Trump vents about judge who blocked the Kennedy Center renovation and fumes over his legal setbacks
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is fuming about a court ruling that blocked his renovation plans for the Kennedy Center in Washington. He's using a social media post to brand the federal judge who issued the ruling Friday as “an anti Trump Hater.” And the Republican president is predicting that the nation’s premier performing arts center he wanted to shutter for a two-year overhaul will “soon be closed, probably never to open again.” again.” In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump's Truth Social post continued to make the case for the project but didn't clarify whether he'll keep defending the work in court.
US says it struck a commercial ship trying to breach blockade and reach Iran
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military says it stopped another commercial vessel trying to break through the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. The military said on Saturday that the Gambia-flagged bulk carrier Lian Star ignored multiple warnings from U.S. forces overnight and so its engine room was struck with a missile. The ship remains adrift in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. launched the blockade on April 17 in response to Iran effectively closing the strait after the war began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28. A fragile ceasefire has held since April 7, with discussions ongoing about extending it.
Israeli launches strikes near ancient heritage castle site in southern Lebanon
ADLOUN, Lebanon (AP) — Israel’s air force and artillery have struck areas near a strategic mountain in southern Lebanon. The attacks on Saturday came as fighting continued near the city of Nabatiyeh. Israel's military issued evacuation warnings for over a dozen villages. This follows direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli military officials at the Pentagon. Lebanon's president and prime minister discussed the situation, vowing to intensify efforts to stop Israel's actions. Lebanon's state news agency reported airstrikes near the Beaufort castle, with Israeli troops advancing in nearby villages. Hezbollah retaliated by firing rockets at northern Israel. The conflict has caused significant casualties and displacement.
Venezuela's opposition candidate Edmundo González calls for presidential elections
CARACAS (AP) — Former Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González is calling for presidential elections as the five-month mark of interim President Delcy Rodríguez’s administration approaches, following a U.S. military intervention that ousted Nicolás Maduro in January. The 76-year-old former diplomat was recognized by several countries as the legitimate winner of the July 2024 elections amid a post-election crisis and street protests as the opposition alleged fraud. Electoral records that showed González’s victory over Maduro were deemed credible by international observers. González took to social media on Saturday to call for elections.
Capitol rioters clamor for payouts from Trump's new 'anti-weaponization' fund despite backlash
WASHINGTON (AP) — Many of the convicted rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, are clamoring for payouts from the nearly $1.8 billion settlement that the Trump administration has set up for people claiming to be victims of a weaponized government. Whether they'll be eligible for any money remains an open question. The political and legal backlash to the administration's move hasn't dimmed the celebratory response from Capitol rioters. Some are staking claims to the money even though the government hasn’t established an application process yet and a judge has frozen the fund’s formation, at least temporarily.
Congress has taken on Epstein. But lawmakers and survivors are still searching for accountability
WASHINGTON (AP) — Public demand and the increasingly outspoken calls from the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse have driven Congress to mostly set aside party politics in an effort to search for accountability. That search has even led to interviews with some of the highest-ranked officials to ever appear before a congressional investigation, including a former president. Yet lawmakers have little to show in terms of criminal culpability for Epstein’s crimes or a definitive acknowledgment of government failure. Lawmakers and survivors of his abuse are still grasping for a sense of finality. Some lawmakers say there should still be criminal investigations.
WHO chief visits epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo as cases outpace response
BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization has visited Bunia in eastern Congo, where a rare Ebola outbreak is spreading rapidly. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized building community trust and safe burials to prevent the virus's spread. He urged countries to reconsider travel bans, saying they discourage transparency. He said that Congo had faced Ebola 16 times before and ended each outbreak. The current outbreak has 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths. Medical aid from the EU and the U.S. has arrived, but Doctors Without Borders warns the response is not keeping pace with the outbreak.
'What's the word?' New Jersey voters look for answers about Tom Kean Jr.'s absence from Congress
WESTFIELD, N.J. (AP) — Some New Jersey voters are starting to notice Tom Kean Jr.’s monthslong absence from Congress due to an undisclosed medical issue. “What's the word?” was the question posed a recent town hall in Kean’s district that was held by a state senator, Republican Jon Bramnick. Voters wondered whether Bramnick himself could replace Kean if the congressman were to drop his reelection bid. The pressure is ratcheting up in the 7th Congressional District as Democrats are hoping to unseat Kean in their bid to regain control of Congress. Kean isn't facing any challengers in Tuesday’s primary while several Democrats are running for their party’s nomination.
DOJ seeks recusal of judge from Georgia election case over reported attendance at Fani Willis event
ATLANTA (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a judge to recuse herself from a case involving Georgia election records. They argue that her reported attendance at an event honoring Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis raises questions about her impartiality. The Justice Department is relying on media reports that identify U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross as the subject of a disciplinary action following a court investigation. A judge was found to have had sex at the courthouse with a police officer and to have attended a partisan political event. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the judge's identity. Ross declined to comment in a statement released by the court.
PSG wins back-to-back Champions League titles after shootout victory against Arsenal
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain has won back-to-back Champions League titles by beating Arsenal on penalties in a dramatic final in Budapest. Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes fired the last of his team’s penalties over the bar to hand PSG a 4-3 shootout victory. The game had ended 1-1 in regulation time and neither team could find a breakthrough in extra time, sending the game to spot kicks.
