Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman admitted he might have needed his brief stint on the injured list, saying he returned Friday feeling "the best I've felt" since he got hurt.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has a shoulder injury that could put his status for the 2025 season in jeopardy, according to multiple reports Friday.

Nikola Jokic will average a triple-double for the season, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to achieve that feat.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has a shoulder injury that could put his status for the 2025 season in jeopardy, according to multiple reports Friday.

Suns All-Star Kevin Durant will not play the final two games of the season because of a sprained ankle.

Minnesota star Anthony Edwards was slapped with his NBA-most 18th technical foul of the season. That prompts an automatic suspension for the next game the Timberwolves need to win to improve their seed for the playoffs.

Cubs left-hander Justin Steele will seek a second opinion on his injured left elbow, manager Craig Counsell said.

Jayson Tatum took time to acknowledge "another incredible season" for the 60-win Celtics, but said the team is "shifting gears" as it prepares to defend its title in the postseason.

It's been five years since Romain Grosjean's fiery Bahrain crash. F1's ongoing search for safety saved him.

Titans defensive back L'Jarius Sneed is being sued for $1 million by a Texas man who says the NFL player or his personal assistant shot at him while he was sitting inside a Mercedes-Benz on a dealer lot in December.

The Knicks secured the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs on Friday, but coach Tom Thibodeau said the team needs to have "urgency" with the playoffs starting soon.

Nikola Jokic will average a triple-double for the season, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to achieve that feat.

Marcus Stroman went to a hospital for tests on his left knee after he gave up five runs before getting chased in the first inning of a 9-1 loss to the Giants.

Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil is seen at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the Columbia University campus in New York, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)2025-04-12T04:06:35Z JENA, La. (AP) An immigration judge has ruled that a Palestinian Columbia University graduate student who participated in protests against Israel can be deported.Mahmoud Khalils attorneys said they will appeal Fridays ruling. Federal immigration agents detained Khalil last month, the first arrest under President Donald Trumps crackdown on students who joined campus protests against the war in Gaza. Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, was taken to an immigration detention center in Jena, Louisiana, thousands of miles from his attorneys and wife, a U.S. citizen who is due to give birth soon. Heres a look at what has happened so far in Khalils legal battle and what happens next: The arrest Khalil, a 30-year-old international affairs graduate student, had served as a negotiator and spokesperson for student activists at Columbia University who took over a campus lawn last spring to protest Israels military campaign in Gaza.The university brought police in to dismantle the encampment after a small group of protesters seized an administration building. Khalil is not accused of participating in the building occupation and wasnt among the people arrested in connection with the demonstrations.But images of his maskless face at protests, along with his willingness to share his name with reporters, have made him an object of scorn among those who saw the protesters and their demands as antisemitic. The White House accused Khalil of siding with terrorists but has yet to cite any support for the claim.He was detained March 8 in the lobby of his university-owned apartment. The legal fight Khalil isnt accused of breaking any laws during the protests at Columbia. The government has said noncitizens who participate in such demonstrations should be expelled from the country for expressing views that the administration considers to be antisemitic and pro-Hamas, referring to the Palestinian militant group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.Khalils lawyers have challenged the legality of his detention, saying the Trump administration is trying to deport him for an activity that is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cited a rarely used statute to justify Khalils deportation, which gives him power to deport those who pose potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.The ruling Immigration Judge Jamee E. Comans ruled Friday the governments contention that Khalils presence in the U.S. posed potentially serious foreign policy consequences was enough to satisfy requirements for his deportation. Comans said the government had established by clear and convincing evidence that he is removable.Federal judges in New York and New Jersey previously ordered the government not to deport Khalil while his case plays out in court. Next steps Khalils attorneys said they will keep fighting. They plan to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. They can also pursue an asylum case on his behalf. Even though the judge found Khalil removable on foreign policy grounds, nothing will happen quickly in the immigration proceeding, his attorney, Marc Van Der Hout, said. The judge gave them until April 23 to seek a waiver. Today, we saw our worst fears play out: Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a weaponization of immigration law to suppress dissent, Van Der Hout said in a statement.Immigration authorities have cracked down on other critics of Israel on college campuses, arresting a Georgetown University scholar who had spoken out on social media about the Israel-Gaza war, canceling the student visas of some protesters and deporting a Brown University professor who they said had attended the Lebanon funeral of a leader of Hezbollah, another militant group that has fought with Israel.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., speaks during a hearing of the House Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2025-04-12T04:01:28Z WASHINGTON (AP) Anna Paulina Luna was at her Florida home in fall 2023, caring for her newborn son and turning over a question in her mind as a member of Congress:How do I change this?Luna, then a first-time mom and first-term lawmaker, could no longer fly to Washington to cast votes in the U.S. House, a crucial part of the job, due to complications from childbirth which she blamed at least partially on her hectic schedule, having flown to and from the capital during most of her pregnancy.Luna began reading House rules and found what seemed like a simple solution: allowing proxy voting for new moms.What Luna considered a minor rule change, affecting just a few only about a dozen women had given birth while serving in Congress over time escalated into a standoff against her own Republican leadership and her allies in the hard-right Freedom Caucus. In a matter of months, it became a highly charged debate that crossed party lines, united a younger generation of lawmakers and raised fresh questions about how a more than 200-year-old institution accommodates working parents in the 21st century. The conflict turned on weighty history and thorny procedures, highlighting the difficulties of abiding by documents and rules written long before air travel and Zoom screens and long before women served in Congress.When the Constitution was written, this was not really a topic, Luna said. How GOP leaders came to loathe proxy votingWhen Luna was about to become a new mom, planning for the big change ahead, she asked then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy how she would be able to vote in the days after giving birth. That was 2023, and she didnt realize she was stepping on a political landmine. At the start of the pandemic, more than two years before Luna was elected, Democrats in the majority had created a proxy voting system to contain COVID-19 and avoid overcrowding in the chamber.McCarthy had called the practice a dereliction of duty, an excuse for members to skip out on work, and the resolution creating the system passed without a single Republican vote.When Republicans won the House majority in 2022, McCarthy abandoned proxy voting and for a time, there was no talk of bringing it back.Rep. Luna returns and begins her pushOnce Luna was cleared to fly and returned to Washington, she kept the proxy voting proposal to herself. It wasnt the right time: The House was in turmoil, having just ousted McCarthy from the speakers job and choosing Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as his replacement.But a few months later, Luna made her move.She introduced a bill in January 2024 that would allow a mother to designate a proxy for six weeks, but by autumn, her legislation had gone nowhere, languishing in committee. Luna decided to launch a discharge petition a workaround that allows legislation with 218 supporters to force a vote on the House floor. But she got just a handful of signatures.I went through every and exhausted every avenue, Luna said.Then she turned to Democrats, drafting a new proposal this year with Reps. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado and Sara Jacobs of California that would extend proxy voting to not just moms but all new parents for 12 weeks, double the time Luna had initially proposed. Pettersen, who was previously the first member of the Colorado legislature to give birth, said she came to Congress wanting to work on this.In a matter of months, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, a father to two young girls, became the 218th member to sign the discharge petition, the tally needed to force a vote.But only a dozen signatures came from Republicans. A standoff with the GOP leaders and the House Freedom Caucus Pushback was fierce, from members of the Freedom Caucus and from the speaker himself. Johnson repeatedly called proxy voting unconstitutional. Herself among the more far-right conservatives in the House, her desk adorned with a model of President Donald Trump on Mount Rushmore, Luna resigned from the Freedom Caucus, accusing them of working against her.Luna felt that she had done everything she could to address Johnsons concerns. She agreed that members had abused the practice in the past, but said her proposal included guard rails. Johnson tried to snuff out Lunas discharge petition with a rare legislative maneuver, linking it to a vote that was needed to advance one of the GOP priorities, a voter ID bill.The aggressive move angered several Republicans, including some who didnt even support Lunas proposal. Johnsons gambit failed on the floor.Johnson called the outcome unfortunate and reiterated the argument that proxy voting for moms was a Pandoras box that would open the door for members whod rather not show up to work. Then he sent lawmakers home for the week.Thats when Luna had a talk with Trump.I think shes great, Anna, Trump said aboard Air Force One.The president recalled that he had spoken to her the previous day. When it came to proxy voting, Trump wondered why the idea was controversial. Johnson sprang into action and quickly posted on social media that he had also spoken with Trump, quoting him saying, Mike, you have my proxy on proxy voting.Meanwhile, a political storm was brewing against Luna. Right-wing influencers flooded Twitter to accuse Luna of holding up Trumps agenda as House floor action stalled. She faced attacks from fellow Republicans.Luna reaches a deal to mixed reviewsOn a Sunday afternoon this month, Luna announced that she and leadership had reached an agreement.They would resurrect a well-worn congressional procedure that pairs two members of Congress who plan to vote on opposite sides of an issue, canceling out their votes a way to accommodate the absent member.If we truly want a pro-family Congress, these are the changes that need to happen, Luna posted on X.The plan was quickly tucked into an upcoming procedural vote. This time, it succeeded.Reviews were mixed.Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., called the solution bizarre and said it was unlikely any member would voluntarily participate, essentially nulling their own vote, when the margins were so narrow in Congress.But GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the Freedom Caucus who opposes all proxy voting, said he would consider participating in pairing.We want to make it to where people can, you know, deal with whatever life curveballs they get, Roy said.Not everyone, though, is satisfied.The day that Congress voted on vote-pairing, Pettersen stood outside the House chamber, cradling her son in her arms. What Republican would be willing to vote present for me this week? she asked. Nobody.___ LEAH ASKARINAM Askarinam covers U.S. elections for The Associated Press, working alongside the Decision Desk and explanatory team. mailto

Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. is roaming the greens of Augusta as a credentialed photographer.

AC Milan coach Srgio Conceio praised the way Udinese fans applauded Mike Maignan when he had to be carried off on a stretcher following a collision with AC Milan teammate lex Jimnez.

Point guard Jamal Murray is back and so is the Nuggets' lethal two-star game alongside Nikola Jokic just in time for the playoffs.

The Bucks will take on the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season, but unlike last year they'll have a healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone called the conditions for Friday night's game in New York against the Giants "probably the worst" he's experienced.

Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, speaks during an interview at the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James)2025-04-12T03:13:44Z HONG KONG (AP) When Yeung Sum co-founded the citys largest pro-democracy party more than 30 years ago, he knew building a democratic Hong Kong would be a difficult dream. Still, it was not impossible. Today, his Democratic Party is moving toward dissolution, a symbolic marker of the diminishing Western-style civil liberties and high degree of autonomy that the ruling Communist Party in Beijing promised to keep intact in the former British colony for at least 50 years when it returned to China in 1997.Pro-democracy protests that paralyzed Hong Kong in 2019 led to a crackdown that has all but silenced dissent through restricted elections, media censorship and a China-imposed national security law that saw some of Yeungs party members jailed. Dozens of civil society groups closed down. Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, is interviewed at the Democratic Partys office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, is interviewed at the Democratic Partys office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Former chairperson Yeung said in an interview with The Associated Press that Chinese officials told him the party needed to disband. He urged his members to support the motion to give the leadership mandate to handle the process. Im not very happy about it, said Yeung. But I can see if we refuse the call to disband, we may pay a very huge price for it. Others received similar messages. Party veteran Fred Li said Chinese officials implied the party wouldnt survive through this years legislative election when he asked about the possibility of its members running. Another founding member, Sin Chung-kai, said some Hong Kong-based members were warned in early February of consequences if the party continued to exist. Promising early years The Democratic Party was formed in 1994 through a merger of two pro-democracy groups. According to its manifesto, it supports Hong Kongs return to China.In its early years, it won the most seats in the legislative council. Before Beijing changed electoral rules in 2021 to ensure only patriots can run, the party was a major pro-democracy voice in the legislature even after it no longer held the largest number of seats. Back then, Yeung said, the pro-democracy camp generally won about 60% of the popular vote. Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, poses for a photo at the Democratic Partys office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, poses for a photo at the Democratic Partys office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Empty chairs at the Democratic Party's office. (AP Photo/May James) Empty chairs at the Democratic Party's office. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The reception area at the Democratic Party's office. (AP Photo/May James) The reception area at the Democratic Party's office. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Yeung was encouraged to see that the experiment in democracy, the rule of law, an independent judiciary and a merit-based administration could work in the city. The entire social system has been demonstrated to be quite, quite, quite promising over the years, he recalled. Negotiations with Beijing drew backlash In 2010, the party came under fire after it supported the governments political reform package in negotiations with Chinese officials that allowed millions of voters to directly elect five lawmakers from their district councils. Some members who hoped for broader democratic reform quit in protest and the party lost two seats in the 2012 legislative election. It also drew backlash from advocates within the pro-democracy camp. Emily Lau is interviewed at the Democratic Partys office April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Emily Lau is interviewed at the Democratic Partys office April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Looking back, former chairperson Emily Lau, who was involved in the talks with Beijing, insists many people supported the outcome because it was a step forward. She said they asked Beijing to continue to have dialogue with others to find a way for universal suffrage, but it never did. Maybe the only thing I would have done a bit differently is not to go into the (Beijings) liaison office (in Hong Kong). I guess we underestimated how many Hong Kong people hated them, she said. As new pro-democracy groups were on the rise, the partys influence dwindled. That became more obvious after the emergence of younger politicians, including pro-Hong Kong independence activists, following the 2014 massive protests calling for universal suffrage. Still, five years later, when the 2019 protests swept Hong Kong, the partys activism won widespread support once again. After crackdownChinas crackdown including the 2020 sweeping security law changed the political landscape. Some former lawmakers, including party ex-chairmen Albert Ho and Wu Chi-wai, are now in prison in prominent national security cases. The Democratic Party has become absent in elections due to the new legal framework for polls. Some observers believe Beijing may no longer consider the party worth cultivating ties with, especially after it did not run in the 2021 legislative election after the electoral overhaul.Other pro-democracy groups have disbanded, including the Civic Party, the second-largest pro-democracy political party, and a decades-old group that organized the annual vigil to commemorate Beijings Tiananmen crackdown in 1989. Some activists chose self-exile or ceased their work. Items for sale at the Democratic Partys office in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/May James) Items for sale at the Democratic Partys office in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The Democratic Party pressed on by holding news conferences on livelihood issues. It even submitted opinions on the new national security legislation before it was enacted in March 2024. Ramon Yuen, who had served as a policy spokesperson before and after the security law took effect, admitted the party has become like a pressure group. Unfortunately, this pressure group is also under pressure, said Yuen. Moving toward disbandment In February, the partys central committee decided to set up a task force to look into the procedures for dissolving itself. Current chairperson Lo Kin-hei said it was based on the current political situation and social climate. He declined an interview request. A meeting on Sunday will decide whether to mandate the leadership to proceed. A final vote for dissolution is expected at a later date. Emily Lau poses for a photo next to an Umbrella movement poster with the words "I want genuine universal suffrage." (AP Photo/May James) Emily Lau poses for a photo next to an Umbrella movement poster with the words "I want genuine universal suffrage." (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Yeung Sum looks through old pictures at the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/May James) Yeung Sum looks through old pictures at the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Yuen, 38, joined the party in 2009. If its shuttered, the city will lose a voice advocating for issues ranging from livelihood concerns to democracy, human rights and the rule of law, he said.Its not easy for the central committee to make this decision, he said. I accept it. I can only say, every era will come to an end.For party veteran Yeung, the disbandment would be a very huge setback for the city, adding that the partys disappearance would make it difficult for people outside to believe in the one country, two systems principle. But he believes it will not be the end of fighting for democracy for Hong Kongers, especially for the young people who tasted a free society. People are quiet because they worry about potential penalties if they openly criticize the government, said Yeung, who was sentenced to 14 months in prison for his role in the 2019 protests. So maybe no more democratic formation of party. But I think peoples hearts for democracy, they will not fade out. They still keep it, maybe in different form. KANIS LEUNG Leung covers Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China for The Associated Press. She is based in Hong Kong. twitter RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial outside the Jet Set nightclub, in memory of the more than 200 people who died when its roof collapsed, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)2025-04-11T14:53:31Z SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) A roof collapse at the legendary Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo has plunged the Dominican Republic into mourning.Authorities say the disaster early Tuesday killed 222 people and injured more than 200 others. Nearly two dozen people remain hospitalized, with several in critical condition.The biggest tragedy to strike the Dominican Republic in recent history has raised questions about the safety of infrastructure in the capital and beyond. While authorities have said its too early to determine why the roof fell, the government has created a technical team to investigate the case.Heres a timeline of what happened: A poster of victim Rubby Perez is seen at a makeshift vigil for the victims of the Jet Set club roof collapse in the Dominican Republic, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) A poster of victim Rubby Perez is seen at a makeshift vigil for the victims of the Jet Set club roof collapse in the Dominican Republic, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Monday, April 7It was a Jet Set Monday, the day merengue musicians would play at the legendary club every week.That day, acclaimed singer Rubby Prez was to take the stage at 9 p.m. In typical Latino fashion, the music didnt start until 11:50 p.m., according to his manager, Enrique Paulino.As the music began, more than 400 people inside the club applauded the singer known for hits including Volver and El Africano. Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, early Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Noticias SIN via AP) Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, early Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Noticias SIN via AP) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Tuesday, April 8Halfway through Prezs set, dust from the ceiling began falling into people drinks. Minutes later, the concrete ceiling collapsed onto the crowd.At 12:44 am, the countrys 911 system received the first of 102 calls that day, according to Randolfo Rijo Gmez, the systems director.Two minutes later, at 12:46 a.m., Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, called President Luis Abinader. She told me, Send everyone over here, send all the ambulances, Abinader told reporters.Cruz was rescued but died of injuries at the hospital.Ninety seconds after the first 911 call was received, police arrived. Eight minutes after that call, the first rescue units arrived.In less than 25 minutes, authorities activated 25 soldiers, seven firefighting brigades and 77 ambulances, Gmez said. Rescue workers carry a person pulled from the wreckage of the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Rescue workers carry a person pulled from the wreckage of the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More They deployed dogs, thermal cameras and dozens of specialized equipment.In his first press conference about the disaster, emergency operations director Juan Manuel Mndez said that at least 13 people had died and more than 70 were injured.By that afternoon, the number of victims rose to 58 as more than 100 people donated blood at different centers across the capital.Meanwhile, a crowd of anxious people looking for their loved ones pressed around the remains of the club, forcing authorities to grab a megaphone and ask that they make room for the dozens of ambulances.The victims identified that day included former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera; Luis Sols, the saxophonist who was playing onstage when the roof collapsed; and the son of the public works minister.By the end of the day, authorities announced that the number of victims had surged to 98, with the last survivor found early that afternoon. Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed two nights prior during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed two nights prior during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Wednesday, April 9In the predawn hours, rescue crews from Puerto Rico and Israel arrived to help local officials search for survivors and victims.A collective cry was heard when Mndez, the emergency operations director, confirmed they had found the body of Rubby Prez.The number of victims soared to 184 as dozens of people began gathering at hospitals and the countrys forensic institute in search of their loved ones.Wakes were held for Dotel and Prez in the afternoon, with hundreds of people paying their respects, including MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martnez, who said he knew some 50 people who died at Jet Set.More than 20 victims were identified as being from Haina, the hometown of Prez located just southwest of Santo Domingo. Its mayor said officials would offer the families free funeral services.In the evening, the government announced that it was moving to a recovery phase focused on finding bodies. Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, front right ands his wife Raquel Arbaje Soni, front left, attend the wake of Dominican singer Rubby Perez who died in the roof collapse at the Jet Set nightclub during his merengue concert, at the Eduardo Brito National Theater in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, front right ands his wife Raquel Arbaje Soni, front left, attend the wake of Dominican singer Rubby Perez who died in the roof collapse at the Jet Set nightclub during his merengue concert, at the Eduardo Brito National Theater in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Thursday, April 10The government held a memorial for Prez at Santo Domingos National Theater that hundreds attended, including the countrys president and merengue superstar Juan Luis Guerra.As the coffin was carried out to the hearse, the crowd released white balloons and spontaneously sang Volver.Meanwhile, officials in Haina held a wake for at least 10 victims, with mourners crowding around each coffin to say their final farewells.By late morning, the emergency operations director announced that crews had finished searching for victims and potential survivors after working for 53 continuous hours. Mndez broke down as he spoke, calling it the most difficult task Ive had in 20 years.Officials removed heavy machinery, packed their equipment and evicted people from the area as they fumigated the building.Crews had rescued 189 people alive from the rubble.That afternoon, the presidents spokesman, Homero Figueroa, announced that a technical team would be created to determine what caused the roof to collapse, and that national and international experts would be part of it. A person points to the inside of the Jet Set nightclub days after its roof collapsed, killing more than 200 people, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) A person points to the inside of the Jet Set nightclub days after its roof collapsed, killing more than 200 people, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Friday, April 11Heavy rain fell as dozens of people remained outside the countrys forensics institute, still wearing face masks as they complained about the odor and demanded the bodies of their loved ones.A screen set up nearby showed the names of victims in different colors. Those in black meant that the bodies were ready but that no one had picked them up, while those in green meant the relatives had identified them.Under a tarp, government officials met with family members who presented official documents of their loved ones in order to pick up their remains.Among those waiting at the forensics institute was Carlos Severino, who lost all three of his children: Dianny Escarlet Severino 31; Diego Armando Severino, 27; and Mariani Escarlet Severino, 23. Flowers and candles sit outside the Jet Set nightclub, placed in memory of the more than 200 people who died when its roof collapsed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Flowers and candles sit outside the Jet Set nightclub, placed in memory of the more than 200 people who died when its roof collapsed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More In a phone interview, Severino described them as hardworking, honest and serious.To describe Dianny is to describe an angel. Mariani was the joy of the home. Diego was tenacious, a worker, he said as he began sobbing.Doctors treating the injured at public hospitals said several of them remain in critical condition.Dr. Julio Landrn said a lot of them will have permanent injuries, ranging from paralysis to a damaged finger.

The United States will open the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15 at San Jose, California, play Saudi Arabia four days later at Austin, Texas, and close first-round play in Group D against Haiti on June 22 at Arlington, Texas.

AC Milan secured a convincing 4-0 victory at Udinese in Serie A on Friday, with Srgio Conceio's side earning its first win in nearly a month.

Jayson Tatum took time to acknowledge "another incredible season" for the 60-win Celtics, but said the team is "shifting gears" as it prepares to defend its title in the postseason.

Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog's emotional journey back from a serious knee injury took center ice as he suited up in a professional game for the first time in nearly three years when he joined the Colorado Eagles of the AHL on Friday night.

Argentina's President Javier Milei, left, and Economy Minister Luis Caputo attend the Mercosur Summit in Montevideo, Uruguay, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico, File)2025-04-11T20:52:34Z BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) President Javier Milei on Friday announced that he would lift most of the countrys strict capital and currency controls next week, a high-stakes gamble made possible by a new loan from the International Monetary Fund. It marked a major step forward in the libertarians program to normalize Argentinas economy after decades of unbridled spending.The IMFs executive board late Friday green-lit the $20 billion bailout package, which offers a lifeline to Argentinas dangerously depleting foreign currency reserves over the next four years. The fund praised President Mileis tough austerity program and zero-deficit fiscal policy, saying the program sought to consolidate impressive initial gains and address remaining macroeconomic vulnerabilities.Against this backdrop, the authorities are embarking on a new phase of their stabilization plan, said IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, adding that Argentina has committed to doubling down on spending cuts and economic deregulation and transitioning toward a new foreign currency exchange regime. Shortly afterward, Milei, flanked by his ministers, addressed his nation on television. Today we are breaking the cycle of disillusionment and disenchantment and are beginning to move forward for the first time, he said. We have eliminated the exchange rate controls on the Argentine economy for good. A tangle of regulationsThe capital controls, known here as el cepo, or the clamp, are a tangle of regulations that help to stabilize the peso at an official rate and prevent capital flight from Argentina.Imposed by a previous administration in 2019, the restrictions clamp down on individuals and companies access to dollars, discouraging the foreign investment that Milei needs to achieve his goal of transforming heavily regulated Argentina into a free economy. The restrictions made it almost impossible for ordinary Argentines to purchase dollars, giving rise to a black market that is technically illegal but that almost every Argentine uses to sell their depreciating pesos anyway. Their removal takes effect on Monday. The government said it would $12 billion from the IMF Tuesday a bigger-than-expected upfront sum that gives Argentinas reserves breathing room to make the major change and reflects the funds confidence in Mileis radical reforms.The program is unprecedented in supporting an economic plan that has already yielded results, Milei said.Letting the Argentine peso float kind of The new policy also involves cutting the Argentine peso free from its peg to the dollar. But instead of a risky free float, Argentina is allowing the peso to trade within a so-called currency band that ranges from 1,000 to 1,400 pesos per dollar. The band will expand 1% each month, the bank said. This breaks from Mileis current policy of letting the peso weaken at a pace of 1% against the dollar each month. That crawling peg had drawn backlash from investors worried about the central bank burning through its reserves to prop up the peso. It was forced to spend $2.5 billion to defend the official exchange rate in just the past few weeks. When announcing the removal of exchange controls Economy Minister Luis Caputo insisted it was not a devaluation. The truth is, we dont know where the dollar will end up, he said. Mileis team has sought to fend off a politically costly official devaluation of the peso that could push inflation much higher. Keeping a lid on rising prices a flagship campaign promise has helped the political outsider hold up approval ratings despite his brutal cuts to state spending that might otherwise trigger social unrest. But it was clear that the peso would have to depreciate to some extent, with economists guessing that it would fall to close to its black-market rate. On Friday, that rate was 1,375 pesos to the dollar, compared with the official exchange rate of 1,097 pesos.Marcelo J. Garca, director for the Americas at New York-based geopolitical risk consultancy Horizon Engage, said he expected an initial devaluation of around 20-25%.A big question mark is inflation in the second quarter of the year. Its very likely there will be a shock, said Leonardo Piazza, chief economist at Argentine consulting firm LP Consulting. Argentina, a serial defaulter Before Milei took office in December 2023, the previous left-wing Peronist administration ran up massive budget deficits, leading to sky-high inflation and a chronically weakening peso. By scrapping subsidies and price controls, firing tens of thousands of state workers and halting the central banks overreliance on printing pesos to pay the governments bills, Milei has delivered Argentinas first fiscal surplus in years and largely stabilized its macroeconomic imbalances, thrilling markets even as his shock-therapy approach has hit the population hard.Yet for all the changes and the financial pain, there have been scant signs of a sustainable recovery. Analysts say that a long-term economic revival involves the removal of capital controls, the amassing of currency reserves and access to international capital markets. As a result, foreign companies have waited on the sidelines, wary of pouring their cash into a country infamous for defaulting on its debt.The South American nation is already the IMFs biggest debtor, owing some $43 billion. This new $20 billion loan represents the 23rd rescue package in the nations long and tumultuous history. A tsunami of money outMilei has rejected pressure from investors over the past year to lift the capital controls, insisting that the economic conditions needed to be right. Now, he said, it was finally time.The unusually large first $12 billion disbursement from the IMF will hit Argentinas central bank Tuesday. Another $2 billion will arrive in the next two months, the government said. International organizations will also pitch in, with the Inter-American Development Bank announcing later Friday $10 billion disbursed over the next three years.With this level of reserves, we can back up all the existing pesos in our economy, providing monetary security to our citizens, Milei said. These are the foundations for sustained, long-term growth.Its a high-risk mission, as scrapping the cepo could unleash years of pent-up demand for U.S. dollars and spark a currency run as companies try to send their long-trapped profits home.It could be a tsunami of money out, said Christopher Ecclestone, a strategist with investment bank Hallgarten & Company. Its a total guessing game as to what people will do.The central bank said that while it was lifting restrictions for the public, it would retain taxes on card purchases abroad and some regulations on companies. For instance, from 2025 on, multinational firms will be able to repatriate their earnings. But to get their already trapped holdings out of the country, theyll need to exchange the debt for dollar-denominated security bonds.Its an effort to insure against capital flight, which would imperil Mileis primary accomplishment of lowering inflation ahead of midterm elections in October that are crucial for his libertarian party to expand its small congressional minority. The announcement is more audacious than expected. The government is making a bit of a leap of faith by lifting the cepo, said Garca. Its also bold timing, analysts say, considering the local market turmoil sparked by U.S. President Donald Trumps tariffs. In recent days, Argentine stocks and bonds have plunged.Meanwhile, with traders nervous about a possible peso devaluation under Argentinas IMF deal, the closely watched gap between Argentinas currency exchange rates has grown by over 20% in recent week. The gap is a key indicator of confidence in the government and can fuel inflation, which already accelerated in March to its fastest pace in seven months.On Friday, Argentinas National Statistics Institute reported that consumer prices ticked up 3.7% last month compared to 2.4% in February, mainly as a result of rising food prices.Mieli was unruffled. Inflation will disappear, he promised.___Associated Press writer Almudena Calatrava contributed to this report. ISABEL DEBRE DeBre writes about Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay for The Associated Press, based in Buenos Aires. Before moving to South America in 2024, she covered the Middle East reporting from Jerusalem, Cairo and Dubai. twitter mailto

In this photo taken from video, a helicopter falls from the sky into the Hudson River , Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (Bruce Wall via AP)2025-04-12T04:10:28Z NEW YORK (AP) A helicopter ride giving a thrilling sweep of Manhattans iconic skyline has long been on the to-do list for New York City tourists of means.For several hundred dollars, tour companies fly passengers high above the rivers that encircle the city, showcasing a stunning, birds-eye view of the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center and other monumental landmarks. Debris floats in the water at the scene where a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Debris floats in the water at the scene where a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More But Thursdays crash that killed a family of five visiting from Spain and the helicopters pilot, a Navy SEAL veteran, has renewed concerns about the safety of the popular sightseeing excursions.Since 2005, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have fallen into the Hudson and East rivers as a result of mechanical failures, pilot errors or collisions, killing 20 people.Longtime opponents have revived calls to ban or limit nonessential helicopter flights, including the roughly 30,000 sightseeing rides over the city each year. Mayor against more restrictionsMayor Eric Adams on Friday said he doesnt support further restrictions on the aircraft, saying theyre crucial for everything from transporting Wall Street executives to police work, and that tens of thousands of tourist flights happen each year with no problems. New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends a press conference at Pier 40, where a helicopter went down in the Hudson River between Manhattan and the New Jersey waterfront, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends a press conference at Pier 40, where a helicopter went down in the Hudson River between Manhattan and the New Jersey waterfront, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More People want to see the city from the sky, he said on WINS radio, though he added that it must be done right. The Democrat said the citys airspace is highly regulated, pilots are well-trained and the aircraft are well maintained.Not everyone has his level of comfort.Personally, I dont go on them, Al Yurman, a former investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said of helicopter tours. I feel like the industry doesnt look after itself the way it should.Previous crashes led to new rulesTourist flights seemed like they might be in jeopardy after a disaster in 2009, when a Liberty Helicopters sightseeing flight carrying Italian visitors collided with a private plane over the Hudson River, killing nine. Flowers rest at the end of a pier, Friday, April 11, 2025, near the site where a sightseeing helicopter crashed a day earlier into the Hudson River in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Flowers rest at the end of a pier, Friday, April 11, 2025, near the site where a sightseeing helicopter crashed a day earlier into the Hudson River in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More After that crash, which involved missed radio communications, a distracted air traffic controller and two pilots who didnt see each other until it was too late, the Federal Aviation Administration created new safety rules for the congested airspace over the citys rivers.A few years later, New York City cut the number of flights allowed at Manhattans downtown heliport in half, capping them at just under 30,000 a year.Then, in 2018, five people died when a helicopter offering open door flights crashed in the East River after a passengers restraint tether snagged on a fuel switch, stopping the engine. The pilot escaped but the passengers couldnt get out of their safety harnesses and drowned.That crash prompted more industry scrutiny. Divers investigate the scene where a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Divers investigate the scene where a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Late last month, the company that arranged that flight, FlyNYON, settled a lawsuit over the crash for $90 million. FlyNYONs chief executive, Patrick Day, said it had made numerous changes to improve safety, including changing its passenger restraint system, switching to a different model of helicopter, adding training for pilots and hiring a safety officer.The introspection and self-critical analysis we have undertaken in the last six-and-a-half years have shaped our view of what it means to be an industry leader, and were a safer, smarter, and stronger company for it, Day said.Fewest crashes in 25 yearsThe cause of Thursdays crash is still undetermined.Videos taken by bystanders showed the Bell 206 helicopter breaking apart mid-flight. The cabin plummeted into the water without its severed tail boom or main rotor, which spun off into a different part of the river and hasnt been recovered.Nationwide, there were 88 helicopter accidents last year across all sectors the lowest in 25 years, according to Jeff Smith, chairman of the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, a trade group for helicopter operators based in Kearny, New Jersey, where many Manhattan tour companies depart.Helicopter tours, he added, accounted for a small fraction of all those accidents. We shoot for vision zero, which means no fatalities, Smith said. We train for that. We preach it. It is a cornerstone of our industry. Justin Green, an aviation lawyer and former Marine helicopter pilot, agreed theres nothing especially problematic about New Yorks helicopter tour industry, despite the crashes that seem to happen every few years.At the same time, he said, tour operators should be required to equip their aircraft with modern safety measures, such as terrain awareness technology. Steve Cowell, a Colorado-based aviation expert, suggested the FAA should take a more active role in scrutinizing smaller operators with known financial difficulties.Unfortunately, when people fly, they oftentimes do not check into the safety records or financial viability of the company, Cowell said. Theyre placing their trust and confidence in the abilities of not only the pilots but the maintainers. New York Helicopter, operator of the aircraft that crashed Thursday, had gone through a bankruptcy and been sued twice by creditors in recent months, an AP review found. The company declined to answer questions, but released a statement saying it was profoundly saddened by the deaths of its passengers and pilot.The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew has always been the cornerstone of our operations, it said.___Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo. PHILIP MARCELO Marcelo is a general assignment reporter in the NYC bureau. He previously wrote for AP Fact Check and before that was based in Boston, where he focused on race and immigration. twitter mailto

With a top-six playoff seeding on the line, Stephen Curry said he'll be ready to go for a critical regular-season finale Sunday against the Clippers.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has praised Declan Rice after the midfielder revealed that he ignored the advice of the club's set-piece coach before scoring the first of two sensational free kicks against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

With a top-six playoff seeding on the line, Stephen Curry said he'll be ready to go for a critical regular-season finale Sunday against the Clippers.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tours the Native Health Mesa Food Distribution Center in Mesa, Ariz., Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)2025-04-12T04:01:27Z CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spent time in tribal communities in Arizona and New Mexico this week highlighting ways they are trying to prevent chronic disease among Native Americans and Alaska Natives, something he has said is one of his top priorities.But Kennedy didnt appear to publicly address a Native health program using traditional medicine and foods to tackle disproportionate rates of conditions like diabetes and liver disease. The program, called Healthy Tribes, was gutted in this months federal health layoffs. Some Native leaders say they are having trouble grasping the dissonance between Kennedys words and his actions. With little information, they wonder if Healthy Tribes is part of the Trump administrations push to end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. There also is confusion about what and who is left at the 11-year-old program, which was part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under Kennedys agency, and doled out $32.5 million a year. Tribal leaders and health officials told The Associated Press that cuts to the Healthy Tribes program are another violation of the federal governments legal obligation, or trust responsibility, to tribal nations under treaties, law and other acts. That includes funding for health care through the Indian Health Service, as well as education and public safety for citizens of the 574 federally recognized tribes. But federal funding has long fallen short of meeting those needs, leaving tribal governments to rely on additional grants and programs like Healthy Tribes. So many layers of communications of collaboration and partnerships have just been turned off, said Onawa Miller, a Quechan Indian Nation citizen and director of tribal public health for United South and Eastern Tribes, which serves 33 tribes in those regions of the U.S. She said her organization already has received its annual $2 million in Healthy Tribes funding. Several tribal facilities received an email from a CDC employee April 1 notifying them that the positions of many people who staffed the Healthy Tribes program had been eliminated as part of the reduction in force efforts at CDC. The American Federation of Government Employees union, which represents thousands of workers at the CDC in Atlanta, said more than 30 civil servant jobs were or are being eliminated. That includes 11 positions in the Healthy Tribes program and others in the larger Division of Population Health.An email sent to the account of Healthy Tribes director Dr. Julianna Reece, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was met with an automated reply: Due to the recent HHS reduction in force, I have been placed on administrative leave and will be separated from the agency on June 2nd. Reece did not respond to requests for comment sent to her federal and personal email accounts. Native leaders call change a violation of trustPart of the government upheaval in the past several weeks includes top officials at the National Institutes of Health being offered transfers to Indian Health Service offices far from Washington, D.C. The National Indian Health Board also has said the government eliminated key staff and programs at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Healths Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health.The government is required to consult with tribes on decisions impacting them, like mass layoffs in February at the Indian Health Service that were rescinded hours later, and tribal leaders have warned the Trump administration that such consultations are not happening. In some cases tribes can take legal action against the U.S. for failing to meet its trust responsibilities.It is a violation of trust, without a doubt, said W. Ron Allen, chairman of the Jamestown SKlallam Tribe in Washington state.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not answer questions related to the Healthy Tribes cuts but told the AP in an email that the Indian Health Service was not impacted by this months workforce reductions and there are no plans to consolidate any of its offices. Kennedys swing through the Southwest included a visit to a community health center in metro Phoenix that provides physical and mental health care to Native people and a hike with the Navajo Nation president. He also moderated a panel at the Tribal Self-Governance Conference, held on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona, but didnt take questions from the audience, tribal leaders on stage or journalists.Allen said he had a constructive conversation with Kennedy, reminding him IHS is already underfunded and understaffed and that tribes rely on additional federal grants and programs.Your issue is to reduce the central office, and so were OK with that, but move the functions that serve the tribes out to the tribes, Allen said he told Kennedy. Because if we dont have those resources, how are we gonna make our communities healthy? He agrees. Grants fund traditional medicine practicesResearch shows Native Americans have shorter life expectancies than other ethnic groups, and the Indian Health Service says they face higher mortality rates from chronic conditions like diabetes and liver disease.In Seattle, Healthy Tribes money pays for a program called GATHER, which focuses on integrating traditional tribal medicine practices into health care. Providers at the Seattle Indian Health Board can use medicine made from plants grown in a community garden. A traditional Native medicine apprentice or healer is a part of a patients care team.Seattle Indian Health Board President Esther Lucero, a descendant of the Navajo Nation, said her staff meets with people from the CDC and other Healthy Tribes grantees bimonthly to discuss project updates and ensure compliance with grants. But after last weeks layoffs, they are having trouble contacting anyone. If you cant actually administer the dollars, how are you going to actually get them out to the programs? she said. With this current administration, its almost like every day we receive an unexpected notice, and then we will get a follow-up notice that says ... you need to move forward as usual.Lycia Ortega, interim CEO of Los Angeles-based United American Indian Involvement, echoed concerns about the ambiguous and somewhat confusing messages. Her organization uses Healthy Tribes money to foster connections between younger people and elders in Native American and Alaska Native communities.Native communities have had to push back against the Trump administrations efforts to cut programs that might be considered DEI initiatives, she said, with the help of lawyers, policy experts and watchdogs who point out areas where the government might not be honoring the trust responsibility. Native people have a distinct political power, said Ortega, a citizen of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, but there are policymakers who see tribes as a threat rather than a partner.Stephen Roe Lewis, governor of the Gila River Indian Community, said he told Kennedy privately that consulting with and engaging in respectful partnerships with tribes is key to fulfilling the federal governments trust responsibilities.Since the Trump administration began making massive cuts to the federal workforce, many tribal leaders have had to clarify with newly appointed federal officials that services to tribes are not based on race but rather on the political status of tribal nations.I made it very clear, we are not DEI as tribal nations, as a political entity, he said.___Bose reported from Jackson, Mississippi, and Bohrer from Juneau, Alaska. Associated Press writers Terry Tang in Phoenix and Mike Stobbe in New York contributed.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. DEVNA BOSE Bose is a public health reporter for The Associated Press, based in Jackson, Mississippi. She covers hospitals, rural health access and disparities, public health funding and other topics that broadly intersect with the health of communities. twitter mailto GRAHAM LEE BREWER Brewer reports for the APs Race and Ethnicity team, focusing on Indigenous communities and tribal nations. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and is based in Oklahoma. twitter mailto BECKY BOHRER Bohrer is a statehouse and political reporter based in Juneau, Alaska. twitter RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves expressed confidence in the Lakers' title hopes after Los Angeles clinched the No. 3 seed in the West with Friday night's 140-109 win over Houston.

Gotham FC and USWNT winger Midge Purce is in line to return from a year-long injury absence in Sunday's NWSL clash with the North Carolina Courage.

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves expressed confidence in the Lakers' title hopes after Los Angeles clinched the No. 3 seed in the West with Friday night's 140-109 win over Houston.

A woman votes in a referendum on whether to adopt a new constitution, in Libreville, Gabon, on Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Betines Makosso, File)2025-04-12T06:41:36Z LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) Voters in the oil-rich Gabon headed to polling stations on Saturday in the first presidential election since a 2023 military coup ended a political dynasty that lasted over 50 years.Analysts have predicted an overwhelming victory for the interim president who led the coup.Some 920,000 voters, including over 28,000 overseas, are registered to participate across more than 3,000 polling stations. It is a crucial election for the countrys 2.3 million people, a third of whom live in poverty despite its vast oil wealth.The interim president, Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, 50, toppled President Ali Bongo Ondimba nearly two years ago. He hopes to consolidate his grip on power for a seven-year term in office.Bongo was placed under house arrest after the coup but freed a week later due to health concerns. His wife and son were detained and charged with corruption and embezzlement of public funds. Bongo himself was not charged. Following the coup, Oligui Nguema promised to return power to civilians through credible elections. He has touted himself as a leader who wants to unify the Gabonese and give them hope, running his presidential campaign under the slogan: We Build Together. In January, the parliament adopted a new contentious electoral code allowing military personnel to run in elections. The countrys new constitution, adopted in a referendum in November, has also set the presidential term at seven years, renewable once, instead of the unlimited fiver-year term. It also states family members cant succeed a president and has abolished the position of prime minister.However, some have said Oligui Nguemas stay in office is a continuation of the Bongo familys grip on power as he is a cousin of the ousted president. A challenger with an anti-colonial approachA total of eight candidates are running for president. However, Oligui Nguemas main challenger is Bongos former prime minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who has promised to reorganize public finances, create jobs for young people and end the umbilical cord with former colonial ruler France.In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Bilie-By-Nze said he didnt expect the election to be fair or transparent. Everything has been done to lock down the vote, he said.In a region where France is losing longstanding allies in many of its former colonies, Gabon stands out as one of only a few where that partnership has not been threatened. It still has more than 300 French troops present, one of only two African countries still hosting them.Oligui Nguema has not signaled an end to the French military presence, but Bilie-By-Nze has said no subject is off limits in renegotiating the ties between the two countries. Voters cast their ballotsDozens of voters, from various age groups, lined up at ballot stations in the capital city, Libreville, as voting progressed peacefully. Jonas Obiang told the AP while waiting to cast his ballot in the district of Damas that he would vote for Bilie-By-Nze because he viewed the transition since the 2023 coup as a failure.General Oligui Nguema led the country with the same people who plundered the country, the former members of the Bongo regime. I will not vote for him, he said.Andr Moussavou, a retired military man waiting to cast his vote, however, said he believed in Oligui Nguemas plans to move the country forward.I will vote for the progress of the country because the old system left the country in the abyss, he said. MONIKA PRONCZUK Pronczuk covers 22 countries across Central and West Africa for The Associated Press. She is based in Dakar, Senegal. twitter mailto

With Rose, McIlroy, Scheffler and DeChambeau all in contention, it is shaping up to be an exciting weekend.

Golf's everyman hero hasn't played the Masters since 2006, but every year he shows up in town to hang and sell merch.

Celtics star Jaylen Brown received pain management injections in right knee this week, sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, but he is expected to be ready for the playoffs.

Man United are reportedly ready to cut their losses on striker Rasmus Hjlund. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.

Man United are reportedly ready to cut their losses on striker Rasmus Hjlund. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.

Washington Wizards forward Tristan Vukcevic (00) reacts after a missed a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)2025-04-12T04:29:06Z For New Orleans, Charlotte, Washington and Utah, the seasons will end Sunday.That might not be soon enough.The Pelicans, Hornets, Wizards and Jazz all playing out the string of dismal seasons along with the playoff-bound Houston Rockets combined to make the wrong kind of NBA history on Friday night. All five of those teams lost by at least 30 points, marking the first time that the league saw that many blowouts of that size on the same day.Miami beat New Orleans by 49, 153-104. Boston beat Charlotte by 36, 130-94. Oklahoma City beat Utah by 34, 145-111. The Los Angeles Lakers topped Houston by 31, 140-109. And Chicago beat Washington by 30, 119-89.Those five games pushed the NBAs total of games decided by 30 or more points this season to 79 tying the league mark for such games, set in the 2021-22 season.Its challenging. For sure, its tough, Pelicans coach Willie Green said, after a game where his team trailed the Heat by as many as 52 points. You feel for your guys. Theyre out there fighting and were undermanned, but at the same time, youve got to be able to go through some adversity. It builds you. It makes you stronger. It was a night filled with lopsided scoreboards, and plenty of other games seemed poised to join the 30-point blowout trend before the margins got smaller by the final buzzer. Minnesota beat Brooklyn by 26, Dallas led Toronto by 38 before winning by 22, Phoenix led San Antonio by 31 early in the fourth before winning by 19, Golden State led Portland by 27 before winning by 17, and Orlando had a 35-point lead on Indiana before winning by 15. The three other days before Friday that the NBA saw four games decided by at least 30 points:Dec. 7, 2016 Sacramento 120, Dallas 89; Cleveland 126, New York 94; Houston 134, L.A. Lakers 95; Boston 117, Orlando 87.Jan. 15, 2019 Golden State 142, Denver 111; Milwaukee 124, Miami 86; Philadelphia 149, Minnesota 107; Indiana 131, Phoenix 97.May 5, 2021 Utah 126, San Antonio 94; Atlanta 135, Phoenix 103; Portland 141, Cleveland 105; Boston 132, Orlando 96.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba TIM REYNOLDS Reynolds is an Associated Press sports writer, based in South Florida. twitter mailto

A Cape vulture is seen in its enclosure at the Vulture Programme at Boekenhoutkloof near Hartbeespoort Dam, South Africa on Sept. 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell, File)2025-04-12T04:12:48Z CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) Vultures have an image problem. Seen as ugly and associated with death, they are among the least loved animals in the world. But conservationists in Africa are trying to change that.Theyve launched an effort to save endangered vultures by trying to put a dollar figure on their incredible value.A recent report by the BirdLife International conservation organization estimated that vultures are worth $1.8 billion a year to certain ecosystems in southern Africa, which might surprise anyone not familiar with the clean-up, pest control and anti-poaching work performed by one of the most efficient scavengers on the planet.They are not up there on the pretty scale. And they are not popular. But we know they are very useful, said Fadzai Matsvimbo, an extinction prevention coordinator at BirdLife International. The report comes at an important time for Africas vultures; six of the 11 species found on the continent are listed as endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which says vultures are highly threatened in many parts of the world. In Africa, some species have declined by nearly 90%, Matsvimbo said. Conservationists hope the report will make authorities and the public more aware of the positive impact of vultures.It focused on research in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe and shows how a wake of vultures the term for a group of feeding vultures can strip a decomposing carcass in hours, cleaning up ecosystems, reducing the chance of disease spreading and the presence of pests like rats and feral dogs, which has great benefits to communities. Vultures also have extremely strong stomach acid, dont get food poisoning and are able to consume and neutralize anthrax, botulism and other bacteria and toxins in carcasses that would kill other animals, removing deadly threats from the environment. Just this week, more than 50 hippos died from suspected anthrax poisoning in a reserve in Congo. Vultures are natures best sanitation services, said Matsvimbo. Conservationists have raised the case of the drastic loss of vultures in India over the last 30 years and how that led to a health crisis. A study published last year said half a million people died in India because of the spread of bacteria and infections in the absence of vultures.Matsvimbo said vultures in Africa are also used as sentinels by game rangers because they are often the first to spot a dead animal and can lead rangers to where poachers might be active. They have even proven useful in helping farmers locate dead or injured livestock.Vultures are unique among land vertebrates in that they only feed on carrion dead animals. That makes them especially susceptible to poisoning by humans, either intentionally by poachers and others who want to get rid of them, or by mistake when pests are the target. Hundreds of vultures can die from a single poisoned carcass. Vultures are also regularly killed or maimed in collisions with powerlines in Africa. And they are increasingly being killed for belief-based reasons, said Kerri Wolter, the CEO of the Vulpro vulture rehabilitation center in South Africa, which treats sick and injured vultures to be released back into the wild. She said because vultures have such outstanding eyesight and instincts when it comes to finding a dead animal they are viewed by some as being clairvoyant and able to foresee death. Their body parts, and especially their head, are used in potions or as charms to predict the future.Our work is to change the mindsets of people, Wolter said. For them to see vultures and think, wow that is amazing.Matsvimbo and Wolter both said vultures have been given a raw deal by moviemakers in Hollywood, where they are almost always shown as evil and sinister. Movies have done for vultures what Jaws did for sharks, Wolter said.I love watching The Lion King, but every time they do the vulture part, my heart breaks, said Matsvimbo. Vultures are never portrayed in a positive way. I have a bone to chew with these moviemakers. Or should that be bone to pick?___AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Howard says confidence in himself helped him face adversity, reach NFL draft class with 'unbelievable talent.'

After a turbulent 2024 season on and off the field -- including the exit of Naomi Girma, the retirement of Alex Morgan and several coaching changes -- the new-look San Diego Wave are hoping for better times ahead.

Celtics star Jaylen Brown received pain management injections in right knee this week, sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, but he is expected to be ready for the playoffs.

Manchester City boss Nick Cushing expects Vivianne Miedema to miss the rest of the season through injury.

In this photo released by Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, meets his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi prior to negotiations with U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff in Muscat, Oman, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)2025-04-12T09:45:31Z MUSCAT, Oman (AP) Envoys from Iran and the United States arrived Saturday in Oman ahead of the first talks over Tehrans rapidly advancing nuclear program since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. No overall agreement is immediately likely, but the stakes of the negotiations couldnt be higher for these two nations closing in on half a century of enmity. Trump repeatedly has threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Irans nuclear program if a deal isnt reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. Flight-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed a private jet from Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, arrived in Oman on Saturday morning. U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff had just met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday there. Meanwhile, Irans Foreign Ministry released footage of Tehrans top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. Irans state-run IRNA news agency reported that Araghchi provided Irans stance and key points for the talks to be conveyed to the U.S. side. IRNAs report suggested the meeting would be held later Saturday. If there is sufficient will on both sides, we will decide on a timetable. But it is still too early to talk about that, Araghchi said, in an audio clip published by IRNA. What is clear now is that the negotiations are indirect, and in our view only on the nuclear issue, and will be conducted with the necessary will to reach an agreement that is on an equal footing and leads to securing the national interests of the Iranian people. Trump and Witkoff both have described the talks as being direct.I think our position begins with dismantlement of your program. That is our position today, Witkoff told The Wall Street Journal before his trip. That doesnt mean, by the way, that at the margin were not going to find other ways to find compromise between the two countries. He added: Where our red line will be, there cant be weaponization of your nuclear capability,While the U.S. side can offer sanctions relief for Irans beleaguered economy, it remains unclear just how much Iran will be willing to concede. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran could only maintain a small stockpile of uranium enriched to 3.67%. Today, Tehrans stockpile could allow it to build multiple nuclear weapons if it so chooses and it has some material enriched up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Judging from negotiations since Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the deal in 2018, Iran will likely ask to keep enriching uranium up to at least 20%.One thing it wont do is give up its program entirely. That makes the proposal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a so-called Libyan solution you go in, blow up the facilities, dismantle all the equipment, under American supervision, American execution unworkable. Iranians including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have held up what ultimately happened to the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was killed with his own gun by rebels in the countrys 2011 Arab Spring uprising, as a warning about what can happen when you trust the United States. ___Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. ___The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.___Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/ 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

People walk their dogs on the beach, with the backdrop of the Redcar steel plant in the background, in Hartlepool, England, Nov. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)2025-04-12T09:39:24Z LONDON (AP) U.K. lawmakers returned to Parliament from their Easter break on Saturday to approve an emergency rescue of the countrys last remaining factory that makes steel directly from raw materials.Prime Minister Keir Starmer summoned lawmakers for the highly unusual Saturday sitting to debate a bill aimed at blocking British Steels Chinese owners, Jingye Group, from closing blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant in the north of England. If the bill passes, which is expected, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will have the power to direct the companys board and workforce, ensure workers get paid and order the raw materials necessary to keep the plants two massive blast furnaces running.Starmer said Friday that the future of the plant hangs in the balance, necessitating the need for the quick-fire legislation and the recall of Parliament. Though Starmer did not use not use the term nationalization, he did say all options remain on the table for the steel works, which employs around 2,700 workers directly.The decision to introduce the emergency legislation was given added urgency by the recent move by Jingye to cancel orders for the iron pellets used in the blast furnaces. Without the pellets and other raw materials, they would likely have to shut for good, potentially within days. Its unclear what role Jingye, owner of British Steel since 2020, will have in the day-to-day running of the steelworks once the legislation passes. Jingye, which has said the Scunthorpe plant is financially unsustainable due to challenging market conditions and increased environmental costs, has for months sought a government rescue but discussions have failed to reach a successful outcome. Last months decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose a 25% tariffs on imported steel was another blow. Though Starmer has expressed disappointment, he has not retaliated and is seeking to negotiate the tariffs away. Unions have welcomed his initiative to call back Parliament and voiced hope that it will eventually lead to the government taking ownership of the plant. It is in the national interest that a solution is found to secure a future for British Steel as a vital strategic business, said Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the union Community. We cant allow Britain to become the only G7 country without primary steelmaking capacity.At its height in the postwar period, British steelmaking was a global leader, employing more than 300,000 people, before cheaper offerings from China and other countries hit production. It now employs about 40,000 directly, with the industry accounting for just 0.1% of the British economy.Britains remaining steelmakers are under pressure to reduce carbon emissions. Most have shifted to electric arc furnaces that make steel from recycled material. That has left Scunthorpe as the only factory with blast furnaces capable of turning iron ore into virgin steel.The steel industry is part of our national story, Starmer said. The last time lawmakers have been called back from their recess to sit on a Saturday was in 1982, in the aftermath of Argentinas invasion of the Falkland Islands in the south Atlantic.

Amateurism has collapsed like the house of cards it always was. It shouldn't have lasted this long.