets were fired at a Tesla showroom last week, damaging vehicles and windows, the second time in a week that the store was targeted. Four Cybertrucks were set on fire in a Tesla lot in Seattle earlier this month. On Friday, witnesses reported a man poured gasoline on an unoccupied Tesla Model S and started a fire on a Seattle street. In Las Vegas, several Tesla vehicles were set ablaze early Tuesday outside a Tesla service center where the word "resist" was also painted in red across the building's front doors. Authorities said at least one person threw Molotov cocktails — crude bombs filled with gasoline or another flammable liquid — and fired several rounds from a weapon into the vehicles. "Was this terrorism? Was it something else? It certainly has some of the hallmarks that we might think — the writing on the wall, potential political agenda, an act of violence," Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the Las Vegas FBI office, said at a news conference. "None of those factors are lost on us." ## Tesla becomes a target for the left Tesla was once the darling of the left. Helped to viability by a $465 million federal loan during the Obama administration, the company popularized electric vehicles and proved, despite their early reputation, that they didn't have to be small, stodgy, underpowered and limited in range. More recently, though, Musk has allied himself with the right. He bought the social network Twitter, renamed it X and erased restrictions that had infuriated conservatives. He spent an estimated $250 million to boost Trump's 2024 Republican campaign, becoming by far his biggest benefactor. Musk continues to run Tesla — as well as X and the rocket manufacturer SpaceX — while also serving as Trump's adviser. Tesla stock doubled in value in the weeks after Trump's election but has since shed all those gains. Trump gave a boost to the company when he turned the White House driveway into an electric-vehicle showroom. He promoted the vehicles and said he would purchase an $80,000 Model S, eschewing his fierce past criticism of electric vehicles. Tesla didn't respond to a request for comment. Musk briefly addressed the vandalism Monday during an appearance on Sen. Ted Cruz's podcast, saying "at least some of it is organized and paid for" by "left-wing organizations in America, funded by left-wing billionaires, essentially." "This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong," Musk wrote Tuesday on X, sharing a video of burning Teslas in Las Vegas. "Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks." The progressive group Indivisible, which published a guide for supporters to organize "Musk Or Us" protests around the country, said in a statement that all of its guidance is publicly available and "it explicitly encourages peaceful protest and condemns any acts of violence or vandalism." Some Tesla owners have resorted to cheeky bumper stickers to distance themselves from their vehicle's new stigma and perhaps deter would-be vandals. They say things like "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" or "I just wanted an electric car. Sorry guys." Prices for used Cybertrucks, Tesla's most distinctive product, have dropped nearly 8% since Trump took office, according to CarGurus, which aggregates used-car vehicle listings. The market as a whole remained steady over the period. ## The White House vows a crackdown The White House has thrown its weight behind Musk, the highest-profile member of Trump's administration and a key donor to committees promoting Trump's political interests. Trump has said Tesla vandalism amounts to "domestic terror," and Trump has threatened retribution, warning that those who target the company are "going to go through hell." Attorney General Pam Bondi said she'd opened an investigation "to see how is this being funded, who is behind this." "If you're going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything, you better watch out because we're coming after you," Bondi said Friday on Fox Business Network. In a statement Tuesday, she vowed to "continue investigations that impose severe consequences," including for "those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes." Colin Clarke, a senior research fellow at the Soufan Center, said left-wing political violence tends to target property rather than people. He views the rise of neo-Nazi groups as a bigger security threat at this point. "It's not the type of act that I would prioritize," Clarke said. "Not right now compared to all the other threats that are out there." Theresa Ramsdell is the president of the Tesla Owners of Washington state, a club for Tesla enthusiasts, and she and her husband own three of them. "Hate on Elon and Trump all you want — that's fine and dandy, it's your choice," she said. "It doesn't justify ruining somebody's property, vandalizing it, destroying it, setting it on fire. There's other ways to get your voice heard that's more effective." Someone recently slapped a "no Elon" sticker on the tailgate of her Cybertruck, but she said she doesn't intend to stop driving her Teslas. Other club members have taken a similar view, she said. "I love my car. It's the safest car," Ramsdell said. "I'm not going to let somebody else judge me for the car I drive." ___ Cooper reported from Phoenix.
Associated Press News	2025-03-13 20:58:38+00:00	[ "Kenneth Murray", "Jeffery Simmons", "Tennessee Titans", "John Fassel", "Mike Borgonzi", "NFL", "Van Jefferson", "Sports", "NFL football", "TVondre Sweat", "Kevin Zeitler", "NFL Pro Bowl", "Cody Barton", "Dan Moore", "Johnny Hekker", "Sebastian Joseph Day", "Xavier Woods", "JC Latham", "Sports transactions", "DreMont Jones", "Blake Hance", "Saahdiq Charles", "Ryan Stonehouse" ]	# Titans bolster linebacking group with Cody Barton, boost offensive line in free agency March 13th, 2025 08:58 PM --- NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans took a step toward fixing the interior of their defensive front by signing linebacker Cody Barton to a three-year contract among a handful of signings announced Thursday. The Titans traded linebacker Kenneth Murray to Dallas for a sixth-round pick despite him starting 14 games with 95 tackles and a career-high 3 1/2 sacks. Barton now gets to work behind Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, T'Vondre Sweat and also Dre'Mont Jones, who is newly signed to a one-year deal. The team that holds the No. 1 overall pick in the April draft and has a new general manager in Mike Borgonzi. Tennessee started free agency by bolstering a struggling offensive line, agreeing with left tackle Dan Moore on a four-year contract and adding right guard Kevin Zeitler on a one-year deal. JC Latham, who started all 17 games at left tackle after being drafted No. 7 overall, is expected to move to the right side. The Titans gave up 52 sacks, more than all but four other teams in 2024. They also added offensive lineman Blake Hance for much-needed depth. They also changed punters, bringing in 17-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowler Johnny Hekker for Ryan Stonehouse, a former undrafted free agent who turned in the top two single-season gross punting averages in NFL history. Stonehouse also was first with a 52.2-yard average between 2022-24. This reunites Hekker with the Titans' new special teams coordinator John Fassel. The Titans signed safety Xavier Woods to a two-year deal, bolstered the receiving group by signing Van Jefferson and they also released guard Saahdiq Charles and brought back defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day after he started 12 of 17 games last season. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Associated Press News	2025-03-28 17:30:10+00:00	[ "Ohio", "Mike Dewine", "Colleges and universities", "Donald Trump", "Diversity", "equity and inclusion", "Legislation", "U.S. Republican Party", "American Civil Liberties Union", "Jocelyn Rosnick", "Race and ethnicity", "Allison Russo", "Politics", "Jerry Cirino", "Education", "Mike DeWine", "Race and Ethnicity" ]	# Governor signs ban on DEI in Ohio public colleges despite opposition by students and teachers By Julie Carr Smyth March 28th, 2025 05:30 PM --- COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has signed legislation to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs and make other sweeping changes to public colleges and universities in Ohio. Students, teachers and civil rights groups had called for a veto by DeWine, whose office announced the signing Friday without further comment by the governor. The American Historical Association, American Civil Liberties Union, the American Association of University Professors, Ohio's two largest K-12 teachers' unions and Democrats all called on DeWine to reject Senate Bill 1, which also will prohibit faculty strikes and limit classroom discussion. Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo said DeWine's long career in public service will be tarnished by his decision. "The governor now has to live with the consequences that will haunt his legacy because signing SB 1 into law begins the inevitable destruction of Ohio's cherished higher education system by legalizing state-sponsored censorship and discrimination," she said in a statement. "(I)t will damage our economy and future by making Ohio an extremely undesirable place to learn and work, and it radically undermines the collective bargaining rights of workers." The measure, which sparked hourslong hearings and protests attended by hundreds of demonstrators, was a priority of the GOP-supermajority Legislature, after dying amid partisan infighting last session. This year, it moved quickly. After being introduced in January, it cleared the Senate in February, cleared the Ohio House with changes 59-34 last week, and was given final approval on a 20-11 vote in the Senate on Wednesday. Besides banning DEI programs and rescinding certain collective bargaining and tenure protections for faculty, the new law also will make schools promise not to influence student views on "controversial" topics, require every Ohio college student to take a three-hour civics education course and impose dozens of other programmatic and administrative changes. Schools that violate its provisions will risk losing their state funding. The bill's sponsor, state Sen. Jerry Cirino, a Cleveland-area Republican, had said the bill aims to protect "intellectual diversity," not dampen it. During Senate debate on the bill in February, Cirino called DEI a "debacle" that "has morphed into institutional discrimination" against conservative perspectives. "It was a long, hard road but well worth the effort," Cirino said in a statement Friday. "I believe this is monumentally significant legislation that will allow Ohio's public universities and community colleges to deal with looming enrollment challenges and usher in a renaissance of academic excellence." Republican President Donald Trump has made the same argument as he has taken aim at DEI programs at the federal level, to the relief and delight of many conservatives. A group of federal employees targeted for dismissal because of their involvement in such activities has filed a class-action complaint against the administration. And on Thursday, a federal judge temporarily blocked another of the president's DEI-related executive orders affecting federal contractors and grant recipients. ACLU of Ohio Policy Director Jocelyn Rosnick said the bill "sends a clear, harmful message to students that their unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are not welcome in Ohio." "Further, the exceedingly vague and contradictory language regarding the banning of so-called 'controversial beliefs or policies' creates a slippery slope for faculty and administration," she said in a statement. "This could lead to faculty avoiding any such topics in classrooms for fear of retaliation."
Associated Press News	2025-03-18 02:49:43+00:00	[ "Calgary Flames", "Toronto Maple Leafs", "Dustin Wolf", "William Nylander", "Auston Matthews", "Joseph Woll", "Max Domi", "Rasmus Andersson", "Daniel Vladar", "Morgan Frost", "Toronto", "NHL", "Sports", "Craig Berube", "Bobby McMann", "Oliver Ekman-Larsson", "Kevin Bahl", "NHL hockey" ]	# Auston Matthews, William Nylander power Maple Leafs over Flames 6-2 March 18th, 2025 02:49 AM --- TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored twice on the power play and added an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Calgary Flames 6-2 on Monday night. William Nylander added a goal and two assists for Toronto, which had lost five of its last six games. Max Domi, with a goal and an assist, Nick Robertson and Bobby McMann provided the rest of the offense. Joseph Woll made 24 saves. Mitch Marner and Oliver Ekman-Larsson chipped in two assists each. Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl scored for Calgary, which is in a battle for the Western Conference's second wild-card spot. Dustin Wolf allowed five goals on 26 shots before getting pulled after the second period. Dan Vladar finished with two saves in relief. Matthews put the game out of reach with his team already ahead 3-1 late in the second period when he ripped a shot upstairs on Wolf. Toronto's captain then added his 26th goal of the season, and third in two games. The Leafs sported their green and white St. Pats jerseys — a nod to the franchise's moniker from 1919 through 1927 — on St. Patrick's Day. ## Takeaways Flames: Despite the tough night, Wolf is in the Calder Trophy conversation thanks to a strong rookie campaign. The 23-year-old entered 22-13-5 with a .913 save percentage, 2.54 goals-against average and three shutouts. Leafs: Marner set up Nylander's goal to give him 60 assists in a season for the fourth time in his career, passing Borje Salming for the most in franchise history. ## Key moment Flames forward Morgan Frost scored on a power play shortly after the Leafs went up 2-1 in the second, but Toronto coach Craig Berube correctly challenged for offside. ## Key stat Calgary has scored an NHL-worst 167 goals in 2024-25. ## Up next The Flames visit the New York Rangers on Tuesday. The Maples Leafs host the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. ___ AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Associated Press News	2025-03-05 03:41:34+00:00	[ "Baylor Bears", "Robert Wright", "Noah Reynolds", "David Punch", "College basketball", "College sports", "Mens college basketball", "Womens college basketball", "Baylor Bears mens basketball", "Womens sports", "Baylor Bears womens basketball", "Texas Christian Horned Frogs", "Basketball", "Sports", "Daniel Meyer Coliseum" ]	# Omier posts a double-double and Baylor holds off TCU 61-58 By Baylor Tcu Score March 5th, 2025 03:41 AM --- FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Norchad Omier scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, VJ Edgecombe scored 18 points and Baylor held on to beat TCU 61-58 on Tuesday night. Robert Wright III added 11 points for Baylor. TCU's Noah Reynolds scored 13 of his 16 points in the first half and reserve Trazarien White scored 11 points. Knotted at 58, Wright drove the lane on Vasean Allette and drew his fifth foul with two seconds left. After Wright made both foul shots, TCU, which was out of timeouts, lost possession of the ball on a near length-of-the court inbounds pass. With Baylor now inbounding the ball, the Horned Frogs' David Punch fouled Omier with a second remaining. Omier made 1 of 2 for the final margin and Baylor failed to get off a shot. Baylor (18-12, 10-9) edged ahead of TCU (16-14, 9-10) on the NCAA Tournament bubble winning for the fifth straight year at TCU. Edgecombe's jumper with 7:04 left gave Baylor its largest lead at 56-45 before TCU rallied. The Bears sped to 16-8 lead in a little more than the first 7 1/2 minutes. Edgecombe made a 3 with 6:48 before halftime to give Baylor a 28-20 lead before TCU rallied with a 15-5 spurt and took its first lead at 35-33 on a jump shot by White with 1:31 left before the break. The two went to halftime tied at 35. The game marked the 900th men's basketball game at Schollmaier Arena. It opened in 1961 as Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Bears finish the regular season when they host third-ranked Houston on Saturday. TCU ends its regular season at Colorado on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-13 14:30:14+00:00	[ "Jonathan Cohen", "Andrew Ferguson", "Legal proceedings", "Trials", "Associated Press", "Department of Government Efficiency", "Business", "Elon Musk", "Technology", "John Chun" ]	# FTC reverses its request for a delay in an Amazon trial, says it has resources to litigate the case By Haleluya Hadero March 13th, 2025 02:30 PM --- A lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission has walked back his comments about a lack of resources and staff turnover interfering with the agency's preparations for a trial involving Amazon's Prime program. FTC lawyer Jonathan Cohen asked a federal judge during a hearing on Wednesday to delay the September trial and relax deadlines in the case, citing budgetary and staffing shortfalls. But Cohen did an about-face later in the day, telling U.S. District Judge John Chun in a brief letter that the statements he made in court were incorrect. "I want to clarify comments I made today: I was wrong," Cohen wrote in the letter. "The commission does not have resource constraints and we are fully prepared to litigate this case." In a statement sent to The Associated Press on Thursday, FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson also said "the attorney was wrong." "I have made it clear since Day 1 that we will commit the resources necessary for this case," Ferguson said, adding that the FTC "will never back down from taking on Big Tech." An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment on the agency's reversal. Cohen made his original comments while seeking to postpone a trial stemming from a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit that accused Amazon of enrolling consumers in its Prime program without their consent and making it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions. With the request coming amid the cost-cutting efforts driven by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the judge asked if budget and staff reductions at federal agencies had affected the FTC's readiness. Cohen said some employees chose to leave the FTC following the "Fork in the road" email sent by the administration in January. Staff members who resigned for other reasons also have not been replaced due to a government hiring freeze, he said. He also cited restrictive rules on purchasing court documents and travel.
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 12:37:42+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "Federal Reserve System", "Economic policy", "Economic indicators", "Economy", "United States government", "International trade", "Tariffs and global trade", "United States", "United States Congress", "Labor", "Ryan Sweet", "Business", "Compensation and benefits" ]	# U.S. economy grew 2.4% in the 4th quarter after upgrade in final growth estimate By Paul Wiseman March 27th, 2025 12:37 PM --- WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy expanded at a healthy annual 2.4% pace the final three months of 2024, supported by a year-end surge in consumer spending, the government said Thursday in a slight upgrade of its previous estimate of fourth-quarter growth. But it's unclear whether the United States can sustain that growth as President Donald Trump wages trade wars, purges the federal workforce and promises mass deportations of immigrants working in the country illegally. Growth in gross domestic product — the nation's output of goods and services — decelerated from a 3.1% pace in July-September 2024, the Commerce Department said. For all of 2024, the economy — the world's biggest — grew 2.8%, down a tick from 2.9% in 2023. Consumer spending rose at a 4% pace, up from 3.7% in third-quarter 2023. But business investment fell, led by an 8.7% drop in investment in equipment. A drop in business inventories shaved 0.84 percentage points off fourth-quarter GDP growth. A category within the GDP data that measures the economy's underlying strength rose at a healthy 2.9% annual rate in the fourth quarter, slipping from the government's previous estimate of 3.2% and from 3.4% in the third quarter. This category includes consumer spending and private investment but excludes volatile items like exports, inventories and government spending. Wednesday's report showed continued inflationary pressure at the end of 2024. The Federal Reserve's favored inflation gauge – the personal consumption expenditures, or PCE, price index – rose at an annual rate of 2.4%, up from 1.5% in the third quarter and above the Federal Reserve's 2% target. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core PC inflation registered 2.6%, compared to 2.2% in the third quarter. Thursday's report was the government's third and final look at fourth-quarter GDP. The outlook is cloudier. Trump's decision to slap taxes on a range of imports — including a 25% tax on foreign autos announced Wednesday — could push up inflation and disrupt investment, hurting growth. The fourth-quarter showed the U.S. economy "before the enormous surge in policy uncertainty, particularly trade, took hold and the Trump administration imposed additional tariffs," wrote Ryan Sweet, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. "The combination of policy uncertainty, tariffs, and tightening financial market conditions are weighing on growth early this year.'' U.S. consumer confidence is sliding sharpy over anxiety about both tariffs and inflation, and major retailers are lowering their expectations for the year, saying that customers are already pulling back on spending.
Associated Press News	2025-03-22 20:20:55+00:00	[ "Minor league baseball", "Chicago White Sox", "Tommy John", "Donald Sheridan", "Drew Thorpe", "Keith Meister", "Injuries", "Baseball", "MLB", "Sports", "Dylan Cease", "Brandon Drury", "MLB baseball" ]	# White Sox lose INF Brandon Drury to left thumb injury March 22nd, 2025 08:20 PM --- GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Chicago White Sox infielder Brandon Drury will miss the start of the season because of a fractured left thumb. The White Sox also announced Saturday that right-hander Drew Thorpe is going to have season-ending Tommy John surgery. The team said the procedure will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister. The 32-year-old Drury is scheduled for a follow-up visit with Dr. Donald Sheridan on Monday. The versatile Drury, who can play second base, third base and the outfield, hit .410 with three homers and 11 RBIs in spring training. He agreed to a minor league contract with the team on Feb. 7. It looked as if Drury was in position to make Chicago's opening-day roster before the injury. The White Sox host the Los Angeles Angels in their first game on Thursday. The 24-year-old Thorpe made his big league debut last season, going 3-3 with a 5.48 ERA in nine starts for Chicago. He had surgery in September to address a bone spur in the right elbow. Thorpe was one of four players acquired by Chicago when it traded ace Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres on March 13, 2024. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
Associated Press News	2025-03-24 21:16:38+00:00	[ "College sports", "Stanford Cardinal", "Bill Belichick", "Andrew Luck", "Zach Ertz", "Christian McCaffrey", "Ernest Hemingway", "David Shaw", "Football", "College football", "Texas", "Miami", "Stanford Cardinal football", "Sports", "Jonathan Levin", "Bernard Muir", "Richard Sherman", "Jim Harbaugh", "National Football League", "Troy Taylor" ]	# Andrew Luck brings unique qualifications to the tough task of reviving the Stanford football program By Josh Dubow March 24th, 2025 09:16 PM --- STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Andrew Luck quoted Ernest Hemingway, rattled off Latin phrases and talked about how his new job as general manager of Stanford's football program compared to facing a Bill Belichick-coached defense in the NFL. There might not be anyone more suited than Luck to balance the divergent worlds of big-time football with the values of a university as prestigious as Stanford. That might make him the ideal pick to help shepherd the Cardinal program into the modern era of college football. "This amazing place that has, like any institution, its own sort of quirks and culture," Luck said last week. "Part of why I'm here is because, I understand a lot of it and lived it as an undergrad and grad student and love it. It holds deep, deep meaning for me." The task won't be easy for Luck and now includes a search for a new head coach after he made the decision on Tuesday to fire Troy Taylor following a report last week that he had allegedly mistreated staffers. ESPN reported last week that Taylor had been investigated twice since taking over before the 2023 season over allegations of hostile and aggressive behavior, as well as personal attacks, against female staff members. Both investigations determined that Taylor's treatment of employees, particularly of women, was inconsistent with Stanford's standards, according to ESPN. "It has been clear that certain aspects of the program need change," Luck said in a statement Tuesday. "Additionally, in recent days, there has been significant attention to Stanford investigations in previous years related to coach Taylor. After continued consideration it is evident to me that our program needs a reset. In consultation with university leadership I no longer believe that coach Taylor is the right coach to lead our football program." The Cardinal are coming off their fourth straight 3-9 season and are nowhere near the levels they reached in Luck's time as a player from 2009-11 and in the immediate years after that when Stanford was one of the powers on the West Coast. The program has slipped in recent years and now must navigate the travails of competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a smaller share of the revenue pie after Stanford was nearly left without a viable conference following the recent realignment. Those are issues Luck must address in his new role, along with raising money and bringing in the talent to help the Cardinal get back to the heights they reached under coach Jim Harbaugh and early on in coach David Shaw's tenure. "I certainly want to believe I sell this place as good as anybody around football," Luck said. "I lived it, and I know it's authentic when I talk about Stanford and what this place can be for development of a young man, of a football player academically, socially. I certainly believe deeply in this place." Luck was hired last fall by new school President Jonathan Levin as general manager of the football program. Luck reports directly to Levin instead of to the athletic director. The Cardinal are searching to fill that role as well after Bernard Muir announced his decision to step down earlier this month. Luck is back in a more public role for the first time since his abrupt retirement from the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL just weeks before the start of the 2019 season. He moved back to the Stanford area in 2022 with his wife, Nicole, and earned a Master's degree and served as a volunteer coach at nearby Palo Alto High School. Luck has been in his new job for less than four months and is trying to balance the various responsibilities of selling the program to the public, raising money, energizing the student body and helping bring in high-level players. "I don't know what that balance is right now," Luck said. "It's a little bit of whack-a-mole in some senses, which is to be sort of expected in any new job, especially entering a new job with an incredible sea of change." Stanford was slow to embrace the new era of college football with unlimited transfers and players able to make money through NIL deals. Luck said Levin's commitment to change was the reason he was willing to take on the challenge. The Cardinal took in 12 transfers during the winter portal period and are committed to taking part in revenue sharing with players if a court settlement is approved next month. Previous administrations at Stanford haven't always been as committed to big-time athletics, but Luck sensed a notable change under Levin, who took over last year. "We are wading into a new era of college sports, which means things have to change," he said. "It can't be a toe dip and test the waters out. There's a level of commitment. And that's what I felt from President Levin." Luck said the immediate goal for the program is to make a bowl game for the first time since 2018 and win it. Luck said the proof that Stanford can do that lies in the NFL, where more than 30 players who ended their college careers with the Cardinal appeared in a game last season. That's a number more on par with more traditional powers like Southern California, Miami, Florida State and Texas A&M than a three-win program. He wants to be able to bring in the type of players who seek a top education but have aspirations to star in the NFL, like former players such as himself, Christian McCaffrey, Richard Sherman and Zach Ertz. "We are still different, especially with our academic integrity and the values associated with it," Luck said. "I know that there are incredibly bright kids out there that are also really good football players and that this is the school for them." ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Associated Press News	2025-03-13 21:25:31+00:00	[ "Colleges and universities", "Donald Trump", "Manhattan", "Colombia", "Protests and demonstrations", "New York City Wire", "Education", "Tim Walberg", "Mahmoud Khalil", "Colombia government", "Gil Zussman", "Palestinian territories government", "Politics", "U.S. Republican Party" ]	# Columbia University says it expelled some students who seized building last year By Jake Offenhartz March 13th, 2025 09:25 PM --- NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University has expelled or suspended some students who took over a campus building during pro-Palestinian protests last spring and temporarily revoked the diplomas of others who have since graduated, officials said Thursday. The university said in a campus-wide email that a judicial board brought a range of sanctions against students who occupied Hamilton Hall last spring to protest the war in Gaza. Columbia did not provide a breakdown of how many students were expelled, were suspended or had their degrees revoked, but it said the outcomes were based on an "evaluation of the severity of behaviors." The culmination of the monthslong investigative process comes as the university is reeling from the arrest of a well-known Palestinian campus activist, Mahmoud Khalil, by federal immigration authorities last Saturday. President Donald Trump has said the arrest would be the "first of many" such detentions. At the same time, the Trump administration has stripped the university of more than $400 million in federal funds over what it calls a failure to combat campus antisemitism. Congressional Republicans have pointed specifically to a failure to discipline students involved in the Hamilton Hall seizure as proof of inaction by the university. The building occupation followed a tent encampment that inspired a wave of similar demonstrations at college campuses across the country. On April 30, 2024, a smaller group of students and their allies barricaded themselves inside Hamilton Hall with furniture and padlocks in a major escalation of campus protests. At the request of university leaders, hundreds of New York police stormed onto campus the following night, arresting dozens of people involved in both the occupation and the encampment. At a court hearing in June, the Manhattan district attorney's office said it would not pursue criminal charges for 31 of the 46 people initially arrested on trespassing charges inside the administration building. But the students still faced disciplinary hearings and possible expulsion from the university. The final sanctions announced Thursday followed a lengthy process that involved hearings for each student led by the long-running University Judicial Board. Some students who joined the encampment but did not participate in the building takeover learned that they would not face further discipline beyond their previous suspensions. "With respect to other events taking place last spring, the UJB's determinations recognized previously imposed disciplinary action," the university said in a statement. The disciplinary process drew scrutiny from House Republicans, who demanded university administrators turn over disciplinary records of students involved in campus protests or risk billions of dollars in federal funding. On Thursday, Khalil and seven students identified by pseudonyms filed a lawsuit seeking to block a Congressional committee from obtaining such records for students at Columbia and Barnard College, a women's institution affiliated with Columbia. Filed in federal court in Manhattan against the two schools; the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce; and its chairman, Republican Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan; the lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction barring Congress from forcing the schools to provide the records and the universities from complying. Last month the committee sent a letter demanding that Columbia and Barnard provide the records or risk federal funding. The plaintiffs argue in the complaint that the committee is abusing its power in an attempt "to chill and suppress speech and association based on the viewpoint expressed" and the investigation "threatens to significantly infringe on First Amendment rights." In a statement emailed by a committee spokesperson, Walberg said, "This lawsuit changes nothing." The information requested "is critical to its consideration of legislation on this issue" and necessary to "hold schools accountable for their failures to address rampant antisemitism on our college campuses," he added. Barnard spokespeople did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment, and Columbia declined to discuss the pending litigation. Separately, a newly-created disciplinary board has brought a flurry of new cases against students — including Khalil — who have expressed criticism of Israel, triggering alarm among free speech advocates. Khalil was not among the protesters accused of seizing Hamilton Hall. The expulsion announcement drew praise from some faculty members, including Gil Zussman, chair of the electrical engineering department and member of Columbia's Task Force on Antisemitism. "Finally demonstrating that breaking university rules has consequences is an important first step towards going back to the core missions of research and teaching," he said in a post on the social platform X.
Associated Press News	2025-03-14 11:20:29+00:00	[ "Soccer", "Athlete injuries", "Liverpool FC", "Curtis Jones", "Trent Alexander Arnold", "Newcastle United FC", "Sports - Europe", "Wataru Endo", "Sports", "Ibrahima Konate", "Arne Slot", "Paris Saint-Germain FC", "England", "Jarell Quansah" ]	# Alexander-Arnold out but Liverpool optimistic on Konate for League Cup final March 14th, 2025 11:20 AM --- LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss the English League Cup final against Newcastle because of a significant ankle injury, manager Arne Slot confirmed Friday. Ibrahima Konate should be available for Sunday's final at Wembley Stadium, however, as the central defender was expected to return to training Friday. Konate was substituted in extra time of the Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain, which advanced to the quarterfinals in a penalty shootout victory. Slot suspected that Konate was fatigued. Alexander-Arnold left Tuesday's match in the second half. The England international faces an extended period on the sidelines. "Trent is indeed not available," Slot said at a news conference. "He's still to be assessed for how long it's going to take, but we do expect him back in the end of the season." Right-back options Sunday are Jarell Quansah and Wataru Endo, but Slot also identified Curtis Jones as a possible replacement. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 16:27:25+00:00	[ "Mikaela Shiffrin", "Alpine skiing", "Germany", "Paula Moltzan", "Camille Rast", "Katharina Liensberger", "Lena Duerr", "Lara Gut-Behrami", "Sports", "Austria", "Slovenia", "Karin Harjo", "Sofia Goggia" ]	# Shiffrin powers through tricky course to win slalom at World Cup finals By Pat Graham March 27th, 2025 04:27 PM --- SUN VALLEY, Idaho (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin started the World Cup slalom season with a win. She closed it out the exact same way. In between, a serious crash in the giant slalom, a difficult recovery, struggles with confidence, battles with post-traumatic stress disorder and finally rediscovering that winning form. "This one has been quite a roller coaster," Shiffrin said of her season. "There's been some really thrilling moments and some moments where I questioned if I should even be in the sport." Shiffrin smoothly navigated a bumpy and rut-filled course to easily win the women's slalom Thursday at the World Cup finals. No playing it safe for the American ski racing standout, either. The first-run leader, Shiffrin found another burst to finish in a combined time of 1 minute, 45.92 seconds and beat Lena Duerr of Germany by 1.13 seconds. Andreja Slokar of Slovenia took third. Shiffrin glided through the course at Sun Valley with a large crowd cheering her through every gate. Indeed, she heard them. "Super helpful, but it's also a level of pressure," Shiffrin explained. "You can feel the energy and that's really exciting, but you can also hear the kids or whoever it is lining the side of the course saying, 'Come on Mikaela, you've got this. We want to see it.' Everybody's so positive. "But sometimes I'm like, 'Just put it out of your mind. Put it away.' In the end, I was standing in the start gate and I was thinking, 'Do I ski this, somehow, like get to the finish and get valuable points, or do I take some risk?' ... I heard everybody cheering and was like, 'All right, (expletive) it.'" It was an injury-marred season for Shiffrin, who competed in only the slalom at finals. The 30-year-old Shiffrin has missed four slalom races this season and that's kept her from retaining her title in the discipline. She still finished in fourth place in the slalom standings. Croatian ski racer Zrinka Ljutic was 10th in Thursday's race — good enough to put the finishing touches on capturing the season-long slalom title. She won over Katharina Liensberger of Austria, with Camille Rast of Switzerland taking third. The 21-year-old Ljutic earned last season's "rising star" award and is showing that talent ahead of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. "It feels amazing," Ljutic said of the slalom title. "It's everything I've worked for, really, in my life." U.S. skier Paula Moltzan had a fast second run Thursday — finishing sixth — two days after a crash in the giant slalom. She wore a bandage on her chin. The women's World Cup overall race saw Italy's Federica Brignone take first (1,594 points), Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami second (1,272) and Brignone's teammate Sofia Goggia finish third (931). The three didn't race on Thursday. For Shiffrin, a painful season drew to a close. She's worked her way back from a serious giant slalom crash in Killington, Vermont, in late November, where she suffered a deep puncture wound that caused severe trauma to her oblique muscles. The crash led to emotional trauma, too, leaving her with PTSD in the GS. But she's in a better frame of mind ahead of the Olympics. "This race and finishing with a good mentality, good intensity and really strong skiing, that's going to help me for the full preparation," Shiffrin said. "You get a taste of why we train so hard. That makes it a little bit easier to dive into the next months with a good attitude." This season included a memorable milestone for Shiffrin when she won her 100th World Cup race during a slalom in Italy on Feb. 23. On Thursday, Shiffrin picked up World Cup win No. 101. Fittingly, there were kids in the crowd dressed in puppy outfits — a nod to Disney's "101 Dalmatians." "I saw them on the jumbotron on the first run. I was like, 'That's so clever, but hopefully I don't mess it up,'" Shiffrin said with a laugh. She wouldn't. Not even as the last women's racer on a deteriorating course. Then again, she trains on courses with similar conditions for moments just like this. "We all just went, 'Wow,'" said Shiffrin's coach, Karin Harjo, of the the final run as the racer reached the 500-point mark, which gives her better starting positions next season. When she takes the slalom course, any slalom course, Shiffrin's been tough to beat. She's won four of the six World Cup slalom races she's been in this season. Over her career, Shiffrin has finished first, second or third in a World Cup slalom race in 89 of 118 starts, which is a 75.4% podium rate. She's won slalom 64 times — a 54.2% victory rate. "Her skiing is out of this world," Ljutic said. "Coming back from this injury, this was a master class. I definitely have a lot to work on coming into next season." ___ AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing
Associated Press News	2025-03-11 22:29:07+00:00	[ "New York City", "Eric Adams", "Dale E. Ho", "Donald Trump", "U.S. Department of Justice", "Crime", "New York City Wire", "Indictments", "Politics", "Paul Clement", "Corruption" ]	# Judge weighing dismissal of NYC mayor's case cancels hearing, suggesting a ruling could be near March 11th, 2025 10:29 PM --- NEW YORK (AP) — The judge weighing the Justice Department's request to dismiss corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has canceled a hearing scheduled for Friday, indicating a ruling could be imminent. In a written order Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho said he has reviewed filings from the parties and a court-appointed legal expert, all of whom favor dismissal, and "does not at this time believe that oral argument is necessary." The only disagreement among the parties and the expert, former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, appeared to be whether a dismissal should be permanent. The Justice Department is seeking the option to refile the case after the November mayoral election. Clement recommended that Ho prevent the charges from being refiled — known in legal parlance as dismissal with prejudice — so they don't hang over Adams "like the proverbial Sword of Damocles." Adams' lawyers have also asked for a permanent dismissal. The mayor, who is up for reelection this year, had pleaded not guilty to bribery and other charges. A 2024 indictment accused him of accepting illegal campaign contributions and travel discounts from a Turkish official and others — and returning the favors by, among other things, helping Turkey get a consulate open without passing a fire inspection. The case, brought during the Biden administration, was on track for an April trial until President Donald Trump's Justice Department moved last month to drop it, arguing that the case was interfering with the mayor's ability to aid the president's crackdown on illegal immigration. After an extraordinary hearing where Adams' lawyer and a top Justice Department official argued for ending the case, Ho canceled the trial and appointed Clement to assist him in deciding what to do.
Associated Press News	2025-03-11 08:09:03+00:00	[ "Pope Francis", "Maria Letizia Salazar", "Vatican City", "Lung disease", "Pneumonia", "Rome", "Religion", "Spirituality", "Health", "Carmelo DAsero" ]	# Pope Francis follows Vatican spiritual retreat as doctors say he's no longer in imminent danger By Nicole Winfield March 11th, 2025 08:09 AM --- ROME (AP) — Pope Francis participated remotely in the Vatican's spiritual retreat Tuesday after getting good news from his doctors: They upgraded his prognosis and say he is no longer in imminent danger of death as a result of the respiratory infection that has kept him hospitalized for nearly a month in the longest and gravest threat to his 12-year papacy. The 88-year-old pope isn't out of the woods yet, however. Doctors are still cautious and have decided to keep him hospitalized for several more days to receive treatment, not to mention a period of rehabilitation he will likely need. Dr. Carmelo D'Asero, an infectious diseases specialist and expert in geriatric diseases, said Francis was clearly making slow and gradual progress, but still had not recovered fully. He said it remains to be seen how and when he can return to the Vatican, and whether he will need supplemental oxygen to breathe going forward. "We must not forget that he has been hospitalized for one month," said D'Asero, who is not involved in Francis' care. He noted that the arrival of spring in Rome should help. Francis' bronchitis typically flares during the winter months. "We are entering a warm seasons, which is surely good for those who suffer of respiratory diseases," he said. "I think he will go back to work, but with smaller workloads and with a constantly monitored oxygen therapy." Francis, who has chronic lung disease, is still using supplemental oxygen during the day and a ventilation mask at night to help him breathe. The Vatican said Francis resumed physical and respiratory physiotherapy Tuesday, and followed the Vatican's weeklong spiritual retreat via videoconference for a third day. "It really makes me happy, because we were sad as it looked like he was not recovering," said Sister Maria Letizia Salazar, a nun who was praying for Francis on Tuesday outside the Gemelli hospital. "But now that I've got this news I am very happy." This week also counts some important anniversaries for Francis: Tuesday is the 67th anniversary of his entry into the Jesuit religious order's novitiate, and Thursday marks the 12th anniversary of his election as pope. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 17:16:51+00:00	[ "Bryan Kohberger", "Crime", "Idaho", "Homicide", "Legal proceedings", "Pennsylvania", "Russia", "Ethan Chapin", "Trials", "Steven Hippler", "Capital punishment", "Kaylee Goncalves" ]	# Prosecutors in killings of 4 Idaho students seek to use Kohberger's crime scene paper By Adrian Sainz March 27th, 2025 05:16 PM --- Prosecutors in the case of a man charged in the killings of four University of Idaho students are seeking to use as evidence a college paper he wrote that shows his knowledge of crime scenes, according to a court filing this week. Bryan Kohberger, 30, is accused in the stabbing deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho. Autopsies showed the four were all likely asleep when they were attacked, some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times. Kohberger has been charged with four counts of murder in the Nov. 13, 2022, stabbings. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted. Kohberger's trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 11. When asked to enter a plea last year, Kohberger stood silent, prompting the judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf. In a court filing Monday, prosecutors said the paper Kohberger wrote in 2020 while he was a student at DeSales University in Pennsylvania "would be introduced to show Defendant's knowledge of crime scenes." The 12-page paper, entitled "Crime-scene Scenario Final," uses the example of the killing of a woman in which a knife was apparently used. The paper discusses the many steps authorities should take to secure and investigate a crime scene, including keeping people away to avoid contamination, obtaining a search warrant, and calling a supervisor, a coroner and forensic services. The paper also details the equipment used for crime scene investigation, how to collect evidence, and how to enter a crime scene to avoid contamination, including wearing gloves and other protective equipment. "Anything that is fiber-free and covers the mouth, hair and overall body would be helpful in avoiding crime-scene contamination," the paper said. Kohberger, then a criminal justice graduate student at Washington State University, was arrested in Pennsylvania weeks after the killings. Investigators said they matched his DNA to genetic material recovered from a knife sheath found at the crime scene. The college paper also describes how to preserve the chain of custody for evidence. It discusses the importance of gathering surveillance footage and questioning potential witnesses as part of the investigation. "Anyone who normally passes by the scene, such as a mailman, should be questioned and an alibi established," the paper said. "Where were the neighbors when this happened? Their alibis should be evident and supported." The killings shook Moscow, a small farming community of about 25,000 people that hadn't had a homicide in about five years. The trial was moved from rural northern Idaho to Boise after the defense expressed concerns that Kohberger couldn't get a fair trial in the county where the killings occurred. Judge Steven Hippler has scheduled a hearing for April 9 to consider pretrial motions. Among those to be decided are arguments over whether an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis would preclude Kohberger from being eligible for the death penalty if convicted, and over whether jurors should hear audio of a 911 call made by two women in the house roughly eight hours after the killings, as they realized one of their roommates wasn't waking up. The court has issued a gag order for everyone involved in the trial and won't allow cameras in the courtroom.
Associated Press News	2025-03-12 01:54:53+00:00	[ "Vegas Golden Knights", "Erik Karlsson", "William Karlsson", "Noah Hanifin", "Pittsburgh Penguins", "Sidney Crosby", "Tristan Jarry", "Jack Eichel", "Pavel Dorofeyev", "Tomas Hertl", "Las Vegas", "Pittsburgh", "NHL", "NHL hockey", "Sports" ]	# Erik Karlsson's overtime winner lifts Pittsburgh past Vegas 3-2 By Will Graves March 12th, 2025 01:54 AM --- PITTSBURGH (AP) — Erik Karlsson scored 49 seconds into overtime to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins past the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Tuesday night. Vegas tied it late in regulation on a slapshot by Noah Hanifin with 6 seconds remaining. The Golden Knights never touched the puck in the extra period. Pittsburgh controlled the faceoff and held onto it until Karlsson ripped his ninth goal of the season from just above the right circle. Sidney Crosby scored twice for Pittsburgh, which has won two straight. The Penguins superstar now has 23 goals on the season, including five in his last five games. Tristan Jarry made 35 saves in his first home start in nearly two months. Pavel Dorofeyev scored his 25th goal of the season on a one-timer in the second period. Jack Eichel assisted on Dorofeyev's goal to give him 78 points, tying William Karlsson's single-season club record set in 2017-18. Vegas dominated play for lengthy stretches but struggled to solve Jarry. The Golden Knights needed a rocket from Hanifin and a screen by Tomas Hertl in front to earn at least a point. ## Takeaways Golden Knights: Vegas is in a tight race with Edmonton for the Pacific Division title. They might regret their inability to take down one of the NHL's worst teams when the playoff picture is settled next month. Penguins: Despite the late goal, Jarry was excellent most of the night. If he can build momentum down the stretch, it could either make him a more palatable trade target this summer or perhaps even revitalize his career in Pittsburgh. ## Key moment Jarry was excellent all night, including a series of saves midway through the third period that had the crowd that booed him frequently earlier in the year cheering his name instead. ## Key stat Crosby is the seventh player in NHL history to reach 70 points in 15 seasons. ## Up next Vegas continues a four-game road trip on Thursday in Columbus. Penguins host St. Louis on Thursday. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Associated Press News	2025-03-04 16:47:21+00:00	[ "Panama", "BlackRock", "Inc.", "Donald Trump", "Marco Rubio", "Ted Cruz", "Jimmy Carter", "Panama City", "Jos Ral Mulino", "China government", "Panama Canal", "Hong Kong", "United States government", "United States", "China", "Politics", "Economic policy", "Business", "Government policy", "Frank Sixt" ]	# BlackRock strikes deal to bring ports on both sides of Panama Canal under American control By Didi Tang and Alex Veiga March 4th, 2025 04:47 PM --- A Hong Kong-based conglomerate has agreed to sell its controlling stake in a subsidiary that operates ports near the Panama Canal to a consortium including BlackRock Inc., effectively putting the ports under American control after President Donald Trump alleged Chinese interference with the operations of the critical shipping lane. In a filing, CK Hutchison Holding said Tuesday that it would sell all shares in Hutchison Port Holdings and in Hutchison Port Group Holdings to the consortium in a deal valued at nearly $23 billion, including $5 billion in debt. The deal will give the BlackRock consortium control over 43 ports in 23 countries, including the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, located at either end of the Panama Canal. Other ports are in Mexico, the Netherlands, Egypt, Australia, Pakistan and elsewhere. The transaction, which must be approved by Panama's government, does not include any interest in a trust that operates ports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and South China, or any other ports in China. Some 70% of the sea traffic that crosses the Panama Canal leaves or goes to U.S. ports. The United States built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. Trump has claimed that Carter "foolishly" gave the canal away. Trump and his supporters have also complained about the fees that ships are charged to use the waterway and alleged that China has been operating the canal, an assertion denied by Panama's government. In January, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the Republican chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, raised concerns that China could exploit or block passage through the canal and that the ports "give China ready observation posts" to take action. "This situation, I believe, posts acute risks for U.S. national security," Cruz said. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama in early February and told President José Raúl Mulino that Panama had to reduce Chinese influence over the canal or face potential retaliation from the United States. Mulino rejected the idea that China had any control over canal operations. Panama quit China's Belt and Road Initiative following Rubio's visit, drawing condemnation from Beijing. Belt and Road is Beijing's global development strategy to build roads, ports and railways to open up new markets. But while much attention was focused on Trump's threat to retake control of the canal, his administration trained its sights on Hutchison Ports, the Hong Kong-based consortium that manages the ports key ports at either end of the canal. Hutchison Ports had recently been awarded a 25-year no-bid extension to run the ports, but an audit looking at that extension was already underway. Observers believed the audit was a preliminary step toward eventually rebidding the contract, but rumors had swirled in recent weeks that a U.S. firm close to the White House was being lined up to take over. Frank Sixt, co-managing director of CK Hutchison, said in a statement that the transaction was "the result of a rapid, discrete but competitive process in which numerous bids and expressions of interest were received." "I would like to stress that the transaction is purely commercial in nature and wholly unrelated to recent political news reports concerning the Panama Ports," Sixt said. In addition to BlackRock, a New York-based global investment management company with $11.6 trillion in assets under management as of Dec. 31, the consortium includes BlackRock subsidiary Global Infrastructure Partners and Terminal Investment Limited. BlackRock declined to comment outside of a press release touting the deal. Shares in BlackRock fell 1.5% in afternoon trading Tuesday.
Associated Press News	2025-03-29 03:11:22+00:00	[ "Figure skating", "Amber Glenn", "Kaori Sakamoto", "Alysa Liu", "Skating", "Sports", "ISU Figure Skating World Championships" ]	# For two-time US champion Amber Glenn, waiting for the free skate at worlds was the hardest part By Jimmy Golen March 29th, 2025 03:11 AM --- BOSTON (AP) — Two-time defending U.S. champion Amber Glenn survived the interminable wait to get back on the ice Friday night after she had fallen in her short program at the figure skating world championships. Then came an even more painful turn in the new leader's chair, which was introduced this year to bring athletes closer to the fans, and where Glenn sat bathed in bright lights until someone surpassed her score. At one point, the camera cut to Glenn and she was shown on the TD Garden scoreboards and TV monitors while she distractedly scrolled through her phone. "I don't love it," she told reporters with a wince. "Awkward and stressful." She may have skated to "I Will Find You" by Audiomachine. But her personal mantra is more like "The Waiting is the Hardest Part." "I kept thinking, 'OK, 10 minutes and it's over' — you know, counting down until I was done," Glenn said. "Just because it's been such a tough two months of training since nationals." Not long after Glenn finished, Alysa Liu became the first American women's figure skating world champion since Kimmie Meissner in 2006, dethroning three-time defending champion Kaori Sakamoto on Friday with a free skate that earned her the biggest of the standing ovations of the night for a U.S. contingent that placed three skaters in the top five. Mone Chiba of Japan earned bronze, American Isabeau Levito was fourth and Glenn came in fifth — a disappointing finish for one of the favorites heading into the event, but quite a climb from ninth place after falling on her opening triple axel Wednesday. "Go Team USA. That's all I can say," Liu said. "I'm so proud of both Isabeau and Amber for putting up such great performances and such great fight. They were really fun to be with this week." A 25-year-old from Plano, Texas, who was unbeaten heading into worlds, Glenn landed that same triple axel in her free skate. She made a minor mistake on her triple lutz-double toe combination, and had to change up a couple of jumps for simpler options in the middle of the program, but she still posted a solid free-skate score of 138.00 points. "Of course, I'm upset about making a mistake on my easiest jump," she said. "But I'm proud of myself for fighting." Glenn received a huge ovation from the American crowd – some of them waving rainbow flags for the outspoken bisexual and pansexual skater – and a torrent of stuffed animals poured onto the ice. "They really got me through the program, even after mistakes," she said. "It startled me after the loop going into my axel-axel because I went to step and the crowd went wild" -- she gasped -- "I went 'Oh, shoot.' But I walked back in, so I was proud of that." Talking to reporters while Levito skated — and insisting that they leave a clear view of the monitor as she rooted on her U.S. teammate — Glenn said she was happy to bounce back after her disappointing short program. "I did not feel good physically here. I felt horrible, mentally," she said. "So, coming into this event, I didn't exactly feel like the powerful (fighter) that I need to be in my short program. I kind of felt a bit timid, and I'm just happy I was able to fight through that." ___ AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Associated Press News	2025-03-21 00:33:39+00:00	[ "LGBTQ", "Colleges and universities", "New York", "New York City Wire", "Hayley Goldberg", "Supreme Court of the United States", "Religion" ]	# Yeshiva University will recognize LGBTQ+ student club after years of dispute March 21st, 2025 12:33 AM --- NEW YORK (AP) — Yeshiva University in New York has agreed to recognize an LGBTQ+ student club after years of legal disputes that at one point reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The university said Thursday in a statement that it reached an agreement with the students to end the litigation and will officially recognize the club, which will be called Hareni and "will operate in accordance with the approved guidelines of Yeshiva University's senior rabbis." "The club will be run like other clubs on campus, all in the spirit of a collaborative and mutually supportive campus culture," the university said. The club was formerly known as the YU Pride Alliance and was long the subject of litigation over whether the university had to recognize it. The school contended that such recognition would violate its religious beliefs. In 2022 the dispute wound up in the Supreme Court, which cleared the way for the club to be recognized while also telling Yeshiva it should return to state court to seek quick review and temporary relief. In its own statement Thursday, the club confirmed the agreement and said it will enjoy the same privileges as other student organizations on campus. It plans to host charitable events, movie nights, panel discussions and career networking events and will publicly use "LGBTQ+" on flyers and advertisements. "This agreement affirms that LGBTQ+ students at Yeshiva University are valued members of the community," said Schneur Friedman, a president of the group. "This victory is not just for our club — it's for every student who deserves a safe space to be themselves," said Hayley Goldberg, another Hareni president. "I'm excited to move forward, build community, and continue advocating for a school where everyone belongs," Goldberg said.
Associated Press News	2025-03-18 03:10:21+00:00	[ "Philadelphia 76ers", "Houston Rockets", "Jabari Smith", "Alperen Sengun", "Jalen Green", "Quentin Grimes", "Jalen Hood-Schifino", "Philadelphia", "Basketball", "NBA", "NBA basketball", "Sports", "Aaron Holiday" ]	# Green, Smith each score 30, Rockets extend win streak to 7 games with 144-137 OT victory over 76ers By Kristie Rieken March 18th, 2025 03:10 AM --- HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. had 30 points apiece and the Houston Rockets rallied for a 144-137 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, extending their season-best winning streak to seven games. The Rockets trailed by as many as 25 points and never led in regulation before their late rally. Houston was up by six points after opening overtime with a 9-3 run. Quentin Grimes made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 140-137 with less than 2½ minutes left in OT. But Alperen Sengun made two free throws with just over a minute left before Aaron Holiday added two more with 12.1 seconds remaining, making it 144-137 and securing the win. The Rockets trailed by eight with less than a minute to go in the fourth before using a 10-2 run to tie it at 131, forcing overtime. Smith made one free throw before missing the second, and Sengun grabbed the rebound and made the put-back to tie it with 3.1 seconds left in the fourth. Philadelphia had a chance to win it in regulation, but Jalen Hood-Schifino's jumper missed. Grimes had career highs of 46 points and 13 rebounds with a career-best eight 3-pointers for the Sixers. His performance helped Philadelphia tie a franchise record with 24 3s. ## Takeaways 76ers: These young players, who are filling in for a roster decimated by injuries, continue to play hard, and Grimes has been almost unstoppable lately. The former University of Houston star has scored at least 40 points twice this month and over 30 four times. Rockets: Houston needs to play more consistently after falling into a huge hole early. ## Key moment Sengun's putback with 3.1 seconds left in the fourth that sent it to overtime. ## Key stat The teams combined for 46 3-pointers, with Houston making a season-high 22. ## Up next Houston visits Orlando on Wednesday, and Philadelphia visits Oklahoma City that night. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 11:49:04+00:00	[ "Soccer", "Luis Rubiales", "Spain", "Crime", "Corruption", "Sports", "Sexual assault", "Jenni Hermoso" ]	# Prosecutors seek 15-year prison sentence for former Spanish soccer president Villar March 27th, 2025 11:49 AM --- MADRID (AP) — Prosecutors in Spain are seeking a sentence of more than 15 years in prison on corruption charges for former Spanish soccer president Ángel María Villar. Prosecutors said on Thursday they want Villar to go on trial for alleged irregularities on federation contracts signed when he was in charge. Prosecutors also want seven other people charged. Villar was head of the federation from 1988 until 2017, when he was fired by Spain's administrative court for sport. He had already been suspended from the post after he, his son, and other officials were detained on suspicion of improper management, misappropriation of funds, corruption, and falsifying documents. Villar, who has denied wrongdoing, resigned his vice presidencies of FIFA and UEFA following his detention. He was replaced at the Spanish federation in 2018 by Luis Rubiales, who resigned in 2023 after his unsolicited kiss on player Jenni Hermoso during the awards ceremony following the Women's World Cup final won by Spain. Last month, Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault because of the kiss that sparked one of the worst crises in Spanish soccer. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Associated Press News	2025-03-07 07:28:20+00:00	[ "Tom Thibodeau", "New York Knicks", "Jalen Brunson", "Athlete injuries", "Austin Reaves", "Los Angeles Lakers", "Josh Hart", "Portland", "NBA", "New York City Wire", "NBA basketball", "Sports", "Karl Anthony Towns" ]	# Knicks guard Jalen Brunson expected to miss time after suffering ankle injury in OT loss to Lakers By Joe Reedy March 7th, 2025 07:28 AM --- LOS ANGELES (AP) — New York star guard Jalen Brunson could miss an extended period of time after suffering an ankle injury during overtime in the Knicks' 113-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. Coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game that Brunson was still being examined by the medical staff. "It's a bummer of an injury. We expect him to be out for a little bit," forward Josh Hart said. Brunson — who is seventh in the league in scoring (26.3 points per game) and eighth in assists (7.4 per game) — rolled his right ankle with 1:24 remaining in overtime after landing on the foot of Lakers guard Austin Reaves after being fouled on a drive to the basket. Brunson got help up from teammates and stayed in the game to make both free throws and tie it at 107. He then came out and went to the locker room. Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points and 10 assists. He sent the game into overtime with a three-point play after the Lakers rallied from a double-digit deficit midway through the fourth quarter. "His mental toughness is through the roof. It doesn't surprise me the way he played the whole game. He still keeps battling and battling," Thibodeau said about Brunson, who was 13 of 26 from the field and made 12 of his 13 foul shots. Brunson's injury could not come at a worse time for the Knicks. The loss to the Lakers began a five-game West Coast trip. New York — which is 40-22 and in third place in the Eastern Conference — remains in Southern California to face the Clippers on Friday night before facing Sacramento on Monday night, Portland on Wednesday night and Golden State on March 15. "It's next man up. He's a huge part of our team. We've been playing with grit and have to go out there and do it again," center Karl-Anthony Towns said. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Associated Press News	2025-03-01 15:52:38+00:00	[ "New Jersey", "Fires", "Plane crashes", "Transportation", "Kenneth Hoffman", "Austin Kemker", "Federal Aviation Administration", "Port Authority of New York and New Jersey", "Air incidents", "FedEx Corp." ]	# FedEx plane makes emergency landing after bird strike sparks fire By Patrick Whittle and Sarah Brumfield March 1st, 2025 03:52 PM --- A FedEx cargo plane made an emergency landing at a busy New Jersey airport on Saturday after a bird strike caused an engine fire that could be seen in the morning sky. The plane landed at Newark Liberty International Airport during the emergency, said Lenis Valens, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. There were no reported injuries, and fire on the cargo plane was contained to the engine, Valens said. Audio recorded by LiveATC captured a person calmly saying the aircraft needed to "shut down for a possible bird strike" immediately. "We need to return to the airport." Moments later, another person is heard saying: "We believe we saw their engine fall off the right wing." The audio indicates the strike happened when the plane was several hundred feet off the ground. The emergency landing caused air traffic to be briefly halted as a precaution, and operations resumed shortly after, Valens said. The emergency landing happened just after 8 a.m. Three people were on board, and all got off the plane safely, Valens said. A spokesperson for FedEx said the plane was headed for Indianapolis but due to the bird strike "declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark after dealing with the resulting engine damage," which included an engine fire. "The training, expertise, and professionalism demonstrated by our FedEx pilots was exemplary. We are thankful for the quick actions of our crew and first responders," said the spokesperson, Austin Kemker. Kenneth Hoffman, a pilot on another flight, said as his flight was pushing off, they heard from air traffic control that there was an emergency in progress. Hoffman posted a video on social media of a FedEx plane on the ground at the Newark airport with flames shooting from its side as it slowed to a stop with fire rescue equipment nearby. While it sounded like everyone was OK, there was a lot of smoke and the airport was shut down for 15 to 20 minutes, Hoffman said. The pilots' response was great, Hoffman said. "They handled it like champs," he said. "At the end of the day, that's what our training is all about." The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate the incident. The FAA said in a statement that the "strike damaged one of the Boeing 767's engines." The National Transportation Safety Board also said it would investigate. Bird strikes are aviation hazards that sometimes cause major disruptions. Birds were blamed for bringing down a jetliner that "Sully" Sullenberger landed on the Hudson River in 2009. The FAA has said bird strikes are increasing, with more than 19,000 wildlife strikes at 713 U.S. airports in 2023. Only rarely do they cause so much damage that jetliners are forced to make emergency landings. The emergency landing comes at a time of heightened awareness of flight problems. In the past month, there have been four major aviation disasters in North America. They include the Feb. 6 crash of a commuter plane in Alaska that killed all 10 people on board and the Jan. 26 midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight at National Airport that killed all 67 aboard the two aircraft. ___ Associated Press reporter Julie Walker contributed from New York. Whittle reported from Scarborough, Maine. Brumfield reported from Cockeysville, Maryland.
Associated Press News	2025-03-16 18:07:37+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "Nayib Bukele", "El Salvador", "Prisons", "Immigration", "United States government", "United States", "Aerospace and defense industry", "Politics", "Prisoners of war", "Garcia Cano", "Venezuela government" ]	# CECOT: What to know about El Salvador's mega-prison By Marcos Alemán and Regina Garcia Cano March 16th, 2025 06:07 PM --- SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — The crown jewel of El Salvador's aggressive anti-crime strategy — a mega-prison where visitation, recreation and education are not allowed — became the latest tool in U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration on Sunday, when hundreds of immigrants facing deportation were transferred there. The arrival of the immigrants, alleged by the U.S. to be members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, took place under an agreement for which the Trump administration will pay the government of President Nayib Bukele $6 million for one year of services. Bukele has made the Central American country's stark, harsh prisons a trademark of his fight against crime. In 2023, he opened the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, where the immigrants were sent over the weekend even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring their deportations under an 18th century wartime declaration targeting Venezuelan gang members. ## What is the CECOT? Bukele ordered the mega-prison built as he began his campaign against El Salvador's gangs in March 2022. It opened a year later in the town of Tecoluca, about 72 kilometers (45 miles) east of the capital. The facility has eight sprawling pavilions and can hold up to 40,000 inmates. Each cell can fit 65 to 70 prisoners. CECOT prisoners do not receive visits and are never allowed outdoors. The prison does not offer workshops or educational programs to prepare them to return to society after their sentences. Occasionally, prisoners who have gained a level of trust from prison officials give motivational talks. Prisoners sit in rows in the corridor outside their cells for the talks or are led through exercise regimens under the supervision of guards. Bukele's justice minister has said that those held at CECOT would never return to their communities. The prison's dining halls, break rooms, gym and board games are for guards. ## How many prisoners does El Salvador hold? The government doesn't regularly update the figure, but the human rights organization Cristosal reported that in March 2024 El Salvador had 110,000 people behind bars, including those sentenced to prison and those still awaiting trial. That's more than double the 36,000 inmates that the government reported in April 2021, a year before Bukele ramped up his fight against crime. Cristosal and other advocates have accused authorities of human rights violations. Cristosal reported last year that at least 261 people had died in El Salvador's prisons during the gang crackdown. The group and others have cited cases of abuse, torture and lack of medical attention. In slickly produced videos, the government has shown CECOT prisoners in boxer shorts marching into common areas and made to sit nearly atop each other. Cells lack enough bunks for everyone. ## Why were immigrants sent to CECOT? The migrants were deported after Trump's declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in U.S. history. The law requires a president to declare the U.S. is at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws. Trump claimed the Tren de Aragua gang was invading the U.S. in invoking the wartime authority. Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in Venezuela and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nation's economy came undone last decade. The Trump administration has not identified the migrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the U.S. Video released by El Salvador's government Sunday showed men exiting airplanes into an airport tarmac lined by officers in riot gear. The men, who had their hands and ankles shackled, struggled to walk as officers pushed their heads down to have them bend at the waist. The video also showed the men being transported to CECOT in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter. The men were shown kneeling on the ground as their heads were shaved before they changed into the prison's all-white uniform – knee-length shorts, T-shirt, socks and rubber clogs – and placed in cells. —— Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.
Associated Press News	2025-03-30 18:43:13+00:00	[ "Soccer", "Marcus Rashford", "Morgan Rogers", "Ollie Watkins", "Manchester United FC", "FA Cup", "Aston Villa FC", "Unai Emery", "England", "Sports", "Latvia", "Albania", "Lucas Digne" ]	# Rashford having a ball at Villa after scoring first goals of loan spell in FA Cup win By Steve Douglas March 30th, 2025 06:43 PM --- With his career reignited by leaving Manchester United, Marcus Rashford said he was "enjoying my football" again after scoring his first goals for Aston Villa in the team's victory in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Sunday. Rashford's decision to join Villa on a loan deal until the end of the season is paying off, with the striker returning to the England squad and starting the recent World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. His first nine performances for Villa were also largely impressive and he marked his 10th by grabbing a double in the 3-0 win at second-tier Preston. Rashford tapped home Lucas Digne's cross for the opener at Deepdale in the 58th minute and then converted a penalty in the 63rd after Morgan Rogers was fouled. He looks a different player to the one who fell out of favor at United. "It's a great feeling. I feel like I've slowly been getting fitter and playing better football since I've been here," Rashford said. "It's obviously nice for a forward to get a goal so hopefully it continues." Rashford said he believes he "can still get fitter" in his spell at Villa, which is also into the Champions League quarterfinals. "I missed a lot of football before joining up with them," he said. "At the minute, my body feels good, I'm injury free and I'm enjoying my football." Villa manager Unai Emery is pleased with the progress of Rashford but also feels there is more to come. "His commitment to work, to adapt quick, is very important and he's doing it," said Emery, who played Rashford as a central striker against Preston with Ollie Watkins on the bench. "To feel comfortable, playing in his best level, there is still work but today he did one step forward — getting confident, scoring goals. He was obviously getting better but this was one more forward in his adaptation and helping us." Emery said it was "not yet" the right time to discuss whether Rashford might make his move to Villa permanent. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Associated Press News	2025-03-06 22:15:03+00:00	[ "College sports", "Grace Cave", "South Dakota", "Womens college basketball", "College basketball", "Womens sports", "AP Top 25 Womens College Basketball Poll", "South Dakota State Jackrabbits womens basketball", "Haleigh Timmer", "North Dakota", "Sports" ]	# No. 25 South Dakota State women top Omaha 87-67 in Summit League opener March 6th, 2025 10:15 PM --- SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Brooklyn Meyer scored 16 points and No. 25 South Dakota State cruised to an 87-67 win over Omaha on Thursday in the Summit League Tournament, giving the Jackrabbits 57-straight wins over conference opponents. South Dakota State, which beat the Mavericks by 38 and 30 points in the regular season, plays in Saturday's semifinal against the winner of Friday's quarterfinal between No. 4 seed St. Thomas and No. 5 North Dakota. The Jackrabbits have gone through three regular seasons unbeaten in league games and have won the past two tournaments. Paige Meyer and reserve Madysen Vlastuin scored 12 points for South Dakota State (27-3), the No. 1 seed for the fifth-straight season. Madison Mathiowetz and Haleigh Timmer both added 11 to help the Jackrabbits win their 17th straight overall. Their three losses were to Duke, Georgia Tech and now-No. 1 Texas. Grace Cave scored 20 points for the eighth-seeded Mavericks (14-17). Ja Harvey added 17 and Aaliyah Moore had 12. The Jackrabbits led 21-16 after one quarter and used a 10-0 run in the middle of the second to build a 39-24 halftime lead. The lead stayed in double figures the rest of the way. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-30 23:26:50+00:00	[ "Mike Tomlin", "Aaron Rodgers", "Pittsburgh Steelers", "Ben Roethlisberger", "Mason Rudolph", "Football", "New York City Wire", "NFL", "Sports", "Skylar Thompson", "NFL football", "J.J. McCarthy", "National Football League", "Jameis Winston", "DK Metcalf", "Russell Wilson", "Athlete injuries" ]	# Mike Tomlin has no problem with Aaron Rodgers taking his time to decide whether he'll play in 2025 March 30th, 2025 11:26 PM --- PALM BEACH, Florida (AP) — Some people might be anxiously waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind about whether he's going to play this upcoming season. Mike Tomlin is not among them. The Pittsburgh Steelers coach told reporters at the NFL's owners meetings that while he enjoyed spending some time with the four-time league MVP when Rodgers visited the team's facility earlier this month, he has no intention of putting Rodgers on a clock. "Deadlines don't often bring that to a head," Tomlin said. So for now there doesn't appear to be one, not even with the NFL draft less than four weeks away and the Steelers holding the 21st overall pick. Rodgers, a free agent for the first time in his 20-year career, has been linked to Minnesota and the New York Giants as well, though the Giants appear to no longer be in play after signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. The Vikings also appear to be set at quarterback with J.J. McCarthy returning from an injury that cost him his rookie season. On the surface, the debate appears to be whether Rodgers wants to play in Pittsburgh, or if he wants to play at all. The Steelers did bring back Mason Rudolph on a two-year deal. But the only other quarterback currently on the roster is former Miami Dolphin Skylar Thompson. There's plenty of room to add, both physically and in terms of salary. "We're optimistic about the room that we're constructing," Tomlin said, later adding, "But certainly we're going to continue to explore all our options in terms of rounding that room out." Tomlin and Rodgers have long had an affinity — publicly anyway — for each other, including a couple of moments during games in recent years in which they seemed to acknowledge each other for their gamesmanship, moments quickly went viral. The NFL's longest-tenured head coach called Rodgers' visit "a really good day," even though it ended with Rodgers leaving without a deal. Pittsburgh has been stuck in a bit of quarterback purgatory since Ben Roethlisberger's retirement after the 2021 season. The team has churned through five quarterbacks in three years, yet has also somehow made the playoffs twice before making a quick exit. Whoever is the quarterback will get a chance to throw passes to DK Metcalf, acquired in a trade with Seattle three weeks ago. Tomlin said he expects the two-time Pro Bowler to be a "big asset." "It's not only in terms of the tangible things that he brings, but there's an awesome intangible quality to him as a worker and as a man that's equally exciting," Tomlin said. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Associated Press News	2025-03-25 18:10:54+00:00	[ "Softball", "Juan Soto", "Vladimir Guerrero Jr.", "Shohei Ohtani", "Sports transactions", "Baseball", "MLB", "Bo Bichette", "Sports", "J.T. Realmuto", "Zac Gallen", "Los Angeles Dodgers", "New York Mets", "Corbin Burnes", "Framber Valdez", "Miami", "Jazz Chisholm", "Dylan Cease", "Mark Shapiro", "Luis Arrez", "Justin Verlander", "Kyle Tucker", "MLB baseball", "Kyle Schwarber" ]	# MLB free agency: Plenty of talent potentially available in '25-26 class, likely none for $700M By Stephen Hawkins March 25th, 2025 06:10 PM --- There almost certainly won't be a $700 million deal for any player in the baseball's next free agency class, nothing like the record contracts for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and four-time All-Star slugger Juan Soto the past two winters. Still, plenty of talented players are going into their final seasons before potentially becoming free agents for the first time. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., five-tool player Kyle Tucker and starting pitchers Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen could all become available to other teams after this season. Three-time batting champion Luis Arráez and Bo Bichette, who twice led the American League in hits, could also be first-time free agents. Guerrero, like Soto already a four-time All-Star and Home Run Derby champion at age 26, had set a self-imposed deadline for negotiating a long-term agreement with Toronto. That passed at the start of spring training without a new deal, when he said he wanted to stay but would listen to other teams in free agency. Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro remained optimistic going into the season that the team would eventually sign the first baseman to a contract extension. Soto's $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets in December came after Ohtani got a $700 million, 10-year deal from the Los Angeles Dodgers the previous offseason. Guerrero told ESPN in an interview after his deadline passed that he was seeking a similar contract length as Soto but noted that his last offer was for less than $600 million. Here are some of the players eligible for free agency after this year's World Series: ## 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays Guerrero, who will make $28.5 million this season, hit a career-best .323 last year with a .940 OPS, 30 homers and 103 RBIs in his fourth consecutive All-Star season. Over six seasons with the Blue Jays, he has a .288 average with 160 homers and 507 RBIs in 819 games. He finished second in the 2021 AL MVP voting behind unanimous choice Ohtani. ## OF Kyle Tucker, Cubs Houston clearly wasn't planning to pay the price to keep Tucker in free agency, so the Astros traded the three-time All-Star and Gold Glove-winning right fielder to Chicago in December for a third baseman, starting pitcher and top prospect outfielder that are all under team control for multiple seasons. The 28-year-old Tucker was limited to 78 games last year because of a fractured right shin, and still hit 23 homers. He had a combined 59 homers, 219 RBIs and 55 stolen bases in 2022-23. ## RHP Dylan Cease, Padres The 29-year-old Cease has 130 starts over the last four seasons, twice finishing in the top four in Cy Young Award voting. He was the AL runner-up behind unanimous winner Justin Verlander while with White Sox in 2022, and fourth in the NL last year when 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA in 33 starts after being traded to the playoff-bound Padres during spring training from a Chicago team that went on to lose 121 games. Cease has 1,016 career strikeouts in 847 1/3 innings. ## LHP Framber Valdez, Astros One of the game's best left-handed starters, the 31-year-old Valdez has a 68-41 career record and is Houston's opening-day starter for the fourth year in a row. He was 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA in 28 games last season, his fifth in a row to finish with a winning record. The workhorse threw a no-hitter in 2023 and averaged more than 191 innings the past three years. ## RHP Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks The 29-year-old Gallen, 14-6 last year, is 43-19 with a 3.20 ERA in 93 starts the past three seasons. Arizona got him his rookie season in 2019 when it traded Jazz Chisholm Jr. to Miami. The Diamondbacks just gave 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner and four-time All-Star right-hander Corbin Burnes a $210 million, six-year deal, the richest in franchise history. That could significantly impact whether they will also be able to keep Gallen, twice a top-five finisher in Cy Young voting. ## 1B Luis Arráez, Padres Arráez has back-to-back 200-hit seasons, part of three batting titles in a row while finishing each of those seasons with a different team. The Padres acquired him last year in a midseason trade from Miami, which got him from Minnesota after his first batting title with the Twins in 2022. He goes into this season with a .323 career average and only 194 strikeouts in 2,858 career plate appearances. ## SS Bo Bichette, Blue Jays A calf injury and then a broken right middle finger limited Bichette to 81 games last season, and the 27-year-old two-time All-Star hit a career-low .225 with only four homers. Before that, he led the AL in hits in 2021 and 2022, and batted .306 in 2023 during his third consecutive 20-homer season. ## DH Marcell Ozuna, Braves Ozuna, who turns 35 next November, played in all 162 games for the first time last year and was an All-Star for the third time — first since 2016. He has 79 homers and 204 RBIs over the past two years. ## RHP Shane Bieber, Guardians Bieber had 20 strikeouts in 12 scoreless innings last season before Tommy John surgery and becoming a free agent for the first time. Cleveland re-signed the 2020 AL Cy Young winner even though he won't pitch until later this season, during which the pitcher with a 62-32 career record turns 30. He does have a $16 million player option for 2026. ## A few Phillies 34-year-old catcher J.T. Realmuto, 32-year-old slugger Kyle Schwarber and 29-year-old left-handed starter Ranger Suárez are going into the final seasons of their contracts with the Phillies after being key figures for three consecutive playoff seasons. That began with that 2022 NL pennant that ended a decade-long postseason drought. Schwarber has 131 homers and 302 RBIs in that three-season span, along with 318 walks and 612 strikeouts. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Associated Press News	2025-03-31 20:07:36+00:00	[ "New York City", "Justin Colon", "Queens", "Burglary", "Law enforcement", "Prostitution", "Crime", "New York City Wire", "Jessica Tisch", "Theft", "Melinda Katz" ]	# Two NYPD officers are charged with burglary and forcibly touching a sex worker March 31st, 2025 08:07 PM --- NEW YORK (AP) — Two New York City police officers have been suspended after being charged with burglary and forcibly touching a sex worker while responding to a complaint about an illegal brothel, prosecutors said Monday. Officers Justin McMillan and Justin Colon intentionally turned off their body cameras as they broke into a residential building, stole money and forcibly touched a woman while on duty last July, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. The patrol officers, who were still on probationary status after entering the police academy in 2023, had been responding to a report of prostitution inside the building. Prosecutors say the two shut off their bodycams before approaching a woman leaving the building and taking a key to the residence from her. They returned eight hours later, unlocked the door and found a woman having sex with a man, who immediately fled, according to Katz's office. McMillan then stole money from the woman's purse and groped her. The woman ran away and eventually called 911 with the help of others, prosecutors said. The officers, meanwhile, returned to their stationhouse without reporting the incidents. McMillan, 27, of Long Island, and Colon, 24, of Queens, pleaded not guilty during their arraignment hearings Monday in Queens. They were released and are due back in court April 28, according to Katz's office. They each face one count of forcible touching and petit larceny, two counts of burglary, and four counts of official misconduct. Lawyers for the two didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment. The officers have been suspended without pay. They were placed on modified duty last August as the NYPD's internal affairs bureau and Katz's office investigated, according to police. "We hold our officers to the highest standard of professionalism and integrity, and failing to meet that standard is disqualifying," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. "Let me be perfectly clear: Any officer who violates their oath will be investigated, exposed, and held fully accountable. That standard will never change."
Associated Press News	2025-03-22 19:07:30+00:00	[ "Connecticut Huskies", "NCAA Womens Division I Basketball Championship", "College sports", "Womens college basketball", "Arkansas State Red Wolves", "Sarah Strong", "College basketball", "Basketball", "March Madness NCAA Tournament", "Womens sports", "Connecticut Huskies womens basketball", "NCAA Womens Bracket", "Sports", "Jana El Alfy", "Caroline Ducharme", "Ashlynn Shade" ]	# March Madness: No. 2 UConn routs Arkansas State 103-34 in opener as Fudd has 27 points By Jim Fuller March 22nd, 2025 07:07 PM --- STORRS, Conn. (AP) — The second-seeded UConn women's basketball team wasted little time in dashing any hopes of an upset by No. 15 seed Arkansas State. After the Red Wolves' Crislyn Rose scored the game's first basket in the NCAA Tournament first-round game, UConn ripped off the next 22 points en route to a convincing 103-34 victory on Saturday. Azzi Fudd had 21 of her 27 points in the first half as the Huskies led 66-16 at halftime to win their 31st consecutive tournament opener. Fudd also had six steals and seven assists in 22 minutes. Sarah Strong finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocked shots in her first March Madness game. Ashlynn Shade came off the bench to add 20 points. "Coach (Geno Auriemma) kind of challenged me to take more risks," Fudd said. "I tried to get in the passing lane more, and that's what I've been trying to do, and I've gotten more comfortable with it. So just being aggressive today, trying to get in the passing lane. He said it before, You'll be surprised how many times they just throw it right in your hand." Rose led Arkansas State with seven points. The Red Wolves shot 17.1% from the floor and were 6 of 40 on 3-pointers. All-American Paige Bueckers didn't need to be the focus of the offense with Fudd and Strong dominating in the early going. She finished with 11 points and four assists in 22 minutes to guarantee her one last game at Gampel Pavilion in Monday's second round game. UConn finished with 41 fast-break points and 34 points off 20 Arkansas State turnovers. "This is the only time in a year where you have two weeks off, right?," Auriemma said. "Last time we played was two weeks ago. Well, Monday night's game will be two weeks since we played that game. You never have that much time off, and you have no idea how much it's going to (go) believe me, there were some God-awful practices during those two weeks. I mean, awful. "I think that's their way of saying, Coach, we just want to play. So when game time does roll around, there's been a lot of pent-up frustration and waiting. You know it's going to come out. I could see it yesterday at practice, shoot-around today. There's a different look, a different vibe when game time is right here right now." ## Ducharme happy to be back Caroline Ducharme received a huge roar from the crowd as she came into game with 3:17 left in the second quarter. After missing the NCAA tournament and most of the 2023-24 season as a result of a concussion, Ducharme was thrilled to get a warm reception in her first home NCAA tournament game since 2023. It took all of 37 seconds for Ducharme to make her first basket. Azzi Fudd passed up an open 3-pointer to give Ducharme the ball. "It is definitely nice when I checked in, she said, if you touch it, you better shoot it," Ducharme said. "At times, I don't always want to take the first shot. I am not used to being in this role where people saw shoot it, shoot it, shoot it. "I think sometimes if feels like (she is) a little bit of a charity case but they say, no this is your moment, you deserve it. You have worked so hard to come back and deserve this." ## Hitting triple digits again Jana El Alfy's free throw with 3:01 left put UConn at 100 points. It was the 12th time in program history that the Huskies hit triple digits in its NCAA opener. UConn topped 100 points in six of its last nine games to get the quest for a 12th national title off to an impressive start. ## Up next The Huskies face South Dakota State on Monday. ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Associated Press News	2025-03-14 04:36:15+00:00	[ "DeMarcus Lawrence", "Micah Parsons", "Myles Garrett", "Dallas Cowboys", "NFL Super Bowl", "Seattle", "Super Bowl", "NFL", "NFL football", "Dallas", "Sports transactions", "Sports" ]	# Micah Parsons starts social media spat after DeMarcus Lawrence says Cowboys can't win Super Bowl March 14th, 2025 04:36 AM --- DALLAS (AP) — Star pass rusher Micah Parsons of the Cowboys and now-former teammate DeMarcus Lawrence traded barbs on social media after Lawrence said he chose Seattle in free agency in part because he was never going to win a Super Bowl with Dallas. "This is what rejection and envy look like! This some clown (stuff)," Parsons wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, before adding a clown emoji. "Calling me a clown won't change the fact that I told the truth," Lawrence responded. "Maybe if you spent less time tweeting and more time winning, I wouldn't have left." The reaction from Parsons was prompted by an interview posted on X in which Lawrence said, "Dallas is my home. ... But I know for sure I'm not going to win a Super Bowl there." The Cowboys haven't even reached an NFC championship game since winning the franchise's fifth Super Bowl title to cap the 1995 season. Lawrence, who agreed to a three-year deal with the Seahawks, was a second-round draft pick by Dallas in 2013 and signed the biggest contract for a defensive player in club history six years later after consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks. Lawrence never had more than 6 1/2 sacks after signing the big contract, while the Cowboys made it to the divisional round four times in his 11 seasons. He said the Cowboys didn't offer him a contract this offseason. The 32-year-old was limited to four games by a sprained foot in 2024 and missed at least half the season in two of the past four years. Parsons is the fourth player in NFL history to record at least 10 sacks in each of his first four seasons. The other three are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With Parsons going into the final year of his rookie contract, the Cowboys could be on the verge of making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett just took that title with an extension that averages $40 million per season. ____ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Associated Press News	2025-03-26 05:06:35+00:00	[ "HIV and AIDS", "Ethiopia", "Donald Trump", "AFRICA PULSE", "U.S. Agency for International Development", "Health" ]	# HIV rates surge in Ethiopia's Tigray after war, Trump's aid cuts aren't helping By Fred Harter March 26th, 2025 05:06 AM --- SHIRE, Ethiopia (AP) — The woman survived two brutal attacks in the dying days of the war in Ethiopia's Tigray region. First, she said, she was dragged to a military encampment and gang-raped by Eritrean soldiers who held dozens of other women. Two days later, she was raped again by a group of militiamen. Her attackers broke her collarbone and her wrist. They also infected her with HIV. More than two years later, she can sometimes buy antiretroviral drugs by selling part of the wheat she gets as a displaced person, but it's not enough. "I am strong, but my disease is getting worse and worse," the woman told The Associated Press at a clinic in Shire, a town in northwestern Tigray. The AP typically does not identify people who are victims of sexual abuse. Tigray was once considered a model in the fight against HIV. Years of awareness-raising efforts had brought the region's HIV prevalence rate to 1.4%, one of the lowest in Ethiopia. Then, in 2020, war began between Ethiopia's government, backed by neighboring Eritrea, and Tigray fighters. Sexual violence was widespread in the two-year conflict, which also had mass killings, hunger and disease. As many as 10% of women and girls aged between 15 and 49 in the region of 6 million people were subject to sexual abuse, mostly rape and gang rape, according to a study published by BMJ Global Health in 2023. At the same time, Tigray's health system was systematically looted and destroyed, leaving only 17% of health centers functional, according to another study in the same journal. As a result, 90% of sexual violence survivors did not get timely medical support. The woman told the AP she did not get medication for nearly eight months. The window for receiving prophylaxis to prevent HIV is 72 hours. Today the HIV prevalence rate in Tigray is 3%, more than double the prewar average, according to local health authorities and the United Nations. The rate among the region's roughly 1 million displaced people is 5.5%. Among sexual violence survivors, it is 8.6%. "It was a horrific conflict," said Amanuel Haile, the head of Tigray's health bureau. "War was everywhere. Crops failed. Rape was widespread. Hospitals were vandalized. Drugs were interrupted." The "complete breakdown" of Tigray's health services also meant existing HIV patients did not receive antiretrovirals during the war, increasing their risk of transmitting the virus through pregnancy or unprotected sex, Amanuel said. Few condoms were available during the war, which saw Tigray cut off from the rest of Ethiopia. Today, some destitute displaced people engage in sex work to survive, another factor that health workers believe is contributing to the spike in HIV cases. The Trump administration's decision to kill 83% of U.S. Agency for International Development programs globally is worsening the situation. Ethiopia has already laid off 5,000 health workers who were hired with U.S. funds to combat HIV. Meanwhile, charities helping HIV patients receive treatment have received stop-work orders. They include the Organization for Social Services, Health and Development, a national agency whose Tigray branch was testing people for HIV and giving HIV patients food and financial support. "Since the end of the war, things were slowly improving," said Yirga Gebregziabher, OSSHD's manager in Tigray. "Now so many services have stopped again." Like the rest of Ethiopia, Tigray is also grappling with sharp rises in other infectious diseases because of the effects of conflict, climate change and funding cuts. Nationally, malaria cases have soared from 900,000 in 2019 to over 10 million last year. The war interrupted efforts to distribute nets and spray high-risk areas with insecticides to prevent the mosquito-borne disease. Measles rose from 1,941 cases in 2021 to 28,129 in 2024. Cholera and tuberculosis are also making comebacks. Health workers say Tigray is particularly ill-equipped to deal with these outbreaks. It has few ambulances after most of its emergency vehicles were destroyed in the war. Some doctors have not been paid for 17 months. And its biggest health facility, Ayder Referral Hospital, only has 50% of the drugs it needs. "These outbreaks are extremely damaging," said Amanuel with the regional health bureau. "We have a lot to rebuild, and outbreaks take up whatever meager resources we have." Meanwhile millions in Tigray still rely on humanitarian aid and 18% of children are malnourished, leaving them vulnerable to diseases. "We are attempting to rebuild, but still in a state of crisis," said Abraha Gebreegziabher, the clinical director of Ayder Referral Hospital. Abraha's institution is grappling with severe budget cuts and debts that mean it cannot afford basic drugs or items like tubes and syringes. The hospital requires patients to pay for services that were previously free. Crucially, the war also destroyed Tigray's system of community-based health insurance, a low-cost program that underpinned the region's health system. Restarting this scheme is the health bureau's top priority, Amanuel said. But Tigray's political leaders have become locked in a power struggle that escalated this month when a faction took over several government offices. That threatens to deter donors who have memories of the recent war. ___ Associated Press writer Samuel Getachew in Mekele, Ethiopia, contributed to this report. For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Associated Press News	2025-03-07 16:30:16+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "United Kingdom", "Tokyo", "International trade", "Japan government", "Tariffs and global trade", "Politics", "Business", "United States government", "Takeshi Iwaya", "Jonathan Reynolds" ]	# Ministers from Japan and UK agree to promote free trade amid Trump tariff threats By Mari Yamaguchi March 7th, 2025 04:30 PM --- TOKYO (AP) — Economy and foreign ministers of Japan and Britain agreed Friday to promote free and open international trade at their first "two-plus-two" dialogue on economy held in Tokyo amid growing concern about U.S. President Donald Trump 's tariff threats. Britain's Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds — who joined his colleague Foreign Secretary David Lammy and their Japanese counterparts, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto and Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya — said all four ministers agreed that "it's crucial to counter the increasing trade fragmentation that is damaging the global economy, and that we stand up for fair, rules-based international trade." None of them directly mentioned Trump, but the talks come amid Trump's tariff threats against Canada, Mexico and China and their vows of retaliation. The four ministers also confirmed that they will work closely together in discussions on the World Trade Organization, including addressing contemporary trade-related issues such as nonmarket policies and practices, as well as climate change, according to a U.K. statement. They affirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration on WTO reforms and supporting the clean energy transition in developing countries. The ministers emphasized the importance of developing robust international rules and norms and effectively utilizing existing tools to ensure a global level playing field. Japan and Britain, the world's fourth- and sixth-largest economies, have stepped up their economic cooperation in recent years.
Associated Press News	2025-03-19 17:42:00+00:00	[ "Ousmane Dembele", "France", "Soccer", "Thierry Henry", "Olivier Giroud", "Real Madrid", "Italy", "Sports - Europe", "Sports", "Didier Deschamps", "Croatia", "Paris Saint-Germain FC" ]	# Mbappé eyes improvement as France captain after absence By Jerome Pugmire March 19th, 2025 05:42 PM --- PARIS (AP) — Kylian Mbappé returns to lead France against Croatia after a six-month absence and on Wednesday criticized himself over how he handled the captaincy before. The Real Madrid star captains Les Bleus in Split in the first leg of a Nations League quarterfinal on Thursday, with the return leg on Sunday at Stade de France. It will be his first start for France since a 3-1 loss to Italy on Sept. 6. That match was held at Parc des Princes, home to his former club Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappé said he did not handle things well at the time. "I am lucid enough to know what I do well and what I don't do well. I know people were not happy with what I was doing on and off the field, and I wasn't doing them well," Mbappé said at a pre-match news conference. "I have no problem questioning myself. I have never had any problem with criticism when it is deserved and well-argued." Back in September, Mbappé was subpar for Madrid and the national team but he hit back and said that people's opinions about him were "the least of my worries." He also said "I don't care" about the reception he will get playing again at PSG's stadium having left following months of strong tensions with the club's hierarchy and the fans. Six months later, he accepts some of the criticism aimed his way at the time was valid. "I didn't play well against Italy and my (pre-match) news conference didn't please people, because as captain I didn't bring people together," Mbappé said. "I accept that, but now the most important thing is to move forward and not to repeat the same mistakes." The 26-year-old Mbappé is third on France's all-time scoring list with 48 goals, but he has found the net in only two of his past 12 international games. There were doubts as to whether Mbappé would keep the captaincy, but he did so following discussions with coach Didier Deschamps. The 2018 World Cup winner was left out of Nations League matches against Israel and Italy last November, when Deschamps said " it's better that way " given Mbappé's physical and mental struggles. Mbappé was also absent from a previous gathering because of a minor thigh injury, but nevertheless played for Real Madrid, thus angering many France fans and raising questions over priorities between club and country. After a difficult start to his Madrid career, Mbappé is now scoring freely and has 31 goals in 44 games this season. "I am feeling good, I feel happy to play football," Mbappé said. "I am happy to be here to help the (France) team." Mbappé only has Thierry Henry (51 goals) and Olivier Giroud (57) ahead of him in the national team. ## Mbappé and Dembélé link up again Mbappé is set to be reunited in attack with PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé, the French league's top scorer. Both have already reached 30 goals overall this season, but while Mbappé did so for the seventh time in a row, the newly prolific Dembélé managed it for the first time. "He's another string to our bow," Mbappé said of Dembélé, who is also a close friend. "When you see his current form it gives us even more options, it makes us even more unpredictable for the opponent." He relishes the prospect of facing the Croats together. "We just need to combine properly," Mbappé said. "But we know each other off by heart and we want to play together." Dembélé has a lot of catching up to do, however, with just six international goals in 53 games. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Associated Press News	2025-03-14 12:51:22+00:00	[ "Justin Trudeau", "Canada", "Donald Trump", "Pierre Poilievre", "Canada government", "Keir Starmer", "Jean Chretien", "Dominic LeBlanc", "United States government", "United States", "Chrystia Freeland", "Mark Carney", "United Kingdom government", "International trade", "Emmanuel Macron", "Politics", "Franois Philippe Champagne", "Business", "Elections", "The Goldman Sachs Group", "Inc.", "2020 United States presidential election", "Mlanie Joly" ]	# Mark Carney is sworn in as Canada's new prime minister as country deals with Trump's trade war By Rob Gillies March 14th, 2025 12:51 PM --- TORONTO (AP) — Former central banker Mark Carney was sworn in as Canada's new prime minister on Friday, and will now try to steer his country through a trade war brought by U.S. President Donald Trump, annexation threats and an expected federal election. Carney, 59, replaces Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remained in power until the Liberal Party elected a new leader. Carney is widely expected to trigger a general election in the coming days or weeks. "We will never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States. America is not Canada," Carney said. "We are very fundamentally a different country." The governing Liberal Party had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared economic war and repeatedly has said Canada should become the 51st state. Now the party and its new leader could come out on top. Carney has said he's ready to meet with Trump if he shows respect for Canadian sovereignty. He said he doesn't plan to visit Washington at the moment but hopes to have a phone call with the president soon. "The president is a successful businessman and deal maker. We're his largest client in so many industries," Carney said. "Clients expect respect and working together in a proper commercial way." Carney navigated crises when he was the head of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis, and then in 2013 when he became the first noncitizen to run the Bank of England — helping to manage the worst impacts of Brexit in the U.K. Carney, a former Goldman Sachs executive with no experience in politics, becomes Canada's 24th prime minister. He said protecting Canadian workers and their families in the face of unjustified trade actions and growing the economy will be his top priorities. Carney said he will travel to Europe to visit French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the coming days. He received invitations from both. "We must diversify our trade partners and strengthen our security in so doing," Carney said. Trump put 25% tariffs on Canada's steel and aluminum and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products April 2. He has threatened economic coercion in his annexation threats and suggested the border is a fictional line. Carney called the idea "crazy." The U.S. trade war and Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state have infuriated Canadians, who are booing the American anthem at NHL and NBA games. Some are canceling trips south of the border, and many are avoiding buying American goods when they can. Carney said he's worked with Trump before at G7 and G20 summits during Trump's first presidency. "We share some experiences. I have been in the private sector. I have worked in the real estate sector. I have done large transactions," Carney said. "We will both be looking out for our countries but he knows, and I know from long experience, that we can find mutual solutions that win for both." The opposition Conservatives hoped to make the election about Trudeau, whose popularity declined as food and housing prices rose and immigration surge. But after decades of bilateral stability, the vote on Canada's next leader now is expected to focus on who is best equipped to deal with the U.S. "He will do very well. He's respected internationally," former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told reporters Friday. But, he added: "There is no magic solution. This is not a normal situation. We've never seen someone who changes his mind every five minutes as president of the United States." A new Cabinet of 13 men and 11 women was sworn in, smaller than Trudeau's 37-member team. François-Philippe Champagne becomes Canada's new finance minister, the government's second most powerful position. Champagne has said a new prime minister offers a chance of a reset with Trump. Dominic LeBlanc goes from finance to to intergovernmental affairs. Mélanie Joly remains foreign minister. Chrystia Freeland, a former deputy prime minister and finance minister who lost to Carney in the Liberal Party leadership race, becomes minister of transport and internal trade. Carney met his Cabinet and eliminated a consumer carbon price on his first day, undoing Trudeau's signature climate policy. He called his government "Canada's new government" in an effort to distance himself from Trudeau. Carney also took aim at opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, a career politician who Carney said is always negative. "Negativity won't pay the rent or the mortgage. Negativity won't bring down the price of groceries. Negativity won't win a trade war," he said. Poilievre urged Canadians not to give the Liberals a fourth mandate, saying it's the same Liberal government and that Carney is "just like Justin."
Associated Press News	2025-03-18 04:40:43+00:00	[ "South Australia", "Sam Gaylard", "Adelaide", "Animals", "Coastlines and beaches", "Asia", "Asia Pacific", "Anthony Rowland", "Sports", "Weather", "Climate and environment", "Algae", "Climate" ]	# Strange foam and dead fish wash ashore at 2 Australian beaches as surfers fall sick By Rod Mcguirk March 18th, 2025 04:40 AM --- MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian state closed two beaches after dead fish and an unusual off-white foam washed ashore while surfers reported feeling unwell, officials said on Tuesday. A microalgal bloom created by unusual weather conditions was suspected to have sickened humans and marine life as well as creating the foam that has covered hundreds of meters (yards) of coastline, South Australian Environment Protection Authority principal scientific officer Sam Gaylard said. "It is very concerning," Gaylard told Australian Broadcasting Corp. "It is unusual at this scale. At this time of year, when the weather conditions allow, we do occasionally get isolated blooms, but something of this scale is definitely a little bit unusual," Gaylard added. Waitpinga Beach and neighboring Parsons Beach, both south of the South Australia state capital Adelaide, have been closed to the public since Monday in response to a "fish mortality event in the area," the Department for Environment and Water said in a statement. "The beaches will be re-opened as soon as possible," the department said. Dozens of dead fish have reportedly been washed shore. Surfers have been complaining since the weekend of getting sore eyes, sore throats and coughing after contact with the water, said local Anthony Rowland, who surfed at Waitpinga on Saturday. "While we were out there, we started coughing," Rowland said, referring to his surfing comrades. He said he was overwhelmed by the response from other surfers after posting his experience online. "Lots of people reached out – so many people have said they're had exactly the same symptoms," Rowland said. Marine scientists took water samples from the foam, which is a byproduct of the toxic organisms' decay, on Monday, but it could take until the end of the week to identify the organism, Gaylard said. A bloom of microalgae – microscopic, single-celled organisms – could have been caused by a recent extended period of hot and dry weather with little wind and low tides, Gaylard said. A swell has picked up in the area since Sunday, and the turbulence could break up the algae while generating more foam, he said. "At the moment, we're not sure how long this will last," Gaylard said.
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 10:50:20+00:00	[ "Emmanuel Macron", "Donald Trump", "Keir Starmer", "United Kingdom", "Ukraine", "Volodymyr Zelenskyy", "Europe", "Russia", "Marco Rubio", "Giorgia Meloni", "International agreements", "France government", "United Kingdom government", "Russia-Ukraine war", "European Union", "Government programs", "Russia Ukraine war", "Italy government", "Ukraine government", "Kyriakos Mitsotakis", "Telegram", "Politics", "North Atlantic Treaty Organization", "Ivan Fedorov", "United States government", "Business" ]	# French president says not all European allies agree on a proposed force for Ukraine By John Leicester, Samuel Petrequin, and Brian Melley March 27th, 2025 10:50 AM --- PARIS (AP) — France and Britain will continue to forge ahead with plans to deploy troops in Ukraine to defend an eventual peace deal with Russia but only some other nations want to take part, French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday after a summit of countries that have been mulling the proposal. The French leader said "several" nations other than France and Britain want to be part of the armed force but added, "It is not unanimous." Paris and London say such a force would aim to secure any peace deal by dissuading Russia from attacking Ukraine again. "We do not need unanimity to achieve it," Macron said. French and British military officials will work with Ukraine to determine where the contingents should be deployed and how many troops they'd need to be a credible deterrent, the French leader added. "There will be a reassurance force with several European nations that will deploy," he insisted. The summit of leaders of nearly 30 countries plus NATO and European Union chiefs came at a crucial juncture in the more than three-year war, with intensifying diplomatic efforts to broker ceasefires, driven by pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. But fighting rages on. Before the leaders met in the luxury of the French presidential palace, Russian drone attacks overnight wounded more than 20 people and heavy shelling Thursday afternoon killed one person and knocked out electricity in parts of Kherson, Ukrainian officials said. Macron and other summit participants accused Russia of only pretending to want a negotiated settlement. "They are playing games and they're playing for time," said U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "We can't let them drag this out while they continue prosecuting their illegal invasion." U.S.-brokered agreements this week to safeguard shipping in the Black Sea and last week to halt long-range strikes on energy infrastructure were greeted as first steps toward peace. But Ukraine and Russia have disagreed over the details and accused each other of deal violations, foreshadowing a long and contentious process ahead. ## Europe asks: Will US help? One reason why some European countries are balking at a potential deployment in Ukraine is because it's unclear whether Trump would support such a contingent with air power and other military assistance. "This will require the engagement and support of the United States," Starmer said. "That's a discussion we've had with the president on many occasions." Macron suggested they may have to do without U.S. backing. "You have to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst," he said. "My hope is that the Americans will be on our side and that the Americans will support, even play an active role." "But we have to be prepared for a situation where perhaps they won't join in," he added. Building a force big enough to act as a credible deterrent — U.K. officials have talked about possibly 10,000 to 30,000 troops — would be a considerable effort for nations that shrank their militaries after the Cold War but are now rearming. Starmer's office said military planners from Europe and beyond have been drilling down into details, examining "the full range of European military capabilities including aircraft, tanks, troops, intelligence and logistics." Greece publicly rejected sending troops. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said those discussions were "somewhat divisive" and distracted from the goal of ending the war as soon as possible. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also reiterated that Rome won't contribute troops to a possible military force to be deployed to Ukraine. She also underlined the importance of working with the U.S. on ending the conflict and called for the participation of an American delegation in the next coordination meeting. In the face of enduring pressure from Trump on Europe to increase military spending and rely less on U.S. forces, the proposed contingent is seen as a test of the continent's willingness to defend itself and its interests. While the U.S. has spearheaded ceasefire talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted that Europe, represented by Macron and Starmer, must also be at the negotiating table. "We do not consider any alternative," he said. "This is our firm stance. Europe is vast, and it must have clear representation in these negotiations." ## Agreement on sanctions Summit participants were more in agreement that sanctions squeezing Russia's economy must be continued, and even toughened, to force Moscow to negotiate in good faith. "Lifting sanctions on Russia right now would be a disaster for diplomacy," Zelenskyy said. "Sanctions are one of the few real tools the world has to pressure Russia into serious talks." Russia has demanded that sanctions be lifted to meet its terms for the Black Sea ceasefire. The White House said it would help restore Russia's access to the world market for fertilizer and farm exports, but it didn't validate Moscow's conditions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russia's demands would be evaluated and presented to Trump. Zelenskyy said: "They're dragging out the talks and trying to get the U.S. stuck in endless, pointless discussions about fake 'conditions' just to buy time and then try to grab more land." ## More aid and more attacks As ceasefire efforts gather steam, Ukraine's allies in Europe are working to strengthen Kyiv's hand militarily. Their aim is to enable it to keep fighting until any broad peace takes hold and also to turn the Ukrainian army into the first line of defense against any future Russian aggression. Macron announced a new package of defense aid for Ukraine that he said was worth 2 billion euros ($2.15 billion) and will include light tanks, air defense and anti-tank missiles and other weaponry and support. Russian drone attacks overnight wounded at least 18 people in the Kharkiv region and three people in Dnipro, officials said. Shelling in a front-line community in the Zaporizhzhia region knocked out electricity and phone coverage, regional head Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram. Separately, the Ukrainian Army General Staff said that its attack at Engels military airfield in Russia on March 20 had destroyed 96 air-to-air cruise missiles and significant reserves of aviation fuel. Satellite imagery taken the next day by Maxar Technologies appeared to show damage to ammunition and weapons storage at Engels, the main base for Russia's nuclear-capable strategic bombers. ___ Melley reported from London. Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, and Pan Pylas in London contributed to this report.
Associated Press News	2025-03-18 03:52:40+00:00	[ "Coby White", "Chicago Bulls", "Jordan Clarkson", "Utah Jazz", "Lauri Markkanen", "Nikola Vucevic", "Keyonte George", "Kevin Huerter", "NBA", "Sports", "Tre Jones", "Basketball", "NBA basketball", "Dalen Terry", "Brice Sensabaugh" ]	# Coby White's 26 points leads balanced scoring effort as Bulls deal Jazz 10th straight loss, 111-97 March 18th, 2025 03:52 AM --- SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Coby White scored 26 points and the Chicago Bulls beat Utah 111-97 on Monday night, sending the Jazz to their 10th straight loss. White, who shot 9 of 19 from the field and 2 for 10 from long distance, was helped by 6-for-7 shooting from the line. Tre Jones added 18 points, 12 assists and three steals as the Bulls won for the fifth time in six games. Kevin Huerter and Matas Buzelis each scored 17. Dalen Terry chipped in with 11 points as six Bulls scored in double figures. Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen each scored 16 points for Utah, which last won on Feb. 28, in a 117-116 victory over Minnesota. Jordan Clarkson added 14 points and Brice Sensabaugh 13. The Bulls turned a three-point lead into a 13-point advantage with a 10-point run in the first quarter. White scored 14 points in the opening quarters as the Bulls led 54-53 at the break. Buzelis' 3-pointer with 8:11 left in the third quarter put Chicago ahead for good. ## Takeaways Bulls: It was one of Tre Jones' best games since he was acquired in a three-team trade in February. He went 8 for 10 from the field while playing 33 1/2 minutes. Jazz: Lauri Markkanen was 1 for 8 from 3-point range, part of rough shooting night for the team from deep. The Jazz went 9 for 42 from beyond the arc. ## Key moment Tre Jones' layup sparked a 12-0 run for the Bulls in the fourth quarter. Nikola Vucevic's 3-pointer made it 109-93 with 3:15 left. ## Next up Both teams play Wednesday. The Bulls are at the Phoenix Suns, and the Jazz host the Washington Wizards. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Associated Press News	2025-03-22 17:19:39+00:00	[ "College sports", "Cheerleading", "Mens college basketball", "College basketball", "NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Championship", "March Madness NCAA Tournament", "NCAA Mens Bracket", "Lake Charles", "Amir Khan", "Clemson Tigers", "Louisiana", "Purdue Boilermakers", "Sports" ]	# Viral McNeese manager Amir Khan chats with Spike Lee March 22nd, 2025 05:19 PM --- PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The March Madness legend of McNeese manager and social media sensation Amir Khan continues to grow. While Khan sat behind the bench chatting with filmmaker Spike Lee during the Cowboys' second-round game against Purdue on Saturday, some of the team's players wore T-shirts with Khan's name and picture on them. The cheerleading squad also wore the shirts, along with the socks that made an appearance on Thursday night, when 12th-seeded McNeese upset Clemson for the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. Khan and his sponsored boombox went viral heading into the tournament as the unlikely hype man for the even more unlikely tournament darlings from Lake Charles, Louisiana, becoming the first known basketball manager to receive an NIL deal. "It's crazy. Because I never would have imagined this would have ever happened," Khan said Thursday. "I appreciate all the love and support. And seeing them wearing it means a lot to me." ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Associated Press News	2025-03-26 19:03:39+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "Plane crashes", "Federal Aviation Administration", "Aviation safety", "National Transportation Safety Board", "Jennifer Homendy", "Sean Duffy", "District of Columbia", "New York City", "DC Wire", "Transportation", "Politics", "Business", "Bonnie Coleman" ]	# NTSB chairwoman says reviewing the data after midair crash may prevent the next aviation accident By Josh Funk March 26th, 2025 07:03 PM --- Someone should have spotted the alarming number of near misses in the skies over the nation's capital before the fatal midair collision that killed 67 people in January, and reviewing the data now could prevent future crashes, according to the head of the agency investigating the crash. National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy emphasized to Congress Wednesday that the Federal Aviation Administration had data going back to 2011 showing that collision alarms were sounding inside cockpits at least once a month because of how close the planes were getting to helicopters. But the FAA didn't act, she said. "All this data is being collected by FAA from operators, from others, from voluntary reporting systems. Where is that data going to trend potential accidents and incidents in the future?" Homendy said during a hearing on her agency's budget. "The next accident is in the data right now. And what are we doing to figure out what that is?" The Senate is planning another hearing Thursday to delve deeper into what the NTSB has found so far about the Jan. 29 midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., Ronald Reagan National Airport. Homendy and the leaders of the FAA and Army's aviation division will all testify. Former NTSB Chairman Jim Hall said the FAA clearly should have been doing more with the information it has on hand from airlines, pilots and air traffic controllers to spot safety threats. The crash investigation will likely determine why that didn't happen effectively. "The question remains whether it was politics or oversight that permitted that situation at Washington, D.C., to continue as long as it did and take the lives of those people that were tragically taken in that accident," Hall said. Both Homendy and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier this month when NTSB first disclosed the shocking statistics that they were angry that the FAA didn't recognize the dangers before this crash after 85 near misses in the past three years when aircraft flew within a few hundred feet (meters) of each other. The FAA promptly launched a review of all its data after the NTSB briefing to try to identify any similar safety threats, particularly in eight cities with heavy helicopter traffic. The FAA said Wednesday that analysis continues. That review — aided by artificial intelligence and machine learning — is focused on airports in Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles and the heavy helicopter traffic off the Gulf Coast. The FAA hasn't said whether it has found anything yet, but the agency promised it "will have corrective action plans for any risks that are identified." In the meantime, the FAA quickly adopted the NTSB's recommendation to permanently close off a particular helicopter route near Reagan anytime planes are taking off or landing on the airport's runway 33 that the jetliner was approaching in January when the collision happened. If a helicopter does need to use that route for an urgent reason, no planes will be allowed to take off or land. That should ensure that planes and helicopters are no longer sharing the same airspace near the airport, officials said. "The FAA will continue to closely support the NTSB-led investigation and take action as necessary to ensure public safety," the agency said in a statement. Homendy declined Wednesday to address President Donald Trump's comments right after the crash suggesting that diversity and inclusion policies at the FAA may have contributed to it because the NTSB investigation isn't complete. A final report identifying the cause isn't expected for more than year. Trump also faulted the helicopter for flying too high and later suggested that an "obsolete" air traffic control system was the problem. New Jersey Democrat Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman said it is important to refute those diversity comments now because nothing has been found so far to support them, and she doesn't want the public to get the idea that diversity is the problem. "On the contrary, loyalty and sycophants seems to be the order of the day, and it's definitely negatively impacting this federal government doing its job," Watson Coleman said during the hearing. Federal officials have been raising concerns about an overtaxed and understaffed air traffic control system for years, especially after a series of close calls at airports. The NTSB previously said the helicopter may have had inaccurate altitude readings in the moments before the crash, and the crew may not have heard key instructions from air traffic controllers. The helicopter was at 278 feet (85 meters) at the time of the collision, which would put it above its 200-foot (61-meter) limit for that location. The collision was the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. since 2001, when a jet slammed into a New York City neighborhood just after takeoff, killing all 260 people on board and five more on the ground.
Associated Press News	2025-03-04 12:43:25+00:00	[ "Afghanistan", "Kabul", "Pakistan government", "Pakistan", "Asia", "Asia Pacific", "Abdul Mateen Qani", "War and unrest", "Afghanistan government", "Politics", "Business" ]	# Residents flee border area as Afghan and Pakistani forces clash over crossing closure By Riaz Khan March 4th, 2025 12:43 PM --- PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Residents fled a border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan after forces from both sides clashed into the early hours of Tuesday, a Pakistani official said. It was the second consecutive day of tit-for-tat gunfire at Torkham, a key crossing between the two countries that has been closed since Feb. 21 because of a dispute between the two neighbors. The Pakistani official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak with the media, said that gunfire overnight Monday spread fear and panic among residents. They fled to safer locations as security forces on both sides shot at each other with light and heavy weapons. "The situation remains tense and security is on high alert," the official said. Three Pakistani security personnel were wounded in the latest clash. There were no civilian casualties. One person waiting to cross into Pakistan was Sana Gul. He said drivers, patients, passengers and traders were all in trouble because of the prolonged closure and that Torkham should not be shut over "minor incidents." In Kabul, Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said Tuesday that authorities would continue their efforts to resolve the issue through talks. Both countries have in the past closed Torkham and the southwestern Chaman border crossing, most often over deadly shootings and crossfire. The crossings are vital for trade and travel between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan.
Associated Press News	2025-03-13 00:38:46+00:00	[ "Sandy Brondello", "Washington Wizards", "Dean Vickerman", "Adam Caporn", "Sports transactions", "Basketball", "Brooklyn Nets", "Australia", "Sports - Asia", "NBA", "Sports", "NBA basketball", "2024 Paris Olympic Games", "Brian Goorjian", "Andrew Bogut", "Sydney Kings" ]	# Washington Wizards assistant Caporn hired as Australia's men's basketball coach By Dennis Passa March 13th, 2025 12:38 AM --- BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Washington Wizards assistant Adam Caporn will take hemisphere-hopping to a new level after being hired as head coach of the Australian men's basketball team. Basketball Australia on Thursday said Caporn would continue his coaching duties with the NBA's Wizards and that Dean Vickerman of the National Basketball League's Melbourne United has been appointed to a new role as Boomers associate head coach. Vickerman will take over the head coaching responsibilities if there's a clash with Caporn's NBA schedule. The 42-year-old Western Australia-born Caporn was head coach of Basketball Australia's center of excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport from 2014-21 and has also worked in the U.S. as head coach of the G-League's Long Island Nets and as an assistant at the NBA's Brooklyn Nets. Caporn also was formerly a coach at St. Mary's College in California. Caporn worked under previous Boomers coaches Andrej Lemanis and Brian Goorjian at the last four major tournaments, helping Australia to an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo in 2021. Australia lost in overtime to Serbia in the quarterfinals at the Paris Games last year and Goorjian left the national team soon after. "It is an incredible honor to be part of the Boomers program. To step into the role of head coach is truly a dream come true," Caporn said in a statement. "I want to extend a special thankyou to Andrej Lemanis and Brian Goorjian for bringing me into the Boomers coaching staff — your mentorship and contributions to this program have been truly inspiring." Australia also has a similar setup with its national women's coach, Sandy Brondello. Last month, Basketball Australia said Brondello would continue as coach of the Opals until the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, extending her involvement with the national women's team to a seventh Olympics. Brondello, who guided the Opals to an Olympic bronze medal in Paris last year, helped the New York Liberty win the WNBA title in October. Basketball Australia also hired an associate head coach to lead the program while Brondello has WNBA commitments in New York. Basketball Australia said it conducted an extensive selection process over the last six months before hiring Caporn, consulting with a panel of specialists that included former NBA star and Boomers player Andrew Bogut. On Wednesday, Bogut was appointed as an assistant to Goojian, who now coaches the Sydney Kings in Australia's NBL. ___ AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Associated Press News	2025-03-24 20:00:54+00:00	[ "Detroit", "College sports", "Matt Weiss", "Indictments", "Sports", "Courts", "Douglas Mullkoff" ]	# Former NFL and college assistant coach pleads not guilty to hacking for women's images By Ed White March 24th, 2025 08:00 PM --- DETROIT (AP) — A judge entered a not-guilty plea Monday for a former Baltimore Ravens and University of Michigan assistant football coach who is charged with hacking into the computer accounts of thousands of college athletes to find intimate images, primarily of women. Matt Weiss' appearance in federal court in Detroit was brief and came four days after a 14-page indictment was filed. He's accused of unauthorized computer access and identity theft from 2015 until early 2023. Weiss and attorney Douglas Mullkoff waived a public reading of the indictment and later declined to comment during a cold, windy walk to a parking lot. Separately, a lawsuit seeking class-action status was filed Friday on behalf of a former University of Michigan female gymnast and a former member of the women's soccer team. The university violated its duty "by failing to supervise and monitor Weiss and as a result plaintiffs and thousands of others have had their privacy illegally invaded," attorney Parker Stinar said in the lawsuit. The university declined to comment. Weiss gained access to the databases of more than 100 colleges and universities that were maintained by a third-party vendor, Keffer Development Services, and then downloaded personal information and medical data of more than 150,000 athletes, according to the indictment. He then got access to the social media, email and cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 athletes, as well as more than 1,300 students or alumni from schools across the country, the indictment states. "His goal was to obtain private photographs and videos never intended to be shared beyond intimate partners," according to the indictment. Weiss spent two seasons with Michigan before he was fired in 2023 for not cooperating with a school investigation. He was co-offensive coordinator in 2022 when the Wolverines were 13-1 and played in the college football playoff. He had previously spent more than a decade with the NFL's Ravens in various coaching roles.
Associated Press News	2025-03-24 11:40:03+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "Richard Blumenthal", "Veterans", "Ruben Gallego", "Dan Crenshaw", "Tammy Duckworth", "Elon Musk", "Dan Foster", "Doug Collins", "Mike Johnson", "U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs", "U.S. Democratic Party", "Government programs", "Virginia", "United States House of Representatives", "Illinois", "North Carolina", "Congress", "Government and politics", "Chuck Edwards", "Jay Carey", "United States government", "U.S. Republican Party", "U.S. Department of Defense", "Mike Bost", "Gus Bilirakis", "Department of Government Efficiency", "Harriet Hageman", "Politics" ]	# Military veterans are becoming the face of Trump's government cuts By Stephen Groves March 24th, 2025 11:40 AM --- WASHINGTON (AP) — As congressional lawmakers scramble to respond to President Donald Trump's slashing of the federal government, one group is already taking a front and center role: military veterans. From layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs to a Pentagon purge of archives that documented diversity in the military, veterans have been acutely affected by Trump's actions. And with the Republican president determined to continue slashing the federal government, the burden will only grow on veterans, who make up roughly 30% of the over 2 million civilians who work for the federal government and often tap government benefits they earned with their military service. "At a moment of crisis for all of our veterans, the VA's system of health care and benefits has been disastrously and disgracefully put on the chopping block by the Trump administration," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, at a news conference last week. Blumenthal on Monday announced a series of so-called shadow hearings by Senate Democrats to spotlight how veterans are being impacted. Blumenthal invited VA Secretary Doug Collins to the first meeting next week, though the Cabinet secretary is under no compulsion to attend and is unlikely to appear at an unofficial proceeding. Most veterans voted for Trump last year — nearly 6 in 10, according to AP Votecast, a nationwide survey of more than 120,000 voters. Yet congressional Republicans are standing in support of Trump's goals even as they encounter fierce pushback in their home districts. At a series of town halls last week, veterans angrily confronted Republican members as they defended the cuts made under Trump adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. "Do your job!" Jay Carey, a military veteran, yelled at Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards at a town hall in North Carolina. "I'm a retired military officer," an attendee at another forum in Wyoming told Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman before questioning whether DOGE had actually discovered any "fraud." Although Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson advised his members to skip the town halls and claimed that they were being filled with paid protesters, some Republicans were still holding them and trying to respond to the criticism. "It looks radical, but it's not. I call it stewardship, in my opinion," Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida said on a tele-town hall. "I think they're doing right by the American taxpayer. And I support that principle of DOGE." Still, some Republicans have expressed unease with the seemingly indiscriminate firings of veterans, especially when they have not been looped in on the administration's plans. At a town hall on Friday, Texas Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw told the audience, "We're learning about this stuff at the speed of light, the way you are. I think there's been some babies thrown out with the bath water here, but we're still gathering information on it." Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL, added, "If you're doing a job that we need you to do, you're doing it well, yeah, we've got to fight for you." The Republican chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Rep. Mike Bost, assured listeners on a tele-town hall last week that he and Collins, the VA Cabinet secretary, are talking regularly. As the VA implements plans to cut roughly 80,000 jobs, Bost has said he is watching the process closely, but he has expressed support and echoed Collins' assurances that veterans' health care and benefits won't be slashed. "They've cut a lot, but understand this: Essential jobs are not being cut," Bost said, but then added that his office was helping alert the VA when people with essential jobs had in fact been terminated. Two federal judges this month ordered the Trump administration to rehire the probationary employees who were let go in the mass firings. At the VA, some of those employees have now been put on administrative leave, but a sense of dread and confusion is still hanging over much of the federal workforce. "We're all kind of wondering what's next," said Dan Foster, a Washington state Army veteran who lost his job when the VA canceled a contract supporting a program that educates service members on how to access their benefits and VA programs. Others are angry they have been portrayed as deadweight and cut from jobs they felt played a direct role in helping veterans get health care. "For somebody to go on the news and say we are incompetent or lazy — that is just false," said Future Zhou, an Army veteran who had a job managing medical supply inventories for operating rooms at the VA facility in Puget Sound, Washington, before she was fired in February. As Democrats search for their political footing and a rallying point to unify them, they have zeroed in on the cause of protecting veterans. In both the House and the Senate, Democrats have introduced legislation that would shield veterans from the mass layoffs. And when Trump spoke to Congress this month, many lawmakers invited veterans as their guests. "They are outraged," Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat who is an Iraq War veteran and former assistant secretary at the VA. "They said Donald Trump promised to watch out for them. And the first thing he does is fire them." Democrats are already pressing their Republican colleagues to show their support for veterans. In negotiations to allow passage of a Republican-backed government funding bill this month, Democrats secured a vote to amend the package to include language that would protect veterans from the federal layoffs. But it failed on party lines in part because the last-minute change would have ensured that Congress missed the deadline to avert a shutdown. With an eye on the midterm elections, VoteVets, a left-leaning veterans' advocacy group, is already launching video ads that feature veterans sharing their stories of being fired and accusing congressional members of doing "absolutely nothing." The ads are directed to five potential swing districts held by Republicans who are veterans themselves. Sen. Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat who is also a veteran, said he was unsure whether veterans would shift their political allegiance. But he said it is at least clear veterans are "pissed." Gallego said there's an opportunity for Democrats to hammer home the message that "Elon Musk and his buddies would rather just deal with the bottom line and try to save billions of dollars so they can have more tax cuts at the expense of veterans." ___ This story has been corrected to show the town halls were last week, not this week. ___ Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard in Chapin, S.C., and Kate Payne in Tallahassee, Fla., contributed.
Associated Press News	2025-03-06 13:32:21+00:00	[ "Soccer", "Mikel Arteta", "Enzo Maresca", "Nuno Espirito Santo", "Premier League", "Manchester City FC", "AFC Bournemouth", "Liverpool FC", "Brighton and Hove Albion FC", "Fulham FC", "Sports - Europe", "Fabian Hurzeler", "Pep Guardiola", "Chelsea FC", "James Robson", "Sports", "Andoni Iraola" ]	# The race for the Champions League may be the most compelling story left in English soccer By James Robson March 6th, 2025 01:32 PM --- MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The race for Champions League qualification may be the most gripping narrative left in the Premier League. Runaway leader Liverpool looks certain to win a record-equaling 20th title. At the other end of the standings, three from the current bottom four clubs will probably be relegated. The Champions League places, however, are up for grabs with just six points separating the teams placed from third to 10th. And with the Premier League in pole position to win a bonus fifth spot in the Champions League next season, the likes of Bournemouth, Brighton and Fulham are in contention. ## Forest flying high It is one of the unlikeliest stories of the season. Nottingham Forest, which finished one place above the relegation zone last season, is third and above four-time defending champion Manchester City, no less. Forest was deducted points last season for breaching the league's financial rules and avoided the drop by just six points. This term it has faced more sanctions: A near $1 million fine for an inflammatory social media post and a stadium ban for owner Evangelos Marinakis for misconduct after a controversial defeat. But none of that has stopped the club's remarkable rise under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who returned to England after winning the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ittihad. Espirito Santo's reputation grew after guiding Wolverhampton to promotion to the Premier League and then establishing it as a top flight club. He lasted five months at Tottenham but has worked wonders at Forest, which is also into the FA Cup quarterfinals. Forest hosts City on Saturday, with just one point separating them. ## Damage limitation City's title defense has unraveled and hopes of European glory were ended in defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League playoffs. Now it's a case of damage limitation for Pep Guardiola. The prospect of missing out on the top four remains a possibility, but having played Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea twice, the run-in looks relatively kind for City. Saturday's visit to Forest looks like one of its last major hurdles. ## Unlikely contenders Two years ago, Bournemouth was battling to avoid the drop. Three years ago it was in the second tier. Now the south coast club, with a stadium that holds just over 11,000 fans, is in contention to rub shoulders with giants like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Bournemouth, coached by Andoni Iraola, is in seventh place and three points behind Chelsea in fifth, and four off fourth-placed City. Brighton is one place further back on goal difference after an outstanding debut season so far for Texas-born coach Fabian Hurzeler. The big wins this season include City, Manchester United (twice) and Chelsea. On Saturday, Brighton plays ninth-placed Fulham, which is just a point behind. Like Forest, it's not just in the league where Bournemouth, Brighton and Fulham are riding high. All three are also through to the quarterfinals of the FA Cup. ## Comeback clubs Chelsea won its second Champions League title in 2021 but hasn't qualified in each of the last two seasons under the turbulent ownership of Americans Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Qualification, however, remains a very real target with Enzo Maresca's team fifth and one point behind City. Newcastle is also aiming to quickly bounce back into the competition having ended a 20-year absence last season only to miss out this term. Newcastle is sixth, two points back from Chelsea. Next week, it also hopes to end a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy when it plays Liverpool in the English League Cup final. Aston Villa is on course for the quarterfinals of the Champions League after a 3-1 first leg win against Club Brugge on Tuesday, but re-entry to next season's competition is far from certain at 10th in the Premier League. ## Title hopes fading Arsenal looks likely to finish runner up in the title race for a third year running. Mikel Arteta's second-placed team is 13 points behind Liverpool and, even with a game in hand, looks too far off the pace. With an injury crisis in attack, it may be looking over its shoulder at Forest and City in the final weeks of the campaign. It's Champions League challenge, however, is still very much alive. A 7-1 win against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday all but guaranteed qualification to the quarterfinals. ___ James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Associated Press News	2025-03-11 04:56:05+00:00	[ "Manila", "International Criminal Court", "Ferdinand Marcos Jr.", "Barack Obama", "Hong Kong", "Europe", "Philippines", "Philippines government", "United States government", "Politics", "Airport security", "Elections", "Scandals", "Courts", "Drug crimes" ]	# Duterte's arrest caps an investigation into one of Asia's most unorthodox leaders By Jim Gomez March 11th, 2025 04:56 AM --- MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, who left a savage legacy from his deadly anti-drugs crackdown, was arrested on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for the thousands killed in a war he waged against drugs in a political career spanning decades. His detention capped an international investigation into the killings, which unfolded for more than a dozen years. Duterte again came under the spotlight during a weekend trip to Hong Kong when the trip sparked speculation that he may have gone into exile to evade arrest. He had appeared as the main speaker on Sunday at a gathering of thousands of cheering and flag-waving Filipino expatriates, who jammed Southorn Stadium in downtown Wan Chai district. Now 79 and in poor health, Duterte campaigned for his political party's senatorial candidates ahead of the May 12 mid-term elections in the Philippines. He said he was aware the International Criminal Court had issued a warrant for his arrest. He again tried to justify the brutal crackdown as the crowd cheered him on. Police arrested him as he got off the plane at Manila International Airport based on an ICC warrant. Here's more about Duterte, his ICC case and what lies ahead for one of Asia's most unorthodox leaders in his time: ## Why was Duterte popular at home but condemned internationally? Duterte, a former prosecutor, congressman and longtime mayor of the southern Philippine city of Davao, built a political name with his expletive-laced outbursts against the elites, the dominant Roman Catholic church and the West. He was also seen as pro-poor and a populist, but he is perhaps best remembered for his brutal approach to criminality, particularly illegal drugs. Under his police-enforced crackdown in Davao at the start of the millennium, an estimated 1,000 mostly poor suspects were gunned down extrajudicially. One police officer involved in the Davao killings who later distanced himself from Duterte told The Associated Press that up to 10,000 suspects were killed by his and other police and civilian hit squads. The death toll in the crackdown was alarmingly high for years, gaining Duterte nicknames like "the Punisher" and "Duterte Harry," after the Western movie police character with little regard for the law. Human rights activists said people were afraid to testify against Duterte in court. In 2016, Duterte won the presidency on an audacious but failed promise to eradicate illegal drugs and corruption within three to six months, in a country long weary of crime and corruption scandals. "All of you who are into drugs, you sons of bitches, I will really kill you," Duterte told a huge crowd in a 2016 campaign stop in Manila. "I have no patience, I have no middle ground. Either you kill me or I will kill you idiots." The United States, the European Union and other Western governments raised the alarm over the anti-drugs campaign, prompting Duterte in 2016 to tell then-President Barack Obama "you can go to hell" as he threatened to "break up with America." ## What case does Duterte face before the ICC? The ICC launched an investigation into drug killings under Duterte from Nov. 1, 2011, when he was still mayor of Davao, to March 16, 2019, as possible crimes against humanity. Duterte withdrew the Philippines in 2019 from the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty, in a move human rights activists say was aimed at escaping accountability over the killings. The Duterte administration moved to suspend the global court's investigation in late 2021 by arguing that Philippine authorities were already looking into the same allegations, arguing the ICC — a court of last resort — didn't have jurisdiction. Appeals judges at the ICC ruled in July 2023 the investigation could resume and rejected the Duterte administration's objections. Based in The Hague, the Netherlands, the ICC can step in when countries are unwilling or unable to prosecute suspects in the most heinous international crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who succeeded Duterte in 2022 and became entangled in a bitter political dispute with the former president, has decided not to rejoin the global court. But the Marcos administration has said it would cooperate if the ICC asks international police to take Duterte into custody through a so-called Red Notice, a request for law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and temporarily arrest a crime suspect. China, which controls Hong Kong, and the Philippines do not currently belong to the ICC, but both are members of Interpol. The global court may issue a warrant for Duterte's arrest through Interpol. A prominent Philippine politician closely involved in the ICC cases against Duterte told the AP over the weekend the global court had issued a warrant for Duterte's arrest through Interpol. The politician spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss the sensitive issue publicly. Neither the ICC nor Interpol have yet confirmed the issuance of an arrest warrant. ## What will happen to Duterte? In his rambling speech before mostly Filipino workers in Hong Kong on Sunday, Duterte again justified his deadly anti-drugs campaign, saying it safeguarded Filipino people. Duterte has denied authorizing extrajudicial killings, but he openly and repeatedly threatened to kill suspected drug dealers when he was in office. "What was my sin?" Duterte asked in Hong Kong. "I did everything in my time so Filipinos can have a little peace and tranquility." He said he was prepared to go to jail but told the crowd in jest to make donations for the construction of a monument of him — which he suggested with a gesture of his hand should show him holding a gun. Duterte had said he retired from politics after his stormy presidential term ended in 2022. But in another turnaround from his earlier remarks, he registered to run for mayor of Davao with one of his sons as his running mate to be vice mayor, in elections in May. In Davao, additional police forces were deployed at the international airport and extra checkpoints were set up in what authorities said were meant to be prepared for any contingency ahead of the mid-term elections. The forces in Davao and elsewhere could step in if Duterte's arrest were to ignite unrest, which the Marcos administration said it could deftly handle.
Associated Press News	2025-03-01 23:30:14+00:00	[ "Brazil", "Latin America", "JWD-evergreen", "Thais Beazussi", "Photography" ]	# Mud-covered Carnival revelers are a strange sight in sleepy Brazilian town By Thiago Mostaza and Eléonore Hughes March 1st, 2025 11:30 PM --- PARATY, Brazil (AP) — Several hundred mud-covered Carnival revelers paraded in the sleepy seaside town of Paraty in southeastern Brazil on Saturday, a decades-old tradition that has grown ever larger since its first edition nearly 40 years ago. Joyous partygoers threw themselves into the silty shallows in front of one Paraty beach, emerging grey from the sludge. They danced on the beach and grunted cavemen chants -- "Uga! Uga!" -- before marching along the sand. "It's the best bloco. It's not often that you can get muddy and go around dancing and singing. It's very gooey, it's sticky and it stinks, but it's very good," said Thais Beazussi, 20, who lives almost two hours away by car, but makes the annual trip. Carnival in Brazil is a combination of world-famous parades by samba schools who spend all year around preparing and eccentric street parties, each with their own theme, aesthetic or musical style. The mud party's tradition dates to 1986, according to Paraty's tourism website. Friends were playing in the mangroves at Jabaquara Beach, and realized they weren't recognizable. They went strolling into the city's historic center and caused a stir. The next year, a group lathered themselves up with mud to present themselves as a prehistoric tribe for Carnival. They carried skulls, vines and bones as they uttered their chants, the site said. And so the mud party was born. And in the years since, it has become a beloved tradition. Its growth has forced organizers and Paraty's tourist office to promote awareness ahead of the event regarding the importance of not dirtying the city's colorful walls, cars or onlookers.
Associated Press News	2025-04-01 03:42:14+00:00	[ "Womens college basketball", "NCAA Womens Division I Basketball Championship", "Texas Longhorns", "Morgan William", "Vic Schaefer", "Rori Harmon", "College sports", "Texas", "Connecticut Huskies", "College basketball", "Texas Longhorns womens basketball", "March Madness NCAA Tournament", "Womens sports", "Connecticut Huskies womens basketball", "NCAA Womens Bracket", "Kim Mulkey", "Sports", "Gary Blair", "Dawn Staley", "Marianne Stanley" ]	# Texas coach Vic Schaefer joins elite group, leading 2nd school to women's Final Four By Doug Feinberg April 1st, 2025 03:42 AM --- BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Vic Schaefer has been in the coaching business for nearly four decades, and now he's part of an elite group. Texas' 64-year-old coach became the fifth person to lead two programs to the Final Four of the women's NCAA Tournament when the Longhorns beat TCU 58-47 on Monday night. The win came eight years to the day after one of Schaefer's greatest victories, when he was at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs ended UConn's 111-game winning streak on a last-second shot by Morgan William in overtime to advance to the national championship game. "Pretty special moment. I think of Morgan William all the time, not for that shot, but who she was and what she brought to that team. Had some really great point guards in the course of my career," he said. The latest standout point guard is Rori Harmon, who helped guide Texas to its first Final Four since 2003. Always the coach, Schaefer made sure Harmon knew how to get up the ladder to cut down the net for winning the region. "He's always going to be looking after us for sure," Harmon said. "Every situation, even climbing up a ladder, it's kind of dangerous. He'd be right there just in case. Shows what type of person he is." The next task for Schaefer, who joined his mentor Gary Blair, C. Vivian Stringer, Marianne Stanley and Kim Mulkey in the two-team club, is to beat defending champion South Carolina and Dawn Staley. It took him five years to get Mississippi State to the Final Four — he returned with the Bulldogs in 2018 — and it's taken him the same amount of time with the Longhorns. He hopes for a different outcome. After the win over UConn in 2017, the Bulldogs fell short against the Gamecocks in the championship game. That season, his team lost all three meetings to South Carolina. This time, Texas has one victory in three meetings already against its Southeastern Conference rival. "We played really well at our place, had a bad quarter in the SEC Tournament," Schaefer said. "They put it on us in the first half at their place. We have a ton of experiences to draw from and learn from. We got to learn and be different." ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Associated Press News	2025-03-08 12:37:47+00:00	[ "Boxing", "2024 Paris Olympic Games", "Lauren Price", "Ireland", "Natasha Jonas", "Mikaela Mayer", "Sandy Ryan", "Wales", "Las Vegas", "Sports - Europe", "Sports", "Katie Taylor", "Amanda Serrano", "Cardiff" ]	# Boxing rising star Lauren Price dreams of 'selling out stadiums' like Katie Taylor March 8th, 2025 12:37 PM --- LONDON (AP) — Lauren Price is following the Katie Taylor blueprint to boxing success. The Welsh welterweight outclassed Natasha Jonas on Friday night at Royal Albert Hall to retain her WBA title and pick up the WBC and IBF belts. "You've seen it with Katie Taylor, she's got a nation behind her in Ireland. I've got Wales," Price said. "She's an Olympic champion. I'm an Olympic champion. I really honestly feel like I could be going and selling out stadiums. That's the dreams that I've got." Price was too quick for the 40-year-old Jonas over 10 rounds and easily won by unanimous decision to improve to 9-0. Taylor, the undisputed super lightweight champion, has been involved in some of the biggest and best women's bouts. The 38-year-old Irishwoman will face Amanda Serrano for a third time on July 11 at Madison Square Garden. "You've seen Katie Taylor, what she's doing. I feel like I can follow in her footsteps," said the 30-year-old Price, who won a gold medal for Britain at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Price needs the WBO belt to become the undisputed champion. It is held by Mikaela Mayer, who faces English fighter Sandy Ryan on March 29 in Las Vegas. Mayer, a 34-year-old American, wants Price next if she can beat Ryan a second time. "I got a job to do March 29th but I fully expect to be sharing the ring with Price later this year," Mayer wrote on her social media accounts. Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom said he and Price will attend the bout in Las Vegas in hopes of sealing a Price vs. Mayer matchup if the American retains her belt. "That's the fight that makes sense in boxing terms," he said. Price, who at one time captained the Wales under-19 women's soccer team, has a location in mind. "As an international football player," she said, "I've played football in Cardiff City Stadium for Wales and for Cardiff. One day I would love to box there." ___ AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing
Associated Press News	2025-03-07 13:34:29+00:00	[ "Poland", "Donald Tusk", "Military and defense", "Donald Trump", "Poland government", "Vladimir Putin", "Andrzej Duda", "NATO", "North Atlantic Treaty Organization", "Politics" ]	# Polish leader Tusk plans large-scale military training for all adult males to boost reserves By Vanessa Gera March 7th, 2025 01:34 PM --- WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday that his government is working on a plan to prepare large-scale military training for every adult male in response to the changing security situation in Europe. The military training would create a reserve force that is "adequate to possible threats," Tusk said in a major speech on security to Poland's lower house of parliament, or Sejm. He said that there's a need for an army of 500,000 soldiers, which would include reservists. Last year, the Polish government said that the military was made up of around 200,000 soldiers and was to grow to 220,000 this year with the objective of increasing it to about 300,000. But security fears have grown far more dramatic in recent weeks, as Russia continues to pound Ukraine with missiles and drones, and as the Trump administration has withdrawn military and intelligence support for Ukraine while putting its commitments to NATO in question. "Today we are talking about the need for a half-million army in Poland," Tusk said. After his speech, Tusk explained to reporters that he wasn't considering a return of universal military service, but rather a reserve system based on the model in Switzerland. In that country, every man is obliged to serve in the military or an alternative civilian service, while women can volunteer if they choose. Poland, with a population of 38 million people, is located along NATO's eastern flank and is deeply concerned by the war in Ukraine. There are fears that if Ukraine is defeated, Russia will turn its imperial ambitions next to countries like Poland, which Moscow controlled during the 19th century and during the Cold War. Jaroslaw Kaczyński, the head of Poland's largest opposition party, the conservative Law and Justice, said that a mental shift in society would also be needed in addition to the military training of men. "We will have a return to the chivalric ethos and to the fact that men should also be soldiers, that is, be able to expose themselves, even to death," Kaczyński said. Concern has grown in Poland and across most of Europe as U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled a dramatically shifting stance in Washington to one that includes support for Russia's position — even though on Friday he issued a stern warning to Russia after it attacked Ukrainian energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones. "If Ukraine loses the war or if it accepts the terms of peace, armistice, or capitulation in such a way that weakens its sovereignty and makes it easier for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to gain control over Ukraine, then, without a doubt — and we can all agree on that — Poland will find itself in a much more difficult geopolitical situation," Tusk said. President Andrzej Duda said Friday that he was submitting an amendment to the Polish Constitution for consideration which would oblige the country to spend at least 4% of its gross domestic product each year on defense. Poland is already NATO's top spender on defense as a percentage of its overall economy, spending above 4% of its GDP this year. But Duda said that he wanted to take advantage of the consensus on the political scene in Poland today on the matter to enshrine it in the highest law. Trump has suggested that the U.S. might abandon its commitments to the alliance if member countries don't meet defense spending targets.
Associated Press News	2025-03-18 20:21:51+00:00	[ "Soccer", "Arsenal FC", "UEFA Champions League", "Real Madrid", "Olympique Lyon", "Bayern Munich", "Champions League", "Sports - Europe", "Womens sports", "Womens soccer", "Leah Williamson", "Maria Luisa Grohs", "Signe Bruun", "Sports", "Alberto Toril", "Beth Mead", "Melanie Leupolz", "Linda Caicedo", "Lindsey Heaps", "Manuela Zinsberger" ]	# Caicedo stars as Real Madrid defeats Arsenal 2-0 in women's Champions League, Lyon beats Bayern By Ciarán Fahey March 18th, 2025 08:21 PM --- Linda Caicedo shined on a rainy evening in the Spanish capital as Real Madrid beat Arsenal 2-0 in the first leg of the women's Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday. Eight-time champion Lyon is eying the semifinals after a 2-0 win at Bayern Munich in their first-leg quarterfinal thanks to goals from Tabitha Chawinga and Melchie Dumornay. Bayern goalkeeper Maria-Luisa Grohs saved Lindsey Heaps' penalty before the break and made a host of other saves, too. Caicedo, the 20-year-old Colombia star, opened the scoring in Madrid's Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium and proved a constant source of torment for the Arsenal defenders. Substitute Athenea grabbed the second goal late to put the Spanish side in a promising position to reach the semifinals. Caicedo capitalized on Arsenal defender Leah Williamson's botched effort to cut out Signe Bruun's pass when she took a couple of strides forward to hold off Arsenal's Emily Fox and fired the ball inside the left post in the 22nd minute. Beth Mead went closest for Arsenal before the break. Madrid suffered a blow in the 63rd when Melanie Leupolz went off with an apparent right knee injury after kicking the ball. The 16-year-old Irune Dorado went on in the German midfielder's place. Arsenal responded with a period of sustained pressure, albeit without reward, and Athenea scored on a counterattack in the 82nd. Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger got her hand to the ball but couldn't keep Athenea's powerful shot out. "We knew how to endure," Madrid coach Alberto Toril said. "In the Champions League there are important matches that you need to know how to play and that have many mini-matches within the games, and I think we did very well." Lyon and Arsenal will host their respective second-leg quarterfinal matches next Wednesday. Madrid, a powerhouse in men's soccer with a record 15 European titles, is bidding to reach the semifinals for the first time. The Spanish club was late to women's soccer in comparison to rivals, only forming its women's team after completing a merger and acquisition of another women's soccer club in 2020. The big clubs' belated investments in women's soccer have had an adverse effect on clubs like Sweden's Umeå IK and Germany's Turbine Potsdam. The other quarterfinal matches are on Wednesday, when Wolfsburg faces defending champion Barcelona at home, before Manchester City hosts English rival Chelsea. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Associated Press News	2025-03-25 21:05:08+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "Joe Biden", "Lee Zeldin", "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "U.S. Democratic Party", "West Virginia", "Legislation", "Pollution", "Diversity", "equity and inclusion", "Politics", "Climate and environment", "Lisa Rochester", "Health", "Business", "Wildfires", "Race and ethnicity", "Air quality", "Water quality", "Subsidies", "Climate", "Race and Ethnicity" ]	# Democrats say EPA illegally canceled hundreds of grants aimed at boosting 'environmental justice' By Michael Phillis, Alexa St. John, and Matthew Daly March 25th, 2025 09:05 PM --- WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency illegally canceled grants worth more than $1.5 billion focused on improving the environment in minority communities hit hard by pollution, Senate Democrats say. Hundreds of grants were awarded by former President Joe Biden's administration under a 2022 law that directed the EPA to spend $3 billion on grants to help low-income and minority communities improve their air, water and protect against climate change. Those environmental justice efforts were a major priority under Biden. President Donald Trump's administration, however, has cut funding, grants and people focused on environmental justice. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced March 10 that that he was canceling more than 400 "DEI and Environmental Justice grants" totaling $1.7 billion. In a post on X, Zeldin said the cuts were the fourth -- and biggest -- round of EPA/Department of Government Efficiency cuts. All nine Democrats on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works signed the letter to Zeldin dated Monday. It demands information from the EPA about the terminated grants and eliminated environmental justice employees, and asks the agency to explain its plans to "combat pollution specifically in marginalized communities." "The vast majority of the targeted grant awards were made using funds appropriated by Congress with a statutory mandate that they be distributed to disadvantaged communities," according to the senators' letter. The senators also accused the EPA of violating court orders and rules for terminating grants. An EPA statement said the terminations will not stop. "We have received the letter and will respond through appropriate channels. As the Trump administration reins in wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars, EPA will continue terminating assistance agreements in line with terms and conditions," the statement said. An internal EPA list of the roughly 400 grantees that was shared with The Associated Press detailed the cuts. They included a wide swath of recipients for clean air and water initiatives. The Childhood Lead Action Project was granted $500,000 for a lead poisoning prevention program. Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice was granted $474,000 for a community air quality system, while the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection was granted $1 million for a pilot project in communities affected by PFAS contamination in drinking water, as examples. To carry out the spending in the Inflation Reduction Act, the agency funded several environmental justice grant programs during the Biden administration. Community Change Grants, for example, focused on community-driven projects for places "facing legacy pollution, climate change, and persistent disinvestment," per the EPA. "Unsurprisingly, the illegal termination of these grants puts communities at risk and does nothing to lower costs for families," said Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat. Trump signed an executive order overturning decades worth of environmental justice policies and purging DEI efforts from the government. Zeldin has in turn dismantled the Biden administration's climate program and environmental justice work. "EPA continues to work diligently to implement President Trump's executive orders," Zeldin has said. For example, the agency directed a bank to freeze $14 billion in funding spent during the Biden administration on a green bank to finance climate-friendly projects — a program authorized by Congress. Zeldin accused the nonprofits administering the program of mismanagement and self-dealing and terminated the grants. That move was paused by a federal judge who said the government's accusations of fraud were "vague and unsubstantiated." Senate Democrats are pushing back against the Trump administration's effort to withhold congressionally authorized spending, called impoundment. They argue Zeldin is violating a promise he made during his Senate confirmation hearing to follow the law. "The illegal termination of these EPA grants not only violates congressional appropriations law, contractual agreements, and multiple court orders, but it also undermines essential programs aimed at eliminating childhood lead poisoning, reducing toxic air pollution, and mitigating health risks from heat and wildfires," said Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the committee. The Washington Post was first to report on the letter. Last year, the EPA changed the terms and conditions for its grants, eliminating its ability to do policy-based cancellations. An internal EPA Office of General Counsel email obtained by Senate Democrats and provided to The AP says that even though EPA officials knew some grants had this updated language, they were terminated anyway. ___ Phillis reported from St. Louis and St. John reported from Detroit. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
Associated Press News	2025-03-26 09:52:16+00:00	[ "Nonfiction", "Neneh Cherry", "Rachel Clarke", "Books and literature", "China", "Clare Mulley", "Helen Scales", "Celebrity", "London", "United Kingdom", "Naomi Klein", "Entertainment", "Kavita Puri", "Lifestyle" ]	# Musician Neneh Cherry and medic Rachel Clarke are among finalists for a major nonfiction prize March 26th, 2025 09:52 AM --- LONDON (AP) — A moving memoir by Swedish singer Neneh Cherry and the gripping story of a heart transplant by British doctor Rachel Clarke are among finalists for the Women's Prize for Nonfiction, set up to help fix the gender imbalance in nonfiction publishing. Cherry's "A Thousand Threads" and Clarke's "The Story of a Heart" are on a six-book shortlist for the 30,000 pound ($39,000) prize. The other contenders include two books about nature and the environment: "Raising Hare" by British writer Chloe Dalton, and "What the Wild Sea Can Be" by U.K. biologist Helen Scales. Also on the list are "Agent Zo," British historian Clare Mulley's biography of a World War II resistance fighter, and China-born British lawmaker Yuan Yang's "Private Revolutions," which explores the lives of young women in modern-day China. British journalist Kavita Puri, who is chairing the panel of judges, said the "eclectic" list includes "narratives that honor the natural world and its bond with humanity, meticulously researched stories of women challenging power and books that illuminate complex subjects with authority, nuance and originality." The award is a sister to the 30-year-old Women's Prize for Fiction and is open to female English-language writers from any country in any nonfiction genre. It was established last year in response to statistics showing men in the U.K. buy more nonfiction than women — and write more prize-winning nonfiction books. The company Nielsen Book Research found in 2019 that while women bought 59% of all the books sold in the U.K., men accounted for just over half of adult nonfiction purchases. The inaugural winner was Canadian author-activist Naomi Klein for "Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World." Winners of both nonfiction and fiction prizes will be announced June 12 at a ceremony in London.
Associated Press News	2025-03-22 16:42:15+00:00	[ "Jack Flaherty", "Tarik Skubal", "Jackson Jobe", "Detroit Tigers", "Baseball", "MLB", "Minor league baseball", "Sports", "Ryan Kreidler", "MLB baseball", "Los Angeles Dodgers", "Casey Mize", "Toledo Rockets", "Reese Olson" ]	# Tigers' top prospect Jackson Jobe is expected to be included in the rotation to open the season March 22nd, 2025 04:42 PM --- LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — The Detroit Tigers cleared the path for top prospect Jackson Jobe to open the season in the rotation on Saturday when they optioned right-handed pitcher Keider Montero to Triple-A Toledo. Jobe is expected to join AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson and Casey Mize in the rotation when Detroit opens the season at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. Jobe, who is from Oklahoma City, was selected third overall out of high school in the 2021 amateur draft by the Tigers and is regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball. The right-hander has posted a 3.65 ERA in four spring training games. Jobe made his major league debut late last season when he was called up during the Tigers' playoff push. He threw a combined four scoreless innings, giving up only one hit, in two relief appearances. The Tigers also optioned infielder Ryan Kreidler to Toledo. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Associated Press News	2025-03-11 19:15:11+00:00	[ "Georgia Budget", "Schools", "Education funding", "District of Columbia", "Georgia", "Atlanta", "Legislation", "Education", "Matt Hatchett", "Brian P. Kemp", "Personal finance", "Rebecca Sibilia", "Nathan Deal", "Jason Esteves" ]	# Georgia budget proposes spending more on poor students for the first time By Jeff Amy March 11th, 2025 07:15 PM --- ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia could allocate extra money to educate poor public school students for the first time under a House budget approved on an 171-4 vote Tuesday. However, the $28 million proposed is far less than what advocates argue is necessary. House Bill 68, which would spend $37.7 billion in state money and $73.1 billion overall in the year beginning July 1, advances to the Senate for more debate. It would further boost spending on prisons, provide another bonus payment for some state retirees and raise judges' salaries. Georgia's 40-year-old K-12 school funding system provides extra money to school districts with low property wealth that can't collect much in property taxes. But Democrats and others argue that the state needs to spend more on poor students themselves. "Every low-income student that comes to school is coming from a household that has additional needs," said Rebecca Sibilia, who has long been active in efforts to realign school funding. Sibilia, the executive director of Ed Fund, was an advisor on former Gov. Nathan Deal's failed attempt to rewrite Georgia's funding formula in the 2010s. About 36% of Georgia's public school students — 625,000 of the state's 1.75 million students — come from impoverished households, according to the Governor's Office of Student Achievement. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Hatchett said lawmakers aren't sure yet how they will distribute the money. But $28 million is only about $45 per low-income student. Sibilia and other experts say schools need to spend at least $1,000 extra per student to begin seeing results or $625 million statewide. And more money may lead to bigger improvements. Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves of Atlanta, who made his own proposal earlier this year, said he'd like to see a funding boost of about $2 billion. Hatchett suggested more money could follow in later years. "This is the beginning of a need that has been heard," Hatchett, a Republican who represents the high-poverty school district of Dublin, said Monday. While 45 states and the District of Columbia spend more money on poor students, according to Sibilia, Georgia is one of five states that do not. The others are Alaska, Idaho, South Dakota and West Virginia. Poor children typically come to school behind those who were born to wealthier parents. That means districts need to intervene to improve academic achievement. And districts can spend more on transportation, meals and after-school programs for low-income students, Sibilia said. Overall, the House plan spends an additional $98 million on public education over what Gov. Brian Kemp recommended, for total spending of $16 billion. Budget writers earmarked $25 million to create a database on troubled students, the centerpiece of a school safety bill the House passed last week. There's also $19.6 million to provide a $20,000 mental health counseling grant for every public middle school and high school. Schools could hire their own employees or contract with others. The state would spend another $10.8 million to hire literacy coaches to help teachers improve reading instruction in kindergarten through third grade. Georgia would also spend $2 million to research standards for literacy coaches. There's $10 million for Georgia to pick up part of the tab for afterschool and summer enrichment programs, replacing some federal pandemic relief money. The House also wants to spend $5 million to expand the number of school social workers, in part to bring frequently absent students back to class. The House proposal would have Georgia borrow money to pay for some capital projects after borrowing nothing this year. Selling bonds to borrow $321 million, plus cutting another $75 million in capital projects would help give lawmakers room to spend elsewhere. Georgia lawmakers can't spend above the $33.7 billion in state revenue that Kemp has forecast for the budget. That means that to increase spending somewhere, they have to cut spending elsewhere. The House would also cut the amount that Georgia would spend on a new voucher program to $46 million from the $141 million Kemp had proposed. House lawmakers said they don't project more than $46 million in demand in the first year of the program for the $6,500 vouchers, which can be spent on private schools or home-schooling.
Associated Press News	2025-03-21 12:48:14+00:00	[ "Phnom Penh", "Cambodia", "Travel", "COVID-19 pandemic", "COVID-19", "Pandemics", "Business", "Charles Vann" ]	# A major new airport to serve Cambodia's capital and boost tourism is due to open in July By Sopheng Cheang March 21st, 2025 12:48 PM --- KANDAL, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia expects that its new airport serving the capital will open in July, a project official said Friday, in a major step forward in boosting the country's lucrative tourism sector, whose growth was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Work on Phnom Penh's new airport, officially known as the Techo International Airport, began in 2019, covering an area of 2,600 hectares (6,425 acres) located at the border of Kandal and Takeo provinces, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of the capital. "I think the TIA airport here is going to be launched in the soft opening in July 2025, and we believe that so many passengers are waiting and they really want to come in to see this new airport," said Charles Vann, director of the airport's project steering committee, during a media tour. The new airport is a $1.5 billion joint venture between the Cambodian government and the Overseas Cambodian Investment Corp. It's being built by the China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group Co., Ltd. The architects for the airport are the British firm Foster + Partners, whose website says its "design embodies a strong sense of place" and is "responsive to the tropical climate." The terminal building sits under what is described as a single overarching roof canopy that is a lightweight steel grid shell, "with an innovative screen that filters daylight and illuminates the vast terminal space." Construction is being undertaken in three phases. Initially, the airport is expected to be capable of handling up to 13 million passengers a year, with capacity increased up to 30 million passengers after 2030, and then up to 50 million passengers in 2050. It will be the second major airport in Cambodia to open in the space of two years. In 2023, the Chinese-financed Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport began operations in the northwestern province of Siem Reap, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the centuries-old Angkor Wat temple complex, the country's major tourist attraction. Tourism is one of the main pillars supporting Cambodia's economy. According to the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia received around 6.7 million international tourists in 2024, a 23% increase over 2023.
Associated Press News	2025-03-11 19:46:02+00:00	[ "COVID-19 pandemic", "Pandemics", "COVID-19", "Health" ]	# The 5-year anniversary of COVID-19 pandemic March 11th, 2025 07:46 PM --- This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors
Associated Press News	2025-03-23 12:48:31+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "Marco Rubio", "South Africa", "United States government", "United States", "Courts", "International Court of Justice", "South Africa government", "Politics", "Palestinian territories government", "Joel Pollak", "Genocide", "United States Congress", "Barack Obama", "Sanctions and embargoes" ]	# Expelled South African ambassador Ebrahim Rasool returns home By Gerald Imray March 23rd, 2025 12:48 PM --- CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The South African ambassador who was expelled from the United States and declared persona non grata by the Trump administration was welcomed home at an airport Sunday by hundreds of supporters who sang songs praising him. Crowds at Cape Town International Airport surrounded Ebrahim Rasool and his wife Rosieda as they emerged in the arrivals terminal in their hometown, and they needed a police escort to help them navigate their way through the building. "A declaration of persona non grata is meant to humiliate you," Rasool told the supporters as he addressed them with a megaphone. "But when you return to crowds like this, and with warmth ... like this, then I will wear my persona non grata as a badge of dignity." "It was not our choice to come home, but we come home with no regrets." Rasool was expelled for comments he made on a webinar that included him saying that the Make America Great Again movement was partly a response to "a supremacist instinct." Rasool said on his return home it was important for South Africa to fix its relationship with the U.S. after President Donald Trump punished the country and accused it of taking an anti-American stance even before the decision to expel him. The U.S. president issued an executive order last month cutting all funding to South Africa, alleging its government is supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Iran, and pursuing anti-white policies at home. "We don't come here to say we are anti-American," Rasool said to the crowd. "We are not here to call on you to throw away our interests with the United States." They were the ex-ambassador's first public comments since the Trump administration declared him persona non grata over a week ago, removed his diplomatic immunities and privileges, and gave him until this Friday to leave the U.S. It is highly unusual for the U.S. to expel a foreign ambassador. ## Rasool stands by the comments cited by Rubio Rasool was declared persona non grata by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a post on X on March 14. Rubio said Rasool was a "race-baiting politician" who hates the U.S. and Trump. Although Rubio didn't directly cite a reason, his post linked to a story by the conservative Breitbart news site that reported on a talk Rasool gave on a webinar organized by a South African think tank. In his talk, Rasool spoke in academic language of the Trump administration's crackdowns on diversity and equity programs and immigration and mentioned the possibility of a U.S. where white people soon would no longer be in the majority. "The supremacist assault on incumbency, we see it in the domestic politics of the U.S.A., the MAGA movement, the Make America Great Again movement, as a response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the U.S.A. in which the voting electorate in the U.S.A. is projected to become 48% white," Rasool said in the talk. On Sunday, he said he stood by those comments, and characterized them as merely alerting intellectuals and political leaders in South Africa that the U.S. and its politics had changed. "It is not the U.S. of Obama, it is not the U.S. of Clinton, it is a different U.S. and therefore our language must change," Rasool said. "I would stand by my analysis because we were analyzing a political phenomenon, not a personality, not a nation, and not even a government." ## Pressure over genocide case against Israel He also said that South Africa would resist pressure from the U.S. — and anyone else — to drop its case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The Trump administration has cited that case against U.S. ally Israel as one of the reasons it alleges South Africa is anti-American. The Breitbart story Rubio cited when announcing Rasool's expulsion was written by South African-born senior editor-at-large Joel Pollak, who is Jewish and an ally of the Trump administration. Pollak is also a contender to be the new U.S. ambassador to South Africa, according to South African media. Some of the supporters welcoming Rasool, who is Muslim, home to Cape Town waved Palestinian flags and chanted "free Palestine." "As we stand here, the bombing (in Gaza) has continued and the shooting has continued, and if South Africa was not in the (International Court of Justice), Israel would not be exposed, and the Palestinians would have no hope," Rasool said. "We cannot sacrifice the Palestinians ... but we will also not give up with our relationship with the United States. We must fight for it, but we must keep our dignity." ___ More AP news on the Trump administration: https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump
Associated Press News	2025-03-18 04:14:19+00:00	[ "Louisiana", "Crime", "Alabama", "Capital punishment", "Jessie Hoffman Jr.", "Legal proceedings", "Arkansas", "Homicide", "Kenneth Eugene Smith", "Sarah Huckabee Sanders", "Liz Murrill", "Richard Moore", "Gina Swanson", "Seth Smith", "Cecelia Kappel", "Religion" ]	# Louisiana puts man to death in state's first nitrogen gas execution By Sara Cline March 18th, 2025 04:14 AM --- ANGOLA, La. (AP) — Louisiana used nitrogen gas to put a man to death Tuesday evening for a killing decades ago, marking the first time the state has used the method as it resumed executions after a 15-year hiatus. Jessie Hoffman Jr., 46, was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, authorities said, adding the nitrogen gas had flowed for 19 minutes during what one official characterized as a "flawless" execution. Witnesses to the execution said Hoffman appeared to involuntarily shake or had "some convulsive activity." But the three witnesses who spoke — including two members of the media — agreed that, based on the protocol and what they learned about the execution method, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Witness Gina Swanson, a reporter with WDSU, described the execution from her viewpoint as "clinical" and "procedural." She said there was nothing that occurred during the process that made her think, "Was that right? Was that how it was supposed to go?" Hoffman declined to make a final statement in the execution chamber. He also declined a final meal. It was the fifth time nitrogen gas was used in the U.S. after four executions by the same method — all in Alabama. Three other executions, by lethal injection, are scheduled this week — in Arizona on Wednesday and in Florida and Oklahoma on Thursday. ## Hoffman convicted of New Orleans murder Hoffman was convicted of the murder of Mary "Molly" Elliott, a 28-year-old advertising executive who was killed in New Orleans. At the time of the crime, Hoffman was 18 and has since spent much of his adult life at the penitentiary in rural southeast Louisiana, where he was executed Tuesday evening. After court battles earlier this month, attorneys for Hoffman had turned to the Supreme Court in last-ditch hopes of halting the execution. Last year, the court declined to intervene in the nation's first nitrogen hypoxia execution, in Alabama. Hoffman's lawyers had unsuccessfully argued that the nitrogen gas procedure — which deprives a person of oxygen — violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The man's lawyers, in a last-ditch appeal, also argued the method would infringe on Hoffman's freedom to practice religion, specifically his Buddhist breathing and meditation in the moments leading up to death. Louisiana officials maintained the method is painless. They also said it was past time for the state to deliver justice as promised to victims' families after a decade and a half hiatus — one brought on partly by an inability to secure lethal injection drugs. The Supreme Court voted 5-4 in declining to step in. Hours earlier at a hearing Tuesday, a 19th Judicial District Court Judge Richard "Chip" Moore also declined to stop the execution. He agreed with the state's lawyers who had argued the man's religion-based arguments fell under the jurisdiction of a federal judge who had already ruled on them, according to local news outlets. ## Execution method deprives body of oxygen Under the Louisiana protocol, which is nearly identical to Alabama's, officials had earlier said Hoffman would be strapped to a gurney before a full-face respirator mask fitted tightly on him. Pure nitrogen gas was then pumped into the mask, forcing him to breathe it in and depriving him of the oxygen needed to maintain bodily functions. The protocol called for the gas to be administered for at least 15 minutes or five minutes after the inmate's heart rate reaches a flatline indication on the EKG, whichever is longer. Two media witnesses to Tuesday's execution said Hoffman was covered with a gray plush blanket from the neck down. In the chamber with Hoffman was his spiritual adviser. Ahead of the execution and after the curtains closed to the viewing room, witnesses said they could hear Buddhist chanting. The gas began to flow at 6:21 p.m. and Hoffman started twitching, media witnesses said. His hands clenched and he had a "slight head movement." Swanson said she closely watched the blanket over Hoffman's chest area and could see it rise and fall, indicating that he was breathing. She said his last visible breath appeared to be at 6:37 p.m. Shortly after, the curtains between the chamber and witness viewing room closed. When they reopened, Hoffman was pronounced dead. Seth Smith, chief of operations at the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, witnessed the execution and also acknowledged Hoffman's movements. Smith, who has a medical background, said he perceived the convulsions to be an "involuntary response to dying" and that Hoffman appeared to be unconscious at the time. ## Nitrogen gas was first used in Alabama Each inmate put to death using nitrogen in Alabama had appeared to shake and gasp to varying degrees during their executions, according to media witnesses, including an Associated Press reporter. Alabama state officials said the reactions were involuntary movements associated with oxygen deprivation. Alabama first used nitrogen gas to put Kenneth Eugene Smith to death last year, marking the first time a new method had been used in the U.S. since lethal injection was introduced in 1982. Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma specifically authorize execution by nitrogen hypoxia, according to records compiled by the Death Penalty Information Center. Arkansas was added to the list on Tuesday. Seeking to resume executions, Louisiana's GOP-dominated Legislature expanded the state's approved death penalty methods last year to include nitrogen hypoxia and electrocution. Lethal injection was already in place. On Tuesday, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed legislation allowing executions using nitrogen gas, making hers the fifth state to adopt the method. Arkansas currently has 25 people on death row. Over recent decades, the number of executions nationally has declined sharply amid legal battles, a shortage of lethal injection drugs and waning public support for capital punishment. That has led a majority of states to either abolish or pause carrying out the death penalty. On Tuesday afternoon, a small group of execution opponents held a vigil outside the rural southeast Louisiana prison at Angola, where the state's executions are carried out. Some passed out prayer cards with photos of a smiling Hoffman and planned a Buddhist reading and "Meditation for Peace." Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she expects at least four people to be executed this year in the state. Following Hoffman's execution, she said justice had been delayed for far too long and now Hoffman "faces the ultimate judgment, the judgment before God."
Associated Press News	2025-03-12 04:31:15+00:00	[ "Texas", "David Leonard Wood", "Crime", "Capital punishment", "Courts", "Legal proceedings", "Angelica Frausto", "Karen Baker", "Homicide", "Ivy Williams", "Dawn Smith", "Gregory Wiercioch" ]	# Court stays execution of Texas man days before he was set to die by lethal injection March 12th, 2025 04:31 AM --- AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas appeals court on Tuesday halted the execution of a man who has spent more than 30 years on death row and had been set to die by lethal injection this week over the killings of six girls and young women found buried in the desert near El Paso. It was the second scheduled execution in the U.S. halted on Tuesday after a federal judge stopped Louisiana's first death row execution using nitrogen gas, which was to take place next week. In Texas, the order was another reprieve for David Leonard Wood, who in 2009 was about 24 hours away from execution when it was halted over claims he is intellectually disabled and thus ineligible for execution. Those claims were later rejected by a judge and Wood, 67, had been set to die Thursday. But the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's highest criminal court, issued a stay of execution after his latest appeal, which renewed his claims of innocence. The court put Wood's execution on pause "until further order." It did not elaborate on the decision in a brief three-page order. Had Wood been executed this week, he would have spent 32 years and two months on Texas' death row, the longest time a Texas inmate has waited before being put to death. The 1987 murders remained unsolved for several years until authorities say Wood bragged to a cellmate that he was the so-called "Desert Killer." The victims' bodies were found buried in shallow graves in the same desert area northeast of El Paso. Authorities said Wood gave rides to the victims and then drove them into the desert, where he sexually assaulted and killed them. The victims were Rosa Casio and Ivy Williams, both 23; Karen Baker, 21; Angelica Frausto, 17; Desiree Wheatley, 15; and Dawn Smith, 14. Two other girls and a young woman were also reported missing but were never found. Wood, a repeat convicted sex offender who had worked as a mechanic, has long maintained his innocence. "I did not do it. I am innocent of this case. I'll fight it," Wood said in recent documents filed in his appeals. On March 4, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles declined a request to commute his death sentence to a lesser penalty or grant him a 90-day reprieve. His lawyers have for years sought to have hundreds of pieces of evidence tested for DNA after testing in 2011 of bloodstains on the clothing Smith wore found a male DNA profile that was not Wood. The Texas Attorney General's Office has fought against new DNA tests and various courts have denied Wood's request for it. Prior to the court's decision Tuesday, Gregory Wiercioch, one of Wood's attorneys, said that when authorities identified Wood as a suspect, they focused on him and not on the evidence they had. "We've tried to make it clear to the courts that he's innocent, and we'll see if anyone listens," Wiercioch said.
Associated Press News	2025-03-04 16:59:25+00:00	[ "Drake", "Hip hop and rap", "Texas", "San Antonio", "New York City", "Entertainment" ]	# iHeartMedia says legal dispute with Drake was settled because it 'did nothing wrong' By Juan A. Lozano March 4th, 2025 04:59 PM --- HOUSTON (AP) — Texas-based iHeartMedia said it settled its legal dispute with Drake over Kendrick Lamar's dis track "Not Like Us" after demonstrating that it "did nothing wrong." Drake had alleged in a legal petition filed in November that iHeartMedia received illegal payments from Universal Music Group to boost radio airplay for "Not Like Us." UMG is the parent record label for both Drake and Lamar. San Antonio-based iHeartMedia initially declined to comment on the settlement, which was revealed last week in court documents. The media company released an updated statement Saturday. "In exchange for documents that showed iHeart did nothing wrong, Drake agreed to drop his petition. No payments were made — by either one of us," the statement said. A representative for Drake disputed iHeart's statement Tuesday, saying the company "has not provided a single document as of yet to Drake, let alone any information that showed they did nothing wrong." "This back and forth is silly. Drake dropped the petition. We did nothing wrong. End of story," iHeartMedia said in a statement late Tuesday. In a court document filed Thursday in Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, attorneys for Drake said the rapper and iHeartMedia had "reached an amicable resolution of the dispute" but did not offer any other information. The dismissal of iHeartMedia from the petition was done "with prejudice," meaning Drake would not be able to refile the petition against the company. A hearing on a motion by UMG's lawyers to dismiss Drake's petition had been set for Wednesday but was changed to March 24, according to court records filed this week. Drake's petition in Texas also alleges UMG knew "the song itself, as well as its accompanying album art and music video, attacked the character of another one of UMG's most prominent artists, Drake, by falsely accusing him of being a sex offender." Besides the legal petition in Texas, Drake in January filed a defamation lawsuit in federal court in New York City against UMG over what he alleges are false allegations of pedophilia made in "Not Like Us." Lamar is not named in the lawsuit. On Tuesday, a judge overseeing the defamation lawsuit rejected a request from UMG to delay a pretrial hearing and put a pause on discovery, which is the exchange of evidence between the two sides. UMG had sought the delay until a judge could hear its request to dismiss the case. Drake's lawyers said in a statement that they were "pleased with the Court's decision to reject UMG's continued attempts to stall discovery — another clear sign that UMG cannot run from or bury the truth." UMG's lawyers did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The feud between Drake, a 38-year-old Canadian rapper and singer and five-time Grammy winner, and Lamar, a 37-year-old Pulitzer Prize winner who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 9, is among the biggest in hip-hop in recent years. ___ The story has been updated to correct that iHeartMedia's revised statement was released on Saturday instead of Monday. ___ Associated Press writer Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles contributed to this report. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
Associated Press News	2025-03-15 15:31:12+00:00	[ "Kyle Neptune", "College sports", "Villanova Wildcats", "Sports transactions", "College basketball", "Mens college basketball", "Big East Conference", "Villanova Wildcats mens basketball", "Eric Dixon", "Mike Nardi", "Eric Roedl", "Sports" ]	# Villanova fires coach Kyle Neptune after 3 years and no NCAA Tournament appearances By Dan Gelston March 15th, 2025 03:31 PM --- PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Villanova fired Kyle Neptune on Saturday after a three-year run where he succeeded Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright and failed to ever make the NCAA Tournament. Neptune went 54-47 overall and 31-29 in the Big East in three seasons with the Wildcats, including a 19-14 record this season. The Wildcats — who won two national championships under Wright — lost to UConn on Thursday night in a Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinal at Madison Square Garden. It was the first major decision made by Eric Roedl, a Villanova alumnus hired earlier this season as the athletic director. "Since coming to Villanova, I have been struck by Kyle's tireless work ethic and his dedication to the student-athletes he served," Roedl said in a statement. "We are grateful to Kyle for his long service to Villanova and his mentorship to the many outstanding young men he has coached." Neptune felt the heat this season as the Wildcats — once a perennial Big East winner and national title contender — slid into mediocrity and out of national prominence. Not even regular-season wins over St. John's and UConn could offset the overall lack of consistency in a season that also included losses to Columbia and Saint Joseph's. The 40-year-old Neptune served under Wright on the Villanova coaching staff before accepting the head coaching position at Fordham in 2021. Neptune went 16-16 in his lone season at Fordham. Wright, who was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021, guided Villanova to titles in 2016 and 2018 and led the Wildcats to two other Final Four appearances. He went 520-197 in 21 seasons at the school and has remained a steady presence at Villanova games. He now works for CBS. The Wildcats will miss the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season for the first time since Wright's first three seasons more than 20 years ago. Wright was given the grace period Neptune was not in large part because this was no rebuild on the Main Line — the program boasted healthy NIL coffers and had the nation's leading scorer this season in Eric Dixon. Villanova could still play in the new College Basketball Crown tournament later this month in Las Vegas. Assistant Mike Nardi will serve as interim head coach. The program that once anchored its success on the Villanova Way — a mini-dynasty built on NBA-ready upperclassmen — has become discombobulated under the roster chaos born of NIL money and the transfer portal. The yearly roster turnover has done little to build the culture — where senior stars once taught the new kids the concept of Villanova basketball — that was once a championship hallmark under Wright. Well-liked and respected by all in the program, Neptune had downplayed criticism throughout his tenure, insisting over the last two seasons as fan unrest grew on the suburban campus that he didn't hear fans who booed him at times during pregame introductions or the horde that chanted "Fire Neptune!" Wright floored Villanova when he retired at 60 years old just weeks after leading the Wildcats to a Final Four in 2022. Neptune was hired the same month. He first came to Villanova in 2008, serving two seasons as video coordinator. Neptune returned as an assistant coach in 2013 and worked under Wright as Villanova rose into a perennial Final Four contender. That success as an assistant never carried over once Neptune got the top job. Villanova now will look to hire only its fifth coach since 1973. The question is, will ties to Wright even matter as the search for a new coach ramps up or will Villanova look outside the program for a fresh start? ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-03 10:18:03+00:00	[ "Austria", "Europe", "Alexander Van der Bellen", "Christian Stocker", "Austria government", "Politics", "European Union", "Andreas Babler", "Markus Marterbauer", "Elections", "Alexander Schallenberg", "Beate Meinl-Reisinger", "International agreements", "Herbert Kickl", "Karl Nehammer" ]	# Austria's new government takes office after a record 5-month wait By Stephanie Liechtenstein and Geir Moulson March 3rd, 2025 10:18 AM --- VIENNA (AP) — Austria's new government took office on Monday, with Christian Stocker taking over as chancellor at the head of a previously untried three-party coalition after a record five-month wait for a new administration. The new government will have to deal with rising unemployment, a recession and a creaking budget. Its coalition agreement, reached on Thursday after the longest negotiations in post-World War II Austria, foresees strict new asylum rules in the European Union country of 9 million people. "I stand in front of you today with great respect for the tasks that await, and I am very well aware of the great responsibility that comes with these tasks," Stocker said at a handover ceremony. "I aspire to be a chancellor for everyone." ## The end of a long road This is the country's first three-party government, bringing together Stocker's conservative Austrian People's Party, the center-left Social Democrats and the liberal Neos. The alliance in the political center came together only at the second attempt, after the far-right, anti-immigration and euroskeptic Freedom Party emerged as the strongest political force in a parliamentary election on Sept. 29. A first attempt collapsed in early January, prompting the resignation of then-Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who had said that his party wouldn't work under Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl. Stocker took over from Nehammer as leader of the People's Party and went into negotiations with Kickl on a possible coalition, but those collapsed on Feb. 12 amid mutual finger-pointing. The three parties in the center then renewed their effort to find common ground, heading off the possibility of an early election. On Sunday, the coalition deal received strong backing from members of Neos, which is entering a federal government for the first time — the final step before the government could take office. "One could say 'good things come to those who wait' — that, in any case, is my hope in view of the many days it took to form this government," President Alexander Van der Bellen said as he swore in the new government. "This process certainly took a long time; whether it will turn out well now isn't yet decided, but we are positive and optimistic," he added. "That is down to us all." ## A new team with some familiar faces Stocker, 64, becomes chancellor although he wasn't running for the job when Austrians voted in September and has not previously served in a national government. Social Democratic leader Andreas Babler became the new vice chancellor. Neos leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger took over as foreign minister from Alexander Schallenberg, who also served as interim chancellor for the past two months after Nehammer's resignation. Schallenberg says he is leaving politics, at least for now. He told Stocker that it would have been hard to imagine such a friendly handover when he took over temporarily in January, at a time when a Kickl-led government with a more skeptical attitude toward the EU looked likely "We have a strong, pro-European government with you at the helm that understands clearly that pulling up bridges and closing hatches isn't a policy that makes sense for our country," he said. Some conservative ministers from the old government kept their jobs, notably Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. But the important Finance Ministry went from the People's Party to the Social Democrats, with Markus Marterbauer taking the job. ___ Moulson reported from Berlin.
Associated Press News	2025-03-30 02:41:13+00:00	[ "Jayson Tatum", "Boston Celtics", "San Antonio Spurs", "Keldon Johnson", "Stephon Castle", "Victor Wembanyama", "Jeremy Sochan", "Jrue Holiday", "NBA", "NBA basketball", "Athlete injuries", "Sports", "Luke Kornet", "San Antonio", "DeAaron Fox" ]	# Tatum's 29 points, 10 rebounds powers Celtics past Spurs for eighth straight victory, 121-111 By Raul Dominguez March 30th, 2025 02:41 AM --- SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and the Boston Celtics won their eighth straight, beating the San Antonio Spurs 121-111 on Saturday night. Jrue Holiday had 21 points, six rebounds and six assists for Boston. Seven of the eight Celtics who played scored in double figures. Keldon Johnson had 23 points and Stephon Castle added 22 points as the Spurs lost their third straight. The Celtics trailed for just 15 seconds early in the first quarter. San Antonio is 8-13 since Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder that ended his season and 4-5 since De'Aaron Fox was lost for the season with a torn tendon in his pinkie. San Antonio dropped the opener of a three-game homestand and the first of a back-to-back. Jeremy Sochan added 18 points for the Spurs. ## Takeaways Celtics: Luke Kornet had 15 points and 16 rebounds against the undersized Spurs. Kornet was 7 for 10 from the field. Spurs: Castle has shared or led San Antonio in scoring in eight games this season, including three of the last 12 games. Castle was 7 for 18 from the field but only 1 for 7 on 3-pointers. ## Key moment Boston was 8 for 17 on 3-pointers in the first quarter in building a 36-27 lead. The Spurs to 4-for-13 shooting from behind the arc in the opening quarter. ## Key stat Boston (55-19) improved its league-best road record to 31-7. ## Up next Celtics: At Memphis on Monday. Spurs: Host Golden State on Sunday ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Associated Press News	2025-03-16 17:50:49+00:00	[ "Fresno", "Los Angeles Rams", "NFL", "NFL football", "Sports", "Ronnie Rivers", "Sports transactions", "Larrell Murchison" ]	# Running back Ronnie Rivers, defensive lineman Larrell Murchison returning to Rams on 1-year deals March 16th, 2025 05:50 PM --- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Running back Ronnie Rivers and defensive lineman Larrell Murchison have agreed to one-year contracts to return to the Los Angeles Rams, the team announced Sunday. Rivers has played in 34 games over the past three seasons for the Rams, making two starts in the backfield and playing extensively on special teams. The former undrafted free agent from Fresno State has rushed for 249 yards and caught 15 passes for 85 yards. Murchison will return for a third full year with the Rams, who claimed him off waivers from Tennessee in December 2022. He didn't play last season after injuring his arm during the preseason and then breaking his foot in October after returning to practice. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
Associated Press News	2025-03-08 02:43:21+00:00	[ "New Jersey Devils", "Nikolaj Ehlers", "Kyle Connor", "Winnipeg Jets", "Adam Lowry", "Connor Hellebuyck", "Josh Morrissey", "Alex Iafallo", "Dawson Mercer", "Cole Perfetti", "NHL", "NHL hockey", "Sports", "New Jersey" ]	# Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor score as the Jets pull away for a 6-1 win at the Devils March 8th, 2025 02:43 AM --- NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the third consecutive game and had two assists, Kyle Connor added his 33rd goal of the season, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the New Jersey Devils 6-1 on Friday night. Ehlers connected on a wrist shot with 30 seconds left in the second period, putting the Jets up 3-0. Ehlers had an assist on Josh Morrissey's power-play goal earlier in the second and Cole Perfetti's goal in the third, giving him five points in his last three games. Alex Iafallo and Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who have won back-to-back games after dropping three in a row. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 22 shots for his NHL-leading 37th victory. Dawson Mercer scored for the Devils with a slap shot in the opening minute of the third to make it 3-1, but it wasn't enough to prevent a third consecutive loss. ## Takeaways Jets: Ehlers now has 56 points in 55 games, putting him on pace for his most efficient season in his 10th year with Winnipeg. Devils: Despite allowing at least five goals twice in its last five games, New Jersey remains securely in third place in the Metropolitan Division. ## Key moment With the Devils starting to find a little momentum to start the third, Lowry scored unassisted for his second goal in two games after going seven games without a point. ## Key stat The Jets haven't squandered a three-goal lead since 2022. ## Up next Jets play at Carolina on Sunday, and Devils visit Philadelphia. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 17:36:34+00:00	[ "Suzanne Collins", "Books and literature", "Arts and entertainment", "Ellie Berger", "Retail and wholesale", "Entertainment" ]	# Latest 'Hunger Games' novel has best ever opening for blockbuster series March 27th, 2025 05:36 PM --- NEW YORK (AP) — The latest "Hunger Games" novel sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide during its first week, the biggest opening ever for Suzanne Collins' blockbuster series. "Sunrise on the Reaping" sold 1.2 million copies in the U.S alone, more than double the pace of its immediate predecessor, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," and more than triple the number for "Mockingjay," which came out in 2010. The new book was published March 18 to highly favorable reviews. Stores around the world held midnight parties. "After nearly a year of anticipation, sales for 'Sunrise on the Reaping' have exceeded all expectations, as has the overwhelmingly positive critical and fan response to the book across the world," Scholastic's president, Ellie Berger, said in a statement released Thursday. The five "Hunger Games" books have sold tens of millions of copies and have been the basis for a billion dollar movie franchise. The adaptation of "Sunrise on the Reaping" is scheduled for Nov. 20, 2026.
Associated Press News	2025-03-16 22:01:32+00:00	[ "Wisconsin Badgers", "Michigan Wolverines", "Michigan", "Vladislav Goldin", "John Blackwell", "College sports", "Wisconsin", "College basketball", "Mens college basketball", "Basketball", "Wisconsin Badgers mens basketball", "Michigan Wolverines mens basketball", "Sports", "John Tonje", "Greg Gard" ]	# Donaldson helps No. 22 Michigan rally late again to beat No. 18 Wisconsin 59-53 for Big Ten title By Michael Marot March 16th, 2025 10:01 PM --- INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tre Donaldson seems to have this March Madness stuff down pat. The Michigan guard delivered his second clutch play in two days, this time making the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:54 left to send No. 22 Michigan past No. 18 Wisconsin 59-53 for the Big Ten Tournament title Sunday. Donaldson scored 11 points and had eight assists one day after catching an inbound pass on the run with 5.3 seconds left and driving the length of the floor for the winning layup in a semifinal victory over Maryland, rekindling images from past NCAA Tournaments. Now, Donaldson and his teammates want to stay focused on the future and keep this momentum for three more weeks. "I know who I am, I knew who my team is," Donaldson said after also recording eight assists. "It was just the desire to win. I want to win. It's just me bringing that energy; I feel that was a big thing. I brought the energy." And a penchant for making big-time plays. The Wolverines (25-9) arrived in Indianapolis trying to snap a three-game losing streak that cost them the regular season title and winning the school's first tourney title since winning it back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. There was nothing easy about it for Michigan. The Wolverines needed three wins in three days, starting against a Purdue team playing just about an hour's drive from campus. The Wolverines then needed Donaldson's heroics to reach the title game. So, on a day both teams looked fatigued, they outlasted Wisconsin (26-9) playing its fourth game in four days. Vladislav Goldin also scored 11 points Sunday and was named the tourney's Most Outstanding Player. But nobody was better this weekend than Donaldson, "I don't remember the details of what was said at halftime, but I knew we were going to have to dig deep and find a way," first-year Michigan coach Dusty May said. "Granted, we got a break by not playing four games in four days and we were optimstic their legs might not fare as well as ours." Donaldson's fast pace made sure of it. The result: Wisconsin shot just 22.1% from the field and only 17.9% of 3-pointers as the game slipped away. Michigan closed it on an 11-2 run. John Tonje, the Badgers top scorer, was 1 of 14 from the field with nine points. John Blackwell scored 18 for Wisconsin, which still hasn't won a tourney title since 2015. "We had some wide open looks, one on the corner. Blackwell had one wide open up off the slot, up one," Badgers coach Greg Gard said. "If you're going to win a championship, you've got to make a play, and part of making a play is knocking down a shot in a tight ballgame." Michigan and Donaldson did, Wisconsin and Tonje didn't. ## Takeaways Wisconsin: Two days after tying a tourney single-game record with 19 3-pointers, the Badgers were just 15 of 68 from the field. Michigan: The Wolverines lost the rebounding battle overall, but won it late and that proved the difference as they overcame fatigue to grind out a victory. ## Key moment Donaldson's 3 with 1:52 left finally gave Michigan the lead and fueled the decisive spurt. ## Key stat Wisconsin was a dismal 7 of 39 (17.9%) from 3-point range. ## Up next The Badgers and Wolverines will see each other again Thursday in Denver when third-seeded Wisconsin faces 14th-seeded Montana. The fifth-seeded Wolverines take on 12-seed UC-San Diego. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-21 13:57:49+00:00	[ "South Africa", "Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf", "Namibia", "Tanzania", "Hage Geingob", "Samia Suluhu Hassan", "Africa", "Elections", "Germany government", "Politics", "Joyce Banda" ]	# Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is sworn in as Namibia's first female leader By Sonja Smith March 21st, 2025 01:57 PM --- WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as Namibia's first female president on Friday, reaching the highest office in her land nearly 60 years after she joined the liberation movement fighting for independence from apartheid South Africa. The 72-year-old Nandi-Ndaitwah won an election in November to become one of just a handful of female leaders in Africa after the likes of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Joyce Banda of Malawi and Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania. Sirleaf and Banda, now former leaders of their countries, and current Tanzania President Hassan all attended Nandi-Ndaitwah's inauguration. Nandi-Ndaitwah's swearing-in coincided with the 35th anniversary of Namibia's independence, but the ceremony was switched from a soccer stadium where thousands were due to attend to the official presidential office because of heavy rain. The new president made her pledge to defend, uphold and support the constitution in front of other visiting leaders from South Africa, Zambia, Congo, Botswana, Angola and Kenya. Nandi-Ndaitwah succeeds Nangolo Mbumba, who had stood in as Namibia's president since February 2024 following the death in office of President Hage Geingob. Nandi-Ndaitwah was promoted to vice president following Geingob's death. Nandi-Ndaitwah is just the fifth president of Namibia, a sparsely populated nation in southwestern Africa which was a German colony until the end of World War I and then won independence from South Africa in 1990 after decades of struggle and a guerilla war against South African forces that lasted more than 20 years. "The task facing me as the fifth president of the Republic of Namibia is to preserve the gains of our independence on all fronts and to ensure that the unfinished agenda of economic and social advancement of our people is carried forward with vigor and determination to bring about shared, balanced prosperity for all," Nandi-Ndaitwah said. Nandi-Ndaitwah is a veteran of the South West Africa People's Organization, or SWAPO, which led Namibia's fight for independence and has been its ruling party ever since. She was the ninth of 13 children, her father was an Anglican clergyman, and she attended a mission school that she also later taught in. She joined SWAPO as a teenager in the 1960s and spent time in exile in Zambia, Tanzania, the former Soviet Union and the United Kingdom in the 1970s and 1980s. She had been a lawmaker in Namibia since 1990 and was the foreign minister before being appointed vice president. She said she would insist on good governance and high ethical standards in public institutions and would promote closer regional cooperation. She pledged to continue calling for the rights of Palestinians and the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and demanded the lifting of sanctions against Cuba, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. She also said Namibia would continue to contribute to efforts to fight climate change, a persistent threat for an arid country of just three million people that regularly experiences droughts. Nandi-Ndaitwah's husband is a retired general who once commanded Namibia's armed forces and was formally given the title "first gentleman." Nandi-Ndaitwah's inauguration came a day after Namibia's Parliament elected its first female speaker. ___ More AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
Associated Press News	2025-03-26 14:50:27+00:00	[ "Charlotte Hornets", "Charlotte", "Brandon Miller", "Physical fitness", "NBA", "NBA basketball", "Charles Lee", "Nutrition", "Sports", "LaMelo Ball", "Retail and wholesale", "Physical therapy", "Kemba Walker", "Basketball", "Gabe Plotkin", "Rick Schnall" ]	# Hornets break ground on 160,000-square foot training and practice facility in downtown Charlotte By Steve Reed March 26th, 2025 02:50 PM --- CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for their new 160,000-square foot downtown training and performance facility. The Novant Health Performance Center project, which is estimated to cost more than $150 million, includes space for practice, training and recovery, administrative offices, retail, orthopedic and sports medicine care. The facility is expected to be completed in time for the start of the 2026-27 season. It is located across the street from the Spectrum Center, where the Hornets play their home games. Designed to provide a best-in-class NBA facility focused on all aspects of player development, health and wellness, the center includes two full-size basketball courts, various areas for strength and conditioning, extensive training, recovery and medical facilities, as well as areas for physical therapy, hydrotherapy, nutrition and sports science. It also will serve as the team's business operations and administrative offices, housing more than 250 team members that support the franchise. "We think this is going to be the best practice facility in the league," Hornets co-owner Rick Schnall said. "It's going to have facilities that free agents will want to come and play with us, our players will want to stay and be here, and we'll be able to develop our players into stars over time." Among those on hand for the ceremony were former Hornets players Muggsy Bogues and Kemba Walker, the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Several current players including LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller also attended. "It always helps when you have the best facilities," Bogues said. The Hornets have missed the playoffs for the last eight seasons but are hoping to rebuild under Schnall and co-owner Gabe Plotkin. They hope the new facility will attract more big-time free agents and help get the team back to being competitive. "The buzz around the league will be that the Hornets are doing it the right way," coach Charles Lee said. "... When you see that you are doing things the right way it's attractive and you want to be a part of it." ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Associated Press News	2025-03-13 06:18:06+00:00	[ "College sports", "Montana", "Colorado", "Mens college basketball", "College basketball", "Brandon Whitney", "Malik Moore", "Isaiah Hawthorne", "Sports", "Jaron Rillie", "Joe Pridgen" ]	# Montana will head to NCAA Tournament for first time since 2019 with 91-83 win over Northern Colorado March 13th, 2025 06:18 AM --- BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Kai Johnson scored six of his 23 points late to help No. 2 seed Montana pull away and beat top-seeded Northern Colorado 91-83 in the Big Sky Championship title game on Wednesday night. Montana lead by as many as 14 points early in the second half, but Northern Colorado later used an 18-9 surge to pull within 74-73 with 3:35 remaining. Johnson answered with a three-point play and a 3-pointer to stretch the Grizzlies' lead to 80-73 with 2:24 left. The Bears got within five points twice but didn't get closer. Montana (25-9), which has won 14 of its last 15 games, collected its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2019 and its 12th overall to extend its conference record. The Grizzlies also won their 51st Big Sky Tournament game, surpassing Weber State for the most in league history. Brandon Whitney added 18 points for Montana, which shot 65% (30 of 46) overall and 24 of 28 (86%) from the free-throw line. Joe Pridgen chipped in with 17 points and Malik Moore had 15. Jaron Rillie scored 24 points and had six assists to lead Northern Colorado (25-9). Langston Reynolds added 18 points, Brock Wisne had 15 and Isaiah Hawthorne had 14. Montana took the lead for good midway through the first half and led 48-39 at the break. Moore scored seven points during an 11-6 spurt to give the Grizzlies a 59-45 advantage with 16:22 to play. Northern Colorado's last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2011. __ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketba
Associated Press News	2025-03-02 00:00:36+00:00	[ "College sports", "Houston Cougars", "Big 12 Conference", "Cincinnati Bearcats", "Houston", "Cincinnati", "College basketball", "Mens college basketball", "AP Top 25 Mens College Basketball Poll", "Houston Cougars mens basketball", "Terrance Arceneaux", "Sports", "Basketball" ]	# No. 4 Houston clinches Big 12 regular-season title with 73-64 win over Cincinnati March 2nd, 2025 12:00 AM --- HOUSTON (AP) — L.J. Cryer scored 20 points and No. 4 Houston clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title for a second straight season with a 73-64 win over Cincinnati on Saturday. Terrance Arceneaux added 10 points for Houston (25-4, 17-1 Big 12), which has won eight straight. The Cougars became the first team to win the regular-season championship in its first two years in a major conference since Idaho, which won the PCC in the 1921-22 and 1922-23 seasons. Houston joined the Big 12 in 2023. The Cougars, who have won 12 straight over Cincinnati, shot 54% and owned a 17-9 advantage in points off turnovers. Day Day Thomas scored 19 points and Jizzle James added 18 for Cincinnati (17-12, 7-11). The Bearcats shot 44% and were 6 of 20 on 3-pointers. ## Takeaways Cincinnati: The Bearcats missed a chance to improve their resume for a possible NCAA Tournament berth. Cincinnati fell to 1-10 in Quad 1 games this season. Houston: The Cougars continue to help their cause for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with their 21st win in 22 games. Houston improved to 15-4 in Quad 1 and 2 games this season, with all of its losses coming in Quad 1 games. ## Key moment Trailing 10-2 with 13½ minutes left in the first half, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson called timeout, and Cryer hit a jumper out of it to start a 18-2 run. Houston led 37-25 at the half. ## Key stat Houston dominated the paint with a 40-24 advantage in points in the paint. ## Up next Houston hosts Kansas on Monday, and Cincinnati hosts Kansas State on Wednesday. — Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-07 16:56:07+00:00	[ "Florida", "Lakeland", "William Shatner", "Celebrity", "Animation and comics", "Notable Deaths", "Michael Ouweleen", "Conan OBrien", "Entertainment" ]	# George Lowe, the voice behind Space Ghost on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, dies at 67 By John Seewer March 7th, 2025 04:56 PM --- George Lowe, the voice behind the irreverent animated superhero on Adult Swim's "Space Ghost Coast to Coast," has died. He was 67. He died Sunday in Lakeland, Florida, two of his business representatives said. Lowe had been struggling to recover from elective heart surgery in November, his family said in a statement. "Over the past few months, his family and friends have been by his side in support and care for him," the statement said. Lowe's booming voice and off-the-wall humor turned "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" into a cult classic among young adults and teens. The show debuted in 1994 and aired for more than a decade on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim nighttime programming block. It was Cartoon Network's first original production and set the foundation for several other original series including "The Powerpuff Girls," "Courage the Cowardly Dog" and "Johnny Bravo." On "Space Ghost Coast to Coast," Lowe played the role of cartoon superhero Space Ghost, who hosted a talk show and interviewed real celebrities. While the interviews with the likes of William Shatner, Conan O'Brien and Donny Osmond were pre-recorded, Lowe would later add wacky and rambling digressions, such as asking guests if they were getting enough oxygen. "Insanity became en vogue, thanks to us," Lowe told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2004. Adult Swim President Michael Ouweleen said the show proved the network could find success with its own productions. "You all knew him as Space Ghost (and all his other characters), but we knew him as himself, a true character in his own right, one that left an indelible mark on all of us at Adult Swim," he said. The show's producers would begin recording Lowe as soon as he stepped into the booth, Ouweleen said, creating some of the best material "when he didn't realize he was being recorded." Lowe voiced several other characters on Adult Swim shows, including "Robot Chicken," "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" and "The Brak Show." Until this past year, he continued to make regular appearances at comic book and sci-fi conventions. Lowe, who was born in Dunedin, Florida, began his career as a disc jockey and television personality in Florida and Georgia. He continued to do voice work for radio stations after Adult Swim. He was an avid folk and pop art collector and a self-taught artist whose intricate pen and ink drawings were displayed in several museums, including The High Museum of Art in Atlanta where his work is part of its permanent collection. There were no details available on his survivors. His family said there will be a private service.
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 15:16:50+00:00	[ "General Motors Co.", "Cars", "Tesla", "Inc.", "Donald Trump", "Auto industry", "International trade", "North America", "Electric vehicles", "Netherlands", "Tariffs and global trade", "Business", "Elon Musk", "Aptiv Plc", "Paul A. Jacobson", "Autoliv", "Toyota Motor Corp.", "Honda Motor Co.", "Ltd.", "Stellantis NV", "Joseph Spak", "Politics", "JPMorgan Chase Co.", "Gentex Corp." ]	# Shares of GM and other automakers slump as they face higher costs from Trump tariffs By Damian J. Troise March 27th, 2025 03:16 PM --- NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of major automakers slumped following President Donald Trump's announcement that he will place 25% tariffs on auto imports. Automakers have spread out their supply chains and production facilities throughout North America. Parts and production steps often cross one or more borders during the process. That means it will cost the major automakers more money to build their cars and trucks. The tariffs will take effect April 3. "Ultimately, if these tariffs remain in place, we see vehicle prices going higher to help offset the cost," said Joseph Spak, analyst at UBS, in a note to investors. General Motors slumped 7.4%. The Detroit automaker could be among the hardest hit of its peers under broad tariffs, as it sources about 40% of vehicles sold in the U.S. from Mexico and Canada, according to analysts at JPMorgan. Ford, which slipped 3.9%, is less exposed with under 10% of vehicles sourced outside of the U.S., JPMorgan said. Stellantis, which is based in the Netherlands but has significant manufacturing operations in North America, fell 1.3%. Honda shares traded in the U.S. fell 2.2% and Toyota shares traded in the U.S. fell 2.5%. One exception was Tesla. The cars it sells in the U.S. are produced domestically, although CEO Elon Musk noted in a post on X that some car parts used in Teslas come from other countries. Its shares edged up 0.4%. The stock is still down more than 30% this year due to lagging sales in its major markets. Auto parts suppliers also lost ground. Autoliv fell 3.5% and Aptiv slipped 5.4%. Gentex fell 3.6% and Lear fell 8.3% Consumers are already facing near record-high car prices. The average price of a new vehicle was $48,039 as of February, according to Cox Automotive's Kelley Blue Book. That's not far from the record of just under $50,000 in late 2022. Other costs related to car ownership have continued to squeeze consumers. The costs of insuring and repairing a vehicle continued rising throughout 2024 and into 2025. Such costs have been among some of the factors keeping overall inflation stubbornly high. Economists worry that tariffs could further reignite inflation as consumers grow increasingly worried about high prices and the economy. Automakers have been preparing for tariffs since Trump started the trade war with key trading partners in early February. General Motors and others have worked to get more inventory into the U.S. ahead of any tariffs. "If they become permanent, then there's a whole bunch of different things that you have to think about in terms of where do you allocate plants and do you move plants," said Paul A. Jacobson, chief financial officer at General Motors, during a conference in February. Trump said the latest round of auto tariffs will be permanent. He has argued that they will lead to automakers opening more factories in the U.S. "As much as the market is pricing in a big impact of tariffs and lost profitability, think about a world where on top of that, we're spending billions of capital, billions of dollars in capital, and then it ends, right," Jacobson said. "So we can't be whipsawing the business back and forth."
Associated Press News	2025-03-10 16:54:57+00:00	[ "Christian Kirk", "Houston Texans", "NFL", "Sports", "NFL football", "Jacksonville", "Darrell Taylor", "Seattle", "Braxton Berrios", "Chicago" ]	# Texans agree on deals with rusher Darrell Taylor and receiver Braxton Berrios, AP sources says By Rob Maaddi March 10th, 2025 04:54 PM --- Edge rusher Darrell Taylor and wide receiver Braxton Berrios have agreed to one-year contracts with the Houston Texans, two people with knowledge of the deals told The Associated Press on Monday. Both people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hasn't announced the deals. Taylor is getting $5.25 million and Berrios will receive $2 million. Taylor had 24 1/2 sacks in four seasons with Seattle and Chicago. He had a career-best 9 1/2 sacks for the Seahawks in 2022. The Texans added wideout Christian Kirk in a trade with Jacksonville last week. The deal won't be official until the new league year begins Wednesday. Berrios, a return specialist, was limited to six games last year because of injuries. He had a career-high 46 catches for the Jets in 2021 and played for Miami the past two seasons. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Associated Press News	2025-03-09 22:57:22+00:00	[ "George Mason Patriots", "College sports", "Paula Suarez", "Nalani Kaysia", "Womens college basketball", "NCAA Womens Division I Basketball Championship", "College basketball", "Basketball", "Womens sports", "Laura Ziegler", "Talya Brugler", "Sports", "Kennedy Harris" ]	# Suarez, Walton lead George Mason women past Saint Joseph's 73-58 for first NCAA Tournament bid March 9th, 2025 10:57 PM --- GLEN ALLEN, Va. (AP) — Paula Suarez scored 23 points, Zahirah Walton added 19, and second-seeded George Mason advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time, defeating No. 4-seed Saint Joseph's 73-58 in the title game of the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Sunday. Nalani Kaysia converted a three-point play and followed with a 3-pointer and two free throws in a 14-0 run to finish the third quarter, giving George Mason a 53-39 lead heading to the final 10 minutes. After scoring 27 points on 37% shooting in the first half, George Mason scored 26 points and made 10 of 11 shots in the third quarter. The Patriots extended their lead to 19 points early in the final period before the Hawks' Mackenzie Smith hit two 3-pointers and a layup to get within 60-49. Later in the quarter, the Hawks scored eight consecutive points to get within 64-58 but George Mason sealed the win with nine free throws in the final 1:17. Kaysia had 11 points and eight rebounds and Kennedy Harris scored 11 points for George Mason (27-5). Walton had eight rebounds. Smith led Saint Joseph's (23-9) with 19 points, Laura Ziegler had 18 points and seven assists, and Talya Brugler scored 10 points. ## Bubble watch Saint Joseph's defeated top-seeded Richmond 50-49 in the semifinals and with George Mason's unexpected championship, the Atlantic 10 appears likely to get two bids to the NCAA Tournament, possibly taking a bid from a major conference team. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-10 21:42:51+00:00	[ "Donald Trump", "Climate change", "U.S. Department of the Treasury", "Joe Biden", "Natural disasters", "Tuvalu", "DC Wire", "Mohamed Adow", "Climate and environment", "Rachel Cleetus", "Government and politics", "France", "Climate", "Politics" ]	# In another climate and money withdrawal, US pulls out of climate damage compensation fund By The Associated Press March 10th, 2025 09:42 PM --- Formalizing another withdrawal from both climate and foreign aid programs, the Trump administration has told world financial institutions that the U.S is pulling out of the landmark international climate Loss and Damage Fund. Climate analysts Monday were critical of the Treasury Department's decision to formally pull out from the fund designed as compensation for damage by polluting nations to poor countries especially hurt by the extreme storms, heat and drought caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas. A Treasury official said in a letter last week that the U. S. board members of the fund were resigning. "Consistent with President Trump's Executive Order on Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements, the United States has withdrawn from the Fund for Responding for Loss and Damage," a Treasury spokesperson said in an email Monday. "We have informed all relevant parties of our decision." When the fund was agreed upon in 2022, then-President Joe Biden pledged that the U.S., the world's biggest historic carbon dioxide emitter, would contribute $17.5 million. "It's a great shame to see the U.S. going back on its promises," said Mohamed Adow, founder of Power Shift Africa and a veteran of United Nations climate negotiations. "This decision will result in great suffering for some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world. These people have contributed the least to the climate emergency they are now living through." A dozen countries that have polluted less — Australia, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom — and the European Union have pledged more than the U.S. The two biggest pledges — $104 million — came from Italy and France. As of January, the Loss and Damage Fund had $741.42 million in pledges, according to the United Nations. "The Trump administration's withdrawal from the Loss and Damage Fund is yet another cruel action that will hurt climate vulnerable lower income nations the most," said Rachel Cleetus, policy director of the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "The richest nation and the world's biggest contributor to global heat-trapping emissions is choosing to punch down and walk away from its responsibility toward nations that have contributed the least to the climate crisis and yet are bearing an unjust burden from it." Poorer nations, often in the global south, had long framed the fund as one of environmental justice. It was an idea that the U.S. and many rich nations blocked until 2022, when they accepted the creation but insisted it was not reparations. "Three long decades and we have finally delivered climate justice," Seve Paeniu, the finance minister of Tuvalu, said when the UN climate negotiations established the fund. "We have finally responded to the call of hundreds of millions of people across the world to help them address loss and damage." In its first 50 days, the Trump administration has eliminated or cut funding for environmental justice domestically, foreign aid, climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion. The president also started the one-year process to once again pull out of the historic 2015 Paris climate agreement. Earlier this month, the U.S. withdrew from a a special climate agreement in which rich nations help small poor nations switch to cleaner energy. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 00:45:06+00:00	[ "Vietnam", "Climate change", "Business", "Vietnam government", "Animals", "Food and drink", "Lifestyle", "Oceans", "Renato Salvatteci", "Climate and environment", "Food and beverage manufacturing", "Climate" ]	# Climate change and overfishing threaten Vietnam's ancient tradition of making fish sauce By Aniruddha Ghosal March 27th, 2025 12:45 AM --- DA NANG, Vietnam (AP) — Bui Van Phong faced a choice when the Vietnam War ended 50 years ago: Stay in his small village, helping his parents carry on the family's centuries-old tradition of making fish sauce, or join the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing his country for a better life. Phong chose to stay behind and nurtured a business making the beloved condiment, known as nuoc mam in Vietnam, that is now in its fourth generation with his son, Bui Van Phu, 41, at the helm. Fish sauce from the village has been recognized by Vietnam as an indelible part of the country's heritage and the younger Bui is acutely aware of what that means. "It isn't just the quality of fish sauce. It is also the historical value," he said. But that heritage is under threat, and not only from giant conglomerates that mass-produce fish sauce in factories. Climate change and overfishing are making it harder to catch the anchovies essential to the condiment that underlies so much of Vietnam and southeast Asia's food. Anchovies thrive in large schools in nutrient-rich waters near the shore. But climate change is warming the oceans, depleting oxygen levels in the water. Scientists have long feared that this would lead to smaller fish, as large fish that need more oxygen may migrate or adapt over time by shrinking. Renato Salvatteci, who studies fisheries at the Christian-Albrecht University of Kiel in Germany, said his research into warmer periods millenia ago found support for this in the fossil record. "If we continue with this trend of deoxygenation, anchovies will not be OK with that," he said. "Every species has a limit." Breaching that limit will have global consequences. Warming oceans threaten the ocean ecology and the marine life that inhabits it. It may result in the proliferation of smaller, less nutritious fish and increase costs of fishing and consequently food. Anchovies, for instance, have an outsized role on marine ecology. They're food for other fish that people eat, like mackerel. They are also vital to make fish meal, used to feed farmed fish. Overfishing compounds the problem, and geopolitical tensions in the contested waters of the South China Sea — responsible for about 12% of the global fish catch — make management difficult. The destructive industrial fishing practice of dragging large nets along the seabed, scooping up everything in a net's path, has prevailed since the 1980s. But despite increased fishing, the amount of fish being caught has stagnated, according to a 2020 analysis of fishing trends. Even if the world can limit long-term global warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial levels and halve fishing intensity, the South China Sea will still lose more than a fifth of its fish stocks, warned a 2021 assessment by scientists from the University of British Columbia in Canada. In the most pessimistic scenario — temperatures rising by 7.7 degrees Fahrenheit (4.3 degrees) — nearly all the fish disappear. Phu, who teaches information technology by day, also works hard to perfect the fish sauce art handed down by his ancestors. The anchovies are usually caught between January to March when they congregate off the coast of Da Nang. If they are the right species and size, they get mixed gently with sea salt and put in special tera cotta barrels. Sometimes worms or other ingredients are added to bring in different flavors. Phu ferments this for up to 18 months — stirring the mix several times a week — before it can be strained, bottled and sold to customers. The sea salt imparts different flavor depending on where it comes from. So does the amount of salt used, and makers have their own recipes; the Bui family uses three parts fish to one part salt. The time allowed for fermentation, and the potential addition of other fish, also affect the flavor of the final product. But it is harder to get the perfect anchovies. The fish catch has decreased — fishermen in markets across Vietnam rue the fact that much of the fish they sell now was considered bait-size in previous decades — and it's only the good relationships he has with anchovy fishermen that allow him to get the fish directly, avoiding high market prices. The unmistakeable aroma of fermenting fish cloaks the homes of families that still make traditional fish sauce. But Phu said that many families are thinking of getting out of the business because of high anchovy prices. That may affect Vietnamese plans for a bigger share of the global fish sauce market — projected to increase in value from $18.5 billion in 2023 to nearly $29 billion by 2032, according to a report by Introspective Market Research. Vietnam, along with Thailand, is the world's largest exporter of fish sauce and is hoping improvements in food safety to satisfy standards in lucrative markets like the U.S., Europe and Japan will help cement a national brand that helps advertise Vietnamese culture to the world. It's hard to overemphasize how deeply the condiment is enmeshed in Vietnamese culture. Students living abroad speak of how its taste transports them back home and a top chef says it's the foundation for flavor in the country's cuisine. The varying taste of different brews also means everyone — from top businessmen to daily wage workers — has their own opinions about which is the best. Phu said that each family has their own secrets about making fish sauce. And, nearly fifty years since his father chose to stay back and take care of the family business, he'd like to pass those on to his own son. But he knows that it'll depend on whether enough anchovies thrive in the sea for the craft to be viable. "Fish sauce to me is not just a condiment for cooking. But it is our craft, our culture, our tradition that need to be preserved, safeguarded and inherited," he said. ___ Associated Press journalist Hau Dinh contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Associated Press News	2025-03-04 02:33:30+00:00	[ "Jason Kidd", "Kyrie Irving", "Jonas Valanciunas", "Anthony Davis", "Luka Doncic", "Dallas Mavericks", "Jaden Hardy", "DeMar DeRozan", "Daniel Gafford", "Basketball", "Sacramento Kings", "Los Angeles Lakers", "NBA", "PJ Washington", "NBA basketball", "Sports", "Dallas", "Athlete injuries", "Dereck Lively II" ]	# Mavs' Kyrie Irving suffers left knee sprain, shoots free throws before leaving game March 4th, 2025 02:33 AM --- DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving suffered a left knee sprain Monday night and shot free throws for the Mavericks — with tears rolling down his cheeks — before leaving the floor in obvious pain late in the first quarter of Dallas' 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Irving was fouled by DeMar DeRozan on a drive to the basket and his right foot landed on the foot of the Kings' Jonas Valanciunas. He lost his balance and then landed awkwardly on his left leg, and his knee appeared to hyperextend before he fell to the floor. The Mavericks provided no postgame updates on the nature of Irving's injury. "Just unlucky," coach Jason Kidd said. "I hope that he's healthy, that it's not serious." After he was hurt, Irving grabbed his leg and remained on the floor for multiple minutes. Injured forward Anthony Davis was among those helping Irving to the locker room before Kidd spoke to Irving, who then returned to take two free throws. After converting both to pull Dallas within 23-18, Irving was helped into the tunnel, and the Mavs quickly ruled him out for the rest of the night. "That's just who, I mean, Kai's a tough guy," Kidd said. "I asked him as they were taking him off the court, 'Are you good if you leave without shooting? You're ruled out.' So they took him to the free-throw line, and he shot the free throws and then we got him out." Irving's decision to shoot free throws was reminiscent of the late Kobe Bryant, who made two game-tying foul shots for the Los Angeles Lakers after tearing his Achilles tendon late in the fourth quarter of a victory over Golden State on April 12, 2013. A nine-time All-Star, Irving came in averaging 25.0 points per game and has become Dallas' primary outside shooting threat following the trade of superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1. The Mavericks were already playing without Davis — who left his only game for Dallas on Feb. 8 with a groin injury after being acquired for Doncic — as well as Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and P.J. Washington Jr. Dallas also lost reserve guard Jaden Hardy in the third period to a right ankle sprain and finished with nine players. "It seems every time we get close to getting somebody back, someone goes down," Kidd said. "Tonight, both Hardy and Kai go down. So, we're running out of bodies here." ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Associated Press News	2025-03-22 21:07:59+00:00	[ "JuJu Watkins", "Southern California Trojans", "NCAA Womens Division I Basketball Championship", "Kiki Iriafen", "College sports", "Womens college basketball", "College basketball", "California", "Basketball", "March Madness NCAA Tournament", "Womens sports", "NCAA Womens Bracket", "Southern California Trojans womens basketball", "Sports", "Lindsay Gottlieb", "Jayde Gamble", "Nya Smith", "Trina Patterson" ]	# March Madness: JuJu Watkins scores 22 and top-seeded USC routs UNCG 71-25 in 1st round By Beth Harris March 22nd, 2025 09:07 PM --- LOS ANGELES (AP) — JuJu Watkins scored 22 points and top-seeded Southern California led all the way in routing 16th-seeded UNC Greensboro 71-25 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. The Trojans (29-3) advanced to the second round to play either eighth-seeded California or ninth-seeded Mississippi State on Monday at Galen Center. "Glad to get the first one out of the way," USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "We were a little bit rusty on offense." Watkins appeared to hurt her left hand early in the second quarter, occasionally shaking out her fingers. Then in the third, the star sophomore came up limping on her left leg and winced. She hit a 3-pointer and sat for the final 3:39 before returning briefly in the fourth. "It's the end of the season, body is a little banged up," Watkins said. "On to the next. Nobody cares. I'm all good." The Spartans came out confidently, holding the Trojans to 12 points in the first quarter after missing their first five shots and trailing 8-0. "We knew we had to punch them as hard as we could," guard Jayde Gamble said. UNCG closed within two early in the second quarter before USC blew the game open. The Trojans outscored the Spartans 16-3 while limiting them to three free throws. The Trojans' pressure defense forced eight turnovers and the Spartans were 0 of 11 from the field and 0 of 5 from 3-point range. USC led 28-11 at halftime. "Our defense is something we really take pride in, so when things aren't going our way on one side of the floor we really try to make it up," said Watkins, who played under 30 minutes for the first time in 1 1/2 months. Six different players scored in USC's 16-0 run in the second, led by Watkins with six. Kiki Iriafen added 13 points and 13 rebounds for USC, which had 17 steals, led by seven from Rayah Marshall. Freshman Nya Smith led the Spartans with seven points and Khalis Cain had six. Gamble, who averages a team-high 11.8 points, had three points and seven of her team's 23 turnovers. The senior was in tears afterward. "What we are really good at is defense," Spartans coach Trina Patterson said. "Thought we accomplished that today. Offensively, we didn't hit the mark." The Spartans (25-7) were making just their second-ever appearance in March Madness and first in 27 years. They were the Southern Conference regular-season and tournament champion. ## Key moment The Trojans emptied their bench in the fourth, giving their starters critical rest. Reserve Aaliyah Gayles, who was shot multiple times at a house party in Las Vegas three years ago, scored a basket and had a rebound in 5 1/2 minutes of action. ## Key stat UNCG set a slew of season lows, including points, field goals made (7 of 54), field goal percentage (13) and 3-point percentage (22). ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Associated Press News	2025-03-13 22:27:41+00:00	[ "Mexico City", "Mexico", "Mexico government", "Claudia Sheinbaum", "Latin America", "Enrique Alfaro", "Politics", "Pablo Lemus", "Indira Navarro" ]	# Mexicans searching for missing relatives uncover possible mass killing site in Jalisco state By Diana De La Mora and Fabiola Sánchez March 13th, 2025 10:27 PM --- TEUCHITLAN, Mexico (AP) — When a group of citizens searching for missing relatives in the western state of Jalisco arrived at a remote ranch outside Mexico's second-largest city last week on an anonymous tip, all they had to do was push open the unlocked gate. Inside they went to work with simple tools — picks, shovels and metal bars — doing the work that state investigators supposedly had done six months earlier. What they found embarrassed state authorities and shook Mexico: dozens of shoes, heaps of clothing and what appeared to be human bone fragments. Distraught families from across the country have already started reaching out about clothing items they say they recognize. It was a shocking reminder of Mexico's more than 120,000 disappeared and enough to push the federal government to take over the troubled investigation. ## A 'training base' for cartel recruits The ranch in Teuchitlan, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) west of Guadalajara was allegedly being used as a training base for cartel recruits when National Guard troops found it last September. Authorities then said 10 people were arrested, two hostages were freed and a body was found wrapped in plastic. The state prosecutor's office went in with a backhoe, dogs and devices to find inconsistencies in the ground. But then the investigation went quiet until members of the Jalisco Search Warriors, one of dozens of search collectives that dot Mexico, visited the site last week on a tip. They found the shoes, as well as heaps of other clothing and what appeared to be burned bone fragments. Members of the search collective were back at the site Thursday, invited to observe authorities as they worked to register evidence and search the property. "A lot of families have stepped forward to identify items of clothing," said Maribel, a member of the search collective, who spoke to the press outside the ranch and asked to only be identified by her first name for safety. "What we want is to stop all of this, the disappearances," she said. "We hope that this time they'll do the work as they should." ## An 'irresponsible omission' There are more than 120,000 disappeared people in Mexico, according to the government's tally. Search collectives like the Jalisco Search Warriors have had to organize to do the work that authorities often will not do. They search for sites like the one in Teuchitlan, sometimes with government protection, but more often without, then make their discoveries known to pressure authorities into doing their jobs. This time it worked. Jalisco State Prosecutor Salvador González de los Santos visited the ranch personally Tuesday. He said that investigators had found six groups of bones, but it was unclear how many victims they could belong to. He did not provide details on why investigators had previously failed to find what the untrained private citizens did, but said the previous efforts "were insufficient." His office posted photos of all of the evidence located hoping that relatives might identify an item of clothing. Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus announced Wednesday that the federal Attorney General's Office would take over the investigation as requested by Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum. The Jalisco New Generation cartel is the dominant criminal organization in the state. On Thursday, white government vehicles ringed the isolated ranch of squat buildings enclosed by a tall wall and fields. "This ranch served as a training site and even though it sounds awful, really harsh, for extermination," said collective leader Indira Navarro, earlier this week. She blamed the state's previous Gov. Enrique Alfaro for "trying to hide this kind of situation or discovery." And she asked aloud how state investigators with technology and training could have failed to find what her group did "with pick, shovel and metal bar." On Wednesday, the Mexican Episcopal Conference said in a statement that it was troubled by the discovery of the site, which points to an "irresponsible omission" on the part of authorities at all three levels of government and another sign of the larger problem of Mexico's disappeared. ____ Sánchez reported from Mexico City. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Associated Press News	2025-03-19 16:59:35+00:00	[ "Elon Musk", "Department of Government Efficiency", "Government programs", "Donald Trump", "U.S. Social Security Administration" ]	# A list of Social Security offices expected to close in 2025 By Meg Kinnard March 19th, 2025 04:59 PM --- WASHINGTON (AP) — Dozens of Social Security Administration offices across the country are slated to close this year due to actions taken by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency as part of the Trump administration's unprecedented effort to shrink the size of government. DOGE has published a list of nearly 800 federal real estate leases that it is seeking to cancel. The Associated Press has obtained an internal planning document from the General Services Administration, which manages federal real estate, which shows when nearly two-thirds of those cancellations are expected to go into effect. The offices are closing despite a new requirement that tighter identity-proofing measures be put in place to prevent fraud and abuse. These steps will require millions of recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices rather than interact with agency employees over the phone. The AP also obtained more information about each lease on DOGE's list through other publicly available datasets, including their addresses, the dates the leases had started and were originally expected to expire, and the landlords who own the properties. Of the 47 Social Security Administration offices listed for closure, only some had anticipated dates for when those lease cancellations would take effect. Here's a state-by-state breakdown of the 26 offices listed as expected to close this year, along with the termination date for each lease, according to the General Services data: ## Alabama 634 Broad St., Gadsden: Sept. 30 ## Arkansas 965 Holiday Drive, Forrest City: April 25 4083 Jefferson Ave., Texarkana: May 25 ## Colorado 825 N. Crest Drive, Grand Junction: June 21 ## Florida 4740 Dairy Road, Melbourne: May 16 ## Georgia 1338 Broadway, Columbus: Sept. 30 ## Kentucky 825 High St., Hazard: April 24 ## Louisiana 178 Civic Center Drive, Houma: April 25 ## Mississippi 4717 26th St., Meridian: June 1 604 Yalobusha St., Greenwood: June 1 2383 Sunset Drive, Grenada: May 1 ## Montana 3701 American Way, Missoula: June 21 ## North Carolina 730 Roanoke Ave., Roanoke Rapids: Aug. 1 2123 Lakeside Drive, Franklin: June 23 2805 Charles Blvd., Greenville: June 24 1865 W. City Drive, Elizabeth City: June 24 ## North Dakota 1414 20th Ave. SW, Minot: June 21 ## Nevada 701 Bridger Ave., Las Vegas: June 1 ## New York 75 S. Broadway, White Plains: May 31 332 Main St., Poughkeepsie: July 31 ## Ohio 30 N. Diamond St., Mansfield: May 17 ## Oklahoma 1610 SW Lee Blvd., Lawton: April 25 ## Texas 1122 N. University Drive, Nacogdoches: May 7 8208 NE Zac Lentz Parkway, May 25 ## West Virginia 1103 George Kostas Drive, Logan: April 30 ## Wyoming 79 Winston Drive, Rock Springs: June 20 ___ Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP
Associated Press News	2025-03-14 20:15:31+00:00	[ "Iowa Hawkeyes", "College sports", "Keegan Murray", "Beth Goetz", "Iowa", "Big Ten Conference", "Sports transactions", "Mens college basketball", "College basketball", "Sports", "Luka Garza", "Gary Barta", "Indianapolis", "Caitlin Clark", "Owen Freeman", "Tom Izzo" ]	# Iowa fires men's basketball coach Fran McCaffery By Eric Olson March 14th, 2025 08:15 PM --- Iowa fired coach Fran McCaffery on Friday after the Hawkeyes won their fewest games and had their lowest Big Ten regular-season finish in seven years. The 65-year-old McCaffery, who was under contract through 2028, had said last week that he intended to return for a 16th season rather than retire. Athletic director Beth Goetz decided a change was in order amid declining attendance at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and will sign off on McCaffery's $4.2 million buyout. McCaffery was 297-207 with the Hawkeyes after Thursday night's 106-94 loss to Illinois in the conference tournament. McCaffery was ejected midway through the second half for arguing a foul call with officials. McCaffery is Iowa's all-time wins leader and longest-tenured coach in program history. "Fran McCaffery has been an integral part of our Hawkeye family for the past 15 years," Goetz said. "He is a tremendous coach and teacher, and we are grateful for the positive impact he has made on the institution and the community. We have a deep appreciation for his dedication to our student-athletes and his passion for the game that will have a lasting impact on our program." The Hawkeyes, who finished 17-16, began spiraling after leading scorer Owen Freeman sustained a season-ending injury. They dropped seven of nine games in February, and calls for McCaffery's firing grew louder when Iowa blew a four-point halftime lead at Maryland and got blown out 101-75. Iowa rallied at the very end of the season. In the final regular-season game, when it visited Nebraska with the last spot in the Big Ten Tournament going to the winner, the Hawkeyes won 83-68. They finished in a five-way tie for 12th with a 7-13 conference record, but they rode the momentum of their win over Nebraska to a 77-70 upset of Ohio State in Indianapolis on Wednesday. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo advocated for McCaffery last week after the Spartans won in Iowa City to clinch the outright Big Ten regular-season title. The Hawkeyes have struggled to attract elite talent because of their shallow pool of funds for name, image and likeness compensation, though McCaffery's 2025 class is ranked fifth in the Big Ten by the 247Sports. "They don't have the resources here," Izzo said. "Everybody has different amounts of resources. They're not on the middle or high end." The coaching change will coincide with the expected start of revenue sharing in Division I in July. Among the challenges facing the next coach will be reviving fan interest that migrated to the women's team with the rise of superstar Caitlin Clark and has carried over to the first season without her. The women's team has sold out Carver-Hawkeye two straight years and is second in the nation with average paid attendance of 14,998. Iowa's men were 10th in the Big Ten in average paid attendance this season, at 9,161 per game, though actual crowds appeared significantly less. That's an 8% drop from last season and 26% drop from 2022-23. McCaffery was head coach at Lehigh, UNC Greensboro and Siena before former Iowa athletic director Gary Barta hired him in 2010. He led the Hawkeyes to eight 20-win seasons and won a game in four of seven NCAA Tournament appearances from 2012-13 to 2022-23. The McCaffery family has been prominent in Iowa City. Sons Connor (2018-23) and Patrick (2020-24) played for the Hawkeyes, and the community rallied around the McCafferys when Patrick was treated for thyroid cancer as a 13-year-old. The 2020-21 and 2021-22 teams were McCaffery's best. The first of those featured AP national player of the year Luka Garza, won 22 games, finished third in the Big Ten, made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and was ranked in the top 10 all but two weeks. The next season, with the high-scoring Keegan Murray leading the way, Iowa won 26 games, finished fourth in the Big Ten and won the Big Ten Tournament before getting upset by Richmond in its NCAA opener. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-05 02:40:25+00:00	[ "College baseball", "Softball", "Andrew Raymond", "George Mason Patriots", "College sports", "Sports" ]	# George Mason breaks 42-year-old Division I record with 23-run inning in win over Holy Cross March 5th, 2025 02:40 AM --- FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — George Mason broke a 42-year-old NCAA Division I record by scoring 23 runs in an inning. The Patriots' offensive outburst came in the second inning of a 26-6 home win over Holy Cross on Tuesday. The previous Division I record for runs in an inning was 21, set by Penn in 1983 and matched by Wichita State in 1984 and Valparaiso in 2010. George Mason sent 28 batters to the plate in the historic inning. Holy Cross got the first batter of the inning out before the next 19 reached base. The Patriots had 11 hits, eight walks and five hit batsmen in the inning. Freshman catcher Andrew Raymond doubled, walked, drove in three runs and scored three runs. Holy Cross used five pitchers in the inning. Two of them failed to record an out.
Associated Press News	2025-03-27 06:19:29+00:00	[ "Israel-Hamas war", "2024-2025 Mideast Wars", "Benjamin Netanyahu", "Israel", "Israel government", "Gaza Strip", "Hamas", "Donald Trump", "Lebanon", "International agreements", "War and unrest", "Jordan Bardella", "X Corp.", "Religion" ]	# Middle East latest: Israeli strikes kill a family of 6 and a Hamas spokesman in Gaza By The Associated Press March 27th, 2025 06:19 AM --- A family of six and a Hamas spokesman were killed in separate Israeli strikes in the northern Gaza Strip overnight and into Thursday, according to the territory's Health Ministry and another Hamas official. In Israel, the parliament passed a key part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judiciary, angering critics who view it as a power grab by his far-right government. Israel broke its ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza last week and has been pounding Gaza with airstrikes since, killing more than 800 people. Israel has vowed to escalate the offensive if Hamas does not release hostages, disarm and leave the territory. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. ## Thousands of Israelis take to the streets in another day of anti-government protests Holding signs calling for an end to the war in Gaza and new elections, the demonstrators packed a central square in Tel Aviv on Thursday. Addressing the crowd, a string of retired generals and former security officials warned that the government's actions were endangering Israel's security and said the country was "on the brink of an abyss." Hours earlier, Israel's parliament passed a key component of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan, which sparked mass protests when it was first introduced in 2023. Protests have swelled in recent weeks amid growing anger over a flurry of actions by the government that many see as aimed at weakening checks on its power, and over its failure to secure a deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza. ## Israel's antisemitism conference draws Europe's far-right leaders to Jerusalem European far-right leaders were in Jerusalem for a conference organized by the Israeli government aimed at " combating antisemitism." Thursday's event was shunned by mainstream Jewish leaders because of the divisive guest list. It illustrates a growing alliance between Israel — a country founded on the ashes of the Holocaust — with a European far-right that has not, some critics say, shed its links to antisemitism and Naziism during World War II. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who leads an ultranationalist government, has cultivated close ties in recent years with far-right populist leaders in countries like Hungary, Brazil and Argentina. Many of these leaders, including Netanyahu, have been greatly influenced by the policies and demeanor of U.S. President Donald Trump. Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right French National Rally party, gave a keynote address in which he blamed rising antisemitism in Europe on migration and Islamism. ## Israeli kills 2 people in another drone strike in Lebanon Lebanon's state news agency says an Israeli drone strike in the country's south hit a car, killing two people on Thursday afternoon in the village of Baraachit. The National News Agency gave no further details and it was not immediately clear if the two killed were members of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group. Israel's military said the strike targeted two Hezbollah members. ## Israeli strike in Lebanon kills 3 people Lebanon's state-run National News Agency says an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon killed three people. There was no comment from the Israeli military. The National News Agency said Thursday's strike occurred in the Yohmor area in south Lebanon. Israel's Arabic-language military spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on the social platform X on Thursday that an Israeli strike late Wednesday killed an official with Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force in the southern village of Derdghaiya. Since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect in late November, ending the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war, Israel's air forces has carried out dozens of airstrikes mainly targeting Hezbollah members. ## Israel says it intercepted 2 missiles from Yemen The long-range missiles were fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels and were intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory on Thursday, according to the military. Air-raid sirens were heard in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, central Israel and the occupied West Bank, with local media reporting fragments fell in several places. There were no reports of injuries. Since Israel broke the ceasefire last week, a handful of rockets have been fired from Gaza as well as missiles from Yemen. No one in Israel has been hurt. The Houthis claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack. The Iran-backed rebels have been attacking Israel and shipping off Yemen for well over a year, saying they aim to end Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Although Palestinian militants were once firing volleys of rockets each day out of Gaza, that dwindled to nearly zero over the course of the 17-month war. ## Israel's parliament approves a key part of Netanyahu's divisive judicial overhaul Israel's parliament has passed a key part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judiciary, angering critics who view it as a power grab by his far-right government. The planned overhaul sparked mass demonstrations in 2023, leaving the country deeply divided ahead of Hamas' attack on Oct. 7 of that year, which triggered the war in the Gaza Strip. The law that was passed Thursday gives the government a larger role in appointing judges. It would give two of the nine seats on the Judicial Selection Committee to lawyers chosen by the government and the opposition. Those seats are currently held by the Israeli Bar Association. The political appointees would have the power to veto nominations to Israel's Supreme Court and lower court appointments. Supporters of the measure say it gives more power to elected officials, while critics say it would undermine an independent body that provides essential checks and balances. The law would not take effect until the next parliament, and the opposition has vowed to repeal it if it regains power. ## Separate Israeli strikes kill a Hamas spokesman and a family in Gaza A strike hit the tent where Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua was staying in the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza, killing him, according to Basem Naim, another Hamas official. Another strike near Gaza City killed four children and their parents, according to the emergency service of Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel's war in Gaza has killed over 50,000 people, according to the territory's Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count but says women and children make up over half the dead. The war was triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251.
Associated Press News	2025-03-22 21:01:43+00:00	[ "Philadelphia Flyers", "Thomas Harley", "Dallas Stars", "Jake Oettinger", "Esa Lindell", "Travis Konecny", "Travis Sanheim", "Emil Andrae", "Ivan Fedotov", "Matt Duchene", "Jason Robertson", "Dayton Flyers", "NHL", "Sports", "Ryan Poehling", "Matvei Michkov", "NHL hockey", "Samuel Ersson", "Miro Heiskanen", "Minnesota" ]	# Thomas Harley's 2nd goal seconds into OT gives Stars a 3-2 win over the Flyers March 22nd, 2025 09:01 PM --- DALLAS (AP) — Defenseman Thomas Harley scored his second goal of the game nine seconds into overtime, giving the Dallas Stars a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Defenseman Esa Lindell also scored for the Stars, who are 9-0-1 in their last 10 home games. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves to record his seventh consecutive home win and 32nd overall, third in the NHL. Harley's second score was the fifth regular-season overtime goal of his career. Travis Konecny and Ryan Poehling scored for the Flyers, who are 0-3-1 in their last four games and 1-8-1 in their last 10. Poehling, a boyhood friend of Oettinger in Lakeville, Minnesota, won the opening faceoff in OT. The puck came back to Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson, who entered in the second period with a 2-0 deficit and played 40 minutes of shutout hockey stopping 15 shots. Ersson's clearing attempt to Travis Sanheim just to the right of the net was intercepted by Jason Robertson, who fed Harley for the fastest overtime goal in franchise history. ## Takeaways Flyers: Konecny ended an 11-game goal drought. Calder Trophy candidate Matvei Michkov had an assist, his first point in seven games. Ivan Fedotov was pulled after making one first-period save and allowing goals on Dallas' first two shots on goal. Stars: Harley has eight goals and 20 points in 18 games since top defenseman Miro Heiskanen was sidelined with a knee injury. ## Key moment With Dallas leading 2-1 late in the second period, Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae cleared a puck that was moving over the goal line after Ersson made a sprawling pad save on Matt Duchene. A video review determined the puck didn't entirely cross the line. ## Key stat The Stars have gone past regulation in their last four games — two overtime wins and splitting two shootouts. ## Up next The Flyers complete a road back-to-back Sunday at Chicago. The Stars finish a four-game homestand Monday against Minnesota. ___ AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Associated Press News	2025-03-04 16:24:15+00:00	[ "Joey Molland", "Apple", "Inc.", "Music", "Celebrity", "Pete Ham", "Tom Gibbins", "Sam Sheffield-West", "Minnesota", "Notable Deaths", "Penny Lane", "Entertainment", "Harry Nilsson", "John Lennon", "Neil Aspinall" ]	# Joey Molland, a guitarist with 1970s Welsh pop-rock band Badfinger, dies at 77 March 4th, 2025 04:24 PM --- EDINA, Minn. (AP) — Joey Molland, a guitarist with the Welsh pop-rock band Badfinger that was known for such 1970s hits as "No Matter What" and "Day After Day," has died at age 77. Molland was the last to join and had been the last survivor from the most famous lineup of the group, which recorded for the Beatles ' Apple label. His death was confirmed Tuesday by Sam Sheffield-West, the funeral director at Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels in Edina, Minnesota. Molland had lived in the state for decades. Additional details about his death weren't immediately available. Badfinger was a quartet that also included singer-guitarist Pete Ham, bassist Tom Evans and drummer Tom Gibbins. They were among the first acts signed to Apple after the Beatles launched it in 1968 and would remain closely associated with the Beatles — not always to Badfinger's liking — throughout their brief years of success. Molland even grew up near Liverpool's Penny Lane, immortalized in the Beatles song of the same name. Badfinger's breakout hit, "Come and Get It," was written and produced by Paul McCartney, and another top 10 single, "Day After Day," was produced by George Harrison and featured Harrison's slide guitar. "No Matter What" was produced by Apple official/Beatles assistant Mal Evans, and another Badfinger song, "Without You," became a hit for Beatles friend Harry Nilsson. Molland and his bandmates would also appear at Harrison's 1971 benefit concert for Bangladesh and provide backing on two Beatles member's solo albums: Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" and John Lennon's "Imagine." Critics could not stop likening Badfinger's catchy melodies, layered harmonies and tight arrangements to their benefactors: "It's as if John, Paul, George, and Ringo had been reincarnated as Joey, Pete, Tom, and Mike of Badfinger," Rolling Stone wrote of them in 1970. Even the band's name originated from the Beatles. Badfinger had called itself the Ivies in the years preceding their joining Apple, but, at the suggestion of Apple official/Beatles assistant Neil Aspinall, agreed to change it to Badfinger. (The working title of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" was "Bad Finger Boogie"). Their time on top ended after 1972. Amid cutbacks at Apple and allegations of financial mismanagement, Badfinger left for Warner Bros., faded commercially and sustained a tragic loss when Ham took his life in 1975. After initially breaking up, the remaining members periodically reunited but never approached their early success. Evans took his own life in 1983 and Gibbins died of a brain aneurysm in 2005. Molland remained active well after Badfinger's prime, touring until his health began to fail last year and releasing such solo albums as "This Way Up" "After the Pearl" and "Be True To Yourself." "I was raised to go to work — to get up in the morning and go to work," he told The Associated Press in 2001.
Associated Press News	2025-03-06 14:42:13+00:00	[ "Abdullah Ocalan", "Turkey", "Turkey government", "Recep Tayyip Erdogan", "Kurdistan Workers Party", "Middle East", "War and unrest", "Politics", "Terrorism", "Islam", "Military and defense", "International agreements", "Devlet Bahceli" ]	# Turkey says 26 PKK militants were killed in military operations despite peace efforts March 6th, 2025 02:42 PM --- ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish security forces have killed 26 Kurdish militants in the past week, the Turkish defense ministry said Thursday, even as the militants' imprisoned leader called on his group to disband and his fighters declared a ceasefire. A defense ministry statement said the militants were killed in military operations in areas including the north of Iraq and Syria. It did not provide details on the circumstances of the clashes. "Our Turkish Armed Forces will continue its operations and its search-and-scan activities in the region for the survival and security of our country," the ministry said. It added the military would "continue the fight against terrorism with determination until not a single terrorist remains." The banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, declared a ceasefire in the 40-year insurgency against the Turkish government on Saturday, responding to a call to disarm by the group's leader, Abdullah Ocalan, on Feb. 27. Ocalan's call and the PKK's declaration were part of an effort to end the conflict that was initiated in October by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ally, Devlet Bahceli, who is the leader of Turkey's far-right nationalist party. Ocalan, who has been serving a life-term on a prison island off Istanbul since 1999, urged his group to convene a congress and take the decision to disband. The PKK has appealed for Ocalan to be released from prison, to "personally direct and execute" a congress. Meanwhile, the leader of the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has said Ocalan's call for a ceasefire does not apply to his group in Syria. The Turkish government, however, says all Kurdish groups it claims are tied to the PKK — whether in Turkey, Syria or Iraq — must disband. Erdogan warned last week that Turkey would "always keep our iron fist ready in case the hand we extend is left in the air or bitten." He said military operations would continue, if necessary. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has led to tens of thousands of deaths since it began in 1984. The ceasefire is the first sign of a breakthrough since peace talks between the PKK and Ankara broke down in the summer of 2015. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.
Associated Press News	2025-03-17 20:36:19+00:00	[ "Minnesota Twins", "Boston Red Sox", "Athlete injuries", "Baseball", "MLB", "MLB baseball", "Royce Lewis", "Sports", "Medical diagnostic technology", "Injuries", "MLB Spring Training" ]	# Twins' Royce Lewis will miss start of season after hurting his hamstring March 17th, 2025 08:36 PM --- BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis will miss the start of the season due to a strained left hamstring. An MRI revealed a moderate sprain after Lewis hurt himself running out a grounder in the Twins' Grapefruit League game Sunday against the Boston Red Sox. Lewis, 25, has a history of injuries. He played in 82 games last season due to quadriceps and adductor issues. That followed a 2023 season in which he played 58 games while working through injuries to his oblique and his hamstring. He batted .233 with a .295 on-base percentage, 16 homers and 47 RBIs last season. He hit .309 with a .372 on-base percentage, 15 homers, 52 RBIs and six steals. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Associated Press News	2025-03-26 10:00:06+00:00	[ "Lauren Betts", "Ayoka Lee", "NCAA Womens Division I Basketball Championship", "College sports", "Basketball", "Kansas State Wildcats", "Womens college basketball", "College basketball", "UCLA Bruins", "Oregon", "Kansas State Wildcats womens basketball", "Womens sports", "UCLA Bruins womens basketball", "Texas Christian Horned Frogs", "Associated Press", "Jeff Mittie", "Richmond", "Sports", "Cori Close", "Richmond Spiders", "Nyara Sabally" ]	# Betts, Lee and Prince are posting up in women's March Madness. There are fewer players like them By Stephen Hawkins March 26th, 2025 10:00 AM --- AP All-America center Lauren Betts, Ayoka Lee and Sedona Prince are traditional post players, and all have been in the middle of their teams making it to the Sweet 16 in the women's NCAA Tournament. There just may not be as many players like them in the future with more teams opting for flexible posts who play on the perimeter and shoot 3-pointers. Plus, that is how players are now often being taught at younger ages. "All these young ladies are getting more skilled. They're able to step away from the basket. They are able to face up and play," Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. "I think, as you're seeing youth basketball progress, that they're getting more training earlier, where not just to stand in the paint and play. ... The game has evolved." Even so, these women are excelling inside during this March Madness. The 6-foot-7 Betts had 30 points and 14 rebounds for top-seeded UCLA in a second-round win over Richmond. The junior has made 63.6% of her 825 career field goal attempts over three years, and has a Bruins single-season record 90 blocked shots. Prince, also 6-7, combined for 35 points and 14 rebounds to help TCU advance past the second round for the first time. The 6-6 Lee has 33 points and 19 rebounds while playing only 43 minutes combined in K-State's two tourney games, after missing 12 of the previous 13 games with a foot injury. Betts, with career averages of 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds, said it takes more than just having the requisite size to be consistent and successful in the low post. "Patience has always been my biggest thing," said Betts, in her second season at UCLA after one at Stanford. "When I'm catching it inside, obviously there (are) a few people running at me at a time, so just making sure I'm not rushing myself." While UCLA coach Cori Close agrees that the game is evolving, the Bruins — who next play fifth-seeded Ole Miss on Friday night — certainly take full advantage of having their dominant center. "So it just has this domino effect, but it starts with her," Close said. "The reality for us is that if she gets a touch — people work possessions all the time just to create rotation. Like how are we going to do this, create rotation, flatten out their defense, force them to be in a scramble mode. We have a really good way. We just pass it to Lauren and force that every single time." Lee was a second-team AP All-American as a junior in 2022, the same year she set an NCAA single-game record with 61 points against Oklahoma, but missed all of the following season because of a knee injury. Her 64.1% field goal percentage this season is a career high, while averaging 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds playing fewer than 19 minutes a game. "I definitely have been a more traditional post, and that's just where my strength lies," Lee said. "Our coaches and our team have done a good job of building a strong guard presence around that. So I haven't really had to really step out much." The fifth-seeded Wildcats play top-seeded USC on Saturday night. Earlier that day, second-seeded TCU faces third-seeded Notre Dame for the second time this season. Prince is among 11 transfers for TCU since coach Mark Campbell took over two years ago after the Horned Frogs went 1-17 in Big 12 games. Campbell was previously an Oregon assistant and overlapped some of Prince's time there. Nyara Sabally was then the prominent player inside for the Ducks, but the coach wanted Prince to dominate inside for the Horned Frogs. "Me and Sedona have had healthy dialog of trying to figure out how to impose her will in games," Campbell said. "If I let her, she would stay on the perimeter and shoot 3s all game. ... I think the greatest thing she's improved in is getting comfortable around the basket and imposing her will around the basket." Prince made the only 3 she has attempted since Christmas, and is 8 for 28 from long range in her career. Neither Betts nor Lee have shot any 3s. "I was a passer and a shooter (at Oregon), and that's why I got really good at that like 12- to 15-foot range shot," Prince said. "So coming here, Mark and I had the conversation of like, you need to get really, really good at catching the ball deep in the post and making simple post moves, but take advantage of being 6-7, getting stronger. Yeah, it's fun." ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Associated Press News	2025-03-20 20:36:39+00:00	[ "College sports", "College basketball", "Mens college basketball", "NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Championship", "March Madness NCAA Tournament", "NCAA Mens Bracket", "Amir Khan", "Sports" ]	# McNeese social media star student manager has made it to NCAA tourney court — on socks By Kyle Hightower March 20th, 2025 08:36 PM --- PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A student manager for McNeese is making the most of the Cowboys' latest appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Amir Khan has been one of the early viral sensations of March Madness, attracting attention for toting a boom box and rapping on social media videos to hype up the team. He was featured on TV during McNeese's 69-67 victory over Clemson in the first round of the West Region on Thursday. McNeese cheerleaders and one of its players — Sincere Parker — had socks with Khan's face on them. "It's crazy. Because I never would have imagined this would have ever happened," Khan told The Associated Press after the game. "I appreciate them for wearing it. I appreciate all the love and support. And seeing them wearing it means a lot to me." Khan has been a hot commodity since the school's social media director recorded him leading the team down the tunnel during a game last month. As a result, he became the first known basketball manager to receive an NIL deal. He got sponsorships from Buffalo Wild Wings, TickPick and Insomnia Cookies. The Cowboys got off to a fast start on Thursday, surging to a 31-13 halftime lead over the Tigers. McNeese then held off a furious charge by Clemson down the stretch. Khan said watching the Cowboys secure the program's first NCAA win topped everything he has experienced over the past two months. McNeese's win on Thursday came a year after it was blown out in a first-round loss to Gonzaga. "I think that's what makes the moment so special because of what happened last year. We definitely didn't want a repeat," Khan said. "We made history. No matter what happens from here, you can't take that away." ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Associated Press News	2025-03-28 04:33:30+00:00	[ "Duke Blue Devils", "Caleb Love", "Cooper Flagg", "Jon Scheyer", "Arizona Wildcats", "Arizona", "NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Championship", "College sports", "Tommy Lloyd", "Mens college basketball", "College basketball", "Basketball", "Duke Blue Devils mens basketball", "March Madness NCAA Tournament", "NCAA Mens Bracket", "Arizona Wildcats mens basketball", "Jaden Bradley", "Mike Krzyzewski", "LeBron James", "Sports" ]	# Flagg flies in March Madness and Duke wins 100-93 over Arizona to reach the Elite Eight By Eddie Pells March 28th, 2025 04:33 AM --- NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Duke stud Cooper Flagg's highlight reel included a 3-pointer from just in front of the logo at the halftime buzzer, one no-look pass for an alley-oop and another for a 3, and a huge blocked shot into a row of Arizona cheerleaders. He needed all that to hold off an onslaught from the Wildcats and Duke's biggest nemesis, Caleb Love, for a 100-93 victory in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night that pushed the Blue Devils a win from the Final Four. Flagg's final line: 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds, three blocks. And his biggest college win yet. "That's one of the best tournament performances I've ever coached or been a part of," said coach Jon Scheyer, who has seen plenty. Love, a thorn in Duke's side for the last five years, finished with 35 points, one short of his career high, including a streak of 15 straight for his fourth-seeded Wildcats (24-13) during a ferocious second-half run that cut a 19-point deficit to five with 1:56 left. But it's the top-seeded Blue Devils (34-3) moving on. On Saturday comes a 1-vs.-2 showdown in the East Region, when Scheyer's team faces Alabama, which set a March Madnessrecord for 3-pointers in a 113-88 win over BYU earlier in the evening. A win would put Duke in the Final Four for the 18th time. The last time, in 2022, Love played for North Carolina and scored 28 points to bring an end to legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski's career. This time, the 18-year-old Flagg ended Love's stay in college, and showed why he should be the top pick in the NBA draft if he decides to leave, too. "What I've wanted from him was not to defer," Scheyer said. "Just wanted him to fully be him. I thought he was in his element tonight. He was loose, talking, competitive, the whole thing." Arizona chipped away at its big deficit and got within five when Carter Bryant made a 3-pointer with 1:56 left. Flagg made three of four free throws — and Duke made 9 of 10 — to salt away the win down the stretch. "They were a machine on offense," Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. Duke shot 60% from the floor and 57.9% from 3 to close out a defense-optional night at the Prudential Center in which both winners hit triple digits. The fourth-seeded Wildcats sagged and hung on the 6-foot-9 freshman and made him work for everything. But he was just better than everyone on the court. There were too many highlights to count. Here were a few: — At the end of the first half, when Duke rebounded Love's missed 3, worked the ball to Flagg and he swished his own 3, then turned around and screamed "Let's go, man!" as he ran to the locker room with a 48-42 lead. — A spinning, no-look pass to Sion James, who made an open 3 early in the second half, as part of a run that built the lead to 19. — Two alley-oops, one a no-look to Khaman Maluach, the other to Kon Knueppel. — A massive rejection of Arizona guard KJ Lewis into the phalanx of Arizona cheerleaders on a possession that could've trimmed the deficit to seven with about five minutes left. It was a show that brought a close to Love's vibrant college career — one he wasn't willing to see end without a fight. He missed his first three shots but finished 11 for 21 and made five 3s to keep his team in it. "He's had an amazing career and I'm so excited for his future," Lloyd said. "He was tremendous today. He's going to wake up tomorrow and he's going to smile. He has a lot to look forward to and so I'm really, really proud of him." Love scored seven more than he did when he shut down Coach K's career. In this one, he got the most help from Jaden Bradley, who finished with 15 points. But the Wildcats couldn't do enough to conjure a repeat of 2011, the last time these programs met in the tournament and Arizona knocked out the top-seeded Blue Devils. ## Brown back for Duke Maliq Brown returned to action for the Blue Devils after sitting out two weeks with an injured shoulder. Sporting a sleeve on his left shoulder and upper arm, the junior came into the game with 7:51 left in the first half. He played four minutes and finished with a rebound and an assist. ## Arizona gets recruiting win Arizona did get a big win earlier Thursday, when one of the nation's top high school prospects, Koa Peat, said on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he was committing to play for the Wildcats. Peat is expected to join another top recruit, LeBron James' son Bryce, in coach Tommy Lloyd's program next season. ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Associated Press News	2025-03-17 08:46:54+00:00	[ "Syria", "Lebanon", "Syria government", "Bashar Assad", "War and unrest", "Middle East", "Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert", "Paul Morkos", "Hussein Haj Hassan", "Joseph Aoun" ]	# Lebanon and Syria agree to ceasefire after 2 days of border clashes, Syrian defense ministry says By Kareem Chehayeb March 17th, 2025 08:46 AM --- BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese and Syrian defense officials reached an agreement late Monday for a ceasefire to halt two days of clashes along the border, Syria's state-run SANA news agency reported. The agreement also stipulates "enhanced coordination and cooperation between the two sides," the statement from the Syrian Ministry of Defense said. Lebanon's president earlier Monday ordered troops to retaliate against the source of gunfire from the Syrian side of the border after more deadly fighting erupted overnight along the frontier. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that seven Lebanese citizens were killed and another 52 injured in the clashes, including a 4-year-old girl. The fighting happened after Syria's interim government accused militants from Lebanon's Hezbollah group of crossing into Syria on Saturday, abducting three soldiers and killing them on Lebanese soil. Hezbollah denied involvement and some other reports pointed to local clans in the border region that are not directly affiliated with Hezbollah but have been involved in cross-border smuggling. It was the most serious cross-border fighting since the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December. Syrian News Channel, citing an unnamed Defense Ministry official, said the Syrian army shelled "Hezbollah gatherings that killed Syrian soldiers" along the border. Hezbollah denied involvement in a statement on Sunday. Information Minister Paul Morkos said Lebanon's defense minister told a Cabinet meeting that the three killed were smugglers. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said five Syrian soldiers were killed during Monday's clashes. Footage circulated online and in local media showed families fleeing toward the Lebanese town of Hermel. Lebanon's state news agency reported that fighting intensified Monday evening near Hermel. "What is happening along the eastern and northeastern border cannot continue and we will not accept that it continues," Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun said on X. "I have given my orders to the Lebanese army to retaliate against the source of fire." Aoun added that he asked Lebanon's foreign minister, who was in Brussels for a donors conference on Syria, to contact Syrian officials to resolve the problem "and prevent further escalation." Violence recently spiked in the area between the Syrian military and armed Lebanese Shiite clans closely allied with the former government of Assad, based in Lebanon's Al-Qasr border village. Lebanese media and the observatory say clans were involved in the abductions that sparked the latest clashes. The Lebanese and Syrian armies said they have opened channels of communication to ease tensions. Lebanon's military also said it returned the bodies of the three killed Syrians. Large numbers of Lebanese troops have been deployed in the area. Lebanese media reported low-level fighting at dawn after an attack on a Syrian military vehicle. The number of casualties was unclear. Early on Monday, four Syrian journalists embedded with the Syrian army were lightly wounded after an artillery shell fired from the Lebanese side of the border hit their position. They accused Hezbollah of the attack. Meanwhile, senior Hezbollah legislator Hussein Haj Hassan in an interview with Lebanon's Al Jadeed television accused fighters from the Syrian side of crossing into Lebanese territory and attacking border villages. His constituency is the northeastern Baalbek-Hermel province, which has borne the brunt of the clashes. Lebanon has been seeking international support to boost funding for its military as it gradually deploys troops along its porous northern and eastern borders with Syria as well as its southern border with Israel. Speaking from the southern border on Monday, U.N. envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert also warned the Security Council that the sustained presence of Israeli forces on Lebanese territory, alongside ongoing Israeli strikes, could easily lead to "serious ripple effects." On Monday, Israeli strikes hit several sites in southern Syria, including in the city of Daraa. The Israeli military said it was hitting "command centers and military sites containing weapons and military vehicles belonging to the old Syrian regime, which (the new army) are trying to make reusable." Since the fall of Assad, Israeli forces have seized territory in southern Syria, which Israel said is a move to protect its border. Syria's Civil Defense said that three people were killed and 14 injured in the strikes, including four children, a woman and three civil defense volunteers. ___ Associated Press writers Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus, Syria; Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Associated Press News	2025-03-20 18:05:44+00:00	[ "Tesla", "Inc.", "Elon Musk", "Road safety", "Transportation technology", "Accidents", "Product recalls", "Donald Trump", "Business", "Politics", "Department of Government Efficiency", "Food safety", "Technology", "Electric vehicles" ]	# In latest blow to Tesla, regulators recall nearly all Cybertrucks By Matt Ott March 20th, 2025 06:05 PM --- U.S. safety regulators on Thursday recalled virtually all Cybertrucks on the road, the eighth recall of the Tesla-made vehicles since deliveries to customers began just over a year ago. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recall, which covers more than 46,000 Cybertrucks, warned that an exterior panel that runs along the left and right side of the windshield can detach while driving, creating a dangerous road hazard for other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash. The stainless steel strip, called a cant rail assembly, between the windshield and the roof on both sides, is bound to the truck's assembly with a structural adhesive, the NHTSA report said. The remedy uses an adhesive that's not been found to be vulnerable to "environmental embrittlement," the NHTSA said, and includes additional reinforcements. Tesla will replace the panel free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 19, 2025. The recall of 46,096 Cybertrucks covers all 2024 and 2025 model years, manufactured from November 13, 2023, to February 27, 2025. The NHTSA order says that Tesla became aware of the problem early this year. Videos posted on social media showing people ripping the panels off of Cybertrucks with their hands have gone viral in recent days. The Cybertruck, which Tesla began delivering to buyers in late 2023, has been recalled eight times in the past 15 months for safety problems, including once in November because a fault in an electric inverter can cause the drive wheels to lose power. Last April, the futuristic-looking trucks were recalled to fix acceleration pedals that can get stuck in the interior trim. Other recalls were related to windshield wipers and the display screen. It's the latest setback for the Elon Musk-owned electric automaker, which has come under attack since President Donald Trump took office and empowered Musk to oversee a new Department of Government Efficiency that's slashing government spending. While no injuries have been reported, Tesla showrooms, vehicle lots, charging stations and privately owned cars have been targeted. Prosecutors in Colorado charged a woman last month in connection with attacks on Tesla dealerships, including Molotov cocktails thrown at vehicles and the words "Nazi cars" spray-painted on a building. And federal agents in South Carolina last week arrested a man they say set fire to Tesla charging stations near Charleston. An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wrote in an affidavit that authorities found writings critical of the government and DOGE in his bedroom and wallet. Even before the attacks ramped up in recent weeks, Tesla has been struggling, facing increased competition from rival electric vehicles, particularly out of China. Though largely unaffected by Thursday's recall announcement, Tesla shares have plummeted 42% in 2025, reflecting newfound pessimism as sales crater around the globe. With regard to Thursday's recall, Cybertruck owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, or go to nhtsa.gov.
Associated Press News	2025-03-18 21:39:25+00:00	[ "College sports", "Michigan", "Michigan Wolverines", "Vladislav Goldin", "Mens college basketball", "College basketball", "Sports transactions", "March Madness NCAA Tournament", "NCAA Mens Bracket", "Michigan Wolverines mens basketball", "Sports", "Larry Lage" ]	# Michigan's Goldin is reunited with parents from Russia, hopes to show them NCAA Tournament run By Larry Lage March 18th, 2025 09:39 PM --- ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's Vladislav Goldin, holding a bouquet of flowers, stood alongside his fiance at Detroit Metropolitan Airport as he waited a little longer for a moment he had been looking forward to for five years. Goldin reunited with his parents, whom he left in Russia to pursue his dreams, and hugged them in a breathtaking moment. "When the door opened and I saw them walking to me, it was like I lost all the oxygen in my lungs," he said. Goldin's mother and father could not believe what his life is like at Michigan. "Everything is like a dream to them," he said. His parents watched Goldin wrap up the regular season with the Wolverines before returning home to Russia. The 7-foot-1 center hopes to give them another run to watch in the NCAA Tournament. Fifth-seeded and Big Ten Tournament champion Michigan will play 12th-seeded UC San Diego on Thursday night in Denver. Two years ago, Goldin was a key player on Florida Atlantic's Final Four team. When Michigan fired coach Juwan Howard and hired Dusty May away from FAU last year, the new coach knew he wanted his old center to join him. May had 11 newcomers on his team this season, including Goldin, a three-year player under him with the Owls. "I'm extremely grateful that he joined us here," May said. "This will be his fourth year playing March Madness and the way he's performed lately, he's obviously not taking it for granted. He's motivated to finish strong and see how far this team can go. "Every year, he gets a little bit better and he really does game by game. It's really rewarding to see him continue to improve and he's taken on a bigger leadership role with our team lately. He's kind of came out of his shell because of his determination to win." Goldin started his journey in the United States at a prep school in Connecticut. He played on Texas Tech's NCAA Tournament team as a seldom-used freshman and transferred to FAU, where he became a three-year starter and declared for the NBA draft. Goldin decided to stay in school and transferred to Michigan, where he averaged a team-high 16.7 points while earning All-Big Ten and conference tournament MVP honors. He scored a career-high 36 points at UCLA and had more than 20 points in 11 games. After playing for three colleges, getting engaged and briefly reuniting with his parents, it would be easy to be awestruck. Goldin tries to push aside those big-picture thoughts. "I don't want to lose the ground under me," he said. "If I start thinking about this, I might get too emotional." ___ Follow Larry Lage at https://apnews.com/author/larry-lage ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Associated Press News	2025-03-10 05:09:17+00:00	[ "Movies", "Kiran Rao", "Jaipur", "Gender", "Comedy", "India", "Kareena Kapoor", "Entertainment", "Madhuri Dixit", "Shahrukh Khan", "Karan Johar", "Shahid Kapoor" ]	# 2025 IIFA Awards: Laapataa Ladies wins big with 10 awards March 10th, 2025 05:09 AM --- JAIPUR, India (AP) — The film that was submitted as India's official Oscar entry but failed to make the final list of nominees has swept the International Indian Film Academy Awards, which recognize outstanding work in the country's film industry. Director Kiran Rao's critically acclaimed "Laapataa Ladies" — renamed "Lost Ladies" for its Oscar campaign — emerged as the biggest winner at the 2025 IIFA Awards, bagging 10 wins, including best picture and best direction. The 2023 comedy is about two veiled brides who are accidentally swapped during a train ride, and tackles issues of patriarchy and gender roles, a shift from decades of male-centered mainstream Indian movies. "It's a rare privilege to win an award for a film like 'Laapataa Ladies.' It's been a wonderful night. It's a rare privilege to make a film like this," Rao said in her acceptance speech. Rao's film — a rare departure from most Bollywood films, which typically feature song-and-dance routines, violence and melodrama — also won in categories for best story, best screenplay and best actress in a leading role. The annual ceremony of IIFA began in the western city of Jaipur on Saturday and concluded Sunday. Indian cinema's most recognizable names took part in the glitzy event and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and actor Shahid Kapoor were among those who performed at the ceremony. The event was hosted by veteran director and producer Karan Johar and actor Kartik Aaryan. The awards show also presents an opportunity for Indian celebrities to showcase their fashion, and this year was no exception. Notable figures such as Madhuri Dixit, Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor Khan displayed their fashion choices on the green carpet.
Associated Press News	2025-03-16 23:55:08+00:00	[ "WNBA", "Brittney Griner", "Sabrina Ionescu", "Womens National Basketball Association", "Minnesota Lynx", "Chelsea Gray", "WNBA basketball", "Sports", "Rhyne Howard", "Jordin Canada", "Dearica Hamby" ]	# Vinyl beat No. 1 seed Lunar Owls and Unrivaled MVP Napheesa Collier, will play Rose for title By Alanis Thames March 16th, 2025 11:55 PM --- MEDLEY, Fla. (AP) — Rhyne Howard scored 23 points, Jordin Canada added 21 and the No. 4 seed Vinyl beat the top-seeded Lunar Owls and Napheesa Collier of the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, who was named Unrivaled's Most Valuable Player earlier Sunday, 73-70 in the 3-on-3 women's basketball league's playoffs. Dearica Hamby added 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Vinyl and her layup over Collier sealed the Vinyl's come-from-behind victory in the semifinals. Chelsea Gray of the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces led the second-seeded Rose to a 63-57 win over the No. 3 Laces in their semifinal earlier Sunday. Vinyl and Rose will play on Monday for Unrivaled's inaugural championship crown, with each player from the winning club going home with $50,000. "We've kind of been counted out the entire season, considered ourselves underdogs," said Hamby, who plays for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. "But that didn't show in our locker room. We never stopped believing in ourselves." Gray had a dominant performance for the Rose, who were without their leading rebounder and Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese because of a hand injury. The veteran guard Gray helped her team erase a 13-point halftime deficit with 39 points, the most in an Unrivaled game this season. She also hit the game-winning 3-pointer. Unrivaled games are played with three seven-minute quarters and an un-timed fourth. Teams play to a "winning score" determined by adding 11 points to the squad that is leading after three quarters. Collier, the reigning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, led Unrivaled with 25.7 points per game en route to being voted the league's first MVP. She averaged 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Lunar Owls, who were a favorite to win the championship after finishing the regular season with the best record in the league at 13-1. Collier also took home $200,000 last month after winning Unrivaled's midseason 1-on-1 tournament. "It's been a great season. We said from the very beginning that we had a very special group," said Collier, who had 36 points on Sunday. "It's a tough ending for us." Unrivaled played an eight-week regular season between six teams consisting of some of the biggest names in the WNBA — Reese, new Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner, New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, among others. The top four teams from the regular season reached Sunday's playoffs. ___ AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-18 11:10:06+00:00	[ "Alabama Crimson Tide", "College sports", "Alabama", "Athlete injuries", "Robert Morris", "Nate Oats", "Grant Nelson", "College basketball", "Basketball", "Mens college basketball", "March Madness NCAA Tournament", "NCAA Mens Bracket", "Alabama Crimson Tide mens basketball", "Chris Youngblood", "Sports", "Matt Painter", "Houston Mallette" ]	# Alabama's bench could be key to the Tide making another deep run in the NCAA tourney By Brett Hudson March 18th, 2025 11:10 AM --- TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — With versatile point guard Mark Sears and mustachioed forward Grant Nelson, Alabama has two of the more recognizable players in the NCAA Tournament. The duo led the Crimson Tide to the Final Four last year and returned to school in hopes of delivering the program's first national title. But Bama's supporting cast — specifically its bench — might be the key to making another deep run, especially with Nelson dealing with a left knee injury. The second-seeded Tide (25-8) open NCAA play against No. 15 seed Robert Morris in Cleveland on Friday, giving Nelson an extra day to recover from an injury sustained in the first half of a loss to Florida in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Saturday. The good news? Alabama ranks seventh in the country in bench points, averaging 34.19 a game from its reserves. It's the kind of diversified scoring that makes coach Nate Oats' squad a daunting matchup for anyone in the field, especially on short notice. "We have guys that have been battle-tested, and we have some guys that have some savvy about them to stay in those games and make plays, and we're going to need that to make runs here in March," Oats said. Because of injuries, Alabama's bench might not be quite as stout as Purdue coach Matt Painter insisted in November when he said the Tide's backups could form their own team — and would be ranked. But the group was more than solid down the stretch and in the SEC Tournament. Jarin Stevenson scored 16 points in 19 minutes in a win against Kentucky, and fellow sophomore forward Mouhamed Dioubate finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to Florida in the semifinals. The Tide also got highly touted freshman Derrion Reid back after he missed nearly a month while recovering from a hamstring injury. "We knew he was going to be rusty," Oats said. "It's hard when you don't practice for a few weeks in a row. Only had a few practices. … I thought he was able to get a little flow, knock some of the rust off. We were able to get him almost 10 minutes. … He wasn't bad in his minutes." With Sears and Nelson leading the team in minutes (and points), the Tide have the No. 1 scoring offense in the country at 91.4 points a game. Alabama has topped 100 points a whopping eight times, including five in SEC play. Those five came without Latrell Whitesell Jr., who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in November, as well as Pepperdine transfer Houston Mallette, another guard who played just six games in December and January before lingering knee issues sidelined him for the rest of the season. Who stepped up? The bench. Sophomore Aden Holloway, who traded sides in a fierce rivalry when he transferred from Auburn, is averaging 11.4 points while playing mostly in Sears' shadow. "I can't get him aggressive enough, to be honest with you," Oats said. "What kind of 3s do I want him to take? I want him to take every single one that's open." Dioubate has more than doubled his points and minutes as a sophomore, averaging 7.1 points in 16 minutes a game. "He's always had it. He needed to learn how to do it with the correct spacing, when the opportunities are there," Oats said. "He's got opportunities because people are so concerned with our guards. His guy is jumping out to hedge a screen and he can just score." Alabama played nine consecutive ranked teams to end SEC play and went 4-5 in that stretch, with two losses to Florida and two more on the road at fellow NCAA Tournament teams Missouri and Tennessee. The start of the tournament could provide some relief for the Tide — and a chance for the reserves to continue to prove their worth, especially if Nelson is slowed or unable to go. "It's ideal (that) you play the toughest schedule," Alabama guard Chris Youngblood said. "Whoever you face in March, have to win six tough games. We've done it before. … Played a lot of tough teams. We'll be ready." ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Associated Press News	2025-03-15 21:26:00+00:00	[ "Soccer", "Mauricio Pochettino", "Kyle Walker", "Everton FC", "AC Milan", "Sports - Europe", "Tottenham Hotspur FC", "Dele Alli", "Cesc Fabregas", "Sports", "Ruben Loftus-Cheek" ]	# Former England player Dele Alli gets sent off after 9 minutes in first soccer match in two years March 15th, 2025 09:26 PM --- MILAN (AP) — Dele Alli's first professional appearance in more than two years lasted just nine minutes before he was sent off. The former England international was shown a straight red card late on in Como's 2-1 loss at AC Milan on Saturday following a tackle on countryman Ruben Loftus-Cheek from behind. The 28-year-old Alli had only just come off the bench for his Como debut and his first appearance in a soccer match since last playing for Turkish club Besiktas in February 2023. Alli was initially shown a yellow card but it was upgraded to a red after a VAR review. His former Tottenham teammate Kyle Walker, who now plays for Milan, appeared to join the Como players in pleading with the referee not to send Alli off. Alli was one of English soccer's biggest talents, a member of the England team that reached the World Cup semifinals in 2018 and a star of Mauricio Pochettino's young Tottenham side that reached the Champions League final in 2019. However, the attacking midfielder's career has derailed in recent years and he spent six weeks in rehab in the United States in 2023 in a bid to deal with mental-health problems stemming from a traumatic childhood and after getting addicted to sleeping pills. Alli did not play at all last season for Everton before his contract expired in June 2024. His last appearances were for Besiktas during a loan spell the previous campaign. Alli began training with Como at the end of last year and impressed coach Cesc Fabregas enough to earn himself an 18-month contract, with the option to extend for an additional 12 months. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Associated Press News	2025-03-02 01:50:57+00:00	[ "Hillary Clinton", "Kamala Harris", "Black experience", "NAACP", "New York City", "Eric Adams", "Joe Biden", "New York", "New York City Wire", "Notable Deaths", "Race and ethnicity", "Shirley Chisholm", "Politics", "Ronald Dukes", "Janet Dukes", "Race and Ethnicity" ]	# Hazel Dukes, lifelong NY civil rights advocate and NAACP leader, dies at 92 By Sejal Govindarao March 2nd, 2025 01:50 AM --- Hazel Dukes, the president of the New York State chapter of the NAACP and lifelong civil rights advocate, died Saturday at the age of 92. Dukes peacefully passed away in her New York City home surrounded by family, her son, Ronald Dukes, said in a statement. Dukes, who led the New York State NAACP for nearly five decades, fought tirelessly for voting rights, economic development, fair housing and education through her career. Even in her 90s, she spoke out against police brutality and for adequate health care in underserved neighborhoods, the NAACP's New York State chapter said in a statement. In 2023, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Dukes with the NAACP's highest honor — the Spingarn Medal. "I'm not tired yet," Dukes said in her acceptance speech for the award. She added that she would continue her advocacy and empower the next generation of NAACP leaders. Dukes helped lay the foundation for Black women to ascend to the nation's highest offices. In 1972, she took the stage at the Democratic National Convention to second the presidential candidacy of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman to run for the party's nomination. Dukes was instrumental in former President Joe Biden's decision to choose a Black woman as his 2020 running mate, she noted in an interview with CBS last year. Her career-long fight was bookended by former Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 bid for the presidency. In a post in X Saturday, Harris called Dukes one of the heroes "upon whose broad shoulders we stand." "I'm just proud of Kamala. I'm just excited if I can live to see this happen. It would be the joy of my life," Dukes said in the CBS interview. Dukes was the president of her own consulting firm. She also served as the member of the NAACP National Board of Directors. Leaders of the NAACP said in a statement Saturday that Dukes was a "living embodiment" of the NAACP and that her legacy has touched every aspect of the movement. New York City Mayor Eric Adams ordered flags to be lowered at half-staff as a tribute to Dukes.

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