Scott, an Auburn transfer, has run the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds.

Scott is a speedy second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns. He had 64 tackles, 13 tackles for losses, five sacks, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

He missed to two games with a turf toe. Scott briefly transferred to the University of Houston before going back into the transfer portal and moved on to the Hurricanes.

A California native, Scott began his college career at Snow College in Utah. He was a junior college All-American and was named a Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

At Auburn, he had 54 tackles in 2022 and 44 tackles in 2023 and 18 tackles during an injury-limited season in 2024 before entering the transfer portal.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com

The News Media Guild, the union that represents AP journalists, said more than 120 staff members received buyout offers on Monday.

The news organization is becoming more focused on visual journalism and developing new revenue sources, particularly through companies investing in artificial intelligence, to cope with the economic collapse of many legacy news outlets. Once the lion’s share of AP’s revenue, big newspaper companies now account for 10% of its income.

“We’re not a newspaper company and we haven’t been for quite some time,” Julie Pace, executive editor and senior vice president of the AP, said in an interview.

Despite changes – the company has doubled the number of video journalists it employs in the United States since 2022 – remnants of a staffing structure built largely to provide stories to newspapers and broadcasters in individual states have remained.

That has its roots well back in American history; the AP was started in the mid-19th century by New York newspapers looking to share the costs of reporting outside their immediate territory.

Exact numbers of staff reduction unclear

The number of AP journalists who will lose jobs is murky, in part intentionally. The AP does not say how many journalists it employs, though it has a large international presence as well as its U.S. staff. Pace said the AP's goal is to reduce its global staff by less than 5%.

Since buyouts are being offered now to only U.S. journalists, it stands to reason that the cut among that workforce will be more than 5%. Whether there are layoffs depends on how many people take the offer, Pace said.

“The AP employs hundreds of talented journalists who are willing and able to adjust to the changing media landscape,” the union said in a statement. “However, the company refuses to offer them appropriate training and tools. Instead, AP continues to get rid of experienced staff and flirt with artificial intelligence — ignoring the opportunity to differentiate AP news stories as ones that are and always will be created by human journalists.”

The union said AP ignored a request last week to bargain over artificial intelligence. The news outlet had no immediate comment on that claim, or the union's estimate of how many people were offered buyouts. It's not clear whether the buyout offers were concluded by Monday afternoon.

Over the past four years, the AP’s revenue from newspapers has declined by 25%. Gannett and McClatchy, two of the largest traditional newspaper publishers, dropped AP in 2024.

In recent days, the company learned that Lee Enterprises — publishers of newspapers like The Buffalo News, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Richmond Times-Dispatch — is seeking an early exit from a contract due to expire at the end of 2026.

Pace said the buyout plan was in the works before learning about Lee Enterprises. “We made a decision earlier this year that we needed to be bolder in this transformation,” she said.

An even higher focus on the day’s biggest stories

Besides the transition to more video capabilities, the AP is deploying rapid-response teams where staff members, no matter their geographic base, contribute to the day’s big stories, she said. The AP is putting more journalists on beats to break news on topics of known customer interest. But it is committed to maintaining a presence in all 50 states.

“The AP is not in trouble,” Pace said. “We’re making these changes from a position of strength but we’re doing so now to recognize our changing customer base.”

Those customers now are dominated by broadcast, digital and technology companies, an illustration of where people are getting news. The AP has seen 200% growth in revenue from technology companies over the last four years, said Kristin Heitmann, senior vice president and chief revenue officer.

The AP was among the first news outlets to make a deal with an AI company, agreeing in 2023 to lease part of its text archive to OpenAI as it built out its capabilities. The AP launched on Snowflake Marketplace last year to license data directly to enterprises building their own system. It has launched AP Intelligence, a division designed to sell data to financial and advertising sectors, for example.

Google contracted with AP last year to deliver news through the Gemini chatbot, the tech giant’s first deal with a news publisher.

“If you can think of a large technology company,” Heitmann said, “they are a customer of ours.”

Predictions markets now part of the picture for AP

Last month, the AP agreed to sell U.S. elections data to Kalshi, the world’s largest predictions market.

AP’s long tradition in counting and analyzing elections data is another growth area; the company saw a 30% increase in customers between the 2020 and 2024 cycles. It got an additional boost last year when ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN signed on to the service.

The company, traditionally a wholesaler of news to other companies, has also seen growing interest in its direct-to-consumer product, apnews.com, which provides revenue through advertising and donations.

The new business frontiers do not indicate a weakening in the AP’s standards of providing fast, accurate, non-biased news, leaders said. “It anything, it makes it more important that we retain these values as we make the transition,” Pace said.

The AP is trying new forms of fact-checking, including use of video, and more often putting its journalists in public to explain how they got particular stories, she said.

“I think that authenticity, and the fact that you can associate a real person who is often quite experienced and quite deep on their beats … it builds more credibility,” she said. “We’re really trying to embrace that because I do think it’s vital when there is so much misinformation out there.”

The response comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline looms — Tuesday night Washington time — for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with the president threatening to hit Iran’s power plants and other infrastructure targets.

Israel and the United States carried out a wave of attacks on Iran on Monday, killing more than 25 people. Iran responded with missile fire on Israel and its Gulf Arab neighbors.

Israel attacked the South Pars petrochemical plant at Asaluyeh in Iran, according to Israel's defense minister. An Israeli attack on South Pars facilities last month sparked major Iranian attacks targeting oil and gas infrastructure across the Gulf Arab states.

Here is the latest:

UN chief warns the US not to strike Iran’s civilian infrastructure

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the U.S. that attacking civilian infrastructure is banned under international law, his spokesman said Monday.

“Even if specific civilian infrastructure were to qualify as a military objective,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, an attack would still be prohibited if it risks “excessive incidental civilian harm.”

A court would need to decide whether such attacks were war crimes, he said.

Trump dismisses that his threatened attacks on Iran’s infrastructure would be war crimes

Trump says he’s “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes as he continues to threaten the destruction of Iran’s bridges and power plants if they don’t meet a Tuesday evening deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“I hope I don’t have to do it,” Trump added.

Israeli military is preparing for weeks of battle against Iran

The military’s chief spokesman, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, says the army’s chief has approved battle plans for the next three weeks in the absence of a ceasefire.

“Every day that passes, we hit them more and more. Already we have very good achievements, and we want to reach excellent achievements,” he told a press conference Monday.

Israel’s defense industry to export a $750 million rocket system to Greece

The Israeli and Greek defense ministries signed the four-year export agreement Monday in Athens, said a statement from Israel’s defense ministry.

The system, called PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System), is built to launch rockets of different ranges, the statement said.

Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems will supply the rocket launchers and the warheads to Greece. Greek defense industries are expected to produce some parts of the system.

US fighter jet was downed by shoulder-held missile launcher, Trump says

Trump said the F-15E fighter jet that set off a two-day search-and-rescue operation was downed by a shoulder-launched rocket.

Trump described the weapon as a “hand-held shoulder missile— heat-seeking missile.”

The president went on to suggest that the fighter jet was ultimately downed not by the explosion but because of related damage to the aircraft’s engines.

“They shot it and it got sucked in right by the engine,” Trump said.

Trump insists Iranian civilians want the US to keep bombing

Asked why Iranians would want him to follow up on his threat to blow up the country’s infrastructure, Trump says everyday citizens are “willing to suffer ... in order to have freedom.”

“‘Please keep bombing. Do it,’” Trump claimed U.S. officials have heard Iranians say via “intercepts.”

“And these are people that are living where the bombs are exploding,” he said.

He added, “And when we leave and we’re not hitting those areas, they’re saying, ‘Please come back, come back, come back.’”

Trump says some military personnel opposed rescue operation

The president made the disclosure in response to a reporter’s question.

“Not everybody was on board,” Trump said. He continued: “There were military people that said, ‘You just don’t do this.’”

Referring to Hegseth and Caine, Trump made sure to clarify: “These two were totally on board.”

US warplane that crashed amid search for downed aviators was hit by enemy fire, general says

A U.S. aircraft that crashed amid the search for the downed airmen was hit by enemy fire while engaging Iranian forces, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday.

Caine, speaking at a briefing at the White House, said that a U.S. A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft was “violently suppressing and engaging the enemy in a close-in gun fight to keep them away” from the pilot of a downed F-15 fighter jet while also being “primarily responsible for communicating with the downed pilot.”

Caine said that after being hit, “this pilot continued to fight, continued the mission, and then upon exit, flew his aircraft into another country and determined that the airplane was not landable.”

The pilot then decided to eject over friendly territory and, according to Caine, “was quickly and safely recovered, and is doing fine.”

Hegseth describes ‘unblinking’ mission in coordination call

The defense secretary said the coordination call held by national security officials during the daring mission to rescue the U.S. airmen lasted nearly two days straight.

“For 45 hours and 56 minutes, we held that call open for coordination,” Hegseth said, describing the call that was held in a secure facility. “Our mission was unblinking.”

Hegseth continued, “The meeting never stopped. The planning never ceased.”

CIA Director John Ratcliffe says top-secret technology led to rescue of downed airman

Speaking at a White House press conference, Ratcliffe said the agency used “exquisite technologies that no other intelligence service” possesses to locate the aviator after the F-15 was shot down in Iran.

At the same time, the CIA mounted a deception operation to mislead the Iranians who were looking.

Ratcliffe said the search and rescue operation was “comparable to hunting for a single grain of sand in the middle of a desert.”

The CIA declined to respond to questions Monday about the kind of technology used to locate the airman.

Hegseth draws parallels between the story of Easter and rescued airman

The Defense secretary, who has frequently infused his leadership of the Pentagon with references to Christianity and the language of his faith, said the airman who evaded capture for more than a day was shot down on Good Friday, “hidden in a cave” on Saturday, and on Easter Sunday, “a pilot reborn, all home and accounted for.”

Hegseth said that when the airman was finally able to activate an emergency transponder, his first transmitted message was: “God is good.”

Trump threatens to jail journalist who first reported on downed airman

Trump threatened to jail the journalist who first reported that U.S. forces were searching for an F-15 weapons officer shot down in Iran, if they don’t reveal their sources.

“The person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn’t say, and that doesn’t last long,” Trump said.

Trump didn’t name the journalist or news organization. He said the leak tipped off the Iranians, endangering the officer and his rescuers. He called the leaker “a sick person.”

Iran’s supreme leader issues a rare public statement

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei expressed condolences over the killing of the Revolutionary Guard’s intelligence chief.

In a written social media post, Khamenei said Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi joined a “steadfast line of warriors and fighters” to sacrifice their lives. Israeli strikes have killed dozens of top Iranian leaders, including Khamenei’s father.

The younger Khamenei has not been seen or spoken in public since he succeeded his father as supreme leader.

Trump offers more details of dramatic airman rescue

The president described the scale of the operation undertaken by the U.S. to rescue the second airman from the downed aircraft — which included 155 aircraft.

More specifically, it included four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, and 13 rescue aircraft, among others, Trump said.

Much of it was an effort to throw off the Iranians, who were also looking for the missing crew member, the president said.

“We were bringing them all over and a lot of it was subterfuge,” Trump said. “We wanted to have them think he was in a different location.”

Trump says downed officer rushed to get away from the crash site

Trump says the downed weapons officer followed his training to get as far away from the crash site as possible.

When a plane crashes in hostile territory, “they all head right to that site, you want to be as far away as you can,” Trump said.

Trump says the officer was “bleeding profusely” but was able climb mountainous terrain and contact U.S. forces to communicate his location. Rescuers mobilized a massive response that included subterfuge to confuse the Iranians about where they were looking.

Trump says 21 aircraft came to help rescue airmen who crashed in Iran

The president began describing the rescue efforts from Friday and over the weekend after two airmen ejected and landed alive “deep in enemy territory” in Iran.

Trump said 21 aircraft were deployed to help with the search and rescue in the first wave, flying for hours under “very, very heavy enemy fire.” He said the U.S. has one helicopter with many bullets in it.

Trump news conference begins

The U.S. president made his way to the briefing room lectern shortly before 1:10 p.m.

He is accompanied by his top national security advisers, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Also in attendance are his children, Eric and Tiffany Trump, as well as their spouses.

Declaring that “this was one of our better Easters,” Trump started his news conference by speaking about the dramatic rescue of two U.S. airmen in Iran over the weekend.

Trump, with Easter bunny nearby, talks Iran war

In a surreal scene on the White House lawn with flowers and Easter décor, Trump decided to give reporters an update on the Iran war.

With children waiting nearby, someone in a bunny costume steps away, and soft, cheerful music in the background, the president spoke about the rescue of a missing airman shot down in Iran, defended his expletive-laden threats on social media, and warned that Iran should capitulate or face threats to its bridges and power plants.

Turkey’s president says his country has intensified push to end the war

“We are striving to seize any chance, however small, for hostilities to cease and negotiations to open,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised address following a Cabinet meeting. He did not provide details.

Erdogan, a vocal critic of Israel, again accused the country of undermining all attempts to stop the fighting.

Trump defends his use of vulgar language in a social media post

The president used not-suitable-for-work language in a Sunday social media posting warning Iran he was serious about targeting the country’s infrastructure if it doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz by his Tuesday deadline. He ended the short post by saying, “Praise be to Allah.”

Asked by a reporter about his salty language, Trump responded he used it “only to make my point.”

Trump added about his use of an expletive, “I think you’ve heard it before.”

Trump suggests Kurdish groups have held onto guns meant for Iranian protesters

Trump appeared to confirm that the U.S. had intended to arm Iranian protesters after mass demonstrations against the government broke out throughout Iran in late 2025 and continued early into this year.

Thousands of anti-government protesters were killed during the crackdowns by government forces. Fox News reported on Sunday that Trump had told the network’s Trey Yingst in a telephone interview that Kurdish groups who were supposed to be delivering the U.S.-provided weapons held on to them.

“They were supposed to go to the people so they could fight back against these thugs,” Trump told reporters on Monday about the weapons intended for protesters. “You know what happened? The people that they sent them to kept them because they said, ‘What a beautiful gun. I think I’ll keep it.’ So, I’m very upset with a certain group of people and they’re going to pay a big price for that.”

Trump says he’d prefer to ‘take the oil’

President Trump said that he’d prefer to use U.S. military power to take control of Iran’s vast oil reserves, but acknowledged there’s not much appetite for such a move among the American electorate.

“Take the oil because it’s there for the taking,” Trump said. “There’s not a thing they can do about it. Unfortunately, the American people would like to see us come home. If it were up to me, I’d take the oil. I’d keep the oil. I would make plenty of money.”

Trump warns Iran they’re making a mistake by not capitulating

Shortly after state media reported Iran had rejected a ceasefire proposal, Trump offered a new harsh warning to Iran.

“They just don’t want to say ‘uncle,‘” Trump told reporters as he and first lady Melania Trump hosted the White House Easter Egg Roll. “They don’t want to cry as the expression goes ‘uncle,’ but they will. And if they don’t, They’ll have no bridges. They’ll have no power plants. They’ll have no anything.”

He added another ominous warning, “I won’t go further because there are other things that are worse than those two.”

A regional official involved in the ceasefire talks says the efforts haven’t collapsed

“We are still talking to both sides,” he says, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door diplomacy.

Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu says petrochemical attack weakens Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

He said Monday’s strike on an Iranian petrochemical facility is part of a systematic campaign aimed at destroying the Guard’s “money machine.”

“We are destroying factories, we are eliminating activists and we continue to eliminate senior figures,” he said in a videotaped statement.

Netanyahu said he also spoke to President Trump about the U.S. rescue of two downed crew members in Iran. He said the president thanked Israel for assisting in the mission.

An Iranian university student asks the world: ‘Stop this war’

A resident of Tehran in his early twenties says U.S.-Israeli strikes on civilian infrastructure and Trump’s intensifying threats have “terrified” people.

“Everyone is very anxious and scared that the water, power and gas will be cut,” he said, speaking anonymously for his security.

The student first spoke with The Associated Press on the eve of the war, when he participated in anti-government protests at his Tehran university’s campus. At the time, he described heated disagreements with friends who said they hoped a threatened Israeli-U.S. attack would overthrow the Islamic Republic.

“Those who were supporting the war are no longer supporting it,” he said Monday.

Sunday, he heard the sound of “a lot of explosions” around the city from his home in the Sattar Khan area. He said he’d turned to taking sleeping pills to get through nightly bombardments.

— Amir-Hussein Radjy in Cairo

Key Federal Reserve official open to possible rate hikes amid gas price spikes

Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press that if inflation remains persistently above the Fed’s 2% target, the central bank should consider lifting its benchmark interest rate.

While Hammack also said the Fed might have to cut its rate if higher gas prices caused the economy to slow and unemployment to rise, a potential rate hike is a noticeable shift for the Fed from before the Iran war, when officials forecast two rate cuts this year. A hike could lift longer-term interest rates for things like mortgages and auto loans.

“My baseline is that we’re on hold for quite some time,” Hammack said, “but I can foresee scenarios where we would need to reduce rates ... if the labor market deteriorates significantly. Or I could see where we might need to raise rates if inflation stays persistently above our target.”

Houthis claim they hit military sites in Israel

The Iran-backed Houthis said they launched a barrage of cruise missiles and drones at several military sites in southern Israel, “successfully achieving its objectives,” according to the group’s military spokesperson.

Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthis, said in a statement Monday that the missiles were launched as part of a joint operation with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon.

Iranian president lauds role of slain intelligence chief

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian praised Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, intelligence chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, according to Iran’s state media.

Iran’s media reported Pezeshkian lauded Khademi’s intelligence role and security efforts “against all kinds of conspiracies of enemies.”

“His martyrdom speaks to the fact that the security and independence of Islamic Iran is indebted to the sacrifice and selflessness of the brave sons who, in the most difficult circumstances, work tirelessly for the honor and peace of this land,” he said.

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency says Tehran has rejected the latest ceasefire proposal

The agency said it had has conveyed its response to the U.S. through Pakistan, a key mediator.

“We won’t merely accept a ceasefire,” Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of the Iranian diplomatic mission in Cairo, told The Associated Press on Monday. “We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again.”

The response came ahead of a deadline by President Trump to begin bombing Iranian energy and infrastructure.

Israel to ramp up production of air defense interceptors

Israel’s ministry of defense said Monday that the country’s defense industries would “significantly increase” production and stockpiling of missile interceptors as the war with Iran stretches on.

In a statement, the ministry said production of missile interceptors for the Arrow system, which defends against long-range ballistic missiles, would be sped up. Arrow has been critical in Israeli air defense during the current war, throughout which Israeli authorities have maintained there’s no shortage of interceptor missiles.

Lebanese Christian political leader criticizes government for not confronting Hezbollah

Samir Geagea, who leads the Lebanese Forces political party, made the remarks in statement after an Israeli strike hit an apartment building in the town of Ain Saadeh late Sunday, killing a party official, his wife and a woman visiting them.

The strike heightened existing tensions between host communities and more than a million displaced Lebanese, largely Shia from southern Lebanon, deeply divided over Hezbollah and their position on the war.

“Taking responsibility from the outset would have been better for everyone,” he said, talking about the Lebanese security agencies’ sluggish disarmament process of Hezbollah.

Israel’s military says it struck three Tehran airports overnight

The military says the strikes hit dozens of helicopters and aircraft it said belonged to the Iranian Air Force. It said the strikes targeted Bahram airport, Mehrabad airport and Azmayesh airport.

US-Israeli assault brings ‘destruction and bloodshed’ to Iran’s capital, resident says

A resident of central Tehran has described living with “anxiety and fear” as U.S.-Israeli strikes pummel the capital.

“Constantly, there is the sound of bombs, air defenses, drones,” she said, speaking on condition of anonymity for her safety.

At least one strike hit near her home, waking her on Wednesday, she said. Rushing into the neighboring street, she saw it “filled with people in pajamas, some of them wrapped in blankets, some of them crying with fear.”

She also described her anger at the popular satellite channel, Iran International, which is based abroad. She said its coverage had amplified exiled Iranian voices supporting strikes on the Islamic Republic. “Some people thought war might bring good things, but war doesn’t bring anything but destruction and bloodshed.”

Iranian authorities have moved to ban any contact with several Persian-language satellite channels based abroad. Many viewers inside Iran say the frequencies are often disrupted.

— Amir-Hussein Radjy

US stocks hold steady while crude oil prices waver ahead of Trump’s Iran deadline

The U.S. stock market is making only hesitant moves, while oil prices are unsettled as mediators try to forge a ceasefire agreement ahead of a deadline President Trump has set to bomb Iranian power plants.

The S&P 500 rose 0.1% in early trading Monday. The index is coming off its first winning week in the last six. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 107 points, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.4%.

Oil prices flipped between gains and losses as uncertainty continued about what will happen in the war with Iran and how long it will slow the flow of oil and natural gas.

▶ Read more

Red Cross president says wartime destruction of essential civilian infrastructure must stop

In a statement released Monday, Mirjana Spoljaric, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, raised alarm about destruction of civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities in the Iran war.

“Across the Middle East, our teams are seeing the destruction of infrastructure essential for civilian life,” including hospitals, schools, power plants, water systems and more, Spoljaric wrote.

“Most alarming are potential threats to nuclear facilities. Any miscalculation can cause irreversible consequences for generations to come.”

Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers discuss the war

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, held a telephone conversation Monday, during which they discussed “the state of the war” and other developments, a Turkish official said. The official provided the information on condition of anonymity in line with government rules and did not elaborate.

The call came as two Middle East officials said mediators from Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey sent Washington and Tehran a proposal calling for a 45‑day ceasefire and for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

— Suzan Fraser

Iran confirms communication with mediators

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has told journalists in Tehran that messages are being exchanged, but “negotiations are entirely incompatible with ultimatums, crimes and threats of war crimes.”

Loud booms and sounds of air defenses heard in Jerusalem

It comes after Israel’s military said Iran had launched missiles toward the country.

Israeli military and Mossad helped rescue downed American airman in Iran, Huckabee says

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote in a social media post on Monday that Israel’s military and Mossad secret service had assisted in the U.S. effort to rescue an airman whose plane was downed by Iran.

Huckabee thanked Israel for helping the U.S. military and intelligence agencies in the post to X.

Israeli officials have said Israel provided support, including intelligence, in the rescue, but troops weren’t actively involved on the ground.

Iranian adviser warns the Mideast will go ‘dark’ if Iran’s power plants are attacked

A former Iranian foreign minister and adviser to the supreme leader called for Arab countries to discourage U.S. President Donald Trump from striking Iran’s power plants.

Ali Akbar Velayati warned the entire region would go “dark” if Trump fulfilled his threat and bombed Iran’s power plants.

“The rulers of #Arab_countries should, in order to prevent the region from going dark, make Trump understand that the #Persian_Gulf is not a place for gambling,” he wrote on social media.

UN watchdog confirms strikes close to Bushehr nuclear facility

The United Nations nuclear watchdog on Monday confirmed recent strikes hit close to Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, with one hitting just 75 meters (82 yards) from the facility’s perimeter.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a social media post that its own analysis showed the plant was not damaged as of Sunday.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called for ceasing such attacks, which cause “a very real danger to nuclear safety.”

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization has reported four attacks close to the facility since the war started Feb. 28. The last strike Saturday killed a security guard and damaged a support building, the organization said.

The Bushehr nuclear power plant uses low-enriched uranium from Russia, along with Russian technicians, to supply about 1,000 megawatts of power for Iran.

Israeli military says 4 people killed in Haifa strike were members of same family

Israel’s military confirmed four people found dead at the site of a missile strike in Haifa were members of the same family.

Search and rescue teams found two bodies underneath the rubble Sunday. After 18 hours digging they found two more “deep under the debris” Monday,” Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said.

He said the warhead that hit the building had not exploded on impact, complicating rescue efforts and posing a continued threat.

They were found after hours of overnight rescue efforts, the military said.

Israeli military says it killed leader of Quds Force undercover unit

Israel’s military said Monday it killed the leader of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard’s undercover unit in its expeditionary Quds Force.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesman, confirmed the killing of Asghar Bakeri in a briefing to reporters.

He said Bakeri had planned attacks on Israeli and American targets as well as operations in Israel, Syria and Lebanon.

The six-hour flyby is the highlight of NASA’s first return to the moon since the Apollo era with three Americans and one Canadian — a step toward landing boot prints near the moon’s south pole in just two years.

First came a prize — and bragging rights — for Artemis II.

Less than an hour before kicking off the fly-around and intense lunar observations, the four astronauts surpassed the distance record of 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers) set by Apollo 13 in April 1970.

They kept going, hurtling ever farther from Earth. Before it was all over, Mission Control expected Artemis II to beat the old record by more than 4,100 miles (6,600 kilometers).

“It is blowing my mind what you can see with the naked eye from the moon right now. It is just unbelievable,” Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen radioed ahead of the flyby. He challenged "this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long-lived.”

Moments after breaking Apollo 13's record, the astronauts asked permission to name two fresh lunar craters already observed. They proposed Integrity, their capsule's name, and Carroll in honor of commander Reid Wiseman's late wife who died of cancer in 2020. Wiseman wept as Hansen put in the request to Mission Control, and all four astronauts embraced in tears.

“Such a majestic view out here,” Wiseman radioed.

The astronauts started the momentous day with the voice of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who recorded a wake-up message just two months before his death last August. “Welcome to my old neighborhood,” said Lovell, who also flew on Apollo 8, humanity's first lunar visit. “It's a historic day and I know how busy you'll be, but don't forget to enjoy the view.”

They took up with them the Apollo 8 silk patch that accompanied Lovell to the moon, and showed it off as the crucial flyby approached. “It's just a real honor to have that on board with us,” said Wiseman. “Let's go have a great day.”

Artemis II is using the same maneuver that Apollo 13 did after its “Houston, we’ve had a problem” oxygen tank explosion wiped out any hope of a moon landing.

Known as a free-return lunar trajectory, this no-stopping-to-land route takes advantage of Earth and the moon’s gravity, reducing the need for fuel. It’s a celestial figure-eight that will put the astronauts on course for home, once they emerge from behind the moon Monday evening.

Wiseman, Hansen, pilot Victor Glover and Christina Koch were on track to pass as close as 4,070 miles (6,550 kilometers) to the moon, as their Orion capsule whips past it, hangs a U-turn and then heads back toward Earth. It will take them four days to get back, with a splashdown in the Pacific concluding their test flight on Friday.

Their expected speed at closest approach to the moon: 3,139 mph (5,052 kph).

Wiseman and his crew spent years studying lunar geography to prepare for the big event, adding solar eclipses to their repertoire during the past few weeks. By launching last Wednesday, they ensured themselves of a total solar eclipse from their vantage point behind the moon, courtesy of the cosmos.

Topping their science target list: Orientale Basin, a sprawling impact basin with three concentric rings, the outermost of which stretches nearly 600 miles (950 kilometers) across.

Other sightseeing goals: the Apollo 12 and 14 landing sites from 1969 and 1971, respectively, as well as fringes of the south polar region, the preferred locale for future touchdowns. Farther afield, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn — not to mention Earth — will be visible.

Their moon mentor, NASA geologist Kelsey Young, expects thousands of pictures.

“People all over the world connect with the moon. This is something that every single person on this planet can understand and connect with,” she said on the eve of the flyby, wearing eclipse earrings.

Artemis II is NASA’s first astronaut moonshot since Apollo 17 in 1972. It sets the stage for next year’s Artemis III, which will see another Orion crew practice docking with lunar landers in orbit around Earth. The culminating moon landing by two astronauts near the moon’s south pole will follow on Artemis IV in 2028.

While Artemis II may be taking Apollo 13’s path, it’s most reminiscent of Apollo 8 and humanity’s first lunar visitors who orbited the moon on Christmas Eve 1968 and read from the Book of Genesis.

Glover said flying to the moon during Christianity’s Holy Week brought home for him “the beauty of creation.” Earth is an oasis amid “a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe” where humanity exists as one, he observed over the weekend.

“This is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing and that we’ve got to get through this together,” Glover said, clasping hands with his crewmates.

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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 entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump told a news conference at the White House. He has called his Tuesday 8 p.m. deadline for Iran to make a deal final.

The U.S. stepped up threats against Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face a barrage of attacks on civilian targets. “Today will be the largest volume of strikes since day one,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. “Tomorrow, even more than today.”

Asked about accusations of war crimes if the U.S. widens attacks against Iran's bridges and power plants, Trump responded, “No, not at all.” Asked why Iranians would want him to carry out the threat, he said citizens are “willing to suffer...in order to have freedom.”

Israel piled on pressure by attacking a major gas field that is Iran’s biggest source of domestic energy.

Tehran conveyed its 10-point response through Pakistan, a key mediator, including proposals on reconstruction and the lifting of sanctions, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said.

“We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again," Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of Iran’s diplomatic mission in Cairo, told The Associated Press. He said Iran no longer trusts the Trump administration after the U.S. bombed the Islamic Republic twice during previous rounds of talks.

And yet a regional official involved in talks said efforts had not collapsed. “We are still talking to both sides,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door diplomacy.

Iranian and Omani officials were working on a mechanism for administrating the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped in peacetime. Iran’s grip on it has shaken the world economy. Tehran has refused to let U.S. and Israeli vessels through after they started the war on Feb. 28.

Israel strikes massive gas field

Israel struck a key petrochemical plant in the South Pars natural gas field and killed two paramilitary Revolutionary Guard commanders, including its intelligence chief.

The gas field attack aimed at eliminating a major source of revenue for Iran, Israel said. The field, the world’s largest, is shared with Qatar. It is critical to electricity production for Iran's 93 million population, but the strike appeared to be separate from Trump’s threats.

An earlier Israeli attack on the field in March prompted Iran to target energy infrastructure in other Middle East countries, a major escalation.

Trump has warned Iran that the U.S. could set the country “back to the stone ages," including targeting power plants and bridges.

Earlier Monday, Trump addressed an Easter event on the White House lawn and suggested that future attacks could go further. "If I had my choice, what would I like to do? Take the oil,” he said, suggesting it could be done easily, but “unfortunately the American people would like to see us come home.”

Asked if Tuesday at 8 p.m. Washington time was his final deadline, Trump replied simply, “Yeah."

Proposal had called for a 45-day ceasefire

Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish mediators had sent Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff a proposal calling for the ceasefire and the strait's reopening, two Mideast officials told the AP. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private negotiations.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei earlier told journalists that “negotiations are entirely incompatible with ultimatums, crimes and threats of war crimes.”

Former Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayatir urged Arab countries to discourage Trump from striking power plants, warning the entire region would go “dark” if that happens.

“Any attack on civilian infrastructure is a violation of international law and a very clear one,” United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric later told journalists.

Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose to $109 in early Monday spot trading, about 50% higher than when the war started, then wavered. U.S. stocks mostly held steady.

Israel threatens to ‘hunt’ Iranian officials

Explosions boomed in Tehran, and low-flying jets could be heard for hours.

The head of intelligence for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, was killed, according to Iranian state media and Israel’s defense minister. Israel said it also killed the leader of the Revolutionary Guard’s undercover unit in its expeditionary Quds Force, Asghar Bakeri.

“We will continue to hunt them down one by one,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said of top officials.

New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who still has not been seen or heard in public, issued a rare statement expressing condolences over the death of the Revolutionary Guard’s intelligence chief.

Israeli strikes have killed dozens of top Iranian leaders, including Khamenei’s father.

Israel’s military also said it struck three Tehran airports overnight — Bahram, Mehrabad and Azmayesh — hitting dozens of helicopters and aircraft it said belonged to the Iranian Air Force.

A Tehran resident said “constantly there is the sound of bombs, air defenses, drones," speaking on condition of anonymity for her safety. Another resident said he takes sleeping pills to get through nightly bombardments, and said people worry about power, gas and water cuts. “Stop this war,” he said.

Separately, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia activated air defenses to intercept Iranian missiles and drones. Tehran has kept up pressure on Gulf neighbors.

In Israel, Iranian missiles hit the northern city of Haifa, where four people from one family were found dead in the rubble of a residential building.

Airstrikes kill more than 25 across Iran

Smoke rose near Tehran’s Azadi Square after an airstrike hit the grounds of the Sharif University of Technology. Multiple countries have sanctioned the university for its work with the military, particularly on Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Authorities and Iranian state media reported at least 29 people killed across the country by strikes.

In Lebanon, where Israel has launched air attacks and a ground invasion that it says target the Iran-linked Hezbollah militia, an airstrike hit an apartment in Ain Saadeh, a predominately Christian town east of Beirut. It killed an official in the Lebanese Forces, a Christian political party strongly opposed to Hezbollah, his wife and another woman.

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

More than 1,400 people have been killed in Lebanon 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.

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Weissert reported from Washington and Magdy from Cairo. Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Isabel DeBre in Ain Saadeh, Lebanon, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Amir-Hussein Radjy in Cairo and Josh Boak and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this story.

Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said in an interview with The Associated Press that her general preference is for the Fed keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged “for quite some time."

And she also said the Fed might have to cut its rate if higher gas prices caused the economy to slow and unemployment to rise. But if inflation remained elevated, a rate hike could be needed, she said.

“I can foresee scenarios where we would need to reduce rates ... if the labor market deteriorates significantly,” Hammack said. "Or I could see where we might need to raise rates if inflation stays persistently above our target.”

Hammack's comments suggest a growing concern among at least some policymakers that inflation, which was elevated before the Iran war, may require rate hikes to tame further. Rate increases by the Fed would be a sharp shift from late last year, when the central bank cut its key rate three times. Rate hikes could lift borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, including for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards.

Other Fed officials have recently opened the door to rate hikes, including Austan Goolsbee, president of the Chicago Fed. And minutes of the Fed's meeting in late January said that several of the 19 officials on the rate-setting committee supported altering the post-meeting statement to reflect the possibility of “upward adjustments” to rates.

A rate hike would almost certainly prompt President Donald Trump to lash out at the Fed, which he has harshly criticized for not cutting rates further. He has called for the central bank's key rate to be lowered to 1%, down from its current level of about 3.6%.

The government will update two inflation measures this week, though only one will likely reflect the impact of the jump in gas prices since the Iran war began Feb. 28. Gas prices averaged $4.12 a gallon nationwide Monday, according to AAA, up 80 cents from a month earlier.

On Friday, the government will issue the March inflation report, providing a first read on the impact of higher gas and energy prices. Economists forecast that annual inflation will worsen significantly, jumping to 3.1% from 2.4% in February, according to a survey by data provider FactSet. On a monthly basis, they expect consumer prices rose 0.8% in March from February, which would be the biggest increase in almost four years.

The Commerce Department will report the Fed's preferred inflation gauge for February on Thursday, though that won't incorporate any impact from the Iran conflict.

Hammack said that the Cleveland Fed's own estimates show inflation could reach 3.5% in April, which would be the highest since 2024. Inflation spiked to 9.1% in June 2022 before slowly declining.

“Inflation has been running above our target for more than five years now,” Hammack said, and a further increase would mean it is “moving in the wrong direction, away from our 2% objective.”

The Federal Reserve is required by Congress to seek low inflation and maximum employment, and higher gas prices could threaten both those mandates, creating a challenging situation for Fed officials.

Consumers may react to higher gas prices by cutting back on their spending elsewhere in the economy, Hammack said, which could lead to weaker growth and layoffs, which the Fed would need to respond to with rate cuts.

How the war impacts the economy will depend on how long it lasts and how high it lifts gas prices and other costs, Hammack said. Now in its sixth week, the conflict has already lasted longer than she expected when the Fed last met March 17-18, Hammack said.

Hammack said rising gas prices stemming from the Iran war are “the No. 1 thing” she hears about from people in her district, which covers Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky.

“We know that causes a lot of pain personally, as it eats up a bigger and bigger share of people’s paychecks. So it’s important for us to stay focused on it,” she added.

According to a police source, the incident began around 11:30 a.m. when the three men allegedly robbed a bank located inside a Kroger grocery store on Ella Boulevard.

The suspects then traveled to a Walmart near Highway 290 at Tidwell Road and Hollister Road, where a second robbery was reported.

Houston police officers were able to identify the suspect vehicle—a black Chrysler 300—and initiated a pursuit following the Walmart incident.

The chase continued onto Highway 59 before coming to an end near Almeda Road and Wichita Street, where the Crysler slammed into a tree.

After the crash, authorities said he suspects took off on foot and attempted to carjack a woman near the intersection of Wichita Street and Southmore Boulevard. The attempt was unsuccessful.

The three suspects were taken into custody at the scene. One suspect reportedly locked himself in a public bathroom before being found by police.

A short time after the arrest, our Sky2 Chopper captured one of the detained suspects being moved from an HPD SUV onto a stretcher, before being led to an ambulance.

The extent of the suspect’s possible injuries is not clear, but HPD said it resulted from the collision.

At this time, officials have not confirmed whether any shots were fired during the incidents.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the full sequence of events.

The S&P 500 edged up by 0.2% in afternoon trading, coming off its first winning week in the last six. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 33 points, or 0.1%, as of 1:44 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.3% higher.

Oil prices likewise seesawed between gains and losses amid continued uncertainty about what will happen in the war with Iran and how long it will slow the global flow of oil and natural gas. Iran on Monday rejected the latest ceasefire proposal and instead said it wants a permanent end to the war, though the talks may not have collapsed.

“We won’t merely accept a ceasefire,” Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of the Iranian diplomatic mission in Cairo, told The Associated Press. “We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again.”

Fighting is continuing, meanwhile, including an Israeli attack on an Iranian petrochemical plant. And in the background is the clock ticking toward a deadline, which Trump has moved multiple times, where he has threatened to attack Iran's infrastructure if it does not open the Strait of Hormuz. A fifth of the world’s oil typically sails through the strait during peacetime.

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” Trump said on his social media network over the weekend, threatening Iranian leaders that “you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH!”

Monday also offered the first chance for U.S. stock prices to react to a report from Friday that said U.S. employers hired more workers last month than economists expected. The unemployment rate unexpectedly improved.

They’re encouraging signals for an economy that’s had to absorb painful leaps in costs for gasoline since the war’s beginning. The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is nearly $4.12 across the country, 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.

For countries that don’t produce as much oil as the United States, the pain has been even worse. That’s because they are more reliant on oil coming from the Middle East, and the war has blocked in much of the crude produced in the Persian Gulf area. That oil typically gets to customers around the world by exiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 1.3% to $113.09 after erasing an earlier modest dip. Brent crude, the international standard, added 1.2% to $110.37 per barrel and remains well above its roughly $70 price from before the war.

On Wall Street, a split performance for the Big Tech stocks that are the U.S. market’s most influential kept things in check. Apple rose 1%, and Amazon added 1.1%, but Microsoft fell 0.4%.

Bank stocks were some of the market’s strongest, including a 1.3% rise for JPMorgan Chase.

CEO Jamie Dimon said in his annual letter to shareholders released on Monday that the U.S. economy continues to be resilient, and businesses still look healthy. He, though, also acknowledged that prices for stocks and other assets are high, which could imply “anything less than positive outcomes could have a dramatic impact on global markets.”

In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady. The 10-year Treasury yield was sitting at 4.34%. That's still well above its 3.97% level from before the war.

That rise has pushed up rates for mortgages and other loans going to U.S. households and businesses, slowing the economy.

A report on Monday also said that finance, transportation and other U.S. businesses in services sectors grew in March for a 21st straight month of expansion. But the growth was slightly slower than economists expected, and a measure of prices accelerated at its fastest pace since 2022 in a potentially discouraging signal for inflation.

In stock markets abroad, Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 0.5%, and South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.4%. Many other markets in Europe and Asia were closed for holidays.

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AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.

For the Wolverines to go down as one of college basketball's best ever, they'll have to do it one more time by taking down a UConn program seeking its third national title in four seasons.

The teams meet Monday night in the NCAA championship game, bringing down the curtain on a March Madness full of surprises and fun — and highlighted by two finalists that have been shooting for history in their own distinct ways.

At Michigan, a roster freshly constructed out of last year's transfer portal, has become the first team to score 90-plus points in five straight tournament games in the same season. On the other end, 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara leads a defense that amassed eight or more blocks in the first four games of the tournament — the first time that's happened since blocks became an official stat in the 1980s.

The Wolverines (36-3) had only three swats against Arizona, but that was a 91-73 win in a game that was supposed to be the best of the tournament but turned into something else. Michigan is trying to become the fifth team to win six tournament games by a dozen or more. The last two: the UConn title teams in 2023 and '24.

“We have a team that we think is elite,” coach Dusty May said. “But we also know that means nothing. You still have to do all the things that got you to this point, and you have to weather storms. You have to handle success.”

No program has done that better over the past four years than UConn (34-5) — a feat made more impressive by the landscape it must navigate.

Coach Dan Hurley has used the transfer portal in a more targeted way than Michigan — for instance, he nabbed Tarris Reed Jr. from the Wolverines but also has a UConn lifer in Alex Karaban — to keep the program near the top in an era of quick change.

“We want to have a lot of continuity,” Hurley said. “Our culture is unique. It’s specific. It takes a certain type of player to play for me.”

UConn comes into the game as a 6 1/2-point underdog, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, the third straight game the oddsmakers have picked the Huskies to lose. Bad bet, so far. Braylon Mullins produced the moment of the tournament so far with his 3-pointer to cap UConn's 19-point comeback against Duke to get the Huskies to the Final Four.

If they defy the odds again, they'll become the first program to win three titles in four years since the UCLA dynasty of the 1960s and '70s.

“The last thing we’re thinking about now, as we prepare for one of these teams, is dynasty,” Hurley said after the Illinois win. “We’re gonna go watch this one and go through the preparation and focus on just ... trying to — whoever we play — try to win the game.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Atlanta also receives the right to swap second-round picks with Chicago in 2028.

The 6-foot-3 Reese averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds in her two seasons with Chicago, earning All-Star honors each year while finishing as the runner-up for rookie of the year in 2024.

"Angel is a dynamic talent and a perfect fit for what we are building in Atlanta,” general manager Dan Padover said in a statement released by the Dream. “She has already proven herself as one of the most impactful players in the league, and her competitiveness, production and drive to win align seamlessly with our vision. This is an exciting moment for our organization and our fans.”

Reese, 23, was the No. 7 overall pick by Chicago in the 2024 WNBA draft after leading LSU to the 2023 national championship.

The trade comes after Reese expressed frustrations late in last season's 10-34 finish for the Sky. She told the Chicago Tribune that she “might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me” if the team didn't improve its outlook. She later apologized to the team for the comments.

“I’m not settling for the same ... we did this year,” Reese told the newspaper. “We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me. I’m willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that’s what I’m going to do this offseason.

“So it’s going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can’t settle for what we have this year.”

The Sky suspended Reese for half of a game for comments deemed “detrimental to the team.” The team listed her as dealing with a back injury for its final three games, raising speculation about her long-term future in Chicago.

"This trade is designed to achieve roster balance and represents a great opportunity for all parties,” Chicago general manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement released by the Sky.

“Angel has achieved many record-breaking milestones in her first two years in the WNBA and has been a competitive force for the Sky. We are thankful for her many important contributions to this league and this game, and we know she will continue to have a big impact on the court and beyond. We wish Angel all the best in her next chapter.”

Reese averaged 14.7 points last season and led the WNBA with 12.6 rebounds per game. She joins an Atlanta roster that boasts other established stars and flourished under the leadership of coach Karl Smesko.

Allisha Gray finished fourth in the MVP voting last season. Rhyne Howard became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 career 3-pointers. Naz Hillmon was named Sixth Player of the Year and Brionna Jones was an All-Star.

“I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the Atlanta Dream organization,” Reese said. “I’m focused on continuing to grow my game, competing at the highest level, connecting with the fans, and giving everything I’ve got to the Dream.”

Atlanta set a franchise record with 30 wins in 2025. Smesko said Reese will add elite skills.

“Angel’s ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor is elite,” Smesko said. “Her energy, toughness and instincts will thrive in our system, and we’re excited to integrate her into the style of play we are constructing here in Atlanta.”

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Jonathan Jackson of Illinois met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez and members of Parliament during a five-day trip that ended Sunday.

Díaz-Canel wrote on X Monday that upon meeting with Jayapal and Jackson, he “denounced the criminal damage caused by the #blockade, particularly the consequences of the energy embargo imposed by the current U.S. administration and its threats of even more aggressive actions.”

Díaz-Canel added: “I reiterated our government’s willingness to engage in serious and responsible bilateral dialogue and find solutions to our existing differences.”

Both the U.S. and Cuba have acknowledged recently that talks are ongoing at the highest level, but no details have been disclosed.

Jayapal told reporters she believes that recent steps taken by Cuba, such as opening the economy to certain investments by Cuban Americans living abroad; the recent announcement that more than 2,000 prisoners would be pardoned; and the arrival of an FBI team to collaborate in the investigation of a fatal shooting involving a U.S.-flagged boat, “indicate that the moment is here for us to have a real negotiation between the two countries and to reverse the failed U.S. policy of decades, a Cold War remnant that no longer serves the American people or the Cuban people."

Cuba's government has released the pardoned prisoners who were accused of a variety of crimes, although none so far appear to be political prisoners.

In late January, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on any country that would sell or provide oil to Cuba, although he made an exception for a Russian ship that reached the island last week with 730,000 barrels of crude oil. It was the first petroleum shipment in three months to dock in Cuba, which produces only 40% of the oil it needs.

“This is cruel collective punishment — effectively an economic bombing of the infrastructure of the country — that has produced permanent damage. It must stop immediately,” Jayapal and Jackson said in a statement released Sunday.

Critical oil shipments from Venezuela were halted after the U.S. attacked the South American country in early January and arrested its then-leader, Nicolás Maduro.

Cubans already suffering from five years of economic crisis have acutely felt the impact of the fuel shortage: national blackouts, gasoline shortages and rationing, lack of public transport, cuts in working hours, paralyzed hospitals and surgeries, and suspension of flights, among other things.

Russia has promised a second delivery of petroleum, although it’s not clear when it might arrive. Experts have said that the first shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to feed Cuba’s daily demand for nine or 10 days.

Jayapal said that while such shipments are critical, they are only temporary solutions: “We need a longer, permanent solution for the Cuban people and the American people.”

Meanwhile, Jackson compared the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast to the oil blockade in Cuba, adding that the island “is the most sanctioned part of Earth.”

“Our government is fighting to keep the Strait of Hormuz open so there is a free flow of oil around the world. We want, for humanitarian reasons, a free flow of oil, fuel, and energy in our own hemisphere,” he said.

Jackson and Jayapal said they would prepare a report and continue to work on initiatives proposed by fellow members of the U.S. House of Representatives to lift sanctions against Cuba to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Prodded by the Trump administration, the justices threw out an appellate ruling upholding Bannon’s conviction for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by a mob of Trump supporters on the U.S. Capitol.

The move frees a trial judge to act on the Republican administration’s pending request to dismiss Bannon’s conviction and indictment “in the interests of justice.”

The dismissal would be largely symbolic. Bannon served a four-month prison term after a jury convicted him of contempt of Congress in 2022. A federal appeals court in Washington had upheld the conviction.

The justices also issued a similar order in the case of former Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, who was pardoned by Trump last year.

Sittenfeld had served 16 months in federal prison after a jury convicted him of bribery and attempted extortion in 2022. The high court order allows a lower court to consider dismissing his indictment.

The Justice Department brought the case against Bannon during Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency, but it changed course after Trump took office again last year.

Bannon had initially argued that his testimony was protected by Trump’s claim of executive privilege. But the House panel and the Justice Department contended such a claim was dubious because Trump had fired Bannon from the White House in 2017 and Bannon was thus a private citizen when he was consulting with the then-president in the run-up to the Capitol riot.

Bannon separately has pleaded guilty in a New York state court to defrauding donors to a private effort to build a wall on the U.S. southern border, as part of a plea deal that allowed him to avoid jail time. That conviction is unaffected by the Supreme Court action.

Emerson, 26, tore his Achilles last year during training camp, but is making a sound recovery.

During the NFL owners meeting, Browns general manager Andrew Berry discussed how Emerson wants to be a starting outside corner and that doesn’t fit their alignment with Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell installed as their starters.

“Selfishly, would love to have him back,” Berry said. “I think we’re also realistic that with M.J. and the injury that he’s coming off of, he’s also got to be in a position where he has maybe a strong opportunity to compete for a starting spot. That’s probably a little bit harder with how we’re configured with Denzel and Tyson. But, certainly, if that changes, we’d love to have him back.”

A former third-round draft pick from Mississippi State, Emerson played under a four-year, $5.471 million rookie contract that expired

Two seasons ago, Emerson recorded 80 tackles, three tackles for losses, one forced fumble and five passes defensed in 15 starts.

Emerson has four career interceptions, all during the 2023 season when he started 12 games

If the Texans add Emerson, he could compete for the third corner role with Jaylin Smith. Smith is expected back for training camp after spending the majority of his rookie season on injured reserve with a torn meniscus that required surgery.

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com

Trump posted late Sunday on his social media platform Truth Social that he has known Hilton for years and called the conservative commentator “a truly fine man” who could turn around a state beset with notoriously high taxes. California, Trump wrote, “has gone to hell.”

“With Federal help, and a Great Governor, like Steve Hilton, California can be better than ever before!” Trump added.

The endorsement — coming about a month before mail ballots go to voters in advance of the June 2 primary — will help Hilton coalesce conservative support in a race with no clear leader. However, Trump is widely unpopular in heavily Democratic California outside his conservative base and Trump's backing would become a liability if Hilton faces a Democrat in the November election.

With a large field, Democrats have been fearful that a quirk in the state's unusual “top two” primary system could allow only two Republicans to reach the November general election ballot — Hilton and GOP rival Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff. Trump's decision — a strong signal to undecided conservative voters — will make that outcome less likely by helping Hilton lure additional support.

There are more than 50 candidates on the ballot — including eight established Democrats and along with Hilton and Bianco, the two leading Republicans. An all-GOP general election is possible in California, which puts all candidates on one primary ballot and only the top two vote-getters advance to November, regardless of party.

Polling in early February by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found the field had broken into two distinct groups, with Bianco, Hilton and three Democrats — U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Rep. Katie Porter and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer — in close competition, with other candidates trailing.

In a statement, Hilton thanked Trump for his support and promised to grow jobs and bring down the state's punishing cost of living. “Together we can turn things around,” Hilton said.

Republicans have not won a statewide election in California in two decades. Registered Democratic voters outnumber Republicans in the state by nearly 2-to-1.

A defiant Iran struck infrastructure targets in neighboring Gulf Arab countries and threatened to restrict another heavily used waterway, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Arabian Peninsula.

Trump on social media vowed to hit Iran’s power plants and bridges and said the country would be “living in Hell” if the Strait of Hormuz, crucial for global trade, isn’t opened. He ended with “Praise be to Allah.”

Trump has issued such deadlines before but extended them when mediators have claimed progress toward ending the war, which has killed thousands, shaken global markets and spiked fuel prices in just over five weeks.

“It seems Trump has become a phenomenon that neither Iranians nor Americans are able to fully analyze,” Iranian Culture Minister Sayed Reza Salihi-Amiri told visiting Associated Press journalists in an interview in Tehran, adding that the U.S. president “constantly shifts between contradictory positions.”

Both sides have threatened and hit civilian targets like oil fields and desalination plants that provide drinking water. Iran’s U.N. mission called Trump’s threat “clear evidence of intent to commit war crime.”

Iran’s joint military command warned of stepped-up attacks on regional oil and civilian infrastructure if the U.S. and Israel attack such targets there, according to state television.

The laws of armed conflict allow attacks on civilian infrastructure only if the military advantage outweighs the civilian harm, legal scholars say. It’s considered a high bar to clear, and causing excessive suffering to civilians can constitute a war crime.

The US describes a dramatic rescue

An intense search followed Friday’s crash of the F-15E Strike Eagle, while Iran promised a reward for the “enemy pilot.” It was the first known American aircraft to crash in Iranian territory since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.

Trump said that the service member was “seriously wounded and really brave” and rescued from “deep inside the mountains” in an operation involving dozens of armed aircraft. He said a second crew member was rescued in “broad daylight” within hours of the crash.

A senior U.S. administration official said that before locating the second aviator, the CIA spread word inside Iran that U.S. forces had found him and were moving him out, creating confusion for Iranians. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

Iran also shot down another U.S. military plane Friday, demonstrating the perils of the bombing campaign and the ability of Iran’s degraded military to hit back. Neither the status of the A-10 attack aircraft’s crew nor where it crashed is known.

On Sunday, Iran’s state television aired a video showing what it claimed were parts of U.S. aircraft — a transport plane and two helicopters — shot down by Iranian forces during the rescue operation.

However, a regional intelligence official briefed on the mission told the AP that the U.S. military blew up two transport planes because of a technical malfunction and brought in additional aircraft to complete the rescue. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the covert mission.

Iran’s joint military command later said the U.S. bombarded its own aircraft to “prevent embarrassment for President Trump.”

Two Black Hawk helicopters were hit but navigated to safe airspace, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive information.

Diplomatic efforts continue

Trump’s deadline centers on alarm over Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, critical for global shipments of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf as well as humanitarian supplies. Some ships have paid Iran for passage.

An Iranian presidential spokesperson, Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Tabatabaei, said on social media that the strait can reopen only if some transit revenues compensate Iran for war damages.

A top Iranian adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati, warned on social media that Tehran also could disrupt trade on the Bab el-Mandeb, a key chokepoint to and from the Red Sea.

Diplomatic efforts continued. Oman’s Foreign Ministry said that deputy foreign ministers and experts from Iran and Oman met to discuss proposals to ensure “smooth transit” through the strait.

Egypt said that Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty had spoken with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and with Turkish and Pakistani counterparts. Russia said that Araghchi also spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Bahrain urged the U.N. Security Council to act on its draft proposal with language authorizing defensive action to ensure safe passage through the strait.

Airstrikes hit Iran

An airstrike early Monday struck a residential building near Eslamshar, southwest of Tehran, killing at least 13 people, the semiofficial Fars news agency and Nour News reported.

Airstrikes also damaged buildings at the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran as well as a natural gas distribution site next to the campus, Iranian media reported. It wasn’t immediately clear what was targeted at the university campus, which has switched to online classes because of the war.

Elsewhere in Iran, an airstrike killed at least five people in a residential area of Qom, the state-run IRAN daily newspaper said in an online message. Qom is a Shiite seminary city just south of Tehran.

It wasn’t clear why the buildings were struck. Neither Israel nor the United States claimed the strikes early Monday

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities said one Nepali and three Pakistanis were hurt in fires caused by debris from the interception of an Iranian projectile at Khor Fakkan port, and interception debris caused fires at a petrochemical plant in Ruwais, halting operations.

In Kuwait, Iranian drone attacks caused significant damage to power plants and a petrochemical plant. They also put a water desalination station out of service, according to the Ministry of Electricity.

In Bahrain, a drone attack caused a fire at a national oil company storage facility and a state-run petrochemical plant, the kingdom’s official news agency said.

In Israel, rescue authorities searched for three people in the northern city of Haifa after an apartment building was hit. It wasn’t immediately clear what struck it.

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

In Lebanon, whose health ministry said an Israeli strike without warning killed four people in Beirut, more than 1,400 people have been killed and more than 1 million people have been displaced. Eleven Israeli soldiers have died there while targeting Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants.

In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, more than two dozen people have died, while 19 have been reported dead in Israel and 13 U.S. service members have been killed.

___

Lee and Toropin reported from Washington, Metz from Jerusalem and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Lisa Mascaro and Seung Min Kim in Washington; Munir Ahmed in Islamabad; Farnoush Amiri in New York; and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

The good news? Small changes in your habits—and your vehicle—can make a noticeable difference in how much you spend.

Here are practical ways to stretch your gas dollar this year:

1. Use gas price tracking apps

Apps like GasBuddy, Gas Guru, and Waze now offer real-time fuel price tracking, helping you find the cheapest gas nearby.

Experts still say this is one of the easiest ways to save.

Even within the same neighborhood, prices can vary by 10 to 20 cents per gallon.

2. Check your gas cap and tire pressure

A loose gas cap can allow fuel to evaporate, quietly costing you money. Underinflated tires also reduce fuel efficiency.

Keeping your tires properly inflated can improve mileage and save you more over time.

3. Lighten your load

Extra weight in your vehicle—like cases of water, tools, or sports gear—can drag down fuel efficiency.

For every 100 pounds you remove, you could save a few cents per gallon.

4. Slow down on the road

Speed still plays a major role in fuel consumption. Driving 60–65 mph instead of 70–75 mph can significantly improve gas mileage.

Aggressive driving—like rapid acceleration and braking—also wastes fuel.

5. Earn rewards or free gas

Survey and rewards apps still offer opportunities to earn gift cards, including gas.

While it takes time, some drivers use platforms like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie to offset fuel costs.

6. Fill up at grocery stores or wholesale clubs

Chains like Kroger, H-E-B, Costco, and Sam’s Club continue to offer discounted fuel.

Membership programs and grocery rewards points can add up to meaningful savings per gallon.

7. Join gas station rewards programs

Major fuel brands still offer free loyalty programs that give discounts per gallon or points toward future savings.

If you regularly use the same station, this can add up quickly.

MORE INFORMATION: Here are some simple ways Houston drivers can save at the pump

8. Use cash-back credit cards wisely

Many credit cards offer 2–5% cash back on gas purchases in 2026.

Just be sure to pay off your balance each month—otherwise, interest charges can wipe out any savings.

9. Consider paying with cash or debit

Some stations still offer lower prices for cash or debit purchases, typically saving you 5–10 cents per gallon compared to credit.

10. Use the right type of gas for your car

Unless your vehicle specifically requires premium fuel, using regular gas is usually the most cost-effective option.

Higher-priced fuel doesn’t necessarily improve performance in most cars.

11. Time your fill-ups

Fuel prices still tend to fluctuate during the week.

Data shows gas is often cheaper on Sundays and Mondays, while prices typically rise closer to the weekend.

12. Adjust your windows and AC use

At highway speeds, keep windows closed to reduce drag and improve efficiency.

In slower, stop-and-go traffic, consider turning off the AC and opening windows to save fuel.

In 2012, Houston-area restaurateur Brad Bailey traveled to Tampa for the Republican National Convention to convince delegates to support a legal pathway for foreign labor — and to soften the immigration rhetoric.

Now, Bailey is likely headed to the Texas House in a campaign supporting the border wall and President Donald Trump’s deportations.

Bailey, the GOP nominee to succeed outgoing state Rep. Steve Toth in House District 15, was the subject of a New York Times dispatch from the 2012 convention about his “personal campaign” to add the foreign labor component to the party platform. Along the way, he condemned the rhetoric around illegal immigration coming from hardliners like then-Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

“Jan Brewer and Joe Arpaio are hijacking the issue and damaging the Republican party brand,” Bailey said at the time. “We need to stop the hatred language and fix this problem.”

Fourteen years later, Bailey, now an elected official, has changed his tune. He says he now opposes all attempts at amnesty — or granting legal status to undocumented immigrants already in the country — and supports Trump’s “bold actions” on the border. However, he declined to say where he stands on the guest worker program he was calling for back in 2012.

“The Biden administration’s open-border policies and willingness to allow millions of illegal immigrants into our country have completely reshaped this issue, making me and many other conservatives craft a new solution for the problem that exists today,” Bailey, chair of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors, told The Texas Tribune.

Arpaio and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office were the subject of a string of racial profiling lawsuits that came to a head in 2011 and 2012. At the same time, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling upholding the state’s “papers, please” provision Brewer signed into law in 2010. In that context, Bailey and others feared the Hispanic vote would doom Republicans in 2012.

Since then, the GOP has followed Trump’s lead in embracing much of the Arizona-style immigration policy and rhetoric once denounced by Bailey. Some of the biggest immigration laws passed by the Texas Legislature have their roots in Arizona’s SB 1070, including the 2017 sanctuary cities ban and last year’s Senate Bill 8, which requires sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and passed over Democratic opposition that invoked Arpaio’s controversies.

Amid all this, Bailey notes, Republicans have gone from Mitt Romney’s estimated 27% of the Hispanic vote in 2012 to the 48% that went for Trump in 2024. Republicans also cracked South Texas’ longtime status as a Democratic stronghold, turning the Rio Grande Valley red last year as Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz won a majority of the Hispanic vote in Texas.

“The facts show that President Trump’s comments on border security and illegal immigration are resonating with Hispanics and growing the Republican base, not hurting it,” Bailey said.

Bailey will face Democratic nominee Moniqua’ Scott in November. Trump carried HD-15 by 27 percentage points in 2024.

Bailey ran unopposed for the GOP nomination after Toth, one of the staunchest conservatives in the Texas House, launched his challenge against U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Humble. Toth was going to support the Texas Youth Summit’s Christian Collins as his successor, but Collins never jumped in.

Despite Bailey’s evolving position on immigration, if elected in November, he’ll likely be a change in pace and tone for the district — at least based on the people and groups he surrounded himself with during the campaign.

He was supported by Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC and the Associated Republicans of Texas, the latter of which backed then-Conroe ISD Board President Skeeter Hubert against Toth in 2024. On top of his $20,000 from TLR PAC, Bailey also received $5,000 from former U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, who successfully defended himself against a primary challenge from Toth in 2016, and $500 from retiring moderate GOP state Rep. Sam Harless in nearby HD-126.

That likely aligns the former restaurant owner with the business wing of the Texas House Republican Caucus. But although some in the business community have warned that deportation raids are hurting the South Texas economy and their standing among Hispanic voters, Republicans at-large are holding the Trump line.

“I still recognize that finding skilled and unskilled labor remains an issue for all business owners, but hiring illegal immigrants to fill these positions is not the solution,” Bailey said.

As the House prepares for a new freshman class after the previous session-defining class of hardliners, Bailey likely isn’t the only candidate whose positions on conservative policy have evolved, particularly around immigration.

“The world today is nothing like it was in 2012, and pretending otherwise ignores reality,” Bailey said.

Disclosure: New York Times has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

According to the Houston Police Department, officers were called to the 1000 block of Marcolin Street around 3:25 a.m. on April 5 following reports of a shooting.

When they arrived, they found a vehicle that had crashed into a fire hydrant and a man lying face-down in the grass nearby.

SEE ALSO: 20-year-old arrested in deadly Westheimer hit-and-run that killed woman

Authorities said the victim had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics with the Houston Fire Department pronounced him dead at the scene. The identity of the victim has not yet been released.

Investigators with HPD’s Homicide Division are leading the case. As of now, officials say there are no known suspects and no clear motive.

Anyone with information is urged to contact HPD Homicide at 713-308-3600 or reach out anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Monday, April 6

• The Garden Theatre
• Sysco World Cup-themed food show
• Texas Dental Implant Center
• The Houston Art Car Parade

Friday, April 3

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• WWE Wrestler Je’Von Evans
• WWE Monday Night Raw at Toyota Center Tickets
• IBEW Local 66
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, April 2

• Disney on Ice
• The Chevron Championship
• Maxine Sharf brings ‘Maxi’s Kitchen’ to Houston Life with her mom
• • Follow Maxine Sharf on Instagram
  • "Maxi’s Kitchen: Easy Go-To Recipes to Make Again and Again"
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Wednesday, April 1

• Spring gets sweeter with two easy recipes: Carrot cupcake and blueberry crumble bun
• • Follow Cookbook Author Florence Jackson on Instagram
• This Houston Restaurant Hasn’t Raised Prices Since Its Food Truck Days
• • Black Restaurant Week
  • Chitalian Pizzeria
• Tarot, the Fool card and finding meaning on Derrick’s birthday (April Fool’s Day)
• • Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Theatre Under the Stars presents ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ through April 5th
• • TUTS “Back to the Future: The Musical”

Tuesday, March 31

• Send Well Wishes to Tessa on her last day
• • Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Calling all book lovers: Houston indie bookstore crawl returns for its third year of literary adventure
• • 2026 Houston Bookstore Crawl
• Preview the 13th annual Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare
• • Insperity Invitational
• Texas roots and coastal growth, how the Oyster Bros in Palacios are redefining the gulf oyster
• • Oyster Bros
• Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Monday, March 30

• Autism Moms of Houston
• Autism Awareness Festival
• An offer fit for a new you! Grab the Alloy Personal Training Houston Life Deal
• • Alloy Personal Training Houston
  • Houston Life Deals
• Who’s responsible when a child is hurt at daycare?
• • Bivona Law
• NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”

Friday, March 27

• Family fun, charity, & of course golf shine at Texas Children’s Houston Open ⛳
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
  • TCHO Cleats for Kids

Wednesday, March 25

• Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Plan aims to turn Garden Oaks Theater into an arts hub before it’s too late
• • Save the Garden Oaks Theater
• Fore! Preview the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
• Women, Wealth, and breaking ‘The Success Lie’
• • Chantell Preston
  • “The Success Lie” by Chantell Preston
• McGovern Allergy & Asthma Clinic
• Gexa Energy

Tuesday, March 24

• From puppy playtime to pesky nipping, helpful springtime tips for dog owners
• • Stephanie Bennett’s Believe in Dog Training
• How one Houston program is helping kids discover confidence—and their future
• • Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America
• Houston Ballet’s Busy Spring: Nutcracker Market, Sons de L’âme & YAGP Finals
• • Houston Ballet
• Breaking barriers and popping corks with CEO and Master Sommelier June Rodil
• • Master Sommelier June Rodil
  • Goodnight Hospitality

Monday, March 23

• Blooming Wonders at ARTECHOUSE
• • Spring arrives at ARTECHOUSE Houston with ‘Blooming Wonders’
• Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Trusted Dental Implant Care in Houston — Board-Certified Periodontist Helps Complex Cases
• Disability Attorney Marc Whitehead
• • Expert tax advice: Are your Social Security and Disability benefits taxable?
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • From basic to beautiful: See this stunning backyard transformation in Weston Lakes

Thursday, March 19

• Springtime fun at the Houston Zoo
• • Zoo Bloom
  • All you can Zoo
  • Saving the Galápagos Islands

Wednesday, March 18

• Houston Latino Film Festival celebrates 10 Years with Cheech Marin
• • Houston Latino Film Festival
• Find the good vibes every weekend for Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• • Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• Get to know Dash rising star, Avery Patterson
• • Houston Dash
• Kevin Williamson makes fans SCREAM all over again in latest franchise installation
• • Kevin Williamson
• Self Employed? Tax Filing Moves That Help You Qualify for a Mortgage
• • Habayit Home Loans
  • Mortgage Expert Rich Bonn’s Upcoming Webinar

Tuesday, March 17

• Houston’s Mezclada Dance Company blends hip hop, Latin and contemporary dance forms into high-energy performances
• • Performing Arts Houston New/Now featuring Mezclada Dance Company
• METRO rolls out systemwide changes: A first look at the new technology to help streamline your ride
• • Metro Houston
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• • HoustonLifeDeals.com
• Frontier Utilities teams with Kids’ Meals Houston to pack thousands of meals
• • Frontier Utilities

Monday, March 16

• Affordable rodeo-ready outfits you can find at Target this season
• • Target.com
• Houston’s growing need for linemen: Why the trade pays and how to start
• • IBEW Local 66
• ET hosts Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frazier share highlights from the 98th Academy Awards
• • Entertainment Tonight Oscars Coverage
• Houston Ballet principal dancer Karina González brings Frida Kahlo to life in Broken Wings
• • “Broken Wings” at Houston Ballet Tickets
• The Largest Indoor Waterpark in the U.S.? It’s Just a Road Trip from Houston
• • Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Friday, March 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• Outriding the Devil: Angela Ganter’s incredible rodeo comeback
• • Outriding the Devil premieres at River Oaks Theatre
• ‘Aliens’ 40th anniversary cast reunion and more at Pop Culture Con 2026
• • Pop Culture Con
• Alley Theatre brings Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” to Houston with a fresh twist
• • “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Alley Theatre Tickets
• Bounce your way to better fitness: trampoline workouts in West U
• • Motiv Fitness at West University
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston

Thursday, March 12

• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to see Tim McGraw at RODEOHOUSTON
• The Birthday Joy Program helps kids in foster care, shelters and group homes celebrate their special day
• • the Birthday Joy Program Website
• Inside “The Feminine Universe” Houston’s new all-women immersive art experience
• • The Feminine Universe Art Show Tickets
• Bring the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo home with these sips and bites
• • Entertaining Expert Paul Zahn
• Spring is in full swing at CITYCENTRE Houston
• • CITYCENTRE
• Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Tuesday, March 10

• Enjoy Spring Break at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
• • Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Honoring the fallen & recognizing community heroes
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • BP America
• Houston author Margie Seaman proves it is never too late to chase a dream
• • Margie Seaman
  • “Someday Is Our Horizon” by Margie Seaman on Amazon

Monday, March 9

• NestFest beach cleanup invites volunteers to protect nesting sea turtles on the Galveston Coast
• From bumper boats to STEAM activities, enjoy a FUNonmenal spring break at Discovery Green
• • FUNomenal Spring Break at Discovery Green
• This veteran-owned business is helping Houstonians keep the heat the out and the savings in with new windows
• • The Window Source
• You’ve been diagnosed with cancer, now what? Non-profit CanCare pairs you with survivors who can help
• • CanCare
• Spring Break Staycation: Why The Travel Mom says Houston families love Great Wolf Lodge
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge

Friday, March 6

• Houston Life Deals
• Pickle vs. anime: Largest pickle festival in Texas comes to Rosenberg with anime-inspired food
• • In A Pickle Festival
• Expedia’s 2026 Air Hacks: Best days to book, when to fly and top savings
• • Expedia Air Hacks Report
• The Parking Spot making airport parking a breeze
• • The Parking Spot
• A rustic dream venue just outside Houston
• • Country Oaks Venue
• Rare Texas artifacts step out ‘From the Vault’ at The Bryan Museum
• • The Bryan Museum
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, March 5

• Gold Buckle Foodie Awards at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Houston Life Deals
• Avoiding vacation headaches: New Vrbo survey on group travel reveals common pet peeves
• • Vrbo
• Houston wellness trend: A local body sculpting technique focused on lymphatic health
• • The Tox
• Catching up with Russell Dickerson ahead of debut RODEOHOUSTON performance
• • RODEOHOUSTON

Wednesday, March 4

• Houston Life Deals
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston
• What to Wear to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Your Ultimate Style Guide 
• • Boot Barn
• Destin-Fort Walton Beach, more than beaches: reefs, fishing, little adventures
• • Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach
• Baz Luhrmann’s ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ gives fans a front-row seat to The King
• • “EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert” Film

Tuesday, March 3

• Diana Ross coming to Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
• Learn about the untold history of Black baseball
• • Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy
• Houston Life Deals
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Houston native Kyrie McAlpin Talks ‘The Burbs’, Keke Palmer & a very Seth MacFarlane Christmas party

Monday, March 2

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• • Houston Life kicks off opening day at 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Suits & Boot Injury Lawyers

Friday, February 27

• Gabriel Basso takes us behind the scenes of Netflix’s ‘The Night Agent’
• • Netflix’s “The Night Agent”
• Mudbug Mania: Tanji Patton celebrates crawfish season in Houston
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Crawfish Shack
  • Crawfish Hideaway
• Theatre Under The Stars reveals 2026-27 season with Broadway tours & local shows
• • Theatre Under the Stars
• Boot Barn
• What to see and do in Malta — beaches, history and booking tips from The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom

Thursday, February 26

• Diana Ross at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Creed perform at RodeoHouston
• Get a peek inside RodeoHouston’s World Championship BBQ Cookoff
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Soulful river cruises that connect Black travelers to heritage and culture
• • AmaWaterways Soulful Experience River Cruise
• Houston Life Deals
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• HCC Southeast College

Wednesday, February 25

• Behind the scenes of TUTS’ ‘Million Dollar Quartet’
• • Tickets to ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ at Theatre Under the Stars
• Houston influencers share their best thrifting tips for Rodeo
• • Find your nearest Goodwill store
• Plan the ultimate spring break getaway for everyone at Moody Gardens
• • Moody Gardens
• Ride along: METRO Police Chief explains new safety measures for Houston transit
• • Metro Houston

Tuesday, February 24

• Spring Break, but make it San Antonio
• • Visit San Antonio
• Alley Theatre’s ‘English’ explores identity, belonging, and the weight of learning a new language
• • Tickets to ‘English’ at Alley Theatre
• Looking for a Career Change? Here’s How You Could Be Job-Ready in 10 Months
• • Learn more about programs at United Education Institute Houston

Monday, February 23 (WE ARE BACK!!!)

• Indian Film Festival of Houston celebrates France with film, food and culture
• • Indian Film Festival of Houston Website
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Riley Green perform at RodeoHouston
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Chris Hemsworth will keep you on the edge of your seat in ‘Crime 101’
• • “Crime 101” Movie Times
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

February 6 - 20

• Houston is off air due to the Winter Olympics, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop entertaining you. Be sure to follow us on social media to see all the HL fun. We’ll be back Feb. 23.
• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Thursday, February 5

• Papa Johns Pizza
• The Cody Stephens Foundation saves lives with free heart screenings for young athletes
• • Cody Stephens Foundation
• Get ready for the return of the one and only Monster Jam in Houston
• • Tickets to Monster Jam at NRG Stadium
• Getting your best night’s sleep: How the latest materials and technology can help you sleep better
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• What is an “Orphan Generator”? And why it could put Houston homes at risk during an outage
• • GenPro.com
• Follow Mersha the Mini Panther on Instagram (Use MERSHA20 to get a discount at PrettyLitter)

Wednesday, February 4

• Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Behind the scenes of ‘Real Women Have Curves’ on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Tickets to ‘Real Women Have Curves’ at Alley Theatre
• Decoding body language: How to spot liars, read subtle signals, and communicate with confidence
• • Jan Hargrave
• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Why they are your one stop shop for the Big Game and Valentine’s Day
• • Kroger

Tuesday, February 3

• MFAH’s new exhibit explores Frida Kahlo’s lasting legacy
• • ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’ at MFAH
• United Way of Greater Houston’s 211: Help is one call away
• • United Way of Greater Houston’s 211 Helpline
• After the freeze - now what? How to care for perennials and shrubs in Houston
• • Gardening with Skip
  • Houston Home and Garden Show
• Go back in time at Popfancy Dessert Bar’s new retro 80’s sci-fi arcade cafe
• • Popfancy Fan Cafe

Monday, February 2

• Kenny G at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• The relationship advice that helps couples feel closer — even during hard conversations
• • Connection Expert Jenn Pinkerton
  • Connectin Cards Couples Edition on Amazon
• Paris Hilton’s “Infinite Icon”
• Arandas Bakery
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 30

• Monster Energy Supercross heads into Houston featuring the world’s fastest racers
• • Monster Energy Supercross at NRG Stadium This Weekend
• From Trinidad and Tobago to Top Chef: Tristen Epps’ journey is rooted in culture
• • Chef Tristen Epps
  • A Classically Black Dinner - Vibrant + Modern + African
• Few physicians leave a legacy like this: Houston honors cancer pioneer Dr. Philip Salem
• • Salem Oncology Center
• The Travel Mom: Family-Friendly Wave-Season Deals from Princess
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises

Thursday, January 29

• The Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Former KPRC 2 reporter shares ‘With Love From Harlem’: The story behind America’s First Black power couple
• • ReShonda Tate’s new book ‘With Love from Harlem’
• American Home Buyer
• How personalized aesthetics - Botox, fillers & lasers - can help you age better
• • Anti Age Institute
• The cast of ‘Bridgerton’ takes us behind-the-scenes of the ton for season 4
• • Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 4

Wednesday, January 28

• KPRC 2’s new evening anchor Stephania Jimenez makes her Houston debut with passion and purpose
• • Follow Stephania on her KPRC 2 Instagram Account
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Get a taste of Old Town Katy with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Peanut Butter Pie from Southern Dough
  • Southern Dough Baking Co.
  • Humble Grounds Coffeehouse
  • Harvest Kitchen & Bakery
• A Family Business Built on Trust: Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning Serves Houston for Over 30 Years
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning

Tuesday, January 27

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art Website
  • Follow ‘Adickes Art’ on Instagram
• Plan a Vacation Day: Experts share 2026 travel trends and how to protect your trip
• • The Travel Mom
  • Follow The Travel Mom Emily Kaufman on Instagram
  • Travel Guard Insurance
• Texans Serving Texans: Gexa Energy gives back
• • Gexa Energy
• Bill Skarsgård steps beyond horror roots in new film, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’

Monday, January 26

• Houston relationship and intimacy expert dishes on the small relationship habits that make love last
• • Houston Relationship Therapy
  • VIVID Relationships app
• Crawfish & Noodles gearing up for a busy crawfish season
• • Crawfish & Noodles
• Traveling smarter in 2026: What travel experts say to book now
• • Travel Expert Jeanenne Tornatore
  • Follow the Outside Insider on Instagram

Friday, January 23

• Discover why Sam Houston Race Park is a top spot for family outings with “Houston Life”
• • Sam Houston Race Park
  • Corgi Races
  • Shannon Jewelers Presents Diamond Dig
  • Wiener Dog Races

Thursday, January 22

• WEIGH IN: What are your must have products during a freeze?
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Honoring Dr. Philip A. Salem for innovations in cancer care and research
• • Salem Oncology Center
• Bert Kreischer talks fatherhood, fame, and his new scripted comedy series, “Free Bert”
• • Netflix’s “Free Bert”
• Last chance to enjoy the Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green
• • Ice at Discovery Green

Wednesday, January 21

• Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz & Chase Sui Wonders chat comedy series ‘The Studio’
• • Apple Tv+’s ‘The Studio’
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Living Designs Furniture
• The Women’s Resource empowers women and girls through free financial and career coaching services
• • The Women’s Resource
• Houston woman helps bring Black cowboy history to PBS
• • Alma’s Way on PBS Kids
  • Black Cowboy Coalition

Friday, January 16

• School Makes You Super: KPRC-TV reporter and mom Haley Hernandez debuts first children’s book to ease school anxiety
• • Buy ‘School Makes You Super" here
• Children’s Museum Houston celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• • MLK Day Celebration at Children’s Museum Houston
• Two experts explain why Key Largo, Florida should be on your 2026 travel list
• • The Travel Mom
• The man known as “the human lie detector” works to keep serial killers behind bars
• • Killer Confessions

Thursday, January 15

• Young voices, lasting legacy: Houston students honor Dr. King in 30th Annual Oratory Competition
• • Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
• Breaking through the plateau with Dr. Ian Smith’s ‘The Last 15′
• • Follow Dr. Ian Smith on Instagram
  • Purchase “The Last 15″ on Amazon
• Mindful eating tips and a pesto vinaigrette recipe to kickstart a healthier new year
• • Leaf & Grain
• Stay powered and protected with GenPro.com, Houston’s premier generator specialists
• • Call or log on to book an estimate and receive a functional mini generator worth $50 for FREE

Wednesday, January 14

• Check out the fun, food and giveaways for Houston Rockets fans this week
• • Houston Rockets Game Day Tickets
• A Kroger pharmacist’s guide to everyday wellness in 2026
• • Enter for a chance to win a Kroger gift card
  • Kroger
• Mix-MATCH Festival returns with over 20 performances celebrating Houston’s creative spirit
• • Tickets to 3rd Annual Mix-MATCH Festival
  • Daisies & Pancakes

Tuesday, January 13

• Kick off the new year with magic: Magician Curt Miller returns with his show “The Conjurer”
• • Curt Miller
  • Tickets to The Conjurer: An Intimate Magical Experience with Curt Miller
• Brad Meltzer Book Signing
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Innovative Lasers of Houston

Monday, January 12

• Turn to tea this year to slow down, reset, and satisfy without regrets
• • Tea Please
• The Travel Mom: Family fun at Knott’s Berry Farm - a California getaway everyone will love
• • The Travel Mom
  • Visit Buena Park
  • Knott’s Berry Farm
• Pet adoption events for the new year at Fort Bend County Animal Services
• • Fort Bend County Animal Services
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 9

• Shop The Sale Houston with proceeds benefitting childhood cancer research
• • The Sale Houston
• A new chapter begins: Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones chat about their new pairing
• • TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle
• Former radio personality, Sarah Pepper returns to Texas to emcee 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon
• • Follow Sarah Pepper on Instagram

Thursday, January 8

• Belle comes to Houston - Kyra Belle Johnson stars in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ now at the Hobby Center
• • Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Tickets at Hobby Center
• Mathew Knowles launches new Destiny’s Child nationwide tribute tour; Houston is first stop
• • Destiny’s Child: Iconic Reimagined Tribute Tickets
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Wednesday, January 7

• The story behind Luke’s Plumbing and Air Conditioning serving Houstonians since 1991
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning
• Where karaoke meets claw machines: Welcome to Klaw‑Oke Kingdom in Pearland
• • Klaw-Oke Kingdom
• Brace yourself, the 1993 Oilers vs. Bills game is featured in new docuseries ‘Don’t Call it a Comeback’
• • VICE TV’s “Don’t Call It A Comeback”
• New Year, Strong Start: EōS Fitness Experts Share Tips to Crush 2026 Goals
• • EōS Fitness

Tuesday, January 6

• Houston bagel pros talk schmear, slices and specials ahead of National Bagel Day
• • Bagel Shop Bakery
• Comedian Chinedu Ogu takes H-Town-rooted comedy on a national tour
• • Chinedu at Punch Line Houston
• Start your new year weight loss journey at Health Solutions and Weightloss
• • Health Solutions and Weightloss
• Enroll Now: Key deadlines and tips for 2026 Marketplace coverage
• • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Monday, January 5

• Rosca de Reyes Season is here - and this Houston bakery is busy
• • Arandas Bakery
• Damp or Dry January? These non-alcoholic wines actually taste like wine
• • Daniela Garrido | Wine and Travel Expert
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Freeze Miser

Friday, January 2

• Tough but fair: NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas visits Houston Life
• • NBC Nightly News
  • Tom Llamas
• Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Opening weekend kicks off at Sam Houston Race Park TODAY!
• • Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, January 1

• New Year’s fitness made simple: Tips and a low-impact workout for beginners
• • Hoodfit
• Chantell Preston
• HiFi at The Finn

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But on the 12-hour drive south to the capital, Tehran, daily life continued, with only occasional signs of the ongoing war, including a Shiite religious center that officials say was damaged by a recent airstrike.

Associated Press reporters made the journey on Saturday after crossing into Iran from Turkey. They gained a glimpse of the country at the center of a regional war that has jolted the world economy and shows no sign of ending five weeks after Khamenei was killed in the opening U.S. and Israeli salvo.

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.

A religious center damaged by an airstrike

The first major sign of the war's destruction came in the northwestern city of Zanjan, about six hours' drive from the border.

Iranian officials say an airstrike hit a religious community center, known as a husseiniyah, killing two people and destroying a clinic and a library. Other parts of the compound, some of which is centuries old, suffered damage, including its golden dome.

When asked about the strike, the Israeli military said it had hit “a military headquarters,” and that it tries to avoid harming civilian facilities, without elaborating.

“It has hurt me a lot and distressed me a lot,” said Somayeh Shojaei, a local resident who has attended religious and cultural events at the center. “With these airstrikes, (the U.S. and Israel) are showing their malicious intent to the whole world,” she said.

The strike killed the library's caretaker and a volunteer with the Iranian Red Crescent first responders, according to Jaafar Mohammadi, the provincial director of cultural and Islamic guidance.

He said poor people had received free treatment at the clinic and students had made use of the library that housed more than 35,000 books, including antique manuscripts.

He said he did not know why the complex was targeted.

“Iran wanted to negotiate for peace with (U.S. President Donald) Trump, but Trump responded with war,” Mohammadi said. “He started the war, but we will definitely be the victorious side.”

Life goes on in much of Iran despite fear and uncertainty

The U.S. and Israel have carried out thousands of strikes across the country, and Trump has threatened to bomb Iran “ back to the Stone Ages, where they belong.” Over the weekend, he reiterated a Monday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil and gas.

Iran's surviving leaders have remained defiant and in control, rejecting what they say are unreasonable U.S. peace proposals. Israel has given no indication it plans to let up on its strikes, and has called on Iranians to overthrow their leaders.

Even as the war generates global turmoil — and fear and anxiety within Iran — daily life goes on.

In city after city on the road to Tehran, AP reporters saw normal traffic, businesses open and people walking the streets. A restaurant served Iranian delicacies like grilled lamb and rice, barley soup and saffron drinks as R.E.M.'s “Losing my religion” played on loudspeakers.

Many women could be seen going about their day without wearing the theocracy's mandatory head covering, the enforcement of which has eased in recent years.

The team passed through two checkpoints on the approach to Tehran without being stopped.

Destroyed government buildings and police stations in Tehran

The city was eerily quiet after midnight. There had been heavy airstrikes on the mountains overlooking the capital the previous night.

Tehran is on the front lines, having seen wave after wave of strikes that the U.S. and Israel say are aimed at the military and internal security forces. Authorities in Iran say over 1,900 people have been killed. It's unclear how many were soldiers or civilians.

The AP reporters saw several government buildings and police stations that had been destroyed. They passed a number of checkpoints operated by plainclothes Basij, an internal security force, and uniformed members of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

They were stopped once and asked to open the car and show press cards before being waved onward.

Fuel is heavily subsidized, such that a gallon (4 liters) of gasoline costs around 15 U.S. cents. But people are only allowed to purchase around 5 gallons (20 liters) at a time. There were no signs of gas lines.

Back in Zanjan, Mohamoud Maasoumi, a retired soldier, said the conflict with the U.S. — “the world's arrogance” — goes back to a 1953 CIA-backed coup that is seared into the minds of many Iranians. He expressed hope that Iran's leaders would defend the country.

“The enemy sees that we are not ever succumbing,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Sam Metz in Ramallah, West Bank, contributed.

After running through a series of news headlines, Guthrie said that “we are so glad that you started our week with us and it's good to be home.” Her co-host, Craig Melvin said that “it's good to have you back at home.”

She greeted longtime co-worker Al Roker with “Good morning, Sunshine,” when he noted that it was good to see her on the set. At the end of the first 25-minute portion of the show, she offered Melvin a high-five.

Emotions got the better of her before the last half hour, when she joined her colleagues in front of fans gathered at the show's Rockefeller Center studio. She fought back tears when one fan was seen with a “Welcome home Savannah” shirt, and clutched colleague Jenna Bush Hager's arm and thanked people for their support.

Guthrie says it's hard to go forward not knowing what happened

Guthrie, one of morning television's most recognizable faces, has been a “Today” host since 2012. She has acknowledged that she's a changed person and that it's hard to go forward not knowing what happened to Nancy Guthrie, who authorities believe was taken against her will from her Arizona home.

Despite an intense search involving thousands of federal and local officers and volunteers, there has been no sign of the 84-year-old mother of three since she was reported missing Feb. 1.

The “Today” show has followed the story closely for the past two months, but it wasn't mentioned during the first hour of her return on Monday. Bringing things back to normal was clearly intentional: Her return wasn't referenced during interviews with NBC's Gabe Gutierrez at the White House and military analyst Steve Warren on the show's set.

Hoda Kotb, the former anchor who had filled in for Guthrie for much of the past two months and interviewed her former colleague, wasn't on set Monday.

“Today” has seen a ratings boost over the past two months and has even eclipsed ABC's “Good Morning America” as the leader in the morning show ratings. The shows aren't the profit generators they once were for the networks, but the rivalry is still intense.

“Today” averaged 3.1 million viewers for the first three months of the year, up nearly 9% in an era most broadcast programs lose viewers. It's hard to tell how much the Guthrie story had to do with that: NBC also aired the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics in February, and both events tend to help a morning show's ratings.

“Good Morning America” averaged 2.93 million viewers, up 2% over 2025 while “CBS Mornings” plunged 17% to 1.76 million, according to the Nielsen company.

As part of a video message released by her New York church on Easter Sunday, Guthrie spoke about feeling “moments of deep disappointment with God, the feeling of utter abandonment.” But she said the resurrection is not fully celebrated “if we do not acknowledge the feelings of loss, pain, and yes, death.”

In announcing her return to NBC's flagship morning show, Guthrie said she was uncertain whether she'll feel like she still belongs.

“It’s hard to imagine doing it because it’s such a place of joy and lightness,” she said just over a week ago on “Today” during her first interview since the disappearance. “I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not. But I can’t not come back because it’s my family.”

She didn't anticipate faking her way through the show, which is normally light-hearted with a mix of serious, breaking news.

Guthrie's mom had made occasional visits to show's set

There had been a great deal of speculation about whether she would return.

“I want to smile, and when I do it will be real,” she told Hoda Kotb, who came back to “Today” to fill in while Guthrie focused on the search. “Being there is joyful, and when it's not I'll say so.”

Nancy Guthrie made occasional appearances on “Today” over the years, once taking part in a cooking demonstration and surprising her daughter on the set. When Savannah Guthrie returned to her hometown of Tucson in 2025 for a segment recorded for the show, the two visited one of their favorite restaurants and talked about their love of Arizona.

The Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of their mother.

Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped, abducted or otherwise taken against her will after finding blood near the doorstep of her home in the foothills outside Tucson. The FBI later released surveillance videos showing a masked man on the porch that night. Volunteers and search teams scoured the nearby desert terrain filled with cactuses, bushes and boulders in the first weeks after she vanished.

But attention has faded from an investigation that was declared to be a top priority for the FBI and local authorities. Investigators have not released new evidence in weeks and say the number of tips has slowed. The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department both said late last week that they had no updates.

Early on, some media outlets reported receiving ransom messages tied to the case. Guthrie said she and her siblings responded to two that they believed were real and offered to pay.

Guthrie said her celebrity status might be the reason her mother was taken, but said that possibility was “too much to bear.”

___

Associated Press correspondents John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Sarah Brumfield in Washington contributed to this report.

Founded by Andreza Carleo, a mother of three, Autism Moms of Houston was created with a simple but meaningful goal: to make sure no family feels alone. Carleo’s inspiration comes from her son, Alex, who is autistic, nonverbal and blind. After spending months in the hospital as an infant and facing unimaginable loss early on, Alex became the driving force behind his mother’s mission to build a community rooted in understanding, compassion and advocacy.

Balancing life as a full-time caregiver while pursuing her education, working in management and learning a new language, Carleo experienced firsthand the challenges many families face when trying to access care and resources. What began as a place to share stories and support has since evolved into a nonprofit serving more than 10,000 members across the Houston area.

Today, Autism Moms of Houston offers more than connection. The organization provides workshops, support groups and sensory-friendly events designed to meet families where they are. There are also dedicated spaces for Spanish-speaking families, helping ensure language is not a barrier to receiving support. Through partnerships and community efforts, the group continues to expand its reach and impact.

One of its key initiatives, the Alex Autism Alliance, named after Carleo’s son and the inspiration behind her mission, focuses on supporting young adults as they transition into the next phase of life. In partnership with Houston City College’s occupational therapy program, the initiative helps participants build practical skills, confidence and independence, creating pathways for them to thrive in their communities.

That same spirit of inclusion is at the heart of the organization’s largest event of the year. The annual Autism Awareness Festival and Resource Fair has grown from a small gathering into a celebration welcoming thousands of families. Designed with every child in mind, the event features interactive activities, sensory-friendly experiences and opportunities to connect with local resources in a safe, welcoming environment.

This year’s festival takes place on April 26 from 1 to 4 p.m. at BH Ranch in Houston. Admission is free, but organizers encourage families to RSVP early as space is limited.

For more information or to support them in their mission, visit www.autismmomsofhouston.org.

Watch the video above to hear more from Carleo about the journey that started it all.

The nighttime attack on Odesa heavily damaged an apartment block, killing the women and a 2-year-old child, officials said. Rescuers working under floodlights pulled four people from the rubble.

Eleven people were hospitalized, including a pregnant woman and two children — the youngest less than a year old, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

Russia has pounded civilian areas of Ukraine since it invaded its neighbor just over four years ago, killing more than 15,000 people, according to the United Nations.

Over the past week, Russia has launched at Ukraine more than 2,800 attack drones, nearly 1,350 powerful glide bombs and more than 40 missiles of various types, according to Zelenskyy.

In the southern city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed an elderly woman and three other women, 86, 79 and 44, were hospitalized, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the regional military administration. The injured women sustained shrapnel wounds, concussion, blast injuries and head trauma, he said.

Seven people were injured by Russian drones and shelling in the southern city of Nikopol, leaving a 62-year-old in critical condition as the strikes damaged a multistory building and a pharmacy.

Drones also hit Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, injuring three people, according to regional military administration head Oleh Sinehubov.

Russia has taken aim at Ukraine’s power grid, and overnight barrages hit energy infrastructure in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions, Zelenskyy said.

More than 300,000 households were without electricity in northern Chernihiv after distribution facilities were damaged in the attacks, according to the regional power utility.

Zelenskyy expressed concern in a weekend interview with The Associated Press that the war in the Middle East is draining stockpiles of weapons that Ukraine needs to defend itself, especially American-made Patriot air defense systems that can stop missiles.

Zelenskyy said Monday that the country’s partners “need to strengthen air defense together so that the interception rate of drones and missiles continues to increase.”

With U.S.-led peace efforts stalled, Zelenskyy added: “Russia has no intention of stopping” its invasion.

Ukraine has fought back by developing its own long-range drones, which now reach targets some 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) inside Russia.

Ukraine has used them recently to hammer Russian oil facilities as Moscow looks to boost its exports after the Trump administration gave it a temporary waiver from sanctions to ease supply constraints. Kyiv officials complain that Russia will use the additional revenue on new weapons to hit Ukraine harder.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian drones struck the Novorossiysk oil terminal, one of Russia’s largest Black Sea ports, overnight. The attack damaged a pipeline, loading and unloading berths, and set fire to four tanks holding petroleum products.

The strike damaged assets belonging to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium run by U.S. and Kazakhstani companies, it said.

Eight people, including two children, were injured in the Novorossiysk attack that damaged six apartment buildings and two private houses, according to Krasnodar Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev.

Last week, Ukraine’s drones struck oil facilities in the Gulf of Finland, in northwest Russia.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 50 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Ukraine’s armed forces claimed they hit a Russian Black Sea frigate, the Admiral Makarov, and a drilling rig.

Russian officials did not immediately comment on the claim.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Detroit will be the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, and 10 other teams know their seasons will come to an end on Sunday. Everything else remains a guessing game.

Some of that guesswork isn't really much of a mystery.

— Oklahoma City and San Antonio will almost certainly be No. 1 and No. 2 in the Western Conference, in that order.

— Boston will probably be No. 2 in the East, with New York No. 3.

— Denver looks like it has the inside track to be No. 3 in the West, especially with the Los Angeles Lakers now missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves because of injuries.

— Golden State will be in the 9 vs. 10 play-in game, almost certainly as the road team.

— Minnesota gets the No. 6 seed in the West in nearly every possible remaining scenario, with Phoenix No. 7.

This brings us to the rest of the East, and in an annual tradition of sorts, it's a mess.

Orlando and Miami seem like they're headed to the play-in tournament, but there are scenarios where either club could finish in the top six and earn a guaranteed playoff berth on Sunday. In fact, there are paths — highly, highly improbable paths in some cases, but paths nonetheless — for Atlanta, Philadelphia, Toronto, Charlotte, Orlando and Miami to all finish in the No. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 spots when the regular season ends.

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 Philadelphia 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 Monday, the four teams headed there are Toronto, 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. Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State definitely are.

— West eliminated teams: Memphis, New Orleans, Dallas, Utah and Sacramento.

Sunday recap

— Celtics 115, Raptors 101: It's looking very much like Boston will end with the No. 2 seed.

— Nets 121, Wizards 115: Brooklyn made six more 3s than Washington, won by six points.

— Suns 120, Bulls 110: Devin Booker scored 30, Phoenix pulled away in the fourth quarter.

— Bucks 131, Grizzlies 115: Memphis' Rayan Rupert 31st player with triple-double this season.

— Cavaliers 117, Pacers 108: Donovan Mitchell scores 38, Cleveland pulls away in the fourth.

— Hornets 122, Timberwolves 108: Charlotte is very much in the race to avoid East play-in.

— Magic 112, Pelicans 108: Orlando's 7th win after trailing by 15, tied for most in NBA (Spurs).

— Thunder 146, Jazz 111: OKC was 25.5-point favorite, top odds in at least a decade, and covered.

— Mavericks 134, Lakers 128, OT: Cooper Flagg, at 19, scored 45. LeBron James, at 41, scored 30.

— Clippers 138, Kings 109: Sacramento's DeMar DeRozan moved into 16th on all-time point list.

— Rockets 117, Warriors 116: Stephen Curry returned, scored 29, nearly won game at the buzzer.

Monday's schedule

— New York at Atlanta: Hawks are 18-2 in their last 20 games, likely No. 5 seed in East. Knicks could make a statement here.

— Detroit at Orlando: Magic have three players who finished at Michigan, Pistons have two. This during the NCAA title game — featuring Michigan — is just wrong.

— Cleveland at Memphis: Cavs could still catch Knicks, with some help. A slipup here wouldn't be ideal.

— Philadelphia at San Antonio: Spurs won’t play another road game until Game 3 of West quarterfinals.

— Portland at Denver: Trail Blazers in extremely close race with Clippers for No. 8 seed in play-in tournament.

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.)

National TV schedule

Monday on Peacock and NBCSN: New York-Atlanta.

Tuesday on NBC and Peacock: Charlotte-Boston, Houston-Phoenix.

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 +50000 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

The NBA's single-season total points record is set to fall Sunday, the final day of the season. The league's teams are on pace to score a combined 284,300 points or so this season — which would top the record of 282,127 set last season. Teams are averaging 115.6 points per game this season, and that would be the biggest per-game number since 1969-70 (116.7).

Stats of the day

— The Clippers shot 53% from the field, 49% from 3-point range and 95% from the foul line Sunday. It was the 1,000th time NBA regular-season history that a team had 50-40-90 shooting splits in a win.

— Cooper Flagg, 19, scored 45 points and LeBron James, 41, scored 30 points in Dallas’ OT win over the Lakers on Sunday. It was the first time in NBA history that a teen and a 40-something both reached 30 points in the same game.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

That all changed when he was 13. A family friend and babysitter came over to his house in Newton, Massachusetts and handed him a binder filled with accessible instructions for building a Middle Eastern palace. The instructions, written in braille, allowed him to complete the set without having to rely on the brightly colored pictures that typically come with Lego sets.

“This was the first time that I was able to build a Lego set on my own,” Shifrin said at his home, surrounded by sets he has built including a Statue of Liberty figurine and NASA's Apollo Saturn V rocket. “It was truly an amazing experience because I was completely in control of the whole building process. I knew where the pieces went and I was able to learn about the world around me.”

Inspired to reach more blind Lego builders

After Shifrin's babysitter died, he wanted to honor her memory. So he set about fine-tuning the instructions the two had posted online to reach other blind builders.

Three years ago, Shifrin launched Bricks for the Blind. The 28-year-old now works with a team of 30 sighted writers and blind testers. His website makes the downloadable instructions available for free to anyone who's blind or visually impaired. They can either print the step-by-step instructions in braille, use braille computers or turn to screen readers, which are software applications that convert the text into speech.

The instructions allow a blind person to build on their own, but Shifrin's website also says a sighted person might be needed to sort Lego bricks. Otherwise, the blind builder could turn to one of several apps that identify bricks using artificial intelligence.

So far, the nonprofit has created instructions for more than 540 Lego sets, ranging from a 100-piece car to a 4,000-piece bridge. About 3,000 builders have used their instructions across the United States and as far away as Australia.

Shifrin also approached the Denmark-based Lego Group in 2017 about making their products more accessible, which inspired the company to create audio and braille instructions for a growing number of Lego sets. That launched in 2019.

Separately, the company also introduced Lego Braille Bricks in 2020, which are available in French, English and Spanish, and feature studs on the bricks that correspond to letters, numbers and symbols. It also has introduced several characters in their sets with vision loss.

Blind parents, children and their families find connection

Shifrin, who also is an actor, composer and opera singer, said he has gotten messages from many people who couldn't build Lego until now.

He's heard from grandparents who are blind and say they're now able to build with their grandkids. “We couldn’t build with our kids. They didn’t want our help, but now we can teach our grandkids about Lego,’” Shifrin said. “Or blind parents who say, ‘My kids are sighted, they don’t want my help, but it’s amazing to really understand what all this hype about Lego is about because now I can build on my own

Daniel Millan, who lost his sight in 2024, turned to Bricks for the Blind after a tumor crushed his optic nerves. The 31-year-old master's student from San Diego, who's studying to be an assisted technology instructor, first completed a Lego ornament set. Then on his anniversary, he completed a Lego rose set with his wife.

“Being able to do it independently, it’s freedom,” he said, adding that his sudden vision loss left him wondering about what he wouldn't be able to do again.

But after building Lego sets, he soon learned that “It’s not about what I can’t do anymore. It’s more about what I can do,” he said.

Building with their children

For Natalie Charbonneau, who is blind, the instructions have allowed her to complete sets without relying on her sighted husband. It's also allowed her to have fun with her 5-year-old son — and build many fire trucks and other vehicles.

“If he has questions, I have the ability to check his work or to follow along instead of saying, ’You have to wait for your dad' or ‘You have to ask your dad.’ It’s something that I can now do with him as well, which is empowering,” she said. Charbonneau, a tester for Bricks for the Blind, is a doctoral student who lives in Bellingham, Washington.

Teri Turgeon, the education director for community programs at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts — where Shifrin went as a baby — said the accessible instructions allow blind children to experience the same pleasure as their sighted peers. It also helps them visualize a wider world and develop “fine motor and tactile skills.”

“He’s created a space around innovation and accessibility that was otherwise not there prior and he’s done so with a toy that children play with every day,” she said.

In the founder's Lego room

Back at his house, Shifrin helped fellow blind builder Minh Ha to build a go-kart. Ha grabbed Lego bricks and elements from two bowls and began to first put together a driver figurine.

“It’s just legs, torso, head, helmet. You’ve built this before. It’s a piece of cake. I believe in you,” Shifrin told her.

“Awesome,” she said with a smile. “All right, I’m gonna put the helmet on the head. And then … put the legs on the body.”

She reflected on a journey that began two years ago when she built a lotus flower.

“A lot of blind people have been left out of this cultural and kind of childhood phenomenon of being able to build Lego, play with Lego,” Ha said. “There is something incredibly satisfying and also relaxing to be able to put together these very intricate, very beautiful and architecturally complex builds.”

As each one takes flight, snapping through the air, more than 1,000 spectators cheer and applaud — families, off-duty soldiers, and bat enthusiasts, a few dressed in Goth outfits.

Hundreds of bats, many rescued from war-torn areas in the east of the country, were released late Saturday at one of multiple events around Ukraine planned to coincide with the arrival of spring.

“This is important for us as an organization because these are on a red list of endangered animals. Preserving them is very important,” said Anastasiia Vovk, a volunteer at the Ukrainian Bat Rehabilitation Center, which organized the release.

All 28 bat species in Ukraine are listed as protected animals due to declining populations.

For many attendees, the event offered welcome relief and an excuse for a family outing after a harsh winter marked by subzero temperatures, nightly Russian drone and missile attacks and crippling power cuts.

Late Saturday, children, many wearing bat-themed T-shirts and hats, watched as volunteers fed the animals mealworms with tweezers before letting them go. Some were allowed to wear gloves and handle the bats themselves.

“Life goes on despite the war,” said Oleksii Beliaiev, a 54-year-old Kyiv resident who attended with his family. “The war is the main thing right now, but there has to be something else as well.”

Beliaiev runs a small printing business and spends time volunteering for army projects.

The war has displaced animals as well as people. Buildings destroyed by shelling damage bats’ shelters, and explosions terrify the tiny mammals, experts say.

“In winter, bats hibernate, and if they are disturbed, they can die. They reproduce slowly — one or two offspring per year — so populations recover very slowly,” said Alona Shulenko, who headed Saturday’s release.

“As natural hibernation sites disappear, bats move into cities, into cracks in buildings and balconies. But repairs or destruction of these places can kill entire colonies,” she said.

All Ukrainian bat species are insect-eating and legally protected, while the country lies on an important east European migratory route.

The charity says it has rescued more than 30,000 in total, including 4,000 bats last winter.

“We are all living in wartime, and everyone has their own struggles,” Shulenko said. “But we are doing what we know best. … If we stop what we are doing, thousands of bats will die.”

–––

Associated Press writers Volodymyr Yurchuk and Dan Bashakov contributed to this report.

Gabriela Jaquez, Lauren Betts and the rest of the UCLA seniors secured the first NCAA women's basketball national championship in school history — a goal that was set after losing in the first Final Four last season.

Jaquez scored 21 points, Betts added 16 and UCLA routed South Carolina 79-51 Sunday in the title game.

“I knew we were going to do it. Coming to UCLA we all set out for a goal, and I imagined this moment,” Jaquez said. "I imagined it so many times, and I am just so, so proud. ... Crying a lot, the confetti, all of the fans being here to support us, my family being here, it just means everything. Celebrating with this group, like ... I’m so happy.”

The near-record lopsided victory completed the Bruins’ journey through this year’s March Madness. The Bruins ran through their opponents this season with their only loss coming in November, to Texas in a Thanksgiving tournament.

“It’s immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “It’s beyond my wildest dreams.”

UCLA (37-1) was led by Betts and her fellow seniors and graduate students, like Jaquez — who played all four years with the Bruins. She also had 10 rebounds and five assists in front of her brother Jaime, who plays for the Miami Heat and flew in to attend the game to watch his alma mater win.

The group that coach Close put together through a combination of high school commitments and transfer portal players capped off their stellar careers with a championship, scoring all the points in the title game.

“Connectivity. Attention to detail. You know I looked them in the eyes before in the locker room, before the game, and I said, ‘I’m so proud to be able to say this,” Close said. "Because all year we’ve been saying the talent is our floor, but our character will determine our ceiling.’”

The title is UCLA’s first since winning the 1978 AIAW championship, which was the postseason tournament for women’s basketball before the NCAA took over in 1982.

The championship game loss was the second straight for the Gamecocks, who won the title in 2024. Dawn Staley and her Gamecocks (36-4) will be favored to return to the game’s biggest stage with a talented group of expected returnees, led by Joyce Edwards and Agot Makeer.

Like their 51-44 semifinal win over Texas, the Bruins were locked in defensively, anchored by Betts. She finished with 11 rebounds and exited the game with 3:45 left, giving Close a huge hug. The 6-foot-7 senior earned Most Outstanding Player honors of the Final Four.

“UCLA is a quality team with very experienced players who got a taste of being in the Final Four last year, and you make adjustments,” South Carolina's Staley said. "From last year to this year -- they played determined last year, but they played more determined this year because they were so close.”

Offensively, the Bruins had a much easier time than in the semifinal game that saw the team score only 20 points in the first half. The Bruins surpassed that total in the opening 10 minutes against South Carolina. Kiki’s Rice 3-pointer just before the first-quarter buzzer made it 21-10 as the Bruins got off to a strong start and South Carolina struggled with 17% shooting, it’s poorest quarter of the season.

The Bruins extended the lead to 15 points in the second quarter by clogging up the paint on defense and working the ball inside on offense for a 36-23 lead at the half.

UCLA put the game away in the third quarter, opening the period with a 12-3 run. Jaquez had five points during the spurt. South Carolina never threatened again as the Bruins outscored them 25-9 in the period.

“We just didn’t have it today. We tried, but we just didn’t have it today,” Staley said. "They were the better team.”

South Carolina avoided the most lopsided loss in championship history of 33 points, set in 2013 when UConn defeated Louisville. The Gamecocks also surpassed the title game record low of 44 points by Louisiana Tech in 1987 against Tennessee.

The Gamecocks were trying to cement their name as the premiere program in the sport with a fourth championship and third in the past five seasons. It just wasn’t meant to be Sunday as they had their worst shooting game of the season against a talented UCLA team.

“This is not the ending we wanted, but we got here. No one thought we would, and we did it,” said Tessa Johnson, who led South Carolina with 14 points.

Makeer added 11 for the Gamecocks.

“The score speaks for itself.” said Gamecocks senior Raven Johnson, who played in five Final Fours in her career.

Close has been at UCLA for 15 seasons, but her connections go deeper with the school as she was mentored by the legendary Bruins men’s coach John Wooden, who won 10 national championships at the school.

Their bond began when she was 22 years old and he was 83. She shares the same first name with one of his great-granddaughters. Close visited Wooden bi-weekly, adopting his “Pyramid of Success” and focus on character and its paid off with her team.

“Coach Wooden always said, ‘You got to do it the way you’re wired to do it, not the way anyone else did.’ And I just tried imperfectly to stay true to that," Close said.

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

First-year general manager Mathieu Darche announced the abrupt decision to part ways with Roy and name Peter DeBoer his replacement with four games left in the season. The Islanders have lost four in a row and seven of their past 10 games, going from comfortably in a playoff spot to needing help down the stretch in a competitive Eastern Conference race.

Getting outshot 40-16 and losing 4-3 at division-leading Carolina on Saturday night in another must-win game was the final straw for Darche, who took over last summer and decided at the time to keep Roy behind the bench.

Roy is the second head coach fired over the past eight days. The Vegas Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy and hired John Tortorella on an interim basis a week ago.

This is not an interim move. DeBoer is taking the job full time.

The 57-year-old is fresh off serving as an assistant on coach Jon Cooper's Canada's staff at the Milan Cortina Olympics, serving as an advanced scout and helping a talented group reach the final before losing to the U.S. in overtime.

“More of preparation was just when everybody arrived here and you’ve got basically three days to prepare, that a lot of the grunt work is done,” DeBoer said in Milan. “I was involved in the scouting selection process. That was totally different for me and an exciting kind of wrinkle in what we usually normally do as coaches.”

DeBoer has taken two teams to the Stanley Cup Final and most recently coached the Dallas Stars to three consecutive trips to the Western Conference final before being fired last year following their latest exit.

Internationally, DeBoer was an assistant for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off last year and has filled that role at multiple world championships. He called it a great opportunity for learning and perspective, even if being a head coach suits him better.

“Oh yeah, I’m a head coach,” DeBoer said. “I’m a short-term assistant coach. ... You always come back a better head coach for, I think, doing that.”

Roy, a Hall of Fame goaltender considered one of the best to ever play the position, was hired by former GM Lou Lamoriello in January 2024 as a midseason replacement for fired coach Lane Lambert. Sparked by his arrival, the team made the playoffs that year and lost in the first round to Carolina. Regression has followed since, though players in recent days still had praise for Roy.

“He cares about the guys in the room,” captain Anders Lee said last week. “I think his messaging this season has been on point and he’s been able to read the room in a really good place and done his best to continue us on this journey of an 82-game hockey season.”

Roy did not make it to game No. 82, nor did he have the kind of public outbursts during games that were part of his first NHL gig with Colorado.

“I heard (about) his temper and stuff, or I’ve seen it over the years, like everybody,” said winger Ondrej Palat, who joined New York in a trade from New Jersey in late January. “He seems very calm. On the bench, he could get heated with all the circumstances that happen in a game. But in the room and around the boys, he’s pretty calm and positive.”

Parting ways with Roy comes at crucial point for the organization. Rookie of the year front-runner Matthew Schaefer has been a revelation in his first NHL season at the age of 18, and several other top prospects are on their way.

Roy was in his second job running a team in the league, following a three-year tenure with the Avalanche from 2013-16 that included winning the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year and abruptly resigning in the middle of the summer. They hired Jared Bednar, who then coached them to the Stanley Cup in 2022.

Darche and the Islanders are hoping for the same trajectory after making this change.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Brown, who had two starts under his belt this season and last pitched against the Red Sox last Tuesday throwing just under 80 pitches, is now on the 15-day injured list the team announced Sunday morning.

Brown’s setback occurred Friday during a routine throwing session he and all starters do between starts. During his session Brown felt something was not right so he ended the workout and informed Manager Joe Espada.

Sports Sunday tonight, led off with the #Astros news coming out of West Sacramento Sunday pre game. Ace Hunter Brown to the 15-day IL.
Here's why & Astros highlights 👇👇 pic.twitter.com/2MCBYo1YcB

— Randy McIlvoy (@KPRC2RandyMc) April 6, 2026

Brown was checked out in Sacramento and then flew back to Houston where he will undergo further examinations with team doctors.

This marks the first time in his career that Brown has been placed on the injured list. The club called up Christian Roa from Sugar Land.

Joe Espada announced that Cody Bolton will start Monday night in Denver against the Rockies in the series opener.

I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend. Let’s get into some news of the day.

If you’ve been keeping up with Artemis II, then you know that today is a big day for the four astronauts who will see a side of the Moon human eyes have never seen before.

During a six-hour fly-by, the astronauts will become the most distant humans in history, surpassing the distance record of  248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers) set by Apollo 13 in April 1970.

Mission Control expected Artemis II to surpass that record by more than 4,100 miles (6,600 kilometers).

Artemis II is using the same maneuver that Apollo 13 did after its “Houston, we’ve had a problem” oxygen tank explosion wiped out any hope of a moon landing.

Known as a free-return lunar trajectory, this no-stopping-to-land route takes advantage of Earth and the moon’s gravity, reducing the need for fuel. It’s a celestial figure-eight that will put the astronauts on course for home, once they emerge from behind the moon Monday evening.

Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen were on track to pass as close as 4,070 miles (6,550 kilometers) to the moon, as their Orion capsule whips past it, hangs a U-turn and then heads back toward Earth. It will take them four days to get back, with a splashdown in the Pacific concluding their test flight on Friday.

To read more, click here.

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YOUR MORNING FORECAST ☀️

TODAY: 74° TONIGHT: 59°

KPRC 2 Meteorologist says:

“The cool weather continues Monday morning, with the 50s! Sunshine will take its time coming back, but should make an appearance by the afternoon as clouds clear out. Over the next three days, high temperatures stay in the 70s, and humidity is low, making for a great start to the week. ”

Get your forecast details here.

TOP STORIES

20-year-old arrested in deadly Westheimer hit-and-run that killed woman

A 20-year-old has been arrested after police say he hit a woman and then attempted to leave the scene Sunday night. The woman was hit while walking on Westheimer. Unfortunately, the woman died, and police say the driver left the scene but was later captured by police.

Texas reviewing what students learn about history, slavery, and religion in major curriculum rewrite

A major decision is unfolding in Texas that could shape what millions of students learn in the classroom, including how topics like slavery, religion, and American history are taught.

The Texas State Board of Education is in the process of rewriting the state’s social studies curriculum, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS.

These standards determine what students are taught in history, civics, economics, and geography from elementary school through high school.

Family and friends remember 33-year-old killed in Paradise City shooting as ‘life of the party’ in slab community

Friends and family have identified the man killed in a weekend shooting at a southeast Houston gentleman’s club as 33-year-old Miguel Angel Padilla Franco, known as “Nawfside Linco.”

The shooting happened around 5 a.m. Saturday at Paradise City. Franco was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person was taken to the hospital.

WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

The Latest: Trump threatens to strike Iran’s infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened

ARE YOU A KPRC 2 INSIDER? HERE’S SOME EXCLUSIVES

Craving Cajun food in Houston? These restaurants deliver big variety and flavor

CLICK2PINS: SHOW US WHAT YA GOT 📷

See a news story in your neighborhood? Capture a great weather moment? Just want to share a photo of your pet? Send your photos and videos to Click2Pins, and you may see them on air and online!

It’s Friday and it’s the first time in months I have had caffeine, especially while working this 4 a.m. shift today.

I know I am just as ready for Easter weekend as many of you are, but there may be some stormy weather that can delay outside egg hunts.

Let’s jump into some trending news for our area.

KPRC 2’s meteorologists say a cold front is headed our way this Saturday, bringing possible flooding and severe weather. We may even experience wind gust that can reach over 58 mph and quarter size hail in some areas.

Before you start canceling all your plans this weekend, check out our weather timeline to help plan your Saturday.

To read more, click here.

➡️ Love our morning newsletter? Share it with your family and friends!

YOUR MORNING FORECAST ☀️

TODAY: 85° TONIGHT: 73°

KPRC 2 Meteorologist says:

“Friday will bring another round of spotty showers, this time they could reach Houston. Widespread rain isn’t expected until Saturday when the cold front arrives. That’s the period to watch, as the heaviest rain and strongest thunderstorms are likely in the evening hours.”

Get your forecast details here.

TOP STORIES

Man accused of posing as police officer pressures Deer Park coffee shop employee to send $780, records show

A 20-year-old man is accused of impersonating a police officer and convincing a Deer Park coffee shop employee to send hundreds of dollars, part of a case investigators say may involve other victims.

According to court records, Kaden Berriman, of Clear Lake, posed as a Deer Park police officer during a phone call to Sycamore Grounds Coffee in December.

Court documents state that on December 18, 2025, a teenage barista received a call from someone asking to speak with the shop’s owner, Jackie Springer.

Galena Park closes city parks overnight, increases security monitoring following weekend shooting

After a fatal shooting Sunday night where one person was killed and two others were seriously hurt, the City of Galena Park is making changes to ensure safety in the area.

The city says effective immediately, all city parks will close daily from 9:30 PM to 6:00 AM until further notice, without exception.

The city said it is also implementing 24/7 security monitoring stations.

Texas doctor accused of illegally selling millions of opioid pills out of Houston clinic

A Texas doctor is accused of illegally selling millions of opioid pills by recruiting others to pose as patients and reselling the drugs on the black market.

In an indictment unsealed Thursday in the Southern District of Texas, James Robles, 70, of Weslaco, Texas, is charged with operating a cash-only clinic in Houston that he used to sell the controlled substances.

WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

Pam Bondi, a Trump loyalist who oversaw Justice Department upheaval, is out as his attorney general

ARE YOU A KPRC 2 INSIDER? HERE’S SOME EXCLUSIVES

Craving Cajun food in Houston? These restaurants deliver big variety and flavor

CLICK2PINS: SHOW US WHAT YA GOT 📷

See a news story in your neighborhood? Capture a great weather moment? Just want to share a photo of your pet? Send your photos and videos to Click2Pins, and you may see them on air and online!

Houston police responded to the intersection of Westheimer Road and Eldridge Parkway around 9 p.m., where they found the woman dead at the scene.

Investigators say she was in a crosswalk when she was hit. Witnesses told police the driver initially stopped, then fled.

Officers later located the driver, who has been identified as a 20-year-old. It’s not clear what charges the driver will face.

The contests are among the notable highlights of Wisconsin’s spring election, where races for judicial, municipal, educational and other traditionally nonpartisan offices will be decided beyond the din of the more explicitly partisan November elections.

In the race for the high court, state Appeals Court judges Chris Taylor and Maria Lazar are running to replace retiring Justice Rebecca Bradley from the court’s conservative bloc. Taylor is a former Democratic state representative who has endorsements from the court’s four sitting liberal justices. Lazar served as assistant state attorney general under former Republican Gov. Scott Walker. She is endorsed by conservative Justice Annette Ziegler, who announced in March she will not seek a third term in 2027.

This year’s contest has not generated the same level of attention as recent Wisconsin Supreme Court races, since the ideological balance of the bench is not at stake. But the winner will be a part of a panel that could be at the center of a political firestorm if there are any disputes related to either the 2028 presidential election or the next round of congressional redistricting in the early 2030s. Justices are elected to 10-year terms.

Liberals are looking for their fourth consecutive state Supreme Court victory. Liberal justices gained a 4-3 majority on the court in 2023 for the first time in 15 years after Justice Janet Protasiewicz won a seat previously held by a conservative. In 2025, Justice Susan Crawford joined the court and preserved the liberal majority after a campaign where Elon Musk and groups associated with him spent millions in support of a conservative candidate.

In any statewide election in Wisconsin, Democrats tend to win by large margins in the populous counties of Milwaukee and Dane (home to Madison), while Republicans win by wide margins in the smaller, more rural counties that stretch across most of the state. Republican candidates also tend to rely on strong showings in the “WOW” counties — Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington in suburban Milwaukee — which help counter Democratic advantages in urban areas. Victory is determined by how big those margins are in the respective party strongholds, as well as which side can win over the more competitive swing areas.

In the 2024 presidential election, then-Vice President Kamala Harris won Milwaukee County with 68% of the vote and Dane County with 75%, while narrowly losing statewide. In comparison, Protasiewicz and Crawford in their successful state Supreme Court races received 73% and 75% of the vote in Milwaukee County and 82% of the vote in Dane County. They both won statewide with double-digit margins of victory.

Protasiewicz and Crawford each also won more than 10 swing counties that voted for Trump in 2024, most notably in Brown County, home to Green Bay, which Trump carried in all three of his White House campaigns.

In the race for Waukesha mayor, Common Council President Alicia Halvensleben and state Rep. Scott Allen are running to replace Mayor Shawn Reilly, who is not seeking a fourth term. Allen has been one of the most conservative Republicans in the Legislature since his election in 2014. Halvensleben is the preferred candidate of the Waukesha County Democratic Party.

Reilly is an independent who left the Republican Party after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He has endorsed Halvensleben.

The Associated Press does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

Recounts are not automatic in Wisconsin, but a trailing candidate may request one if the winning vote margin is less than a percentage point. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is eligible for a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. local time, which is 9 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The AP will provide vote results and declare winners in the races for state Supreme Court and Waukesha mayor.

Who gets to vote?

Any registered voter in Wisconsin may participate in the spring election.

What do turnout and advance vote look like?

As of April 1, there were about 3.6 million active registered voters in Wisconsin out of about 4.5 million eligible voting-age adults. Voters in the state do not register by party.

Nearly 2.4 million votes were cast in the 2025 spring election for state Supreme Court, which was about 62% of registered voters. About 29% of voters cast their ballots before election day.

As of Friday, nearly 281,000 ballots had already been cast.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2025 spring election, the AP first reported results in the race for state Supreme Court at 9:09 p.m. ET, or nine minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 2:12 a.m. ET with about 99% of total votes counted. The race was called at 10:16 p.m. ET.

When are early and absentee votes released?

In previous Wisconsin elections, counties varied in terms of when and how they released results from early and absentee voting. In the 2024 general election, roughly a third of the counties released all or most of their early and absentee voting results in the first vote update, while the rest released them throughout the night along with results from in-person Election Day voting.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 210 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

Launched last week on humanity’s first trip to the moon since 1972, the three Americans and one Canadian are chasing after Apollo 13’s maximum range from Earth. That will make them our planet’s farthest emissaries as they swing around the moon without stopping on Monday and then hightail it back home.

Their roughly six-hour lunar flyby promises views of the moon’s far side that were too dark or too difficult to see by the 24 Apollo astronauts who preceded them. A total solar eclipse also awaits them as the moon blocks the sun, exposing snippets of shimmering corona.

“We’ll get eyes on the moon, kind of map it out and then continue to go back in force,” said flight director Judd Frieling. The goal is a moon base replete with landers, rovers, drones and habitats.

A look at Artemis II’s up-close and personal brush with another world — our constant companion, the moon.

Apollo 13 holds the distance record from Earth

Apollo 13’s astronauts missed out on a moon landing when one of their oxygen tanks ruptured on the way there in 1970.

With the three lives in jeopardy, Mission Control pivoted to a free-return lunar trajectory to get them home as fast and efficiently as possible. This routing relies on the gravity of Earth and the moon, and minimal fuel.

It worked for Apollo 13, turning it into NASA’s greatest “successful failure.” (For the record, flight director Gene Kranz never uttered “Failure is not an option.” The line is pure Hollywood, originating with the 1995 biopic starring Tom Hanks.)

How Artemis II will surpass Apollo 13

Commander Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert reached a maximum 248,655 miles (400,171 kilometers) from Earth before making their life-saving U-turn on Apollo 13.

Artemis II’s astronauts are following the same figure-eight path since they are neither orbiting the moon nor landing on it. But their distance from Earth should exceed Apollo 13’s by more than 4,100 miles (6,600 kilometers).

Artemis II’s Christina Koch said late last week that she and her crewmates don’t live on superlatives, but it’s an important milestone “that people can understand and wrap their heads around,” merging the past with the present and even the future when new records are set.

Artemis II astronauts take shifts for prime lunar views

During the flyby, the astronauts will split into pairs and take turns capturing the lunar views out their windows with cameras. At closest approach, they will come within 4,070 miles (6,550 kilometers) of the moon.

Because they launched on April 1, the rendezvous won’t have as much of the far lunar side illuminated as other dates would have. But the crew still will be able make out “definite chunks of the far side that have never been seen” by humans, said NASA geologist Kelsey Young, including a good portion of Orientale Basin.

They’ll call down their observations as they photograph the gray, pockmarked scenes. There’s a suite of professional-quality cameras on board, and each astronaut also has an iPhone for more informal, spur-of-the-minute picture-taking.

Young’s team made lunar geography flashcards for the astronauts to study before the flight.

“They’ve practiced for many, many, many months on visualizations of the moon,” she said over the weekend, “and getting their eyes on the real thing, I’m really, really looking forward to them bringing the moon a little closer to home on Monday.”

A total solar eclipse is in store during the moon flyby

The upside of the April 1 launch is a total solar eclipse. The eclipse won’t be visible from Earth — only from the Orion capsule — treating the astronauts to several minutes’ worth of views of the sun’s outermost, radiating atmosphere, the corona.

The astronauts will be on the lookout for any unusual solar activity during the eclipse, Young said, and will use their “unique vantage point” to describe the features of the solar corona, or crown.

All four astronauts packed eclipse glasses to protect their eyes.

How long the brief blackout behind the moon lasts

Orion will be out of contact with Mission Control for nearly an hour when it’s behind the moon. The same thing happened during the Apollo moonshots.

NASA is relying on its Deep Space Network to communicate with the crew, but the giant antennas in California, Spain and Australia won’t have a direct line of sight when Orion disappears behind the moon for approximately 40 minutes.

These communication blackouts were always a tense time during Apollo although, as Frieling points out, “physics takes over and physics will absolutely get us back to the front side of the moon.”

It’s homeward bound for Artemis II after the moon flyby

Once Artemis II departs the lunar neighborhood, it will take four days to return home. The capsule will aim for a splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego on April 10, nine days after its Florida launch.

During the flight back, the astronauts will link up via radio with the crew of the orbiting International Space Station. This is the first time that a moon crew has colleagues in space at the same time and NASA can’t pass up the opportunity for a cosmic chitchat. The conversation will include both members of the first all-female spacewalk in 2019: Koch aboard Orion and Jessica Meir, on the station.

The cool weather continues Monday morning, with the 50s! Sunshine will take its time coming back, but should make an appearance by the afternoon as clouds clear out.

Over the next three days, high temperatures stay in the 70s, and humidity is low, making for a great start to the week.

Late Week Pattern Change:

The perfect spring weather doesn’t last long; multiple disturbances move through southeast Texas, increasing rain chances by late week.

Extended forecast:

Temperatures creep back into the 80s late week as rain and storm chances return.

The Texas State Board of Education is in the process of rewriting the state’s social studies curriculum, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS.

These standards determine what students are taught in history, civics, economics, and geography from elementary school through high school.

Right now, the proposed standards are still in draft form.

That means:

• Board members are reviewing the language

• Advisors have submitted feedback and revisions

• The public is now weighing in before a final vote

This week’s meeting in Austin is one of the last chances for people across the state to speak directly to decision-makers before the process moves forward.

The draft suggests a shift in how history is structured.

There is a stronger emphasis on U.S. and Texas history, taught in chronological order, starting in early grades.

At the same time, some reviewers have raised concerns that:• Global history may receive less attention• Topics outside Western civilization could be reduced• Geography and world cultures may not be as deeply covered

One of the most closely watched parts of the draft is how difficult topics are explained, especially to younger students.

In early grade levels, reviewers have pointed out that slavery is described in more general terms, such as “unfair treatment based on race,” without detailed explanation of forced labor and violence.

Critics argue that this could minimize the severity of slavery if not expanded upon as students move through higher grades.

Others say younger students require simplified explanations, with more detailed instruction introduced later.

There are also concerns about how other historical events are covered.

Some reviewers say topics like Japanese internment camps during World War II could be reduced or removed from certain grade levels, while others argue the standards still allow flexibility in how teachers present those lessons.

Religion is another major point of discussion.

The draft includes references to religion as part of historical instruction, particularly when teaching about the founding of the United States and Western civilization.

Some reviewers have raised concerns that the standards may place a stronger emphasis on Christianity, including references that describe the U.S. as having roots as a Christian nation.

Supporters of the draft say religion is a key part of history and should be included to help students understand historical events and cultural development.

Others argue public schools must be careful to present religion in a balanced way that reflects the diversity of beliefs in Texas.

Beyond specific topics, some advisors reviewing the draft say the standards may be too broad in some areas and too limited in others.

Feedback highlights:• Heavy emphasis on Western and American perspectives• Limited coverage of regions like Africa, Asia, and the Middle East• Concerns about removing or reducing certain historical topics

At the same time, others argue that the draft improves clarity by focusing on key historical concepts and organizing them in a more structured way.

There is also disagreement over how the draft is being developed.

Some educators and advocacy groups say the timeline is moving quickly, pointing out that the public had limited time to review lengthy documents before providing feedback.

State officials and board members say the process follows established guidelines and includes input from more than 100 educators, parents, and community members across Texas.

The impact of these decisions could extend beyond the state.

Texas is one of the largest textbook markets in the country, meaning curriculum changes here can influence how textbooks are written and used nationwide.

The board is expected to hear public testimony during this week’s meeting in Austin.

After that:• A public comment period will follow• Board members will review feedback• A final vote is expected later this year

If approved, the new standards would be implemented in classrooms in the coming years.

For parents and students, this process will help determine how history and social studies are taught in Texas schools.

From how slavery is explained… to how religion is discussed… to which parts of history are emphasized… the decisions made in this process could shape classroom learning for years to come.

Shohei Ohtani hadn't driven in a run until Friday, then homered in that game and again Sunday. He and Aaron Judge each have three straight multihit games.

Judge hasn't needed to carry the Yankees, who are 7-2. They had allowed a paltry 15 runs on the season before a 7-6 loss to Miami on Sunday. Cam Schlittler has made two scoreless starts and New York ran wild against the Marlins — with even Giancarlo Stanton stealing a base.

It wasn't a great first week for the Dodgers' quartet of sluggers — Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — but then they broke out in a big way as Los Angeles posted 31 runs in three games at Washington. The Dodgers are 7-2 with Andy Pages off to a 16-for-34 start at the plate, so they can afford to be patient with their stars.

That includes Betts, who went on the injured list with an oblique strain.

Los Angeles now heads to Toronto for a three-game series — the first meeting between the teams since the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series in Canada last year.

Battling Bucs

On the topic of teams succeeding while waiting for stars to get untracked, Pittsburgh swept three straight from Baltimore to improve to 6-3. The Pirates have won five straight, although Paul Skenes has allowed six runs in 5 2/3 innings through his first two starts.

They haven't needed much from top prospect Konnor Griffin either. The infielder is 1 for 9 since being called up, but he has yet to play in a loss. The Pirates have 10 of their next 13 games at home, with Skenes expected to take the mound Tuesday when they host San Diego.

Trivia time

When is the last time the NCAA men's basketball champion and baseball's World Series champion came from the same state in a given year?

Performance of the week

Jo Adell went 1 for 3 at the plate Saturday, but it's what he did defensively that made a real impact. The Angels' outfielder made three home run-robbing catches to help Los Angeles to a 1-0 win over Seattle.

Adell made spectacular catch while crashing into the seats when J.P. Crawford led off the ninth with a drive to right. Adell also denied Cal Raleigh what would have been the catcher's first homer of the season.

Comeback of the week

Arizona trailed Detroit by four Tuesday night before scoring six times in the bottom of the eighth to win 7-5. The Tigers had a win probability of 96.4% after seven, according to Baseball Savant.

Corbin Carroll hit a bases-loaded double that scored two runs, and Jose Fernandez added a three-run homer. It was the second home run of the game for Fernandez, who was making his major league debut.

Trivia answer

In 1973, UCLA won the national title and the Oakland Athletics won the World Series. That pairing also won in 1972.

There was a recent near-miss in 2021 when Baylor won the NCAA Tournament and the Houston Astros lost to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. The only way this double can happen this year is if Michigan wins in basketball and the Tigers prevail in baseball.

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

They lose their top six players to graduation after putting on one of the most dominant performances in championship history to win their first NCAA title and second overall, routing South Carolina by 28 points Sunday.

But with the transfer portal open now, the UCLA coach can build a new team quickly. Close has said that the school will be very active, looking to add five players.

“Transfer portal just got easier,” Close said smiling.

Challenging the Bruins will be the runner-up Gamecocks and coach Dawn Staley. They look to get over the loss and reach a seventh consecutive Final Four next season and win a fourth national championship. With young stars Joyce Edwards and Agot Makeer returning along with a strong complementary crew they will be one of the favorites for the title when the Final Four moves to Columbus, Ohio.

Joining them should be other Final Four participants UConn and Texas, who have two of the best players in the country with Sarah Strong and Madison Booker. Each will have to replace a key player with Azzi Fudd for UConn and Rori Harmon for Texas gone to the WNBA.

After the four Final Four teams, it could be interesting to see who the women's basketball powers will be in 2027.

So much can change through the transfer portal. Over the past few years so many big name players have changed their schools by entering it. TCU, which reached the Elite Eight the last two seasons has added a half dozen players each of the past two years.

Michigan and Duke also reached the regional final this year and each has potentially a strong nucleus of players coming back.

A few teams have already been hit hard by the portal with many players announcing on social media they were transferring.

Iowa State has lost most of its top players, including the nation's second-leading scorer in Audi Crooks.

Stanford and Tennessee, which had been two of the women's basketball staples in the sport over the past 40 years have been hit hard already with so many of their players announcing on social media that they will enter the portal.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Jennifer Lee and Kyev Tatum agree that Texas’ Black students do not receive the same academic support as their peers, that schools punish them unfairly and that recent state laws silence Black history and perspectives in the classroom.

But the two Black Texans sharply diverge on whether the state’s new voucher program will make education in Texas better or worse for students who look like them.

Lee feels confident that vouchers, which allow families to use public funds for private school and home-schooling costs, will allow the state to drain money from a predominantly Hispanic and Black public school student population while benefiting majority-white private schools and worsening academic outcomes. That’s what she sees in other states with vouchers, often referred to as “school choice.”

“It’s impossible to research a school choice program and not come away understanding that it has been detrimental almost everywhere it’s touched,” Lee said.

Tatum, a Fort Worth pastor, believes vouchers will provide Black families who are frustrated by the shortcomings of public education the funding needed to build supportive, Black-led private schooling options.

“There’s not one person in the whole entire country who can look me in the eye and tell me that public schools have done right by Black kids,” Tatum said.

Texas families faced a March 31 deadline to apply for vouchers, which will provide home-schoolers up to $2,000 per year, private school students $10,500 and children with disabilities up to $30,000. State leaders are now deciding which students will receive funding for the 2026-27 school year, pending their acceptance to a school. Of almost 275,000 voucher applicants, 45% are white, 23% are Hispanic and 12% are Black.

As Texas prepares for its inaugural school year offering vouchers, Lee and Tatum’s opposing viewpoints on what it will mean for Black students differ as much as their perspectives on school vouchers’ discriminatory history in Texas. In 1957, Texas lawmakers proposed a voucher plan as part of a slate of bills introduced to avoid compliance with the landmark Supreme Court decision making it illegal for schools to separate children based on race.

Since that time, the Legislature has grown more racially and ethnically diverse, though it is still mostly white men.

And Hispanic students now make up the majority of public school students, surpassing white students in enrollment. Yet no other racial or ethnic group lags further behind their school peers than Black children, who make up 13% of Texas students but struggle the most academically and experience discipline disproportionately.

When today’s Republicans pitched school vouchers, they promoted them as a state-funded option for families to escape the boundaries of their local school districts. The movement achieved its crowning moment after Gov. Greg Abbott and his deep-pocketed supporters campaigned against House Republicans who opposed vouchers, helping elect new lawmakers who voted for the program.

“Gone are the days that families are limited to only the school assigned by government,” Abbott said moments before signing the voucher legislation. “The day has arrived that empowers parents to choose the school that’s best for their child.”

Vouchers became Texas law in an era when Republicans say diversity efforts have shifted schools’ focus from core academics toward political activism. They believe such efforts have effectively given people of color preferential treatment.

In recent years, Texas lawmakers have also required public schools to teach about slavery and racism in ways that ensure white students do not feel guilt. Districts can suspend a child in school for as long as considered necessary, a form of punishment disproportionately used against Black students. And campus leaders can no longer consider race or ethnicity when creating policies or making hiring decisions, despite evidence that Black educators improve academic outcomes for students.

“DEI agendas divide us rather than unite us and have no place in the state of Texas,” Abbott said in an executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion policies in state agencies. “These radical policies deviate from constitutional principles and deny diverse thought. Every Texan is equal under the law, including the state and federal Constitutions, both of which prohibit government discrimination based on race.”

Tatum is fed up. His support for vouchers is about rescuing as many Black kids as possible from public schools.

“What I’m saying is: Those who want to stay in the house and burn, stay in the house,” Tatum said. “But for those of us who don’t want to burn, open the door, allow me to leave, and give me my money so that I can give it to a house that’s not burning, but thriving.”

Lee worries vouchers will leave fewer resources for kids who remain in public schools. She also questions why Texas officials want anything to do with an initiative once proposed to derail Black children from equal opportunity.

“You might believe in parent choice and all of that,” Lee said. “But when you start talking about you, as a person, sitting in church on Sunday, are you really OK with saying, ‘Well, yeah, I do want segregation again’?”

“The best education is an investment”

Texas public schools receive funding based on student attendance, meaning they will lose money for every child who leaves to participate in the voucher program. In other states offering vouchers, a mass exodus of children leaving public schools for private options has not materialized. Still, critics worry the Texas program will grow in size and cost. And if future cuts are needed, they worry political leaders will trim public school budgets first.

Lee, a former public school teacher and a 2024 Democratic candidate for the Texas House, acknowledges public education has a long way to go in helping Black students grow and thrive in the classroom.

Majority-Black schools are more than four times as likely as majority-white schools to receive a D or F in Texas’ academic ratings. On state tests, Black students perform the worst of all racial and ethnic groups. Aside from Hispanic eighth-graders in math, Black students lag behind all other Texans on national exams, too. They graduate at the lowest rates and drop out at the highest.

But Lee contends that such inequities do not emerge by accident. It starts, she said, with inadequate resources.

“Our country has demonstrated that time and time again, we believe that the best education is an investment,” Lee said. “Private schools cost ridiculous amounts of money because parents believe that education is an investment.”

In 2023, Abbott said he would not sign sweeping education funding legislation if it excluded a voucher program. When vouchers stalled, public schools lost out on billions that could have benefited students. The 2025 legislative session marked the first time in six years that Texas lawmakers increased across-the-board money for public education.

Hundreds of districts approved budget deficits over that time. They increased class sizes, cut staffing and closed schools to save money. Last year’s nearly $8.5 billion funding boost still fell billions short of catching them up with inflation. Meanwhile, Texas ranks 31st and 46th in average teacher salary and per-student spending, respectively, according to the National Education Association.

Public education advocates acknowledge that funding is not the only reason for — or answer to — Texas’ academic shortcomings, especially for Black students who have suffered through resistance to integration, the elimination of Black educators and unequal access to quality facilities and learning materials. And Lee thinks state laws clamping down on initiatives that promote diversity exacerbate negative academic outcomes.

But the advocates see funding as the foundation.

“Teachers are being asked to do so much with so little and then being mocked because they couldn’t quite get there,” Lee said.

Private schools typically face no requirements to accept students who live in their community or make learning arrangements for children with disabilities.

On the contrary, traditional public schools generally do not charge tuition or set admission requirements. They welcome different faiths and religions. They teach students who speak different languages. They accommodate students with disabilities. They offer free lunch, health care and laundry.

In other words, public schools are a public good worth preserving, said Michael McFarland, superintendent of the Crowley Independent School District, a majority-Black school system in North Texas.

“You’re still going to have the masses of children in the public institution,” McFarland said. “If the public institution is no longer serving the public good, then it creates a definite challenge for our country, a challenge for our city and our state.”

When states expand voucher access to include virtually any school-age child like Texas has, white and more affluent families tend to benefit most. Lee fears the children of white and wealthy Texans will graduate from well-funded private schools while public school students will graduate from scraps.

“What’s going to happen is that we’re going to see a lot of Black and brown children who have schools that are broken down, very few resources, and basically feeding that pre-K to prison pipeline,” Lee said.

She refuses to allow her 9-year-old son, Brock, to grow up in a bubble where he interacts only with children of the same belief system and social class. If Brock is expected to thrive in the real world, Lee said, she wants him educated in a setting that closely resembles that world. Public schools work, she insists, because they teach children “how to be a human.”

“When we start siloing ourselves and saying, ‘I only want to be around white, straight Christians,’” Lee said, “then suddenly everyone else who doesn’t fit into that category, they’re not people, they’re problems, they’re things, they’re other.”

“They don’t love us back” 

Before Brown v. Board of Education, Black schools suffered from inadequate funding, outdated textbooks and crumbling buildings. Even so, highly credentialed teachers and administrators led those institutions, and they nurtured Black children while holding them to high expectations. Students frequently met those heightened standards.

But in newly integrated schools after the Supreme Court’s 1954 ruling in Brown, many white leaders deemed Black teachers and administrators unfit, demoting them, firing them or forcing their resignation. So while Black and white students began attending the same schools, Black educators became rare.

“You had a system where Blacks wanted kids to do well,” said Tatum, who argues that Texas’ current teachers and administrators resent Black students’ culture and achievements.

“You don’t protect what you do not respect,” Tatum added. “Since Brown, we’ve tried to love them, but they don’t love us back.”

A civil rights activist who founded and previously ran a charter school, Tatum is the one Black families call when public schools have wronged their children. One teacher allowed a student to say the N-word multiple times during a class presentation, another poured pencil shavings into a child’s mouth. Black trauma pushed Tatum to a stark conclusion: Public schools have a culture problem.

The Texas Legislature could grant school districts access to all the money in the world, Tatum insists, but additional funding will not change school leaders who punish Black students for sporting locs or who imply that children of color are thugs for celebrating hip-hop. In the Fort Worth Independent School District, a majority Hispanic and Black district in Tatum’s hometown, only one-third of students are testing on grade level.

“Let’s be real,” Tatum said. “These kids have been traumatized in these inner-city communities, in schools.”

In Tatum’s vision, Black churches will open small schools. Black teachers will lead instruction. Students will celebrate Juneteenth and learn to read. Administrators, by fostering a nurturing learning institution, will kill the school-to-prison pipeline.

At that point, voucher advocates say, Black communities will have used the environment of “education freedom” to their advantage, reclaiming their students and prioritizing their values.

“And that’s what we should do — first of all, because Black people have never been served well by the public education system,” said Denisha Allen, executive director of Black Minds Matter, a national organization advocating to improve academic outcomes for Black children.

Noliwe Rooks, an Africana studies professor at Brown University, wrote “Integrated: How American Schools Failed Black Children,” a book detailing how resistance to integration decimated Black school systems and subjected many Black students to discrimination and violence from their white peers.

Rooks agrees that many Black students today still lack the support they enjoyed in schools before the Brown decision.

However, she also noted that building Black schools without deep knowledge of how to manage finances, how to develop curricula and teach, and how to assist students with varying disabilities will create similar challenges that plague other schools. Black communities possessed that knowledge during segregation, Rooks said, which is why “losing the infrastructure for Black education matters.”

“Just having some Black people say, ‘I’m going to start a school for Black kids,’ has not worked,” Rooks said. Vouchers, she added, are also not the fix.

“It further exacerbates what’s broken,” Rooks said. “The problem is the education system — the idea of it as a public good, as something that’s supposed to be shared, that’s a national priority — that’s what’s broken.”

But Tatum has heard those arguments before. The grandfather of 15 does not get consumed with the “philosophical” — how he describes evidence that voucher programs tend to benefit wealthy white families, do not significantly improve learning and were once proposed by segregationist white lawmakers trying to undermine integration.

In his mind, nothing is worse than the trauma Black families have experienced in public schools or the fact that too many students in his hometown of Fort Worth cannot sufficiently read.

Tatum views the real problem as Texas forcing Black children to exist in a toxic educational environment. If Black families want to use state resources to exert more control over their kids’ education, he said, they deserve an opportunity to do so.

“You can get philosophical with me. You can get theological with me,” Tatum said. “But I’m trying to get practical with everyone.” 

“Same song, different verse”

Voucher programs, where almost all school-age children qualify, have only existed since 2022. In the decades before that, vouchers primarily served limited groups, such as low-income students and students with disabilities.

Some studies show that vouchers increase the likelihood that students graduate high school and go to college, while others conclude that they lead to small improvements in public schools. Meanwhile, some research also shows students leaving voucher programs for public schools at high rates. And while older studies demonstrate mixed effects on test scores, research in the past decade shows vouchers leading to significant declines.

Despite evidence that vouchers can harm test scores — the primary metric Texas leaders use to judge public schools — advocates are standing their ground. Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, said the governor believes the program will unlock new opportunities for students to grow.

“An overwhelming majority of Texans from all walks of life support expanding school choice to all Texas families — including minorities, Republicans, Democrats, independents, and people across rural Texas,” Mahaleris said. “Texas is on a pathway to becoming number one in education, and the passage of school choice is an unprecedented victory for Texas families, students, and the future of our great state.”

The $1 billion voucher program will launch at the start of the 2026-27 school year. Almost 275,000 students applied — demand that exceeded available funding. In a state where about 53% of public school students are Hispanic and 13% are Black, nearly half of voucher applicants are white and 75% previously attended a private school or home school.

To divide the money, Texas will consider the applications of students with disabilities and low-income families first, though students are not fully approved until accepted to a private school. Families have more than 2,200 voucher-approved private schools to pick from, and those schools have the power to accept or deny students as they see fit.

Fears that the program will create two tiers of publicly funded education date back to the 1950s. Two years after the Brown decision, candidates in the Texas gubernatorial race criticized the idea of Black and white children learning together. In a Texas Democratic primary, several hundred thousand voters expressed support for school segregation. White Texans threatened Black families, hanging dolls that resembled Black students being lynched.

In a 1956 report that advocated for vouchers, a state legislative subcommittee wrote: “While showing great concern for the effect of segregation on the psyches of negro children, the Court neglected to display any concern whatsoever for the effect of integration on Southern white children and their parents.”

In 1957, lawmakers passed bills authorizing the attorney general to defend schools in desegregation lawsuits and allowing the governor to close schools where federal troops showed up to enforce integration. A voucher bill, passed by the Texas House, would have offered private school grants to families who pulled children out of integrated schools. When the bill moved to the Senate, a small group prevented passage with the help of a grueling 36-hour filibuster.

One of the opposing senators was Henry B. Gonzalez, whose son Charlie Gonzalez, a former U.S. representative, sees vouchers as a choice to divest from a state education system that serves mostly students of color while propping up majority-white private schools.

“I always say it’s the same song, different verse,” Charlie Gonzalez said.

“To me, it really is about segregation. It really is resisting diversity,” he added. “Am I wrong? I don’t think so. I don’t think my dad was wrong in 1957. I don’t think I’m wrong today.”

“We can do both”

Lee and Tatum may never find out if the voucher program worsens or improves long-term academic outcomes for Black children because participating schools are not required to administer the same tests as public schools.

Voucher supporters argue instead that parent satisfaction will determine success.

In defending the program during the 2025 legislative session, Rep. Brad Buckley and former Sen. Brandon Creighton expressed confidence that vouchers would not harm public schools or promote discrimination.

“In harmony, we can lift up our public schools and our public school teachers like never before in historic ways, and we can provide education opportunities that fit the needs and are customized for our individual Texas students,” Creighton said during a Senate debate. “We can do both of those at the same time. Those aren’t warring provisions or concepts unless we allow stakeholders to manufacture a narrative that supports such a division, such chaos, such a lack of harmony.”

The two Republicans, who co-sponsored the voucher legislation, did not respond to requests for comment. The Texas comptroller’s office, which oversees the program, declined to comment.

On the fifth day of Black History Month last year, Sen. Borris Miles occupied the same floor where Henry B. Gonzalez and Abraham “Chick” Kazen Jr. filibustered seven decades before.

Miles, a Houston Democrat who is Black, reminded colleagues that Southern states proposed school vouchers to avoid integration. He reminded them that states defunded and closed Black schools. He warned that if it happened then, it will happen again.

“I’m sure that history is going to show that this body has created a separate but unequal education structural system and made it law,” Miles said, “made it law by sacrificing the masses for the very few.”

But government red-tape is preventing her food truck and others from growing. The family wants to travel to other cities to serve their food, but each city requires them to apply for a permit, which is not only very costly, but requires the family to take the day off of work to do another city’s inspection.

“It’s a hassle to take time off to go and do that where we have to stop what we’re doing and lose money that day,” Schessler said.

But House Bill 2844, which passed last year and goes into effect July 1, could relieve the Schessler family and the statewide food truck industry from some of the financial pressure.

The new state law outlines that the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will create a statewide operating permit that will apply to any food truck in Texas. Currently, food truck owners must pay each city’s permitting fees to operate there, which can cost several hundreds of dollars per jurisdiction, even though inspection requirements are largely the same across cities and counties. Consequently, food truck owners have said they feel discouraged from traveling to other places to sell their food, suppressing their business growth.

“It’s an opportunity to work anywhere, because we limit ourselves to a certain area only because we can’t afford to be going to every single city that we really want to go to,” Schlesser said.

Some cities oppose the new statewide license because without their authority, both cities and counties fear they may lose control of how their mobile food trucks operate in their locations. Local governmental entities control where and when the food trucks operate in their jurisdiction, but they won’t be able to collect permit and inspection fees anymore.

For instance, the City of Dallas charges a $481 application fee and $562 plan review fee for trucks new to their jurisdiction, as well as $185 for an annual permit. Anthony Spanel, City of Amarillo’s Environmental Food Director confirmed that the city previously charged between $800 and $900 for a permit and other fees for a truck new to their jurisdiction.

Currently, DSHS is working to finalize implementation plans. HB 2844 requires the state to license food trucks in three different categories, depending on how food truck operators prepare their food. The lowest tier license is for trucks selling prepackaged foods and the highest tier are for those that cook food in their trucks.

DSHS estimates that it will license about 19,000 food trucks statewide. Food trucks, depending on the type on the license tier, will end up paying between $300 to $1,350 for the initial application and pre-licensing inspection, and between $300 to $850 per year for license renewal. Some of them will also pay up to $500 per inspection.

The bill also creates a public database that will include a list of food trucks statewide and their inspection results, public complaints and more. Additionally, the state will penalize food trucks with administrative fees, a license suspension or revocation if they do not meet licensing requirements.

State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, authored this bill after he spoke with food truck owners in his district about how they were losing profit to pay for so many cities’ licensing fees. What he thought was an issue unique to his community was actually a statewide issue.

“In many cases, they want to do business in different jurisdictions, different towns, different communities, different counties, and they found themselves having to get basically the same inspection for the same type of permit in multiple jurisdictions. Even though the standards weren’t all that different in most cases, but it was really just an additional fee that had to be paid for something that had already been done,” Landgraf said

Landgraf also talked with local governmental bodies. Landgraf maintains that cities and counties can still require businesses to follow their local fire codes and zoning laws so that local officials can still decide where food trucks can locate.

The bill doesn’t require cities and counties to aid in any inspections. Though, local health departments have the option to choose to partner with the state to conduct these inspections. If they choose to help they are reimbursed for the work.

“There is absolutely still local control,” Landgraf said. “The bill that we passed last year … really only has to do with the health inspection permit authority.”

Currently, in Amarillo there are 233 licensed food trucks. Prior to the implementation of the bill, food trucks were charged between $800 and $900 dollars, which equated to an estimate of $185,000 per year for the city.

In Amarillo, Darcy Marvin, owner of Sweet Sipz, which sells desserts and dressed up sodas, has the same issues as Eloisa’s Food Truck Kitchen: too many permit fees that take away from generating revenue.

Marvin said she has to pay double the permitting fee that Amarillo charges because she owns both a truck and trailer. In addition to the fees she pays to multiple cities, she winds up paying $3,000 per year.

“Three to five percent of my profit went to permits and fees,” Marvin said.

However, with the implementation of the bill, she will now only pay a fraction of the cost for a statewide permit.

Additionally, when they want to travel to a new city, food truck owners have to head there ahead of time to undergo inspections. City health inspectors will test the overall cleanliness of these food trucks. Inspectors will check the temperatures of fridges to ensure food is being stored properly. They’ll check for running hot water, how waste is being disposed of, and even how these businesses are storing wet rags. It’s a lengthy process that requires lengthy preparation and food truck owners to shut down business for the day.

The new statewide permit “frees up more money that we can use for ourselves or to grow our business because we’re not paying the fees every year,” Marvin said.

While many of these small business owners are excited about the new statewide license, some local government officials are concerned. Georgetown mayor Josh Schroeder says the government operates best at the local level, and there weren’t any local officials who asked for this change.

“We are just opposed to any movement to strip local control and take that and move that authority to the state level,” he said.

Officials from multiple urban counties and cities have said they also fear the new statewide food truck program would create an unfunded mandate. While the state will not require cities and counties to conduct inspections, local public health officials said they expect to have some role in responding to food truck violations even though they will not be able to collect revenue from food truck permits. 

“Yes, we anticipate continuing to respond to complaints and assist with investigations. This will present challenges, as we may be required to allocate staff time and resources without the associated revenue previously used to support these functions,” said Edrea Au, spokesperson for Dallas County Health and Human Services Department, which oversees 758 food trucks in its jurisdiction.

Travis County has about 2,000 licensed food trucks, which generated about $610,000 for the city of Austin in fiscal year 2025, according to Austin Public Health officials. Even with the lost revenue, Austin public health officials said they will work with DSHS and local food trucks to transition to the new statewide licensing program. They fear shifting oversight to the state will delay responses to food truck violations.

“For larger cities like Austin, they lose some local authority, which limits their ability to tailor public‑health oversight to community needs, particularly on the loss of local enforcement. By shifting enforcement to the state level, imminent public health hazards will take more time to address than if the oversight had remained with local municipalities,” said William Malm, spokesperson for Austin Public Health.

DSHS estimates the state will make up to $17 million per year from the new statewide permit. The agency notes some food trucks, such as those selling prepackaged foods, haven’t had to pay for permitting fees in some jurisdictions and will now have to pay the statewide licensing fees to operate.

Even so, state officials expect most food trucks will benefit financially from the new license.

Being able to travel more freely without worrying about getting permits and inspections everywhere will allow them to increase their visibility across the state, food truck owners said.

“By having this license and being able to go to any part, anywhere without having to go and spend more money in order to work in that city. It just opens up a lot of doors because now we can accept more events,” Schlesser said.

He was looking to do the same on the last possession with Golden State down a point, but missed a long, straightaway 3-pointer.

No matter the result, Curry is back and healthy at long last for the Warriors after a right knee injury, and everyone at Chase Center celebrated right along with him in Golden State’s 117-116 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

With Curry back, the Warriors hope to make it out of the play-in tournament.

"There were a lot of nerves all day, my family supporting me at home when I was a nervous wreck trying to pass the hours before I got to the arena but once you get back into your routine I've been doing it so long muscle memory takes over and the adrenalin takes over," Curry said. "I appreciate the fans and the reception and just the buzz that was in the arena because you know at a certain point you won't be able to tap into that. So very grateful, it was a beautiful day and now I can kind of settle in to how we're going to finish the year.”

Coming off the bench in the regular season for the first time in 14 years, Curry was greeted by a warm standing ovation and greetings on the big screen — he also expressed his gratitude on video — when he entered with 4:54 left in the opening quarter.

He immediately passed off for an assist on a dunk by Charles Bassey, who just signed with Golden State earlier in the day. Curry made a 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining in the period.

“You can just feel it, we're back in the mix, we're back in the fight with Steph,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry finished with 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting and became the 26th player in NBA history with 9,000 field goals. He was 5 of 10 on 3s, playing 26 minutes.

Fans chanted “We want Steph! We want Steph!” during the fourth quarter, seemingly unaware of his minutes restriction.

This marked the first time he has come off the bench in a regular-season game since March 7, 2012, against Memphis. He last was a reserve in Game 4 of the first round of the 2022 playoffs during the Warriors’ last championship run.

Curry's pregame warmup is always a must-see show long before the main event, and the cheers were extra loud for his latest session now that he's finally back on the floor.

He was cheered before tipoff, too, and was supposed to play 24 minutes following a two-plus-month absence and 27 straight games sidelined because of a right knee injury.

He signed a few autographs after his shooting routine then missed his full-court heave before disappearing into the tunnel.

“He's one of the most beloved players in league history, Bay Area history in any sport and I think a long absence like this reminds everybody how lucky we are to see him, to watch him, to coach him, to play with him,” Kerr said. “So tonight's a special night because we're reminded of how lucky we've been and how lucky we still are.”

Kerr said before the game that it's still unclear how many of the remaining games Curry will play given Golden State has five contests in eight days with a back-to-back the rest of the way — and the expectation is he wouldn't play on consecutive nights.

The schedule will be determined by how Curry feels and input from Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini.

Soon, Curry will be starting again.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka knew Houston would have its hands full with No. 30 back.

“One of the best movers in the game,” Udoka said. "... Obviously, we’ve seen him enough and know some things that have hurt us in the past.”

Curry scrimmaged several times this past week to test his injured right knee, and he said Saturday it was never a consideration to shut it down for the rest of the season. Kerr hoped to have Curry and younger brother Seth finally play together.

At the 6:19 mark of the second quarter, they did — the first time brothers played together in Warriors franchise history, according to Elias. Seth Curry also has been injured much of the season.

Seth Curry did appear in six preseason games for Golden State in 2013 then played for the team’s G League Santa Cruz Warriors that year — with the brothers playing all of 100 seconds together during the fourth quarter of two games during that ’13 preseason.

“That was special,” Curry said. “We both had very difficult years, honestly him more than me with injuries. I was joking calling us the rehab brothers. It's been like that all year but to have that moment coming out of a timeout, talking about our matchups, I was having flashbacks to Charlotte Christian in high school my senior year, his sophomore year was the last time in an actual game. ... That was a dream come true to be honest, it hasn't really sunk in yet.”

Their mother, Sonya, was in the stands for the moment.

Curry warmed up in Kevin Durant's “Scoring Title” Nike KD 4s with former teammate Durant playing for the Rockets.

After Saturday's practice, Curry said dealing with the pain is part of his “new normal” and the offseason will require a significant reset.

The 38-year-old Curry initially expected to be playing right after the All-Star break, but the recovery was prolonged by some difficult moments when he would feel good, push hard then pay for it the following day.

The Warriors (36-42) lost their fourth straight game. They were 13-25 this season without Curry — including 9-18 during the recent stretch with him sidelined by patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Curry was thrilled to battle Durant again — knowing these moments won't last forever. The feeling was mutual.

“Amazing,” Durant said about Curry’s comeback night.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

The shooting happened around 5 a.m. Saturday at Paradise City. Franco was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person was taken to the hospital.

As of now, no arrests have been announced.

Franco was well known in Houston’s slab culture — a car community centered around “slow, loud and bangin’” vehicles, often customized with lowered frames and powerful sound systems.

His nickname, “Nawfside Linco,” was a nod to his Houston roots and his Lincoln.

Friends say Franco was also part of the “Blue Line,” a group within the slab community made up of blue car enthusiasts connected by their shared style and love of customized vehicles.

On Sunday, family and friends gathered at Divine Shine Car Wash in the Second Ward to remember Franco’s legacy.

David Infante, owner of HTX Garage, said he met Franco through the car scene, but their bond quickly grew deeper.

“He’s my friend, but he’s more like a brother,” Infante said.

nfante said Franco was passionate about bringing people together and was a driving force in the community.

“Every weekend, ‘Hey, where we going? Where are we pulling out?’” Infante said. “He was making sure that he gathered everybody, hit the street, and represented the Blue Line to the fullest.”

Franco’s wife, Monica Castillo, said the public outpouring of support has shown her just how many lives her husband touched.

“He always joked around with me and told me, ‘How did it feel to be with a celebrity?’” Castillo said. “I used to just laugh and now he left me and I realize how much of a celebrity he really was.”

Castillo described her husband as a provider who cared deeply for his family.

“He was an amazing person,” Castillo said. “I was a stay-at-home mom because he said it was my job to stay home and take care of the kids, and it was his job to be the man and take care of us.”

Franco’s 13-year-old son, Elias Padilla, said his father taught him to treat people with kindness and respect.

“My dad, he was one of the nicest and most generous people out there,” Elias said. “Always giving people money, taking care of people, always adding more energy into a party and showing love to everybody.”

Elias said he hopes to make his father proud.

“I want to make my dad proud and carry on his legacy in the cars,” he said.

Other friends in the slab community said Franco was known for his smile, his warmth and the energy he brought wherever he went.

Josiah Tabares said Franco made an immediate impression.

“He was the vibe. He was bringing the energy. Straight energy, had a big smile on his face,” Tabares said.

Que Jones, another friend, said Franco embraced people from all backgrounds and made them feel welcome.

“He wasn’t a rapper, he wasn’t a celebrity,” Jones said. “He was just a real genuine person.”

Low G, an artist who said he has been connected to Houston’s slab culture for decades, said Franco stood out because he made the culture a family affair.

“He had his family really involved in everything he did for the car community and as a family man,” Low G said.

Friends and family say that while the cars may have first drawn attention, it was Franco’s generosity, energy and love for people that left the deepest mark.

Daniel Rivera, a friend based in Austin, said he met Franco through mutual friends while working on their cars and quickly bonded over their shared passion.

“He was always happy, always excited. He just was the life of the party,” Rivera said.

Rivera said Franco had been planning a trip to Austin just hours before his death.

“He was supposed to come down here to Austin, Texas, and we were actually going to ride,” Rivera said. “Saturday morning, we woke up to the bad news of his passing. It’s been drastic for us.”

Rivera said members of the Blue Line community first learned about Franco’s death through a group chat, as messages quickly spread among friends.

“We were all like, no, it can’t be Mike,” said Rivera.

Despite living in different cities, Rivera said Franco made a lasting impact on their group and helped grow the movement.

“He started a movement down there in Houston… hopefully it’ll expand through his legacy,” Rivera said.

Friends describe Franco as a family man who brought energy and positivity everywhere he went.

“Every time we linked up, it was a good time, big smiles, nothing but laughs,” Rivera said.

HPD said witnesses described one to two suspects as Hispanic males in their late teens to early 20’s.

Police are asking anyone who was at the club on the night of the shooting or anyone with information to call Crimestoppers or police.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Country hitmaker Ella Langley releasing her sophomore album, Nintendo dropping the monster combat game Pokémon Champions and “Malcolm in the Middle” fans getting a four-episode revival with Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek.

New movies to stream from April 6-12

— Sydney Sweeney stars as real-life boxing legend Christy Martin in David Michôd’s “Christy” (HBO Max, Friday, April 10). The film, which Sweeney also produced, drew some of her best reviews. Her distinctly unglamorous performance spans Martin’s small-town West Virginia beginnings to a professional career shadowed by her abusive manager-turned-husband (Ben Foster). In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck wrote that Sweeney “imbues her no-holds-barred portrayal of Martin with both sweetness and rage, with brio and real vulnerability.”

— One of the highlights of last year, Akinola Davies Jr.’s tender father-son drama, “My Father’s Shadow,” begins streaming Friday, April 10, on MUBI. The film, penned by Davis and his brother, Wale, is loosely autobiographical. Their father died when they were young. But in “My Father’s Shadow,” two Nigerian boys have unexpected day with their father ( Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù ) in Lagos, at a pivotal time for the country. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called it “a gem, a deeply felt memory piece and vibrant portrait of Nigeria in 1993.”

— Jonah Hill made his directorial debut with the coming-of-age skate film “Mid90s.” He returns to directing in “Outcome,” a Hollywood satire starring Keanu Reeves as a movie star named Reef Hawk who fears a video could destroy his reputation. Hill, who co-wrote the movie, also co-stars as Reef’s crisis-management lawyer. It debuts Friday, April 10, on Apple TV.

— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

New music to stream from April 6-12

— A chart-topping country hitmaker preps her sophomore album: Ella Langley — known for such radio mainstays like the throwback “You Look Like You Love Me” with Riley Green and the George Strait-referencing No. 1 “Choosin’ Texas,” co-written with Miranda Lambert — will release a new record on Friday, April 10. If the whole of “Dandelion” is anything like those songs, she’s got a long career ahead of her.

— The English disco-pop singer Jessie Ware will release “Superbloom,” also on Friday, April 10. She’s as ready to soundtrack a late night on the dance floor as she's ever been — like on the single “Ride,” which interpolates the theme from the 1966 spaghetti Western film “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and melts into her sequined synths. “Come be my cowboy, baby, come, let’s ride,” she sings, more discotheque than honky-tonk. “You know I want you, I need you tonight, tonight.”

— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

New series to stream from April 6-12

— “The Boys” launches its fifth and final season Wednesday on Prime Video. The critically acclaimed series is based on comic books and follows villainous superheroes and the crew trying to thwart them. Series regulars Jack Quaid, Karl Urban, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty and Jessie T. Usher and Chace Crawford are all returning, as are more recent additions played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jensen Ackles. “Hamilton” star Daveed Diggs also joins the cast.

— Hulu’s sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” called “The Testaments,” also premieres on Wednesday. Ann Dowd reprises her Aunt Lydia character from the original and is now in charge of a school for girls that basically prepares them for adulthood, marriage and babies. These young women have never known anything other than Gilead. It stars Chase Infiniti and Lucy Halliday and is also based on a novel by Margaret Atwood.

— Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen lead a new sci-fi comedy, “The Miniature Wife,” for Peacock. They play a couple working on their marriage when their lives are further complicated after an unusual accident. It premieres Thursday.

— Another series launching its fifth and final season is “Hacks” on HBO. The show, debuting Thursday, follows the love-hate relationship between a legendary comedian (Jean Smart) and a talented writer played by Hannah Einbinder. The series has racked up a lot of hardware, including an Emmy for outstanding comedy series. Smart has won four consecutive Emmys for the show while Einbinder has taken home one.

— Do you ever wonder how your favorite former TV stars would fare in the present day? “Malcolm in the Middle” fans are getting their wish. Twenty years after their show went off the air, Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek return to TV for a revival where Muniz’s character is now a dad to a teenage girl. The four episodes of “Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair” premiere on Friday, April 10, on both Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

— Alicia Rancilio

New video games to play from April 6-12

— Nintendo is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pokémon. Just a month after releasing the cozy community-builder Pokémon Pokopia, it’s dropping the considerably less comfortable Pokémon Champions. This time it’s all about the combat, as you recruit and train monsters before pushing them into the arena to fight other trainers’ creatures. You can compete in ranked events with players from around the world, or enjoy casual or private battles that won’t affect your ranking. It’s a free-to-start challenge, but you may want to set some cash aside for in-app purchases. The fight club opens Wednesday on Switch and Switch 2, with iOS and Android versions coming later in 2026.

— Annapurna Interactive’s People of Note tells the tale of a pop singer named Cadence who decides she wants to start a band. That means she’ll need to trek across the world of Note, where each city is defined by its own style of music. In her travels, though, Cadence learns that a Harmonic Convergence is disrupting music itself, and she and her bandmates will have to solve puzzles, explore dungeons and fight tone-deaf villains to stop Note from going silent. Los Angeles-based Iridium Studios promises that “each battle is an interactive musical performance,” and you can pump up the volume Tuesday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

— Lou Kesten

Trump punctuated his threat with profanity in a social media post Sunday, saying that Tuesday will be “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran.”

He also offered details of the rescue of a “seriously wounded and really brave” U.S. service member he identified as a “respected colonel” who was missing since Iran shot down a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle on Friday.

The U.S. president said the rescue was a rarely attempted type of operation because of the potential dangers. A second crew member was rescued earlier in “broad daylight” after seven hours over Iran.

The war began with joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Feb. 28 and has killed thousands, shaken global markets, cut off key shipping routes and spiked fuel prices. Both sides have threatened and hit civilian targets, bringing warnings of possible war crimes.

Here is the latest:

Strikes in Iran kill at least 9 people

From Sunday into Monday across Iran, local media and activists reported strikes on Ahvaz, Bandar Lengeh, Karaj and Shiraz.

The strikes in Bandar Lengeh and Kong killed at least six people and wounded 17 others, the state-run IRAN newspaper said.

Another airstrike in southeastern Tehran hit a home, killing at least three people, Iranian state TV reported.

Iranian strikes hit Haifa

Israel’s Magen David Adom and Fire and Rescue services said early Monday that there are two reported sites of Iranian missile hits in the northern city of Haifa.

Video footage provided by Magen David Adom of the affected sites show active fire and bombed cars in what appears to be a residential area.

It is still unclear whether those were direct hits or damage from falling shrapnel from interceptions.

The missile strikes comes a day after another attack from Iran also hit a Haifa residential area, killing two people and injuring others.

Two people were still trapped in the rubble caused by the Sunday attack and their fate is unknown.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military warned the public Monday morning of another missile barrage coming from Iran, the third-such alert of the day.

Airstrike on Iranian city of Eslamshar kills at least 13

An airstrike early Monday struck a residential building in a city southwest of Iran’s capital, Tehran, killing at least 13 people, Iranian media reported.

The semiofficial Fars news agency and Nour News reported the strike near Eslamshar.

It wasn’t clear why the building had been struck.

Neither Israel nor the United States claimed the strikes early Monday, but they came after Trump issued a profanity-laced threat to Iran that it must reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Airstrikes hit Tehran university linked to weapons work

Airstrikes early Monday morning on Iran’s capital targeted the Sharif University of Technology.

Iranian media reported the strikes and damage to buildings there, as well as a natural gas distribution site next to the campus.

It wasn’t immediately clear what had been targeted on the grounds of the university, which is empty of students as the war has forced all schools in the country into online classes.

However, multiple countries over the years have sanctioned the university for its work with the military, particularly on Iran’s ballistic missile program, which is controlled by the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

Meanwhile, the Guard and other security forces have been using secondary sites as rally points as their bases have come under repeated attack during the war.

Airstrike in the Irani city of Qom kills at least 5

The state-run IRAN daily newspaper said in an online message that an airstrike in a residential area of Qom killed at least five people. Qom is a holy Shiite seminary city just south of Tehran.

It wasn’t unclear what the target of the strike was.

Iran has not provided overall casualty figures from the war in days. It also hasn’t discussed its materiel losses.

Airstrikes hit Iran's capital

Before dawn Monday, a series of airstrikes hit Iran’s capital, Tehran. Explosions rang out into the night, though it wasn’t immediately clear what had been struck. The sound of low-flying fighter jets could be heard off and on for hours.

In Israel, authorities sounded one missile alert. In Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, two such alerts went off with air defenses firing, but it wasn’t immediately clear what had been targeted by Iran. Kuwait also said its air defenses worked multiple times overnight to intercept incoming.

Crude oil prices jump in early trading after Trump threats

Crude oil prices jumped sharply in early trading Sunday after U.S. President Donald Trump issued fresh, heightened threats against Iran and its infrastructure.

The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose more than 2% to $111.25. U.S. crude oil prices were up nearly 3% to $114.54 a barrel.

The last time front-month prices for U.S. crude oil prices were above $115 a barrel was the summer of 2022, in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and during a period of high inflation across the globe.

Trump on social media vowed to hit Iran’s power plants and bridges and said the country would be “living in Hell” if the Strait of Hormuz, crucial for global trade, isn’t opened by Tuesday.

Official with Lebanese Christian party killed in Israeli strike

Pierre Mouawad, an official with the Lebanese Forces party, was killed along with his wife in an Israeli strike Sunday on an apartment building in the village of Ain Saadeh in the mountains east of Beirut, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Another woman was killed and three women were wounded, Lebanon’s health ministry said.

The Israeli military has made no statement about the strike, and its intended target remains unclear.

The Lebanese Forces party is opposed to Hezbollah and has blamed the Shiite militant group for dragging Lebanon into a new war with Israel.

Israeli strikes in Christian-majority areas have led to sectarian tensions, with local residents fearing that Hezbollah members may be hiding among displaced Shiite civilians taking refuge there.

Doctors Without Borders condemns Israeli strike in Beirut neighborhood

The international aid group, known by its French acronym MSF, said the strike in Beirut’s Jnah neighborhood on Sunday hit “a densely populated residential area … only meters from Rafik Hariri Public Hospital.”

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the strike, which came without a warning, killed four people and wounded 39.

“We are seeing elderly people and adolescents arriving with critical injuries to the head, chest, and abdomen, including shrapnel wounds,” Luna Hammad, MSF medical coordinator working in the hospital, said in a statement. “When strikes hit crowded residential areas without warning, the consequences are severe, both in human casualties and in hospitals’ capacity to respond.”

MSF said that “strikes this close to a hospital spread fear and can stop people from seeking lifesaving care.”

The Israeli military has not named the intended target of the strike, which comes five weeks into the renewed Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon.

Iran says US bombarded its own aircraft, personnel

Iran’s joint military command spokesperson said Sunday that the U.S. had to bombard its own military aircraft and personnel that were struck and downed by Iranian fighters to “prevent embarrassment for President Trump and the hollow image of its military.”

Ebrahim Zolfaghari added that several U.S. military aircraft entered Iranian airspace to carry out a rescue operation for the pilot of a downed U.S. fighter jet, but said Iranian fighters and air defense systems struck the aircraft and forced them to make an emergency landing in an area south of Isfahan.

A regional intelligence official, who was briefed on the covert mission and who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss it, said the U.S. military blew up two transport planes due to a technical malfunction that forced them to bring in additional aircraft to complete the rescue.

Over the weekend, the United States pulled off a daring rescue of two aviators whose fighter jet was shot down by Iran, plucking the pilot from behind enemy lines before setting off a complicated extraction of the second service member who hid deep in the mountains as Tehran called for Iranians to help capture him.

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— Associated Press reporter Toqa Ezzidin contributed to this report.

Bahrain’s foreign minister urges action on Strait of Hormuz

Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani wrote in a statement Sunday that Iran’s weekslong chokehold on the critical waterway has created an “escalating crisis that threatens global stability, food security, and the foundational principles of international law.”

He urged action by the United Nations Security Council on a Bahrain draft proposal, which has faced crucial opposition from Russia, China and France over several issues, including language authorizing the use of force to open the strait. All three countries wield veto power over any resolution in the 15-member council.

The vote on the heavily revised and watered-down draft was scheduled to take place last week, but has been postponed due to lack of consensus.

Al-Zayani noted that the “window of opportunity is narrowing day by day” and failure by the international community to act “sends a dangerous message that vital arteries of the global economy can be threatened without consequence.”

Iranian negotiators have ‘immunity from death,’ Trump says

The U.S. president made the comments during an off-camera interview with Fox News.

“We’ve given them immunity from death. And we’ve told the people that we’re dealing with, who are the top people,” the president said.

Trump contended that the Iranians had already conceded on having a nuclear weapon.

“They’re not even negotiating that point, it’s so easy,” Trump told Fox News. “That’s already been conceded. Most of the points are conceded.”

4 wounded in fire at UAE’s Khor Fakkan port

The United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah government said that one Nepali and three Pakistani nationals were wounded Sunday in a fire caused by falling debris from an intercepted Iranian projectile at Khor Fakkan port, according to a statement posted on the social platform X.

One individual was severely wounded and had to be hospitalized, while the others suffered mild and moderate injuries, the statement said.

The statement did not specify whether the intercepted projectile was a missile or a drone.

3 missing in Haifa apartment building strike

Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority said Sunday they were searching for three people in the northern Israeli city of Haifa after an Iranian missile strike.

Paramedics said they rushed to the scene and searched through the rubble to dig out the injured, finding an older man in serious condition. They added that three other people were mildly injured, including a baby.

Associated Press video filmed at the scene showed much of the multistory building reduced to rubble.

The rescuers described the damage as resulting from a direct hit, but it was not immediately clear if the building had been struck by a missile or shrapnel from an interception.

Israeli fire kills 1 Palestinian in Gaza City, health officials say

The strike on a group of people also wounded others, according to health officials at the Shifa hospital, where the casualties arrived.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Gaza Strip has seen near-daily Israeli fire and strikes since a fragile ceasefire was reached in October, and more than 700 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to figures from the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. But it does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.

Since the Iran war began over a month ago, Gaza militants have sat out the conflict and haven’t claimed any attacks against Israel.

Iran’s head of parliament lashes back at Trump

In a social media post on Sunday, Iran’s parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf dismissed Trump’s recent threats of targeting Iran’s infrastructure as “reckless.”

“You won’t gain anything through war crimes,” Qalibaf wrote on X. “The only real solution is respecting the rights of the Iranian people and ending this dangerous game.”

Top Iranian official threatens closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait

A former foreign minister and adviser to the supreme leader warned Sunday that “the resistance front” could target the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade typically passes.

“If the White House thinks of repeating its stupid mistakes, it will quickly realize that the flow of global energy and trade can be disrupted with a single signal,” Ali Akbar Velayati said on social media, signaling possible closure of the vital waterway if the U.S. escalates attacks.

Iran leads the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which includes armed groups in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, where Houthi rebels had in the past cut off transit through Bab el-Mandeb with attacks on vessels.

Iran has effectively stopped cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict, leading to higher oil and gas prices globally.

Iran floats a new condition for Strait of Hormuz reopening

Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Tabatabaei, a presidential spokesperson, wrote Sunday on the social platform X that the reopening of the vital waterway can only happen if transit revenues are partially earmarked to compensate Iran for war damages.

There has been growing alarm over Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, critical for shipments of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf to Europe and Asia. Trump has threatened to attack Iran’s infrastructure if it fails to reopen the strait by Monday.

Oil-producing countries decide on symbolic output increase

Eight countries from the OPEC+ oil cartel say they will increase production again in May to ensure stability on the oil market — a decision overshadowed by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic due to the Iran war.

The countries said in a statement carried Sunday on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries website that production would be increased by 206,000 barrels per day.

That, however, remains largely on paper due to the loss of an estimated 12 million barrels a day from Persian Gulf producers due to the Hormuz closure.

The countries — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman — warned that damage from attacks on oil infrastructure will take “a long time” to repair and return supply to previous levels.

Such attacks, as well as disruption of navigation, undermine efforts to support stable prices “for the benefit of producers, consumers and the global economy,” they said.

Iranian government minister dismisses Trump threat in AP interview

Iran’s culture minister has dismissed President Donald Trump’s latest threats, calling the U.S. leader an “unstable, delusional figure.”

“Iranian society generally does not pay attention to his statements, as it believes he lacks personal, behavioral and verbal balance, and constantly shifts between contradictory positions,” Sayed Reza Salihi-Amiri told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday.

Trump on Sunday said he would strike Iran’s power plants and bridges this Tuesday if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to marine traffic. In an expletive-laden post, Trump promised the Iranians would be “living in Hell” if the waterway isn’t opened.

“It seems Trump has become a phenomenon that neither Iranians nor Americans are able to fully analyze,” said Salihi-Amiri.

He said the Strait of Hormuz is “open to the world but closed to Iran’s enemies.”

Latest attack from Iran hits Haifa apartment building, Israel’s rescue services say

Paramedics say they rushed to the scene and searched through the rubble to dig out the injured, finding an older man in serious condition. They say three other people were mildly injured, including a baby.

Photos and video showed much of the multistory building reduced to rubble.

The rescuers described the damage as resulting from a direct hit. It was not immediately clear if the building had been struck by an Iranian missile or shrapnel from a missile interception.

2 Black Hawk helicopters were hit during the rescue, but got to safety

The two helicopters were able to navigate to safe airspace, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive information.

It was not clear where the Black Hawks landed or if their crew members were injured.

Iran’s joint military command has claimed it struck two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters.

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— Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

Kuwait and Qatar report further aerial attacks

The Kuwaiti army said Sunday that Iran had fired a total of nine ballistic missiles, four cruise missiles and 31 drones at Kuwaiti territory over the past 24 hours.

That brings the total number of projectiles that have targeted Kuwait since the war erupted to 740 drones, 336 ballistic missiles and 13 cruise missiles, according to an official statement posted on the social platform X.

Also, the Qatari army reported that it had on Sunday intercepted several drones and two cruise missiles fired by Iran, according to another statement on X.

Muslim civil rights group accuses Trump of mocking Islam

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a nationwide advocacy group, assailed Trump for invoking Allah in his Truth Social post threatening Iran.

“President Trump’s deranged mocking of Islam and his threats to attack civilian infrastructure in Iran are reckless, dangerous, and indicative of a mindset that shows indifference to human life and contempt for religious beliefs,” CAIR said in a statement.

Trump, in his post on Easter Sunday, demanded that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday, “or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

“The casual use of ‘Praise be to Allah’ in the context of violent threats reflects a disturbing willingness to weaponize religious language while simultaneously denigrating Islam and its followers,” CAIR said.

Iranians say Trump’s threats to strike infrastructure is ‘intent to commit war crime’

Hours after Trump’s expletive-laden post promising Iran will be “living in Hell” over the Strait of Hormuz closure, Tehran’s mission to the U.N. called the open threats to target civilian infrastructure “a direct and public incitement to terrorise civilians and clear evidence of intent to commit war crime.”

“The international community and all States have legal obligations to prevent such atrocious acts of war crimes,” the mission said in a post on the social platform X. “They must act now. Tomorrow is too late.”

Iran says Ahvaz Shahid Soleimani airport hit

Iran state-run television IRIB quoted a security official as saying that so far, no casualties were reported in the aftermath of a US-Israeli strike on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah government said that Khor Fakkan port was targeted and that no casualties were reported so far, according to a post on the social platform X by the government’s media office.

Earlier, UKMTO said that a captain had witnessed multiple splashes from unknown projectiles near his vessel while conducting loading operations at the same port.

Border crossing between Lebanon and Syria awaits threatened Israeli strikes

The main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria was closed Sunday after the Israeli military warned of plans to strike it the night before, alleging that Hezbollah was using it to smuggle military equipment.

Samir Abdelkhaleq from the Lebanese border town of Majdal Anjar said the closure is an economic blow to many.

“These are real losses for people and for business owners,” he said. “Everyone is just waiting for the strike to be over.”

Syrian authorities, who have a hostile relationship with Hezbollah, have denied that the crossing is being used for smuggling. In recent days, Syria announced the discovery and closure of several tunnels they said were being used by Hezbollah for smuggling.

More than 200,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria in the five weeks since the outbreak of renewed war between Israel and Hezbollah.

US official says CIA launched ‘deception campaign’ to find second crew member

Details about the rescue of a second U.S. crew member in Iran, who was a weapons systems officer, are trickling out hours after Trump’s announcement.

A senior U.S. administration official said Sunday that before locating the crew member, the CIA spread word inside Iran that U.S. forces had already found him and were moving him on the ground for exfiltration.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public, said the campaign managed to confuse Iranian officials while the agency conducted its search-and-rescue operations.

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— Associated Press reporter Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

Over 1,400 people in Lebanon have been killed in war between Israel and Hezbollah militant group

Among the 1,461 killed are 97 women, 129 children, and 54 paramedics, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

4,430 people have been wounded since the latest fighting began on March 2.

After Hezbollah fired rockets toward northern Israel, the Israeli military launched an intense military operation with daily strikes across the country and a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.

Top satellite imagery provider says US asked it to suspend access to Mideast imagery

The U.S. government has asked top providers of satellite imagery to stop publishing photos from parts of the Middle East because of the Iran war, says the company Planet Labs.

Planet Labs and companies like it provide near-daily imagery crucial to reporting on regions where on-the-ground access for journalists is impossible, limited or unsafe. That has made it an especially key tool for reporting on the Iran war, which has impacted nearly all Middle Eastern countries.

In a Saturday email to users, including the AP, Planet Labs said it was complying with the U.S. government’s requests and would indefinitely delay publication of imagery taken after March 9, 2026. It said it would release new imagery on a “case-by-case basis and for urgent, mission-critical requirements or in the public interest.”

The company said the new measures would be in place until the end of the conflict.

The mission’s six-day constraint is driven by oxygen supply.

• NASA invites KPRC 2 inside Mission Control as Artemis II crew heads toward moon

“As far as the 144-hour constraint that is tied to the oxygen and the ability to supply oxygen to the crew, those tanks are only so big, and they were sized for that contingency,” officials said during Sunday’s press conference.

Engineers also confirmed Orion’s cabin pressure will be lowered to prepare for future docking missions.

“You’re correct that we are planning on decreasing the cabin pressure in Orion that was always part of the plan,” they said.

The spacecraft will travel farther than any previous crewed mission, reaching 252,760 miles from Earth and passing about 4,000 miles from the Moon.

MORE ON THE MISSION: Artemis II toilet acts up again as astronauts speed toward the moon to break Apollo 13’s record

Scientists say the flyby could reveal new insights—especially from the Moon’s far side.

“We don’t know what to expect,” one scientist said. “This is exploration, right?”

NASA teams are particularly interested in how the human eye will perceive subtle color variations on the lunar surface.

“Negative observations, not seeing something is science,” the scientist added.

NASA will begin live coverage of the flyby on Monday at 1 p.m. Eastern.

She rolled to a five-shot win over Nelly Korda and the rest of the star-studded field for her first win in two years.

Coughlin shot an even-par 72 for a 7-under total, earning the 33-year-old from Virginia $600,000. She won her third LPGA Tour title and first in the United States, after winning in Canada and Scotland in 2024.

“I think it just means more because after 2024 and not winning is hard,” Coughlin said. “I didn’t get it done earlier in the year last year when I had a couple chances and that really bothered me. I was like, ‘What if I don’t ever get to do it again? What if that’s the best golf I every played in 2024?’ Those thoughts were hard not to think last year.”

Korda was runner-up yet again after shooting a 75 and finishing at 2 under. She made her one birdie on the par-5 18th, avoiding going without one in a round for the first time since the first day of The ANNIKA last November in the Tampa Bay area.

This was her third consecutive second-place finish after opening her season by winning in Orlando, Florida, moving Korda up a spot to No. 1 in the world ranking.

“I’m just going to stick to what I’m doing,” Korda said. “I’m really happy with the way that my game is trending, and sometimes when you work too hard and you exhaust yourself, you can go the other way.”

Leona Maguire (71) also finished at 2 under, and the only other player with an under-par score was Miyu Yamashita (74) at 1 under.

Korda wasn’t the only tough competitor for Coughlin to overcome. The $4 million prize money in the event organized by Golf Saudi and co-sanctioned by the LPGA and Ladies European Tour drew 38 of the top 40 players. It’s the first such event in the United States, and more appear to be coming to North America.

Players compared this tournament to a major because Shadow Creek because birdies were so difficult to come by. Only four players wound up under par for the tournament.

Coughlin, the former two-time Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year at Virginia, showed why she feels comfortable at Shadow Creek, even though the format for this year's tournament switched from match to stroke play. She made the final pairing last year before a 1-up loss to Madelene Sagstrom.

“It left a sour taste in my mouth,” Coughlin said. “Second is a good consolation, but winning is really fun.”

Her comfort was evident all four days around the 6,765-yard tract that makes players pay dearly for putting the ball in poor locations. Coughlin was in a three-way tie for the lead after the first round and never relinquished that position as others fell off.

She came close to turning the tournament into a laugher at times Friday and Saturday, but going into the final round, Coughlin enjoyed just a two-shot margin over Korda, the 2024 LPGA Tour Player of the Year. Korda ended the third round with back-to-back birdies and an apparent message she wasn't going anywhere.

But then the final round began, and it became clear fairly quickly which direction the tournament was heading. Coughlin began to pull away and all but ensured at the eighth green she would be the one to place her hands on the trophy.

Coughlin rolled in a downhill right-to-left 45-footer for birdie on the par 3. Korda then preceded to three-putt, including missing a 2-footer for par.

Suddenly, Coughlin was at 9 under and Korda at 3 under — and the rest of the round all but a formality. Korda got within four shots when Coughlin opened the back nine by bogeying the 10th and 12th holes, but Korda did the same on Nos. 13 and 15 to again make it a six-shot difference.

“Not even just bogeys, but you can make a lot of big numbers out there,” Coughlin said. “So I was sticking to my game plan and trying to focus on staying in my routine as much as I could and make as many pars as I possibly could.”

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

Tyler Soderstrom hit a bases-loaded triple and scored three times for the Athletics, who rebounded from an 11-0 defeat Saturday and took two of three games from Houston for their first series win this season.

Shaking off a cold start at the plate, Rooker launched his first homer of the year in the seventh. The two-run shot snapped a 5-all tie and sparked a four-run inning. It was his 100th homer with the A’s, who finished with 16 hits.

Houston pulled even with four runs in the eighth. Jake Meyers homered, Jose Altuve had an RBI double and Cam Smith tied it at 9 with a two-run single.

Carlos Correa gave the Astros a 10-9 lead with an RBI single in the 10th before Rooker connected against Bryan Abreu (0-1).

Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker each had a two-run homer for Houston.

Elvis Alvarado (1-0) got two outs for the win. Athletics starter Jacob Lopez struck out six in 4 1/3 innings. He allowed three hits, three runs and five walks.

Lance McCullers Jr. gave up three runs and five hits in four innings for the Astros.

Up next

The Astros continue their 10-game trip Monday at Colorado, where Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the ball. Houston had not announced a scheduled starter to replace RHP Hunter Brown (1-0, 0.84), who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain.

The Athletics have an off day Monday before facing the Yankees in the Bronx on Tuesday night. RHP Aaron Civale (1-0, 3.60 ERA) pitches against New York RHP Cam Schlittler (2-0, 0.00).

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

Spaun won for the second time at the TPC San Antonio, with one big difference. His victory four years ago got him into the Masters. Now he is the U.S. Open champion who already had his spot at Augusta National secured. But this was an important win.

He had yet to finish in the top 20 in seven starts this year — his best was a tie for 24th in The Players Championship — and now the 35-year-old Californian has a validating win in tough conditions as he heads into the first major of the year.

“It’s just — this game is so crazy,” Spaun said. “I haven’t been feeling at the form I wanted to be based on last season, and just trying to take each day as it comes, and accepting what I have."

“There’s just so much that comes with winning big events like that, a U.S. Open or any other major," he said. "I put a lot of pressure on me to start the year, a lot of expectations. I went into the last few weeks starting at the Players trying to be freed up, and put less pressure on myself, and it’s been trying. But sticking to that mantra has really helped me.”

Robert MacIntyre, who had led for so much of the tournament, completed 12 holes Sunday morning in the storm-delayed tournament for an even-par 72 to stay ahead by one shot going into the final round. The groups didn't change for the final round in a bid to finish amid more rain — but no lightning that caused any delays.

Spaun was in the mix with a dozen other players when he hit his tee shot to 3 feet on the par-3 16th for birdie, and then drove the green on the 306-yard 17th hole to 10 feet for eagle.

He finished with a par to set the target at 17-under 271, finishing about an hour before MacIntyre and the final group. He was on the range when MacIntyre, three shots behind with two to play, drove the 17th and holed an eagle putt just outside 15 feet to get within one shot.

But the Scot hooked his second shot from a wet fairway on the 609-yard closing hole — a par 5 that yielded only 10 birdies in the final round — and even after getting relief from temporary immovable obstructions, MacIntyre could only hit wedge to 30 feet.

His birdie putt to force a playoff was short all the way. MacIntyre closed with a 70 to share second place with Matt Wallace (68) and Michael Kim (69).

He won for the third time on the PGA Tour, two of them at the Texas Open.

Ludvig Aberg had his third straight top 10 — including The Players Championship where he gave up the lead on the back nine — going into the Masters. He closed with a 70 and tied for fifth with Andrew Putnam, who needed birdie on the 18th to force a playoff and hit wedge into a back bunker, making bogey for a 70.

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

The two-time All-American did her homework following a season-low points in UCLA's only loss of the season, applying what she gleaned from the game film to help take down Texas in the rematch.

Betts opened up about her mental health issues, the honesty taking a weight off her shoulders while, hopefully, helping others facing their own darkness.

This life of hers has been a pursuit of perfection — or at least the best version of herself — and Betts capped the college basketball portion of it by reaching the pinnacle of her sport with one final dominating performance.

UCLA won its first NCAA national championship with a 79-51 blowout of South Carolina on Sunday and Betts, as she’s been throughout her career, was the catalyst at both ends of the floor.

“I showed up with zero confidence and wasn’t sure if I wanted to really play basketball for that much longer,” Betts said. "Coach Cori (Close) really believed in me and wanted to see me accomplish everything that I’d ever dreamed of. They wanted me to see myself the way they all see me and and I feel like now at this point I can finally, truly do that.”

The 6-foot-7 senior shook off a first-half coughing fit — the dry desert air got to her — to finish with 14 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots. She altered and prevented even the thought of several others at the rim to give UCLA its first national championship since taking the 1978 AIAW title.

“She’s a very dominant player,” South Carolina's Tessa Johnson said. “She's consistent and effective. It's hard to scout that.”

Betts had a similar impact in UCLA's 51-44 shutdown of Texas in the national semifinals, a 16-point, 11-rebound, three-block performance that set the stage for her to be selected as the Final Four's most outstanding player.

So what if there wasn't a trophy at the announcement.

Betts got to share a national championship with her younger sister, Sienna, a freshman on the team, along with friends and family in the stands.

“They were crying more than I was because they’ve seen me since my sophomore year, just how I matured and it has been really special for them,” Betts said. "They mean so much to me.”

The closing flourish capped a rocky-at-times career.

Betts was the nation's No. 1 high school recruit out of Grandview High School, in Aurora, Colorado, and chose to play at perennial powerhouse Stanford. She had a solid freshman season, but the building mental health issues she had been struggling with began to bubble closer to the surface even after she transferred to UCLA.

Betts opened up about her struggles last year and expounded upon it in a recent first-person story, in which she detailed the brutal hospital conditions and the epiphany once she got out — that she wanted to be here.

“I just feel like for me, basketball and this platform that I’ve been given, I was put on this earth to do more than play basketball,” Betts said. “I think the journey I’ve had, the hardships I’ve went through are to help other people.”

Betts dedicated herself to getting better, on and off the court, and became one of the nation's best college basketball players.

She was UCLA's first Associated Press All-American a year ago and backed that up with another All-American nod after averaging 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 60.1% from the field and leading the Bruins with 71 blocked shots.

With Betts anchoring the middle, the Bruins (37-1) one-upped the program's first trip the Final Four last year with the best season in history.

UCLA reeled off a school-record 31 straight wins following the 76-65 loss to Texas, including the payback win in the national semifinals. The Bruins then erased memories of last year's blowout Final Four loss to UConn with its first NCAA national championship.

Betts, as usual, was at the center of it all, the best version of herself leading to the greatest moment of her and her teammates' lives.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Scheffler, who tends to keep his golf separate from his home life, had not shared any information since withdrawing from the Houston Open two weeks ago because of the impending birth of his second child. He said wife Meredith gave birth to a boy on March 27. They named him Remy.

“We just liked it,” Scheffler said about the name. His first son, Bennett, was born in 2024 before the PGA Championship. "We didn’t have very many good boy names, to be honest with you.”

There he was, in a stroller Meredith was pushing under the famous oak tree by the clubhouse, 9 days old and already at his first Masters.

It added to the sights rarely seen anywhere else on the Sunday before a major. That holds true with so much about the Masters.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy has been at the club all weekend, watching the Augusta National Women's Amateur on Saturday and handing out trophies to a group of boys in the annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals on Sunday.

McIlroy has talked about how much he looked forward to returning as the Masters champion and enjoying all the perks that go with it. He was in his green jacket during the Drive, Chip and Putt, and posed with Maria Jose Marin, the ANWA winner and first Colombian to join the roll call of Augusta National winners.

Then he headed out to the golf course with his father, Gerry, and Augusta member Jimmy Dunne. Next up is the Masters Club dinner Tuesday and the elaborate menu he has put together.

“It is the most exclusive dinner club in all of sport, and I think we should all feel very fortunate that we are there,” he told Golf Channel after his part in the trophy presentation Sunday. “But we’re there because of the hard work and the good play that we’ve been able to produce.”

He also mentioned two players who won't be at the dinner — Tiger Woods, arrested and briefly jailed for suspicion of driving under the influence during a March 27 car crash, and Phil Mickelson, who is tending to a personal health matter at home.

“Unfortunately, there will be a couple of guys that won’t be in that room, which is a shame, but I want to make sure that they’re acknowledged as well,” McIlroy said. "They’ve been two of the greatest champions that the Masters has ever seen. But it’s going to be a really cool night. I can’t wait. I hope everyone enjoys the dinner and enjoys everything that I’ve selected.”

Bryson DeChambeau also was at Augusta National on Saturday for the end of the ANWA, consoling Asterisk Talley after the 17-year-old hit two shots into Rae's Creek for a quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-3 12th hole that cost her a chance to win.

DeChambeau grew up about 45 minutes away from where Talley lives in the central valley of California. They know each other well.

“Obviously, I’ve had difficult moments in my career, and if there’s anything I can do to support her, that’s what I’m here for. That’s why I’m here to support,” DeChambeau told reporters Saturday.

He teed off Sunday by himself after the DC&P was over, walking to slap hands and pose for photos with kids and spectators some 100 yards down the right side of the tee. “I've got to go play,” he told them before running to catch up with his caddie. There are exceptions for running at Augusta National.

Also there was Gary Player, the three-time Masters champion who will be hitting the honorary tee shot on Thursday. The Black Knight was on the putting green as the Boys 7-9 division was preparing for its putting competition on the 18th green.

There was 8-year-old Landyn Kelly from Henderson, Nevada, rapping 40-foot putts toward the hole with 90-year-old Player watching with amazement.

“What a touch! What a touch he has, man!” Player exclaimed.

Scheffler took this Sunday to play with Blake Smith, his longtime manager, who had never played Augusta National. Scheffler and McIlroy are fighting some history this week. Adam Scott in 2013 is the last player to win the Masters after having three weeks off.

“I've been practicing,” Scheffler said. “I've been able to do a good amount at home.”

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

Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi struck in the 93rd and 96th minutes as West Ham leveled the score at 2-2 at London Stadium and forced extra time — where two goals for West Ham were chalked off for offside — before Leeds won the quarterfinal shootout 4-2. West Ham debutant Finlay Herrick saved a penalty from Joel Piroe but Leeds eventually prevailed with Pascal Struijk scoring the winning penalty.

“At least I’m old enough that I was already born when there was the last semifinal for Leeds United in the FA Cup in the '80s," Leeds manager Daniel Farke said. “It was a crazy game."

The thousands of West Ham fans who had left early were trying, and failing, to get back in when Taty Castellanos thought he had put the Hammers ahead in the opening seconds of extra time after a bad error from Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri, only for VAR to rule Castellanos offside.

Then Jarrod Bowen crashed a shot against the crossbar, with Pablo offside when he rolled in the rebound.

The 20-year-old Herrick came on as a replacement for Alphonse Areola, who left the field to receive treatment with five minutes of extra time remaining.

Ao Tanaka and Dominic Calvert-Lewin's penalty had previously built a 2-0 lead for Leeds in a classic FA Cup game between two relegation-threatened teams in the Premier League.

FA Cup semifinal draw

Leeds will play Chelsea in the semifinals in a repeat of the 1970 FA Cup final, which Chelsea won after a replay.

Manchester City and second-tier Southampton meet in the other semifinal match with games to be played April 25-26 at Wembley.

The draw was held after Leeds’ victory.

Penalty shootout controversy

West Ham averted some controversy after it backed down on a decision, reportedly taken by the safety officer before the match, that a penalty shootout would not be taken in front of the end housing 9,000 Leeds fans because of “safety concerns.”

As it was, the coin toss went West Ham’s way.

Farke said: “You could imagine what I think about such a situation."

Absent fans

Stoppage time, extra time and the shootout were played in front of a half-empty stadium after the exodus of home fans.

“What I saw on the pitch was more important than anything,” West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo said.

“What I saw was a group of players, a group of boys that didn’t give up. This is the major lesson that we have to take from today.”

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

The whale was discovered Saturday near Raymond, Washington, in the Willapa River, which feeds into the ocean at Willapa Bay. A number of gray whales are currently in the bay on their 5,000-mile (8,000-kilometer) spring migration from birthing grounds in Baja California, Mexico, north to feeding grounds in Alaska.

The larger issue that the population of gray whales in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean has faced since 2019 is reduced food availability in the northern Bering and Chukchi seas off Alaska’s coast, John Calambokidis, a research biologist with the Cascadia Research Collective, told The Associated Press on Sunday.

“Gray whales are facing a major crisis and the heart of it does seem to be feeding on their prey in the Arctic,” he said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries agency declared an unusual mortality event for eastern gray whales — meaning those in the eastern Pacific — from late 2018 to late 2023. It involved 690 gray whale strandings during that time, stretching from Alaska to Mexico.

NOAA Fisheries investigators concluded the preliminary cause was “localized ecosystem changes in the whales’ sub-Arctic and Arctic feeding areas that led to changes in food, malnutrition, decreased birth rates and increased mortality.”

Officials believed the population was rebounding, but the most recent count from 2025 instead showed a continuing decline. The federal agency estimated there were about 13,000 gray whales, the lowest count since the 1970s.

“A lot of these gray whales are looking very emaciated, very thin,” Calambokidis said.

Their migration north is typically the most challenging period for gray whales, the longest they’ve gone without eating, forcing the animals to use up their nutritional reserves.

“When that happens, you often see gray whales in a more desperate search for new areas to feed,” Calambokidis said. "That’s the most likely context for this whale.”

Researchers will attempt to examine the whale, possibly as soon as Monday.

It entered the north fork of the Willapa River on Wednesday, via a bay about 185 miles (298 kilometers) southwest of Seattle. Residents gathered on bridges along the river just to catch glimpses of the massive mammal and flooded social media with photos and video of it expelling air through its blowhole.

While the gray whale appeared thin, it was behaving normally and didn’t appear to have any injuries, the nonprofit Cascadia Research Collective said in a Facebook post.

The organization was giving the whale time and space to leave the river on its own, but when researchers attempted to find it Friday, the animal had traveled further upriver into waters that were unnavigable by boat, Calambokidis said.

Monday’s Forecast:

The cool weather continues Monday morning, with the 50s! Sunshine will take its time coming back, but should make an appearance by the afternoon as clouds clear out.

Over the next three days, high temperatures stay in the 70s, and humidity is low, making for a great start to the week.

Late Week Pattern Change:

The perfect spring weather doesn’t last long; multiple disturbances move through southeast Texas, increasing rain chances by late week.

Extended forecast:

Temperatures creep back into the 80s late week as rain and storm chances return.

The UCLA great and women's basketball pioneer smiled as she was honored with other members of the 1976 U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team at Sunday’s national championship game.

They all wore matching bright red Team USA shirts. But when Meyers Drysdale was introduced, she waved to the crowd at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, and then lifted up her red shirt to reveal a blue UCLA top celebrating the team she won a national championship with as a player.

That title was nearly 50 years ago in the now dissolved AIAW — the postseason tournament for women's college basketball before the NCAA took over in 1982 — but Meyers Drysdale was filled with the same joy watching UCLA defeat South Carolina for its first NCAA-era title on Sunday.

“You know, there’s so much pride wearing USA across your jersey,” Meyers Drysdale said. "There’s no question that I am once a Bruin, aways a Bruin. And there’s no way I was not going to wear a UCLA shirt under my USA shirt, just to show the fans that all of us are so supportive of this team.”

Meyers Drysdale was the first woman to receive a full athletic scholarship at UCLA and helped the Bruins beat Maryland in the 1978 AIAW national championship game.

A lot has changed besides the sport’s governing body in the five decades since she and her teammates hoisted that trophy, but Meyers Drysdale's presence within the Bruins program has remained the same.

She has often been a guiding voice, always making herself available to players and coaches for advice and encouragement.

“It’s been spectacular to have Annie. I got a text from her last night,” UCLA coach Cori Close said Saturday afternoon. “I’ve known Annie a long time. She’s never wavered in terms of what she’s been to me, as a young coach all the way through to my being a head coach at UCLA. I am just so grateful for that.”

Close has said that sharing a UCLA championship with Meyers Drysdale and other pioneers who paved the way for her program would be special.

During UCLA's title run, Close often corrected anyone who mentioned the Bruins were chasing their first national championship — making sure no one forgets that 1978 team.

“She is also giving these young women the history of the game themselves,” said Meyers Drysdale, now a basketball analyst and vice president with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, “because they are part of history. This is their win. This is their game. This is their championship. And we are just part of the history of it.”

UCLA used its size, shooting, and the experience and chemistry of its six starting seniors — including 6-foot-7 star Lauren Betts — to completely shut down South Carolina in the national championship game and complete a yearslong climb to the top.

After losing to UConn in their first Final Four appearance last year, the Bruins ran through their opponents this season, with their only loss coming to Texas in a November tournament.

“Just pride, pride,” Meyers Drysdale said of her emotions, one quarter before the Bruins' title became official, "and knowing the journey they’ve been on, not just the last two years, but before that.

“Cori with the players that she’s brought in and the seniors and grad seniors on this team. ... We all love UCLA.”

For Close, who has a deep connection with UCLA, the support of pioneers like Meyers Drysdale is especially meaningful.

Close has coached the Bruins for 15 seasons, but before that she was mentored by Bruins men’s coach John Wooden, who won 10 national championships at the school. Close visited Wooden bi-weekly, adopting his “Pyramid of Success” and focus on character.

It paid off with her team.

“Cori Close and her staff have done such a terrific job," Meyers Drysdale said, ”preaching competitive greatness and being your best when the best is needed. You love the joy that they play with, and they sacrifice for each other. They don’t care who scores. They don’t care who gets what recognition. They’re just all about winning.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Even so, the monster program that Dawn Staley has built over the past 15 years doesn't look like it's going anywhere.

“Obviously, we got smacked today,” Staley said. “We got to figure out how we smack back and put ourselves in the position where we’re hoisting the trophy at the end of the day."

South Carolina should be one of the top contenders to make a seventh straight Final Four in 2027 and will have plenty of motivation after Sunday's miserable performance. The Gamecocks shot just 29% from the field and the 28-point margin was among the biggest in championship game history.

It's the second straight year South Carolina has fallen flat in the title game. The Gamecocks lost 82-59 to UConn in the 2025 final.

“To get here is hard,” Staley said. “To win here is harder, right? We just have to keep getting here and make adjustments when we don’t win.”

Staley will undoubtedly stew over this loss for a while, but once she focuses on next season, there are lots of reasons for optimism. Leading scorer Joyce Edwards and Tessa Johnson are expected to return, while Madina Okot is seeking a fifth year of eligibility from the NCAA.

Veteran forward Chloe Kitts has said she’ll be back after missing this year with a torn ACL. There’s also the possibility that forward Ashlyn Watkins could return after recovering from a knee injury and taking a year away from the program to focus on personal growth.

On top of that, there's a group of promising young players who were reserves on this year's team and a highly-rated recruiting class that includes guard Jerzy Robinson.

Staley will still have work to do. The Gamecocks have to identify a new leader to replace Raven Johnson, who excelled as a floor general during his five-year career.

“Raven was the last of the core group of players that had been together that actually had taken our program to the very top,” Staley said. “I just think we just need players who are committed to team, committed to getting better as individuals, creating pro habits so when they are challenged to perform at a high level, it won’t be something that they wrestle with. It is a norm.”

Johnson had a dream career with the Gamecocks — even if it ended with a loss — never missing a Final Four and winning a pair of national championships.

She was sidelined most of the 2022 title run after tearing her ACL early in the season but was an important part of South Carolina's undefeated title in 2024, when the Gamecocks topped Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the championship game.

Johnson became more of an offensive threat this season, averaging 10 points, but it's her leadership and defense that made her an indispensable part of this Gamecocks title run. In the semifinals, the 5-foot-8 guard matched up with UConn's 6-foot-2 Sarah Strong, stifling the AP Player of the Year for most of the night.

Now, the Gamecocks have to move on without her.

If recent history is any indication, as long as Staley is in charge, South Carolina will be well-equipped for the challenge.

“There’s going to be a lot of highs and a lot of lows, but believe in Coach Staley,” Johnson said. “She wants the best for you. You might not get what you want in that moment, but you just believe in the process and trust the process, everything will turn out good.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Magnolia Fire Department crews were dispatched to the 15193 block of Moonlight Trail just after 10 p.m. Saturday night.

When responders arrived, they found a fire inside a garage space that was in the process of being configured for spa use.

Officials clarified that the structure was not an assisted living facility, but rather a residential property with a garage undergoing renovations.

No injuries were reported in the incident. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Officials say the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office will be responsible for determining the origin and cause, and any findings will be released once the investigation is complete.

That was the praise Hunter heaped on the Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell after the right fielder made three home run-robbing catches, the last a spectacular leaping grab while crashing into the seats near the right-field foul pole in the ninth inning of a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.

“I’ve never seen three home run robberies in one game, and I’ve never seen a guy on the third one fall into the stands, catch the ball and keep his feet in like he’s a wide receiver,” said the 50-year-old Hunter, a special assistant to the general manager who watched the game from the bench. “I was jumping up and down. I almost passed out.”

Adell, who struggled on defense for several years before transforming into a Gold Glove finalist in 2024, leaped high above the yellow line on the wall in straight-way right field to deny Cal Raleigh of a solo homer in the first inning, and he made a nearly identical catch to deny Josh Naylor in the eighth.

J.P. Crawford then led off the ninth with a drive toward the right-field corner, where Adell raced toward the ball, leaped to glove it, flipped over the low wall and fell into the first row of seats before holding his glove up to present the catch, which was upheld after a replay review.

“After the first one, I was pretty fired up,” Adell said. “When I got to the second one, which looked identical to the first, I thought, ‘Wow, my routes are on point tonight.’ The third one was just grit. Top of the ninth, you have to get it done. It was crazy.

“You just get there, then it’s decision-making. The ball was hit high enough to where I could get there. I watched it (into my glove), fell over and ended up in somebody’s lap. I don’t know who it was, but it was a softer landing than I expected. The fans were as fired up as me.”

According to Inside Edge, Adell has 10 home run robberies since 2020, tied with Kyle Tucker of the Dodgers for the most in the big leagues. The outfielders with the most home run robberies in the entire 2025 season were Jacob Young of the Nationals and Fernando Tatis of the Padres, both of whom had four.

Adell was the first player in baseball history to rob three homers in one game since tracking began in 2004, according to Sports Info Solutions.

“It was like a movie scene,” Hunter said about Adell’s third catch. “It was like the music was playing, then he caught the ball, then he went down and we didn’t see him anymore. The music paused, he came up and said, ‘Yeah!’ I started cheering and almost blacked out.”

Hunter, the former Minnesota Twins, Angels and Detroit Tigers star, has worked extensively with Adell on defense during the past few years. Adell famously had a ball squirt out of his glove and over the fence for a home run in Texas as a rookie in 2020.

“His impact has been huge,” Adell said of Hunter. “It’s mental when you’re out there — it’s a mindset of going to get the baseball, being aggressive. Early, I was caught in between on some plays, and sometimes that happens.

“When you err on the side of being aggressive and trying to make the plays, you’d be surprised at how many plays you make. That’s the mindset Torii had all those years, winning all those Gold Gloves.”

The Mariners were so impressed with Adell's glove work that someone scrawled this message on a whiteboard in their Angel Stadium clubhouse before Sunday's series finale: “Game plan — Don't hit the ball to Joseph Adell.”

Adell's birth name is actually Jordon, but point taken.

“You know, we’re still very, very early in the season," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said, when asked about the importance of keeping a light touch before such a frustrating loss. "We’ve got a long way to go, and that was something that’s probably never been done in a game before. So move on, and you flush it, and come back today.”

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

Just one day before the teams meet in Monday night's national championship game, the big question for both was the health of two key playmakers.

Neither was expected to practice Sunday as they focused instead on getting as much treatment as possible, even as teammates and the players themselves insisted the stars would play Monday night. The coaches, Dan Hurley and Dusty May, also tried to lighten the mood before college basketball's biggest game of the season.

“I’m sure he’ll give it a go tomorrow, but that will be entirely up to him and the medical staff,” May said as he updated the playing status of Lendeborg, a first team All-American. “He’ll tell me if he can go and we were laughing because he played the second half, but he played the second half like a 38-year-old at the YMCA — a really good 38-year-old at the YMCA. So whatever version we get of Yaxel we get, it’s going to be somebody that helps us play better basketball.”

Lendeborg played just five minutes of the first half before getting hurt in Saturday's 91-73 victory over Arizona, which sent Michigan (36-3) to its first title game since 2018. He finished with 11 points and three rebounds in 15 minutes and made two 3-pointers in the second half.

But he hardly resembled the guy who was named the Big Ten's Player of the Year.

When Lendeborg was asked whether missing Monday night's game was a possibility, Lendeborg emphatically told reporters in the locker room, “absolutely not.” He reinjured the ankle he initially hurt in the Big Ten Tournament championship game. The knee injury was a new one and Lendeborg said, at worst, he was told it was a sprained medial collateral ligament. May said MRI results came back clean Sunday.

Still, the combination prevented him from doing the traditional between-games media circuit.

While everyone saw Lendeborg's injury Saturday's, Ball's injury seemed to surprise everyone including Hurley, who said he saw Ball in a walking boot before being told what happened.

Ball has played a key role in helping UConn (34-5) reach its third title game in four years, averaging 12.9 points and starting all 38 games he appeared in this season.

He scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half of Saturday’s 91-72 victory over Illinois — after getting hurt in the first half — and told reporters played through the injury on pure adrenaline. The injury occurred when Ball and teammate Tarris Reed Jr. got tangled.

“I've just been doing everything I can to take care of it,” Ball said Sunday. “It's just a bump in the road, so you've got to keep moving forward. Pain is temporary. People say it pushes you through your toughest performance, so it's only what you're made of. This is the championship game.”

Hurley had other questions, though, as UConn attempts to win its third national championship in four years and the seventh in school history. The Huskies are tied with North Carolina for the third-highest total of national championships, behind UCLA (11) and Kentucky (eight).

UConn has won all six of its titles since 1999 and remains hopeful Ball will be a go on Monday.

“I think we’ll see whether this turns into — it’s going to be tough to get an MRI on Easter, on a Sunday,” Hurley said. “I don’t know what the hospitals are like in Indiana. Hospitals stay open.”

Michigan, apparently, had already resolved that issue.

But the Wolverines don't expect Lendeborg's injury to change their mission, snapping a four-game losing streak in NCAA Tournament title games and capturing the school's first national title since 1989 and the second in program history. Nor do they expect it to change their game plan.

“I'll still play the four outs,” Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. said. “And Yax is fine.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Pepsi already has withdrawn its lead sponsorship role of the Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park in north London between July 10-12. Other sponsors of the event, including Budweiser and PayPal, are being urged to follow suit.

Pepsi didn't provide an explicit reason for its decision to pull out of the event, even though publicity for the festival promoted the event under the branding “Pepsi presents Wireless.”

“Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival," the company said in a statement Sunday.

Ye was booked perform in front of around 150,000 revellers over the course of the festival’s three nights.

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, changed his name in 2021, and he has drawn widespread controversy in recent years for a series of antisemitic remarks, and has voiced admiration for Adolf Hitler. Last year, he released a song called “Heil Hitler” — a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.

The 48-year-old musician apologized in January for his antisemitic remarks in a letter published as a full-page advert 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.”

Fans of his at a sold-out concert Friday at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, his first major U.S. performance in nearly five years, appeared to separate his personal beliefs and public statements from his music — and were ready to forgive after his January apology letter.

However, Starmer said it was “deeply concerning” that the rapper was booked to perform at the long-established festival,

“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted clearly and firmly wherever it appears," he said in remarks published by The Sun on Sunday newspaper. "Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure.”

Ye's scheduled appearance follows signs of growing antisemitism in the U.K.

Two men and a 17-year-old boy were ordered to remain in custody on Saturday on charges of torching four ambulances run by a Jewish community-service in northwest London. And last October, two men died in an attack on a Manchester synagogue.

Phil Rosenberg, president of the board of deputies of British Jews, said it was “absolutely the wrong decision” to allow Ye to play.

Wireless Festival didn't immediately comment when contacted.

Share that with any of the 91 players in the field, and some explaining is required.

The hole was 340 yards and had no bunkers, only a gully in front of the green. Alister MacKenzie wanted it be similar to the “Valley of Sin” on the 18th hole at St. Andrews, so the best approach would be to run shots up to the green.

That shot by Nelson changed everything.

Horton Smith, who won two of the first three Masters, suggested the green be elevated and moved some 20 yards back and to the right, with several deep bunkers guarding the front. Augusta National's co-founders, Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, agreed. They hired Perry Maxwell, renowned for his work at Southern Hills and Prairie Dunes, to do the work at a cost of $2,500.

Trees were planted on the left side to along along with those on the right, creating a tight drive. And then in a span of five Masters from 2002 to 2006, the tees twice were moved back some 40 yards. That puts it at 450 yards on the scorecard now.

Nelson wouldn't recognize it.

“You have to hit it in the fairway,” two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler said. When it was suggested that such strategy would hold true on many holes at Augusta National, he stopped walking to emphasize his point.

“No,” he said. “There's certain holes you don't have to be in the fairway. If you hit a really good tee shot (on No. 7), it's not a difficult hole. But if you miss the fairway, you can't hit it on the green.”

The par-4 seventh is called “Pampas" for the grass bush native to Argentina that grows just left of the members' tee box. No. 7 was never a favorite of Roberts and Jones. Roberts once referred to it as “the only weak hole of the 18."

It was inspired by the 18th on the Old Course, a short hole with a boomerang-shaped green that gave players the option to run the ball through the gully in front. Nelson drove the seventh at Augusta in 1937. Players still drive onto the 18th at St. Andrews, most recently Cameron Young.

With the first change, it became a tight drive that was typically a 2-iron and a wedge. That led Jack Nicklaus to once call the seventh "a beautiful little hole — a little, short par 4. You got to be pretty precise with your tee shot. Then it’s a very demanding little second shot. It’s very difficult to recover from if you get off track.”

Throw in an additional 100 yards, and it's no longer a hole where players can build some scoring momentum. Par is more than acceptable. The all-time scoring average is 4.156, the 10th-toughest hole at Augusta National.

“You're not licking your chops unless you're in the fairway,” Xander Schauffele said. “Even then, you're conceding a 20-foot putt as a really good golf shot. Maybe even before I was on tour, you could think, ‘If I birdie this, I get some momentum.’ Now it's, ‘Oh boy, I need to hit a good drive or I’m going to have to make a tough par.'”

It's not as simple as hitting a straight drive on a straight hole. The fairway cants to the right. And the trees have grown, so a tee shot too far to the right means the approach is blocked by trees.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only 20% of players have hit the seventh green after missing the fairway in the last five years. Only No. 5 and No. 11 have a lower percentage. It can be done.

There have been some remarkable recoveries from the trees. Jon Rahm once holed out after chipping out from the trees. Joaquin Niemann once threaded a running shot through two bunkers. Those shots are rare.

“If you get out of position, it's like No. 10 at Riviera — you're trying to put it in a spot to get the next one on the green,” Harris English said. “You can get in some bad spots. But if you hit a good tee shot, it could be a birdie hole.”

Still fresh was Rory McIlroy in the left trees last year, hitting a 9-iron because of a tiny gap he saw.

His caddie, Harry Diamond, wasn't seeing it.

“He wasn't for it at all, but I just kept seeing this gap up in the trees,” McIlroy said, referring to the shot as “achievable.”

“That's when Harry does a great job and says, ‘Look, if you feel like you can see it, go ahead and hit it,’” McIlroy said. “My mindset was this is the final round of the Masters, and I have a chance to win the only tournament that ... I've wanted to win for such a long time. If that isn't the time to take a risk, I don't know when the time is.”

It doesn't decide the tournament being on the front nine. But it's no longer the “beautiful little hole” Nicklaus once described.

“Missing it left is no good. Missing it right is no good,” Brooks Koepka said. “If you get slightly out of position, it becomes a scramble for par. If I hit the fairway, I’m pretty excited about it.”

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

Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, emphasized Easter’s message of hope as a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection after being crucified.

“Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us! Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!” the pope implored.

With the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in its second month and Russia’s ongoing campaign in Ukraine, Leo acknowledged a sense of indifference “to the deaths of thousands of people ... to the repercussions of hatred and division that conflicts sow … to the economic and social consequences they produce.’’

Without mentioning the wars by name, Leo quoted his predecessor, Pope Francis, who during his last public appearance from the same loggia last Easter reminded the faithful of the “great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day.’’

Francis, weakened by a long illness, died the next day on Easter Monday.

The Urbi et Orbi blessing, Latin for “to the city and the world,’’ has traditionally included a litany of the world’s woes. Leo followed that formula during his Christmas blessing. There was no immediate explanation for the shift.

Earlier, Leo addressed some 50,000 faithful from an open-air altar in St. Peter’s Square flanked with white roses, while the steps leading down to the piazza where the faithful gathered were filled with spring perennials, symbolically resonating with the pope’s words.

He implored the faithful in his homily to keep their hope in the face of death, which lurks "in the abuses that crush the weakest among us, because of the idolatry of profit that plunders the earth’s resources, because of the violence of war that kills and destroys.’’

Speaking from the loggia, the pope announced a prayer vigil for peace April 11 in the basilica.

Small shifts in traditions

Leo greeted the global faithful in 10 languages, including Arabic, Chinese and Latin, reviving a practice that his predecessor Pope Francis had let lapse.

Before retreating into the basilica, Leo stepped forward out of the loggia’s shadow and waved to the cheering crowd below. He later greeted people in the piazza from the popemobile that took him all the way down Via della Conciliazione toward the Tiber River and back.

During the marathon that is Holy Week, Leo also reclaimed the tradition of washing priests’ feet on Holy Thursday, a gesture of encouragement toward clergy, after Francis had chosen a more inclusive path, traveling to prisons and homes for the disabled to wash the feet of women, non-Christians and prisoners.

The 70-year-old pontiff also became the first pope in decades to carry the light wooden cross for the entire 14 stations during the Way of the Cross on Good Friday.

Christians in the Holy Land mark a subdued Easter

Traditional ceremonies at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered by Christians as the traditional site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, were scaled back under an agreement with Israeli police. Authorities have put limits on the sizes of public gatherings due to ongoing missile attacks.

The restrictions also dampened the recent Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr holiday, as well as the current weeklong Jewish festival of Passover. On Sunday, the Jewish priestly blessing at the Western Wall — normally attended by tens of thousands — was limited to just 50 people.

The restrictions have strained relations between Israeli authorities and Christian leaders. Police last week prevented two of the church’s top religious leaders, including Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from celebrating Palm Sunday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Gaza’s tiny Palestinian Christian community celebrates first Easter since ceasefire

At the Holy Family church in Gaza City, Catholics young and old gathered for a traditional Easter Mass. Singing, they formed a queue in the aisle, waiting for their chance to kiss a sketch of Jesus held by a member of the clergy who wiped the glass frame between turns.

“There is great joy, especially after the ceasefire and after nearly three years of suffering and being unable to celebrate all the holy holidays,” said George Anton from Gaza City. “People are somewhat relieved and more stable.”

Armenian Christians try to show normalcy by celebrating in Iran

Armenian Christians observed Easter at a church in Iran’s capital on Sunday, striving to maintain a sense of normalcy five weeks into the war.

Families embraced and children exchanged painted eggs at the St. Sarkis Cathedral in central Tehran. Iran’s capital has been targeted by daily airstrikes since the United States and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.

“Whether we like it or not, we have young children who do not understand what’s going on,” said Juanita Arakel, 40, an English language teacher. “They just need to feel normal.”

The Islamic Republic, with a population of around 90 million, is home to some 300,000 Christians, mostly Armenians, and three seats in parliament are reserved for Christians.

“Our calls and prayers are that we will be able to end this war,” said Sepuh Sargsyan, the archbishop of the Armenian Diocese of Tehran. “Our calls and prayers are that we will be able to end this war.”

____

Barry reported from Milan. Associated Press journalists Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Bassem Mroue in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

New York's 9-7 win Saturday night lasted 3 hours, 49 minutes, the longest nine-inning game since the pitch clock was instituted for the 2023 season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

MLB had not had a nine-inning game that long since Boston's 13-9 with over Baltimore went 3:57 on Sept. 27, 2022, according to Elias.

The previous high for a nine-inning game since the pitch clock started in 2023 was 3:45 for the Oakland Athletics' 7-6 win at the New York Mets on Aug. 15, 2024.

New York and Miami combined for 379 pitches by 13 pitchers, and Marlins pitchers walked 10, increasing their total to 21 in the first two games of the series. There were 21 runners left on base, including 12 by Miami.

MLB's average time of a nine-inning game dropped from 3:04 in 2022 to 2:40 the following year when the clock was instituted and decreased to 2:36 in 2024, its lowest since 1984’s 2:35. It rose to 2:38 last year.

The average game time passed 3 hours for the first time in 2016. It reached a record 3:10 in 2021 before the introduction of the PitchCom electronic pitch-calling device helped bring it down to 3:04 in 2022.

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

For the Texans, there’s a lot going on.

Between the next steps for their planned state-of-the-art ‘world-class’ Toro District sports and entertainment complex and team headquarters in Bridgeland, ongoing stadium negotiations, the gameday experience for fans, a ticket price increase and more, this is an extremely busy time.

There’s no shortage of work to do for the AFC South franchise one year into the tenure of team president Mike Tomon, a central figure with the Toro District project along with ownership, team executives and key partners like Howard Hughes Communities, Gensler and Harris County commissioners.

How the Texans and Howard Hughes, their real estate partner, created a vision for ‘Toro District,’ an 83-acre development in Northwest Harris County involved a significant amount of market research.

They are planning a cutting-edge team training facility built across 22 acres as the centerpiece for the project.

The Texans, in a collaboration with Harris County and Howard Hughes , the developers of Bridgeland, The Woodlands and Summerlin in the Las Vegas area, plan to break ground this year and move into their new digs during the summer of 2029. Having football and business under the same roof was a major motivator in leaving NRG Stadium, for training.

“I think what guides us through this is principles,” Tomon said during an interview at the Arizona Biltmore. “The main thing is football. What we want to have is the most optimal situation for our team to compete. And so that’s a driver on how we think about the players’ journey, the coaches’ journey and, candidly, all of our teammates throughout the organization. For us to be together as an entire organization, for us to be focused in on the goals and the purpose of the overall training facility, those are the drivers.

“We have principles that we kind of go through. We sat and we talked with the architects and went through, ‘Here are our principles. here’s what we’re trying to do.’ So, there’s a strategic nature to it, and there’s a tactical nature to it, but it all comes back to our principles. That’s why we’re so confident and excited to kind of jump into this.”

Over the past year, the Texans and Howard Hughes visited multiple sports facilities and multi-purpose developments. That included The Star, the Dallas Cowboys’ practice hub in Frisco and adjacent retail and entertainment center Legacy West, The Battery, which the training center for the Atlanta Braves, the New England Patriots’ team facility and stadium, in Foxborough, Mass and other venues. Cal McNair, Hannah McNair and the Texans envision an ultra-modern destination for the team and staff to work under the same roof all year long along with a fun destination for fans.

There are no shortage of businesses that want to get involved with Toro District.

“That’s one of the real benefits of being able to announce it is that everybody is now aware of it,” Tomon said. “And because of that, we’ve had a lot of incoming interest. We have had early discussions with some of our key partners on what a relationship would look like there which are important things to give time to because we want to make sure it is the right fit for them, and that presence is creative, it’s thoughtful, it’s innovative, and it enhances the overall experience. So, there’s a lot of pieces that kinda come into that.

“The idea that we can make a truly unique destination, a 365-day-a-year destination that doesn’t currently exist from a sports and entertainment perspective, as well as a live, work, and play perspective here in Harris County, those are the things you can expect from us, That you could come to an event, you could come to, call it training camp, you could come to a youth sports event, and you could feel comfortable that you could fill not only your full day with your family, but a couple days. Between the hotels, the restaurants, the retail, and the other entertainment opportunities, a really unique destination is what we’re driving to and that’s what we’re in the process of right now.”

Gensler, a global architecture and design firm, is leading the master planning design for Toro District, while Howard Hughes Communities manages leasing for the development. The Texans will participate in the development of Toro District through an affiliate.

‘There’s the good, the bad and the ugly of all the other mixed-use developments around sports-anchored catalysts," Howard Hughes CEO David O’Reilly told KPRC 2. “Both the Howard Hughes team and the Houston Texans team have spent a lot of time over the past several months on airplanes touring all of the above. The way we’ve thought about the Toro District is that we’re going to do our own best-of collection, and we’re going to take the best of each one of those mixed-use entertainment districts that are around sports catalysts and create one that is authentic to us, authentic to Bridgeland, authentic to Harris County, and pure Texans all the way.

“From that perspective, we’re going to be able to create probably the best sports and entertainment district in terms of places to live, work, play, shop, dine, and experience that’s ever been built. I think that the McNairs and the Texans had a choice of any location in Houston where they would want to do this. And I am humbled and honored that they chose to partner with Howard Hughes. It’s unique when you’re able to align public leadership with a long-term community builder like Howard Hughes and a world-class NFL franchise. You can really build something that’s both economically powerful and community-centered. That’s exactly what we’ve done here.”

The AFC South franchise shares NRG Stadium, the site of their games, with the rodeo along with concerts and other events held there throughout the year. And that has created frequent spacing and scheduling conflicts as they conducted practices during the season along with training camp and offseason activities. Tomon emphasized previously to KPRC 2 that the focus remains on finding workable, financially viable solutions to upgrade NRG Stadium. They are under a lease that expires in 2032.

The priority for the Texans regarding the multi-use, 72,220 capacity stadium built in 2002 at a cost of $352 million is to renovate the facility, which is in need of extensive and expensive repairs and general improvements, in partnership with Harris County, the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Relocation to a new stadium isn’t the Texans’ stated goal. They want to refurbish the stadium.

Negotiations are active and ongoing with lots of time left on the current lease. The Texans are attempting to be proactive about the stadium situation. And Tomon struck an upbeat stance on those discussions.

“We have a ton of momentum,” Tomon said. “Our partners at the county have been fantastic. We’ve had some really productive conversations, and our partnership with the rodeo couldn’t be stronger. We couldn’t feel more fortunate to be going down this journey with great partners like the rodeo, and we’re so aligned on what we want to have happen, certainly for our respective businesses, as well as the city of Houston. So, really, really positive, and we continue to work on it right now.”

Contractually, the Texans are not responsible for the repair and upkeep of the stadium. That task lies with Harris County under the terms of the lease arrangement. The Texans have contributed millions of dollars, though, toward multiple repairs and maintenance of the stadium since the launch of the franchise in 2002 by the late founder Bob McNair, Cal McNair’s father.

“Absolutely, our focus is to be here,” Tomon said after the announcement of Toro District. “Our focus is to be at NRG Park. As we like to say, ‘You want to see us on our biggest moments? Come to NRG. You want to see us on our day-to-day, the other 350 days a year? Come to Bridgeland. And so that’s kind of how we look at the Toro District. And our focus remains making this our competitive advantage here at NRG.”

The Texans plan to have several events and things to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the inaugural season. There will be a special patch on the uniforms. There will also be Nike rivalry uniforms for a home game against an AFC South opponent.

Making the gameday experience as fun and smooth as possible is crucial to the Texans.

‘That’s a driver," Tomon said. “That’s something that we think about every single day. We’re really excited to have fun with our 25th season coming up here. We think there’ll be a lot of unique experiences that will showcase our fans. That’s gonna be a big part of this.

“We also really try to dive into being relevant to our market. We have a really special market, a diverse market. So, how are we relevant with our experiences? Even, just how people use their experience, (5:38) their tickets, when they come here. We’re trying to introduce corporate-friendly opportunities that don’t exist. We’ll have a new premium product that we’ll roll out here in the next month or two.”

The Texans are increasing ticket prices this year after three consecutive playoff appearances.

Tomon said the price increase will be nearly 10 percent.

“We spend a lot of time on trying to make sure we’re as thoughtful as we can be, to our fan-base, to the business, to the market,” Tomon said. “For this year, the overall increase is just under 10 percent. We are below the average ticket price in the NFL even though we have one of the largest markets and we’ve been in the playoffs for the last number of years. We’re balancing those pieces. We’re trying to be really sensitive on the price side.”

The Texans’ average single-game ticket price last year was $252, per StubHub analytics. The Texans were the 17th most expensive ticket in the NFL.

“When we think about the pricing, we’re tenure-based,” Tomon said. “And, so, there are tenure incentives, so our fans who can be there with us from Day 1 are behind on the price increases as opposed to someone who is buying new.”

The Texans recently named Hannah McNair as chief community officer. She is also the vice president of the Texans’ foundation.

The title addition was intended to reflect her overall impact and leadership for the organization, including philanthropy, the growth of flag football, the volleyball franchise, Toro District and more.

“If you ever have a chance to be around Hannah, you’ll feel the leadership,” Tomon said. “She has been really a bedrock for us on kind of the community conscience. I think she is a great leader who, as we’re growing and we think about our purposes, she’s always making sure that’s coming to life in our efforts.

“When we think about our purpose of inspiring hope in Houston, what that means from making football and sports overall accessible and understand that she’s already been on the forefront of those efforts, it made all the sense in the world to put her in that official capacity. Especially when you think about where we’re growing and the need to stay true to our purposes.”

The Texans are a potential candidate for an international game this year. They have previously played internationally in Mexico and London, losing to the Las Vegas Raiders and defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively, in those matchups.

Both the Washington Commanders and the Jaguars are scheduled to be home teams in London next season, two of the Texans’ road opponents.

“Yeah, we’re open to it,” Tomon said. “We want to make sure it makes sense for football. So, we have to really think through those things. We also want to be able to promote the city on that global stage. And, so, those are all things that we’re open to.

“I think one of the things that we’re very supportive of is this international growth. And we think we’ll play a key role in that at some point. At some point is probably the thing you put in quotations right now. So, we’ll see when that is.”

Circling back to Toro District, Howard Hughes has significant experience in this type of mixed-used project.

They built the headquarters for the Las Vegas Knights at City National Arena in Summerlin, which operates as the NHL’s practice facility and community ice rink that opened in 2017 as a 145,000 square-foot facility with two NHL-regulation rinks, a team store and other features.

The partnership includes the Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the Las Vegas Aviators, a Triple A baseball franchise that’s the affiliate of the Oakland A’s. Howard Hughes are the owners of the Aviators.

Summerlin is a master-planned community in the Las Vegas Valley adjacent to Red Rock Canyon built by Howard Hughes, which also developed The Woodlands, Woodland Hills, Bridgeland in Texas, West Valley in Phoenix, Arizona, Merriweather District in Columbia, Maryland and Ward Village in Honolulu, Hawaii.

O’Reilly said several retailers are already looking to engage with a construction project projected to create $34 billion in economic growth over 30 years as well as 17,000 in jobs.

“Retailers as well as people that are looking for opportunities to find their next home nearby this incredible activation,” O’Reilly said. “Las Vegas, one of our master planned communities, where we built a practice facility for the Golden Knights as well as the full-time stadium for the Las Vegas Aviators, those two are anchored about a mixed-use entertainment district that’s consistently ranked as one of the best places to be in the Las Vegas Valley.

“This is tremendous. It brings the best of both together in terms of economic output, growth to the region, infrastructure, restaurant shopping, workforce opportunities, youth programming, an incredible civic gathering place, and a community activation that makes the lives of the residents in that area even more fulfilled and better. I’m as excited as I can be in my career here of building communities. At the end of the day, this is about building Houston’s future, not just the headquarters.”

#Texans team president Mike Tomln on projected long-term financial impact $34 billion of planned state-of-the-art training facility and sports and entertainment destination in Bridgeland @KPRC2 https://t.co/7cZla4xxQa pic.twitter.com/w4vTKpoUjP

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 12, 2026

#Texans lease at NRG Stadium, site of their home games, runs through 2032. Team president Mike Tomon said focus unchanged: to work with stadium partners to refurbish, improve, maintain as team plans Bridgeland facility 'Absolutely' @KPRC2 https://t.co/UNaEuTOErH pic.twitter.com/LV9sb1qWkO

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 12, 2026

The Texans, under the leadership of coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio, have qualified for the postseason each of the past three seasons and won one playoff game annually. They lost in the AFC divisional round each of the past three seasons, falling to the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens.

The Texans, including the top-ranked defense in the NFL, are bringing back the core of their roster for next season with several key additions, including running back David Montgomery, safety Reed Blankenship and new starting offensive linemen Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller.

“We feel really fortunate,” Tomon said. ”We have such great leadership, from ownership to coach to Nick. We have a really special locker room. This is a special time in Houston right now, so we’re excited for the future."

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com

The Writers Guild of America West said on X that its negotiating committee unanimously approved a tentative agreement with The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios. The alliance confirmed the deal in a separate statement on its website Saturday.

“We look forward to building on this progress as we continue working toward agreements that support long-term industry stability,” read the alliance statement.

The precise terms of the deals were not immediately announced, but it is expected to include several writers’ priorities such as better health care plans and more protections against artificial intelligence. The union said on X that the deal protects the writers’ health plan builds on gains from 2023 and “helps address free work challenges.”

The contract agreement, a year longer than a typical three-year deal, must be approved by the guild’s board and members before it is ratified.

The surprise agreement came within weeks of negotiation — a stark contrast to the contentious contract negotiation three years ago when Hollywood writers went on a historic strike that partially brought the industry to a standstill.

The screenwriters voted almost unanimously to approve that agreement, which provided them with more compensation, length of employment and control of artificial intelligence. The current contract was set to expire in May.

The studios were also working on new deals with union leaders representing actors and directors, whose contracts are set to expire at the end of June. Sean Astin, president of the SAG-AFTRA, said in a February interview with The Associated Press that he has seen signs that the studios want “to work as partners again.” Hollywood actors also walked out of their jobs for months in 2023 demanding for a better contract.

The writers' tentative deal with studios came as the Writers Guild of America West faces an ongoing strike by its own staff union that started in February. More than 100 people working in legal, events and residuals departments went on strike over allegations of unfair labor practice, according to the Los Angeles Times.

It is not clear how, or whether, the weekslong strike would have an impact on the tentative deal with the studios. The union announced last month it canceled its annual award ceremony because of the staff union strike.

Universal Pictures released the sequel globally on Wednesday, capitalizing on kids’ spring break vacations in the week leading up to the Easter holiday. With an estimated $182.4 million from 80 overseas markets, the film is looking at an astronomical $372.5 million debut — the latest hit for the PG rating. Mexico is leading the international bunch with $29.1 million from 5,136 screens, followed by the U.K. and Ireland with $19.7 million.

The animated sequel, Illumination CEO Christopher Meledandri's 16th movie in 16 years, is the industry’s biggest debut since “Avatar: Fire and Ash” launched over Christmas. The Chinese movie “Pegasus 3,” which was not a Motion Picture Association release, has the slight edge for the 2026 global record, however.

It’s also a dip from the first film, which opened to $204 million domestically during the same five-day time frame in 2023 ($147 of that was from Friday, Saturday and Sunday). “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” went on to be the second biggest movie of 2023, with over $1.3 billion in box office receipts.

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which features returning voice actors Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Day, had a massive footprint in the U.S. and Canada, where it played in 4,252 theaters, including 421 IMAX and 1,345 premium large format screens. It made $15 million from the IMAX screens alone.

“It’s exactly the kind of broad, crowd-pleasing release that brings people into theatres,” AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron said in a statement.

It also cost around $110 million to make, not including marketing and promotion expenses. But it arrived on a wave of less-than-stellar reviews. Its Rotten Tomatoes score is currently sitting at a lousy 40%. Ticket buyers were more enthusiastic, however.

The family audience gave the movie five out of five stars according to PostTrak exit polls, while general audiences gave it four stars and an A- on CinemsScore. Audiences skewed male (61%) overall, although when it came to families attending there were slightly more moms (52%) than dads.

“These kind of audience reaction scores just point to a ridiculously strong run, not only throughout the spring, but likely into the summer as well,” said Jim Orr, Universal's president of domestic distribution.

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” will open in Japan later this month.

Last year, the first weekend in April hosted the launch of another video game blockbuster, “A Minecraft Movie,” which had a bigger three-day debut ($162.8 million) but didn’t have a “Project Hail Mary” in a strong second place, meaning the weekend overall is still up around 5%.

As expected, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” ended the two-week reign of the Ryan Gosling-led sci-fi hit “Project Hail Mary,” which landed in second its third weekend in theaters where it added $30.7 million, bringing its running domestic total to $217.2 million. Worldwide, it's made $420.7 million to date.

Third place went to A24’s provocative new movie “The Drama,” starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, which made an estimated $14.4 million from 3,087 theaters. The film’s stars have been on a massive and charming press blitz to promote their R-rated movie about a engaged couple grappling with an unnerving revelation, which cost a reported $28 million to produce. The reveal has drummed up a fair amount of cultural discourse. While reviews have been more positive than not (82% on Rotten Tomatoes), it got a less promising B CinemaScore.

“Hoppers” and “Reminders of Him” rounded out the top five. And the box office outlook looks bright overall, up around 30% from last year.

“There’s no better opening act for a great summer than a huge month of April powered by a mega blockbuster like the 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,'" said Paul Dergarabedian, comscore's head of marketplace trends.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office

With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1.“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” $130.9 million.

2.“Project Hail Mary,” $30.7 million.

3.“The Drama,” $14.4 million.

4.“Hoppers,” $5.8 million.

5.“Reminders of Him,” $2.2 million.

6.“A Great Awakening,” $2.1 million.

7.“They Will Kill You,” $1.9 million.

8.“Dhurandhar The Revenge,” $1.9 million.

9.“Ready or Not 2: Here I Come,” $1.8 million.

10.“Scream 7,” 915,000.

Officers responding to a call from a nearby resident found a Hispanic man in his 20s dead outside a home. Investigators said he appears to have died from a gunshot wound, and two shell casings were found near his body. The medical examiner is still working to confirm the cause of death.

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A homeowner told officers he heard gunfire, followed immediately by a crash, then went outside and found the man in the front yard. Police believe the shooting happened on Wheatley Street and said there are no known witnesses.

• Houston burglary suspect gets stuck in chimney, has to be rescued by fire department

A white car was seen near the scene; investigators said there were no bullet holes on it, but they believe it may be connected to the crash that was reported.

The HPD Homicide Division is investigating the incident.

KPRC 2 is working to learn more about a potential suspect.

Anyone with information or surveillance video should contact the HPD Homicide Division at (713) 308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.

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Houston police were called around 1 a.m. Sunday to a residence in the 9100 block of Tooley Drive. Police say the caller reported someone was jumping on a roof. Officers believe the person was a burglary suspect.

• Gunshot, then a crash: man found dead in front yard in Northwest Houston

According to police, the suspect tried to get into the home through a chimney but became stuck about halfway down and never made it inside. The Houston Fire Department responded and removed the suspect from the chimney.

Police said the suspect was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

Sgt. Mike Aftosmes said the crash happened around 2:30 p.m. on SH 99 just south of Community.

Investigators said a 2008 Chrysler Pacifica was traveling southbound when the driver lost control and crossed into the northbound lanes.

The Pacifica then collided head-on with a 2008 GMC Sierra.

The driver of the Sierra, a 35-year-old man from New Caney, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Pacifica, a 61-year-old woman from Corrigan, was taken to a hospital where she later died from her injuries.

DPS officials said wet road conditions may have been a factor in the crash. Investigators believe the Pacifica may have hydroplaned, but the cause has not been confirmed.

The crash remains under investigation.

Police say Ly was last seen Saturday, April 4, around 10 a.m., walking on foot in the 7100 block of Eichler Drive in Southwest Houston.

He was last seen wearing a gray short-sleeve shirt and blue jeans. Ly is described as Asian, 5 feet 7 inches, 110 pounds, with black hair and black eyes.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Houston Police at (713) 884-3131 or the Houston Police Missing Persons Unit at (832) 394-1840, referencing case number 435314-26.

According to the Houston Police Department Missing Persons Unit, Murray was last seen around 8:03 a.m. on April 4 in the 2800 block of Eagle Street. Police said Murray has dementia.

Murray is described as a Black male, about 5 feet tall and 130 pounds, with brown eyes and bald/gray hair.

Police said he was last seen wearing a black shirt, blue pants and black tennis shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Houston Police at (713) 884-3131 or the Houston Police Missing Persons Unit at (832) 394-1840, referencing case number 433375-26.

The deportees will start arriving in Congo this month, the Congolese Ministry of Communications said in a statement, without further details on the date or the number of deportees expected.

It described the arrangement as a “temporary” one that reflects Congo’s “commitment to human dignity and international solidarity.” It would come with zero costs to the government with the U.S. covering the needed logistics, it said.

The U.S. has struck such third-country deportation deals with at least seven other African nations, many of them among countries hit the most by the Trump administration’s policies that have restricted trade, aid and migration.

The Trump administration has spent at least $40 million to deport about 300 migrants to countries other than their own, according to a report released recently by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Lawyers and activists have raised questions over the nature of the deals with countries in Africa and elsewhere. Several of the African nations that have signed such deals have notoriously repressive governments and poor human rights records — including Eswatini, South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea.

A key bone of contention in many such agreements is that they involve many migrants with protection orders from a U.S. immigration judge not to be returned to their home countries over major safety concerns.

Congo’s government said no automatic transfer of the deportees is planned, adding: “Each situation will be subject to individual review in accordance with the laws of the Republic and national security requirements.”

Not only has the conflict cut off vital shipping routes, creating a global energy crisis, it’s also disrupting supply chains for aid groups, forcing them to use costlier, more time-consuming routes.

Key pathways such as the Strait of Hormuz have been effectively shuttered and routes from strategic hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have also been impacted. Transport costs have spiked with higher fuel and insurance rates, meaning less supplies can be delivered with the same amount of money.

The World Food Program says it has tens of thousands of metric tons of food heavily delayed in transit. The International Rescue Committee has $130,000 worth of pharmaceuticals intended for war-torn Sudan stranded in Dubai and nearly 670 boxes of therapeutic food meant for severely malnourished children in Somalia stuck in India. The U.N. Population Fund says it's delayed sending equipment to 16 countries.

Steep U.S. cuts to foreign aid already had hobbled many aid groups, who say the war is exacerbating the problem.

The United Nations says this is the most significant supply chain disruption since COVID, with up to a 20% cost increase on shipments and delays as goods are rerouted. And the war is creating new emergencies, such as in Iran, and also in Lebanon where at least one million people have been displaced.

“The war on Iran and disruption to the Strait of Hormuz risk pushing humanitarian operations beyond their limits," said Madiha Raza, associate director for public affairs and communications for Africa for the International Rescue Committee.

Even when the fighting stops, the shock to global supply chains could continue to delay lifesaving aid for months, she said.

Longer and more costly routes

The war has forced organizations to find new ways to transport goods, with some bypassing the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal and rerouting vessels around Africa, adding weeks to the delivery.

Others are using a hybrid of methods, including land, sea and air, increasing costs.

Jean-Cedric Meeus, chief of global transport and logistics for UNICEF, said his agency is using a mix of land and air routes to send vaccines to Nigeria and Iran in order to get them there in time for the vaccination campaigns, but the costs have soared.

Before the war, UNICEF sent vaccines to Iran by plane directly from vendors around the world. Now it’s flying the vaccines to Turkey and driving them into Iran, which has increased costs by 20% and has added 10 days to the delivery time, he said.

Save the Children International, which would normally send supplies by ocean freight from Dubai to Port Sudan, will now have to truck the goods from Dubai through Saudi Arabia and then by barge across the Red Sea, it said. The route adds 10 days and increases costs by about 25%, at a time when over 19 million Sudanese face acute food insecurity. The delay puts more than 90 primary health care facilities across Sudan at risk of running out of essential medicines, it said.

The spike in prices also means organizations have to choose what to prioritize.

“In the end, you sacrifice either the number of children that you serve ... or you sacrifice the number of items that you can afford to buy,” said Janti Soeripto, president of Save the Children for the United States. The group said it has stockpiles in countries where it works but some of those could run out within weeks.

Rising costs are also impacting people's ability to seek help within their countries.

Doctors Without Borders said rising fuel prices across Somalia — where some 6.5 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity — have driven up transport and food costs, making it harder for people to get care. In Nigeria, the IRC says fuel prices have surged by 50% and clinics are struggling to power equipment, such as generators and mobile health teams have scaled back operations.

Hunger crisis could deepen

One of the biggest concerns is the impact the war will have on global hunger.

WFP warns that if the conflict continues through June, 45 million more people will be acutely hungry, adding to nearly 320 million people facing hunger around the world.

Some 30% of the world's fertilizer comes through the Strait of Hormuz and with planting season ahead in areas like East Africa and South Asia, small farmers in poor countries will be hard hit. Sudan imports more than half its fertilizer from the Gulf and Kenya approximately 40% from there, aid groups say.

The U.N. secretary-general has established a task force to facilitate fertilizer trade — modeled on the Black Sea Grain Initiative. But aid groups say that won't be enough. If there's no ceasefire, governments need to provide more funding for organizations to respond to the rising costs, they say.

Humanitarian experts say there's been a slower international response to fund aid during this war compared to previous conflicts like Ukraine, which could reflect growing pressure to invest in security over aid at a time when the world is in turmoil.

“They’re making hard choices between defense security and humanitarian aid,” said Sam Vigersky, an international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who has written about the war’s impact on aid.

He said when the U.S. goes to war, it normally has provisions for aid, but hasn't been “activating” those provisions. “It’s not a capacity issue, it’s a policy decision,” he said.

Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said that the U.S. has been the “most generous country in the world" when it comes to humanitarian aid.

The department said it's releasing an additional $50 million in emergency assistance to Lebanon, including to the World Food Program and working closely with the United Nations and others to address the humanitarian needs.

—

Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed from the United Nations

Unofficial results show Joe Panzarella and Nick Hellyar leading the field with a combined total of more than 50% of the vote. Because no single candidate received more than 50%, the race will be decided in a runoff on a date that has not yet been determined.

The winner will serve out the remainder of former Council Member Abbie Kamin’s term, which runs through the beginning of 2028. Kamin left the District C seat to run for Harris County Attorney.

Stay up to date with election information in Harris County at HarrisVotes.com.

While forecasts had predicted wet weather, many families hoped they could squeeze in egg hunts, meals, and reunions before conditions worsened. For some, that meant ending festivities sooner than planned.

• TIMELINE: Easter Sunday’s weather improves but rain is still likely near Houston

At Lawrence Park, families gathered throughout the day, trying to make the most of their time together before the rain arrived. Jereman Cordova and his family were among those celebrating early.

“Just celebrating Easter early,” Cordova said. “We’re celebrating Easter and trying to have a good family reunion.”

But as rain began falling across parts of the city—including downtown, North Houston, and areas near William P. Hobby Airport—families started packing up.

“We’re getting ready to pack it up,” one family member said.

For Anita Mendoza and her family, the weather brought a quick change of plans. Their pre-Easter gathering continued until the rain became unavoidable.

“We did get rain earlier, and we are going to expect some bad weather tomorrow,” Mendoza said.

With more rain potentially in the forecast for Easter Sunday, many families are already preparing alternatives—especially for younger children eager for egg hunts.

• Houston weather: Over 2 inches of rain falls Saturday night; another round expected Easter Sunday

“I have two grandchildren, so they’re probably going to hide eggs around the house,” Mendoza added.

For kids, the shift indoors may not be a disappointment at all. In fact, some say it adds a new level of excitement.

“I’m kind of excited,” one child said. “My mom’s probably going to hide them everywhere—in funny places like the dog cages, behind the TV, or on the couches.”

Despite the disruption, families say the spirit of Easter remains unchanged.

“We might get a thunderstorm, and then we might not even get anything,” Mendoza said. “Because Houston—you can have it on one side of town, and on the other side, it’s sunny. It all depends.”

Even with outdoor traditions on hold, many say the most important part of the holiday hasn’t changed: spending time together.

Off went the jackets and backpacks, on came burgundy cassocks and white surplices. Then they trooped into the cathedral, opened their mouths and sang as one. The youthful gaggle had become a choir, giving voice to a tradition of choral music in the Church of England that has survived largely unchanged for almost 500 years.

“I think for me, it’s one of the sounds of our country,’’ said Adrian Bawtree, the choir’s music director. “All of our cathedrals are beautiful, sacred spaces where you can come and just sit and be and you can be immersed, bathed, nourished, sent out back into the world transformed by an experience in 30 minutes.”

The epitome of that tradition is Choral Evensong, an evening service of hymns, psalms and prayers laid out by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the first Protestant archbishop of the Church of England, in 1549. The service is performed by the choir, with the congregation participating simply by listening.

But that tradition is under threat as the demands of modern life, declining church attendance and tight funding make it harder to find and train the next generation of choristers.

Enthusiasts are trying to reverse that, launching a campaign for the government to recognize English choral services as an important part of Britain’s culture under a U.N. program that seeks to protect “intangible cultural heritage,” as well as historic buildings and natural wonders.

Traditions strengthen identity

The U.K. government is seeking nominations for a nationwide inventory of cultural traditions — from Morris dancing to the craft of building dry stone walls — that should be preserved. Protecting such traditions is crucial to strengthen community identity and bolster the U.K. economy as heritage tourism generates billions of pounds in annual spending, the government says.

While many people have been introduced to English choral services through the angelic voices of the choristers in flowing robes and Elizabethan ruffs who sing at royal weddings and carol services, choirs perform every day in much more humble settings.

And many are struggling, according to the Cathedral Music Trust, which was founded in 1956 to stem the decline of church music after World War II. Last year it gave 500,000 pounds ($661,000) to 28 cathedrals and churches around the country.

It can be a lot. Rochester, for example, spends about 250,000 pounds ($330,000) a year on music, a substantial outlay for a provincial cathedral but less than some.

The trust hopes recognition of the English choral tradition will bring attention and much-needed funding to choirs, which it says are an important training ground for the musicians of tomorrow, both religious and secular.

“Whilst it happens every day, it is actually quite fragile,” trust CEO Jonathan Mayes said. “It takes an awful lot of work and it takes a lot of funding to actually make it happen and that doesn’t come without effort.’’

Evensong links the present day to the Protestant Reformation

Preserving Evensong is important historically because the service was instrumental in the development and spread of the modern English language, said Diarmaid MacCulloch, an expert on Christianity and an emeritus professor at the University of Oxford.

The service is based on the Book of Common Prayer, compiled by Cranmer to make English the language of the Church of England after it broke away from the Latin-dominated Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation.

The idea was to create services everyone could be part of.

“It is very much a drama, and it is a drama which has been performed by the people of England from 1549 through to the present day,” MacCulloch said. “It’s far more a vehicle of public consciousness performance than any play of Shakespeare.’’

And while a growing number of choirs including Rochester now take girls as well as boys, in other respects it hasn't changed much since then.

“The service would be really quite recognizable to Queen Elizabeth I as much as Queen Elizabeth II," MacCulloch said. "And that’s quite remarkable.”

The power of music to transform lives

Bawtree, the music director at Rochester Cathedral, is one of those working to preserve the tradition as he oversees the youngest singers, aged 9-13, known as choristers, as well as a youth choir for older children. All are backed by professional adult singers.

Bawtree said he was captured by church music the first time he heard an organ play and a choir sing when he was about 9 years old. Now he wants people to know that services like Evensong make it possible for anyone to turn up and listen to beautiful choral music, regardless of their beliefs.

“When I heard it, it was like big octopus arms came and grabbed me and said, ‘You’ve got to be part of this.’ So I think I am trying to speak to that 9-year-old child and saying actually this is something that could speak to most people, if not everyone.

“And because I had that experience, I would like to share that with future generations and be passionate about that," he said. "We talk in the world of mindfulness and the power of music to transform lives. This is an extraordinary arena where that can happen.”

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

He spent much of that time grimacing or biting his lip. And he didn't look much more comfortable when he did return to start the second half Saturday night against Arizona.

The good news is Michigan didn't need much from the first-team All-American as it cruised to an unexpectedly lopsided 91-73 win in a matchup of the NCAA Tournament's last two No. 1 seeds, not with the Wolverines' depth simply overwhelming the Wildcats. The question now is how Lendeborg's injuries might affect him for Monday night's NCAA title game against UConn.

Lendeborg said he rolled his left ankle and sprained his MCL. He also was emphatic when asked if there was any chance he would miss the Wolverines' first appearance in the championship game since 2018.

“Absolutely not,” he said at his locker, surrounded by multiple rows of reporters. “Unless I wake up and I get up and fall off my feet, I'm going to be in that game.”

Lendeborg was effective even when hobbled

The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Lendeborg entered the game averaging 15.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists, offering strength and size with versatility to chase on the perimeter. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting in 14 minutes, including a pair of 3-pointers in his hobbled post-halftime minutes.

For much of the second half, he rode an exercise bike behind the Michigan bench, clapping for baskets or screaming with glee as the Wolverines made big play after big play.

He also spent time late in the game sitting on the court near the end of the bench and almost alongside the photographers on the baseline before having an ice pack wrapped around his left knee. He wore that for the final minutes and still had it on as he carefully made his way through the postgame handshake line with the Wildcats.

But he stayed engaged throughout, climbing to the raised court to greet teammates with high-fives as coach Dusty May emptied the bench in the final minute.

“Our team has extreme depth,” guard Roddy Gayle Jr., said. “We have the ability to feel happy when other people are being successful. Then, even when you're having a bad night, you're able to lean on your teammates for extra help.”

Lendeborg had to count on his entire team to carry the load without him.

Injury leads to a scary moment

Lendeborg had a rough start with two quick fouls and then exited after he stepped on the foot of Arizona big man Motiejus Krivas and twisted his left ankle, the same one he had tweaked during the loss to Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament championship game.

Fear hit hard in that moment.

“I tried my best to get up as quickly as possible to try to not dwell on that feeling. I tried to walk it off,” Lendeborg said, adding with a chuckle: “It didn't get walked off.”

Lendeborg left the bench for trainers to retape his ankle and treat it with ice, returned briefly, then went back to the locker room again.

“I was going to give it a go but there was like five minutes left (before halftime) so they advised it was best to get treatment right away,” he said. “I sat there, got treatment, got ice. I did the best I could to analyze the situation. I was watching the game and trying to make it feel better.”

Lendeborg wore a brace on his left knee when he returned for the second half.

Getting ready for Monday

Lendeborg checked out at the 13:02 mark and headed to the bike. He returned again at the 7:10 mark after Arizona had cut a 30-point deficit to 20, saying he wanted to be a secondary ballhandler.

Why did May put him back in with the big lead?

“Well, apparently you missed the UConn-Duke game,” May said, referencing the Huskies' rally from 19 points down to stun the tournament's No. 1 overall seed in the Elite Eight.

Lendeborg said he told his teammates he would largely work around the arc and avoid crashing into the interior to raise the risk of aggravating the injury. He also said he wanted to get a feel for how he might be able to function with the Wolverines headed for one more game.

Michigan had more than enough to put away Arizona, notably with 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara going for 26 points to lead five players in double figures. Michigan shot 47.8% and made 12 of 27 3-pointers. Now, Lendeborg will race to be ready for the shot at leading Michigan to its first national title since 1989, as well as the first by a Big Ten school since 2000.

“For me, it's a lot of treatment, a lot of time with the trainer, a lot of time away from my teammates which I'm not going to like,” Lendeborg said.

Whatever it takes.

“I'm playing,” he said. “I have to.”

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Michigan overpowered Arizona early and humbled the ’Cats for 40 long minutes Saturday, turning their highly anticipated Final Four matchup into a 91-73 Wolverines dunkfest-slash-highlight reel.

Junior center Aday Mara scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds. About the only question in this one concerned the health of Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg, a first-team All-American who landed on an Arizona player's foot, rolled his ankle and sprained his knee, but still had 11 points over 14 minutes.

He vowed he'd be ready for Monday's title matchup against UConn, a 71-62 winner over Illinois in the early semifinal that was billed — wrongly — as the undercard to this battle of No. 1 seeds.

“It’s going to take a full 40 minutes of fighting,” Lendeborg said.

This one was over in about five.

The Blue blew through their fifth straight March Madness opponent by double digits while becoming the first team to break 90 points five times in a single tournament.

It was all quite a shock, considering Michigan and Arizona came in with the nation’s top two defenses, a pair of top-five offenses and somewhere between eight and a dozen NBA stars between them.

But it was the Wolverines (36-3) who looked like pros, running to a double-digit lead only 5:31 into the contest, then swatting (three blocks) and slamming (nine dunks) Arizona into oblivion.

“These guys have such, I guess, extensive background in playing high-profile basketball games,” said Michigan coach Dusty May, who was spotted at courtside earlier in the evening, scouting UConn-Illinois for a Monday night game he sensed he'd be part of. “We just felt like we are battle-tested.”

The game plan against the Big 12 champion Wildcats (36-3) couldn't have worked any better.

Michigan packed the paint on defense, basically giving the team that averaged the fifth-fewest 3-point attempts in the country this year free rein from long distance, then daring Arizona to create inside. The Wildcats failed at both.

Koa Peat had a quiet 16 points and 11 rebounds for Arizona, which shot 6 for 17 from 3, 36% overall and had two assists and nine turnovers over a first half that ended with them trailing 48-32. Sparkplug Jaden Bradley got his fourth foul 94 seconds into the second half and finished with 13 points, most in extended garbage time.

Arizona’s only two losses before this were by four and by three back in February. The Wildcats trailed by nine less than 2:30 into this one.

“No one has been able to do that to us all year,” said Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who got a contract extension over the weekend, presumably to keep him from going to North Carolina.

Making it all the more impressive for Michigan was that it started this runaway without Lendeborg, who committed two fouls within five seconds of each other less than 90 seconds into the game, then landed on Motiejus Krivas’ foot a little later and went to the locker room for ice.

Lendeborg called the injury “a weird feeling” but promised, “there’s no way I’m missing the game on Monday no matter what goes on.”

In fact, he returned for the second half and made two quick 3s to push Michigan's lead past 20. He was on the bench — and the stationary bike — for good with 5:19 left, enough time for rest and ice to get ready for UConn, which is going for its third title in four seasons.

Michigan is going for only the program’s second championship (1989), though its most famous team — the Fab Five, which made the final twice in the early ’90s — was in the building to helm an “alt-cast” of this Michigan celebration.

Some of this — the dunks, the alley-oops, the rim hanging and jersey tugging (but no baggy shorts) — might have reminded them of them.

Freshman Trey McKenney made four 3s and had 16 points for the Wolverines. Elliot Cadeau overcame a bout with his nut allergy to compile a crazy stat line: 13 points, 10 assists, six turnovers, five rebounds and four steals on 5-for-17 shooting. Even with that, Michigan finished 47.8% from the floor and 12 for 27 from 3.

Asked why he kept Lendeborg in for as long as he did, May recalled UConn’s second-half comeback from 19 down against Duke in the Elite Eight.

“We felt like the game was still in hand,” May said.

Not really.

What sufficed for drama down the stretch was whether May’s team would join Jerry Tarkanian’s 1990 UNLV juggernaut as only the second team to hit triple digits at the Final Four in the modern era.

The Wolverines emptied the bench with a few minutes left and came up short, but no matter. Everybody knew who the better team was in this one. That it got figured out so early was the real shock.

“It's tough for me to process this right now,” Peat said.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Fabulous freshman Braylon Mullins made another last-minute 3-pointer — his only basket of the second half — and the Huskies muscled their way past Illinois 71-62 on Saturday to reach their third national championship game in four years.

Tarris Reed Jr. had 17 points and 11 rebounds and Mullins finished with 15 points as the Huskies (34-5) rode strong inside play and tough defense to their 19th straight victory in the Sweet 16 or later rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

They'll face Michigan with a chance to win their seventh national title, all since 1999, as Hurley tries to become the only active coach with more than two championships.

“We’re a tough program, we’re a group of fighters,” said Hurley, who won it all in 2023 and 2024. “We’ve got incredible will. We go into these games, we’re ready for battle. For us, it’s not a game that we’re just kind of running around in uniforms throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That’s not what we’re doing out there. We’re fighting. It’s a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship.”

Mullins sent the Huskies past Duke, the top overall seed, in the Elite Eight last weekend with the shot of the tourney — a 35-foot 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left. He was equally effective this time, a short drive from his hometown of Greenfield, Indiana.

After Silas Demary Jr. secured an offensive rebound, Mullins hit a catch-and-shoot 3 with 52 seconds left that gave UConn a 66-59 and thwarted Illinois' late charge.

“The set was going to be run for anybody on the team. You’ve just got to shoot with confidence,” Mullins said. “Just trying to find the best look on the floor, and I know our point guards are going to get us the ball, so I think that was the biggest shot I hit tonight.”

UConn needed it on a night star forward Alex Karaban struggled with his shot. He had nine points on 1-of-8 shooting while adding four rebounds and four assists as he tied Hurley's brother, Bobby, for second in career March Madness victories by a player with 18. A win Monday also would make him the first player since John Wooden’s dominant UCLA teams in the 1960s and 1970s to finish as a three-time champion.

Thanks in part to Karaban, the Huskies haven’t lost a tournament game played past the opening weekend since 2009, when they fell in the national semifinals to Michigan State. With one more victory, they would break a tie with North Carolina and move into third place alone in national titles, trailing only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (eight).

Freshman guard Keaton Wagler had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Fighting Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing the championship game to UNC in 2005.

Wagler and Mullins became the first pair of freshmen to top 15 points in a Final Four game since Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing in 1982.

“It’s margins, they’re so small,” said Illinois' Brad Underwood, a 62-year-old coaching lifer who reached his first Final Four. “Getting here is really hard. Winning is really hard. It’s why I have so much appreciation for Alex Karaban. He’s been to three of them. That’s freaky. It’s a rebound, it’s a loose ball, it’s a ball rolling in, it’s a banked 3.”

Tomislav Ivisic had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Illini, who couldn’t replicate the blueprint that carried them to double-digit victories over Penn, VCU, Houston and Iowa. Illinois made just 3 of 14 3-pointers in the first half and finished 6 of 26 beyond the arc.

UConn took full advantage even though the Huskies had two long scoring droughts — nearly six minutes in the first half and more than six minutes in the second. The latter allowed Illinois to charge back from its biggest deficit of the season, 57-43 with 9:43 to play, to get within 57-53 with 5:03 remaining.

But the Huskies answered and closed it out at the free-throw line for their fifth straight win in the series. UConn beat Illinois 74-61 on Nov. 28 in Madison Square Garden, and now the Huskies have held the Illini to their two lowest scoring totals and shooting percentages of the season. UConn also beat Illinois 77-52 in the Elite Eight two years ago.

“We held them to 35 percent (shooting),” Underwood said. “They just made more 3s than we did.”

And finished with a little more punch.

“The year hasn’t been a joy ride,” Hurley said. “We haven’t been a machine of destruction. We’ve been a team that’s had to grind out games like this.”

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Following an NHL-record 14 seasons of futility, during which the team finished no better than 19th in the league, the Sabres clinched a berth on Saturday when the New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings in regulation. Buffalo's playoff drought was among the four North American major sports’ longest active streaks, ranking second behind the NFL's New York Jets, who last qualified in 2010.

The Sabres clinched with six games left in their season, before being beat 6-2 at Washington on Saturday night, and are in contention to earn the Eastern Conference's top seed. At 46-23-8, Buffalo is riding a 35-9-4 surge that has vaulted the team after sitting last in the East in early December.

The turnaround has been remarkable for a franchise that through Saturday has gone 5,458 days since the Lindy Ruff-coached team lost Game 7 of a first-round series to Philadelphia on April 26, 2011.

“Obviously unbelievable. I’m happy for the city, I’m happy for all the guys that have been grinding here for years, like the equipment managers, trainers, my teammates ... wow, it’s going to be special, that’s for sure,” captain Rasmus Dahlin said.

In the ensuing years, the Sabres have finished last overall four times and are on their seventh coach, with Ruff back for a second stint, and their fourth general manager, Jarmo Kekalainen.

Buffalo’s run up the standings coincided with Kekalainen being promoted from his position as senior adviser on Dec. 15, replacing Kevyn Adams, who was fired after five-plus seasons.

The Sabres already had won three straight when the change occurred and proceeded to go on a franchise record-matching 10-0 run. They’ve not looked back since. Buffalo is 14-4-2 since returning from the Olympic break, and the team’s worst stretch since December has been a 0-1-2 skid.

“The guys have worked so hard to get to this point,” Ruff said. “Every month has been pretty darn consistent, and we played a good brand of hockey. We’ve gotten rewarded for how hard we’ve played.”

Though Adams’ firing played a role in spurring the team, so did Buffalo getting healthier.

The Sabres’ top two lines were replenished with the return of Josh Norris and Jason Zucker, and their goaltending got a boost with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen shaking off an early season injury to resume sharing the starting duties with Alex Lyon. After opening the season 4-5-1, Luukkonen has gone 15-4-2 since Dec. 21.

“I find that we deserve to be where we’re at. ... From where we were at the start of December to where we got, asked a lot of the players and got a lot back,” Ruff said.

Kekalainen also added depth at the trade deadline last month by acquiring center Sam Carrick, forward Tanner Pearson and defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn.

The team is led by two of its longest-tenured players: Dahlin, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, and forward Tage Thompson, who was acquired in a trade that sent Ryan O’Reilly to St. Louis in the summer of 2018.

Dahlin ranks sixth among NHL defensemen with 69 points, while Thompson is tied for 11th among all skaters with 38 goals.

The next test for Buffalo is winning a playoff series, something the team hasn’t done since beating the Rangers in six games in the second round in 2007.

The turnaround has revived a fanbase that had grown weary with losing, various rebuilding plans that failed to generate a winner and a revolving door of talent being shuffled in and out of Buffalo — from O’Reilly’s departure to Jack Eichel being dealt to Vegas in November 2021 following a lengthy standoff over how to repair a neck injury. Each went on to win the Stanley Cup with his new team.

The Sabres have not hoisted the Cup through their first 54 seasons of existence.

“It’s something that we’ve worked hard for for a long time to be able to get into the postseason,” Thompson said. “It felt good.”

“I’m really proud of the group,” Alex Tuch added. “It’s been a long time coming.”

Buffalo has had 21 home sellouts this season, including 15 in a row, a year after selling out just five games.

This season, the Sabres have shown resolve in rallying back from deficits. Buffalo entered Saturday with 19 come-from-behind wins, tied for seventh in the NHL. That included defeating Tampa Bay 8-7 last month after trailing 7-5 with nine minutes left in regulation.

The Lightning also clinched Saturday, before beating the Bruins, for their ninth consecutive appearance and 12th in 13 years.

___

AP freelance writer Sammi Silber in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Not far away, Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler headed dejectedly to his bench, pulling his jersey over his face. He disappeared into the arms of consoling teammates, then emerged with his head covered by a towel as the handshake line formed.

Only one of the two fantastic freshmen could end the night in triumph, but both led their teams on a rough offensive night for the Huskies and the Illini in UConn's 71-62 win Saturday in the Final Four.

Mullins — the home-state hero who hit an incredible shot to send UConn to Indianapolis — got off to a fast start and finished with four 3-pointers and 15 points. Wagler, a second-team All-American, had a game-high 20 points to go with eight rebounds while the Illini never found the groove that had brought them to their first Final Four since 2005.

Both hit key 3s as UConn fought to maintain its tenuous late lead. And by the final horn, Mullins and Wagler had become the first opposing freshmen with at least 15 points in a Final Four game since 1982 — when a couple of kids named Michael Jordan (North Carolina) and Patrick Ewing (Georgetown) were squaring off for the national title.

Only Mullins will have a chance to add to his March run.

“We’re so ready for the national championship game,” Mullins said after exchanging an exuberant hug with coach Dan Hurley. “This is what I came here for. Let’s get it on Monday.”

Mullins is an Indiana star and the face of March Madness

Mullins was a prep star out of Greenfield, roughly 30 miles from Lucas Oil Stadium, the cavernous home of the Indianapolis Colts that hosted the Final Four. He was already the star of the week in Indianapolis after hitting the 3-pointer that capped UConn's stunning comeback from 19 points down to beat No. 1 overall tournament seed Duke in the Elite Eight last weekend.

This time, he faced an opponent that had elevated its defense to go with its season-long efficiency. The Illini allowed just 0.976 points per possession through four NCAA Tournament wins to lead the four remaining teams while leaning on their paint-controlling size advantage.

That only magnified the importance of Mullins, a 6-foot-6 wing who came armed with a fearless look — whether shaking off a second half full of misses or ending up on the floor after getting stuffed at the rim on a baseline drive before halftime.

He set the tone during the opening three minutes, when he knocked down his first two 3-point tries, the second after losing Jake Davis around a screen then backpedaling and clapping with a big grin. He even banked in a straightaway 3 for a 37-27 lead, prompting him to grin sheepishly and stick out his tongue.

“The shot clock was winding down and I was just trying to find a pick and pop,” Mullins told reporters huddled around his locker. “I knew when I saw that separation I was going to put it up. But I did not expect to hit glass. You’ve got to have a smile on your face when that happens because those shots do happen.”

He saved his biggest moment for the second half. Mullins was 0 for 5 since halftime when Illinois had trimmed a 14-point deficit to four. Alex Karaban missed a 3-pointer, but Silas Demary Jr. outfought Illinois’ Ben Humrichous for the rebound to set up Mullins’ 3 with 52.1 seconds left.

It was his only second-half basket as UConn shot just 28.6% after halftime in a rock fight of a game.

Wagler has raw emotions after loss

It was a harder night for Wagler, the former four-star recruit who rose to prominence this season as part of a stellar freshman class nationally. He finished 7 for 16 from the floor but went just 2 for 10 from 3-point range — he entered shooting 40.7% from behind the arc — on a night when Illinois shot just 33.9% overall.

“I felt like I was settled in, it was just my shot was off, which happens,” Wagler said. “So I was just trying to stay confident throughout the game and keep shooting them. I felt like I'm a good shooter so I kept shooting them.”

He came through with a big one to answer Mullins' late 3, hitting a step-back against Demary with 43.5 seconds left to keep Illinois within four. But he missed another one moments later, slapping his right thigh in frustration as it became clear the game was finally out of reach.

By the end of the night, he sat his locker with teammate Ty Rodgers' left arm wrapped around him.

“Every day when you go through something like this with a group for this long, and you love them, it's hard when it ends,” Wagler said, pausing to fight back tears as Rodgers patted him on the shoulder. “You know, when it ends, it's just sad.”

___

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

See how much your neighborhood picked up here: Houston weather: Over 2 inches of rain falls Saturday night; another round expected Easter Sunday

KPRC 2’s weather team will be tracking the next wave of rain. Here’s what you need to know:

Easter Sunday, more rain but not a wash out... for everyone:

Some lingering light rain may be around early Sunday morning mainly near the coast.

The rest of us wake up with dry skies , temperatures in the upper-50s and strong north winds. This will make it feel colder than the actual temperature.

Temperatures will warm to the upper 60s to low 70s, and another round of steady rain will occur southwest of Houston. An upper-level disturbance, a short wave, will move through Houston on Sunday, bringing more rain. Street flooding concerns are mainly across Matagorda County into South Texas- watch for ponding if you are headed to South Texas.

The good news, we need this rain. Southeast Texas has been stuck in drought, so this will definitely help, even if it doesn’t fix everything overnight.

Make sure you have our weather app, it will alert when rain is headed to your area!

The strike by thousands of workers at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado, began on March 16 in coordination with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union in a bid for higher wages and better health care.

The strike came as U.S. cattle numbers hit a 75-year-old low this year, a decline driven in part by drought and low prices offered to ranchers. Meanwhile, beef prices have soared to record levels, adding to economic anxiety in the U.S.

The union said in a statement that workers will return to work Tuesday morning after plant owner JBS USA agreed to reopen talks later in the week.

“Workers remain united and will continue to fight,” said local union president Kim Cordova in a statement.

JBS USA spokesperson Nikki Richardson said the company is “preparing to resume and ramp up operations at the Greeley plant next week.”

“Our Last, Best and Final offer remains on the table,” Richardson said in an email that did not include terms. “We hope employees will have the opportunity to review and vote on it soon.”

The strike at Greeley is the first strike at a U.S. slaughterhouse since workers walked out at a Hormel plant in Minnesota in 1985. That strike lasted more than a year and included violent confrontations between police and protesters.

JBS is the world’s largest meatpacking company with a market capitalization of $17 billion. It is the top employer in Greeley, a city 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Denver with a population of about 114,000 people.

The strike at Greeley was launched on accusations by union officials that management at Swift Beef Co. retaliated against workers and committed other unfair labor practices.

The union said the company had offered less than 2% more a year in wages, which is less than inflation in Colorado. JBS USA has denied any labor law violations and said its contract offer was fair.

The Greeley plant has about 6% of the total U.S. beef slaughterhouse capacity, said Abby Greiman, a livestock market adviser for industry consultant Ever.Ag.

An extended strike threatened to disrupt the industry, which could ultimately drive up prices, said Jennifer Martin at Colorado State University’s animal sciences department.

The price for 100% ground chuck beef more than doubled over the past two decades from $2.55 to $6.07 per pound, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Colorado walkout followed the January closure of a meatpacking plant in Lexington, Nebraska, which was expected to ripple through the local economy and community. Tyson Foods cited the smaller herd and millions of dollars in expected losses this year.

JBS shares were approved for trading on the New York Stock Exchange last May despite environmental opposition and a federal probe that led to its guilty plea in October to bribing Brazilian officials for the financing it used for its U.S. expansion.

At the Greeley plant, union officials said the company tried to intimidate workers to quit the union in one-on-one meetings, union general counsel Matt Shechter said.

Meanwhile the search continued for a second day in a remote area of Iran for a missing U.S. pilot whose warplane was shot down. Iran has urged residents to turn in the “enemy pilot” for a reward.

And Israel vowed to “continue to crush” Iran and confirmed it struck a petrochemical complex Saturday. Iranian state media reported at least five people were killed.

Here is the latest:

Senegal limits foreign trips for officials as the fallout from Iran war deepens

The country banned all but essential foreign trips for government ministers as part of cost-saving measures triggered by the energy crisis linked to the war.

Senegal, like many African countries, imports most of the petroleum products it consumes. That leaves its economy vulnerable to supply disruptions such as the chokehold on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent the price of crude soaring.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said his office is taking steps to limit public expenditure, pointing out that initial budget forecasts were based on an oil price of $62 per barrel. It is now almost double that.

“I have taken a number of drastic measures to restrict everything related to government spending, including the cancellation of all nonessential missions abroad,” the government-owned newspaper Le Soleil quoted Sonko as saying.

He added that he canceled several trips, including to Niger, Spain and France.

Housing market trends favor home shoppers, but Iran war clouds the outlook for mortgage rates

The economic fallout from the war is driving up the cost of buying a home, even as other housing market trends in many parts of the country favor home shoppers this spring.

Mortgage rates have been rising since the war began, as surging energy prices heighten worries about higher inflation, pushing up the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

As recently as the last week of February, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage dropped to just under 6%, its lowest level in more than three and a half years. It climbed this week to 6.46%, its highest level in nearly seven months.

“The war in Iran has seriously complicated the spring buying season,” said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com. “I expect that many buyers will be put off by rising rates and mounting economic uncertainty, choosing to bide their time rather than jumping on board for a purchase before rates go up.”

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Leo celebrates his first Easter vigil service as pope, calls for harmony and peace in a world torn by war

Pope Leo XIV ushered in Christianity’s most joyous celebration Saturday night, calling for the holy day to bring harmony and peace to a world torn by wars.

In his homily, Leo called sin “a heavy barrier that closes us off and separates us from God, seeking to kill his words of hope within us,’’ and likened it to the stone that covered Jesus’ tomb but was found overturned, revealing his resurrection.

Leo said there are stones representing sins to be overturned today, some “so heavy and so closely guarded that they seem to be immovable.”

“Some weigh heavily on the human heart, such as mistrust, fear, selfishness and resentment; others stemming from these inner struggles, sever the bonds between us through war, injustice and the isolation of peoples and nations.

“Let us not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by them!” Leo said, calling for a commitment “so that the Easter gifts of harmony and peace may grow and flourish everywhere and always throughout the world.’’

▶ Read more

Iranian state media reports airstrikes in southwest Iran killed at least 3 and wounded others

The attack took place in the same area where a missing American crew member is believed to be.

Iran vows to open ‘gates of hell’ if the US and Israel escalate attacks

The commander of the joint military command said his country will target all infrastructure used by the U.S. military in the region, as well as Israel’s infrastructure, if aggression against Iran escalates.

Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi’s comments Saturday evening, carried by state media, came a few hours after Trump warned Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating consequences.

“Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them,” Trump said via social media, as he re-upped a previous April 6 deadline for opening the shipping channel.

5 university professors and 60 students killed since war started, Iranian official says

Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simaei Sarraf spoke to reporters Saturday while checking the aftermath of strike on a university research center in southern Tehran.

A laser and plasma research center at the prestigious Shahid Beheshti University was damaged Friday following an airstrike.

“The enemy with no roots in history, culture and civilization is acting worse than (humans living) in the stone age and attacks a scientific center,” he told reporters while standing in the midst of the wreckage. AP video from the scene shows fallen ceilings and walls, blown out windows and damaged equipment.

It wasn’t clear if the strike was carried out by the United States or Israel or why the center was targeted. Iranian media did not report any casualties.

Since 2011, Shahid Beheshti University has been sanctioned by the EU for its involvement in nuclear weapons development.

AP journalists witness destruction at Shiite religious complex in Zanjan, Iran

Residents in the northwestern Iranian city told the AP an airstrike that hit the Grand Husayniyya of Zanjan on March 31 also caused damage to a library and clinic within the complex where people used to get treated for free. Part of the Husayniyya, a congregation hall for Shiite commemorations and rituals, is centuries old.

Damage could be seen in the building’s golden dome and nearby minaret during a visit Saturday. A nearby building within the complex was heavily damaged. Workers were still cleaning up debris.

Jaafar Mohammadi, director general of cultural and Islamic guidance in Zanjan province, said the strike killed two people, including the caretaker of the library, Alirezza Soubatlo, and a volunteer with the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The library was home to more than 35,000 books, many of which are very old and handwritten.

Prediction market taking bets on search for missing US military service member has been shut down

A prediction market accepting bets on the search for a U.S. military service member still missing from a fighter jet shot down in the Iran war Friday has been shut down by Polymarket for violating its standards.

Polymarket, which has turned prediction markets into an increasingly popular phenomenon alongside rival operator Kalshi, disclosed it blocked the wagering on the search for the missing military member about two hours after U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton posted a note of outrage on social media.

“This is DISGUSTING,” wrote Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts who was in combat in the Middle East while serving in the Marines.

In its response on the social platform X, Polymarket said Friday that it removed the market cited by Moulton and was investigating how it slipped through the safeguards set up to protect its integrity standards.

Polymarket has recently been coming under increasing scrutiny, including calls for tougher regulation of prediction markets.

The criticism has mounted after some of its users made substantial bets ahead of the war in Iran and the military action in Venezuela earlier this year.

Police forcibly dispersed anti-war protest in Tel Aviv amid wartime restrictions

Several hundred people attended the demonstration at Habima Square in Tel Aviv calling for an end to the war, in between sirens warning of incoming missiles from Iran and from Yemen.

Israeli wartime restrictions currently limit gatherings in public areas to 150 people. But in response to an appeal, supreme court justices on Saturday evening issued an interim ruling saying at least 600 people would be allowed to gather at Habima Square and 150 at each of several other locations across the country.

At around 8 p.m., police declared the demonstration unlawful, claiming there were “hundreds more than the court ordered” at the protest. Police officers forcibly removed protesters from the square and arrested at least 17.

Argentina says Iran’s top diplomat has been expelled from the country

Argentina’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Saturday it had expelled Iran’s top diplomat as tensions increase between Iran’s theocratic regime and Argentina’s libertarian government, which is closely aligned with the Trump administration.

In a message on X, Argentina’s Foreign Affairs Minister Pablo Quirno said Iran’s Charge D’Affaires, Mohsen Soltani Tehrani, had left the country “in compliance” with a resolution issued Thursday that gave the Iranian diplomat 48 hours to leave the South American country.

Tensions between both nations intensified earlier this week after Argentina declared Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization. The measure will enable the Argentine government to issue financial sanctions against those conducting business with that branch of Iran’s armed forces and seize any assets it could own in Argentina.

Iran’s Foreign Affairs Ministry replied to the terrorism designation with a statement which said Argentina’s actions amounted to an “unforgivable offense” influenced by the United States.

Iran state media say five killed in strikes on petrochemical facilities

The U.S.-Israeli strikes also wounded others in the attack on the facilities in the Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Economic Zone in southwestern Iran, state media cited a provincial security official as saying.

The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the attack on the facilities earlier Saturday and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed in a video statement on X to press ahead with more attacks. He claimed the complex was “responsible for producing and exporting chemical materials to the regime’s armed forces” and that the targeted facilities were “used to produce materials for explosives, ballistic missile, and additional weaponry.”

White House says Trump is ‘working nonstop’

As the clock ticks closer to the U.S. president’s Monday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the White House says Trump is firmly at work.

“There has never been a President who has worked harder for the American people than President Trump,” Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, posted on X. “On this Easter weekend, he has been working nonstop in the White House and Oval Office. God Bless him.”

The president often travels to his Palm Beach, Florida, club on the weekends, but he’s staying in Washington for the Easter weekend. Since he delivered his prime-time address on Iran on Wednesday night, the president has held a series of closed-press meetings at the White House.

Meloni says Gulf visit aimed at solidarity and protecting Italy’s energy and security interests

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said in a video message released by her office Saturday that her mission to the Gulf was aimed at showing solidarity with countries “that continue to suffer unjustified attacks by Iran,’’ while also addressing Italian security and energy interests.

Meloni is the first EU leader to travel to the Gulf since the U.S.-Israel war on Iran began, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on a two-day visit.

“I think it is important for Italy in such a difficult moment to be present in the places where a fundamental part of our security is being decided, and also our economic future,’’ Meloni said in the video shot as she was being driven in the back of a car through Doha, Qatar. “Because when instability increases in the Gulf, not just the international balance is impacted, but also energy prices,’’ which affect companies’ cost and families’ purchasing power.

She noted Italy receives 10% of its natural gas from Qatar and the Gulf region supplies 15% of its petroleum needs.

Netanyahu confirms Israel hit Iranian petrochemical factories, says they’ll continue to ‘crush’ Iran

“After we destroyed 70% of its ability to create steel, which is used as the raw material for the weapons used against us, today we attacked their petrochemical factories,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement posted on his X account.

The Israeli military said that earlier Saturday its air force struck a petrochemical complex in Mahshahr, in southwestern Iran. It alleged the complex was “responsible for producing and exporting chemical materials to the regime’s armed forces” and that the targeted facilities were “used to produce materials for explosives, ballistic missile, and additional weaponry.”

“I promised you that we will continue to crush the terrorist regime in Tehran, and that is exactly what we are doing,” Netanyahu said.

World commodity prices rise for 2nd straight month with Strait of Hormuz closure posing additional risks

World food commodity prices rose for a second consecutive month in March, driven largely by increasing energy costs linked to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization reported Friday.

The latest FAO benchmark index, tracking monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of globally traded food commodities, rose 1% from a year ago, highlighting how geopolitical tensions are pushing up production and transportation expenses, adding renewed pressure on global food markets. Prices were up 2.4% from a month earlier.

Price surges have been relatively contained compared with after the start of the Ukraine war in 2022 because markets remain well-supplied following strong harvests in major growing regions, said David Laborde, the FAO agrifood economics director.

With a large portion of the world’s fuel and fertilizer moving through the Strait of Hormuz, he noted that a long-term closure will force farmers to make difficult planting decisions. That will affect the cost of producing the next harvest, as well as yields.

Iran says Iraq is exempt from transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s joint military command spokesperson said in a statement in Arabic on Saturday that the restrictions imposed in the Strait of Hormuz “only apply to enemy countries.”

Addressing Iraqis, Ebrahim Zolfaghari said in a speech carried by state media that “you are a nation that bears the marks of American occupation on your chest, and your struggle against America is worthy of appreciation and praise.”

Iran-backed militias in Iraq have claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks on U.S. bases and other facilities in the country in solidarity with Tehran since the war began.

The Iran war, now its second month, has dealt a massive blow to Iraq’s economy. The country is heavily dependent on oil revenues for almost 90% of its budget and most of its oil is exported through the Strait of Hormuz, where cargo traffic has effectively been stopped by Iran during the conflict.

Israel says a ballistic missile from Yemen was launched against the country

The attack triggered sirens across the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The Houthis in Yemen have launched several missiles against Israel since joining the war last week in support of Iran.

Israel says another soldier killed in Lebanon

The death brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon in the current war to 11.

A military official said the soldier was killed by friendly fire. He spoke anonymously in line with military regulations.

— Natalie Melzer

Meloni wraps Gulf tour in UAE, discusses end to conflict and new investments

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni concluded her two-day visit to three Gulf states in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, discussing with the country’s leader additional investments by both countries in energy, defense and security, her office said in a statement.

Meloni is the first EU, G20 and NATO leader to visit the Gulf region since the start of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. She began her two-day visit Friday in Saudi Arabia and visited Qatar earlier Saturday. The start of the mission was unannounced due to security concerns.

Meloni and UAE’s president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also discussed ways to bring an end to the conflict in the region and open the Strait of Hormuz, Meloni’s office said. The Italian leader also expressed her support for the country, which has suffered attacks from Iran following the launch of the war.

US revokes green cards and visas of several Iranian nationals connected to Tehran government

The Trump administration has revoked the green cards or U.S. visas of at least four Iranian nationals connected to the current or former Iranian government, including two who’ve been detained by immigration authorities and are to be deported.

The latest actions were taken just this week when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined they were no longer eligible for either lawful permanent resident status, or to enter the United States. The steps follow a move late last year in which the visas of several diplomats and staffers at Iran’s mission to the United Nations were also revoked.

In a statement Saturday, the State Department said the niece and grand-niece of former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike near the Baghdad airport in 2020, had been arrested late Friday by immigration agents after Rubio revoked their green cards.

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Pakistan says US-Iran talks effort on track as Tehran denies refusing Islamabad visit

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Saturday there was no truth to speculation in local media that the mediation effort had stalled due to Iran’s refusal to send a delegation.

He dismissed reports suggesting an impasse in the regionally backed initiative, saying the peace efforts are right on track.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X also said Tehran had “never refused to go to Islamabad” but was seeking a “conclusive and lasting” end to the conflict. “We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad,” Araghchi wrote.

He said “What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting end to the illegal war that is imposed on us.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed Araghchi’s remarks, saying he appreciated the clarification.

Pakistan, with backing from regional partners, is still working to bring Washington and Tehran to the negotiations table. However, no dates have been set for the proposed talks and it remains unclear whether any such engagement would be direct or indirect.

Israel says it identified another launch of missiles from Iran, the 8th on Saturday

It comes shortly after an attack that damaged buildings in East Jerusalem. Sirens were activated across northern Israel.

Buildings damaged in East Jerusalem after the latest barrage in a day of consistent fire from Iran

For the seventh time Saturday, missiles launched from Iran triggered sirens in multiple cities and towns in Israel.

Fire and Rescue services said their teams were treating two sites in East Jerusalem where buildings were damaged in the latest round. It wasn’t immediately clear if the impact was from parts of a missile or of an interceptor. No injuries were reported.

The military had said its defense systems were activated to try and intercept the missiles.

Hezbollah on Saturday also kept up its rocket fire on communities in northern Israel. Most were intercepted and there were no reports of injuries.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claims it struck two US Black Hawk helicopters

In a briefing Saturday, Iran’s joint military command spokesperson said it hit other enemy targets Friday, including the two helicopters.

The AP could not independently verify the claims. Some media outlets in the U.S. have reported the helicopters were hit.

Ebrahim Zolfaghari said in a statement carried by state media that it “must be called a black and humiliating Friday for the American and Zionist enemies.”

Iran had claimed the downing of two American warplanes Friday.

On Saturday, the U.S. military was pressing ahead with its search for a missing pilot over a remote area in southwestern Iran.

Israeli fire kills one Palestinian in central Gaza, health officials say

The airstrike on a civilian vehicle wounded two others, according to health officials at Al-Aqsa hospital, where the casualties arrived.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Gaza Strip has seen near-daily Israeli fire and strikes since a fragile ceasefire was reached in October, and nearly 713 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

Since the Iran war began over a month ago, Gaza militants have sat out the conflict and haven’t claimed any attacks against Israel.

US military jets hit in Iran war are the first shot down by enemy fire in more than 20 years

Iran shooting down two American military jets marks an exceedingly rare assault for the U.S. that hasn’t happened in more than 20 years and shows the Islamic Republic’s continued ability to hit back despite President Trump asserting it has been “completely decimated.”

The attacks came five weeks after U.S. and Israeli strikes first pounded Iran, with Trump saying earlier this week that Tehran’s “ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed.”

Iran shot down a U.S. F15-E Strike Eagle fighter jet Friday, with one service member getting rescued and the search still underway for a second, U.S. officials say. Iranian state media also said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed after being hit by Iranian defense forces.

The last time a U.S. warplane was shot down by enemy fire in combat was an A-10 Thunderbolt II during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, a former F-16 fighter pilot.

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Kuwait continues to intercept Iranian aerial attacks

In its daily briefing posted on X, the Kuwaiti army said Saturday that it had intercepted eight ballistic missiles and 19 drones over the last 24 hours.

Since the war began, Kuwaiti air forces have engaged with a total of 709 Iranian drones, 327 ballistic missiles and nine cruise missiles, according to the briefing.

Encompassing roughly 6.3 square miles (about 16 square kilometers) in Riverside County, about 64 miles (103 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, the Springs Fire was no longer growing and at least 75% percent contained Saturday, said Terra Fernandez, public safety information specialist for the Riverside County Fire Department. It was 25% contained on Friday.

Fire officials also lifted evacuation orders for a large swath of neighborhoods Saturday morning. Fernandez said she expected the rest will be lifted by the end of the day.

“It's pretty much under control,” Fernandez said.

The fire was fueled by strong Santa Ana winds with gusts predicted to get up to 45 mph (72 kph) on Saturday. But winds had “dissipated a bit” since Friday, helping the efforts of fire crews, Fernandez said. Natural equestrian trails around the area also helped firefighters make access to the fire and build effective containment lines around its perimeter, she said.

So far, no structures have been damaged or destroyed.

Crews began early Saturday dropping water and retardant all around the fire by air. About 260 personnel are battling the blaze, including crews from around the region who are building and strengthening the containment lines and laying hose, she said.

A handful of zones in the county remained under mandatory evacuation orders. It was not immediately known how many households were affected by the orders.

The fire is located in a populated unincorporated part of Riverside County that is a recreational area near the city of Moreno Valley, which has a population of roughly 200,000.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

On the downside, their toilet is on the blink again.

The three Americans and one Canadian are set to reach their destination Monday, photographing the mysterious lunar far side as they zoom around. It is the first moon-bound crew in more than 53 years, picking up where NASA’s Apollo program left off.

“The Earth is quite small, and the moon is definitely getting bigger,” pilot Victor Glover reported.

Until the Orion capsule's bathroom is fixed, Mission Control has instructed the astronauts to break out more of the backup urine collection bags. The so-called lunar loo malfunctioned following Wednesday’s liftoff and has been hit-and-miss ever since. A version of the Artemis II toilet was tested on the International Space Station several years ago.

Engineers suspect ice may be blocking the line that is preventing urine from completely flushing overboard. The toilet is still open for No. 2 business.

Debbie Korth, NASA’s Orion program deputy manager, said the astronauts have also reported a smell coming from the bathroom, which is buried in the floor of the capsule with a door and curtain for privacy.

“Space toilets and bathrooms are something everybody can really understand .. it’s always a challenge,” she said, noting that the space shuttle toilet was also often on the fritz.

John Honeycutt, chair of the mission management team, said it is human nature to be interested in the space commode, and even though it is “in a good state right now,” he’d like it to be working at 100%.

“They’re OK,” he said of the astronauts. “They trained to manage through the situation.”

Artemis II is poised to set a distance record for humans, traveling more than 252,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth before hanging a U-turn behind the moon and heading home without stopping or entering lunar orbit. The record is currently held by Apollo 13.

The Canadian Space Agency celebrated the country’s role in the mission, speaking from Quebec with astronaut Jeremy Hansen as he headed toward his lunar rendezvous. Hansen is the first non-U.S. citizen to fly to the moon.

“Today he is making history for Canada,” Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell said. “As we watch him taking this bold step into the unknown, let his journey remind us that Canada’s future is written by those who dare to reach for more.”

In the live televised linkup, Hansen said he has already witnessed “extraordinary” views from NASA's Orion capsule.

Hansen, Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch are the world's first lunar astronauts since Apollo 17's crew of three in 1972. Koch and Glover are the first female and first Black astronauts to the moon, respectively.

Their nearly 10-day mission — ending with a Pacific splashdown on April 10 — is the first step in NASA's bold plans for a sustainable moon base. The space agency is aiming for a landing by two astronauts near the lunar south pole in 2028.

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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.

Trump has called Tehran “beaten and completely decimated " in the war, now in its sixth week, but the downing of two U.S. warplanes on Friday and Iran’s call to find the “enemy pilot” have again raised the stakes.

“The doors of hell will be opened to you” if Iran’s infrastructure is attacked, Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi with the country's joint military command said late Saturday in response to Trump’s renewed threat, state media reported. In turn, the general threatened all infrastructure used by the U.S. military in the region.

The war began with joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Feb. 28 and has killed thousands, shaken global markets, cut off key shipping routes and spiked fuel prices. Both sides have threatened, and hit, civilian targets, bringing warnings of possible war crimes.

“We will continue to crush them,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, and confirmed that Israel's military struck a petrochemical complex in Mahshahr that he said helps to fund the war. Five people were killed and 170 injured, Iranian state media reported, citing a provincial security official.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said that an airstrike hit near its Bushehr nuclear facility, killing a security guard and damaging a support building. The head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, said that 198 workers were being evacuated. It was the fourth time the facility was targeted.

Hopes for talks

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, told The Associated Press that his government’s efforts to broker a ceasefire are “right on track" after Islamabad last week said that it would soon host talks between the U.S. and Iran.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said that Iranian officials “have never refused to go to Islamabad.”

Mediators from Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt were working to bring the U.S. and Iran to the negotiating table, according to two regional officials.

The proposed compromise includes a cessation of hostilities to allow a diplomatic settlement, according to a regional official involved in the efforts and a Gulf diplomat briefed on the matter. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door diplomacy.

Trump reminded Iran of his deadline in a social media post: “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them."

A missing US pilot

The U.S. warplane, identified by Iran as a F-15E Strike Eagle, was one of two attacked on Friday. Iran’s joint military command on Saturday said that it also struck two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters, but the AP couldn’t independently verify that.

The search for the U.S. pilot focused on a mountainous region in Iran’s southwestern province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad. An anchor on a channel affiliated with Iranian state television urged residents to hand over any “enemy pilot” to police.

In an email from the Pentagon, obtained by the AP, the military said that it received notification of “an aircraft being shot down” in the Middle East. A U.S. crew member was rescued. The Pentagon notified the U.S. House Armed Services Committee that the status of a second service member wasn't known.

Trump told NBC News that what happened wouldn't affect negotiations with Iran.

Iranian state media reported that airstrikes in southwestern Iran on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded others — in the same area where the missing American crew member is believed to be.

A second U.S. Air Force combat aircraft went down in the Middle East on Friday, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military situation. It wasn't clear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down, or whether Iran was involved.

Iranian state media said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iran’s defense forces.

Oracle's Dubai headquarters struck

The Dubai offices of tech company Oracle was hit after Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened the firm. Footage verified by the AP outside the UAE showed a large hole in the building's southwestern corner.

The sheikhdom’s Dubai Media Office, which speaks for its government, noted a “minor incident caused by debris from an aerial interception that fell on the facade," saying there were no injuries. Oracle Corp., based in Texas, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Guard has accused some large U.S. tech companies of being involved in “terrorist espionage” operations against the Islamic Republic and called them legitimate targets. Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE and Bahrain were hit in earlier drone strikes.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, issued a veiled threat late Friday to disrupt traffic through a second strategic waterway in the region, the Bab el-Mandeb.

The strait, 32 kilometers (20 miles) wide, links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. More than a tenth of seaborne global oil and a quarter of container ships pass through it.

“Which countries and companies account for the highest transit volumes through the strait?” Qalibaf wrote.

More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war began.

In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, more than two dozen people have died, while 19 have been reported dead in Israel and 13 U.S. service members have been killed. In Lebanon, more than 1,400 people have been killed and there have been more than 1 million displaced people. Ten Israeli soldiers have died there.

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Jon Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Samy Magdy from Cairo. Munir Ahmed in Islamabad; Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia; and Konstantin Toropin, Seung Min Kim, Will Weissert, Michelle L. Price, Lisa Mascaro and Ben Finley in Washington, contributed to this report.

• TIMELINE: Severe weather threat this Easter weekend, rain in Houston could impact your plans

According to the FAA website, the ground delay was in place until 6:30 p.m.

A visibly upset Auriemma went over to Staley in the final seconds of South Carolina’s 62-48 victory on Friday night 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. It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut,” the Hall of Fame coach said in a statement on Saturday. “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.”

Staley said Saturday morning she was focused on the title game against UCLA on Sunday and not what happened a night earlier.

“For me, no distractions at this time. I'm concentrating on winning a national championship, that’s it,” Staley said. “That’s a little disheartening. This is sports, sometimes things like this happen. Continue to focus on my team and ability to advance in this tournament and hopefully win another national championship.”

Staley added that she would address the issue at a later point.

After the loss, Auriemma said the exchange was about the lack of a traditional pregame handshake between the coaches. Staley said she was confused Friday night.

“I have no idea,” the South Carolina coach said after the game. “But I’m going to let you know this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity. So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn’t know. I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand.

“I don’t know what he came with after the game, but, hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on.”

According to the NCAA's policy in its operations manual for the tournament, after starting lineups are announced for both teams, the two coaches are directed to meet at midcourt and shake hands. Staley and Auriemma shook hands earlier in the pregame, but not after introductions, which irked Auriemma.

The women’s basketball committee always reviews issues that arise in the tournament after it concludes, the NCAA said.

South Carolina advanced to play UCLA in Sunday's title game. The Gamecocks are seeking their third championship in five seasons.

UConn and South Carolina are set to play each other in each of the next two seasons, with the first game in Connecticut.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Fresh off losing the English League Cup final to City before the international break, Arsenal saw another potential trophy slip from its grasp when conceding in the 85th minute to lose 2-1 at Southampton — a team in seventh place in the Championship.

It left City as the big favorite to clinch a cup double this season, with the thrashing of Liverpool securing a place in the FA Cup semifinals for a record eighth straight season.

Mohamed Salah’s failure from the penalty spot added to the woes of Liverpool, whose meltdown at Etihad Stadium will put more heat on under-pressure manager Arne Slot.

Chelsea also advanced, routing third-tier Port Vale 7-0. The semifinal line-up will be completed Sunday when West Ham hosts Leeds, after which the last-four draw will be made.

Arsenal cup hopes disappearing

So much for Arsenal's hopes of a quadruple of major trophies this season.

It's now just the Premier League and Champions League up for grabs with manager Mikel Arteta's decision to field a weakened lineup backfiring at St. Mary's stadium.

Trailing to a 35th-minute strike by Ross Stewart, Arsenal sent on Viktor Gyokeres — fresh off scoring the goal that lifted Sweden into the World Cup on Tuesday — and the striker equalized in the 68th.

Still, Southampton continued to look dangerous on the counterattack and Shea Charles, a former academy product at Man City, fired home from inside the area to secure a famous win.

“To go and beat arguably the best team in Europe at the minute is an incredible feeling,” Stewart said.

In an added blow to Arsenal ahead of its upcoming Champions League quarterfinal against Sporting Lisbon, Brazil center back Gabriel Magalhaes was forced off with a left knee injury midway through the second half. He was seen later with ice on the knee.

“This is the first moment that we have (this season) with a certain level of difficulty,” said Arteta, whose team has a nine-point lead in the Premier League.

Haaland's 12th hat trick for City

Haaland's 18-minute hat trick started with a penalty in the 39th minute after Virgil van Dijk tripped Nico O'Reilly. Then he headed home a cross from Antoine Semenyo in first-half stoppage time, before sweeping in a finish off the crossbar in the 57th.

The Norway striker's first hat trick of the season for City was his 12th for the club since he joined in 2022.

Semenyo scored the other goal in the 50th for City, which sealed a return to Wembley Stadium two weeks after beating Arsenal there in the League Cup final.

“This club has to win trophies,” said Haaland, who was described after the game as a “machine” by City assistant coach Pep Lijnders — the former Liverpool No. 2 who was deputizing in the dugout while Pep Guardiola served a touchline suspension.

Salah, who announced during the international break he’s leaving Liverpool after nine trophy-filled seasons, was beginning his long goodbye to the Reds but couldn’t mark it with a goal. The best of the many chances he spurned came from a penalty, which City goalkeeper James Trafford palmed away in the 64th.

It was a record 18th straight home win for City in the FA Cup, dating to 2017. Guardiola's team shared a record with Clapham Rovers for reaching seven consecutive FA Cup finals but now holds it outright.

Many Liverpool fans were seen leaving the stadium after the fourth City goal.

“The fighting spirit wasn’t there enough, the mentality wasn’t there enough," Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai said. "None of us were there to be honest as much as we could.

“It’s a hard time but we have to stick together."

Chelsea overwhelms Port Vale

Like City, Chelsea romped to a big win — though this one was expected.

Playing without Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez for disciplinary reasons, Chelsea still had more than enough to dispatch Port Vale at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals by Jorrel Hato, Joao Pedro, Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Estevao and Alejandro Garnacho. There was also an own-goal.

Chelsea has won the FA Cup eight times, most recently in 2018.

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

Asterisk Talley never imagined the nightmare that helped make it possible Saturday in the Augusta National Women's Amateur.

Marin stuck to her plan of staying close until a moment that changed everything with shocking swiftness — her changing her mind and going for the green on the par-5 13th for a go-ahead birdie, and Talley adding to the sad history of collapses on the back nine at the home of the Masters.

“I just reminded myself that I had to stay really, really patient because anything can happen out here,” Marin said after closing with a 4-under 68 for a four-shot victory. “When that last putt sank in, I just thought to myself, ‘Well, I made it.’ All of my hard work has paid off, and I’m just extremely proud of myself.”

Talley was devastated. The 17-year-old Californian twice went from the back bunker into Rae's Creek for a quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-3 12th hole. That allowed Marin to go from a tight contest to a five-shot lead.

Talley, who didn't make her first bogey of the tournament until the 11th hole of the final round, shot 42 on the back nine for a 75 to finish six shots behind.

“I’m just a little emotional, not only because I didn’t get it done today, but also just everyone is so supportive,” Talley said. “It’s hard when they have to watch that and see you not do well or not accomplish what you wanted. I still played fine today even though that one hole just kind of got me.”

Marin, a junior at Arkansas, becomes the third NCAA champion to win at the home of the Masters, following Jennifer Kupcho and Rose Zhang, and this one featured a shocker on the back nine.

Talley, who led by as many as four shots early, missed a short birdie chance on the 10th and a short par putt on the 11th to fall into a tie with Marin.

And then it all came undone.

Talley went long with an 8-iron into a back bunker on the 12th, the hole that ruined Jordan Spieth's chances of a repeat Masters victory in 2016. She went at the right pin with a shot too strong, and the ball rolled off the front, down a slope and into the water. Talley decided to drop in the bunker, and then did the same thing again.

“I didn’t think going to the other side was the best option at the time,” Talley said. “I thought since we could rake the bunker, maybe we could get it to not be so hard. It was still the same after dropping. The same thing happened. Just couldn’t really get under the ball there.”

Stunned, she took her next penalty drop on the other side of the water, pitched to about 8 feet and holed that for a quadruple-bogey 7.

“Probably should have done that the first time,” Talley said. “But you don’t really think of that when you’re in the moment.”

Marin had far better fortune on No. 12. Her shot came up short, and was close enough to the bunker that it stayed up on a small shelf of grass instead of rolling into the water. She saved par, and began to pull away with her two-putt birdie on the 13th and Talley's big blunder on No. 12.

“I think it was just God holding the ball there,” Marin said.

The last challenge for Marin came from Andrea Revuelta, who birdied Amen Corner to stay on the fringes of contention.

Marin finally saw a leaderboard showing her four shots ahead and said the adrenaline played a part in hitting a wedge over the green. She had to make a 5-foot putt for bogey, right after Revuelta narrowly missed an 8-foot birdie.

Marin hit 7-iron to 6 feet for her sixth birdie that put it away.

Revuelta closed with a 68 and was runner-up. Talley took a double bogey on the 16th — she played par 3s in 6 over on the back nine — and wound up in a five-way tie for fourth. Meja Örtengren of Sweden, playing in the final group with Talley, shot 74.

Marin set an Augusta National Women's Amateur record at 14-under 202. The smile never left her face as she walked up the 18th green, raising her right hand when she tapped in for par. Among those who celebrated with her was Maria Fassi of Mexico, another Arkansas star who was runner-up in the inaugural tournament. Marin has called that moment a big inspiration.

Masters chairman Fred Ridley presented the trophy to her in Butler Cabin, and Marin held it aloft, smiled wide and said, “It's so pretty.”

“Winning in this place, I don’t think there’s ever going to be a feeling to describe it. It’s just magical,” she said. “This is the temple of golf, and just getting this win, it’s amazing for me.”

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

Verlander, the major league's oldest active player at 43, was placed on the 15-day injured list with left hip inflammation. On Sunday night, Verlander was scheduled to make his first start in a Tigers uniform at Detroit's home park since Aug. 20, 2017.

“It's frustrating for me, obviously,” Verlander said. “I also know a lot of fans were excited about tomorrow night.”

Verlander was dealt to Houston at the trade deadline in 2017. He re-signed with Detroit on a one-year, $13 million contract in February after spending last season with San Francisco.

Verlander made 380 starts for Detroit from 2005-17. In his first start this season, Verlander gave up five runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings on Monday against Arizona and took the loss.

The injury popped up during that start. Verlander said it wasn't serious and that he might have been able to pitch on Sunday but the organization wanted to take a cautious approach.

“It was really sore the next day or two but it's been trending in the right direction,” he said. “So it was kind of a wait-and-see game if it could get good enough. To be quite frank, it probably is good enough if we wanted to push it. But AJ (manager AJ Hinch) and the front office — and I agree with them — felt it was not the time of year to do that. And unfortunately we don't have an off-day to finagle with it, which also kind of hurts.”

Verlander believes he'll have a short stay on the IL.

“It's not ideal but nothing too bad,” he said. “I think we got it under control.”

RHP Keider Montero was recalled from Triple-A Toledo and is expected to start the finale of a three-game series against St. Louis.

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

If anyone knows Milby High School, it’s Dr. Don Williams. The historian and teacher has likely forgotten more about the school than most people will ever know, including the story behind its name.

“Charles Milby was not only a member of the community. He was a philanthropist, he had a lot of property and supported everybody,” Williams said.

• Senior Scholarship winner Audisie Giron from Milby High School wants to help her community through nursing

Williams attended Milby in the 1980s, then returned to teach African American Studies. He’s also a Texas historian, giving him a unique perspective on the school’s long and layered past dating back to it’s opening on March 28, 1926.

“It was still segregated, up until the 65/66 school year. And originally it was just whites and Hispanics, yes,” Williams said.

Williams also points out what makes Milby stand out among Houston Independent School District campuses.

“It’s the only high school in HISD that has the same name and the same location,” he said.

• One year later: Where plans stand for Houston’s Milby HS student’s memorial pedestrian bridge

While Milby has seen its share of ups and downs, things appear to be heading in the right direction, thanks in large part to Principal Ruth Peña, who has led the campus for eight years. Peña is a Milby graduate herself, and that connection runs deep throughout her staff.

“I graduated here from Milby in 1993, over 60 percent of my staff is Milby alum, so that makes a big difference. You’ve been there, done that, you know the neighborhood,” Peña said.

Peña said 98 percent of the campus is minority, and the goal is to shoot for excellence.

“We want to make sure our kids are coming out of this campus well educated, ready for the workforce, ready for college,” Peña said.

Milby holds a special place in many hearts.

Saturday the school, staff, and alumni will celebrate its 100 years.

The Festivities begin at 9:30 a.m. with a re-enactment of the original march from the old school building to the current campus. ‘

The celebration continues throughout the day, and everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information you can visit: Centennial Celebration | Milby Alumni

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Parker, Holdsclaw and members of the 1996 Olympic team were all in attendance Friday at halftime of the UConn-South Carolina game during the women's Final Four, where the selections were announced, as was Amar’e Stoudemire and Mike D’Antoni.

They will be joined by longtime NBA official Joey Crawford, NBA coach Doc Rivers and Gonzaga coach Mark Few in the Hall of Fame.

Parker won three titles in the WNBA with three different teams: Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas. She is the only player in league history to win both the MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season.

She also won two titles while playing in college for Tennessee under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, plus two Olympic gold medals and two WNBA MVP awards.

Delle Donne won two league MVP awards in 2015 and 2019, the second of which came when she led the Washington Mystics to their lone WNBA championship. Delle Donne became the first player in league history to shoot more than 50% from the field, 40% from behind the 3-point line and 90% from the free-throw line.

Holdsclaw won three straight titles at Tennessee from 1996-98, the first team to accomplish that. The 1998 championship was Tennessee’s first undefeated season at 39–0 and the Vols also set an NCAA record for the most wins in a season. Holdsclaw went on to have an 11-year WNBA career.

Stoudemire, who was the only NBA player in this year's class, was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003 and six-time All-Star. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Phoenix Suns, where he teamed with D'Antoni.

Rivers has 1,192 victories on his resume, which puts him sixth on the all-time wins list. He led the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008 and also was in charge of the Los Angeles Clippers during their Lob City era.

Few has won more than 770 games at Gonzaga in his career at the school. He set the NCAA Division I men's coaching record by winning 81 games in his first three years at the school.

Crawford officiated 2,561 regular-season NBA games and 50 Finals games over his 39-year career. He retired in 2016.

The enshrinement ceremony will take place in August at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

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This version corrects Rivers’ placement on career wins list from eighth to sixth.

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

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen said Saturday that he and his Artemis II crewmates got to watch the film with their families before launching on the lunar fly-around. He said it was “a real treat” to view the movie while getting ready for his own space adventure.

Gosling, a fellow Canadian, sent best wishes to the four astronauts ahead of Wednesday's liftoff.

“Art imitates science and vice versa,” Hansen said during a live televised event arranged by the Canadian Space Agency. “I thought it was just such an inspirational example — somebody who goes out there and just gets what was done to save humanity. It’s a pretty extraordinary example that we can all follow.”

Hansen is the first non-U.S. citizen to fly to the moon.

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In a motion filed Friday, National Park Service lawyers say that the federal judge's order to suspend construction of the new facility is “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the President and his family, and the President’s staff.”

“Time is of the essence!” the lawyers write, citing materials that will be installed to make a “heavily fortified” facility. The ballroom construction also includes bomb shelters, military installations and a medical facility, according to the filing. The ballroom is part of President Donald Trump's plans to quickly remake Washington.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington on Tuesday ordered the temporary pause of the construction project that has included demolishing the East Wing of the White House. He concluded that unless Congress approves the project, the preservationist group suing to stop it is likely to succeed on the merits of its claims because “no statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have.”

The judge suspended enforcement of his order for 14 days acknowledging that the administration would appeal his decision.

Leon's ruling and the appeal come the same week a key agency tasked with approving construction on federal property in the Washington region gave final approval to the project.

In his ruling Leon, who was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush, suspended enforcement of his order recognizing that "halting an ongoing construction project may raise logistical issues.”

Leon also addressed national security in his ruling, saying that he reviewed information that the government privately submitted to him and concluded that halting construction wouldn't jeopardize national security. He exempted any construction work that is necessary for the safety and security of the White House from the scope of the injunction.

Trump lashed out at the ruling, but also noted that it would allow work on underground bunkers and other security measures around the White House grounds to continue — even though those will be paid for by taxpayers. Trump has pledged that he, along with private donors, will cover the costs for the ballroom construction.

But the National Park Service argues in its motion that the president has “complete authority to renovate the White House” and the current state of the grounds, which is an open construction site, make it harder to protect the White House.

“Canvas tents, which are necessary without a ballroom, are significantly more vulnerable to missiles, drones, and other threats than a hardened national security facility,” the motion says.

The Trump administration is asking the appeals court to make a decision on its request by Friday. It also asked that the 14-day suspension of Leon's order be extended by another two weeks so that the case can be taken to the Supreme Court.

With the officiating. With his team's performance. With South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

The Huskies coach ripped into the officiating during a live TV interview and then had a heated argument with Staley in the final seconds of their 62-48 loss to the Gamecocks. But a rough night for UConn stars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd was the main cause of the Huskies' poor showing in the national semifinals of the women's Final Four on Friday night.

A minute after his sideline blowup, Auriemma stalked off the floor alone, stewing over the nightmare performance.

Fudd — a senior — shouldered the blame, saying she felt she let the team down.

“I thought some of our shots were a little rushed, some of our offense was a little rushed, out of pace,” Fudd said. “But when we got a lot of good looks, a lot of shots in our offense, shots that we are used to taking, we just didn’t hit very many.”

The Huskies hadn't faced much on-court adversity this season, winning almost all of their previous 38 games by a lopsided margin. Once it hit on Friday, UConn wasn't able to respond.

Auriemma said the officiating didn't help.

“There were six fouls called that quarter — all of them against us," Auriemma said on the broadcast at the end of the third quarter. "And they’ve been beating the (expletive) out of our guys down there the entire game. I’m not making excuses, ’cause we haven’t been able to make a shot. But this is ridiculous.

“Their coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referee some names you don’t want to hear. And now we get 6 to 0, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey, and they go, ‘I didn’t see it.’ Come on, man. It’s for a national championship.”

Auriemma wasn't finished showing his displeasure. The 72-year-old coach walked toward Staley in the final seconds of the game before the two had an angry exchange, with assistants having to get in between them. Auriemma blamed the dustup on Staley not following the proper protocol for a pregame handshake.

Once the game finally ended, Auriemma slowly walked off the court and down the tunnel without a postgame handshake with the Gamecocks. The teams did shake hands and Auriemma apologized for his behavior on Saturday.

UConn has relied all season on Strong and Fudd, a pair of All-America selections who were steady throughout the season. Against South Carolina, Strong finished with just 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting. Fudd scored eight on 3-of-15 shooting, including 2 of 9 from long range.

The Huskies' lone offensive bright spot came midway through the third quarter. Kayleigh Heckel, Blanca Quiñonez and Fudd each hit a 3-pointer in a 90-second span to cut the deficit to 40-39, but UConn was never able to take the lead. South Carolina took a 44-39 advantage into the fourth quarter and slowly pulled away.

UConn scored just nine points in the fourth, shooting 2 of 14 from the field. The 48 points were easily a season low. The Huskies were also dominated on the glass, with South Carolina holding a 47-32 advantage.

It's true that it was a physical game. Bodies were flying under the basket for the majority of the night for both teams. UConn was whistled for 17 fouls, while South Carolina was called for just eight.

The problem for Strong and Fudd was they couldn't hit shots even when they had a little space to operate. The 6-foot-2 Strong — AP's Player of the Year — was bothered by South Carolina's interior size, with several of her inside shots rattling in and out.

“Well, sometimes we do forget she’s a sophomore,” Auriemma said. “She’s carried a huge load for this team. An awful lot falls on her. Tonight she’ll be the first to tell you that she is not proud of how her game went today.”

Strong's teammates couldn't pick up the slack. Ashlynn Shade finished with 10 points and Quiñonez added seven. Heckel missed a layup late in the game and the broadcast showed her starting to cry walking back down the court.

Teammates encouraged her and one even lifted her chin, but the damage was done.

UConn’s 54-game winning streak is over.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Ahem, tortoise.

This all probably needs an explanation.

During a game last August, Brewers manager Pat Murphy was caught taking a pancake from the pocket of his hoodie for a midgame bite, right in the middle of a dugout interview during a game against the Nationals. It wasn't necessarily new for Murphy, who's been known to have everything from waffles to eggs rolls close at hand should he get the munchies.

But given the game was nationally televised, the moment immediately went viral. And the Brewers even latched onto the momentum, introducing “Murph's Pocket Pancakes” as concession items for Sunday home games at American Family Field.

Back to the turtle — er, tortoise.

The Brewers were supposed to play the Royals on Friday night on Apple TV, though the game was called 90 minutes before first pitch because of the rain. During a pregame interview with Apple's reporter, Tricia Whitaker, Murphy said he was informed “under no uncertain circumstances, no pocket pancakes” during their talk, so he pulled out what was supposed to be a pocket turtle.

“This is Bobby Jr.,” Murphy said in presenting it to her, having named the creature after his longtime friend, Bobby Witt, and his son, Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. “I didn't want to pull out pancakes so here we are.”

Whitaker posted the moment on social media, and fans immediately informed her that the reptile was not, in fact, a pocket turtle — or any turtle. It was a tortoise, or more specifically a Sulcata tortoise, which can live 70 years and grow to 100 pounds.

“How am I supposed to fly this home?” Whitaker asked.

Good question.

Turns out, as Whitaker later posted on social media, American Airlines has “a strict no reptiles policy,” so Bobby Jr. had to stay behind in Kansas City. The agreement, she wrote, is that the club would keep the tortoise for the time being.

Indeed, the reptile was happily living under a heat lamp in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday, though the plan is to find Bobby Jr. a good home soon. He won't be traveling with the club all season.

“It was suggested by one player,” Whitaker said, “that they get to keep the ‘rally turtle' if they win today. If they lose, I am hoping, consideration will be given to send me the tortoise.”

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The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston on Friday granting the preliminary injunction follows a lawsuit filed last month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general. It will only apply to public universities in plaintiffs.

The federal judge said the federal government likely has the authority to collect the data, but the demand was rolled out to universities in a “rushed and chaotic” manner.

“The 120-day deadline imposed by the President led directly to the failure of NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) to engage meaningfully with the institutions during the notice-and-comment process to address the multitude of problems presented by the new requirements,” Saylor wrote.

President Donald Trump ordered the data collection in August after he raised concerns that colleges and universities were using personal statements and other proxies to consider race, which he views as illegal discrimination.

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of affirmative action in admissions but said colleges could still consider how race has shaped students’ lives if applicants share that information in their admissions essays.

The states argue the data collection risks invading student privacy and leading to baseless investigations of colleges and universities. They also argued that universities have not been given enough time to collect the data.

“The data has been sought in such a hasty and irresponsible way that it will create problems for universities,” a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Michelle Pascucci, told the court, adding that the effort seem was aimed at uncovering unlawful practices.

The Education Department has defended the effort, arguing taxpayers deserve transparency on how money is spent at institutions that receive federal funding.

The administration's policy echoes settlement agreements the government negotiated with Brown University and Columbia University, restoring their federal research money. The universities agreed to give the government data on the race, grade-point average and standardized test scores of applicants, admitted students and enrolled students. The schools also agreed to be audited by the government and to release admissions statistics to the public.

The National Center for Education Statistics is to collect the new data, including the race and sex of colleges’ applicants, admitted students and enrolled students. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has said the data, which was originally due by March 18, must be disaggregated by race and sex and retroactively reported for the past seven years.

If colleges fail to submit timely, complete and accurate data, the administration has said McMahon can take action under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which outlines requirements for colleges receiving federal financial aid for students.

The Trump administration separately has sued Harvard University over similar data, saying it refused to provide admissions records the Justice Department demanded to ensure the school stopped using affirmative action. Harvard has said the university has been responding to the government’s requests and is in compliance with the high court ruling against affirmative action. On Monday, the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights directed Harvard to comply with the data requests within 20 days for face referral to the U.S. Justice Department.

The latest actions were taken just this week when Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined they were no longer eligible for either lawful permanent resident status, or to enter the United States. The steps follow a move late last year in which the visas of several diplomats and staffers at Iran’s mission to the United Nations were also revoked.

In a statement on Saturday, the State Department said the niece and grand-niece of former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike near the Baghdad airport in 2020, had been arrested late Friday by immigration agents after Rubio revoked their green cards.

“Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” the statement said, adding that Afshar’s husband has also been banned from entering the United States.

Afshar and her daughter had been living a “lavish lifestyle” in Los Angeles for many years while publicly supporting the Iranian government and anti-American attacks, according to the statement.

She is “an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the “Great Satan,” Rubio said in a post on X. “The Trump administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes.”

The Iranian mission to the U.N. had no comment Saturday.

Afshar and her daughter are just the latest Iranians to have their legal status in the U.S. rescinded by Rubio, who recently revoked the visas of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, an academic and the daughter of Iran’s former national security adviser Ali Larijani who was killed in a U.S.-Israel airstrike last month. Her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, also had his visa revoked, the State Department said. Neither are still in the U.S.

In early December, well before the surge of anti-government protests in Iran and the start of the war, the State Department revoked or declined to renew visas of several Iranian diplomats, including the deputy ambassador, and staffers at Iran’s mission to the United Nations.

The department said Friday that action had been taken on Dec. 4 but declined to comment further “for privacy and security reasons” except to note that it was unrelated to either the protests or the war.

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AP reporter Farnoush Amiri contributed to this story.