Conservative commentator Dan Bongino speaks at the Conservative Political Action Committee annual conference in National Harbor, Md., March 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)2025-02-24T02:34:35Z WASHINGTON (AP) Dan Bongino, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who has penned best-selling books, ran unsuccessfully for office and gained fame as a conservative pundit with TV shows and a popular podcast, has been chosen to serve as FBI deputy director.President Donald Trump announced the appointment Sunday night in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising Bongino as a man of incredible love and passion for our Country. He called the announcement great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.The selection places two staunch Trump allies atop the nations premier federal law enforcement agency at a time when Democrats are concerned that the president could seek to target his adversaries. Bongino would serve under Kash Patel, who was sworn in as FBI director at the White House on Friday and who has signaled his intent to reshape the bureau, including by relocating hundreds of employees from its Washington headquarters and placing greater emphasis on the FBIs traditional crime-fighting duties. The deputy director serves as the FBIs second-in-command and is traditionally a career agent responsible for the bureaus day-to-day law enforcement operations. Bongino, 49, served on the presidential details for then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before becoming a popular right-wing figure. He became one of the leading personalities in the Make America Great Again political movement to spread false information about the 2020 election. For a few years following Rush Limbaughs death in 2021, he was chosen for a radio show on the same time slot of the famous commentator.Bongino worked for the New York Police Department from 1997 through 1999, before joining the Secret Service. He began doing commentary on Fox News more than a decade ago, and had a Saturday night show with the network from 2021 to 2023. He is now a host of The Dan Bongino Show, one of the most popular podcasts, according to Spotify. Bongino ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 2012 and for congressional seats in 2014 and 2016 in Maryland and Florida, after moving in 2015. He lost the three races.During an interview last fall, Bongino asked Trump to commit to forming a commission to reform the Secret Service, calling it a failed agency and criticizing it for the two assassination attempts last year.That guy should have been nowhere near you, Bongino said about the man who authorities say camped outside Trumps golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, before he was spotted with a rifle.During the same interview, Trump praised the Secret Service agent who saw the rifles barrel coming out of a bush.___Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report. ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Gomez Licon writes about national politics for The Associated Press. She is based in Florida. twitter mailto ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department and the special counsel cases against former President Donald Trump. twitter mailto

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy answers media questions during his press conference, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)2025-02-24T02:20:10Z UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.S. has pressured Ukraine to withdraw its European-backed U.N. resolution demanding an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine in favor of an American proposal that does not mention Moscows invasion, a U.S. official and a European diplomat said Sunday.But Ukraine refused to pull its draft resolution, and the U.N. General Assembly will vote on it Monday, the third anniversary of Russias invasion of Ukraine, two European diplomats said.The 193-nation General Assembly then is expected to vote on the U.S. draft resolution, according to the diplomats and the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because private negotiations are still ongoing.The Trump administration is also seeking a vote on its proposal in the more powerful U.N. Security Council. China, which holds the Security Council presidency this month, scheduled a vote on the U.S. resolution for Monday afternoon. The dueling resolutions the first since the invasion highlight the tension between the U.S., Ukraine and European countries in the five weeks since President Donald Trump took office and has opened talks with Russia after years of isolation in a bid to end the war. European leaders were dismayed that they and Ukraine were left out of preliminary negotiations between the U.S. and Russia last week. The General Assembly has become the most important U.N. body on Ukraine because the Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, has been paralyzed by Russias veto power. There are no vetoes in the General Assembly, and its votes are closely watched as a barometer of world opinion. However, its resolutions are not legally binding, unlike those adopted by the Security Council.Since Russian forces crossed Ukraines border on Feb. 24, 2022, the assembly has adopted half a dozen resolutions condemning the war and demanding the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops. The assembly votes have shown strong global opposition to Russias conflict, and the votes on the rival resolutions Monday will be closely watched to see if that support has waned and to assess support for Trumps effort to bring a speedy end to the war.One European diplomat said there has been intense lobbying and arm-twisting on the rival resolutions. The U.S. official said the U.S. is trying to get Ukraine and the Europeans to back down on their draft. It comes as Trump plans to host French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday in Washington.The United States believes this is the moment to commit to ending the war. This is our opportunity to build real momentum toward peace, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement late Friday.He said that while challenges may arise, the goal of lasting peace remains achievable and that the resolution would affirm that this conflict is awful, that the U.N. can help end it, and that peace is possible.The Ukraine resolution, co-sponsored by the 27-nation European Union, refers to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and recalls the need to implement all previous assembly resolutions adopted in response to the aggression against Ukraine. It singles out the General Assemblys demand that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and its demand to immediately halt all hostilities. And it calls for a de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine.The very brief U.S. draft resolution acknowledges the tragic loss of life throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict and implores a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia. It never mentions Moscows invasion.Russias U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told reporters last week that the U.S. resolution was a good move.Russia also suggested an amendment, seeking to add the phrase including by addressing its root causes so the final line of the U.S. resolution reads, implores a swift end to the conflict, including by addressing its root causes, and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.___Lee reported from Washington.

FILE -A poster "Thank you Gisele" is pictured, Dec. 14, 2024 in Avignon, southern France, near the courthouse where the Mazan rape trial is taking place. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard), File)2025-02-24T05:13:34Z VANNES, France (AP) A former surgeon is set to stand trial in France on Monday for the alleged rape or sexual abuse of 299 victims, most of them children who were his patients, in what investigators and his own notebooks describe as a pattern of violence spanning over three decades.Jol Le Scouarnec, now 74, will face hundreds of victims during a four-month trial in Vannes, Brittany. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, on top of 15 years he has been serving after being found guilty in 2020 of rape and sexual assault of children.He does not deny the allegations, though says he doesnt remember everything. Some survivors have no memory of the assaults, having been unconscious at the time.Le Scouarnecs trial comes as activists are pushing to lift taboos that have long surrounded sexual abuse in France. The most prominent case was that of Gisle Plicot, who was drugged and raped by her now ex-husband and dozens of other men who were convicted and sentenced in December to prison terms ranging from three to 20 years. Child protection and womens rights groups and medical community associations have called for a rally on Monday in front of the courthouse where Le Scouarnec will be tried. The case began in 2017, when a 6-year-old neighbor said Le Scouarnec had touched her over the fence separating their properties.A subsequent search of his home uncovered more than 300,000 photos, 650 pedophilic, zoophilic and scatological video files, as well as notebooks where he described himself as a pedophile and detailed his actions, according to investigation documents. In 2020, Le Scouarnec was convicted of rape and sexual assault of four children, including two nieces, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He had admitted to child abuse dating to 1985-1986, but some cases could not be prosecuted because the statute of limitations had expired. The Vannes trial will examine alleged rapes and other abuses committed between 1989 and 2014 against 158 men and 141 women who were aged 11 on average at the time.The doctor sexually abused both boys and girls when they were alone in their hospital rooms, according to investigation documents.I didnt really remember the operation. I remembered the post-operation, a surgeon who was quite mean, one of the victims, Amlie Lvque, recalled of her time in the hospital when she was 9 years old in 1991. I cried a lot.Years later, she described feeling overwhelmed when she learned that her name appeared in Le Scouarnecs notebooks. That was the beginning of the answers to a lifetime of questions, and then it was the beginning of the descent into hell, she told public broadcaster France 3. I felt like I had lost control of everything. I wasnt crazy, but now I had to face the truth of what had happened.I fell into a deep depression. ... My family tried to help, but I felt completely alone.The Associated Press does not name people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they consent to being identified or decide to tell their stories publicly. Le Scouarnecs lawyer, Thibaut Kurzawa, told Sud-Ouest newspaper his client will answer the judges questions as he decided to face up to reality.Le Scouarnec had already been convicted in 2005 for possessing and importing child sexual abuse material and sentenced to four months of suspended prison time. Despite that conviction, he was appointed as a hospital practitioner the following year. Some child protection groups joined the proceedings as civil parties, saying they hope to toughen the legal framework to prevent such abuse.___Vaux-Montagny reported from Lyon, France. Associated Press writer Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.

Leah Fauth places flowers in front of the West York Police Department after a police officer was killed responding to a shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pa. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)2025-02-24T05:01:13Z A man who took hostages in a Pennsylvania hospital during a shooting that killed a police officer and wounded five other people highlights the rising violence against U.S. healthcare workers and the challenge of protecting them.Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, carried a pistol and zip ties into the intensive care unit at UPMC Memorial Hospital in southern Pennsylvanias York County and took staff members hostage Saturday before he was killed in a shootout with police, officials said. The attack also left a doctor, nurse, custodian and two other officers wounded.Officers opened fire as Archangel-Ortiz held at gunpoint a female staff member whose hands had been zip-tied, police said.The man apparently intentionally targeted the hospital after he was in contact with the intensive care unit earlier in the week for medical care involving someone else, according to the York County district attorney. Such violence at hospitals is on the rise, often in emergency departments but also maternity wards and intensive care units, hospital security consultant Dick Sem said.Many people are more confrontational, quicker to become angry, quicker to become threatening, Sem said. I interview thousands of nurses and hear all the time about how theyre being abused every day. Archangel-Ortizs motives remained unclear but nurses report increasing harassment from the public, especially following the coronavirus pandemic, said Sem, former director of security and crisis management for Waste Management and vice president at Pinkerton/Securitas. In hospital attacks, unlike random mass shootings elsewhere, the shooter is often targeting somebody, sometimes resentful about the care given a relative who died, Sem noted. It tends to be someone whos mad at somebody, Sem said. It might be a domestic violence situation or employees, ex-employees. Theres all kinds of variables. At WellSpan Health, a nearby hospital where some of the victims were taken, Megan Foltz said she has been worried about violence since she began working as a nurse nearly 20 years ago.In the critical care environment, of course theres going to be heightened emotions. People are losing loved ones. There can be gang violence, domestic violence. Inebriated individuals, Foltz said.Besides the fear of being hurt themselves, nurses fear leaving their patients unguarded. If you step away from a bedside to run, to hide, to keep safe, youre leaving your patient vulnerable, she said.Healthcare and social assistance employees suffered almost three-quarters of nonfatal attacks on workers in the private sector in 2021 and 2022 for a rate more than five times the national average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Other recent attacks on U.S. healthcare workers include: Last year, a man shot two corrections officers in the ambulance bay of an Idaho hospital while freeing a white supremacist gang member before he could be returned to prison. They were caught less than two days later. In 2023, a gunman killed a security guard and wounded a hospital worker in a Portland, Oregon, hospitals maternity unit before being killed by police in a confrontation elsewhere. Also in 2023, a man opened fire in a medical center waiting room in Atlanta, killing one woman and wounding four. In 2022, a gunman killed his surgeon and three other people at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical office because he blamed the doctor for his continuing pain after an operation. Later that year, a man killed two workers at a Dallas hospital while there to watch his childs birth.The shooting is part of a wave of gun violence in recent years that has swept through U.S. hospitals and medical centers, which have struggled to adapt to the growing threats.With rising violence, more hospitals are using metal detectors and screening visitors for threats at hospital entrances including emergency departments.Many hospital workers say after an attack that they never expected to be targeted. Sem said training can be critical in helping medical staff identify those who might become violent. More than half of these incidents Im aware of showed some early warning signs from early indicators that this person is problematic. Theyre threatening, theyre angry. And so that needs to be reported. That needs to be managed, he said.If nobody reports it, then you dont know until the gun appears.___Associated Press writer Chris Weber contributed to this report from Los Angeles. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, right, greets his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani in Makati city, Philippines on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)2025-02-24T05:57:54Z MANILA, Philippines (AP) Japan and the Philippines agreed Monday to further deepen their defense collaboration and talk about protecting shared military information in the face of mutual alarm over Chinas increasing aggressive actions in the region.Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, forged the agreements in a meeting in Manila where their concern over Chinas actions in the disputed South China Sea and East China Sea was high in the agenda.Japan and the Philippines are treaty allies of the United States, and the three have been among the most vocal critics of Chinas assertive actions in the region, including in the contested waters.At the opening of his meeting with Nakatani, Teodoro said the Philippines was looking forward to boosting defense relations with Japan against unilateral attempts by China and other countries to change the international order and the narrative. Nakatani said after the meeting that he agreed with Teodoro to strengthen operational cooperation, including joint and multinational defense trainings, port calls and information-sharing. We also agreed to commence discussion between defense authorities on military information protection mechanism, Nakatani said.The Philippines signed an agreement with the United States, its longtime treaty ally, last year to better secure the exchange of highly confidential military intelligence and technology in key weapons to allow the sale of such weaponry by the U.S. to the Philippines. Then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Teodoro signed the legally binding General Security of Military Information Agreement in Manila at a time when the U.S. and the Philippines were boosting their defense and military engagements, including large-scale joint combat drills, largely in response to Chinas increasingly aggressive actions in Asia. Nakatani said that he and Teodoro firmly concurred that the security environment surrounding us is becoming increasingly severe and that it is necessary for the two countries as strategic partners to further enhance defense cooperation and collaboration in order to maintain peace and stability in Indo-Pacific.Japan has had a longstanding territorial dispute with China over islands in the East China Sea. Chinese and Philippine coast guard and navy ships, meanwhile, have been involved in a series of increasingly hostile confrontations in the South China Sea in the last two years.Also high in the agenda of Nakatani and Teodoro, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press, was the expansion of bilateral cooperation, especially in the context of the Reciprocal Access Agreement.Last year, Japan and the Philippines signed the agreement allowing the deployment of Japanese and Philippine forces for joint military and combat drills in each others territory. The Philippine Senate has ratified the agreement, and its expected ratification by Japans legislature would allow the agreement to take effect.The agreement with the Philippines, which includes live-fire drills, is the first to be forged by Japan in Asia. Japan signed similar accords with Australia in 2022 and with Britain in 2023. Japan has taken steps to boost its security and defensive firepower, including a counterstrike capability that breaks from the countrys postwar principle of focusing only on self-defense. Its doubling defense spending in a five-year period to 2027 to bolster its military power.Many of Japans Asian neighbors, including the Philippines, came under Japanese aggression until its defeat in World War II, and Tokyos efforts to strengthen its military role and spending could be a sensitive issue.Japan and the Philippines, however, have steadily deepened defense and security ties largely due to concerns over Chinese aggression in the region.___Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila contributed to this report. JIM GOMEZ Gomez is The AP Chief Correspondent in the Philippines. twitter mailto

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa arrive at a train station on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)2025-02-24T06:32:17Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) A dozen leaders from Europe and Canada arrived in Ukraines capital by train Monday morning to mark the third anniversary of Russias invasion.The visitors were greeted at the station by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and the presidents chief of staff Andrii Yermak. Among them were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.In a post on X, von der Leyen wrote that Europe was in Kyiv because Ukraine is in Europe.In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. Its Europes destiny, she wrote.The guests, also including European Council President Antonio Costa as well as the prime ministers of Northern European countries and Spain, were set to attend events dedicated to the anniversary and discuss supporting Ukraine amid a recent U.S. policy shift under President Donald Trump. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Friedrich Merz, right, member of the German Christian Democratic Party, arrives for a press conference in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 31, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)2025-02-24T06:53:54Z BERLIN (AP) Friedrich Merz is on course to become the post-World War II Germanys 10th chancellor, the culmination of a yearslong political career that was once sidelined by his partys iconic leader. The 69-year-old head of the center-right Union bloc, which won the countrys national election with 28.6% of the votes, has by far the best chance of forming a new government. The most likely outcome appeared to be a coalition with the Social Democrats, which have led an unpopular coalition since 2021 with two other parties. Merz has vowed to make European unity his top priority in the face of challenges coming from Russia and the new Trump administration. The top job has been late in coming for Merz, a lawyer by profession, who saw his ascent derailed by former Chancellor Angela Merkel in the early 2000s and even turned his back on active politics for several years. Despite his political experience, he is heading to the chancellery without previously having served in government. The rivalry with MerkelMerkel has described Merz as a brilliant speaker and complimented his desire for leadership, though she acknowledged this was a problem in their relationship.We are almost the same age ... We grew up completely differently, which was more of an opportunity than an obstacle, she wrote in her memoir Freedom.But there was one problem, right from the start: We both wanted to be the boss, she said.Merkel moved to consolidate her grip on Germanys center-right after the Union narrowly lost a national election in 2002. She pushed Merz aside as leader of its parliamentary group, taking the job herself in addition to the leadership of the Christian Democratic Union party she already held. She went on to lead Germany from 2005 to 2021. A break from politicsMerz turned his back on active politics for several years after leaving the parliament in 2009. He practiced law and headed the supervisory board of investment manager BlackRocks German branch. During that break, he often travelled for business to the United States and China, though he never lived outside Germany.Friedrich Merz is perhaps the most international chancellor Germany has had since the war if he becomes chancellor, said Volker Resing, who wrote the recently published biography Friedrich Merz: his path to power.Merz relies on personal initiative, on the freedom of the individual, on creativity and motivation. And only secondarily on the state, Resing said.Political comebackMerz launched his political comeback after Merkel stepped down as CDU leader in 2018 and announced that she wouldnt seek a fifth term of chancellor. However, he was narrowly defeated by centrist candidates more in Merkels mold in party leadership votes in 2018 and early 2021.Merz persisted and was elected party leader in the third attempt, after the center-rights defeat by current Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Germanys 2021 election. Merz cemented his power by also becoming the leader of the Unions parliamentary group.According to Resing, Merzs way of doing politics is not to avoid confrontation at all costs. Instead, he maintains a perspective that a certain amount of provocation can set off a real debate and perhaps a real development in motion. During the election campaign, Merz has vowed to make Germanys ailing economy strong again and curb irregular migration. With President Donald Trump back in the White House and tensions rising over how to resolve the war in Ukraine, Merz, who has long supported a strong transatlantic relationship, said after his victory that his top priority is to unify Europe in the face of challenges coming from the United States and Russia.I have no illusions at all about what is happening from America, he told supporters. We are under such massive pressure ... my absolute priority now is really to create unity in Europe. Flirting with the far right?Merz put toughening Germanys immigration laws at the forefront of the election campaign after a migrant killed two people in a knife attack in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg last month.He brought a nonbinding motion before the parliament, calling for many more migrants to be turned back at Germanys borders. The motion was narrowly approved thanks to votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party. That prompted his opponents to accuse Merz of breaking a taboo in allegedly working with the AfD, and a public rebuke from Merkel. Critics pointed to the episode as an illustration of what they say is Merzs tendency to impulsiveness.Since then, hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets to protest against both Merz motion and also the rise of the far right. Merz has insisted he did nothing wrong and never worked with AfD, and also repeatedly vowed to never work with the party if he becomes chancellor. Roots in rural GermanyMerz represents his rural region in Germanys parliament an area where people are rather down-to-earth, perhaps a little reserved, Resing said. Thats what shaped him: rural life.As a politician, Merz has always championed conservative values and stressed the importance of family. He met his wife Charlotte, who is now a judge, while he was studying law. The couple has three adult children.Merz joined the CDU in 1972 and was elected to the European Parliament in 1989. He first joined the German parliament in 1994.In the pilots seatA pilot openly passionate about his hobby, Merz sometimes flies his own small plane from his home in the Sauerland region in western Germany to Berlin early on Monday mornings. He has stuck to flying, despite the long hours imposed by his job as opposition leader and occasional criticism that he is indulging in a rich mans hobby.When you talk to him about flying, his eyes light up, Resing said. He says that when youre above the clouds, thats freedom. KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Grieshaber is a Berlin-based reporter covering Germany and Austria for The Associated Press. She covers general news as well as migration, populism and religion. mailto

People pray for Pope Francis in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)2025-02-24T07:33:28Z ROME (AP) Pope Francis was resting Monday morning after a quiet night, on the 10th day of his hospitalization for a complex lung infection that has provoked the early stages of kidney failure, the Vatican said.The one-line statement didnt say if Francis, 88, had woken up. The night passed well, the pope slept and is resting, it said.Late Sunday, doctors reported that blood tests showed early kidney failure that was nevertheless under control. They said Francis remained in critical condition but that he hadnt experienced any further respiratory crises since Saturday. He was receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen and, on Sunday, was alert, responsive and attended Mass. They said his prognosis was guarded.Doctors have said Francis condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. They have warned that the main threat facing Francis is sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican, including on Sunday. Monday marks Francis 10th day in the hospital, making this equal to the longest hospitalization of his papacy. He spent 10 days at Romes Gemelli hospital in 2021 after he had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed.In New York on Sunday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan acknowledged what church leaders in Rome werent saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united at the bedside of a dying father. As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death, Dolan said in his homily from the pulpit of St. Patricks Cathedral, though he later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would bounce back.Doctors have said Francis condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. His condition has revived speculation about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and whether he might resign.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Sergio Castellitto, from left, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini, and Ralph Fiennes, winners of the award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture for "Conclave," pose in the press room during the 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)2025-02-24T07:30:25Z LOS ANGELES (AP) As the cast of Conclave descended steps leading to backstage at the Shrine Auditorium, they got a fresh round of applause from staff and crew at the Screen Actors Guild Awards to go with the big ovation theyd gotten moments earlier from the ballroom crowd. The esteemed group of Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini and John Lithgow had enough collective gravitas on their own, but Harrison Ford, who had just presented them the best ensemble award, the nights big prize, also walked among them. He was among the generations of stars, including the nights other big winners and nominees, to congratulate the elite performers from the papal potboiler as they made their way through the behind-the-scenes winners obligations at the SAG Awards, with an Associated Press reporter in tow. A photographer asked the Conclave winners to stop and pose, and shouted Get in there Mr. Ford! Ford, not wanting to horn in, walked backwards up the steps back on to the stage. SAG staffers tried to lead the group to their next stop, but they had to wait. I have to go get my purse! Rossellini said, and returned to the ballroom. Lithgow went back in too to get his wife. A whirlwind of stars congratulate Conclave castA gleeful Jamie Lee Curtis descended on the two before they left and gave congrats and kisses to each.Fiennes walked ahead alone for a moment, and happened on Ariana Grande, whose cast of Wicked had been up against Conclave for best ensemble.Yay, congratulations! she told Fiennes. I was really happy for you guys I was screaming! She then introduced him to her date, Broadways Spongebob SquarePants actor Ethan Slater. Next came a station, normally a bar, where the actual SAG statuettes are handed out. (The ones they accept on stage are just props.)Jane Fonda, the nights winner of the guilds Lifetime Achievement Award, walked up.Are you guys just hanging out at the bar? she said. Im waiting for you, Jane Fonda! Fiennes replied. Fiennes pulled her aside and quietly praised the call-to-arms political speech she made during the show.You nailed it, he said, adding that she expressed what no one is saying.Rossellini reappeared, gave a big hug to Fonda, and introduced her to the fourth Conclave cast member in attendance, Sergio Castellitto, who played the vaping Cardinal Tedesco in the film. He was the conservative, Rossellini said.I was the villain! Castellitto added.Enter newly-minted winner Timothe ChalametTimothe Chalamet, winner of best male actor for A Complete Unknown, then showed up to get his statue.Wheres Timothe? Fiennes shouted.Hey Ralph, hows it going, I was hoping Id see you guys! Chalamet said.The wins for Conclave and Chalamet threw a wrench into expectations for the Oscars that are just a week away, with Chalamet, Fiennes and Rossellini all nominees. The presumed Oscar frontrunner, Anora, was shut out.Lithgow returned to the group, and when Chalamet saw him he shouted, Hey John, not bad eh?A photographer asked Lithgow to pose with his award, and he held up fingers to indicate this was his third.I dont want to boast, but.., he said with a shrug to the AP reporter. A rush of photos and time to get familiar with their SAG statuetteThe group moved along and signed show posters, then made their way to the area where winners pose for press photos.Actors always say awards are heavy when they get them, but by all accounts the SAG statue truly is. Kieran Culkin made the heft the subject of half his acceptance speech for best supporting male actor.While he waited for the photo session, the 62-year-old Fiennes did some presses with his award with each arm.The 79-year-old Lithgow held his over his head with one arm as the photos were snapped.His wife of more than 40 years, UCLA business professor Mary Yeager, found a bench nearby to sit down after the long night.The group then stood for virtual questions from reporters at a news conference, and made their way into the official after-party, where they got their statuettes engraved.Before leaving with Yeager, Lithgow posed with a group of firefighters who had taken on the recent Los Angeles wildfires and had been the evenings special guests, getting a standing ovation when they were introduced before the show. Inside the SAG Awards ballroomThe firefighters spent much of the night getting similar photos.During the first break in the telecast, they headed straight past Ford and Jeff Goldblum, who were standing and chatting, to the table where Grande sat with the Wicked cast, perhaps looking to impress their children with the photos.They later made their way to Ford, who wanted to talk with them for a while before taking a picture.With only actors as nominees, the SAG Awards crowd has a high famous-to-not famous ratio, and behind the scenes its easy to see things like best female actor winner Demi Moore talking to best male actor nominee Adrien Brody as they walk toward the restrooms. Both are also up for Oscars. The SAG Awards are also a union meeting, and this group, who went on a historic strike in 2023, were asked through fliers at place settings, a video that played during a break, and a pre-telecast plea from their leader to support their striking colleagues who work on video games.Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, also spoke of the need for legislation putting strict limits on the use of artificial intelligence to create actors performances.As I look out at our guests I see some of the most deep-faked people in the world, he said. ANDREW DALTON Dalton covers entertainment for The Associated Press, with an emphasis on crime, courts and obituaries. He has worked for the AP for 20 years and is based in Los Angeles. mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Abigail Kwartekaa Quartey, center, and other boxers train in a school compound in the Jamestown district in Accra, Ghana, Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)2025-02-24T05:56:32Z ACCRA, Ghana (AP) When Abigail Kwartekaa Quartey decided as a teenager to become a professional boxer an unusual choice for a young woman in a working-class neighborhood of Ghanas capital of Accra her family begged her to stop training.Boxing is the pride of Jamestown, which is based around the fishing industry and also known for being home to many boxing stars. But like most sports in Ghana, boxing has often been seen as for men only, and women are discouraged from taking part.But Quartey persisted. And last year, at age 27, she became Ghanas first female world boxing champion and the first woman to travel the world as a member of the West African nations national team.My aunts and siblings didnt like it when I started boxing. They would come here to beg my coach not to let me become a boxer, she said at the Jamestown neighborhoods Black Panthers Gym where Quartey has been training since her teenage years.But when last November Quartey defeated British boxer Sangeeta Birdi in Jamestowns main boxing area, winning the WIBF World Super Bantamweight title, crowds of friends and supporters from the neighborhood celebrated wildly, seemingly forgetting about the prejudice against female boxers. Triumph after challengesGhanaian media pronounced her win history, but Quartey is quick to point out that she is by no means the first female boxer in Ghana.There were women in boxing before I ventured into boxing, she said. But they werent allowed to travel outside the country, she added.Quarteys long road to this spectacular victory highlights the many challenges that female athletes in African countries face in their careers.Quartey grew up in Jamestown and, as a teenager, sold rice with her aunt to help the family make ends meet. The only people who supported her boxing dream were her brother, a fellow boxer, and her coach.In 2017, she stopped boxing and started selling lottery tickets to earn money. It took a lot of convincing from her coach to get her back into the ring in 2021. She could not afford a manager, and feared she would not make it without one.In Ghana, she said, female boxers do not receive much support and it is difficult to keep training. Big deal for everyoneSarah Lotus Asare, a boxing coach and the project lead for the Girls Box Tournament, said Quarteys world title meant a lot for all boxers in Ghana.Even for the male boxers, when they fight with non-Africans, its very difficult for them to win, because they have a lot more facilities and equipment than we do, she said.Quarteys title is a big deal for her, the gym, the community, Ghana, Africa and the world at large, said her coach, Ebenezer Coach Killer Adjei, as he watched her train during an afternoon session at the Black Panthers Gym.Follow meBut for Quartey, what counts the most is the impact on young women from her neighborhood.She wants more women to become professional athletes.I am a world title holder and that confirms that what a man can do, a woman can also do, she said.Training next to her was 18-year-old Perpetual Okaijah, who said her family had also tried to dissuade her from going to the gym, arguing that it was for men only. But she has kept on coming anyway.I look up to Abigail because shes a very tough girl, she said. She inspires me, shows me the right thing. ___For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse___The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Friedrich Merz, front right, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), gestures while addressing supporters at the party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)2025-02-23T20:46:52Z BERLIN (AP) German opposition leader Friedrich Merzs conservatives have won a lackluster victory in a national election Sunday, projections show.Alternative for Germany nearly doubled its support, the strongest showing for a far-right party since World War II. Friedrich Merz, right, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and Markus Soeder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), shake hands at the CDU party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP) Friedrich Merz, right, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and Markus Soeder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), shake hands at the CDU party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Merz said he was aware of the dimension of the task he faces to make a governing coalition and said that it will not be easy.Chancellor Olaf Scholz conceded defeat for his center-left Social Democrats. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz waves after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz waves after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The election was dominated by worries about the years-long stagnation of Europes biggest economy, pressure to curb migration and growing uncertainty over Europes alliance with the United States. Leader of far right AfD Alice Weidel waves a German flag at the AfD party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Leader of far right AfD Alice Weidel waves a German flag at the AfD party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), speaks during the election party at the partys headquarters in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Soeren Stache/DPA via AP, Pool) Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), speaks during the election party at the partys headquarters in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Soeren Stache/DPA via AP, Pool) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More People watch first prjections at a pub in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) People watch first prjections at a pub in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after the German national election. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More From left, Amira Mohamed Ali, co-leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and member of the Greens, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Markus Soeder, leader of the German Christian Social Union, (CSU), Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany Party (AfD) and Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), attend a tv discussion after the national election in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Stefanie Loos/Pool Photo via AP) From left, Amira Mohamed Ali, co-leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and member of the Greens, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Markus Soeder, leader of the German Christian Social Union, (CSU), Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany Party (AfD) and Christian Lindner, leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), attend a tv discussion after the national election in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Stefanie Loos/Pool Photo via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Exterior view of the Reichstag building, home of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Exterior view of the Reichstag building, home of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, left, and the top candidate Robert Habeck attend the election party of the Greens (Buendnis 90/Die Gruenen) in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025.(Fabian Sommer/dpa via AP) German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, left, and the top candidate Robert Habeck attend the election party of the Greens (Buendnis 90/Die Gruenen) in Berlin Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025.(Fabian Sommer/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More People react after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) People react after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The Willy Brandt sculpture can be seen next to a screen with the election forecasts at the headquarters of the German Social Democratic party (SPD) in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Hannes P Albert/dpa via AP) The Willy Brandt sculpture can be seen next to a screen with the election forecasts at the headquarters of the German Social Democratic party (SPD) in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Hannes P Albert/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More From left, Ines Schwerdtner, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), top candidate Heidi Reichinnek and Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) react during the partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Carsten Koall/dpa via AP) From left, Ines Schwerdtner, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), top candidate Heidi Reichinnek and Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) react during the partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Carsten Koall/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) speaks during the partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Subday, Feb 23, 2025. Slogan reads: Sahra Wagenknecht Party Chairwoman (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP) Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) speaks during the partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Subday, Feb 23, 2025. Slogan reads: Sahra Wagenknecht Party Chairwoman (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Volunteers prepare postal votes during the German national election in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Volunteers prepare postal votes during the German national election in Munich, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Gesa Schoenwolff, right, casts her vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Philipp-Moritz Jenne) Gesa Schoenwolff, right, casts her vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Philipp-Moritz Jenne) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More German Chancellor Olaf Scholz casts his vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz casts his vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), casts his vote at a polling station Arnsberg-Niedereimer, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP) Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), casts his vote at a polling station Arnsberg-Niedereimer, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the national election. (Oliver Berg/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Resident casts a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Resident casts a vote at a polling station in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, during the German national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, jogs in the early morning accompanied by a bodyguard in Potsdam, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, jogs in the early morning accompanied by a bodyguard in Potsdam, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The Brandenburg Gate and the town hall tower, bottom right, are pictured in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) The Brandenburg Gate and the town hall tower, bottom right, are pictured in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More

Elon Musk, left, receives a chainsaw from Argentina's President Javier Milei as they arrive speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)2025-02-24T05:13:23Z WASHINGTON (AP) Confusion and chaos loom as hundreds of thousands of federal employees begin their workweek on Monday facing a deadline from President Donald Trumps cost-cutting chief, Elon Musk, to explain their recent accomplishments or risk losing their jobs. Musks unusual demand has faced resistance from several key U.S. agencies led by the presidents loyalists including the FBI, State Department, Homeland Security and the Pentagon which instructed their employees over the weekend not to comply. Lawmakers in both parties said that Musks mandate may be illegal, while unions are threatening to sue.Trump over the weekend called for Musk to be more aggressive in his cost-cutting crusade through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and posted a meme on social media mocking federal employees who cried about Trump and Elon. Musks team sent an email to hundreds of thousands of federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week. In a separate message on X, Musk said any employee who failed to respond by the deadline set in the email as 11:59 p.m. EST Monday would lose their job. Mass confusion followed on the eve of the deadline as some agencies resisted the order, others encouraged their workers to comply, and still others offered conflicting guidance. One message on Sunday morning from the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed its roughly 80,000 employees to comply. That was shortly after the acting general counsel, Sean Keveney, had instructed some not to. And by Sunday evening, agency leadership issued new instructions that employees should pause activities related to the request until noon on Monday.Ill be candid with you. Having put in over 70 hours of work last week advancing Administrations priorities, I was personally insulted to receive the below email, Keveney said in an email viewed by The Associated Press that acknowledged a broad sense of uncertainty and stress within the agency. Keveney laid out security concerns and pointed out some of the work done by the agencys employees may be protected by attorney-client privilege: I have received no assurances that there are appropriate protections in place to safeguard responses to this email.Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, were critical of Musks ultimatum.If I could say one thing to Elon Musk, its like, please put a dose of compassion in this, Curtis, whose state has 33,000 federal employees, said on CBS Face the Nation. These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages. ... Its a false narrative to say we have to cut and you have to be cruel to do it as well.Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel, an outspoken Trump ally, instructed employees to ignore Musks request, at least for now.The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures, Patel wrote in an email confirmed by the AP. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses. Ed Martin, interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sent his staff a message Sunday that may have caused more confusion.Let me clarify: We will comply with this OPM request whether by replying or deciding not to reply, Martin wrote in the email obtained by the AP, referring to the Office of Personnel Management.Please make a good faith effort to reply and list your activities (or not, as you prefer), and I will, as I mentioned, have your back regarding any confusion, Martin continued. We can do this. Officials at the Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security were more consistent.Tibor Nagy, acting undersecretary of state for management, told employees in an email that department leadership would respond on behalf of workers. No employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command, Nagy wrote in an email. Pentagon leadership instructed employees to pause any response to Musks team, according to an email from Jules Hurst, the deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. The Homeland Security Department, meanwhile, told employees that no reporting action from you is needed at this time and that agency managers would respond, according to an email from R.D. Alles, deputy undersecretary for management.Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforce either by being fired or through a deferred resignation offer during the first month of Trumps second term. There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs so far, but the AP has tallied hundreds of thousands of workers who are being affected. Many work outside of Washington. Musk on Sunday called his latest request a very basic pulse check.The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all! Musk wrote on X. In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks. In other words, there is outright fraud.He has provided no evidence of such fraud. Separately, Musk and Trump have falsely claimed in recent days that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments.Meanwhile, thousands of other employees are preparing to leave the federal workforce this coming week, including probationary civilian workers at the Pentagon and all but a fraction of U.S. Agency for International Development staffers through cuts or leave.___Peoples reported from New York. Associated Press writers Byron Tau, Ellen Knickmeyer, Matthew Perrone and Tara Copp in Washington and Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, contributed to this report. ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department and the special counsel cases against former President Donald Trump. twitter mailto AMANDA SEITZ Seitz is an Associated Press reporter covering federal health care policy. She is based in Washington, D.C. twitter mailto

Protesters against the Dakota Access oil pipeline congregate, Nov. 21, 2016, on a long-closed bridge on a state highway near Cannon Ball., N.D. near their camp in southern North Dakota. (AP Photo/James MacPherson, File)2025-02-24T05:06:09Z MANDAN, N.D. (AP) A Texas pipeline companys lawsuit accusing Greenpeace of defamation, disruptions and attacks during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline goes to trial in North Dakota on Monday, in a case the environmental advocacy organization says threatens free speech rights and its very future.The lawsuit stems from the protests in 2016 and 2017 over the oil pipelines planned Missouri River crossing, upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribes reservation. The tribe has long argued that the pipeline threatens its water supply. Of the thousands of people who protested the project, hundreds were arrested.Energy Transfer and its subsidiary Dakota Access allege trespass, nuisance, defamation and other offenses by Netherlands-based Greenpeace International and its American branch, Greenpeace USA. The lawsuit also names the groups funding arm, Greenpeace Fund Inc.The jury trial in state court in Mandan, North Dakota, is scheduled to last five weeks. What are details of the case?Dallas-based Energy Transfer alleges Greenpeace tried to delay construction of the pipeline, defamed the companies behind it, and coordinated trespassing, vandalism and violence by pipeline protesters. The lawsuit seeks millions of dollars in damages.The Dakota Access Pipeline was completed and has been transporting oil since June 2017.Greenpeace International said it shouldnt be named in the lawsuit because it is distinct from the two U.S.-based Greenpeace entities, operates outside the U.S., and its employees were never in North Dakota or involved with the protests. Greenpeace USA said the plaintiffs have failed to back up their claims in the years since the protests.Earlier in February, a judge denied motions by Greenpeace to throw out or limit parts of the case. What is Greenpeaces position?Representatives of the environmental organization founded over 50 years ago said the company just wants to silence oil industry critics.This trial is a critical test of the future of the First Amendment, both freedom of speech and peaceful protest, under the Trump administration and beyond, Greenpeace USA Interim Executive Director Sushma Raman told reporters. A bad ruling in this case could put our rights and freedoms in jeopardy for all of us, whether we are journalists, protesters or anyone who wants to engage in public debate.Greenpeace USA helped support nonviolent, direct-action training on safety and de-escalation at the protests, Senior Legal Adviser Deepa Padmanabha said.Energy Transfer is arguing that anyone engaged in a training at a protest should be held responsible for the actions of every person at that protest, Padmanabha said. So its pretty easy to see how, if successful, this kind of tactic could have a serious chilling effect on anyone who might consider participating in a protest.Earlier in February, Greenpeace International filed an anti-intimidation suit in the District Court of Amsterdam against Energy Transfer, saying the company acted wrongfully and should pay costs and damages resulting from its meritless litigation. What does Energy Transfer say?An Energy Transfer spokesperson said the lawsuit is about Greenpeace not following the law.It is not about free speech as they are trying to claim. We support the rights of all Americans to express their opinions and lawfully protest. However, when it is not done in accordance with our laws, we have a legal system to deal with that, Energy Transfer spokeswoman Vicki Granado said in a statement.The company filed a similar case in federal court in 2017, which a judge dismissed in 2019. Soon after, Energy Transfer filed the state court lawsuit now headed to trial.Energy Transfer launched in 1996 with 20 employees and 200 miles (320 kilometers) of natural gas pipelines. Today the 11,000-employee company owns and operates over 125,000 miles (200,000 kilometers) of pipelines and related facilities. JACK DURA Dura covers the North Dakota state government for The Associated Press. He is based in Bismarck, North Dakota. twitter mailto

This undated photo shows Mitch Flanigan petting two now-retired sled dogs at Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Flanagan in December 2024 accepted a full-time ranger position working with the sled dog team, but was a probationary worker fired by the U.S. government Feb. 14, 2025. (Mitch Flanigan via AP)2025-02-24T11:00:07Z NEW YORK (AP) HIRING: Park ranger. SEEKING: Nuclear submarine engineer. WANTED: Sled dog musher.If they seem unlikely postings, they probably are. But a laid-off federal worker can dream.Axed from jobs not easily found outside government, thousands of federal workers caught in President Donald Trumps cost-cutting efforts now face a difficult search for work.If youre doing, say, vegetation sampling and prescribed fire as your main work, there arent many jobs, says Eric Anderson, 48, of Chicago, who was fired Feb. 14 from his job as a biological science technician at Indiana Dunes National Park.All the years of work Anderson put in the masters degree, the urban forestry classes, the wildfire deployments seemed to disappear in a single email dismissing him. Hes hoping theres a chance hes called back, but if he isnt, hes not sure what hell do next. He was so consumed with his firing that he broke a molar from grinding his teeth. But he knows hes caught in something larger than himself, as the new administration unfurls its chaotic cost-cutting agenda. This is someone coming in and tossing a hand grenade and seeing what will happen, he says. The federal job cuts are the work of the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by billionaire Elon Musk, who has been tearing through agencies looking for suspected waste. No official tally of firings has been released, but the list stretches into the thousands and to nearly every part of the country. More than 80% of the federal governments 2.4-million-person civilian workforce is based outside of the Washington area. Cathy Nguyen, 51, of Honolulu, was laid off last month from her job at USAID, where she helped manage the PEPFAR program, which combats HIV/AIDS.Her firing not only brought the turmoil of finding new health insurance, halting saving for retirement and her kids college education, and trimming spending for things like the family subscription to Disney Plus it also has forced her to reconsider her career goals. PEPFAR is a landmark effort that stretches across dozens of countries and is credited with saving some 26 million lives. Nothing rivals it. So where does a former PEPFAR worker go?Its requiring me to rethink how I want to spend my professional life, Nguyen says.As specialized as Nguyens work has been, Mitch Flanigan may have her beat.Flanigan, 40, was assigned to the sled dog kennels at Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska until he was fired Feb. 14. It never brought a huge paycheck, but where else could he get to work as a dog musher against such a breathtaking panorama?He has appealed his firing with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.I still kind of want to fight for the job that I lost, he says. Im not really making much money, its just fun and its a unique thing to be a part of.A November report from the Federal Salary Council, which advises on government pay, found that federal salaries were one-fourth lower than those in the private sector. A Congressional Budget Office report released last year found pay disparities depended on workers education. Federal workers with a high school diploma or less outearned their private-sector counterparts with 17% higher wages, the CBO found. That edge disappeared among better-educated workers. Workers with bachelors degrees had wages 10% lower than the private sector and those with professional degrees or doctorates earned 29% less. Federal benefits were vastly better than the private sector for the lowest-educated workers, the CBO found, and about even for the highest-educated workers.Many laid off from federal positions were drawn by stability, benefits and, more than anything, the opportunity to do work they might not be able to do anywhere else. Now, everyone from diplomats to public health workers are flooding the job market looking for suitable positions.Gracie Lynne, a 32-year-old fellow at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, who lives in Eugene, Oregon, took a pay cut when she started her job four years ago. Her parents lost their home during the Great Recession, which led to their divorce, years of financial angst, and Lynnes own interest in financial regulation. She found herself following the nascent CFPBs rulemaking and poring over 1,000-page bills on bank regulations. She wrote her masters thesis on the bureau. She couldnt pass up the job.This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she told herself.Plus, she thought, the benefits would come in handy when her and her husband decided to start a family. Now, six months pregnant, she finds herself jobless and scrambling to get insured.She isnt sure where shell land, or if shell find many employers rushing to hire someone about to become a mother. But she feels more committed than ever to the work she did. I feel even more compelled to stay in the public sector after this experience, she says, noting the good work protecting consumers she was every day, to stay in the fight.Luke Tobin, a 24-year-old forestry technician who worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Idahos Nez Perce National Forest, who was fired from his job Feb. 14, finds the accusations of waste by Musk and others laughable. He sees extreme understaffing and threadbare budgets.He earned about $19 an hour and was furloughed for about half of the year but still relished a job that had him backpacking in remote areas for days at a time.Scrambling to find a replacement job, hes put in dozens of applications. He has pursued openings on tree farms, at tree-trimming companies and at nurseries, but so far, has only heard back from two employers on two minimum-wage jobs: one as an Amazon delivery person and the other as a line cook at a fried chicken restaurant.I need a job, he says, any job.___Associated Press writer Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report.___Matt Sedensky can be reached at [emailprotected] and https://x.com/sedensky. MATT SEDENSKY Sedensky is a national writer for The Associated Press. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Friedrich Merz, left, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), stand next to Secretary General Carsten Linnemann, right, after he receives flowers at the CDU's headquarters, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)2025-02-24T11:41:56Z BERLIN (AP) Germany faces its second change of leader in fewer than four years after the head of the center-right opposition, Friedrich Merz, won Sundays election, which saw a surge for a far-right party and a stinging defeat for outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.After the collapse of Scholzs three-party government in November, its now up to Merz to restore stability to the European Unions most populous country and traditional political heavyweight, which also has the continents biggest economy.Merz faces a difficult task. But it could have been worseMerz has one realistic option to form a government: a coalition with Scholzs Social Democrats. His Union bloc and its center-left rival have a combined 328 seats in the 630-seat parliament.He says he hopes to do the deal by Easter. Thats a challenging timeframe: The possible partners will have to reconcile contrasting proposals for revitalizing the economy, which has shrunk for the past two years, and for curbing irregular migration an issue that Merz pushed hard during the campaign. That will likely require diplomacy and a readiness to compromise that often werent evident in recent weeks. Its still a much easier task than it might have been. For hours on Sunday night, it looked likely that Merz would need to add a second center-left partner, the environmentalist Greens, to put together a parliamentary majority.Germanys traditional heavyweights erode furtherThe Union and Social Democrats were post-World War II Germanys heavyweights. But their support has been eroding for at least two decades as the political landscape has become more fragmented. Their combined showing Sunday was their weakest since the postwar federal republic was founded in 1949.The Social Democrats had their worst postwar showing with just 16.4% of the vote. The Union had its second-worst with 28.5%. This is only the second time that the winning party polled less than 30%; the first was in 2021. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after first projections are announced during the election party at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Geographical divide: The far right leads in the east The far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, emerged as the strongest party across the countrys formerly communist and less prosperous east. That cemented its primacy in a region that has long been its stronghold, and where it won its first state election last year. Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany Party (AfD), arrives for a press conference in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, the day after the national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany Party (AfD), arrives for a press conference in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, the day after the national election. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Other parties were stronger in only a few eastern constituencies outside Berlin. In western Germany, which accounts for most of the countrys population, AfD trailed Merzs Union and sometimes other parties too but still polled strongly on its way to 20.8% of the nationwide vote, the highest postwar score for a far-right party.Young voters lead a hard-left revivalWhile AfD made the biggest gains, the Left Party made the most unexpected. The party appeared headed for electoral oblivion at the start of the campaign but pulled off a resounding comeback to take 8.8% of the vote.The Left Party appealed to young voters with very liberal positions on social and migration issues and a tax-the-rich policy, backed up by a savvy social media campaign. It benefited from polarization during the campaign after a motion that Merz put to parliament calling for many more migrants to be turned back at the border passed thanks to votes from AfD. Merzs conservatives have long refused to work with the Left Party, so there was no prospect of it putting him in the chancellery. From left, Ines Schwerdtner, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), top candidate Heidi Reichinnek and Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) react during the partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Carsten Koall/dpa via AP) From left, Ines Schwerdtner, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke), top candidate Heidi Reichinnek and Jan van Aken, co-leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) react during the partys election party in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (Carsten Koall/dpa via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Ukraine can still expect German supportMerz has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine as it fends off Russias invasion. He wrote on social network X Monday that more than ever, we must put Ukraine in a position of strength. He added that for a fair peace, the country that is under attack must be part of peace negotiations.Germany became Ukraines second-biggest weapons supplier after the United States under Scholz. Merz has at times criticized the outgoing government for doing too little, notably calling for Germany to supply Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Kyiv. Scholz refused to do that.Merz, like Scholz, has been tightlipped so far on whether Germany might contribute to a possible peacekeeping force, suggesting that the discussion is premature. Where Scholz went wrongScholz pulled off a narrow come-from-behind victory in 2021 after presenting himself as the safest pair of hands available.But his governments agenda was quickly upended by the Ukraine war and the ensuing energy and inflation crises. His coalition became notorious over time for infighting and poor communication. Scholz has suggested recently that he maybe should have ended it sooner than he did.Scholz sought another unlikely comeback. But too many voters, and even some in his own party, had cooled on the unpopular chancellor.

Paul Mack poses for a portrait in Redwood City, Calif., Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)2025-02-24T14:34:23Z Supplies of high-demand obesity treatments are improving, but that doesnt mean its easier to get them.Many employers and insurers are scaling back coverage of Wegovy and Zepbound and a key government program, Medicare, doesnt cover the drugs for obesity. Meanwhile, some big employers are adding coverage, but their commitment isnt guaranteed.Treatment prices that can top hundreds of dollars monthly even after discounts make it hard for many people to afford these drugs on their own. That can make the life-changing weight loss that patients seek dependent on the coverage they have and how long it lasts.Coverage complications are not unusual in the U.S. health care system. But the challenge is magnified for these obesity treatments because a wide swath of the population could be eligible to take them, and patients have to stay on the drugs to keep the weight off. There are a lot of people right now who want access to the medication and cant get it, said Katherine Hempstead, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation senior policy adviser. Coverage varies depending on who pays the billPaul Mack dropped about 70 pounds after he started taking Wegovy. The Redwood City, California, resident said food noise constant thoughts of eating faded, and he was able to have a heart procedure.The treatment was covered by Californias Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. Then the 50-year-old security guard got a raise. He no longer qualified for Medi-Cal and lost coverage of the drug for several months starting last summer.He regained two pants sizes.I couldnt control the eating, he said. All the noise came back.Coverage of these drugs remains patchy more than a year after Zepbound entered the market to challenge Wegovy. The benefits consultant Mercer says 44% of U.S. companies with 500 or more employees covered obesity drugs last year. Its even more common with bigger employers.More than a dozen government-funded Medicaid programs for people with low incomes also cover obesity treatments. But few insurers cover the drugs on individual insurance marketplaces. And some plans restrict their coverage with things like requests for prior authorization or pre-approval.The lack of Medicare coverage remains a concern as well, especially for people who retire and move to the government-funded program from employer-sponsored coverage.Patients come to us terrified about switching to Medicare and losing coverage, said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and cofounder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. We start talking about backup plans a year before they transition.Cost and uncertain payoff loom as concerns payer concernsPhiladelphia-area insurer Independence Blue Cross dropped coverage of the drugs solely for weight loss for some customers starting this year. Company officials say the insurer worried about premium hikes it would have to impose on all customers if it continued.Cost also was a factor in decisions by West Virginia and North Carolina officials to end similar programs that provided coverage for state employees.These concerns make Vanderbilt University researcher Stacie Dusetzina wonder how long employers who have added coverage will keep it, now that the drugs are no longer in short supply. Thats probably going to spike spending, said Dusetzina, a health policy professor who studies drug costs.Drugmakers tout the savings these drugs can provide by improving patient health and warding off future serious medical conditions like heart attacks or strokes.But health care experts note that there are no guarantees that the employer or insurer who covers the drug will eventually reap those benefits because people may change jobs or insurers.Will coverage ever become consistent?Theres no clear path toward widespread coverage of these drugs for obesity, even as polls show Americans favor having Medicaid and Medicare cover the costs.Leaders at Zepbound maker Eli Lilly have seen coverage grow steadily for their drug, and theyre optimistic that will continue. Former President Joe Bidens administration proposed a rule that would allow for Medicare and broader Medicaid coverage. Its fate remains uncertain in President Donald Trumps administration. A bill calling for Medicare coverage has been floating around Congress for years. But it isnt scheduled for a vote.Drugmakers are currently testing several additional obesity treatments. Such potential competition could reduce prices and prompt more coverage.Patchy coverage complicates treatment plansDr. Amy Rothberg says the lack of consistent coverage leaves her conflicted about writing prescriptions because shes not sure how long patients will be able to take the drug.We know from the studies that people go off these medications, they regain their weight, said Rothberg, director of the University of Michigans weight-management program. I dont want to do harm.Some insurers require diet and exercise changes for the patient before they will cover a weight-loss medication. Those changes should happen in conjunction with starting the medicine, said Dr. Lydia Alexander, president of the Obesity Medicine Association. Shes also seen requirements for a body mass index of 40 or more, which equates to severe obesity, before coverage can start.Were saying that obesity is a disease, but were not treating it like a disease, she said.____ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. TOM MURPHY Murphy covers how people and businesses navigate the U.S. health care system. He is a member of APs Health and Science team. mailto

Like some (many? most? all?) authors I sometimes check how my book is doing on Amazon and other booksellers. Recently while doing that, I came across another listing on the online retailer: SUMMARY OF JOSEPH COXS DARK WIRE, referring to the book I spent years researching, investigating, and writing. It cost $4.99.Curious whether this product was an AI-generated rip-off of my work, I bought a copy. Flicking through the digital pages, the summary, rather expectedly, condensed each of my chapters into a few page overview. Details I had gone to incredible lengths to get, including flying around the world to meet criminals face-to-face, or sneaking into a law enforcement conference, or slowly building trust with understandably scared sources was plopped into this new book with little context on how they got there or why they mattered.For example, here is the original opening of my book, about a drug trafficker called Owen Hanson:In the early morning of September 9, 2015, Owen Hanson opened his Louis Vuitton bag and stuffed it with bundles of cash and three cell phones. The money was for gambling during the round of golf he was scheduled to have that day with a business associate.Then the version in the purchased summary:On September 9, 2015, Owen Hanson was scheduled to play a round of golf with a business associate.It then continues laying out Hansons rise and fall. Or really, just the fall. It leaves out much of the narrative detail.A screenshot of the book summary.Obviously summary books are not new. Students everywhere have relied on CliffsNotes or other study guides and summaries to get through classes. But AI potentially gives low level publishers, or grifters, a way to churn out summaries and list them for sale.Its hard to ultimately tell if this summary was AI-generated. I showed a screenshot of the summary contents to the rest of 404 Media. Emanuel pointed to the other summaries listed by the publisher, called Slingshot Books. Pages and pages of book summaries with generic orange covers.Amazon removed a mass of Slingshots books, including the summary of my own, after I contacted the company for comment. On Tuesday the publisher only had one product listed: an audiobook summary of Michael Newtons Journey of Souls. Summaries are a common type of low quality, seemingly AI-generated type of book that is common on many platforms that offer ebooks. After a 404 Media investigation into AI-generated books on Hoopla, a service that provides ebooks to public libraries, Hoopla announced that it would remove summaries from its service entirely in order to reduce the number of low quality books, with the exception of HMH Books, the publisher of CliffNotes.Do you know anything else about slop publishers? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at +44 20 8133 5190. Otherwise, send me an email at joseph@404media.co.Tim Gillman, an Amazon spokesperson, told me in an email We limit the publication of summary books that are about other titles in our store, and the title you brought to our attention is no longer available for purchase. We have content guidelines governing which books can be listed for sale, and we have proactive and reactive methods that help us detect content that violates our guidelines, whether AI-generated or not. We invest significant time and resources to ensure our guidelines are followed, and remove books that do not adhere to those guidelines. We continue to enhance our protections against non-compliant content, and our process and guidelines will keep evolving as we see changes in AI-driven publishing.Hachette, the publisher for my book, did not respond to a request for comment. Slingshot was not reachable for comment.I also found what looks like the same summary from Slingshot on Apple Books. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.As for how I feel about all this: on one hand, its nice that a company, publisher, person, entity, or whatever considers my book interesting enough (or, I guess, potentially worth the time) to summarize. It would be great if CliffNotes itself made a summary of the book, and used its expertise to communicate some of the more complicated points of the text to a presumably new audience. But thats not really what seems to be going on with Slingshot, at least judging by the quality of the summary itself and the boilerplate covers each book has. It looks and feels much more like quickly churning something out that can be sold to some sucker on Amazon for five bucks. I spent countless hours reading every encrypted message from drug traffickers I could get a hold of. I eventually walked through the very rooms where the FBI read millions of intercepted messages, and pushed the FBI on what really happened during the operation, including a young man being murdered by users of the FBIs own encrypted messaging app. And a ton of other work that I almost cannot remember, it was all consuming. Now someone is going to cheapen that work by selling it for pennies?404 Media previously reported how AI-generated books about mushroom foraging were on Amazon. At the time, experts were concerned that the books could end up killing someone due to the false information they contained.

President Donald Trump speaks at the Governors Working Session in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (Pool via AP)2025-02-23T21:26:17Z Follow live updates on President Donald Trump and his new administration. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trumps real-time confrontation with Maines governor over transgender athletes captured the conundrum many Democratic governors are facing in the Republicans second term.Gov. Janet Mills vow that she would see Trump in court over his threat to withhold money from the state if it didnt comply with his executive order delighted Democrats who want more strident pushback. But the dust-up that played out in the open Friday as Trump hosted governors at the White House ticked off a president known to retaliate against people he considers enemies. Hours after the spat, the federal Department of Education announced it was initiating an investigation into the Maine Department of Education over the inclusion of trans athletes. Trump doesnt want them playing in girls and womens sports; Maine law bars discrimination based on gender identity. Any time a public interaction like that takes place, its coming from a person whos grounded in their values, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in an interview Sunday. I love Janet Mills and I appreciate her for standing up. I also know that theres always a cost that comes with that. The Democrats who lead the nations most populous states were in Washington for a meeting of the National Governors Association, where they tried to strike a balance between their states needs and their feelings about Trump. Whitmer, known for clashing with Trump during his first term over the federal COVID-19 response, campaigned vigorously against him in 2024 on behalf of Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris. Whitmer said she sat next to Trump at a White House dinner on Saturday night.I was the only Democrat at the table. I was a little surprised. I think everyone in the room was a little surprised, to be honest, she said. But I took the opportunity to talk a little bit about tariffs. Michigan and other states could be significantly affected by some of the presidents early proposals. For example, Michigan expects nearly 42% of its budget to come from federal funds and relies heavily on trade with Canada, which now faces potential Trump-imposed trade penalties.A federal judge is considering a request to block the administration from freezing trillions of dollars in grants and loans, a move that could severely impact states. At the same time, Trumps key ally, Elon Musk, is pushing to shrink the federal government, with likely ripples nationwide. About 80% of the roughly 2 million people in the federal workforce live outside metro Washington, dispersed across the country.Im very worried that people are going to make make decisions without a real understanding of what the ramifications are going to be for the American public, Whitmer said. Musk, she said, is dangerous.At discussion panels and news conferences at the meetings, state leaders struck a conciliatory tone.We always hope that people can disagree in a way that elevates the discourse and tries to come to a common solution, said Democratic Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, the associations chair, when asked about the Trump-Mills exchange. I dont think that disagreement was necessarily a model of that, he said. Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., met with Trump for more than an hour on Friday afternoon to discuss Manhattans congestion tolling. Trump ordered a halt to the program, a key Hochul priority, and declared in a social media post: Long live the king!Asked about the meeting, Hochul told CBS Face the Nation that it was adversarial and said New Yorkers need to know Im willing to take the fight wherever I have to.Were not going to sit idly by and let our rights be attacked, she said. Well work with you when theres common ground, no doubt about it, lets build great projects and infrastructure. Theres areas where were going to work with you on immigration and getting the violent criminals off our streets. We do not dispute that, but dont think that you can just come in and bully us around and not expect a reaction from governors. Whitmer said she had a chance to speak with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, in addition to Trump.Ive got to put the peoples interests before my own interests, before my partisan interest. I got a job to do, said Whitmer, considered a top-tier potential candidate for the 2028 Democratic nomination for president. So even if its uncomfortable, even if, you know, its all the all the things you would assume, on a personal level, thats second to my job as governor.Hundreds of miles from Washington, another 2028 contender took a different direction. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, in his State of the State address on Wednesday, compared the Trump administration to the Nazi movement and criticized members of his own party, declaring, Going along to get along does not work. Pritzkers response resonated with some key voters.We didnt elect Democrats to become collaborators with our oppressors, said Lori Goldman, founder of Fems for Dems, a Michigan-based group focused on voter turnout.We are beyond angry and we are organizing against Democrats that sell us out, she said. JOEY CAPPELLETTI Cappelletti covers politics and state government for The Associated Press in Michigan. He is based in Lansing. twitter mailto

Emil Bove, attorney for former US President Donald Trump, sits Manhattan criminal court during Trump's sentencing in the hush money case in New York, Jan. 10, 2025. (Jeenah Moon/Pool Photo via AP, file)2025-02-24T13:27:32Z WASHINGTON (AP) A group of Manhattan criminal defense attorneys was so concerned about prosecutor Emil Boves professionalism that they banded together to send an email to his bosses. One lawyer complained in the 2018 email that Bove was completely reckless and out of control in how he handled his cases. Another, upset about Boves rudeness and power plays, said he needed adult supervision. A third, a top federal public defender in the city, said he cannot be bothered to treat lesser mortals with respect or empathy.Bove, then a hard-charging prosecutor in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, was hardly chastened by the complaints.Instead, he printed the email and pinned it on a cork board in his office for others to see, according to a person who worked with Bove. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to candidly discuss a former colleague, said Bove considered the email to be a badge of honor. Boves near decade as a prosecutor a time in which he tackled high-profile cases amid complaints about his polarizing behavior provides clues as to how he views his current role as President Donald Trumps chief enforcer at the Justice Department. In just a month as the departments acting No. 2 official, the little-known Bove has plowed through norms and niceties, whether scolding FBI leadership for insubordination in refusing his request to hand over the names of agents who investigated the January 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol or forcing out attorneys who worked those cases. Earlier this month, he pressured former colleagues to drop charges against New York Citys mayor for reasons unrelated to the strength of the case, upending decades of Justice Department norms. The moves have spurred intense criticism from legal scholars and former prosecutors. They worry that Bove, who represented Trump in federal and state criminal prosecutions, is settling scores for the president, not impartially running the Justice Department. Brushing aside such concerns, Bove has sought to aggressively implement Trumps agenda in a way that is not at all surprising to many who knew him when he was litigating drug and terrorism cases. In my experience litigating against him, what he enjoyedmost as a prosecutor was wielding power the single worst possible trait for a public servant, said Christine Chung, a former federal prosecutor who as a defense attorney has squared off against Bove. But people wont speak against him publicly because hes also vindictive, as he is now making abundantly clear. The Justice Department declined to comment in response to an AP request to interview Bove along with a detailed list of questions about his past conduct. Hes doing the job that Trump got elected to do, said Christopher Kise, who got to know Bove when they worked together on Trumps legal defense team. You have to let folks know youre serious about taking control. The process can sometimes get messy but if youre going to bake a cake, youve got to break some eggs. Kise added he was surprised by the portrayal of Bove by former colleagues as a villain bent on enforcing Trumps agenda at any cost. Hes exceptionally intelligent, Kise said, and respectful of differing viewpoints.Turmoil at the Justice DepartmentAs acting deputy attorney general, Bove has been instrumental in leading the effort to reshape the FBI and Justice Department, moving to identify agents involved in investigations of the Capitol riot and making clear to prosecutors his expectation that they follow his orders. On Feb. 14, for instance, he convened a call with prosecutors in the Justice Departments public integrity section and gave them an hour to pick two people to file the motion to dismiss charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, even though other prosecutors had already resigned over the directive to toss the case.Particularly startling was his order for the FBI to turn over a list of thousands of agents who participated in Jan. 6 investigations, a request seen by some in the bureau as a precursor to a purge. The scrutiny of career FBI agents is highly unusual given that rank-and-file agents do not select their cases.The attack on the Capitol left more than 100 police officers injured as the angry mob of Trump supporters some armed with poles, bats and bear spray overwhelmed law enforcement, shattered windows and sent lawmakers and aides running into hiding. Trump has spent the better part of four years downplaying the seriousness of the attack and blaming federal authorities for cracking down too harshly on his supporters. Bove has embraced that view. In a letter ousting more than a half-dozen top FBI executives on Jan. 31, Bove wrote that officials needed to clean house because the FBI had actively participated in what the president appropriately described as a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people. His actions, particularly his aggressive attacks on the FBI, have left former colleagues befuddled. Its so not like the Emil that I knew, said Chris OLeary, a retired FBI agent who served as a counterterrorism supervisor in New York City and knew Bove as an effective prosecutor and a good partner. OLeary noted that Bove was actively involved in Jan. 6-related investigations in the New York area and never indicated any concerns about the way the inquiries were handled.OLeary added: Its almost like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.It is not clear how much longer Bove will serve in the role of acting deputy attorney general. Trump has nominated Todd Blanche, another one of his attorneys and a former federal prosecutor, for that post. If Blanche is confirmed by the Senate as is expected Bove will become Blanches top adviser, serving as the principal associate deputy attorney general. It is among the most powerful jobs in the Justice Department.Star ProsecutorFrom his college days as captain of the lacrosse team at the University at Albany, Bove stood out for his sharp intellect and grueling work ethic, according to interviews with those who know him. The law runs in Boves family. His father was a prosecutor in New York state. After graduating from Georgetown University law school, Bove clerked for two federal judges appointed by President George W. Bush, a Republican. He then spent nine years at the U.S. Attorneys Office in Manhattan where he specialized in prosecuting drug kingpins and alleged terrorists. He spearheaded the indictment of Venezuelas president, Nicols Maduro, on drug trafficking charges as well as the brother of Honduras president. And he successfully prosecuted a Hezbollah operative who plotted attacks in New York.In bringing such cases, however, Bove irked fellow prosecutors and defense attorneys. The AP spoke with 11 defense attorneys who raised questions about Boves aggressive tactics and behavior. A former Justice Department colleague recalled Bove trying to bigfoot other districts to take over high-profile cases. And a defense attorney said he watched in shock as Bove yelled at his client, a drug trafficker from Latin America, who didnt give him the answers he wanted even though he was cooperating with the U.S. government in a major narcotics investigation. Most of the attorneys spoke on the condition of anonymity because they feared retaliation for speaking out. The complaints culminated in March 2018. Thats when the head of the federal public defenders office in Manhattan collected criticism about Bove from eight defense attorneys. He compiled the critiques and forwarded the insights in an email to two top officials in the U.S. Attorneys Office, according to people familiar with the missive who werent authorized to discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Hes a real, recurrent problem, and hes not representing the office in the way that I think you would want it represented, David Patton, the public defender at the time, wrote in the email, which was reviewed by The Associated Press. Patton did not respond to a request for an interview.About 18 months after the email was sent, Bove was promoted to be co-chief of the offices national security and international narcotics unit. In that role, he oversaw the indictment of Maduro, who was accused of heading a cartel of high-ranking security officials that were trying to flood the U.S. with cocaine. Maduro who in January was sworn in for a third term remains the target of a $15 million U.S. bounty. He has dismissed the criminal case as part of an ongoing attempt by Washington to remove him from office. Prosecutorial misconductBy 2020, a team of prosecutors Bove led was fending off allegations of having engaged in what a judge described as prosecutorial misconduct. The actions came in the prosecution of an Iranian banker accused of violating U.S. sanctions. At trial, attorneys for Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad alleged prosecutors had failed to hand over evidence they considered beneficial to their client.U.S. District Court Judge Alison Nathan pushed prosecutors for answers. Bove, as a supervisor of the unit, was involved in trying to blunt the fallout, according to hundreds of pages of emails and text messages between prosecutors Nathan ordered released in 2021 at the request of the AP over Boves objections.In a Sunday night text exchange with his co-chief after being admonished by Nathan in court, Bove acknowledged his prosecutors had told a flat lie to the judge. He also vowed to smash the Iranian defendant, made a lewd comment about one of his attorneys and jokingly told a colleague that we will get cocaine for you so she could pull an all-nighter to repair some of the damage. While Nathan did not find Boves team had intentionally withheld documents, the judge nevertheless determined there had been prosecutorial misconduct. She found that prosecutors had engaged in a deliberate attempt to obscure the truth and sought to bury a potentially exculpatory document. The judge tossed the conviction and dismissed the charges. She asked the Justice Department to launch an investigation of the prosecutors. It is unclear if any such probe was ever opened.Bove left the government in late 2021 and became a defense attorney. By 2023, he had joined Trumps legal team. ___Contact APs global investigative team at [emailprotected] or https://www.ap.org/tips/ JOSHUA GOODMAN Goodman is a Miami-based investigative reporter who writes about the intersection of crime, corruption, drug trafficking and politics in Latin America. He previously spent two decades reporting from South America. twitter mailto JIM MUSTIAN Mustian is an Associated Press investigative reporter for breaking news. twitter mailto ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department and the special counsel cases against former President Donald Trump. twitter mailto

An AI-generated video of President Donald Trump sucking on Elon Musks feet, overlaid with the text LONG LIVE THE REAL KING, played on TV screens at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) headquarters in Washington, D.C., multiple journalists are reporting on social media.Journalist Marisa Kabas posted the video on Bluesky, writing, this video played on loop for ~5 mins on screens throughout the building, per agency source. Building staff couldnt figure out how to turn it off so sent people to every floor to unplug TVs.This morning at Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HQ in DC as mandatory return to office began, this video played on loop for ~5 mins on screens throughout the building, per agency source.Building staff couldnt figure out how to turn it off so sent people to every floor to unplug TVs. Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) 2025-02-24T14:51:30.171ZThe Washington Post also obtained a recording of the televisions.Last week, Trump called himself a king in a social media post. CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED, Trump wrote on his platform, Truth Social. LONG LIVE THE KING!And the official White House X account, Instagram, and Facebook quoted the post with an accompanying AI-generated image of Trump on a fake Time Magazine cover, wearing a crown with the text LONG LIVE THE KING.The video comes as Musks Department of Government Efficiency enacts widespread, cruelly-handled layoffs of civil servants across the federal government. The Trump administration is proposing to cut half of federal workers at HUD, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. The cuts would target employees who support disaster recovery, rental subsidies, discrimination investigations and first-time homebuyers, the AP reported, and would affect more than a dozen programs within the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with more than 4,000 positions to be cut as detailed in the documents.Russell Vought, Trump's Director of the Office of Management and Budget, said in a speech in 2023 that he wants to traumatize federal workers. We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected, he said. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.Elon Musk tweeted on Saturday that all federal employees must report "what they got done last week" or resign. Federal employees received a three-line email telling them to share "approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager. Directors at several agencies, including the FBI, told employees to ignore the email.

Right to repair legislation has now been introduced in all 50 states, a milestone that, despite not all passing, shows the power of the grassroots political movement. Thursday, Wisconsin became the final state in the country to introduce a right to repair bill.So far, right to repair laws have been passed in Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, Colorado, California, and Oregon. Another 20 states are formally considering right to repair bills during this current legislative session. The rest have previously introduced bills that have not passed; so far we have seen that many states take several years to move a given right to repair bill through the legislative process.Right to repair laws are designed to make it easier for consumers to fix their electronics, farmers to fix their agricultural equipment, for hospitals to fix their medical devices, and so on. Most right to repair legislation requires companies to sell repair parts to the general public, to make repair manuals available, and bans the use of technological protection measures (which are called software locks) that are designed to restrict repair only to authorized repair technicians.I have been following the right to repair movement for a decade, and, in the early days, a small group of consumer rights advocates worked in a couple states to get legislation introduced.Many of those bills were killed quickly by big tech lobbyists, who were successful at scaring lawmakers into believing that right to repair would make devices less safe or would be a boon for hackers. Over time, those same consumer rights advocates have been successful in convincing the general public that you should be able to fix the things you buy. The movement was endorsed by the Biden White House and Bidens Federal Trade Commission, millions of consumers, and an increasing number of state legislators. The movement has gotten companies like Apple, Google, and John Deere to change their policies, inching toward a world where repair is more easily accessible."Now that Wisconsin filed their first Right to Repair legislation, weve completed the sweep of getting bills filed in all 50 states. Our legislative map no longer has any blanks, said Gay Gordon-Byrne, Executive Director at Repair.org, which has been advocating for the legislation. This proves that Right to Repair is needed everywhereand we are well on our way towards making that happen."Americans are fed up with all the ways in which manufacturers of everything from toasters to tractors frustrate or block repairs, and lawmakers are hearing that frustration and taking action, said Nathan Proctor, right to repair director for consumer rights group PIRG.iFixits Kyle Wiens, meanwhile, said covering the entire map is a tipping point for the movement: Weve gone from a handful of passionate advocates to a nationwide call for repair autonomy. People are fed up with disposable products and locked-down devices. Repair is the future, and this moment proves it.

Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo Judith Suminwa talks to journalists during a press conference organized by the Geneva Association of United Nations Correspondents (ACANU), at a side event of the High-Level Segment of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)2025-02-24T13:43:33Z KINSHASA, Congo (AP) More than 7,000 people have died this year as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have captured unprecedented amounts of territory in mineral-rich eastern Congo, Congos prime minister said Monday, as the European Union announced it would review an agreement with Rwanda on critical raw materials.Judith Suminwa Tuluka told the U.N. Human Rights Council that the security and humanitarian situation in the region has reached alarming levels.The conflict has accelerated in recent weeks, with the rebels taking the key city of Goma in January and Bukavu, another provincial capital, this month. M23 is the most potent of the many armed groups vying for a foothold in Congos east, which has trillions of dollars of mostly untapped mineral wealth crucial to the worlds technology.Pressure grew on Rwanda. The European Unions top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called Congos territorial integrity non-negotiable and said EU defense consultations with Rwanda have been suspended they cooperate on missions in Mozambique and elsewhere and their memorandum of understanding regarding critical raw materials will be under review. The EU and Rwanda a year ago signed the memorandum of understanding to nurture sustainable and resilient value chains for critical raw materials, noting that Rwanda produces tin, tungsten, gold and niobium, and has potential for lithium and rare earth elements. The EU announcement comes as the government of Congo, far richer in minerals, has accused Rwanda of looting its resources, and after the United States last week urged an immediate cessation of sourcing of minerals from areas controlled by M23. There was no immediate comment from Rwanda on what could be a blow to its economy.The U.N. has warned that the fighting poses a wider threat to the region, which has seen decades of simmering conflict that has displaced millions. The M23 has spoken of unseating the government of Congolese President Flix Tshisekedi in distant Kinshasa, which has long had a tenuous grip on the east. The rebels are attempting to gain more ground despite calls for a ceasefire, bolstered by about 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, a short drive from Goma.M23 leaders have vowed to cleanse cities of alleged bad governance and insecurity. They now threaten the city of Uriva, where gunfire was reported over the weekend.M23 says its fighting to protect ethnic Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan origin from discrimination and wants to transform Congo from a failed state to a modern one.Analysts have called those pretexts for Rwandas involvement.Witnesses in Goma have asserted that the M23s intelligence branch is searching for former Congolese soldiers and criminals but some people are misidentified. They asserted that 11 young people were killed Sunday while waiting for a weightlifting class in the city after being misidentified as thieves.___McMakin reported from Dakar, Senegal.

Singer Roberta Flack poses for a portrait in New York on Oct. 10, 2018. (Photo by Matt Licari/Invision/AP, File)2025-02-24T15:24:30Z NEW YORK (AP) Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recordings artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died Monday. She was 88.She died at home surrounded by her family, publicist Elaine Schock said in a statement. Flack announced in 2022 she had ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrigs disease, and could no longer sing, Little known before her early 30s, Flack became an overnight star after Clint Eastwood used The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face as the soundtrack for one of cinemas more memorable and explicit love scenes, between the actor and Donna Mills in his 1971 film Play Misty for Me. The hushed, hymn-like ballad, with Flacks graceful soprano afloat on a bed of soft strings and piano, topped the Billboard pop chart in 1972 and received a Grammy for record of the year. The record label wanted to have it re-recorded with a faster tempo, but he said he wanted it exactly as it was, Flack told The Associated Press in 2018. With the song as a theme song for his movie, it gained a lot of popularity and then took off. In 1973, she matched both achievements with Killing Me Softly With His Song, becoming the first artist to win consecutive Grammys for best record.She was a classically trained pianist discovered in the late 1960s by jazz musician Les McCann, who later wrote that her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion Ive ever known. Versatile enough to summon the up-tempo gospel passion of Aretha Franklin, Flack often favored a more reflective and measured approach. For Flacks many admirers, she was a sophisticated and bold new presence in the music world and in the social and civil rights movements of the time, her friends including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis, whom Flack visited in prison while Davis faced charges for which she was acquitted for murder and kidnapping. Flack sang at the funeral of Jackie Robinson, major league baseballs first Black player, and was among the many guest performers on the feminist childrens entertainment project created by Marlo Thomas, Free to Be ... You and Me. Roberta Cleopatra Flack, the daughter of musicians, was born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and raised in Arlington, Virginia. A gospel fan as a child, she was so talented a piano player that at age 15 she received a full scholarship to Howard, the historically Black university.Flacks other hits from the 1970s included the cozy Feel Like Makin Love and two duets with her close friend and former Howard University classmate Donny Hathaway, Where Is the Love and The Closer I Get to You a partnership that ended in tragedy. In 1979, she and Hathaway were working on an album of duets when he suffered a breakdown during recording and later that night fell to his death from his hotel room in Manhattan.We were deeply connected creatively, Flack told Vibe in 2022, upon the 50th anniversary of the million-selling Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway album. He could play anything, sing anything. Our musical synergy was unlike (anything) Id had before or since. She never matched her first run of success, although she did have a hit in the 1980s with the Peabo Bryson duet Tonight, I Celebrate My Love and in the 1990s with the Maxi Priest duet Set the Night to Music. In the mid-90s, Flack received new attention after the Fugees recorded a Grammy-winning cover of Killing Me Softly, which she eventually performed on stage with the hip-hop group.Overall, she won five Grammys (three for Killing Me Softly), was nominated eight other times and was given a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2020, with John Legend and Ariana Grande among those praising her.I love that connection to other artists because we understand music, we live music, its our language, Flack told songwriteruniverse.com in 2020. Through music we understand what we are thinking and feeling. No matter what challenge life presents, I am at home with my piano, on a stage, with my band, in the studio, listening to music. I can find my way when I hear music. In 2022, Beyonc placed Flack, Franklin and Diana Ross among others in a special pantheon of heroines name-checked in the Grammy-nominated Queens Remix of Break My Soul.Flack was briefly married to Stephen Novosel, an interracial relationship that led to tension with each of their families, and earlier had a son, the singer and keyboardist Bernard Wright. For years, she lived in Manhattans Dakota apartment building, on the same floor as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who became a close friend and provided liner notes for a Flack album of Beatles covers, Let It Be Roberta. She also devoted extensive time to the Roberta Flack School of Music, based in New York and attended mostly by students between ages 6 to 14. Flack had taught music in D.C.-area junior high schools for several years in her 20s, while performing after hours in clubs. She sometimes backed other singers, but her own shows at Washingtons renowned Mr. Henrys attracted such celebrity patrons as Burt Bacharach, Ramsey Lewis and Johnny Mathis. The clubs owner, Henry Yaffe, converted an apartment directly above into a private studio, the Roberta Flack Room.I wanted to be successful, a serious all-round musician, she told The Telegraph in 2015. I listened to a lot of Aretha, the Drifters, trying to do some of that myself, playing, teaching.Flack was signed to Atlantic Records and her debut album, First Take, a blend of gospel, soul, flamenco and jazz, came out in 1969. One track was a love song by the English folk artist Ewan MacColl: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, written in 1957 for his future wife, singer Peggy Seeger. Flack not only knew of the ballad, but used it while working with a glee club during her years as an educator.I was teaching at Banneker Junior High in Washington, D.C. It was part of the city where kids werent that privileged, but they were privileged enough to have music education. I really wanted them to read music. First, Id get their attention. (Flack starts singing a Supremes hit) Stop, in the name of love. Then I could teach them! she told the Tampa Bay Times in 2012.You have to do all sorts of things when youre dealing with kids in the inner-city, she said. I knew theyd like the part where (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face) goes The first time ever I kissed your mouth. Ooh, Kissed your mouth! Once the kids got past the giggles, we were good.

The Department of Homeland Security logo is seen during a news conference in Washington, Feb. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)2025-02-24T18:18:48Z GREENBELT, Md. (AP) A federal judge on Monday blocked immigration agents from conducting enforcement operations in houses of worship for Quakers and a handful of other religious groups.U.S. District Judge Theodore Chang found that the Trump administration policy could violate their religious freedom and should be blocked while a lawsuit challenging it plays out. The preliminary injunction from the Maryland-based judge only applies to the plaintiffs, which also include a Georgia-based network of Baptist churches and a Sikh temple in California.They sued after the Trump administration threw out Department of Homeland Security policies limiting where migrant arrests could happen as President Donald Trump seeks to make good on campaign promises to carry out mass deportations.The policy change said field agents using common sense and discretion can conduct immigration enforcement operations at houses of worship without a supervisors approval. Plaintiffs attorneys argue that the new DHS directive departs from the governments 30-year-old policy against staging immigration enforcement operations in protected areas, or sensitive locations. Five Quaker congregations from Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia sued DHS and its secretary, Kristi Noem, on Jan. 27, less than a week after the new policy was announced. Many immigrants are afraid to attend religious services while the government enforces the new rule, lawyers for the congregations said in a court filing. Its a fear that people are experiencing across the county, plaintiffs attorney Bradley Girard told the judge during a February hearing. People are not showing up, and the plaintiffs are suffering as a result.Government lawyers claim the plaintiffs are asking the court to interfere with law-enforcement activities based on mere speculation.Plaintiffs have provided no evidence indicating that any of their religious organizations have been targeted, Justice Department attorney Kristina Wolfe told the judge, who was appointed by President Barack Obama. More than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans have also filed a similar but separate lawsuit in Washington, D.C.Plaintiffs in the Maryland case are represented by the Democracy Forward Foundation, whose lawyers asked the judge to block DHS enforcement of the policy on a nationwide basis.DHSs new policy gives it the authority to enter any house of worship across the country, no matter its religious beliefs, the attorneys wrote.Government lawyers say immigration enforcement activities have been allowed in sensitive places, including houses of worship, for decades. The only change in the policy is that a supervisors approval is no longer mandatory, they added.__This story has been updated to reflect that a separate but similar lawsuit was filed in Washington, D.C., not Washington state. LINDSAY WHITEHURST Whitehurst covers the Supreme Court, legal affairs and criminal justice for The Associated Press in Washington, D.C. Past stops include Salt Lake City, New Mexico and Indiana. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump's new director of the FBI, reacts as Alexis Wilkins watches during Patel's ceremonial swearing-in, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2025-02-24T17:35:31Z WASHINGTON (AP) New FBI Director Kash Patel was sworn in Monday as acting chief of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, taking the helm of two separate and sprawling Justice Department agencies, according to a person familiar with the matter. Patel was sworn in at ATF headquarters just days after he became director of the FBI, said the person who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. Its not immediately clear if President Donald Trump intends to nominate Patel for the ATF post, or what the administrations plans are for the agency that has long been the target of Republicans. Justice Department and White House officials didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. With about 5,500 employees, the ATF is responsible for enforcing the nations laws around firearms, explosives and arson. Among other things, its in charge of licensing federal firearms dealers, tracing guns used in crimes and analyzing intelligence in shooting investigations. Democrats raised alarm at Patels nomination for FBI director over his lack of management experience compared to past directors and because of a vast catalog of incendiary past statements, which include calling investigators who scrutinized Trump government gangsters. The move to install Patel as ATF director follows Attorney General Pam Bondis firing of the bureaus top lawyer last week. Bondi said Friday in a Fox News interview that she fired chief counsel Pamela Hicks because the agency was targeting gun owners. Hicks, who spent more than 20 years as a Justice Department lawyer, said in a social media post that being ATF chief counsel was the highest honor of her career. ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Richer is an Associated Press reporter covering the Justice Department and legal issues from Washington. twitter mailto

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, left, looks on as his wife Casey DeSantis speaks at a campaign event in Bluffton, S.C., June 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard, File)2025-02-24T19:33:01Z TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis approaches the end of his second term in office, hes talking up one potential heir to succeed him in 2026: his wife, Casey DeSantis. And hes taking a shot at President Donald Trump s pick to be the next governor. Questioned by reporters in Tampa on Monday, DeSantis touted his wife as a staunch conservative who would build on his legacy and argued that the states first lady could pull in even more voters than he did. DeSantis won a dominant reelection victory in 2022 with a nearly 20-point margin.Shes somebody that has, I think, the intestinal fortitude and the dedication to conservative principles, DeSantis said of his wife. Anything weve accomplished, shed be able to take to the next level.The comments came days after the president threw his support behind U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican who has been a prominent surrogate for Trump on the campaign trail and cable news. Weve achieved victories in Florida, DeSantis said Monday. A guy like Byron, he just hasnt been a part of any of the victories that weve had here over the left over these last years. DeSantis comments create a potential faceoff between the Republican governor and the president who soundly defeated him last year for the Republican presidential nomination. DeSantis, who is term-limited, may run for president again in 2028 and has worked to rebuild his relationship with Trump. The aspirations of the states first lady have long been the subject of Tallahassee parlor talk. That chatter has grown louder in recent weeks as tensions have bubbled between the governor and Trumps allies in the Florida Legislature.Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement, Trump wrote Thursday on social media. RUN, BYRON, RUN! Donalds office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. He addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference last week after Trumps post and told the audience to stay tuned about his future plans.Former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, another staunch Trump ally, criticized DeSantis comments in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Man it hurts me to see this, Gaetz said. Governor DeSantis, dont you remember when you, (Donalds) and I were working collaboratively to get you elected in 2018? We literally were your debate prep team.___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. KATE PAYNE Payne writes about state government and education and is based in Tallahassee, FL. She is a Report for America corps member. twitter mailto

NBC news anchor Lester Holt speaks at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton, April 27, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)2025-02-24T17:38:11Z NEW YORK (AP) NBCs veteran Lester Holt will step down as anchor of the networks flagship Nightly News broadcast.Holt, who has been been the face of Nightly News for a decade, will remain at NBC. In a note to staff Monday, he said he would be expanding his work on NBCs Dateline, taking on a full-time role.The transition is expected to take place early this summer. No firm date or successor for NBC Nightly News has been named yet.After 10 years, 17 if you include my years on the weekends, the time has come for me to step away from my role as anchor of Nightly News, Holt wrote on Monday, while thanking colleagues. A smile comes to my face when I think that with Nightly News, and Dateline, I have now anchored two of the most successful and iconic television news programs in broadcast history.Janelle Rodriguez, executive vice president of NBC News Programming, applauded Holts legacy at Nightly News and reiterated that the anchor will stay at NBC for years to come. Quite simply, Lester is the beating heart of this news organization, Rodriguez wrote.Holt joined NBC back in 2000. He became the permanent anchor of Nightly News in June 2015 after anchoring weekend editions for eight years and has been the principal anchor of Dateline since September 2011, per NBC.

People walk amidst the destruction caused by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)2025-02-24T20:00:29Z The first phase of the ceasefire that paused 15 months of brutal warfare between Israel and Hamas militants is set to end on Saturday and its unclear what comes next.The two sides were supposed to start negotiating a second phase weeks ago in which Hamas would release all the remaining hostages from its Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which triggered the war, in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.But those negotiations have not begun there have only been preparatory talks and the first phase has been jolted by one dispute after another.Hamas has freed all 25 living hostages included in the first six-week phase ending on March 1 in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. It has also released the bodies of four captives and is expected to turn over four more, though its unclear if that will happen Thursday as planned. That leaves it with more than 60 captives, around half of whom are believed to be dead. Israel has meanwhile delayed the release of some 600 Palestinian prisoners who were supposed to be freed last weekend over the treatment of the captives, who were paraded before crowds. Israel is reportedly seeking an extension of the first phase to secure the freedom of more captives. But Hamas says it wont negotiate anything until the prisoners whose release was delayed are freed.Negotiations over Phase 2 will be even more contentious. Phase 2 was always the biggest challengeThe second phase was always going to be the most difficult because it would likely force Israel to choose between its two main war goals the safe return of the hostages and the annihilation of their captors.Hamas, though weakened, remains in power with no internal challengers. In exchange for the remaining living hostages its main bargaining chip it is demanding a lasting ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces. A third phase would see the exchange of remains and the start of Gazas daunting reconstruction process, which is expected to take years and cost billions of dollars. Steve Witkoff, the Trump administrations Mideast envoy, is returning to the region this week. In an interview with CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, he said he will aim for an extension of Phase 1 to buy time for negotiating the second phase.But Egypt, which has served as a key mediator, has refused to discuss an extension of Phase 1 until negotiations over Phase 2 begin, according to two Egyptian officials who were not authorized to brief reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity.One official familiar with the negotiations said the mere launch of Phase 2 talks would keep the truce intact, according to the language of the deal. That would mean a continued halt in fighting and aid flowing into Gaza, though there would be no further hostage releases beyond what has already been negotiated, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed diplomatic contacts.Hamas has previously said it is open to a short extension to complete talks on Phase 2, but that was before Israel held up the release of the prisoners. One of the Egyptian officials said Egypt is also demanding Israel complete its withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor, on the Gaza side of the border with Egypt, before moving on to the next phase. The agreement calls for that withdrawal to begin this weekend and be completed within eight days.Netanyahu has not publicly stated what he will do this weekend. He is under heavy pressure from hard-line coalition partners to resume the war against Hamas. But after images showed freed hostages returning home in poor condition, he also faces heavy public pressure to bring the remaining hostages home.Witkoff said Netanyahu is committed to bringing back all the hostages but has set a red line that Hamas cannot be involved in governing Gaza after the war. Netanyahu has also ruled out any role in Gaza for the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, dominated by Hamas main rival, Fatah.Hamas has said it is willing to hand over control of Gaza to other Palestinians. But the militant group, which does not accept Israels existence, would still be deeply entrenched in Gaza. And it says it wont lay down its arms unless Israel ends its occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, lands captured in the 1967 Mideast war that Palestinians want for a future state.Hamas has also dismissed Israels suggestion that its Gaza leadership go into exile.Phase 1 is unfinished and has further embittered both sidesThe first phase of the ceasefire has yet to be completed and has only deepened the bitter mistrust on both sides.Israelis were shocked to see the captives some of whom were emaciated paraded before crowds upon their release, with some forced to smile, wave, deliver statements and, in one case, kiss a masked militant on the head. After returning to Israel, hostages said they were held under harsh conditions. Last Thursday, Hamas displayed coffins holding what it said were the remains of Shiri Bibas and her two small children, who it said were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel said a forensic investigation showed the two children were killed by their captors. The third body turned out to be someone else. Hamas then released another body that was confirmed to be the mother.On Saturday, Hamas filmed two hostages who were forced to watch the release of others, turning to a camera and begging to be released, in yet another public spectacle that infuriated Israel. That appears to have prompted Israel to postpone the release of the prisoners.Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by killing dozens of people who the army said had approached its forces or entered unauthorized areas. It also accused Israel of dragging its feet on the entry of mobile homes and equipment for clearing rubble, which entered late last week, and of beating and abusing Palestinian prisoners prior to their release.Israel has also launched a major military operation in the occupied West Bank that has displaced some 40,000 Palestinians, according to the United Nations. Israel says it is cracking down on militants who threaten its citizens, while Palestinians see it as trying to further cement its decades-long rule.Mixed signals from TrumpU.S. President Donald Trump took credit for the ceasefire, which Witkoff helped push across the finish line after a year of negotiations led by the Biden administration, Egypt and Qatar.But Trump has since sent mixed signals about the deal.Earlier this month, he set a firm deadline for Hamas to release all the hostages, warning all hell is going to break out if it didnt. But he said it was ultimately up to Israel, and the deadline came and went.Trump sowed further confusion by proposing that Gazas population of some 2 million Palestinians be relocated to other countries and for the U.S. to take over the territory and develop it. Netanyahu welcomed the idea, which was universally rejected by Palestinians and Arab countries, including close U.S. allies. Human rights groups said it could violate international law.Trump stood by the plan in a Fox News interview over the weekend but said hes not forcing it.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto

The Supreme Court at sunset in Washington, Feb. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick, File)2025-02-24T15:43:27Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court refused Monday to hear a pair of cases from abortion opponents who say laws limiting anti-abortion demonstrations near clinics violate their First Amendment rights. The majority did not explain their reasoning for turning down the appeals, as is typical, but two conservative justices, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, disagreed.The cities said the laws were passed to address disturbing behavior from protesters outside of health care clinics. But anti-abortion activists said the measures violate free-speech rights and should be on their deathbed after the justices overturned Roe v. Wade and the nationwide right to abortion. One case comes from Carbondale, Illinois, which is located near the states southern border and passed an ordinance after becoming a destination for patients from nearby states with abortion bans. The measure was quickly challenged in court, and has never been enforced. The city argued the appeal should be tossed because the ordinance was repealed shortly before abortion opponents went to the Supreme Court. The other case is from New Jersey, where activist Jeryl Turco says she has approached women in Englewood for years to try to convince them not to have abortions. She says an 8-foot demonstration-free zone the city passed in 2014 in response to an aggressive group of protesters also wrongly kept her from approaching women. Englewood argues that Turco has still been able to share her message outside of the immediate area near clinic entrances. Lower courts have ultimately upheld the ordinance, finding it isnt a major First Amendment burden. Both challengers pointed out that the high court struck down a Massachusetts law creating 35-foot demonstration free buffer zones around clinic doors in 2014. They say the Illinois and New Jersey laws should meet the same fate. But cities say their rules are in line with a different Supreme Court decision from 2000, when the high court allowed a Colorado law to stand. It barred people from getting within 8 feet of others without permission in a 100-foot bubble zone around clinics. Thomas said that case, known as Hill v. Colorado, was wrongly decided. In a dissent from the decision to decline the Illinois case, he said that the court wrongly treated it differently than other First Amendment cases because abortion was involved. Hill has been seriously undermined, if not completely eroded, and our refusal to provide clarity is an abdication of our judicial duty, he wrote. LINDSAY WHITEHURST Whitehurst covers the Supreme Court, legal affairs and criminal justice for The Associated Press in Washington, D.C. Past stops include Salt Lake City, New Mexico and Indiana. twitter mailto

Workers around the federal government are scrambling to figure out how and if they should respond to an all-government email sent Saturday at the behest of Elon Musk asking them to list five things they did at work within the last week. During the confusion caused by Musks email, workers at the Treasury Department received an email from a former Heritage Foundation staffer who is not the Treasury Secretary from an email address that billed itself as being from Secretary of the Treasury. How and whether to respond to the What did you do last week email has itself resulted in much discussion and confusion, and efforts to clarify any confusion have resulted in additional confusion as well as worries about sharing classified or otherwise private information. FBI employees were told by new FBI director Kash Patel not to respond to the email, so were members of the military. Musk tweeted Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.The Treasury Department email, seen by 404 Media and currently being discussed widely on Reddit, came from an email address with the name *Secretary of the Treasury but signed by John W. York, who is not the Secretary of the Treasury and who previously worked for the Heritage Foundation, the architects of Project 2025. The current Secretary of Treasury is Scott Bessent, not York. Treasury workers seem to not know who York is or why he is sending emails from an email address previously used by past Secretaries of Treasury.It was used in the past rarely: wishing Treasury employees a Merry Christmas or noting there is a return to office mandate, one source told 404 Media about the email address Yorks email came from. In the past, the emails included the title of the sender (Sec of Treasury, for example) and more often than not a picture of said person. Like when Steven Mnuchin sent emails ordering the evacuation of the buildings in 2020, they had his face on the email. No such embellishments this go round.Do you know anything else about what's happening with the 'What did you do last week' email? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at jason.404. Otherwise, send me an email at jason@404media.co.In the email, York tells workers that they must respond to the What did you do last week email: Given the voluminous and extremely important work that Treasury staff perform [sic] on a daily basis, we expect that compliance will not be difficult or time consuming.Your responses should be descriptive enough to show the significance of the work you performed; however, the descriptions should not reveal confidential, privileged, otherwise non-public, pre-decisional or deliberative aspects of that work, given that these responses will be sent outside Treasury, he wrote. If you have any questions about how to respond, please consult with your manager.Sources at the Treasury Department told 404 Media that they have not previously received any emails from John W. York, that they are not sure what his job is or whether he actually works for the Treasury Department, and that giving descriptive, substantial rundowns of their work tasks without giving non-public or sensitive information is not an easy task.John York had no title associated with his signature line (unusual as ALL Fed service employees are proud to put their title, Dept, etc in the sig line as a default), one source told 404 Media. Employees at the Treasury Department have been doing research on York to attempt to figure out who he is. York worked for the Heritage Foundation before joining the Office of Personnel Management towards the end of Trumps first term. His LinkedIn says he has worked as a Strategic Human Capital Lead at Accenture since March 2021. The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether he is now a Treasury Department employee.Top comments on a Reddit post discussing this email are Who the fuck is John W. York? and Schrodinger's phishing email. you're fired if you respond. you're fired if you dont.Other federal employees tell 404 Media that they have been receiving similar clarification emails from agency heads about how and whether to respond, and have been getting follow up emails from their supervisors about what to say if the things they work on are classified. The majority of these emails, which 404 Media is not sharing specifics on because they were in many cases sent to small teams of people, are begging employees to respond to the What did you do last week emails while threading the needle of sharing specifics but not sharing private or confidential information.

A man walks to the Earle Cabell Federal Building in downtown Dallas, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)2025-02-24T21:01:18Z Federal employees across the country, many of whom have worked from home since the COVID-19 pandemic, were back at agency offices Monday under President Donald Trumps return-to-office mandate.Billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading Trumps Department of Government Efficiency scouring government agencies for suspected waste, delivered a warning Monday to workers on his platform X.Starting this week, those who still fail to return to office will be placed on administrative leave, Musk wrote.Lee Zeldin, Trumps new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, said Monday on X, formerly Twitter, Full-time, COVID-era remote work is DONE under @POTUS leadership.In a video he posted, Zeldin said average attendance at EPA headquarters on Mondays and Fridays last year was less than 9% of employees.Our spacious, beautiful EPA headquarters spans two city blocks in D.C. across five buildings, Zeldin said. But our hallways have been too vacant, desks empty and cubicles filled with unoccupied chairs. It appears at least some federal agencies are not prepared for all remote workers to return to the office. In an email to U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid employees on Friday obtained by The Associated Press, agency officials noted that some regional offices in Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco were not ready for workers to return. The message also noted that employees who live more than 50 miles from regional offices in some major cities would not be required to return to the office Monday. We should treat it like the first day of school plan a little time in your calendar to get oriented, find your way around, and figure out how to connect in the conference rooms, etc., the email said. There will, no doubt, be some who get lost or are late to class or have to scramble to find a seat because of a snafu. The email also noted that while some workers would begin reporting to offices Monday, others would begin relocating back to offices in phases through April and beyond.Mike Galletly, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 4016, said the information technology workers he represents at the U.S. Department of Agriculture across the country have been struggling to comply with the back-to-office mandate.For my bargaining unit members, its been a whole lot of work scrambling to find hardware for people, monitors, docking stations, Galletly said. You have an office that up until this month normally seated four people. Now they have to seat eight people. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is directing its remote employees to return to offices, even if they were hired into a remote role.Federal workers with the department received the formal notice Monday in an email that was sent to employees who work more than 50 miles from a regional office. It says they will need to report to an office by April 28.The federal government employed more than 3 million people as of November of last year. That accounted for nearly 1.9% of the nations entire civilian workforce, according to the Pew Research Center. -Murphy reported from Oklahoma City, Okla. SEAN MURPHY Murphy is the statehouse reporter for The Associated Press in Oklahoma City. He has covered Oklahoma news and politics since 1996. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up as he waits to greet France's President Emmanuel Macron before a news conference at the White House, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)2025-02-24T19:15:31Z WASHINGTON (AP) A federal judge was hearing arguments Monday afternoon in The Associated Press lawsuit against three staff members of President Donald Trump, whose administration has barred the news agency from presidential events.The AP is appearing in federal court in Washington over its emergency motion to undo the administrations move to shut its journalists out of the Oval Office, Air Force One and other areas where the outlet has long operated as part of the White House press pool.The dispute stems from the news agencys refusal to conform to Trumps renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The AP says it is adhering to the Gulf of Mexico terminology because its audience is global and the waters are not only in U.S. territory, but it is acknowledging Trumps rechristening as well. AP says the issue strikes at the very core of the U.S. Constitutions First Amendment, which bars the government from punishing speech. The White House says access to the president is a privilege, not a right. MATT SEDENSKY Sedensky is a national writer for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

Businessman Mark Cuban speaks after attending meetings at the White House, March 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)2025-02-24T17:49:05Z WASHINGTON (AP) Conservatives from across the country filled a ballroom a few blocks from the White House and lamented that the United States is abandoning the ideals that forged a great nation. Some attendees donned red hats with various inscriptions mocking President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again movement. It was the largest gathering to date of the Principles First Summit, expanded upon Trumps second term to welcome independents and center-left Democrats under a shared pro-democracy, anti-authoritarian aim.This is not a time to bend the knee, to play along, said Heath Mayo, the Yale-educated attorney who founded Principles First five years ago for self-identified politically homeless conservatives. This is a time for stiffening your spine, standing up and getting ready for a long fight.Yet three days of conversations and recriminations still left 1,200 attendees without a clear roadmap to loosen Trumps grip on the conservative movement and Americas national identity. There was not even consensus on whether to fight within Republican spheres at all, migrate to the Democratic Party or find a different path altogether. It makes you feel better to know that youre not alone and that youre not crazy, said Jeff Oppenheim, a retired U.S. Army colonel from Austin, Texas. The question is how to translate that into action in a political system thats very difficult to influence, because its structured in a way that two parties have complete control. Mark Cuban, the entrepreneur and Shark Tank co-host who was one of then-Vice President Kamala Harris most prominent surrogates last fall, got a rousing ovation when he took the stage but vowed that he would not run for the White House. He dismissed the Democratic Party, profanely, as unable to sell its own message. Im not here to throw him under the bus, Cuban said of Trump, praising the Republican presidents ability as a marketer who convinced voters he could help them. Democrats, Cuban said, make their critiques of Trump moot because they cant sell worth s. Trumps allies mocked the gathering in advance as full of RINOs, or Republicans in name only. White House communications director Steven Cheung called it the Cuck Convention on his government account. The word cuck, which describes a man who likes to watch his wife have sex with other men, was frequently used during the campaign to insult and emasculate rivals.Trump has far greater control of the Republican Party in his second term, with allies across Congress and the loyalty of most of the partys base. But his few remaining rivals within the party argue there are still ways to break his hold. Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a frequent Trump target who was among the people to receive a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden, pointed to Republicans narrow 218-215 majority in the House and said lawmakers are privately nervous as recent town halls show voter anger over billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his sweeping moves to fire federal workers, shut down agencies and limit federal services. Kinzinger urged critics to ratchet up pressure in public settings because critical town hall audiences, he argued, offer the most uncomfortable moments of a politicians job.Right now, Republican members of Congress fear one person: Donald Trump. They dont fear you, Kinzinger said. When they start fearing you, thats when they start having a different calculus.Julie Spilsbury, a councilmember from Mesa, Arizona, wants to maintain her place in Republican ranks. Like more than two dozen attendees and speakers interviewed by The Associated Press, Spilsbury cast her 2024 ballot for Harris for president. But she also publicly endorsed the Democratic nominee, saying it was a matter of character and integrity. She now faces an ongoing recall effort by Trump backers in Mesa. If youre looking for something you can do, send me $10 for her retention campaign, Spilsbury told fellow conference attendees. When Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor who ran in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a centrist Democrat, offered carefully measured assessments of Trumps opening weeks, they got mixed or muted responses. Especially tepid was the reaction when Hutchinson said he believes Trump when the president says he will respect court decisions in the many early challenges to his executive actions.But roars rang out for the police officers who tried to protect the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and their unyielding assessments of Trump and his pardon of 1,500 supporters who breached the seat of Congress, including many who violently attacked law enforcement.We need to hold on to the outrage and hold on to the anger and set aside the fear, insisted Michael Fanone, a former Washington officer who was attacked by rioters. Asked whether he would accept an invitation to talk to Trump, Fanone said the president is incapable of being convinced he is wrong and dismissed him with a profanity. Fanone and his fellow officers later were accosted in an upstairs lobby by Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, freshly freed from prison by Trumps pardon. The following day, Principles First leaders received an emailed bomb threat specifically mentioning Fanone, his mothers address and other potential targets. The summit space was evacuated as Washington police and Secret Service agents swept the area and found no bomb, allowing the conference to conclude Sunday evening. Organizers blamed the threat on Tarrio, who denied the claim in a post on his social media. Maria Stephan, a progressive at her first Principles First gathering, called the evacuation emboldening given the weekends themes.Yet Rich Logis of Broward County, Florida, offered caution as a former MAGA acolyte whose red hat now reads: I LEFT MAGA. Another wave of converts, Logis argued, is coming if Trump continues to impose tariffs, cut public services and impose policies that hurt Americans broadly.Everyone has to find their own breaking point, Logis said. Our job is to be there talking to people as they find it. BILL BARROW Bill Barrow covers U.S. politics. He is based in Atlanta. twitter mailto

The U.S. Department of the Treasury building is seen in Washington, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)2025-02-24T16:22:22Z WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. on Monday imposed sanctions on dozens of people and oil tankers across China, the United Arab Emirates, India and other jurisdictions for allegedly helping to finance Iran and its support for militant groups that launch attacks against the U.S. and its allies.The U.S. Treasury and the U.S. State departments sanctioned more than 30 people and ships, including the heads of Irans National Iranian Oil Co., and the Iranian Oil Terminals Co., for their role in brokering the sale and transportation of Iranian oil. The sanctioned ships move crude oil valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the Treasury. This is the second round of sanctions imposed on Iranian oil sales since President Donald Trumpissued the National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, which calls for the U.S. to drive Irans export of oil to zero. It also states that Iran can never be allowed to acquire or develop nuclear weapons. At the time of the memos signing in February, Trump said from the Oval Office that hopefully were not going to have to use it very much. We will see whether or not we can arrange or work out a deal with Iran, the president said. We dont want to be tough on Iran. We dont want to be tough on anybody, Trump added. But they just cant have a nuclear bomb.Trump added that hes given his advisers instructions to obliterate Iran if it assassinates him. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the U.S. will use all our available tools to target all aspects of Irans oil supply chain, and anyone who deals in Iranian oil exposes themselves to significant sanctions risk. During his confirmation hearing, Bessent criticized the Biden administrations sanctions policies and called for the U.S. to have a more muscular sanctions regime and to be more aggressive in targeting Iran and Russian entities and oil. An October 2024 U.S. Energy Information Administration report estimates that Iran brought in $253 billion in oil revenues during both Joe Biden and Trumps presidencies, between 2018 to 2024.State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce in a statement said that as long as Iran devotes its energy revenues to financing attacks on our allies, supporting terrorism around the world, or pursuing other destabilizing actions, we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold the regime accountable. FATIMA HUSSEIN Hussein reports on the U.S. Treasury Department for The Associated Press. She covers tax policy, sanctions and any issue that relates to money. twitter mailto

Conservative commentator Dan Bongino speaks at the Conservative Political Action Committee annual conference in National Harbor, Md., March 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)2025-02-24T23:02:23Z NEW YORK (AP) The popular right-wing podcaster Dan Bongino has built a career of unleashing sometimes inflammatory rants against the media, Democrats and the federal government.Now, the 50-year-old former New York police officer and U.S. Secret Service agent will return to the government he has so often criticized as President Donald Trumps selection for deputy FBI director. He said Monday hell soon leave his daily show to take on the new role.Bongino, who will serve under FBI Director Kash Patel, does not have any experience at the premier federal law enforcement agency. Nonetheless, he has strong opinions about how it should be run.A sampling of Bonginos podcast commentary from the past year reveals hes a loyalist to Patel and wants to see sweeping changes, from clearing the bureau of anyone he views as inappropriately political to redirecting investigations away from domestic extremism. Heres a closer look at how Bongino views the FBI, in his own words: He thinks Patel is the only viable leaderEven before Trump nominated Patel for FBI director, Bongino was one of his loudest advocates, arguing on his podcast that Patel was the only potential candidate who could go in there and clean that mess up.Kash knows where the bodies are buried, Bongino told his listeners last November. And hes got shovels, man. Hes ready to rock and roll. Thats why theyre so terrified.Like Patel, Bongino says the FBI needs to expose political weaponization within the agency and move agents out of the nations capital to chase criminals elsewhere in the country. In January, Bongino urged his millions of listeners whom he refers to as his Bongino Army to call their senators on Patels behalf.We dont get this guy in at the FBI, youre never going to get any answers at all, the podcaster said.He often criticizes FBI employees, past and present In Bonginos words, Patels predecessor Christopher Wray was incompetent, awful and potentially corrupt. Andrew McCabe, the former acting director of the FBI who was a key figure in the bureaus Trump-Russia investigation, is an absolute buffoon. And former FBI general counsel Andrew Weissmann, who served on special counsel Robert Muellers team during Trumps first term, is an absolute tool bag.The podcaster isnt shy about bashing past FBI leadership, sometimes crudely. He views them as having compromised the agencys morals to unfairly target conservatives.Bongino has also extended some harsh words toward the current FBI ranks. Earlier this month, after Trumps border czar Tom Homan accused the FBI of leaking information about planned immigration raids, Bongino called the supposed leakers stupid and said they would be caught and go to jail.Do you know how hard it was for me in my last line of work, how hard it was for me to listen to these stupid Obama speeches about big government? Bongino said of his time as a Secret Service agent under President Barack Obama. But I always took my job as serious as a freaking stroke. Because I swore to do a job, not to be a politician. Hes ready for sweeping changes immediatelyBongino said in December the Republican trifecta in the U.S. government is fleeting and thats one reason why he wants FBI reform to happen quickly, within the next two years.What changes would he like to see? For one, he wants agents fired if they were involved in investigations into Trump.If you swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States as an FBI agent and engaged in a tyrannical investigation against Donald Trump with partisan intent and not the Constitution in mind, you do not deserve your job, he said on his podcast earlier this month.The Justice Department has already demanded a list from the FBI of the thousands of agents who participated in investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, a move some within the bureau see as a possible precursor to mass firings.Bongino also has argued the FBI has placed too much focus on domestic intelligence-gathering and as a result dropped the ball on serious criminals and overseas threats. He has suggested federal law enforcement wasted time investigating Jan. 6 rioters and anti-abortion activists. These are threats to the United States? he said on a podcast last December. Grandma is in the gulag for a trespassing charge on January 6th. He has also criticized the Department of Justice and former Attorney General Merrick Garland for directing the FBI to respond to harassment and threats directed toward school boards and educators.We are going to make the FBI great again, because if we dont have an FBI breaking up counterterror plots trying to kill us and theyre worried about Moms for Liberty and pro-lifers, then we got a problem, folks, Bongino said on his podcast earlier this month, referring to the conservative parental rights group. He may be motivated by a personal connectionBongino frequently laments how he doesnt feel he can trust the FBI and says the agency has lost its credibility.Whatever the FBI says these days, I tend to believe the opposite, he said in January after Wray said in an interview that the agency wasnt tracking any specific or credible threats to Trumps inauguration.But the new deputy directors interest in reforming the FBI may hold more personal significance than some realize. In March, Bongino said an FBI representative used to visit his high school when he was a teenager. All I wanted to be was an FBI agent. That is it, man. I, like, adored these guys, man, he said. What happened to this agency?___Associated Press Artificial Intelligence Product Manager Ernest Kung contributed to this report.___The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about APs democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ALI SWENSON Swenson reports on election-related misinformation, disinformation and extremism for The Associated Press. twitter

Employees of a security firm, LEAR Asset Management, drag Post Falls resident Teresa Borrenpohl out of a town hall meeting on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, in Post Falls, Idaho. (Hailey Hill/Coeur D'Alene Press via AP)2025-02-24T18:21:25Z BOISE, Idaho (AP) A Republican-hosted legislative town hall meeting in northern Idaho descended into chaos after three plainclothes security workers forcibly removed a woman who was heckling the speakers. The incident Saturday at Coeur dAlene High School, first reported by the Coeur dAlene Press, drew widespread attention after videos of the turbulence were posted online. Now more than $120,000 has been raised for Teresa Borrenpohls legal costs, and the police chief has asked to have the security firms business license revoked. The city attorneys office also dismissed a misdemeanor battery citation against Borrenpohl in the interest of justice, Coeur dAlene Police Chief Lee White said Monday, and detectives are reviewing video to determine whether the security officers violated any laws. Roughly 450 people attended the legislative town hall hosted by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, said the organizations chairman Brent Regan. All of them were told that security officers were present, and that anyone who refused to respect the rights of others would be removed from the event. Still, videos show cheers and jeers were erupting throughout the crowd at times including when one lawmaker mentioned legislation that he said protected doctors from being forced to do abortions. Women are dying, one person in the audience shouted. And doctors are leaving our state! another yelled. A moderator tried to quiet the crowd, scolding people for popping off with stupid remarks. Thats when Borrenpohl, a Democratic legislative candidate who has run unsuccessfully in the deeply Republican region, began to shout as well. Is this a town hall, or a lecture? she asked, others in the audience echoing the question. By that point, Borrenpohl had been warned at least three times to stop interrupting the speakers, said Regan. Were trying to respect the rights of the 450 people that were there to listen. One person cant stand up to bring a halt to the whole event, Regan said. Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris, who was in plain clothes but wearing his badge on his belt, approached Borrenpohl. He introduced himself and told her to leave or she would be escorted out. Then the sheriff stepped back and began recording on his cellphone as three unidentified men approached and began grabbing Borrenpohl. Tonya Coppedge, who was sitting behind Borrenpohl and shot video of the disruption on her cellphone, said the men refused her repeated requests to identify themselves. One of the men bent Borrenpohls wrist into a flexed position, and later Borrenpohl bit one of the men on the hand as he continued to grab her, Coppedge said.They were not very kind to her it was pretty violent and traumatic, Coppedge said.Alicia Abbott, a friend of Borrenpohls who organized a GoFundMe on her behalf, said Borrenpohl has bruises from the incident. She suggested Borrenpohl was wrongly detained.Who were these people to detain Teresa in the first place? Abbott asked. This is not the first time weve seen this kind of security presence in public meetings or town halls. If theyre going to be detaining people, do they even have knowledge of the law? Are they trained to safely remove people? The men worked for the private security company LEAR Asset Management, based in Hayden, Idaho. Messages left for CEO Paul Trouette were not immediately returned. The men appeared to have violated Coeur dAlene City ordinances, which require security personnel to wear uniforms with the word Security clearly marked in letters no less than 1-inch tall on the front of the uniform.White, the police chief, told The Associated Press, said he had requested the revocation of companys business licenses and the security agent licenses from the individuals who were involved.Organizers arranged for extra security at the event after one of the lawmakers told them he had been facing death threats, Regan said. Rep. Jordan Redman, a Republican, had recently been threatened with bombings by an individual on social media, and so KCRCC notified the sheriff and arranged for security, Regan said. The Coeur dAlene Police Department also had officers stationed in the parking lot outside.On Monday, Kootenai County Undersheriff Brett Nelson released a statement saying the agency will have a complete and independent investigation of the incident conducted by an outside agency. ___Bellisle reported from Seattle. REBECCA BOONE Rebecca is a correspondent based in Idaho. twitter mailto MARTHA BELLISLE Bellisle is a global investigative reporter for The Associated Press, based in Washington state. She reports on a range of topics, including police accountability, police training and mental health. She also has covered the Winter Olympics. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Members of the Dwaima family stand on the rubble of their home, which was leveled by an Israeli airstrike during the Israel-Hamas war, in the Tal al Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2025-02-25T05:13:09Z BEIT LAHIYA, Gaza Strip (AP) When night falls over northern Gaza, much of the cityscape of collapsed buildings and piled wreckage turns pitch black. Living inside the ruins of their home, Rawya Tambouras young sons get afraid of the dark, so she turns on a flashlight and her phones light to comfort them, for as long as the batteries last.Displaced for most of the 16-month-long war, Tamboura is back in her house. But it is still a frustrating shell of a life, she says: There is no running water, electricity, heat or services, and no tools to clear the rubble around them.Nearly 600,000 Palestinians flooded back into northern Gaza under the now month-old ceasefire in Gaza, according to the United Nations. After initial relief and joy at being back at their homes even if damaged or destroyed they now face the reality of living in the wreckage for the foreseeable future. Some people wish the war had never ended, feeling it would have been better to be killed, Tamboura said. I dont know what well do long-term. My brain stopped planning for the future.The six-week ceasefire is due to end Saturday, and its uncertain what will happen next. There are efforts to extend the calm as the next phase is negotiated. If fighting erupts again, those who returned to the north could find themselves once again in the middle of it. A massive rebuilding job has no way to startA report last week by the World Bank, U.N. and European Union estimated it will cost some $53 billion to rebuild Gaza after entire neighborhoods were decimated by Israels bombardment and offensives against Hamas militants. At the moment, there is almost no capacity or funding to start significant rebuilding.A priority is making Gaza immediately livable. Earlier in February, Hamas threatened to hold up hostage releases unless more tents and temporary shelters were allowed into Gaza. It then reversed and accelerated hostage releases after Israel agreed to let in mobile homes and construction equipment.Humanitarian agencies have stepped up services, setting up free kitchens and water delivery stations, and distributing tents and tarps to hundreds of thousands across Gaza, according to the U.N.President Donald Trump turned up the pressure by calling for the entire population of Gaza to be removed permanently so the U.S. can take over the territory and redevelop it for others. Rejecting the proposal, Palestinians say they want help to rebuild for themselves.Gaza Citys municipality started fixing some water lines and clearing rubble from streets, said a spokesperson, Asem Alnabih. But it lacks heavy equipment. Only a few of its 40 bulldozers and five dump trucks still work, he said. Gaza is filled with over 50 million tons of rubble that would take 100 trucks working at full capacity over 15 years to clear away, the U.N. estimates. Families try to get by day by dayTambouras house in the northern town of Beit Lahiya was destroyed by an airstrike early in the war, so she and her family lived in the nearby Indonesian Hospital, where she worked as a nurse.After the ceasefire, they moved back into the only room in her house that was semi-intact. The ceiling is partially collapsed, the walls are cracked; the surviving fridge and sink are useless with no water or electricity. They stack their sheets and blankets in a corner.Tamboura said her 12-year-old son lugs heavy containers of water twice a day from distribution stations. They also have to find firewood for cooking. The influx of aid means there is food in the markets and prices went down, but it remains expensive, she said.With the Indonesian Hospital too damaged to function, Tamboura walks an hour each day to work at the Kamal Adwan Hospital. She charges her and her husbands phones using the hospital generator. Many of Tambouras relatives returned to find nothing left of their homes, so they live in tents on or next to the rubble that gets blown away by winter winds or flooded during rains, she said.Asmaa Dwaima and her family returned to Gaza City but had to rent an apartment because their home in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood was destroyed. It was only weeks after returning that she went to visit their four-story house, now a pile of flattened and burned wreckage. I couldnt come here because I was afraid. I had an image of my house in my mind its beauty, and warmth. ... I was afraid to face this truth, the 25-year-old dentist said. They dont just destroy stone, they are destroying us and our identity.Her family had to rebuild the house once before, when it was leveled by airstrikes during a round of fighting between Israel and Hamas in 2014, she said. For the time being, they have no means to rebuild now.We need to remove the rubble because we want to pull out clothes and some of our belongings, she said. We need heavy equipment There are no bricks or other construction tools and, if available, its extremely expensive. Desperation is growingTess Ingram, a spokesperson with UNICEF who visited northern Gaza since the ceasefire, said the families she met are grieving the lives that they used to live as they begin to rebuild. Their desperation, she said, is becoming more intense.Huda Skaik, a 20-year-old student, is sharing a room with her three siblings and parents at her grandparents house in Gaza City. Its an improvement from life in the tent camps of central Gaza where they were displaced for much of the war, she said. There, they had to live among strangers, and their tent was washed away by rain. At least here they have walls and are with family, she said.Before the war interrupted, Skaik had just started studying English literature at Gazas Islamic University. She is now enrolled in online classes the university is organizing. But the internet is feeble, and her electricity relies on solar panels that dont always work.The worst part is that were just now grasping that we lost it all, she said. The destruction is massive, but Im trying to remain positive. ___Khaled reported from Cairo.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, claps as Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk prepares to depart after speaking at a campaign event at the Butler Farm Show, on Oct. 5, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)2025-02-25T05:02:04Z Nearly 40% of the federal contracts that the Trump administration claims to have canceled as part of its signature cost-cutting program arent expected to save the government any money, the administrations own data shows.The Department of Government Efficiency run by Elon Musk last week published an initial list of 1,125 contracts that it terminated in recent weeks across the federal government. Data published on DOGEs Wall of Receipts shows that more than one-third of the contract cancellations, 417 in all, are expected to yield no savings.Thats usually because the total value of the contracts has already been fully obligated, which means the government has a legal requirement to spend the funds for the goods or services it purchased and in many cases has already done so.Its like confiscating used ammunition after its been shot when theres nothing left in it. It doesnt accomplish any policy objective, said Charles Tiefer, a retired University of Baltimore law professor and expert on government contracting law. Their terminating so many contracts pointlessly obviously doesnt accomplish anything for saving money. Dozens of them were for already-paid subscriptions to The Associated Press, Politico and other media services that the administration said it would discontinue. Others were for research studies that have been awarded, training that has taken place, software that has been purchased and interns that have come and gone. An administration official said it made sense to cancel contracts that are seen as potential dead weight, even if the moves do not yield any savings. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. In all, DOGE data says the 417 contracts in question had a total value of $478 million. Dozens of other canceled contracts are expected to yield little if any savings. Its too late for the government to change its mind on many of these contracts and walk away from its payment obligation, said Tiefer, who served on the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.Tiefer said DOGE appeared to be taking a slash and burn approach to cutting contracts, which he said could damage the performance of government agencies. He said savings could be made instead by working with agency contracting officers and inspectors general to find efficiencies, an approach the administration has not taken.DOGE says the overall contract cancellations are expected to save more than $7 billion so far, an amount that has been questioned as inflated by independent experts.The canceled contracts were to purchase a wide range of goods and services.The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a contract in September to purchase and install office furniture at various branches. While the contract does not expire until later this year, federal records show the agency had already agreed to spend the maximum $567,809 with a furniture company.The U.S. Agency for International Development negotiated a $145,549 contract last year to clean the carpet at its headquarters in Washington. But the full amount had already been obligated to a firm that is owned by a Native American tribe based in Michigan. Another already-spent $249,600 contract went to a Washington, D.C., firm to help prepare the Department of Transportation for the recent transition from the Biden to the Trump administration.Some of the canceled contracts were intended to modernize and improve the way government works, which would seem to be at odds with DOGEs cost-cutting mission.One of the largest, for instance, went to a consulting firm to help carry out a reorganization at the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, which led the agencys response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The maximum $13.6 million had already been obligated to Deloitte Consulting LLP for help with the restructuring, which included closing several research offices.___Foley reported from Iowa City, Iowa. RYAN J. FOLEY Foley covers state and national news for The Associated Press and is based in Iowa City, Iowa. A 20-year AP veteran, hes known for investigative reporting and using open records laws to obtain information. twitter mailto

A Chinese military helicopter flies close to a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic (BFAR) aircraft above Scarborough shoal on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Joeal Calupitan, File)2025-02-24T10:56:38Z BANGKOK (AP) Chinese authorities said they began live-fire exercises in the Gulf of Tonkin on Monday, only days after Vietnam announced a new line marking what it considers its territory in the body of water between the countries. Chinas Maritime Safety Administration said the exercises would be focused on the Beibu Gulf area, closer to the Chinese side of the Gulf of Tonkin, and would run through Thursday evening. It gave no further details, but the drills follow an announcement last week by Vietnam establishing a baseline used to calculate the width of its territorial waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. State-run Vietnam News reported that the baseline was in compliance with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea and would provide a robust legal basis for safeguarding and exercising Vietnams sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction. Vietnam has not publicly responded to the Chinese drills. China and Vietnam have long had a maritime agreement governing the Gulf of Tonkin, but have been locked in competing claims in the nearby South China Sea over the Spratly and Paracel Islands and maritime areas. China has been been growing aggressive in pursuing those claims, and in October assaulted 10 Vietnamese fishermen near the Paracel Islands, three of whom suffered broken limbs. China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, though it has not publicly released exact coordinates of its claim other than a map with 10 dashed lines broadly demarcating what it calls its territory. In addition to Vietnam, Chinas claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, while Indonesia has also figured in violent confrontations with the Chinese coast guard and fishing fleets in the waters around the Natuna Islands.Tensions have been particularly high with the Philippines, with regular confrontations between the two countries. Most recently, a Chinese navy helicopter flew within 10 feet (3 meters) of a Philippine patrol plane last week over the South China Sea, near the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines.Leaders in Australia and New Zealand also said China should have given more warning before its navy conducted an unusual series of live-fire exercises in the seas between the two countries, forcing flights on Friday and Saturday to divert on short notice. Political leaders from both countries emphasized that China didnt breach international law, but said they had only been given a couple hours notice rather than the usual 12 to 24 hours. DAVID RISING Rising covers regional Asia-Pacific stories for The Associated Press. He has worked around the world, including covering the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine, and was based for nearly 20 years in Berlin before moving to Bangkok. twitter mailto

This is a display of iPhone 16s in an Apple Store in Pittsburgh on Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)2025-02-25T06:00:08Z Apple shareholders on Tuesday are expected to reject an attempt to pressure the technology trendsetter into scrapping its corporate programs designed to diversify its workforce.The proposal drafted by the National Center for Public Policy Research a self-described conservative think tank urges Apple to follow a litany of high-profile companies that have retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives currently in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump.It comes a month after the same group presented a similar proposal during Costcos annual meeting, only to have it overwhelmingly rejected. A similar outcome is expected during Apples annual meeting despite the strident objections of critics. Just as Costco does, Apple has steadfastly stood behind diversity and inclusion efforts that its management contends good business sense. But the National Center for Public Policy Researchs proposal has attacked Apples diversity commitments for being out of line with recent court rulings and said the programs expose the Cupertino, California, company to an onslaught of potential lawsuits for alleged discrimination. The group estimated about 50,000 Apple employees could file cases against Apple without detailing how it arrived at that figure. Its clear that DEI poses litigation, reputational and financial risks to companies, and therefore financial risks to their shareholders, and therefore further risks to companies for not abiding by their fiduciary duties, the National Center for Public Policy Research says in its proposal. The specter of potential legal trouble was magnified last week when Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a federal lawsuit against Target alleging the retailers recently scaled-back DEI program alienated many consumers and undercut sales to the detriment of shareholders. In its rebuttal to the anti-DEI proposal, Apple said its program is an integral part of a culture that has helped elevate the company to its current market value of $3.7 trillion greater than any other business in the world. We believe that how we conduct ourselves is as critical to Apples success as making the best products in the world, the company said in its statement against the proposal. We seek to conduct business ethically, honestly, and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.In its last diversity and inclusion report issued in 2022, Apple disclosed nearly that three-fourths of its global workforce consisted of white and Asian employees. Nearly two-thirds of its employees at that juncture were men.Other major technology companies for years have reported employing mostly white and Asian men, especially in high-paid engineering jobs a tendency that spurred the industry to pursue what have been largely unsuccessful efforts to diversify. MICHAEL LIEDTKE Liedtke has been covering technology and wide range of other business topics for The Associated Press since the turn of the century. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with France's President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (Ludovic Marin/Pool via AP)2025-02-24T21:36:24Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump said Monday that his tariffs on Canada and Mexico are starting next month, ending a monthlong suspension on the planned import taxes that could potentially hurt economic growth and worsen inflation.Were on time with the tariffs, and it seems like thats moving along very rapidly, the U.S. president said at a White House news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.While Trump was answering a specific question about the taxes to be charged on Americas two largest trading partners, the U.S. president also stressed more broadly that his intended reciprocal tariffs were on schedule to begin as soon as April.The tariffs are going forward on time, on schedule, Trump said.Trump has claimed that other countries charge unfair import taxes that have come at the expense of domestic manufacturing and jobs. His near constant threats of tariffs have already raised concerns among businesses and consumers about an economic slowdown and accelerating inflation. But Trump claims that the import taxes would ultimately generate revenues to reduce the federal budget deficit and new jobs for workers. Our country will be extremely liquid and rich again, Trump said. In a interview with Fox News late Monday, Macron said he hoped he had convinced Trump to avoid a possible trade war, noting the difficulty of taking on a traditional ally such as Europe while simultaneously using tariffs to challenge Chinas industrial might. We dont need a trade war, Marcon said. We need more prosperity together.Most economists say the cost of the taxes could largely be borne by consumers, retailers and manufacturers such as auto companies that source globally and rely on raw materials such as steel and aluminum that Trump is already, separately, tariffing at 25%.Still, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum appeared confident Monday that her administration would reach agreements with the U.S. government before the deadline set by Trump. We would need to be reaching important agreements this Friday, Sheinbaum told reporters Monday morning before Trumps remarks. On all of the issues there is communication and what we need is to complete this agreement, I believe were in a place to do it.If necessary, she said she would seek to speak directly with Trump again. In high-level discussions between both governments, Mexico has insisted that the U.S. also take a hard look at the drug distribution and consumption in its own country rather than pointing only at production in Mexico, Sheinbaum said.Companies like Walmart have warned about uncertainty, while the University of Michigans latest consumer sentiment index plunged by roughly 10% over the past month in part due to fears about tariffs and inflation worsening. In the 2024 presidential election, voters backed Trump on the belief that he could cool inflation that had spiked to a four-decade high in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic during President Joe Bidens time in office. But Trump has persistently threatened tariffs and kept up those calls even as Macron, standing beside him, had previously suggested that talks on trade had produced some common ground.We want to make a sincere commitment towards a fair competition where we have smooth trade and more investments, Macron said at the news conference, according to a translation of his French remarks.Macron said the idea is to help the U.S. and Europe both prosper, saying that further talks would be carried out by their respective teams to flesh out their ideas.Investors, businesses and the broader public are still trying to determine whether Trump is merely threatening tariffs as a negotiating tool or if he sincerely backs the tax hikes as a way to offset his planned income tax cuts.Despite talks the Trump administration has held with Canadian and Mexican officials, the U.S. president signaled Monday that he would end the 30-day suspension of tariffs that were initially set to take effect in February. Trump plans to tax imports from Mexico at 25% as well as most goods from Canada, with energy products such as Canadian oil and electricity being tariffed at a lower 10%. Trump is placing tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods with the stated goal of pressuring them to do more to address illegal immigration and the smuggling of illicit drugs such as fentanyl. While relatively little fentanyl comes from Canada, the country announced a czar to address the issue and appease Trump in addition to existing measures. Mexico has relocated 10,000 members of its National Guard to the border with the United States in addition to existing measures.Trump also plans to impose new tariffs to match the rates charged by other countries. Set to begin as soon as April, the tariffs could be higher than what other countries would charge as subsidies, regulatory barriers and the value added tax which is akin to a sales tax common in Europe would be included in the calculations.The possibility of retaliatory tariffs planned by Canada, Mexico and Europe could lead to a broader trade conflict that sabotage growth. In February, the Yale University Budget Lab estimated that the Canadian and Mexican tariffs could depress average U.S. incomes by $1,170 to $1,245 a year. __Sanchez contributed reporting from Mexico City. JOSH BOAK Boak covers the White House and economic policy for The Associated Press. He joined the AP in 2013. twitter mailto

People walk outside St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)2025-02-25T05:43:57Z VATICAN CITY (AP) Thousands of people gathered in St. Peters Square Monday evening to pray for an ailing Pope Francis, expressing sorrow for his suffering, hope for his recovery and gratitude for his efforts to steer the Catholic Church in new directions.The 88-year-old Francis has pneumonia in both lungs and remains in critical condition despite showing a slight improvement after 11 days in the hospital.As Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vaticans No. 2, led prayers for 45 minutes on a chilly, rainy night, the faithful fingered rosary beads while hoping for Francis recovery. The Vatican issued a dose of optimism earlier in the evening, delivering a more upbeat health bulletin than in recent days.Still, the mood was mostly grim in the monumental square, with many of the roughly 4,000 assembled understanding they may be in Rome for Francis final days. Crowds sat under umbrellas on folding chairs or stood by the vast colonnades as they reflected fondly on the pontiffs legacy. To see him suffer hurts, said Robert Pietro, a Romanian seminarian who stood at the prayer holding a small, fragrant candle in tribute. But we also pray in thanksgiving for what he has done for the Church. Roberto Allison, a priest from the Mexican state of Guadalajara, said members of his community had come together to show appreciation for all that we have learned from him. Stopping to deliver personal blessings to some at the end of the ceremony, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco said the crowds diversity many world languages could be heard spoken was a big sign of comfort for the Catholic Church.The Argentine pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been hospitalized at Romes Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14 and doctors have said his condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and preexisting lung disease.But in Mondays update, they said he hadnt had any more respiratory crises since Saturday, and the supplemental oxygen he is using continued but with a slightly reduced oxygen flow and concentrations. A couple of Catholic tourists from Chicago, who arrived holding umbrellas well before the service started, said they prayed for the pope at daily Mass earlier at St. Peters Basilica, and decided to come back. Like many, they found it hard to process they may be in Rome for Francis final days.No one knows the day and time, but its a historic moment nonetheless, said Edward Burjek. It felt the same for Hatzumi Villanueva of Peru. She was particularly fond of former pope St. John Paul II but said that Francis, as the first Latin American pope, draws a bit closer.We came to pray for the pope, that he may recover soon, for the great mission hes sharing with his message of peace, said Villanueva, who praised his empathy for migrants.Francis papacy has also emphasized the defense of the environment and partial openness to LGBTQ+ rights.Outside of the Vatican, Romans, pilgrims and even non-Catholics said they were offering special prayers for the hospitalized pope. We are all sorry, said Raniero Mancinelli, who has tailored ceremonial clothing for Francis and the two previous popes in his shop just outside the Vaticans walls. Elisabetta Zumbo carried a 5-foot-long cross down a cordoned-off section of the street leading to St. Peters as she prepared to lead a group of 34 pilgrims from the northern Italian city of Piacenza. With the rain pouring down, she pledged her group would pray intensely for the pope.There is a lot of emotion and a lot of sadness, Zumbo said.Nearby, a couple from London visiting St. Peters with their son said that even though theyre not Catholic, they felt close to the pontiff being there in his home in the monumental basilica.___AP videojournalist Paolo Santalucia contributed from Rome.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, participates in a welcome ceremony with Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)2025-02-25T00:40:38Z WASHINGTON (AP) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that he was replacing the top lawyers for the military services because he didnt think they were well-suited to provide recommendations when lawful orders are given.Speaking at the start of a meeting with Saudi Arabias defense minister, Hegseth refused to answer a question about why the Trump administration has selected a retired general to be the next Joint Chiefs chairman, when he doesnt meet the legal qualifications for the job.President Donald Trump on Friday abruptly fired the chairman, Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., and Hegseth followed that by firing Navy Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, and Air Force Gen. James Slife, the vice chief of the Air Force. He also said he was requesting nominations for the jobs of judge advocate general, or JAG, for the Army, Navy and Air Force. He did not identify the lawyers by name. The Navy JAG, Vice Adm. Christopher French, retired about two months ago, and there was already an ongoing effort to seek a replacement. The Army JAG, Lt. Gen. Joseph B. Berger III, and Air Force JAG, Lt. Gen. Charles Plummer, were fired. The removals which came without any specified reasons in terms of their conduct sent a new wave of apprehension through the Pentagon. And they added to the broader confusion over the changing parameters of Elon Musks demand that federal employees provide recent job accomplishments by the end of Monday or risk getting fired, even though government officials later said the edict is voluntary. Throughout the Pentagon on Monday, military and civilian workers juggled their routine national security duties with a growing unease that anyone could be next on the firing block.Hegseth has defended Trumps firing of Brown, saying it was not unusual and the president deserves to pick his own team. The defense chief argued that other presidents made changes in military personnel. Trumps choice of retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine is unusual. Caine would have to come back onto active duty, but he does not meet the legal requirements for the top post. According to law, a chairman must have served as a combatant commander or service chief. Those requirements can be waived by the president. Historically, Pentagon leaders have deliberately shifted top admirals and generals into a job as service chief for even a brief period of time in order to qualify them for the chairmans post. In recent decades, a number of three-star and four-star officers have been fired, but Pentagon leaders have routinely made clear why they were ousted. Those reasons included disagreements over the conduct of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars, problems with the oversight of Americas nuclear arsenal and public statements critical of the president and other leaders.Brown, a history-making fighter pilot and only the second Black general to serve as chairman, is the first in that post to be fired in recent history. Hegseth made it clear before he took the secretarys job that he thought Brown should be fired, and he questioned whether Brown got the job because he was Black. Hegseth has also repeatedly argued that military officers would be reviewed based on meritocracy. Its unclear, however, how Franchetti, Slife and the lawyers were evaluated and what meritocracy they were found to lack.As a result, Pentagon workers are left to decipher whether the officers were fired due to political reasons or because of their race or gender. Hegseth has laid out a campaign to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks. And there have been persistent threats from the Trump administration that military officers advocating diversity and equity or so-called wokeism could be targeted.Hegseth has said that efforts to expand diversity and equity have eroded the militarys readiness. LOLITA C. BALDOR Baldor has covered the Pentagon and national security issues for The Associated Press since 2005. She has reported from all over the world including warzones in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. twitter mailto

Sheep look for water in a dry pond used by local farms for their livestock, in Contrada Chiapparia, near the town of Caltanissetta, central Sicily, Italy, July 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)2025-02-25T03:00:06Z BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) An annual United Nations conference on biodiversity that ran out of time last year will resume its work Tuesday in Rome with money at the top of the agenda.That is, how to spend whats been pledged so far and how to raise a lot more to help preserve plant and animal life on Earth.The talks in Colombia known as COP16 yielded some significant outcomes before they broke up in November, including an agreement that requires companies that benefit from genetic resources in nature say, by developing medicines from rainforest plants to share the benefits. And steps were taken to give Indigenous peoples and local communities a stronger voice in conservation matters.But two weeks turned out to be not enough time to get everything done. A bumblebee flies between poppy flowers near the buildings of the banking district in Frankfurt, Germany, May 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File) A bumblebee flies between poppy flowers near the buildings of the banking district in Frankfurt, Germany, May 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The Cali talks followed the historic 2022 COP15 accord in Montreal, which included 23 measures aimed at protecting biodiversity. Those included putting 30% of the planet and 30% of degraded ecosystems under protection by 2030, known as the Global Biodiversity Framework. Montreal was about the what what are we all working towards together? said Georgina Chandler, head of policy and campaigns for the Zoological Society London. Cali was supposed to focus on the how putting the plans and the financing in place to ensure we can actually implement this framework. They eventually lost a quorum because people simply went home, said Linda Krueger of The Nature Conservancy, who is in Rome for the two days of talks And so now were having to finish these last critical decisions, which are some of the the nitty gritty decisions on financing, on resource mobilization and on the planning and monitoring and reporting requirements under the Global Biodiversity Framework. Deforestation is visible near the areas of several wood pellet production companies in Pohuwato, Gorontalo province, Indonesia, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Yegar Sahaduta Mangiri, File) Deforestation is visible near the areas of several wood pellet production companies in Pohuwato, Gorontalo province, Indonesia, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Yegar Sahaduta Mangiri, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The overall financial aim was to achieve $20 billion a year in the fund by 2025, and then $30 billion by 2030. So far, only $383 million had been pledged as of November, from 12 nations or sub-nations: Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Province of Qubec, Spain, and the United Kingdom.Participants will discuss establishing a global financing instrument for biodiversity intended to effectively distribute the money raised. And a big part of the talks will be about raising more money. Completely off track on larger financial goal A group of men and a woman carry bananas and fish from the port, in Leticia, Colombia, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia, File) A group of men and a woman carry bananas and fish from the port, in Leticia, Colombia, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Chandler and Kruger both said the finance points at Colombias talks were particularly contentious. Its really about how do we collect the money and how do we get it distributed fairly, get it to the ground where its needed most, so that thats really the core issue, said Kruger. Oscar Soria, chief executive of The Common Initiative, a think tank specializing in global economic and environmental policy, was pessimistic about raising a great deal more money.We are completely off track in terms of achieving that money, Soria said. Key sources of biodiversity finance are shrinking or disappearing, he said.What was supposed to be a good Colombian telenovela in which people will actually bring the right resources, and the happy ending of bringing their money, could actually end up being a tragic Italian opera, where no one actually agrees to anything and everyone loses, Soria said. Antelope run as they migrate through national parks and surrounding areas in South Sudan, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga, File) Antelope run as they migrate through national parks and surrounding areas in South Sudan, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Susana Muhamad, Colombias former environment minister and the COP16 president, said shes hopeful of a good message from Rome.That message is that still, even with a very fragmented geopolitical landscape, with a world increasingly in conflict, we can still get an agreement on some fundamental issues, Muhamad said in a statement. And one of the most important is the need to protect life in this crisis of climate change and biodiversity. Global wildlife populations have plunged on average by 73% in 50 years, according to an October report from the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London.Biodiversity is basically essential to our livelihoods and well-being, Chandler said. Its essential to the the air we breathe, the water we drink, rainfall that food systems rely on, protecting us from increasing temperatures and increasing storm occurrences as well. Fishermen push a boat in the Aleixo Lake amid a drought in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros, File) Fishermen push a boat in the Aleixo Lake amid a drought in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Sept. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Chandler said deforestation in the Amazon has far-reaching impacts across South America, just as it does in the Congo Basin and other major biodiverse regions worldwide. We know that has an impact on rainfall, on food systems, on soil integrity in other countries. So its not just something thats kind of small and isolated. Its a widespread problem, she said. A cormorant gets a running start to take off from the calm waters of Northeast Harbor, Maine, at sunrise on Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File) A cormorant gets a running start to take off from the calm waters of Northeast Harbor, Maine, at sunrise on Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More ___The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. STEVEN GRATTAN Grattan reports on the Amazon rainforest and deforestation around Latin America for The Associated Press. He is based in Bogota, Colombia. twitter instagram mailto

The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is pictured, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Va., near the wreckage of a mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet in the Potomac River. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-02-25T05:12:24Z Tens of thousands of planes take off, land and perform touch-and-goes at the Marana Regional Airport in southern Arizona every year. Without an air traffic control tower, its a calculated dance that requires communication by pilots.Two small planes collided in midair over one of the runways on the outskirts of Tucson last week. One hit the ground and caught fire, sending up a plume of black smoke. The remains of two people were found in the charred wreckage. The other plane was able to land, with those occupants uninjured.The collision was the latest aviation mishap to draw attention in recent weeks. The circumstances vary widely with each case, however, and experts who study aviation accidents say they dont see any connection between them.Chatter over the airwaves has provided some clues about what happened in Arizona. A chief flight instructor who was in the air with a student that day heard the commotion over the radio: One plane was attempting a touch-and-go when another clipped its propeller while attempting to land. Erwin Castillo, who works for IFLY Pilot Training, recalled hearing one pilot scream: Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! He just hit us. It will be up to federal investigators to determine what caused the crash, a detailed process that will take months.While some observers suggest having a control tower may have made a difference, experts say not having a tower doesnt mean the airport is any less safe; pilots just have a different set of communication procedures to follow. How many airports in the US have control towers?Of the 5,100 public airports across the country, only about 10% have towers staffed by people who direct the flow of traffic. These are the busiest of airports, with complex operations and large volumes of commercial flights.For the airports without control towers, pilots rely on radio communications and the principle of see and avoid to ensure they can maneuver safely. The concept is drilled into pilots from Day 1 of their training and its applicable regardless of the kind of airspace theyre in, said Mike Ginter, a retired Navy aviator and senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations Air Safety Institute. He likened it to being behind the wheel of a car and practicing all the safety rules learned in drivers ed. You dont have to tell the state police that youre getting ready to drive to the supermarket to get groceries. You just go out, and you look both ways before you turn, and you turn on your turn signal and you drive, he explained, saying there are basic tenets of safety that are ingrained in pilots.The system has worked well, considering the sheer number of planes coming and going daily from small airports and the roughly 26 million hours of flight time logged by general aviation pilots. What prompted regulation of the friendly skies? It was a summer day in 1956 when two commercial flights left Los Angeles within minutes of each other one en route to Chicago and the other to Kansas. Flying under visual flight rules, the planes collided over the Grand Canyon in Arizona, killing all 128 people aboard. The crash site is now a National Historic Landmark.Even though U.S. air traffic had more than doubled since the end of World War II, it was this disaster that helped to fuel efforts to overhaul aviation safety.Legislation was introduced in 1958 to create an independent federal agency that would provide for the safe and efficient use of national airspace. The bill was signed within months and the first Federal Aviation Agency administrator was appointed. Responsibilities evolved, and the agency became the Federal Aviation Administration as air traffic control systems were being modernized. Are new control towers being planned?Through the FAA, airports can apply for federal grants to modernize and build air traffic control towers that are staffed by private companies and contract workers, rather than FAA staff.Nearly 180 airports nationwide are eligible for funding under the program, with most looking to upgrade existing towers some that date back to the 1940s and others that were meant to be temporary. A review of funding awarded through the program over the past four fiscal year shows a handful of airports were awarded money specifically for site studies, environmental work and construction of new towers. That includes airports in Bend, Oregon; Boulder City, Nevada; and Mankato, Minnesota.In the case of Marana, the airport was first accepted into the program in 2019 but the coronavirus pandemic stalled efforts to get a tower built by the five-year deadline. Airport officials have said they now are on track to complete the project by 2029. Will federal job cuts affect air traffic safety?U.S. President Donald Trump issued a memo in late January to top transportation officials, ordering an immediate assessment of aviation safety following the midair collision of an Army helicopter and commercial passenger jet over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Sixty-seven people were killed.Trump raised questions about hiring practices within the FAA, suggesting previous Democratic administrations had shifted away from merit-based hiring.Some FAA jobs have been eliminated as Trump streamlines the federal workforce and looks to ferret out waste and curb spending, but less than 1% of the agencys more than 45,000 workers were probationary employees targeted as part of the job cuts, federal officials have said. In addition, the administration has said no air traffic controllers or critical safety personnel were fired as part of the effort. But labor and industry groups say even without cuts, air traffic control towers were already understaffed.Trump has said that he would support legislation aimed at modernizing the nations air traffic control system. In a letter sent to members of Congress last week, the industry group Airlines for America pushed for emergency funding for critical air traffic control technology and infrastructure as well as air controller staffing and training.___Associated Press writer Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix contributed to this report.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., arrives to talk to reporters after a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans to find agreement on a spending bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. The current stopgap measure lasts through March 14. After that, without congressional action, there would be a partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)2025-02-25T12:04:42Z WASHINGTON (AP) House Speaker Mike Johnson will try against the odds to muscle a Republican budget blueprint to passage this week, a step toward delivering President Donald Trumps big, beautiful bill with $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts over stiff opposition from Democrats and even some Republicans.With almost no votes to spare in Johnsons bare-bones GOP majority, the speaker is fighting on all fronts against Democrats, uneasy rank-and-file Republicans and skeptical GOP senators as he works to keep the package on track. Votes set for Tuesday evening are in jeopardy, and the outcome is uncertain.Were going to get everyone there, Johnson, of Louisiana, said at an event at the start of the week, half-joking that he had a prayer request involved.The package, if approved, would be a crucial part of the budget process as Trump pushes the Republicans who control Congress to approve a massive bill that would extend tax breaks, which he secured during his first term but are expiring later this year, while also cutting spending across federal programs and services. Slashing government is not always popular at homeBut Republicans are running into a familiar problem: Slashing federal spending is typically easier said than done. With cuts to the Pentagon and other programs largely off limits, much of the other government outlays go for health care, food stamps, student loans and programs relied on by their constituents.Its all unfolding as billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk is tearing through federal agencies with his Department of Government Efficiency firing thousands of workers nationwide, and angry voters are starting to confront lawmakers at town hall meetings back home. While we fully support efforts to rein in wasteful spending and deliver on President Trumps agenda, it is imperative that we do not slash programs that support American communities across our nation, wrote Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, and several other GOP lawmakers in the Congressional Hispanic Conference. Democrats protest tax cuts for wealthyDemocrats in the House and the Senate are vowing to fight the whole process. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York was planning to gather lawmakers on the Capitol steps in protest during Tuesdays session.This is not what people want, said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., during a rules debate ahead of planned votes.We all know that trickle-down economics, he said about the 2017 tax breaks that flowed mainly to the wealthy, dont work. Trump has signaled a preference for the big bill but also appears to enjoy a competition between the House and the Senate, lawmakers said, as he pits the Republicans against each other to see which version will emerge on a path toward approval.Senate Republicans, wary that Johnson can lift his bill over the finish line, launched their own scaled-back $340 billion package last week. Its focused on sending Trump money his administration needs for its deportation and border security agenda now, with plans to tackle the tax cuts separately later this year. Im holding my breath. Im crossing my fingers, said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who said he is rooting for the Houses approach as the better option. I think a one-shot is their best opportunity. The House GOP faces pitfalls aheadJohnson, whose party lost seats in last Novembers election, commands one of the thinnest majorities in modern history, which means he must keep almost every Republican in line or risk losing the vote.Already, several lawmakers have objected to the package either because it cuts too much or because it doesnt cut enough. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., center, departs a news conference joined from left by Rep. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., after discussing work on a spending bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., center, departs a news conference joined from left by Rep. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., after discussing work on a spending bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The most conservative Republicans warn it will pile onto the nations $36 trillion debt load, because the cost of the tax breaks, at least $4.5 trillion over the decade, outweighs the $2 trillion in spending cuts to government programs.More moderate Republican lawmakers worry that the enormous budget cuts being eyed some $880 billion to the committee that handles health care spending, including Medicaid, for example, or $230 billion to the agriculture committee that funds food stamps will be too harmful to their constituents back home. GOP leaders are trying to convince lawmakers that the details will be debated in the weeks to come and that this weeks vote is just a first step.The budget is being compiled during a lengthy process that first sends instructions to the various House and Senate committees, which will then have several weeks to devise more detailed plans for additional debate and votes.The committees need time to go work to find savings, said Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. But we cant even get to that if we dont get through the budget. So, weve got to get the first step done later this week.Ten House GOP chairmen of the committees involved issued a joint statement in a show of force to push the package forward.The Houses one big beautiful bill delivers on the entirety of President Trumps policy agenda, they wrote in a letter obtained by The Associated Press. We must meet this historic moment with the bold action it requires. Rep. Jodey Arrington, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee, told reporters he recognizes the tension between Republicans who want more cuts and those from politically competitive districts who have a higher level of sensitivity to some of the spending reforms.Arrington said with economic growth assumptions, from 1.8% as projected by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to 2.6% as projected by House Republicans, the package would generate about $2.6 trillion in savings over 10 years and would ensure the plan helps reduce the deficit. Some fiscal advocacy groups view the GOPs economic projections as overly optimistic.___Follow the APs coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives at https://apnews.com/hub/united-states-house-of-representatives. MATT BROWN Brown is a reporter covering national politics, race and democracy issues. twitter instagram mailto