The government revealed the decision as it seeks to settle a lawsuit filed by LGBTQ+ and historic preservation groups who had sought to block the removal. A judge must still approve the agreement.

According to court papers, the Interior Department and National Park Service “have confirmed their intention to maintain a Pride flag at Stonewall.” It won’t be removed, except for “maintenance or other practical purposes.”

Under the agreement, within a week, the Park Service will hang three flags on the Stonewall monument flag pole — each measuring three feet by five feet. The Pride flag will fly between the U.S. flag and Park Service flag.

The Pride flag had become a flashpoint for arguments over President Donald Trump ’s approach to the Stonewall site — the first national monument commemorating LGBTQ+ history — and various other historical properties.

According to a statement from the FBI’s Houston field office, agents are conducting official activity at a residence in the area of Camberwell Court.

Officials have not released details about the nature of the investigation or what prompted the operation.

Recent news coverage from the Associated Press indicates that the raid is possibly be connected to the attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in San Francisco last week.

However, authorities have not confirmed the exact relationship between Altman and the property, and it remains unclear who is directly involved in the investigation.

According to reporting from the Associated Press, a 20-year-old man was arrested after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s home on Friday. The suspect’s name has not been confirmed.

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, confirmed that the targeted home belonged to Altman in a statement.

The FBI emphasized that the activity is “court-authorized,” suggesting agents are operating under a warrant or similar legal order.

No information has been released regarding arrests, if any, or whether there is any immediate threat to the public.

KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry is heading to the scene. This is a developing story.

A report from the Associated Press contributed to this report.

A large swath of the movie industry, including Denis Villeneuve, Kristen Stewart, J.J. Abrams and Joaquin Phoenix came out forcefully against the $111 billion deal that would consolidate two legacy studios into one, arguing that it further reduce jobs and movies in an already downsized Hollywood.

“The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world,” reads the letter, posted on BlocktheMerger.com. “Alarmingly, this merger would reduce the number of major U.S. film studios to just four.”

In late February, David Ellison's Paramount Skydance reached a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in one of the largest media mergers ever. The deal awaits a shareholder vote later this month and government regulatory approval. Paramount's victory came after months of negotiations and a rival bid by Netflix that ultimately fell short.

The deal was only the latest massive merger to rock Hollywood. In 2019, 20th Century Fox was acquired by The Walt Disney Co. for $71.3 billion.

Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, has pledged to keep Paramount and Warner Bros. as stand-alone movie studio operations, and vowed to release a combined 30 movies a year in theaters. Paramount has acknowledged the merger will also lead to significant cuts due to duplication.

In response to the open letter, Paramount issued a statement Monday arguing that the merger will give creators “more avenues for their work, not fewer.”

“This transaction uniquely brings together complementary strengths to create a company that can greenlight more projects, back bold ideas, support talent across multiple stages of their careers, and bring stories to audiences at a truly global scale,” the studio said.

But many in the film industry believe a merger will mean extensive job losses and a consolidation of power.

“We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good,” read the letter. “The integrity, independence, and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised.”

A coalition of advocacy groups organized the letter, including the Committee for the First Amendment — a free speech group led by Jane Fonda — as well as the Democracy Defenders Fund and the Future Film Coalition. Other signatories include: Ben Stiller, Don Cheadle, Javier Bardem, Lily Gladstone, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tiffany Haddish and Ted Danson.

On Monday, one signee, Damon Lindelof, detailed his decision on Instagram. Lindelof, the creator of “Watchmen” and the co-creator of “Lost,” has an overall deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.

“Hollywood mergers mean fewer movies and fewer TV shows and that means fewer jobs,” wrote Lindelof. “When two storied backlots are owned by the same company, the outcome is intuitive — one becomes a Ghost Town. I’m scared. But I’m not a ghost. And a fight is already lost if it’s never fought.”

Representatives for Warner Bros. didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.

After a weekend of downpours, southeast Texas gets a break from widespread rain and storms.

We’ll still see a few storms firing up across the afternoon hours and it will stay warm and humid, highs generally in the mid 80s.

Monday evening, the best chance for rain and isolated storms will remain west of Harris County, but it looks spotty and far from a washout.

Temperatures stay mild, and humidity stays high. Rain chances won’t be a huge issue but there will be some isolated downpours at times.

Next Cold Front:

It won’t be until the weekend that we see a cool front bring a temperature change.

Rain is also possible along the front - so stay connected as we monitor the timing and intensity.

Extended forecast:

The spring showers stick around through the middle of the week.

However, Trump warned on social media that any Iranian warships that come “anywhere close” to the U.S. blockade will be destroyed. It wasn’t clear whether the blockade had started by the designated time of 10 a.m. EDT.

The move sets the stage for a showdown as Iran has responded with threats against ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The war, now in its seventh week, has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets. Ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran over the weekend ended without an agreement, raising questions about what happens when the current two-week truce expires on April 22.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military is pushing ahead with its air and ground offensive in southern Lebanon, engaging in fierce fighting with Hezbollah militants over a strategic town while the group also fires rockets and drones at northern Israel.

Here is the latest:

Finland’s president says Iran ‘holds a lot of cards’ with control of Strait of Hormuz

The president of NATO ally Finland says that Iran has the upper hand in the war with Israel and the United States because it controls the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane though which a vast amount of the world’s oil supply transits.

Alexander Stubb said at an event at the Washington-based Brookings Institution think tank that control of the strait has become a “de facto nuclear weapon” for Iran, implicitly suggesting that the Trump administration had created the scenario by starting “a war of choice.”

“Iran holds a lot of the cards right now,” he said. “I’m afraid that that is the reality.”

OPEC oil production tumbled before US threatened blockade

The closure of the strait severely crimped output from OPEC last month. The 12-nation oil cartel, with members in the Middle East, Africa and Venezuela, said Monday that production tumbled by 7.89 million barrels a day in March, to 20.79 million barrels.

“Disruptions to shipping operations in the region raised persistent concerns about regional supply flows, while strong buying of prompt spot market barrels, production cuts, and declarations of force majeure further supported the upward price momentum,” OPEC said.

The organization said demand appears to be steady this year, but cut its forecast for the current quarter, citing the war.

Netanyahu spokeswoman rules out a ceasefire with Hezbollah

Shosh Bedrosian told reporters Monday that Israel’s upcoming talks with Lebanon will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between the two countries.

“We will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah, which continues to carry out indiscriminate attacks against Israel and our civilians,” she said.

Israel and the Lebanese army have both been unable to forcibly disarm Hezbollah.

US-Iran ceasefire is holding despite failed peace talks, Pakistan’s prime minister says

Efforts are underway to resolve the remaining disputes between Washington and Tehran as a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan remains intact, said the country’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif.

In televised remarks at a Cabinet meeting, Sharif cautioned that peace efforts take time, citing past agreements such as the Geneva accords.

China says the priority should be to maintain the Iran-US ceasefire

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said that the current priority should be to maintain the ceasefire between Iran and the United States and prevent conflict from reigniting in the Middle East.

Chinese top diplomat made the comments in a phone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.

Pakistan has been mediating between Iran and the U.S. and was able to bring them to historic, face-to-face talks over the weekend. However, the negotiations ended without an agreement, raising questions about the fate of the two-week truce.

Starmer and Macron to chair a leaders’ meeting on the Strait of Hormuz

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says world leaders will meet this week to push for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Starmer said that with French President Emmanuel Macron, “I will convene a summit of leaders this week to drive forward the international effort” to end the conflict and unblock the key oil route.

He told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday the strait must reopen with “no conditions” and “no tolls.”

France and the U.K. have in recent weeks been spearheading international efforts to increase pressure on Iran to stop blocking the strait. They have also convened military planning meetings for an operation to provide security for shipping once the conflict ends.

It’s unclear what impact a U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports announced by Trump will have on those plans.

Spanish prime minister Sánchez returns to China seeking deeper ties amid Iran war tensions

It’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s fourth trip in just over three years to the world’s number two economy.

His visit comes at a complex geopolitical moment as European leaders try to influence an end to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, and as Spain’s relationship with the U.S. has been strained by Sánchez’s vocal disapproval of the conflict.

Under Sánchez, Spain has sought to diversify its political relations with the world’s large powers, including Beijing.

On Monday, the prime minister urged China to assume a larger role in a multipolar world, speaking at a university in Beijing a day before he is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

▶ Read more

Trump says Iranian ships that come ‘anywhere close’ to US blockade will be destroyed

The president made the comment on social media just after the blockade of Iran was expected to begin. Trump said Iran has some “fast attack ships” remaining even after much of its navy was destroyed by U.S. strikes.

“Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He added: “It is quick and brutal.”

Germany’s foreign minister says Strait of Hormuz should remain ‘free and open’

Johann Wadephul told reporters in Berlin on Monday it is “urgently necessary to ... ensure that the Strait of Hormuz, which is, after all, an international maritime route, remains free and open.”

The foreign minister said keeping the strait open “is required by international law, and it must be observed by all; making this a reality must be the goal of us all.”

Wadephul did not further elaborate on Trump’s earlier vow to block the strait. He said Germany is focused on helping to resolve the conflict through diplomacy.

Where things stand on ceasefire talks

The current truce between the U.S. and Iran appears to be holding, with no word on whether negotiations will resume before it expires on April 22.

Pakistan’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said his country will try to facilitate a new round of dialogue between Iran and the U.S. in the coming days. There was no immediate reaction from either side.

A key obstacle seems to be a perception on both sides that they won the war and that each has time on its side.

▶ Read more

Hezbollah keeps up fire on northern Israel ahead of Israel-Lebanon talks

As the Israeli military pushed ahead with its air and ground offensive in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group fired more rockets and drones at northern Israel on Monday.

Sirens rang out throughout the day in dozens of Israeli communities along the Lebanese border and in the city of Haifa, some 40 kilometers south, near key energy facilities.

The exchange of fire was taking place a day before Lebanon and Israel, which do not maintain diplomatic relations, were set to begin direct negotiations in the United States for the first time in decades.

The Israeli military said it intercepted more than 10 drones that crossed from Lebanon on Monday. The army says Hezbollah has fired over 250 projectiles since the temporary ceasefire was announced between the U.S., Israel and Iran last week.

Germany’s foreign minister says the world needs US, Israel and Iran to negotiate

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul welcomed that the current truce is holding and urged the warring parties to keep negotiating for a solution to the conflict.(backslash)

“The whole world is suffering from this. Here, we are engaged in crisis negotiations on the need to lower gasoline and diesel prices. On the African continent, there are now fears of widespread famine this summer because the necessary fertilizers cannot be transported. We have an acute shortage of fossil fuels in large parts of Asia,” he said during a joint press conference Monday with the South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola.

Nonetheless, Wadephul said Germany also supports “the American position that we need a credible and robust abandonment of Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon.”

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed 2,089 people during the latest Hezbollah-Israel war

That’s an increase of 34 deaths since the previous day’s count, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. It said Monday that among those killed were 252 women, 166 children, and 88 medical workers.

The number of wounded has increased to 6,762 people since the war began on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets towards northern Israel in solidarity with Iran, sparking Israel’s ground invasion and aerial bombardment campaign that has displaced over one million people.

Ahead of anticipated direct talks in Washington on Tuesday, the strikes across both sides of the tense frontier and fierce ground fighting in southern Lebanon have intensified.

Iran war’s global energy crisis sharpens China’s advantage in clean tech

While most of Asia is being hit hard, China will likely benefit from war-related fossil fuel disruptions despite being the biggest purchaser of Iranian oil.

China leads the world in battery, solar and electric vehicle exports, and its industries are forecast to face a rise in demand for renewable products.

Chinese industry giants like vehicle-maker BYD and battery-producer CATL are well-positioned to capitalize on growing interest in low-emissions energy products as the world confronts the fragility of fossil fuels. That contrasts with a more fragmented U.S. approach that has promoted fossil fuels.

“China’s approach to energy sector development and geopolitics has been completely validated by the Iran conflict,” said Sam Reynolds with the U.S.-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

▶ Read more

Stage is set for an extraordinary showdown over shipping off Iran’s coast

The U.S. military has vowed to blockade all Iranian ports to pressure Tehran into agreeing to open the crucial Strait of Hormuz and accepting a peace deal. Iran responded with threats on all the ports of U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

The showdown contains serious risks for the global economy and raises the specter that a ceasefire that is currently holding could collapse.

It was not clear if the blockade had started when the designated time of 10 a.m. EDT (2 p.m. GMT) arrived. Minutes earlier, a notice to mariners issued by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency, which monitors maritime security, said the restrictions included “the entirety of the Iranian coastline, including ports and energy infrastructure.”

The notice added that transit through the strait “to or from non-Iranian destinations is not reported to be impeded by these measures,” but it added that ships “may encounter military presence” in the strait.

Israeli fire kills 2 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials say

They were killed in two separate strikes in southern Gaza Monday, according to health officials at Nasser hospital, where the bodies arrived.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Where is the truce? Here is the truce,” said Mahmoud al-Faqaawy as he pointed at the motionless body of his cousin, covered in a white burial shroud in a hospital hallway. “They are saying a ceasefire, where is it?“

The Gaza Strip has seen near-daily Israeli fire and strikes since a fragile ceasefire was reached in October, with more than 750 Palestinians killed since then, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

The Israeli military claims its deadly barrage in Lebanon killed 250 Hezbollah militants

A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity under briefing guidelines, said several senior commanders were among those killed, but provided no further evidence to support the casualty claims.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said 357 people were killed, including more than 100 women, children and elderly. Based on those figures, Israel’s claims would require nearly all adult male casualties to be Hezbollah fighters.

The strikes were among the most expansive of the war and came as the United States and Iran entered into a ceasefire Israel said didn’t apply in Lebanon. The destruction and large number of civilian casualties drew condemnation from Lebanon and across the globe and prompted Trump to urge Israel to “dial it back.”

The military official said the timing of the April 8 operation was unrelated to the ceasefire. Israel said the next day that it would open peace talks with Lebanon. Negotiations are expected to begin on Tuesday in Washington, while Israel presses ahead with aerial and ground operations against Hezbollah.

— By Sam Metz

Oil prices hit $100 again as US prepares to blockade Iran's ports

Oil prices have jumped to more than $100 a barrel again and Wall Street appears to be following global markets lower as the U.S. military prepared to blockade traffic to and from Iranian ports. In the Strait of Hormuz, most shipping has been stalled since the start of the war.

Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average each fell 0.7% before the opening bell. Nasdaq futures slid 1%.

Trump announced the planned blockade after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement, and the U.S. military said the blockade involving all Iranian ports would begin Monday at 10 a.m. EDT.

Iran immediately responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Iranian envoy says Tehran open to US talks if no ‘unlawful demands’

Iran’s ambassador to India said Tehran is open to talks with the United States if Washington refrains from making “unlawful demands.”

Mohammad Fathali was referring to talks held in Islamabad and said the main sticking points were Iran’s nuclear program, war reparations and sanctions relief.

Asked about the prospects for future negotiations, Fathali told reporters in New Delhi, “If they (the U.S.) accept our conditions, it is possible.”

Russia evacuates almost all of its personnel from Iran’s nuclear power plant

The chief of Russia’s state nuclear corporation said Monday it was pulling nearly all of its personnel from Iran’s Russia-built nuclear power plant.

Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said 108 workers were leaving the power plant in Bushehr, and only 20 will stay behind to keep watch of the equipment at the plant where Russia is building two more nuclear reactors. Likhachev said that Russia has coordinated the workers’ evacuation with the Iranian authorities. Since the start of the war, Russia has repeatedly voiced concern about projectiles hitting the territory of the plant, some of them landing near its nuclear reactor.

Russia had planned the near complete evacuation long before the ceasefire, removing about 600 personnel in several waves in March and earlier this month.

Spain’s government calls Trump’s naval blockade threat ‘senseless’

Spain’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles condemned Trump’s threatened shipping blockade, saying it “makes no sense.”

“Since the war began, everything has been senseless,” Robles told Spanish broadcaster TVE on Monday. “Nobody knows the reason why this war started, a war that was supposed to be quick. This is just another episode of the downward spiral we have been dragged into, and that they have tried to drag the entire world into.”

Spain under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been Europe’s loudest critic of the U.S. and Israel’s military actions in the Middle East. The NATO member said earlier this month that its airspace was closed to the U.S. planes being used in Iran, and disallowed the U.S. from utilizing jointly operated military bases in southern Spain in the war effort.

Netanyahu says fighting to continue in Lebanon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said fighting is continuing in Lebanon on Monday, focused on the Bint Jbeil area, a strategic point that has been the site of fierce battles between Israel and Hezbollah over the years.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that Israel’s military is expanding beyond the five hilltops it controlled in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire with Hezbollah in 2024 towards a “solid, deeper security zone, which both prevents the danger of invasion and keeps the threat of terrorism away.”

Previously, Netanyahu said Israel wants to control the territory 8-10 kilometers (5-6 miles) from the border in southern Lebanon to remove the threat of short-range rockets or anti-tank missiles targeting Israeli cities and towns on the border.

Iran and Qatari foreign ministers discuss failed Islamabad talks

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke by phone with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The ministers discussed the Islamabad talks between Iran and the U.S. which failed to achieve a deal, according to the Iranian foreign ministry.

Iran’s Quds Force chief says US will leave Mideast empty-handed

The U.S. will leave the Middle East without any achievements, Iranian media reported on Monday, citing Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani, commander of the powerful elite Quds Force.

He noted that the U.S. and Israel should remember how they left Yemen likewise empty-handed in a prior campaign, according to the Tasnim and Mehr semiofficial news agencies.

Qaani suggested that the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels could close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as they did between 2023 and 2025. The attacks in Bab el-Mandeb prompted the U.S. to launch an air campaign against the Houthis. The rebels stopped attacking ships in the Red Sea after a deal with the Trump administration.

EU chief says bloc’s fuel bill is over $25B higher due to Iran war

The European Union’s fuel bill has risen by more than $25 billion since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran and is likely to mount, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday.

“Our bill for fossil fuel imports has increased by over 22 billion euros – 44 days, 22 billion euros,” she said, noting that “the disruption of energy supplies will continue for some time to come.”

Von der Leyen recommended that EU governments start coordinating how they use their oil and natural gas supplies to avoid adding pressure on the market. She proposed easing restrictions on state aid rules while the crisis lasts to help protect vulnerable consumers and sectors from high energy prices.

Trump is ‘bluffing’ over Hormuz threat, Iranian security official says

A U.S. threat to block the Strait of Hormuz is “more bluffing than reality,” according to Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission.

Rezaei warned that Tehran is prepared to respond if the situation escalates militarily.

“It will make the current situation (Trump) is in more complicated and will further agitate the market he is angry about, and we may also reveal other cards that we have not used in the game,” Rezaei said in a post on X.

Netanyahu spoke with Vance after Pakistan talks ended

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that he has spoken with U.S. Vice President JD Vance about the negotiations in Pakistan.

Netanyahu said the pair spoke Sunday while Vance was on a plane returning from the negotiations in Islamabad.

Israel supports Trump’s “strong stance to impose a naval blockade on Iran,” Netanyahu said, and backs the U.S. position that Iran must remove all of its enriched nuclear material and refrain from any more enrichment within Iran for several decades.

Maritime expert previews potential conflict in Strait of Hormuz

The coming days could be a stress test for the rules that are supposed to govern the Strait of Hormuz, according to Sal Mercogliano, a maritime historian at Campbell University.

It remains unclear, he added, how the U.S. would track, intercept and board vessels moving from Iranian ports through the strait.

Any U.S. or Iranian attempt to choke off the waterway would run counter to the principle of freedom of navigation, said Mercogliano, who has testified before the U.S. Senate on commercial shipping and written for the U.S. Naval Institute.

“We are challenging the concept of freedom of the seas,” Mercogliano said on his “What’s Going on With Shipping?” podcast, which has more than 600,000 followers on YouTube.

Russia warns blockade of Strait of Hormuz will rattle global markets

Asked to comment on the U.S. announcement of a blockade on Iran’s ports and coastline, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Most likely, such actions will continue to negatively impact international markets, this can be assumed with a high degree of certainty.”

Peskov told reporters: “Many details remain unclear and incomprehensible, so I would refrain from making any substantive comments at this time.”

Iran and Saudi Arabia discuss Islamabad talks

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has spoken by phone with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Iranian semiofficial media reported.

The ministers discussed the talks between the U.S. and Iran in Pakistan which failed to achieve a deal, Mehr News agency said, without elaborating further.

Israeli strike on Hamas-run security point in Gaza kills 3

An Israeli airstrike killed at least three Palestinians in central Gaza Strip early Monday, hospital authorities said.

The strike hit a Hamas-manned security point just after midnight in the eastern part of Deir al-Balah city, in central Gaza, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital which received the dead men. The strike also wounded one Palestinian.

The military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The deaths were the latest among Palestinians in the coastal enclave since an October fragile ceasefire deal attempted to halt a more than two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the shaky ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire.

Job seekers can improve their resumes to better catch the attention of hiring managers and recruiters.

With more companies relying on AI and quick scans to review applications, having a clear, polished resume is more important than ever.

• Job hunting? Let AI write your résumé for you and get better results for just $40

Experts say that resumes should be easy to read, tailored to the specific job, and focused on measurable accomplishments rather than just listing duties.

Job seekers are also encouraged to keep their resumes concise and up to date, making sure the most relevant experience appears first. Highlighting key skills and using strong action words can help applicants stand out in a crowded field.

Another key takeaway: customization matters.

Rather than sending the same resume to every employer, applicants should adjust their experience and keywords to match the job description, increasing their chances of making it past automated screening systems.

As competition for jobs continues, taking time to refresh your resume could give you a critical edge.

Here are some tips:

1. Tailor your resume to the job

Avoid sending the same resume everywhere. Match your skills and experience to the job description by using similar keywords and highlighting your most relevant work.

2. Focus on results, not just duties

Instead of listing what you were responsible for, show what you accomplished.

• Weak: “Managed social media accounts”
• Strong: “Increased social media engagement by 45% in 6 months”

3. Keep it clean and easy to scan

Use clear headings, bullet points, and consistent formatting. Recruiters should be able to find your experience, skills, and education quickly.

4. Use strong action verbs

Words like “led,” “developed,” “launched,” and “improved” make your experience sound more impactful and confident.

5. Keep it concise

Stick to one page if you have under 10 years of experience. Every line should earn its place.

6. Put the most important info first

Your top achievements and most relevant roles should be near the top — don’t make recruiters dig for your strengths.

7. Update your skills section

Include in-demand skills (especially digital, technical, or industry-specific ones) that match the role you’re applying for.

8. Check for errors

Typos or formatting mistakes can cost you the job. Proofread carefully or have someone else review it.

9. Make it ATS-friendly

Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems. Avoid graphics, keep formatting simple, and use keywords from the job posting.

10. Add a strong summary

A short 2–3 sentence professional summary at the top can quickly show who you are and what you bring to the table.

Super Typhoon Sinlaku is expected to make landfall Tuesday in the Northern Mariana Islands and bring destructive winds, widespread heavy rain and flooding, the National Weather Service said Monday.

Power outages on the islands could be lengthy, forecasters warned.

Guam, a U.S. territory with American military installations and about 170,000 residents, also could see damaging winds and is under a tropical storm warning. The U.S. Coast Guard issued flood and high wind warnings over the weekend.

The tropical typhoon — the strongest on Earth so far this year — was producing sustained winds of 173 mph (278 kph) on Monday as it neared the islands of Rota, Tinian and Saipan, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

While it's expected to weaken slightly over the next few days, Sinlaku should cross near the islands as a Category 4 or 5 typhoon.

About 50,000 people live on the three islands, with most on Saipan, known for its laid-back resorts, snorkeling, and golf as well as the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Saipan was the site of one of World War II’s bloodiest battles in the Pacific, in which more than 50,000 Japanese and American soldiers and local civilians died.

In Guam, where Typhoon Mawar knocked out power for days in 2023, U.S. military officials warned personnel to prepare for the storm and shelter in place. The military controls about one-third of the land on the island, a critical hub for U.S. forces in the Pacific.

President Donald Trump on Saturday approved emergency disaster declarations for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, allowing for additional help with emergency services.

A super typhoon is a name given to the strongest tropical cyclones that brew in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, where Earth’s most intense storms usually form.

Monitored by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Guam, super typhoons are the equivalent of category 4 or 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic, with winds of at least 150 mph (240 kph). There have been more than 300 super typhoons identified since the warning center started using that name nearly 80 year ago.

The high cost of fuel, equipment, and fertilizer — compounded by the Iran war — and also tariffs, perceived “price gouging” by suppliers, and low soybean prices driven by a global supply glut. All of it weighs on Bartek, who is chairman of the Nebraska Soybean Association.

“Our biggest struggles are our inputs, be it fertilizer, seed, chemical, parts,” Bartek said. “There has been so much drastic markup in all of these. And I just kind of feel like the farmer’s kind of painted in the corner.”

Bartek’s concerns are shared by many Midwest soybean producers. Costs, such as equipment, have crept up over time while soybean prices have stayed low. Tariffs levied by the Trump administration last year and the resulting monthslong trade war with China only made things worse, they say. Then the Iran war bottled up shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, restricting global fertilizer supplies and sending fertilizer prices sky high. A ceasefire deal announced April 7 raised hope that bottlenecks in the strait would abate, but the future of the agreement was uncertain.

“A lot of producers are pretty nervous going into this year,” said Justin Sherlock, a soybean farmer and president of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association. “It looks like we’re going to have another year of negative returns.”

Years of rising costs, low soybean prices

Soybeans, which are used for livestock feed, food and biofuels, are among the top U.S. agricultural exports. That hasn’t always been the case. Before the 1960s soybeans weren’t a major crop in the U.S, according to Chad Hart, an agricultural economist at Iowa State University. It wasn’t until the 1990s that soybean production accelerated due to international demand — primarily from China — and soybeans and corn are now dominant in U.S. agriculture.

But U.S. soybean farmers, who typically also grow corn, have been facing financial issues for years even before the onset of the Iran war. Soybean prices have been persistently low in recent years. The global market has been awash in soybeans, driven in part by Brazil, which surpassed the U.S. as the world’s largest soybean producer years ago.

“If we look at global soybean production over the past several years, it continues to set record, after record, after record,” Hart said. “There’s been just large supplies globally, and that has led to depressed prices.”

Meanwhile, Midwest soybean farmers’ costs have risen. Overall farm production expenses, including seed and pesticide, have increased over time, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Operating costs for soybean production have stayed elevated since 2020 and are projected to increase again in 2026, according to the agency.

The cost of land also is a major issue for farmers, experts say. Midwest crop land values have increased. And most regional farmers rent some of their land, according to Joana Colussi, research assistant professor in the department of agricultural economics at Purdue University.

Bartek, who rents three-quarters of his land, said landowners are increasing rents, causing further financial strain.

“There’s a lot of what I call absentee landowners that have absolutely no idea what goes on on the farm,” he said. “All they know is their taxes went up and you get to make up the difference, some way, somehow.”

“They’re very concerned about negative margins driven by low prices and high cost,” said Paul Mitchell, a professor of agricultural and applied economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, of farmers. “There’s just a liquidity cash crunch for a lot of them and they’re just trying to figure out how to deal with everything.”

The number of farms in the U.S. has shrunk over time and consolidation in farming is a long-term trend, though farmers’ financial pressures wrought by high input costs and low commodity prices have contributed, Hart said. Larger farms tend to be more competitive and depend on large, expensive machinery.

“The financial reserves need(ed) on a farm are much greater than they used to be,” Hart said. “We’re a bit more sensitive to the financial conditions these days because so much capital is being utilized within the farm business.”

Tariffs, trade war have lasting impacts

Market forces aren’t the only issue weighing on farmers. Sweeping tariffs levied by President Donald Trump in April 2025 exacerbated a trade war with China, the top buyer of U.S. soybeans. China responded with retaliatory tariffs and effectively boycotted U.S. soybeans, cutting off a major export market for Midwest farmers and driving the price of soybeans even lower.

“When that was announced and soybean prices basically collapsed, if you could afford to hold on to your beans and wait for better times, you were OK,” said Mike Cerny, a soybean, and winter wheat corn farmer in Sharon, Wisconsin. “If you had a mortgage due or payments due or cash flow needs and you had to sell at that point, you were taking it pretty rough.”

The U.S. and China eventually reached a deal in late 2025. Beijing committed to buying 12 million metric tons of soybeans by January and at least 25 million metric tons annually for the next three years. China has since met its initial soybean purchase goal and the Trump administration also rolled out a $12 billion temporary aid package in December to boost farmers affected by the trade war.

But the damage is already done, experts and farmers say. While China’s renewed purchases and the federal payments are helping, it’s not enough to recover farmers’ losses. Even after federal assistance, farmers still lost almost $75 per harvested acre of soybeans in the 2025 crop, according to the American Soybean Association. And the trade war further pushed China toward competing soybean exporters, such as Brazil — accelerating a trend of declining U.S. soybean exports to China.

“When China decided to stop purchasing, we couldn’t find enough other markets to replace those sales,” Hart said. “We’re still feeling the impacts today. When you look at where soybean exports are today versus where we would normally expect them to be, we’re still running anywhere from 15% to 20% behind normal.”

Joseph Glauber, former chief economist at the Department of Agriculture between 2008 and 2014, said global competitors to U.S. soybean farmers gained from the trade war.

“When China has put on tariffs against the U.S. they’ve tended to buy then from Brazil or Argentina, largely Brazil,” Glauber added. “We’re not nearly as dominant in the world as we used to be in terms of the global export market for soybeans.”

Iran war drove up fuel, fertilizer costs

After the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, a severe slowdown in shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz sent the price of oil soaring. The shipping disruption also largely stopped the export of nitrogen fertilizers manufactured in the Persian Gulf and limited access to key fertilizer ingredients. The price of urea, the most widely traded nitrogen fertilizer, skyrocketed.

Soybeans don’t require nitrogen fertilizer, but it’s vital for corn and most soybean farmers also grow corn. About half the global supply of urea comes from the Middle East, and Qatar and Saudi Arabia are two of the top sources of U.S. fertilizer imports, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire last week that included reopening the strait of Hormuz, but traffic remained slowed amid disagreements over Israeli attacks in Lebanon, and the price of urea remains elevated.

Many Midwest farmers bought their fertilizer well in advance of the spring planting season. But some farmers who didn’t buy early face elevated prices. Dave Walton, a corn, soybean, and hay farmer in Iowa and vice president of the American Soybean Association, said in March that some of his neighbors didn’t have cash on hand last fall to buy fertilizer and were struggling to budget for fertilizer due to high prices.

The war also caused gasoline and diesel prices to surge, causing further headaches for farmers. Oil prices dropped following the ceasefire announcement, but the war and the closure of the strait will have lasting impacts on farmers, said Seth Goldstein, a senior equity analyst at Morningstar, an investment research company. Facilities in the Middle East that are critical for exporting chemicals, oil and other commodities were damaged or destroyed during the war and it will take time for supply chains to recover, he said.

“Facilities have been hit, like liquid natural gas plants,” Goldstein added. “You are also looking at a big supply crunch in commodity chemicals, which are the inputs for crop chemicals.”

“We burn a lot of diesel fuel,” said Chris Gould, a corn and soybean farmer in Maple Park, Illinois. “It’s hard to say if I’m gonna come out ahead or behind on this whole deal. But I suspect I’m going to come out behind.”

Concerns about the future

Farmers’ financial problems are showing up in some measures. Farm bankruptcies, while still relatively low, continued to climb in 2025, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. In a survey of 400 farmers conducted by researchers at the Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture in late March, almost half said their farm operation is financially worse off than it was a year ago.

Goldstein, the Morningstar analyst, said farmers’ high costs and low revenues contributed to the spike in bankruptcies between 2024 and 2025. If costs rise faster than crop prices going forward, he added, that “would strain farmers again and likely lead to more bankruptcies.”

After 43 years of farming, Bartek said the smell of fresh dirt still gets him excited for spring planting. But he’s also heard of farmer suicides, bankruptcies and “retirement sales” where farmers are forced to auction off their operations due to financial problems. Bartek compares farmers to gamblers who put “millions of dollars in the dirt” hoping for returns.

At times, Bartek doubts his own decision to go into farming. He’s also worried about his son, who purchased a farm a few years ago.

Bartek wonders: “Did I do the right thing helping him get into farming?”

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Kelety reported from Phoenix.

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This story is a collaboration between Lee Enterprises and The Associated Press.

“If Vladimir Putin calls, I’ll pick up the phone,” he said at his first news conference after his landslide win against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a Putin ally. “If we did talk, I could tell him that it would be nice to end the killing after four years and end the war.”

“It would probably be a short phone conversation and I don’t think he would end the war on my advice,” he said.

Magyar's statement was likely greeted with pleasure by many across the European Union who had grown accustomed to Orbán's conciliatory tone when discussing the war or Putin.

From the jubilant crowds along the Danube in Budapest to executive offices in Brussels, praise and even glee abounded for Hungary’s next leader after he won Sunday's election in a landslide. But the outpouring after his victory focused mainly on the prospect of no longer having to deal with Orbán, who many saw as a threat to Europe’s peace and prosperity.

From Madrid to Helsinki, many hope that Magyar's win will help unshackle the 27-nation European Union as it faces hybrid warfare attacks from Moscow, an antagonistic Washington and Beijing's economic pressure. EU leaders had been increasingly frustrated with Orbán over his takeover of democratic institutions and vetoing of strategic action like a 90-billion-euro ($105 billion) loan for Ukraine.

It remains to be seen whether those hopes will be fulfilled. Magyar avoided talking about Ukraine or divisive issues like LGTBQ rights on the campaign trail, and was previously a longtime conservative insider in Orbán's party. He told The Associated Press that he would work more closely with the EU and the 32-nation NATO military alliance that was forged to thwart aggression from Moscow.

“All Hungarians know that this is a shared victory. Our homeland made up its mind. It wants to live again. It wants to be a European country,” Magyar said during his victory speech on Sunday.

Olga Oliker, the director of European Security at the International Crisis Group, said that "where Orbán slowed actions and blocked consensus, Magyar, as he defines Hungary’s relationships with its European allies, to say nothing of those with Ukraine, Russia and the United States, can help shape the future of Europe.”

Unlocking EU funds for Ukraine

After Magyar takes his oath of office in May, the new prime minister could potentially lift Hungary's veto and enable the European Commission to provide Ukraine with the 90-billion-euro ($105 billion) loan that Orbán had agreed to in December and then backtracked on, enraging his fellow leaders.

EU diplomats will discuss Wednesday how best to fast-track the funds to Kyiv, a Cypriot official said on condition of anonymity because the person wasn't authorized to be named. Cyprus currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

Hungary borders Ukraine, and the pro-Russia Orbán had long demonized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. While congratulating Magyar on X, Zelenskyy said that “we are ready for meetings and joint constructive work for the benefit of both nations, as well as for the sake of Europe’s peace, security, and stability.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia respects the outcome of the Hungarian vote and expects to maintain contacts with the country’s new leadership.

He said that “as for what action Hungary’s new leadership will take, we probably need to be patient and see what happens.”

European institutions hope Orbán problem is over

The prospect of a nimbler, faster-acting Europe drove widespread praise for Magyar from several European leaders. EU negotiators had to increasingly find workarounds when Orbán blocked policy decisions. He also held up Sweden's accession to NATO.

Magyar said that he received calls on Sunday night — before he even took the stage to announce his victory — from French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was frequently vilified by Orbán during his campaign.

“Today, Europe is Hungarian," von der Leyen said at a news conference in Brussels on Monday. "The people of Hungary have spoken and they have reclaimed their European path.”

“Today Europe wins and European values win,” said Spain’s left-wing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in a post on X on Sunday night. Poland’s center-right Prime Minister Donald Tusk exclaimed on social media: “Back together! Glorious victory, dear friends!”

Setback for Europe's populist right

Orbán's defeat has reverberated across the world, including across the Atlantic where U.S. President Donald Trump supported Orbán’s reelection bid and even dispatched U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Budapest last week to stump for the incumbent.

Magyar's victory might signal a shift in European politics that has been dominated by a far-right shift over the past decade. Magyar comes from a right-wing background but distanced himself from Orbán’s leadership.

With nationalist parties making headways in Germany and France, the electoral earthquake in Hungary shows that “Hungarians are sending a signal to the world,” German lawmaker Daniel Freund said.

“The icon of illiberal anti-European forces has now failed — brought down by a disastrous economy, corruption and his own unfair electoral system,” he said.

Orbán's populist allies in the EU, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, congratulated Magyar, while praising the ousted strongman. But Fico also brought up the Druzhba pipeline, shuttered since an attack in Ukraine — an issue Orbán campaigned on and one exacerbated by rising energy prices over the Iran war.

Magyar has criticized Orbán’s government for failing to diversify its energy mix, and advocated for reaching new agreements and constructing new infrastructure to bring oil and gas from other sources into landlocked Hungary.

Both Babiš and Fico pledged to work with Hungary's next leader.

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Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London, Karel Janicek in Prague, Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, and Derek Gatopoulos in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.

Leo’s arrival in Algiers marks the start of an 11-day tour of four African nations — Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea — that will bring the first U.S.-born pope deep into the growing heart of the Catholic Church.

Leo is in Algeria to promote Christian-Muslim coexistence in the majority Muslim nation at a time of global conflict, and to honor the locally born inspiration of his religious spirituality, St. Augustine.

The trip began, however, against the backdrop of a growing feud between the Leo and Trump over the Iran war. Trump overnight said he didn’t think Leo was doing a good job as pope and suggested he should “stop catering to the Radical Left.”

Leo responded by saying his appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he didn’t fear the Trump administration.

‘Neocolonial tendencies’

In his first remarks in Algiers, Leo tied his current appeal for peace to the country's struggle for independence from France, obtained in 1962. Hundreds of thousands of people died in the revolution during which French forces tortured detainees, disappeared suspects and devastated villages as part of a strategy to maintain a grip on power.

“God desires peace for every nation, a peace that is not merely an absence of conflict but one that is an expression of justice and dignity,” Leo told a crowd of several thousand people at the monument to Algeria’s martyrs.

At a later meeting with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and other government authorities, Leo praised Algerians for their solidarity and respect for one another, which he said provided an important perspective today “on the global balance of power.”

“Today, this is more urgent than ever in the face of continuous violations of international law and neocolonial tendencies,” he said without elaborating, though he has previously spoken about Russia's war in Ukraine, the Iran war and Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon.

Great Mosque visit

Leo's visit dominated news headlines in Algeria, where a tiny Catholic community of around 9,000 people made up mostly of foreigners exists alongside the Sunni Muslim majority of about 47 million.

El Moudjahid, a state-run daily newspaper, declared that “the planet is staring at Algeria,” while Arabic-language daily Echorouk wrote that “the land of peace and coexistence speaks to the world.”

Leo visited the country's Great Mosque and stood silently with his hands clasped in front of him, as if in prayer. He thanked the mosque rector for receiving him in this “divine space, space of God” that is also a study center.

“Through this place of prayer, through the search for truth, including through study and through the ability to recognize the dignity of every human being, we know — and today’s gathering is proof of this — that we can learn to respect one another, live in harmony, and build a world of peace,” Leo said in Italian in a rare, off-the-cuff comment.

Tebboune hailed the historic nature of Leo's visit and the pride Algerians felt over St. Augustine, “a cherished son of this land.”

But others downplayed the significance of the visit.

“God’s religion is Islam, which has illuminated this land for 14 centuries,” said Lamia Sellimi, a literature teacher at a high school near the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa. “Algerians are deeply attached to their religion, which is one of the foundations of our identity. As such, this visit is merely a circumstantial event.”

A violent past of martyrs

Algeria fought a civil war in the 1990s that is known locally as the “black decade,” when around 250,000 people were killed as the army fought an Islamist insurgency. Among them were 19 Catholics, including seven Trappist monks from the Tibhirine monastery south of Algiers, who were kidnapped and killed in 1996 by Islamic fighters. Also among them were two nuns from Leo’s Augustinian religious family.

All 19 were beatified in 2018 as martyrs for the faith in what was then the first such beatification ceremony in the Muslim world.

Leo paid homage to the 19 martyrs and visited the remaining Augustinian nuns who run a social services project out of the Algiers basilica that helps people of all faiths.

The Algiers archbishop likes to remind audiences that Leo was elected on May 8, the Catholic feast day of the 19 martyrs. Immediately after Leo’s election, Vesco invited him to visit.

Leo has also made a mantra out of one of the sayings of the martyred prior of the Tibherine monastery, Christian de Chergé, who spoke of an “unarmed and disarming peace.” Leo has cited the line starting from the night of his election.

Personal and pastoral visit

Leo's Augustinian religious order was inspired by the teachings of St. Augustine of Hippo, the fifth-century theological and philosophical titan of the early Christian church who was born in what is today Algeria and spent all but five years of his life there.

On Tuesday, Leo will visit Annaba, the modern-day Hippo where St. Augustine was bishop for three decades, and will literally walk in the footsteps of the saint.

From his first public words as pope, Leo proclaimed himself a “son of St. Augustine,” and he has repeatedly cited the church father in speeches and homilies.

“I don’t know if I have seen a statement, a homily, an apostolic letter or exhortation that doesn’t reference Augustine,” said Paul Camacho, associate director of the Augustinian Institute at Villanova University, Leo’s Augustinian-run alma mater outside Philadelphia. “The shadow that he casts on Western thought, not just the Roman Catholic Church but on Western thought more broadly, is very, very long indeed.”

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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.

The analysis, part of the Economic Report of the President, outlines both a political risk and a messaging opportunity for President Donald Trump, whose public approval has slumped because of concerns about his tariffs, the Iran war and his unfulfilled promises to slash inflation and unleash stronger growth.

Trump signed two executive orders in March directing federal agencies to reduce housing regulatory burdens and make it easier for smaller banks to provide mortgages but he’s been slow to take other steps that would show that high housing costs are a top priority for his administration.

The White House has been trying to focus on housing and other affordability issues for months to get ready for what’s expected to be a challenging midterm season for Republicans, but it has been thrown off course by a series of global issues. In January, a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that had been billed as focusing on housing turned into a showdown for Trump over control of Greenland.

Meanwhile, the Iran war has driven up the cost of buying homes, with average rates for 30-year mortgages jumping from just under 6% to 6.37%.

Trump also has argued in favor of keeping home prices high to protect values for existing owners. “I don’t want to drive housing prices down,” Trump told his Cabinet earlier this year. “I want to drive housing prices up for people that own their homes, and they can be assured that’s what’s going to happen.”

The report lays out a blueprint on housing

The housing chapter of the annual economic report, obtained by The Associated Press before its release, lays out a blueprint for how more home construction would help the middle class and the overall economy, setting up an argument that Trump could make to voters.

Put together by staff at the White House Council of Economic Advisers, it finds there would be 10 million more houses in the country if “homebuilding and the growth of the single-family housing stock had continued at their historical pace instead of falling dramatically” after the 2008 global financial crisis. That crisis was caused largely by a wave of defaults in the housing market, where prices had been fueled by problematic lending practices.

The analysis notes that home prices have risen 82% since 2000, while incomes are up just 12% — a mismatch that had been masked for a period by historically low mortgage rates. But when rates jumped with inflation in the aftermath of the pandemic, monthly mortgage costs also rose for buyers and affording a home, a signifier of middle class status, became a top concern for voters under 40.

The White House maintains that the executive orders in March, in addition to the plans to purchase mortgage-backed securities, show that the president is focused on housing issues.

The report says that various regulations on home construction, which it calls “the bureaucrat tax,” add more than $100,000 in costs to building. That cost includes changing the building codes over the past decade, compliance costs and zoning approval fees, among other expenses.

By the report’s estimates, a reduction in those regulatory costs could help spur construction of as many as 13.2 million homes. That could add on average 1.3 percentage points to annual economic growth over the next decade and support 2 million manufacturing and construction jobs, it argues.

Trump could decide to make federal funding to state and local governments contingent on reducing some of the regulations, according to an administration official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the report before its release.

The report also attacks the green energy housing standards introduced during the Biden administration as a factor in increasing construction costs. Those steps gave preferences for more efficient air conditioning units and water heaters as well as higher standards for the related duct work.

But getting rid of some of those requirements could increase other costs for homeowners over the long run, such as utility bills.

The report relies on a 2021 analysis by National Association of Home Builders that says the standards could add up to $31,000 to the price of a new home, while it could take as many as 90 years for a homebuyer “to realize a payback on the added cost of the home.”

It is not clear how much savings would occur from rolling back Biden-era housing standards because of existing legal challenges regarding their enforcement and different practices by states. In March, a federal judge in Texas agreed with 15 states led by Republicans that said the standards for federally backed housing were unlawful.

That set the stage for an extraordinary showdown that posed serious risks for the global economy and raised the specter that the ceasefire could collapse and the war could resume. Talks aimed at permanently ending the conflict — which began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran — failed to reach an agreement this past weekend, and there has been no word on whether negotiations will resume.

No clarity on whether blockade has begun

It was not clear if the blockade had started when the designated time of 10 a.m. EDT (2 p.m. GMT) arrived. Minutes earlier, a notice to mariners issued by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency, which monitors maritime security, said the restrictions included “the entirety of the Iranian coastline, including ports and energy infrastructure.”

The notice added that transit through the strait “to or from non-Iranian destinations is not reported to be impeded by these measures,” but it added that ships “may encounter military presence” in the strait.

Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which 20% of traded oil passes in peacetime, has sent oil prices skyrocketing, pushing up the cost of gasoline, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East. Tehran has allowed some ships perceived as friendly to pass while charging considerable fees, leading to accusations it is holding the global economy hostage.

Some analysts are doubtful that the U.S. can restore normal shipping through force alone — and it’s not clear how a blockade would work or what the dangers might be to U.S. forces.

The question is essentially who can endure the most pain: Could a blockade make Iran’s economic situation untenable and force it to concede? Or will it drive global oil and other prices so high that U.S. President Donald Trump is forced to back down?

Blockade could have far-reaching effects

The U.S. military's Central Command announced that the blockade would be enforced “against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas.” It said that would include all of Iran’s ports on the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

CENTCOM's decision to allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the strait was a step down from Trump’s earlier threat to blockade the waterway.

In a social media message posted shortly after the blockade was due to begin, Trump said Iran’s navy was “laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated,” but he added that Tehran still has “fast attack ships,” and warned that “if any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED."

Iran issued threats of its own.

“Security in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for NO ONE,” the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported Monday. “NO PORT in the region will be safe,” read a statement from the Iranian military and the Revolutionary Guard.

The threats halted the limited ship traffic that resumed in the strait since the ceasefire, according to a report from Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire last week, down from roughly 100 to 135 vessel passages per day before the war.

The blockade is likely intended to pile pressure on Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil since the war began, much of it likely carried by so-called dark transits that evade Western sanctions and oversight.

But the effects will be felt far beyond Iran. The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7% to hover around $102 per barrel on Monday. It cost roughly $70 per barrel before the war.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that, together with French President Emmanuel Macron, he would hold a summit this week "to drive forward the international effort” to end the conflict and unblock the strait. Starmer told lawmakers it must reopen with no conditions or tolls.

Iran says ‘if you fight, we will fight'

Top-ranking Iranian officials threatened retaliation.

Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission, dismissed U.S. warnings of a potential blockade as “more bluffing than reality,” while warning that Tehran was prepared to respond if the situation escalates militarily.

“It will make the current situation (Trump) is in more complicated and makes the market — which he is angry about — more turbulent. And we may also reveal other cards that we have not used in the game,” he said in a post on X.

The Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, addressed Trump in a statement: “If you fight, we will fight.”

Ceasefire holds after talks end without agreement

The blockade threat came after marathon U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement on Saturday.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said the talks stalled after Iran refused to accept American terms on refraining from developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran has insisted its nuclear program is peaceful. However, it has pushed forward with steps that could give it the ability to build a nuclear weapon, including enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels and developing long-range missiles potentially capable of delivering a bomb.

Iranian negotiators could not agree to all U.S. “red lines,” said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to describe positions on the record. Those red lines included never obtaining a nuclear weapon, ending uranium enrichment, dismantling major enrichment facilities and allowing retrieval of its highly enriched uranium, along with opening the strait and ending funding for its armed proxies in the region: Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, said the main sticking points for Tehran were its nuclear program, war reparations and sanctions relief.

Neither Iran nor the U.S. has indicated what will happen after the ceasefire expires on April 22. The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 2,089 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, and damaged infrastructure in half a dozen countries.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country will try to facilitate a new dialogue in the coming days.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, whose country has supported mediation efforts, suggested that the ceasefire could be extended for 45 to 60 days to allow for more negotiations.

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Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands, Frankel from New York. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel; Collin Binkley and Ben Finley in Washington; Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi; Jill Lawless in London; and Ghaya Ben MBarek in Tunis, Tunisia, contributed to this report.

Annual domestic box-office grosses are still down about 20% from pre-pandemic levels, competition from streaming has only intensified and there are very real worries about what consolidation might mean for the release schedule as Warner Bros. stares down new ownership under Paramount.

It’s under these precarious conditions that Hollywood executives and movie theater owners are gathering this week in Las Vegas for CinemaCon, the annual exhibition and trade show made famous — or at least slightly less obscure — by Seth Rogen's show “The Studio” and his “old school Hollywood buffet.” Real-life Hollywood executives have bigger concerns than throwing a party, however.

A critical time for movie theaters

As “F1” and “Top Gun: Maverick” producer Jerry Bruckheimer said last week in a statement: “We are at a defining point in the future of this industry.”

Bruckheimer, “Oppenheimer” producer Emma Thomas and “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler are teaming up to do something about it. Just last week, Cinema United, the trade organization representing some 60,000 movie screens in the U.S. and abroad, announced that Bruckheimer would be chairing their newly established filmmaker leadership council, with Thomas as vice chair and Coogler as one of its inaugural members.

Other members include Brad Bird, Celine Song and Jason Reitman, who will advise on issues facing theatrical moviegoing, including windows, referring to the number of days films play exclusively in movie theaters before being available to buy or rent at home, and consolidation.

“Our industry is strongest when it works together to promote the singular experience of seeing a movie on the big screen,” Cinema United president and CEO Michael O’Leary said in a statement. “The importance of having Jerry and Emma at the helm of this initiative, at such a critical time for our industry, cannot be overstated.”

The Paramount and Warner Bros. elephant in the room

Much of the public and private handwringing will revolve around Paramount’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Both studios will be hyping their upcoming slates to theater owners, in separate presentations: Warner Bros. is planned for Tuesday and Paramount is on Thursday. The question is how much, if at all, executives from either company will address the elephant in the room from the stage as former 20th Century Fox Chair and CEO Stacey Snider did in 2018 with the Disney acquisition looming.

While Paramount Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison has said that he would like to grow the combined Paramount and Warner Bros. slate to more than 30 movies a year, there are lingering concerns from organizations such as Cinema United.

Historically, fewer standalone studios have meant fewer movies made for theaters, and between the pandemic, the strikes, the ramping up of streaming services and general financial instability, the release schedule has taken the hit. In 2019, there were 112 wide releases, or films released in over 2,000 theaters. This year, for the first time since the pandemic, that number is up to 115, according to Comscore.

On Monday morning, more than a thousand Hollywood professionals, including Denis Villeneuve, Kristen Stewart, J.J. Abrams and Joaquin Phoenix came out against the merger in an open letter arguing that it would only further reduce jobs.

The show must go on, with stars and footage to help

Doom and gloom is hardly ever the prevailing mood at CinemaCon, however. The studios wouldn’t shell out big bucks to bring out their stars and footage if there weren’t some optimism and excitement about what’s to come.

Universal’s president of domestic distribution Jim Orr said he thinks the mood going into the conference is “very optimistic.”

“The first part of the year we’ve seen some extraordinary titles and great business, including our own ‘Super Mario Galaxy Movie,’” Orr said. “I think it should be quite the celebration in Vegas this year.”

This summer has Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” a Steven Spielberg sci-fi spectacle, a Star Wars movie, the live-action “Moana,” a fifth Toy Story and a new “Spider-Man.” And later this year there’s a new Marvel movie, “Avengers: Doomsday” and the third “Dune,” both coming out on the same day, December 18. Could Dunesday be the new Barbenheimer?

There have also been bright spots for movie theaters recently, including increased audience interest in premium large formats, like IMAX and 70 mm, and a PG-rating box office boom suggesting that families and younger audiences haven’t entirely abandoned the big screen for the small one.

The recent success of films like “Project Hail Mary,” “Hoppers” and “Wuthering Heights” also show that it’s not just franchises that are bringing people to the theaters — although it’s wrong to underestimate the importance of tentpoles like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”

“At least from the box-office perspective, we are going in on a very positive note,” said Paul Dergarabedian, who heads marketplace trends for Comscore.

Plus, those inside the industry are often quick to remind that the business has survived its share of existential crises, whether it’s streaming, piracy, VHS or television.

Thomas, who is producing “The Odyssey,” emphasized the “profound cultural value in gathering together with a group of strangers and connecting while experiencing something special on the big screen,” in her statement about partnering with the movie theater trade organization.

“That is what this is about: making sure that cinemas of all sizes, around the world, can continue to present our stories in the best possible setting, so movie fans of all ages can enjoy them as they were intended to be seen,” Thomas said.

The S&P 500 was virtually unchanged in midday trading after erasing an earlier dip. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 256 points, or 0.5%, as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.3% higher.

The oil market showed more concern, and prices there rose more than 6%. But even there, prices pared bigger, earlier gains as the morning progressed. The moves are much more modest overall than the extreme swings that have hit financial markets since the war began in late February.

After this past weekend’s talks failed, President Donald Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a move that raises the pressure on Iran by trying to prevent it from making money by selling oil.

A blockade would keep even more oil off the global market, after prices already jumped for everyone worldwide because of Iran’s restrictions on traffic in the important strait. That narrow waterway is how much of the oil produced in the Persian Gulf area reaches customers worldwide.

Iran responded by threatening all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

“Security in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for NO ONE,” the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported Monday. “NO PORT in the region will be safe,” according to a statement from the Iranian military and the Revolutionary Guards.

The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose back to $101.90 per barrel and is well above its roughly $70 price from before the war. But it remains below the $119 peak it’s touched at times, when worries about the U.S.-Iran war have been at their heights. It also pulled back from its nearly $104 price reached earlier Monday morning.

“Markets are taking some encouragement from the fact that the two sides are talking and that the broader ceasefire seems to be holding, for now,” according to Sameer Samana, head of global equities and real assets at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

In the meantime, big U.S. companies are beginning to tell investors how much money they made during the first three months of the year. Strong reports could help make up for worries about the Strait of Hormuz on Wall Street because stock prices tend to follow the trend of corporate profits over the long term.

Goldman Sachs, the investment bank, said it made $5.63 billion in profit during the quarter, more than investors expected. But financial analysts pointed to some potentially concerning signals underneath the surface, including lower revenue from the trading of fixed income, commodities and currencies. Its stock fell 3.4%.

Big banks traditionally lead earnings reporting season each quarter, and Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America will all report later this week. So will Johnson & Johnson, Netflix and PepsiCo.

Helping to lead Wall Street was Sandisk, which jumped 6.5% after learning it will replace Atlassian Corporation in the Nasdaq 100 index before trading begins on April 20. It will get included in such funds that track the index as Invesco's QQQ, which controls nearly $395 billion in investments.

Oil-and-gas companies were also relatively strong as crude prices rose. Halliburton gained 1.9%, and ConocoPhillips climbed 1.1%.

In the bond market, Treasury yields ticked higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.33% from 4.31% late Friday.

Yields have been on the rise since the war began because of worries about high oil prices and inflation. That in turn has sent up rates for mortgages, which has hurt the housing market. A report on Monday said that sales of previously occupied homes were weaker in March than economists expected.

In stock markets abroad, indexes fell across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.9%, and South Korea's Kospi dropped 0.9% for two of the world’s larger losses.

“The outcome of the talks was not really what people were hoping for, that’s for certain,” Neil Newman, Managing Director, Head of Strategy at Astris Advisory Japan, said in Hong Kong about the U.S.-Iran negotiations.

“As we stand here at the moment, it doesn’t look very nice. Certainly, the oil prices are a big concern.”

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AP journalists Yuri Kageyama, Matt Ott and Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.

Existing home sales fell 3.6% last month from February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Monday.

Sales also fell 1% compared with March last year, weighed down by declines in the Northeast and Midwest. The latest sales figure fell short of the roughly 4.06 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

“Lower consumer confidence and softer job growth continue to hold back buyers,” Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, said in a statement.

A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market fell 1.7 points to 70.9, remaining well below 80, a marker that can signal a recession ahead. It’s the 14th consecutive month that reading has come in under 80.

Sales have been hovering close to a 4-million annual pace now going back to 2023. That’s well short of the 5.2-million annual pace that’s historically been the norm.

Despite the pullback in sales, home prices continued to rise last month. The national median sales price increased 1.4% in March from a year earlier to $408,800, an all-time high for any March on data going back to 1999, NAR said. Home prices have risen on an annual basis for 33 months in a row.

The U.S. housing market has been in a slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained stuck last year at 30-year lows. They have remained sluggish so far this year, declining in January and February versus a year earlier.

The pace of home price growth has slowed or fallen in many metro areas and there are more homes on the market than a year ago, largely because they're taking longer to sell.

And until recently, mortgage rates were easing, lowering borrowing costs for homebuyers. Homes purchased last month likely went under contract in January and February, when the average rate on a 30-year mortgage ranged from 5.98% — its lowest level in three and a half years — to 6.16%, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac.

Mortgage rates started ticking higher in March as the war with Iran sent energy prices surging, heightening worries about higher inflation. That’s pushed up the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage was at 6.37% last week, according to Freddie Mac. That's still down compared to a year ago.

Still, the rise in mortgage rates led Yun to lower his 2026 existing U.S. home sales forecast. He now projects sales will rise 4% this year, down from his previous forecast of a 14% increase.

The latest home sales snapshot and uncertainty over the trajectory of mortgage rates is clouding the outlook for the spring homebuying season.

A sharp run-up in home prices, especially in the early years of this decade, and a chronic shortage of homes nationally worsened by years of below-average home construction have kept many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market, especially first-time buyers who don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase. Fewer first-time buyers bought homes in March than in February, NAR said.

Those who can afford to buy are benefiting from more properties on the market, although home inventory levels remain well below historical norms.

There were 1.36 million unsold homes at the end of March, up 3% from February and up 2.3% from March last year, NAR said. That’s still well short of the roughly 2 million homes for sale that was typical before the COVID-19 pandemic.

March’s month-end inventory translates to a 4.1-month supply at the current sales pace. Traditionally, a 5- to 6-month supply is considered a balanced market between buyers and sellers.

A dearth of homes for sale in the Northeast is driving competition among buyers, with some homes drawing multiple offers — something relatively rare these days elsewhere in the country, Yun said.

That helped push the region’s median home sales price nearly 6% higher in March from a year earlier, even as sales slowed to their slowest pace on record.

“We simply don’t have enough supply in the marketplace,” Yun said.

Over the past few weeks, a few water utilities have said their supply had been disrupted, according to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. Fluoride is used in water systems as a public health measure to prevent tooth decay.

Here's what to know.

What's driving the fluoride shortage?

Israel is one of the world’s top exporters of fluorosilicic acid, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA data also shows the U.S. is among the world’s top five importers of the product.

At least one Israeli supplier has been facing workforce challenges because many employees have been called into active military service, said Dan Hartnett, chief policy officer for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.

“That has led to decreased production, and supply shortages for the U.S. market," he said.

Not every water system is affected

The number of water utilities affected so far is small, but the shortage is affecting hundreds of thousands of people. As the conflict continues, "there will likely be additional stressors placed on the supply chain, leading to shortages in additional communities,” Hartnett said.

The country's eighth largest water and wastewater utility, WSSC Water in Maryland, is among those facing a shortage. On April 7, utility officials said they were lowering the level of fluoride in the water to 0.4 milligrams per liter, down from the recommended 0.7 milligrams per liter.

Chuck Brown, spokesperson for the utility serving 1.9 million customers, said officials did not know how long the shortage would last, "but we feel confident that we’ll be able to stretch that out for a couple more months.”

In Pennsylvania, the borough of Lititz told its water customers it had to halt fluoridation for a couple weeks last month because of supply issues.

What dentists say you should do

Water utilities add fluoride voluntarily to improve communities' oral health, so lower levels have no effect on drinking water safety.

A few months' drop in fluoride levels is probably not a cause for concern for most people, said Dr. Scott Tomar, an American Dental Association community water fluoridation expert.

Research from places that stopped fluoridating their water — Calgary, Canada; Juneau, Alaska; and Israel — has found that lower levels can have an impact over the span of years.

“Based on the best available information we have, below about 0.5 milligrams per liter, you’re probably not going to see effective preventive exposure,” he said.

Tomar said younger children would be the first to experience tooth decay, because the fluoride strengthens enamel as their teeth are developing and once they've grown in.

He recommends people in shortage areas brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and keep up with their routine dental appointments. If people are concerned they aren't getting enough fluoride, they should talk to their dentist before taking a fluoride supplement or other treatment.

What else should I know about fluoride in the water?

Research shows water fluoridation is beneficial even when it is also available through toothpaste and other means. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population gets fluoridated drinking water, according to CDC data.

The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water was long considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. The American Dental Association credits it with reducing tooth decay by more than 25% in children and adults.

However, misinformation about fluoride's safety has proliferated. Last year, Utah became the first state to ban public water fluoridation. And Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly sown doubt about its safety and restricted the use of fluoride for dental health.

“The levels we use in the United States is perfectly safe," Tomar said. "Despite a lot of the misinformation, there are no adverse health effects associated with the levels we use in our drinking water.”

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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.

Gabriele Gravina's decision was quickly followed by Gianluigi Buffon stepping down as the national team’s delegation chief and will likely lead to the ouster of Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, too.

Italy Sports Minister Andrea Abodi called for a change in the country’s soccer leadership after Gravina oversaw two sets of disappointing World Cup qualifiers.

“It’s evident to everyone that Italian soccer needs to be overhauled,” Abodi said on Wednesday, “and that process needs to start with new leadership at the FIGC (federation).”

Italy’s chances of reaching this year’s tournament in North America ended on Tuesday after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.

Buffon was the goalkeeper on the World Cup-winning 2006 team and is Italy’s record-holder with 176 appearances as a player. He was behind Gattuso’s hiring.

“It’s only fair to leave to those who come after me the freedom of selecting who will replace me,” Buffon said. “Representing the national team is an honor and a passion that has embodied me since I was a kid.”

Gravina took charge of the federation in 2018 replacing Carlo Tavecchio, who also stepped down after Italy failed to reach that year’s World Cup.

The defeat to Bosnia added more misery for four-time champion Italy after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.

Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014 when it failed to advance from its group on both occasions.

The Azzurri’s last World Cup knockout match was in 2006 when they won the title by beating France in the final after a penalty shootout.

Gravina did oversee Italy’s European Championship trophy in 2021.

“Soccer has been in trouble since 2006,” Italian coaches association president Renzo Ulivieri said.

Players’ association president Umberto Calcagno said new regulations promoting the use of more Italian players in Serie A were necessary: “A rapid change needs to be made."

An election was called for June 22 to elect a new FIGC president.

Gravina also announced that he would attend a hearing in Italy’s parliament next Wednesday to discuss “the wellbeing of Italian soccer.”

Mancini, Inzaghi, Conte, Allegri

Gattuso took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.

The Azzurri then went on a six-match winning streak before losing again to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.

Among those being mentioned to replace Gattuso are Roberto Mancini, Simone Inzaghi, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri.

Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team.

Inzaghi coached Inter Milan to the Serie A title in 2024 and now manages Saudi club Al-Hilal.

Conte coached Italy at the 2016 European Championship and is currently at Napoli.

Allegri is at AC Milan.

Gravina is a UEFA vice president

Gravina is also Aleksander Ceferin’s top vice president at UEFA.

UEFA statutes require that executive committee members are also senior FA officials but Gravina could stay in the UEFA role as a lame duck as long as the FIGC’s new leadership doesn’t demand his removal.

Gravina was re-elected last year by UEFA so he has three more years in his current term.

“Gabriele is my first vice president and is very important to me,” Ceferin said in Thursday’s Gazzetta dello Sport after attending the playoff in Bosnia.

Euro 2032

Besides revitalizing the national team, whoever replaces Gravina will be tasked with getting Italy’s dilapidated stadiums ready to host the 2032 European Championship.

Italy is slated to co-host Euro 2032 with Turkey.

“I hope that the infrastructure is ready,” Ceferin said. “Otherwise the tournament won’t be played in Italy.”

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

I have some news for you... Spindletop Houston is reportedly making a comeback.

According to a new Instagram page, and the Hyatt Regency’s website, the restaurant will officially be back open to the public on May 15.

If you recall, the restaurant closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Spindletop first opened in 1972 on the 31st floor of the Hyatt at 1200 Louisiana St. Its name, location and distinctive rotating design were inspired by the Lucas Gusher at Spindletop. The 1901 oil discovery in Southeast Texas sparked the state’s oil boom, transforming the economy and helping shape the Houston we know today.

Before closing during the pandemic, Spindletop was considered a romantic destination, known for blending Texas Gulf Coast flavors with European cuisine.

It’s not clear what the menu will look like or many other details, but it looks like guests are able to make reservations on TOCK.com.

Last week, FIFA had asked for a top price of $2,735 for category 1 tickets for the match but added new “front category” pricing.

FIFA also added a front category 2 tier to its ticket sales website without public announcement, asking $1,940 to $2,330 for those tickets for the U.S. opener. The new categories were first reported Thursday by The Athletic.

The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19 in 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Soccer’s governing body had in its Sept. 9 “ticket products and categories” information called category 1 “the highest-priced seats, located primarily in the lower tier” but appears to have withheld some seats from that category. It had labeled category 2 as “positioned outside of category 1 areas, available in both lower and upper tiers.”

FIFA did not respond to an email sent to its media office seeking comment.

FIFA added seats at up to $3,360 in front category 1 for Canada’s opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 in Toronto.

For round of 16 games, it added $905 seats in Philadelphia.

FIFA last week raised its top ticket price for the World Cup final to $10,990 during the glitch-hampered reopening of sales. The price had been $8,680 when FIFA sold tickets after the tournament draw in December.

FIFA’s category 2 tickets for the July 19 game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, were $7,380, up from $5,575, and category 3 cost $5,785, an increase from $4,185.

No tickets appeared to be available for the final on Thursday on FIFA's ticket site.

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

But no birthday cake, because sugar isn't healthy for the aging primate.

Fatou, a western lowland gorilla, arrived in what was then West Berlin in 1959. She was believed to be about 2 years old at the time, though her exact birth date isn't known — April 13 is her designated birthday. Gorillas can live for around 35-40 years in the wild and longer in captivity.

Fatou became the zoo’s oldest resident in 2024, following the death of Ingo the flamingo. The bird was believed to be at least 75 and had lived at the zoo since 1955.

Fatou was likely born in the wild in western Africa, but the story goes that a French sailor took her out of Africa and bartered her to cover his bar tab in Marseille, France, according to the Guinness World Records. A French animal trader then reportedly sold her to the zoo.

These days, Fatou lives in an enclosure of her own and prefers to keep her distance from the zoo’s other gorillas in her old age. She's lost her teeth and she suffers from a touch of arthritis and hearing loss.

But Christian Aust, the Berlin Zoo's primate supervisor, said that she's friendly with the zookeepers, if still a bit stubborn.

At 69 years old, she's earned it. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Fatou.

U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles in Florida wrote in the order that Trump had failed to make the argument that the article was published with the intent to be malicious, but gave the president a chance to file an amended complaint.

Trump filed the lawsuit in July, following up on a promise to sue the paper almost immediately after it put a new spotlight on his well-documented relationship with Epstein by publishing an article that described a sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper said bore Trump’s signature and was included in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday.

The letter was subsequently released publicly by Congress, which subpoenaed the records from Epstein’s estate. Trump denied writing it, calling the story “false, malicious, and defamatory.”

Attorneys for the newspaper and Murdoch had asked Gayles to rule that the article’s statements were true and therefore couldn’t be defamatory, but the judge wrote that “whether President Trump was the author of the Letter or Epstein’s friend are questions of fact that cannot be determined at this stage of the litigation,” Gayles wrote.

The ruling marks yet another blow in the Trump administration’s efforts to manage fallout over its release of the Epstein files and the president’s attempts to use the legal system to chill reporting he finds critical of him.

Neither the White House nor a spokesperson for Dow Jones, which publishes the Journal, immediately responded to requests for comment.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

That changed when Ershad, a New York graduate student who grew up in Tehran, saw how many of the players he had adored since childhood failed to speak out following its theocratic leadership’s deadly crackdown on protesters in January.

“It feels so bad that I do not want them to succeed. They were like my icons, my legends," he lamented during a recent pickup soccer game on Long Island. “I know playing a World Cup is the biggest thing a soccer player can achieve in his life, but how can you just be silent?”

Ershad is one of many diehard soccer fans in the Iranian diaspora with conflicting emotions as Team Melli — the Persian nickname for Iran's national squad — prepares for its seventh World Cup. Iran is set to begin its campaign against New Zealand on June 15 near Los Angeles, a region that's home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran, including many who fled the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Some view the men's team as complicit in whitewashing the Iranian government's repression and can’t bear to watch the competition. Others plan to attend Iran's games to show their love for the country and sport, but bearing signs of protest. Still others say they’ll set politics aside and just enjoy seeing Iran compete on soccer's biggest stage.

All of this is assuming the team actually takes part, which Iranian officials called into question because of the country's war with the United States and Israel. Iranian soccer officials recently met with the head of FIFA, international soccer's governing body, who has insisted that Iran stick to the schedule.

The Iranian team often finds itself unable to avoid political issues. Before a recent match in Turkey, players held small backpacks honoring the Iranian children who were killed in a U.S. missile strike on an elementary school — a move Iranian American fans said showed their allegiance to the government and the political pressure it places on them.

Iranian athletes have faced serious consequences for speaking out. In 2022, a prominent former member of the national team was arrested for allegedly protesting against the country's leadership. This year, star striker Sardar Azmoun wasn't selected for World Cup warmup games, reportedly because of a social media post that angered the authorities.

Worries that Iran won't take part

Nader Adeli, who manages Iranian American club team Arya FC's over-60 squad in Los Angeles, is worried the war might keep Iran from attending the World Cup.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump discouraged the Iranian team from taking part, citing safety concerns. In response, Iran asked to move its matches to Mexico, which is co-hosting the event along with the U.S. and Canada, though the head of FIFA has repeatedly rejected such a move.

Adeli, who didn’t win the ticket lottery to attend one of Iran's two Los Angeles-area matches, said the World Cup should be a moment to enjoy the sport without outside distractions.

But with war raging, he doesn't think the team will travel. And if it does, he doubts the players would be able to fully focus on competing.

“Sports should never become a political issue,” he said. “As people, we have nothing against any Americans, we have nothing against any Iranians. It is just the governments.”

Former women's team player says Iran shouldn't play

Iran's women's team made headlines last month when several members didn't sing along to the country's national anthem before their opening match at the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.

Although they sang it before Iran's next two fixtures, some commenters saw their initial silence as a protest against their government — though others saw it as a display of mourning about the war. The team and players — two of whom accepted asylum offers to remain in Australia — didn't comment on the matter.

Shiva Amini, who used to play for the national team but now lives in New York City, is among the Iranian ex-pats calling on the Trump administration not to grant visas to the men's team to play in the World Cup.

The 36-year-old player, who left Iran in 2017 after being photographed not wearing a headscarf while in Europe, said many Iranians soured on the men’s squad during the 2022 World Cup, when players stayed silent as Iran was roiled by street demonstrations over the country's mandatory headscarf laws following the death of Mahsa Amini.

“They had a big platform, and instead of talking about that, they were laughing, they were so happy, and it was honestly a slap on the face,” she said. “So those are not the Iranian national soccer team. Those are the regime’s national soccer team.”

The few players who have spoken out paid dearly, Amini acknowledged, including Amir Nasr-Azadani, who faces years behind bars for his involvement in the 2022 protests.

Azmoun, the Dubai-based star striker who played for Iran's past two World Cup teams, wasn't picked to play in the team's warmups for this year's tournament, reportedly because he posted a photo on social media of himself greeting United Arab Emirates political leaders.

Plans to cheer on — and protest — Iran

Masoud Ahmadi, a 62-year-old interior designer who plays for another largely Iranian American over-60 club team, Sina FC, said he's trying to get a ticket to see Iran play. If he does, he said he'll take a stand against the Iranian leadership by carrying the country's lion-and-sun flag, which predates the Islamic Revolution.

Ahmadi said he was detained in Iran as a teenager before he fled to Turkey on foot. The U.S. granted him political asylum.

“We’re going to definitely raise our voice,” said Ahmadi, who is proud of his Iranian heritage but critical of the men's squad. “This team is not an Iranian people’s team. This is a government team."

Sasan Sadri, who manages the team, said if he scores a ticket, he'll try to wear a shirt calling for leadership change in Iran.

“As my countrymen, I like them to achieve,” he said. “I don’t support the regime, but soccer is soccer.”

As for Ershad, the New York grad student, he plans to support the Iranian team if the government is overthrown before the tournament starts. If not, he'll back soccer great Cristiano Ronaldo's side to win it all.

“It's so hard to not cheer for your national team, but let’s go Portugal," he said.

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Taxin reported from Irvine, California.

Onyedim’s dad is a huge Texans fan, and the Richmond Foster graduate grew up watching the AFC South franchise.

“Being able to go to my hometown team, my dad said, ‘I don’t watch too much football,’ but when he watched football, he definitely watched the Houston Texans,” Onyedim told KPRC 2 in a telephone interview. “It was a blessing to go meet with the team that my dad loves watching. It would be, amazing to play for my hometown team.

“I grew up always watching them, being a big J.J. Watt fan and everything. So, that would be great.”

Onyedim also has visits with the Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals.

An Iowa State transfer, Onyedim is former all-district selection at Foster High School.

The Texans already have Iowa State alums David Montgomery, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson on the team. Perhaps Onyedim could become the fifth former Cyclone on the squad.

“They are great players,” Onyedim said. “The Texans love how the program was ran.”

Onyedim had 48 tackles and 2 /12 sacks with 8 1/2 tackles for losses for the Aggies.

“I feel like my senior year helped me a lot,” said Onyedim, who is represented by Range Sports. “Just showing teams that I could play in any defense. It just shows versatility. I could play it in an attacking defense, whatever y’all need me to play.

“I feel like a lot of did what we have to do and showed out. I feel like we changed the history of A&M football. I feel like they’re just getting started with that program with Mike Elko and everything going on.”

He had 90 tackles, 13 tackles for losses and three sacks at Iowa State where he was an honorable mention All-Big 12 conference.

He was a teammate of Texans players Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson.

He had 12 sacks as a high school senior.

Onyedim (6-foot-3 1/2, 292 pounds) has posted a 32-inch vertical leap with a 9-3 broad jump.

He’s regarded as a versatile player as a three-technique.

“They see me attacking and think I’m a really good front player,” Onyedim said. “They see me being a beast on their team. They love the way I play football.”

Onyedim studied communications.

“I’d like to be a color analyst in the studio or something like that when I’m done playing,” Onyedim said. “Like what Shaq is doing.”

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

Whoever Dallas chooses at No. 1 will see a huge salary bump her first year thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified last month. That's nearly seven-times what last season's No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers made. The No. 2 and No. 3 picks will get $466,913 and $436,016, respectively.

Second- and third-round picks will make $270,000 — which is more than the previous maximum salary in the old CBA.

The Wings could take guard Azzi Fudd from UConn, Spanish forward Awa Fam Thiam or UCLA center Lauren Betts on Monday night to complement a talented roster led by Bueckers.

Bueckers and Fudd were teammates at UConn and helped the Huskies win the national championship in 2025. Fam Thiem, who is 19, is a talented Spanish player currently playing in her country's domestic league.

Betts is one of six UCLA players in the draft. The 6-foot-7 center helped the Bruins win their first national championship eight days ago. UCLA has a chance to break UConn's record of having four players drafted in the first round, a mark the Huskies set in 2002. They also could top Tennessee (2008), Notre Dame (2019) and South Carolina (2023), which all had five players drafted in total.

Minnesota picks second with Seattle, Washington and Chicago rounding out the top five. Expansion teams Toronto and Portland pick next. The Tempo chose to have the higher pick in the college draft after winning a coin toss, giving the Fire the top choice in the expansion draft earlier this month.

Golden State is next with Washington owning the ninth and 11th picks. Indiana chooses between them. Connecticut, Atlanta, Seattle and the Sun close out the first round.

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

Swalwell’s decision to suspend his campaign Sunday followed allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him, that were published Friday in the San Francisco Chronicle and later by CNN. While pulling out of the race he remained defiant in a post on the social platform X, saying, “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”

For rival candidates in a wide-open race, the key issue is where Swalwell’s supporters will go. He was among the most prominent Democrats in the contest, with mail ballots scheduled to go to voters in early May in advance of the June 2 primary election.

Katie Porter, one of the leading Democrats, posted a line from a San Francisco Chronicle column on X, "Democrats can pull victory from the jaws of defeat by coalescing around Porter.” Billionaire hedge fund manager-turned-liberal activist Tom Steyer said he secured the support of Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat whose coastal district runs north of San Francisco, not far from Swalwell's home turf. Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Los Angeles mayor, pitched a new ad promising to lower gas and grocery costs in a state known for its punishing cost of living.

“As governor, I’ll do everything I can to bring costs down,” he said.

With seven established Democrats and two leading Republicans on a primary ballot with more than 50 candidates, the race remains fluid. While Swalwell has suspended his campaign, his name cannot be removed from the ballot.

“Nobody has really caught fire,” said Democratic consultant Andrew Acosta, who is not involved in the campaign. Swalwell's supporters “will scatter out to other candidates.”

Many voters remain distant from governor's race

Swalwell is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021. But in a media environment dominated by Trump, the race remains distant from many California voters.

After the publicity about sexual misconduct allegations, “I think there are probably more people who know who Eric Swalwell is than can articulate a Tom Steyer position paper,” Acosta added.

Swalwell was considered a leading contender along with fellow Democrats Steyer and Porter and two Republicans, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton, who landed Trump's endorsement.

The 48-hour period marked a rapid reversal for a candidate who appeared to be gaining momentum in the packed field to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is barred by law from seeking a third term.

Though Swalwell has denied the allegations, he has appeared to reference infidelity in multiple statements.

“To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” he wrote. That followed a video post on Friday where he apologized to his wife.

Swalwell’s exit shakes up campaign

The accusations reordered a wide-open gubernatorial race that had Democrats fretting the party’s large number of candidates could lead to them getting shut out of the general election in November. That’s because California has a top-two primary system in which two candidates advance to the general election, regardless of party.

Swalwell had become a clear target for his Democratic rivals as he began to lock up institutional support. Some had seized on rumors of sexual misconduct that circulated on social media for weeks before the Chronicle’s report.

The San Francisco Chronicle spoke to a woman who alleged Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019, when she worked for him, and again in 2024. The woman said she did not go to police at the time of the assaults because she was afraid she would not be believed. In both cases the woman said she was too intoxicated to consent to sex. CNN reported on allegations that appeared to come from the same woman, and spoke to several other women who accused Swalwell of other sexual misconduct.

Neither outlet named the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.

The alleged 2024 incident occurred in New York, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said it’s investigating. That office urged anyone with knowledge to contact its special victims division.

House colleagues call for Swalwell to resign

As Swalwell’s campaign flailed over the weekend, fellow California Reps. Jared Huffman, Ro Khanna and Sam Liccardo said Swalwell should resign, as did Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.

“This is not a partisan issue,” Jayapal said Sunday. “This cuts across party lines. And it is depravity of the way that women have been treated.”

Some representatives said they would support the rare step of expelling him from the U.S. House should he refuse to step aside.

It all added to the mounting political pressure on Swalwell, which began with allies like Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jimmy Gomez cutting their support. Gomez had helped run Swalwell’s campaign and said he was immediately ending his role.

With the House returning to session Tuesday, the question of whether to expel Swalwell could come to a head quickly. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said Saturday that she would be filing a motion to start the process.

Expulsion votes in the House are rare and require a two-thirds majority, but there is recent precedent for taking the step. Republican George Santos of New York in 2023 became just the sixth member in House history to be ousted by colleagues for his conduct.

Huffman, Jayapal and Leger Fernández said they would vote to expel Swalwell from the House, though they said they also support expelling Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who admitted to an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide.

Swalwell, who is originally from Iowa, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters.

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Associated Press writer Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.

“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” Leo told The Associated Press aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria. “And I’m sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.”

History’s first U.S.-born pope stressed that he was not making a direct attack against Trump or anyone else with his general appeal for peace and criticisms of the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fueling the Iran war and other conflicts around the world.

“I will not enter into debate. The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,’” Leo said.

“I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.”

Speaking to other reporters, he added: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for.''

“We are not politicians. We do not look at foreign policy from the same perspective that he may have,'' the pope said, adding, ”I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems.

"Too many people are suffering today, too many innocent people have been killed, and I believe someone must stand up and say that there is a better way,'' he said.

Trump says Leo is not ‘doing a very good job’

Trump delivered an extraordinary broadside against Leo on Sunday night, saying he didn't think the U.S.-born global leader of the Catholic Church is “doing a very good job” and that “he's a very liberal person," while also suggesting the pontiff should “stop catering to the Radical Left.”

Flying back to Washington from Florida, Trump used a lengthy social media post to sharply criticize Leo, then kept it up after deplaning, in comments on the tarmac to reporters.

“I’m not a fan of Pope Leo,” he said.

Trump's comments came after Leo suggested over the weekend that a “delusion of omnipotence” is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. While it’s not unusual for popes and presidents to be at cross purposes, it’s exceedingly rare for the pope to directly criticize a U.S. leader — and Trump’s stinging response is equally uncommon, if not more so.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” the president wrote in his post, adding, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon."

Italian politicians across the spectrum showed their solidarity with Leo. Premier Giorgia Meloni sent a message of support for his peace mission while the leader of the main opposition party, Elly Schlein, was more direct, calling Trump’s attacks “extremely serious.”

Trump repeated that sentiment in comments to reporters, saying, “We don’t like a pope who says it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon.”

Later, Trump posted a picture suggesting he had saint-like powers akin to those of Jesus Christ. Wearing a biblical-style robe, Trump is seen laying hands on a bedridden man as light emanates from his fingers, while a soldier, a nurse, a praying woman and a bearded man in a baseball cap all look on admiringly. The sky above is filled with eagles, an American flag and vaporous images.

Leo's opposition to war irked Trump

All of that came after Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire, with Vice President JD Vance leading the U.S. delegation. Vance is Catholic and recently released a book about his faith.

During his evening prayer service, the pope didn’t mention the United States or Trump by name, but his tone and message appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S. military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.

Leo, who is on an 11-day trip to Africa starting Monday — has previously said that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” He's also referenced an Old Testament passage from Isaiah, saying that “even though you make many prayers, I will not listen — your hands are full of blood.”

Before the ceasefire, when Trump warned of mass strikes against Iranian power plants and other infrastructure and that “an entire civilization will die tonight,” Leo described such sentiments as “truly unacceptable.”

In his social media post on Sunday night, however, Trump went far beyond the war in Iran in criticizing Leo.

The president wrote, “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States.” That was a reference to the Trump administration having ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January.

“I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do,” Trump added, referencing his 2024 election victory.

He also suggested in the post that Leo only got his position “because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”

“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump wrote, adding, “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!”

In his subsequent comments to reporters, Trump remained highly critical, saying of Leo, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess” and adding, “He’s a very liberal person.”

Bishops say the pope is not a politician

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement saying he was “disheartened” by Trump's comments.

“Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls,” Coakley said.

The Italian Bishops' Conference expressed regret over Trump's words, and underlined that the pope "is not a political counterpart, but the successor of Peter, called to serve the Gospel, truth and peace.''

In the 2024 election, Trump won 55% of Catholic voters, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. But Trump's administration also has close ties to conservative evangelical Protestant leaders and has claimed heavenly endorsement for the war on Iran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Americans to pray for victory “in the name of Jesus Christ.” And, when Trump was asked whether he thought God approved of the war, he said, “I do, because God is good — because God is good and God wants to see people taken care of.”

——

Winfield reported from aboard the papal plane.

Electoral authorities granted the one-day extension to more than 52,000 voters in Peru’s capital, Lima. Peruvians registered to vote in Orlando, Florida, and Paterson, New Jersey, were also allowed to vote Monday for similar reasons.

Voting is mandatory for Peruvians from the ages of 18 to 70. Failure to do so comes with a fine of up to $32.

A former minister, a comedian and a political dynasty heiress are among 35 candidates vying to become Peru’s ninth president in just 10 years.

The election comes as a surge in violent crime and corruption has fueled widespread discontent among voters, who largely view candidates as dishonest and unprepared for the presidency. Many of the contenders have responded to the crime concerns with wide-ranging proposals, including building megaprisons, restricting food for prisoners and reinstating the death penalty for serious crimes.

Nurse Heidy Justiniano had not decided who to vote for while already in line outside a public school in Lima.

“There’s so much crime, so many robberies on every corner; a bus driver was killed. What matters most to us right now is safety, the lives of every person,” Justiniano, 33, said. “Politicians don’t always keep their promises. This time, we have to choose our president wisely so that he can improve Peru.”

More than 27 million people are registered to vote. Of those, about 1.2 million cast ballots abroad, mainly in the United States and Argentina.

A presidential candidate needs more than 50% of votes to win outright. However, a runoff in June is virtually assured given the deeply divided electorate and the pool of candidates, the largest in the Andean country’s history.

Voters are also being asked to choose the members of a bicameral Congress for the first time in more than 30 years, following recent legislative reforms that concentrate significant power in the new upper chamber.

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Associated Press writer Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela contributed to this report.

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

“I have truly loved my time in Milwaukee,” Rivers said Monday in a statement released by the team. “Coming back to where I got my start, to a city that has always embraced me, has been a privilege. I am disappointed that things did not turn out the way any of us hoped, but I am deeply grateful for this experience, the relationships built, and unwavering support from our fans and the community. Milwaukee will always mean a lot to me, and this chapter will hold a special place in my heart.”

The announcement comes a day after the Bucks ended a 32-50 season that snapped their run of nine straight playoff appearances. The news release announcing Rivers’ departure as coach didn’t indicate whether he might have any role with the team moving forward.

“It has been an honor to have Doc as our coach and as a leader in our organization and community,” Bucks owners Wes Edens, Jimmy Haslam, Dee Haslam and Jamie Dinan said in a statement. “In addition to his impact on the court, we’re thankful for Doc’s class and professionalism during his tenure in Milwaukee.”

Rivers went 97-103 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Bucks. He owns a 1,194-866 overall record and overtook George Karl for sixth place on the career wins list among NBA coaches this season. The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame announced this month that Rivers would be part of its newest induction class.

The 64-year-old had left little doubt about his future as the season wound down.

“I have seven grandkids now and they’re all 8 years and under,” Rivers said about his future before an April 7 loss at Brooklyn. “And it kills me every time I miss grandparents’ day with each one of them in school. And it’s probably time to go see them more. So, I’ll let you figure out the rest.”

Rivers’ exit comes amid questions surrounding the future of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led Milwaukee to its first title in half a century in 2021 and has set Bucks career records in virtually every major statistical category.

Antetokounmpo’s status dominated league discussions as the trade deadline approached, but he wasn’t dealt. He since has been in a disagreement with team management over his injury status.

The last game Antetokounmpo played was on March 15. He said in the closing weeks of the season that he was healthy and wanted to play, while the Bucks continued to rule him out because of a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The NBA is investigating the matter.

Antetokounmpo had two extended absences because of right calf strains and ended up playing in just 36 games. Kevin Porter Jr., the Bucks’ second-leading scorer, appeared in just 38.

“It’s hard,” Rivers said Sunday. “I don’t remember guys being out like this, but it makes sense. I haven’t had a lot of this. It’s no fun. Losing, I don’t give a crap what the reasons are, I’m just too competitive. It’s just no fun not winning. It just isn’t.”

Rivers won a championship with Boston

Rivers won a title with Boston in 2008 and led the Celtics to Game 7 of the NBA Finals two years later, but his teams haven't advanced beyond the regional semifinals since. He owns a career playoff record of 114-112.

This marks the first full season in which Rivers has coached and posted a losing record since 2006-07, when he went 24-58 with Boston.

Rivers came to Milwaukee after head coaching stints with the Orlando Magic, Boston, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers. He was working as a broadcaster for ESPN and ABC before the Bucks hired him.

He took over midway through the 2023-24 season after the firing of first-year head coach Adrian Griffin. The move represented a homecoming of sorts for Rivers, who played at Marquette before his 13-year NBA playing career. His No. 31 college jersey hangs from the rafters at Fiserv Forum, the arena that both the Bucks and Marquette call home.

But the Bucks never managed to establish any momentum during Rivers' tenure, with injuries playing a major role.

Bucks struggled with injuries

Milwaukee went 17-19 under Rivers during that 2023-24 season to finish a 49-33 season. They lost to Indiana 4-2 in the opening round of the playoffs, with Antetokounmpo missing the entire series because of a calf strain.

Last season, three-time All-Star Khris Middleton didn’t start playing until early December after offseason surgery to each of his ankles, and he got sent to Washington at the trade deadline. Damian Lillard missed Milwaukee’s final 14 regular-season games because of deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, returned for Game 2 of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series loss to Indiana but tore his Achilles tendon two games later.

With Lillard unable to play this season, the Bucks waived him and agreed to pay his remaining salary over the next five seasons. That opened up cap space for the Bucks to sign former Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.

Milwaukee won four of its first five games but struggled the rest of the way while playing much of the season without its superstar.

“I personally have enjoyed the challenge,” Rivers said after Sunday’s game. “It didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, obviously. I always say I could do a better job. We could have had better health. We could have had all kinds of things. But I’m not a big guy in looking back. All you can do is look forward.”

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AP Pro Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami and AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

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

As of Monday, she was 16 days old after being born here in the mud, said her mother, Haifa Kenjo.

Kenjo, 34, was nine months pregnant when Israeli attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs of Dahiyeh sent her, her husband and their 2-year-old son, Khalid, running for their lives in sandals and pajamas. They had no time to bring anything as explosions shook the house, they said — not clothes, not cash.

They took refuge in a donated tent near downtown Beirut and secured the tarp with rocks as the wind threatened to rip it from the ground.

Of the more than 1 million people uprooted in Lebanon by this latest war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, 13,500 are pregnant and more than 1,500 are expected to deliver in the next month, the United Nations’ sexual and reproductive health agency said this week, warning that many struggle to access adequate maternal care.

When life had been normal, Kenjo pictured giving birth at Beirut's main public hospital, where she delivered Khalid. She is originally from Syria, and although she has spent almost half her life in the Lebanese capital and married a Lebanese man, she must pay to access the country’s public hospitals, where Lebanese mothers can give birth for free.

When her water broke and she went into labor on March 28, she called an ambulance and her husband scraped together the $40 admission fee. But the $500 they needed to deliver Shiman at the hospital was buried in the ruins of their home, razed the week before in an Israeli airstrike.

They returned to the tent, called a midwife and prayed.

Umm Ali, the midwife, said she did her best, but the tent was filthy. The rain seeped inside. They washed tiny Shiman with bottled water.

Kenjo had no milk in her breasts to give her child. Infant formula costs more than her husband makes in a day installing water tanks.

She knows her baby is hungry. Volunteers passing out food in the displacement camp gave her just enough formula for the next few days.

Shiman doesn’t cry like a normal infant. She coughs. Her skin is cold and clammy, pockmarked with insect bites.

“She is so precious,” Kenjo said, stroking her baby girl. “But for her we have nothing. We have less than zero.”

Elite company, indeed.

If joining the first group wasn't difficult enough for McIlroy — 11 years of trying to get the final leg of the Grand Slam — then winning his second Masters green jacket was a clear reminder of how hard it was to get there.

“I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the Grand Slam,” McIlroy said. “And then this year I realized it’s just really difficult to win the Masters.”

So where does he go from here?

McIlroy went into a funk last year after fulfilling a lifelong dream. He became irritated by endless questions about what would motivate him, which mountain was next to scale, when all he wanted to do was soak it all in. He finally got back on track at the Irish Open.

That doesn't sound like it will be a problem this time around.

“I felt like the Grand Slam was the destination, and I realized it wasn't,” McIlroy said after ending another wild Sunday afternoon at Augusta National with a one-shot win over Scottie Scheffler.

“I just won my sixth major, and I feel like I'm in a really good spot with my game and my body,” he said. “I don't want to put a number on it, but I feel like this win is just ... I don't want to say a stop on the journey, it's just part of the journey.”

Trying to put a number on how many majors he will win began long before he won his first Masters, much less the second one. McIlroy won his first major in the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional by shattering the 72-hole scoring record at 268.

That prompted Padraig Harrington to say, “If you're going to talk about someone challenging Jack's record, there's your man.”

Nicklaus has the gold standard of 18 majors. Woods is next at 15. McIlroy is at six, tied with Nick Faldo, Lee Trevino and Phil Mickelson.

Fred Couples piled on this week when he said on Thursday, “By the way, Rory may never lose this thing again after last year.” And the following day Couples added, “I mean, he really could win five more of these.”

Easy, right?

“Yeah, I don't make it easy," McIlroy said. “I used to make it easy back in my early 20s when I was winning these things by eight shots."

He still holds the PGA Championship record for margin of victory when he won at Kiawah Island by eight shots in 2012, the year after his eight-shot victory at Congressional.

“No, it’s just hard. It’s hard to win golf tournaments, especially around here,” he said. “You’ve had maybe a couple of runaway winners over the years, but it always seems to be a very tight finish at this golf course."

It wasn't easy a year ago when he lost a Sunday lead once on the front nine and twice on the back nine before beating Justin Rose in a playoff. And it didn't look that way this time when he lost a six-shot lead on Saturday, and then twice found himself two shots behind different players, Cameron Young on the front nine and Justin Rose on the back.

Scottie Scheffler was in range and had to settle for making 11 straight pars. Young had birdie putts on eight straight holes on the back nine and converted none of them.

And then McIlroy was a whisker away from trouble over the final hour — the wedge that barely cleared the false front on the 15th, a sporty up-and-down from off the 17th green that gave him a two-shot cushion going to the last hole, and a drive so far right McIlroy wasn't sure where it was when he walked off the tee.

It ended with more joy than relief, a big difference from a year ago. The only tears came when he spoke to his parents, who were not at Augusta a year ago and had to be persuaded to come this year because they didn't want to jinx him.

With a bogey on the last hole he could afford, it ended with a one-shot advantage over Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world. This was the first time since the 2002 U.S. Open the top two players in the world — Woods and Phil Mickelson at Bethpage Black — were the top two at a major.

McIlroy and Scheffler have combined to win four of the last five majors. Scheffler is a U.S. Open short of joining the career Grand Slam club, and his position at No. 1 in the world is not threatened even after McIlroy's latest Masters title.

“I’ve competed against him for a long time, and you don’t win the amount of tournaments that he’s won out here without being pretty resilient,” Scheffler said.

McIlroy is the first player since Adam Scott in 2013 to have taken three weeks off before winning the Masters. There's a sense that will be part of his plan going forward when possible. He felt like more than an honorary member as many trips as he took to Augusta in the last few weeks.

“I think it's a good blueprint,” McIlroy said. "I’m not going to take three weeks off before every major. ... When I've talked to Jack Nicklaus over the years how he prepared for majors, and he would go the week before, and he would simulate a tournament.

“I think that’s certainly a good way to prepare going into the next majors.”

The next one starts May 15, another stop in the journey without needing to set a target for how many.

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

New Gallup polling finds that while more employees are using AI frequently in their work, there’s been an uptick in alarm that new technologies will replace their jobs. Many workers who are not using AI say they prefer to work without it, have ethical oppositions to the technology or worry about data privacy.

The poll, conducted in February, points to a divergence in how AI is reshaping American workplaces. Some find it to be a gamechanger for productivity and efficiency, while others are concerned about its potentially negative impacts.

Social worker Scott Segal said he regularly uses AI to find information that will help connect his elderly and vulnerable patients to health care resources in northern Virginia. While he knows that the human connection and care he brings to that work is important, he also believes that AI could soon replace him.

“I’m planning ahead,” said Segal, 53. “I think everyone who works in a replaceable field or trade should be planning ahead.”

Most workers using AI report productivity boosts

Roughly 3 in 10 employees are frequent users of AI in their jobs, meaning they use it daily or a few times a week. About 2 in 10 are infrequent users, using AI tools at work a few times a month or a few times a year.

The Gallup poll found that about 4 in 10 workers say their organization has adopted AI tools or technology to improve organizational practices. About two-thirds of those workers say AI has had an “extremely” or “somewhat” positive impact on their individual productivity and efficiency at work.

Workers using AI in management roles are more likely to say the technology has been at least “somewhat" positive for their productivity, compared with individual contributors. About 7 in 10 leaders using AI at least a few times a year say AI has made them more efficient at work, compared with just over half of individual contributors.

Labor and employment attorney Elizabeth Bloch of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said she uses ChatGPT to help “draft letters or emails in a diplomatic way because it’s a very adversarial profession and sometimes you get heated.”

AI tools appear to have a greater benefit for workers in managerial, health care and technology roles than in service jobs. About 6 in 10 employees in those fields who are using AI say it's boosted their productivity at least “somewhat,” compared with 45% of those using it in service jobs.

Why some employees don’t use AI

Even when companies make AI tools available, there’s no guarantee employees will adopt them. About half of U.S. employees use AI only once a year or not at all, according to the Gallup study.

Bloch said she's tried using AI for legal research but finds it is prone to hallucinations, or making up false information, even when using AI tools custom-built for legal work. She's worried other lawyers who were already bad at finding and citing relevant case law are “going to be bad at using AI, because you’re not using the right prompts," leading judges to sanction them for false citations.

Among workers who have AI tools available at their company and don’t use them, 46% say it’s because they prefer to keep doing their work the way they do it now. About 4 in 10 non-users who have AI available to them report that they are ethically opposed to AI, are concerned about data privacy or don’t believe AI can be helpful for the work they do.

About one-quarter of these non-users who have AI tools available say they have used AI at work and don’t find it helpful, while about 2 in 10 say they do not feel prepared to use AI effectively.

Thuy Pisone, a contract administrator in Maryland for a company that works with the federal government, said she uses AI weekly for mundane tasks but has avoided it for things she already can do just fine.

“I have heard from my colleagues that we could use AI to put together our PowerPoint slides,” Pisone said. “I’m a little biased in that, well, I could put my own PowerPoints together. I don’t need help because it took me time to hone up my skill.”

More workers are concerned about new technology taking jobs

While this was less of a reason for forgoing AI at work, the poll also found U.S. workers are increasingly concerned about being driven out of a job by new technologies.

About 2 in 10 — 18% — of U.S. workers say it is “very” or “somewhat” likely that their current job will be eliminated within the next five years because of new technology, automation, robots or AI. That’s up from 15% in 2025. People working at companies that have adopted AI are even more likely to be concerned that their job will be eliminated: 23% call this at least “somewhat” likely in the next few years.

A Fox News poll conducted in March found that about 6 in 10 registered voters believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates over the next five years. Only about 1 in 10 expect it will create more positions, and about one-third say it’s too soon to say. About 7 in 10 employed voters say they are “not very” or “not at all” concerned their current job could be eliminated by AI.

Segal, the social worker in Virginia, said his alternative plan if AI replaces him is to start a new “health care chaperone service” that physically escorts patients from one appointment to another, especially when they've been sedated and don't have family or others to pick them up.

“I don’t think that’s something that will be replaced for another maybe 10 or 15 years, until robots are embodied with AI," Segal said. “I do believe that AI is going to displace most people’s employment functions and I question what people will do for livelihood at that point.”

In the meantime, he's been asking AI chatbots to help him strategize on saving for his retirement.

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Gallup’s quarterly workforce surveys were conducted with a random sample of adults age 18 and older who work full time and part time for organizations in the United States and are members of Gallup’s probability-based Gallup Panel. The most recent survey of 23,717 employed U.S. adults was conducted Feb. 4-19, 2026. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 0.9 percentage points.

The clashes in the hilly town that overlooks the U.N.-mandated Blue Line dividing the two countries just over 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) away have intensified over the past week, after Iran and the United States agreed to a temporary truce. On Tuesday, Lebanon and Israel's ambassadors to the U.S. are set to meet in Washington for an in-person meeting in a bid to kick off a landmark series of direct negotiations.

Israel has scaled back its attacks in Lebanon, especially in Beirut, after a series of deadly strikes without warning hit the heart of the capital in some of its busiest residential and commercial areas, killing over 350 people.

At the same time, Israel appears to have stepped up strikes and ground invasion in southern Lebanon, where it intends to create a security zone along the Litani River, almost 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the border. Bint Jbeil is among dozens of towns and villages south of the river that Israel called to evacuate early on in the war. The latest round of fighting was sparked by Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel on March 2, in solidarity with Iran.

At least 2,055 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, the Health Ministry said, among them 252 women, 165 children, and 87 medical workers, while 6,588 were wounded.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency has reported Israeli ground forces making their way into the town with most of the exit roads cut off. Local media reported dozens of Hezbollah gunmen were largely encircled.

Bint Jbeil sits in a strategic position

The Israeli military said its troops surrounded Hezbollah infrastructure and started ground operations in Bint Jbeil and surrounding areas, killing over 100 Hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah did not immediately announce any fatalities among its ranks, and Israel did not comment on its military casualties.

Hezbollah on Sunday claimed at least five attacks on Israeli troops in the town and outskirts with rockets, artillery and drones. According to the group’s statements, Israeli troops were positioned near a school, a hospital and juncture that surrounds the heart of Bint Jbeil. That day, Israel said its troops attacked Hezbollah forces surveilling from the Bint Jbeil Government Hospital and found a cache of machine guns and rockets.

When Israel occupied southern Lebanon until its withdrawal in 2000, it had relied on Bint Jbeil and other elevated locations for strategic vantage points. A major turning point was Hezbollah retaking the hilly town, and the victory speech by then-Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in a stadium there. The Israeli military on Monday shared a satellite photo showing the stadium apparently destroyed in a strike.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a Cabinet meeting Monday that the military was expanding beyond the five hilltops it controlled in southern Lebanon since the ceasefire with Hezbollah in 2024, toward a “solid, deeper security zone." He said it was in order to protect northern Israel.

Lebanese Red Cross volunteer laid to rest

Elsewhere, a Lebanese Red Cross volunteer killed in an Israeli strike Sunday while on a mission in the southern village of Beit Yahoun was laid to rest in Choueifat, just south of Beirut.

Hassan Badawi, 31, and a colleague were going to a house that was struck by Israel a short drive from where they were stationed, his colleagues said at the funeral. Their trip was coordinated with the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, which liaises with the Israeli army, and they received the go-ahead, according to his colleagues. They drove in ambulances clearly marked with the Red Cross emblem, flashed their emergency lights and wore helmets and flak jackets, they said.

"That is the only protection we have,” said Ahmad Assi, 29, another friend of Badawi and fellow paramedic.

Badawi often relayed the horrors he witnessed to friends and family while on duty. “He said they were bombing everywhere, that he felt stuck, like he had to stay because there were too many wounded people that needed his help,” said Mohammed Cheito, one of Badawi’s friends from Lebanese University, where they studied engineering together a decade ago.

On Monday, an Israeli strike near the entrance to Red Cross offices in the coastal city of Tyre killed a wounded person who was being transported, damaging several Red Cross vehicles. A person familiar with the matter said the strike targeted a man on a motorcycle transporting the wounded. It's unclear who either people were. The person spoke on condition of anonymity they weren't authorized to disclose the information.

The International Committee of the Red Cross urged for the protection of humanitarian and medical workers in a statement on Monday.

“Saving lives must never cost a life,” said Agnès Dhur, head of the ICRC delegation in Lebanon. “They must be allowed to reach and help the wounded and return unharmed.”

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to The Associated Press when asked for comment.

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Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Choueifat, Lebanon and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.

With an overwhelming new mandate, Magyar pledged to cooperate with other European countries, ending Orbán-era obstruction of Europe-wide policies, while also representing Hungarians’ wishes.

At a news conference Monday in Budapest, he promised to restore rule of law and overhaul government structures to make them more independent and able to fight corruption, and to create new ministries to address acute problems in areas like public health, environmental protection and education.

He said he opposes fast-track EU membership for Ukraine while the country is still in a war. But he suggested he wouldn’t veto a 90-billion-euro EU loan for Ukraine, as Orbán did, and instead wants Hungary to ″opt out″ of participating in the loan because of its own financial struggles.

He didn’t immediately address his eventual relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, who supported Orbán's campaign.

Magyar said his Tisza party received “a never-before-seen mandate,'' a super-majority that would allow it to embark on ambitious program and reforms.

“The Hungarian people didn’t vote for a simple change of government, but for a complete change in regime,” he said.

In his campaign, Magyar also pledged to end Hungary’s drift toward Russia. On Monday, Magyar thanked Moscow and Beijing for offering their congratulations and willingness to work with Hungary’s new government.

“Hungarians said yesterday they will write their history, not in Moscow, not in Beijing, not in Washington," he added.

During his long time in office, Orbán ruled with the power of a two-thirds parliamentary majority, allowing him to pass a new constitution, rewrite the electoral system and reshape the judiciary.

Magyar’s party secured exactly such a mandate Sunday when it won 138 of parliament’s 199 seats, giving it broad authority to undo much of the legislation that allowed Orbán to stack the courts, manipulate the electoral system, crack down on press freedom and discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community.

Still, there are potential pitfalls that could stand in the way of the radical changes many Hungarians had hoped for.

Historic win

Magyar’s victory was met with jubilation on the streets of Budapest late Sunday with tens of thousands, many of them young people, celebrating what they view as a ray of hope that Orbán’s loss will make Hungary freer, happier and firmly rooted within the fold of European democracies.

On streets and avenues across the capital, drivers blared car horns and cranked up anti-government songs while people marching in the streets chanted and screamed.

During the celebrations, Adrien Rixer said he’d come back to Hungary from his home in London “because I really wanted to make my vote count, and I’m over the moon.”

“Finally I can say that I’m a proud Hungarian, finally after 16 years,” he said.

Many Hungarians, and others across Europe who were closely watching the election, had feared that a simple majority for Tisza would have been inadequate to truly transform Orbán’s system.

Yet others remain uncertain about what the authority of a two-thirds majority will bring, with some uneasy about taking such a mandate from Orbán and delivering it to his opponent.

“Its hard to see that with two-thirds that it's going to be a fair government, but we will see,” said reveller Dániel Kovács. “Lets hope that it’s going to be a promising four years.”

The election win for Magyar and Tisza was without precedent in Hungary's post-Communist history: They received more votes and more parliamentary seats than any party ever had before.

Bulcsú Hunyadi, an analyst with the Budapest-based think tank Political Capital, said that while Tisza's constitutional majority gives it broad powers to roll back many of Orbán's policies, Hungary's key institutions are “led by people who are cemented in their position for many years.”

As part of his broader effort to consolidate control over Hungary’s democratic system, Orbán installed loyal allies at the helm of key institutions, from the media authority to the public prosecutor’s office and the Constitutional Court.

In several cases, mandates were extended or new appointments pushed through before existing terms had expired — moves that effectively kept loyal leadership locked in place for years, well beyond any potential change in government.

Magyar called for such officials — including Hungary's president — to step down of their own accord. Beyond that, Hunyadi said, “they don’t really have any other tools to remove these people.”

Pressure from the EU

Magyar accuses Orbán and his government of mismanaging Hungary’s economy and social services, and overseeing unchecked corruption he says has led to the accumulation of extreme wealth within a small circle of well-connected insiders while leaving ordinary Hungarians behind.

He’s vowed to hold such abuses to account, and plans to create an Office for the Recovery and Protection of National Assets to reclaim what he says are Orbán’s allies' ill-gotten gains.

Magyar campaigned heavily on a promise to bring home billions of euros in European Union funding that has been frozen over corruption and rule-of-law concerns under Orbán. He’s also pledged to introduce the euro to Hungary by 2030 — something Orbán’s government long resisted.

Hunyadi, the analyst, said Magyar's government will be under “tight pressure” by the EU to quickly carry out reforms in order to get access to those frozen funds that are badly needed by Hungary's faltering economy.

“There are deadlines in terms of unfreezing the funds. They will have to deliver certain laws and reforms by August this year, which is only a few months away,” he said.

Tisza's win raised hopes across the EU that a new government in Budapest would reverse Orbán's antagonistic approach to Ukraine and his obstruction of efforts to assist the war-ravaged country as it defends against Russia's full-scale invasion.

Orbán has used his veto power in the EU to stymie sanctions on Russia and block crucial funding to Kyiv. He's also vowed never to allow talks on Ukraine joining the EU to resume.

In a statement on Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Orbán's election campaign, “which unfortunately was marked by manipulative rhetoric about Ukraine, is now behind us.”

“We expect that ... the election results will also contribute to a normalization of political relations,” Sybiha said.

Rory McIlroy becomes 4th player to repeat at Masters

McIlroy is just the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters.

Tiger Woods (2001-02), Jack Nicklaus (1965-66) and Nick Faldo (1989-90) are the other repeat champions.

After a slow start, McIlroy played the final 12 holes in 3-under par to finish with a one-stroke victory over Scottie Scheffler to earn his second green jacket and a $4.5 million prize.

After surrendering all of his six-shot 36-hole lead on Saturday, McIlroy started the final round by playing the first six holes in 3 over. He turned things around on the seventh hole when he hit his iron to 7 feet.

McIlroy was strong until the 18th hole, when his tee shot found the woods. He managed to make bogey to seal the win.

Rory McIlroy closing in on back-to-back Masters wins

McIlroy is at 13 under and holds a two-shot lead over Scheffler and Rose with two holes left to play.

Rory McIlroy back in the lead at the Masters

The pressure of the Masters might be starting to get to Rose.

He missed the green on No. 12 after his chip shot failed to reach the putting surface. It resulted in his second straight bogey, allowing McIlroy to regain the lead.

McIlroy is at 11 under while Rose dropped into a second-place tie with Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley and Cameron Young at 10 under.

Rory McIlroy misses opportunity to tie Justin Rose

McIlroy missed a makeable put on the ninth hole that would have tied him with Rose at 12 under.

He remains one back of the lead heading into the 10th.

Justin Rose has taken sole possession of the lead at the Masters

The Masters leaderboard is changing at breakneck speed — and we’re not even to the back nine.

Rose made birdie at the eighth hole and now has sole possession of the lead after Young made bogey at the seventh.

Rose lost in a playoff to McIlroy last year.

Does winning the Players Championship = winning the Masters?

Cameron Young holds a two-shot lead at the Masters after five holes as he seeks to become the third straight player to follow up a win at the Players Championship with a victory at Augusta National.

Scottie Scheffler won both tournaments in 2024 and Rory McIlroy matched that feat last year.

Young’s best finish at the Masters came in 2023 when he finished tied for seventh.

McIlroy breaks down, Young takes 2-shot lead at Masters

Young has taken sole possession of the lead at the Masters after McIlroy double-bogeyed the fourth hole. Young is at 12 under and leads by two.

Rory McIlroy moves back into a tie for 1st at Masters

McIlroy isn’t going to let Young run away with a green jacket.

The defending Masters champion birdied the par-5 third hole to reach 12 under on Sunday, while Young had to make a nervy 6-footer to save par on the same hole and remain tied with the Northern Irishman after briefly taking a one-shot lead.

They have a three-shot cushion on Scheffler, who has birdied two of his first six holes to reach 9 under. The world No. 1 is trying to become the first player since Danny Willett in 2016 to come from outside the final group and win the Masters.

▶ Here’s the leaderboard

Leaders tee off at the final round of the Masters

McIlroy and Young have teed off at the Masters, which means everyone is out on the course for the final round.

McIlroy blew a record 36-hole lead of six shots on Saturday with a round of 73, which allowed Young to pull into a tie with him at 11 under following his 65 — tied for the low round of the tournament. They had a one-shot lead over Sam Burns, though Scottie Scheffler and a host of other big names were ready to give chase.

Scheffler began the day at 7 under and promptly birdied the difficult par-4 first hole to start his round in style.

Scottie Scheffler begins hunt for a 3rd green jacket

The world’s No. 1 made up a lot of ground on Saturday, when his second-round 65 matched co-leader Young for the best of the day. It left Scheffler at 7 under for the tournament, four shots behind Young and McIlroy.

This would be the first time Scheffler has come from behind at Augusta National to win on Sunday. In 2022, he had a three-shot lead after the third round and won by the same margin. Two years ago, he led by one going into Sunday and won by four.

There’s reason to believe that Scheffler can make up the ground, though.

Through the first three rounds, the four-time major champion ranks first from tee-to-green and first in ballstriking. So, why isn’t he in the lead? Scheffler is nearly last in putting. If he can get a few to drop, watch out.

▶ Here’s the leaderboard

Leaders’ tee times for the final round of the Masters

Rory McIlroy lost a six-shot lead during the third round of the Masters, so it makes sense that anyone within six shots of the lead has at least a shot at the green jacket.

Those at 5 under were scheduled to go off shortly after 1 p.m. EDT, beginning with Ben Griffin and Jake Knapp. They were followed at 1:30 p.m. by Collin Morikawa (-5) and Patrick Reed (-6), with Patrick Cantlay (-6) and Russell Henley (-6) going off at 1:41 p.m.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Haotong Li, both at 7 under, were paired together at 1:52 p.m.

Justin Rose, who lost in a playoff to McIlroy last year, was at 8 under along with Jason Day. They were due off at 2:03 p.m. Sam Burns (-10) and Shane Lowry (-9) were in the penultimate group at 2:14 p.m. before McIlroy and Cameron Young strike their opening tee shots at 2:25 p.m. on Tea Olive, the 445-yard par-4 first hole at Augusta National.

Sergio didn’t need that driver anyway

Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, will be playing the remainder of the final round without his driver after snapping off the head of it following an angry outburst on the second tee box. After sending his tee shot into a bunker, Garcia took a swipe at a table with a green cooler on it and severed the head of the driver. It was left briefly dangling from the shaft before Garcia grabbed it and ripped it off completely. Geoff Yang, the chairman of the Masters competitions committee, met up with Garcia on the fourth tee box and issued him a code of conduct warning, according to club officials.

Setting up Sunday at the Masters

The forecast for the final round of the Masters is much like it has been all week at Augusta National: hot, dry and sunny.

That’s good news for the thousands of patrons. But it could be bad news for those trying to navigate 18 holes. The weather has been such that club officials can set up the course just about anyway they want. They seemed to give players a reprieve with easier hole locations and softer conditions on Friday and Saturday, but chances are they will want it difficult on Sunday.

That means hard, fast greens that reject wayward approach shots into difficult pin placements.

“When greens are firm and targets are tight, even a light wind can add another layer of difficulty,” said John Feerick, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather. “Players who manage launch, spin and landing spot most effectively may have the clearest edge.”

Masters’ gnomes coming to an end?

The Masters gnome has grown increasingly popular — and valuable — over the last 10 years. But this year’s gnome has become especially sought after on re-sale markets amid speculation this will be the final year they’ll be produced.

Masters chairman Fred Ridley has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors.

The 13 1/2-inch gnome features the traditional old man with a white beard dressed in golf attire and holding an umbrella and Masters-themed cup. It is only available for purchase at Augusta National (not online) and is selling for $59.50.

However, some are taking the gnome home and using it to help pay for their Masters expenses. The gnome is commanding more than $600 on eBay and Marketplace. With only 1,000 gnomes available per day and regularly selling out within an hour, fans are lining up early in the morning to get one.

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

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no formal announcement about Rivers' decision has been made.

There has been some discussion about whether Rivers will stay with the organization in some capacity. Those talks are ongoing, the person said.

ESPN first reported that Rivers won't be back as Milwaukee's coach next season.

The news caps a tumultuous season in which Rivers was selected to the Hall of Fame while leading a Bucks team that was among the most disappointing in the NBA. The Bucks went 32-50 amid a series of injuries, snapping a string of nine straight playoff appearances.

The 64-year-old Rivers had left little doubt about his future plans as the season wound down. He said after a 126-106 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday that “I think you guys pretty much know” his intentions and that an announcement was expected soon.

“I have seven grandkids now and they’re all 8 years and under,” Rivers had said about his future before an April 7 loss at Brooklyn. “And it kills me every time I miss grandparents’ day with each one of them in school. And it’s probably time to go see them more. So, I’ll let you figure out the rest.”

Rivers went 97-103 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Bucks. He owns a 1,194-866 overall record and overtook George Karl for sixth place on the career wins list among NBA coaches earlier this season.

Only Gregg Popovich, Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan and Pat Riley have more coaching wins than Rivers.

Bucks' unsettled future

Rivers’ exit comes amid all sorts of speculation regarding two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led Milwaukee to its first title in half a century in 2021 and has set Bucks career records in virtually every major statistical category.

Antetokounmpo’s status dominated league discussions as the trade deadline approached, but he wasn’t dealt. He since has been in a disagreement with team management over his injury status.

The last game Antetokounmpo played this season was on March 15. Antetokounmpo said in the closing weeks of the season that he was healthy and wanted to play, as the Bucks continued to rule him out due to a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The NBA is investigating the matter.

Antetokounmpo had two extended absences due to right calf strains and ended up playing in just 36 games. Kevin Porter Jr., the Bucks’ second-leading scorer, appeared in just 38 games.

“It’s hard,” Rivers said Sunday. “I don’t remember guys being out like this, but it makes sense. I haven’t had a lot of this. It’s no fun. Losing, I don’t give a crap what the reasons are, I’m just too competitive. It’s just no fun not winning. It just isn’t.”

Injuries hindered Rivers' tenure

Rivers took over the Bucks midway through the 2023-24 season after the firing of first-year head coach Adrian Griffin. Although the Bucks had gone 30-13 under Griffin, they’d posted some uncomfortably close wins over inferior teams and team officials believed a more experienced coach was needed to guide a roster that now featured seven-time all-NBA guard Damian Lillard, as well as Antetokounmpo.

This move also represented a homecoming of sorts for Rivers, who played at Marquette before his 13-year NBA playing career. His No. 31 college jersey hangs from the rafters at Fiserv Forum, the arena that serves as the site for Bucks and Marquette home games.

But the Bucks backslid during Rivers’ tenure as they continually dealt with injuries to key players.

Milwaukee finished 17-19 under Rivers during that 2023-24 season, entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and lost to Indiana 4-2 in the opening round, with Antetokounmpo missing the entire series due to a calf strain.

Last season, three-time All-Star wing Khris Middleton didn’t start playing until early December after recovering from offseason surgery to each of his ankles, and he got sent to Washington at the trade deadline. Lillard missed Milwaukee’s final 14 regular-season games due to deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, returned for Game 2 of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series loss to Indiana but tore his Achilles tendon two games later.

With an injured Lillard unable to play this season, the Bucks waived him and agreed to pay his remaining salary over the next five seasons. That opened up cap space for the Bucks to sign former Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.

The roster overhaul didn’t work out.

“I personally have enjoyed the challenge,” Rivers said after Sunday’s game. “It didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, obviously. I always say I could do a better job. We could have had better health. We could have had all kinds of things. But I’m not a big guy in looking back. All you can do is look forward.”

Rivers won a title with Boston in 2008 and led the Celtics to Game 7 of the NBA Finals two years later, but he hasn’t advanced a team beyond the regional semifinals since. He owns a career playoff record of 114-112.

This marks the first full season in which Rivers has coached and posted a losing record since 2006-07, when he went 24-58 with Boston.

Rivers came to Milwaukee after head coaching stints with the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers. He was working as a broadcaster for ESPN and ABC before the Bucks hired him.

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AP Pro Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami and AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

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

From the opening faceoff to the celebratory post-game skate in which he waved gratefully to the adoring fans, Ovechkin enjoyed one heck of a day, Best of all, the Capitals won Sunday to remain in the playoff hunt.

Playing in front of an appreciative sellout crowd, the Capitals beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-0. Ovechkin will wait until the offseason to decide whether to retire or return for a 22nd NHL season, but the fans weighed in early in the game by chanting, “One more year!”

Afterward, surrounded by his two young sons, Ovechkin had this response to that request: “I'll think about it,” he said with a wry smile.

Ovechkin turns 41 in September, but the league's all-time leading goal scorer with 929 isn't exactly limping to the end of his brilliant career. He leads the Capitals with 32 goals and 63 points, and he received an assist on the empty-net goal that clinched Sunday's pivotal win.

“It's a big moment for us right now,” he said. “Everybody was dialed in.”

The Capitals must win their regular-season finale in Columbus on Tuesday night and hope Philadelphia fails to win either of its remaining two games. No matter how it plays out, and regardless of whether he decides to come back or not, Ovechkin will always have this day to savor.

“I'll remember this moment, the atmosphere that was tonight,” he said.

It was no ordinary afternoon, and the Capitals knew it.

“You could tell, the game felt different and the night felt different,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “A lot of great moments.”

It was an unusual game right from the start, when Ovechkin joined Pittsburgh great Sidney Crosby at center ice for the opening faceoff.

“The opening draw, I got a kick out of that,” Carbery said, before adding,. “I just caught myself watching in certain moments, taking it all in.”

It was the 100th meeting between Crosby and Ovechkin. Crosby and the Penguins have won more times than not, but Ovi has certainly made an impression on Sid the Kid.

“He came in with such high expectations, and he passed them,” Crosby said. “To be the greatest goal scorer of all time and to do what he's done, its impressive.”

Carbery hopes that Ovechkin will add to his lofty goal total in 2026-27, but regardless, the coach is thankful to have been associated with The Great 8.

“If it is the end of his career, I smile thinking of those moments because been blessed to be his coach when he broke the all-time goals record and I was the coach that was with him at the end,” Carbery said. “I don't take that for granted one minute.”

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

Josue Chirino has since been charged with the murder of Juan Salinas.

What happened?

On Sunday, April 12, around 11:30 a.m., deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a body at a home in the 23200 block of Goldensong Court.

Investigators said a woman called 911 after finding her brother dead inside the residence, where he had been working for several weeks.

Family members told deputies they had not heard from the victim, identified as Salinas, since Friday afternoon and noted his truck was missing and he was not at his home.

According to deputies, the two-story home had been heavily damaged by a previous fire and was undergoing renovations. Salinas was found downstairs with severe trauma to his torso, head, and neck.

Detectives later learned Salinas had been working with a man identified as Chirino.

During the investigation, deputies were notified that Salinas’ vehicle had been located in Pasadena and stopped with four people inside. All four were taken to the sheriff’s office for questioning. A woman and two juveniles were later released, while Chirino remained in custody.

After further investigation and questioning, Chirino was charged with murder.

• PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Houston patients caught in middle of Memorial Hermann–Blue Cross dispute, facing higher costs and care uncertainty

Memorial Hermann announced Saturday that the agreement is effective immediately and said it applies to BCBSTX Commercial and Blue Advantage Marketplace members.

BCBSTX said it has “signed new agreements” with Memorial Hermann and that the deal “protects our members’ access to quality care at cost-effective prices.”

What the agreement means for patients

The announcement comes after Memorial Hermann facilities and affiliated providers became out-of-network for many BCBSTX customers on April 1, prompting patients to re-check their benefits, consider switching doctors and, in some cases, seek “continuity of care” options.

In its statement, BCBSTX said all BCBSTX members will continue to have access to Memorial Hermann facilities and hospitals at in-network rates.

Memorial Hermann said its facilities and affiliated physicians are in-network for covered plans under the new agreement.

• READ MORE: Judge rules to temporarily block Texas’ smokeable hemp ban

What you should do now

If you have questions about your specific plan, both organizations recommend calling the number on the back of your member ID card.

BCBSTX said members can also find more information at www.bcbstx.com/memorialhermann.

If you previously canceled an appointment during the dispute, Memorial Hermann advises contacting your care team to discuss rescheduling.

The two sides had been negotiating for months. Memorial Hermann previously said BCBSTX made “unreasonable demands” and warned a lapse could jeopardize continuity of care. BCBSTX said it was seeking an agreement that keeps care affordable for members.

A similar contract fight in 2022 was resolved after the deadline passed, with the organizations later announcing a multi-year agreement.

The swearing-in ceremony for Daniel Wong is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at the Fort Bend County Courthouse.

Wong is expected to make a brief statement before immediately stepping into the role.

The suspension marks the first time in modern history that a sitting judge in Fort Bend County has been removed from office.

• RELATED: Fort Bend County Judge KP George suspended after felony conviction last month

George was suspended on Friday following a civil lawsuit filed before his conviction. The lawsuit, brought by a Fort Bend County resident, alleges George violated her First Amendment rights by removing her during the public comment portion of a commissioners court meeting.

George was convicted of money laundering on March 20.

• Fort Bend County Judge KP George found guilty in money laundering case tied to campaign finances

Shortly after the suspension, Judge Jeth Jones appointed Wong, the Republican nominee for the position, to temporarily fill the role. The appointment is allowed under state law but ultimately left to the judge’s discretion.

Wong learned about his appointment during a phone call from KPRC 2 reporter Mario Diaz and was unaware he had been selected.

In a statement released afterward, Wong said, “As County Judge, my focus is and will always be on the people of Fort Bend County.”

Not everyone agrees with how the appointment was handled. Dexter McCoy, the Democratic candidate set to face Wong in the November election, criticized the decision, accusing Judge Jones of abandoning judicial independence and influencing the upcoming race.

George had been set to serve until 2027 after losing in the March primary and has declined to comment on the suspension and appointment.

He is scheduled to return to court on May 5, where he faces additional allegations tied to an alleged social media hoax that prosecutors say benefited his campaign.

For now, Wong will assume the duties of county judge as the situation continues to unfold.

The violence, including a deadly attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia, continued a spike that began following the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza, the report’s authors said.

“The data raise concern that a high level of antisemitic incidents is becoming a normalized reality,” said Uriya Shavit, the report's chief editor.

Deadly antisemitic attacks were recorded on three continents. Fifteen people were killed at the holiday event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach in December. There were additional deaths in two antisemitic attacks in the U.S. in Washington, D.C., and Colorado; and in Britain, two people were killed at a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Each year, Tel Aviv University’s Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry and the Irwin Cotler Institute for Democracy, Human Rights and Justice releases the report about antisemitism ahead of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The day marks a national memorial for the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust, which begins Monday evening.

The new report also tracked an increase in antisemitic attacks that resulted in physical harm, including beatings and stone throwing.

It found that 2025 was the deadliest year for antisemitic attacks since 1994, when the bombing of a Jewish community center in Argentina killed 85 people and wounded more than 300. An Argentine court has blamed Iran and its Hezbollah proxy for the attack.

According to the report, there was a moderate increase in the overall number of antisemitic incidents last year compared with 2024, but that total represents a huge jump from 2022, before the war in Gaza. The report tracks incidents that range from physical attacks and vandalism to verbal threats and harassment on social media.

“The peak in the number of incidents was recorded in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack, after which we began to see a downward trend — but unfortunately, that trend did not continue in 2025,” Shavit said.

In the United Kingdom, there were 3,700 antisemitic incidents in 2025, up from 3,556 in 2024. In Canada, the number of incidents grew from 6,219 in 2024 to 6,800 in 2025, a number more than three times higher than in 2022.

The report found that even after the Gaza ceasefire took effect last October, antisemitic incidents continued to rise from the same period during the previous year. In Australia, there were 588 antisemitic incidents between October and December 2025, up from 492 during the same period in 2024. There were a total of 472 antisemitic incidents across Australia during all of 2022.

Most physical attacks were carried out by people acting on their own, which is why it is so difficult to try to prevent them, according to Carl Yonker, the study’s director of research. He noted that most attacks were carried out by extremist white Christians devoted to white supremacy or radical Muslims, and often the attackers were unemployed and struggling financially.

The statistics are based on reports from police, national authorities and local Jewish communities.

Amnesty International cited survivors as saying that at least 100 people were killed in the airstrike on Saturday on a village in Yobe state, near the border with Borno state, which is the epicenter of the jihadi insurgency that has ravaged the region for over a decade.

“We have their pictures and they include children,” Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International's Nigeria director, told The Associated Press, referring to the casualties.

“We are in touch with people that are there, we spoke with the hospital,” he said. “We spoke with the person in charge of casualties, and we spoke with the victims.”

A worker at the Geidam General hospital, in Yobe, said at least 23 people injured in the incident were receiving treatment. The worker spoke anonymously as he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Such misfires are common in Nigeria, where the military often conducts air raids to battle armed groups who control vast forest enclaves. At least 500 civilians have died since 2017 in such misfires, according to an AP tally of reported deaths. Security analysts point to loopholes in intelligence gathering as well as insufficient coordination between ground troops, air assets and stakeholders.

The large, remote market located near the Borno-Yobe border is known to be often used by Boko Haram jihadis to buy food supplies.

Abdulmumin Bulama, a member of a civilian security group working with the Nigerian military in the northeast, said there was intelligence that Boko Haram terrorists had gathered very close to the market and were planning an attack on nearby communities.

“The intel was shared and the Air Force jet acted based on the credible information,” Bulama said.

The Yobe State Government confirmed in a statement that a Nigerian military strike was targeting a stronghold of the Boko Haram jihadi group in the area and that “some people … who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected.”

The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency also acknowledged that an incident had occurred resulting in “casualties affecting some marketers” and said it had dispatched response teams to the area.

Nigeria's military issued a statement saying it conducted a successful strike on a “terrorist enclave and logistics hub” belonging to jihadis in the area, killing scores of them as they rode on motorcycles. It did not provide any detail about a possible misfire, but noted that motorcycles remain prohibited in conflict hot spots and “any such movements in restricted areas are therefore treated with the utmost seriousness.”

Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation into the incident, adding that the military is “fond of” labeling civilian casualties as bandits

Nigeria, which is Africa’s most populous country, is battling a complex security crisis, especially in the north, where there is a decade-long insurgency and several armed groups that kidnap for ransom.

Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, which is affiliated with the Islamic State group and known as Islamic State West Africa Province. There is also the IS-linked Lakurawa group operating in communities in the northwestern part of the country that borders Niger Republic.

——

Shibayan reported from Abuja, Nigeria.

Harry Truman refused to lend his name to any business, even in retirement. Richard Nixon so feared a brother might profit off their ties, he had his phone tapped. And George W. Bush dumped his individual stock holdings before taking office.

President Donald Trump is taking a different approach.

The family real estate business is undergoing the fastest overseas expansion since its founding a century ago, each deal potentially shaping everything from tariffs to military aid.

Led by Eric, and his brother, Donald Jr., the family business has expanded into cryptocurrencies with ventures that brought in billions of dollars but raised questions about whether some big investors received favorable treatment in return.

The brothers have also joined or invested in a number of companies that aim to do business with the government their father runs. Last month, they struck a deal giving them stakes worth millions in an armed drone maker seeking contracts with the Pentagon and with Gulf states under attack by Iran and dependent on the U.S. military led by their father.

The White House and the Trump Organization deny there are any ethical problems. Asked about the issue at a recent crypto conference, Donald Jr. said, “Frankly, it’s gotten old.”

The problem of conflicts of interest goes back a decade to when Trump first ran for office, but some government ethics experts and historians argue it’s more pressing than ever as conflicts pile up in his second term that they consider unprecedented, blatant and dangerous to democracy.

“I don’t think there’s any line right now between policy decisions and political calculations and the interest of the Trump family,” said Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University.

Deal-making spree abroad

In Trump’s first term, the Trump Organization did zero deals in foreign countries. In a little over a year into his second term it did eight, all ostensibly complying with the Trump Organization’s self-imposed rule not to do business directly with foreign governments.

But governments in authoritarian and one-party states rarely take a hands-off approach — especially when the business belongs to a sitting president.

In Qatar, a Trump golf club and villa project is being developed in part by a company owned by the Qatari government. In Vietnam, where The New York Times reported the government pushed farmers off their land to make way for a Trump resort, the country’s deputy prime minister signed off on the deal at a ceremony. And in Saudi Arabia, a planned “Trump Plaza” resort on the Red Sea is being built by a Saudi real estate developer close to the ruling family.

Whether the deals played any role in changing U.S. policies in ways these countries sought is nearly impossible to know but the countries did get what they wanted – access to advanced U.S. technology for Qatar, tariff relief for Vietnam and fighter jets for Saudi Arabia.

And the Trump Organization got something too: Tens of millions in fees.

Asked about those projects, the Trump Organization said it has done no deals with governments so far, noting that the Saudi company was private and has said it is “collaborating” with the Qatari business and had not struck a “partnership” with it that would have broken its self-imposed rules.

The UAE, crypto and Binance

Another deal raising conflicts of interest questions first came to light in a Wall Street Journal article in January — a year after it was struck.

Days before the inauguration, the Trump family sold nearly half of its World Liberty Financial crypto business to a UAE government-linked company run by a member of the UAE royal family for $500 million.

A second UAE entity, a government fund, invested in the offshore cryptocurrency exchange Binance using $2 billion worth of a digital currency called a stablecoin issued by World Liberty. That allowed the Trump company that received the dollars to put it in safe investments such as bonds or money market funds and keep the tens of millions of dollars in interest for itself.

Shortly after, the Trump administration reversed a Biden-era restriction and granted the UAE access to advanced U.S. chips. Binance’s founder, Changpeng Zhao, later got a pardon from Trump, despite having pleaded guilty to failing to stop criminals from using his platform to move money connected to child sex abuse, drug trafficking and terrorism.

A lawyer for Zhao denied any connection between the Binance’s business with the Trump family and the pardon.

“Any claim of a quid pro quo by Binance or CZ, or preferential financial treatment by Binance, is a clear misstatement of the public record,” said Teresa Goody Guillen in a email to the AP, referring to Zhao by his initials.

Asked about the pardon, the White House said federal authorities had unfairly punished Zhao in what it called “The Biden Administration’s war on crypto.”

World Liberty dismissed the notion of a conflict, saying the UAE deal had no connection to the president’s chips policy.

Crypto billions

World Liberty has also provided a separate income stream to a new Trump limited liability corporation through sales of “governance tokens” that give owners certain voting rights in its business, though not equity stakes, raising $2 billion last year. That translates into hundreds of millions of dollars for the Trumps through their World Liberty ownership stake and a separate side deal allowing them a cut of these sales.

One big token investor was Justin Sun, a cryptocurrency billionaire who as a foreign citizen would be banned under U.S. law from making political donations to U.S. politicians. Between Trump’s election and inauguration, Sun spent $75 million on the tokens.

In February last year, a federal lawsuit charging Sun with duping investors was paused before being settled last month for a $10 million fine.

Then there are the souvenir-type “meme” coins stamped with Trump’s face that went on sale days before he took the oath of office last year.

Over the next four months, the coins generated $320 million, mostly going to Trump-related entities, according to blockchain tracker Chainalysis. That is more than double the money collected in four years running his Washington D.C. hotel in Trump’s first term.

Unlike the lobbyists or campaign donors trying to influence Trump, the coin buyers can buy anonymously. One who chose to make his purchase public was Sun, who spent $200 million on the coins and got access to Trump at a gala party he held for the biggest buyers.

Another family cryptocurrency business, American Bitcoin went public in September, giving Donald Jr. and Eric about $1 billion in paper wealth at that time. Months earlier, their father announced a new national bitcoin reserve, sending the price for the cryptocurrency soaring to a record.

The Trump businesses aren’t completely immune to crypto’s notorious volatility. The value of bitcoin and other digital tokens have since plunged and rattled investors. Both American Bitcoin stock and the value of Trump’s souvenir meme coins have collapsed 90% from their highs.

Last month, Trump announced he would hold another dinner with new top holders of his meme coins, giving the coin a boost before it fell back again.

“Whatever constraints there were in the first term appear to have completely disappeared,” says Columbia University historian Timothy Naftali. “Do you want future presidents to be open to the highest bidder?”

Trump thinks people don’t care

Asked to comment for this story, the White House said Trump acts in an “ethically-sound manner” and that any suggestion to the contrary is either “ill-informed or malicious.” It reiterated that his assets are in a trust managed by his children and stated he has “no involvement” in family business deals.

“There are no conflicts of interest,” said spokesperson Anna Kelly.

In a separate statement, the Trump Organization said it is “fully compliant with all applicable ethics and conflicts of interest laws” and added, “The implication that politics has enriched the Trump family is unfounded.”

Trump in January told The New York Times that when it comes to potential conflicts of interest, “I found out that nobody cared, and I’m allowed to,” alluding to an exemption the president gets from the federal statute banning federal officials from holding financial interests in businesses impacted by public policy they help shape.

It’s not clear he’s wrong about American attitudes, though they appear to be changing even among Republicans. In a Pew Research Center poll in January, 42% of those voters said they were confident that Trump acts ethically in office, down from 55% at the start of his second term a year ago.

Change of fortune

Forbes estimates Trump’s net worth is now $6.3 billion, soaring 60% from before he returned to office, a striking development given how much the Trump Organization struggled before.

The Trump International Hotel in D.C. never turned a profit before being sold. Two Trump hotel chains catering to middle class travelers in his first term shut down for lack of demand. Condominium buildings stripped the Trump name off their facades after discovering that instead of attracting buyers, it was repelling them.

No new U.S. condominiums are putting the Trump name above their entrances in his second term, but his name is prized in Washington where people have business before the federal government.

Donald Jr., Trump’s oldest son, opened a private club in the Georgetown section of Washington that is charging initiation fees as high as $500,000 for founding members.

One of the few clubs with comparable fees, the Yellowstone Club in Montana, offers access to multiple resorts, 50 ski trails and more than a dozen restaurants across a members-only area the size of Manhattan.

Donald Jr.’s club is in the basement of a building but offers something else — proximity to power.

The club’s name is “Executive Branch.”

Bibles, guitars and sneakers

Other presidents and their families have done things in pursuit of profit that stained that high office.

Hunter Biden got paid as a director of a Ukrainian gas company while his father was vice president. The Clinton Foundation got foreign donations, though after Bill Clinton had left office. And Jimmy Carter’s brother Billy cashed in on the family name by selling beer.

In Trump’s case, the president himself is hawking goods, including $59.99 “God Bless the USA” Bibles, $399 sneakers stamped “Never Surrender” and electric guitars priced up to $11,500 — shipping not included — for a model autographed by the president.

New year, new profits

In the first months of Trump’s second year back in the White House, the momentum hasn’t let up.

In January, the Trump Organization announced its third deal involving Saudi Arabia in less than a year, this time a “collaboration” with a company more directly tied to the government because it is owned by the country’s sovereign wealth fund chaired by its crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Asked by the AP whether the project outside Riyadh for Trump mansions, a hotel and golf course violated the company’s pledge not to strike deals with foreign governments, the Trump Organization said it doesn’t “conduct business with any government entity” but didn’t address the project specifically.

Meanwhile, as the two oldest brothers’ new drone company seeks Pentagon contracts, other government contractors in which one or both have gotten ownership stakes this past year are taking in tens of millions of dollars of new taxpayer money. That includes a rocket motor maker, an AI chip supplier and a data analytics company, according to government contracting records.

Asked about potential conflicts after the drone deal was announced, Eric said, “I am incredibly proud to invest in companies I believe in.” A spokesman for Donald Jr. said he doesn’t “interface” with the government on companies in his portfolio, adding that “the idea that he should cease living his life and making a living to provide for his five kids just because his dad is president, is quite frankly, a laughable and ridiculous standard.”

A new investment firm that the brothers joined as advisers last year has raised $345 million in an initial public offering to buy stakes in U.S. companies designed to help their father revive America’s manufacturing base. After the AP asked Trump’s chief business lawyer about language in a regulatory filing stating the firm would target companies seeking federal grants, tax credits and government contracts, he filed a new document with that language removed.

Zelizer, the Princeton historian, says he expects future presidents will show more restraint in enriching themselves, but worries about the message Trump is sending.

“He has shown politically there is no price to be paid to making money,” he said. “You know you can go there.”

Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash in the 17300 block of US 90 and Sheldon Road around 1 a.m.

Deputies said they found the man unresponsive after he reportedly lost control of his vehicle while traveling eastbound on the main lanes of the Crosby Freeway. The man’s vehicle then went down an embankment, flipping multiple times.

Deputies said the man, who is in his 30s, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

An investigation is underway to determine what exactly caused the crash.

It’s Monday, the beginning of the week, so let’s catch up on what happened over the weekend, what happened overnight, and what’s on the agenda for later today.

It was a wet weekend... wasn’t it? Although our weekend wasn’t completely washed out, there were on-and-off storms all Friday, Saturday, and Sunday seemed fine for the most part, a few scattered showers here and there, but mostly just cloudy. Regardless, I had a good/relaxing weekend. What about you guys? Drop a comment and let me know how your weekend went and if you did anything fun that I should know about.

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YOUR MORNING FORECAST ☀️

TODAY:84 ° TONIGHT: 69°

KPRC 2 Meteorologist says:

“After a weekend of downpours, southeast Texas gets a break from widespread rain and storms. Monday morning, an isolated shower is possible south of I-10. Monday evening, the best chance for rain and isolated storms will remain west of Harris County, but it looks spotty and far from a washout.”

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Carpenter found dead in Spring home he was working on; man detained after being found driving his truck

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After Rory McIlroy started the 2026 Masters Tournament with a six-stroke lead heading into the weekend, things got tight down the stretch.

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Phil Garner, the former Houston Astros manager who guided the franchise to its first World Series appearance in 2005, has died at 76, according to a statement from his family.

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A representative for Spears said in an email to The Associated Press on Sunday that the 44-year-old pop superstar had voluntarily checked herself into the facility.

On March 5, California Highway Patrol officers received a report that a BMW was driving fast and erratically on U.S. 101 in Ventura County near the Los Angeles County line, the CHP said.

Spears, who lives in the area, took a series of field sobriety tests and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs, authorities said. She was taken to a county jail and released several hours later.

Investigators turned over the case on March 23 to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, which plans to make a decision on charges against Spears before a scheduled May 4 court date.

A representative at the time called Spears' actions “completely inexcusable” and said it would ideally be “the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life.”

Spears has mostly set aside her music career. She has not toured in nearly eight years and has not put out an album in nearly a decade.

In 2021, she regained control of her life decisions and finances when a court-ordered conservatorship was dissolved after nearly 14 years. Two years later, she released a bestselling memoir, “The Woman in Me.”

The shooting occurred in Hangu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, shortly after Pakistan launched its second nationwide anti-polio campaign of the year, according to local police official Mahmood Alam.

No group immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban and local militant groups, which often carry out similar attacks in the region and elsewhere. Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio has not been eradicated, according to the World Health Organization.

First lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari urged families to ensure their children are vaccinated during the weeklong drive, which aims to reach more than 45 million children under 5 across all provinces and regions. She said the campaign will be conducted in coordination with Afghanistan, reflecting a shared commitment to interrupt cross-border transmission and close remaining gaps.

Aseefa is the daughter of President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in a 2007 gun and bomb attack by militants, and who had personally overseen initiatives aimed at eliminating polio during her tenure. In a statement, she said “Pakistan stands at a crucial moment in the fight against polio.” She said while the country is closer than ever to eradication, “the final stretch remains the most challenging.”

Highlighting recent gains, she said 31 polio cases were reported nationwide in 2025, while only one case has so far been recorded so far this year, but warned against complacency.

While Pakistan primarily uses door-to-door vaccination teams to reach children at their homes, Afghanistan generally relies on fixed vaccination sites and health facilities, where parents are asked to bring their children for immunization.

In Kabul, Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Health, said the first national polio vaccination campaign of the year has begun in Afghanistan in coordination with international partners, aiming to vaccinate around 12.6 million children under the age of 5 across the country. He said the campaign has been delayed in some areas due to cold weather.

Zaman urged parents, religious scholars and community leaders to ensure maximum participation in the campaign, stressing that polio can only be prevented through vaccination.

Pakistan’s polio eradication program has been running anti-polio campaigns for years, though health workers and the police assigned to protect them are often targeted by militants who falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children.

Authorities have deployed thousands of police officers to protect workers following intelligence warnings of possible attacks. More than 200 polio workers and the police assigned to guard them have been killed in Pakistan since the 1990s, according to officials.

___

Afghan reported from Kabul. Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar contributed to this story from Peshawar, Pakistan.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Plyler v. Doe that Texas’ law was unconstitutional and children had a right to public education, regardless of their citizenship status.

Five decades later, at a candidate forum in the same city that gave rise to that landmark ruling, the Republican candidates for Texas attorney general laid out their plans to use the agency to overturn it.

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy said it was one of his “foremost priorities of running for attorney general.” Sen. Mayes Middleton said it was a “terrible decision” that could be overturned if a case was brought to the new conservative majority on the Supreme Court.

More than just campaign trail grandstanding, these promises from both candidates to use the agency to try to overturn decades-old Supreme Court precedent offer a glimpse at how Texas’ next attorney general could go even further than outgoing incumbent Ken Paxton in channeling the office’s powers toward pursuit of the conservative legal movement’s white whales.

Empowered by the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the Supreme Court’s current favorable makeup, conservatives are itching to go after other long-standing rulings such as those allowing gay marriage, keeping religion out of government and giving the feds authority over the states.

In touting their willingness to bring these cases, Roy and Middleton are making it clear they intend to push the office’s partisan agenda even further than Paxton, said Steve Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University.

“The notion that the attorney general of any one state, even Texas, should be leading the charge in defining what the Constitution means on a nationwide basis, is, to me, the epitome of hubris,” Vladeck said. “One might even say it’s Texas-sized hubris.”

Roy and Middleton, who are facing off in a May 26 runoff, did not respond to requests for comments. But at the campaign forum in Tyler, Roy said he had a laundry list of cases he’d like to challenge if elected as attorney general.

“We could sit here all night talking about cases that Texas ought to be challenging,” Roy said. “We have to be vigilant in challenges at every single turn.”

A more politicized AG’s office

Thirty years ago, most state attorney general offices, including Texas’, were bureaucratic backwaters that mostly handled child support enforcement and lawsuits against state agencies. This began to change in the 1990s, when states teamed up to bring massive consumer protection lawsuits against the big tobacco companies on behalf of their citizens. Suddenly, attorneys general were on the front lines of pushing public policy through the courts.

The tobacco litigation was bipartisan, as was most of the proactive state legal action — in the beginning. That changed during the Obama administration, when red states, led by then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, began suing to stop executive orders related to the environment and immigration. They were empowered by a 2007 Supreme Court ruling giving states “special solicitude” to bring lawsuits against the federal government on behalf of their constituents.

Blue states took up the mantle during the first Trump presidency. When Joe Biden was elected in 2021, Paxton vowed to use the full force of his agency against the president’s agenda. In the end, Texas sued the Biden administration more than 100 times, over everything from abortion policy to COVID vaccines. Since Trump returned to office, Paxton has turned his attention to suing nonprofits, private companies and local governments over a wide range of culture war issues.

Roy and Middleton have both vowed to continue that new tradition of partisan litigation. Roy, who worked under Paxton at the agency a decade ago, proudly touts his role in suing the Obama administration and trying to block the implementation of the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling. Middleton, one of the most conservative members of the Legislature, is running on his record of pushing pro-religion and anti-LGBTQ bills — one of which is already testing decades-old legal precedent.

Last session, Middleton helped carry a bill to require public schools to hang the 10 Commandments in classrooms, which a judge blocked from taking effect, citing a 1980 Supreme Court ruling that found such a requirement to be unconstitutional. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed the law to go forward while it considers arguments against it.

“We have to defeat these atheist precedents that have stopped prayer in school, that have stopped children from going to Christian schools, and frankly, that have stopped what made our country great, which is our faith,” Middleton said at the Tyler campaign forum, citing what he called the “false doctrine of separation of church and state.”

If elected attorney general, Middleton would be tasked with defending lawsuits like these — and potentially seeking out other legal avenues to advance the religious freedom agenda. Vladeck said he’s skeptical that this Supreme Court is as eager to reverse itself on those issues as conservatives hope, though he noted “things can change quickly.”

“But the larger point is, why would a single state attorney general consider themselves in a position to lead the charge on that?” he said. “Attorneys general are tasked with enforcing state law, not charging into reinterpreting the meaning of the federal Constitution.”

Roy has been more explicit about his desire to overturn precedent, including Wickard v. Filburn, a Great Depression-era case that gave the federal government wide-ranging authority over any commerce that could potentially cross state lines. Several conservative legal groups, including the Texas Public Policy Foundation, where Roy once worked, have said in recent lawsuits that the ruling has led to a system that unconstitutionally takes power away from the states. While a federal judge rejected TPPF’s suit, two other federal judges green-lit similar challenges, setting up a potential opportunity for higher courts to weigh in.

Roy has also talked about wanting to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 same-sex marriage ruling. “There’s a war raging against our souls as Texans, and those things need to be fought,” he said at the campaign forum.

In most cases, the attorney general would have to wait for the Legislature to pass a law that violates precedent, and hope that the state gets sued to try to bring a case to the Supreme Court. But the current attorney general has found ways to sidestep that process. After legislators declined to take up Middleton’s bill prohibiting undocumented college students from getting in-state tuition at state colleges and universities, Paxton brokered a deal with the Trump Department of Justice to overturn the law through the courts.

The next attorney general could take a similar tack, for example, if there is not enough political will in the Legislature to pass a law taking aim at public education access for undocumented students.

After senior White House adviser Stephen Miller recently pressed Texas GOP lawmakers on why they hadn’t already challenged the Plyler ruling, one Republican told the Tribune that the “mainstream of the Republican caucus” wasn’t interested in challenging Plyler.

But the in-state tuition case, Vladeck said, demonstrates the potential for an attorney general to work around the usual systems to advance their political goals.

“This is, in some respects, the inevitable consequence of the politicization,” he said. “In a world in which state attorneys general view themselves as responsible not just for the laws of their state but for some broader front-line advocacy role, being so blatant about their goals is unsurprising, if a bit troubling.”

Disclosure: Texas Public Policy Foundation 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.

On Friday, the board approved an early draft of new social studies standards, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, after hours of heated debate that stretched late into the night.

The proposed changes are now at the center of a growing divide over how history — and religion — should be taught in Texas classrooms.

Concerns over religion in the classroom

Some board members and critics argue the draft places too much emphasis on Christianity.

Staci Childs, a Houston Democrat representing District 4 on the board, says many parents and educators are worried.

“For one, people don’t want to be indoctrinated, or they don’t want their kids to be indoctrinated. We see a lot of Biblical references, a lot of scripture, a lot of passages,” Childs said.

Childs, who voted against the draft, says religion should not overshadow other perspectives in history.

“Religion is definitely something that has shaped our history, but what these standards are doing is that they’re trying to teach only one version of it,” said Imelda Meija, with the Texas Freedom Network.

She also expressed concern that the proposed standards could limit how students learn about the experiences of people of color.

“I think students deserve to learn the fullness of American history,” Childs said.

Supporters defend proposed changes

Supporters of the new standards argue the changes are necessary to improve how history is currently taught.

Some say the current curriculum focuses too heavily on memorization — names, dates and events — rather than deeper understanding.

They also argue that including Biblical references reflects the historical and cultural foundations of the United States.

Board member Will Hickman defended the inclusion of those materials, emphasizing they are not meant to promote religion.

“These are the Bible being used as literature. This is not the Bible being used to spread Christianity or to teach Christianity,” Hickman said.

Dispute over accuracy and data

The debate also included claims about how well Texas students are currently performing in social studies.

Mandi Drogin, with Austin-based conservative think tank Texas Public Policy, suggested students are not learning effectively under the current system.

“They’re failing, students are failing. We can look at the social studies 8th grade exam in Texas, and we have only about 30% of kids that are passing, they’re failing,” said Drogin.

But data from the Texas Education Agency found that in the 2024–2025 school year, about 77% of students passed social studies.

What happens next

The version approved this week is only a draft.

The State Board of Education is expected to revisit and potentially finalize the standards this summer.

If approved, the new curriculum would not take effect until the 2030–2031 school year.

“Live music nourishes your soul and makes you feel truly alive,” says Chris Bro, host of the “Next” radio show in Maryland and a longtime fan of music festivals.

Making the most of the experience also means planning ahead for potential hazards like heat, dehydration and more, say regular festivalgoers and the medical pros who care for them.

The good news is music festivals are safer than ever, thanks to increased focus on on-site medical staff and equipment, says Matt Friedman, national medical director at CrowdRx, which provides medical care at over 20 major music festivals around the country each year.

Different festivals, different risks

Different types of festivals tend to have different types of medical emergencies, Friedman says. Much depends on the type of music, the length of the festival and the heat.

"Jazz music festivals tend have a low medical-usage rate, whereas a heavy metal event will have more blunt traumas from mosh pits and alcohol-related incidents,” he says.

Electronic dance music festivals tend to have friendly crowds, some of whom "occasionally overindulge or make poor decisions regarding stimulant drugs,” Friedman says. Classical music festivals, meanwhile, tend to have more cardiac events, given the older average age of attendees.

“You want to have fun, but it’s really important to stay aware,” says Armelle Gloaguen, a musician who attended classic festivals like Clearwater, founded by Pete Seeger, and Woodstock ’94.

“Be there for the music, not the drugs and alcohol, if you want to remember any of it. Don’t accept food or drinks from strangers, and be aware of your limits,” advises Gloaguen, who owns “Armelle for Kids,” which seeks to bridge cultures through music.

Know the rules, and download the app

Festivals' rules vary, so before you head out, check the parking situation and the list of what you can bring.

For instance, Coachella, the annual festival in Indio, California, doesn’t allow chairs, outside food or umbrellas. At Tanglewood, in western Massachusetts, attendees are welcome to bring chairs and picnics, and umbrellas are fine; they just can’t be over 6 feet across.

Download a festival's app and bring a portable phone charger.

Once there, scope out the terrain. Keep an eye out for the nearest cooling station and medical tent as you figure out where to sit.

Handling the heat

“First and foremost, we see a lot of heat-related illnesses, since temperatures in the desert can get pretty high and rise quickly,” says Julie Puzzo, assistant medical director of the emergency department at JFK Memorial Hospital, near Coachella.

“We see everything from heat cramps to heat stroke, which can be life threatening,” she says.

Hydrate consistently with electrolyte-containing beverages, she says.

Wear layers, a hat and other protective clothing, and avoid excessive alcohol. Opt for non-aerosol sunscreen, since many festival venues ban aerosol sprays.

Festivals where heat is an issue are sometimes equipped with mobile cold-water immersion tanks to cool people down quickly, Friedman says.

At multiday festivals, malnutrition can also be an issue, he says. “People are running on adrenaline for the first two days, but by day three they realize they are dehydrated and exhausted and haven’t eaten nutritious food since they arrived, and this exacerbates any other conditions they might have.”

His top safety tip: Stick with your friends so you can watch out for one another.

Leave sandals, heels and flip-flops at home

Both doctors urge attendees to wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes, since attending a festival can involve more walking that you might expect. And it’s easy to happen upon small stones or other sharp objects on the grounds.

“Trips and falls are common, and we see a lot of sprains and foot contusions,” says Friedman.

Glasses, ear plugs, maybe an inhaler

For anyone susceptible to respiratory problems, it’s a good idea to bring a backup inhaler, since dust-filled wind gusts can exacerbate breathing issues, Puzzo says.

Eye problems like corneal abrasions are not uncommon at festivals, says Friedman, who recommends bringing large sunglasses or even goggles if it’s likely to be dusty.

Outdoor venues can get buggy, too, so consider insect repellent.

Protect your ears by not standing too close to speakers, and bring earplugs, says Greta Stamper, an audiologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

“It is also helpful to take listening pauses during festivals to allow your ears an opportunity to take a break. Having some quieter moments during the day can help your ears recover,” she says.

If you notice that your hearing is muffled or your ears start ringing, your ears are telling you it's too loud, Stamper says.

And if you’re coming with kids, give them added protection with over-the-ear headphones, not just earplugs, Friedman says.

Pace yourself

“Musical festivals are a marathon, not a sprint, so be sensible and take care of yourself,” Friedman says.

As you kick back with friends, it’s easy to have a few drinks too many as the day wears on. Puzzo warns that drugs acquired at some big events might not contain what people think they do. This can be dangerous in any case, and is even more so if combined with extreme heat and alcohol.

Embrace the moment

Don't forget, though, to find joy in the music and the scene.

Enjoy the unexpected, and making connections.

“If you want to talk to your favorite musician, the most meaningful thing you can do is to thank them and talk about a specific song you love and why,” says Gloaguen.

The attacks on Saturday bring the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to at least 168 since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.

As with most of the military’s statements on the dozens of strikes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. Videos posted on X showed small boats moving across the water before they each were engulfed in a bright explosion.

U.S. Southern Command stated on X that it notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate the search-and-rescue system for the survivor. The Coast Guard confirmed it was coordinating the search and said updates would be provided when available.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

Critics have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes as well as their effectiveness, in part because the fentanyl behind many fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to the U.S. over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

The boat strikes have continued in Latin America even as the U.S. military has focused on operations in the Middle East, where the U.S. was engaged in a war with Iran for several weeks.

Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. Trump wants to weaken Iran’s key leverage in the war after demanding that it reopen the crucial waterway through which 20% of global oil normally passes. U.S. Central Command said the blockade would involve Iranian ports.

Jokic had 23 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot while playing 18 minutes, 15 seconds in the first half of Denver's regular-season finale.

“I think he embraced it because how hard those guys were playing with him,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “There is a respect value there when he sees guys playing for opportunities. A guy like him who has done everything in this game, I think he respects that. I heard the ‘overrated’ (chant by Spurs fans). I don’t know about the overrated thing. He was on pace for 46 and 16, but anyway, it seemed like he had a good time out there.”

The NBA requires players to participate in 65 games to be eligible for MVP, All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year honors. The NBA allows two exemptions of 15 to 19:59 minutes played to count as an official game. Jokic had one exemption remaining.

Jokic was listed as questionable with an injured right wrist, but entered the finale having played in 64 games.

Jokic did not speak to reporters after the game, exiting the locker room after grabbing his belongings.

Denver secured the No. 3 seed and will host Minnesota at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Nuggets set a franchise record with their 26th road victory and did so while executing their game plan for Jokic.

“Yeah, he’ll play the first half,” Adelman said before tipoff. “Then we’ll reconvene at halftime and see where he’s at, where the game’s at. It’s what the rules provide. So we’ll follow the rules.”

Jokic, who won MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, has been named to the All-NBA Team in seven of his 11 seasons.

Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama sat out after reaching eligibility in his previous game.

Wembanyama qualified for award eligibility by playing in his 65th game Friday, in San Antonio's 139-120 victory over Dallas.

Wembanyama competed in 64 regular-season games in addition to the NBA Cup Final, which does not count toward regular-season record or statistics, but does qualify as a game played.

Wembanyama suffered a left rib contusion and missed the second half of Monday's 115-102 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. He returned Friday to post 40 points and 13 rebounds in 26:13 minutes against Dallas.

He was listed as questionable due to injury management and was ruled out after the Spurs' afternoon walkthrough.

“Yeah, he’s doing well, but just a little sore and felt it was the appropriate decision,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said. “He was probably, to be honest, the closest call of the group, but just right in that kind of in between.”

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

A person familiar with the decision said Sunday that Christie will return next season for the second year of a contract that also has a team option for 2027-28. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced the decision, which The Athletic was first to report.

Christie was initially hired on an interim basis after Mike Brown was fired early in the 2024-25 season. Sacramento went 27-24 the rest of the season before getting knocked out in the play-in tournament.

The Kings hired Scott Perry as general manager after last season and made the decision to retain Christie. This season didn't go nearly as well, with injuries to key veterans like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and DeAndre Hunter derailing the campaign almost from the start.

Sacramento had a league-worst 12-46 record in mid-February following a 16-game losing streak. The team showed some life late in the season, going 10-14 the rest of the way to harm their position in the draft lottery. The Kings finished tied with Utah for the fourth-worst record in the league and have a 45.2% chance of picking in the top four of the draft in June.

The 60 losses for Sacramento are the second-most in franchise history, behind the 65 the team had in 2008-09. The Kings have gotten solid contributions from rookies Nique Clifford, Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell, but are hoping for good fortune in the lottery to find a player to build around after the team traded away star De'Aaron Fox last season.

The Kings have made the playoffs just once in the past 20 seasons, losing in the first round to Golden State in 2023 in Brown’s first season as coach.

Sacramento has the fourth-worst record in the NBA since Vivek Ranadive took over as owner in 2013. The team has had five lead executives and nine head coaches — including interims — in that span.

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

All flood alerts have come to an end as showers and storms continue to move out of SE Texas.

The great news is, our last batch of storms is moving in north of 290 and should clear out by midnight.

Check radar here:

Monday’s Forecast:

After a weekend of downpours - southeast Texas get a break from widespread rain and storms.

Monday morning an isolated shower is possible south of I-10.

Monday evening, the best chance for rain and isolated storm will remain west of Harris county but it looks spotty and far from a wash out.

Temperatures stay mild and humidity stays high.

Next Cold Front:

It won’t be until the weekend that we see a cool front bring a temperature change.

Rain is also possible along the front - so stay connected as we monitor the timing and intensity.

Extended forecast:

The spring showers stick around through the middle of the week.

First up: an elimination game in Charlotte. The ninth-place Hornets will take on the 10th-place Miami Heat on Tuesday night (7:30 p.m. Eastern) in a win-or-go-home game to open the play-in tournament.

The rest of the play-in schedule:

— West No. 7 Phoenix meets West No. 8 Portland on Tuesday (10 p.m. Eastern), with the winner moving on to face Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in Round 1.

— East No. 7 Philadelphia plays host to East No. 8 Orlando on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. Eastern), with the winner of that game set to meet the Boston Celtics in Round 1.

— The Los Angeles Clippers, No. 9 in the West, play host to No. 10 Golden State on Wednesday (10 p.m. Eastern) in an elimination game. The winner will play the Suns-Trail Blazers loser on Friday for the right to meet No. 1 Oklahoma City in Round 1.

— Also Friday, the Hornets-Heat winner will visit the 76ers-Magic loser to decide which team advances to face No. 1 Detroit in Round 1.

“Our group understands what wins and loses for us,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And that’s the most important thing.”

Rest of Round 1 schedule

The top two seeds in each conference — Detroit, Boston, Oklahoma City and San Antonio — will wait until either Tuesday or Friday to find out their Round 1 opponents.

Some teams already know. The 3-vs.-6 and 4-vs.-5 Round 1 matchups are set.

In the East, No. 3 New York will play No. 6 Atlanta, and No. 4 Cleveland takes on No. 5 Toronto. In the West, No. 3 Denver will play No. 6 Minnesota — the third time in four years those teams have met in the postseason — while the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers will face No. 5 Houston.

How Sunday went down

Inside the Heat locker room on Sunday night, everybody's eyes were on a giant television set showing the end of the Orlando-Boston game.

With good reason. It decided a whole lot in the East.

The Celtics beat the Magic, which dropped Orlando into the No. 8 spot for the play-in. It also ensured the Miami-Charlotte game would be played Tuesday, since Philadelphia cannot host basketball games Monday or Tuesday because of arena scheduling conflicts with the NHL’s Flyers.

“This one is done,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said after the loss in Boston. “You've got to make sure you focus your time and your attention and your energy all on the Philadelphia 76ers right now.”

Portland beat Sacramento to earn the No. 8 spot in the West going into the play-in, and therefore will have two chances to win one game and earn a playoff berth. The Clippers beat Golden State in their finale, and now those teams will play again in Inglewood, California, on Wednesday in an elimination game.

“Each team knows the other pretty well, just from playing against them a lot over the years,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

Denver — which ended the regular season on a 12-game winning streak — topped San Antonio to lock up the No. 3 seed. The Lakers beat Utah, and that result means LeBron James will be taking on Kevin Durant in their first postseason meeting since the 2018 NBA Finals.

Points record falls

More points were scored this season than in any other in NBA history, with the previous record of 282,127 points getting passed Sunday evening — with about seven games left to be played on the schedule.

The final total for the season: 284,395 points.

It wasn't a record for points per game; that mark of 118.8 points per team, per game, has stood since 1961-62. This season's pace of 115.6 points per team was sixth-best in NBA history.

Jokic plays, will be award eligible

Denver's Nikola Jokic appeared in the Nuggets' game against San Antonio on Sunday night, which pushed his total to 65 games for the season — and therefore got him eligibility on the NBA's award ballots that will be sent out later this week.

Jokic was second in last year’s MVP balloting behind only Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, That made Jokic just the third player in NBA history with a top-two finish in five or more consecutive seasons, joining Bill Russell and Larry Bird.

Jokic won MVP in 2021, 2023 and 2024, plus was second in 2022 and again last year.

Russell and Bird, a pair of Boston Celtics greats, each were first or second in the balloting in six consecutive seasons.

Stat notes

The league's statistical champions have been known for some time, but now they're officially official.

The Lakers' Luka Doncic (33.5 points per game) won the scoring title, while Jokic won both the rebounding (12.9 per game) and assist (10.7 per game) titles to complete another season in which he averaged a triple-double.

Other stat items of note:

— The league finished with 96 games decided by 30 points or more, 16 more than the previous record (set last season).

— The average margin of victory this season was 13.3 points, another record (previous was 12.7, set last season).

— This one is wild. Last season in the NBA, teams listed as favorites by BetMGM Sportsbook went 853-377. This season, they went ... 853-377.

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

But if you ask the people who were there, the real story is what happened in the spaces between the distribution table and the next slice of pizza.

Volunteers didn’t just pass out meals and move on. They pulled up chairs, ate alongside guests, and let conversations stretch a little longer than planned.

At one point, a guest picked up a guitar and started playing for the crowd.

The energy shifted. People laughed. A few strangers started to feel like neighbors.

“The best part wasn’t the numbers,” Yahya Ahmad, BridgeCare’s founder and CEO said. “It was watching volunteers sit down, share a meal, and actually listen to our neighbors. Someone pulled out a guitar. Strangers became friends. Dignity was the whole point.”

BridgeCare hosted the pop-up this weekend near downtown at 61 Riesner Street, behind the Houston Police Department.

The nonprofit said about 30 volunteers served more than 100 people.

“Be safe.” Ahmad said that’s what people tell him — and it’s part of the problem

When Ahmad talks about BridgeCare, he doesn’t start with a pitch deck or big promises.

He starts with what people say when they learn where he’s spending his Saturday.

“Many people that I’ve talked to… the thing that I hear the most is, ‘Be safe.’ ‘They’re dangerous,’” Ahmad said.

He doesn’t pretend there aren’t real issues — including addiction — on the street.

• MORE NEWS: Memorial Hermann, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas strike deal to keep patients in-network

“Yes, drugs are prevalent in the community… We can’t turn a blind eye to that,” he said. “But every single time that I’ve gone out without fail, these are some of the kindest people that you will truly meet.”

To him, the bigger danger is what stigma does: how quickly people stop making eye contact, stop seeing a person.

“If something like this happens to us, and we’re completely out of control of it, is that how you want to be treated in that situation?” he asked.

The first instruction to volunteers: start small

BridgeCare is healthcare-focused — but Ahmad said the first lesson isn’t clinical.

“Every single time when we’re starting out an event, I tell my volunteers: give them a compliment,” he said. “‘Hey, you look beautiful today.’ ‘I love your hair.’ ‘I love your shirt.’ Because it’s the little things that get you through the darkest moments.”

It’s an approach that matches the scene at the pop-up: supplies on the table, but time and attention being handed out just as freely.

It’s also the idea Ahmad keeps coming back to — that the smallest actions, repeated, can start to change people.

What people need isn’t always what you think

BridgeCare’s pop-ups combine food with hygiene and basic health supplies. Ahmad said the health needs he sees are often rooted in things most people take for granted.

“Our motto is ‘healthcare is a right, not a privilege,’” he said.

He pointed to hand sanitizer as an example — a daily item that prevents infection, but can be out of reach when someone is being turned away.

“Something as little as hand sanitizer, that we use every single day, is just not accessible to them,” he said. “If they walk into a store, people won’t let them use the restroom just because of the way that they’re clothed.”

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• MORE NEWS: Fort Bend County to launch first-ever Restaurant Weeks, benefiting local food pantry

Another item that’s become essential at BridgeCare events: large body wipes.

“Everyone needs to take a shower,” Ahmad said. “It’s not just about looking good and being clean… it causes a lot of infections and diseases as well.”

He said the wipes are practical, because showers aren’t.

“With them, where are they finding so much water? Who’s going to let them take a shower?” he said, describing long lines at shelters and limited access. “One body wipe… you can completely clean yourself off.”

He said the kits they hand out can last about two weeks, and his goal is to eventually serve people more often — but that depends on funding.

What happens after the pop-up ends

BridgeCare’s events have a start time and end time. The need doesn’t.

Ahmad said follow-up looks like building relationships in person — and then doing the practical work of making sure people know when the next event is.

Some guests have phones, he said. Others keep up through social media or public library access.

“I hand out flyers personally,” Ahmad said. “I go in person because I want to meet these people… I want them to know that I’m here to help them, and also that I’m a friend.”

And sometimes, follow-up looks like something simple: talking about music.

“There were some people playing the guitar out there,” he said. “We were just talking about music… little conversations like that, but it’s so fun.”

The real goal: BridgeCare as a catalyst

Ahmad is quick to say what BridgeCare does isn’t complicated.

“It is very simple work,” he said.

But he believes it’s meaningful — especially because the volunteer base is largely made up of pre-health students who are on their way to becoming doctors, dentists, nurses and physician assistants.

His hope is that BridgeCare becomes a turning point in how they see the people they’ll one day treat.

“Do we just sign off on our degree because we’re going to be making a lot of money?” Ahmad said. “If you don’t have true passion to make a difference, will you really feel fulfilled inside?”

In other words: the kits and meals matter — but they’re also the doorway.

BridgeCare, Ahmad emphasized, is meant to be a catalyst.

“BridgeCare can only do so much,” he said. “But we’re trying to reform people’s ways of thinking so that I want physicians to open up something bigger than BridgeCare… beat whatever we’re doing… as long as we’re making a difference where it matters.”

“Start with the littlest of things”

When asked what he’d say to Houston leaders — and really, to anyone listening — Ahmad didn’t begin with a demand. He began with a mirror.

He described the everyday moments: pulling up to a red light, seeing someone approach, looking away to avoid eye contact, locking the doors.

“That’s where you start,” he said. “Even if it’s a water bottle.”

• MORE NEWS: The Woods Project Marks 20 years of Transforming Houston students, expands to reach more communities

Ahmad said people don’t have to launch a nonprofit to make a difference.

“I’m not gonna sit here and tell you just to start BridgeCare,” he said. “What I want you to do is just start even talking to them, compliment them, something just that little can make someone’s whole week.”

What BridgeCare is building

BridgeCare is student-led, and the organization said it is expanding its chapter network across Texas. It currently has active chapters at the University of Houston and Carnegie Vanguard High School, with new chapters opening at UT Austin and Texas A&M University.

For Ahmad, that growth only matters if it keeps the heart of what happened at the pop-up: the choice to stay, sit, listen — and treat people like people.

Because sometimes the first sign of change in a city isn’t a big announcement.

Sometimes it’s a chair pulled up to a table, a slice of pizza shared, and a guitar being passed from one set of hands to another.

For more information, visit www.JoinBridgeCare.org or follow them on social media.

“I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s,” Swalwell said in a social media post.

Democrats quickly abandoned him after allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him, were published Friday in the San Francisco Chronicle and later by CNN. The reports came as Swalwell began to emerge as a leader contender in the crowded race.

His exit from the race comes less than a month before ballots go out in advance of the June 2 primary and as Democrats have been engaged in a messy primary campaign. Swalwell's Democratic rivals were among those who swiftly urged him to exit the race, but his support also cratered among allies in Congress and labor unions who had endorsed him.

Some Democrats also urged Swalwell to resign his seat in Congress, but he made no mention of that Sunday.

The 48-hour period marked a rapid reversal for a candidate who appeared to be gaining momentum in the packed field to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who can’t seek a third term.

Though Swalwell has denied the allegations, he has seemingly referenced infidelity in multiple statements.

“To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past,” he wrote. That followed a video post on Friday where he apologized to his wife.

Swalwell's exit shakes up campaign

The accusations reordered a wide-open gubernatorial race that had Democrats fretting the party’s large number of candidates could lead to them getting shut out of the general election in November. That’s because California has a top-two primary system in which two candidates advance regardless of party.

Swalwell had become a clear target for his Democratic rivals as he began to lock up institutional support. Some had seized on rumors of sexual misconduct that circulated on social media for weeks before the Chronicle's report.

His departure from the race will leave his rivals scrambling to win over his supporters and donors. Other prominent Democrats in the race include billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer and former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter. The major Republican contenders are former Fox News host Steve Hilton, who has Trump’s backing, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

The San Francisco Chronicle spoke to a woman who alleged Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019, when she worked for him, and again in 2024. The woman said she did not go to police at the time of the assaults because she was afraid she would not be believed. In both cases the woman said she was too intoxicated to consent to sex. CNN reported on allegations that appeared to come from the same woman, and spoke to several other women who accused Swalwell of other sexual misconduct.

Neither outlet named the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.

The alleged 2024 incident occurred in New York, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said it's investigating. That office urged anyone with knowledge to contact its special victims division.

House colleagues call for Swalwell to resign

As Swalwell's campaign flailed over the weekend, fellow California Reps. Jared Huffman, Ro Khanna and Sam Liccardo said Swalwell should resign, as did Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.

“This is not a partisan issue,” Jayapal said Sunday. “This cuts across party lines. And it is depravity of the way that women have been treated.”

Some representative said they would support the rare step of expelling him should he refuse to step aside.

It all added to the mounting political pressure on Swalwell, which began with allies like Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jimmy Gomez cutting their support. Gomez had helped run Swalwell’s campaign and said he was immediately ending his role.

With the House returning to session Tuesday, the question of whether to expel Swalwell could come to a head quickly. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said Saturday that she would be filing a motion to start the process.

Expulsion votes in the House are rare and require a two-thirds majority, but there is recent precedent for taking the step. Republican George Santos of New York in 2023 became just the sixth member in House history to be ousted by colleagues for his conduct.

Huffman, Jayapal and Leger Fernández said they would vote to expel Swalwell from the House, though they said they also support expelling Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who admitted to an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide.

Swalwell, who is originally from Iowa, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters. He is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021.

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Associated Press journalists Sophie Austin in Sacramento, Calif., and Michael R. Blood in Los Angeles contributed to this report. Finley reported from Washington.

U.S. Central Command announced that it will blockade all Iranian ports beginning Monday at 10 a.m. EDT, or 5:30 p.m. in Iran.

CENTCOM said the blockade will be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations.” It said it would still allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier in the day, the United States and Iran ended 21 hours of face-to-face talks in Islamabad without reaching a deal, leaving the fate of the fragile, two-week ceasefire still unclear.

The war that has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets has entered its seventh week.

Here is the latest:

Trump says he doesn’t care when Iran returns to the negotiating table

Speaking to reporters outside Washington after flying back from Florida, Trump was asked how long it might be before Iranian officials returned to the negotiating table amid a fragile ceasefire.

“I don’t care if they come back or not,” he replied. “If they don’t come back, I’m fine.”

Trump said that during weekend negotiations led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Iran said they were pushing for a nuclear weapon.

“They still want it, and they made that clear the other night. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Trump lambasts Pope Leo XIV, extending feud over Iran war

Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media Sunday, saying the first American pope should “stop catering to the Radical Left.”

It was an extraordinary broadside against the global leader of the Catholic Church, exacerbating a feud that began over the war in Iran.

A short time later, speaking to reporters after Air Force One landed outside Washington from Florida, Trump said, “We don’t like a pope who says it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon.”

“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said, adding that “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.”

Trump’s comments followed Leo having denounced over the weekend the “delusion of omnipotence” that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.

The U.S.-born pope didn’t mention the United States or Trump by name in his prayer.

But Leo’s tone and message appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S. military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.

Ships have stopped moving through the Strait of Hormuz, says intelligence firm

Lloyd’s List Intelligence wrote Sunday that “all traffic” through the Strait of Hormuz stopped after President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. would blockade the waterway. It said two vessels that were leaving the strait turned around after the post.

A trickle of traffic had returned to the strait in the days since the U.S. and Iran agreed to pause the conflict.

Australia calls for Strait of Hormuz to be open to all

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for the Strait of Hormuz to be open and said the United States had not requested Australian help to blockade it.

President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy would swiftly begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement.

Albanese told Nine Network television on Monday: “We’ve received no requests, and they’ve made this announcement overnight and they’ve done that in a unilateral way. And we haven’t been asked to participate.”

“What we want to see is negotiations continue and resume. We want to see an end to this conflict. We want to see the Strait of Hormuz opened for all. We want to see freedom of navigation as required by international law as well,” Albanese added.

Planned US blockade isn’t as sweeping as Trump vowed

The U.S. military’s logistical plans for blockading the Strait of Hormuz appeared to have been scaled down from the sweeping measures President Donald Trump had earlier threatened.

Trump originally wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. would blockade “any and all” ships exiting or entering the Strait of Hormuz. The military, however, says it will still permit passage of ships headed between non-Iranian ports.

Iran keeping 21 million barrels of oil in floating storage

Samir Madani, the co-founder of Tankertrackers.com, told AP that the monitoring group used imagery from the European Space Agency’s Copernicus-2 satellite to identify the types of Iranian oil tankers present in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.

They identified 10 “Very Large Crude Carrier” supertankers - which can hold 2 million barrels of oil each - and 1 Suezmax tanker - which holds 1 million barrels - in the Gulf of Oman as of Sunday, adding up to 21 million barrels.

Iran could be keeping the oil in floating storage to “better regulate exports amid turbulence” or in case of disturbances at Kharg Island, the group said on X.

Kharg Island, which the U.S. struck during the war, is home to a terminal through which Iran exports most of its oil.

Iran’s foreign minister claims US tanked productive talks

Writing on X, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran had negotiated with the U.S. in “good faith” for an end to the war.

“But when just inches away from “Islamabad MoU”, we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade,” he wrote, using an acronym for “memorandum of understanding.”

He then echoed earlier threats from Iranian officials.

“Good will begets good will. Enmity begets enmity.”

US Central Command to blockade Iranian ports

U.S. Central Command has announced that it will begin a blockade of Iranian ports on Monday at 10 a.m. ET.

CENTCOM said the blockade would be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations” entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas.

It said it would still allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

In its statement, CENTCOM said the blockade would include all Iranian ports. It said it would give more information to commercial vessels before the start of the blockade.

Lebanese Red Cross says Israeli drone strike hit their unit, killing a paramedic

The Lebanese Red Cross said Sunday another paramedic was lightly wounded in the attack in the southern Lebanese town of Beit Yahoun.

At least 87 medical workers in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since the beginning of the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, according to the country’s health ministry.

Middle East security expert says Trump has little leverage in the Strait of Hormuz

Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer in security studies at Kings College London, said Sunday that Trump’s plan to use the U.S. Navy to block the Strait of Hormuz is unrealistic.

“We should bear in mind that the Americans have a much lower threshold of pain than the Iranians,” Krieg said. “The Iranians, whatever happens, can sustain this for far longer than the world economy, far longer the Gulf states, far longer then the Americans.”

Krieg said Trump doesn’t have “any good options” and that he will have to concede on some issues.

“There isn’t any tool in the toolbox in terms of the military lever that he could use to get his way,” he said.

Energy expert says oil price could jump by $10 on Trump’s threatened blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

Brent crude oil, the international standard, has gone from roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February to more than $119 at times. Brent for June delivery fell 0.8% to $95.20 per barrel Friday.

Michael Lynch, distinguished fellow at Energy Policy Research Foundation, estimates Trump’s threatened blockade could boost oil prices $5 to $10 when the market opens on Monday.

The blockade would take an estimated 2 million barrels of oil per day off the market, and the Iran war has already taken roughly 10 million barrels per day out of supply, Lynch said.

“This is a pretty big insult to a pretty big injury, I guess, is the way to put it,” he said.

But Lynch said the blockade might be short-lived as Trump will be pressured to walk it back.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see him to give it up by midweek, especially if oil prices keep going up,” he said.

Iran’s chief negotiator says Trump’s threats ‘have no effect on Iranian people’

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf told reporters Sunday that Iran has shown it doesn’t surrender to threats, hours after Trump said the U.S. would impose a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz.

“If you fight, we will fight.” Qalibaf said in a social media post addressing Trump.

Qalibaf said the talks in Pakistan were “intensive, serious and challenging,” and that Iran’s negotiators “designed strong initiatives to demonstrate Iran’s goodwill, which led to progress.”

He did not describe the progress made during the talks nor Iran’s strong initiatives.

Lebanon’s prime minister says his government is committed to ending the war through negotiations

Nawaf Salam made his remarks on the eve of the 51st anniversary of the start of Lebanon’s 15-year civil war.

Lebanon and Israel will hold direct talks in Washington starting Tuesday in a bid to end Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.

Hezbollah supporters and critics of the decision to negotiate have protested in Beirut, saying the government is too weak to end the war.

The government has set a truce as a prerequisite for talks, and plans to demand an Israeli withdrawal, the release of Lebanese prisoners, and the return of over one million displaced Lebanese.

Lebanese authorities have criticized Israel’s airstrikes and ground invasion, but have also decried Hezbollah for launching rockets on March 2 in solidarity with Iran, sparking the latest escalation.

The Lebanese government came to power just over a year ago promising to disarm all non-state groups.

“I feel the pain of the mother who lost her son combating on the front lines as I feel the pain of the mother who lost her child who did not choose this war and only wanted to live,” said Salam.

Experts say blockade could lead to higher oil prices but more details are needed on implementation

Kevin Book, the managing director of research at research firm ClearView Energy Partners, said Sunday that leaner volumes generally mean tighter markets and higher prices, but “much depends on the scope and implementation of the blockade.”

“How Tehran responds matters, too. Iranian and/or Houthi reprisals against Gulf producers’ alternative routes could drive prices still higher,” Book said.

Jonathan Elkind, senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University said Trump’s statement on Fox News that implementing the blockade will take some time also adds uncertainty.

“Is this a climb down because of concerns about how sharply oil markets were set to rise in tomorrow’s trading? No one knows,” he said.

US official says Iran could not agree to America’s red lines for ending the war

U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s goal in the talks with Iran was to outline America’s red lines and where there was room to negotiate. But Iran’s delegates could not agree to all of the stated red lines.

That’s according to a U.S. official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to describe negotiating positions on the record.

The core objective for U.S. negotiators was that Iran never obtain a nuclear weapon. But there were additional red lines set by the U.S. that Iran objected to, the official said.

The red lines include Iran ending uranium enrichment, dismantling its major enrichment facilities, allowing retrieval of its highly enriched uranium, ending funding for Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, creating a broader framework for peace and security in the region, and opening the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. believes that blockading the strait will show Iran the limits of its leverage as it considers the offer, the official said.

__ By Josh Boak

Netanyahu visits parts of southern Lebanon under Israeli military control

Israel’s prime minister was making his first visit since the start of the current round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

“One of the things we see here is that we have essentially changed the face of the Middle East,” Netanyahu said Sunday. “Our enemies — Iran and the Axis of Evil — they came to destroy us, and now they are simply fighting for their own survival.”

Netanyahu said Saturday that Israel was working to control an 8 to 10 km (5 to 6 mile) buffer zone inside Lebanon to ensure Hezbollah does not fire close-range rockets and anti-tank missiles over the border.

Iran says it has ‘full control’ of the Strait of Hormuz and that the waterway remains open for non-military vessels

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy said Sunday that military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz “will be met with a firm and forceful response,” according to two semiofficial Iranian news agencies.

Earlier Sunday, Trump said the U.S. Navy would begin a blockade on the critical waterway to stop ships from entering or leaving.

The talks in Pakistan between Iran and the U.S. ended Sunday without an agreement to end the fighting.

UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon says Israeli tanks rammed into their vehicles

The mission, known as UNIFIL, said Israeli ground troops twice rammed their vehicles with a Merkava tank on Sunday.

The soldiers were blocking a road in Bayada that peacekeepers have been using to access their positions, UNIFIL said in a statement.

UNIFIL has decried attacks on its personnel and damage to its facilities since

the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah militants started on March 2. Three peacekeepers have been killed in the past month.

“Israeli soldiers have continually blocked peacekeepers’ movements on this road in recent days, in addition to denials of freedom of movement recorded in other areas,” UNIFIL said. “They hinder peacekeepers’ ability to report violations by both sides on the ground.”

Trump says the UK is sending minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz

Britain’s Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment about Trump’s assertion Sunday on Fox News.

In an April 2 meeting of top diplomats from 40 nations, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper discussed mustering their collective powers to remove mines from strait once the conflict diminished.

Cooper convened a meeting with about 30 of those nations last week to discuss restoring free movement in the shipping channel and a follow-up is scheduled this week.

In March, James Cartlidge, the opposition Conservative Party’s defense secretary, said the British Navy removed its last minesweeper from the Persian Gulf a week before the war began.

Saudi Arabia summons Iraqi ambassador over drone attacks

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry submitted a “protest note” Sunday to the Iraqi ambassador following what it called ongoing drone attacks launched from Iraqi territories against Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf States.

It was not immediately clear if the Iraqi drone attacks are still taking place.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, said last week that it would halt its operations in Iraq and the region for two weeks, hours after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

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.

Iran’s president says his country is prepared to reach ‘balanced and fair’ agreement

President Masoud Pezeshkian told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday that his country is prepared to reach a deal that would ensure “lasting regional peace.”

Pezeshkian added that Iran’s national interests are a red line, according to a readout of the call carried by Iran’s state media.

He criticized the U.S. use of bases in Gulf countries to carry out strikes against Iran, while maintaining that Gulf countries are “brothers” and that Tehran is willing to cooperate with them to achieve regional security “without outside powers”

Iran has said it has repeatedly struck U.S. facilities in neighboring Gulf countries since the war started in late February. Gulf countries say Iran has also targeted civilian infrastructure and facilities.

Egypt’s foreign minister speaks with a senior Pakistani diplomat and a US envoy

In the call with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty affirmed “the importance of adhering to the diplomatic path and prioritizing dialogue and peaceful solutions” to settle all disputes.

Abdelatty and his Pakistani counterpart, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, affirmed that they will continue their efforts to de-escalate and bridge the gaps between the U.S. and Iran.

Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have been mediating between the U.S. and Iran since the start of the war.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies with Precinct 4 were initially dispatched to a residence in the 23200 block of Goldensong Court, where they discovered an adult male dead at the scene.

Sources say the victim, described as a carpenter in his mid-to-late 40s, had been working on renovations at the home.

Family members told investigators the last time they heard from him was around 1 p.m. Friday.

After becoming concerned when he stopped answering calls, his sisters went to his home and noticed his vehicle was still there. They later went to the house he had been working on, where they discovered his body and called 911.

Precinct 4 deputies arrived at the scene and said the man appeared to have been dead for some time.

Investigators also noted trauma to his body, leading them to believe the death was not natural or accidental. Detectives learned the carpenter occasionally hired laborers to assist with jobs.

OUR PREVIOUS REPRT: HCSO investigating after man found dead at Spring home

Family members also reported that the victim’s truck was missing, prompting authorities to enter it as stolen. They told investigators the carpenter was known for not allowing others to drive his truck.

Later that same day, the vehicle was located and stopped in Pasadena. Four people — two adults and two juveniles — were inside.

Authorities said a woman and the two juveniles were released, while a man who was reportedly known to have worked with the victim remains detained for questioning.

At this time, no arrests or charges have been filed. Investigators have not released a possible motive, and the case remains under active investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Flagg winced as he left the court favoring his left ankle in the second quarter, and the Mavs soon said he wouldn't return. The 19-year-old is in a tight race with former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel for Rookie of the Year.

It wasn't immediately clear how Flagg was injured. He had 10 points and four rebounds in 10 minutes before leaving the game. He will finish the season averaging 21.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games.

The Mavericks have been out of the playoff race for weeks in a season that started with high expectations but crumbled with Anthony Davis' continuing injury issues and eventual trade to Washington. Davis' absence led to the team keeping Kyrie Irving sidelined the entire season after the star guard tore the ACL in his left knee in March 2025.

Despite the steady slide in the standings, Flagg kept making history, capped by a 96-point outburst in two games over the second-to-last weekend, including the 51 against Orlando that made him the first NBA teenager to score at least 50 in a game. He broke his own record of 49 for a teenager.

Flagg led Duke to the Final Four a year ago as just the fourth freshman to be named The Associated Press men's basketball player of the year.

The accolades kept rolling in after the Mavs converted just a 1.8% chance to win the lottery and won the rights to draft him.

Flagg and Michael Jordan are the only two rookies to record multiple games of at least 45 points since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77.

Flagg was playing against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month when he scored 45 points and passed the 41-year-old for the most 40-point games by a teenager with his fourth.

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

U.S. Central Command announced the blockade would involve all Iranian ports, beginning on Monday at 10 a.m. EDT, or 5:30 p.m. in Iran, to be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations.”

However, CENTCOM said it would still allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the strait. Its announcement was a step down from the president’s earlier threat to blockade the entire strait, and allows traffic to flow in the crucial waterway as long as it avoids Iranian ports.

Trump wants to weaken Iran’s key leverage in the war after demanding that it reopen the strait to global traffic on the waterway where 20% of global oil transited before fighting began.

That traffic has been limited even in the days since the ceasefire. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire.

A U.S. blockade could further rattle global energy markets.

Oil prices rose in early market trading after the blockade announcement. The price of U.S. crude rose 8% to $104.24 a barrel, and Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7% to $102.29. Brent crude cost roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February.

Later Sunday, Trump extended his feud over the war with Pope Leo XIV, lashing out in a TruthSocial post that called the Catholic leader “terrible on foreign policy.” The extraordinary broadside came after Leo denounced the war and demanded that political leaders stop and negotiate peace.

Iran says ‘if you fight, we will fight’

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later said the strait remained under Iran’s “full control” and was open for non-military vessels, but military ones would get a “forceful response,” two semi-official Iranian news agencies reported.

During the 21-hour talks this weekend in Pakistan, the U.S. military said two destroyers had transited the strait ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran denied it.

Trump’s plan to use the Navy to block the strait is unrealistic and he will have to concede on some issues with Iran, said Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer in security studies at Kings College London. “There isn’t any tool in the toolbox in terms of the military lever that he could use to get his way,” Krieg said.

Trump said Tehran’s nuclear ambitions were at the core of the talks' failure. In comments to Fox News, he again threatened to strike civilian infrastructure.

Iranian parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Iran’s side in the talks, addressed Trump in a new statement on his return to Iran: “If you fight, we will fight.”

No word on what happens after ceasefire expires

The face-to-face talks that ended early Sunday were the highest-level negotiations between the longtime rivals since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Neither indicated what will happen after the ceasefire expires on April 22.

“We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon,” said Vice President JD Vance, leading the U.S. side.

Iranian negotiators could not agree to all U.S. “red lines,” said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to describe positions on the record. These included Iran never obtaining a nuclear weapon, ending uranium enrichment, dismantling major enrichment facilities and allowing retrieval of its highly enriched uranium, along with opening the Strait of Hormuz and ending funding for Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi rebels.

Iranian officials said talks fell apart over two or three key issues, blaming what they called U.S. overreach. Qalibaf, who noted progress in negotiations, said it was time for the United States “to decide whether it can gain our trust or not.”

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country will try to facilitate a new dialogue in the coming days. Iran said it was open to continuing dialogue, state-run IRNA news agency reported.

The European Union urged further diplomatic efforts. The foreign minister of Oman, located on the Strait of Hormuz's southern coast, called for parties to “make painful concessions." The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin “emphasized his readiness” to help bring about a diplomatic settlement in a call with Iran's president.

Iran's nuclear program is a key sticking point

Iran’s nuclear program was at the center of tensions long before the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28. The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 2,055 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, and damaged infrastructure in half a dozen countries.

Tehran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons but insists on its right to a civilian nuclear program. The landmark 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump later pulled the U.S. out of, took well over a year of negotiations. Experts say Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, though not weapons-grade, is only a short technical step away.

An Iranian diplomatic official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of closed-door talks, denied that negotiations had failed over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Inside Iran, there was new exhaustion and anger after months of unrest that began with nationwide protests against economic issues and then political ones, followed by weeks of sheltering from U.S. and Israeli bombardment.

“We have never sought war. But if they try to win what they failed to win on the battlefield through talks, that’s absolutely unacceptable,” Mohammad Bagher Karami said in Tehran.

Elsewhere in the region, airstrikes calmed over the past day except in Lebanon.

More questions as Israel presses ahead in Lebanon

Iran’s 10-point proposal for the talks called for a halt to Israeli strikes on the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel has said the ceasefire did not apply there, but Iran and Pakistan said it did.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited parts of southern Lebanon under Israeli control on Sunday, for the first time since the current fighting. Attacks on southern Lebanon have intensified alongside the ground invasion renewed after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in the war’s opening days.

Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington after Israel’s surprise announcement authorizing talks despite their lack of official relations. Israel wants Lebanon to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, but the militant group has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades.

The day the Iran ceasefire deal was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people, according to the Health Ministry.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported six people were killed Sunday in Maaroub village near the coastal city of Tyre.

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Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank, Boak from Miami and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing; Collin Binkley and Ben Finley in Washington; Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Brian Melley in London; Ghaya Ben MBarek in Tunis; Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City and Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this report.

According to authorities, a car burst into flames on the westbound side of Interstate 610 at Memorial Drive, prompting a response from the Houston Fire Department.

Videos of the fire were posted to Facebook after being sent to Grizzy’s Hood News.

Officials had to close both the entry and exit ramps at Memorial Drive as crews worked to extinguish the fire and secure the scene.

Drivers in the area were asked to use caution and expect significant delays.

It’s unclear at this time what caused the vehicle to catch fire or if anyone was injured.

It was a stunning blow for Orbán — a close ally of both U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin — who quickly conceded defeat after what he called a ″painful″ election result. U.S. Vice President JD Vance had made a visit to Hungary just days earlier, meant to help push Orbán over the finish line.

Election victor Péter Magyar, a former Orbán loyalist who campaigned against corruption and on everyday issues like health care and public transport, has pledged to rebuild Hungary's relationships with the European Union and NATO — ties that frayed under Orbán. European leaders quickly congratulated Magyar.

His victory was expected to transform political dynamics within the EU, where Orbán had upended the bloc by frequently vetoing key decisions, prompting concerns he sought to break it up from the inside.

It will also reverberate among far-right movements around the world, which have viewed Orbán as a beacon for how nationalist populism can be used to wage culture wars and leverage state power to undermine opponents.

It's not yet clear whether Magyar’s Tisza party will have the two-thirds majority in parliament, which would give it the numbers needed for major changes in legislation. With 93% of the vote counted, it had more than 53% support to 37% for Orbán’s governing Fidesz party and looked set to win 94 of Hungary's 106 voting districts.

“I congratulated the victorious party,″ Orban told followers. “We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition.″

Jubilation erupted along the Danube

In a speech to tens of thousands of jubilant supporters at a victory party along the Danube River, Magyar said his voters had rewritten Hungarian history.

“Tonight, truth prevailed over lies. Today, we won because Hungarians didn’t ask what their homeland could do for them — they asked what they could do for their homeland. You found the answer. And you followed through,” he said.

On the streets of Budapest, drivers blared car horns and cranked up anti-government songs while people marching in the streets chanted and screamed.

Many revelers chanted “Ruszkik haza!” or “Russians go home!” — a phrase used widely during Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet revolution, and which had gained increasing currency amid Orbán’s drift toward Moscow.

Turnout in the election was nearly 80%, according to the National Election Office, a record number in any vote in Hungary’s post-Communist history.

‘Choice between East or West’

Orbán, the EU’s longest-serving leader and one of its biggest antagonists, traveled a long road from his early days as a liberal, anti-Soviet firebrand to the Russia-friendly nationalist admired today by the global far-right.

The EU will be waiting to see how Magyar changes Hungary's approach to Ukraine. Orbán repeatedly frustrated EU efforts to support the neighboring country in its war against Russia’s full-scale invasion, while cultivating close ties to Putin and refusing to end Hungary’s dependence on Russian energy imports.

Recent revelations have shown a top member of Orbán's government frequently shared the contents of EU discussions with Moscow, raising accusations that Hungary was acting on Russia’s behalf within the bloc.

Members of Trump's “Make America Great Again” movement are among those who see Orbán's government and his Fidesz political party as shining examples of conservative, anti-globalist politics in action, while he is reviled by advocates of liberal democracy and the rule of law.

In Budapest, Marcell Mehringer, 21, said he was voting “primarily so that Hungary will finally be a so-called European country, and so that young people, and really everyone, will do their fundamental civic duty to unite this nation a bit and to breakdown these boundaries borne of hatred.”

Strained relationship with the EU

During his 16 years as prime minister, Orbán launched harsh crackdowns on minority rights and media freedoms, subverted many of Hungary's institutions and been accused of siphoning large sums of money into the coffers of his allied business elite, an allegation he denies.

He also heavily strained Hungary's relationship with the EU. Although Hungary is one of the smaller EU countries, with a population of 9.5 million, Orbán has repeatedly used his veto to block decisions that require unanimity.

Most recently, he blocked a 90-billion euro ($104 billion) EU loan to Ukraine, prompting his partners to accuse him of hijacking the critical aid.

His challenger came from the inside

Magyar, 45, rapidly rose to become Orbán's most serious challenger.

A former insider within Orbán's Fidesz, Magyar broke with the party in 2024 and quickly formed Tisza. Since then, he has toured Hungary relentlessly, holding rallies in settlements big and small in a campaign blitz that recently had him visiting up to six towns daily.

In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this month, Magyar said the election will be a “referendum” on whether Hungary continues on its drift toward Russia under Orbán, or can retake its place among the democratic societies of Europe.

Tisza is a member of the European People's Party, the mainstream, center-right political family with leaders governing 12 of the EU's 27 nations.

Uphill election battle

Magyar faced a tough fight. Orbán's control of Hungary's public media, which he has transformed into a mouthpiece for his party, and vast swaths of the private media market give him an advantage in spreading his message.

The unilateral transformation of Hungary's electoral system and gerrymandering of its 106 voting districts by Fidesz also required Tisza to gain an estimated 5% more votes than Orbán’s party to achieve a simple majority.

Additionally, hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries had the right to vote in Hungarian elections and traditionally have voted overwhelmingly for Orbán's party.

Russian secret services have plotted to interfere and tip the election in Orbán's favor, according to numerous media reports including by The Washington Post. The prime minister, however, accused neighboring Ukraine, as well as Hungary's allies in the EU, of seeking to interfere in the vote to install a “pro-Ukraine” government.

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Associated Press journalists Béla Szandelszky, Marko Drobnjakovic, Ivan L. Nagy, Florent Bajrami in Budapest, Hungary, and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.

That didn't make Sunday at Augusta National any easier.

McIlroy coughed up a six-shot lead in the third round. He fell two shots behind two players, Cameron Young and Justin Rose, in an electric final round. And then he delivered two big birdies around Amen Corner to join more elite company.

A year ago, his playoff victory over Rose made McIlroy only the sixth player with the career Grand Slam. With another green jacket, McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only repeat winners of the Masters.

“I thought it was so difficult to win last year because of trying to win the Masters and the Grand Slam, and then this year I realized it’s just really difficult to win the Masters,” McIlroy said after holding on for a one-shot victory over Scottie Scheffler. “Just incredible.”

As usual, he kept everyone on edge until the very end.

His wedge barely cleared the false front of the par-5 15th, a shot that could have been disastrous. His putt from behind the 16th green made a sharp turn down the slope to inches away save par. He saved par with a tough chip on the 17th. Staked to a two-shot lead, his tee shot on the 18th wound up closer to the 10th fairway.

“I’d say walking off the 18th tee not knowing where my ball was, that was the moment of greatest stress,” McIlroy said.

He drilled 8-iron around the trees into a bunker, blasted out to 12 feet and took two putts for bogey and a 1-under 71. He thrust both arms in the air and made good on a promise.

“My parting message last year was I can't wait to come back and put the jacket on myself,” McIlroy said at the trophy presentation. “I wasn't quite correct.”

For the first time since Woods won back-to-back in 2002, it was left to the Augusta National chairman — Hootie Johnson for Woods, Fred Ridley for McIlroy — to do the honors. “It still fits,” McIlroy said.

Better than ever.

He now has six majors, tied with Faldo, Lee Trevino and Phil Mickelson. And that sense of freedom he brought back to Augusta National as a champion carried him to the finish line.

McIlroy seized control for good with a bold shot over Rae’s Creek to 7 feet for birdie on the par-3 12th. Then he blistered a 350-yard drive on the par-5 13th — he had been in the trees the previous three rounds — that set up another birdie to move three shots ahead.

He finished at 12-under 276.

President Donald Trump congratulated McIlroy on social media as he flew back to Washington from Florida.

“With each year, Rory is becoming more and more a LEGEND!” Trump wrote. McIlroy’s next tournament is likely to be the Cadillac Championship in two weeks at Trump Doral outside Miami.

It was more heartache for Rose, and frustration for the others who had a chance.

Rose had a two-shot lead that evaporated around Amen Corner with two bogeys and a three-putt par. He had to settle for a third close call at the Masters.

Young lost his two-shot lead much earlier with a long three-putt bogey on the par-3 sixth and taking bogey on the next hole when he hit wedge from the fairway into a bunker. One shot behind going to the back nine, Young closed with nine straight pars.

“There is no negative to take away other than obviously I would’ve loved a different result,” Young said. “I pretty much had a birdie chance on every hole and didn’t make any. That’s how it goes sometimes.”

As for Scheffler, the world's No. 1 player was in position to shatter the Masters record with the largest 36-hole comeback in history. He was 12 behind going into the weekend. He was two shots behind as he approached the turn. But he ran off 11 straight pars, and that wasn't going to cut it during a final round with accessible pins to create excitement.

Scheffler had to settle for his third runner-up finish in the majors to go along with four titles. His 65-68 weekend made him the first player since 1942 to go bogey-free on the weekend at Augusta.

“I put up a good fight in order to give myself a chance,” Scheffler said.

Rose, at age 45 trying to become the second-oldest Masters champion behind Jack Nicklaus (46) in 1986, made a most improbable birdie with a shot out of the trees to a foot on the seventh. That was the start of three straight birdies to close out the front nine and give him the lead.

But his approach to the 11th was well to the right and he failed to save par. His tee shot on the 12th was long, and his delicate chip didn't reach the green, leading to another bogey. And his 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 13th ran 8 feet by the hole and he missed the birdie putt.

“Chance that got away,” Rose said. “I was by no means free and clear and was nowhere kind of close to having the job done, but I was right in position. ... I was playing great, but just momentum shifted for me around the Amen Corner.”

That's where McIlroy thrived. No shot at Augusta is more terrifying that the par-3 12th with the deceptive, swirling wind. McIlroy said he thought back to a practice round at his first Masters in 2009 when Tom Watson told him to wait for the right wind and hit.

His three-quarter 9-iron aimed at the middle bunker drifted more to the right that he imagined, but it turned out perfect, closer than anyone all day.

“That was a really good golf shot at the right time,” he said. “Huge shot in the tournament.”

Once tormented by his chase for the green jacket, McIlroy is now a two-time winner whose love for the Masters only deepens.

He was so ecstatic a year ago that he asked the media when it was over, “What are we going to talk about next year?” Now the topic is easy. No one has ever won three in a row.

___

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

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the area of 1927 Gulf Pump Road after reports that an ATV had gone into the water.

Investigators say a male, believed to be around 20 years old, was riding the ATV when he reportedly struck a concrete pylon, causing the vehicle to flip and enter the water. The rider did not resurface.

Correction: the male was riding an ATV when he reportedly struck a concrete pylon, flipped over and went into the water. Crosby FD and Game Warden are also on-scene. https://t.co/gZS80D8iJM

— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) April 13, 2026

A multi-agency response is now underway, with assistance from the Crosby Fire Department and Texas Game Wardens, along with HCSO dive teams working the scene.

Crews are continuing search efforts in the water as officials work to locate the missing man. His identity has not yet been released.

The situation remains active as crews continue their search.

Donaldson died in the state's capital, Hobart, a royal statement said, without giving further details. It said that his health had been declining over the past few years, and that the queen last visited him at the end of March.

John Dalgleish Donaldson, born in Scotland on Sept. 5, 1941, was a professor of applied mathematics.

Mary became Denmark's queen in January 2024 after two decades as crown princess when her husband became the Scandinavian country's monarch. He was proclaimed King Frederik X following the abdication of his mother, Queen Margrethe II.

Frederik and Mary met during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. They married in 2004.

Sunday's statement quoted Mary as saying that “my heart is heavy.”

“But I know that when the grief settles, the memories will brighten my day, and what will remain strongest is love and gratitude for everything he gave me and taught me,” she added.

Mary's mother, Henrietta Clark Donaldson, died in 1997. Her father married Susan Moody in 2001.

The statement said the family will hold a private memorial service for Donaldson “at a later date.”

Municipal authorities in the city of Cap-Haïtien in a statement said that Saturday's stampede in Milot "resulted in numerous cases of asphyxiation, trampling and loss of consciousness." Authorities said dozens of people who attended traditional festivities at the historical site were taken to hospitals while many others were reported missing.

“According to preliminary information ... a situation of severe overcrowding, linked in particular to deficiencies in crowd management measures, triggered a stampede,” local authorities said in the statement.

The Haitian National Police in a separate statement said it had opened an investigation to determine the exact cause of incident. The investigation led authorities to update the death toll to 25 fatalities. Autopsies were underway on Sunday.

Police said 30 people remained hospitalized. The agency also asked the population to continue to cooperate with authorities and avoid spreading rumors.

Haiti’s government offered its condolences to the families of the victims of the incident at the Citadelle Laferrière.

Some of the victims’ bodies remained at the site on Sunday.

Donaldson Jean said his sister had traveled there after studying diligently to get the grades necessary to be part of a school field trip for the best students. He sobbed after carrying her body, which had been covered with a white tarp.

“Morning and night, she was studying for the genius program,” he said. “She would come and ask me to help with homework before dinner. Look how (I) lost her”

The legendary singer across genres died Sunday of multiple organ failure at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, Pratit Samdani, a physician at the hospital said. Her son, Anand Bhosle, told reporters that her last rites will be performed Monday.

Asha was admitted at the hospital on late Saturday with a chest infection and exhaustion, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle said in a social media post.

Asha’s timeless voice resonated across a film-obsessed India for nearly eight decades, recorded on about 12,000 songs. She boldly embraced cabaret and Western-influenced melodies to forge a distinct musical identity that stood uniquely apart from her sister, Lata Mangeshkar, herself a legendary voice revered as the “Melody Queen.”

Asha’s death was widely condoled.

“I am deeply saddened” by her passing, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a social media post.

“Her unique musical journey spanning decades has enriched our cultural heritage and touched the hearts of countless people around the world,” Modi said. “From soulful melodies to spirited compositions, her voice carried a timeless brilliance.”

Born on Sept. 8, 1933, Asha Bhosle was initiated into music by her father Dinanath Mangeshkar, who was also a trained singer. All her four siblings became accomplished singers and musicians.

Asha's first marriage, in 1949, ended in separation in 1960. Her second marriage was to iconic music composer R.D. Burman in 1980. She is survived by a son and grandchildren.

Williams averaged a career-high 11.6 points and 4.2 assists and led the WNBA in steals with 2.3 per game for Seattle last season. That effort earned the 29-year-old an All-Star appearance for the first time in her career. She also was a member of the league's All-Defensive First Team.

“For a player of Gabby’s caliber to choose us in just our second year ... means everything,” Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said in a statement. “She is world-class. One of the best defenders in the world, a WNBA All-Star, and someone who makes everyone around her better.”

The Valkyries had a stellar season in their first year, making the playoffs — the first time an expansion team had done that. Williams was drafted fourth by Chicago in 2018 and traded to Los Angeles in 2021. She didn't play any games for the Sparks before being traded to Seattle in 2022.

Thomas was a finalist for MVP last season and All-WNBA and All-Defensive first team. She helped the Mercury reach the WNBA Finals.

"Alyssa is a generational player, natural leader and one of the fiercest competitors our sport has seen, and we’re excited to have her back in Phoenix,” Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren said. “Her ability to control the game on both ends and elevate her teammates helped fuel our run to the Finals last season.”

Phoenix also re-signed All-Star wings Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner. The pair was instrumental in getting the Mercury to the WNBA Finals along with Thomas. The team also re-signed veteran guard Sami Whitcomb.

Other moves on Sunday included Sophie Cunningham and Damiris Dantas re-signing with the Indiana Fever. Cunningham averaged 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 30 games before suffering a season-ending MCL tear in her right knee in August. Dantas originally signed with the Fever ahead of the 2024 season and has since played in 58 games for Indiana, averaging 4.6 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, and was a part of the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup championship team.

The pair join Kelsey Mitchell and Lexie Hull, who announced on Saturday they were returning to the team. Indiana also added Monique Billings in the first day of free agency.

The Toronto Tempo added forward Isabelle Harrison, whom Sandy Brondello coached in New York before making the move to Canada.

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx re-signed five-time All-Star Kayla McBride to a two-year deal at a lower max salary, her agent, Ticha Penicheiro, told The Associated Press. Courtney Williams, a two-time All-Star, also is coming back to the Lynx. Minnesota also added two-time All-Star Natasha Howard, who played with Indiana last season. Howard helped Minnesota win a title in 2017.

Chicago Sky

The Sky added guard DiJonai Carrington to their roster as well as officially re-signing Courtney Vandersloot. The Sky acquired Rickea Jackson for Ariel Atkins in a trade with Los Angeles.

Connecticut Sun

The Sun added guard Kennedy Burke and re-signed forward Olivia Nelson-Ododa to a two-year deal. Burke appeared in 36 games for the Liberty, making nine starts and averaging 8.1 points and 2.4 rebounds.

Seattle Storm

The Storm re-signed forward Ezi Magbegor, who had 96 blocks last season to go along with 8.0 points and 6.2 rebounds. She shot 49.3% from the field. Seattle also re-signed wing Katie Lou Samuelson, who missed all of last season after tearing her ACL in training camp. The Storm also added free agent Stefanie Dolson, signing the veteran center as well as guard Jade Melbourne.

Las Vegas Aces

The Aces re-signed three members of their core group, with Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus all agreeing to deals with the defending champions.

Washington Mystics

The Mystics added forward Michaela Onyenwere to a multiyear deal. She averaged 6.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in her career, last playing with Chicago. Onyenwere was an assistant coach at her alma mater UCLA this past winter and helped the Bruins win their first national championship.

Portland Fire

The expansion Fire added center Megan Gustafson, who was with Las Vegas last season when the Aces won the WNBA championship.

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

The Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado, will immediately return to normal operations after weeks of uncertainty, JBS USA said in a statement.

The agreement comes after thousands of workers at the meat processing plant led a three-week strike with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 Union in a bid for higher wages and better health care. The strike ended April 4 after JBS USA agreed to resume negotiations.

Workers and JBS USA agreed to wage increases over the next two years and a $750 one-time bonus. The tentative agreement represents a contract with “all gains, countless improvements, and not a single concession," the union said.

The contract requires the company to pay for personal protective equipment and defends workers against increases in health care costs, according to the union.

Local union president Kim Cordova said workers picketed through extreme weather “because they knew their worth and refused to be disrespected. Today, that sacrifice has been rewarded.”

“This is what union power looks like,” Cordova said in the statement.

The union did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ requests for further details.

JBS USA said it is pleased an agreement has been reached, but expressed disappointment that union leadership chose to eliminate pension benefits that were negotiated last year. The company said the pension was designed to strengthen long-term retirement security and argued the union chose to shift those dollars into short-term wage increases rather than into the long-term financial future of workers.

The union will also withdraw seven alleged unfair labor practice charges, according to JBS USA.

“With the agreement now finalized, JBS USA looks forward to restoring stability, supporting its workforce, and continuing to invest in the Greeley facility for the future,” the company said in its statement.

The strike at Greeley was 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 was marked by 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 win came in the 131st Cup start for the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner and former Super Bowl-winning coach Joe Gibbs.

Ty Gibbs also is the son of the late Coy Gibbs, who also helped run his father’s team before unexpectedly dying in his sleep on Nov. 6, 2022 – the day after his son won the championship in NASCAR’s second-highest division.

Ty Gibbs, 23, moved to the Cup series the next year and had multiple near-misses (runner-up finishes at Darlington in 2024 and Chicago last year) before reaching victory lane in his fourth season.

“This is one of my best experiences” Joe Gibbs said. “When I think about Coy, he brought Ty up the entire time. I know he’s probably watching.”

Ty Gibbs interrupted his grandfather’s postrace interview in the pits with a hug.

“This is the man right here,” said Ty, whose mother, Heather, also is a co-owner of JGR. “I’ve never seen somebody work so hard in my life, him and my mom. I come to the shop at 6 a.m. or 7 p.m., and there’s nobody there, but they are always there. They work their (butts) off. He’s a great role model. I wouldn’t be here unless it was for him.”

Gibbs led the final 25 laps at Bristol, inheriting first place under caution on a strategy gamble by staying on track in his No. 54 Toyota while Ryan Blaney pitted from the lead along with Kyle Larson, who led a race-high 284 of 505 laps.

Blaney and Larson both restarted outside the top five, and Gibbs was cruising toward a win before the yellow flew again on the 498th lap to set up the first overtime restart at Bristol in 11 years.

Despite Blaney and Larson having tires that were nearly 100 laps fresher, Gibbs fended off the star drivers on a two-lap shootout to the checkered flag.

“Honestly, I didn’t really know or care if I was going to win or not,” Gibbs said. “I thought the race was awesome. I really appreciate always racing Ryan Blaney and Kyle, too. Those guys always run me really well.”

Blaney, the 2023 Cup champion who started from the pole position, finished second after leading 190 laps in the No. 12 Ford.

“Yeah, great battle for sure,” he said. “ I fought a lot of different cars. Gave it my best shot on the last restart. Was close but just couldn’t get it done.”

Larson, the defending Cup Series champion who won the first two stages, finished third and remained winless in the past 32 races with his No. 5 Chevrolet.

The Toyotas of Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top five.

“Super happy for Ty,” Briscoe said of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate. “It’s been a long time coming. To do it the way he did it, on old tires, to beat the two guys that dominated all day long, that was impressive. Just super happy for him and the whole family.”

Gibbs became the sixth NASCAR driver to earn his first Cup victory at Bristol, joining Dale Earnhardt (1979), Rusty Wallace (1986), Ernie Irvan (1990), Elliott Sadler (2001) and Kurt Busch (2002).

“It’s awesome to be with great people,” the younger Gibbs said. “To be in this position is great. I’d love for my father to have seen this. I know he knew it was going to happen and expected it as well. Yeah, it was a great day for us. This is our family, so it’s just such a great deal.”

Hendrick woes

While Larson excelled at the front, two of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates were struggling mightily.

William Byron started from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 24 Chevrolet, which had steering problems in practice and qualifying Saturday. Byron, who has led at every active track but Bristol, was off the pace from the start and finished five laps down.

Returning frommissing four races because of vertigo, Alex Bowman started 27th and finished last after being involved in a multicar crash started by Shane van Gisbergen.

“I was fine, just a frustrating day,” Bowman said. “Thought we were OK in practice and then obviously qualified bad and then just really struggled with the handling today. Bummer. Hate that we didn’t get a chance to work on it and make it better and finish the race, but it’s kind of outside our control. When you run that bad, stuff can happen, and it happened to us.”

Up next

The NASCAR Cup Series will race April 19 at Kansas Speedway, the first of three consecutive tracks 1.5 miles and longer. Hendrick Motorsports has won three of the past four races at Kansas with Kyle Larsonand Chase Elliott winning last year at the oval in Kansas City, Kansas.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The price of U.S. crude oil rose 8% to $104.24 a barrel and Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7% to $102.29.

Brent crude has swung dramatically during the Iran war, rising from roughly $70 per barrel before the war in late February to more than $119 at times. On Friday, ahead of the peace talks, Brent for June delivery fell 0.8% to $95.20 per barrel.

Iran has been effectively controlling the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipping.

U.S. Central Command said the blockade would be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations” entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

It said it would still allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

Around a fifth of the world’s traded oil typically flows through the Strait of Hormuz every day. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iran are all major exporters.

Traffic in the strait has been limited even in the days since the ceasefire. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire.

Claudio Galimberti, chief economist of Rystad Energy, said the blockade will raise prices but might move the needle on talks.

“It means the oil markets will be even tighter than before,” he said. “However, I think this is a negotiation tactic, which eventually resolves into a full opening of Hormuz. So, more pain now, but more gain later.”

However, Jim Krane, Energy Research Fellow at Rice University, said the blockade might be effective as a long-term strategy to impose pain on the Iranian economy, but it isn't a good short-term negotiating tactic when the oil market is already under strain.

“If the deficit to the oil market takes another jump it is going to impose pain on every person on Earth that’s subject to market oil prices,” he said.

However, the Northern Irish golfer was able to two under par on Sunday to shoot -12 for the weekend, holding off Scottie Scheffler by one stroke to secure his second consecutive green jacket.

OTHER SPORTS NEWS: Phil Garner, who guided Houston Astros to historic first World Series trip, dies at 76

McIlroy joins Jack Nicklaus (1965, 1966), Nick Faldo (1989, 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001, 2002) as the fourth golfer to capture wins at Augusta National in back-to-back years.

Scheffler finished in second place (-11), and there was a four-way tie for third between Tyrrell Hatton, Russell Henley, Justin Rose and Cameron Young (-10).

Speaking in an interview on NBC News’ Meet the Press program, the president said an invasion of Cuba would be costly and affect regional security. But should it happen, Díaz-Canel said, Cubans would defend themselves.

“If the time comes, I don’t think there would be any justification for the United States to launch a military aggression against Cuba, or for the U.S. to undertake a surgical operation or the kidnapping of a president,” Díaz-Canel said, speaking through a translator.

He added: “If that happens, there will be fighting, and there will be a struggle, and we will defend ourselves, and if we need to die, we’ll die, because as our national anthem says, ‘Dying for the homeland is to live'.”

His comments come as tensions between Cuba and the U.S. remain high despite both sides acknowledging talks, although no details have been shared.

Díaz-Canel has accused the U.S. government of implementing a “hostile policy” against Cuba and said it has “no moral to demand anything from Cuba.” He noted that Cuba is interested in engaging in dialogue and discussing any topic without conditions, “not demanding changes from our political system as we are not demanding change from the American system, about which we have a number of doubts.”

Cuba blames a U.S. energy blockade for its deepening woes, with a lack of petroleum affecting the island’s health system, public transportation and the production of goods and services.

Cuba produces only 40% of the fuel it consumes, and it stopped receiving key oil shipments from Venezuela after the U.S. military attacked the South American country in early January, seized President Nicolás Maduro and took him to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Then, with cooperation from ruling party leaders, the Trump administration began implementing a phased plan to end Venezuela’s entrenched crisis.

The arrival of a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of crude oil in Cuba in March marked the island’s first oil shipment in three months. Russia has promised to send a second tanker.

Despite threatening tariffs in January on countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba, the Trump administration allowed the tanker to proceed.

“Cuba’s finished,” President Donald Trump said at the time. “They have a bad regime. They have very bad and corrupt leadership and whether or not they get a boat of oil, it’s not going to matter.”

Díaz-Canel said his government takes Trump’s words as a warning.

“You hear that Cuba is next, that Cuba is going to be next, that there are, there’s a way out, that they’re going to take over Cuba,” he said. “So, from the position of responsibility within the leadership of the country, that is a warning. And we need to responsibly protect our people, protect our project and protect our country.”

Garner's family issued a statement Sunday saying Garner died Saturday after a two-plus-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

“Phil never lost his signature spark of life,” Garner's son, Ty, said in a statement. “He was so well known for his love for baseball, which was with him until the end.”

Nicknamed “Scrap Iron” for his blue-collar approach to the game, Garner had a 16-year playing career with the Oakland Athletics (1973-76), Pittsburgh Pirates (1977-81), Astros (1981-87), Los Angeles Dodgers (1987) and San Francisco Giants (1988).

He played 150 games and had an .800 OPS for Pittsburgh during the Pirates’ 1979 World Series championship season. He batted .417 in the NL Championship Series sweep of Cincinnati and hit .500 (12 for 24) in the World Series as the Pirates rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Baltimore.

Garner made All-Star teams with Oakland in 1976 and with Pittsburgh in 1980 and 1981.

“Phil Garner was a fierce competitor, a respected leader, and a cherished part of the Pirates family,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement. “His contributions to the 1979 World Series championship team will forever be part of Pirates history. We always appreciated welcoming Phil back to Pittsburgh, and it was evident how deeply this city, this team, his teammates, and our fans meant to him.

“He will be remembered not only for the grit, passion, and heart he brought to the game, but also for the way he carried himself as a devoted family man and respected member of the baseball community.”

Garner hit .260 with 109 homers, 738 RBIs and 225 steals in 1,860 regular-season games while being versatile enough to make more than 700 starts at both second base and third base.

Garner managed in the majors for 15 years, compiling a 985-1,054 record with Milwaukee (1992-99), Detroit (2000-02) and Houston (2004-07).

“When I got back into managing, he was the first person that I met in Houston and has introduced me to so many of my close friends,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, who dedicated an 8-2 win over Miami to Garner and his family on Sunday. “When I got the job in Detroit, he reached out and talked to me about the city of Detroit and the fan base. Even though his time here didn’t go great, he was a big advocate for Detroit.”

Garner held the Brewers record for managerial wins until Craig Counsell surpassed him in 2022.

“He was a very highly respected and beloved individual who was known for his caring nature, wisdom and sense of humor," the Brewers said in a statement.

Garner took over the Astros midway through the 2004 season after the firing of Jimy Williams and led them to a 48-26 record the rest of the way. They finished 92-70, beat Atlanta in the NL Division Series and wasted a 3-2 lead over St. Louis in the NL Championship Series.

Garner got the Astros to the World Series the following year. They bounced back from a 15-30 start to finish 89-73 and beat Atlanta in the NLDS and St. Louis in the NLCS before the Chicago White Sox swept them.

“Phil Garner’s contributions to the Houston Astros, the city of Houston and to the game of baseball will not be forgotten," Astros owner and chairman Jim Crane said in a statement.

Garner was a Tennessee native who starred at the University of Tennessee, which retired his No. 18 in 2009.

“I genuinely appreciated Garner as a manager!!” former Tiger Brandon Inge wrote in a text message. “He really taught us how to play with a chip on our shoulders and not to back down to anyone or anything, no matter the circumstance!!! Thinking of his family, he’ll be missed!”

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

The Boston Athletic Association said on Sunday that Hall's family confirmed his death after a long illness.

In 1975, Hall convinced Boston Marathon organizers to let him into the race and was promised a finishers’ certificate like the one the runners got if he completed the 26.2-mile distance in under 3 hours. (In 1970, Vietnam War veteran Eugene Roberts, who had lost both of his legs in the war, needed more than six hours to finish.)

Hall crossed the line in 2:58.

“It had nothing to do with, per se, the marathon, but it was about the inclusion,” Hall said last year, when he served as the grand marshal in Boston on the 50th anniversary of his pioneering ride. “It was that I was bringing people along.”

Hall returned to the Boston race in 1977, when it was designated as the site for the National Wheelchair Championship, and prevailed in a field of seven. As they crested Heartbreak Hill, eventual men's winner Bill Rodgers and fifth-place finisher Tom Fleming slowed to encourage him.

“The interaction was a sign that we were fully accepted as athletes,” Hall said.

Hall, who lost the use of both legs from childhood polio, sued in 1978 to have wheelchair racers admitted into the New York Marathon, a fight that wasn’t settled until the race created men’s and women’s wheelchair divisions in 2000.

“Bob Hall is an incredible man,” five-time Boston winner and eight-time Paralympic gold medalist Tatyana McFadden said last year. “I’m so thankful for him. And I think we all are, as wheelchair racers, because he really paved the way.”

Hall finished in the top three in Boston three other times, and remained active with the race. More than 1,900 wheelchair racers have followed him from Hopkinton to Boston; this year’s race on April 20 will include 50 more, along with 50 others in eight para divisions competing for more than $300,000 in prize money.

The BAA said that Hall taught “how we can continue to ensure athletes of all abilities have competitive opportunities on the highest stage here in Boston.”

“Bob designed innovative wheelchair equipment, raced with courage, and was proud to be a two-time Boston Marathon champion,” the BAA said. “He helped lead a technological change, transforming simple wheelchairs into racing chairs built for peak athletic performance. Bob’s influence and effort five decades ago led to the global circuit of wheelchair racing today.”

Many of the competitors — including McFadden and seven-time Boston winner Marcel Hug — learned to race in chairs built by Hall.

“Because of him crossing that finish line, we’re able to race today. And it’s evolved so much since then,” McFadden said last year. “It was him. It was him being brave and saying, ‘I’m going to go out and do this because I believe that we should be able to race Boston Marathon just like everyone else.’ So he had the courage to do that.”

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

The uneasiness begins to peel away during initial conversations, then dissipates more during the 1-mile walk to the start of the race.

By the time the Tillman Scholars reach the Pat's Run start line, there's an ease, a comfortable feeling that they're among peers, like-minded people who uphold the values of the race's namesake, NFL player-turned-Army Ranger Pat Tillman.

“I had major imposter syndrome after getting selected to this program,” said Jason Williams, a Tillman Scholar and doctorate candidate at UCLA working on reimagining raw materials for the health and wellness industry. “I looked at a lot of their profiles and it just seemed like every person was like a superhero, but when you actually get there, not only are they amazing on paper, they’re amazing people. I don’t know what they do in their selection process to find these people.”

Pat's Run began in 2004 as a way to honor the legacy of Tillman, who walked away from a multimillion-dollar NFL career to serve his country in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. The run, which started as a gathering of friends following his death in Afghanistan by friendly fire, has blossomed into 4.2-mile run/walk — Tillman's number was 42 — that draws 30,000 people to the desert every year.

The Tillman Scholars program was created in 2009 to support active-duty service members, veterans and military spouses in their academic pursuits. The race serves as a fundraiser for the scholars, a 1,000-member tribe of uber-achievers who embody the leadership and selflessness Tillman exhibited.

The two connected worlds mesh in person every year at Arizona State University, where 28 of the 50 Tillman Scholars at the run serve as corral leaders and help urge runners across the final 42 yards of turf to the finish line inside the football stadium where Tillman once played.

“It’s this almost kind of a coming home right to where it all started,” said Katherine Steele, Pat Tillman Foundation CEO and a Tillman Scholar. “We’re here as Tillman Scholars because Pat lived, so to be able to be a part of it and be embedded with 30,000 people, in those corrals is special.”

Tillman had a passion for excellence, leadership, humility, belief that everyone should strive for something bigger than themselves.

The Tillman Scholars reflect those values with their achievements and connections to their communities — 23% have master's degrees, 21% medical degrees, 19% Masters of Business Administration and 15% doctorates.

They are doctors, CEOs, lawyers, scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. Some dedicate their lives to helping veterans, tackling public health issues at home and abroad, and affecting policy change.

All give back in some aspect: serving on national or local boards, volunteer work, providing support for issues like homelessness and hunger. Tillman Scholar Jhay Edwards even served as a volunteer firefighter in Maryland.

“Every time I go there, it's just so energizing,” said Amber Manke, Tillman Scholar and chief of staff to the CEO of Care Delivery Markets (NY/NJ) at Optum. “That organization gave me something 11 years ago and it wasn’t just the scholarship. It was the community and the people that I’ve met along the way, the lives that have changed.”

Serving as Pat's Run corral leaders provides the Tillman Scholars a tangible proof of the impact Tillman had on people's lives — even those born after he died.

Every year, the run draws from all walks of life; people who have never run a race in their lives, parents pushing their children in strollers, firefighters completing the course in full gear, disabled veterans willing themselves across the finish line.

The interactions at the corrals is a chance for the Tillman Scholars to hear their stories, understand why they're running, how the run fits into the bigger picture of worlds beyond their own.

“You meet service members and veterans, but other than just saying thank you for your support, you get to learn about the stories of some of the members that have served and their family have served,” said Edwards, who works at pharmaceutical company GSK to provide spaces for veteran and disabled small business owners to be a part of the supply chain. “You see how important it is for you to be there and just to represent them and their family, and the work that Pat did. It really connects.”

Tillman connected through the life he lived. He continues to even after death, through the race and the scholars who bear his name.

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This story has been corrected to show that the first name of the chief of staff to the CEO of Care Delivery Markets (NY/NJ) at Optum is Amber, not Amanda, Manke.

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

With NASA’s lunar comeback a galactic-sized smash thanks to Artemis II, the world is wondering: What’s next? And how do you top that?

“To people all around the world who look up and dream about what is possible, the long wait is over,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said as he introduced Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen at Saturday’s jubilant homecoming celebration.

Now that the first lunar travelers in more than a half-century are safely back in Houston with their families, NASA has Artemis III in its sights.

“The next mission’s right around the corner,” entry flight director Rick Henfling observed following the crew’s Pacific splashdown on Friday.

In a mission recently added to the docket for next year, Artemis III’s yet-to-be -named astronauts will practice docking their Orion capsule with a lunar lander or two in orbit around Earth. Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are racing to have their company’s lander ready first.

Musk’s Starship and Bezos’ Blue Moon are vying for the all-important Artemis IV moon landing in 2028. Two astronauts will aim for the south polar region, the preferred location for Isaacman’s envisioned $20 billion to $30 billion moon base. Vast amounts of ice are almost certainly hidden in permanently shadowed craters there — ice that could provide water and rocket fuel.

The docking mechanism for Artemis III’s close-to-home trial run is already at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The latest model Starship is close to launching on a test flight from South Texas, and a scaled-down version of Blue Moon will attempt a lunar landing later this year.

NASA promises to announce the Artemis III crew “soon.” Like 1969’s Apollo 9, Artemis III aims to reduce risk for the moon landings that follow.

Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart loved flying the lunar module in low-Earth orbit — “a test pilot’s dream.” But there’s no question, he noted, that “the real astronauts” at least in the public’s mind were the ones who walked on the moon.

Wiseman and his crew put their passion and feelings on full display as they flew around the moon and back, choking up over lost loved ones as well as those left behind on Earth.

During the their nearly 10-day journey, they tearfully requested that a fresh, bright lunar crater be named after Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020. They also openly shared their love for one another and Planet Earth, an exquisite yet delicate oasis in the black void that they said needs better care.

Artemis II included the first woman, the first person of color and the first non-U.S. citizen to fly to the moon.

“Wonderful communicators, almost poets,” Isaacman said from the recovery ship while awaiting their return.

Apollo’s manly, all-business moon crews of the 1960s and 1970s certainly did not do group hugs.

For those old enough to remember Apollo, Artemis — Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology — couldn’t come fast enough.

Author Andy Chaikin said he felt like Rip Van Winkle awakening from a nearly 54-year nap. His 1994 biography “A Man on the Moon” led to the HBO miniseries “From the Earth to the Moon.”

“It’s amazing how far we’ve come and how different this experience is from back then,” Chaikin said from Johnson Space Center late last week.

The hardest part, according to NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, is becoming so close to the crews and their families and then blasting them to the moon. He anxiously monitored Friday’s reentry alongside the astronauts’ spouses and children.

“You know what’s at stake,” Kshatriya confided afterward. “It’s going to take risk to explore, but you have to make sure you find the right line between being paralyzed by it and being able to manage it.”

Calling it “mission complete” only after being reunited with his two daughters, Wiseman issued a rallying cry to the rows of blue-flight-suited astronauts at Saturday’s celebration.

“It is time to go and be ready,” he said, pointing at them, “because it takes courage. It takes determination, and you all are freaking going and we are going to be standing there supporting you every single step of the way in every possible way possible.”

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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.

Your weather team is keeping a close eye on radar for thunderstorms, hail and damaging winds as we head into the afternoon into the evening.

Flood Watch: Flood Watch has been expanded to include Harris, Montgomery, and Waller counties. The watch also includes Austin, Brazos, Burleson, Colorado, Grimes, Washington, and Madison counties until Monday morning.

The storms have high rainfall rates, producing 2″-4″ in an hour, and continue to drop over the same areas repeatedly. Be sure to watch for street flooding and ponding while traveling.

You can track radar here before you leave:

TIMING: Afternoon into evening, full timeline below.

WATCH: If you joined us this morning, you watched us handtrack rain right down to your neighborhood street.

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TIMELINE: Your weather team is keeping a close eye on radar in general but keeping a close eye on areas like Columbus, Katy, Brenham, Cypress, The Woodlands, Huntsville this afternoon into dinner time.

1 PM: We’ll track rain and thunderstorms from Columbus, Brenham, to Huntsville.

4 PM: We’ll track for rain and thunderstorms for areas north and south of Columbus, Brenham, The Woodlands, Huntsville and Sugar Land.

6 PM: We’ll track for severe weather a little more north of us, like Waco, College Station and I -45 east of College Station.

9 pm: The line looks to move more north near Waco and Tyler

Our weather risk today is a 1 out of 5 which is defined by NWS as:

Marginal 1 out of 5: Isolated storms are possible. Limited in duration and/or coverage and/or intense storms.

Slight Risk 2 out of 4: of Excessive Rainfall across portions of the Brazos Valley/Piney Woods

Rain totals: We’re tracking .10” however, some of the thunderstorms can produce higher amounts.

Our high today is 78 and we are now watching for more rain on Monday -A slight chance of showers between 7am and 10am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am.

Whatever you’re doing today - I hope you enjoy the day, have the opportunity to relax and of course stay safe and dry.

Brittany

Pep Guardiola's team moved to within six points of leader Arsenal ahead of next weekend's top of the table clash between the two teams. City also has a game in hand.

Nico O'Reilly, Marc Guehi and Jeremy Doku all scored in a blistering second-half performance at Stamford Bridge as City took full advantage of Arsenal's shock defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday.

“We know that we still have everything in our hands,” Doku said.

Tottenham's survival fight took another blow after a 1-0 loss to Sunderland left it rooted in the relegation zone.

In coach Roberto De Zerbi's first game in charge, Spurs fell to a 16th league loss of the season. Its 14-game winless run in the league dates back to Jan. 1.

Nordi Mukiele's deflected shot sealed the game at the Stadium of Light and plunged Tottenham’s campaign deeper into crisis.

Tottenham is two points adrift of safety with six games to go. Its plight wasn't helped by relegation-fighting Nottingham Forest drawing 1-1 with Aston Villa.

Crystal Palace came back from 1-0 down to beat Newcastle 2-1 at Selhurst Park.

City's title charge gathers pace

While Arsenal's form has hit a slump at the worst possible time, City made it three statement wins in a row after rolling over Chelsea.

Victory followed triumph against Arsenal in the English League Cup final and the 4-0 rout of Liverpool in the FA Cup last week.

While those three results all came in different competitions, City's charge has an ominous feel about it after twice chasing down Arsenal's lead to win the title in 2023 and '24.

Second-placed City has the chance to cut the gap at the top to three points with victory against Arsenal at the Etihad. Guardiola called for respect for Arsenal when looking ahead to that title showdown.

“They have been the best team in this country, in Europe, so far. Beating Arsenal once is so difficult, imagine beating them twice in a few weeks," Guardiola said. “I would like to say to my fans — respect Arsenal a lot, they are an extraordinary team. Come to join us from minute one because the players will do the maximum.”

Rayan Cherki was the inspiration at Stamford Bridge — setting up goals for O'Reilly six minutes after halftime and Guehi in the 57th.

Doku rounded off the win in the 68th.

The result didn't help Chelsea's bid to qualify for the Champions League, leaving it four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool.

Liam Rosenior's team has won just one of its last seven league games.

Spurs' crisis deepens

The numbers just keep on getting worse for Tottenham.

Now on its third coach of the season, it’s more than three months since its last league win and just one point from a possible 24. This was a seventh defeat in eight games.

If the hope was that De Zerbi would provide an immediate bounce in form after replacing Igor Tudor, it didn't come in a typically toothless display at Sunderland.

While the new coach could point to bad luck, given the nature of Mukiele's 61st-minute winner, which took a wicked deflection off Micky van de Ven, his team rarely looked like finding a way back into the match — even during 11 minutes of added time at the end.

An injury to Cristian Romero made a bad day worse for Spurs, which next faces Brighton, one of De Zerbi's former clubs.

Forest moved three points clear of Spurs after a draw at the City Ground. Neco Williams' long-range shot leveled the game after a Murillo own-goal gave Villa the lead.

Mateta double for Palace

Jean-Philippe Mateta saw a January move to AC Milan fall through on deadline day and is now having a big say in Palace's bid to end the season on a high.

The France forward scored in Thursday's Conference League win against Fiorentina and hit a double as Palace came back against Newcastle.

Two late goals turned the game at Selhurst Park after William Osula had given Newcastle a halftime lead.

Mateta leveled in the 80th and then fired a winner from the penalty spot in the fourth minute of added time.

Palace leapfrogged Newcastle on goal difference to move up to 13th.

___

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

___

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

The prizes celebrating achievements in theater, opera and dance are Britain’s equivalent of Broadway’s Tony Awards.

Based on Michael Bond’s stories about a duffel-coated bear seeking a new home in London, “Paddington The Musical” was written by playwright Jessica Swale and songwriter Tom Fletcher of the band McFly.

Bond’s books have been much-loved since the 1950s¸and in recent years Paddington has become a British icon through three successful movies and an on-screen appearance with Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, just weeks before her death.

The musical has proved a major success since it opened in November, with audiences embracing the cuddly central character, brought to life through a blend of live acting and puppetry.

Its Olivier wins included a joint best actor in a musical award for James Hameed and Arti Shah, who together play the role. Hameed provides the voice and remote puppetry, while Shah — the first woman to win a best-actor Olivier — inhabits the bear costume onstage.

Hameed urged people to embrace the Paddington stories' message of welcoming immigrants and strangers. “Paddington reminds us to be welcoming, inquisitive and most importantly, kind,” he said.

Cast members Tom Edden and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt won the supporting performer prizes, and the show also took trophies for director Luke Sheppard and for both set and costume design.

Sheppard hinted that this “love letter to London” could one day be Broadway-bound. “It would be a dream for Paddington to pack his suitcase and visit some other cities around the world,” the director said backstage. “So watch this space.”

‘Exhilarating risk’

Rachel Zegler was named best actress in a musical for her starring role in “Evita.” Playing Argentine first lady Eva Peron, Zegler performed the song “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” on an exterior balcony, attracting large crowds to the street every night while theatergoers inside watched on screens.

A much-praised production of Stephen Sondheim’s twisted fairy tale journey “Into the Woods” won the prize for best musical revival, and a second award for lighting.

In the nonmusical categories, Rosamund Pike was named best actress for playing a judge forced to question the justice system and her own ethics in “Inter Alia.” She said doing the one-woman show, her first stage play in 14 years, was an “exhilarating risk.”

Jack Holden took the best actor prize for playing multiple roles in small-town murder mystery “Kenrex.”

“All My Sons” was named best revival, with Paapa Essiedu winning the best supporting actor trophy for Arthur Miller’s classic drama.

Julie Hesmondhalgh took home the best supporting actress prize for “Punch.” The true-life crime and redemption story, which had a Broadway run last year, was also named best new play

Playwright James Graham said it had been “one of the honors of my life” to dramatize the story of Jacob Dunne, who killed another man with a single punch in a fight but went on to reconciliation with the victim’s family. Graham was joined onstage by Dunne and the victim’s mother, Joan Scourfield.

Two significant anniversaries

The Olivier Awards were founded in 1976 and named after the late actor-director Laurence Olivier. The winners are chosen by voting groups of stage professionals and theatergoers.

“Ted Lasso” star Nick Mohammed hosted the 50th anniversary edition of the awards at a star-studded ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall, where Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, Vanessa Williams and Andrew Lloyd Webber were among the trophy presenters.

The ceremony included performances from nominated musicals and numbers marking two significant anniversaries: 40 years of Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera,” and 20 years of “Wicked” in the West End.

Elaine Paige, star of hit musicals including “Cats,” “Evita,” “Sunset Boulevard” and “Piaf,” received this year’s Special Award.

The upbeat ceremony reflected the mood of London theater, which is celebrating a strong post-pandemic return. The Society of London Theatre, an industry umbrella group, says ticket sales have surpassed the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Shows in the West End — the collective name for London’s theaterland — attracted 17.6 million visitors in 2025, 3 million more than Broadway.

But there are concerns about rising ticket prices and soaring production budgets, fueled by higher costs for labor, materials and energy.

“Theaters are busier than ever, but many are operating with far less financial headroom,” the society said in a report published last month.

Romuald Wadagni, the 49-year-old finance minister and governing coalition standard-bearer, is considered Talon’s anointed successor for the seven-year term. Wadagni is being challenged by Paul Hounkpè, the sole opposition candidate.

Nearly 8 million are registered to vote across more than 17,000 polling stations in the West African nation. Benin had over 15 million people in 2024, and like many sub-Saharan African countries, its population is overwhelmingly young.

Vote counting began Sunday afternoon after the polls closed, with results expected within 48 hours.

Turnout has been low in recent years, and polling stations in Cotonou, the largest city, were sparsely attended throughout the morning. The city was quiet as the election began, with public demonstrations banned on election day, but stores and streets remain open.

Analysts widely expect Wadagni to win after a parliamentary election in January, during which the opposition failed to cross the 20% threshold required to win seats, leaving Talon’s two allied parties in control of all 109 seats in the National Assembly.

Hounkpè said that he would accept the result depending on the transparency and fairness of the electoral process. “As for transparency and fairness, it is normal that, if it is done properly, we will accept the results,” he said after the polls had closed.

Renaud Agbodjo, leader of the Democrats, was barred from competing after failing to secure a sufficient number of parliamentary endorsements — a threshold critics say was engineered to keep rivals out.

Wadagni has touted the country's economic growth during his decade as finance minister as his key strength. Benin’s economy grew 7% last year, making it one of West Africa’s steadiest performers.

“Ten years at the Finance Ministry have given him something rare in African politics: a quantified record — verifiable and difficult to dismantle in a serious debate,” said Fiacre Vidjingninou, political analyst at the Lagos-based Béhanzin Institute.

Talon said Sunday he was “leaving office with the feeling of having given my best, of having led the country to take some steps forward in all areas.” He added: “Whatever the outcome of the vote, Benin has reached a milestone in its history.”

While Benin has historically been among the most stable democracies in Africa, opposition leaders and human rights organizations have accused Talon of using the justice system as a tool to sideline his political opponents.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have denounced a sustained crackdown on dissent under Talon, citing arbitrary detentions, tighter restrictions on public demonstrations, and mounting pressure on independent media outlets.

Protests over the rising cost of living sprang up in recent years, but the government and security forces clamped down on any dissent.

Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at the Control Risks Group consulting firm, told The Associated Press that, in the event of a Wadagni victory, the new government will likely continue Talon's policies aimed at positioning Benin as a stable investment environment, while facing a largely constrained opposition.

“Wadagni may want to avert a crisis in confidence by first consolidating power then engaging in dialogue with opponents to demonstrate goodwill,” Ochieng said.

In December, a group of military officers attempted to topple Talon’s government in a failed coup, the latest in a series of recent military takeover attempts across Africa. Most attempted coups follow a similar pattern of disputed elections, constitutional upheaval, security crises, and youth discontent.

Among the coup leaders’ key complaints was the deterioration of security in northern Benin.

For years, Benin has faced spillover violence in its north from neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger in their battle against the al-Qaida-affiliated extremist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM.

The tri-border area has long been a hotbed for extremist violence, a trend worsened by the lack of security cooperation with Niger and Burkina Faso, both now led by military juntas.

——

McMakin Contributed from Dakar

Martin said the package amounting to 505 million euros ($592 million) will ease some of the cost of living pressures that have grown since the U.S.-Israel war on Iran led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital channel for the world's oil. The relief measure, which needs parliamentary approval, would come on top of a 250 million euro tax break approved nearly three weeks ago.

It was not immediately clear if the proposal will quell the uprisings, though protests diminished Sunday amid a police crackdown.

Over six days the actions caused chaos as blockades at Ireland’s refinery, a major port and several vital depots prevented tanker trucks from delivering fuel to service stations and many gas pumps ran dry. Slow-moving convoys of vehicles also caused traffic jams on major highways.

Martin said Ireland had been on the brink of having oil tankers redirected to other countries and its refinery shut down.

“It made absolutely no sense what was going on,” he said. “Higher fuel scarcity and higher fuel prices would actually have been the inevitable outcome of these blockades.”

Police had warned of arrests and began breaking up protests Saturday, using pepper spray to help clear people from the Whitegate refinery in County Cork and vowing to remove others who were endangering critical infrastructure and public safety because gas shortages could prevent response by emergency services.

Officers ordered trucks and tractors blocking O’Connell Street, the main thoroughfare in the capital of Dublin, to clear out early Sunday. On the other side of the country, police clashed with demonstrators to reopen the Galway docks after a military vehicle was used to knock down a makeshift barrier.

Protesters at a fuel depot in County Limerick voted to end their action Sunday and demonstrators at Rosslare Europort in Wexford agreed to begin letting trucks leave the port that is jammed with cargo that couldn’t be moved.

“It’s just a pity that we had to escalate a protest to this level to bring our government to the table to get fairness for every working person around this country,” Neilus O’Connor, an agricultural contractor, told national broadcaster RTE, outside the Foynes depot.

Protests began Tuesday and grew as word spread on social media, with truckers, farmers, and taxi and bus operators taking part and calling for help — such as price caps or tax cuts — to bring down fuel costs they say will drive people out of business.

Government officials, who had already introduced measures to ease the burden of price rises a few weeks ago, were baffled over the rationale behind the protests because the global price spike is due to the Middle East conflict that restricted oil exports.

More than a third of gas pumps had run dry by Saturday, but the reopening of the refinery and removal of roadblocks at fuel depots was expected to begin reversing the shortage, though it could take up to 10 days to fully recover, Fuels for Ireland chief executive Kevin McPartlan said.

The rare Sunday Cabinet meeting to finalize the relief measures came as the coalition government faces new political pressures from rivals critical of their handling of the crisis.

Sinn Fein, the largest opposition party, said it would call for a no-confidence vote in the coalition government. Holly Cairns of the Social Democrats said her party would support the vote.

“They have lost the confidence of the public," Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said. "It is clear that they still are not listening and do not accept the scale of this fuel and cost-of-living crisis.”

The fiery Garcia then created a lighter moment on the same hole when he carried fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm's clubs for a bit.

The Garcia-Rahm group, which paired two countrymen and former champions both on LIV Golf, was always going to create some buzz, even with both out of contention. Then, Garcia quickly brought the drama up another notch.

The 2017 Masters champ looked frustrated on his follow-through when his first shot of the day went well to the right, leading to an opening bogey. Garcia hit another drive headed to the bunker on the par-5 second and lost his temper.

He slammed his club into the turf twice, then took a swipe at a table with a green cooler on it. That left the head of his driver dangling from the shaft, and Garcia reached over and yanked it off completely.

According to club officials, Geoff Yang in his role as chairman of the competitions committee spoke to Garcia on the fourth tee and issued the code-of-conduct warning.

Garcia declined to discuss what was said, saying: “I'm not going to tell you.”

The PGA Tour has been developing a code-of-conduct policy for competition, and the Masters is the first to use it, according to a person involved in the process. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity out of respect to Augusta National running the tournament.

The PGA Championship also plans to use the policy, and likely the other two majors. The person said the second violation would be a two-shot penalty, and the third violation leads to disqualification.

“Just obviously not super proud of it,” Garcia said, “but sometimes it happens.”

Garcia was disqualified in 2019 at the Saudi International for damaging greens in frustration. His antics over the years include angrily kicking off his shoe when he slipped during a tee shot at the World Match Play in 2001, and the shoe nearly struck an official.

He also spit into a cup during a World Golf Championship at Doral after three-putting.

Garcia played the rest of the final round at Augusta National without a driver and appeared to have calmed down.

“It makes it very easy,” he said. “I just have to hit 3-wood all the time. I didn’t have to choose another club.”

Shortly after damaging the tee box on No. 2, the situation turned comical when Garcia started carrying Rahm's bag while Rahm's caddie was raking the bunker. The crowd applauded when Rahm took the bag from Garcia and started carrying it himself as Rahm's caddie Adam Hayes hustled to catch up to the players.

“There was nothing,” Garcia said. “Adam stopped to rake my bunker, and Benji (Thompson), my caddie, was carrying both bags, so I told him, ‘Just put it down, I’ll get it so you can go and get a yardage.’ Just as simple as that.”

Garcia did manage to make par on No. 2 before bogeying the third and fourth holes. He wound up shooting 75.

“If you don’t hit good shots,” he said, “you’re not going to score well here. It’s very simple.”

___

AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson and AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta contributed to this report.

___

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

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said Precinct 4 deputy constables were dispatched to a residence in the 23200 block of Goldensong Court after a call dropped around 12:10 p.m. Sunday.

When they arrived, deputies found an adult man deceased.

HCSO said crime scene investigators and detectives are responding and processing the scene. The sheriff’s office has not released the man’s identity or the cause of death.

• MORE NEWS: 1 injured in shooting after trail ride event in Southwest Houston, HPD says

HCSO told KPRC 2 homicide investigators are en route, and that foul play may be a factor. No additional details were immediately available.

Pct 4 deputies were dispatched to a residence at the 23200 block of Goldensong Ct. Arriving units found an adult man that was deceased. @HCSOTexas CSI and detectives are responding to the scene. #HouNews

— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) April 12, 2026

This is a developing story. Updates will be added as they are made available.

The Furman safety and Atascosita graduate participated in the hometown Texans’ local prospect day. That included meeting with coach DeMeco Ryans, position coaches and doing some testing and taking a medical exam.

“It was super nice,” Blaylock told KPRC 2. “It’s kind of surreal. I’ve always dreamed to be in the moment, to be in a position to be drafted, or signed to an NFL team, that’s been a dream as a kid.

“Walking up to the facility, I was just soaking it all in like ‘Man, I’m right here. I’m this much closer to making it and for it to be the hometown team, you can’t beat that. ‘Just 30 mhinutes from my house up the road. It was a great experience, and I really enjoyed it."

Blaylock, the son of longtime trainer and former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs running back Derrick Blaylock, was an all-district selection at Atascosita who was twice named the district special teams Most Valuable Player. He returned seven punts-kickoffs for touchdowns and intercepted five passes.

Encouraging words from Ryans, a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, was meaningful to Blaylock.

“He was just telling us to just relax and enjoy the process like it shouldn’t be a stressful process, you shouldn’t be uptight,” Blaylock said. “He was like any shot that you get, whether you get drafted, drafted first round, drafted late round, undrafted, rookie minicamp invite, a shot is a shot.

“He said, just take advantage of every opportunity you get, and just relax and enjoy the moment. Soak it all in. Be excited, but relax and enjoy it all, because not that many people get this get this opportunity.”

At Furman, he recorded 76 tackles last season with two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown. He had 4 1/2 tackles for losses for the Paladins. The 5-foot-10, 203-pound Lindenwood transfer also returned punt and kickoffs.

At Lindenwood after transferring from Sam Houston State, he had three interceptions in his first season.

“I’m not the biggest guy, not the fastest guy, but I’m super instinctive,” Blaylock said. “I love breaking down a film and watching ways that I can get ahead of somebody. I’m studying you. I’m breaking it down. I’m gonna know your tendencies.

“When I see something, I react, so I’m able to make up for a lot of like, steps in that way. I’m super instinctive. I’m a smart player, and I’m always around the ball. I feel like I’m super versatile. I could play any spot in the secondary and special teams. Versatility, instinctive and just being a student of the game.”

Playing at Atascosita prepared Blaylock well for college football and the next level.

“It’s Texas high school football,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of talent. Growing up, I played against a lot of talent. When I got to college, it was like I played against a lot of kids in high school that ended up going to big colleges or Division I. So when I got there, it wasn’t a surprise, like the game wasn’t moving no faster or nothing, like I already knew what to expect. So playing Texas high school football definitely helped mold me into being prepared for this moment.”

Of course, he had an example to watch from his dad and his experience from the NFL.

“Man, it’s super valuable,” Blaylock said. “Growing up, I didn’t know how valuable it was to have a dad that played at the level that I want to get to. I feel like growing up, you don’t really see it. The older I got, the more appreciative I was, like, how much he poured into us, just how good of a role model he was for us, like all my brothers.”

At the Texans’ local day, the players arrived at 6 a.m. for breakfast followed by medical exams and some work in the weight room, including the force plate and hamstring Nordic tests.

Blaylock plans to spend the draft with family.

“We’ll be in the living room, chilling. with great spirits, good vibes, food, just enjoying the moment, having fun with it,” Blaylock said. “Whatever happens, happens. I’m a big believer. I’m a big religious guy, so I feel like whatever God has in store for me will be, I’m not gonna be too uptight about it or too stressed, we’re gonna be chilling in the living room.”

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

MLB reported Saturday that Garner died on April 11 after a more than two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, his family said. They said he died peacefully, surrounded by family.

In Houston, Garner is most closely tied to a turning-point era: he took over as manager at midseason in 2004 and the Astros surged into the postseason, setting the stage for the club’s breakthrough run the following year. In 2005, Houston rallied from a difficult start, reached the playoffs again, and won the National League pennant before falling to the Chicago White Sox in the World Series.

Before managing, Garner built a 16-year major league playing career defined by versatility and edge—traits that earned him the nickname “Scrap Iron.” A three-time All-Star, he played for the Oakland A’s, Pittsburgh Pirates, Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants from 1973 to 1988, and was part of Pittsburgh’s 1979 World Series championship team.

Born April 30, 1949, in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Garner starred at the University of Tennessee and later had his No. 18 jersey retired by the Volunteers in 2009.

Garner also managed the Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers, finishing with a 985-1,054 managerial record.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, their children Eric, Ty and Bethany, and six grandchildren.

“The result is amazing,” Sinner said. “Getting back to No. 1 means a lot for me.”

Four-time Grand Slam champion Sinner met seven-time major winner Alcaraz in their ninth final in what is often called the “Sincaraz” rivalry.

Sinner trimmed Alcaraz’s head-to-head lead to 10-7 in clinching his 27th career title overall and his first Masters title on clay. The 24-year-old Italian will return to No. 1 in the ATP rankings on Monday.

Sinner rallied from 3-1 down in the second set amid blustery conditions at the Monte Carlo Country Club and served out the match, clinching it on his first match point when Alcaraz returned a forehand long.

“It was a bit windy, a bit breezy. Different conditions from what the tournament has brought," Sinner said. "I am very happy to win a big title on this surface, I haven’t done it before and it means a lot to me.”

Alcaraz had won his last 17 matches on clay but struggled Sunday with 45 unforced errors.

However, he praised Sinner.

“It is impressive what you are achieving right now,” Alcaraz said. "Congratulations for everything.”

Sinner dropped to his knees after Alcaraz's shot landed out and then jogged over to celebrate with his box.

“I felt a bit tired, so I tried to keep the right mentality,” Sinner said. "Having this trophy means a lot to me.”

It was Sinner's third title of the year after sweeping Indian Wells and Miami — also winning those finals in straight sets — to become only the fourth man to reach the final at the first three Masters of the season. Sinner joined tennis great Novak Djokovic (in 2015) as the only one to win the first three Masters tournaments.

Alcaraz’s two titles this year include the Australian Open, where the 22-year-old Spaniard became the youngest man to win all four tennis majors.

He produced a stunning comeback to beat Sinner in last year's French Open final, then lost the Wimbledon final to Sinner before beating him again in the U.S. Open final. ___

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

Zuhn, a Fort Collins, Colorado native, primarily played left tackle for the Aggies, but is projected as a potential center prospect in the NFL. He started two games at center last season for the Aggies.

Zuhn is a 6-foot-6, 319-pound team captain who was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference and shared the conference Jacobs Blocking Trophy with Alabama All-American offensive tackle Kaydn Proctor, another top prospect who visited the Texans.

Texas A&M standout guard Chase Bisontis also visited the Texans.

Zuhn allowed just 15 pressures as a junior. He was a four-year starter

At the NFL scouting combine, Zuhn ran the 40-yard dash in an impressive 5.03 seconds. He bench pressed 225 pounds 33 times. He had a 32-inch vertical leap with a 9-3 broad jump and a 1.70 10-yard split on his run.

Zuhn (32 1/2 inch arms, 10-inch hands) has a 6-foot-8 7/8 wingspan.

His father played football at Texas A&M and his mother played volleyball at Tulsa.

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire over the Easter weekend, ordering Russian forces to halt hostilities from 4 p.m. on Saturday until the end of Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised to abide by the ceasefire, but warned there would be a swift military response to any violations.

The General Staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said in a statement Sunday that it had recorded 2,299 ceasefire violations by 7 a.m., including assaults, shelling and small drone launches. It said that the use of long-range drones, missiles or guided bombs had not been reported.

A Ukrainian military officer told The Associated Press on Saturday that Russian forces had continued to attack their positions.

Russia’s Defense Ministry also said Sunday it had recorded 1,971 ceasefire violations by Ukrainian forces, including drone strikes. The head of Russia's Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said Sunday that rescuers uncovered the bodies of two civilians who were killed in a Ukrainian attack on Saturday afternoon.

Ceasefire skepticism

Outside Kyiv, thousands gathered at an open-air national heritage park to celebrate Easter despite skepticism that a truce would hold.

Worshippers clustered outside wooden churches to take part in the annual blessing of baskets for the holiday table. Families carried dyed eggs and paska cakes baked the night before, while many women wore colorful scarves. Some waited for the blessing as others picnicked on the grass.

Irena Bulhakova expressed her doubts over prospects for peace, especially as previous attempts to secure ceasefires have had little or no impact. “Every time a ceasefire is announced for a holiday, the shelling continues regardless,” she said.

But she still reflected on the holiday’s meaning: “Good triumphs over darkness, and we hope for that very much.”

Father Roman, a Ukrainian army chaplain who led the blessing ceremonies, described Easter as a moment of faith shared by Ukrainians in their identity and future.

“We are defending our borders. We are defending our identity,” he said. “We are a free people who live on this territory. We have faith, deep traditions and historical heritage. It’s all about the identity of Ukrainians.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena spent Sunday visiting children who has lost parents fighting in the war.

“They greeted us with smiles that are priceless. We must do everything so that the children of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for Ukraine never lose faith in the world,” Zelenskyy wrote in an online post.

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

PEMEX Deer Park said the source of the leak has been identified and isolated. The refinery’s oil spill response team is deploying containment measures, including oil booms, to manage the spill.

• MORE NEWS: Watch the moment LyondellBasell implodes two inactive coker units at Houston refinery

The company said it has notified the appropriate regulatory agencies and is working with them as the response continues.

“At this time, we are not aware of any impact to the surrounding community or our industrial neighbors,” the statement said.

PEMEX Deer Park said additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

The Universal and Illumination sequel added $69 million from 4,284 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday. That brings its running domestic total to $308.1 million and its global total to $629 million.

That's a 48% drop from the film's first weekend in theaters, a fairly modest decline for a blockbuster. But the chasm between this movie and the first continues to grow. By its second weekend in 2023, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” — which was much better reviewed than its follow-up — had earned over $353 million domestically. Still, the sequel is an unabashed hit by any measure, having cost only $110 million to produce.

Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends for Comscore, said “it’s a very respectable” hold.

“For the film to already be over $300 million is just astonishing,” Dergarabedian said, noting that the majority of tickets were likely sold at lower prices for children. “To get to these box office milestones is all the more impressive.”

The movie is also helping power up box office momentum before the summer movie season begins in May.

The weekend’s big new opener was also a Universal release: The travelogue romantic comedy “You, Me & Tuscany,” starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page of “Bridgerton” fame. It debuted in fourth place with an estimated $8 million from 3,151 screens against a reported production budget of $18 million. Women made up an overwhelming 80% of the audience.

Directed by Kat Coiro, the movie arrived in theaters with mixed to positive reviews. According to a review by The Associated Press, it’s “a movie as frothy and insubstantial as the foam on a nice cappuccino.” It currently holds a 68% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Audiences seemed to enjoy it a bit more. According to PostTrak exit polls, 77% of ticket buyers said they would “definitely recommend” it to friends. It also got an A- on CinemaScore.

Jim Orr, Universal’s head of domestic distribution, said the audience reaction scores, “point to a very nice run at the box office.”

Second place at the box office this week went to Amazon MGM Studios’ “Project Hail Mary,” which is still drawing double-digit ticket sales in its fourth weekend. It added an estimated $24.6 million from Friday to Sunday, bringing its domestic total to $256.7 million. Worldwide, it has earned $510.6 million.

“The Drama” took third place in its second weekend, with $8.7 million. The buzzy A24 movie about an engaged couple played by Robert Pattinson and Zendaya fell only 38%, bringing its domestic total to $30.8 million and its worldwide total to $65 million.

Disney and Pixar's “Hoppers” rounded out the top five in its sixth weekend with $4.1 million. The animated movie has made $354.4 million globally to date.

Another bright spot was the Japanese video game adaptation “Exit 8," which made $1.4 million from only 490 theaters and landed in seventh place. Directed by Genki Kawamura, the Neon-distributed film is sitting at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

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,” $69 million.

2. “Project Hail Mary,” $24.6 million.

3. “The Drama,” $8.7 million.

4. “You, Me & Tuscany,” $8 million.

5. “Hoppers,” $4.1 million.

6. “Faces of Death,” $1.7 million.

7. “Exit 8,” $1.4 million.

8. “A Great Awakening,” $1.3 million.

9. “Reminders of Him,” $1 million.

10. “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come,” $867,000.

Demolition experts completed the controlled implosion of the former Mandarin Oriental, Miami on Brickell Key, a human-made island at the mouth of the Miami River, across from downtown. It marked the largest implosion for Miami in more than a decade, officials said.

The 23-story building, which opened 25 years ago, collapsed in less than 20 seconds following blasts that occurred around 8:30 a.m.

People watching the implosion safely from afar cheered and recorded phone videos as the building's framework collapsed following a series of rapid charges. Dust soon filled the air as building material crashed down. Some watchers wore face masks as they left the area.

Residents within 800 feet (244 meters) of the building were asked to stay inside their apartments during the blast with windows and doors closed.

According to Swire Properties, the demolition will make way for the groundbreaking of The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, a two-tower ultraluxury hotel and residential development scheduled for completion in 2030.

The operation follows nearly two years of planning and coordination with specialized contractors and the city, developers said. Implosion was selected as the safest and most efficient method to maintain the project timeline while minimizing disruption and ensuring the safety of the Brickell Key community.

The implosion happened a couple of minutes after what looked and sounded like blue- and pink-tinted fireworks were set off near the top of the building.

It happened along a stretch of Maxine Street that crosses railroad tracks near Tite Street at about 3:40 a.m. Sunday.

• MORE NEWS: Driver killed after high-speed Cadillac hits two 18-wheelers in northeast Houston, HPD says

A patrol sergeant at the scene said early evidence suggests the driver may have been speeding over the train tracks.

Officers believe he then lost control, hit a ditch, the vehicle flipped and he was ejected.

Police said the victim may have been in his teens.

According to the Houston Police Department, officers were called to the 6200 block of Wallisville Road around 10 p.m.

Witnesses told investigators a red Cadillac CTS was speeding when it went underneath one of the 18-wheelers as the truck was exiting a private drive. Police said the truck passed through the Cadillac, causing significant damage.

• 1 injured in shooting after trail ride event in Southwest Houston, HPD says

Investigators said the Cadillac then struck a second 18-wheeler before coming to a stop. The driver of the Cadillac, the sole occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Intoxication is not suspected for either of the 18-wheeler drivers. The crash remains under investigation by HPD.

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Officers with the Houston Police Department responded to a shooting call around 12:30 a.m. this morning in the 14200 block of South Post Oak.

When officers arrived, they found multiple trucks parked haphazardly in the roadway and spoke with several witnesses.

Investigators said the incident stemmed from a trail ride event that had taken place earlier, with a large number of attendees in the area as people were leaving. A complainant told officers he saw his trailer attached to an unknown truck and believed it was being stolen. He alerted family and friends, who followed the truck in an attempt to stop the suspected thief.

• Suspect fatally shot after struggle with HPD sergeant during traffic stop in north Houston

According to police, the group rammed the suspect’s truck to try to force it to stop. The suspect then got out and began shooting at the complainant, police said. Houston Fire Department transported the victim to the hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

By the time officers arrived, police say multiple trucks were left scattered across the roadway, and many of the people who had been in the area had already left, including the suspect.

The trailer believed to be at the center of the incident was still attached to the white truck investigators say was involved.

Anyone with information should contact the HPD Major Assaults Division at (713) 308-8800 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS (8477), where you can report anonymously.

— Fans of Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Houston, Minnesota, Phoenix, Golden State, Detroit, Boston, New York and Cleveland, go ahead and relax. Your team's seed is all set.

— Fans of Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta, Toronto, Orlando, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Miami, prepare yourselves. Your team still has things to play for.

— Fans of Milwaukee, Chicago, Brooklyn, Indiana, Washington, New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, Sacramento and Utah, enjoy the season finales.

Stories of note

— A look at the last day of the season

— Wemby hits award-qualification standard. But will Jokic?

— A wild night in the NBA, with lots of players out with injuries

— Heat waive Terry Rozier

— SGA leads the MVP race, but there is intrigue

— 76ers' Joel Embiid has appendectomy

— NBC says more 'On The Bench’ game coverage likely

— Doc Rivers hints at retirement

— The playoffs, thankfully, are coming

— The Bulls want to keep Billy Donovan ... but does Donovan want to stay?

Who's in and who's out?

Here's what we know so far regarding the NBA playoff field for this season.

— Eastern Conference No. 1: Detroit.

— East No. 2: Boston.

— East No. 3: New York.

— East No. 4: Cleveland.

— East No. 5 and No. 6: Atlanta will have one of these spots. Toronto is the only other team that can reach the No. 5 seed, but it could also finish No. 6, No. 7 or No. 8 as well. There are some scenarios where Orlando and Philadelphia can sneak into the No. 6 spot. The Magic need a win over Boston, plus wins by Brooklyn (over Toronto) and Milwaukee (over Philadelphia) to reach No. 6. The 76ers need a win, plus an Orlando loss and a Brooklyn win to reach No. 6.

— East play-in: Toronto, Orlando and Philadelphia are the three teams that could finish in the No. 7 and No. 8 spots. Nos. 9 and 10 will be Charlotte and Miami, in some order. A Heat win over Atlanta and a Hornets loss to New York means Miami will be No. 9. Otherwise, Charlotte will be the 9 seed.

— East eliminated teams: Milwaukee, Chicago, Indiana, Brooklyn and Washington.

— Western Conference No. 1: Oklahoma City.

— West No. 2: San Antonio.

— West No. 3 and No. 4: Denver and Los Angeles Lakers. Denver gets No. 3 with a win over San Antonio or a Lakers loss to Utah. If neither of those things happen, the Lakers get the No. 3 seed.

— West No. 5: Houston.

— West No. 6: Minnesota.

— West play-in: Phoenix is No. 7, Portland and the Los Angeles Clippers will be No. 8 and No. 9 in some order (the Trail Blazers control destinies there), and Golden State is No. 10.

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

Sunday's games of note

The games with seeding implications on Sunday:

— Orlando at Boston: Magic can escape play-in with a win, would be in 7-vs.-8 game with a loss.

— Atlanta at Miami: Hawks would be No. 5 seed with a win, Miami could get to No. 9 with a win.

— Charlotte at New York: Hornets would be No. 9 seed and host Miami in play-in with a victory.

— Milwaukee at Philadelphia: 76ers would be No. 8 seed with a loss, will be No. 6, 7 or 8 with win.

— Brooklyn at Toronto: Raptors go to playoffs as No. 5 or 6 seed with win, could fall to 8 with loss.

— Denver at San Antonio: Nuggets would be 3 seed with win, probably would fall to 4 with a loss.

— Utah at LA Lakers: Lakers probably would be 3 seed with win, would fall to 4 with a loss.

— Golden State at LA Clippers: This might be a preview of a Warriors-Clippers play-in 9-10 game.

— Sacramento at Portland: Trail Blazers would hold off Clippers for the No. 8 seed with a win.

And the games with no relevance on standings: Washington at Cleveland, Detroit at Indiana, Chicago at Dallas, Memphis at Houston, New Orleans at Minnesota, Phoenix at Oklahoma City.

National TV schedule

Sunday on ESPN: Orlando-Boston (6 p.m. Eastern) and Denver-San Antonio (8:30 p.m.)

Betting odds

Oklahoma City (+130) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by San Antonio (+450), Boston (+550), Denver (+1000), Cleveland (+1300) and New York (+2000). Detroit, the No. 1 seed in the East, is +2000. The Los Angeles Lakers were +2500 before Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves got hurt; they're +20000 now.

Play-in schedule

Some of the NBA's play-in tournament schedule is now known:

— Phoenix will play host to either the LA Clippers or Portland on Tuesday at 10 p.m. Eastern. (The winner of that game will play No. 2 San Antonio in Round 1, the loser will play a home game on Friday for the right to play No. 1 Oklahoma City in Round 1).

— Golden State will visit either the LA Clippers or Portland on Wednesday at 10 p.m. Eastern. (The loser of that game is eliminated, the winner moves on to Friday.)

All games in the play-in tournament will be shown on Prime Video.

Key dates

— 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

— At least 150 players (and probably many more) will be held out of the 30 games on Sunday. The combined salaries this season of those who were announced on Saturday's injury reports as out for Sunday's finales: just over $2.5 billion.

— The average margin of victory in the NBA this season is 13.2 points, the biggest in league history (and is certain to finish as a record). The previous mark was 12.7 points, set last season. This is the fourth time in the last five years that the point-differential-in-wins record will fall.

— The NBA remains on pace to see more points this season than ever before. The current pace is about 284,258, which would be reached on Sunday; the record total for a season is 282,137, set in 2022-23.

Stats of the day

— There are 18 players with a chance to play in all 82 of their team's regular-season games this season. That would be the most in the 82-game club since 19 players did it in the 2018-19 season.

— Denver has a chance to become the fourth team to finish a regular season with a winning streak of 12 games or better. Philadelphia won its last 16 in 2017-18, Rochester won its final 15 games of the 1949-50 season (then lost a tiebreaker) and Milwaukee won its last 14 games in 1972-73.

___

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

The chemical company says it carried out a controlled demolition of two inactive coker units at the refinery, located at 12000 Lawndale Street facilities.

Watch the raw video

The structures—about 350 feet tall—have been inactive since refining operations at the site ended in early 2025. LyondellBasell says the implosion is part of the company’s long-term transition of the property and is the final step in the coker-unit demolition work that started last year.

• MORE NEWS: Memorial Hermann, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas strike deal to keep patients in-network

The company said preparations began around sunrise (about 6:30 a.m.) with final safety checks and coordination with local law enforcement. The implosion was conducted by contractor GSD Companies within a secured 1,000-foot exclusion zone on the north side of the site, and once it started, the demolition lasted only a few minutes.

People nearby may have heard a brief sound and seen a short-lived dust plume at the time of the implosion—effects the company said were expected and temporary.

Sky2 was over the implosion site to capture the moment.

LyondellBasell said engineering analysis and planning indicated sound, vibration and air-quality impacts outside the exclusion zone were expected to be minimal, and that any visible dust would be light and temporary.

Drivers in the area could also have seen brief traffic controls near Highway 225 or nearby access roads.

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.

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.

Election date information

• Early Voting: Wednesday, April 29 to Tuesday, May 12
• Election Day: Saturday, May 16

Stay up to date with election information in Harris County at HarrisVotes.com.

Demise ran the 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) through the French capital in a personal-best time of 2 hours, 18 minutes and 34 seconds, shaving more than a minute off the previous women’s fastest time in Paris set by Kenyan runner Judith Jeptum Korir with 2:19:48 in 2022.

The 30-year-old Demise wasn't the only one to beat Korir’s mark as she reached the finish on Avenue Foch opposite the Arc de Triomphe ahead of compatriot Misgane Alemayehu (2:19:08), Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai (2:19:17) and another Ethiopian, Enatnesh Alamrew Tirusew, (2:19:18).

The Ethiopian-born Crippa finished in a personal best 2:05:18, five seconds ahead of Bayelign Teshager of Ethiopia and 10 ahead of Sila Kiptoo of Ethiopia.

“My marathon career begins today,” the 29-year-old Crippa said. “I’ve finally found the right path. It was incredible. Around the 33rd kilometer, I realized it would be my day, and when, at the 39th kilometer, I saw my opponents struggling, I decided to attack.”

Crippa went on to become the first Italian winner of the Paris Marathon.

___

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

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Agentes del Departamento de Policía de Houston (HPD) respondieron a un reporte de disparos alrededor de las 12:30 a.m. de hoy en la cuadra 14200 de South Post Oak.

Cuando llegaron, encontraron varias camionetas estacionadas de manera desordenada en la vía y hablaron con varios testigos.

Los investigadores dijeron que el incidente se originó en un evento de “trail ride” que se había realizado antes, con un gran número de asistentes en el área mientras la gente se retiraba. Un denunciante le dijo a los agentes que vio su remolque enganchado a una camioneta desconocida y creyó que se lo estaban robando. Alertó a familiares y amigos, quienes siguieron al vehículo en un intento por detener al presunto ladrón.

• Sospechoso en el norte de Houston muere baleado tras forcejeo con sargento del HPD

Según la policía, el grupo embistió la camioneta del sospechoso para obligarlo a detenerse. Entonces el sospechoso se bajó y comenzó a disparar contra el denunciante, informó la policía. El Departamento de Bomberos de Houston trasladó a la víctima al hospital, donde fue reportada en condición estable.

Para cuando llegaron los agentes, la policía dijo que había varias camionetas abandonadas y dispersas a lo largo de la carretera, y muchas de las personas que estaban en el lugar ya se habían ido, incluido el sospechoso.

El remolque que se cree estuvo en el centro del incidente todavía estaba enganchado a la camioneta blanca que, según los investigadores, estuvo involucrada.

Cualquier persona con información debe comunicarse con la División de Agresiones Mayores del HPD al (713) 308-8800 o con Crime Stoppers al (713) 222-TIPS (8477), donde se puede reportar de forma anónima.