A student opened fire randomly at two classrooms at a middle school in southeast Turkey on Wednesday, killing four people and wounding 20 others, an official said, in the second such shooting in the country in two days.
The student, who was also killed, arrived at the school, armed with guns believed to belong to his father, a retired police officer, Kahramanmaras provincial Gov. Mukerrem Unluer said. The gunman was carrying five firearms and seven magazines.
The victims included a teacher and three students, Unluer said. At least four of the wounded were in serious condition. The motive of the attack wasn't immediately known.
The attack came just a day after 16 people, mostly students, were wounded when a former student opened fire at a high school in nearby Sanliurfa province. The assailant later killed himself.
Until this week, such school shootings were rare in Turkey.
Earlier, media reports said that authorities sent police and ambulances to the school in the Kahramanmaras' Onikisubat district, after gunfire was heard there. Images from the scene showed at least two people being put into ambulances.
Parents rushed to the school after hearing reports of an armed attack, NTV television reported, adding that police took security measures around the school.
U.S. stocks rallied to the edge of an all-time high Tuesday, and oil prices eased as hopes climbed that the United States and Iran may try again on talks to end their war and avoid a worst-case scenario for the global economy.
The S&P 500 added 1.2% to its leap from the day before, and the index at the heart of many 401(k) accounts is just 0.2% below its record set in January.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 317 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 2%. They followed gains for stock markets worldwide as diplomats worked through back channels to arrange a new round of talks between the United States and Iran.
If talks succeed and the war ends up being only a temporary setback for the global economy, rather than a new normal of very high oil prices and inflation, investors can turn their attention back to what matters most for stock prices: How much money are companies making?
Positive trends there had stock markets worldwide doing well before the war began, and analysts see continued growth ahead, for now at least.
Lower oil prices help bring down costs for all kinds of businesses, and the price for a barrel of Brent crude to be delivered in June fell 4.6% to settle at $94.79 Tuesday.
While thats still above its roughly $70 price from before the war began in late February, its well below the $119 peak it has hit when worries about the war have been at their heights.
To be sure, hope has often swung quickly into doubt since the war began, which has caused extreme and sudden reversals in financial markets. Much of the stress has been due to the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway thats the main avenue for crude oil produced in the Persian Gulf area to reach customers worldwide. Blockages there have kept oil off the global market, which has in turn driven up its price.
And that has meant a blast of higher inflation. In the United States, inflation at the wholesale level accelerated to 4% in March from 3.4% the month before, according to the latest data released Tuesday. That was actually better than the 4.6% rate economists expected.
The effect is worldwide. Global inflation this year looks set to accelerate to 4.4% from 4.1% in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund, which had earlier thought inflation would slow to 3.8%.
The IMF on Tuesday also downgraded its forecast for global economic growth to 3.1% this year from the 3.3% it had forecast in January.
On Wall Street, strong profit reports from companies are helping to make up for such worries. Over the long term, stock prices tend to follow the path of corporate profits, and analysts are forecasting S&P 500 companies will report solid growth of more than 12% for the most recent quarter, according to FactSet.
Optimism remains high enough that analysts have raised their estimates since the war began for S&P 500 profits over the first six months of the year, according to strategists at Morgan Stanley.
BlackRock gained 3%, and Citigroup rose 2.6% Tuesday after the financial companies reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
JPMorgan Chase likewise delivered a better-than-expected quarter, but its stock dipped 0.8% as CEO Jamie Dimon said bank officials cannot predict how the increasingly complex set of risks will play out given so much uncertainty.
Amazon climbed 3.8% after saying it would buy Globalstar, a mobile satellite services company, for $90 per share in either cash or Amazon stock. Globalstar jumped 9.6%.
Software companies also rallied for a second day, recovering more of their sharp losses from earlier in the year on worries they could be made obsolete by artificial-intelligence technology. AppLovin rose 3.9%, and an ETF from iShares tracking the software industry added 1%.
That in turn helped private-credit companies recover. These companies have lent money to software businesses and others that may be under threat from AI, and some have seen a rush of investors trying to pull out their money.
Blue Owl Capital rose 8.5% to trim its loss for the year so far below 39%. Ares Management climbed 5.6%, and Apollo Global Management rose 4.4%.
They helped offset a 5.7% drop for Wells Fargo, which reported weaker revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
All told, the S&P 500 rose 81.14 points to 6,967.38. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 317.74 to 48,535.99, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 455.35 to 23,639.08.
In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. South Koreas Kospi jumped 2.7%, and Japans Nikkei 225 rose 2.4% for two of the bigger gains.
In the bond market, Treasury yields eased as the fall for oil prices took some of the pressure off inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.25% from 4.30% late Monday.
Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was placed on probation Tuesday for 18 months for a confrontation with his executive assistant soon after he was fired for having an inappropriate relationship with her.
Moore was facing a possible sentence of up to six months in jail after pleading no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecom device. But Judge J. Cedric Simpson ordered no time in custody.
A felony charge of home invasion, as well as stalking and illegal entry misdemeanors, were dropped.
Moore, 40, was fired on Dec. 10 after leading the Wolverines for two seasons, following Jim Harbaughs move to the NFLs Los Angeles Chargers. It was a stunning dismissal at one of college footballs most prestigious programs.
Moore was accused that same day of confronting the woman with whom he had been having an affair and blaming her for his firing, even threatening to kill himself with butter knives in her apartment. Authorities said the woman had ended the affair and spoken to school officials about it.
Moore was charged with felony home invasion and two additional charges. But Washtenaw County prosecutors agreed to a deal in which he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors. The felony charge was dropped.
Even before Virginia voters decide on a new congressional map, Democrats are piling in to run for districts proposed under a redistricting plan that is designed to give their party a near sweep of the states U.S. House seats.
The latest entrant is Olivia Troye, who was an aide to former Republican Vice President Mike Pence and has become a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. She announced Tuesday that she'll run in Virginia's newly created 7th Congressional District, joining an already crowded field.
Voters will decide April 21 whether to adopt a Democratic-drawn congressional map that could help the party win four more U.S. House seats, a rare and enticing prospect for ambitious Democrats.
I just feel like we need people that are going to stand up and fight, Troye said. And Im not seeing that right now, across the Democratic and Republican parties."
The proposed district where Troye wants to run was designed to be an easy general election win for Democrats, taking in territory that is now part of six different districts.
About a half-dozen Democrats have announced plans to run in the district if voters approve the new boundaries. They include Dorothy McAuliffe, Virginia's former first lady, and former federal prosecutor J.P. Cooney, who served as a deputy to special counsel Jack Smith and was fired by Trump.
The sprawling district would have a population center in the heavily Democratic northern Virginia suburbs of Washington and would stretch deep into rural areas that favor Republicans.
Crowded primaries are also shaping up in some of the other newly formed districts, though the 7th District has an unusually deep stable of prominent candidates.
Virginia is the latest state to push a partisan redistricting plan before the 2026 midterms, when Democrats are looking to gain the House majority and the power it would give them to stymie Trumps agenda.
Virginia's map aims to give Democrats the edge in 10 of the state's 11 U.S. House districts, replacing the current map that elected a congressional delegation with six Democrats and five Republicans.
Trump instigated a redistricting arms race last year when he pressed Texas Republicans to adopt new boundaries aimed at giving Republicans as many as five new House seats there. California voters responded with a plan favoring Democrats. Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have adopted Republican-friendly maps.
Democrats in Maryland this week rejected a plan to adopt a map favoring their party, while Florida Republicans are pressing ahead with their own redistricting plan.
Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor on Sunday following sexual assault allegations that he continues to deny.
I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made but thats my fight, not a campaigns, Swalwell said in a social media post.
Democrats quickly abandoned him after allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him, were published Friday in the San Francisco Chronicle and later by CNN. The reports came as Swalwell began to emerge as a leader contender in the crowded race.
His exit from the race comes less than a month before ballots go out in advance of the June 2 primary and as Democrats have been engaged in a messy primary campaign. Swalwell's Democratic rivals were among those who swiftly urged him to exit the race, but his support also cratered among allies in Congress and labor unions who had endorsed him.
Some Democrats also urged Swalwell to resign his seat in Congress, but he made no mention of that Sunday.
The 48-hour period marked a rapid reversal for a candidate who appeared to be gaining momentum in the packed field to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who cant seek a third term.
Though Swalwell has denied the allegations, he has seemingly referenced infidelity in multiple statements.
To my family, staff, friends, and supporters, I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment Ive made in my past, he wrote. That followed a video post on Friday where he apologized to his wife.
Swalwell's exit shakes up campaign
The accusations reordered a wide-open gubernatorial race that had Democrats fretting the partys large number of candidates could lead to them getting shut out of the general election in November. Thats because California has a top-two primary system in which two candidates advance regardless of party.
Swalwell had become a clear target for his Democratic rivals as he began to lock up institutional support. Some had seized on rumors of sexual misconduct that circulated on social media for weeks before the Chronicle's report.
His departure from the race will leave his rivals scrambling to win over his supporters and donors. Other prominent Democrats in the race include billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer and former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter. The major Republican contenders are former Fox News host Steve Hilton, who has Trumps backing, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
The San Francisco Chronicle spoke to a woman who alleged Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019, when she worked for him, and again in 2024. The woman said she did not go to police at the time of the assaults because she was afraid she would not be believed. In both cases the woman said she was too intoxicated to consent to sex. CNN reported on allegations that appeared to come from the same woman, and spoke to several other women who accused Swalwell of other sexual misconduct.
Neither outlet named the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.
The alleged 2024 incident occurred in New York, and the Manhattan District Attorneys Office said it's investigating. That office urged anyone with knowledge to contact its special victims division.
House colleagues call for Swalwell to resign
As Swalwell's campaign flailed over the weekend, fellow California Reps. Jared Huffman, Ro Khanna and Sam Liccardo said Swalwell should resign, as did Reps. Teresa Leger Fernndez of New Mexico and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state.
This is not a partisan issue, Jayapal said Sunday. This cuts across party lines. And it is depravity of the way that women have been treated.
Some representative said they would support the rare step of expelling him should he refuse to step aside.
It all added to the mounting political pressure on Swalwell, which began with allies like Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jimmy Gomez cutting their support. Gomez had helped run Swalwells campaign and said he was immediately ending his role.
With the House returning to session Tuesday, the question of whether to expel Swalwell could come to a head quickly. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said Saturday that she would be filing a motion to start the process.
Expulsion votes in the House are rare and require a two-thirds majority, but there is recent precedent for taking the step. Republican George Santos of New York in 2023 became just the sixth member in House history to be ousted by colleagues for his conduct.
Huffman, Jayapal and Leger Fernndez said they would vote to expel Swalwell from the House, though they said they also support expelling Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who admitted to an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide.
Swalwell, who is originally from Iowa, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters. He is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trumps second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021.
U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV pushed back Monday on President Donald Trumps broadside against him over the U.S.-Israel war in Iran, telling reporters that the Vaticans appeals for peace and reconciliation are rooted in the Gospel, and that he doesnt fear the Trump administration.
To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is, Leo told The Associated Press aboard the papal plane en route to Algeria. And Im sorry to hear that but I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today.
Historys first U.S.-born pope stressed that he was not making a direct attack against Trump or anyone else with his general appeal for peace and criticisms of the delusion of omnipotence that is fueling the Iran wars and other conflicts around the world.
I will not enter into debate. The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone. The message of the Gospel is very clear: Blessed are the peacemakers, Leo said.
I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time thats possible
Speaking to other reporters, he added: Im not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the Church works for.''
We are not politicans. We do not look at foreign policy from the same perspective that he may have,'' the pope said, adding, I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems.
"Too many people are suffering today, too many innocent people have been killed, and I believe someone must stand up and say that there is a better way,'' he said.
Trump says Leo is not doing a very good job
Trump delivered an extraordinary broadside against Leo on Sunday night, saying he didn't think the U.S.-born global leader of the Catholic Church is doing a very good job and that he's a very liberal person," while also suggesting the pontiff should stop catering to the Radical Left.
Flying back to Washington from Florida, Trump used a lengthy social media post to sharply criticize Leo, then kept it up after deplaning, in comments on the tarmac to reporters.
Im not a fan of Pope Leo, he said.
Trump's comments came after Leo suggested over the weekend that a delusion of omnipotence is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. While its not unusual for popes and presidents to be at cross purposes, its exceedingly rare for the pope to directly criticize a U.S. leader and Trumps stinging response is equally uncommon, if not more so.
Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy, the president wrote in his post, adding, I dont want a Pope who thinks its OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon."
Italian politicians across the spectrum showed their solidarity with Leo. Premier Giorgia Meloni sent a message of support for his peace mission while the leader of the main opposition party, Elly Schlein, was more direct, calling Trumps attacks extremely serious.
Trump repeated that sentiment in comments to reporters, saying, We dont like a pope who says its OK to have a nuclear weapon.
Later, Trump posted a picture suggesting he had saint-like powers akin to those of Jesus Christ. Wearing a biblical-style robe, Trump is seen laying hands on a bedridden man as light emanates from his fingers, while a soldier, a nurse, a praying woman and a bearded man in a baseball cap all look on admiringly. The sky above is filled with eagles, an American flag and vaporous images.
Leo's opposition to war irked Trump
All of that came after Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peters Basilica on Saturday, the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. The pope didnt mention the United States or Trump by name, but his tone and message appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S. military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.
Leo, who is on an 11-day trip to Africa starting Monday has previously said that God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them. He's also referenced an Old Testament passage from Isaiah, saying that even though you make many prayers, I will not listen your hands are full of blood.
Before the ceasefire, when Trump warned of mass strikes against Iranian power plants and other infrastructure and that an entire civilization will die tonight, Leo described such sentiments as truly unacceptable.
In his social media post on Sunday night, however, Trump went far beyond the war in Iran in criticizing Leo.
The president wrote, I dont want a Pope who thinks its terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States. That was a reference to the Trump administration having ousted Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro in January.
I dont want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because Im doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, Trump added, referencing his 2024 election victory.
He also suggested in the post that Leo only got his position because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.
If I wasnt in the White House, Leo wouldnt be in the Vatican, Trump wrote, adding, Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. Its hurting him very badly and, more importantly, its hurting the Catholic Church!
In his subsequent comments to reporters, Trump remained highly critical, saying of Leo, I dont think hes doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess and adding, Hes a very liberal person.
Bishops say the pope is not a politician
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement saying he was disheartened by Trump's comments.
Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls, Coakley said.
The Italian Bishops' Conference expressed regret over Trump's words, and underlined that the pope "is not a political counterpart, but the successor of Peter, called to serve the Gospel, truth and peace.''
In the 2024 election, Trump won 55% of Catholic voters, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. But Trump's administration also has close ties to conservative evangelical Protestant leaders and has claimed heavenly endorsement for the war on Iran.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Americans to pray for victory in the name of Jesus Christ. And, when Trump was asked whether he thought God approved of the war, he said, I do, because God is good because God is good and God wants to see people taken care of.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn conceded defeat on Sunday after what he called a painful election result, ending 16 years in power for a powerful figure in the far-right movement allied with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Partial official results show opposition leader Peter Magyar's party dominating the vote, in a bombshell election result with repercussions around Europe and beyond. Thank you, Hungary!'' Magyar posted on X, as thousands of his supporters thronged the banks of the Danube in Budapest.
Across town, Orban told his followers that I congratulated the victorious party.''
We are going to serve the Hungarian nation and our homeland from opposition as well,'' he said.
With 60% of the vote counted, Magyars Tisza party had more than 52% support to 38% for Orbn's governing Fidesz party. That proportion will change as more votes are counted.
It's a major blow for Orbn, the European Unions longest-serving leader and one of its biggest antagonists, who has traveled a long road from his early days as a liberal, anti-Soviet firebrand to the Russia-friendly nationalist admired today by the global far-right.
The parties of both Orbn and Magyar said they had received reports of electoral violations, suggesting some results could be disputed by both sides.
Voters showed up in droves
Turnout by 6:30 p.m. was over 77%, according to the National Election Office, a record number in any election in Hungarys post-Communist history.
Im asking our supporters and all Hungarians: Lets stay peaceful, cheerful, and if the results confirm our expectations, lets throw a big, Hungarian carnival, Magyar said.
Orbns chief of staff, Gergely Gulys, said the record high turnout showed that Hungarian democracy is extremely strong.
Choice between East or West
Orbn has repeatedly frustrated EU efforts to support Ukraine in its war against Russias full-scale invasion, while cultivating close ties to President Vladimir Putin and refusing to end Hungarys dependence on Russian fossil fuel imports.
Recent revelations have shown a top member of his government frequently shared the contents of EU discussions with Moscow, raising accusations that Hungary was acting on Russias behalf within the bloc.
The election was closely watched in countries around Europe and beyond, which is a testament to the outsize role Orbn occupies in far-right populist politics worldwide.
Members of Trump's Make America Great Again movement are among those who see Orbn's government and his Fidesz political party as shining examples of conservative, anti-globalist politics in action, while he is reviled by advocates of liberal democracy and the rule of law.
After casting his vote, Magyar told reporters that the election was a choice between East or West, propaganda or honest public discourse, corruption or clean public life.
Casting his ballot in Budapest, Marcell Mehringer, 21, said he was voting primarily so that Hungary will finally be a so-called European country, and so that young people, and really everyone, will do their fundamental civic duty to unite this nation a bit and to break down these boundaries borne of hatred.
Strained relationship with the EU
During his 16 years as prime minister, Orbn has launched harsh crackdowns on minority rights and media freedoms, subverted many of Hungary's institutions and been accused of siphoning large sums of money into the coffers of his allied business elite, an allegation he denies.
He also has heavily strained Hungary's relationship with the EU. Although Hungary is one of the smaller EU countries, with a population of 9.5 million, Orbn has repeatedly used his veto to block decisions that require unanimity.
Most recently, he blocked a 90-billion euro ($104 billion) EU loan to Ukraine, prompting his partners to accuse him of hijacking the critical aid.
Serious challenger on the rise
Magyar rapidly rose to become Orbn's most serious challenger. The 45-year-old leader of the center-right Tisza party, which led in independent polls, campaigned on issues affecting ordinary voters including Hungarys faltering public health care and transportation sectors and what he describes as rampant government corruption.
A former insider within Orbn's Fidesz, Magyar broke with the party in 2024 and quickly formed Tisza. Since then, he has toured Hungary relentlessly, holding rallies in settlements big and small in a campaign blitz that recently had him visiting up to six towns daily.
In an interview with The Associated Press earlier this month, Magyar said the election will be a referendum on whether Hungary continues on its drift toward Russia under Orbn, or can retake its place among the democratic societies of Europe.
Tisza won 30% of the vote in European Parliament elections in 2024, and Magyar took a seat as an EU lawmaker. Tisza is a member of the European People's Party, the mainstream, center-right political family with leaders governing 12 of the EU's 27 nations.
Uphill election battle
Magyar and Tisza face a tough fight. Orbn's control of Hungary's public media, which he has transformed into a mouthpiece for his party, and vast swaths of the private media market give him an advantage in spreading his message.
The unilateral transformation of Hungary's electoral system and gerrymandering of its 106 voting districts by Fidesz also will require Tisza to gain an estimated 5% more votes than Orbns party to achieve a simple majority.
Additionally, hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries had the right to vote in Hungarian elections and traditionally have voted overwhelmingly for Orbn's party.
Fidesz and Tisza both have launched platforms for reporting irregularities, accusing their opponents of planning to commit election abuses.
Russian secret services have plotted to interfere and tip the election in Orbn's favor, according to numerous media reports including by The Washington Post. The prime minister, however, has accused neighboring Ukraine, as well as Hungary's allies in the EU, of seeking to interfere in the vote to install a pro-Ukraine government.
Such accusations are part of why many in the EU see Orbn as a danger to the bloc's future.
But across the Atlantic, Trump and his MAGA movement are all-in for another Orbn term. Trump has repeatedly endorsed the Hungarian leader and U.S. Vice President JD Vance made a two-day visit to Hungary last week meant to help push Orbn over the finish line.
President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would immediately begin a blockade of ships entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement.
U.S. Central Command announced that it will blockade all Iranian ports beginning Monday at 10 a.m. ET.
CENTCOM said the blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations. It said it would still allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump wants to weaken Irans key leverage in the war after demanding that it reopen the strait to all global traffic on the waterway that was responsible for 20% of global oil shipping before fighting began.
Traffic in the Strait has been limited even in the days since the ceasefire. Marine trackers say over 40 commercial ships have crossed since the start of the ceasefire.
going to be all or none, and thats the way it is," Trump told Fox News.
Trump said on social media that he told the Navy to "seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. He said other nations would be involved but did not name them.
Freedom of peaceful navigation is a basic principle of international maritime trade.
Iran says if you fight, we will fight
Irans Revolutionary Guard later said the strait remained under Irans full control and was open for non-military vessels, but military ones would get a forceful response, two semi-official Iranian news agencies reported.
During the 21-hour talks, the U.S. military said two destroyers had transited the strait ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran denied it.
Trumps plan to use the Navy to block the strait is unrealistic and he will have to concede on some issues with Iran, said Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer in security studies at Kings College London. There isnt any tool in the toolbox in terms of the military lever that he could use to get his way, Krieg said.
Trump said Tehrans nuclear ambitions were at the core of the talks' failure. In comments to Fox News, he again threatened to strike civilian infrastructure.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Irans side, addressed Trump in a new statement on his return to Iran: If you fight, we will fight.
The face-to-face talks that ended early Sunday were the highest-level negotiations between the longtime rivals since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Neither indicated what will happen after the ceasefire expires on April 22.
We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, said Vice President JD Vance, leading the U.S. side.
Iranian negotiators could not agree to all U.S. red lines, said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to describe positions on the record. These included Iran never obtaining a nuclear weapon, ending uranium enrichment, dismantling major enrichment facilities and allowing retrieval of its highly enriched uranium, along with opening the Strait of Hormuz and ending funding for Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi rebels.
Iranian officials said talks fell apart over two or three key issues, blaming what they called U.S. overreach. Qalibaf, who noted progress in negotiations, said it was time for the United States to decide whether it can gain our trust or not.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country will try to facilitate a new dialogue in the coming days. Iran said it was open to continuing dialogue, state-run IRNA news agency reported.
The European Union urged further diplomatic efforts. The foreign minister of Oman, located on the Strait of Hormuz's southern coast, called for parties to make painful concessions." The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized his readiness to help bring about a diplomatic settlement in a call with Iran's president.
Iran's nuclear program is a key sticking point
Irans nuclear program was at the center of tensions long before the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28. The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 2,055 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, and damaged infrastructure in half a dozen countries.
Tehran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons but insists on its right to a civilian nuclear program. The landmark 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump later pulled the U.S. out of, took well over a year of negotiations. Experts say Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, though not weapons-grade, is only a short technical step away.
An Iranian diplomatic official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of closed-door talks, denied that negotiations had failed over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Inside Iran, there was new exhaustion and anger after months of unrest that began with nationwide protests against economic issues and then political ones, followed by weeks of sheltering from U.S. and Israeli bombardment.
We have never sought war. But if they try to win what they failed to win on the battlefield through talks, thats absolutely unacceptable, Mohammad Bagher Karami said in Tehran.
Elsewhere in the region, airstrikes calmed over the past day except in Lebanon.
More questions as Israel presses ahead in Lebanon
Irans 10-point proposal for the talks called for a halt to Israeli strikes on the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel has said the ceasefire did not apply there, but Iran and Pakistan said it did.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited parts of southern Lebanon under Israeli control on Sunday, for the first time since the current fighting. Attacks on southern Lebanon have intensified alongside the ground invasion renewed after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in the wars opening days.
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington after Israels surprise announcement authorizing talks despite their lack of official relations. Israel wants Lebanon to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, but the militant group has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades.
The day the Iran ceasefire deal was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people, according to the Health Ministry.
Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported six people were killed Sunday in Maaroub village near the coastal city of Tyre.
Still marveling over their moon mission, the Artemis II astronauts received a thunderous welcome home Saturday from hundreds who took part in NASA's lunar comeback that set a record for deep space travel.
The crew of four arrived at Ellington Field near NASA's Johnson Space Center and Mission Control, flying in from San Diego, where they splashed down just offshore the evening before.
After a quick reunion with their spouses and children, commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada's Jeremy Hansen took the hangar stage, surrounded by space center workers and other invited guests. They were introduced by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, among the first to greet them aboard the recovery ship Friday.
Ladies and gentlemen, your Artemis II crew, Isaacman said to a standing ovation.
The jubilant crowd included flight directors and the launch director, Orion capsule and exploration system managers, high-ranking military officers, members of Congress, the space agencys entire blue-suited astronaut corps and even retired ones, and more.
Their homecoming was poignant: They returned to NASA's Houston base on the 56th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13, whose Houston, weve had a problem refrain turned a near-disaster into triumph.
This was not easy. an emotional Wiseman said. Before you launch, it feels like its the greatest dream on Earth. And when youre out there, you just want to get back to your families and your friends. Its a special thing to be a human, and its a special thing to be on planet Earth.
Added Glover: I have not processed what we just did and Im afraid to start even trying."
Hansen said the four of them embodied love and extracting joy out of that as the four joined together to stand in a row, embracing one another. When you look up here, youre not looking at us. We are a mirror reflecting you. And if you like what you see, then just look a little deeper. This is you.
During Artemis II's nearly 10-day mission, the astronauts voyaged deeper into space than the moon explorers of decades past and captured views of the lunar far side never witnessed before by human eyes. A total solar eclipse added to the cosmic wonder.
On their record-breaking flyby, the astronauts reached a maximum 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers) from Earth before hanging a U-turn behind the moon, eclipsing Apollo's 13 distance record.
The mission also revealed a new side of our planet with an Earthset photo, showing our Blue Marble setting behind the gray, pockmarked moon. The image echoed the famous Earthrise shot from 1968 taken by the worlds first lunar visitors, Apollo 8.
Honestly, what struck me wasnt necessarily just Earth, it was all the blackness around it. Earth was just this lifeboat hanging undisturbedly in the universe, Koch said. Planet Earth you are a crew.
Despite the accomplishments, Artemis II astronauts had to contend with a more mundane problem a malfunctioning space toilet. NASA promised a design fix before longer moon-landing missions.
Wiseman, Glover, Koch and Hansen were the first humans to fly to the moon since Apollo 17 closed out NASA's first exploration era in 1972. Twenty-four astronauts flew to the moon during Apollo, including 12 moonwalkers.
Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell who also flew on Apollo 8 cheered the Artemis II crew on in a wake-up message recorded before he died last summer.
It was crucial for NASA that Artemis II go well. The space agency is already preparing for next year's Artemis III, which will see a new crew practice docking its capsule with a lunar lander in orbit around Earth. That will set the stage for the all-important Artemis IV moon landing in 2028, when two astronauts attempt a touchdown near the lunar south pole.
The long wait is over. After a brief 53-year intermission, the show goes on, Isaacman said.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said negotiations ended early Sunday between the United States and Iran without a peace deal after the Iranians refused to accept American terms to not develop a nuclear weapon.
The high-stakes talks ended after 21 hours, Vance said, with the vice president in constant communication with U.S. President Donald Trump and others in the administration.
But the simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon, Vance told reporters. That is the core goal of the president of the United States. And thats what weve tried to achieve through these negotiations.
The vice president said he spoke with Trump a half dozen times, a dozen times, over the past 21 hours and also spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the United States Central Command.
We were constantly in communication with the team because we were negotiating in good faith, Vance said, speaking at a podium in front of a pair of American flags with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to his side. And we leave here, and we leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. Well see if the Iranians accept it.
Trump had said he would suspend attacks against Iran for two weeks. Vances comments did not indicate what will happen after that time period expires or if the ceasefire will remain in place.
War enters seventh week
The historic talks ended days after a fragile, two-week ceasefire was announced, as the war that has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets entered its seventh week. Two Pakistani officials said discussions between the heads of the delegations will resume after a break.
Some technical personnel from both teams are still meeting, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the press.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military said two destroyers transited the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Irans state media, however, said the joint military command denied that.
Were sweeping the strait. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me, Trump told journalists as talks continued and the time approached 2 a.m. in Islamabad. He called negotiations very deep. Iranian state TV noted what it called serious differences.
The U.S. delegation led by Vance and the Iranian one led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf discussed with Pakistan how to advance the ceasefire already threatened by deep disagreements and Israel's continued attacks against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, whose health ministry said the death toll has surpassed 2,000.
Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, the most direct U.S. contact had been in 2013 when President Barack Obama called newly elected President Hassan Rouhani to discuss Irans nuclear program. Obama's secretary of state, John Kerry, and counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif later met during negotiations toward the 2015 Iran nuclear deal a process that lasted well over a year.
Now the far broader talks feature Vance, a reluctant defender of the war who has little diplomatic experience and warned Iran not to try and play us, and Qalibaf, a former commander with Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard who has issued some of Iran's most fiery statements since fighting began.
Iran sets red lines including compensation for strikes
Irans state-run news agency said the three-party talks began after Iranian preconditions, including a reduction in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, were met.
Iran's delegation told state television it had presented red lines in meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, including compensation for damage caused by U.S.-Israeli strikes that launched the war on Feb. 28 and releasing Irans frozen assets.
The war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 2,020 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, and caused lasting damage to infrastructure in half a dozen Middle Eastern countries. Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz has largely cut off the Persian Gulf and its oil and gas exports from the global economy, sending energy prices soaring.
Reflecting the high stakes, officials from the region said Chinese, Egyptian, Saudi and Qatari officials were in Islamabad to indirectly facilitate talks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.
In Tehran, residents told The Associated Press they were skeptical yet hopeful after weeks of airstrikes left destruction across their country of some 93 million people.
Peace alone is not enough for our country because weve been hit very hard, there have been huge costs, 62-year-old Amir Razzai Far said.
In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV denounced the delusion of omnipotence fueling the war.
US sending forces to help mine-clearing on the strait
Irans closure of the Strait of Hormuz has proved its biggest strategic advantage in the war. Around a fifth of the worlds traded oil had typically passed through on over 100 ships a day. Only 12 have been recorded transiting since the ceasefire.
On Saturday, Trump said on social media that the U.S. had begun clearing out the strait.
Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon, U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper later said. The U.S. statement about the destroyers added: "Additional U.S. forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said Tehran was entering negotiations with deep distrust after strikes on Iran during previous talks. Araghchi, part of Irans delegation in Pakistan, said Saturday that his country was prepared to retaliate if attacked again.
Irans 10-point proposal ahead of the talks called for a guaranteed end to the war and sought control over the Strait of Hormuz. It included ending fighting against Irans regional allies," explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah.
The United States 15-point proposal includes restricting Irans nuclear program and reopening the strait.
Israel and Lebanon will have direct negotiations
Israel pressed ahead with strikes in Lebanon after saying there is no ceasefire there. Iran and Pakistan have disagreed.
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aouns office has said, after Israel's surprise announcement authorizing talks despite the countries lack of official relations.
But as thousands in Lebanon protested the planned negotiations on Saturday, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he had postponed a planned trip to Washington in light of the current internal circumstances. His absence should not affect talks as the first round is expected to be at the ambassadorial level.
Israel wants Lebanon's government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, much like was envisaged in a November 2024 ceasefire. But the militant group has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades.
Hezbollah joined the war in support of Iran in the opening days. Israel followed with airstrikes and a ground invasion.
The day the Iran ceasefire deal was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day in Lebanon since the war began, according to the country's Health Ministry.
With baby Arthur too young for the measles vaccine and a sibling due in June, the Otwells grew nervous when the threat of the highly contagious virus started factoring into their grocery run.
We go to the Costco that was kind of a hotbed, said John Otwell, who knew about the state health department's warnings of public exposures at the store. A lot of people just dont get it; they think its just a cold. Its not.
By Arthurs 9-month checkup, the South Carolina outbreak had exploded into the nation's worst in more than 35 years, surpassing last year's in Texas. That meant that under state guidance, Arthur could get his first dose of the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella earlier than the usual 12 to 15 months old. Their new baby wont be able to get the shot until at least 6 months a prospect that worries parents of infants wherever measles spreads.
Babies too young to be vaccinated are among the most vulnerable in a measles outbreak. The disease can wreak havoc on their fragile bodies, making them so sick they stop eating and drinking. They can develop pneumonia or brain swelling, and sometimes die.
Babies depend entirely on herd immunity at least 95% of a community must be vaccinated to prevent measles outbreaks. But dropping vaccination rates have eroded protection in South Carolina and across the nation. In Spartanburg County, the outbreak's epicenter, less than 90% of students have gotten required vaccines.
Babies become sitting ducks, said Dr. Deborah Greenhouse, a Columbia pediatrician. The burden is on all of us to protect all of us.
But increasingly, some policymakers and officials push a view of vaccination as an issue of individual freedom and parents' rights, rather than one of public health to safeguard the population as a whole.
At the federal level, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine crusader, has sought to remake vaccine policy and oversaw billions in public health cuts. And though a temporary ruling from a federal judge has slowed his momentum, a raft of bills has been introduced in states, including South Carolina, that threaten to further reduce vaccination rates.
South Carolinas measles outbreak, totaling about 1,000 cases, has slowed. But measles is spreading in many states, with 17 outbreaks this year and 48 last year, and the U.S. on the verge of losing its status as a country that has eliminated measles.
Doctors work to protect the youngest against measles
Dr. Jessica Early never thought shed have to deal with measles, but the pediatrician feared for her patients and her own baby when it popped up in her Greer community. She and other doctors began offering an approved infant MMR dose as early as 6 months old. Her practice also started giving the second MMR dose usually for ages 4 to 6 years old early.
To the chagrin of many doctors, no one knows how many South Carolina infants have gotten measles or been hospitalized by it.
State officials will disclose only that 253 of the 997 cases were among children 4 and younger; they say they wont break cases down further for confidentiality reasons. Its not uncommon to group statistics this way.
Officials also dont know exactly how many infants were hospitalized with the virus because, as in some other states, hospitals aren't required to report measles-related admissions.
Across the state, doctors said they got many questions about whether it was safe to bring infants to waiting rooms or day care.
Thomas Compton regional director of Miss Tammys Little Learning Center, a child care network operating across the outbreak region said 18 parents pulled children out of his facilities, though they had no confirmed cases. Some abandoned deposits days before their kids were scheduled to start, forcing the company to lay off a teacher.
Although licensed day cares must require vaccines under state law, families can easily get religious exemptions. About a fifth of Miss Tammy's 300 children have vaccine waivers.
When measles surged, Compton said state officials gave little guidance. His staff scrubbed down surfaces, as they did when COVID-19 was raging; tracked local measles cases on Facebook; and relied on Google for information about the disease.
A lot of parents were really stressed out, Compton said. Anytime that we had a little sickness going on or something, they were like, Do you think its the measles?
State legislation would prohibit vaccines for children under 2
Last year, an Associated Press investigation found that Trump administration officials were directing activists to push anti-science legislation in statehouses. Nationally, around 350 anti-vaccine bills were introduced as of late October, AP found, including at least eight in South Carolina.
This year, a state bill would prohibit requiring vaccines for children under 2.
In other words, it would get rid of those requirements in the day cares, pediatrician Greenhouse said. And for people like me, that is a gut punch that is terrifying.
In a subcommittee discussion, Republican State Sen. Carlisle Kennedy said his bill aims to protect parents rights. His baby was born in August without working kidneys and got vaccines on a personalized schedule, in coordination with doctors.
We didnt want to put vaccines in his body before his body was able to survive them, he said.
Opponents countered that herd immunity protects children in these situations.
The Senate subcommittee advanced the legislation. Greenhouse fears it has momentum.
"In the climate that we are currently living in, I think any bill potentially could have legs," she said. It is our job to do our absolute best to make sure that those legs dont go anywhere.
Whether the bill becomes law, doctors say this sort of legislation fuels vaccine skepticism and confusion. While the American Academy of Pediatrics advises giving babies all the vaccines theyve gotten for years, some parents tell Greenhouse they know the government has called for fewer.
They dont actually know who they can trust, she said.
South Carolina, like other states, has made nonmedical vaccine exemptions easier to get, noted Dr. Martha Edwards, president of the state's American Academy of Pediatrics chapter. In the outbreak's epicenter, religious exemptions have more than doubled since 2020. Statewide, 4% of school-age students have such exemptions in 2025-26.
Parental choice is a big buzzword in a lot of the Southern states, Edwards said. But the choice not to vaccinate, she said, impacts other parents rights to keep their children safe.
Nationwide, protection fades as measles spreads
Doctors expect things will only get worse.
In the first three months of 2026, the U.S. logged 1,671 measles cases. Thats 73% of the total from 2025, the worst year for the virus in more than three decades. In November, international health officials will determine whether measles is still considered eliminated in the U.S.
National MMR vaccination rates which dropped to 92.5% among kindergartners in the 2024-25 school year, from 95.2% in 2019-20 obscure much lower rates in certain communities. At one Spartanburg County school, 21% of kids received all required vaccines.
Doctors worry its just a matter of time before all sorts of vaccine-preventable diseases threaten lives like they did a century ago.
The whole concept of immunization is one of the best things that has ever happened to medicine, Greenhouse said. To see that we are actually going backwards is just confounding.
Helen Kaiser, who lives in the outbreak area, vaccinated her twin 2-year-old boys early to protect them and the community.
I would never forgive myself, she said, if I knew that my son had gotten another baby very sick and it was something I could have prevented.
In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounced the delusion of omnipotence that is fueling the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and demanded political leaders stop and negotiate peace.
Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St. Peters Basilica on the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan and as a fragile ceasefire held.
Historys first U.S.-born pope didnt mention the United States or President Donald Trump in his prayer, which was planned before the talks were announced. But Leos tone and message appeared directed at Trump and U.S. officials, who have boasted of U.S. military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.
Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Leo said. Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!
In the basilica pews was the archbishop of Tehran, Belgian Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu. The U.S. was represented in the diplomatic corps by its deputy chief of mission, Laura Hochla, the U.S. Embassy said.
In the first weeks of the war, the Chicago-born Leo was initially reluctant to publicly condemn the violence and limited his comments to muted appeals for peace and dialogue. But Leo stepped up his criticism starting on Palm Sunday. And this week, he said Trumps threat to annihilate Iranian civilization was truly unacceptable and called for dialogue to prevail.
On Saturday, Leo called for all people of good will to pray for peace and demand an end to war from their political leaders. The evening vigil in Rome, which featured Scripture readings and meditative recitation of the Rosary prayers, was taking place as simultaneous local prayer services were being held in the U.S. and beyond.
Praying for peace, Leo said, was a way to break the demonic cycle of evil to build instead the Kingdom of God where there are no swords, drones or unjust profit.
It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive, he said. Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.
Leaders have used religion to justify their actions in the war. U.S. officials and especially Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have invoked their Christian faith to cast the U.S. as a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes.
Leo has said God doesnt bless any war, and certainly not those who drop bombs.
Leo presided over the service sitting off to the side of the altar on a white throne, wearing his formal red cape and liturgical stole and praying with a Rosary in his hands. Many of the priests and nuns in the pews fingered Rosary beads as the Our Father and Hail Mary prayers were recited.
The Vatican is particularly concerned about the spillover of Israels war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, given the plight of Christian communities in the south.
After a few years of sharing a 2019 Chevrolet Trax, Dana Eble and Tyler Marcus are finally looking for a second car. But as they jump into the market, the young married couple isn't sure what they can afford.
I just keep seeing a lot of different aspects of life getting more expensive, and its harder, said Eble, an account manager for a public relations agency.
Car ownership has long been integral to the American dream. But as automakers slash the production of inexpensive models to cater to customers who can afford oversized pickups and sport utility vehicles, buyers find themselves facing sticker shock at the same time they are already frustrated by the lingering effects of high inflation.
Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March, the biggest yearly increase since May 2024, while new car prices were up 12.6% from a year ago, the Labor Department reported Friday.
New vehicles now sell for an average of nearly $50,000, up 30% in six years, and average monthly payments based on 10% down and a 6-year note recently hit $775. Looking for something on the cheap end? The share of vehicles listing for less than $30,000 is about 13% down from 40% five years ago, per the car review site CarGurus.
To cope, buyers are spreading their payments out longer. Consumers choosing 7-year loans make up more than 12% of all sales, up from nearly 8% a year ago, according to auto buying resource J.D. Power. Such contracts wind up costing more in the long run because of interest payments.
The ability to buy transportation is still out there. The question is just, what do you get for your money? Charlie Chesbrough, a senior economist at Cox Automotive, said.
The rising cost of cars is contributing to increased concerns about affordability throughout American life. Consumers, especially young people, say they feel like everyday needs like housing, food, utilities and child care are getting costlier and wages aren't keeping up.
It is a vulnerable position for Republicans ahead of this years midterm elections, especially as the Iran war has pumped up gas prices that makes getting behind the wheel even more expensive.
Size, technology and must-have features add to costs
Sticker prices have been rising since automakers discovered Americans are willing to pay more for bigger, more expensive SUVs and pickup trucks that bring the companies more profit from each sale. They have largely phased out smaller, cheaper sedans.
That is especially true for domestic carmakers; the average selling prices for many vehicles from Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Jeep-maker Stellantis have generally trended higher than those for Asian companies Honda, Hyundai, Mazda and Subaru.
Car companies are also savvy about placing desired options in more expensive trim levels that can lure consumers into a vehicle that costs more than they planned, said David Undercoffler, the head of consumer insights at CarGurus.
Advanced safety technology lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, collision warnings and more all add to the cost of a vehicle. Automakers are required by federal industry rules to add some features, such as rear-view cameras.
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed up auto prices because production fell, affecting both the new and used markets. Though production recovered, other supply chain disruptions and tariffs have affected prices. Meanwhile, government data shows that car insurance prices have soared 55% compared with six years ago, or just before the pandemic, driving up the number of Americans going without. Car repairs, on average, are 48% more expensive.
The share of new car buyers earning below $100,000 fell to 37% last year, down from 50% in 2020, according to Cox Automotive.
Some carmakers have acknowledged affordability concerns. In February, Ford said it would have several vehicles prices under $40,000 by the end of the decade. GM has pointed to vehicles from Buick and Chevrolet, including the Trax, as cheaper options.
Looking to used market for relief
Chesbrough thinks consumers are sometimes unrealistic in their wants.
There are vehicles out there for less than $30,000. What everybody wants is the mid-sized SUV with leather seats and the sunroof for $25,000, and thats not available, Chesbrough said.
Those buyers, he said, are being pushed into the used market.
But as those buyers shift to used, they are finding fewer affordable options there, too. The share of used vehicles priced less than $30,000 fell from 78% in 2021 to 69% in February, according to CarGurus. The average used vehicle sold for about $25,000 in February, and the average used monthly payments hit $560.
The inventory of used cars is being hit by a couple of trends. One is that consumers keen to avoid a big expense are hanging on to their cars longer nearly 13 years on average now, 18 months longer than a decade ago, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. And a downturn in the popularity of leasing means fewer two- and three-year-old cars hitting the market after leases expire.
J.D. Power estimates that consumers might spend up to $140 less on a lease payment than the average finance commitment, a good option especially for drivers whose annual mileage is predictable. But experts say there is still an affordability challenge.
What buyers can do
Sam Dykhuis, 27, of Chicago, needed to buy her first car recently when she started a new job as a scheduler for United Airlines. She searched for something used under $20,000, and eventually paid a little more than that for a 2021 Mazda CX-5. To hold down the cost, she tapped savings to buy the car outright. She pays insurance six months at a time to save a few bucks, too.
Still, My paycheck went down and my expenses went up, Dykhuis said. Certainly, I have to be more just on top of it than I was previously."
Eble, 30, and Marcus, 31, say they appreciate cool vehicles but don't consider themselves car people" and are hoping their search is easier as a result. Still, finding something in their $20,000 to $30,000 budget might not be as easy as it once was.
They are considering cars such as a newer Trax, a Mazda or maybe an electric vehicle. New EVs generally cost more upfront, but consumers can save in the long run. The used EV market will also soon be flooded with two- or three-year-old EVs that were leased at the time federal credits were generous.
Like Dykhuis, they say they also might buy their new ride outright to avoid a new monthly payment.
It feels like if anything happens out of our control it just seems so much more difficult to figure out how to orient our finances," Eble said.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office will launch an investigation into Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell after a woman who worked for him accused him of sexually assaulting her. CNN and the New York Times were among the first to report on the investigation.
In a stunning political reversal, prominent supporters of Swalwells campaign for California governor withdrew their support after the allegations surfaced.
Swalwell did not immediately heed those calls, saying on social media that he would spend the weekend with family and friends and share an update very soon.
These allegations of sexual assault are flat false. They're absolutely false. They did not happen, they have never happened, and I will fight them with everything that I have, he said.
Swalwell was among the leading Democrats in the race to replace outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom. But in just hours, he saw his most prominent supporters including U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff and powerful labor unions drop their endorsements and call for his exit from the race.
Newsom, a likely 2028 presidential candidate who has avoided engaging in the contest to replace him, said in a statement: As we continue to learn more, these allegations from multiple sources are deeply troubling and must be taken seriously.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who hasnt endorsed in the race, said the serious allegations must be investigated and that she spoke to Swalwell and suggested that be done outside of a gubernatorial campaign.
The allegations surfaced at a critical stage of the wide-open campaign to lead the nations most populous state. Voters will receive mail ballots next month in advance of the June 2 election.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday that a woman said Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019 and 2024. The newspaper reviewed text messages about the alleged 2024 assault and spoke to people whom she had told about it. She told the newspaper she did not go to police because she was afraid she would not be believed.
The woman worked for Swalwell in 2019, when the first alleged assault occurred, and the 2024 assault allegedly occurred after a charity gala, the newspaper reported. She said in both cases she was too intoxicated to consent to sex.
The paper didnt name the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.
Swift backlash from prominent Democrats
Schiff said in a social media post he's deeply distressed by the allegations, calling for Swalwell to end his gubernatorial bid.
Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez, who helped run Swalwells campaign, said hes immediately ending his role.
The congressman should leave the race now so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay, Gomez said on social media.
Powerful labor unions, including the California Service Employees International Union and the California Teachers Association, said they're suspending their support. The California Federation of Labor Unions said its acting urgently on next steps.
A spokesperson for House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the allegations require a serious and thorough investigation.
Growing calls for Swalwell to drop out
Swalwell is among a handful of prominent candidates in the crowded race to succeed Newsom, and he immediately came under pressure from all other Democratic rivals to withdraw from the race. The party has been mired in a messy primary season with some leaders fearing the crowded field could cost them spot in the November general election. The state's top-two primary system sends the two highest vote getters onto the general election regardless of party.
Swalwell on Tuesday kicked off a planned series of campaign events in Sacramento, where he told reporters hes never had a sexual relationship with a staff member or intern. He canceled the next scheduled event in Palm Springs on Thursday.
Uncorroborated and nonspecific rumors that Swalwell behaved inappropriately with female staffers have circulated on social media for weeks, but the Chronicle's story is the first reported account of someone making a direct accusation. CNN also reported that several women accused Swalwell of sending them inappropriate sexual messages.
He's suggested the allegations were part of an attack due to his campaigns momentum.
Swalwell was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters. Swalwell, who is married and has three children, is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trumps second impeachment trial during his first term in early 2021.
Top American and Iranian officials arrived in Pakistan on Saturday for the first round of talks on how to convert their two-week ceasefire into lasting peace, as officials publicly outlined preconditions and claimed leverage in negotiations.
As the U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and the Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf arrived in Islamabad, the ceasefire appeared fragile. Vance and Qalibaf both met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to Sharifs office and Iranian media, though no direct U.S.-Iran talks had been announced as of mid-afternoon.
The Lebanese state-run news agency reported Israel was pressing ahead with strikes in southern Lebanon, killing at least three people. Iran said discussions would only take place if there is a ceasefire in Lebanon and blocked Iranian assets are released.
The war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 1,953 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. It has largely cut off the Persian Gulf from the global economy, sending energy prices soaring and damaging infrastructure in half a dozen countries in the region.
In Tehran, residents told The Associated Press they were skeptical yet hopeful about the talks after weeks of airstrikes carved a path of destruction across their country. Shahab Banitaba questioned whether the United States could be trusted to uphold any agreement.
If we get concrete and final results, there is still a chance that the deal falls through, he said.
Officials posture over key issues ahead of talks
U.S. President Donald Trump posted repeatedly on social media leading up to Saturday, saying Iranian officials have no cards to negotiate with. He accused them of using the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global energy supplies, for extortion.
The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate! he wrote.
Islamabad was deserted Saturday as security forces sealed roads ahead of the talks. Pakistani authorities urged residents to stay inside, leading the normally bustling city to look like it was under curfew.
Vance said on Friday the U.S. was optimistic about the talks, but warned: If theyre going to try and play us, then theyre going to find that the negotiating team is not that receptive.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was entering negotiations with deep distrust stemming from prior strikes on Iran during previous rounds of talks. Araghchi, who is part of Iran's delegation in Pakistan, said on Saturday that his country was prepared to retaliate if it was attacked again.
Israel and Lebanon will have direct negotiations
Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aouns office said Friday.
Israel wants the Lebanese government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, much like was envisaged in a November 2024 ceasefire. But it is unclear whether Lebanon's army can establish a monopoly on arms or confiscate weapons from the militant group, which has resisted efforts to curb its strength for decades.
Israels insistence that the ceasefire in Iran does not include a pause in its fighting with Hezbollah has threatened to sink the deal. The militant group joined the war in support of its backer, Iran, in the opening days of the war.
The day the truce was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day in the country since the war began Feb. 28, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Trump said Thursday he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dial back the strikes.
Strait of Hormuz remains a sticking point
Irans closure of the Strait of Hormuz has proved its biggest strategic advantage in the war. Commercial vessels have avoided the strait, effectively blocking the passage of oil, natural gas and fertilizer.
The spot price of Brent crude, the international standard for oil prices, was around $97 Friday, up more than 30% since the war started.
Before the conflict, around a fifth of the worlds traded oil typically passed through the strait on more than 100 ships a day, many carrying oil to Asia. With the ceasefire in place, only 12 have been recorded passing through.
Iran has floated charging ships passing through the strait as part of a peace deal, though the idea has been widely rejected by countries including the United States and Iran's neighbor Oman.
After chants of run again! filled the room, former Vice President Kamala Harris told African American activists on Friday that she's actively considering another presidential bid.
I might. I am thinking about it, Harris told Rev. Al Sharpton after he asked directly whether she was going to run for president in 2028.
Harris comments came during the National Action Networks annual convention, where more than a half-dozen potential candidates appeared this week , hoping to make inroads among Black voters who comprise one of Democrats most powerful blocs.
The Democrats' next presidential primary season wont begin in earnest until after Novembers midterm elections, but this weeks conference showcased a collection of Democrats already jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded competition.
For now, at least, there is no clear early favorite. But there did appear to be a favorite at Sharpton's conference.
Harris, the nation's first Black female vice president and the Democrats' presidential nominee in 2024, earned the only standing ovation and the largest crowd of any other 2028 prospect this week. Some in the audience interrupted her remarks with chants of, Run again!
Sharpton noted that Harris earned more votes in her losing 2024 campaign than even former Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
Whatever she decides to do, she made a point in history, Sharpton said.
Harris has raised the possibility of another presidential bid before in the 15 months since she left office. She also recently launched a political action committee and began to travel across the United States to support Democrats, especially across the South.
Still, some in the party have shifted their focus to a new generation of Democratic leaders given Harris' struggle in the last presidential contest.
The convention lineup this week featured Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, and Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.
Buttigieg, speaking shortly after Harris left the stage, received soft applause from a room that was about half-empty. Some cheered when he mentioned supporting federal workers and minority businesses, but many attendees had streamed out of the packed auditorium after Harris speech in a bid to grab a selfie with the former vice president.
Buttigieg, like many other 2028 prospects this week, laughed off a question about whether he would seek the presidency again.
Harris was more explicit.
Three times she repeated, I'm thinking about it, when Sharpton asked her about a 2028 White House run.
I served for four years being a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States. I spent countless hours in my West Wing office footsteps away from the Oval Office. I spent countless hours in the Oval Office and the situation room. I know what the job is, and I know what it requires, Harris said.
She continued: I am thinking about it in the context of who and where and how can the best job be done for the American people. Thats how Im thinking about it. Ill keep you posted."
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in Africa to honor his late mother, Princess Diana, has sued him for defamation after he stepped down as a patron last year.
Sentebale, which supports young people living with HIV in Botswana and Lesotho, filed suit last month in London's High Court, according to court records reviewed Friday.
Online filings show Harry and his friend, Mark Dyer, a trustee at the charity, are being sued for either libel or slander. No documents were available.
Disagreements at the charity surfaced in 2023 over a new fundraising strategy. Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, co-founders of the charity, stepped down as patrons in March 2025.
At the time, they said the relationship between the board and its chair, Sophie Chandauka, was beyond repair. Chandauka later accused Harry of orchestrating a campaign of bullying and harassment to try to force her out.
The Charity Commission for England and Wales investigated and criticized both sides for allowing the issue to be played out in public and damaging the organization's reputation, but found no evidence of widespread bullying or misogyny at Sentebale.
"Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardizing the charity's ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve," commission CEO David Holdsworth said in a statement in August 2025.
Harry's spokesman had criticized the commission's report while Chandauka welcomed it.
A Frontier Airlines jet nearly collided with two trucks that crossed in front of it earlier this week at Los Angeles International Airport, but unlike last month's deadly crash in New York while a plane was landing, this incident happened on a taxiway while the plane was moving slowly.
The Frontier pilot was alarmed and used an expletive as he told the tower he had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision late Wednesday. It was real close. The closest I have ever seen, he said in audio posted by ATC.com.
No one was hurt in the incident that is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency said several vehicles on a service road crossed in front of the plane around 11:25 p.m. Wednesday.
We thank our crew for their vigilance and professionalism, Frontier Airlines said in a statement.
On March 22, an Air Canada jet carrying 76 people collided with a fire truck while landing at New Yorks LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots and injuring dozens of people.
In that crash, an air traffic controller cleared the fire truck to cross the runway less than 20 seconds beforehand. Then seconds later the controller frantically called for the fire truck to stop.
The incident in Los Angeles appears to have happened in an area of the airport where the planes are communicating with air traffic controllers about their movements, but ground vehicles are simply supposed to yield to any planes, which are typically moving only about 15 mph (24 kph). Airport officials didn't respond immediately to questions about what happened and what procedures are in place to prevent collisions.
Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo, who was a longtime United Airlines pilot, said these kind of incidents happen daily on taxiways across the country, but don't normally get any attention because the collision is avoided. The issue will undoubtedly get more attention now.
Multiple incidents, accidents happening, just in March alone, I think its time to put some serious eyes on whats going on on the ramp, Arroyo said.
A bag-snatcher who stole a designer handbag without knowing it contained a Faberg egg and watch worth up to $3 million was sentenced Thursday to more than two years in prison.
Enzo Conticello lifted the Givenchy bag from its owner outside a pub in Londons Soho nightlife district in November 2024.
The pricey bag cost about 1,600 pounds, but its contents were worth considerably more: Alongside a laptop, keys, bank card and makeup were a Faberg egg and watch. They belonged to the victims employer, the Craft Irish Whiskey Company, and had been used for a work event earlier that day.
Prosecutor Julian Winship said Conticello, 29, was looking for easy cash and handed over the bag, with the egg inside, to buy drugs. He was linked to the theft after trying to use the victim's stolen bank card in a shop.
Conticello, also known as Hakin Boudjenoune, pleaded guilty in February to theft and fraud. His lawyer, Katie Porter-Windley, said it was a moment of opportunity which he took, and he is genuinely remorseful for his behavior.
At Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Kate Livesay sentenced Conticello to 27 months in prison.
The Metropolitan Police force said it is still hunting the egg, described as green and gold and about 4 inches high, and the accompanying watch, rose gold with a brown leather strap.
They are part of a Faberg set, also containing whiskey, cigars and a humidor, other examples of which have been sold for between $2 and $3 million.
Winship said prosecutors accepted that it would be fruitless to try to recover the value of the stolen items from Conticello, who is not a person of means.
Founded in Russia in the 19th century, luxury brand Faberg is famed for its ornate bejeweled eggs, which have sold at auction for as much as $30 million.
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