Workers gather floral tributes, messages of support and items left as a memorial is dismantled in Sydney, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, a week after an attack on a Jewish festival that left 15 dead. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)2026-01-20T08:13:51Z MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Australias Parliament on Tuesday began debating draft anti-hate speech and gun laws proposed after two shooters killed 15 people at a Jewish festival in Sydney last month.The draft laws would create new restrictions on gun ownership and create a government-funded buyback scheme to compensate people forced to hand in their firearms.Anti-hate speech laws would enable hate groups that dont fit Australias definition of a terrorist organization, such as Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, to be outlawed. Hizb ut-Tahrir is already outlawed by some countries.Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told Parliament that alleged gunmen Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram would not have been allowed to possess guns under the proposed laws.The father, who was shot dead by police during the attack on Jewish worshippers during Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, legally owned the guns used. His son, who was wounded, has been charged with dozens of offenses including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist act over the attack, which was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group. Burke said the Indian-born father would have been barred from gun ownership under the proposed laws because he was not an Australian citizen. Stay up to date with the news and the best of AP by following our WhatsApp channel. Follow on The Australian-born son would also been banned because he had come under surveillance from spy agency Australian Security Intelligence Organization in 2019 over his association with suspected extremists. In responding to the antisemitic terror attack, we need to deal with the motivation and we need to deal with the method, Burke told Parliament.We are dealing with two people there who had horrific antisemitic bigotry in their minds and in their hearts. And they had weapons they should not have had, Burke added.ASIO would also have a role under the proposed anti-hate speech laws in deciding which hate groups should be outlawed. Neo-Nazi group National Socialist Network has announced plans to disband rather than have its members targeted under the laws. The legislation is expected to be passed by Parliament by Wednesday.Parliament had been scheduled to resume for the year in February, but was brought back early to respond to Australias worst mass shooting since 1996.A lone shooter killed 35 people in Tasmania state that year, in a massacre that galvanized the nation into introducing tough gun laws that drastically reduced the number of rapid-fire weapons in public ownership. The government then bought back almost 700,000 guns.But the states of Tasmania and Queensland and the Northern Territory are resisting the federal push for a new gun buyback, for which the states would be expected to pay half the cost.Burke said his government would continue to negotiate with the states and territories on the buyback. ROD MCGUIRK McGuirk covers Australian and South Pacific news for The Associated Press. He is based in Melbourne. mailto RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Scott Bessent, US Secretary of the Treasury, holds a speech at the USA House during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)2026-01-20T08:01:23Z DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said Americas relations with Europe remain strong and urged trading partners to take a deep breath and let tensions driven by the Trump administrations new tariff threats over Greenland play out.I think our relations have never been closer, he said, speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.On Saturday, Trump announced a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark in the wake of his stepped up calls for the United States to take over the semi-autonomous territory of Greenland. Trump has insisted the U.S. needs the territory for security reasons against possible threats from China and Russia.The American leaders threats have sparked outrage and a flurry of diplomatic activity across Europe, as leaders consider possible countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs and the first-ever use of the European Unions anti-coercion instrument. The EU has three major economic tools it could use to pressure Washington: new tariffs, suspension of the U.S.-EU trade deal, and a trade bazooka, the unofficial term for the blocs Anti-Coercion Instrument that could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. JAMEY KEATEN Keaten is the chief Associated Press reporter in Geneva. He previously was posted in Paris and has reported from Afghanistan, the Middle East, North Africa and across Europe. twitter

Emergency crews work at the site of a train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)2026-01-20T05:42:46Z BARCELONA, Spain (AP) The deadly train wreck in southern Spain has cast a pall over one of the nations symbols of success.The collision Sunday killed at least 40 people and injured dozens more, according to officials as of Monday night.Heres a look at the history of a rail network that became a crown jewel of contemporary Spain, by the numbers.34 yearsThe number of years since Spain inaugurated its first high-speed AVE, which means bird in Spanish.Both before and after that milestone, successive Spanish governments devoted tax revenues and European Union development aid to its high-speed rail network that quickly caught up and surpassed high-speed pioneers Japan and France.The first high-speed train to speed across Spain preceded the opening of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona by two months. Both marked high points in Spains recent history after it emerged from the economic doldrums and cultural and political isolation of the 20th-century dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco. Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero speaks at Valencia train station, following the inaugural journey aboard a high-speed AVE train linking Madrid to Valencia, Spain, Dec. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, File) Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero speaks at Valencia train station, following the inaugural journey aboard a high-speed AVE train linking Madrid to Valencia, Spain, Dec. 18, 2010. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More 3,900 kilometersHow many kilometers, equal to 2,400 miles, of high-speed rail that Spain has laid over the last three-plus decades for its 49 million residents.Only China with 45,000 kilometers (28,000 miles) for its 1.4 billion people has more high-speed track, according to the International Union of Railways.Spains commitment to high-speed rail, which the railway union defines as rails for trains going 250 kph (155 mph), has helped Spain shed its reputation of often being behind the industrial curve compared to other leading economies. Spains train builders have been able to capitalize on its domestic expansion. A Spanish consortium built Saudi Arabias high-speed line connecting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina that opened service in 2018. A worker cleans the windows of a high speed train at Atocha station in Madrid, March 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul White, File) A worker cleans the windows of a high speed train at Atocha station in Madrid, March 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul White, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More 7 vs. 2.5 hoursThe approximate number of hours a train trip took between Madrid and Barcelona before and after the 2008 adoption of high-speed rail.On an old, slow train, the 600-kilometer (385-mile) journey between Spains biggest cities used to take around seven hours, meaning many business travelers opted to take a plane.Now that trip can be done in 2.5 hours, and Spain announced plans in November to modernize the Madrid-Barcelona line to allow trains to reach 350 kph (218 mph), matching the fastest Chinese trains. That would bring the transit time down to less than 2 hours.The AVE has helped unite a country whose main population centers other than Madrid are located on its coasts, separated by some of the most sparsely populated areas in Europe.Every region and provincial capital has pushed hard for its own high-speed line. Some critics say the administrations may have spent too much on questionable lines to the detriment of investing in local commuter lines, which suffer many more delays than the high-speed rail does.Missing out on an AVE line and stop has become synonymous with economic decline for a provincial city.The move away from air travel to rail also remains a key plank of Spains green energy and electrification plan to fight climate change. 1 crashThe number of deadly accidents involving a high-speed train in Spains history. One official described Sundays collision as transforming a train into a mass of twisted metal. Spanish officials say they are still at a loss to understand what went wrong Sunday night when one high-speed train jumped the track and collided with another fast train going the other direction. lvaro Fernndez, the president of public train company Renfe, told Spanish public radio station RNE that both trains were traveling well under the speed limit and human error could be ruled out.One of the two trains was operated by Renfe and another by a private company. Spains worst train accident this century occurred in 2013, when 80 people died after a train derailed in the countrys northwest. An investigation concluded the train was traveling 179 kph (111 mph) on a stretch with an 80 kph (50 mph) speed limit when it left the tracks. That stretch of track was not high speed. Part of a wrecked train is photographed at the site of a train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Part of a wrecked train is photographed at the site of a train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More 3 high-speed operatorsThe number of operators with high-speed trains in Spain.Only in 2022 did Spain open its rail network to private companies to compete against Renfe.The first company to get into the private high-speed market was Iryo, which is Italian-owned. It was followed by the French company Ouigo.It was an Iryo train that first derailed on Sunday, knocking the Renfe train off its track. Iryo has said it is working with officials to determine the causes of the accident. Emergency crews work at the site of a train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Emergency crews work at the site of a train collision in Adamuz, southern Spain, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More JOSEPH WILSON Wilson covers Spanish news and sports for The Associated Press. He is based in Barcelona. twitter mailto

Fashion designer Valentino Garavani during a photo-call to present the documentary film "Valentino: The Last Emperor" in Rome, Monday, Nov. 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)2026-01-19T17:23:36Z MILAN (AP) Valentino Garavani, the jet-set Italian designer whose high-glamour gowns often in his trademark shade of Valentino red were fashion show staples for nearly half a century, died Monday. He was 93.Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision, the foundation founded by Valentino and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti said in a statement posted on social media. The foundation said he died at his Rome residence but did not mention the cause.Universally known by his first name, Valentino was adored by generations of royals, first ladies and movie stars, from Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Julia Roberts and Queen Rania of Jordan, who swore the designer always made them look and feel their best. I know what women want, he once remarked. They want to be beautiful. FILE - Models join the public in clapping hands as they flank Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani at the end of the show of his spring-summer collection in Rome, Italy on Jan. 20, 1971. (AP Photo/Gianni Foggia, File) FILE - Models join the public in clapping hands as they flank Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani at the end of the show of his spring-summer collection in Rome, Italy on Jan. 20, 1971. (AP Photo/Gianni Foggia, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Though Italian-born and despite maintaining his atelier in Rome, he mostly unveiled his collections in Paris, and spoke French with his Italian partner Giammetti, an entrepreneur. Alessandro Michele, the current creative director of the Valentino fashion house, wrote in Instagram that he continues to feel Valentinos gaze as he works on the next collection, which will be presented March 12 in Rome, departing from the usual venue of Paris. Michele remembered Valentino as a man who expanded the limits of the possible and possessing a rare delicacy, with a silent rigor and a limitless love for beauty.'Another of Valentinos successors, Pierpaolo Piccoli, placed a broken heart emoji under the announcement of his death. Former supermodel Cindy Crawford wrote that she was heartbroken, and called Valentino a true master of his craft.' Condolences also came in from the family of the late designer Giorgio Armani, who died in September at the age of 91, and Donatella Versace, who posted two photos of Valentino, saying he will forever be remembered for his art.' Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni remembered Valentino as an indisputable maestro of eternal style and elegance of Italian high fashion.Never one for edginess or statement dressing, Valentino made precious few fashion faux pas throughout his nearly half-century career, which stretched from his early days in Rome in the 1960s through to his retirement in 2008. His fail-safe designs made Valentino the king of the red carpet, the go-to man for A-listers awards ceremony needs. His sumptuous gowns have graced countless Academy Awards, notably in 2001, when Roberts wore a vintage black and white column to accept her best actress statue. Cate Blanchett also wore Valentino a one-shouldered number in butter-yellow silk when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2005. FILE - Julia Roberts, wearing a gown designed by Valentino Garavani, reacts after winning the Oscar for best actress in a leading role for the film "Erin Brockovich," during the 73rd annual Academy Awards March 25, 2001, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File) FILE - Julia Roberts, wearing a gown designed by Valentino Garavani, reacts after winning the Oscar for best actress in a leading role for the film "Erin Brockovich," during the 73rd annual Academy Awards March 25, 2001, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More FILE - Australian actress Cate Blanchett, wearing a gown designed by Valentino Garavani, arrives for the 77th Academy Awards, Feb. 27, 2005, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File) FILE - Australian actress Cate Blanchett, wearing a gown designed by Valentino Garavani, arrives for the 77th Academy Awards, Feb. 27, 2005, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Valentino was also behind the long-sleeved lace dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her wedding to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Kennedy and Valentino were close friends for decades, and for a spell the one-time U.S. first lady wore almost exclusively Valentino.He was also close to Diana, Princess of Wales, who often donned his sumptuous gowns.Beyond his signature orange-tinged shade of red, other Valentino trademarks included bows, ruffles, lace and embroidery; in short, feminine, flirty embellishments that added to the dresses beauty and hence to that of the wearers.Perpetually tanned and always impeccably dressed, Valentino shared the lifestyle of his jet-set patrons. In addition to his 152-foot (46-meter) yacht and an art collection including works by Picasso and Miro, the couturier owned a 17th-century chateau near Paris with a garden said to boast more than a million roses.Valentino and his longtime partner Giammetti flitted among their homes which also included places in New York, London, Rome, Capri and Gstaad, Switzerland traveling with their pack of pugs. The pair regularly received A-list friends and patrons, including Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow.When I see somebody and unfortunately shes relaxed and running around in jogging trousers and without any makeup ... I feel very sorry, the designer told RTL television in a 2007 interview. For me, woman is like a beautiful, beautiful flower bouquet. She has always to be sensational, always to please, always to be perfect, always to please the husband, the lover, everybody. Because we are born to show ourselves always at our best. Valentino was born into a well-off family in the northern Italian town of Voghera on May 11, 1932. He said it was his childhood love of cinema that set him down the fashion path.I was crazy for silver screen, I was crazy for beauty, to see all those movie stars being sensation, well dressed, being always perfect, he explained in the 2007 television interview. After studying fashion in Milan and Paris, he spent much of the 1950s working for established Paris-based designer Jean Desses and later Guy Laroche before striking out on his own. He founded the house of Valentino on Romes Via Condotti in 1959. FILE - Models take to the runway after the presentation of Italian fashion designer Valentinos Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2008 collection, in Paris, Jan. 23, 2008. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon, File) FILE - Models take to the runway after the presentation of Italian fashion designer Valentinos Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2008 collection, in Paris, Jan. 23, 2008. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More From the beginning, Giammetti was by his side, handling the business aspect while Valentino used his natural charm to build a client base among the worlds rich and fabulous.After some early financial setbacks Valentinos tastes were always lavish, and the company spent with abandon the brand took off.Early fans included Italian screen sirens Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren, as well as Hollywood stars Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. Legendary American Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland also took the young designer under her wing.Over the years, Valentinos empire expanded as the designer added ready-to-wear, menswear and accessories lines to his stable. Valentino and Giammetti sold the label to an Italian holding company for an estimated $300 million in 1998. Valentino would remain in a design role for another decade. FILE - Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani looks on during a news conference at Romes Capitoline museums June 13, 2007, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of Valentino Maison foundation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File) FILE - Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani looks on during a news conference at Romes Capitoline museums June 13, 2007, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of Valentino Maison foundation. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More In 2007, the couturier feted his 45th anniversary in fashion with a 3-day blowout in Rome, capped with a grand ball in the Villa Borghese gallery.Valentino retired in 2008 and was briefly replaced by fellow Italian Alessandra Facchinetti, who had stepped into Tom Fords shoes at Gucci before being sacked after two seasons.Facchinettis tenure at Valentino proved equally short. As early as her first show for the label, rumors swirled that she was already on her way out, and just about one year after she was hired, Facchinetti was indeed replaced by two longtime accessories designers at the brand, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli.Chiuri left to helm Dior in 2016, and Piccioli continued to lead the house through a golden period that drew on the launch of the Rockstud pump with Chiuri and his own signature color, a shade of fuchsia called Pink PP. He left the house in 2024, later joining Balenciaga, and has been replaced by Michele, who revived Guccis stars with romantic, genderless styles.Valentino is owned by Qatars Mayhoola, which controls a 70% stake, and the French luxury conglomerate Kering, which owns 30% with an option to take full control in 2028 or 2029. Richard Bellini was named CEO last September.A public viewing will be held at the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation on Wednesday and Thursday, and a funeral will be held Friday in the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in central Rome. ___Barchfield is a former Associated Press writer. Barry reported from Milan.___This version has corrected that Blanchett was awarded the best supporting actress Oscar in 2005, not 2004. 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

Chongly "Scott" Thao, a U.S. citizen, sits for a photo at his home Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn., the day after federal agents broke open his door and detained him without a warrant. (AP Photo/Jack Brook)2026-01-20T05:59:52Z ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Federal immigration agents forced open a door and detained a U.S. citizen in his Minnesota home at gunpoint without a warrant, then led him out onto the streets in his underwear in subfreezing conditions, according to his family and videos reviewed by The Associated Press.ChongLy Scott Thao told the AP that his daughter-in-law woke him up from a nap Sunday afternoon and said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were banging at the door of his residence in St. Paul. He told her not to open it. Masked agents then forced their way in and pointed guns at the family, yelling at them, Thao recalled.I was shaking, he said. They didnt show any warrant; they just broke down the door.Amid a massive surge of federal agents into the Twin Cities, immigration authorities are facing backlash from residents and the local leaders for warrantless arrests, aggressive clashes with protestors and the fatal shooting of mother of three Renee Good.ICE is not doing what they say theyre doing, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, a Hmong American, said in a statement about Thaos arrest. Theyre not going after hardened criminals. Theyre going after anyone and everyone in their path. It is unacceptable and un-American. Encounter caught on videoThao, who has been a U.S. citizen for decades, said that as he was being detained he asked his daughter-in-law to find his identification but the agents told him they didnt want to see it.Instead, as his 4-year-old grandson watched and cried, Thao was led out in handcuffs wearing only sandals and underwear with just a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.Videos captured the scene, which included people blowing whistles and horns and neighbors screaming at the more than a dozen gun-toting agents to leave Thaos family alone.Thao said agents drove him to the middle of nowhere and made him get out of the car in the frigid weather so they could photograph him. He said he feared they would beat him. He was asked for his ID, which agents earlier prevented him from retrieving.Agents eventually realized that he was a U.S. citizen with no criminal record, Thao said, and an hour or two later, they brought him back to his house. There they made him show his ID and then left without apologizing for detaining him or breaking his door, Thao said. DHS defends operationThe U.S. Department of Homeland Security described the ICE operation at Thaos home as a targeted operation seeking two convicted sex offenders.The US citizen lives with these two convicted sex offenders at the site of the operation, DHS said. The individual refused to be fingerprinted or facially IDd. He matched the description of the targets.Thaos family said in a statement that it categorically disputes the DHS account and strongly objects to DHSs attempt to publicly justify this conduct with false and misleading claims.Thao told the AP that only he, his son and daughter-in-law and his grandson live at the rental home. Neither they nor the propertys owner are listed in the Minnesota sex offender registry. The nearest sex offender listed as living in the zip code is more than two blocks away. DHS did not respond to a request from The Associated Press seeking the identities of the two convicted sex offenders or why the agency believed they were present in Thaos home.Thaos son, Chris Thao, said ICE agents stopped him while he was driving to work before they went to detain his father. He said he was driving a car he borrowed from his cousins boyfriend. Court records show that the boyfriend shares the first name of another Asian man who has been convicted of a sex offense. Chris Thao said the two people are not the same. Family fled Laos after helping USThe family said they are particularly upset by ChongLy Thaos treatment at the hands of the U.S. government because his mother had to flee to the U.S. from Laos when communists took over in the 1970s since she had supported American covert operations in the country and her life was in danger.Thaos adopted mother, Choua Thao, was a nurse who treated CIA-backed Hmong soldiers in the U.S. governments Secret War from 1961 to 1975 against the communists, according to the Hmong Nurses Association website.Choua Thao, who passed away in late December, treated countless civilians and American soldiers, working closely with U.S. personnel, her daughter-in-law Louansee Moua wrote on a GoFundMe page for the family.ChongLy Thao says hes planning to file a civil rights lawsuit against DHS and no longer feels secure to sleep in his home.I dont feel safe at all, Thao said. What did I do wrong? I didnt do anything.___Associated Press writer Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed.___Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. JACK BROOK Based in New Orleans, Brook covers Louisiana with a focus on state government, environmental issues and infrastructure. He is a Report for America corps member and can be reached on the secure messaging app Signal at jackbrook.88 twitter instagram mailto

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza holds the trophy after their win against Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)2026-01-19T11:00:08Z MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Fernando Mendoza lowered his pads into a defender, spun in a full circle, used his hand to keep his balance, then launched himself horizontally and reached the ball over the goal line an Indiana touchdown and a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.Maybe theyll call it Hoosiers.The Heisman Trophy winners touchdown Monday night put an exclamation point on a 27-21 win over Miami that closed out an undefeated season and brought an improbable maybe impossible? national championship to a program that had known nothing but losing and indifference for almost 140 years.Let me tell you: We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done, said coach Curt Cignetti, who took over a program with a nation-leading 713 losses and turned it into the games biggest winner in the span of two years. Cignetti, the 64-year-old coaching lifer, started it. Mendoza helped get the Hoosiers over the line. He finished with 186 yards passing, but it was that tackle-breaking, sprawled-out 12-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-4 with 9:18 left that defined this game and the Hoosiers season. Indiana would not be denied.I had to go airborne, said Mendoza, who had his lip split and his arm bloodied by a ferocious Miami defense that sacked him three times and hit him many more. I would die for my team. Mendozas TD gave Indiana a 24-14 lead barely enough breathing room to hold off a frenzied charge by the hard-hitting Hurricanes a team that barely made the College Football Playoff and barely showed up in the first half of the final before coming to life behind 112 yards and two scores from Mark Fletcher.Theyre the best thing that happened to the University of Miami in 25 years, said coach Mario Cristobal, who was part of the title run that put this colorful program on the map in the 1980s and 90s. The CFP trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana home of the college that famously boasts the most living alumni (805,000), including billionaire Mark Cuban and several thousand of his closest friends who packed Miamis home stadium and turned a title-game ticket into a $4,000-or-more splurge.Its way up there, thats for damn sure, Cuban said when asked where this ranked among the out-of-nowhere success stories he helped bankroll on his reality show Shark Tank.Indiana finished 16-0 using the extra games afforded by the expanded 12-team playoff to match a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894. President Donald Trump was in the stands for what he said turned out to be a great game after a slow start Indiana led 10-0 at half. In a fitting bit of symmetry, this undefeated title comes 50 years after Bob Knights basketball team went 32-0 to win it all in that states favorite sport.That hasnt happened since, and theres already some thought that college football in its evolving, money-soaked, name-image-likeness era might not see a team like this again, either. Players like Mendoza a transfer from Cal who grew up just a few miles away from Miamis campus, The U certainly dont come around often.Two fourth-down gambles by Cignetti in the fourth quarter, after Fletchers second touchdown carved the Hurricanes deficit to three, put the QB in position to shine.The first was a 19-yard-completion to Charlie Becker on a back-shoulder fade those guys have been perfecting all season. Four plays later came a decision and play that wins championships.Cignetti sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12, but quickly called his second timeout. The team huddled on the field and the coach drew up a quarterback draw, hoping the Hurricanes would be in a defense they had shown before.We rolled the dice and said, Theyre going to be in it again and they were, Cignetti said. We blocked it well, he broke a tackle or two and got in the end zone.Mendozas play could very well join John Elways helicopter run in Super Bowl 32 as one of the greatest examples of a quarterback willing to put everything on the line to win it all. Mendoza might soon have something else in common with Elway: This game did little to diminish his projection as the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Everyone on the team, including my coach, makes fun of my running style, Mendoza said. But its fourth down, so youve got to put it all on the line. Every player, if they had that opportunity, theyd put their body on the line, too.For Miami, it was a very close call.A team listed 18th in the first CFP rankings moved to 10th and sneaked into the playoff, bringing as many questions about the process as the selection itself.The Hurricanes proved they belonged all the way. Fletcher was a one-man force, hitting triple digits for the third time in four playoff games and turning a moribund offense into something much more. His first touchdown run was a 57-yard burst through the right side that pulled Miami within 10-7 early in the third quarter.But after forcing an Indiana punt deep into Miami territory, Hoosiers lineman Mikail Kamara slid past the Canes protectors and blocked the kick. Isaiah Jones recovered to make it 17-7. Miami was in comeback mode the rest of the way.It ended as a one-score game, and the Canes the visiting team playing on their home field moved into Indiana territory before Carson Becks heave got picked off by Jamari Sharpe, a Miami native who made sure the only miracle in this season would be Indianas.How big a miracle?This was a program that was so bad that coach Lee Corso stopped a game in 1976 to take a picture of a scoreboard when it read Indiana 7, Ohio State 6. Indiana lost 47-7.There were hundreds of losses in front of half-empty stadiums between then and now. But those days are over. The Hoosiers yes, the Hoosiers are national champions. I know nobody thought it was possible, Cignetti said. It probably is one of the greatest sports stories of all time.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football RSShttps://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Deployed soldiers exit a vehicle around Congress in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after President Bernardo Arvalo declared a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)2026-01-20T05:02:46Z MEXICO CITY (AP) Latin American progressive leaders are increasingly being backed into a corner on organized crime by pressure from the Trump administration and from their own voters, who point to the results from El Salvador presidents war on gangs.The hunger for a more heavy-handed response to endemic problems has been mounting for years in Latin America. El Salvador President Nayib Bukeles punitive tactics launched against his countrys gangs in 2022, resulted in a sharp decline in homicides and soaring approval by Salvadorans. Bukele not only touts the success at home, but has also looked to export his approach, winning fans among voters and conservative populists across the hemisphere, including U.S. President Donald Trump. Over the past year, Trump has taken a more confrontational approach toward Latin America than any U.S. president in recent history. Hes declared a slew of Latin American criminal groups foreign terrorist organizations, deposed former Venezuela President Nicols Maduro for trial on drug-trafficking charges, threatened military action on an array of countries and pointed to Bukele as an example of what he wants to see for the rest of the region. That ratcheted up pressure on more progressive administrations in Mexico, Colombia and Guatemala that had pitched more holistic solutions to endemic problems, like rooting out corruption and offering youth economic opportunities. Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo comforts the relative of one of the police officers killed while retaking control of three prisons, during the wake for the officers at the Interior Ministry in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo comforts the relative of one of the police officers killed while retaking control of three prisons, during the wake for the officers at the Interior Ministry in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Guatemala President Bernardo Arvalo was the latest to feel that pressure when suspected gang members killed 10 police officers in apparent retaliation for the government denying privileges to imprisoned gang leaders. On Sunday evening, he declared a state of emergency curtailing some constitutional rights. The mix of growing U.S. pressure and the rightward reference of Bukele that gives an answer to security issues has ... forced governments to pragmatically balance their own principles with the growing requests for a crackdown, said Tiziano Breda, a senior analyst for Latin America and the Caribbean for the conflict analysis group, ACLED. Guatemala state of emergency may limit rights Things came to a head in an eruption of violence in Guatemala over the weekend when inmates in prisons notoriously controlled by gangs rioted and took guards hostage. When authorities retook one prison, suspected gang members in the capital slayed 10 police officers.Arvalo said the emergency would stay in place for 30 days to combat the gangs, which he described as violent criminals who commit acts of terrorism. The declaration can limit some constitutional rights like the freedoms of movement, gathering and protest, and was approved by Guatemalas congress Monday night. We will spare no resources to punish, to pursue, to find those responsible for these crimes, Arvalo said in a speech Monday at the funeral of the officers. El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele speaks at the National Palace as he hosts a meeting with U.S. congresspeople in San Salvador, El Salvador, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez) El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele speaks at the National Palace as he hosts a meeting with U.S. congresspeople in San Salvador, El Salvador, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Arvalos move echoed actions taken by his neighbor Bukele in 2022. El Salvadors state of emergency remains in place nearly four years later and more than 90,000 Salvadorans have been arrested under it, fueling accusations of human rights abuses. But the country recorded just 82 homicides in 2025, compared to 6,656 in 2015.Projecting toughnessArvalo is just the latest leader in Latin America to take a page out of Bukeles book, following in the footsteps of Ecuador, Honduras and Costa Rica, which just last week broke ground on a prison modeled after El Salvadors infamous prison for alleged gang members.But efforts to piggyback on Bukeles political success have largely fallen flat even as the region experiences a rightward political shift. That is in part because many leaders are hesitant to go as far as Bukele, who has detained more than 1% of his countrys population and is regularly criticized for what civil society groups describe as authoritarian tendencies.When Arvalo was elected in 2023, the son of a former progressive president said bolstering legal institutions, including legislative reforms and rooting out corruption, was a solution to endemic gang violence, straying from competitors who called for a more Bukele-esque approach. The Guatemalan president also proposed boosting security and building a maximum security prison, but the state of emergency marks an escalation. Arvalo said in a Jan. 15 interview with the Associated Press that combating drug trafficking and organized crime is a shared interest with the U.S. Soldiers stand guard in front of a poster of former President Jacobo Arbenz who was overthrown in a 1954 coup, near Congress in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after President Bernardo Arvalo declared a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Soldiers stand guard in front of a poster of former President Jacobo Arbenz who was overthrown in a 1954 coup, near Congress in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, after President Bernardo Arvalo declared a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More A lot of it is political theater and taking strong measures, but from there to actually being effective and actually delivering is the challenge, said Michael Shifter, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue. Projecting toughness is a political winner.Leaders face political pressureBreda, the ACLED analyst, attributed the shift both to Trumps pressure and upcoming judicial elections in Guatemala, a decisive moment for Arvalos anti-corruption agenda.In Mexico, under mounting threats by Trump, President Claudia Sheinbaum has gone after cartels far more aggressively than her predecessor, who instead pushed a policy known as hugs, not bullets, which sought to address poverty and the lack of opportunities as root causes of violence instead of directly confronting cartels.In Colombia, President Gustavo Petro is facing a similar dilemma.Petro, an ex-rebel, became Colombias first leftist leader in 2022 on a promise that he would consolidate total peace and unravel decades of conflict in the Andean nation. Namely, he aimed to reach peace agreements with a range of illegal armed groups and provide opportunities to youth.But as peace talks have stalled with guerrillas from the National Liberation Army, known as the ELN, and other armed groups, Petro has failed to follow through on his bold agenda. Frustration toward Colombias left has simmered in much of the country in the months leading up to Colombias presidential elections.At the same time, Trump has threatened military intervention in Colombia and accused Petro of being a drug trafficker, most recently days after a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that ousted Maduro. Trump had accused Maduro too of being a drug trafficker and now he awaits trial in U.S. federal court. Colombian President Gustavo Petro looks on during a swearing-in ceremony for new military commanders at the army academy in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Vega) Colombian President Gustavo Petro looks on during a swearing-in ceremony for new military commanders at the army academy in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Vega) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Under pressure from Trump and fed up Colombians, Petro has turned to the same entity he once sharply criticized: the Colombian military, said Elizabeth Dickinson, a Colombia analyst at the International Crisis Group.Last week, in a forceful pivot from his hopeful campaign discourse, the leftist threatened a joint military action with Venezuela if the ELN did not enter a peace process with his government.It takes a very long time to mobilize action on these holistic ideas, and even longer for those holistic ideas to yield results, Dickinson said. What Bukele did, the reason its attractive across the region is that it appears to provide a fast and simple, straightforward solution to a very complex problem. MEGAN JANETSKY Megan Janetsky covers migration, conflict, human rights and politics in Mexico and Central America for The AP based in Mexico City. Previously, she covered Cuba and the Caribbean for The AP and worked as freelance journalist in Colombia, reporting across South America. twitter instagram facebook mailto

The wake for police officers killed while retaking control of three prisons is held at the Interior Ministry in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)2026-01-19T15:44:19Z GUATEMALA CITY (AP) The death toll from suspected gangsters attacks on Guatemalan police rose to 10 on Monday, as Guatemalans saw heavier security in the streets and curtailed rights after Congress approved President Bernardo Arvalos emergency declaration.The violence started Saturday when inmates seized control of three prisons in apparently coordinated riots, taking 43 guards hostage. The gangs were demanding privileges for their members and leaders, according to authorities. Shortly after police liberated one prison Sunday morning, suspected gang members attacked police across the capital.Officials said late Monday a tenth police officer died following the attacks.Police honored the fallen officers in a ceremony Monday, where flag-draped coffins sat in the Interior Ministry.Today it pains me to give each one of the families this flag, symbol of the nation that will not forget the sacrifice and commitment of their police fallen in the fulfillment of their duty, Arvalo said Monday. Outside the Interior Ministry, Jos Antonio Revolorio, 72, father of officer Jos Efran Revolorio Barrera, 25, said, I hope that the criminals who did this to my son will one day pay for it, that the law will go after them. And that this doesnt end here, because my son was an honest man, competent at his work. Meanwhile, the government gazette published Monday Arvalos declaration of a 30-day state of emergency, saying there were coordinated actions by self-named maras or gangs against state security forces, including armed attacks against civilian authorities. Among the rights that the declaration limits are freedom of action and demonstrations. It also allows police to arrest people without a judicial order if they are suspected gang members. Security forces could also prohibit the movement of vehicles in certain places or subject them to searches. The unicameral Congress approved the state of emergency with minor changes Monday night on a vote of 149 in favor to 1 against, with 10 absent or on approved leave of absence. However, it had gone into effect Sunday.Traffic in the capital Monday appeared lighter than usual.This situation is a shame. It affects people psychologically: they dont want to go out, said scar Lpez, a 68-year-old radio technician who had a doctors appointment. I agree with the president imposing the state of emergency because it doesnt stop the violence, but it relaxes people.Ileana Melgar, 64, said she was afraid of missing her appointment to renew her identification Monday. But I was afraid to go out, I called my friend to go with me. You dont know if they will also stop (public) transportation and we cant get back home.The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala had instructed U.S. government personnel to shelter in place Sunday. That was lifted later in the day, but they were advised to maintain a high level of caution when traveling.On Monday, the embassy condemned the attacks on police. These terrorists, as well as those who cooperate with them or are linked to them, have no place in our hemisphere. The security of the Guatemalan people and the stability of our hemisphere must prevail. We reaffirm our support for Guatemalas security forces to curb the violence. In October, the Congress reformed laws to declare members of the Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha gangs terrorists. The changes lengthened prison sentences for gang members who commit crimes.The United States government also declared those gangs foreign terrorist organizations last year.As a safety precaution, school was suspended nationwide Monday.__ AP journalist Emmanuel Andrs contributed to this report.

Rep. Kelly Morrison D-Minn., center, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., second from the right, and Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., far right, at the Bishop Whipple Federal Building, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)2026-01-19T23:10:17Z WASHINGTON (AP) A federal judge refused Monday to temporarily block the Trump administration from enforcing a new policy requiring a weeks notice before members of Congress can visit immigration detention facilities.U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb in Washington, D.C., concluded that the Department of Homeland Security didnt violate an earlier court order when it reimposed a seven-day notice requirement for congressional oversight visits to Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.Cobb stressed that she wasnt ruling on whether the new policy passes legal muster. Rather, she said, plaintiffs attorneys representing several Democratic members of Congress used the wrong procedural vehicle to challenge it. The judge also concluded that the Jan. 8 policy is a new agency action that isnt subject to her prior order in the plaintiffs favor. Plaintiffs lawyers asked Cobb to intervene after three Democratic members of Congress from Minnesota were blocked from visiting an ICE facility near Minneapolis earlier this month three days after an ICE officer shot and killed U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis. Last month, Cobb temporarily blocked an administration oversight visit policy. She ruled Dec. 17 that it is likely illegal for ICE to demand a weeks notice from members of Congress seeking to visit and observe conditions in ICE facilities.A day after Goods death, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem secretly signed a new memorandum reinstating another seven-day notice requirement. Plaintiffs lawyers from the Democracy Forward legal advocacy group said DHS didnt disclose the latest policy until after U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar, Kelly Morrison and Angie Craig initially were turned away from an ICE facility in the Minneapolis federal building. On Monday, Cobb ruled that the new policy is similar but different than the one announced in June 2025. The Court emphasizes that it denies Plaintiffs motion only because it is not the proper avenue to challenge Defendants January 8, 2026 memorandum and the policy stated therein, rather than based on any kind of finding that the policy is lawful, she wrote.Democracy Forward spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz said they were reviewing the judges latest order.We will continue to use every legal tool available to stop the administrations efforts to hide from congressional oversight, she said in a statement.Twelve other Democratic members of Congress sued in Washington to challenge ICEs amended visitor policies after they were denied entry to detention facilities. Their lawsuit accused Republican President Donald Trumps administration of obstructing congressional oversight of the centers during its nationwide surge in immigration enforcement operations.A law bars DHS from using appropriated general funds to prevent members of Congress from entering DHS facilities for oversight purposes. Plaintiffs attorneys from the Democracy Forward Foundation said the administration hasnt shown that none of those funds are being used to implement the latest notice policy. Appropriations are not a game. They are a law, plaintiffs attorney Christine Coogle said during a hearing Wednesday.Justice Department attorney Amber Richer said the Jan. 8 policy signed by Noem is distinct from the policies that Cobb suspended last month.This is really a challenge to a new policy, Richer said.Plaintiffs attorneys said the matter is urgent because members of Congress are negotiating funding for DHS and ICE for the next fiscal year with DHSs annual appropriations due to expire Jan. 30.This is a critical moment for oversight, and members of Congress must be able to conduct oversight at ICE detention facilities, without notice, to obtain urgent and essential information for ongoing funding negotiations, the lawyers wrote.Government attorneys have said its merely speculative for the legislators to be concerned that conditions in ICE facilities change over the course of a week. But the judge rejected those arguments last month.The changing conditions within ICE facilities means that it is likely impossible for a Member of Congress to reconstruct the conditions at a facility on the day that they initially sought to enter, wrote Cobb, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Joe Biden.

President Donald Trump speaks to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during a dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House, Sept. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)2026-01-20T05:20:08Z WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump plans to use a key address Wednesday to try to convince Americans he can make housing more affordable, but hes picked a strange backdrop for the speech: a Swiss mountain town where ski chalets for vacations cost a cool $4.4 million.On the anniversary of his inauguration, Trump is flying to the World Economic Forum in Davos an annual gathering of the global elite where he may see many of the billionaires he has surrounded himself with during his first year back in the White House. Trump had campaigned on lowering the cost of living, painting himself as a populist while serving fries at a McDonalds drive-thru. But in office, his public schedules suggest hes traded the Golden Arches for a gilded age, devoting more time to cavorting with the wealthy than talking directly to his working-class base. At the end of the day, its the investors and billionaires at Davos who have his attention, not the families struggling to afford their bills, said Alex Jacquez, chief of policy and advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative, a liberal think tank.Trumps attention in his first year back has been less on pocketbook issues and more fixed on foreign policy with conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Venezuela. He is now bent on acquiring Greenland to the chagrin of European allies a headline likely to dominate his time in Davos, overshadowing his housing ideas. Trump noted the Europeans resistance, telling reporters Monday night, Lets put it this way: Its going to be a very interesting Davos. The White House has tried to shift Trumps focus to affordability issues, a response to warning signs in the polls in a year where control of Congress is at stake in midterm elections.About six in 10 U.S. adults now say that Trump has hurt the cost of living, according to the latest survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Its an issue even among Republicans, who have said Trumps work on the economy hasnt lived up to their expectations. Only 16% say Trump has helped a lot on making things more affordable, down from 49% in April 2024, when an AP-NORC poll asked Americans the same question about his first term. The president is banking on investment commitments from billionaires and foreign nations to create a jobs boom, even as his broad tariffs have crimped the labor market and spurred inflation. Trump supporters who attend his rallies which the president resumed last month are left to trust that Trumps business ties can eventually help them.This strategy carries political risks. Voters are more interested in the economy theyre experiencing in their own lives than in Trumps relationships with billionaires, said Frank Luntz, the Republican-affiliated pollster and strategist. If youre asking me, Are billionaires popular? The answer is no and theyve havent been for some time, said Luntz, who last year identified affordability as a defining issue for voters. Wooing billionaires instead of the working classSince Trumps first term in 2017, the wealthiest 0.1% of Americans have seen their wealth increase by $11.98 trillion to $23.46 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve.The magnitude of those gains dwarfs what the bottom 50% of households the majority of the country received during the same period. Their net worth rose by $2.94 trillion, roughly one-fourth what the top 0.1% got.One of the biggest concerns for voters is the cost of housing. In recent weeks, Trump has floated proposals like reducing interest rates on home loans by buying $200 billion in mortgage debt and banning large financial companies from buying homes. Yet those efforts would do little to address the core problem in the housing market: a multi-year shortfall in home construction and home prices that have generally risen faster than wages.Trump regularly points to the investments made by the wealthy and powerful as signs of economic growth to come. To encourage billionaires to deliver, Trump in his first year pursued policies on artificial intelligence and financial regulation that can benefit the wealthy, along with tax cuts, reduced IRS enforcement and fewer regulatory burdens for large-scale investments. Most billionaires dont share the interests of the working class, said Darrell West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has written about the wealthification of U.S. politics. The ultrawealthy love tax cuts and deregulation, and those preferences make it difficult for government to provide the help that working class people want.Trump has been trying to sell tax breaks on tips and overtime pay from what is known as the One Big Beautiful Bill as benefiting workers. But a Congressional Budget Office analysis indicated that middle-class families may only see savings of $800 to $1,200 a year, on average, while the top 10% of earners would receive $13,600. A separate analysis by the Tax Policy Center, a think tank, said those earning above $1 million would save on average $66,510 this year. The company Trump keepsTrump regularly holds public events with the wealthy and powerful at the White House and beyond. He jetted to the Middle East and Asia with billionaires in tow as he had foreign countries announce investment commitments, promising that the money would flow down into factory jobs for the middle class.At a September dinner with tech billionaires, Trump said it was an honor to be surrounded by the likes of Bill Gates, Tim Cook, Sergey Brin and Mark Zuckerberg.Theres never been anything like it, Trump said. The most brilliant people are gathered around this table. This is definitely a high-IQ group and Im very proud of them.The White House said the previous Biden administration had alienated the business community to the detriment of the economy. President Trumps pro-growth policies and friendly relationships with industry titans, on the other hand, are securing trillions in investments that are creating jobs and opportunities for everyday Americans, White House spokesman Kush Desai said.Last month, Trump celebrated a charitable contribution of $6.25 billion to the Trump investment accounts for children by Michael Dell. It was a chance to talk about economic inequality but also another opportunity for Trump to showcase his relationship with billionaires.Trump takes phone calls from billionaires and CEOs to chat about business, politics and interests such as his planned White House ballroom. He regularly peppers his speeches with shoutouts to Nvidia founder Jensen Huang, whose net worth was estimated by Forbes at roughly $162 billion as of Sunday.Hes installed billionaires in his inner circle such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (net worth: $3.3 billion) and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (net worth: $2 billion). He put Elon Musk (net worth: $780 billion) in charge of slashing government payrolls before a dramatic falling-out and, later, a public reconciliation.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a briefing last month portrayed Trumps own status as a billionaire as a positive for him with voters.I think its one of the many reasons they reelected him back to this office, because hes a businessman who understands the economy and knows how to fix it, she said. JOSH BOAK Boak covers the White House and economic policy for The Associated Press. He joined the AP in 2013. twitter mailto