Virginia Giuffre speaks during a news conference outside a Manhattan court in New York, Aug. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)2025-04-26T01:52:03Z Virginia Giuffre, who accused Britains Prince Andrew and other influential men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by financier Jeffrey Epstein, has died. She was 41.Giuffre died by suicide Friday at her farm in Western Australia, her publicist confirmed.Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors, her family said in a statement. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.Her publicist Dini von Mueffling described Giuffre as deeply loving, wise and funny.She adored her children and many animals. She was always more concerned with me than with herself, von Mueffling wrote in a statement. I will miss her beyond words. It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her. EDITORS NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in Australia is available by calling 13 11 14. In the U.S., it is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org The American-born Giuffre, who lived in Australia for years, became an advocate for sex trafficking survivors after emerging as a central figure in Epsteins prolonged downfall. The wealthy, well-connected New York money manager killed himself in August 2019 while awaiting trial on U.S. federal sex trafficking charges involving dozens of teenage girls and young women, some as young as 14. The charges came 14 years after police in Palm Beach, Florida, first began investigating allegations that he sexually abused underage girls who were hired to give him massages. Giuffre came forward publicly after the initial investigation ended in an 18-month Florida jail term for Epstein, who made a secret deal to avoid federal prosecution by pleading guilty instead to relatively minor state-level charges of soliciting prostitution. He was released in 2009. In subsequent lawsuits, Giuffre said she was a teenage spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago President Donald Trumps Palm Beach club when she was approached in 2000 by Epsteins girlfriend and later employee, Ghislaine Maxwell. Giuffre said Maxwell hired her as a masseuse for Epstein, but the couple effectively made her a sexual servant, pressuring her into gratifying not only Epstein but his friends and associates. Giuffre said she was flown around the world for assignations with men including Prince Andrew while she was 17 and 18.The men denied it and assailed Giuffres credibility. She acknowledged changing some key details of her account, including the age at which she first met Epstein. But many parts of her story were supported by documents, witness testimony and photos including one of her and Andrew, with his his arm around her bare midriff, in Maxwells London townhouse.Giuffre said in one of her lawsuits that she had sex with the royal three times: in London during her 2001 trip, at Epsteins New York mansion when she was 17 and in the Virgin Islands when she was 18. Ghislaine said, I want you to do for him what you do for Epstein, Giuffre told NBC News Dateline in September 2019. Andrew categorically rejected Giuffres allegations and said he didnt recall having met her. His denials blew up in his face during a November 2019 BBC interview. Viewers saw a prince who proffered curious rebuttals such as disputing Giuffres recollection of sweaty dancing by saying he was medically incapable of perspiring and showed no empathy for the women who said Epstein abused them. Within days of the interview, Andrew stepped down from his royal duties. He settled with Giuffre in 2022 for an undisclosed sum, agreeing to make a substantial donation to her survivors organization. A statement filed in court said that the prince acknowledged Epstein was a sex trafficker and Giuffre an established victim of abuse. She also filed, and in at least some cases settled, lawsuits against Epstein and others connected to him. In one case, she dropped her claims against a prominent U.S. attorney, saying she might have erred in identifying him as one of the men to whom Epstein supplied her. Epsteins suicide put an end to his accusers hopes of holding him criminally accountable. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. She said she wasnt to blame for Epsteins abuse. Prosecutors elected not to include Giuffres allegations in the Maxwell case, but Giuffre later told the court that the British socialite had opened the door to hell. Giuffre, born Virginia Roberts, told interviewers that her childhood was shattered when she was sexually abused as a grade-schooler by a man her family knew. She later ran away from home and endured more abuse, she said. She said she met her now-husband in 2002 while taking massage training in Thailand at Epsteins behest. She married, moved to Australia and had a family. Giuffre founded an advocacy charity, SOAR, in 2015. Giuffre separated from her husband and children this year. She had been charged with breaching a family violence restraining order over an incident in February, and was set to apepar in court in June in the city of Perth, where her estranged husband and children live.She had yet to enter a plea to the charge. A conviction would have carried a potential maximum sentence of two years in prison. Giuffre was hospitalized after a serious accident, her publicist said last month. She didnt answer questions at the time about the date, location, nature or other specifics of the accident and about the accuracy of an Instagram post that appeared to come from Giuffre. The post said she had been in a car that was hit by a school bus and her prognosis was dire.She is survived by her three children, whom the statement described as the light of her life.Sigrid McCawley, an attorney for Giuffre, said in a statement, Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring. The world has lost an amazing human being today. Rest in peace, my sweet angel. The AP does not identify people who say they were victims of sexual assault unless they have come forward publicly.___Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Melbourne, Australia, contributed to this report. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Vatican personnel pay their respects to Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where his body will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)2025-04-26T04:35:54Z VATICAN CITY (AP) Tens of thousands of people poured into St. Peters Square starting at dawn Saturday to honor Pope Francis with a farewell ceremony reflecting his priorities as pope and wishes as pastor: Presidents and princes will attend his funeral Mass at the Vatican, but prisoners and migrants will welcome him into the basilica across town where he will be buried.As many as 200,000 people are expected to attend the funeral, which Francis choreographed himself when he revised and simplified the Vaticans rites and rituals last year. His aim was to emphasize the popes role as a mere priest and not a powerful man of this world. It was a reflection of Francis 12-year project to radically reform the papacy, to stress pastors as servants and to construct a poor church for the poor. He articulated the mission just days after his 2013 election and it explained the name he chose as pope, honoring St. Francis of Assisi who had the heart of the poor of the world, according to the official decree of the popes life that was placed in his coffin before it was sealed Friday night. Despite Francis focus on the powerless, the powerful will be at his funeral. U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, the U.N. chief and European Union leaders are joining Prince William and the European royals leading official delegations. Argentine President Javier Milei had the pride of place given Francis Argentine nationality, even if the two didnt particularly get along. The pope also alienated many Argentines by never returning home. The white facade of St. Peters Basilica glowed pink as the sun rose early Saturday and hordes of mourners rushed into the square hours before the funeral. Giant television screens were set up along the surrounding streets for those who couldnt get close. The Mass and funeral procession with Francis coffin carried on the open-topped popemobile he used during his 2015 trip to the Philippines is also being broadcast live around the world. Some mourners spent the night camped out in surrounding piazzas, and the mood was almost festive as helicopters whirled overhead. Many had planned to be in Rome anyway this weekend for a special Holy Year Mass honoring young people, and groups of scouts and youth church groups nearly outnumbered the gaggles of nuns and seminarians. The Lord wanted it this way, so we came all the same, said Sandra De Felice, who was among a group of 13 from southern Calabria who camped out Friday night after deciding to come to Rome a day early. For me, this is a sign that we need to be truly humble and charitable. Otherwise, we are nothing.The poor and marginalized welcome him Francis, the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope, died Easter Monday at age 88 after suffering a stroke while recovering at home from pneumonia.Francis is breaking with recent tradition and will be buried in the St. Mary Major Basilica, near Romes main train station, where a simple underground tomb awaits him with just his name: Franciscus. As many as 300,000 people are expected to line the 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) motorcade route that will bring Francis coffin from the Vatican through the center of Rome to the basilica after the funeral. The Vatican said 40 special guests would greet his coffin on the piazza in front of the basilica, reflecting the marginalized groups Francis prioritized as pope: homeless people and migrants, prisoners and transgender people.The poor have a privileged place in the heart of God, the Vatican quoted Francis as saying in explaining the choice. With his burial, preparations can now begin in earnest to host the centuries-old process of electing a new pope, a conclave that will likely begin in the first week of May. In the interim, the Vatican is being run by a handful of cardinals, key among them Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals who is presiding at the funeral and organizing the secret voting in the Sistine Chapel. A special relationship with the basilicaEven before he became pope, Francis had a particular affection for St. Mary Major. It is home to a Byzantine-style icon of the Madonna, the Salus Populi Romani, to which Francis was particularly devoted, such that he would go pray before it before and after each of his foreign trips as pope.The choice of the basilica is also symbolically significant given its ties to Francis Jesuit religious order. St. Ignatius Loyola, who founded the Jesuits, celebrated his first Mass in the basilica on Christmas Day in 1538.Italy is deploying more than 2,500 police and 1,500 soldiers to provide security, which also includes stationing a torpedo ship off the coast, and putting squads of fighter jets on standby, Italian media reported. Crowds waited hours in line to bid farewell to FrancisOver three days this week, more than 250,000 people stood for hours in line to pay their final respects while Francis body lay in state in St. Peters Basilica. The Vatican kept the doors open through the night to accommodate them.He was an excellent, humble person who changed many laws and always for the better, said a pilgrim from his native Argentina, Augustin Angelicola, as he waited in line. Now it is a sad thing for the whole world that all this has happened. We did not expect it, it had to happen, but not so soon.But even with the expanded hours, it wasnt enough. When the Vatican closed the doors to the general public at 7 p.m. on Friday, mourners were turned away in droves.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. NICOLE WINFIELD Winfield has been on the Vatican beat since 2001, covering the papacies of St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and the Francis pontificate and traveling the world with them. COLLEEN BARRY Barry covers all things Italy for The Associated Press. Her focus includes fashion and design, overtourism and the environment, politics and sometimes the Vatican. twitter instagram mailto

Cardinals take their seats for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)2025-04-26T06:29:38Z NEW YORK (AP) Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. His death set off mourning across the Catholic world and days of ritual at the Vatican. Here are the key things to know about the funeral of the first Latin American pontiff in the churchs history:When and where is his funeral being held?His funeral is being held on Saturday in St. Peters Square. Francis will then be buried, according to his will: in a simple underground tomb at St. Mary Major Basilica. The church is home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, to whom he was particularly devoted. People queue trying to reach St. Peters Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) People queue trying to reach St. Peters Square ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The sealing of the coffinThe night before the funeral, the camerlengo presided over the closing and sealing of the coffin, in the presence of other senior cardinals. A white cloth was placed over Francis face. Cardianal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrel seals the zinc cover of the casket containing the body of late Pope Francis in St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican Friday, April 25, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP) Cardianal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrel seals the zinc cover of the casket containing the body of late Pope Francis in St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican Friday, April 25, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More A bag containing coins minted during his papacy was placed in the coffin along with a one-page written account of his papacy known in Italian as a rogito, a word indicating an official deed. It was read aloud by the master of liturgical ceremonies and then rolled up and slipped inside a cylindrical tube that was placed inside the coffin. Another copy is kept in the Vatican archives. The covers of both the zinc coffin and the wooden one bear a cross and Francis papal coat of arms.Why not at the Vatican?Francis had said he wanted to be buried not in St. Peters Basilica or its grottoes, where most popes are buried, but in the St. Mary Major Basilica across town. His choice reflects his veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary that is located there, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the people of Rome). The bell tower of St. Mary Major Basilica, where the burial ceremony of Pope Francis will take place, in Rome, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) The bell tower of St. Mary Major Basilica, where the burial ceremony of Pope Francis will take place, in Rome, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus who in turn holds a jeweled golden book. Which dignitaries are expected to attend?Heads of state, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron, are among those expected for the funeral. Others dignitaries include: Prince William, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and European Council President Antnio Costa. How long did the pope serve? Pope Francis had a 12-year papacy during which he charmed the world with his humility and concern for the poor. But the Argentina-born pope also alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. So, how do they choose a new pope?The death of a pope starts a centuries-old ritual to elect a new one, involving sacred oaths by the cardinals, the piercing of ballots with a needle and thread after theyre counted, and then burning them to produce either the white or black smoke to signal if theres a new leader for the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics.With the burial, the Catholic Church begins nine days of official mourning, known as the novemdiales. The date of the conclave to elect a new pope has not yet been announced.In the conclave, the cardinals will vote in secret sessions, and the ballots will be burned in a special stove after each session. Black smoke indicates no pope has been elected; white smoke says the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church. Any baptized Catholic male is eligible, though only cardinals have been selected since 1378. The winner must receive at least two-thirds of the vote from those cardinals under age 80 who are eligible to participate. Cardinals walk in procession to the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, at the beginning of the conclave, April 18, 2005. (Osservatore Romano via AP, File) Cardinals walk in procession to the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, at the beginning of the conclave, April 18, 2005. (Osservatore Romano via AP, File) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Francis appointed the vast majority of electors, often tapping men who share his pastoral priorities, which suggests continuity rather than rupture.While its impossible to predict who the next pope will be, some cardinals are considered to have better chances than others.Is it like the movie?Yes and no. Conclave the 2024 film, introduced many laypeople to the ancient selection process with its arcane rules and grand ceremony, albeit with a silver screen twist packed full of palace intrigue and surprise.Vatican experts say the movie excels at re-creating the look and feel of a conclave. But there are discrepancies, errors and some outlandish storylines in the Hollywood version. And while the voting process was depicted accurately, the ballots are burned not after each vote, but after each session. Cardinals take their seats for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peters Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Cardinals take their seats for the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peters Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The legacy of FrancisFrancis was known for his personal simplicity, from the choice of his name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who renounced wealth to help the poor, to the outward symbols and priorities of his papacy. He chose to live in the Vaticans Domus Santa Marta hotel instead of the Apostolic Palace and wore his old orthotic shoes and not the red loafers of the papacy.In his teachings, he focused on concern for refugees and other marginalized people. His first trip outside Rome as pope in 2013 was to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to meet with newly arrived migrants. His plea for welcome put him at odds with U.S. and European policies.He also also signaled a more welcoming stance toward LGBTQ+ people, while also making the fight against climate change a priority. Francis became the first pope to use scientific data in a major teaching document and made care for Gods creation a hallmark of his papacy. He eschewed the grandiose even in his departure, lying in state in a simple coffin made of wood.__Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. LUIS ANDRES HENAO Henao is a multimedia reporter on the APs Global Religion team. He focuses on features and has reported for the AP from Alaska, Antarctica and the Amazon. twitter instagram mailto

During his whirlwind trip to Italy, President Trumps interactions with world leaders, as they paid their respects to Francis, were being watched closely.

A view of the St. Mary Major Basilica, where Pope Francis will be buried, in Rome, Friday April 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)2025-04-25T14:44:35Z ROME (AP) Pope Francis chose his place of burial in St. Mary Major Basilica, near an icon of the Madonna that he revered, because it reflects his humble, simple and essential life, the archbishop who administers the basilica said Friday.Francis, who died Monday at age 88, will be buried in a niche tomb in the basilica on Saturday after his funeral in St. Peters Square about 4 kilometers (2 miles) away.Francis initially demurred when Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas suggested in May 2022 that he choose St. Mary Major as his last resting place. Makrickas had identified it because of the pontiffs long association with the basilica, its ties to Francis Jesuit order, its artistic and spiritual heritage and links to the papacy. Seven other popes are buried there, but none since 1669.At first, he said no because popes are buried in St. Peters, Makrickas told reporters on the steps of the basilica. After a week, he called me to (his home at the Vatican) Santa Marta and he said Prepare my tomb.The pope later insisted that his tomb remain simple, stressing that people should still come to the basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary to venerate the Madonna, not to see the tomb of a pope, Makrickas said. Marble from LiguriaFrancis will be buried beneath a simple headstone made of marble from Liguria, the Italian region of his mothers family, engraved with his name in Latin: Franciscus. Above it will hang a slightly enlarged replica of his pectoral cross, featuring raised images of a shepherd carrying a sheep over his shoulders and a dove, but no other adornments.The tomb is placed in a niche next to the chapel where the Salus Populi Romani icon that the pope revered is located, and in a part of the basilica that was once a door to an adjacent palace where four popes lived. During his 12-year papacy, Francis would pray before the icon before and after each foreign trip. The basilica also has significance for the Jesuit pope: Its where the founder of the religious order, St. Ignatius Loyola, celebrated his first Mass on Christmas Day in 1538.St. Mary Major is a pontifical basilica, one of four in Rome, and has never been destroyed, damaged or burned over the ages, with history dating back to the fifth century. Makrickas called it a treasure chest of art and spirituality.Marys protectionTens of thousands of faithful flocked here since Francis death on Monday, and hundreds stood patiently in line on Friday morning to explore the place where he will be buried, now cordoned off and obscured by plywood.Carlos Taborda, 39, traveled to Europe from Brazil with his husband and a group of friends.It was a coincidence to be in Italy now, for the popes death, he said. We paid homage to him yesterday in St. Peters and now were going to see the place where hell rest forever.Felicia Verawati, a 35-year-old nun from Indonesia, prayed in silence in front of the wooden box protecting Francis tomb.To me this pope was very special, she said. He would always come to pray in this church, I think because he could feel Marys protection here. St. Mary Major is perched on top of one of the seven hills on which ancient Rome was built and its bell tower is the tallest in the capital.While Francis tomb will be simple and essential, the basilica strikes visitors with its gilded wood ceilings and intricate mosaics adorning the floor of the central nave.Special bond with youthI felt very close to Francis, I liked his kindness, said 8-year-old Flavia Chiodaroli, who came to Rome with her parents from Pavia, in northern Italy. I want to tell Francis I love him very much and I hope the next pope will be like him.Chiodaroli was among the many children and teens who visited St. Mary Major on Friday as part of the Jubilee of Teenagers, which was taking place in Rome despite Francis death. The event is expected to draw over 80,000 teenagers from all over the world to the Vatican to celebrate the special bond between Francis and youth. The pope will start his final journey on Saturday morning from St. Peters Square where his funeral will be attended by over 160 international delegations, including royals and world leaders. His casket will be driven to St. Mary Major through Rome. The motorcade is expected to move slowly so that the public along the route can pay homage for the last time.Upon arrival, Francis casket will be greeted by a group of Romes poor and needy people, those whom the pontiff felt closer to. Around 40 people homeless, prisoners, migrants and transgender people will salute the pope holding a white rose, just before his burial.The poor have a special place in the heart of the Holy Father, who chose the name Francis to never forget them, the Vatican said.____Nicole Winfield contributed to this report

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive on Air Force One at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International airport in Fiumicino, Friday, April 25, 2025, to attend the funeral for Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)2025-04-26T04:06:19Z ROME (AP) President Donald Trump will be among more than 50 heads of state and other dignitaries attending Saturdays funeral for Pope Francis, where hell personally pay his respects to the Roman Catholic leader who pointedly disagreed with him on a variety of issues. Trump told reporters he was going to the funeral out of respect for the pontiff, who died Monday after suffering a stroke at the age of 88. The president and first lady Melania Trump arrived in Rome late Friday for the service at St. Peters Basilica in Vatican City on Saturday morning. Francis will be laid to rest during a private burial at St. Mary Major Basilica outside the Vaticans walls. Francis sharply disagreed with Trumps approach on issues including immigration, the treatment of migrants and climate change. The Argentine pontiff and the American president sparred early in their relationship over immigration. In 2016, Francis, alluding to then-candidate Trump and his campaign slogan of Build the wall, called anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants not Christian. Trump said the comment was disgraceful. But after Francis death, the Republican president praised him as a good man who worked hard and loved the world. Trump also directed that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff in Francis honor. Trump had said on a couple of occasions before leaving Washington that he would have a lot of meetings with counterparts on the sidelines of the funeral. But he seemed to back away from that as he flew to Rome. Frankly, its a little disrespectful to have meetings when youre at the funeral of a pope, the president told reporters accompanying him aboard Air Force One. Nonetheless, Trump said: Ill be talking to people. Ill be seeing a lot of people. The leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Hungary and Argentina are among those expected to attend. One person Trump didnt expect to interact with is former President Joe Biden, who planned to attend the funeral with his wife, Jill. Trump said he wasnt aware his Democratic predecessor would be at the funeral. Asked if theyd meet, Trump said: Its not high on my list. Its really not.The popes funeral will not be one of those occasions that bring together the current and former U.S. presidents. Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush are not attending, their offices said. A spokesperson for former President Bill Clinton did not respond to an inquiry about his plans. Trump didnt elaborate when asked if hed just be meeting leaders in passing or holding more in-depth talks. He suggested he might have meetings at Villa Taverna, the U.S. ambassadors residence, where he spent the night.Its a little tough because we dont have much time, Trump said, noting his late arrival in Rome. He was scheduled to head back to the United States immediately after the funeral. I think that were going to try and see a couple of people that are important in what were doing, said Trump, who is trying to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and negotiate trade agreements with multiple countries. He posted on Truth Social shortly after arriving in Rome that Ukraine and Russia should meet for very high level talks on ending the bloody three-year war sparked by Russias invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were very close to a deal.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Rome on Saturday to attend the funeral, his press office confirmed, joining first lady Olena Zelenska. Putin is not attending. DARLENE SUPERVILLE Superville covers the White House for The Associated Press, with a special emphasis on first ladies and first families.

As pope, Francis traveled to dozens of countries on five continents. In his last days, he stayed much closer to home.

The beloved author left Chile at a time of great turmoil and has longed for the nation of her youth ever since.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and President Donald Trump, talk as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025.(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)2025-04-26T10:30:06Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) All Ukrainian troops have been forced from Russias Kursk region, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff for Russias Armed Forces, gave Russian President Vladimir Putin the news in a meeting Saturday, Peskov told Russian state news outlet Interfax.Ukrainian officials have not commented on the claim.Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met in Vatican City on the sidelines of the popes funeral.The presidents met at St. Peters Basilica for about 15 minutes and agreed to continue negotiations later on Saturday, Ukrainian presidential spokesman Serhii Nykyforov said.White House Communications Director Steven Cheung also confirmed the meeting and said they met privately today and had a very productive discussion.Three people were killed overnight by Russian attacks across Ukraine, local officials also said. Two people died in a strike on the town of Yarova in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, local Gov. Vadym Filashkin said in a post on social media. Another person died in the Dnipropetrovsk region, said Gov Serhiy Lysak. Six people were injured, including an 88-year-old woman and an 11-year-old girl, he said. Shortly after arriving in Rome last Friday, Trump said on social media that Ukraine and Russia should meet for very high-level talks on ending the three-year war sparked by Russias invasion. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday, and Trump said both sides were very close to a deal. Meanwhile, in a statement Friday night, Zelenskyy said that very significant meetings may take place in coming days, and that an unconditional ceasefire was needed.Real pressure on Russia is needed so that they accept either the American proposal to cease fire and move towards peace, or our proposal whichever one can truly work and ensure a reliable, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire, and then a dignified peace and security guarantees, he said. Diplomacy must succeed. And we are doing everything to make diplomacy truly meaningful and finally effective.Russia launched three missiles and 114 drones over Ukraine overnight, Ukraines air force wrote in a statement Saturday. Sixty-six drones were destroyed and a further 31 decoy drones failed to reach their destination.Meanwhile, Russian air defenses shot down 45 Ukrainian drones overnight, the countrys defense ministry said.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney arrives for a tour of Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press via AP)2025-04-26T05:03:25Z TORONTO (AP) Canadians will vote for a new government on Monday in an election that has been upended by U.S. President Donald Trump s trade war and his threats to make Canada the 51st state.Prime Minister Mark Carney and the governing Liberal Party appeared poised for a historic election defeat until Trump slapped heavy tariffs on Canada and began threatening its sovereignty. Trumps attacks have infuriated Canadians, who are canceling trips to their southern neighbor and avoiding buying American goods when they can. The surge in Canadian nationalism has bolstered the Liberals poll numbers.The opposition Conservative Party had hoped to make the election a referendum on former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose popularity cratered as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged. But after decades of bilateral stability, the vote is now expected to focus on who is best equipped to deal with Trump. How will the election work?Voters nationwide will elect all 343 member of the House of Commons, one for each constituency. There are no primaries or runoffs just a single round of voting.Like the U.K., Canada uses a first-past-the-post voting system, meaning the candidate who finishes first in each constituency will be elected, even if they dont get 50% of the vote.This has generally cemented the dominance of the two largest parties, the Liberals and Conservatives, because its difficult for smaller parties to win seats unless they have concentrated support in particular areas. How is the prime minister chosen?The party that commands a majority in the House of Commons, either alone or with the support of another party, will form the next government and its leader will be prime minister.Carney replaced Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remained in power until the Liberal Party elected a new leader, Carney, on March 9.Carney was sworn in as Canadas 24th prime minister on March 14. He hopes to retain the job and avoid becoming one of Canadas shortest-serving prime ministers. Who is running?Carney, 60, is one of the two main candidates. He successfully navigated financial crises when he headed the Bank of Canada and later ran the Bank of England, becoming the first non-U.K. citizen to do so since its 1694 founding.A highly educated economist, Carney worked for 13 years for Goldman Sachs in London, Tokyo, New York and Toronto, before being appointed deputy governor of the Bank of Canada in 2003. He has financial industry and public service credentials.Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservatives, is Carneys main challenger. He and the party seemed headed for a big victory in the election until Trumps near-daily trade and annexation threats derailed them.Poilievre, 45, is a career politician and firebrand populist who says he will put Canada first. For years his partys go-to attack dog, he frequently criticizes the mainstream media and vows to defund Canadas public broadcaster. There are two other parties that have official status in Parliament. If the Liberals or Conservatives secure the most seats in the House of Commons but fail to win a majority, they would need to rely on either the New Democrats, a progressive party, or the separatist Quebec party Bloc Qubcois to pass legislation.

Catfights abound in Trumps macho world.

Opinion columnists break down the motives behind the presidents blitz of executive actions since he took office.

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he and first lady Melania Trump depart on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Washington. The President and first lady will be traveling to Rome and the Vatican to attend the funeral for Pope Francis. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2025-04-26T11:23:37Z WASHINGTON (AP) Many Americans do not agree with President Trumps aggressive efforts to quickly enact his agenda, a new poll finds, and even Republicans are not overwhelmingly convinced that his attention has been in the right place. Americans are nearly twice as likely to say Trump has been mostly focusing on the wrong priorities as to say he has been focusing on the right ones, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Further, about 4 in 10 Americans say Trump has been a terrible president in his second term, and about 1 in 10 say he has been poor. In contrast, about 3 in 10 say he has been great or good, while just under 2 in 10 say he has been average.Most havent been shocked by the drama of Trumps first 100 days. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults say the first few months of Trumps second term have been mostly what they expected, and only about 3 in 10 say the Republican presidents actions have been mostly unexpected. But that does not mean they are pleased with how those opening months have gone.In fact, Democrats seem even unhappier with the reality of the second Trump term than before he was sworn in on Jan. 20. About three-quarters of Democrats say Trump is focused on the wrong topics and about 7 in 10 think he has been a terrible president so far. That is an increase from January, when about 6 in 10 anticipated that he would be terrible. Rahsaan Henderson, a Democrat from California, said it has been one of the longest 100 days Ive ever had to sit through. I think the next four years will be a test of seeing who can resist the most and continue defying whatever hes trying to do, since he defies everything, including the Supreme Court, said Henderson, 40.Republicans are largely standing behind the president, but are ambivalent about what he has chosen to emphasize. About 7 in 10 say he has been at least a good president. But only about half say he has mostly had the right priorities so far, while about one-quarter say it has been about an even mix and about 1 in 10 said Trump has mostly had the wrong priorities. Hes really doing the stuff that he said he was going to do, said Tanner Bergstrom, 29, a Republican from Minnesota. He is not making a bunch of promises and getting into office and nothing happens. ... I really like that. Even if its some stuff I dont agree with, its still doing what he said he was going to do. Those who were surprised by Trumps first few months seem to have had a rude awakening. The people who say Trumps actions were not what they expected who are mostly Democrats and independents are more likely to say Trump has had mostly the wrong priorities and that he has been a poor or terrible president, compared with the people who mostly expected his actions.About 4 in 10 in the survey approve of how Trump is handling the presidency overall. The issue of immigration is a relative strength. According to the poll, 46% of U.S. adults approve of his handling of the issue, which is slightly higher than his overall approval. But there are also indications that foreign policy, trade negotiationsand the economy could prove problematic as he aims to prove his approach will benefit the country. Trumps approval on those issues is much lower than it is on immigration. Only about 4 in 10 U.S. adults approve of how he is handling each. Republicans are less likely to approve of Trumps approach to trade and the economy than immigration. There are additional signals that some Trump supporters may not be thrilled with his performance so far. The share of Republicans who say he has been at least a good president has fallen about 10 percentage points since January. They also have grown a bit more likely to say Trump will be either poor or terrible, although only 16% describe his first few months that way.Republican Stephanie Melnyk, 45, from Tennessee, is supportive of Trumps handling of the presidency more broadly but said she did not approve of his handling of foreign affairs, particularly on the war in Ukraine. Melnyks family emigrated from Ukraine and she said Trump is trying for a quick fix thats not going to last and that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not to be trusted. Melnyk, who voted for Trump largely for his positions on immigration, said she wished the president would stay on script. He sounds like he can be very condescending, and it sounds like my way or the highway, Melnyk said. Its like, dude. Youre not 12. Its common, though, for a presidents standing to be at its best before taking office and beginning the work of governing. And Trump continues to hold high approval from Republicans. About 4 in 10 Americans have a favorable opinion of Trump, roughly in line with his approval number. Among Republicans, the figure is about double: About 8 in 10 Republicans have a positive view of the president, and about the same share approves of how he is handling the presidency. About one-third of U.S. adults have a favorable opinion of Vice President JD Vance, including about 7 in 10 Republicans. Those Republicans interviewed were particularly fond of efforts to scale back the size of the federal government led by billionaire outside adviser Elon Musk and Trumps cost-cutting initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. Overall, I would have to say that Im happy with the Trump presidency, said Matthew Spencer, 30, a Republican from Texas. I think that the Department of Government Efficiency has made great strides in reducing our spending, and I also agree with putting America first. I agree with the policies hes put in as far as border protection and America standing for itself again as far as the tariffs.Were only three months in, but so far, so good, said Carlos Guevara, 46, who lives in Florida. Guevara, a Republican, said DOGE has been a smash hit and on tariffs, and while there may be short-term pain, if that does encourage businesses to start manufacturing here ... then thatll wash out over time. Democrats have a much bleaker outlook on the economy than they held before Trump took office. The poll also found that the vast majority of Democrats think he has gone too far on deportations and tariffs.Gabriel Antonucci, 26, a Democrat who recently moved to South Carolina, said Trumps second term is just a lot more ridiculous than he had anticipated. It really seems like he is doing everything he can to make the wrong decisions, Antonucci said. Things are probably going to be worse in four years than they are right now.___The AP-NORC poll of 1,260 adults was conducted April 17-21, using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. SEUNG MIN KIM Kim covers the White House for The Associated Press. She joined the AP in 2022 and is based in Washington. twitter mailto LINLEY SANDERS Sanders is a polls and surveys reporter for The Associated Press. She develops and writes about polls conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, and works on AP VoteCast. twitter

Palestinians bid farewell to their relatives who were killed in Israeli airstrikes early this morning on Yaffa School, in Gaza City, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)2025-04-26T10:55:52Z DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) At least 49 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours, according to health officials, as Arab mediators scrambled to restart a ceasefire.An airstrike in a neighborhood in western Gaza City early Saturday morning, flattened a three-story house, killing 10 people, according to a cameraman cooperating with The Associated Press. The number was confirmed by Gazas Health Ministry, along with three more people who were killed in the Shati refugee camp along the citys shoreline.There was no immediate comment from Israel on the strikes.The attacks come as Hamas said on Saturday that it sent a high-level delegation to Cairo to try and get the stalled ceasefire back on track.Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas last month and has vowed to continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is destroyed, or disarmed and sent into exile. It says it will hold parts of Gaza indefinitely and implement President Donald Trumps proposal for the resettlement of the population in other countries, which has been widely rejected internationally. Hamas has said it will only release the dozens of hostages it holds in return for Palestinian prisoners, a complete Israeli withdrawal and a lasting ceasefire, as called for in the now-defunct agreement reached in January. Hamas said Saturday that the delegation will discuss with Egyptian officials the groups vision to end the war, which includes the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and reconstruction. Earlier this week, other Hamas officials arrived in Cairo to discuss a proposal that would include a five-to-seven year truce and the release of all remaining hostages, officials said. Egypt and Qatar are still developing the proposal, which would include the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners, according to an Egyptian official and a Hamas official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media. Meanwhile, Israel has continued its nearly two-month blockade on Gaza even as aid groups warn that supplies are dwindling.On Friday, the World Food Program said its food stocks in Gaza had run out, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory. The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.About 80% of Gazas population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israels blockade, according to the U.N. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told The Associated Press.Israels offensive has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. The militants still have 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.___Magdy reported from Cairo.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto

Two of the five popes before Francis have become saints, but merely serving as pontiff is no longer a guarantee of canonization.

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Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, left, talks with quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during a timeout in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Central Florida, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)2025-04-26T05:04:51Z Plenty of playmakers remain for teams to pick through Saturday in the NFL drafts final four rounds, Shedeur Sanders stunningly among them.Sanders is the biggest name still on the board more than 48 hours after he was widely expected to hear his name called, a spectacular slide for a quarterback who has gotten snubbed through 102 selections so far.Even before plunging through Day 2 on Friday, the former Colorado stars plight caught the attention of the White House.In a post on his Truth Social platform Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump criticized teams for not selecting Sanders on Day 1 and suggested he should be picked immediately in Round 2.NFL franchises, however, plucked 70 more players from the college ranks and left Sanders still waiting for his phone to ring.Sanders and Miamis Cam Ward were considered the top two passing prospects in this years draft with some analysts even rating Sanders higher than Ward, whom the Tennessee Titans made the top overall pick Thursday night. Four other quarterbacks have leap-frogged Sanders. In a surprise in the first round, the Giants took Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss. And in Round 2, the Saints selected Louisvilles Tyler Shough, who began his college career at Oregon in 2018 and who will be 26 in September, and two more QBs went in the third round: Alabamas Jalen Milroe to the Seahawks and Oregons Dillon Gabriel to the Browns. At best, Sanders will be the sixth QB drafted in 2025, and he wont even be the first Sanders selected. That honor went to South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (no relation), who went 41st overall in Round 2 to Buffalo. One possible reason cited for Shedeur Sanders slide is his size 6-foot-1, which is short for a QB by todays standards and yet, Gabriel is even shorter at 5-11 and 201 pounds, 15 pounds lighter than Sanders, whos an accurate thrower and quick processor but who took a combined 94 sacks in his two seasons in Boulder. One team that isnt looking for a quarterback after finally landing one a year ago is the Denver Broncos, and their coach, Sean Payton, expressed dismay at Sanders slide into Day 3 of this years draft.There will be this chip on his shoulder and beware because this guys going to play in this league, Payton said. "... yeah, I think its surprising.Sanders is the highest-ranked player left on the board of several draft analysts, including the NFL Networks Daniel Jeremiah, who has him as the 20th-ranked prospect, and ESPN senior writer Jeff Legwold, who ranked Sanders 32nd in his annual ranking of the top 100 college prospects.Legwold noted that although Sanders nearly 72% completion rate in two seasons at Colorado was an FBS career record, he is undersized and doesnt throw the ball quickly, which led to many of the FBS-leading 94 sacks he took the last two seasons.Among the other best available prospects when the draft resumes with the Titans choosing 103rd overall are 5-foot-8 Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson, who scored a school-record 22 touchdowns last season, and Arizona States bruising running back Cam Skattebo, who rushed for 1,711 yards and 21 TDs last season.Other top candidates for Round 4 include LSU guard Miles Frazier, Ohio State edge rusher Jack Sawyer and Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl ARNIE MELENDREZ STAPLETON Melendrez Stapleton is a pro football writer for The Associated Press. He is based in Denver. twitter mailto

This is a locator map for Iran with its capital, Tehran. (AP Photo)2025-04-26T09:32:07Z TEHRAN, Iran (AP) A massive explosion and fire struck the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, officials said. Mehrdad Hasanzadeh, a provincial disaster management official, told Iranian state television there were injuries in the blast, without elaborating. He added that first responders were trying to reach the area while others were attempting to evacuate the site.Hasanzadeh said the blast came from containers at Rajaei port in the city.Social media videos showed a huge plume of black smoke.Rajaei port mainly handles container traffic and also has oil tanks and other petrochemical facilities.

Welcome back to the Abstract!Beware: This weeks offerings are not for the faint of heart. There will be blood. There will be gore. There will be death. There will behoneydew?First stop is a gladiator cemetery, which has got to be one of the most haunted varieties of burial ground. There is very bad mojo at a gladiator cemetery! This one is no exception. Next, meet a very hungry caterpillar with a very grotesque fashion sense and behold a hell ant from the age of dinosaurs.If you make it through a cavalcade of horrors, you will be rewarded with some chimp sangria. Go forth and good luck!Are You Not Entertained? (Personally, I Am Not)Thompson, T.J.U. et al. Unique osteological evidence for human-animal gladiatorial combat in Roman Britain. PLOS ONE.Some 1,700 years ago, a young man of about 30 was publicly decapitated and fed to a lion during a gladiatorial event. Thats the speculative conclusion of a new study about the skeleton of this man, known as Individual 6DT19, which presents the first physical evidence for human-animal gladiatorial combat from the Roman period seen anywhere in Europe.Gladiators have been a cultural obsession for thousands of years because, lets be real, people are sickos. Spectators across the Roman Empire packed arenas to watch gladiators kill each other, or kill dangerous animals, or be killed by dangerous animals. You get the idea: Blood spilling on the arena floor and blood pumping in the stands. Sicko stuff.Driffield Terrace, a Roman site near the English city of York, is packed with the bones of dead men that bear obvious signs of blunt force trauma, hinting that it might be a gladiator cemetery. Many of the bodies at Driffield Terrace are also decapitated, with the heads placed at the feet for burial. Individual 6DT19, who lived between 200 and 300 CE, is unusual in that his head, while still chopped off, was placed in the correct anatomical position. But what really sets him apart is his punctured pelvis, which looks like it was used as a chew toy.A 5th-century mosaic in the Great Palace of Constantinople depicting human-animal.Now, researchers have re-examined the holes on this mans pelvic bone with a 3D-scanner and concluded that they were probably made by a big cat with a taste for human flesh.It is proposed, based on the evidence from the archaeological, medical and forensic evidence, that the bite marks on 6DT19 derive from a large felid, such as a lion, said researchers led by Tim Thompson of Maynooth University. The location solely on the pelvis suggests that they were not part of an attack per se, but rather the result of scavenging at around the time of death. The decapitation of this individual was likely either to put him out of his misery at the point of death, or for the sake of conforming to customary practice.The bite marks on 6DT19s pelvis. Thompson et al., 2025, PLOS One, CC-BY 4.0In other words, this guy might have got off lucky; he was beheaded before he was thrown to the lions. Others were not so fortunate, as animals in these gladiatorial shows were used as the agents of spectacular mutilation and execution of criminals, captives from warfare and other perceived deviants, including Christians, who were also sometimes forced to participate in such events, known as damnatio ad bestias, the team said. These would sometimes include the re-enactment of mythical narratives as executions.Blech, just evil stuff, though you cant accuse it of lacking creativity. And though its unclear why 6DT19 was condemned to a public death, the new study does expose a fleeting glimpse of these iconic and brutal spectacles, which continue to live on in our modern imaginations.Personally though, when it comes to gladiators, Ill take the spandex-clad TV stars of the 1990s over the gory Roman death matches any day of the week.The Bone Collectors LookbookRubinoff, Daniel et al. Hawaiian caterpillar patrols spiderwebs camouflaged in insect preys body parts. Science.Amazingly, the tale of a man who was fed to a lion is not even the gnarliest study that was on offer this week. Enter the bone collector, a newly described species of carnivorous caterpillar that invades spiderwebs, eats the ensnared insects, and then wears their body parts like prized armor.We have identified body parts belonging to more than six different families of insect attached to the silk caterpillar cases, suggesting that they are adaptable scavengers and predators, said researchers led by Daniel Rubinoff of the University of Hawaii. When decorating their silken portable cases, the caterpillars are particular. Body parts are carefully measured for size before the caterpillar weaves them into its collection. Each prospective new addition is rotated and probed with its mandibles several times, and parts that are too large are chewed down to a size that will fit its case.In other words, the caterpillars are bedazzling themselves with the bodies of their victims. Imagine all of this unfolding from the point of view of an entrapped insect. Youve already had the worst day of your lifeyou are cached spider chowthen you see a caterpillar methodically eating your cell mates and sewing their remains into a dapper outfit?But wait, it actually gets better:If denied access to arthropod body parts in captivity, the caterpillars do not accept other bits of detritus, suggesting that they recognize and exclusively use corpses in nature and that this decoration is important to their survival, the team said. Given the context, it is possible that the array of partially consumed body parts and shed spider skins covering the case forms effective camouflage from a spider landlord; the caterpillars have never been found predated by spiders or wrapped in spider silk.Gladiators, eat your heart out (assuming a lion hasnt already done that).The caterpillars refuse to adorn themselves in anything other than dead bodies, which they use to avoid detection by spider landlords. Great animal, no notes.Sadly, though, this species has only been observed in the forests of one mountain on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, and may be facing extinction. Without conservation attention, it is likely that the last living representative of this lineage of carnivorous, body partcollecting caterpillars that has adapted to a precarious existence among spider webs will disappear.It makes you wonder how many weird, trippy species have already vanished without documentation. Save the Bone Collectors does not have the same ring as Save the Whales but nonetheless these macabre fashion mavens deserve a helping handespecially a disembodied one that they can wear.The Deadest AntLepeco, Anderson et al. A hell ant from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil. Current Biology.Hold onto your butts, because were not done with grisly insects yet. Our next entomological curiosity is a fossilized hell ant that lived an astonishing 113 million years ago, making it the oldest definitive ant known to science and also the most complete evidence for the early evolution of ants in the fossil record, according to a new study.The exquisitely preserved ant was discovered in Brazils Crato Formation and represents a new species called Vulcanidris cratensis. It is at least 10 million years older than the next unambiguous ant fossils, pushing the timeline of ant evolution deeper into the Cretaceous period and shedding light on the first radiations of ants during the age of dinosaurs.Dead ant. Image: Anderson LepecoAs part of this initial radiation, hell ants of the subfamily Haidomyrmecinae are arguably the most fascinating group discovered to date, said researchers led by Anderson Lepeco of the Universidade de So Paulo. They are readily recognized by their bizarre scythe-like mandibles, often pointed upward and coupled with facial projections, representing unparalleled morphologies in the context of modern ants. Many hypotheses have been raised to explain their anatomical uniqueness, including prey impaling, clasping, or even honeydew collection.Wow, theres a real vibe shift between impaled prey and collected dew. These ants have range. Indeed, the discovery of this new species demonstrates that hell ants had achieved a wide geographical distribution during the Cretaceous, spreading through Laurasia (i.e., Canada and France) and South America, according to the team. Though they went extinct along with the dinosaurs, may they live on forever in our nightmares.Boozy Breadfruit, Family StyleBowland, Anna et al. Wild chimpanzees share fermented fruits. Current Biology.Lion bites, bone outfits, and exhumed hell ants. Its time for a drink. The special this week is a fermented African breadfruit that has been left in the Sun too long. At least, thats whats being served at chimpanzee cocktail bars, according to a study this week that presents the first evidence for ethanolic food sharing and feeding by wild nonhuman great apes (also known as a booze-up).The use of fermented foods and drinks by humans is so widespread as to be considered ubiquitous, with their use largely linked to dietary benefits and social bonding, said researchers led by Anna Bowland of the University of Exeter. However, little is known about the inclusion of ethanolic foods in the diet of nonhuman great apes.You know what that means: Time to party with some chimps. The team observed troops of wild chimpanzees sharing fermented breadfruit in Cantanhez National Park, Guinea-Bissau. The alcohol content of the fruits is about 0.61 percent, similar to kombucha, so its not like the animals are getting obliterated. Still, the consumption of alcoholic beverages in friendly group settings suggests that humans arent the only apes that bond and unwind over libations.Chimps sharing fermented breadfruit. Image: Bowland et al.Chimpanzees were seen to regularly select and feed on T. africana fruits when available (70 events), the team said. Sharing was observed on 10 separate occasionsbetween 17 individuals across all age- and sex-classes. Nine of ten sharing events were passive (i.e., a possessor tolerates feeding from the fruit but does not facilitate its transfer), with one event classed as activepassive, whereby the possessor tolerated the taking of a food portion held in their mouth.I admire the gumption of the chimp that grabbed spiked breadfruit out of its companion's mouth, and I appreciate the tolerance of the chimp that allowed it. The team concluded that the use of alcohol by humans is not recent but rather rooted in our deep evolutionary history, according to the study. Whether you imbibe or abstain, heres a toast to the happy hours of prehistory.Thanks for reading! See you next week.

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A faithful waves a flag with Carlo Acutis, the 15-year-old Italian boy who died in 2006 of leukemia and beatified in 2020, at the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)2025-04-26T13:03:27Z VATICAN CITY (AP) Thousands of young people from around the world had come to Rome expecting to rejoice this weekend in the canonization of the first millennial saint during the Vaticans Holy Year. They ended up bidding farewell to Pope Francis instead, with their exuberance giving an uplifting tone to Saturdays otherwise somber funeral.He always said you have to be joyful about life, you have to live life in a similar way, said Marco Falchi, who traveled from his home near Perugia with his wife and 11-year-old son. He and his wife credit Francis with reviving their spirituality, and they named their son, Francesco, after him.The family is also devoted to the cause of sainthood for Carlo Acutis, a young Italian who died in 2006 from leukemia and inspired faith in many young Catholics. They planned their trip to Rome around that. The canonization of Acutis had been scheduled for Sunday during the first-ever Jubilee of Adolescents, dedicated to teens. It was suspended after Francis death.Falchi was struck by the lack of deep mourning at the funeral for the pope. Especially since this was the jubilee for adolescents, he certainly didnt want a day of mourning but he wanted a day of joy, he said. There was a clear blue sky over St. Peters Square. Some people camped out the night before to get a good spot. Many stood respectfully, their hands folded, as they followed the Mass on large screens. Radio broadcasts in multiple languages added to the hum of humanity. They applauded when Francis simple wooden coffin was moved outdoors. Tens of thousands of Catholic faithful had planned their trips before the popes death on Monday at age 88 following a long hospitalization.I bought my ticket for Carlo, said Reyes Arribas, a 23-year-old from Valencia, Spain. And then suddenly Pope Francis died, so I came to the funeral. She confessed that while she admired Francis, she felt a closer affinity to his predecessors, St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Her feelings for Acutis, however, are very strong. She excitedly praised him as the first saint of young people because he was immersed in the technological world of today.Even those who were disappointed by the suspended canonization were gratified that they could celebrate Francis, loved by many for his humility and concern for the poor.I feel I grew up with Pope Francis, said Jessica Naranjo, a 27-year-old from Austin, Texas. He advocated for social justice. This was a big loss for me.Ana Kalen, a 22-year-old medical student, traveled to Rome for the Acutis canonization with a group from Sarajevo, Bosnia.The plans have changed, but we are still so glad to be here for this historical moment, Kalen said, a Bosnian flag draped over her shoulders.We are sad about each death, Kalen said. But we do believe that Pope Francis is in a better place.After St. John Paul II died in 2005, the mood was different. The faithful made pilgrimages from his Polish homeland and elsewhere to mourn a towering figure of the 20th century in a spirit of deep sadness and loss. Francis had a different style. During his 12-year papacy, he urged people to maintain a sense of humor, and that spirit seemed to guide many participants Saturday.Groups of young people filled St. Peters Square before the funeral Mass. One from a parish in Cassano Magnago in the northern Italian province of Varese danced in circle and sang religious songs.The popes death during Easter season filled them with a sense of peace, one teenager said.Its a good sign, said 16-year-old Matteo Cozzi. The death of a pope at Easter is a sign of hope.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is completely surrounded as he leads a civil rights march in Boston, April 23, 1965, en route to historic Boston Common where he will address a crowd. (AP Photo, file)2025-04-26T04:06:43Z BOSTON (AP) As a Black teenager growing up in Boston, Wayne Lucas vividly remembers joining some 20,000 people to hear the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speak out against the citys segregated school system and the entrenched poverty in poor communities.Sixty years on, Lucas will be back on the Boston Common on Saturday to celebrate the anniversary of what became known as the 1965 Freedom Rally. This time, though, Lucas expects much of the focus will be on President Donald Trump and concerns that the commander-in-chief is exploiting divisions and fears about race and immigration.Theres different forms of, how do we say it, racism and also I have to include fascism, whats going on in this country, said Lucas, a social activist and retired postal worker who was standing on the Boston Common near the site of 20-foot-high (6-meter) memorial to racial equity, The Embrace, where the rally will be held. The rally will be preceded by a march mostly along the route taken to the Boston Common in 1965 and feature up to 125 different organizations.People gotta be aware and say something. he continued. We can grumble (and) stuff like that, but we need to take part and do something. 1965 protest brings civil rights movement to the NortheastThe original protest rally in 1965 brought the civil rights movement to the Northeast, a place King knew well from his time earning a doctorate in theology from Boston University and serving as assistant minister at the citys Twelfth Baptist Church. It was also the place he met his wife, Coretta Scott King, who earned a degree in music education from the New England Conservatory. In his speech, King told the crowd that he returned to Boston not to condemn the city but to encourage its leaders to do better at a time when Black leaders were fighting to desegregate the schools and housing and working to improve economic opportunities for Black residents. King also implored Boston to become a leader that other cities like New York and Chicago could follow in conducting the creative experiments in the abolition of ghettos. It would be demagogic and dishonest for me to say that Boston is a Birmingham, or to equate Massachusetts with Mississippi, he told the crowd. But it would be morally irresponsible were I to remain blind to the threat to liberty, the denial of opportunity, and the crippling poverty that we face in some sections of this community.Rally followed Civil Rights Act signing in 1964The Boston rally happened after President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and months ahead of the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 signed in August. King and other civil rights movement leaders had just come off the Selma to Montgomery march in Alabama, also referred to as Blood Sunday, weeks before the Boston rally. The civil rights icon also was successful in the 1963 Birmingham campaign prompting the end of legalized racial segregation in the Alabama city, and eventually throughout the nation.This time in Boston, Kings eldest son, Martin Luther King III, will be the keynote speaker. He and other speakers are expected to touch on some of the same issues that have plagued communities of color for decades including the need for good jobs, decent health care and affordable housing. DEI comes under threat by Trump administrationHis visit also comes at a time when the Trump administration is waging war on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in government, schools and businesses around the country, including in Massachusetts.Since his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump has banned diversity initiatives across the federal government. The administration has launched investigations of colleges public and private that it accuses of discriminating against white and Asian students with race-conscious admissions programs intended to address historic inequities in access for Black students.The Defense Department at one point temporarily removed training videos recognizing the Tuskegee Airmen and an online biography of Jackie Robinson. In February, Trump fired Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr., a champion of racial diversity in the military, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Brown, in the wake of Floyds killing, had spoken publicly about his experiences as a Black man, and was only the second Black general to serve as chairman. The administration has fired diversity officers across government, curtailed some agencies celebrations of Black History Month and terminated grants and contracts for projects ranging from planting trees in disadvantaged communities to studying achievement gaps in American schools. Trump also wants to force changes at the Smithsonian Institution with an executive order targeting funding for programs that advance divisive narratives and improper ideology. Massachusetts also impactedThe efforts also impact Massachusetts. The state has pushed back against threats from the Trump administration to cut funding if the state doesnt comply with an Education Department order to certify local school systems compliance with a race-neutral interpretation of civil rights laws. The Museum of African American History in Boston also announced earlier this month that a $500,000 federal grant received last year has been terminated.Make no mistake, these efforts are designed to marginalize and destabilize the Museum of African American History, and African American public history institutions like us, the museum wrote in a statement. We are all in danger of being erased.Martin Luther King III told The Associated Press that the attacks on diversity make little sense, noting, We cannot move forward without understanding what happened in the past.It doesnt mean that its about blaming people. Its not about collective guilt. Its about collective responsibility, he continued. How do we become better? Well, we appreciate everything that helped us to get to where we are. Diversity hasnt hurt the country.King said opponents of diversity have floated an uninformed narrative that unqualified people of color are taking jobs from white people, when the reality is they have long been denied opportunities they deserve.I dont know if white people understand this, but Black people are tolerant, he said. From knee-high to a grasshopper, you have to be five times better than your white colleague. And thats how we prepare ourselves. So its never a matter of unqualified, its a matter of being excluded.Imari Paris Jeffries, the president and CEO of Embrace Boston, which along with the city is putting on the rally, said the event is a chance to remind people that elements of the promissory note King referred to in his I Have A Dream speech remain out of reach for many people.Were having a conversation about democracy. This is the promissory note public education, public housing, public health, access to public art, Paris Jeffries said. All of these things are a part of democracy. Those are the things that are actually being threatened right now. MICHAEL CASEY Casey writes about the environment, housing and inequality for The Associated Press. He lives in Boston. twitter mailto

An idealistic ophthalmologist, he came up with an ingenious way to treat blindness in far-flung places: by outfitting an airplane with an operating room.

President Trump, Melania Trump, Prince William and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine were among those who paid respects to the pontiff in St. Peters Square.

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In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and President Donald Trump, talk as they attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican, Saturday, April 26, 2025.(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)2025-04-26T11:41:11Z ROME (AP) President Donald Trump said Saturday that he doubts Russias Vladimir Putin wants to end his war in Ukraine, expressing new skepticism that a peace deal can be reached soon. Only a day earlier, Trump had said Ukraine and Russia were very close to a deal.Trump said in a social media post as he flew back to the United States after Pope Francis funeral that there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. Trump hinted at further sanctions against Russia. It makes me think that maybe he doesnt want to stop the war, hes just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through Banking or Secondary Sanctions? Too many people are dying!!! Trump wrote.Trump earlier on Saturday met briefly at the Vatican with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before the popes funeral. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below.ROME (AP) President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met briefly Saturday before the funeral for Pope Francis as the American leader steps up the pressure to end Russias war against Ukraine. It was the first face-to-face encounter between Trump and the Ukrainian leader since they argued during a heated Oval Office meeting at the White House in late February. Zelenskyys office had said teams were making arrangements for the leaders to talk again Saturday, but Trump went directly to the Rome airport after the funeral and boarded Air Force One for the 10-hour flight back to the United States, which seemed to rule out a second in-person conversation. Zelenskyys spokesperson, Serhii Nykyforov, said Trump and Zelenskyy did not meet again in person because of their tight schedules. Zelenskyy said good meeting on social media after the funeral. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out, he said on X. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you. The White House called the discussion very productive and said it would release more details later. The meeting lasted about 15 minutes inside St. Peters Basilica at the Vatican, where Francis often preached the need for a peaceful end to the war, just before Trump and Zelenskyy took their seats at the outdoor funeral service.The Vatican long ago had offered to help facilitate peace talks and Francis had regularly called for peace and dialogue from the altar of the basilica. That Trump and Zelenskyy spoke privately, face to face and hunched over on chairs on the marbled floors of the popes home, on the day of his funeral, was perhaps a fitting way to honor his wishes.The meeting came together hours after Trump said on social media, after he arrived in Italy late Friday, that Russia and Ukraine should meet for very high level talks on ending the three-year war that was sparked by Russias invasion. Trump has pressed both sides to quickly come to an agreement to end the war, but while Zelenskyy agreed to an American plan for an initial 30-day halt to hostilities, Russia has not signed on and has continued to strike at targets inside Ukraine.Last weeks hourslong missile and drone barrage of Kyiv that killed at least 12 people led Trump to appeal over social media for Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the strikes on Ukraines capital. Vladimir, STOP! Trump wrote.Trumps special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had met earlier on Friday with Putin in Moscow, and Trump said both sides were very close to a deal.Putin did not attend Francis funeral. He faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, which has accused him of war crimes stemming from Moscows invasion of Ukraine.Meanwhile, in a statement Friday night, Zelenskyy said very significant meetings may take place in the coming days, and that an unconditional ceasefire was needed. Real pressure on Russia is needed so that they accept either the American proposal to cease fire and move towards peace, or our proposal whichever one can truly work and ensure a reliable, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire, and then a dignified peace and security guarantees, he said.Diplomacy must succeed. And we are doing everything to make diplomacy truly meaningful and finally effective.The meeting Saturday also came shortly after Trump had issued his most definitive statement to date about the need for Ukraine to give up territory to Russia to bring the war to a close. He said in a Time magazine interview published Friday that Crimea will stay with Russia.Russia seized the strategic peninsula along the Black Sea in southern Ukraine in 2014, years before the full-scale invasion that began in 2022. Zelenskyy wants to regain Crimea and other Ukrainian territory seized by Russia, but Trump considers that demand to be unrealistic. Referring to Crimea during the interview, which was conducted at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said, everybody understands that its been with them for a long time, meaning Russia.Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press journalists Nicole Winfield in Vatican City and Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report. DARLENE SUPERVILLE Superville covers the White House for The Associated Press, with a special emphasis on first ladies and first families. AAMER MADHANI Madhani covers the White House for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Many of President Trumps actions have been seen as benefiting Russia either directly or indirectly, so much so that Russian officials have celebrated some of his moves.

Ukraine denied that it had been pushed out of the region and said that its military operations inside Russia were continuing.

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Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders takes part in passing drills during Colorado's NFL football pro day Friday, April 4, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)2025-04-26T15:45:02Z GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) Shedeur Sanders is still waiting for a call on the NFL drafts final day, a shocking turn of events for a quarterback with arguably the highest profile in this class.The uncertainty surrounding the Colorado star and son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is the dominant story in this draft. Generally regarded as one of the top two quarterback prospects in this class, Sanders didnt get taken in the first round Thursday. Nor was he chosen in the second and third rounds Friday.Sanders remained optimistic Saturday while providing an update on social media.Another day another opportunity to get a chance to play the game I love, he said in an X post Saturday morning. Thank you GOD #LEGENDARY.Many of the teams with obvious quarterback needs already have drafted someone else at that position, making Sanders situation even more of a mystery as the draft wraps up Saturday with the final four rounds. This day typically appeals more to the true draft connoisseurs, as the names of the available prospects get less familiar and much of the television coverage focuses on picks that already were made in earlier rounds. Not this time, when someone with Sanders star power remains available. The history of the draft includes plenty of stories of quarterbacks waiting much longer than expected to get drafted. Sometimes it ultimately worked out just fine for them. Dan Marino was the sixth quarterback taken in the famous 1983 draft class and went 27th overall to Miami, where he would spend his entire Hall of Fame career. Aaron Rodgers was supposed to go among the first few picks in 2005 but went 24th to Green Bay, where he went on to win four MVP awards. More recently, Will Levis was considered a near-certain first-round pick in 2023 but slipped into the second round before Tennessee took him at No. 33 overall. But its hard to come up with a fall as steep as this one.Sanders was one of the most recognizable names in college football the last couple of years while teaming up with 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter taken second overall by Jacksonville and playing for his father.He finished eighth in the Heisman balloting last season while throwing for a school-record 4,134 yards and helping Colorado go 9-4. The Buffaloes had gone 4-8 in Sanders first season there in 2023 after he spent two years playing for his dad at Jackson State.Most forecasts heading into the draft had Sanders getting taken second among quarterbacks, behind only Miamis Cam Ward, who went to the Tennessee Titans with the first overall pick.Thats now how its turned out.The New York Giants traded up to get the 25th pick on Thursday but opted for Mississippis Jaxson Dart. Three other quarterbacks went Friday. New Orleans selected Louisvilles Tyler Shough in the second round. Seattle chose Alabamas Jalen Milroe and Cleveland took Oregons Dillon Gabriel in the third round.One criticism of Sanders was the fact that he was sacked 94 times the last two seasons at Colorado. Concerns also arose about his arm strength. There also were worries about how he would adapt to playing for someone other than his father. Now that Sanders is slipping into the middle rounds, teams might shy away from picking him up because of the potential distractions that come with adding someone who could generate so much attention and publicity as a backup. There are still some teams out there that could use a quarterback.Pittsburghs only quarterbacks are Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson following the offseason departures of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. Sanders visited the Steelers facility before the draft.Las Vegas has acquired 34-year-old Geno Smith but could use a long-term solution at the position.And at this point in the draft, some team that already has an established quarterback in his prime simply might consider Sanders a good value and asset for the future.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

This photo provided by Emilys Entourage in April 2025 shows Emily Kramer-Golinkoff, who has cystic fibrosis caused by a rare genetic mutation, during a trip to Maine. (Emilys Entourage via AP)2025-04-26T14:59:04Z Emily Kramer-Golinkoff cant get enough oxygen with each breath. Advanced cystic fibrosis makes even simple things like walking or showering arduous and exhausting.She has the most common fatal genetic disease in the U.S., which afflicts 40,000 Americans. But her case is caused by a rare genetic mutation, so medications that work for 90% of people with cystic fibrosis wont help her. The same dynamic plays out in other genetic conditions. Stunning advances in genetic science have revealed the subtle, insidious culprits behind these brutal diseases and have started paving the way for treatments. But patients with these exceedingly rare mutations have fewer options and poorer prospects than those with more typical forms of these diseases and many are now pinning hopes on experimental gene therapies.We feel such pure joy for our friends who have been lifted from this sinking ship, said Kramer-Golinkoff, 40. But we just feel so eager and desperate to join them. Its really hard to be in this minority of people left behind. Its not just science that is working against these patients, its market forces. Drug companies are naturally going to look for medications that target the most common mutations. You need a sufficiently large number of patients in a major market in order for a company to be interested in going forward, said Dr. Kiran Musunuru, a University of Pennsylvania gene editing expert. What it amounts to, he says, is mutational discrimination. Charities including a nonprofit Kramer-Golinkoff co-founded called Emilys Entourage are trying to overcome this barrier. Fundraising efforts have helped jump-start gene therapy that could help patients regardless of mutation.While it likely wont be available for years, just to have these therapies in trials provides so much hope, Kramer-Golinkoff said. Current treatments for genetic diseases dont help everyoneKramer-Golinkoff was just six weeks old when she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, which causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the body. It occurs when the so-called CFTR protein is not made or not made correctly, allowing chloride to become trapped in cells, meaning water cant keep the cells surface hydrated. Mucus buildup can lead to damage, blockages and infections in the lungs and other affected organs.As Ive gotten older my CF has gotten worse, despite all my best efforts to delay it, Kramer-Golinkoff said.Before her illness got so bad, she was able to earn a masters degree in bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, work, travel and spend time with friends. But she eventually developed CF-related diabetes and other problems. Shes prone to infections, and since the pandemic has lived with her parents in isolation in Greater Philadelphia.CF is a real monster of a disease, she said.Meanwhile, others with the condition have seen vast improvements in their health with CFTR modulator therapies that work for people with the most common mutation, correcting the malfunctioning protein. Research shows they dramatically improve lung function, respiratory symptoms and patients overall quality of life. Besides not working for people with rare mutations, these treatments are unavailable to patients whose disease-causing mutations arent known or fully understood. Mutations may be unknown because of a lack of genetic testing in places such as developing nations, or understudied because they are uncommon or difficult to detect.Genetic testing companies such as GeneDx have made some headway in screening more people of diverse backgrounds, but inequities remain.For example, comprehensive data about cystic fibrosis is scarce among African populations affecting people who live on the continent as well as those who trace their ancestry there. Research shows Black cystic fibrosis patients are more likely than their white counterparts to be among the 10% who dont benefit from modulator therapies. Can a gene therapy work no matter the mutation? While theres little chance of changing market dynamics, researchers said, one solution is to develop mutation agnostic gene therapies targeting all patients with a disease. This approach is being tried in diseases of the retina as well as cystic fibrosis.Theres a huge push to develop these therapies, said Dr. Garry Cutting of the Johns Hopkins Cystic Fibrosis Center. Most of the 14 experimental gene therapies in the pipeline for the disease aim to help patients with any mutation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation says, delivering a new, correct version of the CFTR gene to cells. Getting correct copies of the CFTR gene would enable cells to make normal proteins no matter what mutation causes a patient to have no, or not enough, functional CFTR proteins.One treatment, partially funded by the foundation, is sponsored by Spirovant Sciences, a company Emilys Entourage provided seed money to launch. The first patient received the therapy in November in a 53-week clinical trial at Columbia University that aims to determine if its safe and how long it stays in the lung. Kramer-Golinkoff said shes more optimistic about her future these days, even as her own illness worsens. At this point, shes living with 30% lung function, suffers from kidney issues and has high blood pressure in her lungs. She depends on insulin for her diabetes and takes numerous pills daily.You have to make really conscientious choices ... throughout the day on how to use your limited energy. And thats really difficult to do when you have big dreams and important work and life to live, she said.Were incredibly excited about the promise of gene therapies. They cant come soon enough.___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. LAURA UNGAR Ungar covers medicine and science on the APs Global Health and Science team. She has been a health journalist for more than two decades. twitter mailto

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a conference at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)2025-04-26T17:20:54Z RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday named a veteran aide and confidant as his new vice president. Its a major step by the aging leader to designate a successor.The appointment of Hussein al-Sheikh as vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization does not guarantee he will be the next Palestinian president. But it makes him the front-runner among longtime politicians in the dominant Fatah party who hope to succeed the 89-year-old Abbas.The move is unlikely to boost the image among many Palestinians of Fatah as a closed and corrupt movement out of touch with the general public.Abbas hopes to play a major role in postwar Gaza. He has been under pressure from Western and Arab allies to rehabilitate the Palestinian Authority, which has limited autonomy in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. He has announced a series of reforms in recent months, and last week his Fatah movement approved the new position of PLO vice president. The PLO is the internationally recognized representative of the Palestinian people and oversees the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. Abbas has led both entities for two decades. Under last weeks decision, the new vice president, coming from the PLOs 16-member executive committee, would succeed Abbas in a caretaker capacity if the president dies or becomes incapacitated.That would make him the front-runner to replace Abbas on a permanent basis, though not guarantee it. The PLOs executive committee would need to approve that appointment, and the body is filled with veteran politicians who see themselves as worthy contenders. The Palestinian Authority, meanwhile, would have a separate caretaker leader, Rawhi Fattouh, the speaker of the Palestinians non-functioning parliament. But within 90 days, it would have to hold elections. If that is not possible, the new PLO president would likely take over the position. Al-Sheikh, 64, is a veteran politician who has held a series of top positions over decades, most recently as the secretary-general of the PLOs executive committee for the past three years. He spent 11 years in Israeli prisons in his youth and is a veteran of the Palestinian security forces experiences that could give him credibility with Palestinian security figures and the broader public.Now he finds himself in a strong position to shore up his power.He is Abbas closest aide and, most critically, maintains good working relations with Israel and the Palestinians Arab allies, including wealthy Gulf countries. As Abbas point man with Israel, al-Sheikh is responsible for arranging coveted travel permits for Palestinians, including VIP leaders, giving him an important lever of power over his rivals.However, polls show al-Sheikh, like most of Fatahs leadership, to be deeply unpopular with the general public. This weeks decision behind closed doors by the PLOs aging leadership is likely to reinforce its image as being stodgy and out of touch.In a 2022 interview with The Associated Press, al-Sheikh defended his unpopular coordination with Israel, saying there was no choice under the difficult circumstances of the occupation. I am not a representative for Israel in the Palestinian territories, he said at the time. We undertake the coordination because this is the prelude to a political solution for ending the occupation.The most popular Palestinian, Marwan Barghouti, is serving multiple life sentences in an Israeli prison, and Israel has ruled out releasing him as part of any swap for Israeli hostages held in Gaza by the Hamas militant group.As Israels war with Hamas drags on, with talk by U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of uprooting Palestinians in Gaza to relocate them elsewhere, al-Sheikh will be under mounting pressure to unite the Palestinian leadership.The PLO is a rival for Hamas, which won the last national elections in 2006 and is not in the PLO. Hamas seized control of Gaza from Abbas forces in 2007, and reconciliation attempts have repeatedly failed.Abbas is still seen internationally as the leader of the Palestinians and a partner in any effort to revive the peace process, which ground to a halt when Netanyahu returned to office in 2009. The chain-smoking political veteran has clung to power since his mandate expired in 2009.