Fractures were already emerging in the limited cease-fire. Vice President JD Vance will lead a U.S. delegation in talks this weekend.

Hours after a tenuous pause to a nearly six-week war, Iranians expressed relief and trepidation about the future. Some fear the government will crack down on its domestic critics.

Proponents of renewable power will control the Phoenix area utilitys policymaking for the first time after they won an unusually contentious race that drew attention from national groups.

Two police officers walk in front of an anti-U.S. billboard depicting American aircraft being caught by Iranian armed forces in a fishing net beneath the words in Farsi, "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed, The entire Persian Gulf is our hunting ground," in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)2026-04-09T04:17:15Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Semiofficial news agencies in Iran published a chart Thursday suggesting the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard put sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz during the war.The reports came from the ISNA news agency, as well as Tasnim, which is believed to be close to the Guard.The chart showed a large circle marked danger zone in Farsi over the Traffic Separation Scheme, which was the route ships used to take through the strait. That was where the Guard allegedly put the mines.It suggested that ships travel up north through waters closer to Irans mainland near Larak Island, a route that some ships were observed taking during the war.The dates on the chart ran from Feb. 28 until Thursday, April 9. Its unclear if the Guard had cleared its alleged mining in the route. And it likely served as a pressure tactic as Iran, Israel and the United States now are in an uneasy, two-week ceasefire ahead of possible negotiations in Islamabad.

The Thunder clinched the NBA's best regular-season record with a 128-110 win over the Clippers on Wednesday night, securing homecourt advantage throughout the postseason in their title defense.

The Thunder clinched the NBA's best regular-season record with a 128-110 win over the Clippers on Wednesday night, securing homecourt advantage throughout the postseason in their title defense.

Viktor Orbans 16-year rule could be coming to a close.

The Late Show host asked if being double-sided wasnt a prerequisite: I believe theres a word for a single-sided cease-fire and its murder.

An AI-generated animation created by a pro-Iran studio and depicting an Iranian man grilling four U.S. aircrafts like a kebab over a campfire is seen on a computer screen in Brussels, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil)2026-04-09T05:18:10Z Pro-Iran groups have used artificial intelligence to create slick internet memes in English to try to shape the narrative during the war against the U.S. and Israel and foster opposition to it. Analysts say the memes appear to be coming from groups linked to the government in Tehran and are part of a strategy of leveraging its limited resources to inflict damage on the U.S., even indirectly. That includes how Iran has used attacks and threats to control the flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and maintain a stranglehold on the worlds economy. A ceasefire raised hopes Wednesday of halting hostilities, but many issues remained unresolved.This is a propaganda war for them, Neil Lavie-Driver, an AI researcher at the University of Cambridge, said, referring to Iran. Their goal is to sow enough discontent with the conflict as to eventually force the West to cave in, so it is massively important to them. Its not the first time memes have been used in a conflict, and they have evolved to include AI images in recent years. AI imagery bombarded Ukrainians after the Russian invasion in 2022. Last year, the term AI slop became widely used to describe the glut of imperfect images posted online during the Israel-Iran war to try to destroy the countrys nuclear program. In the conflict that began Feb. 28 with joint U.S.-Israel strikes, the memes have used well-honed cartoons that lambast U.S. officials. The memes are steeped in American cultureThe memes are fluent not just in English but in American culture and trolling. Published on various social platforms, they are racking up millions of views though its not clear how much influence they have had.They have portrayed U.S. President Donald Trump as old, out of step and internationally isolated. They have referenced bruising on the back of Trumps right hand that prompted speculation about his health; infighting in Trumps MAGA base; and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths fiery confirmation hearing, among other things. Read More Theyre using popular culture against the No. 1 pop culture country, the United States, said Nancy Snow, a scholar who has written more than a dozen books on propaganda. The pro-Iran images circulating online include a series that uses the style of the Lego animated movies. In one, an Iranian military commander raps, You thought you ran the globe, sitting on your throne. Now we turning every base into a bed of stone, as Trump falls into a bullseye built of Epstein files, the U.S. governments investigative records on disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Analysts believe groups making the memes are cooperating with the governmentThe animations show levels of sophistication and internet access that indicate ties to government offices, said Mahsa Alimardani, a director of WITNESS, a human-rights group working on AI video evidence.If youre able to have the bandwidth needed to generate content like that and upload it, you are officially or unofficially cooperating with the regime, she said pointing to severe restrictions Iran has imposed on the internet as part of a crackdown on nationwide protests earlier this year.State media has reposted some of the memes, including some from the account behind the Lego-style videos, Akhbar Enfejari, which means Explosive News. Akhbar Enfejari described themselves as Iranians producing and uploading from within Iran in an effort to disrupt decades-long dominance of Western control of the airwaves.Theyve long dominated the media landscape and, through that power, imposed narratives on many nations, the group told The Associated Press on the messaging app Telegram. But this time, something feels different. This time, weve disrupted the game. This time, were doing it better.After the ceasefire was announced, Akhbar Enfejari posted: IRAN WON! The way to crush imperialism has been shown to the world. Trump Surrendered.In addition to the memes coming from pro-Iran groups, Iranian government accounts have trolled the U.S., including in a post Wednesday from Irans Embassy in South Africa that said, Say hello to the new world superpower, with a picture of the Iranian flag. Both the U.S. and Iran declared victory after agreeing to a ceasefire. Analysts say the deep grasp of U.S. politics and culture is the fruit of more old-school methods of propaganda: a decades-long Iranian government program to promote narratives against the U.S. and Israel.This meme war comes from institutions that are very aware what the American public is aware of and pop cultural references that can appeal to them, Alimardani said. Messaging from the US and IsraelAnalysts say the U.S. and Israel do not appear to be engaging in the same kind of campaign and given the restrictions Iran has put on internet access in the country, getting such messages to ordinary Iranians would be difficult. Early in the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video that used AI to make it seem like he was speaking in Farsi, in which he urged Iranians to overthrow their government. The White House has published a steady stream of memes, but those are aimed at a U.S. audience and feature clips from American TV shows and sports. The U.S. government-run Voice of America, which for decades beamed news reports to many countries that had no tradition of a free press, does still broadcast in Farsi, though it is has been operating with a skeleton staff since Trump ordered it shut down. This world order is really changing overnight and the U.S. is not going to end up necessarily as the state that everybody listens to, Snow said. SAM McNEIL McNeil covers Europe and beyond with a focus on conflict and the environment. twitter instagram facebook mailto

A woman checks her phone as she walks through Red Square at sunset, in Moscow, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov, File)2026-04-09T05:32:13Z Several dozen people lined up outside a presidential administration building on a sunny spring weekend in central Moscow as police stood nearby and watched them closely.The people were lodging complaints about the governments intensifying crackdown on the internet that has seen regular shutdowns of cellphone internet connections, blocked popular messaging apps and cut access to thousands of other websites and digital services.It was the latest sign of the growing anger and frustration over the restrictions that have disrupted the daily lives of Russians, hurt businesses and drawn criticism even from Kremlin supporters.Knowing that any unauthorized demonstrations are harshly suppressed, activists have tried to organize authorized rallies, plastered posters on walls and notice boards, and filed lawsuits. Industry leaders pleaded with authorities to repeal the measures. Even the leader of Armenia delivered a not-so-veiled barb at Russia during a televised meeting with President Vladimir Putin on April 1. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that in Armenia, our social media, for example, is 100% free. There are no restrictions whatsoever. An unsmiling Putin stared at Pashinyan with slightly raised eyebrows.The clampdown not only serves to control what websites Russians can see, but also has thrown digital life into disarray, making it difficult to order taxis and deliveries, pay for goods and services electronically, and stay in touch with friends and family.Politician and Kremlin critic Boris Nadezhdin spoke for many Russians who are upset about the internet clampdown when he said in an interview with The Associated Press: This infuriates a huge number of people. Read More Moves toward internet controlFor years, Russia has sought to take the internet under total government control and potentially cut it off from the rest of the world, blocking tens of thousands of websites, messaging apps and social media platforms that refuse to cooperate with the authorities.Internet users have gotten used to circumventing the restrictions by using virtual private networks, or VPNs, even as the government has been actively blocking those, too.But last year, the restrictions reached a whole new level: sweeping shutdowns of cellphone internet connections - and sometimes broadband, too - leaving only a handful of websites and apps on government-approved white lists. Officials claimed the drastic measures were needed to thwart Ukrainian drones relying on Russian cellphone internet for navigation as Kyiv tries to strike back during Moscows 4-year-old full-scale invasion.But the shutdowns hit remote regions that have never been targeted by Ukraines drones, with ordinary people and businesses decrying the measures as detrimental.The Kremlin has gone after the countrys two most popular messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram while simultaneously promoting a state-backed national app called MAX, widely seen as a surveillance tool.At first, voice and video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram were blocked. Then, sending messages became effectively impossible, too, without using a VPN. Last week, Digital and Communications Minister Maksut Shadayev said his ministry received orders to further decrease the use of VPNs. Unconfirmed media reports said his ministry proposed a flurry of new measures against VPNs. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment sent by AP.Lawyer Sarkis Darbinyan, co-founder of the RKS Global digital rights group, told AP the goal of the authorities is to drive internet users into a digital ghetto of Russian, government-controlled apps and platforms.The internet is no longer this universal digital good, he said. Business leaders seek moderationIn recent weeks, a growing number of business leaders in Russia have voiced concern about the sweeping restrictions and urged authorities to take a more moderate approach.Alexander Shokhin, head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, told Putin at a recent forum of the group that cellphone internet shutdowns made life difficult for both businesses and citizens. Given the high level of mobile technology penetration in our lives, we hope that a systemic, balanced solution will be found, said Shokhin, a government minister in the 1990s and a member of the ruling United Russia party since the 2000s.Putin was onstage with Shokhin and spoke immediately after him but didnt address the issue.A similar plea came from CEOs of two of Russias four cellphone operators at a telecommunications conference last week. Sergei Anokhin of Beeline and Khachatur Pombukhchan of Megafon said that instead of cellphone internet shutdowns, operators could just identify suspicious users and restrict them, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.This would make life significantly easier for people, for clients, Pombukhchan said.Prominent IT entrepreneur Natalya Kasperskaya lambasted Roskomnadzor, blaming its intensifying efforts to block VPNs for a brief outage last weekend of banking and other services. Theres no technical way to block VPNs without disrupting the entire internet, she wrote in a post on Telegram. So, comrades, take screenshots of interesting websites, withdraw as much cash as possible, and get ready to listen to radio reports about foreign enemies who have blocked our once-beloved RuNet, referring to the Russian internet.Roskomnadzor denied involvement, and Kasperskaya later apologized in a separate post, but she called for dialogue between the authorities and the IT sector, stressing that technical decisions sometimes cause downright shock and a desire to at least get an explanation.Cautious steps toward protestActivists from Moscow to Vladivostok in the Far East have tried to organize rallies against internet restrictions since late February.Knowing that unauthorized demonstrations are harshly suppressed and government critics are routinely jailed, they acted cautiously and sought authorization for the gatherings in accordance with strict protest laws. In most cases, those were rejected, and some activists were even arrested on various charges.But people managed to hold small pickets in a few cities. In others, activists plastered flyers and banners on walls and public notice boards decrying the restrictions.Opposition politician Nadezhdin, his supporters and other activist groups have filed for permission to hold rallies in dozens of cities on April 12, when Russia marks Cosmonautics Day, honoring the 1961 flight of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space.Were filing for authorization (and saying) were marking Cosmonautics Day, Nadezhdin says with a subtle smile. Our slogans will be (about the fact that) cosmonautics is impossible without science, technology and progress, and progress, science and technology development is impossible without connectivity, without communication, without the internet.Nadezhdin says he is determined to increase pressure on authorities despite the crackdown. Public frustration over the restrictions is enormous, and people are ready to take part in protests that are authorized and safe, he added.Moscow-based opposition politician Yulia Galyamina echoed his sentiment in a video she recorded last weekend near the presidential administration, where she and others filed their formal complaints, saying the discontent is truly widespread.The more there is public outcry over the blocking of the internet, Telegram in particular, and depriving us of the possibility to communicate with each other, interact, express our political position, the bigger the effect will be, she said. DASHA LITVINOVA Litvinova is an Associated Press correspondent covering Russia, Belarus, Central Asia and the Caucasus. She is part of the team that covers the Russia-Ukraine war. She has covered Russia and the region for over a decade. twitter mailto

Geologist Tuomas Pere walks down a disposal tunnel inside the Posiva Onkalo nuclear waste repository on the island of Olkiluoto, Finland, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/James Brooks)2026-04-09T05:04:06Z OLKILUOTO, Finland (AP) With the push of a button, the elevator descends hundreds of meters in seconds into the dark depths of Onkalo.We are now at about minus 430 meters (1,411 feet), muttered geologist Tuomas Pere as he steered a car through a labyrinth of man-made tunnels. We are driving through 1.9-billion year old bedrock.After decades of construction, the worlds first facility for permanently disposing spent nuclear fuel is set to begin operations in Finland, becoming a final resting place for tons of dangerous radioactive waste.Construction of Onkalo which means cave in Finnish began on the west coast in 2004. It sits on the secluded island of Olkiluoto, in a dense wooded area. The closest town is Eurajoki, about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) inland, which is home to about 9,000 people. Many work at the nuclear power plant or storage facility. The 1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) project could soon become operational, with authorities expected to grant a license within months.The Associated Press took a tour of the facilities where humans soon will not be allowed to tread. Isolated from civilizationPere said the site near three of Finlands five nuclear reactors was chosen for its migmatite-gneiss bedrock, which is known for its high stability and low risk of earthquakes. Its the isolation from civilization and mankind on the surface thats important, he said, standing in a darkened disposal tunnel, soon to be sealed from humanity. We can dispose of the waste more safely than by storing it in facilities located on the ground.Using unmanned machinery at a nearby encapsulation plant, radioactive rods will be sealed in copper canisters and then buried deep in tunnels over 400 meters underground, then packed in with buffer layers of water-absorbing bentonite clay. Read More Posiva, the company responsible for the long-term management of Finlands spent nuclear fuels, says Onkalo can store 6,500 tons of spent nuclear fuel. The final disposal canisters are designed to remain sealed long enough for the radioactivity of spent fuel to decrease to a level not harmful to the environment, it said.The solution that we have, its the missing point for sustainable use of nuclear energy, said Posiva communications manager Pasi Tuohimaa.Finnish nuclear power companies are paying for the project, he said, adding that they have saved money for decades for that purpose. Posiva estimate it will take hundreds of thousands of years before the radioactivity falls to normal, background levels. According to a 2022 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, almost 400,000 tons of spent fuel have been produced globally since the 1950s, with two-thirds remaining in temporary storage and one third being recycled in a complex process. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. The worlds spent nuclear fuel is currently temporarily stored inside spent nuclear fuel pools at individual reactors and at dry cask storage sites above ground. There is currently no permanent underground disposal facility for commercial nuclear waste operational anywhere in the world. Sweden began building a repository in Forsmark about 150 kilometers north of Stockholm last year, but its not expected to open until the late 2030s. Frances Cigo project is yet to begin construction and has seen opposition.The Onkalo facility is expected to operate until the 2120s, when it will be permanently sealed. There are uncertaintiesBut Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, an American nonprofit organization, warned that geologic disposal of nuclear waste is still fraught with uncertainties.My view of nuclear waste disposal is that theres no good option, but its important to find the least bad option, and geologic disposal in general is going to be the least bad option among a range of, you know, bad options, he said. Lyman said that the copper canisters that contain the spent nuclear fuel will eventually corrode, adding that there are different scientific opinions about how fast that could happen.The hope is that is such a slow process that most of the radioactive material will have decayed away by then. But again, there are uncertainties, he said. Still, Lyman said that permanently storing spent nuclear fuel deep underground is better than leaving it on the surface of the Earth forever, because nuclear material kept above ground is vulnerable to sabotage.For many decades after spent fuel is discharged from a reactor, its so radioactive that it makes transporting and reprocessing very difficult, Lyman said. But eventually the main radioactive component will decay, he added, making it less risky to handle.So over time the plutonium becomes more accessible either to terrorists or to a country that may want to use it, he said, adding that the only way a terrorist -- or a state -- could theoretically use the material for a nuclear bomb would be if they had an off-site reprocessing capability. During reprocessing, spent nuclear fuel is separated to recover uranium and plutonium to recycle it for use in new fuel. The process also carries proliferation risks because the separated plutonium could potentially be diverted to build a nuclear weapon.Overall, the risks associated with nuclear waste repositories will mainly affect future generations, Lyman concluded.To deal with this challenge, an interdisciplinary field of study called nuclear semiotics has been established that looks into developing warning signs about nuclear waste repositories that can be understood by humans 10,000 years from now or much longer given that it takes hundreds of thousands of years before nuclear waste is no longer dangerous.For reference: the first humans lived around 300,000 years ago. The earliest writing system was developed in Mesopotamia roughly 5,200 to 5,400 years ago. Stonehenge in Britain is around 5,000 years old, while the Giza pyramids in Egypt are approximately 4,500 years old.Nuclear messageAustrian artist and inventor Martin Kunze has led an expert group on long-term information preservation at the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. He has developed a system that he calls the nuclear message crucial information for future generations that is printed on a solid ceramic plate below a hard glazed surface.Kunze said that the ceramic plates are inexpensive and very robust and should ideally be buried in large numbers in the area around the repository as well as inside the foundations of every house in the community. The goal should be to distribute as many ceramic plates in the area as possible.Finnish officials say the Onkalo nuclear repository reflects the countrys long-term approach to nuclear energy policy.A 1994 act required radioactive waste generated in Finland to be handled, stored and permanently disposed of within the countrys borders.Back then some of the waste was still exported, but we wanted to take care of it ourselves, said Sari Multala, Finlands environment minister. We also stick to the decisions, unlike many other countries.Multala did not rule out eventually accepting limited amounts of nuclear waste from other countries. In the small scale there could be some kind of possibilities, as long as it is allowed by the international regulators, she said.___Liechtenstein reported from Vienna. ___The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/ RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

American Electric Power's John Amos coal-fired power plant in Winfield, W.Va., stands across the Kanawha River, Sunday, March 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)2026-04-09T04:06:51Z RAINELLE, W.Va. (AP) Every month, Rebecca Michalski takes a deep breath before opening her electric bill. She lives on a fixed income, and heating her small house this winter has been staggering: Her February charge was $940.08 more than her check.It makes no sense. She turns the lights off during the day and only burns one lamp with an energy-efficient bulb in the living room at night, but she keeps falling further behind on payments. In desperation, she took out a loan after getting a cut-off notice during an extended arctic blast that kept the states heaters cranking when temperatures regularly dipped below zero. Every time you see that power bill, youre just sick, Michalski said, rifling through a stack of statements totaling thousands of dollars. I already know before I open it. I just dread seeing how much. Shes taken to social media, demanding answers alongside thousands of other West Virginians who have been posting screenshots of their monthly charges. They are angry and perplexed over soaring utility costs that are surpassing rents and mortgages in one of the most energy-rich, yet poorest, corners of America, where some families have been forced to choose between paying for food or heat. President Donald Trump, as part of his campaign pitch to make America affordable again, promised to cut Americans electricity bills by half during his first year to 18 months in the White House. And if it doesnt work out, youll say, Oh well, I voted for him, I still got them down a lot, he said. You will never have had energy so low as you will under a certain gentleman known as Donald J. Trump. Read More It hasnt worked out. Instead, electricity increased 4.8% in February nationwide and piped natural gas prices rose 10.9%, both compared with a year earlier, according to the Labor Departments Consumer Price Index. That surpassed inflation even before the attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel sent energy costs ballooning. Its becoming an increasingly aggravating issue for some voters. Rising electricity bills emerged as a campaign issue in recent elections, including during gubernatorial races won by Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia. Cost concerns are expected to surface during midterms this fall, and an analysis by the nonprofit PowerLines found residents are not likely to get a break any time soon because new gas and electricity rate hike requests could affect more than 80 million Americans. An AP-NORC poll conducted in March also found 35% of U.S. adults were extremely or very concerned about being able to afford electricity in the next few months. Rebecca Michalski pauses as she talks about electric bills she cannot pay while sitting next to her Chihuahua, Enos, at her home in Rainelle, W.Va., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Rebecca Michalski pauses as she talks about electric bills she cannot pay while sitting next to her Chihuahua, Enos, at her home in Rainelle, W.Va., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Its breaking me. And theres nothing that can be done for it, unless the president does something, Michalski said about her skyrocketing power bills, adding she no longer supports Trump. And I dont see him doing it. Hes had plenty of time.Increased demand, extreme weather and events, upgrading and maintaining aging infrastructure and rising natural gas prices are pushing electricity bills higher. Rising energy costs including gas pump sticker shock now topping an average $4 per gallon nationally could further be exacerbated by the war in Iran along with the Trump administrations push to export higher volumes of liquefied natural gas which, in turn, depletes domestic supply. Ratepayers are also wary as more power-gobbling data centers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing are being built or warmly embraced by politicians in places like West Virginia where residents deep in Trump country have gone from having the cheapest electricity rate nationwide in 2005, to experiencing one of the fastest increases in the country, far outpacing the national average, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. All in a place where people are living atop vast deposits of coal, oil and gas. King CoalCoal remains king here, but it wears a pricey crown. The state is an outlier nationwide because of its stubborn resistance to adopting cleaner, cheaper sources of energy, such as nuclear power, natural gas even though its one of the nations top producers and renewables like wind and solar. Instead, West Virginia clings to aging coal-fired electric plants more than anywhere else in the country about 87% of all production. Its supermajority Republican-led government there are only 11 Democrats in the House and Senate has doubled down on this reliance, blaming past Democratic administrations for a war on coal fueled by increased federal regulations and restrictions, while Trump poses for photo ops with coal miners at the White House and regularly touts beautiful, clean coal. Lowering electricity prices is a top priority for President Trump, said White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, blaming former President Joe Biden for the problem. He is aggressively unleashing reliable energy sources like coal and natural gas.Trump has forced unprofitable coal-powered plants to remain open, rolled back pollution standards for them and provided hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to improve them. Hes also streamlined permitting and regulations to push for mining expansion when coal mines have been shutting down in the state, including several operations this year that eliminated more than 700 jobs. American Electric Power's John Amos coal-fired power plant in Winfield, W.Va., stands across the Kanawha River, March 22, 2026. (AP Video/Carolyn Kaster) Have a news tip?Contact APs global investigative team at [emailprotected]. For secure and confidential communications, use the free Signal app +1 (202) 281-8604. If youre not 100% in on coal, then youre a traitor. Its like a measure of patriotism, said Jamie Van Nostrand, policy director at the nonprofit Future of Heat Initiative and a former West Virginia University professor who wrote a book about the states reliance on coal energy. I think if you went to the average West Virginian and said, Yeah, we understand you want to support the coal industry, but do you want to support it to the extent that youre OK paying twice as much as you should be for electricity? The states average household electricity rate per kilowatt-hour has surged 73%, natural gas has increased 51% per 1,000 cubic feet and water has risen 45% per 1,000 gallons from 2015 to 2025, according to West Virginias Public Service Commission, a three-member panel. It includes a former power company lobbyist and the former head of the state coal association appointed by the governor and charged with approving rate hikes. Even though monthly bills remain higher in other states, salaries in West Virginia have simply not kept pace its the only place in the country where the median inflation-adjusted household income was lower in 2023 than it was in 1970, according to the Urban Institute. That means residents are seeing larger chunks of their paychecks going to utilities compared to people in other places.Michalski, whos disabled and uses a walker to get around, said she tries not to run anything in her house that can suck electricity, including her air conditioning in summer. But she simply cant turn off the heater. During the past year, her statements totaled over $5,000. She asked family for help paying the bill this winter, but said shes now out of options. She knows whats next. They come and cut off your power. Then youre sitting in the dark. And I see that happening, she said. And I think for a lot of other people, its gonna happen too.It only makes the rich richer Ed Tierney, left, and David Horne, struggle to load an overloaded pallet onto a truck at they close up one of two JCD Bargain and Trade stores, to consolidate with the other location, in Ravenswood, W.Va., Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Ed Tierney, left, and David Horne, struggle to load an overloaded pallet onto a truck at they close up one of two JCD Bargain and Trade stores, to consolidate with the other location, in Ravenswood, W.Va., Friday, March 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Isolated by its beautiful, rugged mountains, West Virginia sits entirely within Appalachia and has long been listed at the bottom of a laundry list of failings, including poor health and a lack of education. Many residents from rural areas have lived on the same land for generations, watching a cycle of outside companies profit from extracting the states resources from timber to coal and oil and gas only to pollute and abandon communities afterward. Its people are known for being fiercely independent and proud despite their hardships, including a lack of clean drinking water that has persisted for decades in some areas, forcing residents in the southern coal fields to ferry jugs to and from roadside springs or abandoned mines while spending up to $250 a month for bottled water to cook with and drink. They also pay for public water piped into their homes that often runs black, yellow and brown. Some, including those living in scenic areas where tourism is a major revenue driver, are protesting Big Tech companies rushing to build enormous data centers, fearing they could lead to the next cycle of outsiders taking advantage of the states resources. They have been loud over a lack of public input and transparency around plans to build the complexes, questioning noise pollution, huge water consumption and the effect on ratepayers electricity prices. We just roll back regulations and we keep being promised that deregulating and privatizing our systems is gonna fix everything, and it never does, said Caitlin Ware, a pastor who advocates for clean water in southern West Virginia her thoughts briefly interrupted as the electricity abruptly went off in her Sandyville United Methodist Church. It only makes the rich richer, and it only puts us in a worse situation.In February, Gov. Patrick Morrisey proudly announced plans to build a data center on nearly 550 acres in Berkeley County.This $4 billion investment is a historic win that proves West Virginia can compete at the highest level for the global tech economy, he said in a statement. It did not explain where the water or electricity would come from to run the 600 megawatt, 1.9 million square foot facility.Morriseys office did not respond to a request for comment. Skyrocketing electricity costs and the growth of data centers, which can use enough power to run 100,000 homes, faced voter backlash in Georgia last fall where Democrats ousted two Republicans on the states utility regulatory commission for the first time in nearly two decades. Trump recently tried to ease Americans concerns by announcing a ratepayer protection pledge at the White House with Big Tech companies promising to bear the cost and produce their own energy, though its not clear how that would be enforced.The reasons behind nationwide utility price hikes are complex and vary among regions. They include adding new transmission, distribution lines and power poles; increased brutal high and low temperatures; extreme weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires; and volatility in fuel costs such as surging gas prices during the war in Ukraine.These all play a huge role in rising bills that have left some 80 million Americans struggling to pay their monthly gas and electric bills, said Charles Hua, founder of consumer advocacy organization PowerLines that found investor-owned gas and electric utility companies asked for nearly $31 billion in increases last year nationwide, double the amount requested a year earlier. He said utility costs have become the new affordability issue akin to soaring egg prices that previously enraged consumers, making it a possible player in this falls elections to control Congress. Electric bills have gone up 40% over the last five years, he said. This is likely to continue to rise. This is definitely something that the Trump administration and President Trump are very concerned about. Ashley Nicole Dixon looks through her truck for electric bills outside one of her homes in Danese, W.Va., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Ashley Nicole Dixon looks through her truck for electric bills outside one of her homes in Danese, W.Va., Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More In West Virginia, all 55 counties voted for Trump in 2024. But it was a Democratic stronghold for decades prior to the switch when coal mines were the lifeblood, and unions were virtually unbreakable. The state has struggled immensely under both parties: It has experienced a major brain drain, a devastating opioid epidemic, a growing elderly population and its coveted coal industry jobs have dried up with nothing to replace them. That leaves people who work minimum wage jobs, those on fixed incomes and even college-educated middle-class families with two paychecks being pushed to the breaking point with affordability issues, including rising car insurance, grocery bills, health care and housing.Ashley Nicole Dixon of Danese works as a manager at a Dollar General store and has a teenage daughter at home and another in college. She flipped through bills on her phone totaling more than $5,000 charged last year for electricity in her house thats just over 1,000 square feet, even though her air conditioner didnt work last summer. She voted for Trump, but said shes done with him because he and other Republican politicians in West Virginias Capitol arent looking out for her interests. I love West Virginia because its beautiful. But anymore, its just a sham from the local government all the way up to Charleston, she said, adding she believes the states Public Service Commission should be elected, and Trump should send her a check since he promised to cut electricity bills in half.I have no choice. It has to be paid, she said. And thats what makes me sick because now Im going to have to go take more money out of my savings account just to keep the lights on.Why is this so high?The coldest winter months were the hardest. Some people confined themselves to one room with small space heaters or used generators when they got behind on their electricity bills and were disconnected. Others were forced to choose between food, medicine and warmth, with some turning their thermostats down to 60 degrees and bundling up or coming out of retirement to take part-time jobs. For some, the spiral began in November when their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits were put on hold due to the federal government shutdown. United Ways Central West Virginia helpline saw more than a 1,300% increase during that time, and calls for help paying utilities were second only to housing last year. Retired railroad worker and Army veteran Charles Duke Hodge watches old Westerns with Sophie, one of his two Yorkies, in his home at the Olde Oak RV Park and Campground where he lives and works in West Columbia, W.Va., Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Retired railroad worker and Army veteran Charles Duke Hodge watches old Westerns with Sophie, one of his two Yorkies, in his home at the Olde Oak RV Park and Campground where he lives and works in West Columbia, W.Va., Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More More than one in three West Virginia households is considered energy burdened, spending more than 6% of their income on electricity and other fuel costs. Of those, about 20% are low-income residents who shoulder some of the highest energy costs in the state. Last year, Trump fired the staff of a federal program that assists millions of low-income Americans with heating bills in the winter and proposed eliminating all of its funding in his budget a move repeated this year. Congress allocated money for it, but billions of dollars were delayed due to the shutdown. However, many West Virginians falling behind on bills are not eligible to apply because they make just a little too much money. Jennifer Brown of Kingwood lands in that category. Shes employed at West Virginias federally funded Head Start program for low-income children and her husband is a postal worker. They have four kids and during the winter months, their combined utilities can climb to $1,000 a month, eclipsing their $798 mortgage. They were on a payment plan for their gas this winter after receiving a shut-off notice, and she said they were still paying off a water bill from their previous home. Every month we get our utility bills, Im so angry. Im like, Why is this so high? she said, adding its not unusual to pay $200 to $300 for electricity and the same for water, sewage and garbage combined every month. And we cant figure it out. Nothing seems to be wrong and were not wasteful. Bills introduced that would have temporarily frozen electricity rates in West Virginia or helped those who are most vulnerable went nowhere this year in the state legislature even though increased energy costs are often passed on to ratepayers. The Public Service Commission has approved a flurry of rate hikes in recent years as private utilities grapple with maintaining profits while improving infrastructure in a mountainous, sparsely populated state. The town of Ravenswood, W. Va. (AP Video/Jesse Wardarski) Its been a particularly tough burden for some small businesses to carry. In the western town of Ravenswood, just across the river from Ohio, some shop owners were forced to shut down this winter because they couldnt pay their electric bills.Heather Santee said the power at her bakery was abruptly terminated just ahead of Valentines Day. She was behind on her bill, but said she would have been able to pay the necessary chunk of the $4,000 she owed if she could have stayed open long enough to fulfill the holiday orders. Instead, the shut-off forced her out, leaving the tenants living in apartments upstairs without heat too. Once I started getting those high electric bills in the winter, I was like, This will be what closes me down, she said, adding the bakery was her dream and the loss has her thinking maybe it would be better to just leave the state altogether. West Virginia is holding back a lot of people because they are allowing these bills to be so high.Shes not alone. Just a couple blocks down the street, Anthony Crihfield Jones packed up his overstock retail shop, JCD Bargain and Trade, moving inventory to another warehouse because he can no longer afford to pay thousands of dollars in electricity charges for his home and businesses. Anthony Crihfield Jones wipes tears outside his JCD Bargain and Trade store near Ripley, W.Va., Friday, March 13, 2026, as he closed his other nearby location to consolidate his businesses under one roof due to high electric bills. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Anthony Crihfield Jones wipes tears outside his JCD Bargain and Trade store near Ripley, W.Va., Friday, March 13, 2026, as he closed his other nearby location to consolidate his businesses under one roof due to high electric bills. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Even though he still supports Trump, after leaving the Democrats to vote Republican, hes becoming increasingly concerned that neither party cares about struggling people in America. All I heard was Drill, baby, drill, he said, repeating Trumps popular catch phrase to encourage domestic energy production. OK. Well, theyre drillin. Whys my bill the same? -Contact APs global investigative team at [emailprotected] or https://www.ap.org/tips/. MARGIE MASON Mason is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and longtime foreign correspondent in Asia for The Associated Press. She focuses on human rights abuses and social justice issues.

A currency trader works near a screen showing international oil prices at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)2026-04-09T04:47:22Z HONG KONG (AP) Oil rose again to above $97 a barrel and Asian stocks were trading lower Thursday on skepticism over a fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.Investors were closely watching whether a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran was already slipping after a round of deadly Israeli strikes on Lebanon that killed and injured hundreds. Iran again closed the Strait of Hormuz, in response to the attacks in Lebanon.Tokyos Nikkei 225 dropped 0.9% to 55,824.30, while South Koreas Kospi lost 1.6% to 5,776.03. Hong Kongs Hang Seng fell 0.4% to 25,801.87. The Shanghai Composite index was down 0.7% to 3,965.70.Australias S&P/ASX 200 edged down 0.1%, while Taiwans Taiex was also 0.1% lower.U.S. futures were down more than 0.1%.Oil prices were up Thursday, reversing an earlier plunge on optimism over the temporary ceasefire agreement. Brent crude, the international standard, was up 2.4% to $97.02 per barrel. It previously fell briefly to below $92 a barrel following the temporary ceasefire announcement. Benchmark U.S. crude was 3.3% higher on Thursday at $97.50 a barrel. Uncertainties over global energy supply remained. The Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for energy transport where a fifth of the worlds oil typically passes, was largely closed even though the U.S. repeatedly demanded that the strait must be reopened.Talks to pursue a permanent end to the war could be taking place as soon as Friday in Pakistan, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to be leading the negotiating team for the United States. Read More Wall Street closed higher Wednesday following U.S. President Donald Trumps announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran late Tuesday.The S&P 500 jumped 2.5% to 6,782.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.9% to 47,909.92. The Nasdaq composite was up 2.8% to 22,635.00.Following renewed hopes over deescalation of the war, shares of United Airlines surged 7.9% on Wednesday, American Airlines was up 5.6%, while cruise ship operator Carnival jumped 11.2%, trimming losses since the Iran war began on concerns over rising fuel costs. In other dealings, gold and silver prices fell. Golds price dropped 0.7% to $4,743.20 an ounce. The price of silver fell 1.6% to $74.18 per ounce.The U.S. dollar rose to 158.66 Japanese yen from 158.57 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1668, up from $1.1663.___AP journalists Stan Choe and Aniruddha Ghosal contributed to this report. CHAN HO-HIM Chan writes about business and economy in China for The Associated Press, reporting on key sectors of the worlds second-largest economy from trade and technology to autos. He is based in Hong Kong. mailto

Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis., a candidate for Wisconsin governor, speaks during a news conference Wednesday, April 8, 2026, about what the GOP needs to do in November after big defeats in the spring election, outside of the state Capitol in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)2026-04-09T04:08:16Z MADISON, Wisc. (AP) The bluntest assessment of Republican failures during this weeks elections in Wisconsin came from one of their own.We got our butts kicked, said U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is running for governor.He was referring to Democratic victories in campaigns for the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the mayors office in Waukesha, a conservative suburb outside of Milwaukee. But some Republicans were also rattled by a Georgia special election, where their candidate to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress won by a much slimmer margin than the party enjoyed in the past.Taken together, the swings from red to blue added more data points to an increasingly clear picture of Democratic momentum heading into the November midterms, when control of the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and state governments around the country are up for grabs. In rural, urban, red, blue, Democrats have overperformed everywhere, said Jared Leopold, a Democratic consultant whose clients include Keisha Lance Bottoms, a candidate for Georgia governor. That is a significant canary in the coal mine about what November of 26 is going to look like. Some Republicans insisted there was no need to panic, and their fundraising remains stronger than Democrats. Stephen Lawson, a Georgia strategist, said the sky is not falling. But he also said his party is running behind where it has been in the past, and Republicans need to be looking at these results carefully. Read More A red alarm for RepublicansSpecial elections can be notoriously unreliable as political benchmarks, but Democrats have consistently demonstrated surprising strength. They flipped a Texas state Senate district. They won a Florida state House seat in a district that includes President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach.Then they gained ground on Tuesday in the race to replace Greene, who resigned from Congress in January after a falling out with Trump. Clay Fuller, the Republican candidate, prevailed by 12 points. Two years ago, Greene won by 29 points and Trump carried the district by almost 37 points. Thats a red alarm for Republicans, said Democratic strategist Meredith Brasher. Fuller defeated Shawn Harris, who plans to challenge him again in November.Jackie Harling, the districts Republican chairwoman, said she believed that Greenes resignation energized Democrats while her party is suffering from election fatigue.Marjorie Taylor Greene was like a freight train that you couldnt stop, and when she pulled out, it gave Democrats hope and it gave them a shot at winning something they believed was unwinnable, Harling said. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Slightly bluer side of purpleGeorgia has key races this year, including an open contest for the governors office. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, is trying to defend his seat as well. Theres reason to think that simmering discontent could boomerang back on Republicans just two years after Trump harnessed voters anger with his comeback presidential campaign.In November, Democrats defeated two Republican incumbents in statewide races for seats on the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities. Rising electricity rates have been a fault line in recent campaigns, especially as enormous data centers are built to power artificial intelligence. But Georgia Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey is trying to maintain modest expectations.We could cement ourselves, put ourselves, on the slightly bluer side of purple, he said. Were not going to overnight turn into Colorado.A very clear sign of momentumWisconsin holds statewide elections for supreme court seats, and liberals expanded their majority with a 20-point blowout victory on Tuesday.Democrats saw gains in red, blue and purple counties when compared to another judicial race last year, which was also won by the liberal candidate. This to me was a very clear sign of momentum and enthusiasm for Democrats in the fall, said Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Devin Remiker. The state has its own open race for governor this year, and Democrats are hoping to take control of the state legislature and oust Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden. Its time for us to put this thing in overdrive, said Mandela Barnes, a Democratic former lieutenant governor who is running for governor. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, another Democratic candidate for governor, said its clear that people are really upset with the Republican Party and their brand right now.But that doesnt mean that theyre automatically going to come over to the Democrats, Crowley said. And thats why we have to continue to focus on the issues and speak to the values of all the voters here in the state of Wisconsin. A lot of anxietyTiffany, the Republican candidate for governor in Wisconsin, cautioned against reading too much into Tuesdays results.He said every election is unique, and he wasnt making any changes to his campaign. He said the key to winning will be to paint that clear contrast of how we are going to help everyday Wisconsinites.But Democrats seemed to be making inroads, including in Waukesha. The city is located outside of Milwaukee in the Republican stronghold of Waukesha County.Democrat Alicia Halvensleben, president of the citys Common Council, defeated Republican Scott Allen, one of the most conservative members of the state Assembly.She said Trump came up a lot when she was campaigning, although she thinks her victory came down to local issues and how the state legislature wasnt addressing them. Theres so much uncertainty at the national level, Halvensleben said. I think that level of uncertainty is causing people a lot of anxiety, all the way down to the local level.___Amy reported from Atlanta and Cooper reported from Phoenix. SCOTT BAUER Bauer is the APs Statehouse reporter covering politics and state government in Madison, Wisconsin. He also writes music reviews. twitter mailto JEFF AMY Amy covers Georgia politics and state government for The Associated Press. He began work with the AP in 2011 and covered Mississippi for eight years before transferring to the Atlanta bureau in 2019. twitter JONATHAN J. COOPER Cooper is a national politics reporter based in Phoenix. He previously covered news and politics in Arizona, California and Oregon. mailto

Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania, speaks during the National Action Network (NAN) Convention in New York, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)2026-04-09T04:14:58Z NEW YORK (AP) The Democratic Partys most ambitious politicians are courting African American activists in New York this week as the partys unofficial 2028 presidential nomination contest takes shape at an annual conference led by Rev. Al Sharpton.Up first was Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who warned that everyone is less safe because of President Donald Trumps leadership and blamed him for a nationwide surge in antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and bigotry.Theres more chaos, theres more cruelty in our world, Shapiro said. Even if we disagree on health care policy or tax policy or whatever, we should at least, at a baseline, have an honorable president of the United States. We do not have that right now.The Democratic governor, already considered a top-tier 2028 presidential prospect with a clear path to reelection in his battleground state this year, delivered a scathing criticism of the Republican president on the opening day of the National Action Networks four-day conference. More than a half-dozen potential candidates are speaking here to make inroads among Black leaders, one of Democrats most powerful voting blocs. The presidential primary is already underwayThe presidential primary season wont begin in earnest until after Novembers midterm elections, but this weeks conference is showcasing a collection of Democrats already jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded primary fight.For now, at least, there is no clear early favorite. Everybodys talking about who may run for president, said Sharpton, the National Action Networks founder and president. I want to first know what their vision is now, and what theyre doing now. So Ive invited all of the people that could run. In addition to Shapiro, the speaking program features Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, and Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. Read More Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the last Democratic presidential nominee, is also scheduled to speak. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, another likely contender, wont be in attendance because of a previously scheduled family commitment, his team said, noting that he met with Sharpton earlier in the year. Black voters have critical influenceOne doesnt have to look far to see the outsized influence that Black voters wield in Democratic nomination contests.In 2020, Buttigieg was a top vote-getter in the Iowa caucus and scored a strong second place in New Hampshire both overwhelmingly white states before Joe Biden dominated South Carolina on the strength of the Black vote. Bidens long-established relationship with the African American community, backed by his perceived electability advantage, ultimately helped him beat back a strong push by progressive favorite Sen. Bernie Sanders. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. All of the 2028 prospects are quick to criticize Trump, although there is broad agreement that Democrats also need to highlight what they stand for instead of solely what theyre against. The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the conference. Khanna, a Sanders ally who also addressed activists on Wednesday, told The Associated Press that progressive candidates in 2028 could make greater inroads with Black voters by speaking to the Civil Rights tradition and offering a vision rooted in Black history.A 2028 contender needs to articulate and run on a new moral vision for America, Khanna said. Any presidential candidates platform, he added, must be as much inspired by the greats of Douglass and King referring to abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. while offering a new vision for racial justice, economic justice, peace in the world, against militarism, against racism, against wealth inequality.Shapiro, who was a finalist in Harris search for a running mate in 2024, highlighted both his electability and his commitment to African American priorities while on stage.He described Pennsylvania as the ultimate swing state, while defending diversity, equity and inclusion programs and insisting that police must be held to account if they do something wrong. He also went after Trump again and again, suggesting that the looming midterm elections should be a national referendum on Donald Trump and on what is happening in Washington, D.C. Ashley Sharpton, Rev. Sharptons youngest daughter, said she was surprised by the audiences enthusiasm and engagement while Shapiro and Khanna were on stage on the conferences first day. She said shes looking forward to hearing from Moore, Harris and Buttigieg.Thats why people come, she said. They want to get some of that energy, that consistency, that base. MATT BROWN Brown covers national politics, federal policy and democracy issues for The Associated Press. twitter instagram mailto

Rex A. Heuermann, center, pleads guilty to murdering seven women and admitted he killed an eighth in a string of long-unsolved crimes known as the Gilgo Beach killings, at a court hearing in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, N.Y., Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (James Carbone/Newsday via AP, Pool)2026-04-09T04:09:42Z RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) A Long Island man who carried out a series of murders known as the Gilgo Beach killings pleaded guilty to murder charges this week, bringing finality to the long-unsolved case more than 30 years after the first killing.Rex Heuermann, an architect who led a secret life as a serial killer, pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of intentional murder in the killings of seven women between 1993 and 2010. Heuermann, 62, appeared unemotional and did not look back at the packed gallery of victims relatives as he entered the pleas and also admitted to killing an eighth woman. He will be sentenced in June to life in prison without the possibility of parole.Here are some key takeaways from the case: Heuermann admits to an 8th killing The discovery of numerous sets of human remains along Long Islands South Shore beginning in late 2010 set off a search for a potential serial killer that drew global interest. Families of the victims grew doubtful that their killer would ever be caught as the investigation dragged on for more than a decade. Heuermann was arrested in 2023 after a DNA match.He admitted Wednesday that he strangled eight female victims and dismembered some of them before dumping their bodies along remote stretches of New York coastline. Many of his victims were sex workers. Heuermann admitted that he killed Karen Vergata in 1996, although he hasnt been charged in her death. Remains of six victims Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor and Megan Waterman were found along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. The remains of another, Sandra Costilla, were found more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) away in the Hamptons. Vergatas remains were found on Fire Island, more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) west, in 1996, and then near Gilgo Beach in 2011. Read More DNA lifted from discarded pizza crustDetectives identified Heuermann as a suspect in 2022 using a vehicle registration database to connect him to a pickup truck that a witness had reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.Police pulled cellphone data that showed Heuermann was in contact with some victims just before they disappeared, investigators said. His internet search history also showed a keen interest in the Gilgo Beach killings.A surveillance team tailed him in Manhattan, where he worked, and watched as he discarded a box of partially eaten pizza crusts into a sidewalk garbage can. They rushed to grab the box and sent it to the crime lab, which matched the DNA from a hair found on burlap used to restrain one of the victims. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney described Wednesday how investigators worked to keep the probe quiet so as not to let Heuermann know they were onto him. We wanted the one person who mattered, the murderer, to think its business as usual, Tierney said.As part of his guilty plea, Heuermann agreed to cooperate fully with the FBIs behavioral analysis unit to help catch other serial killers. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Victims families express reliefSeveral family members of the victims were present in court Wednesday, and some wept as Heuermann detailed the murders.Among them was Taylors mother, Elizabeth Baczkiel. Her 20-year-old daughter was living in Manhattan when she went missing in 2003. Taylors remains were discovered later that year, 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of Gilgo Beach in Manorville.I am glad that this is over as far as him pleading guilty, Baczkiel said. It took a big chunk of stress off of me and my family. Melissa Cann, the sister of victim Brainard-Barnes, said she was grateful to finally get justice for her sister, whose body was found in 2010.This has been a long journey of hope hope that one day we would stand here and say her name with justice beside it, Cann said at a news conference after the hearing. Today, that long, painful journey brings us to this moment.Heuermanns ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and their daughter were also in court as he entered the guilty pleas. Ellerup said her thoughts were with the victims families and she asked for privacy for her own family. Ellerup and her daughter, Victoria, had no knowledge of or involvement in the killings, said their lawyer, Robert Macedonio.___Associated Press writer Hannah Schoenbaum contributed from Salt Lake City. MICHAEL R. SISAK Sisak is an Associated Press reporter covering law enforcement, courts and prisons. He is based in New York. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Activist Patrick Dattilio stands in front of a proposed ICE detention center in Williamsport, Md., Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)2026-04-09T04:10:10Z HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) Horns blared and protesters screamed Stop ICE! outside a meeting on the western edge of Maryland where county officials were discussing mundane issues like the solid waste budget. Its been like this ever since the Department of Homeland Security bought an 825,000-square-foot (76,645-square-meter) building in Washington County as part of a plan to transform warehouses across the U.S. into detention facilities for tens of thousands of immigrants.This is a facility built for packages, not people, Patrick Dattilio, the founder of an anti- Immigration and Customs Enforcement group called Hagerstown Rapid Response, said as he stood outside the county commission meeting. The federal government has faced fierce opposition in communities where it spent a total of $1.074 billion for 11 warehouses under a plan that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is reviewing. Washington County is the most welcoming community a place where officials said they supported ICE, albeit amid whistles and jeers. The processing center there was supposed to be one of the first to open in a facilities project hatched under Mullins predecessor, Kristi Noem. But now DHS plan for the Washington County building is paused mired in a court battle like some of the other warehouse-to-detention projects across the U.S. Questions swirl about whether Mullin will move ahead with the facilities project or chart another course as he pursues President Donald Trumps mass deportation agenda. County commissioners proclaimed their unwavering support for ICEThe sprawling blue-and-white warehouse in Washington County has been the subject of intense debate in part because of the way commissioners voiced their support for ICE.While repeatedly insisting that their hands were tied because the federal government already bought the building, the commissioners also approved a proclamation during their Feb. 10 meeting declaring their unwavering support for DHS and ICE.The proclamation, which didnt specifically mention the warehouse purchase, was met with so much booing and yelling that the commission president cleared the room. Read More The county wanted something, too. It forwarded the proclamation to Noem the next day in an email identifying hundreds of millions of dollars worth of sewer, airport and highway upgrades that it said were needed, according to a public records request received by local resident Ethan Wechtaluk, whos running for Congress in the district that includes the warehouse. ICE, flush with cash from a massive congressional appropriation, has since signed a contract worth $113 million to renovate the building for 500 to 1,500 detainees, but a judge temporarily halted work after Marylands attorney general sued. A hearing is scheduled for April 15. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. County commissioners did not respond to email or telephone requests for comment. County administrator Michelle Gordon in a statement said the commissioners were declining all interview requests.Many residents of the county a place Civil War buffs come to visit the Antietam battlefield before making their way to nearby Gettysburg are outraged both because they have moral objections to the facility and because they didnt find out about the purchase beforehand. We have had no voice in this, Carroll Sager said over the din of protesters and honking cars. Behind her, the sheriffs department had cordoned off part of the county building with crime scene tape to deter protesters. Two deputies watched the demonstrators.During the meeting, Sager sat quietly, holding a sign that read: Disenfranchised in Washington County. Other communities across the US have also balked at DHS plansThe pushback in other communities has included a New Jersey lawsuit that alleges an utter lack of communication and a lawsuit in Michigan questioning why DHS didnt look at using empty state prisons. Officials in Salt Lake City and Pennsylvania have threatened to withhold or limit water. In Georgia, the town of Social Circle placed a lock on the water meter at a warehouse DHS purchased.Meanwhile, questions also have come up about how much DHS paid for some warehouses. It paid double what the New Jersey warehouse was valued at in tax records and nearly five times more than the assessed value of the Social Circle warehouse. Mullin was pressed during his confirmation hearing about whether he would continue Noems policy of turning these warehouses into detention facilities. Without committing to anything, Mullin said the department wanted to be good partners with communities.Days after he was sworn in, DHS paused the purchase of new warehouses intended to house immigrants. Its scrutinizing all contracts signed under Noem.The federal government also said in a recent court filing in Marylands lawsuit that ICE is reconsidering the plans and scope of the warehouse.Asked whether any changes were afoot for the Maryland facility, DHS said in a statement: As with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals. Washington County residents are waiting to see what happens The plan was to turn the Maryland warehouse into an ICE processing facility that would hold recently arrested immigrants before they go to other facilities for long-term detention.ICE officials have said the Washington County warehouse would serve the Baltimore ICE offices needs for detention space. State lawmakers have expressed concerns about the George H. Fallon Federal Building that houses ICE detainees in downtown Baltimore in part because a bacteria that causes Legionnaires disease was found in the water.Activists and people who live near the Washington County warehouse are watching.For nearly three decades Nica Sutch has had a home in the rolling hills of western Maryland, where she raised children and entertained grandchildren. When the warehouse was built a few years ago to meet the demand for distribution centers, fueled by a growth in online shopping, she rationalized that it could be an economic boon for the region. Now that ICE has purchased the building, shes eyeing a move.I love the area, she said during an interview in her backyard. I love everything. This has been my home for 28 years.__Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, Missouri. REBECCA SANTANA Santana covers the Department of Homeland Security for The Associated Press. She has extensive experience reporting in such places as Russia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. twitter mailto HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Hollingsworth has worked for The AP for 25 years, covering stories of interest in the Midwest and beyond. She is based in Kansas City, Missouri. twitter mailto

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, shake hands during a Day of Friendship event in Budapest, Hungary Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP)2026-04-09T04:02:59Z BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) When President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year, he was eager to pick up where he left off by strengthening ties with Europes right wing. But now many of those same factions are expressing open revulsion at the Iran war, rupturing relationships that were supposed to usher in a new international order. Although Vice President JD Vance campaigned for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn this week, such a display has become the exception rather than the rule among conservatives and far-right leaders in Europe.Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni refused to let the United States use an air base in Sicily to launch attacks on Iran. Frances National Rally leader Marine Le Pen described his war goals as erratic. And the head of Germanys Alternative for Germany party called for American troops to leave their bases in the country. Even with a fragile ceasefire in place with Iran, Trumps support for Orbn may not work out for the autocratic Hungarian leader, who faces a tough election this weekend. Hes long been an icon for the global right and many American conservatives who have hoped the Trump administration could replicate the Hungarian leaders effort to choke off immigration and restructure government to ensure his Fidesz party stays in power. That longstanding connection could insulate Orbn from some of the anti-Trump blowback rattling the rest of Europe, but thats not guaranteed, said Charles Kupchan, a professor of international relations at Georgetown University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Getting a blessing from Donald Trump is now a mixed blessing, he said. Read More Iran adds to friction over GreenlandThe backlash over the war follows European broad revulsion at Trumps threats earlier this year against NATO ally Denmark over his demand that the country give Greenland to the United States.Trump tied the two issues together on Wednesday, complaining that NATO didnt help more in recent weeks.NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN, he wrote on social media. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!Daniel Baer, a former ambassador and State Department official in President Barack Obamas administration, said the latest round of tension with Europes far right shows the limits of Trumps hope of helping nationalist leaders worldwide. Building some sort of international coalition around national chauvinism is very difficult, said Baer, now with the Carnegie Endowment for Peace. Its clear the majority of people in these countries, if not anti-American, have turned anti-Trump. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Orbn has stood out for not shifting with the anti-Trump political tide in Europe. In an interview with conservative British broadcaster GB News last month, Orbn argued that when it came to the war with Iran, the question is whether (Trump) has started a war or a peace.It hasnt (been) decided yet, historians will make a decision on that, Orbn said. I think we need some time to understand whether we are moving to the peace by these strikes, or just the opposite. Its too early to say. Orbns caution toward raising any critical word toward Trump goes beyond shared ideology. The Hungarian leader has for years sought to convince voters that his close ties with Trump as well as with other global figures such as Russian President Vladimir Putin make him uniquely suited to represent Hungarys interests abroad.Consequently, he has played up Trumps praise of him to his base, and campaigned for reelection by assuring Hungarians that his alliance with Trumps administration is a guarantee of security and prosperity. Orbn risks backlash with Trump tiesOrbn reveled in the attention from Vance this week. The vice president slammed Orbn critics in the European Union for what he called foreign interference in the election, even as he stumped for the Hungarian leader. On Wednesday, Vance briefly discussed what he called a fragile truce in the Iran war during an appearance at an elite higher education institution in Hungary, which has received generous funding from Orbns government and is run by the prime ministers political director. Vance praised the school for being an institution that tries to build up the foundations of Western civilization. The Trump administration has tried to exert more influence over elite universities in the U.S., echoing Orbns agenda in Hungary.Some analysts are unconvinced of Orbns strategy, noting that perceptions of the current U.S. administration have been turning more negative even in Hungary. Vances visit could have the opposite effect on Orbns popularity than the one intended, said Mario Bikarsku, senior Europe analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.Kupchan said most European far-right parties have established political staying power independent of any American influence, and may not have an incentive to go along with Trumps agenda. Trumps effort to create a transnational movement of far-right populists may affect the margins, but the main reason youre seeing Reform U.K. and AfD and National Rally and other far-right parties prosper has little to do with Trump and more to do with national factors, he said.Part of that is a global backlash against any party in power. In Europe, thats mainly benefited the out-of-power far-right. But in Hungary, thats put Orbns future in jeopardy hes been in power for 16 years.Were living in an age, Kupchan said, where being an incumbent sucks.___Riccardi reported from Denver. JUSTIN SPIKE Spike is an Associated Press reporter based in Budapest, Hungary. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site