Beginning Wednesday, most domestic and short-haul international passengers will pay $45 to check one bag, $55 for a second and $200 for a third, according to Delta. That's an increase of $10 on each of the first two bags and $50 on the third.

The move follows similar announcements from United Airlines and JetBlue, both of which raised baggage fees last week.

“These updates are part of Delta’s ongoing review of pricing across its business and reflect the impact of evolving global conditions and industry dynamics,” the carrier said in a statement. It marks Delta’s first increase to checked baggage fees on domestic routes in two years.

Delta said complimentary bags will still be available to customers in premium cabins, active-duty military personnel, eligible co-branded credit card holders and members of certain loyalty tiers. Fees for long-haul international flights are not affected.

CEO Ed Bastian told investors last month that the jump in jet fuel prices had already added about $400 million to Delta’s operating expenses since the conflict began on Feb. 28. Executives at United and American Airlines reported similar figures.

Delta is scheduled to report its first-quarter earnings on Wednesday, kicking off the earnings season for U.S. airlines, which could offer travelers an early gauge of how rising jet fuel prices may affect them.

Airlines around the world have been grappling with volatile oil markets as fighting near the Strait of Hormuz disrupts global supplies. Roughly a fifth of the world's oil typically passes through the narrow water way, and the threat to that chokepoint is pushing up the price of jet fuel, which is refined from crude.

Fuel typically ranks as the second-largest expense for airlines after labor.

The average price for a gallon of jet fuel in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York was $4.81 on Tuesday, up from $2.50 the day before the war started, according to Argus Media. The energy market intelligence company’s U.S. Jet Fuel Index tracks average prices across those major hubs.

In addition to raising ticket prices, analysts say U.S. carriers are likely to lean more on ancillary fees to offset the higher expenses, while many non-U.S. carriers are responding by adding or increasing fuel surcharges.

Jay Rothman has led the system that oversees the state’s four-year universities, including the flagship Madison campus, for a little more than four years.

The vote by the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents came just five days after The Associated Press first reported that the regents asked Rothman to either resign or be fired. Rothman said in two letters to the regents that he would not leave voluntarily without knowing what he did wrong.

Regent President Amy Bogost said in a statement Monday that the board has shared results of a performance review with Rothman, with “direct conversations and clear feedback regarding leadership expectations.” She said the system needs “a clear vision” but did not elaborate on the review’s findings.

Rothman countered Tuesday with his own statement insisting regents repeatedly declined to cite a specific reason for finding no confidence in his leadership. No one ever indicated to him that an evaluation could lead to termination, he said, adding that Bogost called his review “overwhelmingly positive.”

“It is disappointing that the first I heard any sort of defense of their position was when they communicated with the media,” Rothman said. “I am left to conclude that, at best, this reflects an after-the-fact rationalization of a decision that was previously made.”

The secrecy has drawn the ire of Republicans who control the Legislature and the system’s budget.

The state Senate’s committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers have yet to be confirmed by the Senate.

Republican Sen. Rob Hutton, chair of the committee, said “backroom maneuvering” by regents threaten to “throw the System into turmoil.”

Rothman has served as president of the 165,000-student, multicampus system since January 2022. The former chair and CEO of the Milwaukee-based Foley & Lardner law firm, Rothman had no prior experience administering higher education.

He has spent his tenure lobbying Republican legislators to increase state aid for the system in the face of federal cuts, navigating free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests, and grappling with declining enrollment that has forced eight branch campuses to close. Overall enrollment across the system has remained steady under his leadership.

He has to tread carefully dealing with a Republican-controlled Legislature and a Board of Regents where all current members were appointed by Evers. When Rothman was hired, the board also had a majority of Evers appointees.

Rothman brokered a deal with Republicans in 2023 that called for freezing diversity hires and creating a position at UW-Madison focused on conservative thought in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for UW employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system.

The regents initially rejected the deal only to approve it in a second vote held just days later. Evers said at the time the deal left him disappointed and frustrated.

Asked Monday about the move to oust Rothman, Evers didn’t take a side. “It’s their call,” he said of the board.

The fight over Rothman’s future comes as the flagship Madison campus is losing its chancellor. Jennifer Mnookin is leaving in May at the end of the current academic year to take the job as president of Columbia University.

Rothman makes $600,943 annually as UW president. He can be fired for no stated reason and he has no appeal rights, said Wisconsin employment law attorney Tamara Packard, who reviewed Rothman’s contract at the AP’s request.

Under the contract, Rothman would have to be given six-months’ notice of his termination. In practice, what usually happens is the person is told to focus on transitioning their duties and not actually work in the office any longer, Packard said.

___

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the national domestic violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233 in the U.S.

___

Gerhardt Konig, 47, had a plan and backup plans for murdering his wife, Arielle Konig, during a weekend trip to Honolulu for her birthday in March 2025, deputy prosecutor Joel Garner said. He tried to push her off a cliff, and when that didn't work he tried to stab her with a syringe filled with an unknown substance.

And when that didn't work, he grabbed the rock, Garner said.

"Every backup plan ends in Arielle’s death,” Garner said, displaying the rock and photos of her injuries.

The doctor's lawyer told jurors Tuesday there were no such plans, and he repeatedly sought to cast doubt on Arielle Konig's account. Gerhardt Konig has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, and he insists he was defending himself from his wife, who he says attacked him with the rock first.

If Gerhardt Konig had wanted to kill his wife and had access to a syringe in a remote area, attorney Thomas Otake suggested, wouldn't he have drugged her and then thrown her from the cliff, rather than having started a scuffle before attempting to fill the syringe as he was wrestling with her?

“You would use the syringe first,” Otake said. “It makes no sense.”

The trial started last month, nearly a year after Gerhadt and Arielle Konig went on a hike on the Pali Puka trail in Honolulu that ended with her bloodied and screaming that he had tried to kill her.

Their two young sons stayed home on Maui while the Konigs were on the trip. Near a lookout offering sweeping views, Gerhardt Konig— upset about his wife's relationship with a coworker — attacked her, Garner said. It was only because two other hikers interrupted the assault that he stopped, Garner said.

The trial, with testimony livestreamed by Court TV, has aired the couple's marital problems leading up to the hike, along with their versions of what happened on the trail.

Gerhardt Konig testified that his wife was having an affair, which he confirmed by unlocking her phone while she slept. The relationship, which Arielle Konig characterized as an “emotional affair” involving flirty messages with a coworker, came up during the hike.

Arielle Konig testified that her husband grabbed her and moved her toward the cliff's edge but she threw herself on the ground in an attempt to hold on. He straddled her and had a syringe in his hand, she said, but she batted it away. She bit his forearm and squeezed his testicles in attempt to get him off her, she said.

Her husband denied pushing her toward the edge and testified that she hit him with a rock on the side of his face. He wrestled the rock away and hit her with it twice in self-defense, he said.

“He reacted, and then he felt horrible about it," Otake said. "He never wanted to hurt her.”

But the prosecutor told the jury that all of the blood found on the rock and on clothing belonged to Arielle Konig, not her husband.

Gerhardt Konig also denied having any syringes on the mountain, or trying to stab his wife. His defense attorney said no syringe was found at the scene because he never had one.

Otake said Gerhardt Konig was not someone who would try to commit murder, but someone who was struggling with infidelity and trying to do his best. Otake quoted from a heart-shaped birthday card Gerhardt Konig had written to his wife, calling her “the heart of our family” and saying, “The kids and I hit the jackpot with you.”

Gerhardt Konig testified that as he watched his wife crawl away, he believed his marriage and career were over, and he decided to jump to his death. But first, he called his adult son from a previous marriage. The son told authorities that his father said he "tried to kill your stepmom” — a confession Gerhardt Konig denied having made.

During that call, the defendant made no reference to having struck his wife in self-defense, Garner said.

He spent about eight hours hiding on the mountain before deciding to come down, and even then he tried to flee when confronted by police, Garner said.

His wife has since filed for divorce.

___

Associated Press writer Gene Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report.

It was the first moonship-to-spaceship radio linkup ever. NASA's Apollo crews had no off-the-planet company back in the 1960s and 1970s, the last time humanity set sail for deep space.

"We have been waiting for this like you can’t imagine,” Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman called out.

For Christina Koch on Artemis II and Jessica Meir aboard the space station, it marked a joyous space reunion despite being 230,000 miles (370,000 kilometers) apart. The two teamed up for the world's first all-female spacewalk in 2019 outside the orbiting lab.

Koch told her “astro-sister” that she'd hoped to meet up with her again in space “but I never thought it would be like this — it's amazing.”

“I'm so happy that we are back in space together,” Meir replied, “even if we are a few miles apart.”

Houston's Mission Control arranged the cosmic chitchat between the four lunar travelers and the space station's three NASA and one French residents.

Koch described being awe-struck by not just the beauty of Earth, “but how much blackness there was around it.”

“It just made it even more special. It truly emphasized how alike we are, how the same thing keeps every single person on planet Earth alive,” she told the space station crew. “The specialness and preciousness of that really is emphasized” when viewing the home planet from the moon.

By late Tuesday afternoon, the Artemis II astronauts had beamed back more than 50 gigabytes' worth of pictures and other data from the previous day's lunar rendezvous, which set a new distance record for humanity. The highlight: an Earthset photo reminiscent of Apollo 8's Earthrise shot from 1968.

"While they are inspirational and, I think, allow all of us to really feel a little bit of what they were feeling, there's also a lot of science hidden inside of those images," said Mission Control's lead lunar scientist Kelsey Young. “The conversations and the science lessons learned are just beginning."

During a debriefing with Young, the astronauts recounted how they spotted a cascade of pinpricks of light on the lunar surface from impacting cosmic debris. The flashes lasted mere milliseconds and coincided by chance with Monday evening's total solar eclipse.

Young said it was too soon to know whether the crew witnessed an actual meteor shower or more random, run-of-the-mill micrometeoroid hits. Either way, there were “audible screams of delight” in the science operations center, she said.

Koch described being awe-struck by not just the beauty of Earth, “but how much blackness there was around it.”

“It just made it even more special. It truly emphasized how alike we are, how the same thing keeps every single person on planet Earth alive,” she told the space station crew. “The specialness and preciousness of that really is emphasized” when viewing the home planet from the moon.

The first lunar explorers since Apollo 17 in 1972, Wiseman and his crew are aiming for a Friday splashdown off the San Diego coast on Friday to wrap up the nearly 10-day test flight. The recovery ship USS John P. Murtha left port Tuesday for the target zone.

It sets the stage for next year's Artemis III, a lunar lander docking demo in orbit around Earth. Artemis IV will follow in 2028 with two astronauts attempting to land near the lunar south pole.

As for the Orion capsule’s pesky potty, Mission Control assured the astronauts that no maintenance was required Tuesday. The toilet has been on-and-off limits to the crew ever since last week’s launch, prompting them to rely on a backup bag-and-funnel system for urinating.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told the crew following the lunar flyby Monday night: “We definitely have to fix some of the plumbing” ahead of the next Artemis mission. Engineers suspect a clogged filter in the overboard flushing system.

Aside from the toilet and other relatively minor matters, the mission has gone well, Isaacman noted at a news conference Tuesday, “but I'll breathe easier when we get through reentry and everybody's under chutes and in the water.”

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The Texas Rangers are also helping look into allegations of neglect, according to the Texas Department of Safety, although the scope of the state’s elite investigations unit was not immediately clear.

The investigations underscore the hurdles facing Camp Mystic as it pushes ahead with reopening plans over the outrage of the families of the 25 girls and two teenage counselors who died in the July 4 floods. More than 850 families have signed up to return to the Christian, all-girls camp this summer if it is allowed to reopen a portion of the camp that did not flood.

The Department of State Health Services said that since February, the agency has received “hundreds of complaints regarding Camp Mystic’s operations in the summer of 2025” alleging violations of state laws governing youth camps. The agency said it asked for help from state police.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said the Texas Rangers joined an “investigation regarding complaints of neglect” during the flood. Neither agency released details. The camp did not evacuate and was hit hard when the river rose from 14 feet (4.2 meters) to 29.5 feet (9 meters) within 60 minutes before dawn.

A letter sent Tuesday from the health agency to the camp owners informed them of the agency’s investigation, but made no mention of the Texas Rangers being involved.

Lawyers for the families of the girls who were killed and the Camp Mystic owners did not immediately respond to email messages requesting comment.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called the Texas Rangers’ involvement a “criminal investigation” and said the state should not grant the camp a license to reopen until that probe and another one by state lawmakers are complete.

“I urge you to prioritize safety and do everything in your power to ensure Camp Mystic and/or their operators are not allowed to operate until the facts are in,” Patrick wrote in a letter Tuesday to the head of the health agency.

Families of several of the girls who died have sued the camp’s operators, arguing that camp officials failed to take necessary steps to protect the campers as life-threatening floodwaters approached. A district judge last month ordered the camp owners to preserve damaged cabins and other parts of the grounds in the flooded area as the lawsuits proceed.

The body of one of the campers killed, 8-year old Cile Steward, has not yet been recovered. DPS officials said the search for the girl continues.

Edward Eastland, one of the camp owners, was also killed. All told, the destructive flooding killed at least 136 people along a several-mile stretch of the river, raising questions about how things went so terribly wrong.

Kylian Mbappé scored Madrid's goal after the visitors had taken a two-goal lead at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer came up big for Bayern with several key saves to keep the German champions with the first-leg edge.

Kane had been listed as a gameday decision after missing the team’s Bundesliga match last weekend because of an ankle injury.

“We knew that coming to Madrid and trying to get a result is always difficult," Kane told TNT Sports. "We played some really good stuff and we could have done even better — maybe the final ball, the final finish, we had some good chances. But credit to Madrid as well.”

The result left Bayern with an edge ahead of the second leg in Germany next week as it tries to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2023-24, when it was eliminated by eventual champion Madrid.

“We are still alive, clearly,” Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said. “We are one goal away. We have shown that we can win anywhere. We showed it with the scoring chances that we had against an opponent that we knew was going to make it difficult for us.”

Arsenal won 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon in the other quarterfinal on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Barcelona will host Spanish rival Atletico Madrid, and Liverpool will visit defending champion Paris Saint-Germain.

Madrid and Bayern are playing their sixth knockout-stage meeting in 14 seasons, with the Spanish powerhouse having won four of their five two-leg matchups since the 2011-12 season.

Kane participated in the build up of Bayern’s first goal in the 41st minute, exchanging passes with Serge Gnabry who ultimately fed a through ball for Luis Díaz inside the area. The Colombia forward calmly sent a low shot past Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

Kane scored himself in the 46th with a nice one-timer from the top of the area, firmly finding the corner with a low strike. It was his 11th Champions League goal, equaling his best scoring season in the European tournament. He finished with 11 goals in 2024-25.

Kane has scored 22 Champions League goals since the start of the 2024-25 season, the most of anybody.

Mbappé scored his 20th Champions League goal since the start of the 2024-25 season in the 74th, finding the net from close range after a pinpoint low cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Mbappé leads the scoring this season with 14 goals, which is double the forward’s total last season. He is three goals shy of the most goals in a single Champions League campaign achieved by Cristiano Ronaldo with Madrid in 2013-14.

Vinícius Júnior had one of Madrid’s best chances in a one-on-one situation with Neuer in the 61st, but the Brazil forward couldn’t get past the Bayern goalkeeper and his attempt hit the outside of the net. A few minutes later, Neuer — who had nine saves in total and was named the man of the match — dived to his right to make a nice stop on a shot by Mbappé.

Neuer had already made two tough saves to keep Madrid from finding the net in the first half on other attempts by Mbappé and Vinícius.

“I had the feeling that he was in very good shape and we needed him — not only for his experience, but his quality,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said of the 40-year-old Neuer. “He reacted in very difficult stages of this game. With his work rate in training, I’m not surprised.”

Madrid defender Álvaro Carreras made a goal-line clearance on a shot by Dayot Upamecano in the first-half.

It was a bad touch by Carreras near midfield that led to Bayern's second goal.

“We went out for the second half and they immediately scored," Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger said. “I’d say we gifted Bayern both their goals here. We need to do better.”

Bayern lost to Inter Milan in the quarterfinals last season. Record 15-time European champion Madrid was eliminated by Arsenal in the last eight last year.

Bayern is unbeaten in its last 14 games in all competitions, with 12 wins. Madrid was coming off a 2-1 loss at Mallorca on Saturday that hurt its La Liga title hopes.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Kai Havertz scored in stoppage time on Tuesday to seal a 1-0 win over Sporting Lisbon at Estadio Jose Alvalade to put Mikel Arteta's team in control of the quarterfinal tie.

The substitute fired past goalkeeper Rui Silva from close range to give Arsenal the advantage ahead of next week’s second leg at the Emirates.

In Tuesday’s other quarterfinal, Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Bernabeu.

Havertz settled a tight game in Portugal by combining with fellow substitute Gabriel Martinelli in the first minute of added time. With one touch the German controlled Martinelli's defense-splitting pass in the box and then converted with a side-footed finish.

“To score a late goal is always nice,” Havertz told Amazon Prime. “We will take that result. There is still a lot of work to do next week.”

Victory saw Arsenal bounce back from successive defeats which cut its quadruple trophy hunt in half in recent weeks. Losses in the League Cup final and FA Cup quarterfinals had shaken the Premier League leader going into Tuesday’s match.

And it had to withstand an early charge from Sporting in front of a raucous crowd, with player-of-the-match David Raya producing an outstanding save to tip Maximiliano Araujo’s sixth-minute shot onto the bar.

“It could have changed the tie,” Arteta said.

Arsenal also hit the bar in the first half direct from Noni Madueke’s corner, but both teams struggled to create openings.

Martin Zubimendi thought he’d found the breakthrough in the second half with a curling effort from range only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

Late on, Raya produced a string of saves. First he pushed away a goal-bound header from Geny Catamo and then pulled off a double stop to deny Catamo again and Luis Suarez.

“For me, the last two seasons, he’s the best keeper in the world. He has saved us so many times,” Havertz said.

But it was Havertz who delivered the goal that pushed Arsenal a step closer to another semifinal, having lost to eventual champion Paris Saint-Germain at that stage last year.

The forward scored the winner for Chelsea in the Champions League final in 2021 and this was another decisive moment for him in this competition.

“He loves the big occasion and the big games,” Arteta said. “And that’s what we need — the big players to turn up when we need them.”

Defeat was Sporting's first at home since August. The Portuguese team has never advanced beyond the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

"A small lapse in concentration cost us dearly, and it’s frustrating because it happened in the 90th minute, but we have to lift our heads and move on,” coach Rui Borges told Sport TV.

The scenes of celebration for Arsenal's players were in stark contrast to the dejection that followed the League Cup final loss to Manchester City and the shock of being beaten by second-division Southampton in the FA Cup on Saturday.

“We had to reveal ourselves today and I talked about identity and other things that we are as a team and that I definitely saw,” Arteta said. “It’s halftime. We are a step closer, now we need to finish the tie at home in front of our people, and if we do that, we’re going to start to dream.”

___

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Trump has yet to weigh in on a proposal for a two-week ceasefire with Iran, made by Pakistan’s prime minister on social media, who also called on Iran to open the strait during the truce as a "goodwill gesture."

Trump on Monday threatened to blow up every bridge and power plant in Iran if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Such destruction would be so far-reaching that some experts in military law said it could constitute a war crime.

The U.S. has already struck military targets on Tuesday on the Iranian oil hub of Kharg Island, according to a White House official, while Israeli warplanes struck bridges and railways in Iran.

Here is the latest:

White House insists that Trump stands with innocent civilians in Iran

That’s according to a statement by spokeswoman Anna Kelly in response to criticism the president’s comments have received.

“As President Trump has said, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, and the Iranian people welcome the sound of bombs because it means their oppressors are losing,” the statement says.

“The President will always stand with innocent civilians while annihilating the terrorists responsible for threatening our country and the entire world with a nuclear weapon. Greater destruction can be avoided if the regime understands the seriousness of this moment and makes a deal with the United States.”

▶ Read more

4 wounded in Qatar after interception of Iranian missiles

Qatar’s Interior Ministry said late Tuesday that falling debris hit a residence in the Muraikh area, moderately wounding four people, including a child, as the country responds to Iranian attacks.

Trump uses the language of annihilation to threaten Iran

The president who yearned for a Nobel Peace Prize and once reveled in the appearance of solving conflicts has turned to the language of annihilation as he struggles to find a resolution to his war of choice in Iran.

Donald Trump’s latest threat over the Iran war hit a new extreme Tuesday as he warned, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” if Iran fails to make a deal that includes reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz.

His comments were swiftly met with condemnation from Democrats, some “Make America Great Again” supporters who have since broken with Trump, and the first American pope. Some fellow Republicans suggested his comments were a negotiating tactic.

Pakistan’s foreign minister briefs Saudi, Egyptian, Turkish counterparts on peace efforts

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar late Tuesday briefed his Saudi, Egyptian and Turkish counterparts on Islamabad’s efforts to promote dialogue and diplomatic engagement in pursuit of peace and stability in the region.

The Foreign Ministry says Dar and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed the regional situation, and that Dar also spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Iranians fear power outages as Trump’s deadline nears

Three times a week, Asghar Hashemi undergoes dialysis treatment at a hospital in northern Tehran. He fears that if power stations are knocked out, as Trump has threatened, his life will be in danger.

Tehran residents rushed Tuesday to stock up on bottled water and charge cellphones, flashlights and portable power banks as the hours ticked down to Trump’s latest ultimatum.

“I am worried, but I am more worried about my fellow citizens,” Hashemi said, lying on his bed at Tajrish Martyrs Hospital for treatment. “Whatever happens, we will stand until the end.”

Alaska Republican senator says Trump’s Iran rhetoric ‘endangers’ Americans

Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Tuesday said President Trump’s threat “that ‘a whole civilization will die tonight’ cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran.”

She said on social media that the rhetoric is an “affront” to ideas the U.S. has long sought to uphold and promote around the world.

“It undermines our long-standing role as a global beacon of freedom and directly endangers Americans both abroad and at home,” she said.

Murkowski, a centrist who at times has been critical of Trump, called on all those involved in the conflict — including Trump and Iran’s leaders — to “de-escalate their unprecedented saber-rattling before it is too late.”

US stocks swing from losses to a tiny gain as uncertainty builds ahead of Trump’s deadline for Iran

The S&P 500 fell as much as 1.2% after Trump’s threat, but stocks rallied at the end of trading after Pakistan’s prime minister urged Trump to extend his deadline for another two weeks and asked Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz during that time.

The S&P 500 erased all its losses and ended with a modest 0.1% gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 85 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.1%.

During just the first hour of Tuesday’s trading, the Dow careened between a gain of 74 points and a loss of 425.

Oil prices were likewise shaky. The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude to be delivered in May briefly climbed above $117 before settling at $112.95, up 0.5%.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, eased by 0.5% to $109.27. It’s still well above its roughly $70 level from before the war began in late February.

▶ Read more

Jimmy Carter’s grandson says Trump’s Iran threat is dangerous and immoral

Jason Carter, president of the Carter Center’s governing board and former President Carter’s grandson, called Trump’s blanket threat against Iranian citizens and culture an “un-American” and “un-Christian” outrage.

“It violates every conceivable moral code,” Carter said in a video statement, and if carried out would violate U.S. and international law and all “accepted principles of human rights.”

The United States, Carter said, “must be better than Donald Trump’s unbridled and dangerous rhetoric.”

Jimmy Carter, who died in 2024, was in office during the 1979 Iranian Revolution that ushered in the ayatollah’s government.

“The Islamist government of Iran has been our enemy, including an enemy of my family,” Jason Carter said, “but the people of Iran have never been our enemy.”

The younger Carter said his grandfather would urge “Democrats, Republicans and especially Christians who worship the prince of peace to stand up and say, ‘Enough is enough.’”

Federal authorities say pro-Iran hackers breached US infrastructure

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the FBI and the National Security Agency together issued the warning on Tuesday, reporting that hackers allied with Iran exploited vulnerabilities in internet-connected devices used to control machinery used in several important sectors.

They offered no details about the attacks but said they were intended to disrupt operations and cause financial harm. The bulletin urged any U.S. entity that uses the controllers to check their cyber defenses.

A number of cyberattacks targeting U.S. and Israeli entities have been attributed to pro-Iran hackers since U.S.-Israeli strikes began. Authorities say critical infrastructure like ports and water plants could be targeted by Iranian hackers or independent groups working on their behalf.

Trump says it’s ‘totally illegal’ for Iran to have young people surround power plants as human shields

The U.S. president, threatening to destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure and bridges, said the country can’t use its citizens as human shields.

“Totally illegal,” Trump said in a phone call with NBC News. “They’re not allowed to do that.”

Trump was also asked about his reasons for saying on social media that “a whole civilization will die tonight,” and Trump answered by saying: “You’ll have to figure that out.

White House is aware of a request by Pakistan’s prime minister for a 2-week delay on Trump’s threats to Iran

Trump has yet to weigh in on the request for further negotiations with Iran made over social media by Pakistan’s prime minister, but he plans to address the call to push back his deadline for attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure and bridges by two weeks.

“The President has been made aware of the proposal, and a response will come,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an emailed statement.

Pakistan urges Trump to extend deadline and seeks a 2-week pause in Mideast conflict

In a post on X, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, “diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future.”

“To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks.” he said. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the post.

“Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to open the Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture,” he added. “We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks to allow diplomacy to achieve conclusive termination of war, in the interest of long-term peace and stability in the region.”

A Jewish leader in the US decries Trump’s threat to destroy ‘a whole civilization’

“We know what it means when leaders call for communities and populations to be wiped out,” Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said in a statement. “Any suggestion that this advances Jewish or Israeli safety is simply an exploitation of our community to advance horrific war crimes and the President’s broader extreme anti-democratic agenda.”

Spitalnick’s council describes itself as a “mainstream Jewish organization.” It believes in the need for Israel to serve as a Jewish homeland, but often criticizes policies of the current Israeli government.

She urged people to recognize “multiple truths:” that Iran’s government is repressive and dangerous, and the Trump administration is increasingly flouting its constitutional and humanitarian obligations.

Fewer Americans have confidence in Trump on Iran decisions than last year, Pew poll finds

Americans are less confident in the president’s decision-making on Iran than they were last year, according to a new Pew Research Center poll, with drops among Republicans and Democrats.

About one-third of U.S. adults are “very” or “somewhat” confident Trump can make good decisions when it comes to U.S. policy toward Iran, according to the Pew poll conducted in late March. That’s down from 44% in August. Roughly two-thirds of Republicans have high confidence, down from 78% last year.

The poll also found about 7 in 10 Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about higher gas and fuel prices as a result of U.S. military action, with most Republicans and Democrats being worried. Majorities of Americans also worry about U.S. ground troops being sent into Iran, possible military casualties and potential terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

Pope sharply criticizes Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization

“Today, as we all know, there was this threat against all the people of Iran. This is truly unacceptable,” Pope Leo XIV said, adding that any attacks on civilian infrastructure violate international law.

In some of his strongest comments yet against the war, Leo urged Americans and others of goodwill to contact their political leaders and congressional representatives to demand they reject war and work for peace.

The remarks to reporters Tuesday came as he left his country house in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, just hours before Trump’s deadline for Iran to capitulate and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

UN chief answers Trump: No military objective justifies destruction of a society’s infrastructure

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply troubled” by the statement suggesting that an entire people or civilization may bear “the consequences of political and military decisions,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Guterres didn’t name Trump but was clearly referring to the American leader’s warning to Iran earlier Tuesday that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t opened.

“There is no military objective that justifies the wholesale destruction of a society’s infrastructure or the deliberate infliction of suffering on civilian populations,” Guterres’ spokesman said.

The secretary-general reiterates that leaders can still choose “dialogue over destruction” and the choice for talks must be made now, Dujarric said.

Guterres calls for stepped-up diplomacy to find a path to peace and appeals for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the spokesman said.

UN says initial findings show Israeli tank fire and a Hezbollah roadside bomb killed peacekeepers

In a statement released Tuesday, a U.N. official said that “based on available evidence,” a projectile fired from an Israeli tank on March 29 resulted in the death of one Indonesian peacekeeper.

“It is recalled that, to mitigate the risk to United Nations personnel, UNIFIL had again provided the Israel Defense Forces with the coordinates of all its positions and facilities on 6 March and 22 March,” the statement read.

Additionally, the March 30 episode that resulted in the death of two other Indonesian peacekeepers came after a improvised explosive device, most likely placed by Hezbollah, was discovered nearby.

“Allow me to reiterate that these are preliminary findings, based on initial physical evidence,” the statement continued, adding the full investigation processes of the U.N. will continue.

Israel says Iran has fired a new barrage of missiles

Israel’s military said Iran had launched missiles at the country Tuesday evening, the seventh time of the day.

Sirens sent people to shelters in the southern part of the country, while earlier salvos had been centered on the major metropolis of Tel Aviv, as well as central Israel and parts of the occupied West Bank.

Northern Israeli communities continued to come under fire from Hezbollah as well.

Sundown Tuesday marks the beginning of the last day of the Passover holiday, an especially important religious occasion in the Jewish calendar.

Earlier in the day, an elderly couple and their son, who were killed in a missile attack, were buried in Haifa.

Top House Democrats issue joint statement asking for Congress to be brought back into session to end war

House Democratic leaders in a joint statement called President Donald Trump “completely unhinged” and asked the House to be brought back immediately into legislative session.

“His statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response,” said the joint statement from Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and four other top House Democrats.

“The House must come back into session immediately and vote to end this reckless war of choice in the Middle East before Donald Trump plunges our country into World War III,” the Democratic lawmakers said.

They called on House Republicans to put patriotic duty over party loyalty and “join Democrats in stopping this madness.”

Iranian envoy says Tehran will ‘take immediate and proportionate’ action if Trump follows through on attack threats

Iranian envoy says Tehran will not “stand idle’ if Trump follows through on ‘war crime’ threats

Amir-Saeid Iravani, Tehran’s representative at the U.N., said that Trump’s threats earlier Tuesday that a “whole civilization will die” if Iran does not make a deal “constitute incitement to war crimes and potentially genocide.”

During a Security Council session on the Strait of Hormuz, Iravani urged the international community to call out Trump’s rhetoric before it’s too late.

“Iran will not stand idle in the face of such egregious war crimes. It will exercise, without hesitation, its inherent right of self-defense and will take immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures,” he said.

WHO warns about long-term impact of strikes near Iranian nuclear plant

Top World Health Organization official warned about the long-term health risks caused by the continued military activity near an Iranian nuclear power plant.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general, wrote on X that more military operations near the Russian-built Bushehr power plant, where hundreds of workers were evacuated following a strike recently.

“Such actions could lead to a severe radiological accident, with serious and long-term health consequences for people now and for generations to come, while also harming the environment across Iran, the region, and beyond,” he wrote.

Tehran resident says attacks on power plants will plunge Iran into darkness and leave hundreds of thousands unemployed

An engineer in a construction company who lives in Tehran says hitting infrastructure, including some power plants, has already left many people unemployed.

“Because of this, workers and employees, and people who are losing their jobs and income are becoming against the war,” they said. “There is a huge amount of fear about tonight.”

Speaking to The Associated Press through a messaging app from Tehran, the engineer said only people who are financially able are buying generators to prepare for possible power outages. Just like the internet outage ... so they are less (doomed),” they said. But the fact is, everyone is impacted, the engineer added, speaking anonymously for his own safety.

The engineer said Trump’s threats still lack any clarity.

“People don’t know what his plan is.”

Trump phones into rally to praise Hungary’s Orban

Hours ahead of a deadline he imposed on Iran to capitulate, President Donald Trump boosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday when Vice President JD Vance dialed him into a rally in Budapest.

Trump told the crowd gathered ahead of Hungary’s weekend election that he loves their country and praised Orban.

“You have a man that kept your country strong,” Trump said.

Vance spoke at the rally for Orban in the Hungarian capital, defending Western civilization and criticizing “bureaucrats in Brussels.”

The vice president attempted to dial the president in front of the crowd and first got an automated message saying the voicemail box wasn’t set up, to laughter from attendees. Soon after, he got Trump on the phone and put him on speaker for the crowd.

Bread and cash shortages leave Palestinians in Gaza struggling to feed their families

In Gaza City, dozens of people had to wade through flooded streets to reach a bread distribution point on Tuesday because of war-damaged drainage systems, AP footage showed.

A $1 bag of bread — about 15 loaves — is barely enough to feed large families, residents said.

Israel’s two-year war has been muted by a fragile ceasefire since October, but many in Gaza fear the Iran war is overshadowing urgent humanitarian needs and delaying reconstruction.

Jamal Hamad, a displaced resident from northern Gaza, said shortages of small bills are compounding the crisis, leaving many unable to pay. Digital options remain out of reach.

People waited for hours in the rain, pushing to reach the front as supplies ran low. Some resold bags for up to $6.

Key bridge between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain closes

The King Fahd Causeway, a key bridge linking Saudi Arabia to Bahrain, closed Tuesday for the second time as a precautionary measure following alerts issued by the National Early Warning Platform in the Eastern Province.

The King Fahd Causeway Authority said on X Tuesday evening vehicle traffic has been suspended.

Iran-backed Iraqi militia releases American journalist Shelly Kittleson

American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped in Baghdad last week, has been released, an Iraqi official with direct knowledge of the situation said Tuesday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said Kittleson was freed in the afternoon. He did not share her current whereabouts but said that before her release, she was being held in Baghdad.

The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement earlier Tuesday that it had decided to free the journalist, and officials with the militia told The Associated Press that members of the group previously detained by Iraqi authorities would be released in exchange.

Pope Leo expresses solidarity with Lebanese Christians facing ‘injustices’ as Israel invades

In an Easter message released Tuesday by the Vatican, Leo suggested a parallel between Christ’s crucifixion and the suffering of south Lebanese Christians.

“In your misfortune, in the injustice you endure, in the feeling of abandonment you experience, you are very close to Jesus. You are close to Him also on this Easter Day when He conquered the forces of evil, and which resonates for you as a promise of the future,” read the message.

The message was written in French, was signed by the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and was addressed to the residents of the village of Debel.

A convoy carrying over 40 tons of aid led by the Vatican was supposed to have reached the Christian village of Debel for Easter, but was canceled for what Lebanon’s Maronite Church said were “security reasons.”

Leo visited Lebanon late last year on his first international trip as pope.

US senators warn Britain against changes to Diego Garcia island base

Two Republican senators warned Prime Minister Keir Starmer that altering the status of the U.S. military base on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia could harm U.S.-U.K. relations, as the base plays a key role in operations tied to the Iran war.

Sens. Ted Cruz and Tommy Tuberville urged Britain to halt a planned transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, saying it would undermine U.S. national security.

Passage of the deal through the U.K. Parliament is on hold until American support can be regained.

The Trump administration initially welcomed the deal, but the president changed his mind in January, calling it “an act of GREAT STUPIDITY.”

Iraqi militia says it will free a kidnapped American journalist

The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia known as Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement Tuesday that it will release American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street last week.

The group said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing Prime Minister,” Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that “this initiative will not be repeated in future.”

Kataib Hezbollah had not previously acknowledged that it was the group responsible for Kittleson’s abduction, although both U.S. and Iraqi officials had pointed fingers at the group.

Iran agrees to French prisoner swap deal

Iran’s state-run IRNA news outlet confirmed Tuesday that an agreement was reached with Paris for the release of two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, held in Iran over alleged espionage, in exchange for Iranian woman Mahdieh Esfandiari, who was detained over her social media content. The French government will also drop its case against Iran.

The French citizens had been holed up in the country’s diplomatic premises there since their release from prison.

The green light for them to leave Iran, long sought by France, signaled how Iran is differentiating between nations, treating some favorably and others as foes, in the context of the Iran war.

Iranian diplomat responds to Trump’s latest threat

Responding to Trump saying “a civilization will die tonight,” an Iranian diplomat described the country’s civilization as a tree that nourished the West.

“Therefore, no fool would cut off the branch of a tree he is sitting on because he himself would fall first, and it is the sturdy tree that always stands, not the branches and appendages that have grown from it,” Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of the Iranian mission in Cairo, told The Associated Press.

Iran fires more missiles at Israel

Just before sunset on Tuesday — twice in less than half an hour — Israel’s military said it was working to intercept missiles launched from Iran.

Sirens went off in the Tel Aviv area as well as parts of the occupied West Bank.

Congress, away from Washington, watches and waits on Trump’s threat

Lawmakers are on recess from Washington as Trump threatens to kill “a whole civilization” in the Iran war. So far, the reaction from Congress — which is supposed to have the ultimate say in matters of war — has drawn sharp rebukes from Democrats and mostly silence from Republicans.

Texas Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro called on Trump to immediately make it clear that he is not considering using nuclear weapons, and Colorado Democratic Rep. Jason Crow warned that “calling for the elimination of a civilization is a war crime.”

Most Republicans stayed away from the issue, though Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said on the “John Solomon Reports” podcast that he was “hoping and praying” that Trump’s threat was “bluster.”

“I do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure,” Johnson said.

Democrats intend to force further votes on legislation to rein in Trump’s ability to attack Iran, but not until Congress returns to Washington next week.

The detention of 22-year-old Annie Ramos, the Honduran born-wife of a U.S. Army staff sergeant preparing to deploy, prompted public backlash from critics of the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign who warned it demoralized troops during an ongoing war.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Ramos’ mother-in-law, Jen Rickling, confirmed her release to The Associated Press. The New York Times first reported Ramos' release.

Ramos, who married Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank in March, had been detained by federal immigration agents while attempting to register at his base to receive military benefits and ultimately obtain a green card. She had lived in the country since she was less than 2 years old. DHS said Ramos had been ordered removed by a federal immigration judge in 2005 after her family had failed to appear for a hearing.

Ramos and her husband say she has been attempting to gain legal status, including by applying for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2020 though her application remained stalled amid legal battles to eliminate the program.

“All I have ever wanted is to live with dignity in the country I have called home since I was a baby,” Ramos said in a statement to the AP after her release. “I want to finish my degree, continue my education, and serve my community — just as my husband serves our country with honor.”

A spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, said that Kelly had called DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding Ramos’ detention. Blank has family in Arizona.

“I’m happy Annie is back with her husband and family where she belongs,” Kelly said in a statement. “They never should have gone through this painful process, but far too many families like theirs are because of this administration.”

DHS told the AP that Ramos had been released with a GPS monitor “while she undergoes further removal proceedings.”

“She will receive full due process,” DHS said.

The Trump administration has scrapped policies of immigration enforcement leniency toward the family members of military personnel and veterans, even as the military has promoted the protection of U.S. soldiers' family members from deportation as a recruiting incentive.

Ramos said she plans to continue studying biochemistry and focusing on enjoying married life with her husband.

“As Matthew continues preparing for his long career in the military, my focus now is on securing my status, continuing my studies, and building our life together,” Ramos said. “We want to create a home, a future, and a family. This experience has been incredibly difficult, but it has also reminded me of the power of faith, love, and community. I am hopeful for what comes next.”

___

Associated Press reporter Juan Lozano contributed reporting from Houston.

___

Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Even in this deep red district, President Donald Trump's escalating rhetoric had some Republicans worried.

Acworth resident Jason McGinty pointed to Trump’s threats to bomb electrical plants and other infrastructure in Iran.

“I’m concerned he’s about to go too far with it, that Trump may be committing a war crime,” said McGinty, who voted for Fuller and wants to “make sure the America First party is still in place.”

Trump set a deadline for Tuesday at 8 p.m. — one hour after polls close in Georgia — for Iran to reach a deal with the United States before he unleashes an even more aggressive attack.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," he wrote on social media.

Retiree Judy McDonald agreed with the president's decision to go to war but was “very anxiety-ridden” over the conflict.

“Eventually we will have peace and the Iranians will kind of come to a conclusion that they won’t have a country if they don’t stop the terrorism,” she said.

Some Democrats hope election 'sends a message to Trump'

Melinda Dorl, another retiree, said she supported Harris "so it sends a message to Trump and his cronies that people aren’t happy.”

“This war was totally uncalled for. Trump is a liar. Everything he says is a lie,” Dorl said, adding that Trump was wrecking relationships with countries that have traditionally been American allies.

Harris led a first round of voting on March 10 with 37% in the district that stretches across 10 counties from suburban Atlanta to Tennessee. While Fuller came in second in the 17-candidate all-party special election with 35%, the Republican candidates combined won nearly 60% of the vote. The 14th District is rated as the most Republican-leaning district in Georgia by the Cook Political Report.

Trump in February endorsed Fuller, a district attorney who prosecuted crimes in four counties, to succeed Greene in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. Greene, once among Trump’s most ardent supporters, resigned in January after falling out with the president.

Greene has continued to criticize Trump.

“Trump was elected to go to war against America’s deep state and to end America’s involvement in foreign wars,” she wrote on social media on Tuesday. “Not to kill an entire civilization while waging a foreign war on behalf of Israel, another foreign country.”

Fuller has backed Trump to the hilt — including the war — and found no issue on which he disagreed with the president when asked in a March 23 debate.

“We need an America First fighter to stand strong for northwest Georgia," Fuller said March 23. He was a White House fellow in the first Trump administration and is a lieutenant colonel in the Georgia Air National Guard.

Trump is backing Fuller

Trump reiterated his support for Fuller on Monday night and then again on Tuesday.

“To the Great Patriots in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District: GET OUT AND VOTE TODAY for a fantastic Candidate, Clay Fuller, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” the president wrote on social media.

Harris, a cattle farmer and retired general who lost to Greene in 2024, has contrasted himself with Greene’s bomb-throwing style. He said he's a “dirt-road Democrat" with common sense, and practical-minded Republicans should vote for him because he will focus on the district's interest.

“He has sold his soul to Donald Trump," Harris said of Fuller on March 23. "The reality of it is he cannot fight for you because he cannot go against the president.”

Enthusiasm for the Democratic candidate has been high, although even some Harris supporters expected him to lose.

“I voted for the Democrat even though this is a very red district and the Democrat has almost no chance of winning," said Michael Robards, a software engineer from Kennesaw who calls himself a center-right independent. He said he wants to see Trump's policies rolled back and the president again impeached.

Greene resigned after clashing with Trump

The winner will serve out the remaining months of Greene’s term. A Republican win would bolster the party’s slim majority in the House, where Republicans control 217 seats to Democrats’ 214, with one independent.

But if the winner wants to remain in Congress beyond January, he will have to run again. Republicans seeking a full two-year term are set for a May 19 party primary, and possibly a June 16 party runoff, before advancing to the general election in November. Harris is the only Democrat running, meaning he faces no primary election.

Greene was one of the most well-known members of Congress until she left in January.

After clashing with Trump, she criticized Trump’s foreign policy and his reluctance to release documents involving the Jeffrey Epstein case. The president eventually had enough, saying he would support a primary challenge against her. Greene announced a week later that she would resign.

The school announced Malone's hiring on Tuesday and scheduled an introductory news conference for later in the day. Malone will replace Hubert Davis, who was fired on March 24 after five seasons as the successor to retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams.

In a statement, UNC executive associate athletic director Steve Newmark described Malone as a “selfless teacher and innovator.”

“He is a brilliant coach who will deliver a modern and disciplined approach to leading our men’s basketball program, which is critical in the current landscape of college athletics,” said Newmark, who will succeed Bubba Cunningham as AD on July 1. “Carolina basketball is unique and special — and we have hired a leader well-suited to continuing our championship tradition.”

The 54-year-old Malone spent 12 seasons as a head coach in the NBA, including a 10-year run in Denver. He led the Nuggets to the 2023 championship behind three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets fired Malone last spring with less than a week left in that regular season. Almost a year to the day, in another surprise move, Malone is taking over a blue-blood program with six national titles, a record 21 appearances in the Final Four and alums including Michael Jordan, James Worthy Vince Carter and Atlantic Coast Conference career scoring leader Tyler Hansbrough.

“Carolina is one of the most historic programs in college basketball, and I am honored to be the head coach of the Tar Heels,” Malone said in a statement. “It is humbling to follow so many legends in Chapel Hill.

“I know from the many Tar Heels in the NBA how special the Carolina basketball family is, and I will do everything I can to continue UNC’s championship legacy while preparing our players for professional careers and life after basketball.”

Malone’s six-year deal starts at $7.5 million in base compensation next year and rises to $9 million by the 2031-32 season. Malone can also earn incentives worth up to nearly $1.5 annually, while he has a buyout that starts at $8 million through April 1 and drops to $6.5 million in 2028 and $5 million in 2029 as it continues to decline over the life of the deal.

Additionally, the agreement requires a $4 million salary pool for assistant coaches and support staff, as well as for the school to commit no less than $6.75 million of its revenue-share allotment to men's basketball.

Davis’ firing opened one of the top jobs in college basketball for only the fourth time since the late Hall of Famer Dean Smith’s retirement after 36 seasons in October 1997. The job had stayed in the “Carolina Family” ever since. Longtime assistant Bill Guthridge replaced Smith, followed by former UNC player Matt Doherty, former Smith assistant Williams and then Davis, who played under Smith and worked on Williams’ staff.

Malone has never been a college head coach and has spent most of his career in the NBA. His primary connection to UNC athletics is the presence of daughter Bridget on the Tar Heels’ volleyball team. He told the UNC athletic department’s “Carolina Insider” podcast in October that he had attended multiple recent basketball practices — with Davis even asking him to speak to the team at least once.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Some have pitched him as a gateway to young people — particularly young men — who have drifted to the right in recent years. Others fear he is a sign of the party beholden to its extremes, pointing to inflammatory rhetoric like “Hamas is a thousand times better” than Israel, describing some Orthodox Jews as “inbred” and that “America deserved 9/11."

Piker's scheduled appearances with Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, have catalyzed questions of how big a tent the party wants to build as it works to regain power in the midterm elections and win back the White House.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Piker cast the reaction as part of a broader fight for the party's future.

“There is definitely, I think, a battle right now for who gets to be more representative of the national Democratic Party,” he said.

Piker says he is a ‘megaphone’ for an angry electorate

Piker remains largely unapologetic for his past remarks, although he's said some were poorly worded. He called the renewed focus on them “totally ridiculous, especially considering that there are far more consequential things happening in the world right now.”

“The super wealthy are picking apart the scraps of the American carcass like a bunch of vultures, and some of the Democrats are talking about their affiliations with a Twitch streamer,” Piker said. “I think Americans understand that this is totally ridiculous.”

The 34-year-old Turkish American streamer has 3.1 million followers on Twitch and 1.8 million on YouTube, making him an influential voice in a shifting media landscape where mainstream outlets are losing clout. Unlike traditional podcasts, his livestreams are often unscripted and interactive. He has hosted prominent Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Piker said he is a “megaphone” for an angry electorate, and he believes the criticism that he faces is less about him personally and more about what he represents — a younger, more populist wing of the party.

“I think they find me to be a more appropriate target than to just actively disparage the voters,” he said.

El-Sayed says the Democratic Party ‘has given up on the idea of persuasion'

El-Sayed, who has been backed by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, is attempting to channel that appeal in appearances at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan on Tuesday. A physician and former county health official, he is locked in a competitive Senate primary with U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow. It's a critical race for a seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Gary Peters and the winner of the primary will likely face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers.

El-Sayed has cast himself as an outsider in the race and said he's finding ways to reach voters across the political spectrum, such as starting the day on Tuesday on Fox News Channel's “Fox & Friends” and ending it at the University of Michigan with Piker.

“I think the Democratic Party, frankly, has given up on the idea of persuasion," El-Sayed said in an interview. “If you’re serious about persuading, what you do is you engage with that audience and you engage through that creator to have a conversation about what you actually want to build.”

He added that he doesn't agree with everything Piker has said, but that he believes the Democratic Party hasn't learned its lesson when it comes to “cancel culture.”

“Everybody’s sick and tired of trying to toss people out because they said something that we disagree with rather than actually having an adult conversation about what we believe in,” said El-Sayed.

The war in Gaza is a flashpoint in Michigan

In Michigan, home to large Muslim and Jewish communities, the war in Gaza has become a flashpoint in the Senate primary. Both El-Sayed and McMorrow have described the war as a genocide, but El-Sayed has called for ending U.S. military aid while McMorrow has emphasized a two-state solution. Stevens, meanwhile, calls herself a “proud pro-Israel Democrat.”

McMorrow told Jewish Insider that Piker was someone who “says extremely offensive things in order to generate clicks and views and followers," and she compared him to white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Trump's decision to dine with Fuentes between his presidencies ignited a firestorm of controversy over his association with extreme voices on the right. Stevens said El-Sayed is “choosing to campaign with someone who has a history of antisemitic rhetoric.”

El-Sayed responded to the backlash over Piker by saying, “If we want to have a conversation where we're actually bringing people together about the things that we need and deserve, we're gonna have to go to unlikely and uncommon places.”

Not everyone in the party wants to go to those places. Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois, who chairs the moderate New Democratic Coalition and co-chairs the Congressional Jewish Caucus, called Piker “an unapologetic antisemite.”

“We are deeply disappointed by the decision to host a speaker at the University of Michigan with a documented record of antisemitic rhetoric," said Rabbi Davey Rosen, the CEO of Michigan Hillel. “Such invitations normalize hate and contribute to a hostile environment for Jewish students.”

Piker said he is not antisemitic and describes himself as anti-Zionist. Hostility toward Israel has risen across the political spectrum and has become a fault line within the Democratic Party during the war in Gaza.

Criticism has centered on Piker's past remarks. After the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, Piker argued that whether reports of sexual violence are accurate “doesn’t change the dynamic” of the conflict. He has repeatedly said the core issue is Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Piker has drawn backlash for a comment in which he said “America deserved 9/11,” made during a 2019 livestream while discussing U.S. foreign policy. Piker has said the remark was poorly worded and added in the AP interview that he “didn’t mean that Americans deserved to die.”

Third District Court Commissioner Russell Minas said “I have concerns going both ways” about competing allegations between Dakota Mortensen and Paul, who was also set to star in the most recent season of “The Bachelorette” before it was pulled days before airing.

But, Minas said, “Even if he was trying to provoke a response, the actions that occurred are very troubling.”

The hearing set the stage for an April 30 court battle in which Minas will assess dueling petitions for protective orders between the pair.

Mortensen, who shares son Ever with Paul, has asked the court to turn a short-term protective order against his ex into a long-term one. Paul filed her own request for a protective order just before Tuesday's hearing. Both participated remotely while their lawyers were in court.

___

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the national domestic violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233 in the U.S.

___

Lawyers for the two sides and a court-appointed attorney for Ever addressed several heated and sometimes violent interactions between the couple, some of which were caught on video.

In one key video from 2023, Paul appeared to punch, kick and throw chairs at Mortensen while her young daughter watched and cried. The leak of that video last month spurred the unprecedented move by ABC of shelving Paul's already-filmed season of “The Bachelorette.”

Paul was charged for that altercation with aggravated assault and other offenses, including domestic violence in the presence of a child. She pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge, and the other counts were dismissed.

Eric Swinyard, a lawyer for Paul, argued Tuesday that Mortensen was the aggressor in another fight from February that the lawyer called “the truck tussle.” In his request for a protective order, Mortensen said Paul threw a drink at him as they argued in a truck to not wake children who were sleeping inside Paul's home. Swinyard said Mortensen slammed Paul's head into the dashboard and punched her in the leg, showing the court commissioner photos of her bruises.

That and another fight around the same time are under investigation by police in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper City.

The sides generally agreed that Paul didn't intentionally direct violence at their son or her other two children from a previous relationship. At issue was her willingness to lash out at Mortensen with children present.

Ever's court-appointed lawyer pointed to a May 2025 video that has not been released publicly. He said it shows Paul pushing Mortensen and shouting for him to get out of her house while he's holding the child.

"To me, that makes me very nervous about her ability to control herself, and her volatility," said the lawyer, Michael McDonald. He said Paul has “a very difficult time with self-control, and I think that it puts my client at risk.”

Paul's attorney said Mortensen deliberately created that situation.

“He’s holding the child as his human shield, so to speak, and provoking my client and not getting out of her house," Swinyard said.

Daniela Diaz, a lawyer for Mortensen, argued that Paul uses their shared child to perpetuate a cycle of abuse that keeps Mortensen coming back.

“He’s often invited back and his child is often used as a pawn, as a pawn to start fights,” Diaz said.

Minas ordered that Paul can have eight hours per week of supervised visits with Ever, emphasizing it was a stopgap arrangement until the next hearing. Paul had primary custody of the boy before Mortensen got the temporary protective order.

The couple's 2023 fight, one of 11 cited in court filings, was central to the first season of Hulu's “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which made Paul a reality star. The series premiere featured police body camera footage of her arrest.

Production has been paused on the show's fifth season. Paul’s co-star Mikayla Matthews said the cast “didn’t feel comfortable filming with everything that was happening.”

Paul rose to popularity as an influencer in the #MomTok community, a group of women from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who share their lives on TikTok. The group, and Paul's admissions of polyamory within it, helped spawn the hit reality show.

On Easter Sunday, Paul announced she was leaving what is widely known as the Mormon church. She said on Instagram, “It's time to detach myself.”

___

Dalton reported from Los Angeles.

“Union and Glades (counties) are the canary in the coal mine,” said Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, who represents Union County.

Last week, the Florida Department of Education appointed a financial board to both Union and Glades counties’ school districts to help with “operations, management and finances and to make recommendations for financial recovery,” because their projected fund balances were below 2 percent.

State law requires school districts to maintain a 3 percent fund balance.

According to Union County School Board meeting records from February, the district has a $1.4 million deficit caused by the reduction of students, based on the third calculation of the Florida Education Finance Program.

[WATCH: Florida audit reveals school voucher system cost millions]

The FEFP is the formula the state uses to distribute money to public school districts. One of its main components is student enrollment data, which is calculated at different times throughout the year.

The third calculation showed Union schools had 2,146 students, or 103 fewer than the previous calculation. The drop meant the district was due $947,000 less than anticipated.

For Glades schools, there were 1,921 students, a decline of 46 students from the previous calculation, which put a $337,000 dent in their anticipated funds.

Union schools officials point to the state’s universal voucher program, which offers scholarships to any K-12 student in Florida, as the main reason for the declining enrollment, even though Union County has few private schools.

“While some students move to other districts and states, many of them are going to homeschool settings and private schools,” said Mike Ripplinger, Union County Schools superintendent.

“We have seen an increase in private school and homeschool options with the growth of the scholarships available to parents offered by the State of Florida,” he added. “While these options for education have always been available, I believe the financial incentive due to the scholarships available has drawn more parents towards these options.”

Ripplinger said the last time the district experienced major financial stress was in 2000.

[WATCH: Florida public schools face leaner budgets, declining enrollment amid scholarship growth]

The superintendent for the Glades County School District, Alice Barfield, said the district was grateful for the state’s help.

“We fully embrace this collaboration and are committed to working closely with the State to strengthen our financial position and ensure long-term stability for our district,” Barfield said.

Bradley said she could not recall another instance of a school district falling into financial emergency, other than Jefferson County in 2016. Because of mismanagement, Jefferson County schools were taken over by the state and managed by a charter company until 2022.

“What we’re dealing with in Union County is not due to mismanagement,” Bradley said. “The school district has taken steps for the last three years to try to make cuts, make reductions in order to cure their financials.”

Ripplinger said the district has been in danger of being below the 3 percent fund balance threshold throughout the school year.

“We have been taking steps to reduce our expenditures as much as possible to mitigate our situation while still providing the required educational and supplemental services to our students,” he said.

This spring, the district eliminated benefits for school board members, canceled bus service for more than 60 daycare students and reduced the school supply budget.

The district also explored taking out a loan to cover expenses for the rest of the school year.

Florida legislators tried to pass a bill that would have included a “school district stabilization” fund for this issue during this year’s session, but the House never considered it.

The bill (SB 318) set up accountability measures for the Family Empowerment Scholarship, taking recommendations from a state auditor general’s report that found a “myriad of accountability challenges” with Florida’s K-12 school voucher system.

The report showed overspending and delays in scholarship payments that resulted in a funding shortfall and a system without proper controls to verify where students who received the voucher payments were being educated.

The stabilization fund included in the bill would have distributed money to school districts if the state money appropriated for the current year was not sufficient.

“If the money is going to follow the student, it has to be transparent, and the system that we create has to work, and right now it’s not working,” Bradley said.

“Cade is gonna have surgery,” Counsell said before the Cubs game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. “He’s gonna miss the rest of the year.”

The exact procedure, whether it will be a full Tommy John reconstruction or an internal brace repair, won’t be determined until surgeons go into the elbow. Horton visited renowned elbow specialist Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.

No surgery date has been set.

The announcement confirms what Cubs fans feared when Horton walked off the mound in Cleveland on April 3, after just 17 pitches. His velocity had dropped from 96 mph in the first inning to 93.8 mph on his final pitch before he waved toward the dugout.

It will be the 24-year-old right-hander’s second elbow reconstruction surgery. He had Tommy John surgery as a freshman at Oklahoma in 2021. He was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2022 draft and broke through in the majors last season with an 11-4 record and a 2.67 ERA in 118 innings. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. In his 2026 debut, Horton held Washington to two runs in 6 1/3 innings just one week before the injury.

The blow is particularly tough because the Cubs are already without ace Justin Steele, who is recovering from his own UCL surgery and is not expected back until late May at the earliest. With Matthew Boyd also on the injured list, the Cubs will lean on Colin Rea and Javier Assad in the rotation. Rea stepped up in a similar role last season, posting a 3.95 ERA across 27 starts after Steele went down.

“Colin’s going to be asked to pitch more innings out of the bullpen, and then somebody’s going to take Colin’s bullpen innings," Counsell said. "That’s how it’s going to be addressed on paper. But it’s not all on Colin. ... We all have to just do our part.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

“You brought it all year, every home game,” he said, resting his hand on top of the trophy. “You guys were there every step of the way.”

May and his players stood atop the Junge Family Champions Center, a multipurpose event space between Michigan Stadium and the arena, and overlooked a crowd of maize and blue.

Michigan held off UConn 69-63 in Monday night's title game, an effort powered by its all-transfer starting lineup. Point guard Elliot Cadeau, named the Final Four's most outstanding player, led Michigan with 19 points. Morez Johnson Jr. had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Wolverines' leading scorer, Yaxel Lendeborg, had 13 points and two rebounds.

“You guys are amazing,” Lendeborg told the crowd before leading a rendition of Michigan's fight song. “You made this season very, very special for me. ... Go Blue, baby!"

Michigan's offense made history in the NCAA Tournament as the first team to score 90-plus points in five consecutive games, but it was the Wolverines' defense that paved the way on Monday night. Michigan held UConn to 31% shooting from the field and 27% shooting from the 3-point line.

Alex Karaban, in his final game for the Huskies, played all 40 minutes and had a team-high 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Michigan finished the season No. 1 in the final AP Top 25 on Tuesday, claiming all 57 votes.

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

While the trip focused on emergency management, Mullin also weighed in on immigration enforcement, a centerpiece policy of the Trump administration, which his department also oversees. He suggested he might halt customs processing at airports serving cities whose local governments resist the administration's immigration policies, a move that would align with his predecessor's hardline approach.

At his confirmation hearing last month, Mullin tried to project a softer tone on immigration enforcement, after a backlash over high-profile operations and the deaths of two Americans at the hands of federal officers. Mullin also signaled a different approach to the Federal Emergency Management Agency following criticism of Noem's policies.

At a roundtable discussion Tuesday, Mullin said FEMA was focused on catching up on past disaster work and clearing a backlog of needs that stacked up during his predecessor's tenure ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1.

“Disasters are happening constantly,” Mullin said, adding that he would brief President Donald Trump Tuesday on the 22 still pending major disaster declaration requests from states and tribes across the U.S. “We’re trying to push this stuff forward as fast as possible."

Mullin also said he “may have identified” a candidate for permanent administrator of FEMA, which is on its third temporary leader since Trump took office, but declined to name them.

Asked if eliminating FEMA — which Trump has threatened to do — was still on the table, Mullin said “reforming FEMA would be a better term.”

Mullin's visit comes less than a week after he ended Noem's directive that all DHS expenditures over $100,000 be personally approved by the secretary's office, a rule that critics said bottlenecked FEMA reimbursements and compromised disaster response and recovery.

Mullin threatens to remove CBP officers from some airports

While Mullin has already made strides on disaster response, he has yet to set forth a clear vision for immigration enforcement, although he is expected to align with the president’s vision. That was apparent in his comments about removing Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in so-called “sanctuary cities.”

“If they’re not enforcing immigration laws, then why would I be processing immigration in their city?” Mullin said, adding that the idea was still under consideration. He suggested he would raise the idea in his briefing to Trump.

Mullin gave no further details. But withdrawing CBP officers from airports could disrupt international travel and trade. CBP officers check all incoming travelers into the country as well as the billions of dollars of trade that enters through land crossings and airports.

The Trump administration has already threatened to withdraw funding to Democratic cities and states that it says do not cooperate with immigration enforcement.

North Carolina is still hard-hit

Few disaster-hit areas experienced the impacts of FEMA's recent tumult as acutely as North Carolina, where about $1.6 billion in FEMA public assistance dollars has been obligated so far and where roughly 2,000 projects are still in some stage of FEMA approval, according to a letter North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein sent Mullin after his swearing in.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis excoriated Noem for delays in reimbursements to his state just days before her firing, telling her at a Senate hearing she had "failed” at FEMA.

Mullin said at the roundtable that Trump had told him he wanted North Carolina to be his first stop and had told Mullin “people in North Carolina love me.”

North Carolina carries outsize political significance this year. Tillis, one of the state’s Republican senators, is retiring, raising Democratic hopes of a pickup this fall. The race is sure to attract hundreds of millions in campaign spending and pits Democrat Roy Cooper, the state’s former governor, against Michael Whatley, the former chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Helene, a 350-mile-wide (560 kilometers) hurricane, ravaged multiple southeastern states in September 2024.

The storm caused 108 deaths in North Carolina and $60 billion in damages. It destroyed homes, businesses and utility infrastructure. Entire communities were cut off, prompting helicopter rescues after roads and bridges washed away.

Hurricane damage is still visible, with cars and remnants of homes washed up on banks, remains of knocked-out bridges and piles of thick trees and branches that rushed down the river when it swelled to a torrent of water.

Misinformation shrouded FEMA's response to Hurricane Helene

Rep. Chuck Edwards, a Republican representing some of the impacted areas who lost one of his own businesses in the storm, said Tuesday he also grew frustrated with what he called FEMA’s “bureaucracy” and the difficulties local communities faced in receiving payments.

“Still plenty of bureaucracy there,” said Edwards, who praised Mullin’s removal of the $100,000 rule.

FEMA’s presence in North Carolina had a tense start as distrust grew among some impacted residents, fueled in part by then-candidate Trump’s own misinformation about the Biden administration and FEMA’s response in the swing state.

Edwards found himself debunking FEMA-related misinformation shortly after the storm, issuing a statement to his constituents that FEMA was not diverting donations to the border or seizing property, among other claims.

After an armed man was arrested in Lake Lure for making threats toward FEMA workers, the agency temporarily suspended door-to-door home visits in the affected areas.

Stein, a Democrat, welcomed Mullin's visit. “It is encouraging that Secretary Mullin is getting down to business,” he told The Associated Press in a statement Tuesday.

On Monday, FEMA approved $26 million in buyouts of damaged and destroyed North Carolina homes, saying in a statement that Mullin encouraged the agency to “redouble its efforts” to help survivors.

Mullin’s remarks drew a sharp contrast from his predecessor Noem, who repeatedly called for FEMA to be eliminated “as it exists today." Trump floated the idea of eliminating FEMA altogether on a North Carolina visit just days into his second term, calling the agency a “very big disappointment.”

Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to push more responsibility for disasters down to states, and a presidentially appointed FEMA Review Council is expected to soon release a report recommending sweeping reforms of how and to what extent the federal government supports disaster-impacted communities.

While most FEMA staff are still being paid during the record-long partial government shutdown, many offices were ordered to slow or stop work shortly after the shutdown began on Feb. 14.

Meanwhile, the agency's Disaster Relief Fund is running low, with about $3.6 billion remaining. The DHS appropriations bill would replenish the fund with over $26 billion.

———

This version corrects that Mullin said Trump told him “people in North Carolina love me,” not that Trump “wanted North Carolina to love" him.

Gabriela Aoun Angueira reported from San Diego, California.

The case of Nigel Max Edge had been scheduled for a Brunswick County court hearing in which the local prosecutor was slated to reveal whether he intended to seek the death penalty. But District Attorney Jon David said in a news release that part of the case was set aside because questions about Edge's “capacity to proceed” were raised by multiple mental health professionals.

“The defense has presented evaluations from two experts, and this office requested an independent evaluation by a state forensic examiner,” David said. “All three evaluations conclude that Mr. Edge currently lacks the capacity to proceed to trial.”

Superior Court Judge Jason Disbrow ordered that Edge be transferred to Cherry Hospital, a state psychiatric facility in Goldsboro, David said.

David said the state’s mental expert found that Edge “may be restored to capacity through appropriate treatment, including medication and counseling.” Voicemail and email seeking comment were left for Edge's public defender, Matthew Geoffrion.

Authorities allege Edge, 41, piloted a small motorboat up to a dockside cocktail bar in Southport last Sept. 27 and opened fire with a short-barreled semiautomatic rifle. Three people were killed, and several others were injured.

Edge, who faces additional charges, was serving with an elite sniper unit in Iraq when he was shot four times, including once in the head. Friends and family say he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and still has a bullet lodged in his brain.

Tuesday’s action has “the practical effect of suspending further litigation unless and until the defendant’s capacity is restored,” David said, adding the state could still seek the death penalty “should the facts and law warrant this designation.”

Edge will remain in custody during treatment, which David said would be for an “indeterminate” amount of time.

“I’m like, ‘Hi, John Harbaugh,’" he said with a chuckle. “Most guys will say, hey and give me their name. Some guys don’t give me their name and I'm like, ‘Dude, I’m not really sure who you are.’”

Harbaugh knows who Dexter Lawrence is but did not get the chance to say hello Tuesday. The three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle was one of three players not present, following word that Lawrence had asked for a trade.

Attendance is voluntary at this stage, and Harbaugh cited good conversations with agent Joel Segal while acknowledging he was not surprised by Lawrence's absence. Still, though, Harbaugh estimated “the prospects are going to be high” for Lawrence to stick around.

“Speaking for the Giants, we want Dexter here. I believe Dexter wants to be here. That’s a good formula,” Harbaugh said on a video call with reporters. “But there’s business involved. It’s a business proposition. We know it’s pro football. These things happen every year pretty much on every team.”

Harbaugh spent the past 18 season with the Baltimore Ravens, coached them to a Super Bowl, and three years ago dealt with a trade request from quarterback Lamar Jackson, which got resolved. Familiarity helped that situation, though Harbaugh said this also calls for a patient approach.

"It’s going to work out," Harbaugh said. “It’s high-level business, high-level football. I’m sure it will be handled in a real high-level way like that. I’m not worried about it.”

Lawrence, 28, has two years left on his contract, set to earn $20 million and $19.5 million, respectively. He's coming off a tumultuous 17 games in which he finished with a career-low 31 tackles and a half-sack.

Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy called New York's front the best he and the Kansas City Chiefs saw last season, and Lawrence is a significant part of that, even if the stats are not there.

"He’s a beast," Nagy said. “He’s been doing it a while and a lot of respect for him. I just know that when we played him last year, we had to know where he was on every play.”

Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson reached out after getting the job on Harbaugh's new staff to open a line of communication and sensed Lawrence was in a good place.

“Hopefully everything works out in our favor, but, hey, I love Dexter and we have a good relationship,” Wilson said. “For me personally, and from an organization standpoint, we understand the value of Dex. We love him, and we understand the business side, as well.”

Cornerback Paulson Adebo also did not attend

Cornerback Paulson Adebo made it two defensive starters not in attendance for the start of the spring program, Harbaugh said, adding he was not sure of the reason.

“It's his right,” Harbaugh said. “Guys come or not come according to their choosing: voluntary time of year.”

Harbaugh said the third player who did not take part was defensive tackle Sam Roberts, who had a procedure that did not allow him to travel to the practice facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo have different injury return timelines

Top receiver Malik Nabers is coming off a torn ACL in his right knee from a home game on Sept. 28, and running back Cam Skattebo is working back from a dislocated right ankle and additional damage incurred Oct. 26 at Philadelphia.

Each player was at the facility, Harbaugh said, with Skattebo ahead of Nabers, who is expected back either during training camp or closer to the season.

“It wouldn’t be fair for me to give you days or dates,” Harbaugh said. “I have a vague idea. It’s not that important today.”

Kayvon Thibodeaux remains with the Giants

After edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux's name surfaced in trade buzz in recent weeks, Harbaugh said “everybody's tradeable.” But Thibodeaux was in attendance and has not been traded yet, if he is at all.

“He’s a great player,” Harbaugh said. “I’m excited about him. I was fired up to see him today. He looks great, he’s in great shape. I’m thinking about him on the field, getting him plugged into our defense and getting him rolling.”

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

President Donald Trump's latest threat over the Iran war hit a new extreme Tuesday as he warned, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," if Iran fails to make a deal that includes reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz.

The Republican president's comments were swiftly met with condemnation from Democrats, some “Make America Great Again” supporters who have since broken with Trump, and the first American pope. Some fellow Republicans suggested his comments were a negotiating tactic.

It follows his threats in recent days that he would be “blasting Iran into oblivion” and “back to the Stone Ages!!!” He said he would blow up bridges and civilian power plants, which experts in military law said could constitute a war crime. And on Easter morning, he wrote on his social media account: "Open the F——-in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell.”

Trump’s intensifying warnings of widespread and seemingly indiscriminate destruction are a sea change from his January pledge to the people of Iran that “HELP IS ON ITS WAY" after a brutal crackdown on protests. They are the antithesis of the peacemaking image he spent much of the last year trying to cultivate as he sought a Nobel Peace Prize.

And, most urgently, they raised questions about whether the president is threatening actions that could be considered war crimes, whether he is considering using a nuclear weapon or whether it is all bluster.

“The Iranian regime has until 8PM Eastern Time to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States. Only the President knows where things stand and what he will do,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

In response to the criticism Trump's comments received, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement: “As President Trump has said, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, and the Iranian people welcome the sound of bombs because it means their oppressors are losing. The President will always stand with innocent civilians while annihilating the terrorists responsible for threatening our country and the entire world with a nuclear weapon. Greater destruction can be avoided if the regime understands the seriousness of this moment and makes a deal with the United States.”

The president’s extraordinary threat came as the conflict with Iran reached a precipice. Iran rejected the Americans’ latest ceasefire proposal, and the Middle Eastern country’s president said 14 million people, including himself, have volunteered to fight. Meanwhile, there were international calls for restraint, and officials involved in diplomatic efforts said talks were ongoing.

Experts said that Trump's threats to blow up bridges and power plants could constitute a war crime depending on whether the power plants were legitimate military targets, whether the attacks were proportional compared with what Iran has done and whether civilian casualties were minimized.

Trump has extended previous deadlines in the 5 1/2-week-old war but insisted Tuesday night’s limit is final. On Monday, he defended his profane language, saying he used it only to make a point, and said he’s “not at all” concerned that his threats amount to a war crime.

Trump's comments draw condemnation and hopes that it is bluster

Sen. Todd Young, an Indiana Republican and a Marine Corps veteran, said that what Trump is “clearly trying to accomplish” is to “bring this whole effort to a close and that’s the best way to preserve lives and property and reduce suffering.”

“The president clearly, to me, wants to increase the amount of leverage he has immediately so that we can bring this conflict to a close and avoid further bloodshed or suffering from the Iranians, from the Americans or from any other people.”

Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican and a stalwart Trump ally, said Monday before Trump's most recent threat that he hoped Trump’s threats to bomb power plants and bridges were bombast.

“I am hoping and praying that President Trump is, this really is bluster. I do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure. I do not want to see that,” Johnson said on a podcast. “We are not at war with the Iranian people. We are trying to liberate them.”

Democratic leaders in the House said in a joint statement that Trump's “statement threatening to eradicate an entire civilization shocks the conscience." Their Senate counterparts said it was “a betrayal of the values this nation was founded on, and a moral failure.”

Pope Leo XIV said any attacks on civilian infrastructure violate international law and called the president’s comments “truly unacceptable.”

Former Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a stalwart MAGA supporter who has since turned critic of the president, suggested invoking the 25th Amendment, under which the vice president and a majority of Cabinet members declare a president unfit for office and remove him.

“Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilization. This is evil and madness,” she wrote on X.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican who often breaks with the president, called Trump's latest threat “an affront to the ideals our nation has sought to uphold and promote around the world for nearly 250 years.”

Trump's history of inflammatory threats

Roseanne McManus, a professor of political science at Penn State University whose research has focused on international security and how countries signal their intentions in ongoing or potential conflict, said presidential threats of force traditionally had some restraint and subtlety.

But Trump, dating back to his first term, has broken with those norms, she said. That was most notable when he warned North Korea in 2017 that it would see “fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it made more threats against the U.S., raising fears of a nuclear escalation. He later said he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “fell in love," and the threats largely stopped.

Since returning to the White House last year, he has made more incendiary threats and moves.

Last summer, he joined Israel in striking Iran's nuclear sites, a move that came before a self-imposed timeline for action ran out. Earlier this year, he launched a brazen strike that captured Venezuela's authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, and brought him to the U.S. for trial.

He has also suggested using military force to take control of Greenland and has said he believes he’ll have “the honor of taking Cuba” soon, but he has so far not followed through on those threats.

Trump has referred to his unpredictability as an asset, McManus said, and has seemed to lean into the “Madman Theory,” attributed to former President Richard Nixon, that aims to deter adversaries by convincing them he’s unpredictable enough to carry out an extreme action.

His actions over the last year, along with increasingly frequent over-the-top threats in recent days to Iran, seem to show that “he’s been leaning into the strategy to a greater extent in his second term.”

“I think the fact that Trump is willing to shatter these norms with his rhetoric could suggest that he is not restrained by the same sorts of things that would restrain a normal leader,” she said.

___

Associated Press writers Steven Sloan and Stephen Groves in Washington and Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report.

Trump’s expansive threat did not seem to account for potential harm to civilians, prompting Democrats in Congress, some United Nations officials and scholars in military law to say such strikes would violate international law.

Tehran’s representative at the U.N., Amir-Saeid Iravani, said the threats “constitute incitement to war crimes and potentially genocide” and that Iran would "take immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures” if Trump launches devastating strikes.

The U.S. and Israel have battered Iran with attacks targeting its military capabilities, leadership and nuclear program. Iran has responded with a stream of strikes on Israel and Gulf Arab neighbors, causing regional chaos and outsized economic and political shock.

As Trump’s deadline neared, an official said indirect talks continued between the United States and Iran.

Pakistan's prime minister urged Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks to allow diplomacy to advance. In a post on X, Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has been leading negotiations, also asked Iran to open up for two weeks the strait through which a fifth of the world’s oil transits in peacetime. The White House said Trump had been informed of the proposal and would respond.

Even before the deadline, airstrikes hit two bridges and a train station, and the U.S. hit military infrastructure on Kharg Island, a key hub for Iranian oil production.

Trump has extended deadlines before

Since the war began, Trump has repeatedly imposed deadlines linked to threats, only to extend them. But the president insisted this one is final and will expire at 8 p.m. in Washington unless there is a major diplomatic breakthrough. Tehran previously rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal by Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish mediators, saying it wants a permanent end to the war.

Iran’s president said 14 million people, including himself, have volunteered to fight. That's despite Trump saying that U.S. forces could wipe out all bridges in Iran in a matter of hours and reduce all power plants to smoking rubble in roughly the same time frame.

It was not clear if airstrikes against Iran on Tuesday were linked to Trump’s threats to widen the civilian target list. At least two of the targets were connected to Iran’s rail network, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli warplanes struck bridges and railways in Iran.

Tehran fired on Israel and Saudi Arabia, prompting the temporary closure of a major bridge.

While Iran cannot match the sophistication of U.S. and Israeli weaponry or their dominance in the air, its chokehold on the strait since the war began in late February is roiling the world economy and raising the pressure on Trump both at home and abroad to find a way out of the standoff.

Trump keeps an off-ramp open

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” if a deal isn’t reached, Trump said in an online post Tuesday morning. But he also seemed to keep open the possibility of an off-ramp, saying that “maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen.”

Earlier, Iranian official Alireza Rahimi issued a video message calling on “all young people, athletes, artists, students and university students and their professors” to form human chains around power plants.

Iranians have formed human chains in the past around nuclear sites at times of heightened tensions with the West. State media posted videos online that showed hundreds of flag-waving people massed at two bridges and at a power plant hundreds of kilometers (miles) from Tehran, though it was not clear how widespread the practice was.

“They’re not allowed to do that,” Trump said in a phone call with NBC News.

A general in Iran's Revolutionary Guard general warned that Iran would “deprive the U.S. and its allies of the region’s oil and gas for years” and expand its attacks across the Gulf region if Trump carries out his threat.

In Tehran, the mood was bleak. A young teacher said that many opponents of Iran's Islamic system had hoped Trump's attacks would quickly topple it. As the war drags on, she fears U.S. and Israeli strikes will spread chaos.

“If we don’t have the internet, and if we don’t have electricity, water, and gas, we’re really going back to the Stone Age, as Trump said,” she told The Associated Press, speaking on the condition of anonymity for her safety.

Growing criticism of threats

In Rome, Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday that the threats were “truly unacceptable” and that such attacks would violate international law.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that attacks targeting civilian and energy infrastructure could constitute a war crime. Such cases are notoriously difficult to prosecute. Trump has said he’s “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes.

A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply troubled” by the threats, saying no military objective justified targeting civilian infrastructure.

Airstrikes hit Iran, which fires on Saudi Arabia and Israel

Intense airstrikes pounded Tehran, including in residential neighborhoods. In the past, such strikes have targeted Iranian government and security officials.

The Israeli military said it attacked an Iranian petrochemical site in Shiraz, the second day in a row it hit such a facility. The military later said it also struck bridges in several cities that were being used by Iranian forces to transport weapons and military equipment.

A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, described the strikes on Kharg Island as hitting targets previously struck and not directed at oil infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted seven ballistic missiles and four drones launched by Iran. Iran also fired on Israel.

More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, but the government has not updated the toll for days.

In Lebanon, where Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, more than 1,500 people have been killed. and more than 1 million people have been displaced. Eleven Israeli soldiers have died there.

In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, more than two dozen people have died, while 23 have been reported dead in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members have been killed.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers John Leicester in Paris; Nicole Winfield in Rome; Amir-Hussein Radjy in Cairo; Natalie Melzer in Jerusalem; Farnoush Amiri at The United Nations; and Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Michelle L. Price, Joshua Boak and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.

U.S. District Judge David Joseph, who sits in Lafayette, Louisiana, ruled against Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who asked that U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules that allow mifepristone to be dispensed through the mail be paused while a challenge to those 2023 regulations moves through the courts.

He granted the government’s request to put the case on hold for now, though he warned that the pause would not be indefinite — and that he could side with Louisiana later.

Murrill said in a statement that she would ask an appeals court to throw out the federal rules, noting that the judge “concluded that Louisiana suffers irreparable harm every day” the current rules are in effect.

In his opinion, Joseph, who was nominated to the bench by President Donald Trump, said that he would follow an FDA study of the drug that is in the works. He also told the agency to update him on the status of its investigation within six months.

“Should the agency fail to complete its review and make any necessary revisions” to the rules “within a reasonable time frame, the Court’s analysis – and the weight accorded to these factors – will inevitably change,” he wrote.

He also said that he believes the plaintiffs are “likely to succeed on the merits.”

Murrill contends that allowing the prescriptions to be filled by mail undermines the abortion ban in Louisiana, one of 13 states that now bar it at all stages of pregnancy. Republican state officials elsewhere have made similar court challenges in other districts.

Groups that advocate for abortion rights also stressed that Tuesday's ruling isn't a final one.

“From the courts to the Trump administration to state legislatures across the country, mifepristone and abortion access are very much still under attack,” Planned Parenthood Federation of America President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement.

Mifepristone, usually taken in combination with a second drug, misoprostol, has moved to the center of legal fights over abortion access since the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states to ban abortion.

In 2024, the nation’s top court refused to block filling prescriptions for mifepristone by mail. That case was different because it was brought by anti-abortion doctors, who the court said did not have legal standing to challenge the rules.

While conservative states have moved to ban or restrict abortion, liberal states have moved to protect access. Eight now have laws that seek to protect providers who prescribe abortion pills by telehealth and have them mailed into states with bans.

One study found that by the end of 2024, one-fourth of abortions were accessed by telehealth — a fivefold increase in two years. Another study found that in 2025, women in states where abortion is banned were more likely to obtain one by getting pills through telehealth than by traveling to other states.

Murrill is pursuing criminal cases against two doctors — one each in California and New York — accused of sending pills to patients in Louisiana. Those states have not been willing to have the doctors extradited to face the charges.

Joining Murrill as a plaintiff is a Louisiana woman who says her boyfriend coerced her into taking mifepristone from a California doctor.

Arguments surrounding coercion, particularly when an abusive partner controls a victim’s reproductive care, became a major theme for the plaintiffs’ legal case. They say without in-person requirements surrounding the abortion pill, intimate partner abuse will only increase. Some anti-domestic abuse advocates pushed back, saying telehealth can be a valuable lifeline for survivors.

President Donald Trump’s administration last year outraged anti-abortion groups when it approved an additional generic version of mifepristone.

A Hawaii judge last year ruled that the FDA violated the law by imposing restrictions on mifepristone, which is also used for miscarriage management.

___

Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst, Sara Cline and Mark Sherman contributed to this report.

Tehran residents rushed Tuesday to stock up on bottled water and charge cellphones, flashlights and portable power banks as the hours ticked down to Trump's latest ultimatum for a deal that includes Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on power plants and bridges. Despite the threats and risks to his health, the 56-year-old employee at Tehran's subway authority said he's no worse off than other Iranians who've been living under attack for more than five weeks.

“I am worried, but I am more worried about my fellow citizens,” Hashemi said, lying on his bed at Tajrish Martyrs Hospital for the treatment. “Whatever happens, we will stand until the end.”

As Trump stressed that his deadline — 8 p.m. in Washington — was final, some Iranians said they were terrified. Others expressed resignation. And some, like Hashemi, said they'd be prepared to defend their country.

“I will be ready to pick up a gun and start a fight against the enemy,” he said.

The Associated Press has been granted permission by the Iranian government to send an additional team into the country for a brief reporting trip. AP already operates in Iran. The visiting team must be accompanied by a media assistant from a government-affiliated company. AP retains full editorial control of its content.

For many Iranians, power is now the No. 1 concern

Tehran, like other parts of the country, has been shaken by almost daily airstrikes by the United States and Israel since Feb. 28. Iranians’ main concern quickly became electricity as Trump's deadline grew closer.

“When there is no electricity, there will be no water, no hygiene, nothing,” said Mahan Qayoumi, 23, who works at an artisan shop, where he said business would stop under a power outage. He brought emergency lights to his apartment to prepare, noting that “all aspects of life” would be affected.

A young designer in central Tehran, speaking on condition of anonymity for her safety, said her parents left at the beginning of the war, but she stayed behind to take care of her cat, Maya. Now, because of Trump's threats, she said she plans to drive north — which has largely been spared heavy strikes — with Maya and join her family.

“If there is no electricity, there is no water," she told AP on the messaging app Telegram, noting Tehran's low water pressure and electric water pumps. “You can’t cook, either.”

The streets of sprawling Tehran, overlooked by snow-capped mountains, have seen less traffic over the past several weeks, with many residents leaving to seek safer areas. Schools and many state institutions remain closed.

But even as some residents frantically prepared, stocking up on water and canned foods, life in one of north Tehran’s largest covered markets seemed almost normal Tuesday. People went on with business as usual, fresh bread was made at bakeries, and Iranian sweets such as gaz and sohan were prepared.

“We are living our normal lives," said Said Motazavi, 58, who owns a home appliances shop. Motazavi said Iranians have a lot of experience preparing for and living with conflict, referring to the 1980-88 Iraq-Iran war and the 12-day war with Israel last year.

At Tajrish Martyrs Hospital, the director told AP that a generator can keep much of the medical facility functioning if needed. He said the hospital has enough fuel to power it, as well as ample medicine and supplies for six months.

“I do not see any problem,” Dr. Masoud Moslemifard said, adding that the hospital has been prioritizing operations for those wounded in the war and postponing nonurgent surgeries.

Tighter security and still a lack of internet in Iran

In the streets of Tehran, security was tighter than usual Tuesday, with checkpoints in different parts of the capital. At major intersections, jeeps with heavy machine guns mounted on top were deployed.

Iran’s internet remains largely shut off, throttling news even as panic spread over Trump's warnings.

A 26-year-old Pilates instructor told AP on condition of anonymity for her safety via Telegram that she's been unable to prepare for possible attacks. She called this week the “worst atmosphere” since the war began.

“Honestly, we’ve kind of lost it at this point," she said, describing how she's not left home for the last few days and she and her family refuse to leave Tehran. "Whatever is going to happen, let it happen. We are dying bit by bit.”

One resident told AP that if the U.S. follows through on its threat, the people of Iran — not the government — will be the victims.

“By attacking infrastructure, the Islamic Republic will not be destroyed, only we will be destroyed,” the woman, a teacher in her 20s, told AP via a message on Telegram, on condition of anonymity for her safety.

She fears the attacks will spread chaos. “If we don’t have the internet," she said, "and if we don’t have electricity, water, and gas, we’re really going back to the Stone Age, as Trump said."

____

Associated Press reporters Amir-Hussein Radjy in Cairo and Sahar Ameri in Berlin contributed.

The Salvadoran national’s case has become a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador last year. Since his return, he has been fighting a second deportation to a series of African countries proposed by Homeland Security officials.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, of Maryland, previously barred U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from deporting him or detaining him. She has written that the agency has no viable plan to actually deport Abrego Garcia, referring in February to "one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success.”

Abrego Garcia has argued that if he is going to be deported, it should be to Costa Rica, which previously agreed to accept him. But Todd Lyons, the acting head of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, said in a March memo that deporting Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica would be “prejudicial to the United States.” Abrego Garcia should be sent to Liberia because the U.S. has spent government resources and political capital negotiating with the West African nation to accept third-country nationals, Lyons wrote.

At a Tuesday hearing in Xinis' court, Ernesto Molina, director of the Department of Justice's Office of Immigration Litigation, suggested that Abrego Garcia could “remove himself” to Costa Rica.

Xinis pointed out that the DOJ is prosecuting him in Tennessee on human smuggling charges. She called it a “fantasy” to say that he can remove himself anywhere while the criminal case is pending. Xinis set a schedule for a briefing on the matter and scheduled a new hearing for April 28.

Abrego Garcia, 30, has an American wife and child and has lived in Maryland for years, but he immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager. In 2019, an immigration judge ruled that he could not be deported to El Salvador because he faced danger there from a gang that had threatened his family. By mistake, he was deported there anyway in last year.

Facing public pressure and a court order, President Donald Trump’s administration brought him back in June, but only after securing an indictment charging him with human smuggling in Tennessee. He has pleaded not guilty and asked the judge to dismiss that case.

In a release, Sheriff Billy Woods said that investigators responded to Happy Valley Horse Rescue along 95th Avenue Road back in November in response to an anonymous complaint about neglected horses.

Upon arrival, they contacted two people — David Palacio, 57; and Janine Chaux, 58 — who offered to give them a tour of the property and horses, the release shows.

“Through their investigation, investigators found that most of the horses were underweight, with bony structures visible, hooves in deplorable condition, and some appearing to be in pain while walking,” the release reads.

Furthermore, the barn stalls hadn’t been cleared of excrement and soiled bedding for quite some time, Woods added.

However, Palacio and Chaux weren’t able to explain the neglect, nor were they able to provide a total number of horses on the property, the MCSO noted.

MCSO personnel said they later searched the rescue and came up with 69 horses. Another 17 horses in Chaux’s care were found on a neighboring property. A veterinarian reportedly examined the animals and found that over 30 of the horses were either emaciated or close to it.

“Two of the horses were in such poor condition that medical professionals determined that euthanasia was the most humane option,” the release continues.

As a result of these discoveries, both Palacio and Chaux were arrested on Monday and now face 22 counts of aggravated animal cruelty and 16 counts of animal cruelty. They were each held on bond of $71,000.

That said, the seized horses were taken to the MCSO Agriculture Investigations Farm for treatment, where they were successfully rehabilitated, Woods declared.

[BELOW: Watch Sheriff Woods’ full video statement]

Tina Garrett and Matt Venaleck, of Southwest Florida Horse Rescue, were selected to help rehab the horses.

“There’s no excuse for neglect, especially neglect in such a way as what was exhibited at that so-called horse rescue,” Garrett said.

“This is kind of the epitome of what we think we should be here for horses of this nature that were wronged by humankind at some point,” Venaleck said.

Overall, five groups have provided help for the horses.

• Rainbows Edge Equine Transition Center
• Triple R Horse Rescue
• Southwest Florida Horse Rescue
• Mississippi Horse Rescue
• Humane World for Animals

The energy is part of the draw, especially for visitors looking for a big night out near the area’s theme parks. But the real reason people linger is the food. The menu leans seafood first, with plenty of familiar favorites, and it backs up the fun with scratch cooking and sauces that taste like someone in the kitchen actually cares.

My first stop was a fan favorite: jambalaya pasta. Linguine comes tossed with chicken, shrimp and smoky sausage, all coated in a creamy Cajun-Creole sauce.

You smell the sausage first, and that flavor carries through the entire bowl. The sauce hits warm and spice-forward without burying the seafood. It is comfort food with real personality, the kind of dish that makes you slow down because every bite feels fuller than the last.

Next came crab legs drenched in melted Cajun butter. This is not a fork-and-knife situation. It is hands-on and unapologetically messy, and it is better that way.

Once you crack into a good piece, the payoff is immediate. The crab is delicate and sweet, and the butter brings heat, salt and richness that clings to every bite. It is the kind of dish that turns a table into a shared project, and nobody stays clean.

The biggest surprise of the night was not seafood. It was the tomahawk.

A 42-ounce tomahawk steak arrives grilled and deeply seared, then presented tableside in a treasure chest with dramatic flair. It is finished with gold salt, because The Wharf commits to the moment.

The steak comes with a full flight of housemade sauces, and that is where the experience goes from fun to unforgettable. Chimichurri brings a bright herb kick. A blackened béarnaise adds creamy richness. Horseradish cream leans sharp and classic. And then there is the bacon jam, sweet, savory and smoky all at once.

With so much meat on the board, the sauces change the meal bite by bite. One cut turns into several different flavor experiences, which makes the dish feel less like a splurge and more like a tasting.

The Wharf succeeds because it does not make you choose between atmosphere and food. It offers both.

If you come for the live bands and the party energy, you will get it. If you come hungry, you will still find dishes that feel thoughtfully built, from a creamy Cajun pasta to butter-soaked crab legs and a steak presentation that turns dinner into something you will talk about later.

For anyone planning a night out at Sunset Walk, The Wharf is best approached with two expectations. Show up ready for noise and fun. Show up even more ready to eat.

There is a civil case in Maryland where he has been challenging the Department of Homeland Security's attempts to deport him to a series of African countries. There is also a criminal case in Tennessee, where the government accuses him of human smuggling. He has pleaded not guilty and asked that the case be dismissed, claiming it was only brought to punish him.

Here is a timeline of key events:

Arrival: around 2011

Abrego Garcia flees El Salvador for the U.S. as a teenager.

Arrest: March 28, 2019

Abrego Garcia is arrested outside a Maryland hardware store. Police accuse him of being a gang member and turn him over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Immigration court: Oct. 10, 2019

A Maryland immigration judge rules that Abrego Garcia cannot be deported to El Salvador, where a gang has threatened his family. He is given a work permit and placed under federal supervision.

Detained by ICE: March 12, 2025

Abrego Garcia is detained by ICE in Baltimore while driving home with his 5-year-old son.

Deportation: March 15, 2025

Abrego Garcia is mistakenly deported to El Salvador and held in a notoriously brutal prison.

Supreme Court: April 10, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court says the Trump administration must work to bring Abrego Garcia back.

Criminal charges: June 6, 2025

Abrego Garcia is returned to the U.S. and charged with human smuggling, based on a Tennessee traffic stop from 2022.

Attempts at second deportation: July 23, 2025—present

ICE announces plans to remove him to a series of African countries, but is blocked by an injunction from a Maryland federal judge.

Released from jail: August 22, 2025

Abrego Garcia leaves the Tennessee jail, where he has been since June, to return to his family in Maryland and await trial. Within minutes of his release, ICE sends notice that they intend to deport him to Uganda.

In immigration custody: Aug. 25, 2025

Abrego Garcia reports to an immigration office in Baltimore and is taken into custody.

Judge orders release: Dec. 11, 2025

A federal judge in Maryland orders ICE to immediately release Abrego Garcia.

No immigration detention: Feb. 17, 2026

A Maryland federal judge rules ICE cannot re-detain Abrego Garcia.

Bidunga finished his second season with the Jayhawks as the Big 12 defensive player of the year and an Associated Press All-Big 12 second-team pick. He averaged 13.3 points and 9.0 rebounds and was a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year finalist. He led the Big 12 and was fourth nationally with 91 blocked shots and 10th in field-goal shooting at 64%.

Bidunga was the only D-I player to average more than 13 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots. The Jayhawks had another starting big man, Bryson Tiller, enter the portal along with three other players.

Harris was voted the Atlantic Coast Conference's most improved player after he increased his scoring average from 6.1 points as a freshman to 21.4 this season. He also was an AP All-ACC second-team pick after becoming one of two players in program history to score 750 points in a season. Myles Colvin, the Demon Deacons' second-leading scorer, joined Harris and four other teammates in the portal.

Murauskas was joined in the portal by four of his teammates as the Gaels transition from longtime coach Randy Bennett, who left for Arizona State, to Mickey McConnell, who was Bennett's associate head coach. Murauskas was the West Coast Conference's second-leading scorer at 18.4 points and had two 30-point games. He was an All-WCC first-team pick both years he was with the Gaels after transferring from Arizona.

James Nnaji, who made headlines for signing with Baylor after being selected in the second round of the NBA draft and playing professionally overseas, entered the portal. The 7-footer was granted eligibility because he had never signed an NBA contract or played in the G League. He ended up playing limited minutes for the Bears as a freshman and averaged 1.4 points and 2.1 rebounds.

Isaiah Johnson, who led Colorado and was third in the Big 12 in scoring with 16.9 points per game, went into the portal after one season with the Buffaloes.

Providence, which fired Kim English last month and hired Bryan Hodgson, had just one player listed on its 2026-27 roster Tuesday. Among seven players in the portal was Stefan Vaaks, who as a freshman averaged 15.2 points and 3.3 assists and made a Big East-leading 91 3-pointers. Elsewhere in the Big East, Butler's Finley Bizjack, who led the Bulldogs with 17.1 points per game, and KJ Lewis, who averaged 14.9 points and 5.1 rebounds at Georgetown, are in the portal.

LSU's Dedan Thomas (15.3 ppg) and Michael Nowoko (13.4 ppg), the Tigers' second- and third-leading scorers, were among seven players in the portal with Will Wade returning as coach after the firing of Matt McMahon.

California saw its top two scorers enter the portal in Dai Dai Ames and Justin Pippen. Ames is looking for his fourth school in four years after previously making one-year stops at Kansas State and Virginia. He scored 16.9 points per game for the Bears. Pippen, a son of NBA great Scottie Pippen, started his career at Michigan and will be heading to his third school in three years after averaging 14.2 points.

Also entering the portal was San Diego State forward Miles Byrd, the Mountain West's defensive player of the year.

Gavin Doty, who averaged 18 points for Siena to rank second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, announced he would follow coach Gerry McNamara to Syracuse. The Orange later saw leading scorer Donnie Freeman (16.5 points) enter the portal.

Zoom Diallo, who scored 15.7 points per game for Washington, and Jackson Shelstad, who averaged 15.6 for Oregon in an injury-shortened season, also are in the portal. Purdue announced the signing of Caden Pierce, who played three seasons at Princeton and was 2023-24 Ivy League player of year after averaging 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Offset, who was once married to Cardi B, was being treated at a hospital after Monday night's shooting, the spokesperson said in a statement, although his exact condition was unknown. Police said the injuries were not life-threatening.

More than three years ago, Offset’s cousin Takeoff, another member of Migos, was shot and killed at a Houston bowling alley.

Monday's shooting followed a fight at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, just north of Miami, police said. Officers detained two people.

A rapper known as Lil Tjay, Tione Jayden Merritt, was arrested for the altercation that occurred before the shooting, the Seminole Police Department in Florida said. He was charged with disorderly conduct and operating a vehicle without a valid license.

His lawyer, Dawn M. Florio, told The Associated Press that Lil Tjay did not have a gun and was not charged with any weapons or gun-related crimes.

She said he paid his bond and was released Tuesday afternoon. The 24-year-old rapper is a stalwart of New York’s South Bronx scene, celebrated for his sing-rapping and pop-hip-hop style delivered atop drill beats.

Walking out of the Broward County jail, Lil Tjay told reporters that he was not involved in any fighting.

While police said was injured at a valet area outside the casino, they did not identify the victim.

The second person detained at the scene has not been charged and investigators were working to identify others involved, police said in a statement Tuesday.

Offset, born Kiari Kendrell Cephus, first made a name for himself with Migos. The Atlanta trio is one of the most popular hip-hop groups of all time, celebrated for their rapid-fire triplet flow, an often imitated delivery that changed the trajectory of trap.

Their career kicked off with the 2013 hit “Versace.” They then had several multiplatinum selling singles, including “Bad and Boujee,” which went No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, “Stir Fry,” “Narcos,” and “T-Shirt.” Migos released four full-length albums across their career, closing that chapter after the killing of Takeoff.

Offset and Cardi B were secretly wed in September 2017 in Atlanta. In 2024, Cardi B announced that she filed for divorce. They have three children together.

The third member of Migos, rapper Quavo, sought to transform his nephew Takeoff’s tragic shooting into a force for change, holding a summit against gun violence in 2024.

Police said Takeoff was an innocent bystander when he was shot outside a Houston bowling alley after a disagreement over a dice game. Takeoff’s death was among a string of fatal shootings in recent years that involved hip-hop stars such as Nipsey Hussle, Pop Smoke, PnB Rock and Young Dolph.

Offset embarked on a solo career years before Takeoff's death.

As a solo artist, Offset is known for an idiosyncratic style — a melodic, aggressive finesse. He released three full-length albums: 2019’s “Father of Four”; 2023’s “Set It Off,” which he described to The Associated Press as an effort to “bring rap back” in a genre currently led by rappers who sing; and 2025’s “Kiari.”

“‘Set It Off’ was a freedom,” he told AP last year, proof that he could shine as a solo artist outside of Migos. “Kiari,” instead, is “me, for what I am. And recognizing who I am, because I feel like sometimes you could get lost in trying to please other people and trying to do what they want you to do. So, this is like my rebellion. My rebellion album.” ___

Sherman reported from New York. Associated Press writers Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.

According to a report from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, a deputy responded to the Stetson Aquatic Center on April 3 after a university public safety officer reported the incident. The security officer said she witnessed the incident through one of the school’s security cameras near the docks.

“We arrested a 14-year-old for twirling a baby alligator around,” said Sheriff Mike Chitwood. “Obviously, abusing wildlife is not a way to spend your downtime, you know, it’s a felony. You just do not abuse wildlife. Unfortunately, this young man is going to learn a very expensive lesson.”

The security officer told deputies she saw the boy holding the baby alligator by its tail and swinging it back and forth. The report also states that while watching the incident live, she saw the boy kicking at the alligator and holding the animal while another child took photographs. At one point, the teen was reportedly seen placing the alligator on the ground and kicking dirt on it.

The responding deputy spoke with five children at the aquatic center, who claimed they were fishing. The report states they denied knowing anything about an alligator after the deputy told them the sheriff’s office had received a report about kids messing with one.

Stetson’s security requested all five children be trespassed from the aquatic center. The facility, located near Lake Beresford, houses the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience and is used by the university’s rowing teams.

The Broadway tour of Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” is scheduled for two performances.

The six-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band that he vows to organize.

His plans to skip town fall apart when he falls for the librarian, Marian.

Elizabeth D’Aiuto plays Marian in the show, marking her national tour debut.

“Marian Paroo is such a strong, independent character and was truly ahead of her time for a 1950s musical theater soprano. I relate to her, because I share her focus on family and her refusal to settle. Like Marian, I am deeply passionate about my work and my loved ones,” said D’Aiuto.

She said they officially opened in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and have been on the road for about three months now.

The show features popular songs like “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Ya Got Trouble,” “‘Till There Was You,” “Pick-a-Little” and “Gary, Indiana.”

“I hope people see how music can bring a community together. Even though Harold Hill begins as a con man, he makes people feel seen and transforms the town, children are dancing in the streets and former enemies find common ground. I especially love his line: ‘Oh, I always think there’s a band, kid,’” D’Aiuto shared.

The show will be at the King Center April 12-13. After that, it will head to Naples and Gainesville.

Click here for ticket information.

The development came after the powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement earlier in the day that it had decided to free Kittleson, who was abducted on March 31. Its condition was that that Kittleson must “leave the country immediately” upon her release.

Two officials within the militia, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, told The Associated Press that in exchange for freeing Kittleson, several members of the group who had previously been detained by Iraqi authorities would be released.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Typically, the State Department does not confirm the release of Americans abducted abroad until they have been transferred to U.S. government hands or have safely left a country.

In Wisconsin, Kittleson's mother said she was unsure if her daughter was free.

A one-off release

According to one of the two Iraqi officials, Kittleson was freed in the afternoon. The officials, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, did not share her current whereabouts but said that prior to her release, Kittleson had been held in Baghdad.

In its statement, Kataib Hezbollah said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing" Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details.

It added that “this initiative will not be repeated in the future.”

In Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, Kittleson's mother told a reporter who knocked on her door that FBI agents were at her home. A number of people could be seen sitting at Barb Kittleson’s kitchen table.

Initially she said that her daughter had not yet been freed, but when a reporter returned later, she said she did not know if her daughter had been released or not.

Caroline Clancy, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Milwaukee field office, declined to comment.

Kataib Hezbollah had not previously acknowledged that it was the one responsible for Kittleson’s abduction, although both U.S. and Iraqi officials had pointed fingers at the group.

A respected journalist in conflict zones

Kittleson, 49, a freelance journalist, had lived abroad for years before the kidnapping, using Rome as her base for a time and building a respected journalism career across the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria. Like many freelancers, she often worked on a shoestring budget and without the protections afforded by large news organizations to staff.

She had entered Iraq again shortly before her abduction. U.S. officials have said that they warned her multiple times of threats against her, but that she did not want to leave.

Iraqi officials have said that two cars were involved in the kidnapping, one of which crashed while being pursued near the town of al-Haswa in Babil province, southwest of Baghdad. The journalist was then transferred to a second car that fled the scene.

Three other Iraqi officials said earlier Tuesday that attempts to negotiate her release had run into obstacles. The two Iraqi security officials and one official from the pro-Iran Coordination Framework political bloc spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the sensitive case publicly.

A shadowy militia group

According to one of the security officials, a member of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-backed militias that is nominally under the control of the Iraqi military, had been tasked with communicating with the abductors to secure Kittleson’s release but had run into difficulties in communicating with the Kataib Hezbollah leadership.

“The primary challenge is that the leaders of the Kataib militia — specifically, the commanders of the battalions — are nowhere to be found. No one knows their whereabouts, and the process of establishing contact with them is extremely complex,” the security officials said.

“These leaders have gone underground, maintaining no active lines of communication, out of fear of being targeted,” they added.

According to the officials, a message had been sent to the Kataib leadership to determine their demands in exchange for releasing Kittleson. Iraqi authorities were willing to release six Kataib Hezbollah members who are currently detained, most of them in connection with attacks on a U.S. base in Syria, they said.

Kataib Hezbollah has previously been accused of kidnapping foreigners.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton graduate student with Israeli and Russian citizenship, disappeared in Baghdad in 2023. After she was freed and handed over to U.S. authorities in September 2025, she said that she had been held by Kataib Hezbollah.

The group never officially claimed responsibility for kidnapping Tsurkov.

Iran-backed militias in Iraq have also launched regular attacks on U.S. facilities in the country since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

___

Associated Press writers Todd Richmond in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, and Matthew Lee and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

The 18th trip might be even better.

This must feel like a victory lap for McIlroy, who has been at Augusta National all weekend with an eye on hosting the Masters Club dinner on Tuesday night. And then he can move on to that small matter of trying to become only the fourth player to win back-to-back at the Masters.

What's the rush?

“I think for the past 17 years I just could not wait for the tournament to start,” McIlroy said Tuesday. “And this year, I wouldn't care if the tournament never started.”

That brought laughter, including his own. He met with the media at Augusta National — a preview of his Prime Video documentary was played before he walked in — for the first time since he won last year and began his news conference by asking, “What are we going to talk about next year?”

He said the goal posts have moved, but he's still kicking.

“It's completely different,” McIlroy said. “I feel so much more relaxed. I know that I’m going to be coming back here for a lot of years, going to enjoy the perks that the champions get here. It doesn’t make me any less motivated to go out there and play well and try to win the tournament.”

He doesn't expect it to be any easier than a wild Sunday afternoon, 18 holes that in some respects resembled his 18 years on tour.

That's true for everyone in the 91-man field. There was a chill in the air Tuesday morning that now gives way to a forecast for hot, dry weather. That can be Augusta National at its toughest, no matter how pretty it looks with the azalea and dogwood blooms.

“If it's firm and fast, the greens are going to be even more difficult to hit than they already are,” Bryson DeChambeau said.

Scottie Scheffler knows the drill as defending champion, having won in 2022 and 2024. Scheffler prefers a routine — disrupted slightly now with a newborn son in tow.

“Defending can always be difficult, but I think that’s mostly just the odds of winning a tournament in back-to-back years,” Scheffler said. “I think that’s just extremely challenging, especially when you look at these major championships.”

Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Tiger Woods (2001-02) are the only players to win in consecutive years at the Masters.

“I think everything's new when you’re a first-time defending (champion) here,” Scheffler said. “You host the dinner — that's a big deal. There’s certain things that go on that maybe would make it a touch more difficult, but I wouldn’t say it’s anything too substantial.”

For McIlroy, it's everything so new that's making this so enjoyable.

He never bothered to spend much time upstairs in the clubhouse during the Masters, where a room is dedicated to the co-founders and to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a proud member at Augusta National. McIlroy loves golf history.

“I knew the week of the tournament that the clubhouse is for participants and their families, but I still felt like I had to earn the right to be there a little more often,” he said.

McIlroy recalled one potentially awkward moment last year when he and Justin Rose, whom he would beat in a playoff, were going to have dinner in the clubhouse on Tuesday night. He drove down Magnolia Lane toward the clubhouse right as the past champions were on the balcony for cocktail hour before their dinner.

“I'm like, ‘I don’t want to valet, get out, they’re going to see me and it’s going to be weird.’ So I had this really awkward moment with it all last year,” McIlroy said. “Yeah, thankfully that was the last time that I needed to do that.”

He has prepared remarks for a dinner of past champions, and a menu that is among the more exquisite for this occasion, particularly the wine. One of the side dishes is “Irish Champ," creamy mashed potatoes with green onions, butter and milk.

“People keep asking me, ‘Why didn’t you go more Irish?' And I said, ‘Because I want to enjoy the dinner as well,’” McIlroy said.

More laughter. There was a lot of that Tuesday, different from past years when he heard the same questions — When are you going to win the Masters? — and didn't have great answers. Now he has the ultimate response: He wore his green jacket to his news conference.

What's next?

McIlroy has said he wants to win as many majors as possible — Harry Vardon with seven has the most of any European player; McIlroy has five — and at prestigious venues, such as St. Andrews next year for the British Open.

“There's still a lot that I want to do,” he said. “I think what I’ve realized is if you can just really find enjoyment in the journey, that’s the big thing. Because honestly, I felt like the career Grand Slam was my destination, and I got there, and then I realized it wasn’t the destination.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The S&P 500 fell as much as 1.2% after Trump threatened that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Iran does not meet his deadline at 8 p.m. Eastern time to open the Strait of Hormuz. But stocks rallied at the end of trading after Pakistan’s prime minister urged Trump to extend his deadline for another two weeks and asked Iran to open up the strait for two weeks.

The S&P 500 erased all its losses and ended with a modest gain of 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 85 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.1%.

They’re the latest swings to hit financial markets since late February because of deep uncertainty about when the fighting may end. During just the first hour of Tuesday’s trading, the Dow careened between a gain of 74 points and a loss of 425.

Oil prices were likewise shaky. The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude to be delivered in May briefly climbed above $117 before settling at $112.95, up 0.5%.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, eased by 0.5% to $109.27. It’s still well above its roughly $70 level from before the war began in late February.

Oil prices have spiked because the war has snarled the production and transportation of crude in the Persian Gulf. Much of that oil exits the gulf through the Strait of Hormuz to reach customers around the world, but Iran has blocked it to enemies.

The worry in markets has been that a long-term disruption will keep oil prices high for a long time and send a painful wave of inflation crashing through the global economy.

So far in the war, Trump has made a series of threats to blow up Iranian power plants if it doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz, only to delay it several times. The possibility remains that Trump could hold off on his threats again, among other scenarios.

A year ago, Trump ultimately backed off many of the stiff tariffs that he initially threatened to put on imports from other countries, though they ended up higher than from before his second term.

“Investors are likely to remain on edge and markets unable to establish trends, probably until there is a clear outcome later this evening: a deal, the U.S./Israeli strikes intensify, or Iran’s retaliation becomes escalatory instead of proportional,” according to Paul Christopher, head of global investment strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

On Wall Street, companies with big fuel bills fell sharply as high oil prices cranked up the pressure.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings dropped 3.3%, and United Airlines sank 1.8%.

Companies whose customers may have the least room to absorb the recent jump in gasoline prices also struggled. Dollar Tree slid 4.2%, and Dollar General fell 2.6%.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline across the United States has leaped to $4.14, according to AAA. It was below $3 a couple days before the United States and Israel launched attacks to begin the war in late February.

Stocks of health insurers helped support the market after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Medicare Advantage payments will likely see a net average increase of 2.48% in 2027. That was well ahead of what some investors expected, according to UBS analysts led by AJ Rice.

UnitedHealth Group jumped 9.4%, and Humana rose 7.9%.

Broadcom was another force pushing strongly upward on the market. It rose 6.2% after announcing deals with Google and Anthropic.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 5.02 points to 6,616.85. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 85.42 points to 46,584.46, and the Nasdaq composite added 21.51 to 22,017.85.

In stock markets abroad, Universal Music Group jumped 11.4% in Amsterdam after Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management offered to buy the record label behind Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $64 billion.

Pershing Square argued the proposed deal would clear uncertainty that’s weighed on UMG’s stock, but its share price remained below what Pershing said its bid is worth. That could indicate investor doubt that the deal will happen.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across much of Europe. Asian stock indexes were stronger, with South Korea’s Kospi up 0.8% for one of the world’s bigger gains.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased modestly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.30% from 4.34% late Monday.

That’s still well above its 3.97% level from before the war, and the rise has pushed up rates for mortgages and other loans going to U.S. households and businesses, which slows the economy.

___

AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.

Erick Valencia Salazar formed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel with Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the drug lord known as “El Mencho" who was killed by the Mexican army in February.

Valencia Salazar, 49, of Santa Clara, California, faces a mandatory-minimum prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison after pleading guilty in Washington, D.C., to one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine for U.S. importation. Chief Judge James Boasberg is scheduled to sentence him on July 31.

Valencia Salazar was a member of the Milenio Cartel before he and Oseguera Cervantes founded the Jalisco cartel, which is known by its Spanish-language acronym CJNG. Hundreds of CJNG members reported to Valencia Salazar, whose duties included recruitment and obtaining information about cartel rivals, prosecutors said.

Valencia Salazar, also known as “El 85,” formed his own cartel, La Nueva Plaza, after parting ways with "El Mencho," who led the CJNG until his death.

A. Tysen Duva, the assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department’s criminal division, said the CJNG has inflicted “immeasurable damage” on the U.S.

“Valencia Salazar was also responsible for furthering the rampant violence in Mexico, at the expense of people’s lives and the safety of communities, that helped destabilize the region and allow crime to flourish,” Duva said in a statement.

A grand jury indicted Valencia Salazar on the conspiracy charge in 2018. In February 2025, Mexican authorities sent him to the U.S. as part of an initial group of 29 drug lords.

Last year, President Donald Trump's administration designated the CJNG and other cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Valencia Salazar was arrested twice in Mexico. The first time was in 2012, when he was detained by the military in the municipality of Zapopan, near Guadalajara, the capital of the state of Jalisco.

Five years later, he was released from prison by order of a judge who cited alleged procedural flaws. In 2022, the Army recaptured him in the town of Tapalpa, the same place where “El Mencho” was captured and killed.

The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Valencia Salazar's arrest or conviction.

___

Associated Press writer Fabiola Sanchez in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Festival organizers canceled the three-day outdoor event as a result of the travel ban and said those who had bought tickets would get refunds.

Ye applied for an electronic travel authorization to visit the U.K., but it was blocked by the government on the grounds that his presence in the country would not be “conducive to the public good.”

“Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement posted on social media. “This government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism. We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values.”

The rapper, who changed his name in 2021, had been expected to play his first U.K. dates for more than a decade in front of around 150,000 revelers over three nights July 10-12 at the Wireless Festival, in London’s Finsbury Park. Other acts for the festival had not yet been announced.

The event's organizers had been under mounting pressure from sponsors and politicians to cancel the gigs by the rapper, who has drawn widespread condemnation for making antisemitic remarks and voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler.

Last year, Ye released a song called “Heil Hitler” and advertised a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website. Officials in Australia canceled the musician's visa in July after the release of the single.

The 48-year-old apologized in January with a letter, published as a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal. He said his bipolar disorder led him to fall into “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life.”

Wireless sponsors Pepsi, Rockstar Energy and Diageo pulled out of the festival since Ye was announced as the headliner.

In a statement issued Tuesday before his travel authorization was revoked, Ye said he “would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the U.K. in person, to listen.

“I know words aren’t enough — I’ll have to show change through my actions,” he said. “If you’re open, I’m here.”

Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, had said the group would be willing to meet with the musician if he pulled out of the festival.

“The Jewish community will want to see a genuine remorse and change before believing that the appropriate place to test this sincerity is on the main stage at the Wireless Festival,” Rosenberg said.

Organizer Festival Republic had stood by Ye. In a statement issued Monday, managing director Melvin Benn urged people to offer the performer “forgiveness and hope.”

“We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions,” the statement said.

Announcing the cancellation, Festival Republic said that “multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking Ye and no concerns were highlighted at the time.

“Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognize the real and personal impact these issues have had,” it said in a statement. “As Ye said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the U.K.”

The Community Security Trust, which works to protect British Jews, said the government had made the right decision.

“Anti-Jewish hatred should have no place in society and cultural leaders have a role to play in ensuring that is the case,” it said in a statement.

“People who show genuine and meaningful remorse for previous antisemitic behavior will always receive a sympathetic hearing from the Jewish community, but that process must come before this kind of public rehabilitation.”

A representative for Ye didn’t reply to a request for comment.

Anne Demegillo, 20, appeared in court on Tuesday, where a judge scheduled her arraignment on the charge for April 21.

The incident was revealed in early March when law enforcement arrived at her Palm Coast home for a welfare check, which came at the behest of a friend who’d learned that she’d been secretly pregnant and had unexpectedly given birth.

According to investigators, the woman — identified as Demegillo — explained she’d delivered the baby in a toilet, that the infant cried at first before no longer breathing, and that she hid the child in a duffel bag before burying the infant the night before.

[BELOW: Central Florida mom accused of murdering baby right after birth, sheriff says]

“It’s tragic for the child, for everyone. And it baffles me. I could never imagine being able to do that," said Chief Deputy Joe Barile.

The sheriff’s office said Demegillo was initially reluctant to speak with deputies but later led them to the grave and gave a statement about the birth and her actions afterward.

Deputies said the grave was very shallow, as investigators had to remove about 4-5 inches of dirt to uncover the infant, who had been wrapped in a towel.

“Our detectives and our deputies, when they first got there on a well-being check, when they found out what she had done, they immediately went to that garden and used their hands and dug the baby up, hoping that there was still an opportunity to save the child,” Sheriff Rick Staly said.

Investigators said they believe no one else in the household knew the woman was pregnant. Officials said Demegillo attended a local college and that only her mother was at the home; they said the baby’s father’s whereabouts are unknown.

While Demegillo was initially charged with aggravated manslaughter, the FCSO announced on Monday that she now faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and failure to report a person’s death to conceal the death.

“It became very apparent that she did know she was pregnant, that she did not want to be pregnant and was trying to figure out how to dispose of the fetus before birth,” Staly told News 6. “Or then, what to do afterward.”

According to the FCSO, detectives uncovered searches on Demegillo’s phone for “newborn premature babies,” “Palm Coast OBGYN,” and “foods to decrease fertility.” Images of Casey Anthony and new babies were reportedly also found, which suggested searches on the death of a child and subsequent investigation.

[BELOW: Florida woman accused of letting newborn drown in toilet, burying baby in backyard bonds out of jail]

“This is one of those tragic cases that shock you to your core that a mother would allow a newborn to die because the newborn was a distraction to her life,” Staly added. “It’s hard to comprehend how a mother would choose to watch their infant drown instead of lifting the baby out of the toilet.”

Deputies also reported that Demegillo turned herself in and will be held on no bond pending a court hearing.

“I battled the last 10 holes," Woodland revealed Tuesday, “thinking people were trying to kill me.”

That's not intended to be a joke. The exact opposite, in fact: a powerful admission of Woodland's mental health struggles, and one he hopes will help others dealing with trauma, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder in their own lives.

The inner turmoil that Woodland feels even at Augusta National, one of the most bucolic places in the world, has its roots in a scan that uncovered a lesion on his brain that had been causing him unfounded fears of dying. In September 2023, he wrote letters to his wife and kids in the event something went wrong, then had surgery to remove as much of it as possible.

The procedure involved cutting a baseball-sized hole from the side of his head, but it proved to be successful. Woodland was back on the course in January 2024, slowly working his way back into form, making enough cuts to keep him motivated.

The following year, he finished second at the Houston Open — the same tournament he would win last month, when Woodland got through his Friday bout of hypervigilance and closed with a 3-under 67 on Sunday for a five-shot win over Nicolai Hojgaard.

Few knew that Woodland was still struggling, though. He had become crippled by PTSD to the point that he would rush to bathrooms to break down in tears, and it always felt as if people were out to get him; one symptom of PTSD is a heightened state of sensory sensitivity, which causes the nervous system to continually stay in an on-guard state.

“I talked to (PGA) Tour security that night,” Woodland said of that Friday at the Houston Open, "and I told them what I was going through, and every time I looked up on the weekend, my security team was behind me. Any time I got startled on the weekend, I turn around — last year I didn't talk to Tour security. I fought this on my own. It was awful.

“Turning around and knowing I'm safe, having somebody there with me? It's the only reason I won two weeks ago.”

Well, not quite the only reason.

Woodland's ball speed was 196 mph on one tee shot, a good indication that the strength that helped carry him to the 2019 U.S. Open championship had returned. His approach play was sublime and his short game even better on the way to finishing at 21 under, giving Woodland his first win since his only major championship and the fifth victory of his career.

“We live in a world, as men and especially as an athlete, that you put your head down and you fight through it. I’ve done it my whole life,” Woodland said. “This is honestly one battle that I’m not able to do on my own. I tried, and it wasn’t working.”

So, Woodland got some help. And it has helped him immeasurably.

Never one to think about himself, Woodland quickly realized that his struggles might help somebody else, too. That is why he went public with his PTSD diagnosis in an interview with the Golf Channel, and why he was so forthcoming Tuesday at the Masters.

“The world we live in, speaking about something you would call a weakness is hard,” he said, "but speaking about it and how I feel afterwards made me a lot stronger. I didn’t know that releasing this battle was going to make me stronger, and it’s done that. I feel a lot stronger now than I did three weeks ago, I can tell you that. No matter how hard it is out here, I know I have someone I can talk to that I can have security. My team have been amazing in helping me, but I’ve turned a weakness into a strength.

“I wouldn’t even say it as a weakness, but I think that’s the stigma out there. But I feel a lot stronger after I came out for sure.”

This week will be another test for Woodland, perhaps an even tougher one. More people are sure to trail him around Augusta National after his win in Houston, and the proximity of the patrons to the players — especially on the tees — can be a matter of a few feet.

The PGA Tour has worked with the Masters to provide the security Woodland needs to feel safe.

“There’s probably not a safer golf tournament in the world, so I’m happy for that, but it’s still a battle in my head if I’m safe or not,” he said. “I don’t have control when this thing hits me, and it’s tough. It can be a fan. It can be a walking score (board holder). It can be a camera guy running by me. Just any startlement from behind me can trigger this pretty quickly. Knowing where that security is is a constant reminder that I’m safe.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The developer was asking commissioners to approve plans to build 79 homes on a 40-acre parcel along Log House Road. The problem? Current zoning only allows 49 homes.

In a packed Lake County Commission meeting Tuesday morning, residents voiced their concerns. In a 3-to-2 vote, Commissioners Anthony Sabatini, Sean Parks and Leslie Campione agreed with residents, denying KB Home’s request.

As News 6 first reported last week, it’s a battle neighbors have described as David vs. Goliath.

“The whole community is at real risk because everything gets flooded, everything will continue to flow downhill,” said neighbor Bill Decker.

Nearby residents tell News 6, the parcel is also on a 40 foot slope and they believe clearing the wooded land would lead to more flooding.

“During Hurricane Milton, we had that issue already. We had water come in towards our property already,” said neighbor Gail Cisneros.

Nearby residents are also worried the increased density would lead to traffic jams and problems for emergency vehicles.

Despite the vote, the battle is not necessarily over just yet. KB Home and the property owner can now sue the county, leaving taxpayers on the hook for legal fees and a judge could potentially green-light a future development.

No such data center is planned right now, but if one’s built at some point, county commissioners Tuesday night will weigh whether to deny property tax breaks.

There are other parts of the country trying to ban data centers. Brevard’s not saying that, but some still worry about the massive amounts of energy the centers use between electricity and water, and how that affects their utility bills.

“A lot of people, candidly, don’t want it in their backyard, and we’re all worried about the potential energy costs,” Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-Brevard County) told your Viera Community Correspondent James Sparvero.

James asked others at the government center ahead of the commission meeting for their opinions.

One woman told him her husband works in AI, and she’d worry that by not offering tax breaks, an opportunity for the county to be a leader in the sector, like in spaceflight, could be blown.

“We have all these launches going off in our backyard. Brevard County, in general, it seems like this is the place to make progress,” Elizabeth Buescher said.

A man, who didn’t wish to share his name, agreed that data centers are necessary.

“You need to have the debate of what’s benefits and what’s the rewards,” he said. “Of course, we want them in places where there’s not a negative impact on environment matters.”

One of the world’s largest AI data centers is planned an hour south of Brevard in St. Lucie County.

Stick with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com for updates on what the commission decides.

In a release around 2:49 p.m., police said they are investigating the anonymous threat, which school officials had received.

Meanwhile, Principal Nate Fancher explained that the threat was called into the school office after dismissal on Tuesday.

“As a precaution, we placed the students and staff who were still on campus for after-school activities under a secure hold,” he wrote. “All students and staff are safe.”

Shortly before 3:40 p.m., police declared that officers had swept the campus and found no threats, so the precautionary lockdown was lifted and students were released.

No additional information has been provided at this time.

Emerging from the Lightning locker room before playing at Buffalo on Monday night, Cooper shook his head in mock dismay upon seeing the larger than usual crowd of reporters awaiting his arrival.

“Ugh. Why are there so many people here?” Cooper asked with a wink. “It’s Game 77 folks, not Game 83.”

Point taken from a two-time Stanley Cup-winner overseeing a team that’s already clinched its 12th playoff berth over his 13-year tenure in Tampa Bay.

As much as Cooper can appreciate the importance of a late-season outing between two budding Atlantic Division rivals jockeying for playoff positioning, it doesn’t match the ramped-up intensity that follows an 82-game regular season.

“It’s Game 77. I think both teams accomplished their goals for the year in regard to the regular season,” he said, before the Lightning’s 4-2 loss. “It’s just I don’t put a ton of stock into it. The stock was made of making the final eight (in the Eastern Conference), and we did that.”

Tell that to the upstart Sabres and their revitalized fanbase celebrating a team finally snapping an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.

It’s no different in Montreal, where the young and talented Canadiens are continuing the franchise’s upward trajectory in securing back-to-back playoff berths for just the second time in 11 years.

Upstarts shake up Atlantic hierarchy

Entering Tuesday, the Lightning and Sabres were tied for the division lead with 102 points. Montreal sat only two points back in a season the Atlantic’s hierarchy — save for the Lightning — has been turned upside down.

While the Bruins are in contention and Ottawa and Detroit battling for wild-card seeds, the two-time defending Cup champion Florida Panthers have already been eliminated. So has Toronto, with the Maple Leafs in upheaval after missing the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

Keith Pelley, CEO of the Maple Leafs’ parent corporation, said as much of the shifting landscape in discussing his reasons for firing GM Brad Treliving last week.

“We definitely didn’t see the train coming which was the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens,” Pelley said. “Buffalo and Montreal have shown that they’re young, energetic teams who are gonna be here for a long time.”

That’s the hope in Buffalo, where the Sabres are on a 36-9-4 run that’s vaulted them from last place in East in early December.

“You’ve got to take a lot of pride in the fact you made the playoffs in a year where this division and this conference was so incredibly tough,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.

And unlike Cooper, Ruff is relishing this moment in the second year of his second stint in Buffalo.

Buzz returns to Buffalo

He’s captivated by the electricity the team has generated after its 17th consecutive sellout on Monday, and 22nd of the season. The fans were fully on board in booing the Lightning from the pregame warmup to chanting “We want Hagel!” in the third period.

Hagel has emerged as Public Enemy No. 1 in Buffalo after the Lightning forward jumped captain Rasmus Dahlin from behind in the Sabres electrifying 8-7 win a month ago.

“Everybody’s into it,” Ruff said. “I think our fans have been waiting for this for a while, so it’s good to see.”

Lightning forward Brayden Point was measured in assessing the loss to Buffalo.

“This game definitely had more meaning than some of them. And it’s disappointing not to get the result we wanted,” Point said. “It wasn’t playoff Game 1, so there’s still time to learn from it, but hopefully we learn pretty quick.”

In Montreal, the Canadiens had won eight straight before losing to New Jersey on Sunday, and host the Lightning on Thursday.

Lightning remain competitive

Cooper has enjoyed seeing the competitive shift that's taken place in the division, while reassured the Lightning have stayed in the mix.

“Buffalo has a heck of a team. And I’d like to think we’re not too shabby ourselves,” Cooper said. “There’s been waves of different teams that have made the playoffs in our division, and we’ve found a way to be able to do it.”

Come playoff time, Cooper is holding the Lightning to a higher standard no matter where they finish, noting Tampa Bay hasn’t won a playoff series since failing to three-peat as Cup champions in 2022.

“There’s potentially new teams sitting around the table but it shouldn’t change anything in our mindset,” Cooper said. “We need to look after our business here to keep moving forward because haven’t been really satisfied with the fact that we’ve been bounced the last three years.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Here's a short breakdown of some of the issues at play.

Could this raise war crimes questions?

In his news conference on Monday, Trump threatened to blow up every bridge and power plant in Iran, an action that would be so far-reaching that some experts in military law said it could constitute a war crime. The issue could turn on whether the power plants were legitimate military targets, whether the attacks were proportional compared with what Iran has done and whether civilian casualties were minimized.

Trump’s threat did not seem to account for the harm to civilians, prompting Democrats in Congress, some U.N. officials and scholars in military law to say such strikes would violate international law.

The president’s eventual actions often fall short of his all-encompassing rhetoric in the moment, but his warnings about the power plants and bridges were unambiguous both on Sunday and Monday as he set a deadline of Tuesday night for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said Monday that he’s “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes as he continues to threaten destruction. He also warned that every power plant will be “burning, exploding and never to be used again.”

He followed up Tuesday morning with this threat on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

And last month, shortly after the war started, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said there would be “no stupid rules of engagement, no nation building quagmire, no democracy building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win and we don’t waste time or lives.”

What the U.N. and experts say about Trump's words

A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday warned that attacking such infrastructure is banned under international law.

“Even if specific civilian infrastructure were to qualify as a military objective,” Stephane Dujarric said, an attack would still be prohibited if it risks “excessive incidental civilian harm.”

Rachel VanLandingham, a Southwestern Law School professor who served as a judge advocate general in the U.S. Air Force, said civilians are likely to die if power is cut to hospitals and water treatment plans. “What Trump is saying is, ‘We don’t care about precision, we don’t care about impact on civilians, we’re just going to take out all of Iranian power generating capacity,’” the retired lieutenant colonel said.

Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint in the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows, has been all but halted, sending oil prices soaring and roiling the stock market.

Under the U.N. Charter, nations are only permitted to use force against another nation if it has been authorized by the Security Council or in self-defense, said Marieke de Hoon, an associate professor of international criminal law at the University of Amsterdam.

What Trump is threatening to attack

As the conflict has entered its second month, Trump has escalated his warnings to bomb Iran’s infrastructure, including Kharg Island, central to Iran’s oil industry, and desalination plants that provide drinking water.

In a Truth Social post on March 30, Trump warned that the U.S. would obliterate “all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched.’”

On Easter Sunday, Trump threatened in an expletive-laden post that Iran will face “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one,” while adding that “you’ll be living in Hell” unless the strait reopens.

“This strikes me as clearly a threat of unlawful action,” said Michael Schmitt, a professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval War College and an international law professor at the University of Reading in Britain.

A power facility can be attacked under the laws of armed conflict if it provides electricity to a military base in addition to civilians, Schmitt said. But the strike must not “cause disproportionate harm to the civilian population, and you’ve done everything to minimize that harm.”

Harm does not include inconvenience or fear, said Schmitt, who has taught military commanders. But it does mean severe mental suffering, physical injury or illness.

___

Associated Press journalists Ben Finley, Lindsay Whitehurst, Gary Fields and Mike Corder contributed to this report.

But the weight of that phrase truly sunk in at the O’Smach Resort complex that we visited Tuesday. Thailand's military, which conducted a tour for the media, said that the whole area encompasses around 197 acres (80 hectares), equivalent to 150 American football fields.

It wasn't my first time at a scam center, but its scale dwarfed anything I had seen before.

From my base in Southeast Asia, I have followed this issue for the past few years, watching its scale only grow larger and larger.

Scam compounds have mushroomed across Southeast Asia since the pandemic. Inside these industrial-scale complexes, workers attempt to lure unsuspecting targets from countries all across the world in sophisticated online-based scams. The latest estimates from the U.N. office on Human Rights are that around 300,000 workers are caught up in the industry regionally.

Thailand’s military invited journalists back to the huge scam complex that it had seized in December during its border conflict with Cambodia. The military said that it had taken the area in response to the Cambodian side using it as a base of operations for launching attacks.

The complex was called the O’Smach Resort, owned by Cambodian politician Ly Yong Phat, who faces U.S. sanctions for rights abuses in the very same complex. It's unclear, however, whether the new construction also belongs to Ly. Throughout the massive grounds of the self-contained town, there were signs of construction. Piles of bricks and construction cranes sat waiting for workers to finish the job.

The military also took us to the premises where workers likely scammed Americans. FBI data released Tuesday shows that Americans lost near $21 billion to scams in 2025 alone.

On the desks inside the four-story office building were still snacks from the previous users, as well as scripts and notes in Chinese on each aspect of the scam. American SIM cards were scattered on the surface as well.

There was an elaborate backstory to target the Americans. One of the scripts on the desk was 24 pages of an in-depth character sketch of a woman named Mila who had earned a lot of money on the gold options trading market.

But the script went further. Mila had lost her husband to leukemia when their daughter was just a baby. It constructed memories of her childhood, such as her getting bullied by other girls, and then her parents sending her to South Africa to live with her uncle in order to be in a healthier environment.

There’s 157 buildings, 29 of which were buildings that housed the scam companies and their offices. The rest included massive dorm complexes, and more luxurious accommodations that included apartments and three-story villas. The military officials said that they estimated at least 10,000 people were living there.

There was also a variety of Chinese restaurants, catering to people who wanted spicy Hunan cuisine, or southern Shaxian cuisine, or hot and sour rice noodles, a Sichuanese classic.

While Thailand and Cambodia have vowed to tackle the problem, the scale of the problem is far more global.

“Every country of the world has to join together to solve this problem, (we) cannot do it alone with Cambodia and Thailand,” said Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, who was one of the officials leading the tour.

In a release on Monday afternoon, deputies said that the woman — identified as Alexandra Gonzalez, 46 — is a property management bookkeeper who was accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from local HOAs.

“Investigators say that over an extended period of time, Gonzalez wrote checks to herself from HOA accounts that she managed and concealed the thefts by creating fictitious invoices and false ledger entries,” the release reads. “She also allegedly forged the signatures of authorized account holders.”

According to investigators, the stolen funds were used for personal expenses like shopping, plastic surgery and vacations.

[BELOW: Brevard County couple gets scammed in ‘Puppies for Sale’ rip-off’]

The sheriff’s office said that Gonzalez worked for Avant-Garde Property Management, and the identified victims at this time include Whitemarsh Reserve Homeowners Association and The Dunes of Hutchinson Island.

Now, Gonzalez has warrants out for her arrest on the following charges:

• Two counts of fraud over $50,000
• Two counts of grand theft
• 61 counts of uttering false instruments
• 59 counts of embezzlement

Her total bond has been set at $1.35 million.

Meanwhile, deputies said Gonzalez may currently be in the Miramar or Vero Beach areas.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.

[BELOW: Florida woman claims conspiracy with country singers after selling other people’s homes]

The vote — 11-2, with two abstentions from Pakistan and Colombia — took place just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an unprecedented threat that a “whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran does not open the strategic waterway and make a deal before his 8 p.m. Eastern deadline. One-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through the strait, and Iran’s stranglehold during the war has sent energy prices soaring.

Russia and China strongly defended their opposition, both citing Trump’s most perilous threat yet to end Iran’s civilization as confirmation that the proposal would have given the U.S. and Israel “carte blanche for continued aggression," as Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia put it.

Nebenzia and China’s U.N. ambassador, Fu Cong, said the resolution failed to capture the root causes and full picture of the conflict by not showing that America and its closest ally started the now spiraling war.

Fu said in his statement that resolution was “highly susceptible to misinterpretation or even abuse,” and if it were adopted ”would send a wrong message and have serious, very serious consequences."

Russia and China immediately followed up by circulating a rival resolution, seen by The Associated Press, which urged all parties to halt military activities and condemned attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Nebenzia told reporters it was already in a form that could be put to a vote.

,The foreign minister of Bahrain, which authored the draft, assailed the U.N.'s most powerful body for not taking action and allowing the international community to be “held hostage to economic blackmail" from Iran.

Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said failing to adopt the resolution sends “the signal that the threat to international waterways can pass without any decisive action by the international organization responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.”

Al-Zayani told reporters that Gulf countries will intensify diplomatic efforts to deter Iran's attacks and safeguard freedom of navigation.

But Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. thanked its allies on the 15-member council for refusing to adopt the resolution.

“The text unjustifiably and misleadingly portrays Iran’s lawful measures in the Strait of Hormuz, which have been taken in the exercise of its inherent right of self-defense in accordance with the UN Charter, as threats to international peace and security,” Amir-Saeid Iravani said in his statement.

How the resolution evolved

It’s doubtful the resolution, even if it had been adopted, would have impacted the war, now in its sixth week, because it was been significantly weakened to try to get Moscow and Beijing to abstain rather than veto it.

The initial Gulf proposal would have authorized countries to use “all necessary means” — U.N. wording that would include military action — to ensure transit through the Strait of Hormuz and deter attempts to close it.

The United States, which had supported the draft from its original form, assailed the countries that objected to the resolution.

“No one should tolerate that they are holding the global economy at gunpoint," Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said of Iran, “but today, Russia and China did tolerate it.” He said in his statement: “They sided with a regime that seeks to intimidate the Gulf into submission, even as it brutalizes its own people during a national internet blackout, for daring to imagine dignity or freedom.”

After Russia, China and France, all veto-wielding members of the Security Council, expressed opposition to approving the use of force, the resolution was revised to eliminate all references to offensive action. It would have authorized only “all defensive means necessary.” A vote had been expected on Saturday.

But instead the resolution was further weakened to eliminate any reference to Security Council authorization — which is an order for action — and limit its provisions to the Strait of Hormuz. Previous drafts had included adjacent waters.

The resolution vetoed Tuesday would have “strongly” encouraged countries to coordinate their efforts to ensure the safety of navigation across the Strait of Hormuz, including escorting merchant and commercial vessels.

The resolution also demanded that Iran stop impeding freedom of navigation through the strait and attacking civilian infrastructure.

Why it was Bahrain pushing the UN resolution

In response to the U.S. and Israeli attacks beginning on Feb. 28, Iran has targeted hotels, airports, residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure in more than 10 countries, including the Islamic Republic's Gulf neighbors, some of the world’s major exporters of oil and natural gas.

Iran's blockade in the strait is seen by Gulf nations as an existential threat. Bahrain, a Gulf nation that hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet and is the Security Council’s Arab representative and its president this month, has been pressing for U.N. action.

In response to Iran’s strikes against its Gulf neighbors, the Security Council adopted a Bahrain-sponsored resolution on March 11 condemning the “egregious attacks” and calling for Tehran to immediately halt its strikes.

That resolution, adopted by a vote of 13-0 with Russia and China abstaining, also condemned Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz as a threat to international peace and security and called for an immediate end to all actions blocking shipping.

—-

This version corrects the second reference to China's U.N. ambassador to Fu.

Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd reunited to mark the show's 50th anniversary at PaleyFest LA on Monday night. They were greeted with a standing ovation and whoops and cheers from an audience at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

The hour-long crime adventure series debuted on Sept. 22, 1976, in a pre-internet and streaming world when there were just three major television networks. It was a top-10 hit for ABC in its first two of five seasons, ending in 1981.

“I knew the show was different, special and unique,” Smith told the audience. “Three women chasing danger instead of getting rescued.”

Jackson added, “We made an impact, I think.”

Farrah Fawcett-Majors became a 1970s icon with her feathered hair and sexy swimsuit poster. She left after the first season to pursue a film career. She died in 2009.

She was replaced by Ladd, who showed up on her first day wearing a Farrah Fawcett Minor T-shirt. She had turned down producer Aaron Spelling three times, knowing how beloved Fawcett had been.

“I knew that there was nobody that was going to replace Farrah, so I made a joke of myself,” Ladd said on the red carpet. “Everybody laughed. Farrah would have done something like that.”

Jackson added, "Cheryl stepped in and we didn’t miss a beat.”

Critics weren’t kind, however, calling the show “jiggle television” because the women dressed scantily to go undercover and slamming it for vapid acting.

“It didn’t bother me,” Jackson said on the red carpet. “I knew what we were doing and Gloria Steinem knew what we were doing, and some other very impressive people knew what we were doing. We were helping to punch a hole in that glass ceiling and that makes a big difference."

Five decades later, the show remains popular in reruns and DVDs, having spawned a film series starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu.

"We were giving people an hour to sit back, put their feet up, forget everything and watch television,” Jackson said, “and then again just kind of subtly getting the message in there that women are just as capable, intelligent, can do anything that a man can do.”

The mostly older audience cheered and laughed as scenes from various episodes were played. Included in the highlights were Shelley Hack, who lasted one season after replacing Jackson, and the late Tanya Roberts, who appeared in the final season. Smith and the late David Doyle, who played Charlie's go-between, were on the show's entire run.

Smith, who is 80, and Ladd, who is 74, went on to prolific careers in made-for-TV movies and guesting on other shows. Jackson, who quit after three seasons, later starred in the CBS hit “Scarecrow and Mrs. King.”

Jackson left the business nearly 20 years ago to raise her son. Now 77, she said, “I’m ready to go back.”

The trio's sisterhood includes all of them overcoming breast cancer, with Ladd revealing for the first time publicly Monday that she had an aggressive form of the disease. She didn't say when it occurred.

“When Cheryl called me,” Smith said, “the first thing I did was send her my wigs.”

Smith was at Jackson's bedside during her cancer battle. Each of them urged the audience to have regular health screenings.

In one of many lighter moments, the women were asked to name their favorite outfits.

“I wore a lot of turtlenecks,” Jackson said, drawing laughs.

Smith singled out her tiny white bikini seen in the opening credits.

Ladd recalled, “Bikinis, a lot of bikinis.”

Smith joked, “Our ratings went up.”

Jackson, Smith and Ladd will reunite again on May 14 when they are among the recipients at the Paley Honors gala in New York. Smith's memoir titled “I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie” comes out in September.

“I was really proud to be part of that show,” said Ladd, who always welcomed fans expressing their fondness for the Angels. "I felt so loved. You couldn't be in a bad mood. It was always uplifting to hear it.”

If it becomes law, the bill would force social media platforms to install age‑verification systems, provide parental control tools and require companies to rapidly respond to content deemed harmful. It’s unclear how long the parliament debate will last.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ’s government says the proposal aims to mitigate the online risks to children’s safety and privacy.

“Protecting our children from all kinds of risks, threats and harmful content is our top priority,” Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas, Turkey's minister for family and social services, said earlier this year.

The main opposition party — Republican People's Party or CHP — has criticized the proposal, saying children should be protected “not with bans but with rights-based policies.”

Under the draft proposal, digital platforms — such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and others — would have to block children under 15 from opening accounts and introduce parental controls that would manage children's access.

Online game companies will also be required to appoint a representative in Turkey to ensure they abide by the new regulations. Potential penalties include internet bandwidth reductions and fines imposed by Turkey’s communications watchdog.

The Turkish government has a recent record of restricting online platforms as they have grown as a means of expressing dissent. Online communications were widely restricted during last year’s protests in support of Istanbul’s jailed opposition mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu.

Restrictions on social media access for children under 16 first began in December in Australia, where social media companies revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children.

Last month, Indonesia began implementing a new government regulation banning children younger than 16 from access to digital platforms that could expose them to pornography, cyberbullying, online scams and addiction.

Some other countries — including Spain, France and the United Kingdom — are also taking or considering measures to restrict children’s access to social media amid growing concern that they are being harmed by exposure to unregulated social media content.

The Wolverines (37-3) claimed all 57 votes in Tuesday's poll in the third year the AP has released its final rankings after the completion of the NCAA Tournament. Michigan beat UConn 69-63 in Indianapolis on Monday night to complete the winningest season in program history, along with winning its first NCAA title since 1989 and the Big Ten's first since 2000.

Michigan spent a week at No. 1 in mid-February and didn't rank lower than fourth after November in its second season under Dusty May.

Yaxel Lendeborg, an AP first-team All-American, had said before the Final Four that this could go down as the best team in program history, including the famed “Fab Five” freshman teams that reached the NCAA title game in 1992 and 1993. Standing amid the confetti on the court after Monday night’s win, Lendeborg figured this year’s group had done enough to earn that distinction.

“I think we are, man,” said Lendeborg, who battled through ankle and knee injuries suffered in the win against Arizona in the national semifinals. “I’m waiting for the Fab Five to give us the approval. But if they do, then I’ll let it be said that we’re the best team ever.”

The top tier

UConn (34-6) jumped five spots to No. 2 after its March Madness run, including an incredible comeback from 19 down to stun Duke in the Elite Eight and keep alive its chances for a third national title in four seasons. Arizona was third, followed by Duke, which held the No. 1 ranking before March Madness and was the tournament's top overall seed before a loss to UConn in the Elite Eight.

Illinois was next, climbing eight spots to No. 5 after the program's first trip to the Final Four since 2005. That marked the second time that a team went from being ranked outside the top 10 to cracking the top five after a Final Four run, the other being Alabama jumping 16 spots to No. 3 to end the 2024 season.

Purdue, Houston, Iowa State, Florida and St. John's rounded out the top 10.

Climbing to final position

Tennessee finished at No. 12 after reaching the Elite Eight for the third straight year. The Volunteers' postseason push vaulted them 11 spots, making them the biggest climber from the March 16 poll before the NCAA Tournament.

In all, nine teams ranked from the previous poll moved up in the season's final rankings.

Last slide

Virginia had the poll's biggest tumble, falling eight spots to No. 17 after falling in the second round to the Volunteers as a 3-seed.

No. 18 Gonzaga and No. 25 Wisconsin both fell six spots after failing to make the second weekend. The Cavaliers, Zags and Badgers were among 11 ranked teams from March 16 to tumble while still remaining inside the final poll.

In and out

Iowa and Texas both jumped into the poll after being unranked heading into March Madness. The Hawkeyes finished the season ranked No. 15 after reaching the Elite Eight in a run that included a second-round upset of top-seeded Florida.

Iowa's jump marked the third time a team that was unranked going into the NCAAs hopped into the top 15 in the post-tournament AP poll. The other two came in 2024, with N.C. State sitting at No. 10 after its improbable Final Four run and Clemson at No. 14 after reaching the Elite Eight.

The 22nd-ranked Longhorns entered the poll after going from the First Four to the Sweet 16.

Iowa and Texas replaced North Carolina (No. 21) and St. Mary's (No. 22) from the previous poll.

Conference watch

The Big Ten dominated this year's tournament, first by getting a league-record six teams into the Sweet 16 then tying the tournament's overall record with four teams in the Elite Eight before ultimately sending Michigan and Illinois to Indianapolis. The league finished with a national-best seven teams in the final AP Top 25 of the season.

The Southeastern Conference was next with six ranked teams, followed by the Big 12 with five, the Atlantic Coast Conference with four and the Big East with two. The West Coast Conference with Gonzaga was the only league from outside the power conferences to have a Top 25 team.

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

“Nobody has any idea why the attorney general is no longer the attorney general, and I’m the acting attorney general, except for President Trump,” Todd Blanche told reporters when asked at an unrelated news conference if Bondi lost her job because she was not successful in bringing criminal cases against the Republican president's perceived adversaries.

Blanche, who had been deputy attorney general for the last year, was elevated to the top job on at least an acting basis after Trump replaced Bondi. He insisted Tuesday that he did not feel "pressure" in the job despite Trump's well-publicized desire for retribution, though he also said that the president was entitled to seek investigations against former government officials he believes have wronged him.

“We have thousands of ongoing investigations and prosecutions going on in this country right now. And it is true that some of them involve men, women and entities that the president in the past has had issues with and believes should be investigated. “That is his right, and indeed it is his duty to do that — meaning to lead this country.”

Blanche demurred when asked if he was interested in being nominated to the role of attorney general.

“If President Trump chooses to keep me as DAG,” Blanche said, using the acronym for deputy attorney general, “that's an honor. If he chooses to nominate me, that's an honor. If he chooses to nominate somebody else and I go back to being the DAG, that’s an honor. If he chooses to nominate somebody else and asks me to do something else, I will say, ‘Thank you very much. I love you, sir.’”

Blanche used his first news conference in his new role as acting attorney general to herald a redoubled effort in fighting fraud, offering details about a new fraud enforcement division that he said would draw in prosecutors from offices across the country. The Senate last month confirmed a veteran prosecutor and Blanche aide, Colin McDonald, to lead the division.

Liverpool heads into the first leg of its Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday in disarray.

“We need 90 minutes full energy and full commitment otherwise we will have no chance,” Liverpool attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz said Tuesday at a news conference.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot knows what to expect from the outset at Parc des Princes.

“PSG under (coach) Luis Enrique do not give you a second to have the ball comfortable on your feet,” Slot said, calling PSG one of the top two sides in the world from open play. “It’s press, press, press every second of the game.”

But Slot hopes six-time champion Liverpool can draw on its vast European experience to keep the tie alive heading to Anfield for next Tuesday's second leg.

“We've shown a few times we can do special things in difficult circumstances,” he said. “The answer is already in the history of Liverpool, but it’s easier said than done.”

Roles reversed

It was a far different dynamic when the sides met in the last 16 last year.

Back then, Liverpool was romping to the Premier League title, new manager Slot was the toast of the city and Mohamed Salah was at his brilliant best. By contrast, PSG struggled to get out of the Champions League group stage and observers were questioning Luis Enrique's methods.

PSG scraped through on penalties against Liverpool after an intense battle over two legs.

Knocking Liverpool out at Anfield gave PSG the belief it could finally win the Champions League. By contrast, Liverpool's agonizing defeat marked the start of Salah's decline and Liverpool's gradual slump as it lost the League Cup final soon after.

Slump in form

Liverpool began the current campaign poorly as Salah's goals dried up and he clashed with Slot.

PSG is closing in on another French title but Liverpool is fifth in the Premier League, 21 points behind leader Arsenal. Following a crushing 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, captain Virgil van Dijk said his team “gave up” and he apologized to fans.

Slot called it a humbling loss and, while he did not agree with Van Dijk's conclusion, felt his captain was justified in speaking out.

"I think it is good for a captain to have a strong and firm reaction," Slot said. "Hopefully as a team we can show a strong and firm reaction tomorrow.”

The Dutchman is reportedly clinging onto his job. Salah will be gone next season and, if PSG knocks out Liverpool, a trophy-less season may threaten Slot's position.

Wirtz said the players back Slot.

“Yes, of course. The team should believe in the manager because they won the league last season," said Wirtz, who joined in the offseason from Bayer Leverkusen.

Ekitiké threat

Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitiké returns to face his old side as a player transformed.

He joined PSG four years ago as a promising 19-year-old but struggled to make an impact in a team containing Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi. He scored only four goals in 33 games in two disappointing seasons.

“You could already see the qualities he had," PSG midfielder Vitinha said. "It just wasn't the right context for him at the time.”

A move to Eintracht Frankfurt changed Ekitiké's fortunes and, after scoring 22 goals last season, he joined Premier League champion Liverpool for 69 million pounds (then $93.5 million).

He has netted 17 times and has broken into the France team.

"After leaving PSG he did well in Germany and England," Luis Enrique said when asked about Ekitiké. "He was very young when he was here and he has improved a lot.” ___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Deputies responded just before 5 p.m. Sunday to 2730 Semicolon Avenue after reports of a child drowning.

The boy, visiting the area with his family from Georgia, became separated from them before bystanders pulled him from the water and performed CPR until emergency medical services arrived. He was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the sheriff’s office.

“What happened is that mom had three kids. Her younger child got her attention away from the four-year-old. The four-year-old slipped into the water in a matter of seconds and unfortunately did not survive this incident,” Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Director of Public Information & Community Relations Kim Montes said.

“Our hearts go out to the families. This is a heartbreaking time for them. The bystanders that tried to save this child with CPR. It’s another reminder for anybody to know about CPR, especially pediatric CPR, and what to do in the case of an emergency involving water.”

The resort where the boy drowned was The Cove East at Storey Lake Resort.

There is no lifeguard on duty its community pool, but management companies of the vacation homes do encourage water safety for guests.

Many will document, using time-stamped photos, that the pool fence at their vacation homes is installed and that they show that the fence is in good condition and that no furniture is next to the fence where a child could climb.

They also send guests water safety information and highly encourage guests to have a designated water watcher whenever children are in the pool to ensure safety.

Having a water watcher is a tactic Montes says the sheriff’s office also encourages everyone to use when around water.

“One person is in charge of watching the kids. They don’t go on the cell phone. They don’t drink. They don’t get distracted,” Montes said. “Even though a lot of these places have safety features put in place, there’s nothing more safe than having your eyes on children that are in the water at all times.”

The incident remains under investigation.

For more information on water safety, click here.

Derek Vaughn, 51, was arrested at a home off County Road 116 on Monday.

Police say they were responding to a 911 call from the victim, identified as Jerry Lea Vaughn, telling dispatch, “Help me, help me, my son just stabbed me, he is coming to kill me,” according to the arrest report.

Wildwood police officers arrived at the home to find Derek Vaughn waiting at the front of the home with his wife and children. They say when he was handcuffed, he said, “I mean, I know I killed my mom, but that one is uncomfortable.”

According to the arrest report, Vaughn also told police at one point that he stabbed his mother, and when she did not die, God told him to get his father’s gun and shoot her in the head.

Jerry Lea Vaughn was taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is now handling the investigation.

The department is set to launch a new 24-hour-on, 72-hour-off schedule on April 25, according to KFD Fire Chief Jim Walls.

“We’ve been working very hard to hire the 42 firefighters to start a new shift,” Walls said. “It’s the first time in Central Florida that we’ll have a department on a 24/72 schedule.”

The shift was originally slated to begin on April 1, but was delayed. Last month, the city commission updated a memorandum of understanding between the city and the Kissimmee Professional Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 4208, to give firefighters 150 hours of additional “fire holiday leave” to compensate for the delayed rollout.

Walls tells News 6 that recruiting enough paramedics to fill the new positions slowed the timeline.

“That’s been a challenge, as it is across the state,” Walls said. “So we wanted to make sure we had enough medics to run on our trucks because we’re promoting 18 firefighters and they’re all paramedics right now.”

,

Last summer, Kissimmee city leaders approved the new 42-hour workweek, a change the chief believes is crucial for both retention and morale.

“Retention has been great ever since we made the announcement that we’re going to the schedule. We have not lost a firefighter to any local department in the last year and a half, almost two years now. Previously, we would lose three or four or five every year. So the retention part worked out the way we thought it would,” he said.

“We’ve had a lot of applicants from outside departments, which we’re really not used to either. But it’s been great. It’s been everything we thought it would be, and we’re just excited for our firefighters to have that home life balance. They’re going to have an extra day of rest, three days off, after a busy shift.”

To fund the new hires, the city commission approved a fire assessment fee last year, requiring property owners to have their homes assessed annually. The fee can increase by up to 2 percent each year.

Before the new shift has even launched, the commission is set to discuss its first rate increase for the upcoming fiscal year 2026-2027.

The public will have a chance to weigh in on raising the fee from $105 per home to $107.10 Tuesday night, as well as a 1-cent increase — from 56 cents to 57 cents — for every $1,000 of improvements made on their homes.

The city reports this rate increase will lead to $6.3 million, up from the $6.1 million that they expected to get from the first fee rate that went into effect Oct. 1, 2025.

In the meantime, the department is ready to go, with nearly all of the new hires set to be sworn in next week.

“I’ve been here going on 39 years now,” Walls said. “We’ve never come close to ever sworn in 33 people at one time. So it’s a historic night for us and we’re really excited about it.”

The public hearing on the fire assessment fee is scheduled for 6 p.m. during the regular city commission meeting.

More information about the fire assessment fee is available on the city’s website.

Staley released a statement on South Carolina's X account on Tuesday in which she expressed her respect for Auriemma and said the two have spoken since South Carolina’s 62-48 victory on Friday night. The season ended with UCLA's runaway 79-51 win over South Carolina in Sunday's national championship game.

“With the college women’s basketball season behind us, it’s time to move forward and close the chapter on how our semifinal game with UConn ended,” Staley wrote in her statement. "I spoke with Geno and I want to be clear — I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s meant to the game. One moment doesn’t define a career and it doesn’t change the impact he’s had on growing women’s basketball.

“The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that’s something this game has benefited from. So I’m asking everyone to turn the page. Let’s refocus on what matters most, continuing to elevate our game, creating opportunities and pushing it forward. That’s always been my mission, and it’s not changing.”

Staley's statement followed Auriemma's apology on Saturday after he went over to Staley in the final seconds of Friday night's game and appeared to chastise her. Coaches from both teams had to separate them. When the game finally ended, Auriemma walked off the court to the locker room without going back to shake hands with anyone from South Carolina.

“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina," Auriemma said in his statement on Saturday.

"It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

The Everglades facility remains open, still holding detainees, because the appellate court in early September relied on arguments by Florida and the Trump administration that the state had not yet applied for federal reimbursement, and therefore wasn’t required to follow federal environmental law. State officials opened the detention center last summer to support President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Questions by the three appellate judges during oral arguments in a Miami courtroom focused on how much control the federal government had over the state-built facility and under what circumstances an environmental review was required to be in compliance with federal law. The judges did not indicate when they would rule.

Jesse Panuccio, an attorney for the Florida Department of Emergency Management, told the judges federal funding and federal control of the facility were the two criteria for determining if the federal environmental law would apply and the federal agencies had no control over the state-run detention center.

Florida was notified in late September that FEMA had approved $608 million in federal funding to support the center’s construction and operation.

“You need both,” Panuccio said. “Even with funding, I don’t think that would follow because they don’t have federal control.”

An attorney for the environmental groups said the law requiring a review applied to the facility because the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had authorized the funding and immigration was a responsibility of the federal government, not the state. There only needed to be “substantial federal control” and not complete control, said Paul Schwiep, an attorney representing the Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity.

Chief Judge William Pryor, who was appointed to the appellate court by President George W. Bush, responded, “It's not federally controlled when the state retains authority to make decisions.”

Judge Nancy Abudu, who was named to the appellate court by President Joe Biden, asked an attorney for the federal government if states can be in charge of immigration matters. Adam Gustafson responded that the federal government can delegate certain responsibilities to states.

"Is it also, once the federal government gives the states its authority, it’s the ‘Wild, Wild West?’ Abudu asked.

The federal district judge in Miami in mid-August ordered the facility to wind down operations over two months because officials had failed to do a review of the detention center’s environmental impact according to federal law. That judge concluded that a reimbursement decision already had been made. The appellate court halted the order on an appeal.

The environmental lawsuit was one of three federal court challenges to the Everglades facility since it opened. In the others, a detainee said Florida agencies and private contractors hired by the state had no authority to operate the center under federal law. The challenge ended after the immigrant detainee who filed the lawsuit agreed to be removed from the United States.

In the third lawsuit, a federal judge in Fort Myers, Florida, ruled the Everglades facility must provide detainees there with better access to their attorneys, as well as confidential, unmonitored and unrecorded outgoing legal calls.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social.

Vance's two-day visit to Budapest was the clearest sign yet that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is going all-in for an Orbán victory when Hungarians go to the polls on Sunday. With only five days until the vote, Orbán, the European Union’s longest-serving leader and a close Trump ally, is trailing in the polls.

Speaking before over 1,000 Orbán supporters at an election rally at a sports arena in Budapest, Vance campaigned openly for the autocratic leader, telling the crowd: “We have got to get Viktor Orbán reelected as prime minister of Hungary, don’t we?”

Orbán is running for his fifth-straight term as prime minister. He and his nationalist-populist Fidesz party are facing their toughest race in two decades against a center-right challenger, the Tisza party led by Péter Magyar, that could bring an end to his 16 years in power.

Orbán has bristled at the slightest mention of the Hungarian election by any of his EU partners, decrying any expressions of support for his opponent as a grave breach of Hungary’s sovereignty and meddling in the election.

Yet Vance's appearance alongside Orbán at the election rally — dubbed a “Day of Friendship” event — was an unusual step from a foreign leader, and a break with most politicians who avoid taking an active role in the political campaigns of other countries.

To loud applause, Vance asked rally attendees: “Will you stand for Western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, for truth, and for the God of our fathers?”

"Then, my friends, go to the polls in the weekend. Stand with Viktor Orbán, because he stands for you, and he stands for all these things,” Vance said.

‘I love that Viktor’

Long accused by critics of taking over Hungary’s institutions, clamping down on press freedom and overseeing entrenched political corruption — charges he denies — Orbán has become an icon in the global far-right movement.

Trump has repeatedly endorsed Orbán’s candidacy for reelection, and many in the Make America Great Again movement approve of the Hungarian leader's opposition to immigration, curtailing of LGBTQ+ rights, and capture of the media and academia.

But with most independent polls showing a double-digit deficit for Fidesz among decided voters ahead of the April 12 vote, Orbán has sought to boost his profile by appearing publicly with his international admirers.

Vance spoke at length on Tuesday about what he views as the civilizational dangers posed by progressivism, “faceless bureaucrats” and censorship. He lauded Orbán for his strong stand against immigration, and his adversarial approach to the EU.

“I admire what you’re fighting for,” Vance said. “I am here because President Trump and I wish for your success, and we are fighting right here with you.”

Vance used his phone to call Trump from the lectern, to loud applause. After first reaching an automated message about the caller’s voicemail box not being set up yet, Trump answered the call and told the crowd through a microphone: “I love Hungary and I love that Viktor, I tell you he’s a fantastic man.”

Trump said Orbán had not allowed migrants “to storm” and “ruin” Hungary.

“He’s kept Hungarian people in your country,” Trump said.

Hungarian ‘reconquista’

The Trump administration’s embrace of Orbán reflects its affinity for European far-right parties broadly, and the admiration, from Spain to France to Germany and the Netherlands, has been mutual.

Orbán has long been a thorn in the side of the EU, and has tested the bloc’s system of governance by frequently using his veto power to paralyze decision making in order to leverage concessions.

Last month, he vetoed a major, 90-billion euro ($104-billion) EU loan to Ukraine, angering the bloc's leaders who accused him of hijacking the critical aid while undermining the EU in an effort to win his election.

At the rally on Tuesday, Orbán declared that “freedom-loving Americans and Hungarians must unite and save Western civilization.”

“To do this, we must fight the progressives that nest in Brussels,” the EU's de-facto capital, he continued. He declared that Hungary had launched a “reconquista” of EU institutions which “will bring new patriotic governments to power.”

Late last month, Orbán hosted dozens of allies from around Europe and beyond at the Hungarian iteration of the Conservative Political Action Conference, and at a meeting of the far-right Patriots for Europe party family, the third-largest group in the European Parliament.

Trump sent a video message to CPAC Hungary, saying Orbán had his “complete and total endorsement” and was a “fantastic guy.”

Still, Trump’s recent approach to foreign affairs has reverberated in Europe, with his actions over Greenland, Venezuela and Iran straining those relationships. Some commentators have suggested support from Vance and Trump may not help boost Orbán's popularity at home.

Orbán, however, has remained deferential, and echoed Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 election.

Russian energy

Orbán's government has broken with most EU countries by refusing to assist Ukraine with financial assistance or weapons to ward off Russia's full-scale invasion. Meanwhile, it has remained firmly committed to purchasing Russian energy despite EU efforts to wean off such supplies.

In November, Hungary received an exemption from U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and gas after a White House meeting between Orbán and Trump.

Yet at a joint news conference with Orbán earlier on Tuesday, Vance seemed to contradict U.S. efforts to push its allies to break with Russian energy, excoriating other EU countries for moving to cease their imports of Russian fossil fuels in response to the war.

“It's funny to watch prime ministers and leaders in some of the Western European capitals talk about the energy crisis when frankly they should have been following the policies of Viktor Orbán,” he said.

Despite his clear endorsement of Orbán, Vance lashed out at the EU for what he said was “one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I’ve ever seen or ever even read about.”

Vance did not address numerous recent reports that Russian secret services are meddling in Hungary's election to tip it in Orbán’s favor.

___

Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania contributed.

The suit, filed last year, marked a new front in the PETA's long-running campaign against dog breeders. The case accused the American Kennel Club of promulgating unhealthy “standards,” or ideals, for Frenchies — the nation's most prevalent dog breed, by the club's count — as well as bulldogs, Chinese shar-peis, dachshunds and pugs. The AKC, the nation's oldest purebred dog registry, rejected the claims and said it prioritizes canine health.

Club President Gina DiNardo hailed the decision Tuesday.

“We remain focused on what matters most, the preservation of purebred dogs, advocating for all dogs and the people who care for them, and supporting the right of individuals and families to choose the dog that is right for their household,” she said in a statement.

PETA, also called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said its lawyers were assessing any legal options.

“Money-grubbing dog merchants flood the market with deformed dogs bred at the AKC’s direction,” founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement. She urged people to adopt dogs from shelters instead of buying purebred pups: “No dog should be custom-made for a look that causes pain.”

The suit invoked a New York law that is generally used to challenge state and local government decisions, though it's occasionally applied to private organizations. But those have been organizations with some authority over the people suing them, such as union members bringing complaints about their leadership or co-op apartment residents suing their building's board, state Judge David B. Cohen said in a decision filed Monday.

Since PETA isn't subject to the kennel club's authority, the case “must be dismissed,” he wrote, without opining on the dog health issues at the heart of the case.

It focused on canine ailments that can be associated with flat faces — such as those of bulldogs, pugs and Frenchies — or with the short legs and long backs that dachshunds have. Shar-peis, meanwhile, may suffer spates of fever and inflammation known as “shar-pei autoinflammatory disease.”

The problems aren't universal but can be serious.

PETA had wanted the judge to order the AKC to stop using the “standards” for those breeds. The standards guide dog show judges and many breeders.

The AKC has said the standards — which fanciers develop and the kennel club reviews and circulates — reflect “decades of collaboration with veterinary experts and breeders.” The kennel club says it has given over $40 million since 1995 to its canine health research charity.

The eldest child of the U.S. president said that “the biggest players, the biggest names in banking and finance, in tech and AI across the board” believe that “Europe is a disaster,” but “the disaster that they feel also needs to be fixed.”

“The only way it gets fixed, though, in my opinion is if they (Europe) get out of of their own way,” Trump Jr. said during a business discussion in the northwestern Bosnian town of Banja Luka, according to video recordings provided by the official television RTRS television.

Banja Luka is the main town in Republika Srpska, the Serb-run part of Bosnia, whose leaders are staunch admirers of U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The press office of the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia’s capital, told The Associated Press in an email that Trump Jr. came “in a private capacity.” The visit was nonetheless seen here as a boost for the Serb separatist political leadership.

Trump Jr.’s trip came as U.S. Vice President JD Vance traveled to Hungary to support the reelection bid of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán before a highly-contested vote next weekend.

Bosnian Serb politician and former Republika Srpska president, Milorad Dodik, an ally of Orbán, said on X that the two visits “signal an important shift of the U.S. administration under the leadership of President Trump and the care for this part of Europe regarding the position of Christians.”

Trump Jr,, in Banja Luka, said that eastern European countries “have a work ethic that has (withstood) some of the ‘woke’ nonsense that has really been a parasitic thing in the mind in Western Europe.”

“I see that creating major fractures in the European Union between those few countries in eastern Europe that actually still believe in common sense, and Western Europe that’s clearly missing in the political discourse these days,” he said.

Dodik has repeatedly called for the Serb-run half of Bosnia to break off from the rest of the country that is run by Bosniaks, who are mainly Muslims, and Croats. The Serb bid to form its own state and unite with neighboring Serbia was seen as the main cause of the 1992-95 ethnic war that killed more than 100,000 before ending in a U.S.-brokered peace agreement.

The Biden administration in 2022 imposed sanctions on Dodik and individuals and companies linked to him because of the separatist policies that stoked fear of renewed instability. The sanctions were lifted by the Trump administration last year.

The Trump administration has long been critical of the EU, notably over trade and EU regulation of the technology sector. Its criticism of long-time European allies has intensified during the Iran war.

Bosnia is a candidate country for EU membership and the 27-nation bloc says it's Bosnia’s biggest trading partner, investor and provider of financial aid.

It was 40 years ago — April 6, 1986, to be exact — the “Sony Ranking” was introduced.

What began as a list in 1968 for IMG founder Mark McCormack's “World of Professional Golf” annual got the attention of the R&A as it was reviewing criteria for the British Open. It was officially introduced at the 1986 Masters.

The headline that week proclaimed, “Europeans Top Golf Rankings.”

Langer was No. 1 in world, followed by Seve Ballesteros and Sandy Lyle. The leading American was Tom Watson at No. 4. Jack Nicklaus, considered to be past his prime at age 46, checked in at No. 33. By the end of the week, Nicklaus famously won his sixth Masters and 18th professional major.

“It was time to have something like that because international golfers were excluded from tournaments like the Masters, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship,” Langer said under the big oak tree next to the Augusta National clubhouse.

"Only two or three of us got in," he said. “In Europe, I had to win the money list to get in the Masters. And we had more than one good golfer.”

It wasn't perfect then, and probably isn't now. It's nigh impossible to measure the runner-up of this week's Token Homemate Cup on the Japan Golf Tour against whoever finishes 15th at Augusta.

But it was a start, and its influence is greater now than anyone might have imagined.

Every major championship uses the Official World Golf Ranking an an integral part of its criteria. The Masters and British Open take the top 50, the U.S. Open takes the top 60. The PGA Championship uses invitations in a bid to have everyone from the top 100.

The Sony Rankings — yes, it had a corporate sponsor — became the Official World Golf Ranking when the major tours and the four majors formed a board in 1997. Now the OWGR has 25 tours around the world, the most recent addition being Saudi-funded LIV Golf.

Whether LIV Golf should get more points awarded to more than the top 10 players is a debate as endless as deciding whether the PGA Tour gets too much weight.

But there is no doubt that OWGR has been critical to opening the borders beyond American golf.

The U.S. Open had only three foreign-born champions from 1926 through 1993 — Gary Player of South Africa, Tony Jacklin of England and David Graham of Australia. Starting with Ernie Els of South Africa in 1994, 13 of the last 32 champions were international players.

Padraig Harrington in 2008 became the first European in 78 years to win the PGA Championship when he won at Oakland Hills in 2008.

It wasn't a matter of getting better. It was a matter of getting an opportunity. That much should have been made clear during the 1980s when Europe began its dominance in the Ryder Cup.

More than his own three-week reign atop the world ranking, Langer said it created more paths. Ballesteros, Langer and Lyle combined for six majors in the seven years before the ranking began in somewhat an official capacity.

“That helped open it up, especially in the majors, to some international golfers who Americans never heard of or didn't know much about,” he said. “It's different now with the media. But it was an important step in the right direction. Was it perfect? Maybe not. But it was a good way to get the best field.”

That was mainly for the majors. More hurdles came from the PGA Tour, which always had the best collection of players. The requirement under former Commissioner Deane Beman was a minimum of 15 events for membership.

Europe required 11 events. Top players with a global eye often played the occasional event in Japan and Australia, and the travel and time took a toll.

“We didn't go on boats,” Langer said with a smile, “but we didn't go on private jets.”

Langer recalled that 11 top Europeans asked Beman to reduce the PGA Tour requirement to 12 events and “he wouldn't budge.”

So much has changed.

The man behind the math for years was London-based Tony Greer, and his original plan was to prioritize tournaments into four sections. The four majors received the most weight, followed by most PGA Tour and top European Tour events, on down to lesser events around the world.

There have been changes over the years, most notably going from a three-year rolling period to a two-year system in 1995, and recently expanding the strength-of-field to include everyone playing, not just the top 200 players.

The 40th year of world ranking has Scottie Scheffler on top — he has been No. 1 a total of 185 weeks, trailing only Tiger Woods (683 weeks) and Greg Norman (331). There are five Americans and five Europeans in the top 10. All are on the PGA Tour.

Perhaps the best measure is the Masters, which has a 91-man field from 23 countries. The week the world ranking began, the 88-man field came from 11 countries.

___

On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season. More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Trump's previous deadline was weeks ago, but it was postponed several times as the Republican president oscillated between heated threats, announced delays and proclamations that the negotiations were going well, sometimes in the same statement.

That was true in Trump's Truth Social post before his Tuesday 8 p.m. ET deadline. After threatening a “whole civilization," Trump said Iran's new leaders were more reasonable and “maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?”

Officials involved in diplomatic efforts said talks continued, but it was unclear if a deal would be reached by the deadline, which Trump has suggested was final. Trump raised the ante on his threats from Monday.

“They’ll have no bridges," he wrote. “They’ll have no power plants. They’ll have no anything.”

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned the U.S. that attacks on civilian infrastructure are banned under international law, according to his office. Trump, speaking with reporters, said he's “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes with such attacks.

So how did Trump's deadline delays and threats escalate over the last weeks?

An ultimatum about reopening the Strait of Hormuz

On March 21, Trump posted on Truth Social that the U.S. would “hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants if it did not fully reopen the strait within 48 hours.

Iran had until the evening of March 23.

Then 12 hours before the deadline, Trump took to Truth Social to share what seemed good news: that both countries had productive conversations toward concluding the conflict.

He wrote that he had instructed the Pentagon to postpone any strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, to give more time for talks.

That pushed the deadline out to the end of that week.

A threat to target desalinization plants

Before that deadline, on March 26, Trump doubled down on his threats on Truth Social: “They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!”

But later that day, he extended the deadline for 10 more days, to April 6 at 8 p.m. Eastern, and said on Truth Social that negotiations were “going very well.”

On March 30, Trump put out a mixed statement: celebrating progress in the talks with Iran while also expanding his threatened bombing if a deal wasn't “shortly reached,” adding that “it probably will be."

“We will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!),” he wrote.

It's unclear how soon “shortly reached” meant for Trump, but a deal was not made as the deadline loomed.

An expletive-filled threat to attack power plants and bridges

“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Saturday, "Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.” He meant rain down.

As the deadline approached, his posts had doubled down on his threats until Sunday, when Trump pushed it again in an expletive-filled post.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F——-in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell,” Trump said on Truth Social, followed by another post that specified 8 p.m. as the deadline.

Trump then suggested on Monday that Tuesday's deadline would be final, saying he'd already given Iran enough extensions.

“The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said. “We have a plan, because of the power of our military, where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night.”

By Tuesday morning, Trump had sent his statement saying “a whole civilization will die tonight,” to which he added that “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

What's next for diplomacy with Iran?

Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of Iran’s diplomatic mission in Cairo, said Iran no longer trusts the Trump administration after the U.S. bombed the Islamic Republic twice during previous rounds of talks.

“We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again,” he told The Associated Press.

The talks were continuing as the 8 p.m. Tuesday deadline — 3:30 a.m. Wednesday in Iran — ticked closer.

It’s not as big or flashy as bald eagles or ospreys, but it’s just as fascinating.

Here’s what I look for when I’m trying to spot one:

• Dark, hawk‑sized body
• Red eyes
• Orange legs
• Distinct white rump patch at the base of the tail
• A buoyant, hovering flight over shallow water—like an actual kite

When they hunt, snail kites ride the wind over freshwater marshes and the grassy edges of lakes, then hover in place before dropping down on their prey.

Ornithologists went full‑literal with the name: the snail kite really does fly like a kite and really does eat snails.

Built for Eating Apple Snails

Unlike many raptors that eat fish, rodents or small birds, the snail kite is a dietary specialist. It feeds almost exclusively on apple snails, including:

• Native Florida apple snails (Pomacea paludosa)
• Larger invasive apple snails that have spread through many Florida wetlands

The kite’s whole body is built around this diet:

• Long talons to grab snails right at the surface of the water
• A slender, sharply curved bill designed to hook the snail out of its shell
• A hunting style that keeps it low and slow over open water, scanning for snails within inches of the surface

Biologists have even documented snail kites getting larger over time in areas with abundant invasive apple snails—more big snails, more calories, bigger kites.

But this specialization is a double‑edged sword. If the wetlands suffer and snail populations crash, the kite has nowhere else to go.

Why the Florida Snail Kite Is Endangered

The Everglade snail kite in Florida doesn’t migrate out of the state. Instead, it wanders within it, following water levels and food across wetlands, lakes and marshes. You can find snail kites in places like:

• The Everglades
• Lake Okeechobee
• The Kissimmee River valley
• The St. Johns River headwaters
• Shallow freshwater marshes and grassy lake shorelines across peninsular Florida

The No. 1 threat to the Florida snail kite population is loss and degradation of wetland habitat. Over decades, Florida’s wetlands have been:

• Drained and channelized
• Polluted by agricultural and urban runoff
• Overgrown with invasive plants
• Altered in their natural flood‑and‑dry cycles

When water management changes, snails disappear. When snails disappear, snail kites follow. Overgrown vegetation can also let predators reach nests more easily. And human disturbance — especially near nests — can flush adults off the nest, exposing eggs and chicks to predators and heat.

So when you spot a snail kite gliding over shallow water, you’re not just seeing a rare raptor; you’re looking at a live indicator that section of wetland is still (for now) functioning.

Airboat Adventure

My chance to see snail kites up close started with a message from Captain John Ruggeri, better known on Instagram as @airboatphotographer. He runs with Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures and sent me the magic sentence:

“I know exactly where to find snail kites.”

On a very cold Central Florida morning, I bundled up and climbed aboard his airboat. The kind of cold where the wind makes you question every life decision as soon as the boat accelerates.

Within minutes of leaving the dock, John proved he wasn’t exaggerating.

We were surrounded by snail kites.

They were working a shallow area, riding the wind, hovering, and dropping for snails—some passing so close you could literally hear the whoosh of their wings. As a photographer, it was equal parts dream and chaos.

One of Florida’s Fastest Raptors

The problem with photographing snail kites on an airboat isn’t getting close enough — it’s being too close.

A few challenges from that morning:

• Speed: Snail kites are crazy fast when they lock onto a snail.
• Distance: They were so close that framing and tracking them through a long lens felt like trying to photograph a fly with a telescope.
• Action: Multiple birds hunting the same patch of water meant constant mid‑air chases and conflicts.

Any idea of a shot list or careful planning vanished almost instantly. There is no planning here; you just:

• Keep your head on a swivel
• Anticipate where the bird might go
• Accept that you’re going to miss more shots than you nail

I did what every wildlife photographer does in this situation: I held the shutter down and hoped for the best. I walked away with 1,500 images from that one ride. And a pretty good case of, “How am I going to cull all of this?”

By the time we headed back in, I couldn’t feel my fingers. I usually go home from the water with sunburn. That morning, I went home with windburn.

Was It Worth It? Absolutely.

Yes, I got some images I’m genuinely happy with. But as dramatic as the photos are, that’s not really the point for me.

The real payoff was being there:

• Watching an endangered raptor do exactly what it evolved to do
• Seeing that curved bill in action as it pulled snails from shells
• Hearing wings cut through cold air just feet away
• Knowing that this one patch of wetland still supports snails, and therefore kites

Moments like that make the early alarm, the frozen fingers worth it.

How to See Everglade Snail Kites in Florida (Responsibly)

If you’re in Florida and want to try your luck seeing or photographing Everglade snail kites, here are a few tips:

1. Go where the wetlands are

Look for shallow freshwater marshes and grassy lake shorelines, especially in:

• The Everglades and Water Conservation Areas
• Lake Okeechobee
• The Kissimmee River valley
• The St. Johns River headwaters
• Other managed wetlands and wildlife management areas

Guided airboat tours (like those from Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures) can be a great way to reach good habitat without disturbing sensitive areas on foot.

2. Learn the snail kite’s field marks

To pick out a snail kite from other raptors like northern harriers:

• Look for a dark bird with a white rump patch
• Notice the downward‑curved wings in flight (harriers hold theirs in more of a V‑shape)
• Watch for hovering over water followed by quick drops to the surface

Binoculars or a long lens make a big difference, especially if you’re trying to identify females or juveniles, which are browner.

3. Keep your distance and respect the nest

Snail kites are federally endangered, and their nests are especially sensitive:

• Never approach a bird that looks like it’s sitting on a nest or defending a specific area
• Use your binoculars or telephoto lens instead of walking closer
• Follow all posted rules and stay in designated areas

Disturbing a nesting bird can cause it to abandon the nest temporarily, leaving eggs or chicks vulnerable to predators and harsh sun.

4. Support healthy wetlands

If you care about snail kites, you care about wetlands—even if you’ve never set foot in a swamp.

You can help by:

• Supporting organizations and projects that restore Florida wetlands
• Learning more about water management and conservation where you live
• Reducing pollution and runoff in your own backyard

Snail kites, apple snails and clean water are all part of the same story.

Why Getting Outside Is Always Worth It

You don’t have to chase an endangered raptor on an airboat in freezing wind to have a wildlife moment (though I’d recommend it, minus the injury).

Start by paying attention to the so‑called “everyday” birds around you:

• The heron patrolling a retention pond
• The osprey perched on a light pole over I‑4
• The vultures, ibises, anhingas and grackles you’ve trained yourself to ignore

Once you start actually looking, even the most common species stop feeling common.

That’s what that cold morning with the Everglade snail kites reinforced for me:

Get outside and take a closer look at the animals all around you. It’s always worth it.

And if you want to see more snail kite images—and a lot of other incredible Florida wildlife—check out Captain John Ruggeri on Instagram at @airboatphotographer, and dive deeper into Everglade snail kite conservation through wildlife agencies and local conservation groups.

Indianapolis councilman Ron Gibson said he and his 8-year-old son weren’t harmed in the incident that occurred around 12:45 a.m. Monday, but the bullets struck just steps from the dining room table where his son played with Legos the day before.

“That reality is deeply unsettling,” Gibson said. “This was not just an attack on my home, but endangered my child and disrupted the safety of our entire neighborhood.”

The incident comes as data centers have emerged as a target for extremists motivated by a range of anti-tech, anti-government and pro-environment narratives, according to Jordyn Abrams, a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University.

Though the details behind the latest incident are not yet clear, Abrams said local conversations around data centers have increasingly made them a symbol for grievances spanning the political spectrum.

Concerns include the centers’ massive energy consumption and water usage, which consumer advocates fear could drive up electric rates and deplete wells. Data center developers also can strike confidential power deals with local utilities that are profitable for utilities, making it unclear whether center operators are paying for their electricity or are foisting costs onto ratepayers, consumer advocates warn.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement that officers called to a home on East 41st Street just after 9 a.m. Monday found evidence of gunshots being fired at a house, but no injuries were reported. Police said they believe it was an isolated, targeted incident and the FBI was assisting.

“I understand that public service can bring strong opinions and disagreement, but violence is never the answer, especially when it puts families at risk,” Gibson said on Monday. “This will not deter me. I will continue to serve the residents of this district with integrity and respect for all voices.”

Last week, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission approved a rezoning petition for a project for Metrobloks, a data center developer, in Gibson's district. Some area residents and leaders opposed to the project attended last week’s hearing, raising concerns about the project’s impact on the community, news outlets reported.

Gibson supported the commission's decision in a statement last week.

“The site has remained underutilized for years, and today’s action is an important step toward bringing it back into productive use in a way that benefits both the surrounding neighborhood and our city,” Gibson said. “As the district councilor, when this petition comes before the full Council, I do not intend to call it down.”

But new research released Tuesday shows that such financial gains for many Black-led nonprofits were short-lived, if they happened at all. A subset of large, Black-led nonprofits saw only temporary funding increases between 2020 and 2022, according to the analysis by nonprofit research service Candid and Black philanthropy group ABFE. Smaller organizations saw no significant change.

The pattern of disinvestment put many community groups at a greater disadvantage when President Donald Trump’s policies curtailed funding for diversity, equity and inclusion. The nonprofit sector's struggles deepened as the administration threatened a range of social service programs, left future grants uncertain by cutting agency staff and chilled racial justice funding through anti-DEI executive orders.

Black Voters Matter co-founder Cliff Albright noted these community nonprofits are the same ones now tasked with helping more and more low-income families deal with spiking healthcare costs and rising food prices.

“We're literally being asked to do more with less resources,” Albright told The Associated Press.

Small, Black-led nonprofits tended to have to rely on new rather than continuing funders, losing out on transformational relationships that sustain their longer-term goals and cushion them through challenging periods. These small organizations — those with annual expenses of $1 million or less — got just over one-third of their funding from continuing supporters, according to the report.

The dynamic rang true for a South Side Chicago group serving a predominantly Black neighborhood among the city's most impoverished. Asiaha Butler, the CEO of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood, cofounded the nonprofit more than 15 years ago to empower her neighbors to combat their area's negative narratives.

That mission had a handful of consistent backers. But summer 2020 brought more than two dozen new funders.

“All of a sudden, we were desirable for people to fund,” recalled Butler, adding the “spurt” became a “curse” as the quick infusion of capital tapered off.

“We started seeing this revenue and thinking we're gaining really great relationships with funders," she said. "And, really, those priorities shifted quickly.”

Lacking relationships

Foundations lacked relationships with Black organizations of any scale prior to 2020, according to ABFE CEO Susan Taylor Batten.

Black philanthropy professionals say that distance created a scramble when protestors demanded businesses and philanthropies address systemic racism.

Kia Croom, whose fundraising firm works with nonprofits in Black communities, said her clients received more funding than ever from corporations. Some hired additional development staff to meet the demand — and then underwent layoffs when funds disappeared.

“It was just a very transactional gift at best,” she said.

Positive Results Center CEO Kandee Lewis oversees a Los Angeles nonprofit assisting survivors of domestic violence and other harms. It was wonderful, she said, to receive checks from new supporters. But oftentimes, the support turned out to be a one-time donation rather than the beginning of a relationship.

Lewis felt the funding came only because her group was Black-led — not because funders understood its work.

"They were so busy trying to figure out who was who that they didn’t really take time to get to know people," she said.

Limited networks

Jaleesa Hall knows philanthropy is a relationship game.

She heads Raising A Village Foundation, which aims to advance educational equity through tutoring programs. She didn't have many high net worth members in her network when she founded the Washington, D.C. nonprofit more than six years ago.

That circle made it difficult to catch the attention of foundations, which she said “haven't really cracked” how to find potential grantees outside of their existing web of connections.

“Small, Black-led nonprofits simply aren't in those rooms to begin with," Hall said.

Most of their foundation grant dollars came from first-time funders, according to the report.

Cathleen Clerkin, the associate vice president of research at Candid, said the nonprofits' work is made even more challenging by the “song and dance” necessary to secure long-term investment every year.

“They're just constantly going on first dates with new funders and hoping that somebody will invest in them and understand them,” she said.

Small nonprofit leaders are so focused on day-to-day upkeep and financial viability that they don't have time to attend networking opportunities or money to fly out for national convenings.

T’Pring Westbrook, a nonresident fellow at the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, co-founded a consulting group that works with small nonprofits. The problem isn't that foundations don't want to support marginalized communities, she said, but that they do so through “trend funding.”

“Maybe during Black History Month there will be a funding campaign,” she said. “But the thing about a campaign is a campaign doesn't build sustainability.”

Restrictive practices

Small nonprofits say they face additional barriers, regardless of race, including grant eligibility requirements. And limited staff may prevent qualifying organizations from keeping up with foundations' required weekly or monthly reports on the status of projects they’ve funded.

“It ends up feeling like a burden,” Hall explained. “The juice isn't worth the squeeze."

Philanthropy has seen a sector-wide shift towards trust-based models that offer general operating support and multi-year grants, acknowledging nonprofits' expertise on how to best fulfill their missions. But Batten, the ABFE leader, said Black-led nonprofits generally have not reaped the benefits of those best practices.

The report showed Black-led nonprofits had significantly fewer continuing funders than their non-Black counterparts. Only one-third received general operating support, compared to just over half of other nonprofits.

“We are still seeing remnants of bad practice when it comes to investing in Black communities," Batten said. "There’s just no way for a foundation to move its mission for communities in this country, let alone Black nonprofits to move theirs, if we do not evolve this sector."

‘Pulling teeth’ in Chicago

Butler, the Chicago neighborhood association leader, hears excuses now from supporters who gave at the height of the 2020 racial justice movement: “Priorities have shifted,” they tell her, or there are “new strategic goals."

“Little buzz words that just say perhaps this nonprofit -- grassroots, Black-led, very focused on the Black population -- is probably just not in peoples’ cards to continue to support,” she said.

That downturn delayed a nearly $7 million capital project building off their economic justice work after the post-George Floyd civil unrest. An 8,800-square-foot (817 square-meter) building would include a dine-in restaurant and another Black-owned business. One tenant would provide workforce development trainings. Her goal is to strengthen Englewood’s economic and social fabric through a thriving Black business district.

By 2023, she had secured a $1 million grant — her nonprofit's largest — to start the project. But she compared her search for additional funding to "pulling teeth.” Past philanthropic partners withheld support. Their prospects weren't good.

She's turning to public funding. The City of Chicago provided a $2.5 million grant and Butler said another $1.5 million state award is pending.

“Things shifted and so we didn’t want to start soliciting for a capital campaign,” she said. “The timing was off.”

___

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits 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. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

It was 1978. I was 10. “I don't know how much longer I can catch these,” said my already aging parent, who would deny two decades later that he ever said anything of the sort until I was at LEAST 14.

How many children have held an American baseball since it sort of coalesced into being in the latter half of the 19th century? How many have felt those nubby stitches underneath their fingers while their palms cupped the smooth white leather? How many have swung a tiny bat — wooden, then aluminum, now graphite — and connected with a softer, younger kids' baseball, a “T-ball,” and felt that unique thrill of kinetic energy and possibility?

Baseball is, in the end, all about the ball. In the pantheon of the national pastime, bat and glove — as crucial as they are — are but the supporting cast. The ball remains forever at the center. Spinning, bobbing, weaving. Pulverized, soaring, gone.

The baseball itself is a curious object. One killed a man once, Ray Chapman, in 1920. These days dozens are used in a single big-league game.

There, it emerges pristine onto a field from an umpire's waist pouch. From there, it is held meticulously and lovingly and gingerly by one player, who arranges fingers just so and treats the leather sphere like a firstborn for a few seconds. Then it is delivered to another player, an opponent with a large stick who tries mightily to smack the bejeezus out of it. You gotta feel for that little ball.

When I moved overseas in 1979, I met an elderly man who had once interviewed Ted Williams, one of the game's greatest hitters. He — the man, not Williams — knew I was feeling homesick for baseball in particular. When I produced my ball and glove, he said something to the effect of: “As long as you have a baseball, you're home.”

I still pack one most everywhere I go. For me, it is America encapsulated — burning a hole in my glove or my jacket pocket, biding its time, ready for the next big game … of catch.

___

Ted Anthony has written about American culture for The Associated Press since 1992. This story is part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250 anniversary of the United States.

The development of the click-clacking, feet-as-instruments art form traces its roots to a blend of different cultural influences.

The percussive element came from the traditions of enslaved people brought to the southern United States from central Africa. In the 18th century, when they weren't allowed to play musical instruments by plantation owners, they used the rhythmic stomping of their feet as a way to stay connected to their cultures.

Over time, that blended with the fast footwork of dancing styles brought to America by immigrant groups, like Irish step dancing and English and Welsh clog dancing, to evolve into tap. Before metal plates on the bottom of shoes became standard, dancers attached objects like nails or coins to make their sounds.

Tap became popular to watch as entertainment, as in the early 20th century when vaudeville variety shows grew in popularity and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson became one of the few Black men to perform without a white partner in a segregated era.

It became a staple of movies in the middle of the century, with stars like Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, the Nicholas brothers and Shirley Temple showing their tap skills on the silver screen. It faded from that level of popularity as the 20th century came to a close, but still had bright stars and moments, including dancers Gregory Hines and Savion Glover and in the movie “Happy Feet.”

___

Part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250 anniversary of the United States.

For certain families in the years after WWII, though, they were perfect — a chance to have a home of one's own, an answer to a serious housing shortage. So was born Levittown, about 40 miles outside of New York City on Long Island. It grew to more than 17,000 houses, the first wholly planned American suburb.

Developer William Levitt wasn't the first builder to use mass-production methods to build homes that were accessible to the middle class, but “nobody was building on the scale that he did,” says Ed Berenson, professor of history at New York University and author of “Perfect Communities: Levitt, Levittown and the Dream of White Suburbia.”

Levitt started out with 2,000 homes, unsure of what the demand would be. About three times that many people signed up, so eager were returning veterans for their own homes. The Federal Housing Authority played a part as well, guaranteeing mortgages.

But the first Levittown and others that he built, and suburbs developed by others, weren't open to all. Federal backing of mortgages was aimed at white buyers, in white communities, not Black buyers. Levitt refused to sell to Black families and included restrictive covenants that barred those who bought the homes from reselling to Black people.

That's left a legacy in a country where the biggest financial asset for many Americans has been their homes, Berenson says.

“What Levitt did by creating these exclusively white communities is he set up a structure that still exists today, and it’s a structure that has really maintained racial inequality, even more than class inequality,” Berenson says. “It’s not nearly as bad as it was, but it still exists.”

___

Part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250 anniversary of the United States.

That pattern has already led to impressive rainfall totals, especially along the coastline.

Several communities have already seen significant rainfall in the last 24 hours:

• Port Orange: 3.75 inches
• New Smyrna Beach: 5.18 inches
• Palm Shores: 2.90 inches
• Palm Bay: 4.67 inches
• Daytona Beach Shores: 2.26 inches

These early rain totals are just the start as moisture continues to surge in through Thursday.

Some daily rainfall records could be within reach for our coastal communities.

For Tuesday, the standing rainfall records include Melbourne at 2.43 inches set in 1951 and Daytona Beach at 1.89 inches set in 1953.

The setup driving this pattern is rich, tropical moisture streaming in from both the Gulf and the Atlantic. This steady feed of moisture will keep rain chances elevated through at least Thursday, with the highest threat focused along the east coast.

Added moisture and strong onshore winds will hold the heaviest rain pinned to the coast, which is why a flood watch remains in effect for Volusia and Brevard counties through Tuesday evening. But with additional rainfall expected, the flood watch could be extended.

An additional 1-3 inches of rainfall is possible inland, with 2-4 inches likely along the coast and pockets racking up even higher numbers.

While the bulk of the flooding threat remains along the coast, periods of heavy downpours will still be possible inland, which could lead to localized flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas, including roadways.

If you’re concerned about flooding in your neighborhood, it’s a good idea to check nearby storm drains and clear away any debris to help keep water from backing up.

If you encounter flooding in your neighborhood, you’re encouraged to safely share photos on our PinIt! page.

Apopka City Commissioner Nick Nesta is facing Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore in the runoff.

Moore and Nesta were the top two vote-getters in the three-way election last month. Nesta got 41.6% of the vote, and Moore got 31.85%. Current mayor Bryan Nelson came in third place with 26.55%.

You can find details on polling places for early voting and on Election Day HERE.

News 6’s Matt Austin joined the Orlando Sentinel to interview the mayoral candidates last month. He talked to the candidates about growth and development in the city, the future of the downtown area, and what happens if voters were to eliminate property taxes in Florida.

We’ve compiled Moore’s and Nesta’s answers. You can watch and read them below.

Christine Moore

MATT AUSTIN: “I get to ask you about growth. This is one of the biggest issues across really every community, not just in Central Florida, but in all of Florida. Many cities are struggling with the infrastructure to keep up, yet more big developments continue to come in. What is your general philosophy on growth as Apopka continues to see more people come in?

CHRISTINE MOORE: “Yes, growth is absolutely the number one issue to our folks and I have felt for years watching them from the county side, so they could have been requiring more land to be left passive or in conservation. The county, we also have bought conservation land, 1,200 acres up in the Apopka area, while I’ve been on the board, so that is the one way certainly to slow it to slow down. And as far as roads, it’s difficult. Impact fees never pay the whole thing. The community has not been supportive of the county’s initiatives to try to get funding, additional funding, and their board doesn’t fund enough into infrastructure. Now, I struggle with this at the county. I’m always the first one to say, put more money into public works. So it is a challenge, yes, but there are lots of little tweaks that I believe could have been done to slow the growth in a pocket and make it a more family-friendly environment."

AUSTIN: “OK, let’s talk about Apopka’s downtown. It has recently undergone a pretty big, vivid transformation, but we have certainly seen some businesses are struggling. We’ve seen restaurants and at least one bar shut down. And there are still some problems with traffic there and other issues. So tell me, tell the voters, really, what is your idea? What is your vision for downtown Apopka?”

MOORE: “So I moved downtown and I love being there, but it’s challenging. I can’t even get my bike across the street to the main park because of that four-lane highway. We are in the middle of a safety study before we resurface Park Avenue to look at some raised intersections, taking some medians out for trees to slow people down a little bit, looking at some crosswalks and strategic places. As far as the business side of things, do really similarly to what Winter Garden did. Where you bring in all kinds of festivals, and you start incubating small businesses that can eventually come up and have their own site. And I look forward to the day we get a movie with ecotourism in a cute downtown. That would be my goal.”

AUSTIN: “Our next question addresses something that’s really out of your hands at the moment, but it certainly could land in your backyard when it comes in November. So the Florida House has approved a property tax reduction that could really impact homeowners in a pop cut. The governor and the Senate leader have talked about trying to work together on a comprehensive plan that would wind up in that November ballot.

“If something like this is approved in November, it would sharply reduce Apopka’s annual revenue. It could really impact things like parks and conservation measures. Now, of course, it’s hard to know what exactly is going to end up on the ballot, let alone what would pass. But how would the city need to respond if it did have that significant loss of revenue after the November election?”

MOORE: “Whichever of us are elected, that could end up being the most challenging part of the job on top of all these other utility issues and infrastructure, things have to be solved. And so, you’re right, you asked us a question, we don’t know what we’re really looking at. But certainly, there’s been talks about consolidating services, really educating people on what things cost so that they could help make those decisions. And you know, over it was about 60% of this budget is in public safety. And most people do not wanna do without that.

“But I would tell you, people don’t understand what things cost. I often say they think of the money for government just rains down from heaven and it doesn’t, you know, it comes from them, gas tax, sales taxes, property taxes, and of course, your enterprises. And so I think a lot of it will require talking about the actual cost. What the priorities are and combining forces sometimes. Maybe there’s some things between the county and the city that we could work together on. Maybe working together with other cities and it’ll be challenging.

“It’ll be very challenging. I guess you could have me on the front line during that whole period of time talking about the legislature of, you know, Seminole County, when they got, investigated by DOGE said a lot of the costs that they had that went up were because of the legislature passing things on to them. Here at the county, when we review all the constitutional officer’s budgets, they come and say I need nine more percent because the state cut their budget and ended up on the locals. So it’ll be a fight. I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that they’ll win."

Nick Nesta

MATT AUSTIN: “I get to ask you about growth. This is one of the biggest issues across really every community, not just in Central Florida, but in all of Florida. Many cities are struggling with the infrastructure to keep up, yet more big developments continue to come in. What is your general philosophy on growth as Apopka continues to see more people come in?

NICK NESTA: “This has obviously been an ongoing one, especially for our city, because there’s other municipalities that are already built out. We’re kind of that final frontier, so to speak, in Orange County, to where a lot of developers are now looking at a pop-up because at one time, it was very affordable to buy land and develop. So with that in mind, we are having that issue with the state legislator putting in SB 180 that limits our ability to stop development, slow development, put anything that is problematic to the developers.

“So it’s really -- developer focus versus resident focus, which is one of our biggest problems. I will say prior to SB 180 coming into play, I presented on and discussed a moratorium coming into place here locally to have our staff here locally be able to catch up with all that has been approved, as well as really see where our infrastructure is to make sure that we are able to take on all this new development. And at that time, again, it was before SB 180 came into play. The current council had no interest in moving forward with that.

“What we have to do moving forward now is prioritizing smart growth, one that prioritizes its resident-focused growth, one that doesn’t sacrifice our current residents just for the new ones. We need to look at our infrastructure and create a true plan of what that looks like, not an afterthought, but look at all of our infrastructure and say, what’s our highest needs right now? What’s gonna be next year, five years from now, 10 years from now? And we should be able to tell you, hey, the street up front of your house, it’s gonna need to be fixed in seven years. It’s gonna be fixed in 13 years because it’s newer. So, there’s a lot more options that we can do to get ahead of this as long as we plan and budget correctly.”

AUSTIN: “OK, let’s talk about Apopka’s downtown. It has recently undergone a pretty big, vivid transformation, but we have certainly seen some businesses are struggling. We’ve seen restaurants and at least one bar shut down. And there are still some problems with traffic there and other issues. So tell me, tell the voters, really, what is your idea? What is your vision for downtown Apopka?”

NESTA: “Thank you. Yeah, the downtown Apopka area, having grown up here and really seeing it go through transformation and changes and business come, business go. And the problem is that we don’t have a cohesive or comprehensive plan. How do we create synergy between the downtown area, the business owners there? There’s a substantial amount of churches down there. Once elected, I’m going to make sure that we reintroduce what the city is to be to our residents, how we enjoy the city again. We haven’t shown our residents how to truly enjoy our downtown area. One big thing is, I got pushed hard for the economic development director and department that the current administration really pushed against. So it’s just actually utilizing that department to its fullest potential, incentivizing businesses not only to come to downtown, but to stay downtown.”

AUSTIN: “Our next question addresses something that’s really out of your hands at the moment, but it certainly could land in your backyard when it comes in November. So the Florida House has approved a property tax reduction that could really impact homeowners in a pop cut. The governor and the Senate leader have talked about trying to work together on a comprehensive plan that would wind up in that November ballot.

“If something like this is approved in November, it would sharply reduce Apopka’s annual revenue. It could really impact things like parks and conservation measures. Now, of course, it’s hard to know what exactly is going to end up on the ballot, let alone what would pass. But how would the city need to respond if it did have that significant loss of revenue after the November election?”

NESTA: “The impact is gonna be very tangible. Our residents are gonna feel it, our city’s gonna see it. And residents think that, OK, we’re just getting rid of taxes. Roads and fire and police are all gonna get paid for still, but we just get to save on our taxes. And unfortunately, that’s not gonna be the case. There will be a savings on their taxes, but there’s gonna be increases they’re gonna see in other areas that is unfortunate.

“So one of the things that I’ll be doing, I’ve put this in my roadmap on nickforapopka.com is create a new budgeting process. Again, I’ve been saying this and I’m very consistent with this is that we can’t use tired ways of dealing with new issues. We have to come up with new and creative ways to do this. So I want to create a resident-led advisory board that tells us what they want to see in the budget. They’re advisors, they’re not making final decisions but they get to tell us each year, year by year, what they wanna see. And we have to prioritize the city-only services. So that’s our water, sewer, streets, sidewalks, things of that nature. And then you bifurcate it and create a separate budgeting process basically for the extra amenities, so our parks, our events, things of that nature. What do residents wanna spend that money on then as well? Because again, we have to pivot quickly when this comes to play.

“So it’s gonna impact on various levels. We’re gonna see it very firsthand and it’s all about pivoting quickly to these very dynamic changes, how our city and our residents are gonna be able to come out of it on the upside.”

Two police officers sustained slight injuries, Istanbul Gov. Davut Gul told reporters. The assailants were carrying long-barreled weapons.

The consulate is located in a high-rise building in Levent, one of the city’s main business districts. Officials said that there are no Israeli diplomats present in Israeli missions in Turkey. Israel withdrew its diplomats amid security concerns and deteriorating relations with Turkey during the war in Gaza.

Interior Minister Mustafa Cifti wrote on X that the attackers had traveled from the city of Izmit, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Istanbul, in a rented car. One of the assailants was linked to a group he described as “exploiting religion,” without naming the organization.

The Islamic State group has carried out deadly attacks in Turkey in the past.

The two wounded assailants are brothers, identified as Onur C. and Enes C. The first has a criminal record related to drugs. Both are being interrogated, according to the Interior Ministry.

Video from the attack showed one assailant carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle, wearing a brown backpack and hiding behind a bus when exchanging fire with police. A police officer falls to the ground, apparently having been shot, and then rolls away to get behind a tree for cover.

One of the police officers was wounded in the leg and the other in the ear, the Interior Ministry said.

Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said that three prosecutors, including a deputy chief prosecutor, have been assigned to lead an investigation.

Police sealed off the building and blocked several roads, while forensic experts in white protective suits combed the area for evidence.

A witness described seeing officers take cover behind parked cars and communicate with each other during the shooting.

“In general, this is a noisy area, so initially we thought this might be something else. But the gunshots continued,” said Omer Dilki, 34. “We saw the police officers standing behind the cars, take shelter, and call out to each other.”

Ali Rıza Arpacı, who works nearby, described witnessing “serious clashes” happening right in front of him.

“We were almost inside the clashes,” he said, adding that the gunfight lasted for around 10 minutes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced what he said was a “treacherous” attack.

“We will resolutely continue our fight against all forms of terrorism, and we will not allow the climate of security in Turkey to be harmed by vile and timed provocations like today’s,” he said.

U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack condemned the assault, praising Turkish authorities for “their swift and decisive response.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry similarly condemned the attack and commended Turkish security forces for their rapid action in thwarting it.

___

Suzan Fraser reported from Ankara. Mehmet Guzel contributed to this report from Istanbul.

___

A previous version of this story, relying on Turkey’s Haberturk news, incorrectly reported that two attackers had been killed. Only one of the three assailants was killed, while the other two were wounded and captured, according to Turkish officials.

Anthony Buhl, 56, of New York City, and March Wallin Chadwick, 57, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, were arrested Saturday on U.S. Highway 192 near St. Johns Heritage Parkway in Melbourne.

According to FWC arrest reports, the pair was first spotted driving through Celebration with the alligator — described as roadkill — strapped to the roof of their vehicle. License plate readers tracked the car heading eastbound, and a second hit was recorded near Harmony in St. Cloud, where the gator was still on the roof but had since been covered with a white sheet.

Officers pulled the vehicle over on U.S. 192 in Melbourne, where both men admitted they had been warned by multiple people that possessing an alligator is illegal in Florida, the report states.

They told officers they covered the animal with the sheet after learning this. Both men also admitted they wanted to take the alligator to a taxidermy office to have it stuffed. The pair had also called FWC dispatch and told officials they had gotten rid of the alligator, according to reports.

Both Buhl and Chadwick were charged with illegal killing, possessing, or capturing of alligators or other crocodilia or eggs.

The pair appeared in court on Sunday before being released on bond. Both men are scheduled for an arraignment on April 28.

Under Florida Statute 379.409, a person may not intentionally kill, injure, possess, or capture an alligator or their eggs without a permit from FWC.

According to an end of service announcement published on the tech giant's U.S. support website, Samsung Messages will be discontinued in July. Impacted owners of Samsung smartphones and other gadgets are being asked to switch to Google Messages in the meantime, “to maintain a consistent messaging experience on Android.”

All Samsung Galaxy phones run on Google's Android operating system. To switch to Google Messages, Samsung's website gives users instructions to download the app from the Play Store, if not already on their phone, and set it as the default. Some people may also receive an in-app notification to guide them through the process.

Samsung says switching to Google Messages will give users access to updates like the latest artificial intelligence features from Google's Gemini — which includes an experimental feature called “Remix” to generate images during conversations and AI-powered reply suggestions — and the ability to share higher quality photos between Android and Apple iOS devices through RCS-enabled messages.

Users of older Android operating systems (dating back to Android 11 or older) will not be impacted by the end of Samsung Messages, the company noted. To check what Android OS you have on a Samsung device, open the settings app, click on “software information” and scroll to “Android version.”

Meanwhile, owners of Samsung's latest Galaxy 26 lineup and other newer phones cannot download the Samsung Messages app from the Galaxy Store today.

All devices will no longer be able to download Samsung Messages after it's officially discontinued in July, the company noted. Samsung said users can check their app for the exact date for when service will go offline.

Samsung confirmed in an update on its website Tuesday that this end of service guidance only applies to the U.S. market.

Michael Lincoln-McCreight, who gained notoriety for yelling the N-word at a Black 7-Eleven employee in a video that went viral on TikTok, is in trouble again.

The Republican candidate running to represent District 41 in the Florida House was arrested March 3 by Orlando Police and charged with two counts of first-degree misdemeanor battery after he allegedly twice pushed a woman named Zoey Summer Freed against a wall and put his hands around her throat, “asking her if she liked it,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

Battery can be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on its severity. First-degree misdemeanor battery is punishable by a year in prison or a $1,000 fine.

A public defender was assigned to Lincoln-McCreight’s case March 24. The arrest warrant affidavit notes Lincoln-McCreight is “transient.” A separate court case indicates he was evicted in August 2025 from the Metrowest apartment he had shared with two roommates for nonpayment of $2,340.07 in rent.

No court date has yet been set in the battery case.

‘Those were all false accusations’

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Freed, who said the two had been dating for about three weeks, waited until Lincoln-McCreight, 30, was out of town to report the two incidents to police because she “was afraid of Lincoln because he is autistic and has severe anger issues.”

The first incident occurred the night of Jan. 24 when Lincoln-McCreight in a “random and unprovoked” act, “pushed her against a wall and placed his hands around the base of her neck area while asking her if she liked it.”

The second incident occurred two weeks later on Feb. 8 when the two were making Uber Eats deliveries. This time the two were in an elevator when Lincoln-McCreight shoved her against a wall and put his hands around her throat.

Freed stated in the affidavit that although she could breathe during both incidents and told Lincoln-McCreight that she liked it, she told police that she only went along with what she thought might have been a “sexual kink involving choking” because feared that he could “choke her out at any time because of his aggressive tendencies.” She added that before these incidents, the two had talked about touching around the neck and had “mutually agreed that no choking would occur.”

Lincoln-McCreight denied Freed’s accusations in a phone interview Monday, saying, “ Those were all false accusations, okay? First of all, I would never lay a hand on a woman. That’s not who I am.”

Lincoln-MCreight told VoxPopuli that the two were not in a romantic relationship and that he believes Freed’s report was politically motivated.

“[She] file[d] that report to ruin my political career because of that N-word video, if you get what I’m saying,” he said.

He thinks the case will get eventually be dropped.

“I didn’t do anything. There’s no video footage,” he said. “On top of that, I was in Tallahassee when the warrant was issued, so there’s no way I could do an assault to her, a battery to her when I was up in Tallahassee. We were doing Uber Eats at the time, but I never choked her or hurt her in any type of way. … Of course she’s a girl, so, you know, law enforcement will probably take her side. But I’m … I’m pretty sure there was no marks or anything on her ‘cause I didn’t … I didn’t choke her.”

However, another case, now closed, was filed in September 2025 by a woman named Trinity Rain Irby, who sought a protective injunction or restraining order against Lincoln-McCreight for sexual violence. Lincoln-McCreight said those were “false accusations as well.”

“None of that is true. You know, she had a disability, and I basically was taken advantage of because I helped her with stuff like ordering Uber Eats, Ubering, Door Dash, you know, being a good person that I am, right?”

Lincoln-McCreight said that when he said “no to some stuff,” that’s when she turned against him. “She didn’t even show up to the court hearing. That showed none of the stuff was true ‘cause she didn’t even show.”

Court files for that case are non-public so the scope of what led to the request for a restraining order is not fully known. The court docket shows the request was eventually dismissed and the hearing was canceled.

‘It’s because I’m Republican’

Lincoln-McCreight told VoxPopuli that “all this” is because he is running for office as a Republican.

“This is what I’m feeling like, because if I was running as a Democrat, none of this probably would be happening,” he said.

“A lot of people are not liking what President Trump is doing. It’s making it seem like because I’m running for the state house seat as a Republican that’s why all these things are coming up to play, and that’s what I’m thinking,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lincoln-McCreight’s arrest prompted the exit of his campaign manager Oliver Rupp — who said in a Facebook post announcing her resignation that she also was his girlfriend and that he had “proposed to me last Christmas.”

Lincoln-McCreight confirmed that the two were engaged.

The Hebron, KY-based Rupp, 21, told VoxPopuli that she had been appointed campaign manager after the last campaign manager quit following the N-word video scandal.

Rupp dropped 36 photos and screenshots of text conversations showing Lincoln-McCreight’s participation in the polyamory dating community in the Facebook post, lambasted the deception on a personal and professional level and said she was “signing off” as “former campaign manager.”

Lincoln-McCreight said it was “hard to do in the middle of the campaign,” but he was in the process of getting a new local campaign manager.

“I’m not a bad guy, you know what I mean?” he said. “If I’m elected, I’m gonna be a great state House rep. It’s just a lot of these things are happening, and, you know, it’s going to come to light because, you know, the charges are gonna get dropped. I know it because, like, I didn’t do it.”

Like its predecessor, “The Testaments” is based on a novel by Margaret Atwood of the same name. It takes place five years after the events of “The Handmaid's Tale,” and follows privileged girls in Gilead who are on the cusp of adulthood. Viewers are reintroduced to Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) from the original, who now runs a school training girls to be proper young ladies who are ready for marriage and most importantly, babies. There is a class where the girls are tested in how they pour tea.

Lydia has become a bit softer since we last saw her. “At the end of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ she’s in a deep state of remorse and begging for forgiveness when her life, as she knew it, collapses,” said Dowd of her character. “She’s come into this world a gentler human being. She’s still Lydia, but I think she’s had time to let go of the wall that was built around her.”

New story, new heroes

We meet Agnes, played by Chase Infiniti (“One Battle After Another”) and her friends Shunammite and Becka played by Rowan Blanchard and Mattea Conforti. Lucy Halliday portrays Daisy, a new student who is instructed to shadow Agnes at school.

“I see them as two cats who’ve been put in a room together and are sniffing each other out,” said Halliday. “I think they are aware that there is an inherent similarity overlapping with them both, but they will refuse to admit it because they don’t want to be like the other person.”

Because Agnes and Becka have each started to menstruate, it's immediately declared mating season and the girls must marry. This is when cracks begin to show in the Gilead status quo as Becka is uninterested in finding a husband. Agnes is swept up in the romantic idea of it all — until she's introduced to potential mates who are generally older with powerful positions in Gilead's government. She realizes marriage would be a power move for her family and that love isn't required.

Bruce Miller created both “The Handmaid's Tale” and “The Testaments” and says each tells stories about the oppression of women.

“In ‘Handmaid’s,' they take a child away from its mother and then say to the mother, ‘You’re going to be docile,’” said Miller. By contrast, he said, “The Testaments” “takes a bunch of teenage girls and tells them what they are going to be and also remove their adolescence from their lives.”

A gentler tone, but aiming to create new inspiration for girls and women

This new focus on young women in Gilead, who've only known Gilead “is an easier show on the system to watch, I believe,” said Dowd. “It doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its intensity. It does. But we’re dealing with a whole group of different characters. We’re focusing on the young women and how they interact with one another, and they can’t help but resist and grow.”

“These teenagers’ lives have a certain level of lightness to them,” added Miller. “That’s the interesting thing, their lives have all this lightness that Gilead lets them have and then crushes it into some horribleness and breaks that lightness up.”

Because of “The Handmaid's Tale,” women have been inspired to dress in red cloaks and white bonnets as a symbol of resistance against oppression, most recently at last month's “ No Kings ” rallies. The cast of “The Testaments” hopes this new chapter also moves people to act.

“There are a lot of topics and a lot of things that happen in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ that are unfortunately still happening to this day,” said Infiniti. “If people can watch our show and if any way they feel emboldened to get off the couch and go out there and fight for their communities, fight for their neighbors unapologetically and with love and respect — I think that that would be the ultimate gift for any of us.”

Blanchard, who has been an advocate for women's rights and other causes since she was a teenager, says she can empathize with the teen characters in the story.

“There’s nothing more powerless than being a teenage girl. There’s so much happening in such a short amount of time. So many emotions, you know? So much like self-realization is happening, so much self-actualizing, and these girls are having to form their identities in a very specific way.”

Encouragement from Moss

When the weight of stepping into Gilead seemed daunting, Halliday said she and her co-stars could turn to Elisabeth Moss — who starred in “The Handmaid's Tale” and is an executive producer of “The Testaments” — for reassurance.

“She’s an encyclopedia of information. She was open with us, and she was there for us if we ever had a question or needed guidance on something. But more than anything, what she gave us was the reassurance that we were doing OK and the space to step into these characters and to step into this world and to kind of trust in ourselves.”

The Moline, Illinois-based manufacturer, which does business under the John Deere brand, has faced a handful of “right to repair” complaints over the years. The deal announced Monday — which still needs final approval from the court — would settle a 2022 lawsuit that accused the company of withholding repair software and conspiring with authorized dealers to force farmers to use their services for repairs, when they could otherwise fix tractors and other equipment themselves or use independent alternatives.

The plaintiffs alleged that meant Deere and its dealers could charge higher, “supracompetitive” prices and reap benefits from an “unlawfully restrained” market, per court filings.

Deere has continued to deny any wrongdoing, and maintained Monday it's dedicated to supporting customers' ability and access needed to repair their equipment. But the company agreed to the settlement “to move forward and remain focused on what matters most — serving our customers,” Denver Caldwell, vice president of aftermarket and customer support, said in a statement.

Under the proposed agreement, filed in federal court in Illinois, the $99 million would go into a settlement fund for class members who paid Deere or its authorized dealers for large agriculture equipment repairs between Jan. 10, 2018 until the date of the deal's preliminary approval.

The company also agreed to additional injunctive relief, aimed at strengthening the availability of repair resources and things like diagnostic checks.

Beyond this case, Deere still faces separate litigation from the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC sued Deere in January 2025, at the end of the Biden administration, accusing the company of “unfair practices that have driven up equipment repair costs for farmers while also depriving farmers of the ability to make timely repairs.” Deere at the time said the claims were baseless.

“Right to repair” calls have piled up across sectors over the years, particularly as technology found its way into more and more products workers and consumers rely on. Beyond farm equipment, makers of goods like smartphones and video game consoles have also been accused of withholding tools or creating software-based locks that prevent even simple updates, unless they’re done by a shop authorized by the company — in turn, hampering independent repair businesses. Under public pressure, lawmakers in several states have tried to combat this.

A day after the historic lunar flyaround, NASA on Tuesday released striking new photos taken by the U.S.-Canadian crew.

The four astronauts channeled Apollo 8’s famous Earthrise shot from 1968 with their own: Earthset, showing our planet setting behind the gray, pockmarked moon. Another photo captures the total solar eclipse that occurred when the moon blocked the sun from the crew’s perspective.

The three Americans and one Canadian are now headed home, with a splashdown in the Pacific set for Friday. In the meantime, scientists at Houston's Mission Control are poring over the stream of moon photos beaming down.

Apollo 8's three astronauts became the world's first lunar visitors, orbiting the moon on Christmas Eve 1968. Their Earthrise shot became a symbol of the modern-day environmental movement.

Artemis II marks NASA's first return to the moon with astronauts — a critical step toward a lunar landing by another crew in two years.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The decision removes the federal obligations for the schools to keep up measures such as faculty training on abiding by a students' preferred name and pronouns and allowing students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

One of the school systems, Delaware Valley School District in rural eastern Pennsylvania, received notice of the change from the Trump administration in February and has since voted to roll back its antidiscrimination protections for transgender students. Another district, Sacramento City Unified, said Monday it "remains committed to the support of our LGBTQ+ students and staff.”

The other affected districts are Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware, Fife School District in Washington, and La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and Taft College in California.

Under the Biden and Obama administrations, the department interpreted Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education, to include protections for transgender and gay students.

The Trump administration has penalized schools that have made efforts to accommodate students based on their gender identity. It has filed lawsuits in California and Minnesota over state policies permitting transgender students to participate in interscholastic sports, and opened civil rights investigations into schools and universities over their policies on transgender students.

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said the action reflects the administration’s efforts to keep transgender students from participating in girls’ and women’s sports teams and accessing shared locker rooms.

“Today, the Trump Administration is removing the unnecessary and unlawful burdens that prior Administrations imposed on schools in its relentless pursuit of a radical transgender agenda,” she said in a written statement.

Rescinding civil rights agreements is an unusual step, but one the Trump administration has taken before on education issues. Last year, the Education Department terminated one agreement involving books removed from a school library in Georgia, and another targeting harsh discipline and unequal education opportunities for Native students in the Rapid City Area School District in South Dakota.

The rescission of the agreements would mean a step back from protecting vulnerable students in schools, said Shiwali Patel, senior director of education justice at the National Women’s Law Center.

“This is part of the Trump administration’s assault on education and assault on those who are most vulnerable to experiencing discrimination and harassment, including trans students,” Patel said. “They’ve made their intention very clear in wanting to erase protections for trans people.”

Taft College, a community college in California’s Central Valley, settled a case in 2023 with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights after a student accused faculty of discrimination that included refusing to use the student’s preferred pronouns. The college agreed to faculty training on Title IX and a revision of college policies to clarify that refusal to use a person’s preferred name and pronoun could constitute harassment.

The agreement with Sacramento City Unified School District stemmed from a complaint brought in 2022 by a student after a teacher refused to use preferred pronouns or to place the student, who identified as male, in a boys’ group for a class activity. The 2024 resolution agreement mandated training for employees on civil rights law, sexual harassment and how to handle formal complaints.

Under a settlement the Delaware Valley School District reached with the Obama administration, the district was required to permit students to use bathrooms that aligned with their gender identity.

In February, the Trump administration sent the district a letter saying it was rescinding the settlement. The administration went further, requiring the district to roll back antidiscrimination protections for transgender students.

The school board voted in late March to change its transgender student policies to abide by the Trump administration’s demands.

Since the day he returned to the White House more than a year ago, Trump and his administration have aimed at the rights of transgender people in several ways — and not just in schools.

He has tried to end participation of transgender women and girls in women’s and girls' sports competitions and has sued states that don’t comply. He’s also blocked transgender and nonbinary people from choosing the sex markers on passports. His administration has also tried to stop those under 19 from receiving gender-affirming medical care. ___

Associated Press writers Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco, Moriah Balingit in Washington and Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

___

The Associated Press’ education 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.

At a meeting on Monday, council members voted to approve funding for modular vehicle barriers.

The 72-unit system would be manufactured by Advanced Security Technologies and has the capability of closing up to 10 lanes of traffic.

The barriers are a long-time request of the Oviedo Police Department and are able to stop a 16,500-pound vehicle.

“People using vehicles in ways that could harm people,” Mayor Megan Sladek said. “It makes some sense to just be proactive and say ‘We’re going to secure this perimeter.’”

Sladek said the Oviedo Police Foundation agreed to pay $25,000 toward the barrier system, although the city would still be responsible for contributing $168,818.

Jim Marks is a homeowner in Oviedo and had concerns about the city overspending taxpayer money on the project.

“I think if the old way of doing things worked, they should just continue to do it that way,” Marks said.

Currently, Oviedo borrows barricades from other jurisdictions or uses city-owned vehicles to block streets during outdoor events.

According to the city, the current method is labor-intensive and often requires specially trained staff depending on the type of equipment used.

Sladek said the use of city-owned vehicles could also interfere with response to emergencies.

“When we use public safety vehicles to block traffic, if they have to get out of there quickly and the crowd is milling about really close to the edge of the festival, it creates some challenges getting out quickly,” Sladek said.

The activist and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has completed “The Perilous Fight,” to come out Sept. 15 through the Hachette Book Group imprint Legacy Lit. His memoir will come out almost exactly 10 years after he knelt before a preseason game, a protest against police violence and racial inequality that was emulated by some players and criticized by politicians, team owners and fans, some of whom booed him and burned his jersey.

Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since 2016, said in a statement that he wanted to offer context for what led to his taking a knee. Before that, he had remained seated during the anthem.

“People saw the moment. But they didn’t see the years that made it possible: the questions about who I was; the injustices I could no longer ignore; the voices of those who came before me that I carried into that stadium,” Kaepernick said in a statement released Tuesday. “That journey, from a Black kid navigating an identity the world didn’t always make space for, to an athlete who realized the game was bigger than football, shaped everything. When I took a knee, it wasn’t a sudden act.”

Legacy Lit is calling the book “equal parts memoir and manifesto,” tracing “the off-the-field battles that turned a single act of protest into a movement that changed American sports and culture forever.” Kaepernick is narrating the audio edition, produced and to be sold exclusively by Audible.

Kaepernick, 38, played six years for the 49ers and helped lead them to an appearance in the Super Bowl in 2013. Baltimore won the game 34-31.

Kaepernick has spoken out often on social issues, launched his own publishing imprint and co-written the picture story “We Are Free, You & Me” and the graphic novel “Change the Game.”

As time ticks down on U.S. President Donald Trump's latest ultimatum, their thoughts were clouded by new fears: How long will the power be out if plants are bombed? How would they leave the city if the bridges are taken out?

Five weeks on, they have grown used to the roar of American and Israeli fighter jets, the sound of explosions and sleepless nights. Like many, they've left the capital and returned in search of elusive safety. Married for over a decade, they made it through the COVID pandemic and the 12-day war last June.

They've used clear packing tape to lines the edges of their windows, a precaution against blasts. Mirrors and fragile objects have been moved or secured. A packed bag holds documents, medications and essentials, ready in case they need to leave quickly.

In an expletive-laden threat over the weekend, Trump vowed that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day,” and that Iran's leaders will be “living in Hell” if they don't open the Strait of Hormuz.

“Honestly, the situation is really unclear,” Arghavan said. “We don’t really understand things like how long the power might go out if it does, or what life without electricity would even look like.”

Alishir said he and his wife could handle life without power — and potentially without running water — for a week at most. “If it goes on longer, we’ll definitely run into problems,” he said.

Their struggles began even before the first American and Israeli bombs slammed into Iran on Feb. 28.

The Iranian government's crackdown on nationwide protests in January severely limited internet access. The internet monitoring organization NetBlocks says it's the longest nationwide shutdown ever recorded.

Arghavan runs a small language school that teaches French to Iranians who want to live in the Canadian province of Quebec.

“We were basically an online school, and our students had classes with kids abroad,” she said. “Around 50% of our learners were outside the country. But now, with all these internet outages, it’s really disrupting our work.”

Iranians are divided over the war: Some take part in daily pro-government rallies; others quietly cheer the strikes against their leaders while condemning the deaths of civilians and damage to infrastructure.

The couple blames Israel and the U.S. for starting the war and hope for a diplomatic solution.

“I really hope an agreement is reached soon and that whatever happens, it ends up helping people, because right now people are the ones paying a heavy price,” Arghavan said.

Florida authorities determined Woods was impaired March 27 when his Land Rover struck a trailer and flipped on its side on a residential street. They found two painkiller pills in his pocket. Woods was arrested and briefly jailed for refusing to submit to a urine test.

“He's just a human being like everyone else and we have struggles,” Day said. "It's unfortunate. The only thing that I don't understand is that it's a little bit selfish of him to drive and put other people in harm's way, as well.

“But when you're the player that he was and how strong-willed he is, he thinks he can do almost anything,” Day said. “And that's probably why he's driving and a little bit under the influence.”

This is the second straight year Woods has missed the Masters, under entirely different circumstances. He had ruptured his Achilles tendon in March of 2025 and didn't even make it to the Masters Club dinner for champions.

Woods entered a plea of not guilty last week, and then sought — and was granted — a motion to seek treatment outside the country.

“He was my hero — he's my hero,” said Day, the Australian who reached No. 1 in the world a decade ago. “The reason why I play golf is because of this tournament and Tiger. It’s hard to see him go through what he’s going through, and especially under the microscope. It must be hard to be who he is and have everything, everyone look on, kind of down on him.

“Some people want him to fail. Some people obviously want him to succeed,” Day said. “It’s really difficult for me to go through that and watch him, and I know that he’s getting the help now, which is good. I’m just hoping he comes out on the other side and is better.”

Woods is a five-time champion at the Masters, the last one in 2019 to complete a most remarkable comeback in golf. In the 14 years between winning green jackets, he had reconstructive knee surgery (2008) and four back surgeries (2014-17), and one arrest for taking what he said was a bad mix of painkillers when he was found asleep behind the wheel of his running car (2017).

Since winning his last Masters, his right leg and ankle were crushed in 2021 when his SUV going about 85 mph ran over a median and tumbled down a hill on a coastal road in Los Angeles. He also had surgery on the Achilles tendon and a seventh back surgery last year.

Nick Faldo was particularly critical of Woods in an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph last week when he said, “There are two sides to this right now. There’s one side that’s like ... let’s care for Tiger. And then there has got to be a responsibility and an accountability side as well.”

“Forget about golf. We are not meant to be on the streets with two pills in our pocket,” Faldo said. "The bottom line is that I really think that this is a serious issue and something should be done that is a little bit more serious than waving him off to a tropical island and saying, 'Welcome back,’ in three or four months or whatever it might be.”

Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion who was a runner-up in 2023 at age 52, also is skipping the Masters as he deals with a family health matter at home. It's the first time since 1994 neither Woods nor Mickelson was at Augusta National for the first major of the year.

Mickelson is with LIV Golf and plays on a big stage only four times a year at the majors. Jacob Bridgeman, one of the 22 newcomers to the Masters, didn't know Mickelson wasn't playing and is young enough in golf to have only played two majors with him last year.

Woods is a huge part of the Masters, not only from the records he shattered in 1997 at age 21 but recently with his work on a short course during the refurbishing of a municipal course in town known as “The Patch.” He also is opening a TGR Learning Lab in Augusta.

“He’s such a legend in this game, somebody I looked up to,” Harris English said. “Watching him win around this place in ’97 is kind of the reason I started getting into golf. I know he’s going to get through this. He has a big fight ahead of him. He’s a fighter. That’s what he does.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school hasn't publicly discussed its search. Malone would replace Hubert Davis, who was fired March 24 after five seasons as the successor to retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams.

ESPN was the first to report UNC moving toward hiring Malone.

The 54-year-old Malone spent 12 seasons as a head coach in the NBA, including a 10-year run in Denver. He led the Nuggets to the 2023 championship behind three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets fired Malone last spring with less than a week left in that regular season. Almost a year to the day, in another surprise move, Malone is on the verge of taking over a blue-blood program with six national titles, a record 21 appearances in the Final Four and alums including Michael Jordan, James Worthy Vince Carter and Atlantic Coast Conference career scoring leader Tyler Hansbrough.

UNC now has big-name former pro coaches leading its two highest-profile programs. The Tar Heels hired six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick as their football coach in December 2024. Belichick struggled to a 4-8 record in his debut season.

Davis’ firing opened one of the top jobs in college basketball for only the fourth time since the late Hall of Famer Dean Smith’s retirement after 36 seasons in October 1997.

The job had stayed in the “Carolina Family” ever since. Longtime assistant Bill Guthridge replaced Smith, followed by former UNC player Matt Doherty, former Smith assistant Williams and then Davis, who played under Smith and worked on Williams' staff.

Names like Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Michigan’s Dusty May and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan — who led Florida to the 2006 and 2007 NCAA titles — had been linked to the job since Davis’ firing. Lloyd announced Friday at the Final Four that he would return to the Wildcats while praising UNC for “the way they’ve handled this.”

Three days later, the search had turned in an unexpected direction with Malone, who has never been a college head coach and has spent most of his career in the NBA. His primary connection to UNC athletics is the presence of daughter Bridget on the Tar Heels’ volleyball team.

During an October appearance on the UNC athletic department’s “Carolina Insider” podcast, Malone recalled hearing his late father, NBA coach Brendan Malone, talk often about Smith and UNC basketball. He also mentioned attending multiple recent practices and Davis asking him to speak to the team at least once.

“I’ve always been a Carolina fan,” Malone said. “And when (Bridget) decided to come here that made it even that much more special, because now I’m ‘Go Heels’ for everything. I root for all the teams, have fallen in love with Chapel Hill.”

Malone's time in the NBA included a brief stint in Sacramento, where he was fired in December 2014, just 24 games into his second season. He also worked as an assistant with the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets and Golden State Warriors.

Malone had stints in college as an assistant at Oakland, Providence and Manhattan. He spent only one season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, working as director of men's basketball administration at Virginia under Pete Gillen in 1998-99.

David Adelman, Malone's successor in Denver, said he was happy for his friend, adding that Malone would be comfortable with players earning big money through name, image and likeness deals.

“It’s more of a professional environment now, especially at schools like that, where you have to look at it like these guys are under contract now,” Adelman said. “And I think a lot of NBA coaches understand what it means to coach somebody that’s making money.”

___

AP freelancer Michael Kelly in Denver contributed to this report.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The five fabulous transfers who make up coach Dusty May's starting lineup got down and dirty with the rest of the Wolverines — coming out with the national title trophy Monday night after muscling their way to a 69-63 victory over stingy, stubborn UConn.

Michigan only made two 3-pointers all night.

The Final Four's most outstanding player, Elliot Cadeau, led the Wolverines with 19 points, including the team’s first 3, which came 7:04 into the second half. The second 3, from freshman Trey McKenney, came with 1:50 left and felt like a dagger, giving May's team — which had scored 90 points in five straight March Madness games leading to the final — a nine-point lead.

To no one’s surprise, UConn fought to the finish. Solo Ball banked in a 3 to cut the deficit to four with 37 seconds left — and after two missed free throws, UConn’s Alex Karaban (17 points) barely grazed the rim on a 3 that would’ve cut the deficit to one with 17 seconds left.

Not until McKenney sank two free throws to bring Michigan’s shooting from the line to 25 for 28 for the night could the Wolverines (37-3) kick off the celebration for the program’s second title — the other coming in 1989, a few years before the Fab Five arrived and made two trips to the championship game, but never won a title.

“HAIL TO VICTORS!!!!” Jalen Rose, one of the Fab Five stars, posted on social media. “NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!”

It was the first men's hoops title for the Big Ten since Michigan State in 2000. Including UCLA's win in the women's NCAA Tournament Sunday, the conference swept the football (Indiana) and basketball titles this year.

Michigan won this one with defense, holding UConn to 30.9% shooting — the fourth straight game the Wolverines held their opponent to a season-low field-goal percentage.

“These guys have done it all year,” May said. “When one side of the ball has let us down, the other side has picked it up. Our togetherness defensively ultimately got us over the hump.”

Michigan had to fight for everything. The Wolverines missed their first 11 shots from 3, finished 2 for 15 beyond the arc and won despite the struggles of their best player, Yaxel Lendeborg. Ailing with a hurt knee and foot that kept him from elevating, the graduate transfer from UAB finished with 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting.

“If you’d told me we would shoot it this poorly and (be) dominated on the glass and still find a way to win, I don’t know if I would have believed you,” May said. “This team just found a way all season.”

The two 3-pointers were tied for second fewest by a winning team in the title game, according to Sportradar. Michigan also got outrebounded 22-12 on the offensive glass by a UConn team that would not go away.

“How are you disappointed at all in your group?” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “These guys have 22 offensive rebounds versus that group of ‘mon-stars’ out there. So, proud of the guys.”

Truth be told, it wasn’t anyone’s prettiest night.

UConn’s hopes of becoming the first team since John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty to win three titles in four seasons came up short, done in by massive foul trouble and its own terrible shooting.

Hurley’s team missed its first 11 shots from 3 in the second half.

Braylon Mullins, the hero of the Duke win that put UConn in the Final Four, finished 4 of 17, though he made a pair of late 3s that kept the game in reach. Tarris Reed Jr., the transfer from Michigan, finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds but never took control.

UConn (34-6) covered the 6 1/2-point spread, and Hurley kept his players out on the court to watch the podium get set up for the victors.

About the only consolation: The Huskies clogged things up, slowed things down and made Michigan beat them at their game.

“It’s complicated, because everyone’s crushed,” Hurley said. “We came here to be out there, doing what those guys are doing right now.”

Nobody did it quite like the Wolverines this year. They came into the title game shooting freely and winning big. In each of their five tournament games, they broke 90 and won by 13 or more.

In this one, they didn’t hit 70 and had to battle to the buzzer. It was ugly — the opposite of an instant classic. And yet, in almost every way, it was the prettiest of them all for Michigan — the one that gives the school what the Fab Five couldn’t manage — namely, a natty.

“Nobody cared about stats the whole season,” Cadeau said. “Nobody cared about nothing but winning. I’m just glad to be part of that.”

Style points aside, this was a championship built from outside — the best team money could buy.

All five Wolverines starters played college ball elsewhere, and all but Nimari Burnett came to Ann Arbor this season. That’s a product of the transfer portal that May has shown no reluctance to use since he arrived from Florida Atlantic two seasons ago.

His ability to form a makeshift group into a winner shows the value of a coach and a culture.

“They might be still calling us mercenaries but we’re the hardest-working team,” Lendenborg said. “We’re the best in college basketball and we’ll be one of the greatest ever.”

Pretty much everyone in the maize and blue would second that.

“Go BLUE. …champions!!! Respect- Love!” was the social media post from another Fab Five icon, Chris Webber.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

“I owe the truth to the French people,” Sarkozy told a three-judge panel during a hearing in the case that led him to spend 20 days in prison before being granted release pending appeal.

“I’m innocent,” he said.

Sarkozy, 71, is challenging his conviction after being found guilty in September of criminal conspiracy. He was sentenced to five years in prison for his alleged part in a scheme to obtain funds from the government of then Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in exchange for political and diplomatic favors.

Sarkozy has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and says the allegations are politically motivated.

Review of evidence

Sarkozy's wife, supermodel-turned-singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, attended Tuesday's hearing, which focused on his role as a conservative presidential candidate and then president from 2007 to 2012.

The 12-week appeal trial, which began last month, will reexamine all of the evidence and testimony related to him and nine co-defendants — including three former ministers.

Sarkozy said that he championed Western military intervention in Libya in 2011 after Gadhafi’s government violently cracked down on anti-government protesters, when Arab Spring pro-democracy protests swept through the region.

“I took the initiative, France took the initiative. Why? Because Gadhafi had no hold over me — financially, politically or personally,” Sarkozy said.

Gadhafi was killed by opposition fighters in October 2011, ending his four-decade rule of the North African country.

Families of plane bombing victims raise concerns

Sarkozy’s appeal hearing comes after families of French victims of a 1989 plane bombing expressed their distress last week over possible promises made to Gadhafi’s government as part of the alleged deal.

In 2003, Libya took responsibility for both the 1988 plane bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland, and the bombing of UTA flight 772 over Niger the following year that killed 170 people, including 54 French nationals.

“I believe that such unspeakable suffering can only be answered with the truth,” Sarkozy said.

Financial prosecutors have accused Sarkozy of having promised to lift the arrest warrant targeting Gadhafi’s brother-in-law and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi, accused of masterminding the attacks, in exchange for alleged campaign financing.

Sarkozy rejects allegations

“The truth is that I did not act in favor of Mr. Senoussi … who is in prison (in Libya) because he was arrested following the international action led by France,” Sarkozy said. “I never promised him anything.”

Visibly irritated, Sarkozy, who as interior minister met with Gadhafi in 2005 in Libya, told the court: “Why would I have chosen Mr. Gadhafi, whom I had never met before, to set up a suspicious financing arrangement with him during a 30-minute meeting? It makes no sense,” Sarkozy said.

In 2005, people close to Sarkozy, including his chief of staff, Claude Guéant, and junior minister Brice Hortefeux, traveled to Tripoli, where they met with al-Senoussi.

The trial at Paris appeals court is scheduled to last until June 3, with a verdict expected at a later date.

“Defendants have so far been unable to explain all the inconsistencies that may exist in this case," Vincent Brengarth, lawyer for French anti-corruption group Sherpa, told reporters.

"Up to now, the various hearings have not resulted in these explanations, and we are now expecting them from the main defendant, namely Nicolas Sarkozy,” he said.

Sarkozy has faced multiple legal cases since leaving office. In November, the Court of Cassation — France’s top court — upheld his conviction for illegal campaign financing of his 2012 reelection bid, requiring him to spend six months under house arrest wearing an electronic ankle tag, a sentence that has yet to be implemented.

___

Oleg Cetinic contributed to this report.

And keep in mind, the day begins with scenarios where six teams — Atlanta, Toronto, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Orlando and Miami — all have mathematical chances of finishing fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth or 10th in a muddled Eastern Conference. (Many of those chances are improbable, but they exist.)

Miami and Toronto start a two-game series in Ontario, with the Raptors trying to keep the No. 6 spot in the East and the Heat desperate to start a final-week clawing out of the No. 10 spot.

The game of the night might be in Boston, where Charlotte will pay the Celtics a visit. The Hornets are 43-36, tied with Philadelphia and Orlando for the seventh-best record in the East, and they'll hold either the No. 6, No. 7 or No. 9 spot in the conference — temporarily, anyway — when Tuesday's slate is complete.

Both Los Angeles teams are home; the banged-up Lakers could jump back into the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a win, and the Clippers could strengthen their tenuous hold on the No. 8 spot.

Who's in and who's out?

Here's what we know so far regarding the NBA playoff field for this season.

— Eastern Conference playoff teams: Detroit has locked up the No. 1 seed and will open the postseason on April 19. Boston, New York, Cleveland are in. At this point, Atlanta and Toronto would get the other two guaranteed spots, but those are not clinched.

— East play-in teams: Nobody is locked into the play-in yet, but entering Tuesday, the four teams headed there are Philadelphia, Charlotte, Orlando and Miami.

— East eliminated teams: Milwaukee, Chicago, Indiana, Brooklyn and Washington.

— Western Conference playoff teams: Oklahoma City, San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver and Houston are in. Minnesota is likely to grab the sixth and final guaranteed spot.

— West play-in teams: Phoenix is probably going to the play-in tournament. The Los Angeles Clippers, Portland and Golden State definitely are.

— West eliminated teams: Memphis, New Orleans, Dallas, Utah and Sacramento.

Monday recap

— Knicks 108, Hawks 105: Jalen Brunson had 17 in the 4th, CJ McCollum's miracle make was too late.

— Magic 123, Pistons 107: Orlando led almost the whole way, had 40-19 edge in free throw attempts.

— Cavaliers 142, Grizzlies 126: Memphis tied the NBA record with 29 made 3s — and still lost by 16.

— Spurs 115, 76ers 102: San Antonio hits 60 wins, waiting to hear about Victor Wembanyama's ribs.

— Nuggets 137, Trail Blazers 132, OT: Portland led by 13 with 6:01 left in regulation, then fell apart.

Tuesday's schedule

— Timberwolves at Pacers: Wolves still vying to clinch 6 seed, then focus on health before Round 1.

— Heat at Raptors: Miami plays at Toronto twice in a three-day span, huge stakes for both teams.

— Hornets at Celtics: Probably game of the night, which nobody would have predicted in October.

— Kings at Warriors: This week is basically preseason for Golden State and its play-in tune-up plan.

— Thunder at Lakers: Oklahoma City on verge of getting No. 1 overall seed for second straight year.

— Mavericks at Clippers: Dallas' Cooper Flagg’s final-week rookie of the year push tour continues.

— Rockets at Suns: Kevin Durant goes back to Phoenix, one of his former stomping grounds.

— Bulls at Wizards: All about lottery odds.

— Bucks at Nets: All about lottery odds.

— Jazz at Pelicans: For Utah, all about lottery odds. (New Orleans’ pick should convey to Atlanta.)

Wednesday's schedule

— Atlanta at Cleveland: A very possible East first-round preview.

— Minnesota at Orlando: Wolves sputtering, Anthony Edwards is aching.

— Milwaukee at Detroit: Giannis Antetokounmpo still wants to play.

— Memphis at Denver: Nuggets chasing No. 3 seed, need a win here.

— Portland at San Antonio: Blazers have work to do to avoid 9-10 game.

— Oklahoma City at L.A. Clippers: Clippers have work to do to avoid 9-10 game.

— Dallas at Phoenix: Suns almost certainly will be No. 7 seed for play-in.

National TV schedule

Tuesday on NBC and Peacock: Charlotte-Boston (8 p.m. Eastern) and Houston-Phoenix (11 p.m.).

Wednesday on ESPN: Atlanta-Cleveland (7 p.m. Eastern) and Portland-San Antonio (9:30 p.m.).

Betting odds

Oklahoma City (+130) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by San Antonio (+450), Boston (+550), Denver (+1200), Cleveland (+1200) and New York (+1900). Detroit, the No. 1 seed in the East, is +2500. The Los Angeles Lakers were +2500 before Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves got hurt; they're +45000 now.

Key dates

— Friday: All 30 teams play their 81st games of the season.

— Sunday: All 30 teams play their regular-season finales.

— April 14, 15 and 17: NBA play-in tournament dates.

— April 18 and 19: NBA playoff series openers.

— May 2, 3 or 4: Conference semifinals begin.

— May 10: NBA draft lottery.

— May 10-17: NBA draft combine.

— May 17 or 19: Eastern Conference finals begin on ESPN and ABC.

— May 18 or 20: Western Conference finals begin on NBC and Peacock.

— June 3: Game 1, NBA Finals on ABC. (Other finals dates: June 5, June 8, June 10, June 13, June 16 and June 19).

Numbers watch

If Denver averages 127 points in its final three games, the Nuggets would become the eighth team in NBA history to reach 10,000 points in a regular season. There have been three Western Conference teams to hit that milestone — they would be the Nuggets in 1981-82, the Nuggets in 1982-83 and ... you guessed it ... the Nuggets in 1983-84.

Stats of the day

— If Houston wins one more game this season, the NBA will have nine teams reach the 50-win mark. The last season with more than nine such teams was 2014-15, which saw 10 teams reach 50 wins. (Minnesota could get to 50 this season if it wins out.)

— Denver has allowed 134 and 132 points in its last two games, respectively, and gone 2-0. It's the seventh time a team has done that in NBA history; three of the previous six instances were done by the super-high-octane Nuggets in 1981 and 1982. San Antonio did it in 1984, Minnesota in 2021 and the Los Angeles Lakers did it in 2024.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson has requested a discussion on zoning tobacco shops at Tuesday’s board meeting.

Currently, any establishment described as a tobacco shop is able to operate in all Orange County commercial districts.

The broad allowance has led to the placement of smoke shops close to public schools, including a location near Olympia High School and Chain of Lakes Middle School.

“We want (students) to be able to ride their bikes from their communities to their school, but we don’t want something along the way that may be a hazard to their health,” Wilson said.

Commissioners will hear a proposal for the county to evaluate a modification to the county’s zoning guide to include tobacco and vape shops.

The discussion would happen after Wilson said people in her district have raised concerns about compatibility and the appropriateness of smoke shops to youth-centered environments.

“It’s not just about tobacco shops,” Wilson said. “It’s actually about where they’re located and potentially the vulnerable young people in our community being close to those.”

A possible amendment could be similar to a measure passed by Alachua County in 2019, which prohibited the opening of smoke shops within 1,000 feet of a public school.

“When we think about our vulnerable populations and our children, we just have an obligation to specifically make their areas as safe as we can,” Wilson said.

The request from Wilson is for an initial discussion and for staff to expand research to explore an amendment.

The discussion will happen during Tuesday’s board of county commissioners meeting at 9 a.m.

The horn sounded, and Morez Johnson Jr. came over to share a celebratory scream and hearty hug — from one transfer to another — as the Wolverines began running toward midcourt to celebrate a national championship.

Maybe a school really can build an ideal college basketball roster amid the topsy-turvy chaos of the transfer portal, paying players and top-to-bottom overhauls.

Michigan proved it Monday night, rolling out an all-transfer starting lineup that was too big, too strong and too capable of countering anything that UConn could muster — even on a night when the 3-point shot wasn't falling and All-American Yaxel Lendeborg was hobbled by ankle and knee injuries.

The Wolverines still had enough to hold off the Huskies 69-63 and claim the program's first title in 37 years.

And they showed how second-year Dusty May assembled a resilient roster by diving all the way into the portal.

“Man, this whole year, we were a team that played together,” Lendeborg said as he stood amid the confetti on the court at Lucas Oil Stadium. “We didn't have a best player, like I said before. We have a guy that steps up big-time in these games.

“We have players that make plays when they need to make them. And we just played a full all-around team basketball game today. We did it.”

It didn't matter that the Wolverines shot just 38% while making 2 of 15 3-pointers — stunning numbers for a team that entered the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 8 nationally in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency (126.6 points per 100 possessions).

It didn't matter that they were outrebounded — and gave up an incredible 22 offensive boards.

Nor that Lendeborg carried an awkward gait as he grinded his way through a 4-for-13 shooting effort in 36 minutes after twisting his left ankle and spraining a knee ligament in Saturday's win over Arizona in the Final Four.

Not the way these guys complemented each other on the sport's biggest stage.

Point guard Elliot Cadeau, in his first season after two up-and-down years at North Carolina, had 19 points and was named the Final Four's most outstanding player. Johnson, in his first year from Illinois, had 12 points and 10 rebounds. The 7-foot-3 Aday Mara, in his first year from UCLA, helped hold UConn big man Tarris Reed Jr. — who had been a March Madness force — to just 4-of-12 shooting.

“Nobody cared about stats the whole season. Nobody cared about nothing but winning,” Cadeau said.

Four of Michigan's five starters were in their first year after transferring: Cadeau, Johnson, Mara and Lendeborg (UAB).

The fifth starter, Nimari Burnett, was practically a Michigan lifer by comparison; he was in his third season with the Wolverines, after starting his career at Texas Tech then spending two years at Alabama. A similar story followed Gayle, a reserve who had spent two years at rival Ohio State before these last two years in Ann Arbor.

That left only two players in Michigan's eight-man rotation who would qualify as “homegrown” talent: freshman Trey McKenney and fifth-year graduate Will Tschetter.

It's an approach that tailored to the current era of the sport, with players transferring freely between campuses and cleared to profit from the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), along with schools able to pay athletes directly with the arrival of revenue sharing.

Purists have complained that the revolving door of players makes it harder for fans to get behind their schools than it was when most players spent multiple seasons in the same uniform. Transfers even featured prominently in an executive order signed last week by President Donald Trump seeking to reform college sports.

May shrugged off the critics on Sunday, noting, “I think we are all better in certain situations than others.”

Athletic director Warde Manuel offered a similar defense on the court Monday night after the program claimed its first national title since the Glen Rice-led Wolverines cut down the nets in Seattle in 1989.

“A lot of teams around the country benefited from transfers,” Manuel said. “You can't just say, ‘Well, Michigan had the most transfers.’ Dusty put this team together the way he did.”

And it worked to perfection.

By the end, Mara was jumping around with a few teammates after they had watched the “One Shining Moment” music montage of tournament highlights, with someone picking up a handful of confetti and tossing it into the air to flutter around them.

“It's important to get the right people on the bus,” assistant coach Justin Joyner said. “It's important to get unselfish guys that are about winning, that are about the group. We had that with the best of our players. Yaxel Lendeborg's one of the most unselfish superstars you'll ever be around.

“So when you have that from the top, it permeates through your locker room, it permeates through your group. And eventually you can become a unit that's about winning.”

___

This story corrects a typo in McKenney's last name.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Abnormally high levels of tropical moisture associated with a stalled out front will help fuel rounds of heavy rain, gusty winds, and rough beach conditions through Wednesday.

Flooding threat

Heavy rain continues to be an ongoing concern across the area. The biggest threat for flooding remains along the coast, where some locations have already picked up 3 to 5 inches.

A flood watch remains in effect for coastal counties, and additional rainfall through the day could quickly lead to localized flooding.

Another round of energy is expected to arrive late Wednesday into Thursday, bringing more showers, a few thunderstorms, and continued flooding concerns.

Rainfall totals through Thursday are expected to range from 1 to 3 inches inland and 2 to 4 inches along the coast, with isolated spots along the coast seeing more than 6 inches of rain.

Dangerous winds

Winds will also become a major concern as wind gusts crank up to 45 to 50 mph, with even stronger gusts along the immediate coast.

A is in place and may expand farther south through the day. A few isolated power outages are possible where tree limbs come down.

[RELATED: How to spot and escape a rip current]

Hazardous marine conditions

Beach conditions will turn especially dangerous as strong onshore winds rapidly build surf. Wave heights are expected to reach 9 to 12 feet by Wednesday, causing life-threatening rip currents and areas of beach erosion.

On Tuesday, The City Beautiful is marking 407 Day with special deals at local businesses across the city, from coffee shops and boutiques to food trucks.

The annual celebration started during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to highlight everything local. It has since grown into a community tradition centered on supporting small businesses and showing off city pride.

Shops and restaurants throughout Orlando are offering discounts and promotions to draw residents out and into their favorite local spots.

The event covers a wide range of businesses — whether it’s a neighborhood coffee shop, a small boutique, or a go-to food truck, the message is the same: today is about celebrating Orlando.

407 guide

There’s no shortage of ways to celebrate 407 Day across the metro area.

Here are some staples to consider:

Eat

Central Florida’s food scene continues to grow, and food halls are leading the charge.

From East End Market and A La Cart in Orlando to Henry’s Depot in Sanford, these hubs give local entrepreneurs a chance to serve gourmet food and drinks — and some have even expanded into brick-and-mortar restaurants.

For daily food coverage, visit News 6’s Florida Foodie page.

Play

Lake Eola’s iconic swan boats are a classic Orlando experience. Rentals run $15 for 30 minutes, hold up to five people, and a wheelchair-accessible boat is available.

Nature lovers can cool off at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka, where spring waters stay a constant 72 degrees year-round. Nearby, Rock Springs at Kelly Park offers a natural lazy river perfect for tubing and snorkeling.

For a bigger adventure, ecotours by airboat, kayak, or paddleboard offer close-up views of alligators, manatees, and other Florida wildlife across Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties.

[RELATED: ‘The Great Gatsby,’ ‘Hamilton’ among Dr. Phillips Center 2026-27 Broadway show lineup]

The arts scene also has plenty to offer. Orlando Shakes, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando Ballet, and Winter Park Playhouse are just a few of the local venues worth a visit.

Shop

After eating and exploring, support local businesses. East End Market features local shops alongside its food vendors. Adjectives Market, with five Orlando-area locations, carries furniture, home décor, and unique gifts.

Park Avenue in Winter Park blends dining, entertainment, and boutique shopping in one walkable stretch.

PinIt!

News 6 wants to see how you celebrate 407 Day, and you can share your photos and videos with all of Central Florida. There are several channels, including “Florida Foodie”.

Agyemang was visibly emotional when he was stretchered off, with his right leg strapped, after landing awkwardly in Derby’s 2-0 victory over Stoke in the second-tier English Championship on Monday.

Derby confirmed on Tuesday that the striker would miss soccer’s biggest tournament, which is being held in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in June and July.

“As a result of this injury, Patrick will unfortunately miss this summer’s FIFA World Cup,” Derby said in a statement. “At this stage it would be wrong to put a timeline on his recovery."

The club added that Agyemang would undergo more tests later on Tuesday and “further updates will be communicated in due course.”

Agyemang has helped Derby into contention for promotion to the Premier League thanks to a team-leading 10 goals since arriving last summer from Charlotte in Major League Soccer.

During the recent international break, he came off the bench for the United States and scored in a loss against Belgium and also got some minutes against Portugal.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The proposed deal would involve Universal Music merging with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, an acquisition company approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2023. Plans would include the new company being based in Nevada and moving its stock listing from Amsterdam to the New York Stock Exchange.

“UMG’s stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business and importantly, all of them can be addressed with this transaction,” Ackman said in a statement on Tuesday.

The total cash-and-stock value of the deal is estimated at 30.40 euros per share, or $35.12. That puts Universal Music's value at approximately 56 billion euros based on its outstanding shares.

Universal Music shareholders will receive 9.4 billion euros in cash (or 5.05 euros per share) and 0.77 shares of the newly created company's stock for each share of Universal Music that they own.

Universal Music did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The proposed transaction is anticipated to close by the end of the year, according to Pershing Square.

In 2021 Ackman walked away from a deal that would have given him a 10% stake in Universal Music. At the time, Ackman cited questions from the SEC about whether the structure of a special-purpose acquisition company would allow such an acquisition under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange.

Shares of Universal rose more than 10% in midday trading in Amsterdam.

The offer was made through the United States, which has been mediating talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv, Zelenskyy said, as Russia’s invasion stretches into a fifth year.

“If Russia is ready to stop strikes on our energy infrastructure, we will be ready to respond in kind,” the Ukrainian leader said in a public address late Monday. "This proposal, conveyed through the Americans, has already been presented to the Russian side.”

There was no immediate comment from Moscow about the proposal. Previous attempts to secure ceasefires have had little or no impact. Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a 30-hour ceasefire last Easter, but each side accused the other of breaking it.

Russia effectively rejected a 30-day unconditional truce proposed last year by the U.S. and Ukraine as a step toward peace, insisting instead on a comprehensive settlement, but Moscow has announced several short, unilateral ceasefires.

Zelenskyy said he doubted the Kremlin would take up his offer for the April 12 holiday pause as Russia is currently benefiting from higher oil prices driven by the Iran war.

Zelenskyy is concerned that a prolonged U.S.-Israeli war on Iran could erode America’s support for Ukraine.

The U.S.-led talks have made no progress on key issues, as Washington’s attention is held by the Middle East conflict, and the Russian and Ukrainian armies remain locked in battle on the roughly 1,250-kilometer (800-mile) front line.

At the same time, Russia has pounded Ukraine’s power grid in an effort to demoralize civilians while Kyiv’s domestically produced long-range drones have repeatedly hit Russian oil infrastructure in a bid to dent Moscow’s main export revenue.

“Ukraine’s expanding long-range strike campaign against Russian oil infrastructure is exploiting overstretched Russian air defenses and significantly damaging Russian oil export capabilities,” the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said in an assessment late Monday.

“Russia’s geographical size poses an enormous challenge to defend, especially with traditional air defense systems on which the Russians reportedly still rely to protect against Ukraine drone salvos,” it added.

Russia is also targeting public transport, including Ukraine’s vital rail network and bus services.

On Tuesday morning, a Russian drone struck a bus as it approached a stop, killing four civilians and injuring 15 others, in the southeastern Ukraine city of Nikopol, authorities said.

“This brutal attack on civilian regular transportation occurred during rush hour, when people were just going to work,” Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko wrote in an online post. “This is not an accident, it’s their (Russian) tactic: deliberate strikes on civilians.”

Also, Ukrainian authorities said three people were killed and three others were injured in an attack on a residential building in the southern city of Kherson. An 11-year-old boy was killed in a drone strike near the eastern city of Synelnykove, officials there said, bringing the day’s civilian death toll to eight.

Government and military authorities also reported power cuts in several eastern and southern areas in Ukraine following artillery and drone strikes.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Literally everything else.

But fast forward to 2026, and ladies and gentlemen – those days are long gone.

Today, watching sports is less about clicking on your favorite channel and increasingly about juggling subscriptions, having the right apps, and remembering who is streaming what. Sports coverage is now scattered across the old guard of ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and ESPN, and the up-and-comers, including Apple TV, Amazon, HBO Max, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, and YouTube. Even Tubi got in on the action last year with a simulcast of Super Bowl LIX.

Sports rights are quickly becoming the streaming industry’s go-to growth engine – and its most expensive addiction.

This shift, however, didn’t happen overnight. Just as cable has upended the broadcast industry, streaming is now giving cable a taste of its own medicine.

The good old days

Streaming is the new “it”, but for some owners, “it” is losing a lot of money.

Alongside prestige dramas and big-budget originals, streamers have added a new draw: live sports. But that golden ticket doesn’t come cheap.

Streamers see sporting events as a gateway to welcome new subscribers, keep existing ones from canceling, and give their platforms a reason to exist beyond movies, series, and reruns. Leagues and rights holders, in turn, have used this demand to push fees even higher.

The result: fragmentation the likes of which we’ve never seen before.

Back in the day (I’m not saying I was there for this… I’m also not saying I wasn’t), things were different. Through the 1960s, ‘70s, and most of the ‘80s, there were just three networks: ABC, NBC, and CBS. ESPN launched in 1979 as cable began expanding beyond rural markets, and FOX didn’t arrive until 1987.

Sports rights were just as concentrated. The NFL rotated between CBS (NFC) and NBC (AFC) until FOX shook things up in 1993 by taking the NFC package. Five years later, CBS returned the favor, reclaiming the AFC from NBC in 1998.

MLB regular-season games were relegated to local channels during the week, with weekend afternoon games on national TV, along with the playoffs and the World Series. Same for basketball. Hockey was also a local affair and was tough to find come playoff and Stanley Cup time. College sports? Everywhere.

Regional sports networks started populating cable lineups in the late 1970s with PRISM in 1976, followed by SportsChannel networks in the early 1980s. The modern RSN era: that can be traced back to Comcast SportsNet Philly in 1997.

Then there was NASCAR. NASCAR’s first live televised race wasn’t until 1971 – the first live Daytona 500 was in 1979, and the first season of live “flag to flag” coverage of all races wasn’t until 1997.

And the Olympics? NBC has had a lock on broadcasting both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in the states since 2008, with its agreement running through 2036 (including the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles).

,

“Sports” is expensive

In 1980, ABC paid about $15.5 million for the Winter Games while NBC paid about $70 million for the Summer Games. NBC’s latest Olympic rights extension (signed in 2025) cost some $3 billion, and one extension in 2014 cost $7.75 billion. Overall, NBC has spent about $19.13 billion for Olympic broadcast rights since 2008.

If all that sounds like a lot, you’re probably going to need to sit down when I give you some 2026 numbers for two major sports leagues. Let’s start with the NFL.

For the NFL in 2026, regular season, playoffs, and the Super Bowl are split among six (possibly seven) different rights holders:

• Disney/ABC:                                   $2.7 billion (Monday Night Games)
• Paramount (CBS):                        $2.1 billion
• FOX Corp (FOX):                           $2.25 billion
• Comcast (NBC & Peacock):     $2.0 billion
• Amazon (Prime Video):              $1.0 billion (Thursday night games)
• Netflix:                                              $150 million (Christmas Day games)
• YouTube:                                         Possibly getting 2026 premium games*

*Of note: YouTube got a taste of streaming the NFL in 2025 with a free Week 1 Brazil game, and in 2026, it’s negotiating for up to four more games, but no deal or price tag has been confirmed.

Total estimated cost (excluding the four games that YouTube might or might not get): $10.2 billion. To put that into context: that’s a little more than half of what NBC has paid for years of Olympics rights. And don’t forget the premium packages of YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket for every out-of-market Sunday game, and NFL’s RedZone (now part of ESPN’s growing NFL portfolio) for live highlights.

This fragmentation didn’t happen overnight. Although ESPN first jumped on NCAA men’s basketball coverage in March of 1980, one of the biggest instances came when FOX and NBC split NASCAR coverage – an agreement dating back to 2015.

Speaking of NASCAR, coverage of that sport has a number of partners as well in a deal put together in 2024 (specific amounts for each partner were not made public, but the whole right package is worth about $7.7 billion for 2025-2031 or around $1.1 billion a year). For 2026:

• FOX Corp. (FOX Sports): First 14 Races
• Comcast (NBC/USA Sports/Peacock): Final 14 Races
• Amazon (Prime Video): 5 Midseason Races
• Warner Bros. (TNT Sports/HBO Max/truTV): 5 Midseason Races with Max streaming practice, qualifying, and exclusive Driver Cam on Max

Those are two major sports leagues – without getting too much into the weeds, here’s a snapshot of some others, their costs, and their partnerships:

• Major League Baseball: Six national partners (+MLB TV and regional sports networks)
• • Apple TV, ESPN, FOX Corp., NBCUniversal, Netflix, TBS
  • Costs: MLB receives about $2 billion a year: Apple TV ($85 million), ESPN ($550 million), FOX ($729 million), NBC ($200 million), Netflix ($50 million), Turner ($470 million)
• National Basketball Association: Three national partners
• • Disney/ESPN/ABC, NBCUniversal/Peacock, Amazon Prime Video
  • Costs: NBA receives about $6.9 billion a year: Disney ($2.6 billion), NBCU ($2.45 billion), Amazon ($1.8 billion)
• National Hockey League: Two National Partners
• • ESPN, Turner Sports
  • Costs: NHL receives about $625 million a year: ESPN ($400 million), Turner ($225 million), and $1.2 billion for global rights (including revenue from Rogers Communications in Canada)
• PGA Tour: Three National Partners
• • CBS/Paramount, ESPN/ESPN+, NBC/Golf Channel/Peacock/USA, Golf Channel (note, Golf Channel is listed twice as it was part of NBCU but is now owned by Versant; USA is now also part of Versant)
  • Costs: PGA receives about $700 million a year. Partner payment breakdown is confidential.

Individually, each of these deals makes sense, but together, leagues and distributors have created a system where no single platform can deliver a complete sports experience.

So, what does this mean for you, the sports fan?

In a nutshell, if you want to keep up with your major sports teams, be ready to pay up.

Just when you’ve come to grips with $100-a-month cable bills, streaming subscriptions are piling on – each ready to take a chunk out of your monthly budget.

As an example: most NFL teams are broadcast in their local markets each Sunday or Monday (with occasional Thursday and Saturday games). But with new packages, those Thursday night games are now on Amazon Prime - $14.99 a month or $139 a year. Sunday and Monday night games: NBC/Peacock (Sunday) and ESPN (Monday). Christmas games – those are on Netflix ($8.99–$26.99 a month). YouTube’s Sunday Ticket is $192–$240 for new subscribers or $378–$480 for returning ones. Add in the NFL Network and RedZone (NFL+ Premium) for another $14.99 a month.

A 2026 FOX Sports article estimated the diehard NFL fan is in for almost $600 to $800 for full coverage of the 2025 NFL season.

In fact, if you are a true sports fanatic, to watch the NFL, MLB, and NBA in 2026, on top of your network coverage (which, if you’re paying for cable, satellite, or a live TV streaming service, could hover around $100 a month), you need a minimum of 8-10 different subscriptions across traditional cable/satellite/live TV streaming.

Here’s what things look like:

• All sports:
• • YouTube TV ($82.99/month)
  • Alternative: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle ($35.99-$44.99/month)
• NFL
• • NFL Sunday Ticket ($192-$480/season)
  • Amazon Prime ($14.99/month – Thursday Night Football)
  • Peacock ($7.99-$16.99/month – Sunday Night Football)
  • Netflix ($8.99-$26.99/month – Christmas Games)
  • ESPN+ ($11.99-$12.99/month)
  • NFL+ Premium (includes RedZone and NFL Network) –  ($14.99/month)
• MLB
• • MLB.TV ($149.99/season)
  • Apple TV ($12.99/month)
  • Local RSN (kind of in chaos as many are now run by MLB, but they’re not free)
• NBA
• • NBA League Pass ($110/season)
  • Amazon Prime ($14.99/month)
  • Local RSN (like MLB, it’s a mess)

Oh, and if you’re an F1 fan, pony up for Apple TV ($12.99 per month or $99.99 annually) along with Netflix for Formula 1: Drive to Survive.

The new sports fan reality

Don’t expect things to get better anytime soon. Streamers bid aggressively because live sports equals sticky subscribers who stick around for a full season, won’t cancel after a series binge, and sample a streamer’s other choices.

The soaring cost of sports broadcast rights has pushed networks and streamers into uneasy partnerships – these fractured deals have now left fans chasing games across a maze of channels and apps.

Skinny bundles promise relief – YouTube TV has a new $64.99 sports tier while Disney offers up the aforementioned Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle. RSNs are collapsing (FanDuel Network is sunsetting,commercial-free and Bally’s went bankrupt). MLB will run production and distribution for some baseball teams, while a few others are returning to their roots for a smattering of games on local stations. Both the NBA and NHL are looking at the possibility of a national streaming hub with fragmented local deals.

So, moving forward – how do you keep your sanity (and your dollars)?

Pick two to three teams (not leagues), accept you’ll miss games, and live with highlights. Try YouTube and pay about $15 a month to go commercial-free (no commercials completely changes the way you experience the platform). Occasionally hit a sports bar to get a football, baseball, basketball, or motor-racing fix.

Sports remain cultural glue, but accessing it shouldn’t require a spreadsheet and second mortgage.

Police have not confirmed the name of the 47-year-old former soldier who was arrested Tuesday. But he has been widely reported in the media to be Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service Regiment corporal who was awarded both the Victoria Cross and Medal of Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan.

Police charged him Tuesday with five counts of war crime murder. He will remain in custody overnight and make his first court appearance on Wednesday, a police statement said.

He will potentially apply for release on bail Wednesday.

Roberts-Smith is only the second Australian veteran of the Afghanistan campaign to be charged with a war crime.

Former SAS soldier Oliver Schulz, 44, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of war crime murder. He is accused of shooting Afghan man Dad Mohammad three times in the head in an Uruzgan province wheat field in May 2012.

War crime murder carries a potential sentence of life in prison. It's a federal crime in Australia, defined as the intentional killing in the context of armed conflict of a person who is not taking an active part in hostilities, such as civilians, prisoners of war or wounded soldiers.

Police arrested Roberts-Smith at Sydney Airport on Tuesday after he arrived on a flight from Brisbane, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said.

“It will be alleged that the victims were not taking part in hostilities at the time of their alleged murder in Afghanistan. It will be alleged the victims were detained, unarmed and were under the control of ADF members when they were killed,” Barrett told reporters, referring to the Australian Defense Force.

“It will be alleged the victims were shot by the accused or shot by subordinate members of the ADF in the presence of and acting on the orders of the accused,” Barrett added.

A civil court has already found similar allegations against Roberts-Smith credible in a defamation suit he brought after several newspapers published articles in 2018 accusing him of a range of war crimes. In 2023, a federal judge rejected Roberts-Smith’s claims and ruled that he likely killed four noncombatants unlawfully in 2009 and 2012.

But while the civil court found the war crimes allegations were mostly proved on a balance of probabilities, the new charges would have to be proved in a criminal court to a higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt.

In September, Australia’s High Court said it would not hear an appeal, ending his chances of overturning the ruling.

Nick McKenzie, a reporter unsuccessfully sued for defamation by Roberts-Smith who has been investigating allegations against the soldier since 2017, expected SAS colleagues to testify in the criminal trial as they had during the civil trial.

“You’re investigating conduct allegedly taken by some members of the most secretive, elite fighting force Australia has. The journalism task is difficult. What’s been really difficult, though, is those brave SAS witnesses” testifying, McKenzie told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“For them to come forward and say: ‘Well, we served our country bravely like Ben Roberts-Smith did, alongside him in Afghanistan, but we saw things with our own eyes that we feel uncomfortable about.’ These brave soldiers, some of them broke down after they testified, so difficult was it for them to stand up and speak out,” McKenzie added.

The charges follow a military report released in 2020 that found evidence that elite Australian SAS and commando regiment troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and other noncombatants.

Barrett said few soldiers were involved in the new allegations.

“The alleged conduct related to these charges is confined to a very small section of our trusted and respected ADF which helps keep this country safe,” Barrett said.

“The overwhelming majority of our ADF do our country proud. Today’s charges are not reflective of the majority of members who serve under our Australian flag with honor, with distinction and with the values of a democratic nation,” she added.

The Office of the Special Investigator was established to work with police on the war crime allegations. The office’s director of investigations Ross Barnett said allegations of 53 war crimes had been investigated and 39 of those investigations had concluded without charges. Around 40,000 Australian military personnel served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021, of whom 41 were killed.

Hoping to ease some pain for consumers, President Donald Trump and other heads of state have been pulling on various levers, launching more oil on the market in a bid to calm the chaos.

A group of 32 nations that are members of the International Energy Agency began releasing the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history: 400 million barrels. Trump is tapping into oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve while lifting sanctions on Russian and Iranian crude and temporarily waiving the Jones Act, a maritime law that requires ships carrying goods between U.S. ports to be U.S.-flagged.

But despite those maneuvers, crude oil has soared well past $100 a barrel and gasoline is selling for $4.14 a gallon on average in the U.S. While the stopgaps are helping, they're not adding up to enough oil to replace what's stranded, experts say.

“They're all incremental,” said Mark Barteau, professor of chemical engineering and chemistry at Texas A&M University. "You’re talking about these different patches being at the level of maybe 1 to 2 million barrels a day each, and you’ve got to get to 20, so it’s hard to see those actually adding up to the numbers that are needed. And then the question is, how long can you sustain those?”

Trapped oil

Before the war began, roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil and 5 million barrels of oil products passed daily through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, amounting to about 20% of global oil consumption, according to the International Energy Agency.

In addition to that loss, some oil producing nations in the Middle East have halted oil production because they can't ship fuel out of the Gulf and their storage tanks are full. That's taken about 10 million barrels per day off the market, the IEA said.

Then there are the eight countries around the Persian Gulf that together hold about 50% of global oil reserves. Under normal circumstances, they coordinate closely to raise or lower their output to keep prices steady, said Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute. Usually Saudi Arabia steps in to bring spare oil to market and calm things down, he said.

“But all of that spare capacity is also bottled up inside the Persian Gulf right now and it can’t get to market either,” Krane said. “So the main emergency response system that we have is also blocked.”

The IEA said in its recent report that “the resumption of transit through the Strait of Hormuz is the single most important action to return to stable oil and gas flows and reduce the strains on markets and prices.”

Barring that, world leaders are grasping for ways to free up more oil.

Limitations of short-term fixes

Some nations have found workarounds to move oil out of the Gulf. Saudi Arabia is using its East-West pipeline, which stretches from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, to transfer about 5 million barrels per day out of the Gulf, said Michael Lynch, distinguished fellow at Energy Policy Research Foundation, a non-partisan institution focused on energy and economics. But the nation was already using that pipeline to transport oil, so it doesn’t have a lot of spare room to move oil from stranded tankers.

Trump also temporarily lifted sanctions on approximately 140 million barrels of Iranian oil that was already in transit. But that didn’t add oil to the market — it just widened the pool of potential buyers, said Daniel Sternoff, senior fellow at the Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy.

Typically, most Iranian oil was bought by private refiners in China, who purchased it at a steep discount, Sternoff said. But with sanctions lifted, others could scramble to buy the oil, which in turn raises its price to the benefit of Iran, he said.

“As soon as you are moving to waive sanctions on your adversary with whom you’re fighting a military conflict, to do something in their benefit, it just shows you that you are running out of options to try to prevent a rise in the price of oil,” Sternoff said.

The decision to lift sanctions on Russian oil could have more impact, because Russia had been storing unpurchased oil in tankers, Sternoff said. “By waiving sanctions, it will allow those barrels to clear.”

Trump’s temporary waiver of the Jones Act to allow foreign ships to temporarily transport goods between U.S. ports could potentially help ease natural gas prices by enabling companies to more efficiently ship liquefied natural gas from the Gulf Coast to New England.

But experts don’t expect the waiver to significantly impact the price of oil or gasoline. “It’s helpful, but not a game changer,” Lynch said.

Why U.S. oil production can't solve the problem

The U.S. is a major oil producer, and exports more oil than it imports. But like any other oil producing nation, it can't just ramp up production instantly to fill the void.

“If the U.S. were to try to make up the global shortfall, we would need to nearly double our production,” Barteau said. “We couldn’t drill wells that fast even if we wanted to.”

Increasing domestic production by even 1 million barrels per day, a feat the U.S. accomplished during the shale boom, would be hard to duplicate, Lynch said.

“If we run every drilling rig right now, what happens a week from now when the war is over and the price goes back down $20?” Lynch asked. “People don’t want to develop long-term production based on a short-term price spike.”

Halting exports and using that oil within the U.S. wouldn't bring down gasoline prices either, experts say.

For one, oil is traded on a global market, so events happening halfway around the globe impact prices for everyone.

In addition, the U.S. doesn't produce enough of the type of oil its refineries process. It produced about 13.7 million barrels per day of oil at the end of 2025, according to the Energy Information Administration. And refineries processed about 16.3 million barrels per day that year, relying on imports to fill in the gaps, according to the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), a trade association.

That's because nearly 70% of U.S. refineries are set up to process heavy, sour crude, according to AFPM. But much of the oil produced in the U.S. is light, sweet crude, which was unlocked during the shale revolution.

“They need different crudes than the ones that are being produced right next to them now,” Krane said.

As a result, just 60% of the crude oil processed in U.S. refineries is extracted domestically, according to the AFPM. And retooling domestic refineries would cost billions of dollars, the group said. It also would require shutting down the refinery for a period of time, which generally raises gasoline prices.

“A lot of people like the IEA are making the point that this is the biggest oil crisis ever, which is partly true, partly an exaggeration, depending on how you count things,” Lynch said. “A lot of it has to do with how long does this last ... if it goes on for another six weeks we get to be in some serious trouble.”

Rose is 45 — only four players older than him have won major championships — and yet he prefers to refer to his “Indian summer” of playing great golf at this stage in his career. Evidence can be found three months ago when he beat a strong field at Torrey Pines.

He became a footnote in Masters history last year when Rory McIlroy beat him in a playoff, making Rose the only player to have twice lost in a playoff at Augusta National without ever having won the Masters green jacket.

The consolation — fine print, at that — is getting his name etched three times on the Masters trophy because the club lists the runner-up each year. The playoff loss to McIlroy. A more crushing playoff loss to Sergio Garcia in 2017. A runner-up by four shots to Jordan Spieth in 2015.

All that means to Rose is he knows his way around Augusta National, and that's the inspiration he brings to the Masters this year.

“I'm very aware that I've been close here,” Rose said Monday afternoon. “I'm very aware that I've had tough, tough losses here. I also am aware that I enjoy this place. I don't want to feel that those three second-place finishes need to create a different sort of feeling for me.”

The record for winning the silver salver awarded to the runner-up without ever having Tuesday night plans at the Masters Club dinner is held by the late Tom Weiskopf, four times a bridesmaid.

Weiskopf was haunted by coming close without ever winning the Masters, as were so many others over the years. Greg Norman had Larry Mize hole a miracle chip in a playoff in 1987 and blew a six-shot lead to Nick Faldo in 1996. David Duval, who had three chances in a four-year stretch. It's a long, sad list.

There is desire and obsession when it comes to the green jacket.

“I’d say firmly in the desire camp, just because I know that the latter is not going to help me,” Rose said. “It’s probably professional discipline just to keep it in the desire realm. I think I probably wouldn’t let myself go down the other path. Like I said, that probably won’t be fruitful. Professionally, I’m not going to do that.”

Rose had a two-shot lead with six holes to play and Sergio Garcia in the azaleas left of the 13th hole, but the Spaniard caught him and beat him in a playoff. Last year, Rose holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th and needed McIlroy to make bogey from the fairway on the 18th to get in a playoff.

Both times he lost to friends. That doesn't make it easier.

“The key is showing up. The key is to try to be as free as you can in those moments,” Rose said. “Yeah, you have to hope a little bit along the way that it’s your day. It could have been my day in a couple of major championships. Hopefully with that mindset, keep chipping away, my day might still happen where a little bit of something goes my way.”

And now he returns to Augusta National, which holds so much familiarity as the only major held on the same course every year. That's what can make it so difficult to win after coming so close. There's a lot of scar tissue built up over the years.

Rose is leaning on that half-full glass.

“I hope it only boosts my belief that I can go ahead and do it,” he said. "I feel like I’ve pretty much done what it takes to win. I just haven’t walked over the line. I feel like I’ve executed well enough to have done the job. From that point of view, I don’t feel like I have to find something in myself to do something different. I truly believe that.

“No, I don’t feel like it owes me anything. I come here with a good attitude. It’s a place that I enjoy being. There’s certain places you get to and you take a deep breath and go, ‘Right, it’s nice to be here.’ Augusta still is one of those places for me.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Then again, they rarely show up with a resume like Chris Gotterup's.

The 26-year-old Gotterup already has four PGA Tour wins, meaning he'll be the third player since World War II to make his Masters debut with that many. He's already won twice this year and joins Ben Griffin and Jacob Bridgeman as the highest-ranked first-timers this week. All three are in the world top 20.

“Just embracing the whole experience,” Gotterup said. “Trying to take it all in and enjoy it while also trying to go out there and compete and give it everything I’ve got.”

Not since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 has a Masters rookie won the tournament, and before that nobody had won his debut since Gene Sarazen in the second year of the event. But favorites like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy haven’t been all that dominant lately, and Gotterup stands out with his wins in the Sony Open and Phoenix Open earlier this year.

He also won the Scottish Open last year. The immediate reward for that victory was a trip to Royal Portrush for Gotterup's first British Open, but it also qualified him for the Masters.

Gotterup finally visited Augusta National more than a month ago. He says he didn't want to come to the Masters previously because watching — instead of playing — would be difficult to handle. And it's not as though he was being bombarded with opportunities to try out the course on his own time.

“I don’t think I’ve actually ever declined an invite. I don’t know if I’ve been invited. So you can’t turn down nothing,” said Gotterup, whose first PGA Tour win was at an opposite-field event in 2024. “I have gotten offered to come watch the tournament from sponsors or from whoever it may be, and I said I can’t go over there until I play. Or else if I’m retired, then I can go over.”

Bridgeman, who won at Riviera in February in his first attempt there, came to Augusta as an autograph-seeking 10-year-old in 2010. He got the chance to play the course when he was a freshman at Clemson, which is about 100 miles away.

“We had a couple members that hosted and we were able to bring down a group of nine of us, so I played with a roommate of mine and we had a blast.” Bridgeman said. “I remember teeing it up on (No.) 1 and there was not a soul around and I was super nervous. A little bit more comfortable this time. I don’t know what it is. I’m kind of in tournament mode.”

Griffin came to the course in November and again last week. Of course, he didn't need to see Augusta National up close to understand its history.

“Tons of memories, all the iconic shots that have been hit. The one that comes to mind first is Tiger Woods’ chip on 16 with the dramatic Nike symbol,” he said. “I feel like every hole there’s like a shot that’s been hit by someone that I’ve either heard of or seen on television that I kind of remember.”

Griffin played the back nine Monday. Gotterup played the front with veteran Justin Rose. Bridgeman's group included 18-year-old Mason Howell, last year's U.S. Amateur champion. Howell is a University of Georgia commit who figures to have plenty of support this week.

Howell is keeping expectations manageable and says his goal is to play four good rounds. Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters champ who finished tied for 20th in his first appearance, recommends that approach for any young newcomer.

“There’s very few that’s won it the first time,” Watson said. “But talent can take over and anybody can win because they’re good enough to get here, they’re good enough to win. Just enjoy it. You want your first one to be, just enjoy it, take it all in, try to learn some things and get ready for the next time you come around here.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Early retirement

Early retirement — before the standard age of 65 — is an increasingly common scenario. While Social Security’s full retirement age is currently between 66 and 67, the average retirement age is 62, according to  a study from MassMutual. That’s corroborated by  Social Security filing data, which show that roughly 25% of retirees take Social Security when it’s first available at age 62, and 15% file at 63 or 64. Nearly half of the retirees surveyed by MassMutual said they had retired earlier than planned; commonly cited reasons included layoffs, being able to retire sooner than expected, or illness or injury.

Early retirement has significant implications for retirement spending, with longer drawdown periods necessitating lower spending to maintain a high likelihood of not running out later on. In our base-case spending simulation, expanding the drawdown period from 30 to 35 years reduces the starting safe withdrawal rate from 3.9% to 3.5%. Stretching the time spending horizon to 40 years takes the starting safe withdrawal rate to 3.2%.

Keeping withdrawals low in early retirement may be challenging on a few levels, however. First, individuals aren’t eligible for Medicare coverage until age 65, so bridging healthcare coverage in the intervening years has the potential to increase spending. Insurance coverage for 62- to 65-year-olds from the ACA marketplace averaged between $800 and $1,200 a month in 2025, according to  data from Boldin. Meanwhile, Cobra coverage (extending workplace-provided coverage) for people 62 to 65 averaged $700 to $1,500 a month. For a62-year-old taking a safe withdrawal rate of 3.5% ($35,000) from her $1 million portfolio, healthcare costs would consume roughly a third of those withdrawals.

Further complicating matters for young retirees is that many individuals wish to delay Social Security to increase their eventual benefits. At the same time, delaying Social Security can necessitate higher withdrawals in the early part of retirement, thereby imperiling the portfolio’s ability to last over the longer time horizon.

Long-term care spending

Just as early retirement can cause a spending shock at the front end of retirement, long-term care costs can prompt a spending shock later in life.  A 2025 report authored by Spencer Look and Jack VanDerhei of the Morningstar Center for Retirement & Policy Studies found that 43% of baby boomers will incur long-term care costs, with the average cost of that care $242,373. The likelihood of needing care correlates with longevity: While just 24% of men and 27% of women who die at age 75 will require long-term care, 52% of men and 60% of women who die at age 95 will require long-term care.

Incurring sizable long-term care costs can have catastrophic effects for a financial plan: The Morningstar study found that when long-term care costs are included in the analysis of the viability of retirement assets, 41% of older-adult households that incur long-term care costs are likely to run out of funds.

Older adults can take different approaches to address this risk. They might set aside  a separate long-term care “bucket,” separate from their spending portfolios. Others may plan to use home equity.

Alternatively, those with very tight finances might create a spending plan to cover their costs during their healthy years, then rely on government resources if they require long-term care after that.

The final option for handling the cost of long-term care is to build it into the spending plan, spending less throughout retirement to account for the possibility of a spike later in life. To help model a long-term care shock, we assumed spending in years 29 and 30 to be twice what spending was in year 28. Factoring in that type of shock, the starting safe withdrawal percentage for the person retiring and claiming Social Security at age 67 is 3.5%, versus 3.9% for our base case without that shock.

_____

This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more retirement content, go to https://www.morningstar.com/retirement.

ChristineBenz is director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar and co-host of The Long View podcast.

Related Links

What to Do in the Five Years Before You Retire

https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/emily-guy-birken-what-do-five-years-before-you-retire

What You Need to Know About Annuities

https://www.morningstar.com/retirement/what-you-need-know-about-annuities

10 Sources of Emergency Cash, Ranked From Best to Worst

https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance/10-sources-emergency-cash-ranked-best-worst

The move departs from Vietnam’s tradition of shared leadership, in which the jobs have typically been held by different people, and echoes power structures in China under Xi Jinping and neighboring Laos.

It has been widely expected since Lam’s reelection as Communist Party head in January, when observers noted that his consolidation of party authority positioned him to assume the presidency as well.

Former central bank governor Le Minh Hung was elected as the country's prime minister for the next five years.

After being sworn in, the 69-year-old told the National Assembly that his top priority was to maintain peace and stability, which were the foundation for fast and sustainable growth. “We aim to improve people’s livelihoods so all can share the benefits of development,” he said.

This is To Lam’s second time holding both jobs, after briefly doing so in 2024 when his predecessor as party chief, Nguyen Phu Trong, died.

The concentration of power was significant since it meant that Lam had a “stronger mandate and far more political room to push through his agenda than any leaders” since the 1980s, when Hanoi launched reforms to shed a state-run economy in favor of a market-oriented one open to foreigners, said Nguyen Khac Giang, of Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute research center.

“The opportunity is obvious. Faster decision-making, greater policy coherence, and a better chance of pushing difficult reforms at a pivotal moment. But the risk is that concentration of power can move faster than institutional reform,” he said.

Lam's rise to the top caps the ascent of a career policeman who advanced from Vietnam’s security services to the top of the political system. This was aided by a sweeping anti-corruption campaign launched by his predecessor, which he oversaw as head of the Ministry of Public Security.

As party chief, Lam has led Vietnam’s biggest bureaucratic overhaul since the 1980s, cutting jobs, merging ministries, redrawing provincial boundaries and advancing major infrastructure projects.

He has focused on economic performance and private-sector growth, aiming to move Vietnam beyond the labor- and export-driven model that has helped lift millions from poverty and build a manufacturing-based middle class. The country is targeting 10% or higher annual economic growth over each of the next five years.

Hung, the new prime minister, said that the 10% growth target is meant to help achieve the country’s strategic goals and that the government had identified “strengthening science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as top priorities.”

But challenges remain, especially the immediate task of turning this ambitious vision into reality with the world economy upended by the energy shock from the war in Iran. Vietnam’s economy expanded at an annualized rate of 7.8% in the first three months of the year, up from 7.1% last year but below the 9.1% target and slower than in late 2025.

Giang said that Lam also faces political hurdles for reform buy-in and the challenge of maintaining Vietnam's pragmatic approach to foreign policy.

Vietnam is facing U.S. pressure over its trade surplus but also has to balance ties with China, its largest trading partner and rival claimant in the South China Sea.

“It has benefited from a careful balancing strategy in foreign policy, but maintaining that position will become harder in a more turbulent world,” he said.

___

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.

The biggest bill of the trio was HB 1471, which allows the FDLE executive director — a role appointed by the governor — to designate certain groups as terrorist organizations.

To do so, the FDLE director must find the following criteria:

At least seven days before designating a group as a terrorist organization, the FDLE director must provide written notice to the Cabinet, along with written findings behind the decision.

Then, the Cabinet will be responsible for either approving or rejecting the designation.

If a group is properly dubbed a terrorist organization, the following consequences would also apply:

• State agencies may not expend funds or levy ad valorem taxes to support such an organization or its members
• Criminal penalties imposed against such organization may be enhanced
• The following terrorist-related crimes include conduct involving a domestic terrorist group as designated by the FDLE head:
• • Using military-type training provided by a terrorist organization
  • Providing material support or resources for terrorism
  • Willfully becoming a member of a terrorist organization

Meanwhile, the full list of new laws signed on Monday is as follows:

HB 1471 — Terrorist Organizations

House Bill 1471 makes several changes to state law regarding terrorist organizations. Many of those revisions are as follows:

• Terrorist Designations: Creates a process by which the state may designate groups as domestic or foreign terrorist organization if certain conditions are met
• Religious Laws: Courts and tribunals are prohibited from enforcing religious or foreign laws against someone if such application would violate his/her constitutional rights
• Private Schools: Prohibits private schools participating in state scholarship programs from being owned or funded by terrorist groups, terrorist supporters, or criminal gangs
• State Universities: Prevents institutions in the Florida College System from using state funds to support programs that advocate for terrorist organizations
• Visa Students: Public colleges must report information about the current status of students who are attending on a visa if they promote terrorist organizations
• Student Expulsions: If a student promotes a terrorist organization while enrolled at a public university, the student must be immediately expelled and assessed an out-of-state fee

Today in Tampa, I signed HB 1471 to protect Floridians’ constitutional rights from the application of foreign and religious laws, including Sharia law.

This legislation also establishes a framework to combat terrorist organizations and ensures greater accountability for our… pic.twitter.com/zdeukUk2nj

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 6, 2026

The law is set to take effect on July 1.

HB 1473 — Public Records (Terrorism)

House Bill 1473 creates a public record exemption tied to HB 1471 for certain information that would require Florida’s Chief of Domestic Security to provide to the governor and cabinet in certain situations.

The law is set to take effect on July 1.

HB 4005 — Naples Airport Authority

House Bill 4005 revises the method of selection for the Naples Airport Authority board from a body appointed by the city to one elected by the residents of Collier County.

The law took effect upon being signed.