Eberechi Eze grabbed a goal and an assist as Crystal Palace beat London rivals Fulham 3-0 on Saturday to book their place in the FA Cup semifinals.

Jean-Philippe Mateta made his first appearance since his ear was "destroyed" when he was named in Crystal Palace's starting XI on Saturday.

Andrew Tate reacts while speaking to media after checking in at a police station as part of his judicial control, which requires him to appear before judicial authorities in Romania when summoned, after returning from the United States, in Voluntari, Romania, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)2025-03-29T16:55:10Z Andrew Tate, a hugely successful social media influencer known for expressing misogynistic views online, is facing a new lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend accusing him of sexual assault and battery.It adds to existing legal trouble for Tate, whos charged with human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women in Romania. His brother, Tristan Tate, is also accused in that case.In her complaint, Tates ex-girlfriend, Brianna Stern, argues that his abusive treatment of her follows a long pattern of making blatant misogyny part of his brand. She said he initially acted effusively loving and generous to lure her into a relationship that later turned abusive.The lawsuit, which was filed Thursday in Los Angeles, details an encounter earlier this month at the Beverly Hills Hotel when Tate choked and beat her, according to the complaint. Stern said she was later diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome. Tates attorney, Joseph McBride, said his client denies all allegations of violence. McBride accused Stern and her lawyers of taking advantage of the recent controversy surrounding Tate, hoping it could win them a lucrative payout. This is a money grab, McBride said in a phone interview Saturday morning. This is the weaponization of the court system against an innocent man.The Tate brothers, who are dual U.S. and British citizens, were arrested in Romania in late 2022 and formally indicted last year. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape. They deny all the allegations against them. Stern met Tate in July 2024 after the brothers invited her to Romania because they were looking for models to help promote their cryptocurrency meme coin, according to her lawsuit. She said he convinced her the media portrayals of him were untrue, that he was actually a supporter of women. It seemed like a dream come true, she said in the complaint. After she returned to the U.S., Tates communications became threatening and manipulative, including calling her his property, Stern alleges. He sent messages saying he wanted to beat and impregnate her: You have an attitude because youre not hit enough, he once wrote, according to the complaint.Tates attorney, however, called the messages doctored, edited and falsified, saying he doesnt believe theyll be admissible in court.None of it is true, McBride said. All of it is a lie.During their last encounter at the hotel, Stern alleges, Tate beat and choked her during sex.While doing so, Tate told her repeatedly that if she ever crossed him, he was going to kill her, the lawsuit says.Tate, 38, is a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist who has amassed millions of followers online, many of them young men and boys drawn in by the luxurious lifestyle he projects. He previously was banned from TikTok, YouTube and Facebook for hate speech, including that women should bear responsibility for getting raped. He and his brother are vocal supporters of President Donald Trump.The Tate brothers checked in at a police station near Romanias capital last Monday, complying with judicial control requirements in the human trafficking case that ordered them to return after weeks in the U.S. The American trip was possible because a travel ban against them was lifted last month after a Romanian court found multiple legal and procedural irregularities a significant blow to the prosecution and a win for the Tates. Tate has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors in Romania have no evidence against him and claimed theres a political conspiracy to silence him.Days after they arrived in Florida, the states attorney general opened a criminal investigation into the brothers.Four British women are suing Tate in the U.K. after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute him on sexual violence and other abuse charges. Last March, the brothers appeared at the Bucharest Court of Appeal in a separate case after U.K. authorities issued arrest warrants over allegations of sexual aggression dating back several years. The appeals court granted the U.K. request to extradite them, but only after legal proceedings in Romania have concluded. Stern said in a statement posted to social media that shes terrified of how Tate will respond to her public accusations.I considered many times just silently leaving Andrew and saying nothing, doing nothing, because I was scared and because it was honestly hard for me to accept that I was being abused, she wrote. But I can now see that doing so would be the cowardly approach.Her attorney, Tony Buzbee, praised her incredible courage to come forward and make her voice heard. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A protester holds a placard during a Tesla Takedown Global Day protest in front of a Tesla dealership, in Berlin, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)2025-03-29T18:13:54Z SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Crowds protesting billionaire Elon Musks purge of the U.S. government under President Donald Trump began amassing outside Tesla dealerships throughout the U.S. Saturday in the latest attempt to dent the fortune of the worlds richest man.The protesters are trying to escalate a movement targeting Tesla dealerships and vehicles in opposition to Musks role as the head of the newly created Department of of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, where hes gained access to sensitive data and shuttered entire agencies as he attempts to slash government spending. Most of Musks estimated $340 billion fortune consists of the stock he holds in the electric vehicle company that he continues to run while also working alongside Trump.Earlier protests have been somewhat sporadic. Saturday marked the first attempt to surround all 277 of the automakers showrooms and service centers in the U.S. in hopes of deepening a recent decline in the companys sales. By early afternoon, crowds ranging from a few dozen to hundreds of protesters had flocked to Tesla locations in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Minnesota and the automakers home state of Texas. Pictures posted on social media accounts showed protesters brandishing signs such as Honk if you hate Elon and Fight the billionaire broligarchy. The Tesla Takedown movement also hoped to rally protestors at more than 230 Tesla locations in other parts of the world. Although the turnouts in Europe werent as large as the crowds in the U.S., the anti-Musk sentiment was similar. About two dozen protesters held signs lambasting Musk outside a Tesla dealership in London as passing cars and trucks tooted horns in support.One of the signs displayed at the London protest showed a photo of Musk next to an image of Adolf Hitler making the Nazi salute a gesture that Musk has been accused of reprising shortly after Trumps Jan. 20 inauguration. A person in a tyrannosaurus rex costume held another sign with a picture of Musks straight-arm gesture that said, You thought the Nazis were extinct. Dont buy a Swasticar. We just want to get loud, make noise, make people aware of the problems that were facing, said Cam Whitten, an American who showed up at the London protest.Tesla Takedown was organized by a group of supporters that included disillusioned owners of the automakers vehicles, celebrities such as actor John Cusack, and at least one Democratic Party lawmaker, Rep. Jasmine Crockett from Dallas.Im going to keep screaming in the halls of Congress. I just need you all to make sure you all keep screaming in the streets, Crockett said during a Tesla Takedown organizing call held earlier this month.Some people opposed to Musk have gone beyond protests and set the automakers vehicles on fire and committed other acts of vandalism that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has decried as domestic terrorism. Musk indicated he was dumbfounded by the attacks during a March 20 company meeting and said the vandals should stop acting psycho. Crockett and other Tesla Takedown supporters have been stressing the importance for Saturdays protests to remain peaceful. But police were investigating a fire that destroyed seven Tesla vehicles in northwestern Germany early Saturday morning. It was wasnt immediately clear if the blaze, which was extinguished by firefighters, was related to the Tesla Takedown protests. A growing number of consumers who bought Tesla vehicles before Musk took over DOGE have been looking to sell or trade in their cars while others have slapped on bumper stickers seeking to distance themselves from the billionaires efforts to prune or shut down government agencies.But Musk didnt appear concerned about an extended slump in sales of new Tesla cars in his March 20 address to employees. He reassured the workers that the companys Model Y, which is undergoing a refresh, would remain the best-selling car on Earth again this year. He also predicted Tesla will have sold more than 10 million cars worldwide by next year, up from about 7 million cars now. There are times when there are rocky moments, where there is stormy weather, but what I am here to tell you is that the future is incredibly bright and exciting, Musk said.After Trump was elected last November, investors initially saw Musks alliance with the president as a positive development for Tesla and its long-running efforts to launch a network of self-driving cars.That optimism helped lift Teslas stock by 70% in the period between Trumps Nov. 5 election and his Jan. 20 inauguration, creating an additional $560 billion in shareholder wealth. But virtually all those gains have evaporated amid investor worries about the Tesla backlash, lagging sales in the U.S., Europe and China, and Musk spending time overseeing DOGE.This continues to be a moment of truth for Musk to navigate this brand tornado crisis moment and get onto the other side of this dark chapter for Tesla, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said in a research note leading up to Saturdays protests. ___The Associated Press reporters Mustakim Hasnath contributed from London and Stefanie Dazio contributed from Germany. MICHAEL LIEDTKE Liedtke has been covering technology and wide range of other business topics for The Associated Press since the turn of the century. twitter mailto

NC State has been eliminated. From portal priorities to incoming recruits, we look ahead to the Wolfpack next season.

Follow along as the Elite Eight is set in the women's NCAA tournament.

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Captain Javi Puado scored from the penalty spot to cancel out a first-half strike by Cesar Azpilicueta as relegation-threatened Espanyol held third-placed Atletico Madrid to a 1-1 draw in LaLiga on Saturday.

The headquarters of the United States Institute of Peace are seen Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein).2025-03-29T20:06:49Z WASHINGTON (AP) Most employees at the U.S. Institute of Peace, a congressionally created and funded think tank now taken over by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, received email notices of their mass firing, the latest step in the Trump administrations government downsizing.The emails, sent to personal accounts because most staff members had lost access to the organizations system, began going out about 9 p.m. Friday, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisal. One former senior official at the institute said among those spared were several in the human resources department and a handful of overseas staffers who have until April 9 to return to the United States. The organization has about 300 people.Others retained for now are regional vice presidents who will be working with the staff in their areas to return to the U.S., according to one employee who was affected. An executive order last month from President Donald Trump targeted the organization, which seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, and three other agencies for closure. Board members, who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and the institutes president were fired. Later, there was a standoff between employees who blocked DOGE members from entering the institutes headquarters near the State Department. DOGE staff gained access in part with the help of the Washington police. A lawsuit ensued, and U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell chastised DOGE representatives for their behavior but did not reinstate the board members or allow employees to return to the workspace. A White House spokeswoman, Anna Kelly, said in an email Saturday that the institute has failed to deliver peace and that Trump is carrying out his mandate to eliminate bloat and save taxpayer dollars. The letter to employees said that as of Friday, your employment with us will conclude, according to one longtime employee who shared part of the communication. A second email, obtained by the AP, said the terminations were at the direction of the president.Workers were given until April 7 to clear out their desks.Mary Glantz, a former foreign service officer who was working as a senior adviser at USIP, said she was not surprised by the late night firings, calling it part of DOGEs playbook.Glantzs studied how Russia has fomented conflicts around the world and analyzed options for resolving them. She hoped her research could be continued and used elsewhere. She said USIP plays a unique role because of its narrow focus on conflict resolution. We are the other tool in the tool box, she said. We do this work, so American soldiers dont have to fight these wars.George Foote, a former institute lawyer fired this month who is with one of the firms providing counsel in the current lawsuit, said lawyers were consulting Saturday to discuss possible next steps. He said employees are not part of the pending lawsuit, so they would have to file a separate case. ___Associated Press writers Ellen Knickmeyer and Matthew Lee contributed to this report. CHRIS MEGERIAN Megerian covers the White House for The Associated Press. He previously wrote about the Russia investigation, climate change, law enforcement and politics in California and New Jersey. twitter mailto

In this undated handout photo released by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, American Faye Dail Hall is pictured after being released Thursday, March 27, 2025, by the Taliban in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP)2025-03-29T18:49:42Z WASHINGTON (AP) An American woman detained for weeks in Afghanistan by the Taliban has been released from custody, according to a person familiar with the matter and a social media post Saturday from a longtime U.S. diplomat.Faye Dail Hall, who was detained in February on charges of using a drone without authorization, was released as part of a deal that Qatari negotiators helped broker, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.The person said that Hall was taken to the Qatari Embassy in Kabul, thhe Afghan capital, and was in good health, and that arrangements were being made for her to return to the U.S.In a post on X, a former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, confirmed Halls release with a photograph of her and said she would soon be on her way home. He posted that she was now in the care of our friends, the Qataris in Kabul, and will soon be on her way home. Few details about Halls case or the release were immediately available Saturday, including why she was in Afghanistan or how long or the circumstances of her detention. The State Department did not immediately comment. Hall is believed to be the fourth American released from Afghanistan since January.Earlier this month, George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was freed after more than two years in custody. That release follows a separate deal, executed on the final day of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty. Officials in Kabul said recently that the United States had lifted bounties on three senior Taliban figures, including the interior minister, who also heads a powerful network blamed for attacks against Afghanistans former Western-backed government.A Foreign Ministry official, Zakir Jalaly, has said the Talibans release of Glezmann and the removal of bounties showed both sides were moving beyond the effects of the wartime phase and taking constructive steps to pave the way for progress in bilateral relations.___AP Middle East News Director Victoria Eastwood in Cairo contributed to this report. ERIC TUCKER Tucker covers national security in Washington for The Associated Press, with a focus on the FBI and Justice Department. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Newcastle are celebrating the end of their 70-year weight for a major domestic trophy with an open-top bus parade through the city.

Former New Zealand international Jake Gleeson has won a medical malpractice lawsuit against Portland Timbers team doctor Richard H. Edelson, with a jury awarding him over $20 million.

People take part in a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)2025-03-29T21:00:55Z CAIRO (AP) The Hamas militant group said Saturday it has accepted a new Gaza ceasefire proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar, but Israel said it has made a counter-proposal in full coordination with the third mediator, the United States.Egypt early in the week made a proposal to get the troubled ceasefire back on track, following Israels surprise resumption of fighting. It was not immediately clear whether the proposal changed before Khalil al-Hayyah, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, announced it had been accepted.Early in the week, an Egyptian official described the proposal to The Associated Press, saying Hamas would release five living hostages, including an American-Israeli, from Gaza in return for Israel allowing aid into the territory and a weekslong pause in fighting. Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the closed-door talks. On Saturday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave no details about Israels counter-proposal, which it said was offered after Netanyahu held consultations on Friday. Israel a week and a half ago ended its ceasefire with Hamas by launching a surprise wave of strikes that killed hundreds of people. The White House blamed Hamas for the renewed fighting.Israel has vowed to escalate the war until Hamas returns the 59 hostages it still holds 24 of them believed to be alive. Israel also wants Hamas to give up power, disarm and send its leaders into exile. On Saturday, Israel widened its ground operations in Gazas southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.Frustrated by the threat to remaining hostages in Gaza, families and others rallied again Saturday evening to call for a deal that would bring everyone home. The price of your war is the life of the hostages! some protesters chanted in Tel Aviv. Minor scuffles broke out with police.War will not bring our hostages home, it will kill them, Naama Weinberg, cousin of deceased hostage Itay Svirsky, told a weekly gathering of families in Tel Aviv.The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251.Israels retaliatory offensive has killed over 50,000 people, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants. Israels bombardment and ground operations have caused vast destruction and at their height displaced some 90% of Gazas population of over 2 million people.Early this month, Israel again cut off all supplies to Gaza to pressure Hamas to accept new terms to the ceasefire that started in mid-January.Israel had balked at entering negotiations over the truces second phase, which were meant to begin in early February. Under the agreement, phase two was meant to bring the release of the remaining 24 living hostages, an end to the war and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.___Frankel reported from Jerusalem.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto JULIA FRANKEL Frankel is an Associated Press reporter in Jerusalem. twitter mailto

USWNT star Trinity Rodman has given a sober assessment of her ongoing back issues, saying she doesn't think it will ever be fully healthy again.

Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman says he did not speak to anyone on the roster before firing Taylor Jenkins as coach.

Florida vs. Texas Tech. Duke vs. Alabama. Follow along as we track all the action in Saturday night's games.

Aryna Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, defeated Jessica Pegula on Saturday to cap off an impressive run at the Miami Open with a title, as the No. 1 seed from Belarus rolled to a 7-5, 6-2 victory in a rematch of the 2024 US Open final.

2025-03-29T20:22:21Z BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (AP) At least one person in a small plane traveling from Iowa to Minnesota died after the aircraft crashed into a house in a Minneapolis suburb Saturday, a city official said. The residents of the home were not hurt, Brooklyn Park spokesperson Risikat Adesaogun said. But the house was destroyed.It was not yet known how many people were aboard the single-engine SOCATA TBM7, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.The agency said the aircraft departed from the Des Moines International Airport with a destination of the Anoka County-Blaine Airport, located in another Minneapolis suburb. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

Will Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes replace Luka Modric in Real Madrid's midfield? Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.

Paige Bueckers became the first UConn player to score 40 in an NCAA tournament game, carrying UConn to an 82-59 rout over Oklahoma in the Sweet 16.

President Donald Trump waves to supporters from his limousine as he arrives at Trump International Golf Club, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)2025-03-30T00:03:57Z WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) President Donald Trump on Saturday made his clearest commitment to not fire anyone over an embarrassing accidental leak of his administrations plans for an airstrike against the Houthis in Yemen.I dont fire people because of fake news and because of witch hunts, Trump said in an interview with NBC News Kristen Welker.He also said that he had confidence in Mike Waltz, his national security adviser, and Pete Hegseth, his Pentagon chief.Waltz inadvertently added Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic magazine, to a group text using the Signal encrypted messaging service where top officials were discussing plans to attack the Houthis.During the chat, Hegseth included details on how the strike would unfold before it took place.Afterwards, The Atlantic published an article on the internal exchange, shocking the national security establishment. Trump is eager to avoid repeating some of the turnover that characterized his first term. Mike Flynn, his first national security adviser, was pushed out after only a few weeks during the early phase of the Russia investigation. Hes also shown resistance to bowing to outside pressure, especially if it comes from the news media.Asked if there were conversations about firing Waltz, Trump insisted, Ive never heard that. And nobody else makes that decision but me, and Ive never heard it. CHRIS MEGERIAN Megerian covers the White House for The Associated Press. He previously wrote about the Russia investigation, climate change, law enforcement and politics in California and New Jersey. twitter mailto

Who has the edge in this week's UFC Fight Night? An MMA coach and betting insider make their picks.

TCU star Hailey Van Lith scored 26 points to lead the Horned Frogs to a 71-62 win over Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 of the women's NCAA tournament.

Water runs out of a drain under an agricultural field, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Sabina, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File)2025-03-29T13:51:45Z KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) In Ugandas Mbale district, famous for its production of arabica coffee, a plague of plastic bags locally known as buveera is creeping beyond the city. Its a problem that has long littered the landscape in Kampala, the capital, where buveera are woven into the fabric of daily life. They show up in layers of excavated dirt roads and clog waterways. But now, they can be found in remote areas of farmland, too. Some of the debris includes the thick plastic bags used for planting coffee seeds in nurseries.Some farmers are complaining, said Wilson Watira, head of a cultural board for the coffee-growing Bamasaba people. They are concerned those farmers who know the effects of buveera on the land, he said.Around the world, plastics find their way into farm fields. Climate change makes agricultural plastic, already a necessity for many crops, even more unavoidable for some farmers. Meanwhile, research continues to show that itty-bitty microplastics alter ecosystems and end up in human bodies. Scientists, farmers and consumers all worry about how thats affecting human health, and many seek solutions. But industry experts say its difficult to know where plastic ends up or get rid of it completely, even with the best intentions of reuse and recycling programs. According to a 2021 report on plastics in agriculture by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, soils are one of the main receptors of agricultural plastics. Some studies have estimated that soils are more polluted by microplastics than the oceans.These things are being released at such a huge, huge scale that its going to require major engineering solutions, said Sarah Zack, an Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Great Lakes Contaminant Specialist who communicates about microplastics to the public. Why researchers want to study plastics in farm fields Water runs out of a drain under an agricultural field, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Sabina, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File) Water runs out of a drain under an agricultural field, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Sabina, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Micro-particles of plastic that come from items like clothes, medications and beauty products sometimes appear in fertilizer made from the solid byproducts of wastewater treatment called biosolids which can also be smelly and toxic to nearby residents depending on the treatment process used. Some seeds are coated in plastic polymers designed to strategically disintegrate at the right time of the season, used in containers to hold pesticides or stretched over fields to lock in moisture. But the agriculture industry itself only accounts for a little over 3% of all plastics used globally. About 40% of all plastics are used in packaging, including single-use plastic food and beverage containers.Microplastics, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines as being smaller than five millimeters long, are their largest at about the size of a pencil eraser. Some are much smaller.Studies have already shown that microplastics can be taken up by plants on land or plankton in the ocean and subsequently eaten by animals or humans. Scientists are still studying the long-term effects of the plastic thats been found in human organs. Early findings suggest possible links to a host of health conditions including heart disease and some cancers. A crew applies biosolids, also known as sewage sludge, to a field, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Wellston, Okla. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel) A crew applies biosolids, also known as sewage sludge, to a field, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Wellston, Okla. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Despite significant research gaps, the evidence related to the land-based food chain is certainly raising alarm, said Lev Neretin, environment lead at the FAO, which is currently working on another technical report looking deeper into the problem of microplastic pollution in soils and crops.A study out this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that microplastics pollution can even impact plants ability to photosynthesize, the process of turning light from the sun into energy. That doesnt justify excessive concern but does underscore food security risks that necessitate scientific attention, wrote Fei Dang, one of the studys authors.Climate change making matters worse Alexandra Water Warriors volunteers cleanup the Juksei river in the heart of Alexandra township from plastic pollution in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File) Alexandra Water Warriors volunteers cleanup the Juksei river in the heart of Alexandra township from plastic pollution in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The use of plastics has quadrupled over the past 30 years. Plastic is ubiquitous. And most of the worlds plastic goes to landfills, pollutes the environment or is burned. Less than 10% of plastics are recycled.At the same time, some farmers are becoming more reliant on plastics to shelter crops from the effects of extreme weather. Theyre using tarps, hoop houses and other technology to try to control conditions for their crops. And theyre depending more on chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers to buffer against unreliable weather and more pervasive pest issues.Through global warming, we have less and less arable land to make crops on. But we need more crops. So therefore the demand on agricultural chemicals is increasing, said Ole Rosgaard, president and CEO of Greif, a company that makes packaging used for industrial agriculture products like pesticides and other chemicals.Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, also contributes to the breakdown and transport of agricultural plastics. Beating sun can wear on materials over time. And more frequent and intense rainfall events in some areas could drive more plastic particles running into fields and eventually waterways, said Maryam Salehi, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Missouri.Can agriculture escape the plastic problem? Muddy plastic bottles have flowed downstream and become lodged against fallen trees and within the dense foliage in Tisza River near Tiszaroff, Hungary, Aug. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File) Muddy plastic bottles have flowed downstream and become lodged against fallen trees and within the dense foliage in Tisza River near Tiszaroff, Hungary, Aug. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More This past winter, leaders from around the world gathered in South Korea to produce the first legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution. They didnt reach an agreement, but the negotiations are scheduled to resume in August.Neretin said the FAO produced a provisional, voluntary code of conduct on sustainable management of plastics in agriculture. But without a formal treaty in place, most countries dont have a strong incentive to follow it.The mood is certainly not cheery, thats for sure, he said, adding global cooperation takes time, but the problem does not disappear.Without political will, much of the onus falls on companies.Rosgaard, of Greif, said that his company has worked to make their products recyclable, and that farmers have incentives to return them because they can get paid in exchange. But he added its sometimes hard to prevent people from just burning the plastic or letting it end up in fields or waterways. We just dont know where they end up all the time, he said.Some want to stop the flow of plastic and microplastic waste into ecosystems. Boluwatife Olubusoye, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Mississippi, is trying to see whether biochar, remains of organic matter and plant waste burned under controlled conditions, can filter out microplastics that run from farm fields into waterways. His early experiments have shown promise.He said he was motivated by the feeling that there was never any timely solution in terms of plastic waste ending up in fields in the first place, especially in developing countries.Even for farmers who care about plastics in soils, it can be challenging for them to do anything about it. In Uganda, owners of nursery beds cannot afford proper seedling trays, so they resort to cheaply made plastic bags used to germinate seeds, said Jacob Ogola, an independent agronomist there.Farmers hardest hit by climate change are least able to reduce the presence of cheap plastic waste in soils. That frustrates Innocent Piloya, an agroecology entrepreneur who grows coffee in rural Uganda with her company Ribbo Coffee. Its like little farmers fighting plastic manufacturers, she said.___Walling reported from Chicago.___The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. MELINA WALLING Walling covers the intersections of climate change and agriculture in the Midwest and beyond for The Associated Press. She is based in Chicago. twitter instagram facebook mailto

Florida All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. caught fire late, leading a comeback over Texas Tech that has the Gators in the Final Four.

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl says he won't let Michigan State play the underdog role given the program's history of success in the NCAA tournament.

Ilia Malinin defended his world title with a free skate that earned a standing ovation inside TD Garden on Saturday night.

Lionel Messi scored two minutes after coming off the substitutes' bench as Inter Miami beat the Philadelphia Union 2-1 at Chase Stadium on Saturday.

Community members fish along the Hartbeespoort Dam in South Africa, on March 17, 2025, near Hyacinth plants in the water. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)2025-03-30T02:32:32Z HARTBEESPOORT, South Africa (AP) Dozens of tiny black weevils cling onto a fern plant as it is tossed onto a leafy green mat coating the surface of South Africas Crocodile River.Those weevils arent tossed into the river by accident: scientists hope that the insects and their larvae will munch their way through the green mat, which is made up of an unwanted, invasive South American aquatic plant called Salvinia minima.The plant is steadily taking over freshwater bodies in the northern region of South Africa, suffocating aquatic life, including on the Crocodile River and the Hartbeespoort Dam it flows into.The weevils, which have been used effectively elsewhere in the world to fight water weeds, are now leading South Africas charge against the life-sucking plants threatening ecosystems in at least three northern provinces and creeping into neighboring countries. After the weevils helped control the spread of salvinia in parts of the United States, scientists from both countries worked together on a project to gather a starter population in South Africa. The 1-millimeter-long (0.03 inches) insects were brought over 8,700 miles from Louisiana. Rearing stations are being set up near several dams to grow the weevil population. Once released at an infested site, the beetles make themselves at home on the salvinia, the only thing they eat, without damaging the local ecosystem, scientists say. They lay eggs on this plant, feed on this plant and die on this plant. If this plant dies, they will die as well, said professor Julie Coetzee, the principal scientist at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. They damage certain tissues, those tissues become waterlogged and then those plants sink to the bottom. A floating menaceHartbeespoort Dam north of Johannesburg, the location for the pilot project, is an important source of irrigation for nearby farms and a popular recreation site.When we bought the property there was this beautiful little floating plant on the dam and I thought well thats quite nice, said 53-year-old resident and business operator Max Moller. Little did I realize this little floating fern was an absolute menace.Moller, the owner of Mogis hiking trail, said the salvinia have clogged up and damaged boat engines and also hurt fishing communities over the nine years that he has lived in the area.South Africas already vulnerable freshwater systems face a significant threat from salvinia, scientists say. The plants have had two major growth spurts in 2021 and 2022, surviving on the high nitrate contents in the water.The plant initially surfaced more than a decade ago at the dam, which has also long been battling with a water hyacinth invasion, another problematic species.If you pull the hyacinth away, this plant is lurking, said Coetzee. The invasive plants block out the sunlight, which means no oxygen in the water, she said. If there is no oxygen, theres no fish, theres no crab, theres no insects and so you completely destroy or alter the aquatic ecosystem, she said. Salvinia has a rapid growth rate and its spread has been most notable across Gauteng province, where South Africas biggest city of Johannesburg and its capital, Pretoria, are located. The plant is compounding existing water supply problems by depleting the oxygen and sapping the supply in a country thats already struggling with increasing demand and deteriorating water infrastructure.Concerns over the weevils impactWhile releasing the weevils will help combat salvinia, experts warn that there could be unintended side-effects.Anthony Turton, a water expert and researcher at South Africas University of the Free State, cautioned that their introduction could turn rivers and dams into more suitable homes for bacteria and dangerous organisms.That includes poisonous blue-green algae, known as cyanobacteria, which flourish in nutrient-rich, contaminated waterways and already affect almost 60% of the nations dams.With more light and less competition for nutrients, those cyanobacteria will go into a condition known as a bloom, he said. This is exponential population growth that radically populates the entire water column. Turnton said simultaneous action to repair damaged sewage systems and limit agriculture fertilizer runoff are essential for a lasting solution.Unless there are efforts to reduce the inflow of nutrients from sewage flows, then we are only creating space for cyanobacteria to grow without competition from floating weeds, he said. Threat of spreading to other countriesThe weevils arent the first insects to be introduced to curb an invasive threat in South Africa. The country brought in a bug in the 1930s to control the spread of a hardy cactus native to Mexico that was hurting ecosystems. That project was viewed as a success.The speedy growth of the salvinia has put pressure on the government to act, particularly as researchers warn that neighboring countries also now face an invasion.Coetzee said that salvinia was popping up on the confluence of the Crocodile and Limpopo rivers in the far north of South Africa.That now poses a huge threat to our neighbors because this plant has been transported by our rivers onto our borders, she said. It is likely to go all the way along the Limpopo, along Botswana and Zimbabwes borders and into Mozambique.We really have a responsibility to control this plant, she added.___AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

The women's Elite Eight is set. Which team has impressed the most? Which No. 1 seed has plummeted?

Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers has become the first major league player to strike out 10 times in the first three games of a season.

After Los Angeles coach JJ Redick challenged his stars in a Saturday meeting to use more creativity on the floor, LeBron James and the Lakers later responded with a 134-127 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, an effort in which the club shot 50.6% overall.

The Yankees slugged nine home runs against the Brewers, four of them coming off Nestor Cortes in the first inning of Saturday's 20-9 romp of the Brewers.

A Palestinian girl struggles as she and others try to get donated food at a distribution center in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2025-03-30T05:01:59Z DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Gazas bakeries will run out of flour for bread within a week, the U.N. says. Agencies have cut food distributions to families in half. Markets are empty of most vegetables. Many aid workers cannot move around because of Israeli bombardment.For four weeks, Israel has shut off all sources of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies for the Gaza Strips population of more than 2 million Palestinians. Its the longest blockade yet of Israels 17-month-old campaign against Hamas, with no sign of it ending.Aid workers are stretching out the supplies they have but warn of a catastrophic surge in severe hunger and malnutrition. Eventually, food will run out completely if the flow of aid is not restored, because the war has destroyed almost all local food production in Gaza.We depend entirely on this aid box, said Shorouq Shamlakh, a mother of three collecting her familys monthly box of food from a U.N. distribution center in Jabaliya in northern Gaza. She and her children reduce their meals to make it last a month, she said. If this closes, who else will provide us with food? The World Food Program said Thursday that its flour for bakeries is only enough to keep producing bread for 800,000 people a day until Tuesday and that its overall food supplies will last a maximum of two weeks. As a last resort once all other food is exhausted, it has emergency stocks of fortified nutritional biscuits for 415,000 people. Fuel and medicine will last weeks longer before hitting zero. Hospitals are rationing antibiotics and painkillers. Aid groups are shifting limited fuel supplies between multiple needs, all indispensable trucks to move aid, bakeries to make bread, wells and desalination plants to produce water, hospitals to keep machines running. We have to make impossible choices. Everything is needed, said Clmence Lagouardat, the Gaza response leader for Oxfam International, speaking from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza at a briefing Wednesday. Its extremely hard to prioritize. Compounding the problems, Israel resumed its military campaign on March 18 with bombardment that has killed hundreds of Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to health officials. It has hit humanitarian facilities, the U.N. says. New evacuation orders have forced more than 140,000 Palestinians to move yet again. But Israel has not resumed the system for aid groups to notify the military of their movements to ensure they were not hit by bombardment, multiple aid workers said. As a result, various groups have stopped water deliveries, nutrition for malnourished children and other programs because its not safe for teams to move. COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of coordinating aid, said the system was halted during the ceasefire. Now it is implemented in some areas in accordance with policy and operational assessments ... based on the situation on the ground, COGAT said, without elaborating. Rising prices leave food unaffordableDuring the 42 days of ceasefire that began in mid-January, aid groups rushed in significant amounts of aid. Food also streamed into commercial markets.But nothing has entered Gaza since Israel cut off that flow on March 2. Israel says the siege and renewed military campaign aim to force Hamas to accept changes in their agreed-on ceasefire deal and release more hostages.Fresh produce is now rare in Gazas markets. Meat, chicken, potatoes, yogurt, eggs and fruits are completely gone, Palestinians say.Prices for everything else have skyrocketed out of reach for many Palestinians. A kilo (2 pounds) of onions can cost the equivalent of $14, a kilo of tomatoes goes for $6, if they can be found. Cooking gas prices have spiraled as much as 30-fold, so families are back to scrounging for wood to make fires.Its totally insane, said Abeer al-Aker, a teacher and mother of three in Gaza City. No food, no services. I believe that the famine has started again. Families depend even more on aidAt the distribution center in Jabaliya, Rema Megat sorted through the food ration box for her family of 10: rice, lentils, a few cans of sardines, a half kilo of sugar, two packets of powdered milk.Its not enough to last a month, she said. This kilo of rice will be used up in one go. The U.N. has cut its distribution of food rations in half to redirect more supplies to bakeries and free kitchens producing prepared meals, said Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian agency, known as OCHA.The number of prepared meals has grown 25% to 940,000 meals a day, she said, and bakeries are churning out more bread. But that burns through supplies faster.Once flour runs out soon, there will be no bread production happening in a large part of Gaza, said Gavin Kelleher, with the Norwegian Refugee Council. UNRWA, the main U.N. agency for Palestinians, only has a few thousand food parcels left and enough flour for a few days, said Sam Rose, the agencys acting director in Gaza. Gaza Soup Kitchen, one of the main public kitchens, cant get any meat or much produce, so they serve rice with canned vegetables, co-founder Hani Almadhoun said.There are a lot more people showing up, and theyre more desperate. So people are fighting for food, he said.Israel shows no sign of lifting the siegeThe United States pressured Israel to let aid into Gaza at the beginning of the war in October 2023, after Israel imposed a blockade of about two weeks. This time, it has supported Israels policy. Rights groups have called it a starvation policy that could be a war crime.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told a news conference Monday that Israel is acting in accordance with international law.He accused Hamas of stealing aid and said Israel is not required to let in supplies if it will be diverted to combatants. He gave no indication of whether the siege could be lifted but said Gaza had enough supplies, pointing to the aid that flowed in during the ceasefire.Hunger and hopelessness are growingBecause its teams cant coordinate movements with the military, Save the Children suspended programs providing nutrition to malnourished children, said Rachael Cummings, the groups humanitarian response leader in Gaza.We are expecting an increase in the rate of malnutrition, she said. Not only children adolescent girls, pregnant women.During the ceasefire, Save the Children was able to bring some 4,000 malnourished infants and children back to normal weight, said Alexandra Saif, the groups head of humanitarian policy. About 300 malnourished patients a day were coming into its clinic in Deir al-Balah, she said. The numbers have plunged to zero on some days because patients are too afraid of bombardment, she said. The multiple crises are intertwined. Malnutrition leaves kids vulnerable to pneumonia, diarrhea and other diseases. Lack of clean water and crowded conditions only spread more illnesses. Hospitals overwhelmed with the wounded cant use their limited supplies on other patients.Aid workers say not only Palestinians, but their own staff have begun to fall into despair.The world has lost its compass, UNRWAs Rose said. Theres just a feeling here that anything could happen, and it still wouldnt be enough for the world to say, this is enough.___Magdy and Keath reported from Cairo, El Deeb from Beirut. AP correspondents Fatma Khaled in Cairo and Julia Frankel and Sam Mednick in Jerusalem contributed. SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto SARAH EL DEEB El Deeb is part of the APs Global Investigative team. She is based in the Middle East, a region she covered for two decades twitter mailto LEE KEATH Keath is the chief editor for feature stories in the Middle East for The Associated Press. He has reported from Cairo since 2005. twitter mailto

Kevin Willard, who led Maryland to the Sweet 16 of this season's NCAA tournament, has accepted Villanova's offer to become the program's head basketball coach, sources told ESPN.

Playing for the first time since learning JuJu Watkins will miss the rest of the NCAA tournament with an ACL tear, the USC Trojans used key contributions from their freshman class to defeat the Kansas State Wildcats 67-61 and advance to the Elite Eight.

The top-seeded Duke Blue Devils took the next step in their seasonlong quest Saturday night, defeating the East's No. 2 seed, the Alabama Crimson Tide, 85-65, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., to advance to next week's national semifinal in Texas.

Edmonton superstar forward Leon Draisaitl became the first player in the NHL this season to reach 50 goals, then he added his 51st later Saturday night in dramatic fashion, as the Oilers defeated the rival Calgary Flames 3-2 in overtime at Rogers Place.

A woman reacts after being informed that her husband had died at the site of a collapsed under construction high-rise building in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)2025-03-30T06:43:00Z BANGKOK (AP) Emergency rescue teams on Sunday began trickling into the area of Myanmar hardest hit by a massive earthquake that killed more than 1,600 people, their efforts hindered by buckled roads, downed bridges, spotty communications and the challenges of operating in a country in the midst of a civil war.The 7.7 magnitude quake hit midday Friday with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmars second-largest city, bringing down scores of buildings and damaging other infrastructure like the citys airport. Many of Mandalays 1.5 million people spent the night sleeping on the streets, either left homeless by the quake, which also shook neighboring Thailand and killed at least 17 people there, or worried that the continuing aftershocks might cause structures left unstable to collapse. Many areas still have not been reachedSo far 1,644 people have been reported killed in Myanmar and 3,408 missing, but many areas have not yet been reached, and many rescue efforts so far have been undertaken by people working by hand to try and clear rubble, said Cara Bragg, the Yangon-based manager of Catholic Relief Services in Myanmar.Its mainly been local volunteers, local people who are just trying to find their loved ones, Bragg said after bring briefed by her colleague in Mandalay. Ive also seen reports that now some countries are sending search and rescue teams up to Mandalay to support the efforts, but hospitals are really struggling to cope with the influx of injured people, theres a shortage of medical supplies, and people are struggling to find food and clean water, Bragg added. The organization was sending a team by road on Sunday to assess peoples most pressing needs so that it could target its own response.With the Mandalay airport damaged and the control tower toppled in the capital Naypitaws airport, all commercial flights into the cities have been shut down. Foreign aid starts to arrive in MyanmarStill, two Indian C-17 military transport aircraft were able to land late Saturday at Naypitaw with a field hospital unit and some 120 personnel who were then to travel north to Mandalay to establish a 60-bed emergency treatment center, according to the countrys Foreign Ministry. Other Indian supplies were flown into Yangon, Myanmars biggest city, which has been the hub of other foreign relief efforts. On Sunday, a convoy of 17 Chinese cargo trucks carrying critical shelter and medical supplies was expected to reach Mandalay, after making the arduous journey by road from Yangon. The 650-kilometer (400-mile) journey has been taking 14 hours or longer, with clogged roads and traffic diverted from the main highway to skirt damage from the earthquake. At the same time, the window of opportunity to find anyone alive is rapidly closing. Most rescues occur within the first 24 hours after a disaster, and then survival chances drop as each day passes.An initial report on earthquake relief efforts issued Saturday by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted the severe damage or destruction of many health facilities, and warned that a severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines, and tents for health workers. China said it has sent more than 135 rescue personnel and experts along with supplies like medical kits and generators, and pledged around $13.8 million in emergency aid. Russias Emergencies Ministry said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies to Yangon, and the countrys Health Ministry said Moscow had sent a medical team to Myanmar. 17 people reported dead in ThailandIn neighboring Thailand, the quake rocked much of the county, bringing down a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok, some 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) away from the epicenter.So far, 10 people have been found dead at the construction site near the popular Chatuchak market, where 83 people are unaccounted for and the latest body was recovered from the rubble early Sunday morning. A total of 17 people have been reported killed by the quake in Thailand so far. In Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, rescue efforts so far are focused on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, which are thought to have been the hardest hit, but many other areas were also impacted and little is known so far about the damage there. Were hearing reports of hundreds of people trapped in different areas, said Bragg. Right now were at 1,600 (known fatalities) and we dont have a lot of data coming out but youve got to assume it will be increasing in the thousands based on what the impacts are. This is just anecdotal information at this point. Rescue efforts in Myanmar complicated by civil warBeyond the earthquake damage, rescue efforts are complicated by the bloody civil war roiling much of the country, including in quake-affected areas. In 2001, the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking what has since turned into significant armed resistance.Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are dangerous or impossible for aid groups to reach. More than 3 million people have been displaced by the fighting and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations.The government military has been fighting long-established militias and newly formed pro-democracy Peoples Defense Forces, and has heavily restricted much-needed aid efforts to the large population already displaced by war even before the earthquake.On Saturday, Myanmars opposition shadow National Unity Government, to which the PDF militias are loyal, announced a unilateral partial ceasefire to facilitate earthquake relief efforts. The military did not immediately comment on the announcement and it continued airstrikes even after the earthquake. The Three Brotherhood Alliance, a group of three of Myanmars most powerful and well-armed militias that launched a combined offensive in October 2023 that broke a strategic stalemate with the military regime, didnt mention a ceasefire in a statement Saturday, but said it was ready to help.We will promptly provide assistance to those affected by the earthquake to the best of our ability, with a spirit of humanity, unit and brotherhood, the group said._____Jintamas Saksornchai contributed to this story. DAVID RISING Rising covers regional Asia-Pacific stories for The Associated Press. He has worked around the world, including covering the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine, and was based for nearly 20 years in Berlin before moving to Bangkok. twitter mailto

Pope Francis appears at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Sunday, March 23, 2025, where he has been treated for bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia since Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)2025-03-30T05:01:09Z ROME (AP) Pope Francis frailty was on full view as he left Romes Gemelli hospital last Sunday after five weeks battling pneumonia that nearly killed him. He could barely lift his arms to bless the crowd. His eyes were sunken, face bloated. And he visibly gasped for breath as he was wheeled back inside from the balcony.Throughout history, the powerful have concealed their weaknesses. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, the most photographed figure of his era, took pains to hide his lame arm. Franklin Delano Roosevelt concealed the use of a wheelchair. More recently, former President Biden shook off concerns about his cognitive abilities.By contrast, Francis, a spiritual and not political leader, has never been shy about showing his weakness. For many, his willingness to be seen in all his infirmity serves as an example to young and old alike that fragility is part of the human condition and should be embraced. Who cares if he had sunken eyes, who cares if he looks bloated. It is part of his life story. He knows it is going to end. I saw him as living his life. He wants to keep doing what he does best, said S. Jay Olshansky, a gerontologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Francis frailty is integral to his ministry of inclusion, which preaches against treating people on the margins as disposable, said Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for Life. Fragility for us believers is not to be avoided or excluded. On the contrary it is a great teaching, Paglia said in an interview. It is in sharp contrast with an efficiency-oriented culture, with a performance culture.'This is not a state, or a company, it is a community of the faithful, a family. And in a family it is possible to give an authoratative leadership, also if not up to full physical strength,' Paglia said. He added that it was an important lesson also for young people who should understand that they too are fragile, otherwise they close themselves off. Paglia this week opened a longevity summit at the Vatican, during which he underlined that as the population of elderly grows, there must be an attitude shift so that the longer life span is to be lived to its fullest.We need to rethink the idea of retirement. These 20, 30 years more must have also a cultural, human and spiritual weight for all the other ages. They are not disposable, he said.Dr. Francesco Vaia, an advocate of rights for the disabled, also said the popes message is especially crucial in an aging world.The theme is not only to get older, but to be active, that is to give more quality to our longer lives, he said. We are moving towards an inclusive society, which is in contrast with a throw-away world in which the weak, the disabled, the elderly are pushed aside.'Lets overcome the superman and superwoman theory. We are men and women with our fragility, and disabilities, Vaia said. This pope can continue being pope. Even the fact of seeing Francis with the nasal breathing tubes as he was driven to the Vatican normalizes a fact of life for many elderly who live with oxygen tanks. We should not be ashamed of this, Vaia said. Pope John Paul II, too, was often praised for showing his suffering during his long bout with Parkinsons disease. But the Vatican also went to great lengths to conceal his frailty. He was never seen in a wheelchair, for example, instead he was pushed on a rolling wooden chair or upon a moving platform.Francis by contrast arrives at events in wheelchairs, and is seen lifted into a more formal seat for Masses or to address the faithful.He did not shy away from showing his weakened state from the hospital. An audio recording of his barely audible, labored voice was played in St. Peters Square three weeks into his hospitalization as a first sign of life. It was followed by a photograph of him co-celebrating Mass, taken from behind in his personal hospital chapel.While Francis appearance on the hospital balcony did not necessarily project vitality, the doctor who coordinated his hospital treatment saw it as a sign of his strength. You saw when he looked out, he is fragile. But his strength is that he could give, even with some difficulty, the blessing, Dr. Sergio Alfieri said. He looked at the square, and he welcomed the lady with the yellow flowers, as if to say, I am maintaining a good mood. He is strong in this sense, a strong spirit. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

New Juventus coach Igor Tudor had a direct role in the Bianconeri's first goal since he replaced the fired Thiago Motta.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has said his own efforts this season have been "really poor" as his side struggle to recapture their title-winning form.

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese rescuers arrive at the Yangon International Airport in Yangon, Myanmar on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Haymhan Aung/Xinhua via AP)2025-03-30T08:26:32Z BANGKOK (AP) Emergency aid has streamed into Southeast Asia in the two days since a massive earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand. Relief efforts are focused on Myanmar, where the estimated death toll rose to 1,644 by Sunday afternoon.The number of dead from Fridays 7.7 magnitude quake is expected to increase, while the number of injured was at 3,408 and the missing figure rose was 139 on Sunday. The earthquakes epicenter was near Mandalay, Myanmars second-largest city with 1.5 million people. In neighboring Thailand, the death toll rose to 17.While food, medicine and other vital supplies have reached Myanmar, a report issued Saturday by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said rescue efforts have been hampered by a severe shortage of medical supplies including trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicine and tents to house health workers. We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction caused by this earthquake, said Mohammed Riyas, the IRCs Myanmar director.Here is a look at some of the contributions in supplies, personnel and monetary support and the nations and groups providing assistance: Direct assistance by nationsOn Sunday, a convoy of 17 Chinese cargo trucks carrying critical shelter and medical supplies was expected to reach Mandalay. China said it has sent more than 135 rescue personnel and experts along with supplies like medical kits, generators, earthquake detectors and drones while pledging around $13.8 million in emergency aid. Hong Kong on Saturday dispatched 51 search-and-rescue personnel including firefighters and ambulance personnel as well as two search-and-rescue dogs. The group brought 9 tons (18,000 pounds) of equipment including life detectors and an automatic satellite tracking antenna system, according to a statement on the Hong Kong governments website. The Hong Kong government also will set aside HK$30 million ($3.9 million) from its Disaster Relief Fund to help Myanmar victims. Russias Emergencies Ministry said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies to Yangon, Myanmars second-largest city, and Russias Health Ministry said Moscow had sent a medical team that includes specialists in infectious diseases, resuscitation, traumatology and psychology, as well as search and rescue teams with canine units and devices that can search in rubble with depths as much as 4.5 meters (14.7 feet).Two Indian C-17 military transport aircraft on Saturday brought in a field hospital unit and some 120 personnel who traveled north to Mandalay to establish a 60-bed emergency treatment center, the countrys Foreign Ministry said. India previously said it planned to send five aircrafts and four ships with relief supplies including rescue team and medical teams.Malaysias foreign ministry said the country would send 50 personnel to help identify and provide aid to the worst-hit areas.South Korea said it will provide $2 million in humanitarian aid through international organizations. New Zealands Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a post on X that his government would support relief efforts via the International Red Cross Movement.The European Commission said Friday it would release 2.5 million euros ($2.7 million) in initial emergency assistance to assist with earthquake relief, bringing the European Unions total humanitarian aid for Myanmar to more than 35 million ($37.8 million) this year.Ireland announced Saturday the government would provide an aid package of 6 million ($6.49 million) with 3 million ($3.2 million) to support the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Myanmar Red Cross Society, 1.5 million ($1.6 million) each to the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund and U.N. Refugee Agency Joint Response Plan.President Donald Trump said Friday the U.S. would help with the response, but some experts were concerned about the promised effort given his administrations deep cuts in foreign assistance. Aid agencies contributingThe U.N. humanitarian affairs office said it has mobilized with other groups and $5 million has been allocated from a Central Emergency Response Fund for life-saving assistance.The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies released 2 million Swiss francs ($2.2 million) in emergency funds to support the organizations work in Myanmar, Jagan Chapagain, the organizations secretary general and CEO, said in a social media post Sunday.Cara Bragg, the Yangon-based manager of Catholic Relief Services in Myanmar, said relief efforts have largely consisted of local volunteers trying to find loved ones.Despite the influx of countries sending search and rescue teams, hospitals are really struggling to cope with the influx of injured people, theres a shortage of medical supplies, and people are struggling to find food and clean water, Bragg said.

Palestinians attend Eid al-Fitr prayer in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip , Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)2025-03-30T07:40:27Z DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Palestinians in the Gaza Strip had little to celebrate on Sunday as they began marking a normally festive Muslim holiday with rapidly dwindling food supplies and no end in sight to the Israel-Hamas war.Many held prayers outside demolished mosques on the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Its supposed to be a joyous occasion, when families gather for feasts and purchase new clothes for children but most of Gazas 2 million Palestinians are just trying to survive.Its the Eid of Sadness, Adel al-Shaer said after attending outdoor prayers in the central town of Deir al-Balah. We lost our loved ones, our children, our lives, and our futures. We lost our students, our schools, and our institutions. We lost everything.Twenty members of his extended family have been killed in Israeli strikes, including four young nephews just a few days ago, he said as he broke into tears. Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas and resumed the war earlier this month when the militant group refused to accept changes to the agreement reached in January. Israeli strikes have killed hundreds of Palestinians, and Israel has allowed no food, fuel or humanitarian aid to enter for four weeks. Arab mediators are trying to get the truce back on track, and Hamas said Saturday that it had accepted a new proposal from Egypt and Qatar, the exact details of which were not immediately known. Israel said it had advanced its own proposal in coordination with the United States, which has also been mediating. There is killing, displacement, hunger, and a siege, said Saed al-Kourd, another worshipper. We go out to perform Gods rituals in order to make the children happy, but as for the joy of Eid? There is no Eid.The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Hamas is still holding 59 captives 24 of whom are believed to be alive after most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other agreements. Israels offensive has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.Israels bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of Gaza and at their height displaced around 90% of the population.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Kylian Mbapp said matching Cristiano Ronaldo's goal tally in his debut Real Madrid season is "very special" after scoring twice in a 3-2 comeback win over Legans on Saturday.

The Canadian soccer federation defended its handling of star player Alphonso Davies after Bayern Munich threatened to take legal action in the aftermath of his serious injury suffered during the Concacaf Nations League finals.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen answers to the media during a gathering in support of detained Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, in Paris, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)2025-03-30T04:07:01Z PARIS (AP) Her political death. Thats how French far-right leader Marine Le Pen described whats at stake in a verdict expected Monday that could derail her plans to run in the next presidential election scheduled for 2027.A judge is set to rule on whether Le Pen and her National Rally party embezzled European Parliament funds. She and 24 other party officials are accused of having used money intended for European Union parliamentary aides to instead pay staff who worked for the party between 2004 and 2016, violating the 27-nation blocs regulations.Le Pen, 56, and other co-defendants denied wrongdoing during the nine-week trial that took place in late 2024.Le Pens greatest concern is that she could be declared ineligible to seek public office, if found guilty. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen reacts at the National Assembly before French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers his general policy speech meant to outline his top priorities, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File) French far-right leader Marine Le Pen reacts at the National Assembly before French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou delivers his general policy speech meant to outline his top priorities, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More How could the verdict affect Le Pens political career? In case of conviction, the court could impose a period where she is ineligible to run for office with immediate effect even if she files an appeal.The court would also decide whether to give Le Pen a prison sentence which would be suspended during any appeal.That could prompt another possible headache for the far-right leader. If she appeals, she will automatically be granted a new trial, but it will likely take place in 2026, just months before the presidential election. Le Pen appears to be anticipating a guilty verdict, telling the panel of three judges: I feel we didnt succeed in convincing you. During the trial, prosecutors requested a two-year prison sentence for Le Pen and a five-year period of ineligibility. They want my political death, Le Pen then said. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrives at the courtroom for the trial over the suspected embezzlement of European Parliament funds, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File) French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrives at the courtroom for the trial over the suspected embezzlement of European Parliament funds, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More What does the Constitutional Council say?In a key decision on Friday, the Constitutional Council ruled that a period of ineligibility with immediate effect is in line with the French Constitution.But it also stressed that its up to the judges to assess the consequences of imposing such a ban right away and make sure the ruling is proportionate and takes into consideration the preservation of voters freedom.The Constitutional Council rendered its ruling in a separate case that has no direct link with Le Pens.Yet its conclusions have been scrutinized as they provide legal guidance that judges are likely to take into consideration.The Constitutional Council also underlined that the court can decide to not impose any period of ineligibility immediately. In that case, the ban would be suspended pending appeal.What makes Le Pen a key presidential contender? French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrives with her legal team at the court house in Paris, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File) French far-right leader Marine Le Pen arrives with her legal team at the court house in Paris, Sept. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More For over a decade, Le Pen has worked at making her party more mainstream, dulling its extremist edge to broaden its appeal to voters. She led the National Rally from 2011 to 2021. She changed its name from the National Front, as part of her efforts to distance it from the period when her father ran it and it carried a heavy stigma of racism and antisemitism.Now a lawmaker in the National Assembly, the French parliaments powerful lower house, she has already positioned herself as a candidate to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, having twice finished runner-up to him. In 2022, Macron won with 58.5% of the vote to Le Pens 41.5% significantly closer than when they first faced off in 2017 and the best score ever of the French far right in a presidential bid.Ineligibility would have the effect of depriving me of being a presidential candidate, she pleaded during the trial. Behind that, there are 11 million people who voted for the movement I represent. So tomorrow, potentially, millions and millions of French people would see themselves deprived of their candidate in the election.Who could replace her? Jordan Bardella, member of the European Parliament for the French Rassemblement National, attends a debate about Ukraine in the European parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, File) Jordan Bardella, member of the European Parliament for the French Rassemblement National, attends a debate about Ukraine in the European parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Jordan Bardella, 29, succeeded Le Pen in 2021 at the helm of the party. He would likely be her prime minister if she were to become president.That makes him widely perceived as her natural successor if she were barred from running.Yet observers say theres no guarantee he would be able to convince as many voters as she does. In recent months, some inside the party have criticized his management as too focused on his personal career.Since joining the party at age 17, Bardella has risen quickly through the ranks, serving as spokesperson and president of its youth wing, before being appointed vice president and becoming the second-youngest member of the European Parliament in history, in 2019. SYLVIE CORBET Corbet is an Associated Press reporter based in Paris. She covers French politics, diplomacy and defense as well as gender issues and breaking news. twitter

Rescue workers collect the body parts of a person killed in a Russian strike on a residential neighborhood of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko)2025-03-30T08:02:36Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian drones hit a military hospital, shopping center, apartment blocks and other buildings in Kharkiv late Saturday, killing two people and wounding 30 others, Ukrainian officials said.Regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said that a 67-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman were killed in the attack on Ukraines second-largest city.Ukraines General Staff denounced the deliberate, targeted shelling of the military hospital. Among the casualties were servicemen who were undergoing treatment, it said. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia fired 111 exploding drones and decoys in the latest wave of attacks overnight into Sunday. It said 65 of them were intercepted and another 35 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. Russias Ministry of Defense, meanwhile, said its air defense systems shot down six Ukrainian drones. According to Ukrainian government and military analysts, Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Ukraine and strengthen the Kremlins negotiating position in ceasefire talks.

Nottingham Forest secured a place in the FA Cup semi-finals by beating Brighton & Hove Albion 4-3 in a penalty shootout when Ryan Yates smashed home the winner after the game finished goalless following extra time.

Billionaire businessman David Blitzer is in advanced talks to sell a large stake in both Real Salt Lake of MLS and the Utah Royals of NWSL after owning both franchises since 2022, according to multiple reports.