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Michael Cohen questioned about recording conversations with clients and reporters None - Lawyers for former President Trump questioned Michael Cohen about recordings he may have made of conversations with reporters and former clients, including Trump. MSNBC legal analyst Chuck Rosenberg breaks down the line of questioning and how it may be useful for the defense in Trump's hush money trial.May 16, 2024
Trump lawyer seeks to question Michael Cohen's credibility at hush money trial None - Lawyers for former President Trump resumed their cross-examination of Michael Cohen and are attempting to call his credibility into question during the New York hush money trial. NBC News' Yasmin Vossoughian reports on what the jury has heard so far and the several members of Congress in attendance to show support for Trump.May 16, 2024
McDonald's plans $5 US meal deal next month to counter customer frustration over high prices None - McDonald’s is planning to introduce a $5 meal deal in the U.S. next month to counter slowing sales and customers’ frustration with high prices McDonald’s plans to introduce a $5 meal deal in the U.S. next month to counter slowing sales and customers’ frustration with high prices. The deal would let customers get a four-piece McNugget, small fries, a small drink and either a McDouble burger or a McChicken sandwich for $5 in most areas, according to a person familiar with the deal who wasn’t authorized to discuss its details. The month-long deal is scheduled to begin June 25 and will be advertised nationally. Some stores with higher costs, like those in California or Hawaii, may charge more, the person said. McDonald’s didn’t confirm the upcoming deal when asked about it Thursday by The Associated Press. But the Chicago-based burger giant said last month that it was planning to step up deals to combat slowing customer traffic in some markets. “We know how much it means to our customers when McDonald’s offers meaningful value and communicates it through national advertising,” McDonald's said in a statement Wednesday. The meal deal would be a substantial discount from the list prices for the items that will be included in the limited-time deal. One McDonald’s location in Michigan charged $9.66 for the four items sold individually on Thursday. Fast food prices have risen dramatically in the last few years due to a variety of factors, including elevated costs for labor, food and paper products. Between the first quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2024, the amount spent per person per visit at a U.S. fast food restaurant rose 25%, from $12 to $15, according to Technomic, a restaurant data firm. McDonald's said earlier this year that it was seeing fewer U.S. visits and lower spending from customers earning less than $45,000 per year. As grocery inflation has slowed, more people are choosing to eat at home, McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczinski said. In the first quarter, the company said fast food traffic was flat or down in many key markets, including the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. “The consumer is certainly being very discriminating in how they spend their dollar,” Kempczinski said during a conference call with investors. “It may be more pronounced with lower-income consumers, but its important to recognize that all income cohorts are seeking value.” During the same call, Kempczinski said McDonald's needed a nationwide deal emphasizing its value if it wanted to keep up with rivals. Other chains have also reported slowing sales. Starbucks said last month that it was seeing a sharper and faster decline in U.S. consumer confidence than it had anticipated in the January-March period. Starbucks said it plans to open up its Rewards app to non-members in July so they can take advantage of the deals it offers.
OpenAI launches GPTo, improving ChatGPT's text, visual and audio capabilities None - SAN FRANCISCO -- OpenAI's latest update to its artificial intelligence model can mimic human cadences in its verbal responses and can even try to detect people's moods. The effect conjures up images of the 2013 Spike Jonze move “Her,” where the (human) main character falls in love with an artificially intelligent operating system, leading to some complications. While few will find the new model seductive, OpenAI says it does works faster than previous versions and can reason across text, audio and video in real time. GPT-4o, short for “omni,” will power OpenAI's popular ChatGPT chatbot, and will be available to users, including those who use the free version, in the coming weeks, the company announced during a short live-streamed update. CEO Sam Altman, who was not one of the presenters at the event, simply posted the word “her” on the social media site X. During a demonstration with Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati and other executives, the AI bot chatted in real time, adding emotion — specifically “more drama” — to its voice as requested. It also helped walk through the steps needed to solve a simple math equation without first spitting out the answer, and assisted with a more complex software coding problem on a computer screen. It also took a stab at extrapolating a person's emotional state by looking at a selfie video of their face (deciding he was happy since he was smiling) and translated English and Italian to show how it could help people who speak different languages have a conversation. Gartner analyst Chirag Dekate said the update, which lasted less than 30 minutes, gave the impression OpenAI is playing catch-up to larger rivals. “Many of the demos and capabilities showcased by OpenAI seemed familiar because we had seen advanced versions of these demos showcased by Google in their Gemini 1.5 pro launch,” Dekate said. “While Open AI had a first-mover advantage last year with ChatGPT and GPT3, when compared to their peers, especially Google, we now are seeing capability gaps emerge.” Google plans to hold its I/O developer conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, where it is expected to unveil updates to its own Gemini, its AI model.
United Airlines says it has regained some privileges that were suspended after problem flights None - United Airlines says it can plan for growth again as federal regulators continue their review of the airline's operations United Airlines says it has regained some privileges that were suspended after problem flights CHICAGO -- United Airlines said Thursday that federal regulators are letting it resume planning for growth after they imposed restrictions on the airline following a series of flight mishaps earlier this year, including an engine fire and a tire falling off a plane. United said the Federal Aviation Administration “has allowed us to begin the process of restarting our certification activities, including new aircraft and routes.” The FAA indicated, however, that it has not made any final decisions from its review of the airline, which began in March. “The FAA has not approved any expansion of United Airlines’ routes or fleets,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement. The FAA said its review of the airline “is ongoing, and safety will determine the timeline for completing it.” The FAA is insisting on being present when United personnel make final inspections of new planes that replace older ones. In a memo to employees, United said the ability to resume planning for growth was “good news,” but it noted that FAA inspectors were still reviewing the airline's work processes, manuals and facilities. The FAA increased its oversight of Chicago-based United after a series of flight problems. In one, a piece of aluminum skin fell off a plane flying from San Francisco to Oregon. Another plane lost a tire after takeoff from San Francisco, and another suffered an engine fire in Houston. Pilots reported that rudder pedals used to steer on the runway failed after landing in Newark, New Jersey, and another plane rolled off a taxiway in Houston. The incidents led United CEO Scott Kirby to assure customers the airline was safe. Kirby said the events were unrelated but they "have our attention and have sharpened our focus.” He said United would review each incident to see if changes were needed in safety training and procedures.
Workers in Atlantic City casino smoking lawsuit decry 'poisonous' workplace; state stresses taxes None - A group of Atlantic City casino workers has asked a judge to ban smoking in the gambling halls, citing the toxic effects of working there TRENTON, N.J. -- A group of Atlantic City casino workers asked a judge Monday to ban smoking in the gambling halls, citing the toxic effects of working in a “poisonous” atmosphere, while the state said ending smoking could jeopardize a half-billion-dollar pot of money for senior citizens and the disabled. Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels did not issue a ruling after both sides presented their case but said he aims to do so “as quickly as possible.” A ruling banning smoking in the nine casinos would be a seismic event for the city's gambling industry, whose core business — money won from in-person gamblers — still has not returned to where it was before the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. But it would be an equally impactful change for workers who say they are sick of having to breathe other people's smoke in order to make a living, and who cite illnesses they attribute to secondhand smoke, including bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory ailments, including several cases of cancer. Whether to ban smoking is one of the most controversial issues not only in Atlantic City casinos, but in other states where workers have expressed concern about secondhand smoke. They are waging similar campaigns in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Kansas and Virginia. Currently, smoking is allowed on 25% of the casino floor in Atlantic City. But those areas are not contiguous, and the practical effect is that secondhand smoke is present in varying degrees throughout the casino floor. A lawsuit filed last month by the United Auto Workers, which represents dealers at the Bally’s, Caesars and Tropicana casinos, seeks to overturn New Jersey’s indoor smoking law, which bans it in virtually every workplace except casinos. “The purpose of the act is to protect workers from sickness and death,” said Nancy Erika Smith, the attorney who brought the lawsuit. It “is not to put money in the casinos' pockets. We are seeking to end a special law which does a favor for casinos and seriously harms workers.” She also raised the issues of equal protection under the law, and what she called a Constitutional right to safety. But Deputy Attorney General Robert McGuire, representing Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and the state's acting health commissioner, said there is no such constitutional right. Murphy has said he will sign a smoking ban into law, but has recently expressed concern about the casinos' economic arguments. Citizens have the freedom to pursue safety and happiness, but nowhere does the government guarantee those things to them as a right, McGuire said. McGuire also repeatedly cited the state's Casino Revenue Fund, into which 8% of the casinos' revenue is paid to fund programs for senior citizens and the disabled. In fiscal year 2024, he said, $526 million from the fund will be spend on such programs. The implication was that this money would be at risk if smoking is banned and the casinos do less business as smokers take their money elsewhere. Smoking opponents dispute that the casinos would lose business, citing a study showing casinos that ended smoking did better financially without it. Smith said the argument that “people should be poisoned” so that casinos can do well and generate more state tax revenue is “repugnant” and “shocking.” Seth Ptasiewicz, an attorney for casino workers who want to keep the current smoking policy, said steep economic declines have followed the imposition of smoking bans in several places, including Atlantic City, which tried it in 2008, only to quickly reverse course after a 19.8% decline in casino revenue in two weeks. These workers “understand that (smoking) is a part of the job, and they accept it,” he said, adding, “No job is 100% safe.” One of his clients, Local 54 of the Unite Here union, said in court papers it fears as much as a third of its 10,000 members could lose their jobs if smoking is banned. Attorney Christopher Porrino, representing the Casino Association of New Jersey, said the state Legislature has had nearly a half-century to change Atlantic City's smoking policy, and has opted not to. “In a few weeks it will be 46 years since the first casino opened in Atlantic City,” he said. “From that day forward and every day since, patrons of casinos have continuously smoked.” The anti-smoking workers are in the fourth year of a campaign to end smoking in Atlantic City's casinos that previously relied on political efforts to get lawmakers to change the law. But those efforts have yet to bear fruit. Shortly after a bill that would end smoking advanced out of a state Senate committee, other lawmakers introduced a competing bill that would continue to allow smoking on 25% of the casino floor, but would reconfigure where it is allowed. No employee would be forced to work in a smoking area against their will, under the bill. Neither measure has been acted on in months. ___ Follow Wayne Parry on X, formerly Twitter, at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC
Long-term mortgage rates retreat for second straight week, US average at 7.02% None - The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. fell for the second straight week, giving some relief to home shoppers already facing sky-high prices and a shortage of supply Long-term mortgage rates retreat for second straight week, US average at 7.02% The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. fell for the second straight week, giving some relief to home shoppers already facing sky-high prices and a shortage of supply. The average 30-year rate fell to 7.02% from 7.09% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.39%. The recent pullbacks followed a five-week string of increases that pushed the average rate to its highest level since November 30. Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers' purchasing options. “The decrease in rates, albeit small, may provide a bit more wiggle room in the budgets of prospective homebuyers,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also declined this week, trimming the average rate to 6.28% from 6.38% last week. A year ago, it averaged 5.75%, Freddie Mac said. Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including how the bond market reacts to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy and the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. Treasury yields have largely been easing since Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said earlier this month that the central bank remains closer to cutting its main interest rate than hiking it. Still, the Fed has maintained it doesn’t plan to cut interest rates until it has greater confidence that price increases are slowing sustainably to its 2% target. Until then, mortgage rates are unlikely to ease significantly, economists say. After climbing to a 23-year high of 7.79% in October, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage stayed below 7% this year until last month. Last month's rise in rates were an unwelcome development for prospective homebuyers in the midst of what’s traditionally the busiest time of the year for home sales. On average, more than one-third of all homes sold in a given year are purchased between March and June. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in March as homebuyers contended with elevated mortgage rates and rising prices.
Dow Jones Industrial Average hits 40,000 for the 1st time None - The Dow is now up about 6% so far this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed 40,000 for the first time in history on Thursday. This is a significant and symbolic milestone for the index that tracks 30 of the most valuable publicly traded companies in the U.S. The Dow is now up about 6% so far this year. By the end of trading on Thursday, the Dow had fallen below 40,000. The index closed at 39,869.38, which marked a slight decline for the day. The recent rally in the Dow, S &P 500 and Nasdaq has been fueled by data showing inflation is cooling, which would allow the Federal Reserve to begin its long-awaited interest rate cuts. Inflation data released on Wednesday showed that price increases slowed slightly from the annual rate recorded in the previous month, ending a surge of inflation that stretches back to the beginning of 2024. In recent months, the Fed had all but abandoned its previous forecast of three quarter-point rate cuts this year. But the slowdown of price hikes offered hope of rekindling those plans. "The combination of the Fed likely to be lowering interest rates because inflation is moderating with a resilient economy is a beautiful scenario for a bull market," Ed Yardeni, the president of market advisory firm Yardeni Research and former chief investment strategist at Deutsche Bank's U.S. equities division, told ABC News. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on May 16, 2024 in New York City. Spencer Platt/Getty Images "It’s more enjoyable to say the market is going to these nice, round numbers in record-high territory than coming back down to them," Yardeni added. The inflation news on Wednesday sent each of the major stock indexes up more than 5% for the day, propelling all of them to record highs. In early trading on Thursday, the Dow had ticked up a quarter of a percentage point. Observers have also attributed this year's stock market rally to the rise in value of some major tech firms, driven largely by enthusiasm about artificial intelligence.
Bidet sales are flush with success None - Bidet sales are flush with success Bidets are common in Asia but are only just now catching on in America. Contributor Kelefa Sanneh finds out what's behind this recent stateside surge in interest and checks out some of the options from Toto, the global leader in bidet sales.
Behind the wheel of a $3 million car None - Behind the wheel of a $3 million car The Hennessey Venom F5 is not just a sports car; its twin turbo V8 engine can muster more than 1,800 horsepower, almost twice that of a Formula 1 racing car. And yes, you can drive it on the street, for the cool price of $3 million. Correspondent Lee Cowan goes inside the design of a machine that shuns the mundane.
Baby stroller design: Not child's play None - Baby stroller design: Not child's play Baby strollers, once just merely a means for transporting a baby, have become thousand-dollar accessories. Correspondent Serna Altschul looks at the history of strollers, prams and pushchairs, and at the designs and aesthetics of today's super-smooth strollers.
Sen. Marco Rubio says he won’t accept 2024 results if ‘it’s an unfair election’ None - Sen. Marco Rubio indicates support for Florida abortion ban that Trump called a 'terrible mistake'
Dali cargo ship will move from the site of Baltimore bridge collapse ‘within days,’ Gov. Moore says None - Dali cargo ship will move from the site of Baltimore bridge collapse ‘within days,’ Gov. Moore says The Dali cargo ship, which collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore before the bridge collapsed, will be moved out of the channel “within days,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore says.May 19, 2024
Bruce Nordstrom, who helped grow family-led department store chain, dies at 90 None - Bruce Nordstrom, a retail executive who helped expand his family’s Pacific Northwest department store chain into an upscale national brand, has died SEATTLE -- Bruce Nordstrom, a retail executive who helped expand his family's Pacific Northwest department store chain into an upscale national brand, has died. Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. said its former chairman died at his home on Saturday. He was 90. “Our dad leaves a powerful legacy as a legendary business leader, a generous community citizen and a loyal friend,” said a statement from his sons, Nordstrom CEO Erik Nordstrom and Pete Nordstrom, the company's president. The chain traces its roots back to a Seattle shoe store opened by Swedish immigrant John Nordstrom and a partner in 1901. Bruce Nordstrom and other members of the third generation took leadership reins in 1968. They brought the company public in 1971 and expanded its footprint across the U.S. while also launching the lower-priced Nordstrom Rack stores. Bruce Nordstrom retired from his executive role in 1995 as the third generation handed over leadership to the fourth. He retired as chairman of Nordstrom's board of directors in 2006. He was one of several Nordstrom family members who in 2017 made a push to take the company private, proposing to buy out the 70% of the department store’s stock they didn’t already own. Those talks failed in 2018 but earlier this year, his sons started another series of buyout negotiations. In addition to two sons, Nordstrom's survivors include his wife, Jeannie, his sister and fellow philanthropist Anne Gittinger, and seven grandchildren.
Companies are trying to attract more smartphone users across Africa. But there are risks None - Internet-enabled phones can play a unique role in sub-Saharan Africa, where infrastructure and public services are among the world’s least developed Companies are trying to attract more smartphone users across Africa. But there are risks ACCRA, Ghana -- Anita Akpeere prepared fried rice in her kitchen in Ghana's capital as a flurry of notifications for restaurant orders lit up apps on her phone. “I don’t think I could work without a phone in my line of business,” she said, as requests came in for her signature dish, a traditional fermented dumpling. Internet-enabled phones have transformed many lives, but they can play a unique role in sub-Saharan Africa, where infrastructure and public services are among the world's least developed, said Jenny Aker, a professor who studies the issue at Tufts University. At times, technology in Africa has leapfrogged gaps, including providing access to mobile money for people without bank accounts. Despite growing mobile internet coverage on the continent of 1.3 billion people, just 25% of adults in sub-Saharan Africa have access to it, according to Claire Sibthorpe, head of digital inclusion at the U.K.-based mobile phone lobbying group GSMA. Expense is the main barrier. The cheapest smartphone costs up to 95% of the monthly salary for the poorest 20% of the region's population, Sibthorpe said. Literacy rates that are below the global average, and lack of services in many African languages — some 2,000 are spoken across the continent, according to The African Language Program at Harvard University — are other reasons why a smartphone isn't a compelling investment for some. "If you buy a car, it’s because you can drive it," said Alain Capo-Chichi, chief executive of CERCO Group, a company that has developed a smartphone that functions through voice command and is available in 50 African languages such as Yoruba, Swahili and Wolof. Even in Ghana, where the lingua franca is English, knowing how to use smartphones and apps can be a challenge for newcomers. One new company in Ghana is trying to close the digital gap. Uniti Networks offers financing to help make smartphones more affordable and coaches users to navigate its platform of apps. For Cyril Fianyo, a 64-year-old farmer in Ghana’s eastern Volta region, the phone has expanded his activities beyond calls and texts. Using his identity card, he registered with Uniti, putting down a deposit worth 340 Ghanaian Cedis ($25) for a smartphone and will pay the remaining 910 Cedis ($66) in installments. He was shown how to navigate apps that interested him, including a third-party farming app called Cocoa Link that offers videos of planting techniques, weather information and details about the challenges of climate change that have affected cocoa and other crops. Fianyo, who previously planted according to his intuition and rarely interacts with farming advisors, was optimistic that the technology would increase his yields. “I will know the exact time to plant because of the weather forecast,” he said. Kami Dar, chief executive of Uniti Networks, said the mobile internet could help address other challenges including accessing health care. The company has launched in five communities across Ghana with 650 participants and wants to reach 100,000 users within five years. Aker, the scholar, noted that the potential impact of mobile phones across Africa is immense but said there is limited evidence that paid health or agriculture apps are benefiting people there. She asserted that the only beneficial impacts are reminders to take medicine or get vaccinated. Having studied agricultural apps and their impact, she said it doesn't seem that farmers are getting better prices or improving their income. Capo-Chichi from CERCO Group said a dearth of useful apps and content is another reason why more people in Africa aren't buying smartphones. Dar said Uniti Networks learns from mistakes. In a pilot in northern Ghana designed to help cocoa farmers contribute to their pensions, there was high engagement but farmers didn’t find the app user-friendly and needed extra coaching. After the feedback, the pension provider changed the interface to improve navigation. Others are finding benefit with Uniti's platform. Mawufemor Vitor, a church secretary in Hohoe, said one health app has assisted her to track her menstruation to help prevent pregnancy. And Fianyo, the farmer, has used the platform to find information on herbal medicine. But mobile phones are no substitute for investment in public services and infrastructure, Aker said. She also expressed concerns about the privacy of data in the hands of private technology providers and governments. With digital IDs in development in African nations such as Kenya and South Africa, this could pave the way for further abuses, Aker said. Uniti Networks is a for-profit business, paid for each customer that signs up for paying apps. Dar asserted that he was not targeting vulnerable populations to sell them unnecessary services and said Uniti only features apps that align with its idea of impact, with a focus on health, education, finance and agriculture. Dar said Uniti has rejected lucrative approaches from many companies including gambling firms. “Tech can be used for awful things,” he said. He acknowledged that Uniti tracks users on the platform to provide incentives, in the form of free data, and to provide feedback to app developers. He acknowledged that users' health and financial data could be at threat from outside attack but said Uniti has decentralized data storage in an attempt to lessen the risk. Still, the potential to provide solutions can outweigh the risks, Aker said, noting two areas where the technology could be transformative: education and insurance. She said mobile phones could help overcome the illiteracy that still affects 773 million people worldwide according to UNESCO. Increased access to insurance, still not widely used in parts of Africa, could provide protection to millions who face shocks on the front lines of climate change and conflict. Back in Fianyo's fields, his new smartphone has attracted curiosity. “This is something I would like to be part of," said neighboring farmer Godsway Kwamigah. ___ Thompson reported from Dakar, Senegal. ___ The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
YouTube blocks Hong Kong protest anthem after court injunction bans song in the city None - YouTube has blocked access to videos of a protest song in Hong Kong to comply with a removal order, days after a court approved an injunction to ban the song in the city HONG KONG -- YouTube has blocked access to videos of a protest song in Hong Kong, days after court approved an injunction banning the song in the city. “Glory to Hong Kong” was an anthem of anti-government protests in 2019. YouTube said that it would comply with a removal order and block access to over 32 YouTube videos of the song that were deemed to be “prohibited publications” under the injunction. Attempts to access the YouTube videos from Hong Kong on Wednesday showed that they were unavailable. A message showed saying that “This content is not available on this country domain due to a court order.” In approving the government's application to ban the song, the court agreed it could be “weaponized” and used to incite secession. “We are disappointed by the court’s decision but are complying with its removal order by blocking access to the listed videos for viewers in Hong Kong,” YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., said in an emailed statement. “We’ll continue to consider our options for an appeal, to promote access to information,” the company said, adding that it shared the concerns of human rights organizations about the chilling effect the ban would have on free expression online. Links to the 32 videos on YouTube will also not show up on Google Search for users in Hong Kong, according to YouTube. George Chen, co-chair of digital practice at Asia Group, a Washington-headquartered business and policy consultancy, said it is worth watching how aggressively Hong Kong authorities will be in ordering internet platforms to remove the song. Chen, who was the former head of public policy for Greater China at Meta, said that if the government begins sending platforms hundreds of links to remove every day, that would likely undermine investor confidence in Hong Kong. “That will hurt Hong Kong’s reputation as a leading financial center because we know how important a free flow of data and information means to a financial center,” he said. “So the government should be very careful and be aware of some unintended consequences that may impact its economic recovery and investors’ confidence.” Internet and social media platforms such as YouTube typically have policies for removal requests from governments. “Glory to Hong Kong” was often sung by demonstrators during massive anti-government protests in 2019. The song was later mistakenly played as the city’s anthem at international sporting events, instead of China’s “March of the Volunteers,” in mix-ups that upset city officials. Authorities earlier arrested some residents who played the song in public under other offenses, such as playing a musical instrument in public without a permit, local media reported. Critics have said prohibiting broadcast or distribution of the song further reduces freedom of expression since Beijing launched a crackdown in the former British colony following the 2019 protests. They have also warned the ban might disrupt the operation of tech giants and hurt the city’s appeal as a business center. ___ Associated Press writer Kanis Leung contributed to this report.
Yemen's Houthi rebels launch a missile that strikes an oil tanker in the Red Sea, US military says None - Yemen’s Houthi rebels hit an oil tanker in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile, damaging the Panama-flagged, Greek-owned vessel in their latest assault over the Israel-Hamas war Yemen's Houthi rebels launch a missile that strikes an oil tanker in the Red Sea, US military says DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels hit an oil tanker in the Red Sea with a ballistic missile early Saturday, damaging the Panama-flagged, Greek-owned vessel in their latest assault over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, officials said. Though the Houthis did not immediately claim the assault, it comes as they claimed to have shot down another U.S. military's MQ-9 Reaper drone over Yemen and have launched other attacks on shipping, disrupting trade on a key maritime route leading to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. The attack around 1 a.m. struck the oil tanker Wind, which recently docked in Russia and was bound for China, the U.S. military's Central Command said. Both China and Russia maintain ties over military equipment and oil to Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor. The missile strike “caused flooding which resulted in the of loss propulsion and steering,” Central Command said on the social platform X. “The crew of M/T Wind was able to restore propulsion and steering, and no casualties were reported. M/T Wind resumed its course under its own power.” The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center and the private security firm Ambrey similarly acknowledged the attack earlier Saturday. Ambrey said it caused a fire aboard the Wind. It can take the Houthis hours — or even days — to claim their attacks. The Houthis have launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding Israel ends the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage. The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden still remains low because of the threat, however. The Houthis claimed that they shot down the Reaper on Thursday with a surface-to-air missile. They described the drone as “carrying out hostile actions” in Yemen’s Marib province, which remains held by allies of Yemen’s exiled, internationally recognized government. Since the Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital, Sanaa, in 2014, the U.S. military has previously lost at least five drones to the rebels. Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land.
Driver of pickup that collided with farmworker bus in Florida, killing 8, is arrested on DUI charges None - The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested the driver of a pickup truck that crashed into a farmworker bus, killing eight, on charges of driving under the influence-manslaughter Driver of pickup that collided with farmworker bus in Florida, killing 8, is arrested on DUI charges OCALA, Fla. -- The Florida Highway Patrol has arrested the driver of a pickup truck that crashed into a farmworker bus early Tuesday, killing eight, on charges of driving under the influence-manslaughter. Bryan Maclean Howard, 41, faces eight counts of DUI-Manslaughter, the FHP said in a statement. No further details were released, including what substance allegedly left Howard impaired. Troopers said he was driving the 2001 Ford Ranger when it crossed into the center line on State Road 40, a straight but somewhat hilly two-lane road that passes through horse farms. The truck sideswiped the bus, causing it to veer off the road at about 6:40 a.m. It crashed through a fence and into a tree before overturning. In addition to the eight killed, at least 40 were injured. It was not immediately known if Howard has an attorney, and no phone numbers for family members could be found. According to state records, Howard has previous arrests for driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident and marijuana possession. The accident happened in Marion County, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Orlando. The workers had been headed to Cannon Farms in Dunnellon, which has been harvesting watermelons. The bus ended up on its side, with its windows smashed and its emergency rear door and top hatch open. The truck came to a stop at the side of the road, with its air bag blown and extensive damage to the driver's side. Federal statistics show that vehicle crashes were the leading cause of job-related deaths among farmworkers in 2022, the latest year available. They accounted for 81 of 171 fatalities. It was not immediately not known if the bus had seat belts. Authorities in several states have been pushing for greater regulations for the safety of farmworkers, who are overwhelmingly migrants. It is unknown if all the workers on the bus were migrants. The Mexican consulate in Orlando said it was making help available to any of the workers who are from its country. The Labor Department announced new seat belt requirements for employer vehicles used for farmworkers on temporary visas, among other worker protections that take effect June 28. The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association has been opposed, calling the seat belt requirement “impractical.” State law requires seat belts for farmworker transport using smaller vehicles, weighing less than 10,000 pounds. “We will be closed today out of respect to the losses and injuries endured early this morning in the accident that took place to the Olvera Trucking Harvesting Corp.,” Cannon Farms announced on its Facebook page. “Please pray with us for the families and the loved ones involved in this tragic accident. We appreciate your understanding at this difficult time.” Cannon Farms describes itself as a family-owned operation that has farmed its land for more than 100 years. The company now focuses on peanuts and watermelons, which it sends to grocery stores across the U.S. and Canada. It is about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from the crash site. No one answered the phone at Olvera Trucking on Tuesday afternoon. The company recently advertised for a temporary driver who would bus workers to watermelon fields and then operate harvesting equipment. The pay was $14.77 an hour. A Labor Department document shows Olvera recently applied for 43 H-2A workers to harvest watermelons at Cannon Farms this month. The company again offered a base rate of $14.77 an hour, with promises of housing and transportation to and from the fields. The H-2A program allows U.S. employers or agents who meet certain regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals into the country to fill temporary agricultural jobs. Florida farms employ more H-2A workers than any other state, about 50,000 a year, according to the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association. Guatemala’s government initially said some of its citizens were involved in the crash but retracted that Tuesday night, saying a report on an accident from the consulate in Chicago had been confused with the Florida crash. Goldin López de Bonilla, spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said the Central American nation was still waiting to hear whether any of its citizens were involved in the Florida crash. Alicia Bárcena, Mexico's foreign relations secretary, said via the social media platform X, “I am sorry to report that a tragic automotive accident happened in Florida with Mexican agricultural workers involved.” The Mexican Consulate in Orlando was on the scene, she said, to provide support. Andres Sequera, a director of mission and ministry for AdventHealth hospitals, told reporters that the injured workers who could be visited by chaplains “were in good spirits for what they have been through.” “We were able to provide support, presence, prayer when it was asked of us,” he said. A GoFundMe campaign organized by the Farmworker Association of Florida to support accident victims and their families had raised about $5,000 of a $50,000 goal by Tuesday evening. “Farmworkers tend to be forgotten, but it’s important not to forget farmworkers, especially during such difficult times,” the post said. Two groups that advocate for farmworkers issued statements calling for stricter laws to protect them from harm. “It is too easy to dismiss this as just another accident,” said Asia Clermont, Florida director for the League of United Latin American Citizens. “Florida must take every possible step to protect its essential workers, who are human beings and the backbone of the state’s economy.” Ty Joplin of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers said transportation laws for farmworkers are often unenforced. “While accidents will happen, protecting workers while transporting them with mandatory and enforceable safety provisions, like seat belts and safety inspections, can reduce injuries and deaths,” he said. ___ Spencer reported from Fort Lauderdale. Associated Press writer Sonia Pérez D. in Guatemala City contributed. ___ This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Andres Sequera's last name and the city of Dunnellon. It has also been updated with Guatemala retracting a statement about some of its citizens being involved in the crash, with the country saying an accident in Chicago was confused with the one in Florida.
Elon Musk launches Starlink satellite internet service in Indonesia, world's largest archipelago None - Elon Musk has traveled to Indonesia’s resort island of Bali to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation DENPASAR, Indonesia -- Elon Musk traveled to Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation. Wearing a green Batik shirt, Musk was greeted with a garland of flower petals at a community health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali, where he launched the Starlink service alongside Indonesian ministers. Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 17,000 islands sprawled across three time zones with a population of more than 270 million, has been trying for years to secure deals with Musk's Tesla on battery investment and for Musk’s SpaceX to provide fast internet for the country’s remote regions. During the ceremony, Musk took a speed test of the Starlink internet service with several health workers in Indonesia’s remote regions, including in Aru, one of Indonesia’s unserved and outermost islands in Maluku province. “This can make it really a lifesaver for remote medical clinics, and I think it could be a possibility for education as well,” Musk told reporters. “If you can access the internet and then you can learn anything and you can also sell your business services worldwide. So, I think it’s going to be incredibly beneficial," he said. He also signed an agreement on enhancing connectivity in the country’s health and education sectors. Details about the agreement between the Indonesian government and Musk’s SpaceX, the aerospace company that operates Starlink services, were not provided. Launching the service at a health clinic aligns with Starlink’s broader mission of providing affordable access to high-speed internet services, particularly in underserved and remote regions, said Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. “Our remote regions need Starlink to expand high-speed internet services, especially to help with problems in the health, education and maritime sectors,” Pandjaitan, a close ally of Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, told reporters. He held separate talks with Musk on Sunday. Communication and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi said earlier that local internet providers, which rely on base transceiver stations to transmit signals, are unable to reach outer islands because they have limited coverage. Starlink’s satellites, which remain in low orbit, will help them deliver faster internet with nationwide coverage. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said of the more than 10,000 clinics across the country, there are still around 2,700 without internet access. “The internet can open up better access to health services as communication between regions is said to be easier, so that reporting from health service facilities can be done in real time or up to date,” he said. During his first in-person visit to Bali, Musk is also scheduled to participate in the 10th World Water Forum, which seeks to address global water and sanitation challenges. Musk spoke in 2022 at the B-20 business forum ahead of a summit of the Group of 20 leading economies that took place in Bali. He joined the conference by video link weeks after completing his heavily scrutinized takeover of Twitter. Musk’s visit comes just weeks after Apple CEO Tim Cook met Widodo on April 17 and said the company would “look at” manufacturing in Indonesia. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella visited on April 30 and said the company would invest $1.7 billion over the next four years in new cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Indonesia. Indonesia under Widodo has promoted development of the digital technology and information sectors, aiming to achieve the government’s Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision. The country hopes to become one of the world’s top five economies with a GDP of up to $9 trillion, exactly a century after it won independence from Dutch colonizers. ___ Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.
Vegas tourism authority sponsoring each Aces player for $100K in 2024 and 2025; WNBA investigating. None - LAS VEGAS -- The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is providing a $100,000 annual sponsorship to each Aces player for this season and 2025. The WNBA is investigating whether the sponsorships are allowed. This isn’t the Aces first run-in with the league over the last few years. Last year, the WNBA suspended Aces coach Becky Hammon for two games and took away the Aces’ 2025 first-round draft pick because the franchise violated league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and workplace policies. The sponsorship does not violate the WNBA’s salary cap because the Las Vegas authority did not orchestrate it with the club. But other teams are likely to raise questions about the fairness of the sponsorship and whether it violates the spirit of the cap rules. The authority posted a video on X of president and CEO Steve Hill telling the players in the locker room the news on Friday. “The Aces have been on an historic run — two-time world champions,” Hill said on the video before informing the players. “We’re here to do something historic with them, too.” The players were thrilled by the move. “The city of Vegas I’ve always said, it’s a big small town and they just want the best for the people here,” point guard Chelsea Gray said before the Aces' home game Saturday against the Los Angeles Sparks. "They’re investing in us and so they put their money where their mouth is. We’ve done so much for the city and having fun doing it. “It was a great moment for me and my teammates, of somebody actually putting funds behind, saying that they’re supporting and they want to have our back.” According to the website Spotrac, which tracks player salaries, the sponsorship is higher than the earnings of six Aces players. “Definitely more than my salary,” said rookie Kate Martin, who makes $67,249, according to the website. “I’m super thankful. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming, but this is very much real life and that is what all these players deserve. I wouldn’t be getting this crazy bonus if it weren’t for how great all of these players have played in the last few years.” The $100,000 also is a big addition even to what the top players make. A’ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are the highest-paid Aces at $200,000 each and Gray is right behind at $196,267. “(For) the LVCVA to see our value and to help close that pay gap, it says a lot about the character of the people that are there,” said Alysha Clark, whose salary is listed at $110,000. “So I’m extremely grateful. I’m honored to be able to represent this organization and this city and be able to put on for the city, give back to this city and pour into the community, and that’s what they did for us. It was really, really special.” ___ AP Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg and AP freelance writer W.G. Ramirez contributed to this report. ___ AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball