Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the men's race of the Paris marathon, in Paris, Sunday, April 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)2026-04-12T09:30:43Z PARIS (AP) Italys Yemaneberhan Crippa was the fastest of nearly 60,000 runners in the Paris Marathon on Sunday, while Shure Demise of Ethiopia smashed a course record to win the womens race.Demise ran the 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) through the French capital in a personal-best time of 2 hours, 18 minutes and 34 seconds, shaving more than a minute off the previous womens fastest time in Paris.The 30-year-old Demise reached the finish on Avenue Foch opposite the Arc de Triomphe ahead of compatriot Misgane Alemayehu (2:19:08) and Kenyas Magdalyne Masai (2:19:17).The Ethiopian-born Crippa finished in 2:05:18, five seconds ahead of Bayelign Teshager of Ethiopia and 10 ahead of Sila Kiptoo of Ethiopia.___AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

In this photo provided by the U.S. Navy, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) conducts routine underway operations while transiting through the Taiwan Strait, May 8, 2024. (Mass Communication Specialist 3rd class Ismael Martinez/U.S. Navy via AP, File)2026-04-12T04:02:18Z WASHINGTON (AP) In 2011, President Barack Obama declared it was time for America to leave behind the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and pivot to Asia to counter the rise of China. Fifteen years later, the U.S. finds itself still at war in the Middle East and has pulled military assets from the Asia-Pacific as it aims to eliminate the threat posed by Irans nuclear and missile programs. The demands of the Iran war also caused President Donald Trump to delay by several weeks his highly anticipated trip to China, deepening worries that the U.S. is once again getting distracted at the cost of its strategic interests in Asia, where Beijing seeks to unseat the U.S. as the regional leader.Those skeptical of the U.S. involvement in the Middle East say the war is preventing Trump from adequately preparing for his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping next month, when economic interests are on the line, and they warn that a failure to focus on Asia and maintain strong deterrence could lead to greater instability, if China should believe the time is ripe to seize the self-governed island of Taiwan. This is precisely the wrong time for the United States to turn away and be sucked into another intractable Middle East conflict, said Danny Russel, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Rebalancing to Asia is highly relevant to Americas national interests, but it has been undercut by many bad decisions. Others defend the presidents approach, arguing that the forceful steps he is taking elsewhere, including in Venezuela and Iran, serve to counter China globally. Read More Beijing is the chief sponsor for the adversaries that President Trump is dealing with sequentially, and its wise to do this sequentially, Matt Pottinger, who served as a deputy national security adviser in the first Trump administration, said in a recent podcast. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also said conflicts may not be confined to a single theater, suggesting that China could call upon its junior partners elsewhere to divert U.S. attention if it should move against Taiwan.Most likely it will not be limited, something in the Indo-Pacific to the Indo-Pacific, Rutte said, speaking Thursday at the Ronald Reagan Institute in Washington. It will be a multi-theater issue.Repercussions in Asia of the Iran warSen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently led a bipartisan group of senators to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, where they heard concerns about the impact of the war on energy costs and about the departure of U.S. military assets, including missile defense systems from South Korea and a rapid-response Marine unit from Japan.She sought to reassure them of the U.S. commitment to deterring conflicts in Asia and shoring up regional stability.Failure is not an option, Shaheen told The Associated Press after returning from Asia. We know China has already said they intend to take Taiwan by force if they need to, and theyre on an expedited time schedule. And we also know that what happened in Europe, in the war in Ukraine, in the Middle East is affecting those calculations. Kurt Campbell, who served as deputy secretary of state in the Biden administration, said hes worried that the military capabilities that the U.S. had patiently accumulated in the Indo-Pacific region might not return in full even after the Iran war ends.The longer the conflict goes on, the more it will pull resources and focus away from Asia, said Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who studies the U.S. strategy in Asia. He added that future arms sales to the region also will be negatively affected.The United States has expended substantial numbers of munitions in the Middle East and will have to keep an increased force presence there, some of which has been redirected from Asia, Cooper said. Meanwhile, Xi Jinpings wisdom in preparing a war time economy by stockpiling and adding alternate energy sources has shown itself to be beneficial. Shaheen said the U.S. defense industry will struggle to meet the demand to replenish the weapons stockpile. Were working on a number of strategies to improve that, but at this point, timelines for weapons delivery are slipping, she said. The senator from New Hampshire said shes encouraged that Taiwan, Japan and South Korea are stepping up their own defense.After 15 years and 3 presidents, pivot to Asia remains elusiveObamas strategic rebalance to Asia reflected his understanding that the U.S. must be a player in the Pacific to harness the regions growth and ensure continued U.S. leadership in the face of Chinas rising influence. After a decade in which we fought two wars that cost us dearly, in blood and treasure, the United States is turning our attention to the vast potential of the Asia-Pacific region, Obama said in a speech to the Australian Parliament. So make no mistake, the tide of war is receding, and America is looking ahead to the future that we must build. But the strategy was set back when a proposed trade agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership with key U.S. regional partners failed to get through the U.S. Senate. After Trump first took office in 2017, he withdrew the U.S. from the partnership and launched a tariff war with China. His Democratic successor, Joe Biden, kept Trumps tariffs on China and tightened export controls on advanced technology, while strengthening regional alliances to counter China.Middle East again grabs US attentionBy the time Trump rolled out his national security strategy in late 2025, the U.S. strategy in Asia had been narrowed to military deterrence in the Taiwan Strait and the First Island Chain, a string of U.S.-aligned islands off Chinas coast that restrict its access to the Western Pacific.The national security document says its in the economic interest of the U.S. to secure access to advanced chips, which are sourced primarily from Taiwan and are needed to power everything from computers to missiles, and to protect shipping lanes in the South China Sea. Hence deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority, the document says. We will build a military capable of denying aggression anywhere in the First Island Chain.The Middle East, it says, should be getting less attention: As this administration rescinds or eases restrictive energy policies and American energy production ramps up, Americas historic reason for focusing on the Middle East will recede.Then came the Iran war.___AP writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report. DIDI TANG Tang joined the AP Washington bureau in 2023 after spending 11 years in Beijing as a China correspondent. She covers anything related to the Indo-Pacific region with a focus on U.S.-China competitions mailto

President Donald Trump speaks about the economy during an event at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)2026-04-12T04:02:49Z As the tax-filing deadline nears, millions of Americans are expected to claim new federal income tax breaks for tips and overtime wages available for the first time under a wide-ranging tax law enacted by President Donald Trump. But many people wont get those same deductions when they fill out their state income tax forms. That is because it is up to each state to decide whether to match federal tax changes, and many have decided not to do so.In states that dont conform to the federal tax changes, workers who receive a federal tax deduction for tips or overtime still will owe state taxes on those earnings. The tax-filing deadline is Wednesday for the federal government and most states. Here is what to know about state income tax rates and deductions: 41 states tax wages and salariesIn most states, individuals must fill out two separate tax forms. First, the federal income tax form. Then a state income tax form. The order matters, because most states use figures from the federal tax form as the starting point for their state tax calculations. No income tax is levied in eight states Alaska, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming. Washington state taxes income from capital gains but not wages and salaries. Missouri taxes income from wages and salaries but not capital gains. Most states still tax tips and overtime wagesOnly about a half-dozen states are mirroring Trumps law by offering tax breaks on tips and overtime wages or for loan interest on new vehicles assembled in the U.S. All three of those tax deductions are available to state income taxpayers in Idaho, Iowa, Montana, North Dakota and Oregon. Colorado offers the tips and auto loan deductions but not the overtime tax break. Alabama offers only the auto loan deduction.Laws in several states automatically apply federal tax changes to state income taxes unless the governor and lawmakers opt out like Colorado officials did on the overtime tax deduction. But in most states, the tax breaks are available only if officials updated their state laws, like they did in Idaho. Arizona is an oddity on tax deductionsState income tax forms in Arizona list tax deductions for tips, overtime, auto loans and older residents based on a November executive order from Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. She assumed the Republican-led Legislature would later pass a bill putting the tax breaks into state law. But Arizona law remains unchanged. Hobbs vetoed two tax-break bills because she objected to provisions that also would have adopted Trumps corporate tax breaks. And lawmakers have not passed a third attempt. Its an extraordinarily unusual situation, said Adam Chodorow, a law professor at Arizona State University who specializes in tax law. Read More We will likely have lots of people deducting tips and overtime wages who arent legally entitled to do so, he said. But they are being instructed by the state government to take those deductions.It is possible that Arizona still could enact a law officially allowing the deductions; it could even be done retroactively, after the tax-filing deadline. Tax breaks got scuttled in two statesTipped workers and overtime earners almost got tax breaks this year in some additional states. South Carolina extended its deadline to file for tax refunds to Oct. 15 to allow time for the Republican-led Legislature to opt in to the federal tax deductions. Legislation to do so passed the House but got defeated in the state Senate. Wisconsins Republican-led Legislature passed bills to allow the tips and overtime deductions. But Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed them on April 3. 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. Residents in some states must wait for tax breaksOfficials in Georgia, Indiana and Michigan have enacted laws allowing tax deductions for tips and overtime wages starting with the 2026 tax year. That means they arent available for people currently filing their 2025 tax returns. Oregon, meanwhile, could move the other direction. Legislation pending before Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek would stop offering the auto loan deduction and some corporate tax breaks for the 2026 tax year. Other states could still opt in or out of the tax deductions for their 2026 taxes. 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

This photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey looks up Tracy Arm fjord to the terminus of the South Sawyer Glacier about 80 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska, on Aug. 13, 2025, days after a landslide in the area. (John Lyons/U.S. Geological Survey via AP)2026-04-12T04:03:56Z JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) For years, a popular part of many cruises in southeast Alaska has been sailing up Tracy Arm, a long, narrow fjord marked by steep mountains, glittering waterfalls and calving glaciers.But this season, major cruise lines are skipping it. A massive landslide last summer sent parts of a glacier crashing into the water, generated a tsunami and pushed a wave high up the opposite mountain wall. Several companies opting out cited safety concerns with the still-hazardous slopes.Tracy Arm is the majestic princess, you know, she is the queen of fjords, said travel agent Nate Vallier. The destination cruise and tour companies have chosen as an alternative nearby Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier is still beautiful by any means, but its just not the same, he said. Passengers stream off the Norwegian Bliss after the vessel arrived, in Juneau, Alaska, April 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File) Passengers stream off the Norwegian Bliss after the vessel arrived, in Juneau, Alaska, April 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File) 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 Tracy Arm, southeast of Juneau, is a roughly 30-mile (50-kilometer) fjord that features two tidewater glaciers the North and South Sawyer and wildlife, including seals and bears. Early on Aug. 10, 2025, a landslide originating high on a slope above the toe of the South Sawyer, near the head of the fjord, sent water surging more than a quarter mile (more than half a kilometer) up the mountain wall opposite the slide and out Tracy Arm.No ships were in the fjord, officials said, and no deaths or injuries were reported. But kayakers camped on an island near where Tracy and Endicott arms meet had much of their gear swept away by the rushing water. This photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the terminus of the South Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm fjord, alongside the remains of a landslide, left, that occurred days earlier, Aug. 13, 2025, about 80 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska. (John Lyons/U.S. Geological Survey via AP) This photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the terminus of the South Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm fjord, alongside the remains of a landslide, left, that occurred days earlier, Aug. 13, 2025, about 80 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska. (John Lyons/U.S. Geological Survey via AP) 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 Read More Southeast Alaska, largely encompassed by a temperate rainforest, is no stranger to landslides. And while its long been known the fjord network in the Tracy Arm region has been susceptible, the slope that failed had not been identified as an active hazard before last summers collapse, said Gabriel Wolken, manager of the states climate and ice hazards program.Scientists are working to understand not only what caused the slope to collapse but to understand what other hazards might exist in the fjord, he said. This photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the slope where a landslide occurred days earlier near the terminus of the South Sawyer Glacier, lower right, in Tracy Arm fjord about 80 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska, on Aug. 13, 2025. (John Lyons/U.S. Geological Survey via AP) This photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the slope where a landslide occurred days earlier near the terminus of the South Sawyer Glacier, lower right, in Tracy Arm fjord about 80 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska, on Aug. 13, 2025. (John Lyons/U.S. Geological Survey via AP) 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 The area remains unstable, said Steven Sobieszczyk, a U.S. Geological Survey spokesperson. Steep landslide areas continue to change for years after an initial slide, he said by email. Continued rockfall and small-scale sliding from the exposed landslide scar are expected and could impact the water, potentially causing a future localized tsunami, he said.Major cruise companies, including Holland America, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean said in response to inquiries from The Associated Press that they are replacing a Tracy Arm visit with Endicott Arm. MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages and regional tour company Allen Marine also are doing Endicott and Dawes Glacier instead. Norwegian Cruise Line said it does not have voyages sailing by Tracy Arm. Endicott already has been a stop for some ships previously and an alternative when conditions in Tracy Arm, such as excess ice, have been unsafe.Vallier, who owns the Alaska Travel Desk, said he would have liked cruise companies to give travelers more advance notice about itinerary changes. After leaving Seattle, the first ships of the season are due April 21 in Ketchikan and in Juneau the following week.Seeing a glacier particularly a dynamic, calving glacier is a bucket-list item for many tourists, and thats what has made Tracy Arm so popular, he said. While the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau is a major attraction for the capital city and cruise port, many visitors view it from across a large lake, and it has diminished or entirely retreated from view from some hiking overlooks.Kimberly Lebeda of Wichita, Kansas, was excited when she booked tickets for a Tracy Arm excursion for her family last year. Lebeda, who researches areas she visits, said she was sold on the scenery. But the night before the stop, they were told that due to ice in Tracy Arm, they would go up Endicott instead. Her family and others whod booked the excursion got off the ship and onto a smaller boat with glass windows, abundant seating and snacks. They saw seals on ice floes, waterfalls and a wall of ice calve from Dawes Glacier, she said. She called it an amazing thing to witness.Was it worth it? Yes, because I dont know if Ill ever get to do that trip again, she said. Again, I havent ever been to Tracy Arm so I cant really compare. But to me, was it worth it and was it exciting? Absolutely. BECKY BOHRER Bohrer is a statehouse and political reporter based in Juneau, Alaska. twitter

Gas station employees prepare to fill a tank with gas in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)2026-04-12T06:23:35Z PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) For a factory worker in Haiti, the war in distant Iran means he now has to walk two hours to work and the same distance home each day, because he can no longer afford public transportation. On a recent morning, Alexandre Joseph, 35, fretted about his familys future in a loud voice, attracting the attention of passersby in Port-au-Prince, Haitis capital.The government raised the prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene, hitting my family. I now am unable to feed my two children on the salary I have, he said. The conflict in Iran has caused oil prices in Haiti to surge, disrupting critical supply chains, doubling transportation costs and forcing millions of undernourished people to cut back on already scarce meals.Haiti, the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere, has been hit the hardest by rising oil prices that experts warn will deepen a spiraling humanitarian crisis. One of the most fragile countries in the worldOn April 2, Haitis government announced a 37% increase in the cost of diesel and a 29% increase in the cost of gasoline.The consequences are huge, said Erwan Rumen, deputy country director for the United Nations World Food Program in Haiti. Its one of the most fragile countries in the world.Almost half of Haitis nearly 12 million inhabitants already face high levels of acute food insecurity. In recent months, Rumen noted, about 200,000 people dropped from the emergency phase to the acute one, a significant milestone. What is a bit frightening is to see that so many efforts could be basically wiped out by things that are completely out of our control, he said. This part of the population is extremely fragile. Theyre on the verge of collapsing completely. Read More Gang violence has exacerbated hunger, with armed men controlling key roads and disrupting the transportation of goods. An increase in food prices will only worsen hunger in a country where gangs easily recruit children whose families need food and money. Emmline Toussaint, main coordinator of Marys Meals BND school-feeding program in Haiti, said that gas stations in some regions are selling fuel 25% to 30% higher than even what the government stipulated because of gang violence and difficulties with trucks trying to access certain areas.She said the U.S.-based nonprofit is forced to use boats and take longer and multiple roads to feed the 196,000 children they serve across Haiti to avoid armed groups.The humanitarian crisis that were facing right now is at its worst, she said. So far, we are doing our best not to step back. Now, more than ever, the kids need us. Most of them, its the only meal they receive. 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. Everything will go upFedline Jean-Pierre, a soft-spoken mother of a 7-year-old boy, sat under the shade of a tattered beach umbrella as she mulled increasing the prices of carrots, tomatoes and other produce she sells at an outdoor market in Port-au-Prince.People are not buying now because they dont have money, she said, noting she likely wont have a choice but to increase prices to survive. I have a child to feed.The 35-year-old mother said she and her son have lived for two years in a cramped and unsanitary shelter, among the record 1.4 million Haitians displaced by gang violence in recent years. The government doesnt do anything for me, she said. Gas is up now, meaning everything will go up.Street vendor Maxime Poulard buys charcoal from suppliers to resell at a higher price. Occasionally he sells two bags of charcoal a day, but he thinks he soon will only be able to afford to buy half a bag to resell. Traveling is expensive; eating is expensive; everything is expensive, he said. Im not sure if I will be able to hold on much more.Nearly 40% of Haitians are surviving on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank. Meanwhile, Haitis economy contracted for the seventh consecutive year, with inflation reaching 32% at the end of fiscal year 2025.Joseph, the factory worker, said he plans to sell soft drinks at night out of his home to try and earn more money, but even then, that wont be enough: Were also going to reduce the way we normally eat. Impossible tradeoffsOn April 6, Haitians dragged burning tires and other debris to block streets and protest the increase in fuel prices in Port-au-Prince, of which an estimated 90% is controlled by gangs.Local media reported gunfire as some Haitians forced the drivers of small colorful buses known as tap-taps to disembark their passengers.Marc Jean-Louis, a 29-year-old tap-tap driver, said passengers are increasingly bartering fares, but he cant afford to offer discounts.All the money is going toward gas, he said as he called on the government to reduced prices so that everyone can breathe.Haitians fear more violence as the countrys poverty and hunger deepens.Rumen, with the U.N.s World Food Program, said theyve been unable to reach 60,000 people in Haitis central region who are awaiting aid. A powerful gang recently attacked the area, killing more than 70 people, according to the U.N. Were going to have more needs and less resources, he warned. Allen Joseph, program manager for Mercy Corps in Haiti, said rising oil prices are crushing the countrys fragile economy: The families already spending most of their income on food will face impossible tradeoffs.He warned the increase will affect access to basic services, including potable water.This is not an abstract inflation, he warned. It will directly impact survival.___Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Cate Blanchett poses for photographers during the awards ceremony red carpet at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, on May 24, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)2026-04-12T05:19:28Z LONDON (AP) Cate Blanchett, Bryan Cranston and Paddington Bear are among the contenders on Sunday at Londons Olivier Awards, which celebrate achievements in theater, opera and dance.Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed hosts the 50th anniversary edition of the awards at a star-studded ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall, where Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, Vanessa Williams and Andrew Lloyd Webber will be among the trophy presenters.Leading the nominations for Britains equivalent of Broadways Tony Awards, with 11 apiece, are homegrown heart-warmer Paddington: The Musical and a much-praised revival of Stephen Sondheims twisted fairy tale journey Into the Woods.Acting nominees include Marianne-Jean Baptiste, Paapa Essiedu, Rosamund Pike, Tom Hiddleston, Blanchett for playing a vain actor in Anton Chekhovs The Seagull and Cranston for his performance as a troubled patriarch in Arthur Millers All My Sons. The category of best actor in a musical includes a joint nomination for James Hameed and Arti Shah, who together play the titular marmalade-loving Peruvian bear in Paddington. Hameed provides the voice and remote puppetry, while Shah inhabits the bear costume onstage. The ceremony will include performances from nominated musicals and numbers marking two significant anniversaries: 40 years of Lloyd Webbers Phantom of the Opera, and 20 years of Wicked in the West End. Read More Stage star Elaine Paige, who is known for her leading roles in hit musicals including Cats, Evita, Sunset Boulevard and Piaf, will receive this years Special Award.The Olivier Awards were founded in 1976 and named after the late actor-director Laurence Olivier. The winners are chosen by voting groups of stage professionals and theatergoers.Londons West End is celebrating a strong post-pandemic return, buoyed by new musicals such as Paddington and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and revivals including director Jamie Lloyds bold staging of Evita. The Society of London Theatre, an industry umbrella group, says ticket sales have surpassed the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Shows in the West End the collective name for Londons theaterland attracted 17.6 million visitors in 2025, 3 million more than Broadway.But there are concerns about rising ticket prices and soaring production budgets, fueled by higher costs for labor, materials and energy.Theaters are busier than ever, but many are operating with far less financial headroom, the society said in a report published last month. JILL LAWLESS Lawless is based in London, covering British politics, diplomacy and culture and top stories from the UK and beyond. She has reported for the AP from two dozen countries on four continents. twitter mailto

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In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, right shakes hands with Kuomintang (KMT) party leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, April 10, 2026. (Xie Huanchi/Xinhua via AP)2026-04-12T05:37:19Z BANGKOK (AP) China said Sunday it would resume some ties it had suspended with Taiwan such as direct flights and imports of Taiwanese aquaculture products following a visit by the Beijing-friendly opposition leader of the self-ruled island. The Taiwan Work Office under Chinas Communist Party issued a statement saying it would explore setting up a longstanding communication mechanism between the Communist Party and Taiwans Kuomingtang Party. It said it will facilitate the import of Taiwans aquaculture products that it had previously banned. Cheng Li-wun, the head of the Kuomingtang, and Chinas President Xi Jinping held a high-profile meeting Friday during which they called for peace, without offering specifics. China claims the island as part of its territory and hasnt ruled out the use of force to annex it. Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, which oversees the relationship with China, said the measures that were announced, such as promoting a communication mechanism, were political transactions between the two parties that circumvented the government of Taiwan. The governments position is clear: to ensure the interests of the nation and its people, all Cross-Strait affairs involving public power must be negotiated by both governments on an equal and dignified basis to be effective and truly protect the rights and well-being of the people, the Mainland Affairs Council said in response to the Chinese announcement. Relations between China and Taiwan, which remain split since 1949, have been tense since the election of pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen from the Democratic Progressive Party in 2016. Beijing cut off most of its official dialogue with Taiwans government, and has started sending warships and fighter jets closer toward the island on a daily basis. Read More In the statement, China said it plans to resume direct flights between Taiwan and mainland cities like Xian or Urumqi, although it remained unclear how the measures will be implemented without the approval of the Taiwanese government. China banned its citizens from individual trips to Taiwan in 2019. Taiwans rules now require Chinese visitors to hold a valid resident visa from another country, like the U.S. or the European Union, to apply for a visitor visa. China also said it would work toward construction of a bridge that would connect the mainland to Matsu and Kinmen, Taiwanese islands that are closer geographically to China. The project is a longstanding proposal that Beijing has previously announced. China banned the import of Taiwanese pineapples in 2021, and since then has extended it to other fruits and products including the grouper fish, squid and tuna.After the initial ban on grouper, Taiwans Ministry of Agriculture said it approached China about making adjustments to ensure it met import requirements. China replied with a limited list of individual companies that were allowed to sell to China, but without explanation. HUIZHONG WU Wu covers Chinese culture, society, and politics for The Associated Press, as well as the countrys growing overseas influence from Bangkok. She was previously based in Taiwan and China. twitter

Union Berlin's co-coach Marie-Louise Eta leads a soccer training session on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. (Matthias Koch/dpa via AP, File)2026-04-11T23:56:04Z BERLIN (AP) Union Berlin has appointed Marie-Louise Eta as the first female head coach in the mens Bundesliga as it bids to ensure its league survival.She becomes the first woman to take charge of a mens team across the top divisions of Europes big five soccer leagues. The 34-year-old Eta takes over from Steffen Baumgart, who was fired late Saturday with his assistants Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna after the teams 3-1 loss at last-place Heidenheim, Union announced just before midnight.Eta, who was coaching Unions Under-19 mens team and agreed earlier this month to take over as coach of Unions womens team next season, has five games to secure the Kpenick-based clubs Bundesliga survival.Staying in the Bundesliga is not yet guaranteed given the point-differences in the lower half of the table. Im happy that the club entrusts me with this challenging task, Eta told the club website. One of Unions strengths has always been our ability to pull together in such situations. And of course Im convinced that well get the decisive points with the team. Eta already made history with Union in 2023 as the first female assistant coach in the Bundesliga and across the top divisions of the big five leagues. She had to step in for media duties for head coach Nenad Bjelica when he was suspended for three games in 2024. Im delighted that Marie Louise Eta has agreed to take on this role on an interim basis before she becomes head coach of the womens first team as planned in the summer, Union sporting director Horst Heldt said in a statement. Read More Baumgart, a former Union player, was appointed during the 2024-25 winter break but Heldt said recent results prompted the club to take drastic action.Weve had a completely disappointing second half of the season so far and were not letting the table fool us our situation remains precarious and we desperately need points to secure our place in the league. Defeat in Heidenheim left Union in 11th place in the 18-team division, just seven points clear of St. Pauli in the relegation zone with five rounds remaining.Two wins out of 14 games since the winter break and the performances shown in recent weeks do not give us the confidence that we can turn things around with the current setup. We have therefore decided to make a fresh start, Heldt said.Union next hosts Wolfsburg, which is also fighting for survival, next weekend.___An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Marie-Louise Eta had previously served as a head coach.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer CIARN FAHEY Fahey is a Berlin-based reporter for The Associated Press, covering sports in Germany and beyond. instagram mailto

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Un cartel sobre las negociaciones entre Irn y Estados Unidos cerca del Hotel Serena, la sede de las reuniones, en Islamabad, Pakistn, el 12 de abril del 2026. (AP foto/Anjum Naveed)2026-04-12T14:16:33Z JERUSALEM (AP) Ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran ended in the early hours of Sunday without an agreement, raising questions about what happens when a current two-week truce expires on April 22.As the talks wrapped up in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, both sides blamed each other for the failure. There was no word on whether negotiations will resume, and President Donald Trump made new threats against Iran.The setback does not necessarily mean the war will resume. But it showed how entrenched the sides remain after an inconclusive 40-day war that inflicted heavy damage on Iran, reverberated across the region and shook the global economy. Negotiators will now return to their capitals and reconsider their next moves.Heres a closer look at where things stand: Views differ on how to end the warWhen the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, they pledged to eliminate Irans nuclear and missile programs and its support for armed proxy groups across the region.The U.S. has presented a 15-point plan that is believed to include these same demands. While the U.S. proposal hasnt been made public, Pakistani officials told The Associated Press that it also calls for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which one-fifth of the worlds oil flows. Irans closure of the strait sent oil prices spiking and global markets plunging.Iran has countered with a 10-point plan of its own. It calls for Iranian control over the strait, an end to the war and halting attacks on its proxies, including the powerful Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon as well as demands for compensation for the damage wrought by the war. Setback in IslamabadNeither side appears to have budged much from its ceasefire terms during face-to-face talks over 21 hours.Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said that Iran had failed to give assurances that it will not seek to develop a nuclear weapon.Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons but has insisted on a civilian nuclear program that includes uranium enrichment a key step toward developing a weapon. Experts say that Irans current stockpile of enriched uranium is just a short technical step from being weapons grade. Read More We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon, Vance said. Irans chief negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said the U.S. must decide whether it can gain our trust or not.He did not mention the core disputes in a series of social media posts. But other Iranian officials signaled that the Strait of Hormuz remains a key sticking point.Mohammad Reza Aref, first vice president of Iran, said in a social media post that controlling the strait is part of the rights of the people. 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. Next stepsPakistans foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said his country will try to facilitate a new round of dialogue between Iran and the U.S. in the coming days. There was no immediate reaction from either side.A key obstacle seems to be a perception on both sides that they won the war and that each has time on its side.Vance said the lack of agreement is bad news for Iran much more than its bad for the United States of America.And in a new social media post on Sunday, Trump said the U.S. Navy would impose a blockade controlling all access in and out of the Strait of Hormuz. Qalibaf said Iran would not stop striving to securing the achievements of the war.Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, an Israeli think tank, said these conflicting visions dont bode well. In a post on X, he said Irans perception of victory is not the mindset of a regime preparing to compromise.This gap between American expectations and Iranian self-perception now lies at the heart of a growing strategic deadlock, he said.Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group think tank, said the Islamabad talks underscore the wide gaps but that he did not expect an immediate collapse. The likelier scenario is not immediate war, but a volatile period of pressure, signaling, and last-minute attempts to prevent a wider conflagration, he said. The path forward, if there is one, lies in a limited, reciprocal deal that buys time and lowers the temperature.___AP Correspondent Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed reporting. JOSEF FEDERMAN Federman manages coverage of Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan and has covered the Middle East for The AP for two decades.. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

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Vice President JD Vance led the highest-level talks between the United States and Iran in nearly 50 years.