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.

RELATED STORY | Measles outbreak reported at ICE facility on Texas military base

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.

RELATED STORY | South Carolina measles outbreak shows little sign of slowing, surpasses Texas' 2025 total

"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.

RELATED STORY | US, Iran agree to two-week ceasefire that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz

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.

RELATED STORY | Trump says Iran has 'no cards' as Vance heads to Pakistan for peace talks

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.

RELATED STORY | New car prices hit historic high as average cost surpasses $50,000 for first time

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.

RELATED STORY | Auto loan delinquencies on the rise: Here's what that means for the economy

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.

RELATED STORY | Swalwell jumps into California governors race, citing anti-Trump platform

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.

RELATED STORY | Vermont 14-year-old makes bid for governor in November election

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.

RELATED STORY | Trump says Iran has 'no cards' as Vance heads to Pakistan for peace talks

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.

RELATED STORY | US, Iran agree to two-week ceasefire that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz

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.

RELATED STORY | Jill Biden opens up in memoir about Joe Biden's decision to end his 2024 reelection bid

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.

RELATED STORY | Not done: Kamala Harris teases possible 2028 presidential campaign

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.

ICYMI | Britain's Prince Harry reunites with King Charles amid strained royal ties

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.

ICYMI | Murdoch's UK tabloids apologize to Prince Harry and admit intruding on the late Princess Diana

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.

RELATED STORY | Plane was going 104 mph when it hit fire truck at LaGuardia, preliminary analysis shows

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.

RELATED STORY | Stop, truck 1, stop: Audio captures moments before deadly plane crash

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.

RELATED STORY | Suspects arrested over the theft of crown jewels from Paris' Louvre museum

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.

RELATED STORY | Thieves stole $2,000 in cooking oil from a Chick-fil-A, police say

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.

In a potential boost to Middle East ceasefire efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he authorized direct negotiations as soon as possible with Lebanon aimed at disarming Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants and establishing relations between the neighbors.

There was no immediate response from Lebanese authorities, but the announcement appeared to bolster the tentative ceasefire in the Iran war that had staggered under the weight of Israels bombardment of Beirut, Tehrans continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and uncertainty over whether planned peace talks can find common ground.

Netanyahu's announcement came amid disagreement over whether the ceasefire deal included a pause in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, and a day after Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes that resulted in the deadliest day in Lebanon since the war began on Feb. 28.

Iran and the U.S. which both declared victory after the ceasefire announcement appeared to apply pressure. Semiofficial news agencies in Iran suggested forces have mined the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil that Tehran has closed. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned that U.S. forces would hit Iran harder than before if it did not fulfill the agreement.

Questions also remained over what will happen to Irans stockpile of enriched uranium at the heart of tensions, how and when normal traffic will resume through the strait, and what happens to Irans ability to launch future missile attacks and support armed proxies in the region.

Despite the fragile and disputed nature of the ceasefire, it appeared to have halted weeks of missile and drone attacks by Iran on its Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel, with no new launches reported Thursday. There were no reports of strikes by the U.S. or Israel targeting Iran.

Israeli had vowed to continue striking Hezbollah in Lebanon

Irans parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, warned Thursday that continued Israeli attacks on the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon would bring explicit costs and STRONG responses in a social media post.

Qalibaf has been discussed as a possible negotiator who could meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance this weekend in Islamabad. The White House has said Vance would lead the delegation for talks starting Saturday.

Iran had said Israel's ongoing attacks on Hezbollah were violating the ceasefire agreement. Netanyahu and Trump have said it was not.

Hours before opening the way for talks with Lebanon, Netanyahu said Israel would continue striking Hezbollah with force, precision and determination.

Lebanons health ministry said at least 203 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded Wednesday in Israeli strikes in central Beirut and other areas of Lebanon that Israel said targeted Hezbollah, which joined the war in support of Tehran.

Israel said Thursday it killed an aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem, Ali Yusuf Harshi. Hezbollah did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Iran-backed militia releases kidnapped American journalist Shelly Kittleson

A New York-based think tank warned that the ceasefire hovers on the verge of collapse following Israel's strikes Wednesday.

Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli strike overnight killed at least seven people in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military did not immediately acknowledge the strike.

Oil prices remain high amid uncertainty over the strait

Semiofficial news agencies in Iran published a chart Thursday suggesting the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard put sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz during the war a message that may be intended to pressure the United States.

The chart, released by the ISNA news agency and Tasnim, showed a large circle marked danger zone in Farsi over the route ships take through the strait, through which 20% of all traded oil and natural gas once passed.

Only a trickle of ships have transited since the war began after several were attacked, and Iran threatened to hit any that it deemed connected to the U.S. or Israel. Ships appeared to continue to avoid the strait even after the ceasefire.

The chart suggested that ships travel through waters closer to Irans mainland near Larak Island, a route that some ships were observed taking during the war. It was dated from Feb. 28 until April 9, and it was unclear if the Guard had cleared any mines since then.

Irans deputy foreign minister, Saeed Khatibzadeh, told the BBC that his country will allow ships to pass through the strait in accordance with international norms and international law once the United States ends its aggression in the Middle East and Israel stops attacking Lebanon.

The head of the United Arab Emirates major oil company, Sultan al-Jaber, said some 230 ships loaded with oil were waiting to get through the strait and must be allowed "to navigate this corridor without condition.

The straits de facto closure has caused oil prices to skyrocket affecting the cost of gasoline, food and other basics far beyond the Middle East. Oil prices fell Wednesday on news of the ceasefire but climbed again as uncertainty over the deal grew.

The spot price of Brent crude, the international standard, was around $98 Thursday, up about 35% since the war began.

Points to address in talks include whether Iran will be allowed to formalize a system of charging ships to use the strait. That would upend decades of free transit through what has been treated as an international waterway.

The fate of Irans enriched uranium remains a question

The fate of Irans missile and nuclear programs which the U.S. and Israel sought to eliminate in going to war also remained unclear. The U.S. insists Iran must never be able to build nuclear weapons and wants to remove Tehrans stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which could be used to build them. Iran insists its program is peaceful.

Trump said Wednesday that the U.S. would work with Iran to remove the uranium, buried in last year's U.S. and Israeli strikes, though Iran did not confirm that. In one version of the ceasefire deal that Iran published, it said it would be allowed to continue enrichment.

The chief of Irans nuclear agency, Mohammad Eslami, said Thursday that protecting Tehrans right to enrich uranium is necessary for any ceasefire talks.

Trump warned that U.S. warships and troops will remain around Iran until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.

The Masters got started beneath whispy white clouds and a bright blue spring sky Thursday when Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson once again struck the ceremonial tee shots down the first fairway at Augusta National.

Well, mostly down the first fairway.

After the 90-year-old Player hit his shot down the middle, and celebrated with a big leg kick, the 86-year-old Nicklaus stepped up. His son, Jackie, placed his ball on the tee, and the Golden Bear offered a tongue-in-cheek warning to the patrons lining the tee box Oh, boy, watch out, Nicklaus said, and I don't mean that facetiously and proceeded to hit a low hook right at them.

I said, Spread out on both sides because I dont want to kill anybody,' he relayed afterward. If it'd been a little closer I might have.

The ball cleared the heads of the patrons down the left side by a couple of feet.

Last up was the 76-year-old Watson, who used the tee Nicklaus had left stuck in the ground. May I use your tee, Watson asked? It's why I left it, the six-time Masters champion replied, and Watson proceeded to strike his drive right down the middle.

With that, the 90th edition of the Masters was underway.

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The honorary starter has been a tradition at Augusta National since 1963, when Jock Hutchinson and Fred McLeod hit their opening shots of the tournament. The idea had come to club founder Bobby Jones years earlier, and over time, it has become a treasured part of the Masters mystique, with 11 dignitaries and past champions having served in the role.

Byron Nelson, Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead were the longest-serving, performing the duty throughout most of the 1980s and '90s, while Arnold Palmer was joined by Nicklaus and Player for many years. When the King died in 2016, it left just Nicklaus and Player in a twosome, so Watson was asked to join them, and the trio continues to this day.

When I first played the Masters as an amateur in 1970, I teed off early in the morning, playing with Doug Ford. I went to the honorary starters, and it was very special, Watson said. I remember seeing Gene Sarazen tee off. Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Jack and Gary. It's something very special. I thought it was just part of the aura of the tournament, and I wanted to witness it.

How much longer Player, Nicklaus and Watson take part is a big question surrounding the Masters these days.

So is who might take on the role next.

I was a little worried. I had carpal tunnel surgery about five, six weeks ago, and I was worried about being able to hold onto the golf club and hurt somebody," Nicklaus said. Im fortunate that I got it over somebodys head. I didnt hit it very well, but I got it over their heads and didnt hurt anybody. As long as I can still hit the golf ball.

Nicklaus said he doesn't really play anymore. He did once all of last year, and once more this past February.

But its such a nice ceremony, and its a real honor to be invited, he said. I hope to be able to do it as long as I can not kill anybody.

A key measure of inflation stayed high in February, before the war in Iran spiked gas prices, a sign that everyday costs were elevated even before the conflict began.

An inflation gauge monitored by the Federal Reserve rose 0.4% in February from January, up slightly from the previous month. Compared with a year ago, prices rose 2.8%, the same as January. Thursday's data was delayed by a backlog of economic reports created by the six-week government shutdown last fall.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core inflation also rose 0.4% in February from January, and it was 3% higher than a year earlier. The annual figure is slightly below January's reading of 3.1%.

RELATED STORY | How high could gas prices go? Record not out of the question

Still, the monthly increases are at a pace that if continued for a whole year, would easily top the Fed's 2% inflation target.

Consumer inflation was firming even prior to the outbreak of war in the Middle East, and it is primed to jump sharply higher in March, Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, wrote in a client note. Even if a long-lasting deal to end the war is reached and the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened, it would take months for oil, gasoline, diesel and other commodity supplies to snap back to prewar levels and thus for prices to settle back to preconflict levels.

Thursday's report is largely a warm-up for the more important inflation data to be released Friday, when the government will publish the higher-profile consumer price index for March. The Friday report will be the first to reflect the impact of the gas price spike from the Iran war. Economists forecast it will show a big increase of 0.9% just in March from February, and a 3.4% gain from a year earlier. The annual figure would be a big increase from 2.4% in February.

The large jump in inflation in March will heighten concerns at the Fed that prices are moving further away from their inflation target and make it much less likely the central bank will cut rates anytime soon. At their most recent meeting last month, some Fed officials supported opening the door to the potential for rate hikes if inflation didn't show signs of improving.

RELATED STORY | Beyond gas: Price hikes American consumers are experiencing from the Iran war

Thursday's report from the Commerce Department also showed that Americans' incomes slipped 0.1% in February, the first decline since October, while spending after adjusting for inflation barely increased.

Higher inflation is sapping Americans' purchasing power. Spending rose a solid 0.5% in February from the previous month before adjusting for higher prices. Bostjancic expects consumer spending, adjusted for inflation, will rise a modest 1.2% at an annual rate in the first three months of this year, below the 1.9% reached in last year's fourth quarter.

The economy may still grow a decent 2% in the first quarter, Bostjancic said, driven by investments in artificial intelligence and a bounceback in government spending after last year's shutdown. The government said Thursday growth was just 0.5% at the end of last year.

An American who was arrested in the Bahamas after his wife vanished while the couple was traveling in a motorboat near the archipelago denies any wrongdoing, his attorney said Thursday.

Brian Hooker "categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing" and has been cooperating with authorities, lawyer Terrel Butler said in the statement. Butler said Hooker could not provide further comments while investigations are continuing.

Authorities said the husband, a 59-year-old man whom they did not identify, was arrested in Abaco on Wednesday and is being questioned. Police and Butler did not provide further details, including whether or not he was charged.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson told The Associated Press that they have opened a criminal investigation into the case.

RELATED STORY | Search underway for Michigan woman missing in Bahamas waters

Officials have said Lynette Hooker, 55, was traveling in an 8-foot motorboat from Hope Town to Elbow Cay on Saturday night, and that her husband, Brian Hooker, told authorities she fell overboard with the boat keys, causing the engine to turn off.

Authorities said Brian Hooker then paddled to shore and alerted someone about her disappearance early Sunday.

"Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her," police said in a statement issued Saturday.

Lynette Hooker's mother, Darlene Hamlett, told The Associated Press late Wednesday that she was "glad to hear" about the arrest, but declined further comment, saying she was seeking more information.

Earlier on Wednesday, she said she wanted to hear more from her son-in-law about how her daughter disappeared. The couple had been married for more than two decades and lived in Onsted, Michigan. Online records gave Brian Hooker's age as 58, and the reason for the discrepancy wasn't immediately clear.

"I'm going to be interested in what he says, because I haven't heard from him in almost two days," Hamlett said while on a six-hour drive back home from the Bahamian Consulate in Miami, where she secured a passport so she can fly to the Caribbean nation soon.

"Our family grew up on water and so Lynette her whole life has been near lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming," Hamlett said. "It would be a miracle if (she's rescued), but I'm still counting on one."

Lynette Hooker's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told NBC News that it is unlikely her mother would "just fall" off the boat, saying she was an experienced sailor. The couple had been sailing for years and documented their voyages on social media under the moniker, "The Sailing Hookers."

Aylesworth also told NBC that the couple's relationship was volatile, and that they have a "history of not getting along, especially when they drink."

RELATED STORY | Decades-long mystery ends: Teen missing since 1994 located alive

She told WXYZ-TV she doubted her mother survived and was able to tread water that long, but hoped to find her to get closure.

Butler's statement said that Brian Hooker's denial of wrongdoing includes in particular "the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth."

On Wednesday morning, Brian Hooker wrote on Facebook that he is "heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas."

"Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart," he wrote. "We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus."

The U.S. Coast Guard has also joined the investigation and interviewed Aylesworth on Wednesday, according to her attorney, Ron Marienfeld.

"We are pleased to see it is being investigated, and hopefully more answers will come to give the family some closure," Marienfeld said via email.

Bahamian police said search operations and investigative efforts remain active.

President Donald Trump repeated his complaint about NATO after a closed-door meeting with the alliance's Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday for discussions that had been expected to be aimed at soothing Trumps anger with the military alliance over the Iran war.

Ahead of the private meeting, Trump had suggested the U.S. may consider leaving the trans-Atlantic alliance after NATO member countries ignored his call to help as Iran effectively shut the the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping waterway, and sent gas prices soaring.

Afterward, he issued an all-caps comment on social media suggesting he remained aggrieved. NATO WASNT THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WONT BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN, Trump said in his post. The White House did not immediately offer any further updates.

The Republican president has had a warm relationship with Rutte in the past, and the meeting came after the U.S. and Iran late Tuesday agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the strait. The nascent ceasefire was struck after Trump said he would strike Iran's power plants and bridges, threatening that a whole civilization will die tonight."

Earlier Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged that Trump had discussed leaving NATO. I think its something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary-General Rutte, Leavitt said.

Congress in 2023 passed a law that prevents any U.S. president from pulling out of NATO without its approval. Trump has been a longtime critic of NATO and in his first term had suggested he had the authority on his own to leave the alliance, which was founded in 1949 to counter the Cold War threat posed to European security by the Soviet Union.

RELATED STORY | NATOs future at stake in TrumpRutte meeting amid oil shortage

The crux of the commitment its 32 member countries make is a mutual defense agreement in which an attack on one is considered an attack on them all. The only time it has been activated was in 2001, to support the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Despite that, Trump has complained during his war of choice with Iran that NATO has shown it will not be there for the U.S. On Wednesday, he also seemed to be angry about NATO's stance on Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark. Trump had pressed for U.S. control over Greenland earlier this year before backing off after talks with Rutte.

REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! Trump posted Wednesday.

There is a law barring a president from pulling out of NATO

It's unclear if the Trump administration would challenge the law barring a president from pulling out of NATO. When the law passed, it was championed by Trump's current secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who at the time was a senator from Florida.

Rubio met separately with Rutte on Wednesday morning at the State Department ahead of the White House talks. In a statement, the State Department said Rubio and Rutte had discussed the war with Iran, along with U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO allies.

Ahead of Trump's meeting, Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, issued a statement Tuesday night in support of the alliance, noting, Following the September 11th attacks, NATO allies sent their young servicemembers to fight and die alongside Americas own in Afghanistan and Iraq. McConnell, who sits on a committee overseeing defense spending, urged Trump to be clear and consistent and said its not in Americas interest to spend more time nursing grudges with allies who share our interests than deterring adversaries who threaten us.

The alliance was already rattled over the past year as Trump returned to power and reduced U.S. military support for Ukraine in the war against Russia and threatened to seize Greenland from ally Denmark.

But Trump's badgering of NATO intensified after the Iran war began at the end of February, with the president insisting that securing the Strait of Hormuz was not America's job but the responsibility of countries that depend on the flow of oil through it.

Go to the strait and just take it, Trump said last week.

Trump was also angered as NATO allies Spain and France forbade or restricted use of their airspace or joint military facilities for the U.S. in the Iran war. They and other nations, however, agreed to help with an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz when the conflict ends.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has been a particular source of Trump's frustration, was set to travel Wednesday to the Gulf to support the ceasefire. The U.K. has been working on developing a post-conflict security plan for the strait, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the worlds oil passes.

Trump has previously threatened to leave NATO and often said that he would abandon allies who dont spend enough on their military budgets. Former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in his recent memoir, said he feared that Trump might walk away from the alliance in 2018, during his first term as president.

Oil prices plunged below $95 per barrel, and stock markets surged worldwide Wednesday after President Donald Trump pulled back from his threat to destroy Iran.

The S&P 500 leaped 2.5% after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, less than 90 minutes before a deadline Trump had set for it to open the Strait of Hormuz and allow oil tankers to exit the Persian Gulf. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 1,325 points, or 2.8%, and the Nasdaq composite soared 2.8% following even bigger gains in European and Asian stock markets.

To be sure, stock prices are still below where they were before the war. And oil prices are still higher because of the threat of a resumption to the war. The ceasefire already looks precarious, and dueling reports from Iran state media and the White House disagreed Wednesday on whether Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz again.

RELATED STORY | Iran reportedly closes Strait of Hormuz as ceasefire agreement remains in peril

Such uncertainty caused some of the euphoria that fueled financial markets in the morning to fade as Wednesdays trading progressed, and financial markets have been prone to sharp and sudden reversals since the war began.

There is a reason to be optimistic, but it is still too early to tell, because, as you know, after all, it is Trump, said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at MONEX.

So far in the war, Trump has set several deadlines for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, a main thoroughfare for oil to reach customers worldwide from the Persian Gulf, and has threatened big repercussions if Iran doesnt, only to delay them.

Its similar to a year ago, when Trump threatened stiff tariffs on imports from other countries on Liberation Day. After a couple delays, his administration eventually negotiated lower tariffs with many countries, though still higher than from before his second term. That led some investors to allege Trump always chickens out, or TACO, if financial markets show enough pain.

Is it just kicking of the can down the road, moving the goalposts, TACO Tuesday, or whatever metaphor wed like, to only to have tempers flare and bombs drop again? Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management, asked about the two-week ceasefire with Iran. Who knows? But its good enough for now to elicit a positive response from the markets.

The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil plunged 16.4% to settle at $94.41 after almost dropping to $91 earlier in the morning.

Brent crude, the international standard, tumbled 13.3% to $94.75 per barrel. It had briefly topped $119 when worries about the war with Iran were at their highest, but its still above its roughly $70 price from before the war.

RELATED STORY | Beyond gas: Price hikes American consumers are experiencing from the Iran war

The next moves for oil prices will depend on how many oil tankers can start exiting the Strait of Hormuz and how easy their passage is. Despite claims from the White House on Wednesday about an uptick in ships transiting the strait, independent analysts say they have seen no change in traffic through it.

Windward, a maritime intelligence firm that tracks international shipping, said all ships transiting the strait must still coordinate safe passage with Iranian authorities, who are requiring hefty tolls of up to $1 a barrel for outbound oil, paid in cryptocurrency. The largest supertankers carry up to 3 million barrels of crude.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed reports from Iranian state media that the strait remained closed in response to continued bombing in Lebanon by the Israeli military. She said those reports are contrary to information being provided to Trump.

In Asia, where countries are more reliant on oil from the Middle East, South Koreas Kospi stock index surged 6.9%. Japans Nikkei 225 leaped 5.4%, and Hong Kongs Hang Seng jumped 3.1%.

European stock indexes rose nearly as much. Germanys DAX returned 5.1%, and Frances CAC 40 rallied 4.5%.

On Wall Street, companies with big fuel bills rallied to trim some of the sharp losses taken on worries about oil prices staying high.

United Airlines soared 7.9% and cut into its loss for the year, which came into the day at 20.1%. Cruise ship operator Carnival climbed 11.2%.

Delta Air Lines rose 3.7% after it reported stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Ed Bastian said demand for flights remains strong, and its making moves to make up for higher fuel bills. Delta on Tuesday became the latest airline to raise its fees for checking bags.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 165.96 points to 6,782.81. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1,325.46 to 47,909.92, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 617.15 to 22,635.00.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | How much is the Iran conflict costing the US?

In the bond market, Treasury yields dropped as hopes built that easing oil prices could let the Federal Reserve resume its cuts to interest rates later this year.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.29% from 4.33% late Tuesday. Lower Treasury yields give a boost to prices for stocks, bonds and all kinds of other investments. They should also ease some of the recent rise in rates for mortgages and other loans taken out by U.S. households and businesses.

When oil prices were screaming higher because of the war, some traders were betting on the possibility that the Fed would have to raise interest rates to keep a lid on inflation. Now, theyre seeing a nearly 25% chance that the Fed could resume its cuts to rates in 2026, according to data from CME Group.

Republican Clay Fuller will try to close the deal with Georgia voters on Tuesday to succeed Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress, while Democrat Shawn Harris seeks an upset.

Harris led a first round of voting on March 10 with 37% in the district that stretches across 10 counties from suburban Atlanta to Tennessee. While Fuller came in second in the 17-candidate all-party special election with 35%, the Republican candidates combined won nearly 60% of the vote. The 14th District is rated as the most Republican-leaning district in Georgia by the Cook Political Report.

President Donald Trump in February endorsed Fuller, a district attorney who prosecuted crimes in four counties, to succeed Greene in Georgias 14th Congressional District. Greene, once among Trumps most ardent supporters, resigned in January after falling out with the president.

Fuller has backed Trump to the hilt, finding no issue on which he disagreed with the president when asked in a March 23 debate.

We need an America First fighter to stand strong for northwest Georgia," Fuller said March 23. He was a White House fellow in the first Trump administration and is a lieutenant colonel in the Georgia Air National Guard.

Trump reiterated his support for Fuller on Monday night.

"I am asking all Republicans, America First Patriots, and MAGA Warriors, to please GET OUT AND VOTE for a fantastic Candidate, Clay Fuller, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement!" the president wrote on social media.

RELATED STORY | Trump-backed Fuller and Democrat Harris move to Georgia runoff to succeed Marjorie Taylor Greene

Harris, a cattle farmer and retired general who lost to Greene in 2024, has contrasted himself with Greenes bomb-throwing style. He said he's a dirt-road Democrat" with common sense, and practical-minded Republicans should vote for him because he will focus on the district's interest.

He has sold his soul to Donald Trump," Harris said of Fuller on March 23. "The reality of it is he cannot fight for you because he cannot go against the president.

The winner will serve out the remaining months of Greenes term. A Republican win would bolster the partys slim majority in the House, where Republicans control 217 seats to Democrats 214, with one independent.

But if the winner wants to remain in Congress beyond January, he will have to run again. Republicans seeking a full two-year term are set for a May 19 party primary, and possibly a June 16 party runoff, before advancing to the general election in November. Harris is the only Democrat running, meaning he faces no primary election.

Greene was one of the most well-known members of Congress until she left in January. She remained loyal to Trump after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, promoting Trumps falsehoods about a stolen election. When Trump ran again in 2024, she toured the country with him and spoke at his rallies while wearing a red Make America Great Again hat.

But Greene began clashing with Trump last year after he and other Republicans pushed back against her running for U.S. Senate or governor. Greene criticized Trumps foreign policy and his reluctance to release documents involving the Jeffrey Epstein case. The president eventually had enough, saying he would support a primary challenge against her. Greene announced a week later that she would resign.

A decade after he first took a knee during the national anthem, Colin Kaepernick will be publishing his life story.

The activist and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has completed The Perilous Fight, to come out Sept. 15 through the Hachette Book Group imprint Legacy Lit. His memoir will come out almost exactly 10 years after he knelt before a preseason game, a protest against police violence and racial inequality that was emulated by some players and criticized by politicians, team owners and fans, some of whom booed him and burned his jersey.

Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since 2016, said in a statement that he wanted to offer context for what led to his taking a knee. Before that, he had remained seated during the anthem.

FROM THE ARCHIVES | Colin Kaepernick makes plea to join NY Jets

People saw the moment. But they didnt see the years that made it possible: the questions about who I was; the injustices I could no longer ignore; the voices of those who came before me that I carried into that stadium, Kaepernick said in a statement released Tuesday. That journey, from a Black kid navigating an identity the world didnt always make space for, to an athlete who realized the game was bigger than football, shaped everything. When I took a knee, it wasnt a sudden act.

Legacy Lit is calling the book equal parts memoir and manifesto, tracing the off-the-field battles that turned a single act of protest into a movement that changed American sports and culture forever. Kaepernick is narrating the audio edition, produced and to be sold exclusively by Audible.

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Kaepernick, 38, played six years for the 49ers and helped lead them to an appearance in the Super Bowl in 2013. Baltimore won the game 34-31.

Kaepernick has spoken out often on social issues, launched his own publishing imprint and co-written the picture story We Are Free, You & Me and the graphic novel Change the Game.

The explosion of a fuel truck at the base of a bridge over the Panama Canal has left one person dead and prompted Panamanian authorities to close the span while firefighters investigate the accident and engineers assess the damage.

The blast on Panamas Bridge of the Americas took place about 4 p.m. on Monday, and security camera footage captured a massive fireball rising toward the top of the bridge that connects Panamas capital with an airport and numerous suburbs to the west. Several cars were on the bridge during the explosion but their drivers were not hurt by the flames.

Authorities said that one fuel truck worker died in the explosion. Two firefighters were injured as they extinguished the flames.

We have no confirmation of any other people injured, said Vctor Ral lvarez, director of Panamas Fire Department. He added that the investigation is in its early stages and that the cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.

Engineers warned the fire may have affected the integrity of the decades-old bridge, a key link between Panama City and the west of the country.

RELATED NEWS | Sec. Rubio's first overseas trip focuses on Latin America, Panama Canal

Panamas Public Works Ministry posted a video on social media Tuesday showing engineers surveying the site for structural damage. Meanwhile, Panamas President Jos Ral Mulino took to X to warn that the closing of the bridge would cause disruption and said We hope to return to normal as soon as possible.

The Bridge of the Americas is a structure that is over 60 years old. Due to the effects of the fire, if the metal structure was subjected to excessively high temperatures, it may have sustained damage, said Edwin Lewis, an engineer at the ministry.

Specialized teams were conducting evaluations of concrete and metal components. Officials said the bridge would remain closed until its safety can be confirmed.

American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad streetcorner last week, has been released, an Iraqi official with direct knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday.

Kittleson was freed in the afternoon, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly. He did not share her current whereabouts but said that prior to her release, she had been held in Baghdad.

The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement earlier in the day it had decided to free Kittleson, who was abducted on March 31.

The group said its decision came in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing prime minister," Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that this initiative will not be repeated in the future.

The statement added a condition that Kittleson must leave the country immediately upon her release.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kataib Hezbollah had not previously acknowledged that it was the one responsible for Kittlesons abduction, although both U.S. and Iraqi officials had pointed fingers at the group.

Two officials within the militia, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, told the AP that in exchange for freeing Kittleson, several members of the group who had previously been detained by Iraqi authorities would be released.

PREVIOUS REPORTING | Journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Iraq. An Iran-aligned militia is demanding ransom

Kittleson, 49, a freelance journalist, had lived abroad for years before the kidnapping, using Rome as her base for a time and building a respected journalism career across the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria. Like many freelancers, she often worked on a shoestring budget and without the protections afforded by large news organizations to staff.

She had entered Iraq again shortly before her abduction. U.S. officials have said that they warned her multiple times of threats against her, but that she did not want to leave.

Iraqi officials have said that two cars were involved in the kidnapping, one of which crashed while being pursued near the town of al-Haswa in Babil province, southwest of Baghdad. The journalist was then transferred to a second car that fled the scene.

Three Iraqi officials said earlier Tuesday that attempts to negotiate her release had run into obstacles.

The two Iraqi security officials and one official from the pro-Iran Coordination Framework political bloc spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the sensitive case publicly.

One of the security officials said that an official with the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-backed militias that is nominally under the control of the Iraqi military, had been tasked with communicating with the abductors to secure Kittlesons release but had run into difficulties in communicating with the Kataib Hezbollah leadership.

The primary challenge is that the leaders of the Kataib militia specifically, the commanders of the battalions are nowhere to be found. No one knows their whereabouts, and the process of establishing contact with them is extremely complex, they said. These leaders have gone underground, maintaining no active lines of communication, out of fear of being targeted.

The political official said a message had been sent to the Kataib leadership to determine their demands in exchange for releasing the kidnapped journalist. Iraqi authorities were willing to release six Kataib Hezbollah members who are currently detained, most of them in connection with attacks on a U.S. base in Syria, they said.

Kataib Hezbollah has previously been accused of kidnapping foreigners.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton graduate student with Israeli and Russian citizenship, disappeared in Baghdad in 2023. After she was freed and handed over to U.S. authorities in September 2025, she said that she had been held by Kataib Hezbollah.

The group never officially claimed responsibility for kidnapping her.

Iran-backed militias in Iraq have also launched regular attacks on U.S. facilities in the country since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

PREVIOUS REPORTING | Journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Iraq. An Iran-aligned militia is demanding ransom