Liverpool still have breathing room but have lost three times in four games in all competitions. What's going on? And how can they improve the squad in the summer?

The No. 2 pick sees an international entry, while Hailey Van Lith and Sedona Prince drop out of the first round.

View of the school 'Jesuitas de Sarri San Ignacio' in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo)2025-04-11T16:29:13Z BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Condolences poured in Friday for the Barcelona family that perished in a helicopter accident an ocean away, from Spains prime minister to the company where the parents worked and the school where their children studied.The family of five had meant to celebrate one of their childrens birthdays in the United States. Instead, a private helicopter tour of New York city turned tragic when the aircraft broke apart and plunged into the Hudson River. The pilot also died, bringing the death toll to six.The victims were Agustn Escobar and his wife Merc Camprub Montal, both executives at units of energy technology company Siemens, as well as their three children, and the pilot. Unimaginable, was how Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez described the tragedy.The news that has reached us about a helicopter accident in the Hudson River is devastating, Snchez said on X while on a state visit to China. Five members of a Spanish family, including three children, have lost their lives. It is an unimaginable tragedy. I feel for the loss of their loved ones. Classmates shockedStudents at the Jesuits of Sant Ignasi school in Barcelonas upscale Sarria neighborhood wept and embraced their parents Friday afternoon, after having learned of the deaths of their friends and classmates, as seen by an Associated Press reporter.A father at the schools entrance said his son had been friends with one of children who perished, and is completely devastated. The man declined to be named.The school published a statement on Instagram saying it was devastated by the death of a family of our community. It declined to comment when contacted by the AP. My endless source of energy and happinessEscobar was originally from Puertollano, a small city in central Spains Castilla La Mancha region.I want to express my sorrow for the traffic helicopter accident in New York that claimed the lives of Agustn Escobar and his family, regional president Emiliano Garca-Page wrote on X. In 2023 we named him a Favorite Son of Castilla La Mancha.Escobar worked for the tech company Siemens for more than 27 years, most recently as global CEO for rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, according to his LinkedIn account. In late 2022, he briefly became president and CEO of Siemens Spain.He regularly posted about the importance of sustainability in the rail industry and often traveled internationally for work, including journeying to India and the United Kingdom in the past month. He also was vice president of the German Chamber of Commerce for Spain since 2023.In a LinkedIn post in 2022, he thanked his family, my endless source of energy and happiness, for their unconditional support, love ... and patience. Soccer club connectionHis wife, Camprub Montal, hailed from northeast Catalonia, where Barcelona is located. She had worked for Siemens Energy for about seven years, including as its global commercialization manager and as a digitalization manager, according to her LinkedIn account.She was also closely tied to the history of the famous Barcelona soccer club. Her grandfather, Agust Montal i Costa, was president of the club from 1969 to 1977, and her great-grandfather Agust Montal i Galobart, presided the club from 1946-1952.The club has so far not commented on her death.We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones, Siemens said in a statement Friday.Doomed FlightEscobar had traveled to the New York area on business and his family flew in to extend the trip a few days, said Steven Fulop, mayor of Jersey City. Photos posted by the tour company on its website show the family smiling in the helicopter before takeoff.New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the children were 4, 8 and 10 years old, and that the middle childs birthday was Friday.Jersey Citys Mayor Fulop said a relative was expected to arrive Friday and officials were working with the medical examiner to release the bodies for transport back to Spain.___AP photojournalist Emilio Morenatti contributed.

FILKE - Pig kidney transplant recipient Towana Looney sits with transplant surgeon Dr. Jayme Locke on Dec. 10, 2024, at NYU Langone Health in New York. (AP Photo/Shelby Lum, File)2025-04-11T16:35:31Z WASHINGTON (AP) An Alabama woman who lived with a pig kidney for a record 130 days had the organ removed after her body began rejecting it and is back on dialysis, doctors announced Friday a disappointment in the ongoing quest for animal-to-human transplants.Towana Looney is recovering well from the April 4 removal surgery at NYU Langone Health and has returned home to Gadsden, Alabama. In a statement, she thanked her doctors for the opportunity to be part of this incredible research.Though the outcome is not what anyone wanted, I know a lot was learned from my 130 days with a pig kidney and that this can help and inspire many others in their journey to overcoming kidney disease, Looney added.Scientists are genetically altering pigs so their organs are more humanlike to address a severe shortage of transplantable human organs. More than 100,000 people are on the U.S. transplant list, most who need a kidney, and thousands die waiting. Before Looneys transplant only four other Americans had received experimental xenotransplants of gene-edited pig organs two hearts and two kidneys that lasted no longer than two months. Those recipients, who were severely ill before the surgery, died. Now researchers are attempting these transplants in slightly less sick patients, like Looney. A New Hampshire man who received a pig kidney in January is faring well and a rigorous study of pig kidney transplants is set to begin this summer. Chinese researchers also recently announced a successful kidney xenotransplant. Looney had been on dialysis since 2016 and didnt qualify for a regular transplant her body was abnormally primed to reject a human kidney. So she sought out a pig kidney and it functioned well she called herself superwoman and lived longer than anyone with a gene-edited pig organ before, from her Nov. 25 transplant until early April when her body began rejecting it. NYU xenotransplant pioneer Dr. Robert Montgomery, Looneys surgeon, said what triggered that rejection is being investigated. But he said Looney and her doctors agreed it would be less risky to remove the pig kidney than to try saving it with higher, riskier doses of anti-rejection drugs.We did the safe thing, Montgomery told The Associated Press. Shes no worse off than she was before (the xenotransplant) and she would tell you shes better off because she had this 4 month break from dialysis.Shortly before the rejection began, Looney had suffered an infection related to her prior time on dialysis and her immune-suppressing anti-rejection drugs were slightly lowered, Montgomery said. At the same time, her immune system was reactivating after the transplant. Those factors may have combined to damage the new kidney, he said.Rejection is a common threat after transplants of human organs, too, and sometimes cost patients their new organ. Doctors face a balancing act in tamping down patients immune systems just enough to preserve the new organ while allowing them to fight infection. Its an even bigger challenge with xenotransplantation. While these pig organs have been altered to help prevent immediate rejection, patients still require immune-suppressing drugs. Which drugs are best to prevent different, later forms of rejection isnt clear, said Dr. Tatsuo Kawai of Massachusetts General Hospital, another xenotransplant pioneer. Different research groups are using different combinations, he said.When we have more experience, well know what kind of immunosuppression is really necessary for xenotransplant, Kawai saidMontgomery said Looneys experience offers valuable lessons for the upcoming clinical trial.Making xenotransplant ultimately work is going to be won with singles and doubles, not swinging for the fence every time we do one of these, he said.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Nickel cornerback Jalen Pitre and the Houston Texans have agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract extension with $30 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN.

Joe Flacco is returning to Cleveland, where he won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023.

The sun rises above the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol in the background, March 13, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)2025-04-11T16:53:37Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump on Friday urged Congress to push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day in his latest dig at the semiannual changing of clocks. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social media network, said it would be Very popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!The Republican presidents position calling for more daylight would push the schedule forward, keeping the country on daylight saving time. His post came a day after a Senate panel heard testimony examining whether to set one time all year instead of shifting. There has been growing interest in states to standardize daylight saving time in recent years. But daylight saving time, when clocks are set from spring to fall one hour ahead of standard time, is still recognized in most parts of the country. It was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Trump last year called for the Republican Party to eliminate daylight saving time, saying it was inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.But he backed off that call last month, with another post on social media calling it a 50-50 issue. The president said some people would like more light later in the day but some want more light early so they dont have to take their kids to school in the dark. When somethings a 50-50 issue, its hard to get excited about it, he said.The Senate in 2022 unanimously approved a measure that would make daylight saving time permanent across the United States, but it did not advance. MICHELLE L. PRICE Price covers the White House. She previously covered the 2024 presidential campaign and politics, government and other news in New York, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. She is based in Washington. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Emergency crew inspect the site of a small plane crash Friday, April 11, 2025 in Boca Raton, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)2025-04-11T15:09:49Z BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) Three people were killed and one was injured when a small plane crashed Friday morning in South Florida near a major interstate highway and pushed a car onto railroad tracks, officials said.Boca Raton Fire Rescue assistant chief Michael LaSalle said the plane crash that killed all three people on board emitted a fireball when it hit the ground, injuring a person in a nearby car. LaSalle said several roads near the Boca Raton Airport will remain closed near Interstate 95.The Federal Aviation Administration identified the plane as a Cessna 310 with three people on board. It went down about 10:20 a.m. after departing from Boca Raton Airport bound for Tallahassee, the FAA said in an email.Fire officials told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the aircraft appeared to have pushed a car onto the railroad tracks, leading to the tracks closure. Josh Orsino, 31, said he was stopped at a red light at a nearby overpass when he heard a loud explosion and saw a huge fireball come toward him.Were just sitting there, and I see the palm trees start catching on fire, Orsino said. I thought it was an oil rig or a car crash type thing. Orsino said everyone was honking and trying to get off the overpass, not sure if it was going to collapse.So I didnt know if the fire was going to come towards the vehicles, I mean, my first instinct was like, I got to get off this bridge. Im getting out of here, Orsino said. Miguel Coka, 51, who works near the Boca Raton airport, said he is used to seeing planes flying low as they prepare to land. But this time, he and his colleagues noticed something was off.There was a rumble and everyone in the building felt it, he said when the plane crashed. We are all shocked.He captured the smoke and flames from the crash from his office balcony on video.Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer said the investigation was just beginning. We are deeply saddened to confirm that a plane crash occurred earlier today within our community. At this time, details are still emerging, and we are working closely with emergency responders and authorities, Singer said in a statement. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic event. We ask for patience and respect for the families involved as investigations continue.The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating, with the NTSB leading the probe.The small plane crash in South Florida comes a day after a New York City sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair and crashed upside-down into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and a family of five Spanish tourists.___Associated Press producer Beatrice Dupuy contributed to this report from New York. STEPHANY MATAT Matat is an Associated Press general assignment reporter with a focus on politics and South Florida issues. twitter instagram mailto

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever will square off against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky in prime time to tip off the inaugural WNBA Rivals Week in August.

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava did not attend Tennessee's spring practice Friday amid ongoing NIL negotiations, sources told ESPN.

The relatives of Venezuelan migrants in the U.S. who were flown to a prison in El Salvador by the U.S. government who alleged they were members of the Tren de Aragua gang, protest outside of the United Nations building in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)2025-04-11T17:33:11Z President Donald Trumps immigration agenda is playing out in numerous ways Friday, from hearings in key cases on the governments power to deport people to the start of a registry required for all those who are in the country illegally. And on Thursday, immigration developments came on multiple fronts as federal officials work on the presidents promise to carry out mass deportations and double down on his authority to do so. The Supreme Court ruled in the case of a mistakenly deported man, and the administrations classification of thousands of living immigrants as dead came to light.Here is a breakdown of some of what has happened so far and what is ahead on the immigration front. The Supreme Court says officials must work to bring back a mistakenly deported manThe Supreme Court on Thursday said the Trump administration must work to bring back a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador.Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a Salvadoran citizen who had an immigration court order preventing his deportation to his native country over fears he would face persecution from local gangs. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported him anyway to El Salvador, where hes been held in a notorious prison. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis had ordered Abrego Garcia returned to the U.S. by midnight Monday. The Supreme Court order requires the government to facilitate his release from custody.The two sides are expected back in a Maryland court Friday, although the Trump administration had asked for a delay until Monday. Abrego Garcias lawyers called that request another stunning display of arrogance and cruelty. Next steps for Columbia student arrested over Gaza protestsOn Friday, Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil is expected in immigration court in central Louisiana, where an immigration judge will hear arguments on whether the administration can continue detaining him during his immigration proceedings or whether he should be released as they play out.Khalil is a 30-year-old Palestinian by ethnicity who was born in Syria. He was arrested March 8 in New York and taken to Louisiana. He is a legal permanent U.S. resident who served as spokesperson for campus activists last year during large demonstrations against Israels treatment of Palestinians and the war in Gaza. He finished his coursework for his graduate degree in international affairs last semester.At the time of Khalils arrest, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson accused Khalil of leading activities aligned to Hamas, referring to the militant group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.Since then, the government hasnt produced evidence linking Khalil to Hamas.In a recent filing, the government instead submitted a memo citing the Trump administrations authority to expel noncitizens whose presence in the country damages U.S. foreign policy interests.The two-page memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by The Associated Press, does not allege any criminal conduct by Khalil. Rather, Rubio wrote Khalil could be expelled for his beliefs.Rubio said Khalils activities were otherwise lawful. But the secretary wrote that letting him remain in the country would undermine U.S. policy to combat anti-Semitism.Khalil has adamantly rejected allegations of antisemitism, accusing the Trump administration of targeting me as part of a broader strategy to suppress dissent in a letter sent from jail. Temporary reprieve for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans?A federal judge said Thursday that she will prevent the Trump administration from ordering hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans with temporary legal status to leave the country later this month.The ruling is significant for the more than 500,000 people who came to the country under the Biden-era program. They were facing an April 24 deadline by which their work permits would be terminated and they could be subject to deportation. The program was launched as the Biden administration was generally trying to alleviate pressure on the southern border by creating new pathways for people to come to the U.S. and work, usually for two years on humanitarian parole. The reprieve may be temporary, as the government is likely to appeal. The Trump administration has harshly criticized Bidens use of humanitarian parole. During a hearing Thursday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani repeatedly questioned the governments assertion that it could end humanitarian parole for the four nationalities. She argued that immigrants in the program who are here legally now face an option of fleeing the country or staying and risk losing everything.The start of a registry for people in the country illegallyFriday marks the launch of a requirement for people who are in the country illegally to register with the federal government.Homeland Security announced Feb. 25 that it was mandating all people in the U.S. illegally register with the federal government, and said those who didnt self-report could face fines or prosecution. Failure to register is considered a crime, and people will be required to carry registration documents with them or risk prison time and fines. The registration process also applies to Canadians who are in the U.S. for more than 30 days, including so-called snowbirds who spend winter months in places such as Florida.Opponents sued to stop the registry from taking effect, saying the government should have gone through the more lengthy public notification process, and that its enforcing this simply to facilitate Trumps aim of mass deportations.On Thursday, a federal judge sided with the administration. Officials had argued they were simply enforcing a requirement that already existed for everyone who is in the country but isnt an American citizen. Immediately after the ruling, Department of Homeland Security officials emphasized that going forward, the registration requirement would be enforced to the fullest.Questions remain about how the registration requirement will function. But its impact could be far-reaching. The Trump administration has said between 2.2 million and 3.2 million people could be affected. Classifying immigrants as dead?In an effort to make more migrants voluntarily go home, the Trump administration is classifying more than 6,000 immigrants who are alive as dead. Theyre canceling their Social Security numbers and effectively wiping out their ability to work or receive benefits in the U.S. That is according to two people familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plans had not yet been publicly detailed. The move will make it much harder for those affected to use banks or other basic services where Social Security numbers are required. Its part of a broader effort by Trump to crack down on immigrants who were allowed to enter and remain temporarily in the United States under programs instituted by his predecessor, Joe Biden. The officials said stripping the immigrants of their Social Security numbers will cut them off from many financial services and encourage them to self-deport and abandon the U.S. for their birth countries. It wasnt immediately clear how the immigrants were chosen. But the Trump White House has targeted people in the country temporarily under Biden-era programs.Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security and Treasury signed a deal allowing the IRS to share immigrants tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the purpose of identifying and deporting people illegally in the U.S.___Associated Press reporters Rebecca Santana, Jake Offenhartz, Will Weissert, Fatima Hussein, Mark Sherman and Michael Casey contributed. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

2025-04-11T16:16:57Z DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) In a surprise announcement Friday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said she will not seek a third term in office in 2026.Reynolds, a Republican, has held the position since 2017, when former Gov. Terry Branstad was appointed U.S. ambassador to China. She was elected to full terms in 2018 and again in 2022.This wasnt an easy decision, because I love this state and I love serving you, Reynolds said in a video posted on social media. But, when my term ends, I will have had the privilege of serving as your governor for almost 10 years.Reynolds said she is leaving office after years of her family supporting her, saying now its time for me to be there for them. Her husband, Kevin Reynolds, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023. In her condition of the state in January, she said his cancer remained in remission.Reynolds, who got her start in politics as treasurer in largely rural Clarke County in southern Iowa, population less than 10,000, was the states first female governor.

lkay Gndoan has suggested that Manchester City's struggles this season have been down to lacking "behaviours" that helped them win four Premier League titles in a row.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has said that Liam Delap can become a "top player" but insists that the club's ideal transfer target is a "copy" of their current No. 9 Nicolas Jackson.

Avalanche left winger Gabriel Landeskog will play Friday for the franchise's AHL affiliate, his first professional game in nearly three years due to a knee injury.

Kent State has fired coach Kenni Burns after he went 1-23 in two seasons.

Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil is seen at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the Columbia University campus in New York, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)2025-04-11T20:03:43Z JENA, La. (AP) Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil can be deported as a national security risk, an immigration judge in Louisiana ruled Friday during a hearing over the legality of kicking the activist who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations out of the U.S.Immigration Judge Jamee E. Comans said at the conclusion of a hearing in Jena that the governments contention that Khalils presence in the United States posed potentially serious foreign policy consequences was enough to satisfy requirements for his deportation.Comans said the government had established by clear and convincing evidence that he is removable.Lawyers for Khalil are expected to appeal. And a federal judge in New Jersey has temporarily barred Khalils removal from the country.Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, was detained by federal immigration agents on March 8 in the lobby of his university-owned apartment, the first arrest under President Donald Trumps promised crackdown on students who joined campus protests against the war in Gaza. Within a day, he was flown across the country and taken to an immigration detention center in Jena, thousands of miles from his attorneys and wife, a U.S. citizen who is due to give birth soon. Khalils lawyers have challenged the legality of his detention, saying the Trump administration is trying to crack down on free speech protected by the U.S. Constitution. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cited a rarely used statute to justify Khalils deportation, which gives him power to deport those who pose potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.At Fridays hearing, Khalil attorney Marc Van Der Hout told the judge that the governments submissions to the court prove the attempt to deport his client has nothing to do with foreign policy.Earlier this week, Comans challenged the government to share proof that Khalil should be expelled from the country for his role in campus protests against Israel and the war in Gaza. She said if evidence does not support his removal, she would terminate the case on Friday. On Friday, Justice Department attorneys said in papers filed in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, that Comans would not have the authority to immediately free Khalil.They said an immigration judge could determine if Khalil is subject to deportation and then conduct a bail hearing afterward if it is found that he is not.Khalil isnt accused of breaking any laws during the protests at Columbia. The government, however, has said that noncitizens who participate in such demonstrations should be expelled from the country for expressing views that the administration considers to be antisemitic and pro-Hamas, referring to the Palestinian militant group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.Khalil, a 30-year-old international affairs graduate student, had served as a negotiator and spokesperson for student activists at Columbia University who took over a campus lawn last spring to protest Israels military campaign in Gaza. The university brought police in to dismantle the encampment after a small group of protesters seized an administration building. Khalil is not accused of participating in the building occupation and wasnt among the people arrested in connection with the demonstrations.But images of his maskless face at protests, along with his willingness to share his name with reporters, have made him an object of scorn among those who saw the protesters and their demands as antisemitic. The White House accused Khalil of siding with terrorists, but has yet to cite any support for the claim.Federal judges in New York and New Jersey have ordered the government not to deport Khalil while his case plays out in court.The Trump administration has said it is taking at least $400 million in federal funding away from research programs at Columbia and its medical center to punish it for not doing enough to fight what it considers to be antisemitism on campus.Some Jewish students and faculty complained about being harassed during the demonstrations or ostracized because of their faith or their support of Israel. Immigration authorities have cracked down on other critics of Israel on college campuses, arresting a Georgetown University scholar who had spoken out on social media about the Israel-Gaza war, canceling the student visas of some protesters and deporting a Brown University professor who they said had attended the Lebanon funeral of a leader of Hezbollah, another militant group that has fought with Israel.___Brumback reported from Atlanta. Associated Press reporter Larry Neumeister in New York contributed.

Former Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham will cross the north London divide to take up the same role at rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.

Ruben Amorim has said he won't throw away games in the Premier League to aid Manchester United's bid to win the Europa League ahead of their tough trip to Newcastle United on Sunday.

Nature, Published online: 11 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01192-yA host of legal claims aim to roll back the Trump administrations grant terminations, indirect-cost cap and more.

UConn star Paige Bueckers, the projected No. 1 pick, headlines a list of 16 players who have been invited to attend Monday's WNBA draft, the league announced Friday.

Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells is expected to miss the rest of the season after breaking his right wrist and sustaining a concussion and facial laceration, the team announced.

Drew Lock is expected to sign with the Seahawks, a source confirmed to ESPN. Lock is now set to back up Sam Darnold after spending two seasons as Geno Smith's backup in Seattle.

The price of tickets to attend Monday night's WNBA draft has nearly doubled from last year. The Dallas Wings hold the No. 1 pick with UConn's Paige Bueckers expected to be the first selection.

South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley intends to enter the transfer portal, sources told ESPN. Fulwiley shined off the bench in helping the Gamecocks to the past two Final Fours.

Bryson Dechambeau posted a 4-under 68 that left him one stroke behind leader Justin Rose after his second round at the Masters.

Justin Rose is still in the lead at the Masters. He suddenly has a lot of all-star company around him.

Rory McIlroy posted a bogey-free second round at the Masters on Friday, carding four birdies and an eagle en route to a 6-under 66 on the day.

President Donald Trump walks up the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)2025-04-11T21:13:12Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump is betting that a beleaguered Iran is so vulnerable following a tumultuous 18 months in the Middle East that it might finally be ready to abandon its nuclear program.The renewed push to solve one of the most delicate foreign policy issues facing the White House and the Mideast will begin in earnest Saturday when Trumps Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi gather in Oman. Trump says he prefers a diplomatic solution, even as he warns that Iran will face great danger if talks dont go well. But Irans nuclear advances since Trump scrapped an Obama-era agreement during his first term make finding a pathway to a deal difficult, and experts warn that the prospects of U.S. military action on Iranian nuclear facilities appear higher than they have been in years. I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country, but they cant have a nuclear weapon, Trump said Friday night aboard Air Force One as he flew to Florida for the weekend.The moment is certainly fraught, but the White House is seeing hopeful signs that the timing might be right. The push comes as Iran has faced a series of enormous setbacks that has ostensibly left Tehran in a weaker negotiating position. Irans recent challenges The military capabilities of Iranian-backed proxy forces Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been dramatically degraded by Israeli forces. U.S. airstrikes, meanwhile, targeting Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have hit oil refineries, airports and missile sites.Israel also carried out strikes against Iran in October that damaged facilities linked to Tehrans nuclear and ballistic missile programs. And in December, Iran saw Syrian leader Bashar Assad Tehrans closest Mideast ally ousted after more than two decades in power. The leaders of the Islamic Republic also face domestic pressure as years of international sanctions have choked the economy. The U.S. Treasury Department announced a new round of sanctions earlier this week targeting five entities and an individual that American officials say play key roles in Irans nuclear program. All eyes are on Oman by Iranians following this very closely and potentially hoping that this would impact the state of the economy, said Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, a Washington-based think tank.But it remains to be seen if the U.S. can entice Iran with a big enough carrot for it to make concessions to meet Trumps demands that any potential deal go further in ensuring Tehran doesnt develop nuclear weapons than the agreement forged during Democratic President Barack Obamas administration.Under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran could only maintain a small stockpile of uranium enriched to 3.67%. Today, it has enough to build multiple nuclear weapons if it chooses and has some material enriched up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Its not clear if talks will be face to faceAt the meeting Saturday in Omans capital city of Muscat, Iran will be represented by Araghchi and the United States by Witkoff. Its unclear if the two will speak directly.Trump has said the two sides will have direct negotiations. But Iranian officials have insisted that the plan is for indirect talks, meaning an intermediary from Oman would shuttle messages between Witkoffs and Araghchis teams holed up in different rooms.Either way, the decision for the two sides to talk announced by Trump in the Oval Office this week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came as a bit of a surprise.Trump has been calling for direct talks while threatening consequences for Iran if it doesnt move to get a deal done. Iran, meanwhile, has given mixed signals about the utility of the talks, arguing that engaging would be useless under the shadow of threats.After Trump recently sent a letter to Irans supreme leader, 85-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling for direct negotiations, Tehran rejected the entreaty while leaving open the possibility of indirect negotiations. President Masoud Pezeshkian again pledged this week that Irans not after a nuclear bomb and even suggested Tehran could be open to the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal.That was a departure from Irans stance after its 2015 nuclear deal, in which Tehran sought to buy American airplanes but in effect barred U.S. companies from coming into the country. How much room is there for negotiation?National security adviser Mike Waltz has said Trump wants the full dismantlement of Irans nuclear program, adding, Thats enrichment, that is weaponization, and that is its strategic missile program.But Trump left greater space for negotiations: The only thing that they cant have is a nuclear weapon, Trump told reporters as he met with his Cabinet secretaries Wednesday.Witkoff also has signaled that the administration could be amenable to a deal that is less than full nuclear disarmament.Where our red line will be, there cant be weaponization of your nuclear capability, Witkoff said in a Wall Street Journal interview published Friday.Meanwhile, Netanyahu, who met with Trump on Monday, said he would welcome a diplomatic agreement along the lines of Libyas deal with the international community in 2003. The Israeli leader is known for his hawkish views on Iran and in the past has urged Washington to take military action against Iran.The Libya deal saw late dictator Moammar Gadhafi give up all of his clandestine nuclear program. Iran has insisted its program, acknowledged to the International Atomic Energy Agency, should continue. But Trump has notably not embraced Netanyahus push for the Libya model, said Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, another Washington-based think tank.If its narrow, if its focused on the nuclear program, if the goal of the U.S. is to prevent a nuclear weapon, then there is a likelihood for success, Parsi said. And its under those circumstances that I suspect that you will see talks, perhaps in rather short order, be elevated.___Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Muscat, Oman, contributed to this report. AAMER MADHANI Madhani covers the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto

Tracking which teams have clinched for the playoffs with the 2024-25 NBA regular season nearing its conclusion.

In his final Masters, Bernhard Langer missed playing the weekend by one shot, with his par putt on the 18th hole Friday narrowly off the mark.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has a shoulder injury that could put his status for the 2025 season in jeopardy, according to multiple reports Friday.

Nikola Jokic will average a triple-double for the season, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to achieve that feat.

Jayson Tatum took time to acknowledge "another incredible season" for the 60-win Celtics, but said the team is "shifting gears" as it prepares to defend its title in the postseason.

It's been five years since Romain Grosjean's fiery Bahrain crash. F1's ongoing search for safety saved him.

Student negotiator Mahmoud Khalil is seen at a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the Columbia University campus in New York, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)2025-04-12T04:06:35Z JENA, La. (AP) An immigration judge has ruled that a Palestinian Columbia University graduate student who participated in protests against Israel can be deported.Mahmoud Khalils attorneys said they will appeal Fridays ruling. Federal immigration agents detained Khalil last month, the first arrest under President Donald Trumps crackdown on students who joined campus protests against the war in Gaza. Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, was taken to an immigration detention center in Jena, Louisiana, thousands of miles from his attorneys and wife, a U.S. citizen who is due to give birth soon. Heres a look at what has happened so far in Khalils legal battle and what happens next: The arrest Khalil, a 30-year-old international affairs graduate student, had served as a negotiator and spokesperson for student activists at Columbia University who took over a campus lawn last spring to protest Israels military campaign in Gaza.The university brought police in to dismantle the encampment after a small group of protesters seized an administration building. Khalil is not accused of participating in the building occupation and wasnt among the people arrested in connection with the demonstrations.But images of his maskless face at protests, along with his willingness to share his name with reporters, have made him an object of scorn among those who saw the protesters and their demands as antisemitic. The White House accused Khalil of siding with terrorists but has yet to cite any support for the claim.He was detained March 8 in the lobby of his university-owned apartment. The legal fight Khalil isnt accused of breaking any laws during the protests at Columbia. The government has said noncitizens who participate in such demonstrations should be expelled from the country for expressing views that the administration considers to be antisemitic and pro-Hamas, referring to the Palestinian militant group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.Khalils lawyers have challenged the legality of his detention, saying the Trump administration is trying to deport him for an activity that is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cited a rarely used statute to justify Khalils deportation, which gives him power to deport those who pose potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.The ruling Immigration Judge Jamee E. Comans ruled Friday the governments contention that Khalils presence in the U.S. posed potentially serious foreign policy consequences was enough to satisfy requirements for his deportation. Comans said the government had established by clear and convincing evidence that he is removable.Federal judges in New York and New Jersey previously ordered the government not to deport Khalil while his case plays out in court. Next steps Khalils attorneys said they will keep fighting. They plan to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. They can also pursue an asylum case on his behalf. Even though the judge found Khalil removable on foreign policy grounds, nothing will happen quickly in the immigration proceeding, his attorney, Marc Van Der Hout, said. The judge gave them until April 23 to seek a waiver. Today, we saw our worst fears play out: Mahmoud was subject to a charade of due process, a flagrant violation of his right to a fair hearing, and a weaponization of immigration law to suppress dissent, Van Der Hout said in a statement.Immigration authorities have cracked down on other critics of Israel on college campuses, arresting a Georgetown University scholar who had spoken out on social media about the Israel-Gaza war, canceling the student visas of some protesters and deporting a Brown University professor who they said had attended the Lebanon funeral of a leader of Hezbollah, another militant group that has fought with Israel.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., speaks during a hearing of the House Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2025-04-12T04:01:28Z WASHINGTON (AP) Anna Paulina Luna was at her Florida home in fall 2023, caring for her newborn son and turning over a question in her mind as a member of Congress:How do I change this?Luna, then a first-time mom and first-term lawmaker, could no longer fly to Washington to cast votes in the U.S. House, a crucial part of the job, due to complications from childbirth which she blamed at least partially on her hectic schedule, having flown to and from the capital during most of her pregnancy.Luna began reading House rules and found what seemed like a simple solution: allowing proxy voting for new moms.What Luna considered a minor rule change, affecting just a few only about a dozen women had given birth while serving in Congress over time escalated into a standoff against her own Republican leadership and her allies in the hard-right Freedom Caucus. In a matter of months, it became a highly charged debate that crossed party lines, united a younger generation of lawmakers and raised fresh questions about how a more than 200-year-old institution accommodates working parents in the 21st century. The conflict turned on weighty history and thorny procedures, highlighting the difficulties of abiding by documents and rules written long before air travel and Zoom screens and long before women served in Congress.When the Constitution was written, this was not really a topic, Luna said. How GOP leaders came to loathe proxy votingWhen Luna was about to become a new mom, planning for the big change ahead, she asked then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy how she would be able to vote in the days after giving birth. That was 2023, and she didnt realize she was stepping on a political landmine. At the start of the pandemic, more than two years before Luna was elected, Democrats in the majority had created a proxy voting system to contain COVID-19 and avoid overcrowding in the chamber.McCarthy had called the practice a dereliction of duty, an excuse for members to skip out on work, and the resolution creating the system passed without a single Republican vote.When Republicans won the House majority in 2022, McCarthy abandoned proxy voting and for a time, there was no talk of bringing it back.Rep. Luna returns and begins her pushOnce Luna was cleared to fly and returned to Washington, she kept the proxy voting proposal to herself. It wasnt the right time: The House was in turmoil, having just ousted McCarthy from the speakers job and choosing Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as his replacement.But a few months later, Luna made her move.She introduced a bill in January 2024 that would allow a mother to designate a proxy for six weeks, but by autumn, her legislation had gone nowhere, languishing in committee. Luna decided to launch a discharge petition a workaround that allows legislation with 218 supporters to force a vote on the House floor. But she got just a handful of signatures.I went through every and exhausted every avenue, Luna said.Then she turned to Democrats, drafting a new proposal this year with Reps. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado and Sara Jacobs of California that would extend proxy voting to not just moms but all new parents for 12 weeks, double the time Luna had initially proposed. Pettersen, who was previously the first member of the Colorado legislature to give birth, said she came to Congress wanting to work on this.In a matter of months, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, a father to two young girls, became the 218th member to sign the discharge petition, the tally needed to force a vote.But only a dozen signatures came from Republicans. A standoff with the GOP leaders and the House Freedom Caucus Pushback was fierce, from members of the Freedom Caucus and from the speaker himself. Johnson repeatedly called proxy voting unconstitutional. Herself among the more far-right conservatives in the House, her desk adorned with a model of President Donald Trump on Mount Rushmore, Luna resigned from the Freedom Caucus, accusing them of working against her.Luna felt that she had done everything she could to address Johnsons concerns. She agreed that members had abused the practice in the past, but said her proposal included guard rails. Johnson tried to snuff out Lunas discharge petition with a rare legislative maneuver, linking it to a vote that was needed to advance one of the GOP priorities, a voter ID bill.The aggressive move angered several Republicans, including some who didnt even support Lunas proposal. Johnsons gambit failed on the floor.Johnson called the outcome unfortunate and reiterated the argument that proxy voting for moms was a Pandoras box that would open the door for members whod rather not show up to work. Then he sent lawmakers home for the week.Thats when Luna had a talk with Trump.I think shes great, Anna, Trump said aboard Air Force One.The president recalled that he had spoken to her the previous day. When it came to proxy voting, Trump wondered why the idea was controversial. Johnson sprang into action and quickly posted on social media that he had also spoken with Trump, quoting him saying, Mike, you have my proxy on proxy voting.Meanwhile, a political storm was brewing against Luna. Right-wing influencers flooded Twitter to accuse Luna of holding up Trumps agenda as House floor action stalled. She faced attacks from fellow Republicans.Luna reaches a deal to mixed reviewsOn a Sunday afternoon this month, Luna announced that she and leadership had reached an agreement.They would resurrect a well-worn congressional procedure that pairs two members of Congress who plan to vote on opposite sides of an issue, canceling out their votes a way to accommodate the absent member.If we truly want a pro-family Congress, these are the changes that need to happen, Luna posted on X.The plan was quickly tucked into an upcoming procedural vote. This time, it succeeded.Reviews were mixed.Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., called the solution bizarre and said it was unlikely any member would voluntarily participate, essentially nulling their own vote, when the margins were so narrow in Congress.But GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, a member of the Freedom Caucus who opposes all proxy voting, said he would consider participating in pairing.We want to make it to where people can, you know, deal with whatever life curveballs they get, Roy said.Not everyone, though, is satisfied.The day that Congress voted on vote-pairing, Pettersen stood outside the House chamber, cradling her son in her arms. What Republican would be willing to vote present for me this week? she asked. Nobody.___ LEAH ASKARINAM Askarinam covers U.S. elections for The Associated Press, working alongside the Decision Desk and explanatory team. mailto

Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. is roaming the greens of Augusta as a credentialed photographer.

AC Milan coach Srgio Conceio praised the way Udinese fans applauded Mike Maignan when he had to be carried off on a stretcher following a collision with AC Milan teammate lex Jimnez.

Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, speaks during an interview at the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James)2025-04-12T03:13:44Z HONG KONG (AP) When Yeung Sum co-founded the citys largest pro-democracy party more than 30 years ago, he knew building a democratic Hong Kong would be a difficult dream. Still, it was not impossible. Today, his Democratic Party is moving toward dissolution, a symbolic marker of the diminishing Western-style civil liberties and high degree of autonomy that the ruling Communist Party in Beijing promised to keep intact in the former British colony for at least 50 years when it returned to China in 1997.Pro-democracy protests that paralyzed Hong Kong in 2019 led to a crackdown that has all but silenced dissent through restricted elections, media censorship and a China-imposed national security law that saw some of Yeungs party members jailed. Dozens of civil society groups closed down. Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, is interviewed at the Democratic Partys office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, is interviewed at the Democratic Partys office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Former chairperson Yeung said in an interview with The Associated Press that Chinese officials told him the party needed to disband. He urged his members to support the motion to give the leadership mandate to handle the process. Im not very happy about it, said Yeung. But I can see if we refuse the call to disband, we may pay a very huge price for it. Others received similar messages. Party veteran Fred Li said Chinese officials implied the party wouldnt survive through this years legislative election when he asked about the possibility of its members running. Another founding member, Sin Chung-kai, said some Hong Kong-based members were warned in early February of consequences if the party continued to exist. Promising early years The Democratic Party was formed in 1994 through a merger of two pro-democracy groups. According to its manifesto, it supports Hong Kongs return to China.In its early years, it won the most seats in the legislative council. Before Beijing changed electoral rules in 2021 to ensure only patriots can run, the party was a major pro-democracy voice in the legislature even after it no longer held the largest number of seats. Back then, Yeung said, the pro-democracy camp generally won about 60% of the popular vote. Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, poses for a photo at the Democratic Partys office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Yeung Sum, the founding member of the Democratic Party, poses for a photo at the Democratic Partys office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong on April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Empty chairs at the Democratic Party's office. (AP Photo/May James) Empty chairs at the Democratic Party's office. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The reception area at the Democratic Party's office. (AP Photo/May James) The reception area at the Democratic Party's office. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Yeung was encouraged to see that the experiment in democracy, the rule of law, an independent judiciary and a merit-based administration could work in the city. The entire social system has been demonstrated to be quite, quite, quite promising over the years, he recalled. Negotiations with Beijing drew backlash In 2010, the party came under fire after it supported the governments political reform package in negotiations with Chinese officials that allowed millions of voters to directly elect five lawmakers from their district councils. Some members who hoped for broader democratic reform quit in protest and the party lost two seats in the 2012 legislative election. It also drew backlash from advocates within the pro-democracy camp. Emily Lau is interviewed at the Democratic Partys office April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Emily Lau is interviewed at the Democratic Partys office April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Looking back, former chairperson Emily Lau, who was involved in the talks with Beijing, insists many people supported the outcome because it was a step forward. She said they asked Beijing to continue to have dialogue with others to find a way for universal suffrage, but it never did. Maybe the only thing I would have done a bit differently is not to go into the (Beijings) liaison office (in Hong Kong). I guess we underestimated how many Hong Kong people hated them, she said. As new pro-democracy groups were on the rise, the partys influence dwindled. That became more obvious after the emergence of younger politicians, including pro-Hong Kong independence activists, following the 2014 massive protests calling for universal suffrage. Still, five years later, when the 2019 protests swept Hong Kong, the partys activism won widespread support once again. After crackdownChinas crackdown including the 2020 sweeping security law changed the political landscape. Some former lawmakers, including party ex-chairmen Albert Ho and Wu Chi-wai, are now in prison in prominent national security cases. The Democratic Party has become absent in elections due to the new legal framework for polls. Some observers believe Beijing may no longer consider the party worth cultivating ties with, especially after it did not run in the 2021 legislative election after the electoral overhaul.Other pro-democracy groups have disbanded, including the Civic Party, the second-largest pro-democracy political party, and a decades-old group that organized the annual vigil to commemorate Beijings Tiananmen crackdown in 1989. Some activists chose self-exile or ceased their work. Items for sale at the Democratic Partys office in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/May James) Items for sale at the Democratic Partys office in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The Democratic Party pressed on by holding news conferences on livelihood issues. It even submitted opinions on the new national security legislation before it was enacted in March 2024. Ramon Yuen, who had served as a policy spokesperson before and after the security law took effect, admitted the party has become like a pressure group. Unfortunately, this pressure group is also under pressure, said Yuen. Moving toward disbandment In February, the partys central committee decided to set up a task force to look into the procedures for dissolving itself. Current chairperson Lo Kin-hei said it was based on the current political situation and social climate. He declined an interview request. A meeting on Sunday will decide whether to mandate the leadership to proceed. A final vote for dissolution is expected at a later date. Emily Lau poses for a photo next to an Umbrella movement poster with the words "I want genuine universal suffrage." (AP Photo/May James) Emily Lau poses for a photo next to an Umbrella movement poster with the words "I want genuine universal suffrage." (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Yeung Sum looks through old pictures at the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/May James) Yeung Sum looks through old pictures at the Democratic Party's office in Prince Edward in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/May James) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Yuen, 38, joined the party in 2009. If its shuttered, the city will lose a voice advocating for issues ranging from livelihood concerns to democracy, human rights and the rule of law, he said.Its not easy for the central committee to make this decision, he said. I accept it. I can only say, every era will come to an end.For party veteran Yeung, the disbandment would be a very huge setback for the city, adding that the partys disappearance would make it difficult for people outside to believe in the one country, two systems principle. But he believes it will not be the end of fighting for democracy for Hong Kongers, especially for the young people who tasted a free society. People are quiet because they worry about potential penalties if they openly criticize the government, said Yeung, who was sentenced to 14 months in prison for his role in the 2019 protests. So maybe no more democratic formation of party. But I think peoples hearts for democracy, they will not fade out. They still keep it, maybe in different form. KANIS LEUNG Leung covers Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China for The Associated Press. She is based in Hong Kong. twitter RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial outside the Jet Set nightclub, in memory of the more than 200 people who died when its roof collapsed, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)2025-04-11T14:53:31Z SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) A roof collapse at the legendary Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo has plunged the Dominican Republic into mourning.Authorities say the disaster early Tuesday killed 222 people and injured more than 200 others. Nearly two dozen people remain hospitalized, with several in critical condition.The biggest tragedy to strike the Dominican Republic in recent history has raised questions about the safety of infrastructure in the capital and beyond. While authorities have said its too early to determine why the roof fell, the government has created a technical team to investigate the case.Heres a timeline of what happened: A poster of victim Rubby Perez is seen at a makeshift vigil for the victims of the Jet Set club roof collapse in the Dominican Republic, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) A poster of victim Rubby Perez is seen at a makeshift vigil for the victims of the Jet Set club roof collapse in the Dominican Republic, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Monday, April 7It was a Jet Set Monday, the day merengue musicians would play at the legendary club every week.That day, acclaimed singer Rubby Prez was to take the stage at 9 p.m. In typical Latino fashion, the music didnt start until 11:50 p.m., according to his manager, Enrique Paulino.As the music began, more than 400 people inside the club applauded the singer known for hits including Volver and El Africano. Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, early Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Noticias SIN via AP) Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, early Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (Noticias SIN via AP) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Tuesday, April 8Halfway through Prezs set, dust from the ceiling began falling into people drinks. Minutes later, the concrete ceiling collapsed onto the crowd.At 12:44 am, the countrys 911 system received the first of 102 calls that day, according to Randolfo Rijo Gmez, the systems director.Two minutes later, at 12:46 a.m., Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Montecristi and sister of seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz, called President Luis Abinader. She told me, Send everyone over here, send all the ambulances, Abinader told reporters.Cruz was rescued but died of injuries at the hospital.Ninety seconds after the first 911 call was received, police arrived. Eight minutes after that call, the first rescue units arrived.In less than 25 minutes, authorities activated 25 soldiers, seven firefighting brigades and 77 ambulances, Gmez said. Rescue workers carry a person pulled from the wreckage of the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Rescue workers carry a person pulled from the wreckage of the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More They deployed dogs, thermal cameras and dozens of specialized equipment.In his first press conference about the disaster, emergency operations director Juan Manuel Mndez said that at least 13 people had died and more than 70 were injured.By that afternoon, the number of victims rose to 58 as more than 100 people donated blood at different centers across the capital.Meanwhile, a crowd of anxious people looking for their loved ones pressed around the remains of the club, forcing authorities to grab a megaphone and ask that they make room for the dozens of ambulances.The victims identified that day included former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera; Luis Sols, the saxophonist who was playing onstage when the roof collapsed; and the son of the public works minister.By the end of the day, authorities announced that the number of victims had surged to 98, with the last survivor found early that afternoon. Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed two nights prior during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Rescue workers search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed two nights prior during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Hernandez) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Wednesday, April 9In the predawn hours, rescue crews from Puerto Rico and Israel arrived to help local officials search for survivors and victims.A collective cry was heard when Mndez, the emergency operations director, confirmed they had found the body of Rubby Prez.The number of victims soared to 184 as dozens of people began gathering at hospitals and the countrys forensic institute in search of their loved ones.Wakes were held for Dotel and Prez in the afternoon, with hundreds of people paying their respects, including MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martnez, who said he knew some 50 people who died at Jet Set.More than 20 victims were identified as being from Haina, the hometown of Prez located just southwest of Santo Domingo. Its mayor said officials would offer the families free funeral services.In the evening, the government announced that it was moving to a recovery phase focused on finding bodies. Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, front right ands his wife Raquel Arbaje Soni, front left, attend the wake of Dominican singer Rubby Perez who died in the roof collapse at the Jet Set nightclub during his merengue concert, at the Eduardo Brito National Theater in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, front right ands his wife Raquel Arbaje Soni, front left, attend the wake of Dominican singer Rubby Perez who died in the roof collapse at the Jet Set nightclub during his merengue concert, at the Eduardo Brito National Theater in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Thursday, April 10The government held a memorial for Prez at Santo Domingos National Theater that hundreds attended, including the countrys president and merengue superstar Juan Luis Guerra.As the coffin was carried out to the hearse, the crowd released white balloons and spontaneously sang Volver.Meanwhile, officials in Haina held a wake for at least 10 victims, with mourners crowding around each coffin to say their final farewells.By late morning, the emergency operations director announced that crews had finished searching for victims and potential survivors after working for 53 continuous hours. Mndez broke down as he spoke, calling it the most difficult task Ive had in 20 years.Officials removed heavy machinery, packed their equipment and evicted people from the area as they fumigated the building.Crews had rescued 189 people alive from the rubble.That afternoon, the presidents spokesman, Homero Figueroa, announced that a technical team would be created to determine what caused the roof to collapse, and that national and international experts would be part of it. A person points to the inside of the Jet Set nightclub days after its roof collapsed, killing more than 200 people, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) A person points to the inside of the Jet Set nightclub days after its roof collapsed, killing more than 200 people, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Friday, April 11Heavy rain fell as dozens of people remained outside the countrys forensics institute, still wearing face masks as they complained about the odor and demanded the bodies of their loved ones.A screen set up nearby showed the names of victims in different colors. Those in black meant that the bodies were ready but that no one had picked them up, while those in green meant the relatives had identified them.Under a tarp, government officials met with family members who presented official documents of their loved ones in order to pick up their remains.Among those waiting at the forensics institute was Carlos Severino, who lost all three of his children: Dianny Escarlet Severino 31; Diego Armando Severino, 27; and Mariani Escarlet Severino, 23. Flowers and candles sit outside the Jet Set nightclub, placed in memory of the more than 200 people who died when its roof collapsed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Flowers and candles sit outside the Jet Set nightclub, placed in memory of the more than 200 people who died when its roof collapsed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Friday, April 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More In a phone interview, Severino described them as hardworking, honest and serious.To describe Dianny is to describe an angel. Mariani was the joy of the home. Diego was tenacious, a worker, he said as he began sobbing.Doctors treating the injured at public hospitals said several of them remain in critical condition.Dr. Julio Landrn said a lot of them will have permanent injuries, ranging from paralysis to a damaged finger.

The United States will open the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15 at San Jose, California, play Saudi Arabia four days later at Austin, Texas, and close first-round play in Group D against Haiti on June 22 at Arlington, Texas.

AC Milan secured a convincing 4-0 victory at Udinese in Serie A on Friday, with Srgio Conceio's side earning its first win in nearly a month.

Argentina's President Javier Milei, left, and Economy Minister Luis Caputo attend the Mercosur Summit in Montevideo, Uruguay, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico, File)2025-04-11T20:52:34Z BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) President Javier Milei on Friday announced that he would lift most of the countrys strict capital and currency controls next week, a high-stakes gamble made possible by a new loan from the International Monetary Fund. It marked a major step forward in the libertarians program to normalize Argentinas economy after decades of unbridled spending.The IMFs executive board late Friday green-lit the $20 billion bailout package, which offers a lifeline to Argentinas dangerously depleting foreign currency reserves over the next four years. The fund praised President Mileis tough austerity program and zero-deficit fiscal policy, saying the program sought to consolidate impressive initial gains and address remaining macroeconomic vulnerabilities.Against this backdrop, the authorities are embarking on a new phase of their stabilization plan, said IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, adding that Argentina has committed to doubling down on spending cuts and economic deregulation and transitioning toward a new foreign currency exchange regime. Shortly afterward, Milei, flanked by his ministers, addressed his nation on television. Today we are breaking the cycle of disillusionment and disenchantment and are beginning to move forward for the first time, he said. We have eliminated the exchange rate controls on the Argentine economy for good. A tangle of regulationsThe capital controls, known here as el cepo, or the clamp, are a tangle of regulations that help to stabilize the peso at an official rate and prevent capital flight from Argentina.Imposed by a previous administration in 2019, the restrictions clamp down on individuals and companies access to dollars, discouraging the foreign investment that Milei needs to achieve his goal of transforming heavily regulated Argentina into a free economy. The restrictions made it almost impossible for ordinary Argentines to purchase dollars, giving rise to a black market that is technically illegal but that almost every Argentine uses to sell their depreciating pesos anyway. Their removal takes effect on Monday. The government said it would $12 billion from the IMF Tuesday a bigger-than-expected upfront sum that gives Argentinas reserves breathing room to make the major change and reflects the funds confidence in Mileis radical reforms.The program is unprecedented in supporting an economic plan that has already yielded results, Milei said.Letting the Argentine peso float kind of The new policy also involves cutting the Argentine peso free from its peg to the dollar. But instead of a risky free float, Argentina is allowing the peso to trade within a so-called currency band that ranges from 1,000 to 1,400 pesos per dollar. The band will expand 1% each month, the bank said. This breaks from Mileis current policy of letting the peso weaken at a pace of 1% against the dollar each month. That crawling peg had drawn backlash from investors worried about the central bank burning through its reserves to prop up the peso. It was forced to spend $2.5 billion to defend the official exchange rate in just the past few weeks. When announcing the removal of exchange controls Economy Minister Luis Caputo insisted it was not a devaluation. The truth is, we dont know where the dollar will end up, he said. Mileis team has sought to fend off a politically costly official devaluation of the peso that could push inflation much higher. Keeping a lid on rising prices a flagship campaign promise has helped the political outsider hold up approval ratings despite his brutal cuts to state spending that might otherwise trigger social unrest. But it was clear that the peso would have to depreciate to some extent, with economists guessing that it would fall to close to its black-market rate. On Friday, that rate was 1,375 pesos to the dollar, compared with the official exchange rate of 1,097 pesos.Marcelo J. Garca, director for the Americas at New York-based geopolitical risk consultancy Horizon Engage, said he expected an initial devaluation of around 20-25%.A big question mark is inflation in the second quarter of the year. Its very likely there will be a shock, said Leonardo Piazza, chief economist at Argentine consulting firm LP Consulting. Argentina, a serial defaulter Before Milei took office in December 2023, the previous left-wing Peronist administration ran up massive budget deficits, leading to sky-high inflation and a chronically weakening peso. By scrapping subsidies and price controls, firing tens of thousands of state workers and halting the central banks overreliance on printing pesos to pay the governments bills, Milei has delivered Argentinas first fiscal surplus in years and largely stabilized its macroeconomic imbalances, thrilling markets even as his shock-therapy approach has hit the population hard.Yet for all the changes and the financial pain, there have been scant signs of a sustainable recovery. Analysts say that a long-term economic revival involves the removal of capital controls, the amassing of currency reserves and access to international capital markets. As a result, foreign companies have waited on the sidelines, wary of pouring their cash into a country infamous for defaulting on its debt.The South American nation is already the IMFs biggest debtor, owing some $43 billion. This new $20 billion loan represents the 23rd rescue package in the nations long and tumultuous history. A tsunami of money outMilei has rejected pressure from investors over the past year to lift the capital controls, insisting that the economic conditions needed to be right. Now, he said, it was finally time.The unusually large first $12 billion disbursement from the IMF will hit Argentinas central bank Tuesday. Another $2 billion will arrive in the next two months, the government said. International organizations will also pitch in, with the Inter-American Development Bank announcing later Friday $10 billion disbursed over the next three years.With this level of reserves, we can back up all the existing pesos in our economy, providing monetary security to our citizens, Milei said. These are the foundations for sustained, long-term growth.Its a high-risk mission, as scrapping the cepo could unleash years of pent-up demand for U.S. dollars and spark a currency run as companies try to send their long-trapped profits home.It could be a tsunami of money out, said Christopher Ecclestone, a strategist with investment bank Hallgarten & Company. Its a total guessing game as to what people will do.The central bank said that while it was lifting restrictions for the public, it would retain taxes on card purchases abroad and some regulations on companies. For instance, from 2025 on, multinational firms will be able to repatriate their earnings. But to get their already trapped holdings out of the country, theyll need to exchange the debt for dollar-denominated security bonds.Its an effort to insure against capital flight, which would imperil Mileis primary accomplishment of lowering inflation ahead of midterm elections in October that are crucial for his libertarian party to expand its small congressional minority. The announcement is more audacious than expected. The government is making a bit of a leap of faith by lifting the cepo, said Garca. Its also bold timing, analysts say, considering the local market turmoil sparked by U.S. President Donald Trumps tariffs. In recent days, Argentine stocks and bonds have plunged.Meanwhile, with traders nervous about a possible peso devaluation under Argentinas IMF deal, the closely watched gap between Argentinas currency exchange rates has grown by over 20% in recent week. The gap is a key indicator of confidence in the government and can fuel inflation, which already accelerated in March to its fastest pace in seven months.On Friday, Argentinas National Statistics Institute reported that consumer prices ticked up 3.7% last month compared to 2.4% in February, mainly as a result of rising food prices.Mieli was unruffled. Inflation will disappear, he promised.___Associated Press writer Almudena Calatrava contributed to this report. ISABEL DEBRE DeBre writes about Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay for The Associated Press, based in Buenos Aires. Before moving to South America in 2024, she covered the Middle East reporting from Jerusalem, Cairo and Dubai. twitter mailto

In this photo taken from video, a helicopter falls from the sky into the Hudson River , Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (Bruce Wall via AP)2025-04-12T04:10:28Z NEW YORK (AP) A helicopter ride giving a thrilling sweep of Manhattans iconic skyline has long been on the to-do list for New York City tourists of means.For several hundred dollars, tour companies fly passengers high above the rivers that encircle the city, showcasing a stunning, birds-eye view of the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center and other monumental landmarks. Debris floats in the water at the scene where a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Debris floats in the water at the scene where a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More But Thursdays crash that killed a family of five visiting from Spain and the helicopters pilot, a Navy SEAL veteran, has renewed concerns about the safety of the popular sightseeing excursions.Since 2005, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have fallen into the Hudson and East rivers as a result of mechanical failures, pilot errors or collisions, killing 20 people.Longtime opponents have revived calls to ban or limit nonessential helicopter flights, including the roughly 30,000 sightseeing rides over the city each year. Mayor against more restrictionsMayor Eric Adams on Friday said he doesnt support further restrictions on the aircraft, saying theyre crucial for everything from transporting Wall Street executives to police work, and that tens of thousands of tourist flights happen each year with no problems. New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends a press conference at Pier 40, where a helicopter went down in the Hudson River between Manhattan and the New Jersey waterfront, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) New York City Mayor Eric Adams attends a press conference at Pier 40, where a helicopter went down in the Hudson River between Manhattan and the New Jersey waterfront, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More People want to see the city from the sky, he said on WINS radio, though he added that it must be done right. The Democrat said the citys airspace is highly regulated, pilots are well-trained and the aircraft are well maintained.Not everyone has his level of comfort.Personally, I dont go on them, Al Yurman, a former investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said of helicopter tours. I feel like the industry doesnt look after itself the way it should.Previous crashes led to new rulesTourist flights seemed like they might be in jeopardy after a disaster in 2009, when a Liberty Helicopters sightseeing flight carrying Italian visitors collided with a private plane over the Hudson River, killing nine. Flowers rest at the end of a pier, Friday, April 11, 2025, near the site where a sightseeing helicopter crashed a day earlier into the Hudson River in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Flowers rest at the end of a pier, Friday, April 11, 2025, near the site where a sightseeing helicopter crashed a day earlier into the Hudson River in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More After that crash, which involved missed radio communications, a distracted air traffic controller and two pilots who didnt see each other until it was too late, the Federal Aviation Administration created new safety rules for the congested airspace over the citys rivers.A few years later, New York City cut the number of flights allowed at Manhattans downtown heliport in half, capping them at just under 30,000 a year.Then, in 2018, five people died when a helicopter offering open door flights crashed in the East River after a passengers restraint tether snagged on a fuel switch, stopping the engine. The pilot escaped but the passengers couldnt get out of their safety harnesses and drowned.That crash prompted more industry scrutiny. Divers investigate the scene where a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Divers investigate the scene where a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Late last month, the company that arranged that flight, FlyNYON, settled a lawsuit over the crash for $90 million. FlyNYONs chief executive, Patrick Day, said it had made numerous changes to improve safety, including changing its passenger restraint system, switching to a different model of helicopter, adding training for pilots and hiring a safety officer.The introspection and self-critical analysis we have undertaken in the last six-and-a-half years have shaped our view of what it means to be an industry leader, and were a safer, smarter, and stronger company for it, Day said.Fewest crashes in 25 yearsThe cause of Thursdays crash is still undetermined.Videos taken by bystanders showed the Bell 206 helicopter breaking apart mid-flight. The cabin plummeted into the water without its severed tail boom or main rotor, which spun off into a different part of the river and hasnt been recovered.Nationwide, there were 88 helicopter accidents last year across all sectors the lowest in 25 years, according to Jeff Smith, chairman of the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, a trade group for helicopter operators based in Kearny, New Jersey, where many Manhattan tour companies depart.Helicopter tours, he added, accounted for a small fraction of all those accidents. We shoot for vision zero, which means no fatalities, Smith said. We train for that. We preach it. It is a cornerstone of our industry. Justin Green, an aviation lawyer and former Marine helicopter pilot, agreed theres nothing especially problematic about New Yorks helicopter tour industry, despite the crashes that seem to happen every few years.At the same time, he said, tour operators should be required to equip their aircraft with modern safety measures, such as terrain awareness technology. Steve Cowell, a Colorado-based aviation expert, suggested the FAA should take a more active role in scrutinizing smaller operators with known financial difficulties.Unfortunately, when people fly, they oftentimes do not check into the safety records or financial viability of the company, Cowell said. Theyre placing their trust and confidence in the abilities of not only the pilots but the maintainers. New York Helicopter, operator of the aircraft that crashed Thursday, had gone through a bankruptcy and been sued twice by creditors in recent months, an AP review found. The company declined to answer questions, but released a statement saying it was profoundly saddened by the deaths of its passengers and pilot.The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew has always been the cornerstone of our operations, it said.___Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo. PHILIP MARCELO Marcelo is a general assignment reporter in the NYC bureau. He previously wrote for AP Fact Check and before that was based in Boston, where he focused on race and immigration. twitter mailto

With a top-six playoff seeding on the line, Stephen Curry said he'll be ready to go for a critical regular-season finale Sunday against the Clippers.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has praised Declan Rice after the midfielder revealed that he ignored the advice of the club's set-piece coach before scoring the first of two sensational free kicks against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tours the Native Health Mesa Food Distribution Center in Mesa, Ariz., Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)2025-04-12T04:01:27Z CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spent time in tribal communities in Arizona and New Mexico this week highlighting ways they are trying to prevent chronic disease among Native Americans and Alaska Natives, something he has said is one of his top priorities.But Kennedy didnt appear to publicly address a Native health program using traditional medicine and foods to tackle disproportionate rates of conditions like diabetes and liver disease. The program, called Healthy Tribes, was gutted in this months federal health layoffs. Some Native leaders say they are having trouble grasping the dissonance between Kennedys words and his actions. With little information, they wonder if Healthy Tribes is part of the Trump administrations push to end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. There also is confusion about what and who is left at the 11-year-old program, which was part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under Kennedys agency, and doled out $32.5 million a year. Tribal leaders and health officials told The Associated Press that cuts to the Healthy Tribes program are another violation of the federal governments legal obligation, or trust responsibility, to tribal nations under treaties, law and other acts. That includes funding for health care through the Indian Health Service, as well as education and public safety for citizens of the 574 federally recognized tribes. But federal funding has long fallen short of meeting those needs, leaving tribal governments to rely on additional grants and programs like Healthy Tribes. So many layers of communications of collaboration and partnerships have just been turned off, said Onawa Miller, a Quechan Indian Nation citizen and director of tribal public health for United South and Eastern Tribes, which serves 33 tribes in those regions of the U.S. She said her organization already has received its annual $2 million in Healthy Tribes funding. Several tribal facilities received an email from a CDC employee April 1 notifying them that the positions of many people who staffed the Healthy Tribes program had been eliminated as part of the reduction in force efforts at CDC. The American Federation of Government Employees union, which represents thousands of workers at the CDC in Atlanta, said more than 30 civil servant jobs were or are being eliminated. That includes 11 positions in the Healthy Tribes program and others in the larger Division of Population Health.An email sent to the account of Healthy Tribes director Dr. Julianna Reece, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was met with an automated reply: Due to the recent HHS reduction in force, I have been placed on administrative leave and will be separated from the agency on June 2nd. Reece did not respond to requests for comment sent to her federal and personal email accounts. Native leaders call change a violation of trustPart of the government upheaval in the past several weeks includes top officials at the National Institutes of Health being offered transfers to Indian Health Service offices far from Washington, D.C. The National Indian Health Board also has said the government eliminated key staff and programs at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Healths Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health.The government is required to consult with tribes on decisions impacting them, like mass layoffs in February at the Indian Health Service that were rescinded hours later, and tribal leaders have warned the Trump administration that such consultations are not happening. In some cases tribes can take legal action against the U.S. for failing to meet its trust responsibilities.It is a violation of trust, without a doubt, said W. Ron Allen, chairman of the Jamestown SKlallam Tribe in Washington state.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not answer questions related to the Healthy Tribes cuts but told the AP in an email that the Indian Health Service was not impacted by this months workforce reductions and there are no plans to consolidate any of its offices. Kennedys swing through the Southwest included a visit to a community health center in metro Phoenix that provides physical and mental health care to Native people and a hike with the Navajo Nation president. He also moderated a panel at the Tribal Self-Governance Conference, held on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona, but didnt take questions from the audience, tribal leaders on stage or journalists.Allen said he had a constructive conversation with Kennedy, reminding him IHS is already underfunded and understaffed and that tribes rely on additional federal grants and programs.Your issue is to reduce the central office, and so were OK with that, but move the functions that serve the tribes out to the tribes, Allen said he told Kennedy. Because if we dont have those resources, how are we gonna make our communities healthy? He agrees. Grants fund traditional medicine practicesResearch shows Native Americans have shorter life expectancies than other ethnic groups, and the Indian Health Service says they face higher mortality rates from chronic conditions like diabetes and liver disease.In Seattle, Healthy Tribes money pays for a program called GATHER, which focuses on integrating traditional tribal medicine practices into health care. Providers at the Seattle Indian Health Board can use medicine made from plants grown in a community garden. A traditional Native medicine apprentice or healer is a part of a patients care team.Seattle Indian Health Board President Esther Lucero, a descendant of the Navajo Nation, said her staff meets with people from the CDC and other Healthy Tribes grantees bimonthly to discuss project updates and ensure compliance with grants. But after last weeks layoffs, they are having trouble contacting anyone. If you cant actually administer the dollars, how are you going to actually get them out to the programs? she said. With this current administration, its almost like every day we receive an unexpected notice, and then we will get a follow-up notice that says ... you need to move forward as usual.Lycia Ortega, interim CEO of Los Angeles-based United American Indian Involvement, echoed concerns about the ambiguous and somewhat confusing messages. Her organization uses Healthy Tribes money to foster connections between younger people and elders in Native American and Alaska Native communities.Native communities have had to push back against the Trump administrations efforts to cut programs that might be considered DEI initiatives, she said, with the help of lawyers, policy experts and watchdogs who point out areas where the government might not be honoring the trust responsibility. Native people have a distinct political power, said Ortega, a citizen of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, but there are policymakers who see tribes as a threat rather than a partner.Stephen Roe Lewis, governor of the Gila River Indian Community, said he told Kennedy privately that consulting with and engaging in respectful partnerships with tribes is key to fulfilling the federal governments trust responsibilities.Since the Trump administration began making massive cuts to the federal workforce, many tribal leaders have had to clarify with newly appointed federal officials that services to tribes are not based on race but rather on the political status of tribal nations.I made it very clear, we are not DEI as tribal nations, as a political entity, he said.___Bose reported from Jackson, Mississippi, and Bohrer from Juneau, Alaska. Associated Press writers Terry Tang in Phoenix and Mike Stobbe in New York contributed.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. DEVNA BOSE Bose is a public health reporter for The Associated Press, based in Jackson, Mississippi. She covers hospitals, rural health access and disparities, public health funding and other topics that broadly intersect with the health of communities. twitter mailto GRAHAM LEE BREWER Brewer reports for the APs Race and Ethnicity team, focusing on Indigenous communities and tribal nations. He is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and is based in Oklahoma. twitter mailto BECKY BOHRER Bohrer is a statehouse and political reporter based in Juneau, Alaska. twitter RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves expressed confidence in the Lakers' title hopes after Los Angeles clinched the No. 3 seed in the West with Friday night's 140-109 win over Houston.

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