President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)2025-04-02T22:55:27Z MEXICO CITY (AP) The sweeping new tariffs announced Wednesday by U.S. President Donald Trump were met initially with measured reactions from key trading partners, highlighting the lack of appetite for a full-fledged trade war.The fact that the tariffs fell most heavily on parts of the world sleeping through the night appeared to at least temporarily delay some of the potential outrage.Trump presented the import taxes, which he calls reciprocal tariffs and range from 10% to 49%, in the simplest terms: the U.S. would do to its trading partners what he said they had been doing to the U.S. for decades.Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years, he said. But it is not going to happen anymore.The president promised that Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country. He framed it not just as an economic issue, but a question of national security that threatens our very way of life. Nobody wants a trade warShortly after Trumps announcement, the British government said the United States remains the U.K.s closest ally. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the U.K. hoped to strike a trade deal to mitigate the impact of the 10% tariffs on British goods announced by Trump.Nobody wants a trade war and our intention remains to secure a deal, said Reynolds. But nothing is off the table and the government will do everything necessary to defend the U.K.s national interest. British officials have said they will not immediately retaliate, an approach backed by the Confederation of British Industry, a major business group.Italys conservative Premier Giorgia Meloni described the new 20% tariffs against the European Union as wrong, saying they benefit neither side.We will do everything we can to work towards an agreement with the United States, with the aim of avoiding a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West in favor of other global players, Meloni said in a Facebook post. In any case, as always, we will act in the interest of Italy and its economy, also by discussing with other European partners, she added. No basis in logicSome countries took issue with the White Houses calculations.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the U.S. tariffs imposed on his country were totally unwarranted, but Australia will not retaliate.President Trump referred to reciprocal tariffs. A reciprocal tariff would be zero, not 10%, said Albanese. The U.S. and Australia have a free trade agreement and the U.S. has a $2-to-$1 trade surplus with Australia. The administrations tariffs have no basis in logic and they go against the basis of our two nations partnership. This is not the act of a friend.Trump said the United States bought $3 billion of Australian beef last year, but Australia would not accept U.S. beef imports. Albanese said the ban on raw U.S. beef was for biosecurity reasons.New Zealand also took issue with Trumps tariff logic.Trade minister Todd McClay rejected the figure on the administrations chart about the tariffs New Zealand imposes and said he had asked his countrys officials to clarify it. We dont have a 20% tariff rate, he said, adding that New Zealand was a very low tariff regime and the correct figure was below the 10% baseline rate applied by the U.S. to all countries.We wont be looking to retaliate. That would put up prices on New Zealand consumers and it would be inflationary, he said.Spared for the moment from the latest round of tariffs were Mexico and Canada, so far as goods that already qualified under their free trade agreement with the United States. Yet, the previously announced 25% tariffs on auto imports were scheduled to take effect at midnight.Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday she would wait to take action on Thursday when it was clear how Trumps announcement would affect Mexico.Its not a question of if you impose tariffs on me, Im going to impose tariffs on you, she said in a news briefing Wednesday morning. Our interest is in strengthening the Mexican economy.Canada had imposed retaliatory tariffs in response to the 25% tariffs that Trump tied to the trafficking of fentanyl. The European Union, in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs, imposed taxes on 26 billion euros worth ($28 billion) of U.S. goods, including bourbon, prompting Trump to threaten a 200% tariff on European alcohol. Little to gainAs Trump read down the list of countries that would be targeted Wednesday, he repeatedly said he didnt blame them for the tariffs and non-tariff barriers they imposed to protect their own nations businesses. But were doing the same thing right now, he said.In the face of unrelenting economic warfare, the United States can no longer continue with a policy of unilateral economic surrender, Trump said.Speaking from a business forum in India, Chilean President Gabriel Boric warned that such measures, in addition to causing uncertainty, challenge the mutually agreed rules and the principles that govern international trade. Ultimately, Trump announced Chile would face the baseline reciprocal tariff of 10%. The U.S. is Chiles second most important trading partner after China.Analysts say theres little to be gained from an all-out trade war, neither in the United States or in other countries.Once again, Trump has put Europe at a crossroads, said Matteo Villa, senior analyst at Italys Institute for International Political Studies.If Trump really imposes high tariffs, Europe will have to respond, but the paradox is that the EU would be better off doing nothing, he added.Villa also noted that retaliation would certainly be a further blow to the United States, but it would hurt Europe even more, as the EU bloc depends more on exports to the U.S. than vice versa.On the other hand, Trump seems to understand only the language of force, and this indicates the need for a strong and immediate response, Villa said. Probably the hope, in Brussels, is that the response will be strong enough to induce Trump to negotiate and, soon, to backtrack.__AP journalists around the world contributed to this story.

President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)2025-04-02T22:42:00Z WASHINGTON (AP) After weeks of anticipation and speculation, President Donald Trump followed through on his reciprocal tariff threats by declaring on Wednesday a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries and higher tariff rates on dozens of nations that run trade surpluses with the United States.In announcing the reciprocal tariffs, Trump was fulfilling a key campaign promise by raising U.S. taxes on foreign goods to narrow the gap with the tariffs the White House says other countries unfairly impose on U.S. products.Reciprocal means they do it to us and we do it to them, the president said from the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday.Trumps higher rates would hit foreign entities that sell more goods to the United States than they buy. But economists dont share Trumps enthusiasm for tariffs since theyre a tax on importers that usually get passed on to consumers. Its possible, however, that the reciprocal tariffs could bring other countries to the table and get them to lower their own import taxes.The Associated Press asked for your questions about reciprocal tariffs. Here are a few of them, along with our answers: Do U.S.-collected tariffs go into the General Revenue Fund? Can Trump withdraw money from that fund without oversight?Tariffs are taxes on imports, collected when foreign goods cross the U.S. border by the Customs and Border Protection agency. The money about $80 billion last year goes to the U.S. Treasury to help pay the federal governments expenses. Congress has authority to say how the money will be spent. Trump largely supported by Republican lawmakers who control the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives wants to use increased tariff revenue to finance tax cuts that analysts say would disproportionately benefit the wealthy. Specifically, they want to extend tax cuts passed in Trumps first term and largely set to expire at the end of 2025. The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, has found that extending Trumps tax cuts would reduce federal revenue by $4.5 trillion from 2025 to 2034. Trump wants higher tariffs to help offset the lower tax collections. Another think tank, the Tax Policy Center, has said that extending the 2017 tax cuts would deliver continued tax relief to Americans at all income levels, but higher-income households would receive a larger benefit. How soon will prices rise as a result of the tariff policy? It depends on how businesses both in the United States and overseas respond, but consumers could see overall prices rising within a month or two of tariffs being imposed. For some products, such as produce from Mexico, prices could rise much more quickly after the tariffs take effect. Some U.S. retailers and other importers may eat part of the cost of the tariff, and overseas exporters may reduce their prices to offset the extra duties. But for many businesses, the tariffs Trump announced Wednesday such as 20% on imports from Europe will be too large to swallow on their own.Companies may also use the tariffs as an excuse to raise prices. When Trump slapped duties on washing machines in 2018, studies later showed that retailers raised prices on both washers and dryers, even though there were no new duties on dryers. A key question in the coming months is whether something similar will happen again. Economists worry that consumers, having just lived through the biggest inflationary spike in four decades, are more accustomed to rising prices than they were before the pandemic.Yet there are also signs that Americans, put off by the rise in the cost of living, are less willing to accept price increases and will simply cut back on their purchases. That could discourage businesses from raising prices by much. What is the limit of the executive branchs power to implement tariffs? Does Congress not play any role?The U.S. Constitution grants the power to set tariffs to Congress. But over the years, Congress has delegated those powers to the president through several different laws. Those laws specify the circumstances under which the White House can impose tariffs, which are typically limited to cases where imports threaten national security or are severely harming a specific industry. In the past, presidents generally imposed tariffs only after carrying out public hearings to determine if certain imports met those criteria. Trump followed those steps when imposing tariffs in his first term.In his second term, however, Trump has sought to use emergency powers set out in a 1977 law to impose tariffs in a more ad hoc fashion. Trump has said, for example, that fentanyl flowing in from Canada and Mexico constitute a national emergency and has used that pretext to impose 25% duties on goods from both countries.Congress can seek to cancel an emergency that a president declares, and Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, has proposed to do just that regarding Canada. That legislation could pass the Senate but would likely die in the House. Other bills in Congress that would also limit the presidents authority to set tariffs face tough odds for passage as well. What tariffs are other countries charging on US goods? U.S. tariffs are generally lower than those charged by other countries. The average U.S. tariff, weighted to reflect goods that are actually traded, is just 2.2% for the United States, versus the European Unions 2.7%, Chinas 3% and Indias 12%, according to the World Trade Organization. Other countries also tend to do more than the United States to protect their farmers with high tariffs. The U.S. trade-weighted tariff on farm goods, for example, is 4%, compared to the EUs 8.4%, Japans 12.6%, Chinas 13.1% and Indias 65%. (The WTO numbers dont count Trumps recent flurry of import taxes or tariffs between countries that have entered into their own free trade agreements, such as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that allows many goods to cross North American borders duty free.) Previous U.S. administrations agreed to the tariffs that Trump now calls unjust. They were the result of a long negotiation between 1986 to 1994 the so-called Uruguay Round that ended in a trade pact signed by 123 countries and has formed the basis of the global trading system for nearly four decades. CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Rugaber has covered the Federal Reserve and the U.S. economy for the AP for 16 years. He is a two-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb award for business reporting. twitter mailto

Not only is Vivian Jenna Wilson a fierce defender of trans rights and an outspoken advocate for gender-affirming care, but she also has a barbed tongue and enough smarts to know how and when to use it. Her favorite target? Her own father, Elon Musk.While even high-ranking Democrats have struggled to contain Musks power grabs since he started elbowing his way into the Oval Office, Wilson, despite her young age, is standing up to her estranged father every chance she gets.The 20-year-old trans firecracker has no problem ripping into the X and Tesla CEO and loves to do it publicly. Considering his anti-trans rhetoric, we cant blame her, and were just glad we get to see it happen!Elon Musk is a scam artistIn her latest takedown of her estranged father while on Hasan Pikers YouTube livestream, Wilson called Musks prior liberal stances a marketing scheme, called Tesla a Ponzi scheme, and said that his plan to colonize mars is not happening and claimed its just a marketing scheme that everyone somehow fell for despite being debunked by a f**king Google search.Calling him a 'man child'See on InstagramWilson is so fearless she used her interview with Teen Vogue to rake Musk over the coals. Hes a pathetic man-child. Why would I feel scared of him? Ohhh, he has so much power. Nah, nah, nah. I don't give a f**k, Wilson said. "Why should I be scared of this man? Because he's rich? Oh, no, I'm trembling. Ooh, shivering in my boots here. I don't give a f**k how much money anyone has. I don't. I really don't. He owns Twitter. Okay. Congratulations.Ketamine is a helluva drugBack in July 2024, Wilson responded to Jordan Petersons interview with Musk, where deadnamed his estranged trans daughter and claimed she was killed by the woke mind virus. Wilson went on Xs rival social media platform Threads to call him out for anti-trans bigotry and alleged use of Ketamine. As for if Im not a woman sure, Jan. Whatever you say. Im legally recognized as a woman in the state of California and I dont concern myself with the opinions of those who are below me," she wrote. "Obviously Elon cant say the same because in a ketamine-fueled haze, hes desperate for attention and validation from an army of degenerate red-pilled incels and pick-mes who are quick to give it to him."Subtly calling out Musk for being racistAfter Musk attended a rally for Trump in New York in the lead-up to the presidential election, Wilson didnt mince words about the kind of people who cheered on the racism and misogyny present at the event. Fuck every single one of you motherfuckers who was at that Madison Square Garden rally, and fuck everyone who had anything to do with that racist bigoted bullshit," she wrote on Threads Monday. "This isn't worthy of respect, this isn't worthy of engagement, this is worthy of nothing but shame, humiliation, and contempt."Let's call a Nazi salute and Nazi salute (@) When right-wing pundits were claiming that the left was being snowflakes for being enraged that Musk clearly made a Nazi salute not once but twice during Trumps presidential inauguration, and many in the press were tiptoeing around calling it a controversial hand gesture, Wilson was ready to call her dad out.The Nazi salute shit was insane. Honey, were going to call a fig a fig, and were going to call a Nazi salute what it was. That shit was definitely a Nazi salute, Wilson said in her Teen Vogue interview.Hes a serial adultererAfter someone on X tweeted a photo of Musk surrounded by some of his many children with the caption, Even though Elon Musk was super busy, he still make time for his family. Nothing is more important than family, Musk reasoned, All 5 boys super happy.But Wilson wasnt going to let his hypocrisy stand. Instead, she reposted it on Threads and took her father down a peg or two. I understand your new angle is this western values/christian family man thing but its such a weird choice, she wrote. You are not a family man, you are a serial adulterer who wont stop fucking lying about your own children. You are not a christian, as far as Im aware youve never stepped foot in a church. You are not some bastion for equality/progress

The Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Las Vegas, one of the worlds largest and most iconic electronic dance music festivals, is fast approaching, and this years lineup is one to watch. Among the diverse talent slated to perform are a group of LGBTQ+ DJs who are not only making waves in the dance music scene but also reshaping the landscape with their unique sounds and empowering messages.Source

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08753-1A head-to-head double-ring complex of the human multifunctional DNA repair protein RAD52 mediates protection of stalled replication forks during replication stress, protecting them from reversal by SMARCAL1 motor.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08726-4A millimetre-scale bioresorbable optoelectronic system with an onboard power supply and a wireless, optical control mechanism is developed for general applications in electrotherapy and specific uses in temporary cardiac pacing.

From top sluggers like Ohtani and Judge to star pitchers like Skenes, we rank -- and make predictions for -- the best players in baseball right now.

Liverpool had to sweat it out to win the latest Merseyside derby, but it was enough to see Arne Slot's team move closer to the Premier League title.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08759-9A RISC-V microprocessor capable of executing standard 32-bit instructions has been designed with 5,900 MoS2 transistors and a complete standard cell library based on 2D semiconductor technology.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00560-yResearchers describe how they are using skills honed in the laboratory in their creative pursuits.

Defensive end Trey Hendrickson said Wednesday that he's disappointed and confused by Bengals executive Katie Blackburn's recent comments on his contract talks with the team.

Alex Ovechkin moved three goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record after scoring the 892nd of his career in the the Capitals' game at Carolina on Wednesday night.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01028-9Smaller than a grain of rice, this injectable device could allow for minimally invasive heart-surgery plus, research suggesting that a shingles vaccination reduces the risk of dementia.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00902-wMirror-image isomer blends have been converted into a single isomer by a light-activated copper catalyst a challenging reaction that prevents the waste of materials.

Sacramento State plans to file an application with the NCAA this week to transition from the FCS to the FBS in football as an independent, sources told ESPN.

New Villanova coach Kevin Willard said he was aware of the criticism he received since leaving Maryland but said, "I just think it's time that everyone moved on."

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00755-3Sequencing of 7,000-year-old human genomes from when the Sahara Desert was green suggest that pastoralism spread through cultural exchange, not large-scale migration.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00979-3Psilocybin, a classic psychedelic, has therapeutic potential for psychiatric disorders. A specific brain circuit and receptor have now been found to be required for psilocybins long-term effects on neural plasticity and depression-related behaviour.

Here's how UConn, UCLA, South Carolina and Texas can win the 2025 NCAA title, and what might derail them.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said he is "not surprised" that Everton defender James Tarkowski was not shown a red card in the Merseyside derby.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00976-6Innovative experimental and computational techniques have been developed to study the interface of oil droplets suspended in water, a model system of hydrophobic interaction. These techniques reveal greater water structural disorder than in bulk water and an intense electric field at the wateroil interface.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01019-wThe Dreamer system reached the milestone by imagining the future impact of possible decisions.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick is dreaming of winning a treble after his side beat Atltico Madrid 1-0 on Wednesday to set up a Clsico showdown against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final.

USWNT captain Lindsey Heaps hailed teammate Trinity Rodman in her return to international duty after an eight-month injury absence.

Nature, Published online: 02 April 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00861-2Large-scale analyses of electronic health data suggest that the herpes zoster vaccine could protect against dementia but its not yet clear how.

Carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death of the teenage son of former Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, authorities in Costa Rica said.

Anthony Davis scored the go-ahead basket with 3.4 seconds left, then smothered Trae Young on a switch, forcing a tightly contested step-back 3 that failed to draw iron at the buzzer as Dallas closed out Atlanta 120-118.

Wall Street signs are displayed outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)2025-04-03T00:44:24Z BANGKOK (AP) Asian markets and U.S. futures tumbled Thursday following U.S. President Donald Trumps announcement of big increases in tariffs on imports of goods from around the world. Tokyos Nikkei 225 index initially dipped more than 4%, but recovered slightly. It was down 2.9% at 34,675.97.Trump said he was imposing a 24% reciprocal tariff on Japan, one of the United States closest allies. South Korea, also an ally, was hit with a 25% tariff. Its benchmark Kospi slumped 1.5% to 2,468.97.Hong Kongs Hang Seng lost 1.4% to 22,887.03, while the Shanghai Composite index edged less than 0.1% lower, to 3,348.67. The announcement came as a major shock, Yeap Junrong of IG said in a commentary. China, in particular, was hit with an additional 34% tariff, bringing its total tariff burden to 64% when accounting for previous measures. However, losses might be blunted by expectations of further economic stimulus from Beijing to offset the impact of the higher tariffs. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.3% to 7,830.30. The future for the S&P 500 dropped 3% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 2%, auguring potential losses when U.S. markets reopen on Thursday. On Wednesday, U.S. stocks whipped through another dizzying day before Trumps unveiling of his Liberation Day tariffs. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% to 5,670.97 after careening between an earlier loss of 1.1% and a later gain of 1.1%. Its had a pattern this week of opening with sharp drops only to finish the day higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.6% to 42,225.32, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.9% to 17,601.05.Elon Musks Tesla helped knock the market around after initially falling more than 6% following a report that it delivered fewer electric vehicles in the first three months of the year than it did in last years first quarter. It closed 5.3% higher. Tesla is one of Wall Streets most influential stocks because of its immense size, and its faced backlash due to anger about CEO Elon Musks leading the U.S. governments efforts to cut spending. On Wall Street, Newsmax fell 77.5% in its third day of trading to give back some of the meteoric gains from its debut at the start of the week. It surged 735% Monday and then another 179% on Tuesday.Several airlines, meanwhile, flew higher to recover some of the sharp losses taken recently on worries that tariff-weary customers will fly less. United Airlines climbed 4.6%.Financial markets around the world have broadly been shaky lately because of uncertainty about Trumps trade war. He has said he wants tariffs to make the global system more fair and to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States from other countries. But tariffs also threaten to grind down growth for the U.S. and other economies, while worsening inflation when it may be stuck above the Federal Reserves 2% target. After the U.S. market closed, Trump declared a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries and higher tariff rates on dozens of nations that run trade surpluses with the United States. The president held up a chart while speaking at the White House, showing the United States would charge a 34% tax on imports from China, a 20% tax on imports from the European Union, and 32% on Taiwan. Trump earlier announced 25% tariffs on auto imports; levies against China, Canada and Mexico; and expanded tariffs on steel and aluminum. Trump has also put tariffs against countries that import oil from Venezuela and plans separate import taxes on pharmaceutical drugs, lumber, copper and computer chips.Treasury yields swung in the bond market, echoing the indecision seen in the stock market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell as low as 4.11% in the morning from 4.17% late Tuesday and from roughly 4.80% early this year. But it later rose to 4.18%. Higher yields can indicate higher expectations for the economy or for inflation. In other dealings early Thursday, U.S. benchmark crude plunged $2.08 to $69.63 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gave up $2.06 to $72.89 per barrel.The dollar fell to 148.07 Japanese yen from 149.28 yen. The euro rose to $1.0897 from $1.0855. ___AP Business Writers Stan Choe and Matt Ott contributed. ELAINE KURTENBACH Based in Bangkok, Kurtenbach is the APs business editor for Asia, helping to improve and expand our coverage of regional economies, climate change and the transition toward carbon-free energy. She has been covering economic, social, environmental and political trends in China, Japan and Southeast Asia throughout her career. twitter mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Rescuers scan the rubbles at the site of an under construction high-rise building that collapsed after an earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)2025-04-03T05:13:31Z BANGKOK (AP) The death toll from the massive earthquake that hit Myanmar nearly a week ago rose Thursday to 3,085 as more bodies were found by search and rescue teams, the military-led government said.In a short statement, the military said another 4,715 people have been injured and 341 are missing. The epicenter of Fridays 7.7 magnitude earthquake was near Mandalay, Myanmars second-largest city. It brought down thousands of buildings, buckled roads and destroyed bridges in multiple regions. Local media reports of casualties have been much higher than the official figures and with telecommunications widely out and many places difficult to reach, its thought the numbers could rise sharply as more details come in. Myanmars military seized power in 2021 from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking what has turned into a civil war. The quake worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with more than 3 million people had been displaced from their homes and nearly 20 million were in need even before it hit, according to the United Nations. Amid growing fears that ongoing fighting could hamper humanitarian aid efforts, the military declared a temporary ceasefire Wednesday, through April 22. The announcement followed unilateral temporary ceasefires announced by armed resistance groups opposed to military rule. In the militarys announcement, it said it would still take necessary measures against those groups if they use the ceasefire to regroup, train or launch attacks. In Bangkok, where the quake brought down a skyscraper under construction, the search for survivors and bodies continued as Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said a possible sound of life was detected amid the rubble. Twenty-two people were killed, and 35 injured, in the city, mostly by the collapse of the unfinished building. RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Atltico Madrid coach Diego Simeone maintained that his team has "competed well" throughout the season despite recent eliminations from the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

Pep Guardiola labelled Jack Grealish "an incredible human being" after the midfielder dedicated his goal against Leicester City to his brother on the 25th anniversary of his passing.

People protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as they block a highway in Jerusalem, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)2025-04-03T05:10:45Z TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office is once again ensnared in scandal after police arrested two of his close associates this week on suspicion of accepting money from Qatar to promote a positive image of the Gulf Arab state in Israel.The affair has gripped Israelis because Qatar, a country that many view as a patron of Hamas, and which has no formal diplomatic ties to Israel, appears to have penetrated the highest corridors of power.Qatar, which is a key mediator for Hamas in its ceasefire negotiations with Israel, denies backing the militant group. Netanyahu has given a statement to police on the matter but is not a suspect in the case, which he says is baseless and meant to topple his rule. The investigation is just the latest scandal to roil Netanyahu, who is the subject of a long-running corruption trial and regularly rails against a deep state that is out to get him. Critics say Netanyahu, the countrys longest-serving prime minister, has worked in recent years to undermine Israels state institutions, including its judiciary. Most recently, they point to his attempt to dismiss the head of Israels domestic security agency, which is also investigating his offices alleged links to Qatar. Netanyahu advisers allegedly promoted Qatari interestsDubbed Qatargate by Israeli media, the investigation centers on accusations that two close advisers to Netanyahu longtime media consultant Jonatan Urich, and former spokesman Eli Feldstein were hired to run a public-relations campaign to improve Qatars image among Israelis while it was negotiating on behalf of Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza. Payments were allegedly funneled through an American lobbyist.According to a court document, the American lobbyist and Urich struck a business connection to positively promote Qatar and spread negative messages about Egypt, another important mediator in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations. Feldstein was allegedly paid to pass on those messages to journalists. He and Urich could face charges of contact with a foreign agent, money laundering, bribery, fraud and breach of trust, according to Israeli media. Other than financial gain, any other possible motives are unclear. One Israeli journalist questioned in the case is Zvika Klein, the editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, an English-language daily. According to a report this week in the Post, Klein visited Qatar at the invitation of its government last year and subsequently wrote a series of articles about his impressions, one of which laid out Qatars case against Israeli claims that it backs the militant group. The newspaper said Klein, who could not be reached for comment, is currently barred from speaking to journalists.Lawyers for Urich and Feldstein did not respond to requests for comment.Netanyahu has slammed the probe as a political witch hunt and accused police of holding his advisers as hostages wording that angered many in Israel because Hamas is still holding dozens captive inside Gaza after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. A judge on Tuesday extended the detentions of Urich and Feldstein, who has been indicted in a separate case involving the leak of classified information to a German tabloid. If the new allegations are substantiated, its an abuse of the office, said Tomer Naor, of the Movement of Quality Government in Israel. Whats particularly worrying, he said, is how easily outside actors appear to have gained access to the prime ministers inner circle and that the advisers allegedly promoted Qatari talking points to journalists while giving the impression that the messaging was coming from the prime ministers office. Qatar is a key mediator on Gaza with ties to HamasThe nearly 18-monthlong war in Gaza rages on after last months collapse of a 42-day ceasefire that Qatar played a key role in helping secure.Among Israelis, the gas-rich emirate is best known for sending money to Gaza beginning in 2018 an effort meant to help poor families. But analysts and former officials say some of the money dispatched with Netanyahus blessing made its way to Hamas military wing and helped it prepare for the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Israelis are also suspicious of Qatars intentions because it is the homebase for Hamas political leaders, and its broadcaster Al Jazeera is seen by Israel as a mouthpiece for Hamas, allegations the network denies. Qatar says it provided humanitarian aid to Gaza in full coordination with the Israeli government. When reached by the AP, a Qatari government official did not directly respond to the alleged links to Netanyahus advisers. He said mediation efforts on Gaza would continue. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.Once the target of a regional blockade over its alleged ties to Islamist extremist groups and Iran, Qatar has long sought to be seen as an influential regional player and as a trusted conflict mediator. But throughout the war in Gaza, many in Israel, including Netanyahu, have expressed anger that Qatar wasnt doing enough to pressure Hamas to meet Israels terms for a ceasefire. Qatars aim in the alleged public-relations campaign in Israel may have been to quell those accusations and make sure they didnt influence the U.S., with whom it has close security ties, said Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank.He said any effort to besmirch Egypt, a longtime mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, may have been a way to improve Qatars own regional standing.Qatar brings up a lot of emotions in Israel because it is viewed as having played a key role in bolstering Hamas ahead of its Oct. 7 attack, Guzansky said. Before the war, Netanyahu had approved the transfer of funds from Qatar to Gaza as part of a strategy to contain Hamas, he explained.Qatar is contemptible. But we should check ourselves first, he said. We not only allowed, we encouraged Qatar to invest in Gaza.The affair is the latest scandal to dog NetanyahuIts not clear what, if anything, Netanyahu knew about his advisers alleged wrongdoing. Previous aides who got into trouble with the law have turned state witness against Netanyahu in his corruption trial. Netanyahus testimony in that trial was halted after Urich and Feldsteins arrest this week; he was summoned to give police a statement about the case.Netanyahu is under immense public pressure to accept responsibility for his role in failing to prevent the Oct. 7 attack, including allowing the transfer of Qatari cash to Gaza.Mass protests erupted in recent weeks over Netanyahus decision to end the Gaza ceasefire that had facilitated the release of dozens of hostages, and over his moves to fire the head of the countrys domestic security agency and its attorney general.The attempt to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar came as the agency was running its own probe into the Qatar links. That prompted accusations that Netanyahu was trying to snuff out the investigation. Netanyahu has suggested, with little evidence, that the probe was a result of collusion between Bar and the attorney general as a way to thwart the domestic security chiefs dismissal. A court froze Bars dismissal pending further hearings. That hasnt stopped Netanyahu from trying to appoint his replacement.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war TIA GOLDENBERG Goldenberg is an Associated Press reporter and producer covering Israel and the Palestinian territories. She previously reported on East and West Africa from Nairobi. twitter mailto

Ryland Mosley, 18, who was on the 2nd story of his home when the storm passed, stands outside of it observing the damage, Wednesday, April 2, 2025 in Owasso, Okla. (Mike Simons/Tulsa World via AP)2025-04-03T05:48:22Z Violent storms cut through a wide swath of the South and Midwest, spawning tornadoes and killing at least one person, knocking down power lines and trees and ripping roofs off homes.Dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued Wednesday in parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi as storms hit those and other states in the evening. Forecasters attributed the violent weather to daytime heating combining with an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming into the nations midsection from the Gulf.At least one person was killed in southeast Missouri, KFVS-TV reported, while part of a warehouse collapsed in a suburb of Indianapolis, temporarily trapping at least one person inside. In northeast Arkansas a rare tornado emergency was issued as debris flew thousands of feet in the air. The coming days were also forecast to bring the risk of potentially deadly flash flooding to the South and Midwest as severe thunderstorms blowing eastward become supercharged. The potent storm system will bring significant, life-threatening flash flooding each day through Saturday, the National Weather Service said. With more than a foot (30 centimeters) of rain possible over the next four days, the prolonged deluge is an event that happens once in a generation to once in a lifetime, the weather service said. Historic rainfall totals and impacts are possible.More than 90 million people were at some risk of severe weather in a huge part of the nation stretching from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center. Tornadoes touch down, and more could be comingA tornado emergency the weather services highest alert was briefly declared around Blytheville, Arkansas, on Wednesday evening, with debris lofted at least 25,000 feet (7.6 kilometers), according to Chelly Amin, a meteorologist with the service.Its definitely going to be a really horrible situation here come sunrise in the morning in those areas, Amin said.A tornado was also reported on the ground near Harrisburg, Arkansas, in the evening.The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management reported that there was damage in 22 counties due to tornadoes, wind gusts, hail and flash flooding. At least four people were injured, but there were no reports of fatalities as of Wednesday evening.In Kentucky, a tornado touched down Wednesday night around Jeffersontown, a suburb of Louisville, passing the Interstate 64 and Interstate 265 interchange, according to the weather service.Four people were injured in Kentucky when a church was hit by debris from a suspected tornado, according to Ballard County Emergency Management. One person was in critical condition, while the others have non-life-threatening injuries.In Brownsburg, Indiana, where part of a warehouse collapsed, the police department told people to not travel through the city. Five semitrucks were blown over on Interstate 65 near Lowell, Indiana, state police reported. In Pilot Grove, Missouri, several structures were damaged, cars flipped over and power poles were snapped, the state emergency management agency said. Minor injuries were reported, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Authorities in eastern Missouri were trying to determine whether it was a tornado that damaged buildings, overturned vehicles and tore down utility poles, tree limbs and business signs in the morning in and around the city of Nevada. Another tornado touched down in the northeastern Oklahoma city of Owasso on Wednesday, according to the weather service. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but the twister heavily damaged the roofs of homes and knocked down power lines, trees, fences and sheds.Power was knocked out to nearly 90,000 customers in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide. As storms moved through Indiana on Wednesday night, more than 182,000 customers lost power. Strong and long-lasting tornadoes are possible in highest-risk areaAbout 2.5 million people were in a rarely called high-risk zone, covering parts of west Tennessee including Memphis; northeast Arkansas; the southeast corner of Missouri; and parts of western Kentucky and southern Illinois.The Storm Prediction Center said multiple long-track EF3+ tornadoes were likely. Tornadoes of that magnitude are among the strongest in intensity.At a slightly lower risk for severe weather was an area that included Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Louisville, Kentucky. Dallas, Detroit, Milwaukee and Nashville, Tennessee, were also at risk. Floods could inundate towns, sweep cars awayA line of thunderstorms dropped heavy rain through parts of Indiana on Wednesday night. At least one street was flooded in Indianapolis, with water nearly reaching the windows of several cars, according to the citys metropolitan police department. No one was in the vehicles.Additional rounds of heavy rain were expected in parts of Texas, the lower Mississippi Valley and the Ohio Valley from midweek through Saturday. Forecasters warned that they could track over the same areas repeatedly, producing dangerous flash floods capable of sweeping cars away. Middle Tennessee was looking at severe storms followed by four days of heavy rains as the front stalls out and sticks around through the weekend, according to NWS meteorologist Mark Rose. I dont recall ever seeing one like this, and Ive been here 30 years, Rose said. Its not moving.Rain totaling up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) was forecast over the next seven days in northeastern Arkansas, the southeast corner of Missouri, western Kentucky and southern parts of Illinois and Indiana, the weather service warned, with some areas in Kentucky and Indiana at an especially high risk for flooding. Power outages in Upper MidwestIn Michigan, crews worked to restore power after a weekend ice storm. More than 122,000 customers were still without electricity on Wednesday, according to PowerOutage.us.The Mackinac Bridge connecting Michigans Lower and Upper Peninsulas was shut down because large chunks of ice were falling from cables and towers. It was the third consecutive day of bridge interruptions from the ice storm.___Associated Press writers Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Seth Borenstein in Washington; Isabella OMalley in Philadelphia; and Ed White in Detroit. JEFF MARTIN Martin covers breaking news in the southeastern U.S. for The Associated Press. He is based in Atlanta. mailto

Shohei Ohtani delivered again, hitting a walk-off home run to beat the Braves in the ninth to make the Dodgers the first reigning champ to begin a season 8-0.

Pittsburgh executives are feeling good about their chances with Rodgers, but could Minnesota still be in play?

Journalists run for cover as protesters throw stones at a police car during a demonstration in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph, File)2025-04-03T04:27:01Z PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) Jean-Jacques Asperges once relished returning home after a long day working at a radio station in one of the worlds most dangerous places for journalists.He had a roof and four walls for protection, but gang violence forced him and his family to flee their home twice.Now, Asperges, 58, his wife and their two children are forced to sleep on the floor of a soiled and overcrowded makeshift shelter with thousands of other Haitians also left homeless by gang violence.Bullets fall here all the time, he said.Having lost all his work equipment, Asperges relies solely on his phone, but he remains undeterred like dozens of other journalists in Haiti who are under attack like never before. They are dodging bullets, defying censorship and setting personal struggles aside as they document the downfall of Haitis capital and the surge in violence blamed on powerful gangs that control 85% of Port-au-Prince. Heavily armed gangs attacked at least three TV and radio stations in March. Two of the buildings were already abandoned because of previous violence, but gunmen stole equipment that had been left behind. Its a message: You dont operate without our permission, and you dont operate at all in our turf, said David C. Adams, an expert on press freedom issues in Haiti.Gangs sent an even deadlier message on Christmas Eve, when they opened fire on journalists covering the failed reopening of Haitis largest public hospital, saying they had not authorized its reopening. Two journalists were killed and at least seven others were injured, including Asperges, who was shot in the stomach. It was the worst attack on reporters in Haiti in recent history.Everyone is threatened. Everyone is under pressure, said Max Chauvet, director of operations at Le Nouvelliste, Haitis oldest independent newspaper. You feel in danger doing your jobDonning a bulletproof vest emblazoned with PRESS on it is now a dangerous move in Haiti. What used to serve as a symbolic and physical shield has become a target.At least 10 journalists covering a major March protest were attacked, including Jephte Bazil, a videographer who runs his own media company, Machann Zen Hati.He was threading his way through a protest in the Canap-Vert neighborhood of Port-au-Prince when three men dressed in black and with their faces covered called him over.What the hell are you doing around here? Bazil recalled them asking.They searched his bag, took away his cellphone and demanded multiple forms of ID. Bazil handed over only his passport, keeping his ID card hidden because it stated he was from Martissant, a community that gangs seized several years ago. He was too scared to show it and possibly be accused of being a gang member or a sympathizer.I believe I could have been killed, Bazil said.After an interrogation that lasted at least half an hour, Bazil said the men released him. As he walked away, one followed him with a machete to see if he was headed where he said he was going.Once he reached his destination, Bazil said the man told him: If you had made any other turn, I would havecut your head off. It was not the first time Bazil feared for his life. He was injured in Decembers hospital attack and, in February, while covering a confrontation between police and gangs, his motorcycle was shot but he was spared.Journalists are targets now, whether police or gangs, he said.Haitians increasingly distrust the media, accusing local journalists of working for gangs. Meanwhile, gang members have taken to social media to threaten journalists. One gang leader said he would kidnap radio reporters and ensure they wont ever talk into a microphone again, while another threatened a talk show host based outside of Haiti, saying that if he ever set foot in the country, it would be the last time he would do so.As a result, Haitis Online Media Collective has advised that journalists not cover incidents involving armed groups.Its not just journalists who are the victims, its press freedom itself, said Obest Dimanche, the collectives spokesperson. But given the persistent attacks by heavily armed gangs in the capital and beyond, most journalists disregard that advice.They travel in packs and zoom around on motorcycles through Port-au-Princes hilly neighborhoods, ducking in unison when shots are fired. At the end of the day, they check in on each other to ensure everyone returned safely home. Those who lost their homes to gang violence like Asperges go back to a shelter while others sleep on the floor of their media company.You feel in danger doing your job nowadays, said Jean Daniel Snat, a journalist at Le Nouvelliste and Magik9 radio station.He lamented how journalists no longer have access to many neighborhoods in the capital because of gang violence: If you cant talk to the peopleyou wont be able to report.The violence also has forced media companies to close, lay off reporters or stop printing, as was the case for Le Nouvelliste when gunmen attacked and occupied its offices last year. Since then, the newspaper has operated solely online. Killings and impunityOn March 13, Haitis prime minister condemned the attack on the building that once housed Radio et Tlvision Carabes, the countrys oldest radio station, and pledged to protect media institutions.Located on Rue Chavannes, the stations former headquarters were considered a heritage monument, said journalist Richecarde Clestin, who works for the station.Founded in 1949, the station has reported on Haitis tumultuous history: its coups, dictatorships and first democratic elections.Considered one of Haitis most influential radio stations, it was a blow to many to see smoke and flames rising from the building.Every employee has a story with the space, said journalist Dnel Sainton, who described the former headquarters as the soul of Radio et Tlvision Carabes, which has been forced to move twice because of gang violence.Also attacked that week was radio station Mlodie FM and TV station Tl Pluriel.What were seeing now, kind of the wholesale targeting of the media, is different, said Adams, the expert on press freedom issues in Haiti. In the old days, individual journalists were targeted.According to UNESCO, at least 21 journalists were reported killed from 2000 to 2022 in Haiti, with nine killed in 2022, the deadliest year for Haitian journalism in recent history.The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists reported one journalist killed in 2023 and two more in 2024.Investigative journalist Gardy Saint-Louis recently told Tlgramme360, an online news site, that he planned to go into hiding. Saint-Louis was quoted as saying that he began receiving anonymous calls in September 2024, and that death threats escalated into an attack in February, when armed men opened fire on his house.Other journalists have fled Haiti, where attacks and killings are rarely solved.Haiti ranks first globally as the country most likely to let journalists murders go unpunished, according to a 2024 CPJ report. Since 2019, seven killings remain unsolved, including that of Garry Tesse, a radio host whose mutilated body appeared six days after he vanished in 2022. Shortly before his death, Tesse accused a powerful prosecutor of plotting to kill him.___Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.____Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

NJ/NY Gotham FC has banned a supporter from future matches and revoked their season ticket for using hateful language toward Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda last week.

Arsenal are reportedly plotting a move for Spain starlet Nico Williams this summer. Transfer Talk has the latest news, gossip and rumors.

Palestinians inspect a UN building after it was hit by an Israeli strike, in Jabaliya, northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)2025-04-03T07:46:52Z DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Overnight strikes by Israel killed at least 55 people across the Gaza Strip, hospital officials said Thursday, a day after senior government officials said Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and establish a new security corridor across the Palestinian territory.Israel has vowed to escalate the nearly 18-month war with Hamas until the militant group returns dozens of remaining hostages, disarms and leaves the territory. Israel has imposed a month-long halt on all imports of food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle.Officials in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the strip, said the bodies of 14 people had been taken to Nasser Hospital nine of them from the same family. The dead included five children and four women. The bodies of another 19 people, including five children aged between 1 and 7 years and a pregnant woman, were taken to the European hospital near Khan Younis, hospital officials said. In Gaza City, 21 bodies were taken to Ahli hospital, including those of seven children. The Israeli military ordered the residents of several areas -- Shujaiya, Jadida, Turkomen and eastern Zeytoun -- to evacuate on Thursday, adding that the army will work with extreme force in your area. It said people should move to shelters west of Gaza City. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel was establishing a new security corridor across the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas, suggesting it would cut off the southern city of Rafah, which Israel has ordered evacuated, from the rest of the Palestinian territory. Netanyahu referred to the new axis as the Morag corridor, using the name of a Jewish settlement that once stood between Rafah and Khan Younis, suggesting it would run between the two southern cities. He said it would be a second Philadelphi corridor referring to the Gaza side of the border with Egypt further south, which has been under Israeli control since last May. Israel has reasserted control over the Netzarim corridor, also named for a former settlement, that cuts off the northern third of Gaza, including Gaza City, from the rest of the narrow coastal strip. Both of the existing corridors run from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea.We are cutting up the strip, and we are increasing the pressure step by step, so that they will give us our hostages, Netanyahu said.The Western-backed Palestinian Authority, led by rivals of Hamas, expressed its complete rejection of the planned corridor. Its statement also called for Hamas to give up power in Gaza, where the militant group has faced rare protests recently.Netanyahus announcement came after the defense minister, Israel Katz, said Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and add them to its so-called security zones, apparently referring to an existing buffer zone along Gazas entire perimeter. He called on Gaza residents to expel Hamas and return all the hostages, saying this is the only way to end the war.Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 59 hostages 24 of whom are believed to be alive in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli pullout. The group has rejected demands that it lay down its arms or leave the territory. Violate international lawOn Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel plans to maintain overall security control of Gaza after the war and implement U.S. President Donald Trumps proposal to resettle much of its population elsewhere through what the Israeli leader referred to as voluntary emigration.Palestinians have rejected the plan, viewing it as expulsion from their homeland after Israels offensive left much of it uninhabitable, and human rights experts say implementing the plan would likely violate international law.The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements and other deals. Israel rescued eight living hostages and has recovered dozens of bodies. Israels offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesnt say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.The war has left vast areas of Gaza in ruins and at its height displaced around 90% of the population. Israeli strikes on SyriaSeparately, Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southwestern Syria, Syrian state media reported Thursday.SANA said the nine were civilians, without giving details. Britain-based war monitor The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they were local gunmen from the Daraa province, frustrated with Israeli military encroachment and attacks in recent months.Israel has seized parts of southwestern Syria and created a buffer-zone there, which it says is to secure Israels safety from armed groups. But critics say the military operation has created tensions in Syria and prevents any long-term stability and reconstruction for the war-torn country.Israel also struck five cities in Syria late Wednesday, including over a dozen strikes near a strategic airbase in the city of Hama.___Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Gianni Infantino said the United States and the United Kingdom are poised to be named as hosts of the Women's World Cup in 2031 and 2035, respectively.

Following the announcement of the UFC 316 headliners, experts react to the fights and provide early betting analysis.

Subscribe nowAs a guy, imagine walking into the mens bathroom and seeing a woman putting on makeup amid a sea of men at urinals. As a woman, imagine seeing a man walk into the stall next to you as you and your girlfriends go for a bathroom break.Imagine a dude in a locker room shaving his face, wearing only a towel around his waist, as your daughter gets changed in the same room. Or a woman in the mens showers with the college football team at the university gym.In our hyper-gendered world, the above examples might make you uncomfortable. But these are the implications of trans bathroom bans. This is actually what would start happening if the 44 bills that would ban trans people from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity started passing into law.And, oh wait! Some of them are already law. It is now illegal for trans people to use the bathroom of their gender identity in certain public buildings in Florida, Utah, Ohio, Kentucky, North Dakota, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma and South Carolina.And on March 19, 20-year-old trans woman Marcy Rheintgen was arrested by Florida police after she used the womens restroom at the Capitol to wash her hands. The Miami Herald said it may be one of the first arrests under a Florida bathroom bill lawmakers passed in 2023 that makes it a criminal offense for some people to use restrooms in correctional facilities, schools or public buildings that dont match their sex at birth.Rheintgen was arrested on a trespassing charge after she alerted state officials that she planned to use the bathroom in protest of the law. She was released from jail about 24 hours later.Americans have been manipulatedthrough millions of dollars of political ads and misinformation from far-right influencersto think trans people are boogeymen.The idea that many politicians and lawmakers want to use taxpayer dollars to have law enforcement go after trans people washing their hands in a bathroom that matches their gender identity should piss every American off. Is this really where you want your tax money to go when you file later this month? Or would it be better served by fixing the pothole on your block?Subscribe for LGBTQ-focused, accountability journalism. A Prison Death Highlights Russias L.G.B.T.Q. Crackdown (The New York Times) The Russian government has unleashed a wave of repression against L.G.B.T.Q. people, with the police raiding gay night clubs and investigators targeting people they suspect of being gay.House Dems Look To Expand Access To Gender-Affirming Care Amid Trump Crackdown (The Hill)More than two dozen House Democrats are looking to protect and expand availability to gender-affirming care for transgender youths and adults as the Trump administration takes steps to sharply curb access.Under Financial and Political Pressure, the LGBTQ+ Community Is Putting The Protest Back in Pride Celebrations (CNN)Under the New Trump Administration, Transgender Day of Visibility Has a Different Tone (AP News)Supporters of transgender rights gathered on the National Mall on Monday to rally for equality on Transgender Day of Visibility, following a wave of policies signed by President Donald Trump aimed at erasing transgender people from government records, sports and even history.We passed 8,000 subscribers this week. Help us continue to grow by sharing our publication with friends and others who may be interested in our work. Legendary sex columnist Dan Savage is offering our readers (thats you!) one month free to his Magnum subscription for full access to Savage Love, Magnum Savage Lovecast, Sex & Politics, and more, by entering the code: uncloseted.Over the next week, be on the lookout for new Uncloseted reporting: In the face of rising anti-LGBTQ legislation, advocates actually defeated 91% of the hundreds of bills introduced last year. But how? Hope Pisoni investigates. On Tuesday, Tom Sayers looks at how donor-advised funds are helping to fund some of Americas most notorious anti-LGBTQ hate groups. Thanks for reading! Feel free to email me with questions, complaints and story ideas! Spencer Macnaughton, Editor-In-Chief spencer@unclosetedmedia.comIf objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

Where all 30 teams stand with less than two weeks left in the regular season.

USWNT coach Emma Hayes has made it clear she's shaking up the U.S. roster for the 2027 Women's World Cup. Let's look at how that's going.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, right, talk after a welcoming ceremony with a guard of honor at Buda Castle in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)2025-04-03T09:06:15Z BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Hungarys capital early Thursday to red carpet treatment despite a warrant for his arrest issued by the worlds top war crimes court.Hungarys government, led by its populist prime minister and Netanyahu ally, Viktor Orbn, used the occasion of the Israeli leaders visit to announce it will begin the procedure of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court.Just as Netanyahu met with Orbn for a welcome with full military honors in Budapests Castle District, Orbns chief of staff, Gergely Gulys, wrote in a brief statement that the government will initiate the withdrawal procedure on Thursday, in accordance with the constitutional and international legal framework. At the welcoming ceremony kicking off Netanyahus visit, only his second foreign trip since the ICC issued the warrant against him in November, he stood alongside Orbn as a military band played and processions of soldiers on horseback and carrying swords and bayoneted rifles passed by. The two leaders were set to hold talks later on Thursday. Netanyahu will spend several days in Hungary before departing on Sunday. The ICC, based in The Hague, Netherlands, said when issuing its warrant there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant used starvation as a method of warfare by restricting humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and intentionally targeted civilians in Israels campaign against Hamas charges that Israeli officials deny. Member countries of the ICC, such as Hungary, are required to arrest suspects facing a warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no way to enforce that and relies on states to comply.After the ICC issued the warrant in November, Orbn accused the worlds only permanent global tribunal for war crimes and genocide of interfering in an ongoing conflict for political purposes, saying the move undermined international law and escalated tensions. His invitation to Netanyahu was in open defiance of the courts ruling. Hungary joined the court in 2001 during Orbns first term as prime minister. Reacting to Hungarys decision to leave the court, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar thanked Orbn for the move, writing on X: I commend Hungarys important decision to withdraw from the ICC.The so-called International Criminal Court lost its moral authority after trampling the fundamental principles of international law in its zest for harming Israels right to self-defense, Saar wrote. Thank you Hungary for your clear and strong moral stance alongside Israel and the principles of justice and sovereignty!Netanyahu in February met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, where Trump suggested that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the war-torn territory and proposed the U.S. take ownership in redeveloping the area into the Riviera of the Middle East.Neither the United States or Israel are signatories to the ICC. Trump in February issued sanctions against the court for its investigations into Israels conduct of the war in Gaza which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, many of them children. The ICC has criticized Hungarys decision to defy its warrant for Netanyahu. The courts spokesperson, Fadi El Abdallah, said its not for parties to the ICC to unilaterally determine the soundness of the Courts legal decisions. JUSTIN SPIKE Spike is an Associated Press reporter based in Budapest, Hungary. twitter mailto

2025-04-03T08:15:41Z BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Hungary said Thursday it will begin the procedure of withdrawing from the worlds only permanent global tribunal for war crimes and genocide.Hungary will withdraw from the International Criminal Court, Gergely Gulys, who is Prime Minister Viktor Orbn chief of staff wrote in a brief statement. The government will initiate the withdrawal procedure on Thursday, in accordance with the constitutional and international legal framework.The announcement came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, despite an international arrest warrant against him over his conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip.Hungarys government, led by right-wing populist Orbn, extended the invitation to Netanyahu in November after the ICC, based in the Hague, Netherlands, issued the warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity. Orbn, a close Netanyahu ally, has called the arrest warrant outrageously impudent and cynical. Member countries of the ICC, such as Hungary, are required to detain suspects facing a warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no way to enforce that and relies on states to comply with its rulings.

The torpedo bat and how it impacts fantasy: Tristan H. Cockcroft discusses the hottest MLB topic so far in 2025.

Yuki Tsunoda finally got his chance at Red Bull, but is being Max Verstappen's teammate a poisoned chalice?

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits a walk-off solo home run against as Atlanta Braves catcher Atlanta Braves' Chadwick Tromp looks on during the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)2025-04-03T06:07:41Z LOS ANGELES (AP) Shohei Ohtani met the moment again, and his latest theatrics have the Los Angeles Dodgers perfect to start the season.The Japanese superstar hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning on his bobblehead night, lifting the Dodgers over the winless Atlanta Braves 6-5 on Wednesday.If I didnt get a good pitch to hit, I was willing to walk, Ohtani said through a translator. Coming into the inning, tied in that last at-bat, it just felt like we really had a good shot to win.At 8-0, the Dodgers are off to the best start ever by a defending World Series champion. Theyve trailed in six of those games, but they already have two walk-off wins. And Ohtani has scored in every game.Overall, not just tonight, there is a really good vibe within the team, he said, so I just think thats allowing us to come back in these games to win. A crowd of 50,281 roared as Ohtanis 399-foot shot sailed into center field and he rounded the bases. You just feel hes going to do something special, manager Dave Roberts said.It was hardly a surprise coming from last years NL MVP. In 2024, his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani hit a game-ending grand slam on his first bobblehead night. He had a walk-off homer on another of his giveaway nights. He keeps getting into these situations and moments where youre expecting the unthinkable out of him and he rarely disappoints. Thats really saying something, said teammate Max Muncy, whose two-run double tied the game in the eighth and set the stage for Ohtani. Dodgers starter Blake Snell said: When he was coming up and its his bobblehead night everyone knew. We knew. Its just what he does.Thousands lined up hours before first pitch to secure the first of four Ohtani bobbleheads this season. As like last year, traffic snarled around the stadium with helicopters showing the chaos on local television. Just grateful as a player to just be able to perform and have an opportunity like this, said Ohtani, who finished 3 for 5. I think the credit really goes to Max Muncy to be able to pull through and tie the game.Muncy ditched the new torpedo bat he had used earlier in favor of his usual lumber.I do think there was some good to using the torpedo bat, just in BP and everything, he said. It might be something that I use as a practice bat and then go back to my bat for the game. It seemed to work that last at-bat.The Dodgers rallied from a 5-0 deficit after Muncys two early errors at third base led to five unearned runs by the Braves against Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner making his second start for his new team.I was dumbfounded with the way we were playing. I didnt recognize that club in the first couple of innings, Roberts said. We had no business winning that game, but to our guys credit we just kept fighting.The bullpen picked up Snell, allowing just three hits over the final five innings. Rookie reliever Jack Dreyer earned his first major league win with two hitless innings.We all believe, Snell said. We got each others backs, and its a good feeling to have. For Muncy, it seems similar to last years never-say-die attitude that helped the Dodgers to their eighth World Series title.Weve been carrying it into this season. Its been fun to watch, he said. The guys dont give up. No ones really been down or out on themselves. Just seeing the guys in the clubhouse come together like that, its a pretty cool moment.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York mayor Eric Adams speaks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art during a task force meeting addressing retail theft, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Joseph Frederick)2025-04-03T11:12:56Z New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday said he will pull out of the citys Democratic primary and instead run for reelection as an independent candidate, arguing that his federal bribery charges had made it impossible to mount a primary campaign.In a video, Adams, whose criminal case was dismissed Wednesday, said he will not run in the Democratic primary in June because the case dragged on too long while the false accusations were held over me.I firmly believe that this city is better served by truly independent leadership, not leaders pulled at by the extremists at the far left or the far right, but instead those rooted in the common middle, the place where the vast majority of New Yorkers are firmly planted, Adams said.The decision came after intense speculation over whether Adams would remain in the Democratic primary, which has attracted a several serious opponents, including former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.Adams announcement was first reported by Politico.