WASHINGTON — President Trump said Thursday he is in “no rush” to reach any trade deals because he views tariffs as making the United States wealthy. But he suggested while meeting with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni that it would be easy to find an agreement with the European Union and others.
Trump played down the likelihood of an accelerated timeline to wrap up deals, saying other countries “want to make deals more than I do.”
“We’re in no rush,” said Trump, hinting he has leverage because other countries want access to U.S. consumers.
Even though Trump has a warm relationship with Meloni, she was unable in their meeting to change his mind on tariffs.
“No, tariffs are making us rich. We were losing a lot of money under Biden,” Trump said of his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. “And now that whole tide is turned.”
Trump is convinced that his devotion to tariffs will yield unprecedented wealth for his country even as the stock market has dropped, interest on U.S. debt has risen and chief executives are warning of price increases and job losses in what increasingly looks like a threat to the existing structure of the world economy.
A bond market panic was enough for Trump to partially pull back on his tariffs, causing him to pause his 20% import taxes on the EU for 90 days and charge a baseline 10% instead. Meloni’s visit showed the challenge for even leaders who enjoy a rapport with Trump.
Meloni had, in a sense, been “knighted” to represent the EU at a critical juncture in the fast-evolving trade war that has stoked recession fears. The U.S. administration has belittled its European counterparts for not doing enough on national security while threatening their economies with tariffs, sparking deep uncertainty about the future of the transatlantic alliance.
She sought to portray the U.S. and Europe as natural allies in Western civilization and said it was important to “try to sit down and find solution” to tensions over trade and national security.
“The goal for me is to make the West great again,” Meloni told Trump.
The EU is defending what it calls “the most important commercial relationship in the world,’’ with annual trade with the U.S. totaling 1.6 trillion euros ($1.8 trillion). It was unclear, based on Meloni’s public interactions with Trump, whether the premier has a clear understanding of what Trump wants as part of an agreement.
His administration has said its tariffs would enable trade negotiations that would box out China, the world’s dominant manufacturer. But Trump maintains that rivals and allies alike have taken advantage of the U.S. on trade, a position that has frustrated long-standing partners and raised concerns about whether Trump is a trustworthy dealmaker.
Trump tried to push back against claims that his tariffs are harming the economy, saying that gasoline and egg prices are already dropping. The president blamed the Federal Reserve for interest rates rising on U.S. debt. Rates largely increased because investors were worried about Trump’s tariff plans and they became less willing to buy Treasury notes, while the central bank has held steady on its own benchmark rates because of economic uncertainty.
“We have very little inflation,” Trump said. “I would say we have essentially no inflation.”
The EU has already engaged with Trump administration officials in Washington. Maroš Šefčovič, the European commissioner for trade and economic security, said he met on Monday with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Šefčovič said afterward on X that it would “require a significant joint effort on both sides” to get to zero tariffs and work on nontariff trade barriers, with Trump’s team specifically objecting to Europe’s use of value added taxes.
As the head of a far-right party, Meloni is ideologically aligned with Trump on issues including curbing migration, promoting traditional values and skepticism toward multilateral institutions. But stark differences have emerged in Meloni’s unwavering support for Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The two leaders discussed the war and Italy’s role in an eventual postwar reconstruction of Ukraine. Trump has previously pressed Meloni to increase Italy’s defense spending, which last year fell well below the 2% of gross domestic product target for countries in the NATO military alliance. Italy’s spending, at 1.49% of its gross domestic product, is among the lowest in Europe.
“We didn’t speak about how much that percentage would be increased, even though we are truly aware that the theme of defense is particularly important,” Meloni said.
Despite the differences on Ukraine and defense spending, Meloni is seen by some in the U.S. administration as a vital bridge to Europe.
She was the only European leader to attend Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration and she has responded with restraint as shifts in U.S. policy under Trump have frayed the U.S.-European alliance. Meloni has denounced the tariffs as “wrong” and warned that “dividing the West would be disastrous for everyone,” after Trump’s heated White House exchange with Ukraine’s president.
Italy maintains a 40 billion euro ($45 billion) trade surplus with the U.S., its largest with any country, fueled by Americans’ appetite for Italian sparkling wine, foodstuffs like Parmigiano Reggiano hard cheese and Parma ham, and Italian luxury fashion. These are all sectors critical to the Italian economy, and mostly supported by small- and medium-sized producers who are core center-right voters.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over global uncertainty generated by the escalating tariff wars. Italy’s growth forecast for this year has already been slashed from 1% to 0.5% as a result.
The White House has imposed tariffs on much of the world, arguing that other countries have taken advantage of the U.S., as evidenced by its trade deficits. But with the 90-day pause, it increased Trump’s tariffs on China to 145% while keeping separate ones as much as 25% on Canada, Mexico, autos, steel and aluminum.
On Wednesday, Trump met with Japan’s chief trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa. Trump, on social media, summarized the meeting as achieving “Big progress!” but he did not offer any specifics.
China is simultaneously seeking to strike deals that could possibly undercut claims made by Trump that his tariffs will ultimately lead to more domestic factory jobs and stronger growth.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday the administration is working on the “big 15 economies” first when it comes to trade deals. He said South Korean officials will visit Washington next week.
Barry and Boak write for the Associated Press. Barry reported from Milan, Italy. Associated Press writers Lorne Cook in Brussels and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
On the night Luka Doncic returned to Dallas, the Mavericks condensed his American basketball career into an emotion-filled two minutes full of game-winners, highlight passes and trick shots that helped connect the Slovenian star to the Texas city.
As Doncic watched the footage, occasionally hiding his eyes behind a white tear-filled towel, one moment in particular stood out as most special.
It was Game 2 of the 2024 Western Conference finals, his team down by two points, the final seconds ticking off the clock. Rudy Gobert, the league’s four-time defensive player of the year, stood out at the three-point line attempting to stop the inevitable from happening.
Doncic, in one of the biggest moments of his career, moved Gobert to the left, to the right and then back toward the paint, opening a window for Doncic to make the big shot in the big moment.
He celebrated with a scream, joy and anger combining for uncontainable passion and an image that’ll define Doncic.
“I like big games,” Doncic said with a half-smirk on Thursday. “Playoffs is a fun time.”
The Lakers are about to see if Doncic’s reputation as one of the league’s premiere big-time players carries over to their stage. After he was dealt from the Mavericks, some people wondered how Doncic would fit in Los Angeles, the star player living mostly in the shadows off the court. Would he even want the kind of stardom that Los Angeles could give him?
That was the wrong question. It wasn’t about being a star; it was about having the stage.
Luka Doncic scores over Rudy Gobert in the final seconds of Game 2 of the 2024 Western Conference finals.
“Typically guys that love being on stage and love the performance aspect of it are typically elite players and great players,” coach JJ Redick told The Times after the Lakers’ win in Dallas. “And like when I think about Luka, it’s performance art. He’s on stage. He’s, he’s in some ways ad-libbing… and there’s an element of art to it. The same way that an actor on a Broadway show goes on stage. It’s the live aspect of being able to perform and then feed off the energy in the building.”
And that moment with Gobert encapsulates how electric those performances can be.
Since Doncic is so big and because he’s so in control on offense, teams are forced to try all different kinds of defensive strategies to slow him down. Sometimes, teams will double team. Sometimes teams will blitz multiple players at him to force pass. And, sometimes, teams will surrender and switch, putting players like Gobert on an island against one of the NBA’s best one-on-one players.
“Always since I came to the league, I like to play pick and roll,” Doncic said. “I like to get a center on me. That’s what I’ve been doing since I came into the league.”
Through experience and inherent intelligence, he’s become an expert on how to dissect the ways teams try to stop him.
“He thinks that there’s not a person in the world that can guard him,” Redick said Wednesday. “So I think he takes that seriously.”
Ever since he was a rookie, Doncic has played with tremendous confidence when the moments were the toughest, Dorian Finney-Smith said.
“He always wants the ball in the big situations. He always wants that moment,” Finney-Smith said. “I’ve seen that from the beginning since his rookie year. You would’ve said like, Harrison [Barnes] probably was our go-to guy, but end of the game, it just magically became his time to shine.”
Lakers guard Luka Doncic is introduced as a starter before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 4.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
While the Timberwolves have one of the NBA’s best defenses and multiple players who they’ll use to try to stop Doncic, the Lakers have the luxury of spreading the offensive responsibility to an emerging star in Austin Reaves and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in LeBron James as complementary options.
After some rough minutes for the three on the floor, the Doncic-James-Reaves lineups are plus-10.8 points per 100 possessions over 103 minutes in their last five games of the season.
And the Lakers and Doncic understand that there are still ways for those three players to develop even more chemistry to the gains they’ve already made.
While Doncic was far from alone in taking down Minnesota in the Western Conference finals a year ago, he was in the center of the spotlight.
“It’s a different team,” Gobert told reporters Thursday. “But it’s still Luka Doncic.”
Newsletter
All things Lakers, all the time.
Get all the Lakers news you need in Dan Woike’s weekly newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
And it shouldn’t be a surprise if he ends up there again, another performance of his show and his favorite scenes, with everyone watching him try to take down a giant defender.
“At certain points in the game, he just feels like nobody can guard him. Even if Coach telling us to put certain guys in the action, Luka don’t care,” Finney-Smith sad. “Sometimes he’s just yelling, ‘Just bring ’em Doe.’ Don’t care who it is.
“Sometimes he just gets in a mode where you know whoever in front of him is just a cone.”
And sometimes, that cone has to hear Doncic celebrate with a scream.
April 17 (UPI) — The Trump administration has threatened to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, ramping up conflict between the institution and Washington.
It’s the latest in a series of incidents between the Ivy League school and the administration centering on accusations of anti-Semitism and discrimination at Harvard.
Harvard has said it has taken numerous steps to address alleged anti-Semitism and called demands from the administration bordering on overstepping its authority to regulate the university’s “intellectual conditions.”
“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Harvard President Alan Garber wrote in an online message and pledged to do more to combat potential discrimination.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on. Wednesday sent a letter to Harvard warning the institution that its ability to accept international students is “contingent upon” complying with federal immigration law under Title 8.
“It’s a privilege to have foreign students attend Harvard,” she wrote. “Not a guarantee.”
Noem said the school has created a hostile learning environment for Jewish students because of its “failure to condemn anti-Semitism.”
Homeland Security also announced that Noem canceled two grants to Harvard worth more than $2.7 million.
A DHS press release declared the institution “unfit to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars.”
It’s the latest in a series of threats by the Trump administration to target federal funding for institutions of higher education for refusing to acquiesce to his demands.
Harvard and other schools rely heavily on funding from international students to maintain their “substantial endowment,” Noem said in her letter.
Police identify gunman as 20-year-old son of local sheriff’s deputy in attack that also wounded five.
The 20-year-old son of a sheriff’s deputy opened fire at Florida State University with his mother’s former service weapon, killing two people and wounding at least six others, investigators said.
The attack on Friday occurred at approximately 11:50am Eastern Time (15:50 GMT) outside of the Tallahassee school’s student union.
The university swiftly issued an active shooter alert, with Florida State’s alert system announcing that law enforcement had “neutralised the threat” soon after.
Florida State University Police Chief Jason Trumbower said that the two people killed, who were not immediately identified, were not students at the school.
Five other people were being treated at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where the attacker was also being treated after being taken into custody, he said.
Evacuees watch law enforcement at Florida State University following a shooting [Alicia Devine/USA TODAY via Reuters]
Speaking from the Oval Office, United States President Donald Trump said that he had been “fully briefed.”
“It’s a horrible thing. It’s horrible that things like this take place,” Trump said.
He quickly pivoted to voicing support for gun ownership, saying, “These things are terrible, but the gun doesn’t do the shooting. The people do.”
Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil later identified the suspect as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, the son of a sheriff’s deputy within his own department.
He said Ikner used his mother’s former service weapon in the attack, adding the attacker had been a longstanding member of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council and engaged in a number of training programmes with the office.
“We will make sure that we do everything we can to prosecute and make sure that we send a message to folks that this will never be tolerated here in Leon County, and I dare say across the state and across this nation,” McNeil said.
Law enforcement officers at Florida State University after a shooting [Alicia Devine/USA TODAY via Reuters]
Police said Ikner is believed to be a student at the university, but a motive for the attack was not immediately known. Ikner invoked his right to silence upon being arrested, authorities said.
School shootings are relatively common within the US, and Thursday’s shooting was not the first attack at the university.
In 2014, three people were shot just outside and inside the entrance of Strozier Library in the middle of the university campus.
Officers who arrived within two minutes of the first call shot and killed the gunman, a 31-year-old man.
Hidden away on the far side of Vietnam lies on the world’s most beautiful seaside cities, where tins of beer are incredibly cheap, and beaches fill the horizon with crystal-clear blue water
Nha Trang is a coastal city on the eastern Vietnam border(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Nha Trang is a coastal city on the eastern side of Vietnam, and it’s also one of the country’s most important tourist hubs. It’s lined with soft, sandy beautiful beaches and pristine, enticing blue seawater – which is handy, because it’s usually very, very hot all year round.
The suburban tropical paradise has a relatively consistent temperature, around 32C in the height of summer, and still 25C in winter. Tourists would likely be desperate for a nice, cold drink throughout the year… which is just as well, seeing as it’s reportedly the cheapest place in the world to buy ice-cold beer.
The city’s not only known for its cheap alcohol – it’s also regarded as Vietnam’s seafood capital(Image: Getty Images)
Travel expert Worldwide Wilbur said he was handed a gloriously chilly Tiger beer can for just 32p in Nha Trang.
“It’s true what you have heard about beer in Vietnam,” he wrote. “It is incredibly cheap. Actually most everything is extremely cheap in Vietnam.
“At a street-side outdoor restaurant in Nha Trang, I had this can of Tiger for just 10,000 Dong [32p].” But, the city’s not only known for its cheap alcohol – it’s also regarded as Vietnam’s seafood capital.
It’s naturally teeming with marine life on its tropical shores, and almost all of the seafood served across the city is freshly caught. In fact, tourists have flocked to the seaside hotspot purely to try the local culinary speciality; jellyfish with rice vermicelli.
Nha Trang is also home to several tourist resorts, as well as a huge water park, and the iconic Monkey Island.
The paradise still has scorching temperatures of more than 25C in the depths of winter(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The small islet contains about 1,000 monkeys, made-up of three different species, and has been holidaymakers’ focal point for years. But, one of the best ways for tourists to spend their time is exploring the diamond blue South China Sea from underwater.
Scuba diving is legendary on the coast of Vietnam – particularly around the glorious protected marine reserve in Hon Mun Island.
Vietnam’s own tourist board wrote on its website: “Perched on a pristine stretch of the southern coast, Nha Trang is a playground for sunseekers. Days here are spent dining on delicious seafood, snorkelling around stunning islands, and partying on the sand after dark.
“Nha Trang lays claim to some of the country’s finest luxury resorts and thrilling watersports. Despite the development boom, colourful fishing villages and serene riverside restaurants are just a stone’s throw away.”
Before you head home, though, you’ll definitely need to try one of the city’s famous mud baths. Relaxation-seekers often venture into the hills north of the city, where a number of spas offer tourists the chance to chill out in a warm pool of healing mud – perfect for letting the stress of everyday life slowly disappear.
Lidl is selling a chic garden gadget, that is £75 cheaper than a similar John Lewis product
3
The handy gadget is priced at just £24.99Credit: Lidl
3
The John Lewis product comes in three stylish coloursCredit: John Lewis
However, with the weather forecast not looking the best over the Easter weekend you may be worried about your guests getting cold.
If you’re still determined to carry on the festivities outdoors, the Tepro Tabletop Square Gas Fire could be the perfect bargain buy for you.
Lidl’s Middle Aisle is constantly wowing shoppers with bi-weekly offerings from garden gadgets to beauty dupes.
And its latest instalment of seasonal products is bound to get shoppers racing to the tills.
The handy gadget is priced at just £24.99 if you have Lidl Plus, or £29.99 if you don’t.
Simply place it on your garden or patio, and it will keep you nice and toasty all night long.
And you don’t have to worry about it being affected by adverse weather conditions, as the glass surround protects the device from wind.
The handy gadget has a dial for adjusting the intensity of the flame, and even includes decorative pebbles, giving it a stylish and chic look.
It is available in stores now, with the Lidl Plus discount available from April 17 to April 23.
You can find the fire in the Middle Aisle of your local Lidl, but, as with all middle aisle buys, you better snap it up quick, as once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Parents race to Lidl for middle aisle bargains including 2 in 1 sandpit for £29
The John Lewis product comes in three stylish colours, including green and silver, and has been rated 4.9 out of five by customers.
A product description reads: “Mesa XL from Solo Stove is a tabletop firepit with dual fuel capability and a smokeless design.
Why do Aldi and Lidl have such fast checkouts
IF you’ve ever shopped in Aldi or Lidl then you’ll probably have experienced its ultra-fast checkout staff.
Aldi’s speedy reputation is no mistake, in fact, the supermarket claims that its tills are 40 per cent quicker than rivals.
It’s all part of Aldi’s plan to be as efficient as possible – and this, the budget shop claims, helps keep costs low for shoppers.
Efficient barcodes on packaging means staff are able to scan items as quickly as possible, with the majority of products having multiple barcodes to speed up the process.
It also uses “shelf-ready” packaging which keeps costs low when it comes to replenishing stock.
“Mesa XL nests inside its included stainless steel stand and comes with a stainless steel flame ring and a portable nylon carry bag.”
And the tabletop fire isn’t the only bargain Lidl is selling that can spruce up your garden.
Available in stores now, the bargain product is perfect for adding a touch of sophistication to your home.
The stunning arch can easily be used for climbing plants such as roses, and is sure to make you the envy of your friends and neighbours when hosting any garden parties this spring.
Plus, the product is both robust and waterproof, meaning you don’t have to worry about it getting damaged during any unwanted downpours.
Lord Alan Sugar handpicked Dean Franklin as the winner of The Apprentice 2025, but fans claim the entrepreneur already knew who would win – and past contestants agree
23:52, 17 Apr 2025Updated 23:55, 17 Apr 2025
Fans have accused The Apprentice of being fixed and slammed the result of the final
Fans of The Apprentice think they’ve found ‘proof’ that the grand finale was all a fix. The final episode of this year’s show aired on the BBC tonight, revealing the big winner of a £250,000 investment.
In the nail-biting final, Dean Franklin ultimately won with his air conditioning business, beating out Anisa Khan with her dark kitchen takeaway service. Some very keen fans, however, say the result wasn’t nail-biting at all – and that it’s been clear for weeks who’d become Lord Alan Sugar’s protegee.
One fan commented: “Lord Sugar follows Dean on Instagram but doesn’t follow Anisa. The winner seems obvious…” Another speculated: “The Instagram thing is very interesting to be honest. Bit weird that he’s only following one of them.”
Dean Franklin has won investment and guidance from Lord Alan Sugar – days after Sugar followed him on Instagram(Image: PA)
Even before, two past contestants revealed exclusively to the Mirror that Lord Sugar factors in their business plans and ideas when getting rid of them rather than focusing on the tasks alone – and he gets those business plans on day one.
Liam Snellin said that he himself was aware that he likely wouldn’t get to the final thanks to his business plan, saying: “Yeah I had a rough idea. I felt like Lord Sugar didn’t really have the same vision that I had about my business and didn’t really understand the concept of fashionable worker work.
“He sort of said to me multiple times throughout the process that he thinks builders don’t care about their appearance. I don’t feel like he was the right business partner for me at that late stage in the process.”
His co-star Mia Collins backed up Liam’s version of events, saying she didn’t have any chance of winning as her business had closed down – something Lord Sugar knew as soon as she walked through the door.
Former contestants told the Mirror that Lord Sugar factors in their business plans when deciding who to eliminate, and seems to have opinions on what will make a good investment regardless of how they do on the show(Image: BBC)
“If you look at who I was up against, I was the only one that didn’t have an operational business. So I think it’s at that point that that’s when the businesses start being considered,” she said. “So it’s all well and good having a good track record, but it’s to win an investment and to work with Lord sugar, I was on the back foot a little bit, having a business that closed down.”
On X, formerly known as Twitter, many fans agreed that – alongside the recent Instagram follow – Lord Sugar must have his favourites weeks before he publicly declares a winner.
“Alan Sugar knew exactly what these candidates business plans were from the start , it’s all 100% fixed. He tends to forget how absolutely s***e they were in every task , suddenly they’re all professional intelligent people . B*****ks,” one viewer wrote.
“It’s all fixed, it’s all about their business plan, Lord sugar must have seen something In Mia’s that he didn’t like,” another person agreed.
The federal budget remains a disaster, and for all the splashy talk of cost-cutting and tariff-driven revenue, Americans know it. Especially galling is that the latest fiscal wreckage is being overseen by an administration that promised business acumen and conservative restraint. Republicans are delivering the opposite: a self-inflicted destruction of wealth, rising interest rates, creeping inflation fears and an abandonment of even their usual pretense of fiscal discipline.
The Cato Institute’s new national fiscal policy survey results confirm that Americans don’t trust politicians to manage our money. Seventy-six percent say the federal government spends too much. An astonishing 85% say the past decade’s spending spree has either had no impact on their quality of life or made it worse.
That’s a damning indictment of the stunning deficits of the first Trump administration, unhinged Biden administration spending and Republicans who, until very recently, at least pretended to care about fiscal sanity, including being realistic about the need to reform entitlement programs.
Ninety-eight percent of Americans believe there’s at least some waste, fraud and abuse in federal spending, and two-thirds think that there’s a lot. The public now estimates that 59 cents of every federal dollar is wasted — the highest amount recorded since Gallup began asking that question in 1979.
This isn’t the view of a crank minority: Eighty-nine percent of Americans, including 99% of Republicans, support a full audit of federal spending.
You’d think that would be a wake-up call, especially when the debt picture is deteriorating so rapidly. According to the Treasury Department, as of this month — only halfway through the fiscal year — we’ve already posted a deficit of $1.3 trillion. Interest payments alone crossed the $500-billion mark, crowding out almost everything else. So much for the “low interest rates forever” fantasy.
About those high interest rates: One of the more absurd economic notions floated by the Trump administration is that tariffs, by rattling markets as they did last week, would help. Supposedly, panicked investors would flee to U.S. Treasuries, driving down interest rates and enabling cheaper refinancing of the debt. That was the theory, anyway, until markets crashed so badly that investors started dumping bonds and rates rose.
The key issue is what financial columnist Jon Sindreu described as the administration “upending the global trading system.” Instead of making government debt safer, it made investors wary of holding U.S. financial assets. The yield on 10-year Treasury bonds has since gone up, not down.
That’s especially troubling given that roughly one-third of government debt matures in under a year. Protectionist policy has collided with budgetary recklessness, and the coming refinancing will bring an expensive tab instead of relief. We’ll pay more to borrow than ever before.
Let’s not forget inflation. Speaking at a business journalism conference, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated that Trump’s tariffs were “significantly larger than expected” and their economic effects — including higher inflation and slower growth — are likely to be similarly substantial. Fighting inflation will require raising interest rates, which again will raise interest payments and the deficit.
On top of that, Republicans are preparing to extend the Trump tax cuts. There are reasonable ways to do it, but they seem poised to tack on new cuts, some more politically motivated than economically sound. This comes without the necessary spending cuts or structural reforms to offset lost revenue. The result? A ballooning deficit, a shrinking revenue base and no long-term plan. This isn’t supply-side economics. It’s magical thinking.
OK, but what if tariffs raise trillions in revenue, as administration officials have bragged? That’s not a win.
No, it’s just another way of saying they’ve levied the largest tax increase in U.S. history on American consumers. And it’s certainly not what voters had in mind when they heard “America First.” We shouldn’t count on this revenue, if it ever materializes, to lower debt relative to GDP. Fiscal adjustments based on higher taxes usually don’t. They do, however, slow the economy in the short and long term.
And what about DOGE, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency? Well, apparently Elon Musk and his team will cut $150 billion, not the “at least” $2 trillion once promised. I’m grateful they’re cutting some spending, but let’s face it, it’s a drop in the bucket of red ink.
Republicans cannot keep sleepwalking into the same fiscal mistakes Democrats made by trading long-term stability for short-term political gain, blowing up the budget for convenience and hoping voters don’t notice. Because voters are noticing.
They know Washington wastes their money. They know budget deficits matter. And they’re desperate for someone — anyone — to act like a responsible adult. The question is whether Republicans, who still have a mandate for change, will answer the call.
Veronique de Rugy is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. This article was produced in collaboration with Creators Syndicate.
Barry Ferguson says his Rangers future “needs to get sorted soon” as the club have a “lot of work to do” after their Europa League exit to Athletic Bilbao confirmed a trophy-less season.
Goals from Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams at San Mames ended Rangers’ journey in the quarter-finals after Ferguson had guided them past Fenerbahce in the last 16.
The former club captain replaced Philippe Clement in February until the end of the season and has won four, lost four, and drawn two of his 10 matches in charge.
“Where this leaves me now is I’m going to finish the season as strongly as possible,” Ferguson said when asked about his future.
“I’ve not sat down and talked about it – but it needs to get sorted soon because as a club we need to do a lot of work.
“The club needs to get back challenging. I just want my club to get back to where it should be, whether it’s me or someone else.”
Manchester United score twice in the final minutes of extra time to turn quarterfinal against Lyon at Old Trafford.
Harry Maguire scored in the dying seconds of extra time to help Manchester United snatch a place in the Europa League semifinals with a sensational 7-6 aggregate victory over Olympique Lyonnais in their quarterfinal.
A thrilling second leg tie was taken into extra time after United threw away a two-goal lead on the night to be pegged back to 2-2 after 90 minutes, with goals from Rayan Cherki and Alexandre Lacazette putting Lyon on the verge of the semifinals at a stunned Old Trafford on Thursday.
However, United made their numerical advantage, given to them after Corentin Tolisso’s late red card in normal time, count. Maguire sent Old Trafford into delirium with his 121st-minute header, which sealed a 5-4 victory in the second leg.
It was the hosts who took an early lead, Manuel Ugarte slotting home 10 minutes in after a fine team move, before Diogo Dalot added a second just before the break to double the hosts’ lead.
As the minutes ticked on, however, the nerves crept in, and two goals in six second-half minutes from Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico drew the match and left the tie level in a sensational fashion.
Tolisso’s late sending off swung the momentum back in United’s favour, but Cherki’s fine strike and Lacazzette’s coolly-taken penalty seemingly settled the exhilarating contest.
Fernandes’s spot kick straight down the other end gave the home supporters hope of another dramatic finale, with Maguire having the final say, with United heading through to face Athletic Bilbao in the last four.
Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United scores his team’s fourth goal past Lucas Perri of Olympique Lyonnais during the UEFA Europa League match between Manchester United and Olympique Lyonnais at Old Trafford on April 17, 2025, in Manchester, England [Carl Recine/Getty Images]
Tottenham overcome Frankfurt
Tottenham also put its domestic problems to one side by sealing a place in the last four.
Dominic Solanke’s first-half penalty secured a 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and a 2-1 aggregate victory.
The win keeps alive the Spurs’ hopes of salvaging a desperate campaign that has left them languishing in 15th place in the Premier League. The deep run in the second-tier competition has provided rare moments of optimism – and triumph would not only deliver a first trophy since 2008, but qualification for next year’s Champions League.
Athletic Bilbao also advanced to the semifinals after a 2-0 win over the Rangers following a 0-0 draw in the first leg.
Lazio vs Bodo/Glimt also went to extra time. Lazio won 2-0 on the night and levelled the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.
Spurs needed the assistance of VAR when awarded a penalty for a foul by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos on James Maddison.
Solanke fired down the middle for the decisive goal in the 43rd minute.
Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams were on target for Bilbao against the Rangers at San Mames.
A range of stories lead Friday’s front pages. The Daily Telegraph’s reports Britain’s biggest bank Lloyds has “pledged solidarity” with transgender staff following the Supreme Court ruling a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. To the side of the lead story is a photo of Harry Potter author JK Rowling who enjoys a cocktail and cigar on a yacht following the judgement. “Everything is OK for JK”, is the sub-headline.
For the Daily Mail it also splashes on the photo of Rowling “toasting” the Supreme Court’s decision. The Mail says the ruling has put Labour in “turmoil” as it says the “party faces pressure to rip up gender laws”. It reports that Health Minister Karin Smyth was unable to answer directly when quizzed on Thursday as to whether trans people should be treated on the same hospital wards as women.
The Times leads with comments made by Baroness Falkner, chair of the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission, to the BBC. She said trans people should be pushing for a “third space” such as neutral toilets and changing rooms following the Supreme Court’s ruling. The King and Queen Camilla catch the eye as the main image following their appearance at Durham Cathedral to mark Maundy Thursday.
In other news, the Guardian marks Donald Trump hosting the Italian prime minister at the White House on Thursday. The paper says Giorgia Meloni has put herself forward as an intermediary between Washington and Europe amid concern about the effect of Trump’s trade policies. The Guardian’s lead centres on a story that ministers are scrambling to avoid a Labour backbench rebellion on disability benefit cuts.
The Sun writes “no-fly throne” with a picture of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and King Charles against the backdrop of a drone. The story claims a drone no-fly-zone has been imposed over the King’s Sandringham home by worried security services.
According to the front of Friday’s i Paper, British negotiators are coming under “huge pressure” to weaken food and animal welfare standards in order to agree an “imminent” trade deal with the US. Farmers in the states are keen to sell their beef, pork and chicken in the UK.
Widow Louise Shackleton shares “heart-wrenching” details with the Daily Mirror of her last moments with her husband Anthony before his assisted suicide at Dignitas in Switzerland because she wants to help change the law in the UK.
For the Daily Express, it splashes on reports from experts in Glasgow that a new “revolutionary” weight loss drug could be a “cheap” and “convenient way” to fight type 2 diabetes. It says the drug could help patients “lose pounds without injections”.
Finally, the Daily Star features an image of England cricket legend Freddie Flintoff who talks about his “life after horror crash”. The paper also leads with the latest on the Birmingham bin strikes with its headline “not now seagulls”.
MANCHESTER UNITED scored three goals in seven unbelievable minutes to beat Lyon in one of the all-time great nights at Old Trafford.
First-half strikes by Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot put the Red Devils 4-2 up on aggregate and within touching distance of the semi-finals.
20
Harry Maguire netted a 121st minute winner in a hectic gameCredit: Rex
20
Man Utd are now into the semi-finalsCredit: Reuters
20
Kobbie Mainoo scored a brilliant equaliserCredit: Getty
20
Soccer Football – Europa League – Quarter Final – Second Leg – Manchester United v Olympique Lyonnais – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – April 17, 2025 Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil NobleCredit: Reuters
But United capitulated after the break and they threw away their lead following strikes from Corentin Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico.
It went to extra time with Lyon down to ten-men and things got even worse before fans were in dreamland.
Rayan Cherki put them in front and Luke Shaw then clumsily gave away a penalty, which Alexandre Lacazette scored.
But there was life in United yet, Bruno Fernandes converted a spot-kick and Kobbie Mainoo then finished brilliantly.
4-4 on the night, 6-6 on aggregate, it was going to penalties… or was it?
But cue more mayhem as Harry Maguire made himself the hero by heading home at the back post in the 121st to win it for United.
Here is how SunSport rated the performances in a chaotic game.
But you know what they say about going too soon, Andre? Perhaps you should have hung on a while… although he did get to have the last laugh in the end I suppose. 7
20
NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 5
Struggled a bit, although the fact he didn’t reappear for the second half was the clearest indication it was more than simply having a stinker. Well they do say first impressions can lie.
Mind you he did produce the pass to Bruno Fernandes that started the move for United’s opener, so not all bad then. 5
20
HARRY MAGUIRE – 7
Hard-man Harry set the tone for the evening by thundering into Thiago Almada in the first minute and didn’t take a backward step from that second.
But don’t typecast Maguire as a big old meathead defender – there’s a touch of finesse too, as he showed with a marvellous long ball to Diogo Dalot for the breathing-space second.
And then, just as he’d done against Leicester in the FA Cup, he popped up deep in the box to nod the winner. What. A. Hero! 7
20
20
LENY YORO – 6
The French kid is growing in confidence with every game, and clearly a stylish, ball-playing defender. Just not deep in your own box though, young man!
Produced a stunning – if unwitting – block with his face late on but then got caught napping for the second goal and went downhill fast in extra time. 6
20
DIOGO DALOT – 6
Dalot makes the headlines about as often as he is on the scoresheet. Well guess what – this time he managed both, by drilling United’s second in off the post.
If only he had been as impressive at the other end, because his blundering challenge saw the ball run for Rayan Cherkhi to rifle in the third. Good day, bad day. 6
20
CASEMIRO – 7
The Brazilian would struggle not to come last in a dad’s race at the school sports day, but his brain is as sharp and shrewd as ever.
Picks a pass, spots the danger, and went close to a goal with a lumbering run and strike. If only he’d found the corner, it wouldn’t have been such a tortuous night. 7
20
MANUEL UGARTE – 6
Another man who is to goalscoring what Casemiro is to 100 metre sprinting – yet like Dalot, he managed it against Lyon. Says a lot about their defence, doesn’t it?
Prowled around the midfield, snapping into tackles and snaffling loose balls like the meanest of Gauchos. Mind you, he can be a clumsy you-know-what at times too! Hooked late on. 6
20
PATRICK DORGU – 5
Was going about his business steadily, if unspectacularly, when it all went t**s up with that Lyon comeback – and Dorgu played his part in it.
First he didn’t even get off the ground when Moussa Niakhate knocked a header into the danger area. Then he was nowhere near Malick Fofana, who crossed for the equaliser. No shock when he was soon hooked. 5
20
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 6
He was the creator-in-chief for the crucial opener with a great burst of speed to the byline, and an even more impressive level-headed pull back for Ugarte.
When he’s on song Garnacho can be unplayable…and he was on song for large periods against the French. If only his finishing had matched his runs, because he missed a sitter at 2-0 or it could have been a lot calmer. 6
20
20
BRUNO FERNANDES – 7
Bruno is such a string-puller in this side that even on his quieter nights he is the driving force. And boy didn’t United need their skipper to be so here.
If his did-you-see-that stretching first half volley had gone in, rather than rattling the bar, they’d have ended the betting for Goal of the Season as well. Instead it went from strolling to squeaky bum. Kept his nerve for the penalty – and thank Heavens he did. 7
20
20
RASMUS HOJLUND – 5
What an infuriating player the Dane is at times… built like Tarzan, but so often plays like Jane. At least he always seems to whenever the ball’s played up to his feet.
Use your strength man, instead of chucking yourself to the floor. Did produce one great round the corner ball to send Garnacho clear, but not enough. That’s why he was subbed off and why United had no out and out striker on when they needed a goal. 5
20
SUBS
LUKE SHAW (for Mazaroui) – 6
Hardly an explosive reintroduction to action for the England left back, but his return does mean one of United’s problem positions is no longer thus.
It led to others against Lyon though, because it was Shaw’s blundering challenge on Fofana that gave the French the penalty they thought had clinched it. 6
20
KOBBIE MAINOO (for Ugarte) – 7
Young Kobbie would never have expected his next step towards a full return to fitness would come as a centre forward.
That was about as likely as, say, United being two up and blowing it against ten men. What was that Sir Alex…football, bloody hell you say? What a late strike to level it up. Magnifique! 7
Nancy Xu inserted a string of purple hearts and Jowita Przystał opted for the heart-eyed emoji.
Kai met Chloe, an executive assistant for a firm in the City, during a trip to his local pub.
Having kept their romance secret for a little while, the pair are set to “go public” with their first red carpet appearance too.
A pal said: “Chloe and Kai met in a pub in West London and hit it off from the start.
“Chloe is a great girl and has absolutely no interest in the limelight; she just likes Kai for Kai.
“They have a real laugh together and although it’s early days, they’re planning on moving in together in the coming months.
Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood launches astonishing attack on fellow judges – insisting he’s the only one that matters
“Kai found it very damaging to his mental health having his past relationship with Nadiya played out in public, and thankfully Chloe has no interest at all in being in the spotlight.
“She also isn’t a Strictly superfan which makes things easier.
“They’re super-content, and Kai attributes a lot of his looking so well to being in a happier place in life thanks to her. They make a really cute couple.”
Chloe, originally from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, now lives in London.
This is Kai’s first relationship following his break-up from Ukrainian pro, Nadiya, whom he dated for two years.
The pair launched a sell-out tour but, awkwardly, were forced to dance together nightly whilst in the process of separating.
It has seen relationships crumble with dance floor romances and punishing rehearsal schedules to blame.
This includes the partnerships of Louise and Jamie Redknapp as well as Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer.
Controversially, Judge Craig Revel Horwood once said of the curse: “I think of it as a blessing, to be honest. One person is married, the other one had a girlfriend but my point in this entire thing is: if you come on Strictly, sometimes you are in a relationship that is not working anyway.
“There has to be something wrong in your relationship before it all goes awry.”
Series one winner Brendan Cole left his fiancé, fellow Strictly professional Camilla Dallerup, during filming for the very first series in spring 2004.
Brendan was said to have fallen for his celebrity partner and inaugural winner Natasha Kaplinsky, although the duo didn’t confirm they were romantically involved.
3
Fellow Strictly pro Nadiya Bychkova admitted the pair were ‘not friends’ after their bitter splitCredit: Splash
3
They had to tour together while in the midst of their separationCredit: John McLellan
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s claim that it can’t do anything to free Kilmar Abrego Garcia from an El Salvador prison and return him to the U.S. “should be shocking,” a federal appeals court said Thursday in a blistering order that ratchets up the escalating conflict between the government’s executive and judicial branches.
A three-judge panel from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously refused to suspend a judge’s decision to order sworn testimony by Trump administration officials to determine if they complied with her instruction to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return.
Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, who was nominated by Republican President Reagan, wrote that he and his two colleagues “cling to the hope that it is not naïve to believe our good brethren in the Executive Branch perceive the rule of law as vital to the American ethos.”
“This case presents their unique chance to vindicate that value and to summon the best that is within us while there is still time,” Wilkinson wrote.
The seven-page order amounts to an extraordinary condemnation of the administration’s position in Abrego Garcia’s case and also an ominous warning of the dangers of an escalating conflict between the judiciary and executive branches the court said threatens to “diminish both.” It says the judiciary will be hurt by the “constant intimations of its illegitimacy” while the executive branch “will lose much from a public perception of its lawlessness.”
When asked by reporters Thursday afternoon if he believed Abrego Garcia was entitled to due process, President Trump ducked the question.
“I have to refer, again, to the lawyers,” he said in the Oval Office. “I have to do what they ask me to do.”
The president added: “I had heard that there were a lot of things about a certain gentleman — perhaps it was that gentleman — that would make that case be a case that’s easily winnable on appeal. So we’ll just have to see. I’m gonna have to respond to the lawyers.”
The Justice Department didn’t immediately comment on the decision. In a brief accompanying their appeal, government lawyers argued that courts do not have the authority to “press-gang the President or his agents into taking any particular act of diplomacy.”
“Yet here, a single district court has inserted itself into the foreign policy of the United States and has tried to dictate it from the bench,” they wrote.
The 4th Circuit panel said Trump’s government is “asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order.”
“Further, it claims in essence that because it has rid itself of custody that there is nothing that can be done. This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear,” Wilkinson wrote.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court said the Trump administration must work to bring back Abrego Garcia. An earlier order by U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis “properly requires the Government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador,” the high court said in an unsigned order with no noted dissents.
The Justice Department appealed after Xinis on Tuesday ordered sworn testimony by at least four officials who work for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department.
The 4th Circuit panel denied the government’s request for a stay of Xinis’ order while they appeal.
“The relief the government is requesting is both extraordinary and premature,” the opinion says. “While we fully respect the Executive’s robust assertion of its Article II powers, we shall not micromanage the efforts of a fine district judge attempting to implement the Supreme Court’s recent decision.”
Wilkinson, the opinion’s author, was regarded as a contender for the Supreme Court seat that was ultimately filled by Chief Justice John Roberts in 2005. Wilkinson’s conservative pedigree may complicate White House efforts to credibly assail him as a left-leaning jurist bent on thwarting the Trump administration’s agenda for political purposes, a fallback line of attack when judicial decisions run counter to the president’s wishes.
Joining Wilkinson in the ruling were judges Stephanie Thacker, who was nominated by Democratic President Obama, and Robert Bruce King, who was nominated by Democratic President Clinton.
White House officials claim they lack the authority to bring back the Salvadoran national from his native country. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele also said Monday that he would not return Abrego Garcia, likening it to smuggling “a terrorist into the United States.”
While initially acknowledging Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported, the administration has dug in its heels in recent days, describing him as a “terrorist” even though he was never criminally charged in the U.S.
Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said Wednesday that “he is not coming back to our country.”
Kunzelman, Tucker and Richer write for the Associated Press. AP writer Will Weissert contributed to this report.
It was a topic in Redick’s first news conference as Lakers coach, a topic in the preseason and, as the season began fittingly against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a topic an entire regular season ago.
“I’ve mentioned this a few times. We’ve talked a ton throughout the offseason. We’ve seen it already in the gym. He’s had a specific sort of pie to choose from, a menu to choose from so far in his career,” Redick said in October. “We’re going to try to give him a little bit more on the menu. Just make him a little more dynamic.”
Yet no piece of praise, no late-game play call, no moment more than any cemented how the Lakers felt about Reaves then their decision in Memphis in late March when Redick gathered LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Reaves together to talk about how the Lakers’ best players could make things work together.
“Just in terms of Austin being included, of course he’s been included,” Redick said.
The injuries that have robbed him from playing time have not taken away Leonard’s passion for the game. The inability to play this season because of a right knee injury he had to manage has not lessened Leonard’s happiness for basketball.
He’s 33 and has spent the last five of his 13-year NBA career with the Clippers, and his “love” for the game has only grown.
“I love the game. I love the game and I have a passion for it still. I love to compete out there. So, that’s pretty much what drives me back,” Leonard said after practice Wednesday. “You know, everything has its ups and downs. You got to go through those in life and you just keep going, really.”
All Times Pacific Play-in round Wednesday Miami 109, at Chicago 90 (box score) loser is eliminated
Dallas 120, at Sacramento 106 (box score) loser is eliminated
Friday Miami at Atlanta, 4 p.m., TNT winner advances to playoffs as East No. 8 seed
Dallas at Memphis, 6:30 p.m., ESPN winner advances to playoffs as West No. 8 seed
First round Western Conference
No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota Saturday at Lakers, 5:30 p.m., ABC Tuesday at Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT Friday, April 25 at Timberwolves, 6:30 p.m., ESPN Sunday, April 27 at Timberwolves, 12:30 p.m., ABC Wed., April 30 at Lakers, TBD* Friday, May 2 at Timberwolves, TBD* Sunday, May 4 at Lakers, TBD*
No. 4 Denver vs. No. 5 Clippers Saturday at Nuggets, 12:30 p.m., ESPN Monday at Nuggets, 7 p.m., TNT Thursday at Clippers, 7 p.m., NBA TV Saturday, April 26 at Clippers, 3 p.m., TNT Tuesday, April 29 at Nuggets, TBD* Thursday, May 1 at Clippers, TBD* Saturday, May 3 at Nuggets, TBD*
* if necessary
DODGERS
From Jack Harris: One year and three weeks ago, Bobby Miller was at the peak of his young major league career.
After a promising rookie campaign in 2023, the hard-throwing right-hander had made the Dodgers’ 2024 opening-day rotation. In his season debut, he dominated the St. Louis Cardinals with 11 strikeouts over six scoreless innings. And as a former top prospect in the organization’s pitching-rich farm system, his ascent in the big leagues seemed to be just beginning.
One year and three weeks later, he faces a long climb back.
Now a depth arm in the organization who was called up from triple-A Oklahoma City for a spot start Wednesday, Miller’s first MLB outing of 2025 mirrored the struggles that plagued him over the rest of 2024.
During a woeful three-inning outing, the 26-year-old gave up six runs to the middling Colorado Rockies. Despite striking out seven batters, he was knocked around for a five-spot in the third, punctuated by a hanging curveball Michael Toglia hit for a grand slam.
The Dodgers still won, riding a seven-run first inning to an 8-7 victory that completed a three-game series sweep at Dodger Stadium this week.
But Miller’s implosion was another troubling sign for the Dodgers’ young depth options on the mound.
From Ryan Kartje: When the transfer portal opened for its spring window in each of the past two years, Lincoln Riley still had important holes to fill on his roster. In 2023, USC picked up a starter on the offensive and defensive lines. In 2024, the Trojans brought in a starting cornerback, starting defensive tackle and kicker to put the finishing touches on its depth chart.
But after two springs scouring the portal for potential starters, the Trojans’ needs aren’t anywhere near as glaring in 2025. And with transfers seeking huge paydays ahead of the impending House settlement, prices have never been higher, either.
So when the portal officially opened for business Wednesday morning, USC had no plans to make major waves. Finally, ahead of Riley’s fourth season, he could afford to sit back and be selective with the spring portal while focusing most of the staff’s attention on growing its top-ranked 2026 class.
“The big thing for us is to just build a roster that doesn’t have to be too reliant on the spring portal,” Riley said. “I certainly feel like there’s less needs on this football team than maybe in some of the years past when we’ve got to this point.”
Mark Scheifele scored at 1:51 of overtime to give the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 victory over the Ducks on Wednesday night in their regular-season finale.
The Jets finished at 56-22-4 to set a franchise record with 116 points.
Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for Winnipeg in his 47th victory, the most in franchise history, and the Jets wrapped up the Jennings Trophy for fewest goals against.
Neal Pionk opened the scoring for Winnipeg with 6:11 left in the second period, his screened shot from the point beating Husso.
Troy Terry tied it for Anaheim at 5:45 of the third. He pounced on a rebound and slid the puck into the open side of the net.
1939 — Joe Louis knocks out Jack Roper at 2:20 of the first round in Los Angeles to retain the world heavyweight title.
1947 — Jackie Robinson bunts for his 1st major league hit.
1951 — NY Yankee Mickey Mantle’s 1st game.
1967 — Italian boxer Nino Benvenuti beats American Emile Griffith in a 15-round decision to win world middleweight crown.
1976 — Mike Schmidt hits four consecutive home runs and drives in eight runs as the Philadelphia Phillies overcome a 13-2 deficit to beat the Cubs 18-16 in 10 innings at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
1976 — Australian tennis star Evonne Goolagong Cawley wins her second WTA Tour Championship at the Los Angeles Sports Arena; beats Chris Evert.
1982 — The Denver Nuggets’ Alex English, Dan Issel and Kiki Vandeweghe each average 20 points a game, the first frontcourt to do so since Bob Pettit, Cliff Hagan and Clyde Lovellette of St. Louis in 1961.
1983 — Nolan Ryan strikes out his 3,500th batter.
1987 — Julius Erving of the Philadelphia 76ers becomes the third player to score 30,000 points in his pro career. Erving scores 38 points to join Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
1994 — Carl Lewis and his Santa Monica Track Club teammates rewrite their world record in the 800-meter relay at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays. Lewis, Mike Marsh, Leroy Burrell and Floyd Heard are timed at 1:18.68, breaking the record of 1:19.11 they had set on April 25, 1992.
1995 — Wayne Gretzky reaches 2,500 career points when he sets up a power-play goal by Rob Blake in the Kings’ 5-2 loss to Calgary.
1997 — The New Jersey Devils’ Martin Brodeur becomes the second NHL goalie to score in the playoffs. Brodeur’s empty net goal caps a three-goal third period that gives the Devils a 5-2 win and a 1-0 lead in a first-round series against Montreal.
1999 — Quarterbacks go 1-2-3 in the NFL Draft as Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb and Akili Smith go to Cleveland, Philadelphia and Cincinnati — the first quarterback trifecta since 1971.
2001 — Barry Bonds becomes the 17th major leaguer to hit 500 home runs. Bonds’ two-run, eighth-inning drive off Terry Adams leads the San Francisco Giants over the Dodgers 3-2.
2006 — Sidney Crosby, scores three assists in Pittsburgh’s 6-1 win over the New York Islanders to become the youngest player in NHL history to score 100 points in a season. The 18-year-old becomes the seventh NHL rookie to reach the 100-point mark.
2010 — Ubaldo Jimenez pitches the first no-hitter in the Colorado Rockies’ 18-year history, dominating the Atlanta Braves in a 4-0 victory.
2011 — Jimmie Johnson wins the Aaron’s 499, edging Clint Bowyer by about a foot. The official margin of 0.002 seconds, ties for the closest finish in NASCAR Sprint Cup history.
2018 — Brayden McNabb scores against his former team in the second period, lifting Vegas to a 1-0 victory over the Kings that makes the Golden Knights the first expansion team in NHL history to sweep its first playoff series. Marc-Andre Fleury turns in another stellar performance, stopping 31 shots as the Knights finish off their fourth one-goal victory of the series.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
A gunman, who was shot and apprehended, allegedly killed two people and injured six at midday Thursday on the Florida State University campus. Photo courtesy of Florida State University.
April 17 (UPI) — A lone gunman who is enrolled at Florida State University allegedly killed two and wounded six others during a late-morning shooting Thursday on the college campus in Tallahassee. Police shot and apprehended him.
During a 5 p.m. EDT news conference, police officials identified the alleged shooter as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, whose mother is a Leon County sheriff’s deputy.
Investigators said Ikner used his mother’s personal firearm in the mass shooting that began at 11:50 a.m. at the university’s student union, and that he is the only suspect.
Five of the six people who were shot are hospitalized in serious condition, while the sixth is in critical condition at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. Police declined to identify the shooting victims.
The two people who were shot and killed were not students, police said.
“I want to thank all the brave men and women of the FSU Police Department for responding immediately to the scene,” FSU Police Chief Jason Trumbower said.
All classes at FSU are canceled through Friday, and all other activities, including sporting events, are canceled through Sunday.
Ikner was armed with a pistol and a shotgun, but there is no evidence so far that he used the shotgun.
FSU police immediately responded and said they neutralized Ikner by shooting him after he did not obey their commands. He also is hospitalized.
President Donald Trump called the incident “a horrible thing,” and Gov. Ron DeSantis said those hurt were in his prayers.
She told CNN, “I’m shaking … It’s just a lot going on.”
Student Blake Leonard told WCTV he heard 30 shots fired and said he was about 400 feet from the student union when gunfire erupted.
A heavy law enforcement response on campus and some streets were closed.
A witness having lunch in the student union with his daughter told WCTV that shots started in the union and people started running.
“We went through an exit door, ran down a hall and all the doors were locked except for one going upstairs. There were 50 of us trapped. We went into the service elevator and went upstairs.”
The man said the doors opened and two officers were there, guns drawn, and they pointed toward a way out. “We got outside and we ended up in the church across the street here.”
He said his daughter was trampled in the rush of people to get away from the shooting before making it away from the scene.
According to WCTV, students in the student union reported hearing 15 to 20 gunshots. A graduate student said he saw a college-aged man with a handgun.
Just before 1 p.m. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said on X, “My office is responding to the active shooter situation on FSU’s campus and we will provide updates as they become available.”
At 12:01 p.m. a school announcement on X warned students, “Continue to shelter in place. Police have responded to an active shooter situation call at the Student Union.”
The lockdown was lifted later in the afternoon.
A Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare spokesperson said the hospital was receiving patients from the shooting.
“At this time, details are still unfolding, and we do not yet have specific information to share,” the representative said. “However, we want to assure the community that our teams are fully mobilized and prepared to provide the highest level of care and support to all those affected.”
In 2014, three people were shot at the campus’ Strozier Library by a 31-year-old graduate student. Police shot and killed the gunman outside the library.
“If I want him out, he’ll be out of there real fast.” Donald Trump said he is “not happy” with US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, accusing the central bank chief of “playing politics” by not lowering interest rates.
Rising economic uncertainty amid a global trade war did little to dampen Netflix’s financial results in the first quarter.
The Los Gatos-based streaming giant said its first quarter revenue grew 13% to $10.5 billion, fueled by membership growth and higher prices.
Net income jumped 24% to $2.89 billion in the quarter, well ahead of the $2.48 billion that analysts had forecast, according to FactSet.
The robust growth provided further evidence of Netflix’s dominance in the streaming market during an uncertain economy.
“In times when consumers may be scrutinizing their spending on streaming services, expert sentiment remains consistent: Netflix will continue to be the default platform and the last to be cut by the vast majority of users,” said John Conca, an analyst at investment research firm Third Bridge.
Netflix stock rose 1% on Thursday, closing at $973.03 a share.
Earlier this year, Netflix raised prices on certain subscription plans in the U.S., including for its lower cost ad-supported plan, which has been growing.
During the first quarter, Netflix became home to “WWE Raw,” which analysts said helped boost the streamer’s advertising and drew significant viewership.
Some analysts said they believe Netflix will weather any pullback in the advertising market caused by global trade disputes.
Netflix launched its cheaper ad-supported tier in 2022 and it is still a small, but growing, part of its business.
“Because Netflix relies on advertising less than most of its competitors do, in some ways it will be less exposed to tariffs that constrict upfront commitments,” said Ross Benes, senior analyst at research firm EMarketer. “I don’t think the macro economic problems the world is facing are going to hit them.”
Programs that Netflix launched in the first quarter included limited series drama “Adolescence,” about a 13-year-old boy suspected of murdering his classmate. The series has drawn 124.2 million views so far and is ranked third in Netflix’s most popular English language shows of all time, surpassing the first season of Regency romance series “Bridgerton.”
Other shows that launched in the first quarter included the Shondaland mystery series “The Residence,” reality TV program “Million Dollar Secret,” Kate Hudson comedy series “Running Point” and romance movie “The Life List.”
“We’re executing on our 2025 priorities: improving our series and film offering and growing our ads business; further developing newer initiatives like live programming and games; and sustaining healthy revenue and profit growth,” Netflix said in a letter to shareholders on Thursday.
Last year, Netflix said it had more than 301 million subscribers.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court announced Thursday it will hear arguments in May on President Trump’s proposed limits on birthright citizenship.
But it was not clear whether the justices would weigh in on the constitutionality of Trump’s proposal or instead decide only whether it can be blocked nationwide by a federal judge acting on behalf of a few plaintiffs.
On his first day in office, Trump proposed to revise the 14th Amendment’s promise that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.”
Under Trump’s proposal, babies born in this country would not be deemed U.S. citizens if neither the mother nor the father was a citizen or a lawful permanent resident at the time of the birth.
The proposal was challenged as unconstitutional based on the words and history of the 14th Amendment, and three judges have struck it down nationwide. Those judges in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington state ruled based on lawsuits filed by individuals, groups and 22 states.
Trump’s lawyers said those rulings went too far. They appealed to the Supreme Court on procedural grounds and made what they described as “a modest request.” They said the justices should rein in federal district judges and limit their power to make nationwide rulings.
If the justices were to agree, however, it could clear the way to enforce Trump’s new citizenship rules in many parts of the nation, even while the constitutionality of his plan remained in doubt.
Several justices have voiced skepticism over district judges handing down rulings that set a national rule. But others have questioned the notion of a constitutional revision that goes into effect in some states and not others.
Thursday’s brief order suggests the justices are closely split on how to proceed. They said they will hear arguments on May 15 and would likely issue a decision by late June.
Chris Eubank Jr says he has compensated the fighters on the undercard who were set to box when his bout with Conor Benn was cancelled in 2022.
The contest was called off when Benn failed a voluntary drugs test, prompting a two-year battle with anti-doping authorities, before his suspension was lifted in November.
The middleweight bout between the Britons has been rescheduled to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 26.
He wrote: “Here’s a little something to help out the undercard fighters that were left out of pocket.”
“Few boxers didn’t want to give me their bank details… maybe they will now.”
Shannon Courtenay, who was set to fight on the undercard, replied “man of his word – thank you” to Eubank Jr’s post.
Unified IBF and WBO super-bantamweight titles champion Ellie Scotney, meanwhile, wrote “what a guy”.
Benn, 28, has always denied intentionally doping and both fighters are being tested by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) for next week’s contest.
An independent report by the WBC in February 2023 said Benn’s failed drugs test was not intentional and could have been caused by a “highly elevated consumption” of eggs.
