Syria’s only female minister says lifting of economic sanctions offers hope for recovery

DAMASCUS (AP) — The lifting of economic sanctions on Syria will allow the government to begin work on daunting tasks that include fighting corruption and bringing millions of refugees home, Hind Kabawat, the minister of social affairs and labor, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Kabawat is the only woman and the only Christian in the 23-member cabinet formed in March to steer the country during a transitional period after the ouster of former President Bashar Assad in a rebel offensive in December. Her portfolio will be one of the most important as the country begins rebuilding after nearly 14 years of civil war.

She said moves by the U.S. and the European Union in the past week to at least temporarily lift most of the sanctions that had been imposed on Syria over decades will allow that work to get started.

Before, she said, “we would talk, we would make plans, but nothing could happen on the ground because sanctions were holding everything up and restricting our work.” With the lifting of sanctions they can now move to “implementation.”

US inflation gauge cools with little sign of tariff impact, so far

WASHINGTON (AP) — A key U.S. inflation gauge slowed last month as President Donald Trump’s tariffs have yet to noticeably push up prices. Spending by Americans slowed despite rising incomes, potentially an early reaction to higher prices on some imported goods.

Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that consumer prices rose just 2.1% in April compared with a year earlier, down from 2.3% in March and the lowest since September. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.5% from a year earlier, below the March figure of 2.7%, and the lowest in more than four years. Economists track core prices because they typically provide a better read on where inflation is headed.

The figures show inflation is still declining from its post-pandemic spike, which reached the highest level in four decades in July 2022. Economists and some business executives have warned that prices will likely head higher as Trump’s widespread tariffs take effect, though the timing and impact of those duties are now in doubt after they were struck down late Wednesday in court.

On a monthly basis, overall prices and core prices both increased just 0.1% from March to April. The cost of big-ticket manufactured goods rose a hefty 0.5%, though that increase was offset by a 0.1 decline in other goods, such as groceries. The cost of services rose just 0.1% from March to April.

Live updates: Hamas considers Gaza ceasefire proposal as Israeli strikes kill at least 27

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 27 people in the Gaza Strip, hospital officials said Friday, while Hamas was reviewing a new Israeli-approved ceasefire proposal after giving it an initial cool response.

President Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy had expressed optimism this week about brokering an agreement that could halt the Israel-Hamas war, allow more aid into Gaza, and return more of the 58 hostages still held by Hamas, around a third of whom are alive.

Experts say a nearly three-month Israeli blockade of Gaza — slightly eased in recent days — has pushed the population of roughly 2 million Palestinians to the brink of famine.

Israel’s war in Gaza has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally. The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which left around 1,200 dead.

Russian captain denies manslaughter in North Sea collision as he faces UK trial

LONDON (AP) — The Russian captain of a cargo ship that collided with a U.S. tanker in the North Sea pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of one of his crew at a U.K. court hearing on Friday.

Vladimir Motin, 59, from St. Petersburg, appeared by video link from prison for the pretrial hearing at London’s Central Criminal Court. Assisted by a Russian interpreter, he denied a charge of gross manslaughter over the death of 38-year-old Mark Angelo Pernia.

Motin was ordered detained until his next hearing, and his trial was set for Jan. 12.

The Portugal-flagged cargo ship Solong was traveling at about 15 knots (17 mph or 28 kph) when it hit the anchored tanker MV Stena Immaculate about 12 miles (19 kilometers) off the coast of northeast England on March 10, sparking a fire that lasted nearly a week. The tanker was transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military.

Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams wins libel case against BBC over claim he sanctioned killing

LONDON (AP) — Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams won his libel suit against the BBC on Friday over a claim that he authorized the killing of an informant inside the Irish republican movement.

A jury at the High Court in Dublin ruled in Adams’ favor and awarded him 100,000 euros ($113,000) in damages. Jurors deliberated for just under seven hours after the monthlong trial before reaching a verdict, rejecting the BBC's argument that it had acted in good faith and in a “fair and reasonable” way.

Adams sued Britain’s public broadcaster over a claim in a decade-old television documentary and online article that he sanctioned the killing of Denis Donaldson, a long-serving Sinn Fein official who acknowledged in 2005 that he had worked for British intelligence. He was shot dead at his cottage in rural Ireland four months later.

In the BBC program, broadcast in September 2016, an anonymous source claimed the shooting was sanctioned by the political and military leadership of the IRA and that Adams gave “the final say.”

Lance McCullers gets 24-hour security after online death threats, some aimed at 5-year-old daughter

HOUSTON (AP) — Soon after Lance McCullers Jr.’s family received online death threats following a tough start by the Houston Astros’ pitcher, his 5-year-old daughter, Ava, overheard wife Kara talking on the phone about it.

What followed was a painful conversation between McCullers and his little girl.

“She asked me when I came home: ‘Daddy like what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?’” McCullers told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “So, those conversations are tough to deal with.”

McCullers is one of two MLB pitchers whose families have received online death threats this month as internet abuse of players and their families is on the rise. Boston reliever Liam Hendriks took to social media soon after the incident with McCullers to call out people who were threatening his wife’s life and directing “vile” comments at him.

Tony Hawk, Mark McMorris help open skateboard park expansion in Smithers, B.C.

Tony Hawk and Mark McMorris wanted their presence at the Smithers Skate Park expansion unveiling to amplify skateboarding's importance in the remote, northern B.C. community.

Skateboarding icon Hawk and Canadian snowboarding star McMorris travelled to the town of 5,000 people for Thursday's opening. They lauded the community's pluck in raising $1.8 million to increase the size of the street park and build a bowl for skateboarders next to the Yellowhead Highway that runs from Winnipeg to the West Coast.

"I don't go to many grand openings, to be honest, but this seemed like a really unique situation," Hawk said. "I don't want to say it's the most remote area, but in remote areas, skateboarding is still a valid option for kids to choose, and they want to do it. We need to provide facilities for them."

McMorris, a three-time Olympic slopestyle bronze medallist whose 24 X Games medals is the most among snowboarders, has a special place in his heart for skateboarding.

Hong Kong pro-democracy and gay rights activist Jimmy Sham released after 4 years in prison

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's prominent pro-democracy and LGBTQ+ activist Jimmy Sham was released from prison on Friday after serving over four years in the city's biggest national security case under a Beijing-imposed law.

Sham's activism made headlines during 2019 anti-government protests, when he was the convenor of a now-disbanded pro-democracy group that organized some of the biggest peaceful marches that year, including one that drew an estimated 2 million people.

Sham was among 47 activists arrested in 2021 for their roles in an unofficial primary election. He was sentenced with 44 other activists last year after judges ruled that their plans to effect change through the primary would have undermined the government’s authority and create a constitutional crisis. Only two of the original defendants were acquitted.

Even behind bars, Sham continued to fight for recognition of his same-sex marriage registered overseas at the city's top court, which later ruled the government should provide a framework for recognizing same-sex partnerships. It was a landmark decision for the city’s LGBTQ+ community.

Crown questions one of five hockey players accused of sexual assault about consent

LONDON - A hockey player believed a woman's offer to have sex with him and his teammates in a London, Ont., hotel room meant she consented to any sexual act with any of the men, prosecutors suggested Friday at a sexual-assault trial for him and four other players.

Carter Hart faced a series of questions from prosecutors on whether he took any steps to confirm that a "mystery woman" who was in a hotel room with him and several other members of Canada's world junior hockey team consented to sexual activity.

Hart agreed earlier in his cross-examination that he came to the hotel room hoping for and expecting a sexual encounter after teammate Michael McLeod texted a team group chat asking if anyone wanted a "three-way."

That message was followed up by a phone call in which McLeod indicated he was with a woman who "wanted to have sex with some of the boys" – the boys being their teammates, he previously testified.

Still no charges in Robert Pickton prison death almost one year after fatal assault

MONTREAL - Almost one year after serial killer Robert Pickton died following an assault by another inmate in a Quebec prison, there have been no charges against the alleged assailant and few answers about what happened.

Pickton died in hospital on May 31, 2024, after being assaulted at the Port-Cartier maximum security prison 12 days prior. The 74-year-old was convicted in 2007 of six counts of second-degree murder but was suspected of killing dozens more women at his pig farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C.

The Correctional Service of Canada first issued a release on May 20 last year about a "major assault" on an inmate, adding "the assailant has been identified and the appropriate actions have been taken." The agency later confirmed the injured inmate was Pickton, and that he had died.

Quebec provincial police identified the suspect as a 51-year-old inmate, but did not release a name.

Premier’s chief-of-staff takes stand in lawsuit

The premier’s chief of staff was questioned in a Winnipeg court Thursday about his role in preparing a news release that an independent candidate in the 2022 byelection claims was defamatory.

No surprise: Trump couldn’t legally levy tariffs

A decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade confirmed Wednesday what everybody already knew: that U.S. President Donald Trump can’t use trumped-up emergency powers to address magically created emergencies and then implement trade tariffs at his whim.

China forms new global mediation group with dozens of countries

HONG KONG (AP) — Dozens of countries joined China on Friday in establishing an international mediation-based dispute resolution group.

Representatives of more than 30 other countries, from Pakistan and Indonesia to Belarus and Cuba, signed the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong to become founding members of the global organization, following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The support of developing countries signaled Beijing's rising influence in the global south amid heightened geopolitical tensions, partly exacerbated by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade tariffs.

At a ceremony, Wang said China has long advocated for handling differences with a spirit of mutual understanding and consensus-building through dialogue, while aiming to provide “Chinese wisdom” for resolving conflicts between nations.

Judge wrestles with far-reaching remedy proposals in US antitrust case against Google

WASHINGTON (AP) — The fate and fortunes of one of the world’s most powerful tech companies now sit in the hands of a U.S. judge wrestling with whether to impose far-reaching changes upon Google in the wake of its dominant search engine being declared an illegal monopoly.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta heard closing arguments Friday from Justice Department lawyers who argued that a radical shake-up is needed to promote a free and fair market. Their proposed remedies include a ban on Google paying to lock its search engine in as the default on smart devices and an order requiring the company to sell its Chrome browser.

Google’s legal team argued that only minor concessions are needed and urged Mehta not to unduly punish the company with a harsh ruling that could squelch future innovations. Google also argued that upheaval triggered by advances in artificial intelligence already is reshaping the search landscape, as conversational search options are rolling out from AI startups that are hoping to use the Department of Justice’s four-and-half-year-old case to gain the upper hand in the next technological frontier.

It was an argument that Mehta appeared to give serious consideration as he marveled at the speed at which the AI industry was growing. He also indicated he was still undecided on how much AI’s potential to shake up the search market should be incorporated in his forthcoming ruling. “This is what I’ve been struggling with,” Mehta said.

Chief Justice agrees to pause court orders requiring DOGE to turn over records about its operation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts agreed Friday to temporarily pause orders that would require Elon Musk ’s Department of Government Efficiency to publicly disclose information about its operations.

The order came after the Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court in a lawsuit filed against DOGE by a government watchdog group.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington argues that DOGE, which has been central to President Donald Trump’s push to remake the government, is a federal agency and must be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

But the Trump administration says DOGE is just a presidential advisory body aimed at rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government, which would make it exempt from requests for documents under FOIA.

Colorado couple found guilty over cross burning meant to draw sympathy for Black candidate

DENVER (AP) — A couple who staged a cross burning to generate voter sympathy for the man who became Colorado Springs’ first Black mayor was convicted Friday of conspiring to set the fire and spread false information about it.

Prosecutors argued that Ashley Blackcloud, who is indigenous and Black, and Derrick Bernard, who is Black, orchestrated and then broadcast the hoax to aid the candidate. However their actions still amounted to a criminal threat, prosecutors said.

The cross burning happened in 2023 during the run-up to a mayoral election in the state's second-largest city. Images and video of the cross, which was burned in front of a campaign sign defaced with a racial slur, were emailed to local news outlets to boost the campaign of Yemi Mobolade.

A jury found Blackcloud and Bernard guilty of using interstate commerce — the internet and email — to make a threat or convey false information about an attempt to intimidate Mobolade with a fire. They were also found guilty of conspiring to do that.

California utility to pay $82 million settlement in lawsuit stemming from huge 2020 wildfire

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California utility has agreed to pay the federal government $82.5 million stemming from an enormous 2020 wildfire that churned through mountains northeast of Los Angeles and into the Mojave Desert, officials said Friday.

The U.S. Justice Department announced the payment by Southern California Edison on Thursday. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement that the settlement provides "meaningful compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the ... fire and for the widespread damage to public lands."

Edison agreed to pay the settlement within 60 days of its effective date, May 14, without admitting wrongdoing or fault, prosecutors said.

Utility spokesperson Diane Castro said, “Our hearts are with the people who were affected by the Bobcat Fire. We are pleased to have resolved this matter and will continue to advance wildfire mitigation measures."

Class-action lawsuit filed in B.C. over 2009 Interior Health data breach

VANCOUVER - British Columbia's Interior Health Authority has been hit with a class-action lawsuit over a data breach in 2009 that allegedly compromised thousands of employees' personal information that ended up being sold on the dark web.

The lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday says the data breach occurred in December 2009, exposing "highly sensitive" personal information belonging to people who worked for the health authority between 2003 and 2009.

Court documents say the information was accessed by "cybercriminals and other malicious actors," and the "full extent" of the hack still hasn't been disclosed by Interior Health in the 16 years since.

Former employee Rae Fergus, one of the lead plaintiffs, says her personal information has been used since 2022 to fraudulently get a car loan and a credit card, and to open a bank account without her "knowledge or consent."

Georgia man who fled with the nanny after his wife’s killing is charged with murder 19 years later

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Investigators first believed Doris Worrell was killed in a botched robbery after her husband found her fatally shot at the South Georgia business they ran in 2006. When suspicion later turned toward Worrell's husband, he fled the U.S. to live in Costa Rica with the couple's live-in nanny.

Nearly 19 years later, Jon Worrell was jailed on murder charges Thursday in rural Coffee County, where the sheriff said authorities never gave up on the cold case. They got a big break in April, when investigators traveled to Costa Rica and found the nanny willing to talk after her relationship with Worrell had ended.

“This case was never forgotten,” Sheriff Fred Cole told reporters at a news conference Friday. "And while the road has been long and often frustrating, we never gave up. Justice delayed is still justice.”

Doris Worrell had worked as a teacher and an interior designer before deciding stay at home to raise three children. She and her husband operated a recreation business, Jon's Sports Park, in the small community of Douglas, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) southwest of Savannah.

‘Soup Nazi’ actor dips ladle for victims of Vancouver festival attack

VANCOUVER - "Soup Nazi" actor Larry Thomas, best known for his guest role as a strict soup seller on the sitcom "Seinfeld," will be picking up his ladle again to raise money for victims of last month's attack on Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival.

The Los Angeles-based actor said he will be serving at the Greens And Beans Deli in New Westminster, B.C., on Sunday as part of the restaurant's fundraising efforts.

Thomas said the April 26 attack that killed 11 people was a "terrible thing," prompting him to reprise his fundraising relationship with the deli that stretches back 20 years.

Leona Green, owner of the deli, first reached out to Thomas to ask him to serve soup at a fundraiser for the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

Jim Irsay’s impact can be felt all around Indianapolis as city celebrates big sports weekend

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When Mark Miles strolls around downtown Indianapolis, he sees Jim Irsay's influence everywhere.

From the trademark sports facilities to the towering J.W. Marriott hotel to the Pan Am Plaza currently under construction, he's not sure any of it could have happened without the assistance of the longtime Colts owner who helped this small Midwestern town shed its image as Indiana No Place and emerge as Indiana Some Place.

So as Indy steps into a new role, the mega center of a jam-packed Memorial Day sports weekend, the longtime local sports executive is saddened Irsay won't be here to enjoy the results of his efforts. Irsay died Wednesday in his sleep at age 65.

“It's incredibly sad, it's a big ache in my heart," Miles said Thursday. “ He had such a huge heart. He cared so, so much about the people in this community. I don't care what day it was, it was going to be a horrible loss but this weekend is sort of emblematic of what he helped build and I'm sorry he missed it."