Fenerbahce manager Jose Mourinho has been banned for three matches and handed a fine of around 6,000 pounds ($7,734) after grabbing the nose of Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk in the Istanbul derby.

USC sophomore star JuJu Watkins became the third underclassman to win the Wooden Award, beating out UConn's Paige Bueckers, UCLA's Lauren Betts, Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo and Texas' Madison Booker.

Red Sox rookie Kristian Campbell called his new eight-year, $60 million deal a "life-changing opportunity" and something he "couldn't pass up."

Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year, told reporters that Pittsburgh's slow start needs to be attributed to the players, "the ones playing," and not the club's management, despite the latter being the target of the fans' ire.

The USMNT may have struggled in last month's Concacaf Nations League Finals, but two of its forwards provided cause for optimism by getting on the scoresheet for their club teams in the English Championship on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili revealed on Saturday that he'd bet Vincius Jnior that he'd save the Real Madrid forward's first-half penalty in Valencia's 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabu.

Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the National League Rookie of the Year, told reporters that Pittsburgh's slow start needs to be attributed to the players, "the ones playing," and not the club's management, despite the latter being the target of the fans' ire.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma shoulders the blame and admits some "frustration" over the fact that his Huskies have not won an NCAA title since 2016.

- Ian Happ played in his 1,000th major league game on Saturday - all with the Chicago Cubs.

Kansas State Wildcats senior Carla Bernat Escuder carded a 4-under 68 on Saturday to win the Augusta National Women's Amateur.

Wild card and playoff seeds remain up in the air. Here are updated bracket, draft lottery projections.

Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili revealed on Saturday that he'd bet Vincius Jnior that he'd save the Real Madrid forward's first-half penalty in Valencia's 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabu.

Reds manager Terry Francona was back with his entire roster Saturday after missing the previous game due to what he jokingly called "intestinal turmoil."

Recovering from the right elbow surgery he underwent Sept. 19, 2023, Shohei Ohtani threw a 26-pitch bullpen session on Saturday before the Los Angeles Dodgers' game against the Philadelphia Phillies, another step toward his return to the pitching mound.

Nashville SC head coach BJ Callaghan said defender Walker Zimmerman is in a stable and responsive condition in hospital after being carted off the field in a neck brace following a bicycle kick to the face.

AC Milan recovered from conceding two early goals to snatch a 2-2 draw against visiting Fiorentina in Serie A on Saturday as their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League continue to fade.

Recovering from the right elbow surgery he underwent Sept. 19, 2023, Shohei Ohtani threw a 26-pitch bullpen session on Saturday before the Los Angeles Dodgers' 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, another step toward his return to the pitching mound.

Duke's Cooper Flagg is the winner of the 2025 Wooden Award, becoming just the fourth freshman in the award's history to earn the award.

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Dallas' Evgenii Dadonov each scored three goals Saturday during the Penguins' 5-3 victory over the host Stars at the American Airlines Center, a pivotal loss for the home team in its fight for the Central Division title.

Barcelona spurned the chance to extend their lead at the top of the LaLiga standings when they were held at home 1-1 by Real Betis on Saturday, with visiting defender Natan cancelling out Gavi's early opener.

Trinity Rodman took just five minutes to to make her mark on her long-awaited return to the United States women's national team, opening the scoring in a 2-0 win over Brazil at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Saturday.

Nature, Published online: 05 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01038-7Advances recognized by sciences most lucrative awards include Large Hadron Collider experiments and groundbreaking weight-loss treatments.

Manchester City have identified Florian Wirtz as the replacement for the departing Kevin De Bruyne. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.

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Manchester City have identified Florian Wirtz as the replacement for the departing Kevin De Bruyne. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) pointing upwards after scoring his 894th goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, April 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2025-04-04T23:27:23Z WASHINGTON (AP) Alex Ovechkin skated over to his son Sergei at the glass. He bowed to Wayne Gretzky standing in a suite. He blew kisses to his wife, mother and family on the other side of the arena.In signature dramatic fashion, Ovechkin scored the 894th goal of his career and second of the game to tie Gretzkys NHL record and set off a wild celebration among his Washington Capitals teammates on the ice and in the stands of the only building he has called home for the past two decades. Im still a little shaking and still cant believe it, Ovechkin said with Gretzky sitting beside him after Washingtons 5-3 win over Chicago on Friday night. Its history. Its great for the game. Its great to do it here. Its special.Another special moment awaits if and when Ovechkin scores his 895th goal to break one of hockeys records that looked unbreakable. But the chance to celebrate at home with Capitals players past and present and match Gretzky made it a moment Ovechkin will never forget. Neither will Gretzky, who along with Ovechkin is the leagues co-leading goal-scorer for the time being. I can live with that for 24 more hours, Gretzky said. I can still say Im tied for the most.0vechkin scored No. 894 from his spot in the left faceoff circle on the power play on a pass from longtime teammate John Carlson with 13:47 left in the third period. The goal his 41st of the season and record-setting 136th game-winner to break a tie with Jaromir Jagr caused teammates to spill off the bench and mob Ovechkin in the corner of the rink. We kind of looked at each other just and said, Screw it, Im going, winger Tom Wilson said. It was just so cool to be a part of it as a group.Ovechkins goal song, Shake, Rattle & Roll by Big Joe Turner, blared from the speakers, and mascot Slapshot flipped the counter in one corner from 893 to 894 as fans rose to their feet and stayed there to applaud the accomplishment. The 39-year-old who has spent his entire career with Washington skated circles around center ice to implore for more, in between his emotional moments paying tribute to Gretzky and his family. That was awesome, said center Dylan Strome, who set up Ovechkins 893rd goal. Like, youre left speechless and they still got to play the game and try to find him for one more.Amazingly, Ovechkin almost got another one. He had chances in the final 10 minutes and either missed the net or was denied by Spencer Knight, one of a record 182 different goaltenders he has scored on during his career.I just guess Im glad he didnt get the last one, Knight said. But, yeah, its cool to see, its great for the sport.One way Ovechkin refused to get No. 895 was into an empty net. He told coach Spencer Carbery and others he wanted no part of passing Gretzky like that.He wants to break the record with a goaltender in the crease, which I appreciate, Carbery said. He told me that on the bench, and I just wanted to confirm that he didnt want to go out. And its hard for us as coaches because I just wanted to make sure in that moment: hat trick, at home. And he didnt want to go out and score on an empty net to break the record. We have six games left, and he wants to break the record and have that moment where hes shooting the puck past a goalie. Afterward, Blackhawks players stayed on the ice to do a handshake line with Ovechkin, who gets his next chance to break the record Sunday at the New York Islanders.Obviously very classy by the Hawks organization what they did tonight for O and its as good as it gets, Wilson said. We have more to look forward to hopefully, but this was an incredible night.___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl STEPHEN WHYNO Whyno has covered the NHL, Washington Capitals, the NFLs Washington Commanders and horse racing for The Associated Press since 2016. twitter facebook

Forward Trinity Rodman scored just over five minutes into her international return to lift the USWNT to a 2-0 victory over Brazil on Saturday at SoFi Stadium.

Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Terron Armstead, 33, announced his retirement on Saturday night at a party that he was hosting, ending his decorated 12-year NFL career in which he was named to the Pro Bowl five times.

Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Terron Armstead, 33, announced his retirement on Saturday night at a party that he was hosting, ending his decorated 12-year NFL career in which he was named to the Pro Bowl five times.

The Rockies turned a 5-4-3 triple play in the second inning of Saturday's game against the A's, the fifth triple play in franchise history and their first since 2015.

Walter Clayton Jr. pulls through for Florida again as Gators fend off Auburn late to make program's first national title game since 2007.

Wrexham strengthened their position for automatic promotion to the English League Championship with a 3-0 win against Burton Albion on Saturday.

This frame grab from a video released by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, taken with a phone by one of the 15 Palestinians medics killed, shows Red Crescent emergency vehicles, their lights and sirens flashing and their logos clearly visible, seconds before they came under a barrage of gunfire from Israeli army soldiers in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, early Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Palestinian Red Crescent Society via AP)2025-04-05T14:45:57Z UNITED NATIONS (AP) Phone video from one of 15 Palestinian medics killed by Israeli forces last month appears to contradict Israeli claims that the medics vehicles did not have emergency signals on when troops opened fire on them in southern Gaza.The footage shows the Red Crescent and Civil Defense teams driving slowly with their emergency vehicles lights flashing, logos visible, as they pulled up to help an ambulance that had come under fire earlier. The teams do not appear to be acting unusually or in a threatening manner as three medics emerge and head toward the stricken ambulance.Their vehicles immediately come under a barrage of gunfire, which goes on for more than five minutes with brief pauses. The owner of the phone can be heard praying. This frame grab from a video released by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, taken with a phone by one of the 15 Palestinians medics killed, shows Red Crescent emergency vehicles, their lights and sirens flashing and their logos clearly visible, seconds before they came under a barrage of gunfire from Israeli army soldiers in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, early Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Palestinian Red Crescent Society via AP) This frame grab from a video released by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, taken with a phone by one of the 15 Palestinians medics killed, shows Red Crescent emergency vehicles, their lights and sirens flashing and their logos clearly visible, seconds before they came under a barrage of gunfire from Israeli army soldiers in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, early Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Palestinian Red Crescent Society via AP) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Forgive me, mother. This is the path I chose, mother, to help people, he cries, his voice weak.Eight Red Crescent personnel, six Civil Defense workers and a U.N. staffer were killed in the shooting before dawn on March 23 by Israeli troops conducting operations in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Troops then bulldozed over the bodies along with their mangled vehicles, burying them in a mass grave. U.N. and rescue workers were only able to reach the site a week later to dig out the bodies. The Palestinian Red Crescent Societys vice president, Marwan Jilani, said the phone with the footage was found in the pocket of one of its slain staffers. The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations distributed the video to the U.N. Security Council. The Associated Press obtained the video from a U.N. diplomat on condition of anonymity because it has not been made public. One paramedic who survived, Munzer Abed, confirmed the veracity of the video to the AP. Two block-shaped concrete structures visible in the video are also seen in a U.N. video released Sunday showing the recovery of the bodies from the site a sign they are in the same location.Asked about the video, the Israeli military said Saturday that the incident was under thorough examination. One medic remains missingThe Israeli military earlier said it opened fire on the vehicles because they were advancing suspiciously on nearby troops without headlights or emergency signals.The initial account of the vehicles not having emergency lights on was mistaken, an Israeli military official told journalists Saturday evening. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.The head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Younes Al-Khatib, called for an independent investigation. We dont trust any of the army investigations, he told a briefing at the U.N. on Friday.One medic, Assaad al-Nassasra, is still missing, the Red Crescent says. Abed said he saw al-Nassasra being led away blindfolded by Israeli troops. Al-Khatib said the organization has asked the military where it is holding the staffer.Al-Khatib said the slain men had been targeted at close range and that a forensic autopsy report would be released soon. This frame grab from a video released by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, taken with a phone by one of the 15 Palestinians medics killed, shows Red Crescent emergency vehicles, their lights and sirens flashing and their logos clearly visible, seconds before they came under a barrage of gunfire from Israeli army soldiers in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, early Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Palestinian Red Crescent Society via AP) This frame grab from a video released by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, taken with a phone by one of the 15 Palestinians medics killed, shows Red Crescent emergency vehicles, their lights and sirens flashing and their logos clearly visible, seconds before they came under a barrage of gunfire from Israeli army soldiers in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah, early Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Palestinian Red Crescent Society via AP) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Israel has accused Hamas of moving and hiding its fighters inside ambulances and emergency vehicles, as well as in hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, arguing that justifies strikes on them. Medical personnel largely deny the accusations.Israeli strikes have killed more than 150 emergency responders from the Red Crescent and Civil Defense, most of them while on duty, as well as over 1,000 health workers, according to the U.N. The Israeli military rarely investigates such incidents.Ambulances under a barrage of Israeli fireAmbulances started heading to Tel al-Sultan at around 3:50 a.m. on March 23, responding to reports of wounded, Jilani said. The first ambulance returned safely with at least one casualty, he said. But, he said, subsequent ambulances came under fire.His hands trembling, Abed told the AP on Saturday that as his ambulance entered the area, its siren lights were on. All of a sudden, I am telling you, there was direct shooting at us, so intense that the vehicle ground to a stop, he said.A 10-year veteran of the Red Crescent, Abed said he was sitting in the back seat and ducked to the floor. He said he could hear nothing from his two colleagues in the front seat the only others in the vehicle. They appear to have been killed instantly. Israeli troops, some with night goggles, dragged Abed out of the ambulance and onto the ground, he said. They made him strip to his underwear, beat him all over his body with their rifle butts, then tied his hands behind his back, he said.They interrogated him, asking him about his paramedic training and how many people were in the ambulance with him, he said. One soldier pressed the muzzle of his automatic rifle into his neck. Another pressed his knife blade into Abeds palm, almost cutting it, until a third soldier pulled them away and warned Abed, Theyre crazy.Abed said he witnessed them opening fire on the next vehicles to arrive. Soldiers forced him onto his stomach and pressed a gun into his back, he said, and amid the shooting in the darkness, so he could only see two Civil Defense vehicles. Video shows medics terror The phone video shows a rescue convoy of Red Crescent and Civil Defense vehicles that was sent out after contact was lost with the stricken ambulance. Taken from the dashboard of one vehicle, it shows several ambulances and a fire truck moving down a road through a barren area in the darkness. The emergency lights on their roofs are flashing the entire way.They arrive at an ambulance on the side of the road and stop next to it, their lights still flashing. No Israeli troops are visible.Lord, let them be OK, a man in the car says. Then he cries out, Theyre tossed around on the ground! apparently referring to bodies. Three men in orange Civil Defense clothing can be seen getting out of the vehicles and walking toward the stopped ambulance.A shot rings out and one of the men appears to fall. Gunfire erupts.The man holding the phone appears to scramble out of the car and onto the ground, but the screen goes black, though the audio continues. The gunfire goes on for nearly five and a half minutes, with long, heavy barrages followed by silences punctuated by individual shots and shouts and screams.Throughout, the man with the phone says over and over, There is no God but God and Muhammad is Gods prophet the profession of faith that Muslims say when they fear they are about to die. Near the end of the six-minute, 40-second video, voices can be heard shouting in Hebrew. The Jews are coming, the man said, referring to Israeli soldiers, before the video cuts off.The Israeli military official asserted there was no mistreatment, and said he didnt know why the vehicles had been buried. He had no information about the medic who remained missing.Israel claims they found militants afterward The Israeli military says that after the shooting, troops determined they had killed a Hamas figure named Mohammed Amin Shobaki and eight other militants. However, none of the 15 slain medics has that name, and no other bodies are known to have been found at the site.The military has not said what happened to Shobakis body or released the names of the other alleged militants. The Israeli military official said Israel was working to bring evidence that Hamas operatives were killed.Jonathan Whittall, interim head in Gaza of the U.N. humanitarian office OCHA, dismissed allegations that the slain medics were Hamas militants, saying staff had worked with the same medics previously in evacuating patients from hospitals and other tasks.These are paramedic crews that I personally have met before, he said. They were buried in their uniforms with their gloves on. They were ready to save lives.___Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip; Keath from Cairo. Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri at the United Nations, Sarah El Deeb in Cairo, Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Areej Hazboun contributed to this report.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war LEE KEATH Keath is the chief editor for feature stories in the Middle East for The Associated Press. He has reported from Cairo since 2005. twitter mailto

Auburn star big man Johni Broome was emotional following a second half that saw him score just three points as Auburn blew an eight-point lead.

Trinity Rodman's first USWNT appearance since the 2024 Olympics was a winning one, with her goal and leadership setting the tone in a win over Brazil that confirmed how important she is to this team's future.

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer exited Saturday's game against the host New York Mets in the eighth inning after crashing face-first into the fence.

Trinity Rodman's first USWNT appearance since the 2024 Olympics was a winning one, with her goal and leadership setting the tone in a win over Brazil that confirmed how important she is to this team's future.

Though the Houston Cougars trailed throughout most of the game, J'Wan Roberts and his team stormed past the Duke Blue Devils in the second half on Saturday night at the Alamodome, booking their trip to Monday's national title game with a 70-67 victory.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said there is "no way" Everton should have been awarded a penalty in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.

The Blues won their franchise-best 12th straight Saturday, extending their record to 18-2-2 since the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Follow LIVE commentary of the third Formula 1 grand prix of the 2025 season at Suzuka.

A Yemeni girl visits the graves of Houthis during Eid al-Fitr marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)2025-04-06T04:18:19Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Suspected U.S. airstrikes killed at least two people overnight in a stronghold of Yemens Houthi rebels, the group said Sunday, as a bombing video posted by U.S. President Donald Trump suggested casualties in the campaign may be higher than the rebels acknowledge. The strikes in Saada killed two people and wounded four others, with footage aired by the Houthis al-Masirah satellite news channel showing a strike collapsing what appeared to be a two-story building. The Iranian-backed Houthis aired no footage from inside the building, which they described as a solar power shop. The intense campaign of airstrikes in Yemen under Trump targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war has killed at least 69 people, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis. However, the Houthis have not acknowledged any casualties from their security and military leadership something challenged after an online video posted by Trump. Trump bombing footage suggests rebel leaders targetedEarly Saturday, Trump posted what appeared to be black-and-white video from a drone of a group of several dozen people gathered in a circle. An explosion detonates during the 25-second video, with a massive crater left in its wake. These Houthis gathered for instructions on an attack, Trump claimed, without offering a location for the attack or any other details about the strike. Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis! They will never sink our ships again!The U.S. militarys Central Command, which oversees Americas Mideast military operations, has not published the video, nor offered any specific details about the strikes it has conducted since March 15. The White House has said there have been over 200 strikes so far targeting the Houthis. The rebel-controlled SABA news agency in Yemen, citing an anonymous source, described the bombing as targeting a social Eid visit in Hodeida governorate. Muslims across the world just celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the festival at the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. SABA had published images of other commanders meeting fighters during the holiday, though not any high-level Houthi officials. Those present at that gathering had no connection to the operations carried out by the (Houthis), which are implementing the decision to ban navigation on ships linked to the American and Israeli enemy, the SABA report said, adding that the attack killed and wounded dozens.However, the Houthis previously have not acknowledged any strike on Hodeida during that time with such a high casualty count. The SABA report also did not describe those killed as civilians, suggesting those killed had ties to the rebels security or military forces. Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemen expert of the Basha Report risk advisory firm, cited social media condolence notices suggesting a colonel overseeing police stations for the Houthis in Hodeida had been killed in the strike Trump highlighted alongside his two brothers. The strikes have expanded significantly, hitting multiple goveronates simultaneously, alongside telecommunications infrastructure, command nodes, properties tied to senior Houthi leadership and previously untouched tunnel networks in mountainous areas, al-Basha told The Associated Press. Weve also seen direct targeting of Houthi force gatherings, indicating a more aggressive and evolving shift in the targeting strategy, al-Basha said. Intense US bombings began nearly a month ago An AP review has found the new American operation against the Houthis under Trump appears more extensive than those under former U.S. President Joe Biden, as Washington moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel and dropping bombs on cities.The new campaign of airstrikes started after the rebels threatened to begin targeting Israeli ships again over Israel blocking aid entering the Gaza Strip. The rebels have loosely defined what constitutes an Israeli ship, meaning many vessels could be targeted.The Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors from November 2023 until January of this year. They also launched attacks targeting American warships without success. The attacks greatly raised the profile of the Houthis, who faced economic problems and launched a crackdown targeting dissent and aid workers in Yemen amid a decadelong stalemated war that has torn apart the Arab worlds poorest nation.The campaign shows no signs of stopping as the Trump administration repeatedly has linked its airstrikes on the Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. JON GAMBRELL Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. twitter instagram mailto

Liusiena Zinovkina, 32, sits in her room in Berlin, Germany, March 19, 2025. She fled to Germany from Ukraine, where her husband was arrested by invading Russian forces in May 2023. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)2025-04-06T04:10:50Z When she heard her front door open almost two years ago, Kostiantyn Zinovkins mother thought her son had returned home because he forgot something. Instead, men in balaclavas burst into the apartment in Melitopol, a southern Ukrainian city occupied by Russian forces.They said Zinovkin was detained for a minor infraction and would be released soon. They used his key to enter, said his wife, Liusiena, and searched the flat so thoroughly that they tore it apart into molecules.But Zinovkin wasnt released. Weeks after his May 2023 arrest, the Russians told his mother he was plotting a terrorist attack. Hes now standing trial on charges his family calls absurd.Zinovkin is one of thousands of civilians in Russian captivity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists their release, along with prisoners of war, will be an important step toward ending the 3-year-old war. So far, it hasnt appeared high on the agenda in U.S. talks with Moscow and Kyiv.While politicians discuss natural resources, possible territorial concessions, geopolitical interests and even Zelenskyys suit in the Oval Office, theyre not talking about people, said Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties, which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Thousands heldIn January, the center and other Ukrainian and Russian rights groups launched People First, a campaign that says any peace settlement must prioritize the release of everyone they say are captives, including Russians jailed for protesting the war, as well as Ukrainian children who were illegally deported.You cant achieve sustainable peace without taking into account the human dimension, Matviichuk told The Associated Press.Its unknown how many Ukrainian civilians are in custody, both in occupied regions and in Russia. Ukraines human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has estimated over 20,000.Matviichuk says her group received over 4,000 requests to help civilian detainees. She notes its against international law to detain noncombatants in war.Oleg Orlov, co-founder of the Russian rights group Memorial, says advocates know at least 1,672 Ukrainian civilians are in Moscows custody.Theres a larger number of them that we dont know about, added Orlov, whose organization won the Nobel alongside Matviichuks group and is involved in People First.Detained without chargesMany are detained for months without charges and dont know why theyre being held, Orlov said.Russian soldiers detained Mykyta Shkriabin, then 19, in Ukraines Kharkiv region in March 2022. He left the basement where his family was sheltering from fighting to get supplies and never returned.Shkriabin was detained even though he wasnt charged with a crime, said his lawyer, Leonid Solovyov. In 2023, the authorities began referring to him as a POW, a status Solovyov seeks to contest since the student wasnt a combatant.Shkriabins mother, Tetiana, told AP last month she still doesnt know where her son is held. In three years, shes received two letters from him saying hes doing well and that she shouldnt worry.Shes hoping for a prisoner exchange, a repatriation, or something, Shkriabina said. Without hope, how does one hang in there? Terrorism, treason and espionageOthers face charges that their relatives say are fabricated.After being seized in Melitopol, Zinovkin was jailed for over two years and charged with seven offenses, including plotting a terrorist attack, assembling weapons and high treason, his wife Liusiena Zinovkina told AP, describing the charges as absurd.While vocally pro-Ukrainian and against Russias occupation, her husband couldnt plot to bomb anyone and had no weapons skills, she said.Especially nonsensical is the treason charge, she said, because Russian law stipulates that only its citizens can be charged with that crime, and Zinovkin has never held Russian citizenship, unless it was forced upon him in jail. A conviction could bring life in prison.Ukrainian civilian Serhii Tsyhipa, 63, was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 13 years in a maximum-security prison after he disappeared in March 2022 while walking his dog in Nova Kakhovka, in the partially occupied Kherson region, said his wife, Olena. The dog also vanished. Tsyhipa, a journalist, was wearing a jacket with a large red cross sewn on it. Both he and his wife, Olena, had those jackets, she told AP, because they volunteered to distribute food and other essentials when Russian troops invaded. Serhii Tsyhipa protested the occupation, and Olena believes that led to his arrest.He was held for months in Crimea and finally charged with espionage in December 2022. Almost a year later, in October 2023, Tsyhipa was convicted and sentenced in a trial that lasted only three hearings.He appealed, but his sentence was upheld. But the Russian authorities must understand that we are fighting that we are doing everything possible to bring him home, she said. Mykhailo Savva of the Expert Council of the Center for Civil Liberties said rights advocates know of 307 Ukrainian civilians convicted in Russia on criminal charges usually espionage or treason, if the person held a Russian passport, but also terrorism and extremism.He said that in Ukraines occupied territories, Russians see activists, community leaders and journalists as the greatest threat. Winning release for those already serving sentences would be an uphill battle, advocates say.Held in harsh conditionsRelatives must piece together scraps of information about prison conditions.Zinovkina said she has received letters from her husband who told her of problems with his sight, teeth and back. Former prisoners also told her of cramped, cold basement cells in a jail in Rostov, where hes being held.She believes her husband was pressured to sign a confession. A man who met him in jail told her Kostiantyn confessed to everything they wanted him to, so the worst is over for him.Orlov said Ukrainian POWs and civilians are known to be held in harsh conditions, where allegations of abuse and torture are common.The Kremlin tested those methods during the two wars it waged in Chechnya in the 1990s and 2000s, well before invading Ukraine, said Orlov, who recently went to Ukraine to document Russias human rights violations and saw the pattern repeated from the North Caucasus conflicts.Essentially, a misanthropic system has been created, and everyone who falls into it ends up in hell, added Matviichuk, the Ukrainian human rights worker. A recent report by the U.N. Human Rights Council said Russia committed enforced disappearances and torture as crimes against humanity, part of a systematic attack against the civilian population and pursuant to a coordinated state policy.It said Russia detained large numbers of civilians, jailed them in occupied Ukraine or deported them to Russia, and systematically used torture against certain categories of detainees to extract information, coerce, and intimidate.Russias Defense Ministry, the Federal Penitentiary Service and the Federal Security Service did not respond to requests for comment. Tempering hope with patienceAs the U.S. talks about a ceasefire, relatives continue to press for the captives release. Liusiena Zinovkina says she hasnt abandoned hope as her husband, now 33, stands trial but is tempering her expectations.I see that its not as simple as the American president thought. Its not that easy to come to an agreement with Russia, she said, reminding herself to be patient. It will happen, but not tomorrow.Olena Tsyhipa said every minute counts for her husband, whose health has deteriorated.My belief in his return is unwavering, she said. We just have to wait.___Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia. Arhirova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn contributed. DASHA LITVINOVA Litvinova is an Associated Press correspondent covering Russia, Belarus, Central Asia and the Caucasus. She is part of the team that covers the Russia-Ukraine war. She has covered Russia and the region for over a decade. twitter mailto HANNA ARHIROVA Arhirova is an Associated Press reporter covering Ukraine. She is based in Kyiv. twitter instagram mailto

The Florida Gators opened as a slim 1.5-point favorite over Houston heading into the men's college basketball national championship.

Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman has been discharged from hospital after being carted off the field in a neck brace following a bicycle kick to the face. a club spokesperson told ESPN.

Vuthy Tha, a Cambodian reporter at Radio Free Asia who spent 7 years in a Thai refugee camp before arriving in the United States, poses for a portrait, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at the RFA office in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)2025-04-06T04:09:51Z WASHINGTON (AP) After hiding in Thailand for seven years, two Cambodian journalists arrived in the United States last year on work visas, aiming to keep providing people in their Southeast Asian homeland with objective, factual news through Radio Free Asia.But Vuthy Tha and Hour Hum now say their jobs and legal status in the U.S. are at risk after President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order gutting the government-run U.S. Agency for Global Media. The agency funds Radio Free Asia and other outlets tasked with delivering uncensored information to parts of the world under authoritarian rule and often without a free press of their own. Hour Hum, a Cambodian reporter at Radio Free Asia who spent 7 years in a Thai refugee camp before arriving in the United States, poses for a portrait, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at the RFA office in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) Hour Hum, a Cambodian reporter at Radio Free Asia who spent 7 years in a Thai refugee camp before arriving in the United States, poses for a portrait, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at the RFA office in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More It fell out of sky, Vuthy, a single father of two small children, said through a translator about the Trump administrations decision, which he says threatens to upend his life.I am very regretful that our listeners cannot receive the accurate news, Hour said, also through a translator.Both men said theyre worried about providing for their families and being allowed to stay in the U.S. They say its impossible to return to Cambodia, a single-party state hostile to independent media where they fear being persecuted for their journalistic work. The administration has been dismantling or slashing the size of federal agencies, leading tens of thousands of government workers and contractors to be fired or put on leave. But the targeting of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, whose decades-old networks aim to extend American influence abroad, means journalists who have defied authoritarian regimes to help fulfill a U.S. mission of delivering pro-democracy programming could be deported and face harassment and persecution in their homelands. Eleven journalists associated with the U.S.-funded media outlets are behind bars overseas, including RFAs Shin Daewe, who is serving 15 years in Myanmar on a charge of supporting terrorism. At least 84 U.S. Agency for Global Media, or USAGM, journalists in the United States on work visas could face deportation, including at least 23 at serious risk of being immediately arrested upon arrival and potentially imprisoned, according to the advocacy group Reporters Without Borders and a coalition of 36 human rights organizations.It is outrageous that these journalists, who risk their lives to expose the extent of repression in their home countries, might be completely abandoned, said Thibaut Bruttin, director general of Reporters Without Borders.The U.S. Congress must take responsibility for protecting these reporters and all USAGM-funded outlets, funded by Congress itself, Bruttin said. This responsibility is not just moral it stems from the United States commitment to defending the principles of democracy and press freedom.The Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee did not respond to requests for comment. The White House did not comment. The State Department said it is coordinating with USAGM on imprisoned journalists and that it condemns unjust detentions of journalists for exercising their freedom of expression. Journalists sue over Trumps orderA number of journalists for Voice of America, a news service also overseen by USAGM, have sued in a federal court. That includes two unnamed foreign journalists on temporary visas. If deported, one could risk imprisonment for 10 years for his work for VOA, and the other, a member of a persecuted minority in his home country, could be in physical danger, the lawsuit said. The court has temporarily halted contract terminations, preventing the visa holders from being forced to leave for now. The receptionist desk sits empty at Radio Free Asia, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) The receptionist desk sits empty at Radio Free Asia, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Both RFA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, another USAGM-funded media outlet, also have sued seeking restoration of funding.Trumps cuts come after the U.S. last year helped free Alsu Kurmasheva a dual U.S.-Russian citizen and journalist with RFE/RL in a high-profile prisoner swap that included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. In February, the Trump administration announced the release of Andrey Kuznechyk, a Belarusian journalist with RFE/RLs Belarus service. The network still has four journalists jailed one each in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia and Russia-occupied Crimea.Voice of America has a contributor jailed in Myanmar and another in Vietnam, said Jessica Jerreat, VOAs press freedom editor.In Vietnam, four RFA reporters are in jail and another is under house arrest, according to Tamara Bralo, the outlets head of journalist security. She said shes concerned that American support in seeking their release could diminish if RFA folds.Vietnam consistently ranks near the bottom in the Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, which says about 40 journalists are held in Vietnams prisons where mistreatment is widespread. Reporters fear being sent backKhoa Lai, a Vietnamese journalist who joined RFA in Washington on a work visa only days before Trump took office, said returning to Vietnam is risky for him. I could face prosecution or be in prison, said Lai, who produces video stories on freedom of speech, freedom of religion and political corruption for RFAs Vietnamese service. I dont know for sure, but it wont be good. Both Vuthy and Hour began working for RFA in Cambodia but had to leave in 2017 when Cambodias top court dissolved the main opposition CNRP party, authorities arrested their colleagues and RFA closed its office. In neighboring Thailand as refugees, both continued to report for RFA, but with their identities hidden. They still risked getting sent back to Cambodia until RFA brought them to the U.S. on work visas last year. They have reported on issues ranging from politics, corruption and human rights to climate change and environment.Cambodias autocratic former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who ruled his country for nearly four decades and passed power to his son Hun Manet, praised Trump in a Facebook post for having the courage to lead the world to combat fake news by cutting funding to USAGM.Vuthy says hes still hopeful that RFA might survive, adding that it is fighting for its existence.___Associated Press writers Kanis Leung in Hong Kong, Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Elsie Chen in Washington contributed to this report. DIDI TANG Tang joined the AP Washington bureau in 2023 after spending 11 years in Beijing as a China correspondent. She covers anything related to the Indo-Pacific region with a focus on U.S.-China competitions mailto

Houston's L.J. Cryer (4) celebrates with teammates after Houston beat Duke in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)2025-04-06T03:59:09Z Follow APs full coverage of March Madness.Get the AP Top 25 mens college basketball poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here. SAN ANTONIO (AP) Sorry guys, Phi Slama Jamma is already taken. How bout something simple, like Comeback Kids. National champs might be a possibility, too.Houstons no-room-to-breathe defense wiped away a 14-point deficit over the final eight minutes, erased Cooper Flagg and Dukes title hopes and brought the Cougars within a win of a championship of their own Saturday night with a 70-67 stunner over the Blue Devils.Led by Joseph Tuglers four blocks and an amoeba-like defense that smothers everything, Houston held Duke to a grand total of one field goal over the last 10 1/2 minutes. The 67 points were Dukes second-lowest output of its now-ended season. The Blue Devils second-to-last attempt during their contest-ending 1-for-9 stretch was a step-back jumper in the paint by Flagg that JWan Roberts disrupted. The last was a desperation heave by Tyrese Proctor that caught nothing at the buzzer and sent Flagg and company shuffling off in shock. We just had to keep that belief and keep the faith, said LJ Cryer, who won a title with Baylor in 2021 and led the Cougars in this one with 26 points. This is the programs first trip to the final since 1984 which marked the official close of the Phi Slama Jamma era, a fun-and-gun dunkfest that never won the title despite the efforts of Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, who was at the Alamodome for this one. Lots has changed since then. One constant: Defense wins championship. Houston has allowed the fewest points this season and even against Duke, with Flagg, Kon Knueppel (16 points) and a roster with five or six NBA prospects, it made things impossible down the stretch.Got to give them a lot of credit for what they do every single night they play, Flagg said. We could have been a little bit more sharp down the stretch executing some things. At the end of the day, you got to give them a lot of credit, as well. It was Roberts two free throws with 19.6 seconds left that gave the Cougars their first lead since 6-5. Cryer made two more to push the advantage to three. That matched Houstons biggest lead of the night.The Cougars (35-4), who have never won a title, will play Florida on Monday night for the championship.Floridas 79-73 win over Auburn in the early game was a free-flowing bundle of fun. This one wouldve looked perfect on a cracked blacktop and a court with chain-link nets. Neither team cracked 40% shooting.Thats just how Houston likes it. It closed the game on a 9-0 run over the final 33 seconds, and though Flagg, the AP Player of the Year, finished with 27 points, he did it on 8-for-19 shooting and never got a good look after his 3 at the 3:02 mark put the Blue Devils (35-4) up by nine.Knowing going into that game that he was the player of the year, that he brought his team to the Final Four, we knew it would be challenging, Roberts said. Trailing 64-55, things looked dire for the Cougars. But they were just getting started.A team that prides itself on getting three stops in a row calling the third one the kill stop strung together two stretches like that, broken up only by Flaggs 3. Duke settled for a measly three free throws over the final 3 minutes. One came when Tugler got a technical for batting the ball from Sion James hands as he was trying to throw an inbounds pass.That didnt make things any better for the Blue Devils.On the possession following the technical, Tugler rejected Knueppel, then Emanuel Sharp (16 points) made a 3 to cut the deficit to three.Mylik Wilson stole the next inbounds pass and missed a game-tying 3, but Tugler tipped it in to cut the deficit to one.Proctor missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 20 seconds left to set the stage for the Roberts free throws.Dukes slow walk off the court came through a phalanx of Houston fans who waved goodbye to Flagg, who will likely be off to the NBA as the first pick in the draft. Houston held Duke to 37.5% shooting in the second half; that was nearly 20% lower than its first four games of the tournament, which included a blowout over the nations best offense, Alabama, in the Elite Eight. We held that team to 67 points, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said, marveling at what theyd done.The Cougars finished with six steals and six blocked shots, and a bunch more altered by Roberts and Tugler, who might be the best shot blockers to wear that Cougars uniform since Olajuwon himself. There are no stats, however, for the heart Houston showed after the countrys best player had all but buried them with 8 minutes to go. Cooper was not going to beat us by himself, Sampson said. Even when we were down 14, these guys will tell you what I was talking about in the huddle was, Just hang in there, hang in there.Big win for AIThe huge comeback also netted a $1 million win for artificial intelligence. An AI disruptor bet a professional gambler that his program could do a better March Madness bracket, and it all came down to the Duke-Houston game. Even if the Houston loses in the final, the AI bracket will get more points in the contest and the disruptor, Alan Levy, will pocket the million. ___AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

AC Milan recovered from conceding two early goals to snatch a 2-2 draw against visiting Fiorentina in Serie A on Saturday as their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League continue to fade.

Barcelona spurned the chance to extend their lead at the top of the LaLiga standings when they were held at home 1-1 by Real Betis on Saturday, with visiting defender Natan cancelling out Gavi's early opener.

Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the 2025 Formula 1 season after soaking up race-long pressure from McLarens two drivers to win the Japanese Grand Prix.