Protestors hold signs during a rally for a nationwide economic blackout Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)2025-02-27T20:17:05Z NEW YORK (AP) A grassroots organization is encouraging U.S. residents not to spend any money Friday as an act of economic resistance to protest what the groups founder sees as the malign influence of billionaires, big corporations and both major political parties on the lives of working Americans. The Peoples Union USA calls the 24 hours of spending abstinence set to start at midnight an economic blackout, a term that has since been shared and debated on social media. The activist movement said it also plans to promote weeklong consumer boycotts of particular companies, including Walmart and Amazon. Other activists, faith-based leaders and consumers already are organizing boycotts to protest companies that have scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and to oppose President Donald Trumps moves to abolish all federal DEI programs and policies. Some faith leaders are encouraging their congregations to refrain from shopping at Target, one of the companies backing off DEI efforts, during the 40 days of Lent that begin Wednesday. Here are some details about the various events and experts thoughts on whether having consumers keep their wallets closed is an effective tool for influencing the positions corporations take. Whos behind the 24-hour Economic Blackout?The Peoples Union USA, which takes credit for initiating the no-spend day, was founded by John Schwarz, a meditation teacher who lives near the Chicago area, according to his social media accounts. The organizations website said its not tied to a political party but stands for all people. Requests for comment sent to the groups email address this week did not receive a reply. The planned blackout is scheduled to run from 12 a.m. EST through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday. The activist group advised customers to abstain from making any purchases, whether in store or online, but particularly not from big retailers or chains. It wants participants to avoid fast food and filling their car gas tanks, and says shoppers with emergencies or in need of essentials should support a local small business and try not to use a credit or debit card. Peoples Union plans another broad-based economic blackout on March 28, but its also organizing boycotts targeting specific retailers Walmart and Amazon as well as global food giants Nestle and General Mills. For the boycott against Amazon, the organization is encouraging people to refrain from buying anything from Whole Foods, which the e-commerce company owns. What other boycotts are being planned? There are a number of boycotts being planned, particularly aimed at Target. The discounter, which has backed diversity and inclusion efforts aimed at uplifting Black and LGBTQ+ people in the past, announced in January it was rolling back its DEI initiatives. A labor advocacy group called We Are Somebody, led by Nina Turner, launched a boycott of Target on February 1 to coincide with Black History Month.Meanwhile, an Atlanta-area pastor, the Rev. Jamal Bryant, organized a website called targetfast.org to recruit Christians for a a 40-day Target boycott starting March 5, which marks Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Other faith leaders have endorsed the protest. The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization, announced in late January it would identify two companies in the next 90 days that will be boycotted for abandoning their diversity, equity and inclusion pledges. The organization formed a commission to identify potential candidates. Donald Trump can cut federal DEI programs to the bone, he can claw back federal money to expand diversity, but he cannot tell us what grocery store we shop at, Sharpton said in a statement posted on the National Action Networks website. Will the events have any impact? Some retailers may feel a slight pinch from Fridays broad blackout, which is taking place in a tough economic environment, experts said. Renewed inflation worries and Trumps threat of tariffs on imported goods already have had an effect on consumer sentiment. The (market share) pie is just so big, Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor at market research firm Circana, said. You cant afford to have your slices get smaller. Consumers are spending more money on food. And that means theres more pressure on general merchandise or discretionary products.Still, Cohen thinks the overall impact may be limited, with any meaningful sales declines more likely to surface in liberal-leaning coastal regions and big cities. Anna Tuchman, a marketing professor at Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management, said she thinks the economic blackout will likely make a dent in daily retail sales but wont be sustainable.I think this is an opportunity for consumers to show that they have a voice on a single day, she said. I think its unlikely that we would see long-run sustained decreases in economic activity supported by this boycott. Other boycotts have produced different results. Target saw a drop in sales in the spring and summer quarter of 2023 that the discounter attributed in part to customer backlash over a collection honoring LGBTQ+ communities for Pride Month. As a result, Target didnt carry Pride merchandise in all of its stores the following year.Tuchman studied the impact of a boycott against Goya Foods during the summer of 2020 after the companys CEO praised Trump. But her study, based on sales from research firm Numerator, found the brand saw a sales increase driven by first-time Goya buyers who were disproportionately from heavily Republican areas. However, the revenue bump proved temporary; Goya had no detectable sales increase after three weeks, Tuchman said.It was a different story for Bud Light, which spent decades as Americas bestselling beer. Sales plummeted in 2023 after the brand sent a commemorative can to a transgender influencer. Bud Lights sales still havent fully recovered, according to alcohol consulting company Bump Williams.Tuchman thinks a reason is because there were plenty of other beers that the brands mostly conservative customer base could buy to replace Bud Light. Afya Evans, a political and image consultant in Atlanta, said she would make a point of shopping on Friday but will focus on small businesses and Black-owned brands.Evans is aware of other boycotts but she said she liked this one because she believes it could have some effect on sales.Its a broader thing, she said. We want to see what the impact is. Let everybody participate. And plan from there.___AP Business Writer Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit contributed to this report. ANNE DINNOCENZIO DInnocenzio writes about retail, trends, the consumer economy and hourly workers for The Associated Press. twitter mailto HALELUYA HADERO Hadero covers online shopping and technology with a focus on Amazon, TikTok and internet culture for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

A doctor holds a vial of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil in Chicago on Aug. 28, 2006. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)2025-02-27T20:12:23Z A new government report adds to evidence that the HPV vaccine, once called dangerous by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is preventing cervical cancer in young women.The report comes after Kennedy pledged to give a family member any fees he might earn from HPV vaccine litigation. In a 2019 video posted on the anti-vaccine nonprofit Childrens Health Defense website, Kennedy called Gardasil the most dangerous vaccine ever invented. The new report found that from 2008 to 2022, rates for precancerous lesions decreased about 80% among 20- to 24-year-old women who were screened for cervical cancer. The estimates were published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV, or human papillomavirus, is very common and is spread through sex. Most HPV infections cause no symptoms and clear up without treatment. Others develop into cancer, about 37,000 cases a year, according to the CDC. Women in their 20s are the group most likely to have been given the HPV vaccine, which has been recommended in the U.S. since 2006 for girls at age 11 or 12 and since 2011 for boys the same age. Catch-up shots are recommended for anyone through age 26 who hasnt been vaccinated. Jane Montealegre of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who was not involved in the study, called the decline dramatic and said it can be attributed to the increasing use of the safe and effective HPV vaccine. This should reassure parents that theyre doing the right thing in getting their children vaccinated against HPV, said Montealegre, a cancer-prevention researcher.Other countries also have reported declining rates of cervical precancer in younger and more vaccinated cohorts, she said. The U.S. doesnt have a national registry but estimates whats happening across the country by monitoring five sites.Kennedys financial relationship with litigation against the maker of the HPV vaccine came under scrutiny during his confirmation hearings. The health secretary has since told lawmakers that he has referred hundreds of clients to the law firm suing vaccine-maker Merck in an arrangement where he would be entitled to 10% of contingency fees awarded.One of Kennedys sons, Conor, is an attorney at that law firm, WisnerBaum. In an amended ethics agreement, Kennedy said he will give any fees he earns from litigation over the HPV vaccine to a nondependent adult family member. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. CARLA K. JOHNSON Johnson covers research in cancer, addiction and more for The Associated Press. She is a member of APs Health and Science team. twitter mailto

In this file photo provided by Los Alamos National Laboratory, barrels of radioactive waste are loaded for transport to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) at the Radioactive Assay Nondestructive Testing (RANT) facility in Los Alamos, N.M., April 2019. (Nestor Trujillo/Los Alamos National Laboratory via AP, File)2025-02-27T20:48:14Z WASHINGTON (AP) Civilian federal jobs are being cut by the thousands, as Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency continues to shrink the government workforce at the behest of President Donald Trump.Thats brought a lot of churn and uncertainty in the nations capital, where 20% of the countrys more than 2 million civilian or nonmilitary federal workers are located. Its also affecting workers and communities outside the Washington, D.C. area, where about 80% of that workforce is based. Those cuts mean that members of Congress are now facing potential angst among the out-of-work federal employees in their districts across the country. The precise locations of all of the thousands of federal employees now out of work isnt yet known, but a look at the areas with the highest concentrations of civilian U.S. government jobs gives a glimpse at some places that could be most affected. Heres a breakdown of federal government jobs across the country by the numbers, surveying data from a Congressional Research Service analysis of Census Bureau estimates, as of 2023: D.C. area, represented by Democrats, has highest federal worker concentrationIts no surprise that the District of Columbia has the highest percentage of federal workers, who account for 18.5% of the total workforce.And the areas immediately outside the city, in whats known as the DMV which includes Washington and parts of Maryland and Virginia are next up with the highest concentrations of federal workers, with the top nine districts where percentages of federal workers range from 18.2% down to 8.4%. Most of those districts are represented by Democrats, meaning that some of the areas albeit those in the D.C. area likely to have the most significant impacts from DOGE cuts are represented by that party in the U.S. House.The one with the highest percentage of federal workforce is Marylands 5th District, represented by Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer. There, about 18.2% of all workers are employed by the federal government. Republican districts are affected, tooAfter the districts closest to Washington, D.C., there are GOP-represented areas with high federal worker percentages.Virginias 2nd District, represented by Republican Rep. Jennifer Kiggans along the states southeastern border with North Carolina is the GOP area with the highest concentration of federal workers, at 8.1%. Home to Virginia Beach, and a large U.S. Navy presence, its considered among the nations most politically competitive districts.Central Oklahomas 4th District, represented by GOP Rep. Tom Cole, has a workforce where 7.7% is employed by the federal government. The district is home to Fort Sill Army Post and Tinker Air Force Base, the latter of which includes the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex. Oklahomas largest single-site employer, according to Tinkers website, the complex provides support for dozens of other Air Force Bases.Federal employees make up 7.6% of the workforce in Alabamas 5th District, which includes Huntsville and is represented by Republican Rep. Dale Strong. The area encompasses NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center, which has had a role in rocket engineering and U.S. space exploration efforts from the Saturn rockets integral to moon missions, the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Stations laboratory modules.The data examined here doesnt pertain directly to military jobs. Thousands of civilian government employees across the country work in areas near or attached to military installations. Alaska, represented by an at-large Republican, has a high concentrationAlaskas sole U.S. House member, Rep. Nick Begich, represents a state with a total federal worker percentage of 6.3%. Scott Goldsmith, an economist at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has described the states economy as a three-legged stool kept balanced by three components: the oil and gas industry, the federal government, and then all other industries combined.The federal government manages a significant amount of land in Alaska. Workers are employed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service, among others. New Mexico has highest percentage of federal workers across all districtsAll three of New Mexicos House districts are represented by Democrats, and all of them have significant federal workforces. Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory, two major federal research institutions, are located in the state, where the federal government is the No. 2 largest employer, according to the New Mexico Partnership.Percentages of federal workers across the districts range from 6.3% in Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandezs 3rd District to 6.2% in Rep. Gabriel Vasquezs 2nd District. In the 1st District, represented by Rep. Melanie Ann Stansbury, the workforce is 6.8% federal employees.___Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP MEG KINNARD Kinnard covers national politics for The Associated Press. She lives in South Carolina. twitter instagram mailto

A Social Security card is displayed Oct. 12, 2021, in Tigard, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)2025-02-27T21:16:00Z WASHINGTON (AP) The Social Security Administration is preparing to lay off at least 7,000 people from its workforce of 60,000, according to a person familiar with the agencys plans who is not authorized to speak publicly. The workforce reduction, according to a second person who also spoke on condition of anonymity, could be as high as 50%.Its unclear how the layoffs will directly impact benefits of the 72.5 million Social Security beneficiaries, which include retirees and children who receive retirement and disability benefits. However, advocates and Democratic lawmakers warn that layoffs will reduce the agencys ability to serve recipients in a timely manner. Some say cuts to the workforce are in effect a cut in benefits.The layoffs are part of the Trump administrations intensified efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce through the Department of Government Efficiency, run by President Donald Trump advisor Elon Musk. A representative from the Social Security Administration did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment.The people familiar with the agencys plans say that SSAs new acting commissioner Leland Dudek held a meeting this week with management and told them they had to produce a plan that eliminated half of the workforce at SSA headquarters in Washington and at least half of the workers in regional offices. In addition, the termination of office leases for Social Security sites across the country are detailed on the DOGE website, which maintains a Wall of Receipts, which is a self-described transparent account of DOGEs findings and actions. The site states that leases for dozens of Social Security sites across Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, and other states have been or will be ended. The Social Security Administration is already chronically understaffed. Now, the Trump Administration wants to demolish it, said Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the popular public benefit program. Altman said the reductions in force will deny many Americans access to their hard-earned Social Security benefits. Field offices around the country will close. Wait times for the 1-800 number will soar.Social Security is one of the nations largest and most popular social programs. A January poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that two-thirds of U.S. adults think the country is spending too little on Social Security.The program faces a looming bankruptcy date if it is not addressed by Congress. The May 2024 Social Security and Medicare trustees report states that Social Securitys trust funds which cover old age and disability recipients will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2035. Then, Social Security would only be able to pay 83% of benefits.Like other agencies, DOGE has embedded into the Social Security Administration as part of Trumps January executive order, which has drawn concerns from career officials. This month, the Social Security Administration s former acting commissioner Michelle King stepped down from her role at the agency after DOGE requested access Social Security recipient information, according to two people familiar with the officials departure who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said in a statement that a plan like this will result in field office closures that will hit seniors in rural communities the hardest.Other news organizations, including The American Prospect and The Washington Post have reported that half of the Social Security Administrations workforce could be on the chopping block. 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

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, speaks during a hearing, May 8, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)2025-02-27T22:10:40Z WASHINGTON (AP) Five former secretaries of defense are calling on Congress to hold immediate hearings on President Donald Trumps recent firings of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other senior military leaders, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.The five men who represented Republican and Democratic administrations over the past three decades said the dismissals were alarming, raised troubling questions about the administrations desire to politicize the military and removed legal constraints on the presidents power.Late last week, Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth followed that by firing Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations; Gen. Jim Slife, vice chief of the Air Force; and the judge advocates general for the military services. Hegseth has defended the firing of Brown, saying that other presidents made changes in military personnel and that Trump deserves to pick his own team. Hegseth said he fired the JAGs because he didnt think they were well-suited to provide recommendations when lawful orders are given. The letter signed by William Perry, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, Jim Mattis and Lloyd Austin said there were no real justifications for the firings because several of the officers had been nominated by Trump for previous positions. And it said they had exemplary careers, including operational and combat experience. We, like many Americans including many troops are therefore left to conclude that these leaders are being fired for purely partisan reasons, said the letter, adding that were not asking members of Congress to do us a favor; were asking them to do their jobs.In the meantime, they said, senators should refuse to confirm any new Pentagon nominations, including retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, who Trump has said should be the next joint chiefs chairman. Trumps choice of Caine is unusual. Caine, who is widely respected in the military, 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. The president can waive those requirements. Hagel is a Republican and Mattis, an independent, was Trumps first defense chief. The other three are Democrats. Four of the five served in the military, including two Mattis and Austin who were four-star generals.The House and Senate should demand that the administration justify each firing and fully explain why it violated Congress legislative intent that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff complete a four-year term in office, the letter said.The chairman has a four-year term, and Brown had served a bit less than 17 months.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. 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

Megan Brown and other protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)2025-02-27T05:05:15Z DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa lawmakers voted to remove gender identity protections from the states civil rights code Thursday despite massive protests by opponents who say it could expose transgender people to discrimination in numerous areas of life.The measure raced through the legislative process after first being introduced last week. The state Senate was first to approve the bill on Thursday, followed by the House less than an hour later. Hundreds of LGBTQ+ advocates streamed into the Capitol rotunda on Thursday waving signs reading Trans rights are human rights and chanting slogans including No hate in our state! There was a heavy police presence, with state troopers stationed around the rotunda. Of the 167 people who signed up to testify at a 90-minute public hearing before a House committee, all but 24 were opposed to the bill. Protesters that watched the vote from the House gallery loudly booed and shouted Shame! as the chamber adjourned. Many admonished Iowa state Rep. Steven Holt, who floor managed the bill and delivered a fierce defense of it before it passed. The bill would remove gender identity as a protected class from the states civil rights law and explicitly define female and male, as well as gender, which would be considered a synonym for sex and shall not be considered a synonym or shorthand expression for gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender role.The measure would be the first legislative action removing nondiscrimination protections based on gender identity, said Logan Casey, director of policy research at the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ+ rights think tank.Supporters of the change say the current law incorrectly codified the idea that people can transition to another gender and granted transgender women access to spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams that should be protected for people who were assigned female at birth. The legislature of Iowa for the future of our children and our culture has a vested interest and solemn responsibility to stand up for immutable truth, Holt said. The legislation now goes to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has been supportive of efforts to limit gender identity protections.The Iowa lawmakers actions came on the same day the Georgia House backed away from removing gender protections from the states hate crimes law, which was passed in 2020 after the death of Ahmaud Arbery. Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Iowas current civil rights law protects against discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability status.Sexual orientation and gender identity were not originally included in the states Civil Rights Act of 1965. They were added by the Democratic-controlled Legislature in 2007, also with the support of about a dozen Republicans across the two chambers.Iowa Republicans say their changes are intended to reinforce the states ban on sports participation and public bathroom access for transgender students. If approved, the bill would go to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who signed those policies into law. A spokesperson for Reynolds declined to comment on whether she would sign the bill. Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Iowa state Rep. Aime Wichtendahl was the last Democrat to speak out against the bill, becoming emotional as she offered her personal story as a transgender woman, saying: I transitioned to save my life. The purpose of this bill and the purpose of every anti-trans bill is to further erase us from public life and to stigmatize our existence, Wichtendahl said. The sum total of every anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ bill is to make our existence illegal.About half of U.S. states include gender identity in their civil rights code to protect against discrimination in housing and public places, such as stores or restaurants, according to the Movement Advancement Project. Some additional states do not explicitly protect against such discrimination but it is included in legal interpretations of statutes. Lawmakers are present to vote on a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Lawmakers are present to vote on a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Protesters fill the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Protesters sit in the rotunda at the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Protesters sit in the rotunda at the Iowa state Capitol to denounce a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity, Feb. 27, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Iowas Supreme Court has expressly rejected the argument that discrimination based on sex includes discrimination based on gender identity.Several Republican-led legislatures are also pushing to enact more laws this year creating legal definitions of male and female based on the reproductive organs at birth following an executive order from President Donald Trump. Trump also signed orders laying the groundwork for banning transgender people from military service and keeping transgender girls and women out of girls and womens sports competitions, among other things. Most of the policies are being challenged in court.___Associated Press writer Jeff Amy in Atlanta contributed to this report.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin speaks at the East Palestine Fire Department in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 3, 2025. (Rebecca Droke/Pool Photo via AP, File)2025-02-27T23:00:42Z WASHINGTON (AP) Despite a comment by President Donald Trump, the Environmental Protection Agency does not plan to reduce its staff by 65%, the White House and the agency said Thursday, though major budget cuts are likely.A White House spokeswoman said the 65% figure referred to expected spending cuts at the agency, rather than staffing levels, a comment that was amplified by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.We dont need to be spending all that money that went through the EPA last year, Zeldin told Fox News on Thursday. We dont want to spend it. We dont need it. The American public needs it and we need to balance the budget.President Joe Biden requested about $10.9 billion for the EPA in the current budget year, an increase of 8.5% over the previous one, but Zeldin said the agency needs far less money to do its work. He also criticized EPA grants authorized under the 2022 climate law, including $20 billion for a so-called green bank to pay for climate and clean-energy programs. Zeldin has vowed to revoke contracts for the still-emerging bank program that is set to fund tens of thousands of projects to fight climate change and promote environmental justice. Were saying to Congress and the American people, please dont send us tens of billions of dollars to spend this year, Zeldin said in the Fox interview.White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said Thursday that President Trump, DOGE, and Administrator Zeldin are committed to cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. ... Administrator Zeldin is committed to eliminating 65% of the EPAs wasteful spending. The head of the EPAs largest union called the comments by Trump and Zeldin disheartening and said there is a lack of leadership within the EPA.Marie Owens Powell, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, said she was saddened by the carelessness of Trumps remarks Wednesday at a White House Cabinet meeting. A 65% reduction in staffing would be devastating to the agency and its mission, Powell said, adding that Trumps widely publicized comments put EPA employees in a tailspin. The EPA had 15,123 full-time employees as of last December, according to the latest budget. A reduction of 65% would mean the loss of nearly 10,000 jobs. Efforts by Zeldin and the White House to clarify that Trump was referring to budget cuts rather than staffing cuts offer little comfort, Powell said. Such a large spending cut would require major staffing reductions for jobs such as monitoring air and water quality, responding to natural disaster and lead abatement, among many other agency functions, she said.Frankly I dont know if we believe it,' she said of administration efforts to explain away Trumps comments. Powell cited a White House memo circulated this week that directs federal agencies to develop plans for eliminating thousands of employee positions and consolidating programs. Such an effort would be devastating to the EPA and other federal agencies,. Powell said.Democrats and environmental groups rushed to defend the EPAs mission, saying huge budget cuts would be disastrous. Gutting the agency by 65% will leave polluters unchecked, contaminating clean air, water and public health, and all but guaranteeing greater risk for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly, said Lauren Pagel, policy director of the environmental group Earthworks.She called on Congress and the courts to stop this reckless, ideological sabotage of the EPA.Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said recent layoffs at EPA, coupled with Zeldins comments about sharp spending cuts, show he had no intent to follow through on a pledge during his confirmation hearing to work collaboratively with EPAs staff.It is now clear that the fix was in from the very beginning, to help the looters and polluters who bankrolled President Trumps campaign, Whitehouse said. MATTHEW DALY Daly covers climate, environment and energy policy for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington, D.C. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

In this image released by the FBI shows the wanted posted for Rafael Caro Quintero. (FBI via AP, File)2025-02-27T20:06:31Z MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexico has sent drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985, to the United States with 28 prisoners requested by the U.S. government, a Mexican government official and other sources said Thursday.It comes as top Mexican officials are in Washington trying to head off the Trump administrations threat of imposing 25% tariffs on all Mexican imports starting Tuesday.The official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case, confirmed Caro Quinteros removal. Another person familiar with Mexicos actions also confirmed the removal on the condition of anonymity because they were unable to discuss sensitive diplomatic negotiations.Mexicos Attorney Generals Office said in a statement that the 29 prisoners sent to the U.S. Thursday faced charges related to drug trafficking among other crimes. Also among those removed were two leaders of the Los Zetas cartel, Mexicans Miguel Trevio Morales and his brother Omar Trevio Morales, known as Z-40 and Z-42, the official confirmed.This is historical, this has really never happened in the history of Mexico, said Mike Vigil, former DEA chief of international operations. This is a huge celebratory thing for the Drug Enforcement Administration. The removal of the drug lords from Mexico coincided with a visit to Washington by Mexicos Foreign Minister Juan Ramn de la Fuente and other top economic and military officials, who met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting was the latest in ongoing negotiations with the U.S. over trade and security relations, which have radically shifted since U.S. President Donald Trump took office. In exchange for delaying tariffs, Trump had insisted that Mexico crack down on cartels, illegal migration and fentanyl production, despite significant dips in migration and overdoses over the past year. The removals may indicate that negotiations are moving along as the tariff deadline approaches. Mexicos surprise handover of one of the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives was weeks in the making.Caro Quintero had walked free in 2013 after 28 years in prison when a court overturned his 40-year sentence for the 1985 kidnapping and killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique Kiki Camarena. The brutal murder marked a low point in U.S.-Mexico relations.Caro Quintero, the former leader of the Guadalajara cartel, had since returned to drug trafficking and unleashed bloody turf battles in the northern Mexico border state of Sonora until he was arrested by Mexican forces in 2022.In January, a nonprofit group representing the Camarena family sent a letter to the White House urging the Trump administration to renew longstanding U.S. requests for Mexico to extradite Caro Quintero, according to a copy of the letter provided to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the familys outreach.His return to the U.S. would give the family much needed closure and serve the best interests of justice, the letter states. Pressure increased after Trump threatened imposing stiff trade tariffs on Mexico and designated several Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, according to the person on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomacy that went into Caro Quinteros removal.The acting head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Derek Maltz, provided to the White House a list of nearly 30 Mexican targets wanted in the U.S. on criminal charges, according to the person. Caro Quintero, for whose arrest the U.S. had offered a $20 million reward, was number one on that list, according to the person.The person said President Claudia Sheinbaums government, in a rush to seek favor with the Trump administration and show itself a strong ally in the fight against the cartels, bypassed the formalities of the U.S.-Mexico extradition treaty to remove Caro Quintero and the other defendants.That means it could potentially allow prosecutors in the U.S. to try him for Camarenas murder something not contemplated in the existing extradition request to face separate drug trafficking charges in a Brooklyn federal court. If hes being sent to the U.S. outside of a formal extradition, and if Mexico didnt place any restrictions, then he can be prosecuted for whatever the U.S. wants, according to Bonnie Klapper, a former federal narcotics prosecutor in Brooklyn who is familiar with the case.The U.S. had sought the extradition of Caro Quintero shortly after his arrest in 2022. But the request remained stuck at Mexicos foreign ministry for unknown reasons as Sheinbaums predecessor and political mentor, Andrs Manuel Lopez Obrador, severely curtailed Mexican cooperation with DEA to protest undercover U.S. law enforcement operations in Mexico targeting senior political and military officials. The removal of the Trevio Morales brothers also marks the end of a long process that began after the capture in 2013 of Miguel Trevio Morales and two years later of his brother, Omar. The process wound on for so many years that Mexicos Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero, described the lags as truly shameful.The Trevio Morales family, who have been accused by American authorities of running the violent northeastern Cartel from prison, have charges pending in the US for participation in a criminal organization, drug trafficking, firearms offenses and money laundering.Mexican security analyst David Saucedo said that since negotiations with the Trump administration began, he had expected the U.S. government to demand three things: an increase in drug seizures, arrests of high-profile drug trafficking suspects and the handing over of drug traffickers long targeted by the U.S. for extradition.He called Thursdays removals an important concession by Mexicos government to the United States.The United States intention is to extend its justice system, so that crimes committed in Mexico are prosecuted in the U.S., Saucedo said.The decision also threatens to upend an unwritten understanding with notable exceptions that Mexican drug lords would serve sentences in Mexican prisons where they were often able continue to run their illicit businesses, Saucedo said. There will surely be a furious reaction by drug trafficking groups against the Mexican state, he said.____Goodman reported from Miami. Megan Janetsky contributed to this report from Mexico City.____Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america 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 RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Demonstrators protest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) layoffs in front of the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Feb. 18, 2025. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, file)2025-02-27T17:26:12Z SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting some temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administrations massive trimming of the federal workforce.U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered the Office of Personnel Management to inform certain federal agencies that it had no authority to order the firings of probationary employees, including the Department of Defense.OPM does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe, to hire or fire any employees but its own, he said.Alsup handed down the order on a temporary restraining order sought by labor unions and nonprofits in a lawsuit filed by the coalition filed last week.The complaint filed by five labor unions and five nonprofit organizations is among multiple lawsuits pushing back on the administrations efforts to vastly shrink the federal workforce, which Trump has called bloated and sloppy. Thousands of probationary employees have already been fired and his administration is now aiming at career officials with civil service protection. The plaintiffs say the Office of Personnel Management had no authority to terminate the jobs of probationary workers who generally have less than a year on the job. They also say the firings were predicated on a lie of poor performance by the workers. Lawyers for the government say the Office of Personnel Management did not direct the firings, but asked agencies to review and determine whether employees on probation were fit for continued employment. They also say that probationary employees are not guaranteed employment and that only the highest performing and mission-critical employees should be hired. There are an estimated 200,000 probationary workers generally employees who have less than a year on the job across federal agencies. About 15,000 are employed in California, providing services ranging from fire prevention to veterans care, the complaint says. Unions have recently struck out with two other federal judges in similar lawsuits attempting to stop the Trump administrations goal of vastly reducing the federal workforce. Alsup, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, has presided over many high-profile cases and is known for his blunt talk. He oversaw the criminal probation of Pacific Gas & Electric and has called the nations largest utility a continuing menace to California.

Retired reverend Carrol Jensen wears a hat mimicking the Statue of Liberty as Reverend Emilie Binja, a former refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo speaks during a rally outside the U.S District Court after a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump's effort to halt the nation's refugee admissions system, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)2025-02-28T00:06:59Z SEATTLE (AP) Refugee aid groups said in a federal court filing Thursday that President Donald Trumps administration appears to be trying to circumvent a ruling this week that blocked his efforts to suspend the nations refugee admissions program.U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead in Seattle had determined on Tuesday that while the president has broad authority over who comes into the country, he cannot nullify the law passed by Congress establishing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Whitehead, a 2023 appointee of former President Joe Biden, said Trumps actions amounted to an effective nullification of congressional will, and from the bench, he granted the aid groups request for a preliminary injunction blocking Trumps executive order suspending the refugee resettlement program. He promised a written ruling in the next few days. But Wednesday, aid groups, including Church World Service and the Jewish refugee resettlement organization HIAS, received notifications that their cooperative agreements with the State Department had been canceled.The groups on Thursday asked Whitehead for an emergency hearing to discuss the impact of the termination notices, or to make clear that his ruling also applies to those newly issued notices. The groups called the administrations actions a flagrant attempt to evade the courts ruling. Defendants are continuing to implement their defunding of the USRAP, and an emergency hearing is necessary to ensure that Defendants are not permitted to evade this Courts bench ruling and the forthcoming written order with antics designed to confuse the state of play, the motion said. Whitehead set a hearing for Monday.The State Department acknowledged receipt of an email from The Associated Press about the plaintiffs motion, but did not otherwise respond to questions about it. The notices indicated the cooperative agreements with the resettlement agencies were being terminated for the convenience of the U.S. Government pursuant to a directive from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for alignment with Agency priorities and national interest. The refugee program, created by Congress in 1980, is a form of legal migration to the U.S. for people displaced by war, natural disaster or persecution a process that often takes years and involves significant vetting. It is different from asylum, by which people newly arrived in the U.S. can seek permission to remain because they fear persecution in their home country.Despite longstanding support from both parties for accepting refugees, the program has become politicized in recent years. Trump also temporarily halted it during his first term, and then dramatically decreased the number of refugees who could enter the U.S. each year.There are 600,000 people being processed to come to the U.S. as refugees around the world, according to the administration.Trumps order and the administrations subsequent withholding of funds stranded refugees who had already been approved to come to the U.S., forced the refugee aid groups to lay off staff, and cut off short-term assistance, such as rent, for those who had recently resettled here, the organizations said in the lawsuit challenging the actions. Thursdays filing came the day after the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to block another court order requiring it to release billions in suspended foreign aid. The administration also outlined plans to cancel more than 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Developments foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance around the world.Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and head of #AfghanEvac, a coalition supporting Afghan resettlement efforts, said the termination of the contracts would hurt Afghans who worked closely with the U.S. during its more than two-decade-long war in Afghanistan and are now at risk. They have been resettling in the U.S. via the refugee program as well as the special immigrant visa program. While the special immigrant visa program is still operational, the contract terminations strip away funding that went to helping those who qualified come to America and start new lives here.Now Afghans are on their own to get here, he said.Make no mistake about it, this is a betrayal on par with what we all felt in August of 2021, he said, referring to the chaotic American withdrawal from Kabul under the Biden administration.___Rebecca Santana in Washington contributed.

The National Weather Service monitoring station is seen in Brownville, Texas, May 23, 2014. (Valley Morning Star/Valley Morning Star via AP, File)2025-02-28T03:21:43Z WASHINGTON (AP) Hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees on probationary status were fired Thursday, lawmakers and weather experts said.Federal workers who were not let go said the afternoon layoffs included meteorologists who do crucial local forecasts in National Weather Service offices across the country.Cuts at NOAA appeared to be happening in two rounds, one of 500 and one of 800, said Craig McLean, a former NOAA chief scientist who said he got the information from someone with first-hand knowledge. Thats about 10% of NOAAs workforce. The first round of cuts were probationary employees, McLean said. There are about 375 probationary employees in the National Weather Service where day-to-day forecasting and hazard warning is done.The firings come amid efforts by billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency to shrink a federal workforce that President Donald Trump has called bloated and sloppy. Thousands of probationary employees across the government have already been fired. Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., released a statement saying: Today, hundreds of employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including weather forecasters at the National Weather Service (NWS), were given termination notices for no good reason. This is unconscionable. Meng added: These are dedicated, hardworking Americans whose efforts help save lives and property from the devastating impacts of natural disasters across the country. This action will only endanger American lives going forward. Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat who is the ranking minority member in the House Natural Resources Committee, also said hundreds of scientists and experts at NOAA were let go.Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said on social media that the job cuts are spectacularly short-sighted, and ultimately will deal a major self-inflicted wound to the public safety of Americans and the resiliency of the American economy to weather and climate-related disasters. SETH BORENSTEIN Borenstein is an Associated Press science writer, covering climate change, disasters, physics and other science topics. He is based in Washington, D.C. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Premier of Ontario Doug Ford speaks to reporters, accompanied by other Council of the Federation members, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)2025-02-28T03:40:34Z VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Ontario Premier Doug Ford won reelection to lead Canadas most populous province Thursday, giving him the mandate he wanted to fight tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.I am very grateful to the people of Ontario, Ford told CTV News afterward. Were going to make sure we will protect the people of Ontario and protect their families, their jobs and businesses. Ill fight tooth and nail against Donald Trump.Unofficial results from Elections Ontario showed Fords Progressive Conservative Party would win a majority government, giving him his third term as premier.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose Liberal Party will choose a new leader March 9, congratulated Ford on his victory.Ford called the election on Jan. 29, more than a year early. The Conservatives already held a majority with 79 seats. He said at the time he needed a four-year mandate to protect Ontario, Canadas manufacturing and automobile hub.Trump has threatened to implement 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports, with a lower 10% levy on energy, beginning Tuesday. He also has angered Canadians by talking about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state. During the campaign Ford made two trips to Washington to speak to U.S. government and business leaders about the tariffs.Ford has said his government is prepared to spend tens of billions of dollars to protect jobs and the economy of Ontario, and he has mused about making Americans pay more for the electricity Ontario sends to the U.S. Opposition parties accuse Ford of calling an early election before any potential charges emerge from a police investigation into his now-scrapped plan to develop lands under environmental protection.They also said the cost of the election could have been better spent on health care and affordable housing.Jonathan Malloy, a political scientist at Carleton University in Ottawa, said the tariff threats gave Ford the excuse he needed to call an early election. Canadians are concerned with the Trump tariffs, Malloy said. Mr. Ford is being seen as being out front, responding to them. Thats politically advantageous for him.With a population of around 16 million, Ontario is the Canadian province with the most people and an economy that makes up 38% of Canadian GDP.During the campaign, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie promised to connect every Ontarian to a family doctor, and New Democratic Party Leader Marit Stiles addressed health care and affordability.Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner made promises about building more housing, protecting farmland and improving affordability.I think this had been a very low-profile election, said Malloy. When Canadians are asked about the number one public issue these days, Im sure they would say the Trump tariffs. That has overshadowed the election.When the election was called, the NDP had 28 seats, the Liberals had nine and the Greens had two. There were six independents. A majority government requires at least 63 seats.Unofficial results from Elections Ontario showed the Progressive Conservatives winning 79 seats, the NDP 25, the Liberals 14, the Greens two and one independent.

A bird's eye view of a corrugated tin roof house, center in red, of the Angh, or tribal chief, which lies both in Myanmar and India, as seen from Longwa village, India, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)2025-02-28T03:12:08Z LONGWA, India (AP) To the people who live there, Longwa is a typical hilltop village. The most imposing structure is a corrugated tin roof belonging to the Angh, a hereditary tribal chief. But recently, residents have been worried about another, less visible, local landmark: the border between India and Myanmar, which runs right through the villages center.National boundaries never mattered before to the local Konyak tribe. I eat in Myanmar and sleep in India, says Tonyei Phawang, the Angh, whose house sits on the border.The Indian government is now seeking to stop border crossings for the first time, revoking a system that made it legal for Indigenous people to cross freely and threatening to build a border fence that could cut villages like Longwa in two. Two countries, one communityOn a Thursday in December, Longwas marketplace was bustling with shoppers from the Myanmar side, motorbikes loaded with as much salt, flour, biscuits, clothes, milk, tea, soap as they could carry. The nearest town with a market on the other side of the border is Lahe, a full days drive away.Locals have long come and gone to shop, study or seek medical care, with no sign that theyre crossing an international border except a border marker sitting on a hilltop in the village. The Angh and village council members say their forefathers had no idea that the concrete pillar was meant to divide them when it was built in the early 1970s. B. Phohi Konyak stands near the border pillar erected on a hill top at Longwa village, on the India Myanmar border in the northeastern India state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) B. Phohi Konyak stands near the border pillar erected on a hill top at Longwa village, on the India Myanmar border in the northeastern India state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Villagers from Myanmar walk with their goods after shopping at Longwa village, that lies both in India and Myanmar, in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Villagers from Myanmar walk with their goods after shopping at Longwa village, that lies both in India and Myanmar, in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Villagers from Myanmar shop for clothes at Longwa village, that lies both in India and Myanmar, in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Villagers from Myanmar shop for clothes at Longwa village, that lies both in India and Myanmar, in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A motorcycle of a villager from Myanmar laded with goods is parked at the corner of a dirt road at Longwa village, in the India-Myanmar border in the far eastern state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec.12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) A motorcycle of a villager from Myanmar laded with goods is parked at the corner of a dirt road at Longwa village, in the India-Myanmar border in the far eastern state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec.12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More At that time we had no idea this is India or Myanmar. It was a free land. There was nobody who understood English or Hindi. They understood nothing, Phawang says. Like dozens of other Indigenous Naga tribes, the Konyaks land straddles the mountains that divide India and Myanmar. Naga villages are usually built on hilltops for security, something that wasnt considered when the British East India Company drew the border in an agreement with the then-Kingdom of Burma. The Constitution of India does not allow dual citizenship, but people in Longwa see themselves as belonging to both countries. I am from both India and Burma, Phawang said, using another name for the country officially known as Myanmar. I vote in the Burmese election. And when the Indian election comes I vote there too. Tonyei Phawang, the Angh, or chief, sits in the entrance of his house which is divided between Myanmar and India, as marked on the gate, at Longwa village in the far eastern Indian state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Tonyei Phawang, the Angh, or chief, sits in the entrance of his house which is divided between Myanmar and India, as marked on the gate, at Longwa village in the far eastern Indian state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Tonyei Phawang, the Angh, or chief, stands outside his house which is divided between Myanmar and India at Longwa village in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Tonyei Phawang, the Angh, or chief, stands outside his house which is divided between Myanmar and India at Longwa village in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Tonyei Phawang, the Angh, or chief, walks in his house which is divided between Myanmar and India at Longwa village in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Tonyei Phawang, the Angh, or chief, walks in his house which is divided between Myanmar and India at Longwa village in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Phawang is chief of six Konyak villages in India and more than 30 in Myanmar, whose residents pay allegiance with a yearly feast as they have for some 10 generations.The reach of the Indian state was very limited in these borderlands until recently. People here often have documents from both governments, said Khriezo Yhome, a senior fellow and editor at Asian Confluence, a think tank working to create an understanding of eastern South Asian. However, there was practically no way for the state to do anything to check it.Border guards and fences could cut the village Indian Army soldiers stand near a community building at Longwa village on the India-Myanmar border in the northeastern India state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur) Indian Army soldiers stand near a community building at Longwa village on the India-Myanmar border in the northeastern India state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Until recently, residents from both sides could travel legally within 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) of the border, but that started to change in February 2024, when the government revoked the Free Movement Regime to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of Indias North Eastern states bordering Myanmar. Change has come slowly in Longwa: it took almost a year before soldiers stationed in the village began checking documents, and Longwa residents still move freely after their shifts end in the early afternoon. But people from other villages in Myanmar are afraid to travel beyond Longwa to reach schools or medical care, said B. Phohi Konyak, a former local leader of an organization representing Konyak women. An elderly Kenyan Naga carries a basket filled with her belongings in the India-border village of Longwa, in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec.12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) An elderly Kenyan Naga carries a basket filled with her belongings in the India-border village of Longwa, in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec.12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Family members of the Angh, or tribal chief Tonyei Phawang sit and talk in the kitchen at Longwa village in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Family members of the Angh, or tribal chief Tonyei Phawang sit and talk in the kitchen at Longwa village in the far eastern India state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Konyak Naga women carry baskets filled with firewood at Longwa village, on the India-Myanmar border in the northeastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec.12, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur) Konyak Naga women carry baskets filled with firewood at Longwa village, on the India-Myanmar border in the northeastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec.12, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Children play by a traditional log drum in the house of the Angh, or chief, at Longwa village on the India-Myanmar border in the northeastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec.12, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur) Children play by a traditional log drum in the house of the Angh, or chief, at Longwa village on the India-Myanmar border in the northeastern India state of Nagaland, Thursday, Dec.12, 2024. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said the government has decided to construct a fence along the entire 1,643-kilometer (1,021-mile) long Indo-Myanmar border.If it follows the legal border, it would have to cut through dozens of houses. Of the 990 buildings in the village, 170 lie on the boundary line including a government school, the church and an army camp. Locals say a fence wont helpWangron Konyak, 23, drove five hours on his motorcycle from the village of Momkho to pick up his sister as school closed for vacation. If we are not allowed to come this side then we will suffer a lot. For those studying in Myanmar school it will be alright, but people like my sister who study in India will be very affected.Residents and state officials are rejecting the changes.The Nagaland state government passed a resolution opposing the end of the Free Movement Regime and plans for border fencing, and on Feb. 3 Longwa residents staged a protest carrying placards with slogans like Respect Indigenous rights, not colonial legacy! Dirt tracks are seen in the Myanmar side of the border, from the border pillar erected on a hilltop at Longwa village, on the India-Myanmar border, in the far eastern state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Dirt tracks are seen in the Myanmar side of the border, from the border pillar erected on a hilltop at Longwa village, on the India-Myanmar border, in the far eastern state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Konyak Naga women carry baskets filled with firewoods on their backs and walk past a concrete structure marking the India-Myanmar border at Longwa village, in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Konyak Naga women carry baskets filled with firewoods on their backs and walk past a concrete structure marking the India-Myanmar border at Longwa village, in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, Friday, Dec.13, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Yhome, the expert, said that an effort to stop locals from crossing the border could violate the U.N. Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, which seeks to protect the integrity of border-straddling communities.For us there is no Burma Longwa or India Longwa, Yanlang, a 45-year-old village council member. How can one village and one family be divided? asked RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Law enforcement officials talk outside the home of actor Gene Hackman on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog were found dead in the home a day earlier. (AP Photo/Roberto Rosales)2025-02-28T06:14:35Z Gene Hackman, a Hollywood giant and two-time Oscar winner, was found dead along with his wife and dog in their New Mexico home Wednesday, though investigators believe they may have been dead for some time and the cause of death has yet to be revealed.Hackman, 95, was a prolific actor who performed as an array of heroes and villains in films including The French Connection, Hoosiers and Superman from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s. Questions swirl around the deaths as details of the scene trickle out. Here is what we know: What we know about the deathsInvestigators in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have not said whether they have determined the cause of death.According to a search warrant affidavit, a maintenance worker called police after finding the bodies Wednesday. He reported the homes front door was open when he arrived to do routine work. In a 911 call, the maintenance worker said he could see Hackmans wife, 63-year-old Betsy Arakawa, laying on the floor through a window but he was unable to get inside.Hackmans body was discovered in the homes entryway and Arakawa was found dead next to a space heater in a bathroom. On a countertop near Arakawa, pills were scattered next to an open prescription bottle, according to the search warrant. Police said they found the body of a German shepherd in the bathroom closet. Two other dogs were found alive on the property. No foul play was suspected, authorities said, though a search warrant showed investigators thought the deaths were suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation. The New Mexico Gas Co. tested gas lines at the home but didnt find any signs of problems at the time, according to the warrant.An investigator noted people may not show signs of poisoning if they are exposed to gas leaks or carbon monoxide, but also there werent signs of a leak.Results of autopsies conducted on both bodies were not available Thursday, authorities said. What was Hackman famous for?Hackman appeared in a broad range of movie roles dating back to 1961, when he debuted in Mad Dog Coll. Through the next four decades, his roles including arch nemesis Lex Luthor in the Superman movies and the iconic coach in Hoosiers helped put Hackman on a Hollywood pedestal. Hackmans performance as an obsessed and amoral cop in the 1971 film The French Connection earned an Oscar for best actor in a leading role and was considered one of his defining roles. Hackman swung another Oscar for playing a sadistic sheriff in 1992s Unforgiven. Hackman demurred from the pomp of celebrity and was considered an actors actor who focused on the job and not on his image, dodging social circuit appearances beyond some award ceremonies.As a boy, films offered Hackman an escape from a tumultuous homelife with an abusive father who left the family when Hackman was 13. How is Hollywood reacting?Sympathy and admiration for Hackman poured in from Hollywood legends including director Francis Ford Coppola, actor-director Clint Eastwood and actor Bill Murray.Murray worked with Hackman on director Wes Andersons 2001 film The Royal Tennenbaums. Hackman gave young directors such as Anderson a hard time but brought skill to the set, Murray said.I watched him once do, like, 25 takes where he did it perfectly with an actor who kept blowing it every single time, Murray told The Associated Press. He was a great one. He was a great actor.Actor Cary Elwes called Hackman a force of nature.Growing up on his movies was an absolute thrill for me, Elwes said on Instagram. To observe his remarkable facility and humanity in every role was something to behold.Everything you ever wanted to learn about acting can be found in any of Hackmans performances, actor Steve Toussaint posted on Instagram.The French Connection. Crimson Tide, The Conversation. Gosh! I could go on, Toussaint wrote. Who was his wife?Arakawa was born in Hawaii in December 1959 and grew up in the state. She studied piano while growing up in Honolulu and, as an 11-year-old sixth grader, performed in youth concerts in front of thousands of first and second graders at the Honolulu International Center Concert Hall, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported in 1971.Arakawa attended the University of Southern California from 1981 through 1983, the university said in an email.While in Los Angeles, she was a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Aztecs, a professional soccer team in the North American Soccer League, and worked as a production assistant on the television game show Card Sharks, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported in 1981.The classically trained pianist met Hackman while working part-time at a California gym in the mid-1980s. They soon moved in together and relocated to Santa Fe by the end of the decade.Arakawa was vice president of Pandoras, a home decor and furnishing store in Santa Fe, according to New Mexico business records. Where were Hackman and his wife living?Their Southwestern-style ranch sits atop a hill with views of the Rocky Mountains far from Hollywood. The area is known as a preferred location among artists and a retreat for celebrities. The home was featured in a 1990 article by Architectural Digest. The four-bedroom, 8,700-square-foot (808-square-meter) structure on 6 acres (2.4 hectares) had an estimated market value of a little over $4 million, according to Santa Fe County property tax records.Hackman often was seen around the historic state capital. His hobbies included painting, deep-sea diving and, later in life, writing novels. The couple enjoyed watching DVDs that Arakawa would rent, Hackman told the film magazine Empire in a 2009 interview.In his later years, Hackman was seen far less in public. Papers reported sightings of Hackman in mundane scenarios, such as when The New York Post detailed the former actor pumping gas and getting a chicken sandwich at Wendys in 2023.___Associated Press reporters Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, and Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, contributed to this report.___Bedayn 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. JESSE BEDAYN Bedayn is a statehouse reporter for The Associated Press based in Denver. He is a Report for America corps member. mailto

Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)2025-02-28T05:13:58Z JENIN, West Bank (AP) When Israeli snipers took positions in her neighborhood, Haleemeh Zawaydeh knew her family needed to leave quickly. As the snipers gunfire rang out, the 63-year-old matriarch said there was no time to pack as she and 14 other family members fled on foot. The invasion of Jenin was faster than past Israeli assaults, she said. And, now, like some 37,000 other Palestinians the U.N. estimates have been driven out by a month-old offensive against militant groups in the occupied West Bank, Zawaydeh and her family are waiting to return to the place theyve long called home. Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More But its unclear if Israel will let them. Israels assault has mostly emptied four refugee camps sites that originated to house Palestinians driven from homes in the 1948 war surrounding Israels creation and have since grown into densely built up towns or neighborhoods. Across the four camps, troops have ripped up roads and destroyed buildings, infrastructure, and water and electricity lines. The Israeli defense minister said Monday that troops were preparing to stay for a year and would prevent Palestinians from returning. That leaves thousands who hail from among the poorest areas of the West Bank in dire straits as many are forced to rent temporary housing in neighboring villages. OCHA, the U.N.s humanitarian agency, said there is an urgent need for cash assistance for 4,000 families to meet rent needs. Zawaydeh said she was safe now at her shelter outside Jenin, but not at ease.I was born and raised in the camp, and now I have grown up and I still live in the camp, she said. There is no place that can replace the camp. Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Israeli soldiers are seen during an army operation in the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Israeli soldiers are seen during an army operation in the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The displacement is the biggest since the 1967 warMany Palestinians displaced from their West Bank homes are renting temporary housing or relying on friends or family to take them in. Some are staying in university dorms, others in makeshift shelters. Help is limited: The Palestinian Authority is strapped for cash, and the main U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known by the acronym UNRWA, has been handicapped by Israeli legislation.The West Bank has never seen large-scale forced displacement of the level were seeing now since 1967, said Roland Friedrich, the West Bank field director for UNRWA. During the 1967 Mideast War, some 250,000 Palestinians were forced from the West Bank when Israel seized the territory along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.After announcing a widespread crackdown against West Bank militants on Jan. 21 just two days after it began a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza Israeli forces descended on Jenin camp, as they have dozens of times since Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. But unlike past operations, Israeli forces also pushed deeper and more forcefully into several other nearby camps known as bastions of militant groups, including Tulkarem, Fara and Nur Shams. Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Israels military says it has engaged in fierce battles with Palestinian militants inside the camps, which are now mainly emptied of their civilian populations. The dispersals are stirring bitter memories of the 1948 war over Israels creation, when some 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from or fled their homes in whats now Israel. Forcible population transfers are banned under international law, and, if implemented as a policy, could be a war crime, rights groups say.The emptying of the West Bank camps comes as Israels government and military have embraced U.S. President Donald Trumps call for pushing out the population of the Gaza Strip permanently. Troops have demolished homes in the campsIn Nur Shams, a smaller refugee camp with a population of roughly 13,700, a number of displaced people returned Wednesday to clear what possessions they could from their homes after learning the Israeli military had slated them for demolition. Palestinians said the military puts out maps of intended demolitions in the camps. Asked the reasons for the demolitions, the military said it could not discuss operational plans. Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams speak with an Israeli soldier as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams speak with an Israeli soldier as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Mohammed Abdullah took advantage of the brief access to visit the grave of his son, Ali, who he said was killed by Israeli troops during a previous incursion into the camp. He hadnt been able to visit since being forced out two weeks ago.Abdullah then packed up his familys things from his home. No one can take everything, he said. Every person has memories in his home, in his neighborhood, in the streets.The damage to the camps has been extensive. In Jenin camp, troops have demolished over 100 homes, Friedrich said. In Tulkarem camp, they have destroyed about 100 housing units and at least 300 commercial shops and set fire to at least 10 homes, according to the local Awda community center. Families have scattered among sheltersAt a charity for helping the blind in Jenin, converted into a shelter for those driven from the camp, barefoot children swung from monkey bars while their parents smoked cigarettes and looked on.Some 85 people from 23 families have taken up at the shelter. Rooms have been turned into separate dorms for men and women and children. Some have beds, others have mats on the floor. The charity relies on donations to feed its new residents. Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Facing mounting financial pressure and worried for their homes, many families have tried to return to the camps only to be blocked by the military. Every day, we try to go back to the camp, hoping to enter, but they prevent us, said Nazmi Turkman, 53, who fled Jenin camp a month ago. Theyve set up checkpoints, placed tanks, and stationed soldiers. Even drones are flying around the people.God willing, we will return soon, he said. But he said he has no idea if his home still stands.There are few resources to help the displacedThe Palestinian Authority, the body charged with administering affairs in pockets of the West Bank where the camps lie, has denounced the wave of displacement. It says it has dispatched over 16 trucks of aid and sent funds to first responders.But its ability to help is limited. It has been left cash-strapped by the war, with Israel for months holding up tax revenues it needs to pay its workers. It is also largely detested across the territory, especially in the refugee camps, where it is seen as a tool of Israeli authorities.What is happening in the West Bank is a continuation of what the Israeli authorities did in the Gaza Strip, said Nabil Abu Redeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. What is happening will only lead to escalation, the repercussions of which will be felt throughout the region. Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents of the West Bank urban refugee camp of Nur Shams evacuate their homes and carry their belongings as the Israeli military continues its operation in the area on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More UNRWA, too, is hampered. In the past, it could coordinate evacuations with the Israeli military. But new Israeli laws ban any interaction between Israeli authorities and the agency, making it difficult to evacuate people or ascertain when they will be allowed back, Friedrich said. On Tuesday, a small group of displaced men gathered outside Tulkarem camp, holding signs reading The right of return is sacred No to displacement.Nihad al-Shaweesh, head of a local political council for Nur Shams camp, said they were there to tell the whole world and all parties that we will not accept displacement. JULIA FRANKEL Frankel is an Associated Press reporter in Jerusalem. twitter mailto

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to journalists during press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)2025-02-26T19:15:26Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) A preliminary economic agreement between Ukraine and the United States would ensure long-term U.S. involvement in rebuilding the country, but the deal leaves the question of security guarantees sought by Kyiv to future negotiations.According to the final version of the deal obtained by The Associated Press, the United States and Ukraine will establish a co-owned and jointly managed investment fund aimed at financing the reconstruction of Ukraine and its war-damaged economy.The agreement comes after two weeks of back-and-forth between Kyiv and Washington over how the U.S. could gain access to Ukraines natural resources. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that specific assurances for Ukrainian security must accompany a deal on those resources.U.S. President Donald Trump planned to meet with Zelenskyy on Friday at the White House to sign the pact, which will closely tie the two countries together for years to come.Heres more about what the agreement says, and what it doesnt say. What about security guarantees for Ukraine?While the preliminary agreement references the importance of Ukraines security, it leaves that matter to a separate agreement to be discussed between the leaders of the two countries.According to wording in the deal, the United States supports Ukraines efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace, and the U.S. has a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.Participants will seek to identify any necessary steps to protect mutual investments as defined in the Fund agreement, it states. The American people desire to invest alongside Ukraine in a free, sovereign and secure Ukraine.Speaking at a news conference Wednesday in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said his country needs to know first where the United States stands on its continued military support. He said he expects to have a wide-ranging conversation with Trump during his visit to Washington. The economic agreement may be part of future security guarantees, but I want to understand the broader vision. What awaits Ukraine? Zelenskyy said.A senior Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told the AP on Wednesday that those discussions would take place independently from the establishment of the joint fund.The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations, said Kyiv believes the establishment of the fund would itself serve to bolster Ukraines security since U.S. and Ukrainian investments would need to be protected amid continuing Russian attacks. How does the agreement work?Under the agreement, Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues to the joint fund from national assets including minerals, hydrocarbons, oil, natural gas and other extractable materials. Kyiv has hoped that access to those materials would incentivize the Trump administration to help secure a fair and lasting end to the war.The idea to involve the U.S. in Ukraines natural resource wealth was initially proposed last fall by Zelenskyy as part of his plan to strengthen Kyivs hand in future negotiations with Moscow.Ukraine would also contribute half of its revenues from infrastructure relevant to the extraction, processing or transportation of its natural resources, but those contributions would not apply to assets that are already part of the Ukrainian governments budget revenue, such as state-owned oil and gas companies.Contributions to the fund will be reinvested annually in Ukraine to promote its safety, security and prosperity, the agreement says.Is Ukraine giving away its natural resources?The agreement states that revenues from its natural resources will go into the fund and be used for reconstruction of the country, not that ownership or control of those resources would be transferred to the United States.On Wednesday, a senior Ukrainian official told the AP that the U.S. will not own Ukraines mineral and other resources. The official added that the fund would receive 50% of the revenues that come from natural resource deposits once theyre developed. Is Ukraine paying off a debt for previous U.S. support?The deal does away with earlier Trump demands that Ukraine pay $500 billion as compensation for Washingtons assistance until now. The senior Ukrainian official said that contributions to the fund do not constitute a repayment of any debt to the U.S. for its previous support during the war with Russia, but an investment in the future. The agreement states that the U.S. will maintain a long-term financial commitment to Ukraines stability and economic prosperity, and could make further contributions outside the fund in the form of financial instruments and other assets critical for Ukraines reconstruction.Ukrainian payments into the fund could provide a mechanism for any future U.S. assistance to be recouped in the long term, the Ukrainian official said. We are not debtors, Zelenskyy said Wednesday, adding that, while he is grateful for previous U.S. support, Ukraine had not entered into any agreements that would require previous U.S. assistance to be repaid. There were no such agreements in the past, so there is nothing to discuss in this regard, he said.The agreement will also seek to avoid conflict with any obligations Ukraine has to the European Union as it seeks membership in the bloc, or any potential conflicts with obligations to other financial institutions or creditors.___Associated Press writers Hanna Arhirova and Vasilisa Stepanenko contributed to this report. JUSTIN SPIKE Spike is an Associated Press reporter based in Budapest, Hungary. twitter mailto

Leonard Peltier speaks during an interview in Belcourt, N.D, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)2025-02-28T05:12:12Z More than 50 years after a shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation landed him in federal prison, Leonard Peltier remains defiant.He maintains his innocence in the deaths of two FBI agents in 1975 and sees his newfound freedom the result of a commutation from former President Joe Biden as the beginning of a new phase of his activism.Im going to spend the rest of my life fighting for our people, because we aint finished yet. Were still in danger, Peltier, now 80, said in an exclusive interview with the Associated Press at his new home on the Turtle Mountain Reservation, his tribal homeland in North Dakota, near the Canadian border.There among the rolling, often snow-covered hills, he will serve out the rest of his sentence on house arrest.Born into an era of violent hostility between the American government and Indigenous peoples, the former American Indian Movement member has now stepped into another politically volatile moment in the country. He said he understands well the threats the rise of the far right, as well as the federal government, pose to tribal nations and Indigenous peoples. He believes that, like previous administrations, President Donald Trump will come for mineral and oil on tribal lands.You dont have to get violent, you dont have to do nothing like that. Just get out there and stand up, he told AP this week, in his first sit-down conversation with a journalist in over 30 years. We got to resist. The FBI and Native American activists: A volatile mixPeltier was part of a movement in the late 1960s and 1970s that fought for Native American rights and tribal self-determination, sometimes occupying federal and tribal property. The movement grabbed headlines in 1973 when it took over the village of Wounded Knee on Pine Ridge, leading to a 71-day standoff with federal agents. They also protested at Alcatraz and the Bureau of Indian Affairs headquarters. For many members of the American Indian Movement, or AIM, their activism was part of legacy of resistance stretching back to the countrys founding. The day of the shootout came amid heightened tensions on the Pine Ridge reservation, where residents felt the FBIs heavy presence was a threat to the peoples autonomy. Peltier and other AIM members got into a confrontation with agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams when the agents drove onto a rural property where the AIM members were staying. Both agents were shot and killed, along with Joseph Stuntz, another AIM member.The FBI says Peltier shot the agents at close range. In a letter sent to Biden last year opposing his release, former FBI director Christopher Wray called Peltier a remorseless killer.His guilt is clear to many, including North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong.More than 20 federal judges upheld his conviction, and he was denied parole as recently as last July, Armstrong said in a statement to the Associated Press. There was no legal justification for his release. He should still be in prison.Peltier was not pardoned; Biden said he was commuting Peltiers sentence because of his age, his declining health, and the long period he had already been in prison. Peltier has acknowledged he was at the shootout, but says he acted in self-defense and wasnt the one whose bullets killed the agents. He believes the FBI and prosecutors were looking for someone to take the blame, after his two co-defendants were exonerated for self-defense.They wanted revenge, and they didnt know who was responsible, Peltier told the AP from the kitchen table of his new home. And they said Put the full weight of the American government on Leonard Peltier, we need a conviction. And when they say that you dont have no rights, he said.Amnesty International and scores of political leaders around the world called Peltier a political prisoner of the U.S., questioning the fairness of his trial and conviction. James Reynolds, the former U.S. Attorney who oversaw Peltiers conviction, urged clemency in a letter to Biden in 2021, acknowledging that prosecutors couldnt prove Peltier fired the fatal shots and calling his imprisonment unjust. His grandson, Cyrus Peltier, remembers visiting him every weekend at Leavenworth, a federal prison in Kansas. He didnt always understand why his grandfather wouldnt just tell the parole board he was sorry for the crimes, and hopefully win his freedom.And he would say Well, thats just not what Im fighting for, grandson, Cyrus Peltier, now 39, recalled from his home in North Dakota this week. Im sorry for what happened to those agents, but Im not going to sit here and admit to something I didnt do. And if I have to die in here for that, Im going to. A life behind bars, but always hope for freedomIn prison, Peltiers fame only grew, as he amassed the support of prominent political leaders around the globe and celebrities in the U.S. and became a symbol of the injustices against Native Americans.He said it was all their letters of support and acts of protest for his release that kept him going.Peltier said there were moments in the last few years where he began to lose hope that he would ever see freedom. His denial of parole in July was another crushing blow. They gave me the strength to stay alive and to know what I was in prison for, he said.Many Indigenous people, leaders, and organizers lobbied for decades for Peltiers release.However, some who believe Peltier was involved in the murder of AIM member Anna Mae Pictou Aquash in 1975, fought against his release. Two other AIM members were convicted of the crime.Their ability to say that he is free and he gets to go home negates the whole fact that Anna Mae never got to go home, said Aquashs daughter, Denise Pictou Maloney.In his interview with the AP, Peltier denied having any knowledge of Aquashs death.I didnt give my life for nothingIn the end, Biden listened to the counsel of former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna and the first Native American to lead the Interior Department. Pelltier was released on Feb. 18, and returned to North Dakota. A week later, he still often wakes up at night terrified that it is all a dream and that he is still in a cell. Peltier remains confined to his home and nearby community. But he now has access to routine medical treatment for his many health issues, including an aortic aneurysm. He gets around with the help of a cane or a walker.He is heartened by the many people who come to visit him and drop off gifts like beaded medallions, letters and artwork, which are piling up in his home. Peltier wants to make a living selling his paintings, as he did in prison, and plans to write more books. He also wants to train young activists about the threats they will face. When he was in prison, lying in his bunk at night, he would often wonder if his protest efforts resulted in any change. Seeing young Native activists today continuing to fight for the same things gives meaning to the 49 years he was incarcerated. It makes me feel so good, man, it does, he said, holding back tears. Im thinking, well, I didnt give my life for nothing.___AP reporter Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota, contributed to this report. GRAHAM LEE BREWER Brewer reports for the APs Race and Ethnicity team, focusing on Indigenous communities and tribal nations. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and is based in Oklahoma. twitter mailto

Security official checks at the site of a bomb blast in Quetta, Pakistan, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)2025-02-28T09:47:40Z PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) A suicide bomber blew himself up after walking into a mosque within a pro-Taliban seminary in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing a top cleric and five other worshippers and wounding dozens of others ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan, according to local police.The blast occurred in Akora Khattak, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said district police chief Abdul Rashid. He named Hamidul Haq, who is the head of a faction of the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI) party, as being among the dead. No group has immediately claimed responsibility. Haq is the son of Maulana Samiul Haq, known as the father of the Taliban, who was killed in a knife attack at his home in 2018. Haqs family confirmed he was killed in Fridays attack and appealed to his followers to remain peaceful. He was also in charge of the Jamia Haqqania seminary, where many Afghan Taliban had studied in the past two decades. Zulfiqar Hameed, the provincial police chief, said more than a dozen police officers were guarding the mosque when the attack occurred, and Haqs seminary also had its own security. Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, which came ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to start either on Saturday or Sunday subject to the sighting of the crescent moon. Surge in attacks in recent yearsYawar Zia, a police officer who was wounded in the attack, said he was on a security duty at the seminary when the attack occurred and splinters from the bomb hit him. He was transported to the Qazi Hussain Ahmed Hospital by ambulance.After offering prayer, Hamidul Haq was leaving the mosque to go home and as he reached the main gate, a powerful explosion occurred, and I fell to the ground, losing consciousness, Zia told The Associated Press from his hospital bed. Zahir Shah, a worshipper, said that hundreds of people were leaving the mosque after offering prayers when he heard a powerful blast. He said Haq, accompanied by guards, was heading to his home located within the seminary premises when the attack occurred. Shah described a chaotic scene with blood and body parts scattered around, adding that the number of casualties could have been much higher had the bomber struck during the prayers.Pakistan has witnessed a surge in attacks in recent years.As many as 101 people, mostly police officers, were killed in 2023 when a suicide attack targeted a mosque in Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistani authorities have blamed the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, for previous attacks. Attacks blamed on separatistsThe TTP never claim attacks on mosques, saying it does not target places of worship. The TTP is a separate group but an ally of the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war.Many TTP leaders and fighters have found sanctuary and have even been living openly in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, which also emboldened the Pakistani Taliban.Separately on Friday, a roadside bomb exploded near a vehicle carrying security forces in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, wounding 10 people, including two soldiers, police and officials said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, but previous attacks have been blamed on separatists.Quetta is the capital of Balochistan, which has for years been the scene of a long-running insurgency. Separatists want independence from the central government in Islamabad. Although Pakistan says it has quelled the insurgency, violence in Baluchistan has continued.___Associated Press writer Rasool Dawar and Abdul Sattar contributed to this story from Peshawar, Pakistan and Quetta, Pakistan.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands during their meeting at Trump Tower, Sept. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)2025-02-28T05:01:36Z WASHINGTON (AP) Ukraines leader will meet with President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday at a pivotal moment for his country, one that hinges on whether he can persuade Trump to provide some form of U.S. backing for Ukraines security against any future Russian aggression.During his trip to Washington, President Volodymyr Zelenskyys delegation is expected to sign a landmark economic agreement with the U.S. aimed at financing the reconstruction of war-damaged Ukraine, a deal that would closely tie the two countries together for years to come. Though the deal, which is seen as a step toward ending the three-year war, references the importance of Ukraines security, it leaves that to a separate agreement to be discussed between the two leaders talks that are likely to commence Friday. As Ukrainian forces hold out against slow but steady advances by Russias larger and better-equipped army, leaders in Kyiv have pushed to ensure a potential U.S.-brokered peace plan would include guarantees for the countrys future security. Many Ukrainians fear that a hastily negotiated peace especially one that makes too many concessions to Russian demands would allow Moscow to rearm and consolidate its forces for a future invasion after current hostilities cease. According to the preliminary economic agreement, seen by The Associated Press, the U.S. and Ukraine will establish a co-owned, jointly managed investment fund to which Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from natural resources, including minerals, hydrocarbons and other extractable materials. A more detailed agreement on establishing the fund will be drawn up once the preliminary one is signed. Trump, a Republican, has framed the emerging deal as a chance for Kyiv to compensate the U.S. for wartime aid sent under his predecessor, President Joe Biden, a Democrat. But Zelenskyy has remained firm that specific assurances for Ukraines security must accompany any agreement giving U.S. access to Ukraines resources. On Wednesday, he said the agreement may be part of future security guarantees, but I want to understand the broader vision. What awaits Ukraine? Trump remains noncommittal about any American security guarantees.Im not going to make security guarantees ... very much, Trump told reporters this week. Were going to have Europe do that.If a truce can be reached, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to send troops for a potential peacekeeping mission to Ukraine to ensure that fighting between Ukraine and Russia doesnt flare up again. Both leaders traveled to Washington this week before the Zelenskyy visit to discuss with Trump the potential peacekeeping mission and other concerns about the war.White House officials are skeptical that Britain and France can assemble enough troops from across Europe, at least at this moment, to deploy a credible peacekeeping mission to Kyiv.It will likely take a consensual peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine before many nations would be willing to provide such forces, according to a senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House. Zelenskyy and European officials have no illusions about U.S. troops taking part in such a mission. But Starmer and others are trying to make the case that the plan can only work with a U.S. backstop for European forces on the ground through U.S. aerial intelligence, surveillance and support, as well as rapid-response cover in case the truce is breached. Youve created a moment of tremendous opportunity to reach a historic peace deal a deal that I think would be celebrated in Ukraine and around the world, Starmer told Trump. That is the prize. But we have to get it right.Zelenskyy has been vague on exactly what kinds of security guarantees would be suitable for his country, and while he continues to advocate for Ukraines eventual membership in NATO, he has also suggested a similar security arrangement would suffice. But Trump on Wednesday said Ukraine could forget about joining the Western military alliance.Still, Zelenskyys meeting with Trump, their first since the U.S. leaders inauguration in January, is seen in Kyiv as a diplomatic win for Ukraine. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy said being able to meet personally with Trump before Russian President Vladimir Putin does is a good signal.Zelenskyy said he hopes to discuss whether the U.S. plans to halt its military aid to Ukraine and, if so, whether Kyiv would be able to purchase weapons directly from the U.S.He also wants to know whether Ukraine can use frozen Russian assets for the purchase of weapons and whether Washington plans to lift sanctions on Moscow.Fears that Trump could broker a peace deal with Russia that is unfavorable to Ukraine have been amplified by recent precedent-busting actions by his administration. Trump held a lengthy phone call with Putin, and U.S. officials met with their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia without inviting European or Ukrainian leaders both dramatic breaks with previous U.S. policy to isolate Putin over his invasion. Trump later seemed to falsely blame Ukraine for starting the war, and called Zelenskyy a dictator for not holding elections after the end of his regular term last year, though Ukrainian law prohibits elections while martial law is in place. As Zelenskyy seeks to lower the temperature with the U.S. while in Washington, American officials are saying the economic deal, if implemented, would itself provide a measure of security to Ukraine through the presence of U.S. investments on its territory. On Wednesday, Trump said the U.S. working on mineral extraction in Ukraine would amount to automatic security because nobodys going to be messing around with our people when were there.Its a great deal for Ukraine too, because they get us over there and were going to be working over there, Trump said. We will be on the land.That perspective is echoed by the text of the economic agreement, which says the U.S. supports Ukraines efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace. Washington, it continues, has a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.___Spike reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. JUSTIN SPIKE Spike is an Associated Press reporter based in Budapest, Hungary. twitter mailto AAMER MADHANI Madhani covers the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto

Friends, family and soccer fans attend a public memorial ceremony for slain hostage Tsachi Idan, a fan of Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C., who was killed in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)2025-02-28T11:55:31Z JERUSALEM (AP) Mourners in Israel on Friday were burying the remains of one of the last hostages released in the first phase of the ceasefire between Hamas militants and Israel, as negotiators discussed a second phase of the deal that could end the war in Gaza and see the remaining live hostages returning home.The funeral procession for Tsachi Idan, an avid soccer fan who was 49 when he was abducted by Hamas militants, began from a football stadium in Tel Aviv towards the cemetery where he was to be buried in a private ceremony.The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Idan, who was taken from Kibbutz Nahal Oz during the Hamas-led Oct. 7 2023 attack that sparked the war in Gaza, was killed in captivity.His body was one of four released by Hamas overnight Wednesday to Thursday, in exchange for over 600 Palestinian prisoners, the last planned swap of the ceasefires first phase, which began in January. Idan was the only one of his family to have been taken to Gaza. His eldest daughter, Maayan, was killed as militants shot through the door of their saferoom. Hamas militants broadcast themselves on Facebook live holding the Idan family hostage in their home, as his two younger children pleaded with the militants to let them go. My brother is the real hero. He held on, Idans sister, Noam Idan ben Ezra, said in an interview on Israeli radio Friday. She said Idan had been a pace away from being released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023, when more than 100 of the 251 people abducted on Oct. 7 were released. Tsachi was forsaken twice. The first time when he was kidnapped from his home and the second time when the deal blew up, she added. The fact that Tsachi is not standing next to me today is the outcome of the decision-making and the policy here in Israel. They did not listen to us then, but its not too late to listen to us today. Concern for remaining hostagesThe relatives of hostages still held in Gaza are ramping up pressure on Netanyahu to secure the release of their loved ones. According to Israel, 32 of the 59 hostages still in Gaza are dead, and there has been growing concern about the welfare of an unknown number who are still alive, particularly after three hostages who were released Feb. 8 emerged emaciated from captivity.One of the three, Eli Sharabi, said in an interview with Israels Channel 12 Friday that he and other hostages had been held in iron chains, starved and sometimes beaten or humiliated. During the first three days, my hands are tied behind my back, my legs are tied, with ropes that tear into your flesh, and a bit of food, a bit of water during the day, he said, in one of the first interviews by a hostage released under the current deal. I remember not being able to fall asleep because of the pain, the ropes are already digging into your flesh, and every movement makes you want to scream.Sharabi only found out after his release that his wife and daughters had been killed during the Oct. 7 attack. The next phase of the ceasefireUnder the terms of the truce Israel and Hamas agreed to, Phase 2 of the ceasefire is meant to involve negotiations on ending the war that has devastated the Gaza Strip. That includes the return of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the Palestinian territory. The return of the bodies of the remaining deceased hostages would occur in Phase 3.Officials from Israel, Qatar and the United States have started intensive discussions on the ceasefires second phase in Cairo, Egypts state information service said Thursday. Netanyahus office confirmed he had sent a delegation to Cairo. The mediators are also discussing ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the population and support stability in the region, its statement said.The first phase of the ceasefire saw 33 hostages, including eight bodies, released in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has vowed to return all the hostages and destroy the military and governing capabilities of Hamas, which remains in control of Gaza. The Trump administration has endorsed both goals. But its unclear how Israel would destroy Hamas without resuming the war, and Hamas is unlikely to release the remaining hostages its main bargaining chips without a lasting ceasefire. After suffering heavy losses in the war, the militant group has nonetheless emerged intact, and says it will not give up its weapons.The ceasefire, brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, ended 15 months of war that erupted after Hamas 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.Israels military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials, who dont differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths but say over half the dead have been women and children.The fighting displaced an estimated 90% of Gazas population and decimated the territorys infrastructure and health system.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war JULIA FRANKEL Frankel is an Associated Press reporter in Jerusalem. twitter mailto

People walk at dusk in St Peter's Square at The Vatican, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)2025-02-28T08:06:54Z ROME (AP) Pope Francis reached the two-week mark in his recovery from pneumonia Friday as doctors suggested he had overcome the most critical phase of the infection but held out on declaring him out of danger entirely.The Vatican, though, made alternative plans for Ash Wednesday next week, making clear Francis still had a long road ahead. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will preside over the March 5 ceremony and procession that inaugurates the churchs solemn Lenten season leading up to Easter in April.The Vaticans early Friday update suggested a level of normalcy and routine as the 88-year-old pope continues recovering at Romes Gemelli Hospital. As in past days, the night was tranquil and the pope now is resting, it said.Francis had breakfast, read the days newspapers and was receiving respiratory physiotherapy, the Vatican said. In their Thursday evening bulletin, doctors said Francis clinical condition had confirmed that he was improving. He was alternating the high-flow supplemental oxygen he had been receiving by a nasal tube with a mask in a sign of improved respiratory function. Additionally, he left his hospital room to go to his nearby private chapel to pray, while continuing with respiratory physiotherapy and work, the Vatican said. For the second day in a row, doctors avoided saying Francis was in critical condition, suggesting he had overcome the most acute phase of the infection. But given the complexity of his lung infection, they said further days of clinical stability are needed before they revise their prognosis officially and say he is out of danger. Francis has been at Gemelli Hospital since Feb. 14 after his bronchitis worsened. He has shown steady, albeit slight, improvements since a respiratory crisis and kidney trouble over the weekend sparked fears for his life. The improvements beat back speculation of an imminent death or resignation and signaled that he was still very much in charge. Prayers continued to pour inIn Mexico City, a few dozen people gathered Thursday night at the cathedral to pray for Francis recovery.He is like part of the family, said Araceli Gutirrez, who treasures the time she saw the pope during his trip to the country of nearly 100 million Catholics in 2016. Thats why we feel so concerned for him.Mara Teresa Snchez, who was visiting from Colombia with her sister, said that she has always felt close to Francis the first Latin American pope.Thats like having a relative within the higher-ups, with God, she said. He has done so much for religion; hes such a humble person.Upcoming calendar in question Despite his improvements, Francis near-term upcoming calendar of events was being changed: The Vatican canceled a Holy Year audience scheduled for Saturday, and it remained to be seen if Francis would skip his Sunday noon blessing for the third week in a row. With Ash Wednesday now delegated to a cardinal, the next major events come during Holy Week and Easter, which this year falls on April 20.In past years, when Francis has battled bronchitis and influenza in winter, he curbed his participation in Ash Wednesday and Holy Week events, which call for the pope to be outdoors in the cold leading services, participating in processions and presiding over prayers in the solemn period in which the faithful commemorate Christs crucifixion and resurrection. Beyond that, Francis has a few major events coming up that he presumably would hope to keep if well enough. On April 27, he is due to canonize Carlo Acutis, considered to be the first millennial and digital-era saint. The Vatican considers the Italian teenager, who died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, an inspiration for young Catholics. Another important appointment is the May 24 commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, Christianitys first ecumenical council. The spiritual leader of the worlds Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew I, has invited Francis to join him in Iznik, Turkey, to commemorate the anniversary, which he has called an important sign of reconciliation between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Before he got sick, Francis said he hoped to go, though the Vatican hasnt confirmed the trip. ___Maria Hernandez contributed from Mexico City.___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.

Customers wait in line for eggs at a Costco store in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)2025-02-28T13:42:26Z WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. consumers cut back sharply on spending last month, the most since February 2021, even as inflation declined, though stiff tariffs threatened by the White House could disrupt that progress.Americans cut their spending by 0.2% in January from the previous month, the Commerce Department said Friday, likely in part because of unseasonably cold weather. Yet the retreat may be hinting at more caution by consumers amid rising economic uncertainty. Inflation declined to 2.5% in January compared with a year earlier, down from 2.6% in December, the government said. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices dropped to 2.6%, the lowest since June, from 2.9%.One other bright spot in the report was that incomes jumped 0.9% in January from December, fueled in part by a large annual cost of living adjustment for Social Security beneficiaries. Inflation spiked in 2022 to its highest level in four decades, propelling President Donald Trump to the White House and causing the Federal Reserve to rapidly raise interest rates to tame prices. It has since fallen from a peak of 7.2%. Last months decline could reassure Fed officials that inflation is still slowly cooling. The Fed prefers Fridays measure to the more widely-known consumer price index, which rose for the fourth straight month in January to 3%. Fridays gauge calculates inflation slightly differently: For example, it puts less weight on the costs of housing and used cars. Even so, the key question preoccupying many American consumers, investors, and business executives is whether Trumps extensive tariff proposals will push prices higher in the coming months. Trump said Thursday he will double his recently-announced tariffs on Chinese imports to 20%, and will impose 25% import taxes on Canada and Mexico next Tuesday. The three countries are the United States top trading partners. Trump is also calling for widespread layoffs of federal workers, which could cause hundreds of thousands of job losses and potentially lift the unemployment rate. Increased uncertainty surrounding trade, fiscal and regulatory policy is casting a shadow over the outlook, said Lydia Boussour, a senior economist at accounting and consulting firm EY. Americans also likely cut back on their spending after a healthy winter holiday season that saw a surge in credit card debt in December, economists noted.On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.3% in January from the previous month, matching Decembers 0.3% increase. Core prices rose 0.3%, up from 0.2% in December. If sustained, Januarys increases would keep inflation running above the Feds target. The Fed pays more attention to core prices because they provide a better read of future inflation. A big concern right now is whether tariffs will push up inflation, or slow the economy, or in a particularly toxic combination both. A report from the Federal Reserves Boston branch this month concluded that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, along with Trumps initial 10% import taxes on China, could lift core inflation by as much as 0.8 percentage points. The last time Trump imposed tariffs in 2018-19, inflation was largely unaffected but those tariffs were on a much narrower range of goods. And the economy still slowed, prompting the Fed to cut interest rates. Worries about tariffs pushing prices higher have sent consumer confidence plunging, unwinding the modest gains that had occurred after the election. Americans are also expecting inflation to move higher in the coming months. Thats a risky trend because if consumers and businesses expect higher prices, they may act in ways to lift inflation, such as accelerating their purchases and boosting demand. CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Rugaber has covered the Federal Reserve and the U.S. economy for the AP for 16 years. He is a two-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb award for business reporting. twitter mailto

Law enforcement officers detain migrants in the area in Coral Gables, Fla., Jan. 28, 2025. (Pedro Portal/Miami Herald via AP File)2025-02-28T05:20:00Z TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) For most people in Florida, misdemeanor theft can result in up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. For an immigrant illegally in Florida, that same crime now carries a felony punishment of up to five years behind bars and a $5,000 fine.The new laws in Florida come as President Donald Trump cracks down on illegal immigration. They impose harsher penalties for offenses committed by people illegally in the U.S. than for everyone else. The consequences are particularly stiff for first-degree murder, which now carries an automatic death sentence for anyone who is in the U.S. illegally. While Florida is more aggressive than most, there are other states considering similar measures to enhance criminal penalties based on immigration status. A deterrence, but is it constitutional?Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida will be safer and securer, and a model for other states, because of its sweeping immigration laws. The stiffer penalties are meant to be a deterrent, Republican state Rep. Lawrence McClure said.Dont come to the state of Florida illegally, he said. Thats the premise.Some civil rights advocates and legal experts are raising alarm. The laws are leading into a head-on collision with the constitutional guarantee of equal protection to everyone who is in the United States, said Csar Cuauhtmoc Garca Hernndez, a law professor at Ohio State University who specializes in immigration and criminal law. Are mandatory death sentences allowed?On his first day in office, Trump ordered a renewed emphasis on the death penalty. His executive order highlighted two particular grounds for it: murdering a law enforcement officer or committing any capital offense while in the U.S. illegally. But jurors and federal judges would still decide whether to impose the death sentence. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1976 ruled North Carolinas mandatory death sentence for first-degree murder violated the Constitutions prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. States since then have generally used court proceedings in which jurors first decide guilt, then weigh aggravating and mitigating factors when deciding whether defendants should be sentenced to death. There is longstanding precedent making clear that mandatory death penalty laws are unconstitutional, said Kara Gross, legislative director and senior policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.But Floridas new laws eliminate judicial discretion in certain cases. They require courts to impose a death sentence on defendants in the U.S. illegally who are found guilty of capital offenses such as first-degree murder or child rape. Republican state Sen. Randy Fine acknowledged the legislation he co-sponsored will likely face a legal challenge, but he expects the Supreme Court to overturn its prior ruling. Its almost 50 years later, Fine said, adding, The Supreme Court changes its mind on things. More time for the same crimeLast year, DeSantis signed a law enhancing penalties for people who commit state felonies after being previously deported and convicted of illegal reentry under federal law. The measure increased sentences by one classification, meaning someone convicted of a third-degree felony typically punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine would instead be sentenced for a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.The latest Florida laws apply similar sentencing enhancements to anyone in the U.S. illegally, regardless of any convictions for reentering, and apply the enhanced penalties to misdemeanors. If the new laws get challenged, Garca Hernndez said, a court would likely look to a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The justices said Texas failed to show a substantial state interest for a law barring state school funding for children not legally admitted to the U.S. The high court cited the Constitutions 14th Amendment, which says a state shall not deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. To defend Floridas law, state attorneys would probably have to answer a similar question: What is your compelling justification for treating individuals who are accused of a crime the same crime differently based solely on their citizenship status? Garca Hernndez said. Other states may follow Floridas leadLegislation pending in several states including Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, South Carolina and Texas would allow enhanced penalties for some state crimes committed by immigrants illegally in the U.S., according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural.A bill by Texas state Sen. Pete Flores would raise penalties one notch for most felonies committed by people in the U.S. illegally.Flores, who is chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee and co-founder of the Texas Hispanic Republican Caucus, described the legislation as a common-sense, tough-on-crime response to enforce the rule of law and better protect Texans. Legislation that passed the Utah Senate and is now pending in the House takes a more narrow approach focused on theft and drug dealing. It would impose mandatory jail sentences, without the potential for early release, for repeat offenders who are lawful U.S. residents or for any offenders who were previously deported and then convicted in federal court of illegally reentering the U.S. Republican state Sen. Cal Musselman said his legislation targets a small group of individuals. Law enforcement officers have told him they see a clear connection between being deported multiple times, coming in, and committing crimes within the state.___Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri. ___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. DAVID A. LIEB Lieb covers issues and trends in state governments across the U.S. Hes reported about government and politics for The Associated Press for 30 years. twitter mailto 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

President Donald Trump stands before British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives at the White House, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-02-28T15:24:01Z President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Friday designating English as the official language of the United States, according to the White House.The order will allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in language other than English, according to a fact sheet about the impending order.It was not immediately clear when on Friday that Trump planned to sign the order.The executive order will rescind a mandate from former President Bill Clinton that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.Designating English as the national language promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement, according to the White House. More than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States.For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language of the U.S., but those efforts have not succeeded. Within hours of Trumps inauguration last month, the new administration took down the Spanish language version of the official White House website. Hispanic advocacy groups and others expressed confusion and frustration at the change. The White House said at the time it was committed to bringing the Spanish language version of the website back online. As of Friday, it was still not restored.The White House did not immediately respond to a message about whether that would happen. Trump shut down the Spanish version of the website during his first term. It was restored when President Joe Biden was inaugurated. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the order Friday. MICHELLE L. PRICE Price is a national political reporter for The Associated Press. She is based in New York. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Actor Gene Hackman arrives with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)2025-02-28T15:45:31Z SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Authorities investigating the deaths of Oscar-winner Gene Hackman and his wife are waiting for the results of the autopsies, and carbon monoxide and toxicology testing to determine how they died. Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, apparently had been dead for days or even a couple of weeks when investigators found their bodies while searching the couples Santa Fe home on Wednesday. Investigators are trying to figure out the last time anyone saw or spoke to them, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told NBCs Today show on Friday.That is a challenge because they were very private individuals, the sheriff said, noting that the autopsy results could take months. Hackman, 95, was found Wednesday in an entryway of the home and Arakawa, 65, was found lying on her side in the bathroom. A dead German shepherd was found in a kennel near Arakawa, Mendoza said Thursday. There was no indication of foul play, according to the sheriffs office. Detectives wrote in a search warrant affidavit that investigators thought the deaths were suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation. No gas leaks were discovered in and around the home, but a detective noted in the affidavit that people exposed to gas leaks or carbon monoxide might not show signs of poisoning.A space heater was next to Arakawa and may have fallen when she abruptly fell to the floor, according to the affidavit. The sheriffs office planned a Friday afternoon news conference to provide updates. A maintenance worker who showed up to do routine work at the house discovered their bodies, investigators said. The worker said he was unable to get inside when a 911 operator asked whether the people in the house were breathing.I have no idea, the subdivisions caretaker said on the call. I am not inside the house. Its closed. Its locked. I cant go in. But I can see shes laying down on the floor from the window. He and another worker later told authorities that they rarely saw the homeowners and that their last contact with them had been about two weeks ago.Mendoza told Today there were several conflicting stories about which doors were locked at the house. Several were unlocked and a rear door was open, which allowed two dogs that survived to go in and out. He also said he thought the front door was closed but unlocked.Hackman was among the most accomplished actors of his generation, appearing as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.He was a five-time Oscar nominee who won best actor in a leading role for The French Connection in 1972 and best actor in a supporting role for Unforgiven two decades later. He also won praise for his role as a coach finding redemption in the sentimental favorite Hoosiers.He met Arakawa, a classically trained pianist, at a California gym in the mid-1980s. They moved to Santa Fe by the end of the decade. Their Pueblo revival home, sits on a hill in a gated community with views of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. In his first couple of decades in New Mexico, Hackman was often seen around the state capital and served on the board of trustees for the Georgia OKeeffe Museum from 1997-2004.In recent years, he was far less visible. Aside from appearances at awards shows, he was rarely seen in the Hollywood social circuit and retired from acting about 20 years ago.Hackman had three children from a previous marriage. He and Arakawa had no children but were known for having German shepherds.___Seewer reported from in Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona; Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix; and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed. JOHN SEEWER Seewer covers state and national news for The Associated Press and is based in Toledo, Ohio. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Amazons recent decision to stop allowing people to download copies of their Kindle e-books to a computer has vindicated some of my longstanding beliefs about digital media. Specifically, that it doesnt exist and you dont own it unless you can copy and access it without being connected to the internet.The recent move by the megacorp and its shiny-headed billionaire CEO Jeff Bezos is another large brick in the digital wall that tech companies have been building for years to separate consumers from the things they buyor from their perspective, obtain licenses to. Starting Wednesday, Kindle users will no longer be able to download purchased books to a computer, where they can more easily be freed of DRM restrictions and copied to e-reader devices via USB. You can still send ebooks to other devices over WiFi for now, but the message the company is sending is one tech companies have been telegraphing for years: You dont own anything digital, even if you paid us for it. The Kindle terms of service now say this, explicitly. Kindle Content is licensed, not sold, to you, meaning you dont buy a book, you obtain a digital content license.The situation brings to mind an interview I did over a decade ago, with the executive of a now-defunct streaming platform. He told me candidly that the goal of all this was to make digital media a utility like gas or electricitya faucet that dispenses the worlds art as content, with tech companies in complete control of what goes in the tank and what comes out of it.Hearing this was a real tin foil hat moment for me. For more than two decades, Ive been what some might call a hoarder but what Ive more affectionately dubbed a digital packrat. Which is to say I mostly avoid streaming services, I dont trust any company or cloud with my digital media, and I store everything as files on devices that I physically control. My mp3 collection has been going strong since the Limewire days, I keep high-quality rips of all my movies on a local media server, and my preferred reading device holds a large collection of DRM-free ebooks and PDFseverything from esoteric philosophy texts and scientific journals to scans of lesbian lifestyle magazines from the 1980s.Sure, there are websites where you can find some of this material, like the Internet Archive. But this archive is mine. Its my own little Library of Alexandria, built from external hard drives, OCD, and a strong distrust of corporations. I know Im not the only one who has gone to these lengths. Sometimes when Im feeling gloomy, I imagine how when society falls apart, we packrats will be the only ones in our village with all six seasons of The Sopranos. At the rate were going, that might not be too far off.Amazon is far from alone in this long-running trend towards eliminating digital ownership. For many people, digital distribution and streaming services have already practically ended the concept of owning and controlling your own media files. Spotify is now almost synonymous with music for some younger generations, having strip-mined the music industry from both ends by demonetizing more than 60% of the artists on its platform and pushing algorithmic slop while simultaneously raising subscription fees.Of course, surrendering this control means being at the complete mercy of Amazon and other platforms to determine what we can watch, read, and listen toand weve already seen that these services frequently remove content for all sorts of reasons. Last October, one year after the Israeli military began its campaign of genocide in Gaza, Netflix removed Palestinian Stories, a collection of 19 films featuring Palestinian filmmakers and characters, saying it declined to renew its distribution license. Amazon also once famously deleted copies of 1984 off of peoples Kindles. Fearing piracy, many software companies have moved from the days of Dont Copy That Floppy to the cloud-based software-as-a-service model, which requires an internet connection and charges users monthly subscription fees to use apps like Photoshop. No matter how you look at it, digital platforms have put us on a path to losing control of any media that we cant physically touch.How did we get here?In the US, it goes back to the legal concepts of individual versus intellectual property rights, which are mediated by something called exhaustion. The idea behind the exhaustion principle was that copyright owners, like the studio that produces a film, relinquish some (but not all) of their rights over how a work is used when they sell copies to consumers. For example, if you buy a DVD, the law may prohibit you from duplicating the work for non-personal use, but the company that produced the movie cant stop you from re-selling or gifting the physical disc to someone else.The fact that youre free to do whatever you want with the things you buy seems very obvious and intuitive from our perspective, but the truth is that copyright holders have been trying to erode these individual rights granted by exhaustion from the very beginning. Over the years, book publishers have tried to punish students for reselling expensive textbooks at lower prices, and record labels have launched unsuccessful crackdowns on stores selling used CDs. Hollywood tried to shut down the video rental market multiple times after it first emerged in the 1970s, and video game industry lobbyists have repeatedly claimed that used game sales will herald the apocalypse, with some publishers calling second-hand stores like GameStop a bigger threat than piracy.In all these cases, the companies claims were overblown, but they boiled down to one simple gripe: technology was changing and creating new markets that they didnt control. After much hooting and hollering, their inevitable response has always been to enter those markets and attempt to position themselves at the absolute center. And nothing has made that task easier than the rise of digital distribution.The basic principle of exhaustionthe notion that owners have rights that are not contingent on copyright holder permissioncan and should survive the transition to a digital copyright economy, explain Aaron Perzanowski and Jason Schultz, in their book The End of Ownership: Personal Property in the Digital Economy. Rights holders have always fought against this principle, but the digital marketplace gives them their best chance to kill it.Following the mass corporate freakout over piracy in the post-Napster era, copyright holders finally found two ways to get past the exhaustion principle: Digital rights management (DRM), which locks downloaded content to a centrally controlled platform with varying degrees of success, and streaming services, where companies fully control access to all media and users pay fees to access it with an internet connection.The streaming model was particularly appealing to most normal people, because who wants to pay for and manage thousands of media files when you could have unlimited access to an entire library for a monthly fee? Piracy never went away of courseservices like Netflix simply outpaced it in terms of convenience. Streaming beat piracy at its own game, but this time Silicon Valley tech companies and copyright owners were the ones at the controls.This was fine for a time. But when two or three streaming services turned into several dozen, all with their own monthly fees, some of us started turning back to the Old Ways.Over the past decade, keeping your own DRM-free digital media archive has become something of a lost art. It requires time and patience that many people no longer have, and it certainly cant compete with the convenience of streaming. As large corporations and algorithms tighten their grip to a clenched fist, I think were long past due for a second DIY Media Renaissance. But in order for that to happen, we first need to change our habits and expectations around media consumptionstarting with deprogramming this idea that media is something that should be unlimited and available at all times through a digital faucet."Every collection becomes deeply personal, and thats beautiful"One of the more abstract but dire consequences of this streaming mentality is that weve started to treat art and culture like wallpaper. The rise of algorithmic curation and AI-generated content has sent this into overdrive: On Spotify, music is detached from its human creators and flattened into algorithmically-generated playlists with hashtag-able labels like Lo-Fi Chillwave Anime Vibes. Netflix has even started dictating that producers make TV shows less engaging, so that people can passively consume them as second screen content while scrolling on their phones.In her recent book Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of the Perfect Playlist, music journalist Liz Pelly refers to this process as Muzak-ingthe conversion of media from discrete works of art with a discernible context and author to anonymous background noise meant for passive consumption at the gym or while relaxing at home.It turns out that playlists have spawned a new type of music listener, one who thinks less about the artist or album they are seeking out, and instead connects with emotions, moods and activities, where they just pick a playlist and let it roll, Pelly wrote in an essay for The Baffler. These algorithmically designed playlists, in other words, have seized on an audience of distracted, perhaps overworked, or anxious listeners whose stress-filled clicks now generate anesthetized, algorithmically designed playlists.Digital Packratting is the antithesis of this trend. It requires intentional curation, because youre limited by the amount of free space on your media server and devicesand the amount of space in your home youre willing to devote to this crazy endeavor. Every collection becomes deeply personal, and thats beautiful. It reminds me of when I was in college and everyone in my dorm was sharing their iTunes music libraries on the local network. I discovered so many new artists by opening up that ugly app and simply browsing through my neighbors collections. I even made some new friends. Mix CDs were exchanged, and browsing through unfamiliar microgenres felt like falling down a rabbit hole into a new world.While streaming platforms flatten music-listening into a homogenous assortment of vibes, listening to an album youve downloaded on Bandcamp or receiving a mix from a friend feels more like forging a connection with artists and people. As a musician, Id much rather have people listen to my music this way. Having people download your music for free on Soulseek is still considered a badge of honor in my producer/dj circles.I dont expect everyone to read this and immediately go back to hoarding mp3s, nor do I think many people will abandon things like Spotify and Amazon Kindle completely. Its not like Im some model citizen either: I share a YouTube Premium account because the ads make me want to die, and I will admit having a weakness for the Criterion Channel. But the packrat lifestyle has shown me that other ways are possible, and that at the end of the day, the only things we can trust to always be there are the things we can hold in our hands and copy without restriction.Living with some degree of artificial scarcity also changes the way you value those things, and makes you question how much media is enough. If more people reflected on their desire for unlimited everything, maybe wed find a way to break through the walled gardens that have been built to satisfy them.Janus Rose is New York City-based journalist, educator and artist whose work explores the impacts of A.I. and technology on activists and marginalized communities. Previously a senior editor atVICE, she has been published in digital and print outlets includinge-Flux Journal,DAZED Magazine,The New Yorker, andAl Jazeera.

A sign is seen outside a clinic with the South Plains Public Health District Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Brownfield, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)2025-02-28T16:42:16Z DALLAS (AP) The number of people with measles in Texas increased to 146 in an outbreak that led this week to the death of an unvaccinated school-aged child, health officials said Friday.The number of cases Texas largest in nearly 30 years increased by 22 since Tuesday. The Texas Department of State Health Services said cases span over nine counties in West Texas, including almost 100 in Gaines County, and 20 patients have been hospitalized so far.The child who died Tuesday night in the outbreak is the first U.S. death from the highly contagious but preventable respiratory disease since 2015, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The child was treated at Covenant Childrens Hospital in Lubbock, though the facility said the patient didnt live in Lubbock County. The virus has largely spread through rural, oil rig-dotted West Texas, with cases concentrated in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community, state health department spokesperson Lara Anton has said. Gaines County has a strong homeschooling and private school community. It is also home to one of the highest rates of school-aged children in Texas who have opted out of at least one required vaccine, with nearly 14% skipping a required dose last school year. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing infection and severe cases. The first shot is recommended for children ages 12 to 15 months, and the second for ages 4 to 6 years. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. Vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, and most states are below the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners the level needed to protect communities against measles outbreaks.The U.S. had considered measles, a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours, eliminated in 2000, which meant there had been a halt in continuous spread of the disease for at least a year. Measles cases rose in 2024, including a Chicago outbreak that sickened more than 60.Eastern New Mexico has nine cases of measles currently, but the state health department said there is no connection to the outbreak in West Texas.

In this image released by the FBI shows the wanted posted for Rafael Caro Quintero. (FBI via AP, File)2025-02-28T16:31:14Z NEW YORK (AP) Cartel leaders Rafael Caro Quintero and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes are set to be arraigned in a U.S. federal court in New York City on Friday, following their surprise transfer from Mexico. The pair were among 29 Mexican prisoners sent Thursday to eight cities across the U.S.Caro Quintero, the former leader of the Guadalajara cartel, was behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985 and had been on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Carrillo Fuentes is a former leader of the Juarez drug cartel. The pair are set to appear in federal court in Brooklyn, part of the Eastern District of New York, where Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaqun El Chapo Guzmn was previously prosecuted.The White House, in a statement Friday ahead of the arraignments, called Caro Quintero one of the most evil cartel bosses in the world.The Trump Administration is declaring these thugs as terrorists, because that is what they are, and demanding justice for the American people, the statement read. The prisoner handover comes as Mexican officials are in Washington trying to dissuade President Donald Trump from imposing 25% tariffs on all Mexican imports. In exchange for delaying tariffs, Trump had insisted that Mexico crack down on cartels, illegal immigration and fentanyl production.Among the others extradited are leading members of the six Mexican organized crime groups recently designated by the Republican administration as foreign terrorist organizations. They include cartel leaders, security chiefs from both factions of the Sinaloa cartel, cartel finance operatives and a man wanted in connection with the killing of a North Carolina sheriffs deputy in 2022.Carrillo Fuentes is the brother of drug lord Amado Carrillo Fuentes, known as The Lord of The Skies, who died in a botched plastic surgery in 1997.Caro Quintero, meanwhile, has long been one of Americas top Mexican targets for extradition. He had served 28 years in a Mexican prison but walked free after a court overturned his 40-year sentence for the 1985 kidnapping and killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique Kiki Camarena. The murder marked a low point in U.S.-Mexico relations and was a focus of the popular Netflix series Narcos: Mexico.Caro Quintero returned to drug trafficking and unleashed bloody turf battles in the northern Mexico border state of Sonora until he was arrested by Mexican forces in 2022.The U.S., which at one point had offered a $20 million reward for Caro Quinteros capture, immediately sought his extradition.But the request remained in limbo as then-Mexican President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador severely curtailed his countrys cooperation with the U.S. to protest undercover American law enforcement operations targeting Mexican political and military officials.Then, in January, a nonprofit group representing the Camarena family sent a letter to the Trump administration urging it to renew the extradition request. ___Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo. PHILIP MARCELO Marcelo is a general assignment reporter in the NYC bureau. He previously wrote for AP Fact Check and before that was based in Boston, where he focused on race and immigration. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss stunt blogging, Signal pains, and murderous Reels.EMANUEL: Yesterday Jason wrote about Instagram delivering users reels showing murder, gore, and extreme violence. Its hard to say exactly how many people saw these videos, but judging by what users have said online, and the fact that Meta felt the need to publicly apologize for the videos, which the company said it served users because of an error, suggest that these were very widespread.Ill admit that when Jason first flagged to us on Slack that this was happening it didnt immediately strike me as a must do it immediately story. First, its kind of hard to suss out if what one or a handful of users say they see on Instagram is really a widespread problem or a very specific rabbit hole the algorithm put them in because of their particular Instagram habits. Second, I think that Ive become numb to how terrible content on Meta platforms and Instagram in particular has become.

Elon Musk speaks during a Cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Pool via AP)2025-02-28T17:25:20Z WASHINGTON (AP) Federal employees should expect another email on Saturday requiring them to explain their recent accomplishments, a renewed attempt by President Donald Trump and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to demand answers from the government workforce. The plan was disclosed by a person with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.The first email, which was distributed a week ago, asked employees what did you do last week? and prompted them to list five tasks that they completed. Musk, who empowered by Trump is aiming to downsize agencies and eliminate thousands of federal jobs, said anyone who didnt respond would be fired. Many agencies, meanwhile, told their workforces not to respond or issued conflicting guidance.The second email will be delivered in a different way, according to the person with knowledge of the situation, potentially making it easier to discipline employees for noncompliance. Instead of being sent by the Office of Personnel Management, which functions as a human resources agency for the federal government but doesnt have the power to hire or fire, the email will come from individual agencies that have direct oversight of career officials. The plan was first reported by The Washington Post. Its unclear how national security agencies will handle the second email. After the first one, they directed employees not to write back because much of the agencies work is sensitive or classified. Less than half of federal workers responded, according to the White House. The Office of Personnel Management ultimately told agency leaders shortly before the Monday deadline for responses that the request was optional, although it left the door open for similar demands going forward. On Wednesday, at Trumps first Cabinet meeting of his second term, Musk argued that his request was a pulse check to ensure that those working for the government have a pulse and two neurons. Both Musk and Trump have claimed that some workers are either dead or fictional, and the president has publicly backed Musks approach.Addressing people who didnt respond to the first email, Trump said they are on the bubble, and he added that he wasnt thrilled about them not responding.Now, maybe they dont exist, he said without providing evidence. Maybe were paying people that dont exist.In addition to recent firings of probationary employees, a memo distributed this week set the stage for large-scale layoffs and consolidation of programs. ___Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. CHRIS MEGERIAN Megerian covers the White House for The Associated Press. He previously wrote about the Russia investigation, climate change, law enforcement and politics in California and New Jersey. twitter mailto ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Gomez Licon writes about national politics for The Associated Press. She is based in Florida. twitter mailto

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)2025-02-28T15:14:29Z INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, the top two quarterbacks in this years NFL draft, have confirmed they will not work out at this weeks NFL annual scouting combine.The announcements are not a surprise. Both had indicated previously they werent planning to do on-field drills when quarterbacks, running backs and receivers are schedule to be on the Lucas Oil Stadium field.Its also hardly a new trend. They join a long group of quarterbacks who have opted out of the workouts, a list that includes names such as No. 1 overall picks Caleb Williams, Bryce Young and Joe Burrow among others.Sanders and Ward, who developed a friendly rivalry when they were Pac-12 foes, do have plenty of work on tape. Each started at least 50 games at multiple schools during their college careers.Sanders helped revive programs at Jackson State in Mississippi before following his father and longtime coach, Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, to Colorado. Ward threw for an NCAA record 158 touchdown passes at FCS school Incarnate Word in Texas, Washington State and last season at Miami.Last season, Sanders was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year while Ward was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The closed LTV Steel taconite plant sits idle near Hoyt Lakes, Minn., Feb. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)2025-02-28T05:13:52Z CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) President Donald Trump is taking a step toward granting the U.S. mining industrys biggest wishes by singling out one metal as a focus of his domestic minerals policy: copper.From talk of acquiring Greenland and its vast mineral wealth to prodding Ukraine for minerals in exchange for help fending off Russias invasion, Trump has made the raw materials of modern life a pillar of his foreign policy.An executive order Trump signed Tuesday calls for boosting the domestic copper industry by investigating the national security implications of imports and weighing tariffs as a response.The United States has ample copper reserves, yet our smelting and refining capacity lags significantly behind global competitors, the order reads.It could mean a new day for U.S. copper mining, and new worries for environmental groups that are contesting proposals such as the stalled Twin Metals project near northern Minnesotas Boundary Waters, a lake-filled wilderness on the U.S.-Canada border. The White House itself acknowledges that America has ample supplies of copper. Sacrificing an irreplaceable national treasure for an insignificant amount of copper is reckless and unnecessary, Ingrid Lyons, executive director of the Save the Boundary Waters, said by email. Copper is in demand Copper is at least as crucial as lithium and cobalt for rechargeable batteries and rare-earth elements for cellphones, LED lights and flat-screen TVs. Copper goes into the cords and transmission lines that plug gadgetry into power.Copper is, I think, the metal that is really the most critical because it is the electricity metal, said Debra Struhsacker, a mining industry policy consultant. The electricity demand is, I think, going to stay. And copper is indispensable for that.U.S. copper use, imports and exports have fluctuated somewhat over the past two decades, according to the Copper Development Association, but a dearth of smelting compared with the amount mined domestically has remained a consistent theme. Where does the U.S. get its copper?While the U.S. in 2024 mined an estimated 1.1 million tons (1 million metric tons) of copper and exported about a third of that in primarily unrefined form, it imported 810,000 tons (735,000 metric tons), nearly all of it refined, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.Trumps executive order accurately refers to China as the worlds leading refiner of copper, with over half the worlds smelting capacity. China, however, does not directly factor into U.S. supplies. Two-thirds of U.S. imports of refined copper comes from Chile, which is the worlds leading copper producer, with lesser amounts from Canada, Mexico and Peru.How much those numbers might change with rising copper demand to support construction of transmission lines and manufacturing of wind turbines and electric vehicles remains to be seen. Some predict global demand to double by 2030 and keep rising, notes the National Mining Association.Even before Trumps plan for copper, the association was encouraged by Trump executive orders promoting mining. One lifts government rules and regulations responsible for undue burdens on mining and mineral processing, calls for updating the U.S. Geological Surveys list of minerals deemed critical to the nation and backs efforts to find and mine new sources of those minerals.Made in America, America first, starts with American mining and American miners that supported this president across the country, National Mining Association president and CEO Rich Nolan said. Copper projects have faced delaysThe mining associations top priorities include: The planned $1.7 billion Twin Metals copper-nickel-cobalt mine that environmental groups contend poses an unacceptable risk to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota, the most visited federally designated wilderness area. The latest blow to the project came when a judge refused to reinstate mining leases. The stalled $1 billion NewRange Copper Nickel mine, also in northeastern Minnesota, which developers look to redesign to make more environmentally and cost-efficient after a series of court and regulatory setbacks. The contested Resolution Copper project at Oak Flat in central Arizona, which is believed to be the worlds third-biggest deposit of copper ore and was the site of a battle between locals who want the mine for economic development and native Apache who consider the land sacred. An appeals court panel in 2024 refused to block a crucial land transfer for the mine. Southern Arizonas proposed Copper World copper-molybdenum mine, formerly known as the Rosemont mine, which has been delayed by a court ruling that limited how mining companies can discard tailings on U.S. Forest Service land under the 1872 Mining Law. All four projects are led by non-U.S. companies including Toronto, Canada-based Hudbay Minerals Inc., developer of Copper World. Some mines dont operate at full capacityThe federal government should have a national strategy to protect the environment and public health by avoiding new terrain and increasing production at existing mines operating at less than full capacity, said Rob Peters, executive director of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, a group opposing Copper World.That would make sense, right? But theres nothing like that. Instead, its sort of like the Wild West where companies in our case here in Arizona, the majority of them foreign companies just can come in. And the only decision-making process is the company figures out where they think they can make the most money, Peters said.Decades ago, Arizona copper made the U.S. the worlds top producer. Now it ranks fifth.To Struhsacker, the industry consultant, lack of government coordination has stalled permits and stifled mine development. Trumps executive orders recognize the need to make permitting work again, she said.

This image released by SRH shows a scene from the film "Hundreds of Beavers." (SRH via AP)2025-02-28T17:55:31Z Hollywoods never-ending awards season can make it easy to get a little lost in the run-of-the-mill best categories. Actor. Actress. Director. Picture. A great movie can be reduced to a single performance; those that are left out seem to simply vanish for a while. But more often than not, its the little things that make us love the movies we love the lines we quote, the props we delight in, the character quirks we remember, the songs we actually add to our playlists. In that spirit, ahead of Sundays Oscars, AP Film Writers Jake Coyle and Lindsey Bahr make selections for their own awards some more offbeat than others.Most trusty steed: Aaron Pierres bike, Rebel Ridge Aaron Pierre and bike in Rebel Ridge (Allyson Riggs/Netflix via AP) Aaron Pierre and bike in Rebel Ridge (Allyson Riggs/Netflix via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Jeremy Saulniers lean thriller is like an Western fable: An innocent guy who doesnt want any trouble rides into town and becomes ensnared by corrupt lawmen. Protagonists before him might have come on a horse, but Terry Richmond (Pierre) gets around by bike. Pierre oozes movie-star cool, even while pedaling furiously. (A second award to Rebel Ridge, too, for best scene involving Wikipedia.) J.C. Best stuffy: Chris Hemsworths teddy bear, Furiosa Chris Hemsworth (and teddy) in Furiosa (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) Chris Hemsworth (and teddy) in Furiosa (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Hemsworth may play a maniac warlord named Dementus who rides a Roman chariot across the wasteland of George Millers Furiosa, but hes also a big softy who carries his childhood stuffy. Strapped to Dementus is a teddy bear, an artifact of a childhood that, like Furiosas, is marked by grief. J.C. Best tearjerker: My Old Ass Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza in My Old Ass (Amazon via AP) Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza in My Old Ass (Amazon via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Megan Parks My Old Ass sneaks up on you. Oh, you think, its just some funny high-concept movie about a teenage girl who starts talking to her almost 40-year-old self after a mushroom trip. Sure, it is that, but its also a profound meditation on time, family and the impossibility of really, truly appreciating things in the moment. Its done with such a light, entertaining touch that by the time the waterworks really start, you almost dont know what hit you. L.B. Best action hero: June Squibb, Thelma Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in Thelma (Magnolia Pictures via AP) Richard Roundtree and June Squibb in Thelma (Magnolia Pictures via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More All I need to say is: Mobility scooter chase scene. Plus, the now-95-year-old did her own stunts. J.C. Best part of a so-so movie: Kumail Nanjiani, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Dan Aykroyd and Kumail Nanjiani in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP) Dan Aykroyd and Kumail Nanjiani in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Jaap Buitendijk/Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Awards to go to movies that people think are, you know, really good. But great performances can happen in not-so-good movies. Frozen Empire is a lightly enjoyable, slightly kid-oriented extension of Ghostbusters, but every time Nanjiani is on screen, as the reluctant heir to the role of Firemaster, the movie is hysterical. J.C. Best song: Brighter Days and Harper and Will Go West (tie) Will Ferrell hopes Will & Harper, with Harper Steele, will become a guidebook for viewers on how to talk about transgender issues. The original song category at the Oscars is deeply broken. Or maybe Im just wildly out of sync with that branch, but there were two great, memorable songs from wonderful films and neither was even shortlisted. One, Kristen Wiigs charming Harper and Will Go West was technically in the end credits of Will & Harper, but the wait for said song was a key thread throughout. The other, Nicholas Britells Brighter Days provided a profound moment of mourning and catharsis in Blitz. Theyre both songs that Ive added to playlists unlike any of the nominated ones. L.B.Best use of Taylor Swift: The Fall Guy Ryan Gosling in The Fall Guy (Eric Laciste/Universal Pictures via AP) Ryan Gosling in The Fall Guy (Eric Laciste/Universal Pictures via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Ive probably already seen David Leitchs stuntman extravaganza half a dozen times, partially because my kids like it, too, and partially because Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are absurdly winning in it. Theres just not much better than Gosling cry-singing to All Too Well. J.C. Best scene-stealer: Adam Pearson, A Different Man Adam Pearson in A Different Man (Matt Infante/A24 via AP) Adam Pearson in A Different Man (Matt Infante/A24 via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Sebastian Stan has gotten most of the awards love for Aaron Schimbergs twisty dark comedy, but its Pearson who lifts A Different Man to another level. In a movie full of artifice and identity shifts, hes the real deal. J.C.Best prop: The glass of milk, Babygirl Nicole Kidman in Babygirl (A24 via AP) Nicole Kidman in Babygirl (A24 via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More I dont make the rules, Harris Dickinsons Samuel does. L.B.Most beavers: Hundreds of Beavers Hundreds of Beavers (SRH via AP) Hundreds of Beavers (SRH via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More It would be hard to find a movie more predicated on mascot costumes and hats. Director Mike Cheslik didnt have much more than a handful of beaver costumes when he went into rural wintry Wisconsin to make this slapstick, microbudget, almost-instant cult classic. But cheap visual effects can do wonders, even when it comes to multiplying semiaquatic rodents (or guys in beaver mascot costumes). J.C.Most understood assignment: Aubrey Plaza, Megalopolis Aubrey Plaza in Megalopolis (Lionsgate via AP) Aubrey Plaza in Megalopolis (Lionsgate via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Theres a lot going on in Francis Ford Coppolas long-awaited epic, and, understandably, Im not sure everyone knew what they were in for. Some characters talk in verse. A Russian satellite is said to be falling to Earth. Adam Driver can stop time. Any actor could be forgiven for losing their bearings. But Plaza, playing a character named, um, Wow Platinum, is supremely spot on no matter how scattershot everything around her is. J.C. Best mullet: Kristen Stewart, Love Lies Bleeding Kristen Stewart in Love Lies Bleeding (Anna Kooris/A24 via AP) Kristen Stewart in Love Lies Bleeding (Anna Kooris/A24 via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Rose Glass Love Lies Bleeding, that sweaty, pulpy, violent, romantic ride, is a cult classic in the making thanks in no small part to Stewarts fearless performance as Lou, a gym manager in rural New Mexico in 1989 who falls for a drifter bodybuilder. And at least 35% of that great performance is in Lous greasy mullet. L.B.Best ensemble: His Three Daughters Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon in His Three Daughters (Netflix via AP) Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen and Carrie Coon in His Three Daughters (Netflix via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen make up a very dysfunctional family but one stirring ensemble in Azazel Jacobs tender family drama. They are a perfect trio, with the added charm of Jay O. Sanders as their ailing Jets-fan father. And us Jets fans take any win we can. J.C. Most memorable moviegoing experience: Sing Sing at Sing Sing David Dap Giraudy, Sean San Jos and Colman Domingo in Sing Sing (A24 via AP) David Dap Giraudy, Sean San Jos and Colman Domingo in Sing Sing (A24 via AP) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Easily the most unforgettable and moving time at the movies for me in 2024 was seeing Sing Sing at its namesake New York correctional facility, in a crowd half-filled with incarcerated men and with much of the movies cast returning to where they began acting. It was a reminder that, through acting and art, you can win a lot more than an Oscar. J.C.___For more coverage of the Oscars, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards. JAKE COYLE Coyle has been a film critic and covered the movie industry for The Associated Press since 2013. He is based in New York City. twitter mailto LINDSEY BAHR Bahr has been a film writer and critic for The Associated Press since 2014. twitter instagram mailto

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)2025-02-28T17:33:39Z CHICAGO (AP) President Donald Trumps administration is backing off its demand for an extra layer of federal scrutiny whenever states seek even minor changes to their transportation plans, after the rescinded requirement sparked concern that some payments for roads, bridges and transit would be delayed or even halted due to policy differences.Most of the federal money used for transportation projects flows to states almost automatically through formulas established by Congress that consider population and other factors. For decades, states have enjoyed widespread autonomy to set their own priorities and spend the funds on projects they deem as most worthy.But under the policy the administration put in place last week and reversed this week, no additional money was to be allocated until lawyers in the U.S. Department of Transportation s Washington headquarters signed off on any changes. Such amendments to state transportation plans were already subject to a federal review, but it was usually a swift process from a regional office to confirm they didnt violate any U.S. laws. State transportation departments learned of the reversal Friday through an email from Joung Lee, deputy director and chief policy officer for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Lee said the Trump administration had confirmed that the review process was being returned to the regional level without the need for lawyers in Washington to sign off. As this remains a continuing development, we will keep you posted on any further updates, Lee wrote. The U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration didnt respond to emails seeking details about why the headquarters-level review was implemented and later reversed.The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, which represents organizations that oversee local and regional transportation projects that get federal funding, told its members last week that at least six states had reported learning about an anticipated pause in getting their plans approved due to the extra review. In areas with large-scale projects or narrow construction windows, even short delays can cascade into prolonged setbacks, increased project costs, and missed opportunities to address critical transportation needs, AMPO said in the memo.AMPO followed up the next day with new information from the Federal Highway Administration, which confirmed there was an ongoing administrative review of the projects, but that there is no pause.Even something as minor as adding or removing lanes of a road, or changes in cost estimates or supplies, could have required a federal review. Advocates for transportation projects said the sheer volume of projects had spurred concerns that much-needed federal funding would be delayed even as many states are set to enter construction season.Youre having to get approval from an office that didnt have to approve things before, said Steve Davis, vice president of transportation policy for Smart Growth America, a nonprofit that advocates for safer streets and other community improvement efforts. I dont see any way that this does not slow down and delay projects. The metropolitan planning organization in Chicago alone, for example, sends about eight amendments a year to its transportation improvement plan, and each includes about 300 different projects. That is just one of 410 metropolitan planning organizations across the country that set their own plans and seek amendments to them throughout the year.Adie Tomer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institutions metropolitan policy program Brookings Metro, said that even more concerning than delays was the possibility that the U.S. Transportation Department might try to redirect projects already approved by states in order to promote the administrations policy objectives. Trump has signed executive orders seeking to end government support for programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion. And Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a memo that calls for prohibiting governments that get Department of Transportation funds from imposing vaccine and mask mandates, and requiring their cooperation with the administrations immigration enforcement efforts. It wasnt immediately clear whether those orders would have any impact on the approval of amendments to state transportation plans.Even the threat of (transportation improvement program) amendments not being approved can have a chilling effect on project delivery, Tomer said. And if project delivery is delayed, that means higher costs for the project and, in the end, the taxpayers.

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. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)2025-02-28T18:36:59Z WASHINGTON (AP) As House members finished voting for the week and left Washington, the lead Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, voiced frustration that Republicans had yet to respond to her latest offer on a full-year spending bill, even though it had been made five days earlier.Meanwhile, her Republican counterpart outright dismissed Democratic efforts to include assurances in the legislation that funding approved by Congress would be spent by President Donald Trumps administration as lawmakers intended. A Republican Senate and a Republican House are not going to limit what a president can do, particularly when he has to sign the bill, said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.The exchanges demonstrate the divides that remain as the nation approaches a March 14 deadline to avoid a partial federal government shutdown. Such deadlines have become commonplace in recent years with lawmakers almost always working out their differences in the end, or at least agreeing to a short-term funding extension.But with Republicans now in charge of the White House and Trump sidestepping Congress on previous funding decisions, a more contentious dynamic has emerged during negotiations, raising questions about whether lawmakers will avoid a shutdown this time.Heres a look at where things stand. First things first: How much to spend?The stage for the current negotiations was set nearly two years ago when then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and then-President Joe Biden worked out a two-year budget deal that would essentially hold non-defense spending flat for 2024, while boosting it slightly for defense. The agreement provided for 1% increases for both in 2025. Democrats want to adhere to that agreement, which would bring defense spending to about $895.2 billion and non-defense to about $780.4 billion. Republicans are looking to spend less on non-defense programs. Cole has argued Republicans are not bound to an agreement negotiated by two men no longer in office. Its unclear how much the two sides disagree on an overall spending amount. But Sen. Patty Murray, the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said they werent far apart. We are close on topline spending, but we need to know Republicans are willing to work with us to protect Congress power of the purse and I welcome any and all ideas they may have on how we can work together to do just that, Murray said. With Trump and Musk slashing government, Democrats want guaranteesTrump pushed early to pause grants and loans potentially totaling trillions of dollars while his administration conducted an across-the-board review of federal programs. A subsequent memorandum purported to rescind the pause.Still, a federal judge issued an order earlier this week as a backstop. The preliminary injunction continued to block the pause. The judge said the freeze had placed critical programs for children, the elderly, and everyone in between in serious jeopardy.Meanwhile, Trump has empowered Elon Musk to help engineer the firing of thousands of federal employees and potentially shutter entire agencies created by Congress. The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to appropriate money and requires the executive to pay it out. A 50-year-old law known as the Impoundment Control Act makes that explicit by prohibiting the president from halting payments on grants or other programs approved by Congress.Democrats have sought to place in the spending bill some guarantees the administration would follow what Congress intended.What weve been talking about is the numbers, and were talking about the issue of assurances, DeLauro said. Its trying to make it possible to have the money go as intended.But Republicans are making clear thats a non-starter.Democrats are placing completely unreasonable conditions on the negotiations. They want us to limit the scope of executive authority. They want us to tie the hands of the president, House Speaker Mike Johnson said. Why is Congress so late?The current fiscal year began in October, so lawmakers are already five month late.Trump complained Thursday on Truth Social, blaming Biden, saying he left us a total MESS.The Budget from last YEAR is still not done. We are working very hard with the House and Senate to pass a clean, temporary government funding Bill (CR) to the end of September. Lets get it done!But it was congressional Republicans who opted in December to hold over budget negotiations for a few months, largely because Trump would be in the White House. Johnson on Fox News in December urged a short-term extension so we get to March where we can put our fingerprints on the spending. Thats when the big changes start. What happens if they cant reach an agreement?The first fallback option is the continuing resolution Trump endorsed, a stopgap measure that would generally fund federal agencies at current levels.It looks as though it is becoming inevitable at this point, Johnson said, blaming Democrats.That will be tough for defense hawks to accept, as many Republicans already consider the Pentagon to be underfunded. But it will also be tough for Democrats who worry that funding for housing programs, child care, nutrition assistance and other services is failing to keep pace with inflation, fraying the safety net for many Americans.Murray and DeLauro issued a joint statement Friday morning, saying they hoped Republicans would return to the negotiating table and that walking away from bipartisan talks raised the risk of a shutdown.They also said the continuing resolution being pursued by Republicans would give Trump new flexibility to spend funding as he sees fit.While Elon Musk has been calling for a shutdown, Democrats have been working to pass bills that make sure Congress decides whether our schools or hospitals get funding not Trump or Musk, the two Democratic lawmakers said.The White House has submitted to lawmakers a list of what are referred to as anomalies that it wants to see added to a continuing resolution. For example, it wants an additional $1.6 billion to increase pay for junior enlisted service members by an average of 10% effective April 1. Congress has also supported a pay increase in previous legislation. The White House is also seeking $485 million for more immigrant detention beds and for removal operations at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The request also seeks to give Trump more flexibility on how money within certain departments is spent. For example, the White House wants language allowing $30 billion in Department of Defense transfers.Democrats will want to negotiate some of the changes the White House is seeking, adding to the uncertainty of reaching a final agreement.Republicans likely need votes from the other sideGetting spending bills over the finish line has required support from both parties. Some Republicans never vote for continuing resolutions. Nearly three dozen House Republicans voted against the last one in December, and they now only have a one-vote cushion to work with in the House if Democrats withhold their support.If talks break down completely, funding for agencies will end at midnight March 14. Both parties will pin the blame on the other and some of that is already happening.Trump is no stranger to shutdowns. He presided over the longest one in the nations history, one that lasted 35 days, with Trump relenting only after intensifying delays at the nations airports and another missed payday for hundreds of thousands of federal workers brought new urgency to resolving the standoff.Associated Press writer Leah Askarinam contributed to this report.

Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, D-Hiawatha, reacts to the gallery after speaking during debate on the gender identity bill, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)2025-02-28T20:43:59Z DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa became the first U.S. state to remove gender identity protections from its civil rights code on Friday when Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that opponents say will expose transgender people and other Iowans to discrimination in all aspects of daily life.The new law, which goes into effect July 1, follows several years of action from Reynolds and Iowa Republicans to restrict transgender students use of such spaces as bathrooms and locker rooms, and their participation on sports teams, in an effort to protect people assigned female at birth. Republicans say those policies cannot co-exist with a civil rights code that includes gender identity protections.The law also creates explicit legal definitions of female and male based on their reproductive organs at birth, rejecting the idea that a person can transition to another gender. Reynolds proposed a similar bill last year, but it didnt make it to a vote of the full House or Senate. Women and men are not identical; they possess unique biological differences. Thats not controversial, its common sense, Reynolds said in a statement at the time. Its unfortunate that defining a woman in code has become necessary to protect spaces where womens health, safety, and privacy are being threatened. She added that such spaces included domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office to formalize a definition of the two sexes at the federal level, leading several Republican-led legislatures to push for laws defining male and female. Trump posted in support of the Iowa bill on his Truth Social platform Thursday after it got final approval from the Iowa House and Senate. Five House Republicans joined all Democrats in the House and Senate in voting against the bill. Iowa state Rep. Aime Wichtendahl was the final Democrat to speak before the vote, wiping away tears as she offered her personal story as a transgender woman, saying: I transitioned to save my life. The purpose of this bill and the purpose of every anti-trans bill is to further erase us from public life and to stigmatize our existence, Wichtendahl said. The sum total of every anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ bill is to make our existence illegal.Hundreds of LGBTQ+ advocates streamed into the Capitol rotunda on Thursday waving signs reading Trans rights are human rights and chanting slogans including, No hate in our state! There was a heavy police presence, with state troopers stationed around the rotunda. The few protesters who lingered for final passage of the bill were emotional.Not every state includes gender identity in their civil rights code, but Iowa is now the first in the U.S. to remove nondiscrimination protections based on gender identity, said Logan Casey, director of policy research at the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ+ rights think tank.Sexual orientation and gender identity were not originally included in the states Civil Rights Act of 1965. They were added by the Democratic-controlled Legislature in 2007, also with the support of about a dozen Republicans across the two chambers. The House Republican moving the bill Thursday, Rep. Steven Holt, said that if the Legislature can add protections, it can remove them. As of July 1, Iowas civil rights law will protect against discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability status.Advocacy groups promise to defend transgender rights, which may lead them to court.Keenan Crow, director of policy and advocacy for LGBTQ+ advocacy group One Iowa, said the organization is still analyzing the text of the bill and that its vagueness makes it hard to determine where the enforcement is going to come from. We will pursue any legal options available to us, Crow said.

Joseph Czuba, 71, stands before Circuit Judge Dave Carlson for his arraignment at the Will County, Ill., courthouse, Oct. 30, 2023, in Joliet, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)2025-02-28T19:18:57Z JOLIET, Ill. (AP) A jury found an Illinois landlord guilty of murder and hate crime charges Friday for a brutal 2023 attack on a Palestinian American family that killed a 6-year-old.Joseph Czuba, 73, was charged in the fatal stabbing of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mother, Hanan Shaheen on Oct. 14, 2023 in Plainfield, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Chicago. Authorities alleged the family who were renting rooms in Czubas house was targeted because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas that erupted on Oct. 7, 2023. Jurors deliberated less than 90 minutes over the crime that renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination in the Chicago areas large and established Palestinian community.The trial featured detailed testimony from police officers, medical workers, Czubas ex-wife and Shaheen, who described how Czuba attacked her with a knife before going after her son in a different room. Prosecutors say that the child had been stabbed 26 times. He was found naked with a knife still in his side. Graphic photos of the murder, a knife holder Czuba allegedly used that day, along with police video footage were central to the Will County prosecutors case. At times video screens showing explicit footage were turned away from the public viewing audience where members of Wadees family sat during the trial. If it wasnt enough that this defendant killed that little boy, he left the knife in the little boys body, Michael Fitzgerald, a Will County assistant states attorney, told jurors during opening statements. Czuba had pleaded not guilty. He faced murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery and hate crime charges in an eight-count indictment.Defense attorneys insisted pieces of evidence tying Czuba to the crimes were missing. His ex-wife, testifying for the prosecution, could only describe one outburst during their 30 years of marriage and said he carried knives often because he was handy around the house. Go beyond the emotions to carefully examine the evidence, said Kylie Blatti, one of Czubas public defenders. It is easy to get lost in the horror of those images.One of the critical parts of the trial was Shaheens testimony and the 911 she made to report the crime that happened just days after the war started. She said they had not previously had any issues in the two years they rented from the Czubas. They shared a kitchen and living room with the Czubas. Then after the start of the war, Czuba told her that they had to move out because Muslims were not welcome. Later, he confronted Shaheen and attacked her, holding her down, stabbing her and trying to break her teeth. He told me You, as a Muslim, must die, said Shaheen, who testified in English and Arabic though a translator.Shaheen had more than a dozen stab wounds and it took her weeks to recover. The boy was later pronounced dead.Police testified that officers found Czuba outside the house sitting on the ground with blood on his body and hands. Separately, civil lawsuits have been filed over the boys death, including by his the father, Odai Alfayoumi, who is divorced from Shaheen and was not living with them at the house.The case, which generated headlines around the world, comes amid rising hostility against Muslims and Palestinians in the U.S. since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023. The U.S. Department of Justice also launched a federal hate crimes investigation.

Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate arrive, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The brothers were charged with human trafficking in Romania and arrived in the U.S. after authorities lifted travel restrictions. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)2025-02-28T19:59:17Z TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are charged with human trafficking in Romania, have returned to the U.S. after authorities lifted travel restrictions on the siblings, who have millions of online followers. After the pair arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear the influencer brothers are not welcome in his state and that his administration is conducting a preliminary inquiry into the pair sparking pushback from supporters of the Tates.Here is what to know. Who are the Tates?Andrew Tate, 38, is a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist who has amassed more than 10 million followers on X. He and his brother Tristan Tate, 36, are vocal supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump.Andrew Tate is a hugely successful social media figure, attracting millions of followers, many of them young men and schoolchildren who were drawn in by the luxurious lifestyle the influencer projects online.He previously was banned from TikTok, YouTube and Facebook for hate speech and his misogynistic comments, including that women should bear responsibility for getting sexually assaulted. The Tates, who are dual U.S.-British citizens, were arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges they participated in a criminal ring that lured women to Romania, where they were sexually exploited. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape. They deny the allegations. The Tates departure came after Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu said this month that a Trump administration official expressed interest in the brothers case at the recent Munich Security Conference. Just weeks ago, Andrew Tate posted on X: The Tates will be free, Trump is the president. The good old days are back. And they will be better than ever. Hold on. Where are they now?The Tates arrived in the U.S. Thursday, landing in Fort Lauderdale around midday.Speaking to reporters at the airport, Andrew Tate repeated his insistence that the siblings had done nothing wrong.We live in a democratic society where its innocent until proven guilty. And I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. Theres a lot of opinions about us, things that go around about us on the internet, he said.The brothers are expected to return to Romania, where they still face criminal charges. An attorney for the siblings there did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday on when they are due back in the country.What has the response been to their return?The brothers return to the U.S. after a Trump official expressed interest in their case has sparked disagreement among conservative commentators and officials. Speaking to reporters, Floridas Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis made clear he doesnt want the brothers to remain in his state. Florida is not a place where youre welcome with that type of conduct, DeSantis said.Floridas attorney general is examining whether the state may have any jurisdiction over the brothers alleged crimes, and if so, how to hold them accountable. In court documents, the Tates have said they are not and have never been Florida residents. Other Republicans in the Sunshine State which has become a stronghold of Trumps MAGA movement are rolling out the welcome mat. In a post on X, the Tampa Bay Young Republicans club formally invited Andrew Tate to speak to their group.As free speech absolutists, the Tates havent been formally convicted of any crimes and are welcome to speak to our group, the post reads. Were old enough to remember when a (asterisk)Convicted Felon.(asterisk) won the Presidency.What is next on the legal front?The Tates still face criminal charges in Romania and will have to return at least from time to time for proceedings in that case, which is expected to take years to resolve.Once the legal saga in Romania ends, the United Kingdom has an extradition request that was approved last year by a Romanian court for separate charges the Tates face there related to allegations of sexual aggression.Meanwhile, a defamation lawsuit the brothers filed in Palm Beach Circuit Court in 2023 continues to proceed. The pair filed the case against a woman who accused them of imprisoning her in Romania. A judge has denied a motion by the woman, identified as Jane Doe, to pause the case until the Romanian matter is concluded. Now that they are back in the U.S., the Tates have filed a motion seeking a temporary restraining order against the woman, but no ruling has been issued as of Friday afternoon. The siblings want the woman barred from coming within 500 feet (152 meters) of them and that she be prevented from contacting, threatening, stalking, harming or harassing either Tate brother.___ Associated Press writers Curt Anderson in Tampa and Stephen McGrath in Sighisoara, Romania, contributed to this report. 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

Men sit outside the general hospital in Basankusu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where some victims of unidentified illnesses are being treated, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Guy Masele Sanganga)2025-02-28T21:57:41Z BASANKUSU, Congo (AP) Authorities investigating the deaths of at least 60 people in northwestern Congo suspect the water source in one of the areas may have been contaminated, the World Health Organization said Friday. But the agency said its too early for any definitive conclusion. Doctors are investigating more than 1,000 illnesses that emerged since late January in five villages in Congos Equateur province, where high rates of malaria have complicated efforts to diagnose the cases and where officials have said theyve been unable so far to confirm the main cause.WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said during an online briefing Friday that for one of the villages there is a very strong level of suspicion of a poisoning event related to the poisoning of a water source.Ryan did not clarify whether he was referring to contamination by accident, negligence or deliberate action. He also did not identify the village where the poisoning was suspected. We will not stop investigating until we are sure that the true cause or the absolute cause of what is occurring here is fully investigated, Ryan said. Illnesses were first detected in late January in the village of Boloko after three children ate a bat and died within 48 hours. Twelve cases and eight deaths in total have been recorded in Boloko, with no new cases recorded since January, officials say, adding that nearly half of deaths there occurred within hours of the onset of symptoms. The village of Bomate in Basankusu health zone, around 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Boloko, has been hit the most: 98% of the cases and 86% of deaths have been recorded there, health officials say.WHO said on Thursday that hundreds of the patients have tested positive for malaria, which is common in the region. In addition to common malaria symptoms such as fever and body aches, patients have also shown symptoms like chills, sweating, stiff neck, runny or bleeding nose, cough, vomiting and diarrhea. The health crisis has caused fear among residents, some of whom have said they fled the villages to avoid falling sick.Experts say access to the sick has been hindered by the remote locations of the affected villages and that several people died before medical teams were able to reach them.For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulseThe 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.The World Health Organization on Friday said water poisoning is a suspect in the illnesses that have killed at least 60 people and infected more than 1,000 others in northwestern Congo. The agency, however, added that detailed investigations are still ongoing to make a definitive conclusion.Indications from authorities in Congo show a very strong level of suspicion of a poisoning event related to the poisoning of a water source in one of the affected villages, WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said during an online briefing. Clearly, at the centre of this, we have some kind of poisoning event. We will not stop investigating until we are sure that the true cause or the absolute cause of what is occurring here is fully investigated, Dr Ryan said.Another likely suspect could be a toxic-type event either from a biological perspective like meningitis or from a chemical exposure, the WHO emergencies chief said, citing systematic investigations carried out so far by experts.Officials, though, havent been able to confirm the main cause of the illnesses, he said, adding that the high rates of malaria and other common illnesses in the villages are making it difficult to determine the cause.Up to five villages in Congos Equateur province have recorded the illnesses first detected in the village of Boloko after three children ate a bat and died within 48 hours. Twelve cases and eight deaths in total have been recorded in Boloko, with no new cases recorded since January, officials say, adding that nearly half of deaths there occurred within hours of the onset of symptoms. The village of Bomate in Basankusu health zone, around 200 kilometers (125 miles) from Boloko, has been hit the most: 98% of the cases and 86% of deaths have been recorded there, health officials say.WHO said on Thursday that hundreds of the patients have tested positive for malaria, which is common in the region. In addition to common malaria symptoms such as fever and body aches, patients have also shown symptoms like chills, sweating, stiff neck, runny or bleeding nose, cough, vomiting and diarrhea.The health crisis has caused fear among residents, some of whom have said they fled the villages to avoid falling sick. Experts say access to the sick has been hindered by the remote locations of the affected villages and that several people died before medical teams were able to reach them.For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulseThe 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.

Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, as President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov)2025-02-28T20:58:30Z Follow live updates on President Donald Trump and his new administration. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Friday berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the war in Ukraine, accusing him of not showing gratitude after he challenged Vance on the question of diplomacy with Russias Vladimir Putin.The argument in the Oval Office was broadcast globally. It led to the rest of Zelenskyys White House visit being canceled and called into question how much the U.S. will still support Ukraine in its defense against Russias 2022 invasion. Here is a transcript of the key moments of the exchange. Zelenskyy challenges Vance on Russia and diplomacyVance: For four years, the United States of America, we had a president who stood up at press conferences and talked tough about Vladimir Putin, and then Putin invaded Ukraine and destroyed a significant chunk of the country. The path to peace and the path to prosperity is, maybe, engaging in diplomacy. We tried the pathway of Joe Biden, of thumping our chest and pretending that the president of the United States words mattered more than the president of the United States actions. What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. Thats what President Trump is doing.Zelenskyy: Can I ask you?Vance: Sure. Yeah. Zelenskyy: OK. So he (Putin) occupied it, our parts, big parts of Ukraine, parts of east and Crimea. So he occupied it in 2014. So during a lot of years Im not speaking about just Biden, but those times was (Barack) Obama, then President Obama, then President Trump, then President Biden, now President Trump. And God bless, now, President Trump will stop him. But during 2014, nobody stopped him. He just occupied and took. He killed people. You know what the --" Trump: 2015?Zelenskyy: 2014.Trump: Oh, 2014? I was not here.Vance: Thats exactly right.Zelenskyy: Yes, but during 2014 til 2022, the situation is the same, that people have been dying on the contact line. Nobody stopped him. You know that we had conversations with him, a lot of conversations, my bilateral conversation. And we signed with him, me, like, you, president, in 2019, I signed with him the deal. I signed with him, (French President Emmanuel) Macron and (former German Chancellor Angela) Merkel. We signed ceasefire. Ceasefire. All of them told me that he will never go But after that, he broke the ceasefire, he killed our people, and he didnt exchange prisoners. We signed the exchange of prisoners. But he didnt do it. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? What do you mean? Vance: Im talking about the kind of diplomacy thats going to end the destruction of your country. Mr. President, with respect, I think its disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media. Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict.Zelenskyy: Have you ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have? Vance: I have been to Zelenskyy: Come once.Vance: Ive actually watched and seen the stories, and I know that what happens is you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour, Mr. President. Do you disagree that youve had problems, bringing people into your military?Zelenskyy: We have problems Vance: And do you think that is respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?Zelenskyy: A lot of questions. Lets start from the beginning.Vance: Sure. Trump erupts when Zelenskyy suggests the U.S. might feel it in the future Zelenskyy: First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and dont feel now. But you will feel it in the future. God bless Trump: You dont know that. You dont know that. Dont tell us what were going to feel. Were trying to solve a problem. Dont tell us what were going to feel.Zelenskyy: Im not telling you. I am answering on these questions.Trump: Because youre in no position to dictate that.Vance: Thats exactly what youre doing.Trump: You are in no position to dictate what were going to feel. Were going to feel very good.Zelenskyy: You will feel influenced.Trump: We are going to feel very good and very strong.Zelenskyy: I am telling you. You will feel influenced.Trump: Youre, right now, not in a very good position. Youve allowed yourself to be in a very bad position Zelenskyy: From the very beginning of the war Trump: Youre not in a good position. You dont have the cards right now. With us, you start having cards.Zelenskyy: Im not playing cards. Im very serious, Mr. President. Im very serious.Trump: Youre playing cards. Youre gambling with the lives of millions of people. Youre gambling with World War III. Zelenskyy: What are you speaking about?Trump: Youre gambling with World War III. And what youre doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country thats backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.Vance: Have you said thank you once?Zelenskyy: A lot of times. Even today.Vance: No, in this entire meeting. You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October.Zelenskyy: No.Vance: Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president whos trying to save your country.Zelenskyy: Please. You think that if you will speak very loudly about the war, you can Trump: Hes not speaking loudly. Hes not speaking loudly. Your country is in big trouble.Zelenskyy: Can I answer Trump: No, no. Youve done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble. Zelenskyy: I know. I know. Trump: Youre not winning. Youre not winning this. You have a damn good chance of coming out OK because of us. Zelenskyy: Mr. President, we are staying in our country, staying strong. From the very beginning of the war, weve been alone. And we are thankful. I said thanks.Trump demands Zelenskyy accept a ceasefireTrump: If you didnt have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks.Zelenskyy: In three days. I heard it from Putin. In three days. Trump: Maybe less. Its going to be a very hard thing to do business like this, I tell you.Vance: Just say thank you.Zelenskyy: I said a lot of times, thank you, to American people.Vance: Accept that there are disagreements, and lets go litigate those disagreements rather than trying to fight it out in the American media when youre wrong. We know that youre wrong.Trump: But you see, I think its good for the American people to see whats going on. I think its very important. Thats why I kept this going so long. You have to be thankful.Zelenskyy: Im thankful.Trump: You dont have the cards. Youre buried there. People are dying. Youre running low on soldiers. It would be a damn good thing, and then you tell us, I dont want a ceasefire. I dont want a ceasefire, I want to go, and I want this. Look, if you can get a ceasefire right now, I tell you, you take it so the bullets stop flying and your men stop getting killed.Zelenskyy: Of course we want to stop the war. But I said to you, with guarantees.Trump: Are you saying you dont want a ceasefire? I want a ceasefire. Because youll get a ceasefire faster than an agreement.Zelenskyy: Ask our people about a ceasefire, what they think.Trump: That wasnt with me. That was with a guy named Biden, who is not a smart person.Zelenskyy: This is your president. It was your president.Trump: Excuse me. That was with Obama, who gave you sheets, and I gave you Javelins. I gave you the Javelins to take out all those tanks. Obama gave you sheets. In fact, the statement is Obama gave sheets, and Trump gave Javelins. Youve got to be more thankful because let me tell you, you dont have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you dont have any cards.Trump says Putin respects him due to the investigations of his first termVance, restating a reporters question: She is asking what if Russia breaks the ceasefire. Trump: What, if anything? What if the bomb drops on your head right now? OK, what if they broke it? I dont know, they broke it with Biden because Biden, they didnt respect him. They didnt respect Obama. They respect me. Let me tell you, Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He went through a phony witch hunt ... All I can say is this. He might have broken deals with Obama and Bush, and he might have broken them with Biden. He did, maybe. Maybe he did. I dont know what happened, but he didnt break them with me. He wants to make a deal. I dont know if you can make a deal.The problem is Ive empowered you (turning toward Zelenskyy) to be a tough guy, and I dont think youd be a tough guy without the United States. And your people are very brave. But youre either going to make a deal or were out. And if were out, youll fight it out. I dont think its going to be pretty, but youll fight it out. But you dont have the cards. But once we sign that deal, youre in a much better position, but youre not acting at all thankful. And thats not a nice thing. Ill be honest. Thats not a nice thing. All right, I think weve seen enough. What do you think? This is going to be great television. I will say that.___ ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Gomez Licon writes about national politics for The Associated Press. She is based in Florida. twitter mailto

Supporters of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rally outside of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)2025-02-28T22:36:48Z BERLIN (AP) European leaders pledged late Friday to stand by Ukraine in the wake of the contentious Oval Office meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with their statements in support of their neighbor on the continent ensuring a deepening transatlantic rift.European leaders already were shaken by Vances speech to the Munich Security Conference two weeks ago in which he lectured them about the state of their democracy. As prime ministers and presidents across the continent scrambled to respond, they have held a series of emergency summits to discuss security.Another major summit is scheduled for Sunday in London, hosted by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. More than a dozen European and EU leaders, including Zelenskyy, will gather for a meeting meant to drive forward action on Ukraine and security. Starmer spoke with both Trump and Zelenskyy on Friday and maintained his strong support for Ukraine, his office said in a statement.He retains unwavering support for Ukraine, and is doing all he can to find a path forward to a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine, the statement said. The European leaders comments Friday largely did not mention Trump or Vance, but rather sought to assure Ukraine of their support as the war with Russia enters its fourth year. Zelenskyy re-posted their comments on X, writing thank you for your support to each likely a dig at the Trump administration. During the extraordinary meeting Friday in Washington, Trump chided Zelenskyy after Vance, one of the administrations most skeptical voices on Ukraine, said he was being disrespectful for debating Trump in the Oval Office in front of the American media.Have you said thank you once? Vance asked Zelenskyy.The Ukrainian president said four times during the course of their exchange that he was thankful or had already expressed his thanks. Trump then called off the signing of a minerals deal that he said would have moved Ukraine closer to ending its war with Russia. Zelenskyy left the White House shortly after Trump shouted at him, showing open disdain. The White House said the Ukrainian delegation was told to leave.A senior Ukrainian official said Zelenskyy spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and President of the European Council Antonio Costa after he left the White House, describing all the conversations as supportive of the Ukrainian leader. The official, who is familiar with the matter, requested anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.Italys Premier Giorgia Meloni, however, proposed an immediate summit between the United States and European allies to speak frankly about how we intend to face todays great challenges, starting with Ukraine. She urged the West to stay united.Every division of the West makes us all weaker and favors those who would like to see the decline of our civilization, she said. A division would not benefit anyone. Some posts on X were directed to Zelenskyy. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told him your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President.And Friedrich Merz, Germanys likely next chancellor, wrote: Dear Volodymyr @zelenskyyua, we stand with #Ukraine in good and in testing times. We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war.The victory for Merzs party Sunday in Germanys national election ensured that Ukraine has an even stronger supporter in the European Unions largest country. Merz during the campaign promised to unite Europe in the face of challenges from both Russia and the United States.But Alice Weidel, co-leader of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party and one of Merzs challengers, wrote Historic. Trump & Vance! on X with a link to a video of the meeting. AfDs platform calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions against Russia and opposes weapons deliveries to Ukraine. Weidel also met with Vance in Munich. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn praised Trump for his conduct in the Oval Office, casting Zelenskyy as working against peace in his own country.Strong men make peace, weak men make war, Orbn wrote on X. Today President Donald Trump stood bravely for peace. Even if it was difficult for many to digest. Thank you, Mr. President!Orbn is a consistent backer of the Kremlin and has been outspokenly antagonistic against neighboring Ukraine. After winning the last Hungarian elections in 2022, less than six weeks after Russias full-scale invasion, he cited Zelenskyy as one of the opponents he had defeated in the campaign.Meanwhile in Estonia, which borders Russia, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the only obstacle to peace is Russian President Vladimir Putin s decision to continue the war. It is time for Europe to step up, Tsahkna said in a statement. We do not need to wait for something else to happen; Europe has enough resources, including Russias frozen assets, to enable Ukraine to continue fighting.And Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerssons reminded Ukraine of whats at stake for the Nordic and Baltic countries, and others, if Russias aggression spreads.You are not only fighting for your freedom but also for all of Europes, Kristersson wrote on X. European officials from Austria, he Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Spain, among others, also offered their support to Ukraine. __Blann reported from Kyiv. Associated Press writer Justin Spike in Kyiv contributed reporting. STEFANIE DAZIO Dazio covers Northern Europe from Berlin for The Associated Press. She previously covered crime and criminal justice from Los Angeles.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-02-28T20:36:21Z Follow live updates on President Donald Trump and his new administration. WASHINGTON (AP) Key Republicans and Democrats in Congress have been stalwart supporters of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but the blowup between the Ukrainian leader and President Donald Trump is threatening to change that.Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington to sign a deal that would give the U.S. access to its mineral riches as Trump attempts to pressure Ukraine into a deal to end the war with Russia. Although support for Ukraine has waned among GOP congressional members in the three years since Russia invaded, key Republicans hoped the deal would revive American support for Kyiv.Instead, the fallout from a heated Oval Office exchange between Trump, Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance has many Republicans even those who previously backed Ukraine scolding Zelenskyy. For other GOP lawmakers who have long criticized U.S. support for Ukraine, the exchange was an opportunity to laud Trump for berating Ukraines leader. And for Democrats, it was proof that Trump is playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Heres what congressional lawmakers are saying as the future of Ukraine hangs in the balance: Republicans who have supported Ukraine in the pastSEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina:Graham called the meeting a complete, utter disaster and said hes never been more proud of Trump.What I saw in the Oval office was disrespectful and I dont know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again. SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO:Thank you @POTUS for standing up for America in a way that no President has ever had the courage to do before. Thank you for putting America First. America is with you!HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON, Louisiana:The death and destruction of the Russian-provoked war needs to stop immediately, and only our American President can put these two countries on a path to lasting peace. President Zelenskyy needed to acknowledge that, and accept the extraordinary mineral rights partnership proposal that President Trump put on the table. What we witnessed in the Oval Office today was an American President putting America first. REP. DON BACON, Nebraska:A bad day for Americas foreign policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We should be clear that we stand for freedom.REP. MIKE LAWLER, New York:Diplomacy is tough and often times there are serious differences of opinion and heated exchanges behind closed doors. Having this spill out into public view was a disaster especially for Ukraine.REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania:It was heartbreaking to witness the turn of events that transpired in todays meeting regarding Ukraines future. It is time to put understandable emotions aside and come back to the negotiation table.Republicans who are opposed to Ukraine aidSEN. JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri:Remember: the U.S. Senate has repeatedly and for years voted BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine with no strings attached and with no true oversight. Its time for some ACCOUNTABILITY.SEN. MIKE LEE, Utah:Thank you for standing up for OUR COUNTRY and putting America first, President Trump and Vice President Vance! SEN. ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas:Not another penny.REP. ANDY BIGGS, Arizona:Dictator Zelensky had the audacity to disrespect President @realDonaldTrump and VP @JDVance during what should have been a friendly meeting, and @POTUS rightfully showed him the door. This is the leadership America has craved for four years.Democrats, who as a party overwhelmingly support UkraineSENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER, New York:Trump and Vance are doing Putins dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy.HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES, New York:Todays White House meeting with the President of Ukraine was appalling and will only serve to further embolden Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator. The United States must not reward Russian aggression and continue to appease Putin.SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut:My strong and passionate hope is that the talks can be resumed or restored, and this event wont derail continued support. I have very strong hopes that the coalition we have in Congress and it is a very strong bipartisan coalition will be persuasive to the administration and others that we have a long-term national security interest in Ukraine prevailing over Putins brazen aggression.SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota:Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly. And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you.SEN. CHRIS MURPHY, Connecticut:It was a planned ambush designed to embarrass President Zelenskyy in order to benefit Vladimir Putin. That was an embarrassment. That was an abomination. What you watched was American power being destroyed in the world as everybody watches President Trump become a lapdog for a brutal dictator in Moscow.

Signs in Spanish and English are displayed the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)2025-02-28T22:50:30Z As President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, activists and advocacy groups are alarmed by what that will mean for non-English speakers when it comes to immigration, voter access and other issues. The order, which was announced Friday, will allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English, according to a fact sheet. The move rescinds a mandate from former President Bill Clinton that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.Designating English as the national language promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement, according to the White House. But some activists and organizations think the move is just another way for the president to stoke division and fear. This isnt just an offensive gesture that sticks a thumb in the eye of millions of U.S. citizens who speak other languages, but also will directly harm those who have previously relied on language assistance for vital information, Vanessa Crdenas, executive director of Americas Voice, an advocacy group for immigration reform, said in an email. What does it mean to have an official language?According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an official language is what is used by the government to conduct official, day-to-day business. Having one or more official languages can help define a nations character and the cultural identity of those who live in it. Prioritizing one language may place certain people in position of power and exclude others whose language is not recognized, according to the institute. U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States, believes having an official language provides a common means of communication, encourages immigrants to learn English to use government services and defines a much-needed common sense language policy. Currently there are more than 350 languages spoken in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic.People in the U.S. also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee, among others. Potential impact on citizenship and votingAnabel Mendoza, the communications director for United We Dream, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy organization, said limiting the language of federal communication will make it harder for people to become citizens if they are denied the ability to speak their native tongue throughout the process. Currently, people of certain age and residency requirements can qualify for a waiver to do the citizenship test and interview in their native language. Trump is trying to send the message that if youre not white, rich and speak English you dont belong here, Mendoza said. Let me be clear: Immigrants are here to stay. No matter how hard Trump tries, he cant erase us.The Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced Friday that New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat, caucus chair, will deliver, on behalf of Democrats, the official Spanish-language response to Trumps upcoming joint address to Congress.George Carrillo, co-founder & CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, said it seems like a step backwards in a country that has championed its diversity. He is also concerned how limiting governmental communication might affect U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico where the predominant language is Spanish. This executive order, while framed as promoting unity, risks dismantling critical supports like ESL programs and multilingual resources that help immigrants adapt and contribute, Carrillo said. Imagine families navigating healthcare or legal systems without materials in a language they understand, its a barrier, not a bridge. APIAVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on registering Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, also expressed worry this could mean barriers for millions of voters such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents who arent English-proficient. It will make it harder for them to participate civically and vote, as well as access critical healthcare, economic and education resources, the group said in a statement.Furthermore, the organization says this action could make anyone who speaks another language a target.The exclusionary nature of this policy will only fuel xenophobia and discrimination at a time when anti-Asian hate and hate against other minority and immigrant groups are rising.States that have English as the official languageMore than 30 states, from California to New Hampshire, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English. Hawaii is the only state to declare two official languages, English and Hawaiian.For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language, but those efforts failed. The most recent effort was in 2023, when Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and JD Vance, R-Ohio, introduced the English Language Unity Act. Vance is now vice president. How many countries have official languages?It is estimated that over 170 countries have an official language, with some having more than one language. Mexico does not have an official language. In Canada the official languages are English and French. According to Canadas Official Languages Act of 1969, the purpose of designating two languages ensures the equality of status and protecting linguistic minorities while taking into account the fact that they have different needs._____Figueroa reported from Austin, Texas. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York and Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report. FERNANDA FIGUEROA Figueroa reports on Latino/Hispanic affairs as a member of the APs Race & Ethnicity team. twitter mailto

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pauses during a interview with Bret Baier during a taping of FOX News Channel's Special Report with Bret Baier in Washington, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)2025-02-28T23:59:51Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Soon after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left the White House on Friday after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with President Donald Trump, Ukrainians rallied around Zelenskyy as a defender of his countrys interests.The shouting match that unfolded in the final minutes of the highly anticipated meeting between the two leaders seemed to dash, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the United States could be locked in as a reliable partner in helping fend off, and conclude, Russias three-year onslaught.The exchange, which saw a frustrated Zelenskyy lectured by Trump and Vice President JD Vance over what they saw as his lack of gratitude for previous U.S. support, delighted officials in Moscow, who saw it as a final breakdown in relations between Washington and the Ukrainian leader. Many Ukrainians unfazed by the rowBut many Ukrainians on Friday seemed unfazed by the blowout between Zelenskyy and Trump, expressing a sense that the Ukrainian leader had stood up for their countrys dignity and interests by firmly maintaining his stance in the face of chiding from some of the worlds most powerful men.Nataliia Serhiienko, 67, a retiree in Kyiv, said she thinks Ukrainians approve of their presidents performance in Washington, because Zelenskyy fought like a lion.They had a heated meeting, a very heated conversation, she said. But Zelenskyy was defending Ukraines interests.The meeting at the White House was meant to produce a bilateral agreement that would establish a joint investment fund for reconstructing Ukraine, a deal that was seen as a potential step toward bringing an end to the war and tying the two countries economies together for years to come. But as Zelenskyy and his team departed the White House at Trumps request, the deal went unsigned, and Ukraines hopes for securing U.S. security backing seemed farther away than ever. Yet as the Ukrainian leader was set to return to Kyiv empty handed, his support at home seemed undiminished. Regional Ukrainian leader says president held strongAs two drones struck Ukraines second-largest city Kharkiv on Friday night, the head of the region which sits on the border with Russia, Oleh Syniehubov, praised Zelenskyy. He said the president held strong to his insistence that no peace deal could be made without assurances for Ukraines security against future Russian aggression. Our leader, despite the pressure, stands firm in defending the interests of Ukraine and Ukrainians. We need only a just peace with security guarantees, Syniehubov said.Kyiv resident Artem Vasyliev, 37, said he had seen complete disrespect from the United States in the Oval Office exchange, despite the fact that Ukraine was the first country that stood up to Russia.We are striving for democracy, and we are met with total disrespect, toward our warriors, our soldiers, and the people of our country, said Vasyliev, a native of Russian-occupied Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.Vasyliev criticized the U.S. president for what he said was a failure to recognize the human cost of Russias invasion, saying Trump doesnt understand that people are dying, that cities are being destroyed, people are suffering, mothers, children, soldiers.He cannot understand this, he is just a businessman. For him, money is sacred, he said. Broad praise for Zelenskyy on social mediaUkrainian social media was awash in praise for Zelenskyy late Friday, with officials on the national, regional and local level chiming in to voice their support for their leader.The outpouring resembled a recent surge in Ukrainian unity after Trump denigrated Zelenskyy by making false claims that Ukraine was led by a dictator who started the war with Russia comments that led some of the Ukrainian presidents harshest critics to rally around him.Oleksandr Prokudin, head of Ukraines southern Kherson region, which was mostly occupied by Russia early in the war but later partially retaken by Ukrainian forces, said three years of war had hardened his countrymen to the ups and downs of the fight to survive. We know what pressure is, on the front lines, in politics, in daily struggle, Prokudin said. It has made us stronger. It has made the president stronger. Determination is the force that drives us forward. And I am confident that we will endure this time as well. Trumps administration cast the heated exchange with Zelenskyy as part of its America First policy and slammed the Ukrainian leader for a perceived lack of gratitude for U.S. assistance. But Zelenskyys backers in Ukraine praised his commitment to acting in Ukraines national interest even if it meant coming into conflict with the president of the United States. Unwavering commitment to Ukraines interests and devotion to his country. This is what we saw today in the United States. Support for the President of Ukraine, Vice Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba wrote on Telegram Friday. Not all of Ukraines political figures, however, were as full-throated in their praise for how the Oval Office meeting concluded. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that he hoped that Ukraine does not lose the support of the United States, which is extremely important to us.Today is not the time for emotions, from either side. We need to find common ground, Klitschko wrote in a post on Telegram.___Associated Press writers Hanna Arhirova and Illia Novikov contributed to this report. JUSTIN SPIKE Spike is an Associated Press reporter based in Budapest, Hungary. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

President Donald Trump welcomes Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)2025-03-01T00:59:09Z WASHINGTON (AP) The first time he spoke to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump tried to pressure Ukraines new leader to dig up dirt on Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election. It was a 2019 phone call that eventually sparked an impeachment. On Friday, a meeting in the Oval Office that started out with cordialities turned heated at the end, with Vice President JD Vance telling Zelenskyy to show more gratitude toward Trump, before the president himself began shouting. Youre gambling with the lives of millions of people, Trump berated Zelenskyy. Youre gambling with World War III.With that, Trump scrapped plans to sign an agreement that would have allowed the U.S. to access Ukraines rare earth minerals, a deal the U.S. president had said would have helped move the war toward a conclusion. The blowup cast new doubt on the future of U.S. support for Kyiv in fending off Russias invasion.A look at the evolution of Trump and Zelenskyys relationship over the years: Perfect phone call In July 2019, Zelenskyy was anxious for a meeting with Trump at the White House, one of the Ukrainian leaders top foreign policy priorities at the time. During a 30-minute call, Trump dangled the possibility of a face-to-face meeting. But he also suggested that future U.S. military support for Ukraine might be contingent on its leader helping investigate business dealings there by Hunter Biden, the former vice presidents son. The elder Biden was competing for the Democratic presidential nomination, and Trump seemed to want to weaken him 15 months out from Election Day. Trump denied wrongdoing and began referring to his exchange with Zelenskyy as a perfect phone call. Even Zelenskyy later insisted that he faced no blackmail. But Trump was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House in December 2019 on abuse of power and obstruction of justice charges, only the third American commander in chief to be in that situation. He was acquitted by the Senate. Russias war in Ukraine Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, triggering the biggest conflict on the European continent since World War II.Since then, the U.S. has provided more than $65 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. The Biden administration made steadfast military and political support for Zelenskyys country a centerpiece of his foreign policy. As the war raged, the Biden White House staunchly defended continuing to provide support to Ukraine, even as some Republicans began grumbling about so much funding for a war that had no end in sight. In a speech to Congress in December 2022, Zelenskyy thanked every American for supporting his country. Your money is not charity, he said then. Its an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.Trump, then campaigning for his second term, said repeatedly that Russia would never have invaded Ukraine if hed been president and that hed have no trouble solving the conflict. Upon taking office, he upended years of U.S. policy by dispatching negotiators to Saudi Arabia to meet with officials from Russian President Vladimir Putins government, and also began hammering out the minerals deal that he and Zelenskyy had planned to sign Friday. Trump meets with Zelenskyy ahead of Election Day 2024 Last September, Zelenskyy accompanied Biden to a Pennsylvania ammunition factory to thank the workers producing some of the most critically needed munitions for his countrys fight with Russian ground forces. A few days later, he traveled to Trump Tower in Manhattan and discussed ending the war. In comments to Fox News Channel afterward, Trump said of the fighting, It should stop and the president wants it to stop, meaning Zelenskyy. And Im sure President Putin wants it to stop and thats a good combination, Trump added. Zelenskyy invited Trump to visit Ukraine, to which Trump responded, I will. That trip came up again Friday, when Vance told Zelenskyy, You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition.Zelenskyys September trip was not billed as political, though, and Trumps election opponent was Vice President Kamala Harris, not Biden. Still, Pennsylvania is a battleground state and some congressional Republicans at the time accused Democrats of using Zelenskyys visit to bolster Harris politically. Trump calls Zelenskyy a dictator, then suggests he didnt Last December, Trump met with Zelenskyy again during a visit to Paris to attend the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral. It was a hastily arranged three-way meeting set up by French President Emmanuel Macron, who was trying to push the president-elect to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russias invasion.As president, Trump has publicly prodded Zelenskyy that he had better move quickly to negotiate an end to Russias war in Ukraine, or risk no longer having a country to lead. On his social media site, Trump decried Zelenskyy for not organizing an election to decide if he should remain in power an idea backed by Russia calling him a dictator without elections. He also suggested that Ukraine was responsible for Russias invasion, but later conceded that Russia was the aggressor.Before this week, Zelenskyy had been to the White House four times all during the Biden administration. When the Ukrainian leader announced he was coming to Washington and was ready to sign a minerals deal, Trumps tone got more conciliatory. He called Americas support for Ukraine against Russias invasion a very worthy thing to do. And, when pressed about having called Zelenskyy a dictator, Trump responded: Did I say that? I cant believe I said that. Next question.It all served to make Fridays blowup all the more spectacular. WILL WEISSERT Weissert covers national politics and the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov)2025-03-01T05:02:31Z WASHINGTON (AP) All it took was 90 seconds for weeks of tortured diplomacy to unwind in spectacular fashion.President Donald Trumps Oval Office thrashing of Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday laid bare the limits of a full-court press by Americas allies aimed at reshaping Trumps determination to end Russias invasion even if the terms are not to Ukraines liking. It also stressed the profound ways Trump feels emboldened to redirect U.S. foreign policy priorities toward his America First agenda in ways that extend well beyond those of his tumultuous first term.The sudden blowup was the most heated public exchange of words between world leaders in the Oval Office in memory, as the usual staid work of diplomacy descended into finger-pointing, shouting and eye-rolling.The encounter left the future of the U.S.-Ukraine relationship, and Kyivs ability to defend itself in the brutal conflict with Russia, in mortal jeopardy. You either make a deal or we are out, Trump told Zelenskyy, underscoring the American leaders plans to dictate a swift end to the war or leave its longtime ally to continue the fight without its strongest backer. The stunning episode capped a week of what turned out to be largely futile efforts by U.S. allies to paper over differences between Washington and Kyiv and to try to steer Trump away from his flirtations with Moscow. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron huddled with Trump to lay the groundwork for an eventual European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine aimed at deterring future Russian aggression and to encourage the U.S. president to be more skeptical of Vladimir Putin.But even as Trump and Macron greeted each other with a vise-like grip, the U.S. was splitting with its European allies at the United Nations by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in a series of resolutions marking the three-year anniversary of the war. On Thursday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Washington and appealed to Trump for a U.S. backstop for European nations who would provide front-line security for Ukraine. He was in essence looking for insurance that, should a peace deal be reached, Russia wont restart the fighting in the future. Starmer brought flattery and a state visit invitation from King Charles III to soften the ask.The approach seemed to work, as Trump struck a more conciliatory tone toward Ukraine, calling Americas support for the country against Russias invasion a very worthy thing to do and disclaiming any memory that he had called the Ukrainian leader a dictator.But Trump also brushed aside Putins past broken diplomatic promises, claiming they occurred under different presidents, and saying the Russian leader had never violated a commitment to him. It came as his aides were planning a series of negotiating sessions with Russian officials to lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between Trump and Putin in the coming weeks.All the while, Trump was focused on securing a financial stake in Ukraines critical minerals to recoup the tens of billions the U.S. has given to Kyiv to defend itself. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, wanted more than Washingtons vague promises that the U.S. would work to preserve its economic interest in Ukraine under the agreement and pushed for more concrete security guarantees. But Trump would not budge, and U.S. officials repeatedly said Zelenskyy would not be welcome to meet with the president to discuss Trumps push for negotiations with Russia until it was signed. After weeks of browbeating, Zelenskyys government on Wednesday formally agreed to the proposal, clearing the path for Fridays meeting.It started off cordially enough, as Trump and Zelenskyy spoke politely, even with admiration, of one of another for the first half-hour of the meeting. Trump even suggested he would continue some military assistance to Ukraine until he could secure an enduring peace deal with Russia.But when the Ukrainian leader raised alarm about trusting any promises from Putin to end the fighting, Vice President JD Vance rebuked him for airing disagreements with Trump in public. It instantly shifted the tenor of the conversation. Zelenskyy grew defensive, and Trump and his vice president blasted him as ungrateful and disrespectful and issued stark warnings about future American support. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, both a defense hawk and a strident ally of Trumps, said he had warned Zelenskyy ahead of the meeting not to take the bait in his dealings with Trump, who has repeatedly shown a penchant for throwing criticism but a deep resistance to receiving it.It was Vance a longtime critic of American support for Ukraine who dangled it, when he insisted diplomacy was the only pathway forward.What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about? Zelenskyy said, listing Russias past violations of ceasefires. What do you mean? Im talking about the kind of diplomacy thats going to end the destruction of your country, Vance responded before tearing into the Ukrainian leader. Mr. President, with respect, I think its disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in front of the American media.Trump then let loose, warning the Ukrainian leader, Youre gambling with World War III, and what youre doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country thats backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.At another point, Trump declared himself in the middle, seeming to formally break from years of American support for Ukraine. He went on to deride Zelenskyys hatred for Putin as a roadblock to peace.You see the hatred hes got for Putin, Trump said. Thats very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate.Its going to be a very hard thing to do business like this, Trump said to Zelenskyy as the two leaders talked over each other.The episode was just the latest instance of Trumps brazen moves to shift long-held American policy positions in his first six weeks back in office, portending even more uncertainty ahead for longtime American allies and partners who have already felt pressed to justify their place in Trumps eyes. It comes just weeks after Trump floated a permanent relocation of Palestinians in Gaza and an American takeover of the territory, and as he has doubled down on plans to put stiff tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada starting next week. After the Oval Office dustup, Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House by top Trump advisers scrapping plans for a lunch, a joint press conference and the signing of the economic agreement, even as the Ukrainian leader and his aides pushed for a reset on the meeting. Trump later told reporters he didnt want to embolden the Ukrainian leader if he didnt want peace with Russia flipping what Ukraine had seen as an inducement for security guarantees into a cudgel. You cant embolden somebody who does not have the cards, Trump said.After the disastrous encounter, Zelenskyy appeared on Fox News on Friday evening and told Bret Baier that his public spat with Trump and Vance was not good for both sides. But Zelenskyy said Trump who insists Putin is ready to end the three-year grinding war needs to understand that Ukraine cant change its attitudes toward Russia on a dime.Zelenskyy added that Ukraine wont enter peace talks with Russia until it has security guarantees against another offensive.Everybody (is) afraid Putin will come back tomorrow, Zelenskyy said. We want just and lasting peace.Its so sensitive for our people, Zelenskyy said. And they just want to hear that America (is) on our side, that America will stay with us. Not with Russia, with us. Thats it.Zelenskyy acknowledged that without U.S. support, his countrys position would grow difficult.After repeatedly declining opportunities to apologize to Trump, Zelensky closed his Fox appearance with a sheepish expression of remorse as he struggled with the reality of Trumps new direction in Washington: Sorry for this. ZEKE MILLER Miller leads coverage of the president and the presidency for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Gene Hackman, right, and long-time friend Daniel Lenihan, discuss their new book, "Wake of the Perdido Star," on Nov. 19, 1999, in Cloudclift Bakery, the cafe where they first dreamed up their adventure story, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Sarah Martone, File)2025-03-01T05:02:51Z SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) The pion- and juniper-scented Rocky Mountain foothills overlooking Santa Fe have helped the city earn a reputation as a refuge for famous actors and authors seeking to escape the spotlight. The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa stands Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales) The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa stands Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Sometimes the worlds attention is unavoidable, as it was this week when Oscar-winner Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead inside their home in those very foothills. Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, eschewed fame and made Santa Fe their home decades ago, like many other acclaimed artists, including the former playwright Sam Shepard, actors Shirley MacLaine and Ali MacGraw, and Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin.In addition to the fresh air and mountain vistas, Santa Fe situated more than a mile above sea level is known for Pueblo-style architecture, Southwest-themed art galleries and turquoise jewelry-filled boutiques. Initially settled by Indigenous people and once colonized by Spain, the capital city of New Mexico today embraces a low-key vibe where young skateboarders share the sidewalks with wealthy retirees decked out in Pendleton cardigans and cowboy boots. Its not uncommon to see a famous person strolling downtown, dining out or hiking on the numerous trails; its just that locals know not to gush over them. You recognize that celebrities who come here are coming here for the same reason. They just want to live and be normal people, artist Kristin Bortles said, taking a break from planning a mural for a new coffee shop. The normally laid back city was in collective shock Thursday as news spread about Hackman and Arakawa. The last time a crush of media descended on Santa Fe was when Alec Baldwin shot and killed a cinematographer on the set of the movie Rust. Actor Gene Hackman waits backstage at the opening of the new OKeeffe Museum, July 17, 1997, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Michael Pahos, File) Actor Gene Hackman waits backstage at the opening of the new OKeeffe Museum, July 17, 1997, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Michael Pahos, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More On Friday, conversations about what had happened to Hackman and his wife always came back to Santa Fes reputation as a place where celebrities could unwind and live unassuming lives far from the glitz of Los Angeles or New York City and even some of the more glamorous Rocky Mountain enclaves, like Vail, Colorado. Hackman retired in the early 2000s after a decades-long career that included roles as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films. Aside from appearances at awards shows, he was rarely seen on the Hollywood social circuit.He served for several years on the board of trustees at the Georgia OKeeffe Museum in Santa Fe and wrote a novel about the American West centered on New Mexico called Payback at Morning Peak and coauthored one on the Civil War entitled Escape from Andersonville. (A real life battle took place just east of Santa Fe in 1862, at Glorieta Pass.) Hackman and Arakawa lived in a multilevel Pueblo-style home that blends in with the surrounding geography. He enjoyed weekly Pilates classes, bicycle rides along paved trails and getting fresh eggs dropped off by friends.While Hackman kept a tight circle of friends and didnt go out much, he was sometimes spotted downtown. But one of the most accomplished actors of his generation mostly blended in. Downtown Santa Fe, N.M., is seen March 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) Downtown Santa Fe, N.M., is seen March 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More People walk around the Santa Fe Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty O'Neil) People walk around the Santa Fe Plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty O'Neil) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A man walks through downtown Santa Fe, N.M., Feb. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/The New Mexican, Amiran White, File) A man walks through downtown Santa Fe, N.M., Feb. 15, 2007. (AP Photo/The New Mexican, Amiran White, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A haze of wildfire smoke hangs over the Upper Rio Grande Valley, May 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) A haze of wildfire smoke hangs over the Upper Rio Grande Valley, May 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The thing Ive learned about Santa Fe is that you never know who youre talking to, you never know who youre going to meet or whos around the corner, said Gabriel Garcia, whose family has been selling jewelry and leather crafts on the Santa Fe Plaza for more than 60 years.Hackman usually was in jeans, a flannel shirt and sometimes a baseball cap, said friend Stuart Ashman, the former head of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and past CEO of the International Folk Art Market. Obviously he was a huge star, Ashman said, but you would never know it when you talked to him because he had that sort of what I call a princely attitude, where hes focused on you and asks you about you, not talking about himself.Hackman enjoyed painting and was drawn to the beauty of the hills surrounding Santa Fe and the light of the high desert, Ashman said. Arakawa, a classical musician, was soft spoken and never one to expect special treatment, said Larry Keller, owner of a high-end furniture and art store where she would shop. Being a part of the Santa Fe community, he said, means not drawing extra attention to someone because of their celebrity status. Were too cool for school, you know. Thats the Santa Fe vibe, Keller said.___AP writers Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix and Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report.

Palestinians have dinner inside their destroyed apartment decorated for the holy month of Ramadan in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)2025-03-01T10:45:57Z CAIRO (AP) The latest round of talks on the second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has made no progress so far, and it was unclear whether the talks would resume on Saturday, a senior Hamas official said. The first phase of the ceasefire, which paused 15 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip, saw the release of 33 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Phase one expires on Saturday, but under the terms of the deal, fighting is not to resume while negotiations are underway on the second phase, which could end the war in Gaza and see the remaining living hostages returned home. Officials from Israel, Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been involved in negotiations on the second phase in Cairo, with the goal of bringing an end to the war with the return of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops. Hamas did not attend the talks, but its position has been represented through Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas political bureau, told The Associated Press there had been no progress on finding a solution before Israeli negotiators returned home on Friday. It was unclear whether those mediators were going to return to Cairo to resume talks on Saturday as has been expected, and Naim said he had no idea when negotiations might start again. Hamas started the war with its Oct. 7 2023 attack that left 1,200 dead in Israel. Since then, Israels military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who do not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths but say that more than half the dead have been women and children. The two sides agreed to the three-phase ceasefire deal in January, with the aim of bringing an end to the war. On Friday, Hamas said that it reaffirms its full commitment to implementing all terms of the agreement in all its stages and details and called on the international community to pressure Israel to immediately proceed to the second phase without any delay or evasion. In addition to phase two of the ceasefire, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that mediators in the talks were also discussing ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the population and support stability in the region.Hamas has rejected an Israeli proposal to extend the ceasefires first phase by 42 days, saying it goes against the truce agreement, according to a member of the group who requested anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations.The Israeli proposal calls for extending the ceasefire through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which started on Saturday, in return for an additional hostage exchange, the Hamas member said.The U.N. food agency, the World Food Program, said in a post on social media on Saturday that it reached 1 million Palestinians across Gaza during the deals first phase.The pause in fighting helped restoring distribution points, reopening bakeries, and expanding cash assistance, the agency said.The ceasefire must hold, it said. There can be no going back.___ Rising reported from Bangkok 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 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

Amber Crooks, environmental policy manager with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, left, and Michael McGrath of the Sierra Club, right, hold a map showing proposed developments at the Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)2025-03-01T05:04:39Z FLORIDA PANTHER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, Fla. (AP) In January, an endangered Florida panther known as UCFP479 became the first to die this year in a vehicle collision along a rural southwestern Florida road.The male panther, just under 2 years old, will not be the last. Athena the panther looks out from her enclosure at the Florida panther exhibit at the Naples Zoo, Jan. 15, 2025, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Athena the panther looks out from her enclosure at the Florida panther exhibit at the Naples Zoo, Jan. 15, 2025, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More In 2024, 36 panther deaths were recorded by state wildlife officials, which was the most since 2016. The majority of those deaths are the result of collisions with vehicles, including one that was struck by a train, state statistics show.An estimated 120 to 230 adult Florida panthers live in the wild in the states southwestern corner, where they are faced with a booming human population and the accompanying development. Loss of habitatThe Florida panther, which is similar to but smaller than the Western cougar or mountain lion, once roamed across a large swath of the southeastern U.S. Hunting and habitat loss have decimated the species numbers and confined them to a shrinking space of about 2 million acres (809,000 hectares), according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This 2017 image from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service motion-activated camera shows a Florida panther at Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP, File) This 2017 image from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service motion-activated camera shows a Florida panther at Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Indeed, along what were once narrow country roads in eastern Collier and Lee counties there are numerous major projects under way that will create tens of thousands of homes and the traffic that comes with them.Were at a critical juncture now, said Michael McGrath of the Sierra Club, which recently led a tour of panther country for journalists and activists. Were going to see more and more deaths. Sprawl kills. Environmental groups have been fighting an uphill battle to curb some of the development and vow to continue those efforts.You can see all of that land is primary panther habitat, said Amber Crooks, environmental policy manager at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. We have to fight until that last decision is made. A placard displays locations of panther habitats inside the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) A placard displays locations of panther habitats inside the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Conservation effortsThe Florida panther is the only established population of pumas east of the Mississippi River, according to the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They have been listed as federally endangered since 1967. A 26,600-acre (10,700-hectare) panther refuge was established in 1989 next to the Big Cypress National Preserve, west of the Everglades.In 1981, the state began capturing panthers to check their health, administer vaccines, take genetic samples and fit them with radio collars to track them. A Florida panther, rescued as a kitten, runs away from its game officials and photographers as it is released back into the wild in the Florida Everglades, Wednesday, April 3, 2013. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter, File) A Florida panther, rescued as a kitten, runs away from its game officials and photographers as it is released back into the wild in the Florida Everglades, Wednesday, April 3, 2013. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More A panther crossing sign is displayed on a road bordering the Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) A panther crossing sign is displayed on a road bordering the Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More The panther population at one point in the 1990s dropped to around 50 animals, in part because of inbreeding that caused numerous health problems. That led officials to import eight female Texas pumas to Florida to breed with males, helping boost panther numbers and improving their genetic diversity. The offspring are considered to be Florida panthers and are protected under the Endangered Species Act, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Characteristics of panthersFlorida panthers resemble the cougars and pumas found in the American West, with beige or tan fur and white markings underneath. They eat various types of prey, especially deer and raccoons.Males tend to roam more than females in search of territory and sometimes are spotted near the Orlando area. One male was shot and killed by a hunter in Georgia in 2008, wildlife officials say. Because males roam more, they are more prone to being struck by vehicles. People walk along a path at the Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) People walk along a path at the Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Other threatsPanthers face the threat of disease, including a form of feline leukemia transmitted to them by domestic cats. Bobcats also are prone to the disease.A 2002 outbreak of feline leukemia killed at least five panthers, federal wildlife officials say. Athena the panther walks inside her enclosure at the Florida panther exhibit at the Naples Zoo, Jan. 15, 2025, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Athena the panther walks inside her enclosure at the Florida panther exhibit at the Naples Zoo, Jan. 15, 2025, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Michael McGrath of the Sierra Club holds an undated photograph showing a panther killed on the road at the CREW Wildlife and Environmental Area in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Michael McGrath of the Sierra Club holds an undated photograph showing a panther killed on the road at the CREW Wildlife and Environmental Area in Southwest Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More Another emerging disease appears to cause weakness in the rear legs of panthers and bobcats, many of them seen walking unsteadily on trail video cameras. We encourage the public to continue to submit footage and pictures of wildlife that appear to have problems with their rear legs, the Florida wildlife commission said in an online post.Some are killed through fights among themselves, especially males. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

This cover image released by Simon Element shows "Eat Better, Sleep Better: 75 Recipes and A 28-Day Meal Plan That Unlock the Food-Sleep Connection" by Dr Marie-Pierre St-Onge and Kat Craddock. (Simon Element via AP)2025-03-01T05:08:57Z Anyone who has ever suffered in bed after eating three slices of pizza could surmise there is some relationship between food and sleep quality.For Marie-Pierre St-Onge, the director of Columbia Universitys Center of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research, years of studying the relationship confirmed it.Data from large-scale population studies showed that eating a lot of saturated fat and simple carbohydrates made it harder to get deep, restorative sleep, she said. The inverse was also true. People who dont get enough sleep, for example, were more likely to be obese.Its a cycle of having poor sleep leading to poor dietary choices, and lower dietary quality that further propels poor sleep, St-Onge said.If bad food could keep you awake, she wondered, can good food help you sleep? Her research led to a new cookbook, Eat Better, Sleep Better, co-written with Kat Craddock, editor-in-chief of the food magazine Saveur. St-Onge said the answer is yes. The books recipes reflect her findings that people with high-fiber diets report better sleep, and the dishes rely heavily on what she called sleep-supporting ingredients. Nuts, seeds and whole grains such as barley, buckwheat and kasha contain melatonin, a compound the body also produces naturally to regulate the circadian rhythm. Research suggests the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger and turmeric improve sleep quality, as do the phytochemicals in brightly colored fruits and vegetables like squash, cherries, bananas and beefsteak tomatoes, St-Onge said. This article is part of APs Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well. Besides the properties of particular ingredients, the combination of certain foods is key to encouraging your body to produce the hormones it needs to fall and stay sleep, she said. Tryptophan, for example, is an essential amino acid only found in food, but it requires nutrients such as magnesium, zinc and B vitamins to be converted into melatonin and serotonin. St-Onge noted that people shouldnt expect to fall dead asleep after loading up on certain ingredients at dinner. Food has to be processed, with chemical reactions transforming nutrients over time before they are absorbed. Its making sure you have a healthy diet across the day to have the nutrients at the ready, she said.Recipes were developed for every meal of the day, plus snacks and desserts, the authors said. The two then arranged them into a 28-day meal plan designed to improve your sleep.Craddock said developing the recipes came naturally because the research stressed using a variety of foods she likes to cook with anyway. The challenge was making sure the recipes fell within the nutritional requirements.My instincts are to go hard on bacon and butter and cheese and heavy cream, and she pared a lot of that back, Craddock said.Instead of bacon, Craddock said, she could achieve similar flavors with a little olive oil and smoked paprika. It was a bit of a dance back and forth between my more restaurant approach to making foods delicious and her nutritional goals.A Creole gumbo recipe, for instance, is inspired more by a vegetarian version often served during Lent than the heavier traditional one. The andouille often used a pork product high in saturated fat is swapped out for healthier chicken sausage. Adding more than a pound of mixed greens makes it more like a vegetable stew, and brown rice adds a complex carbohydrate. With numerous charts and scientific research, the book is a practical guide to improving your diet in general. But Craddock said it also introduces people to international ingredients and dishes so they might think beyond what they eat every day.If you dig a little deeper and look a little further, there are healthful and flavorful and exciting ingredients from many cultures that are right in our own backyard, she said.EDITORS NOTE: Albert Stumm writes about food, travel and wellness. Find his work at https://www.albertstumm.com