The Associated Press – Ƶapp News Washington's Top News Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:15:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/WtopNewsLogo_500x500-150x150.png The Associated Press – Ƶapp News 32 32 Sports Betting Line /sports/2026/04/sports-betting-line-97/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:11:27 +0000 /?p=29163391&preview=true&preview_id=29163391 NBA

Tuesday

FAVORITE LINE O/U UNDERDOG
at BOSTON 13½ (216½) Philadelphia
at SAN ANTONIO 11½ (220½) Portland
Houston (206½) at LA LAKERS

MLB

Tuesday

American League

FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE
at CLEVELAND -132 Houston +112
N.Y Yankees -119 at BOSTON -101
at KANSAS CITY -132 Baltimore +111
Toronto -113 at LA ANGELS -106
at SEATTLE -185 Athletics +153

National League

FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE
St. Louis -118 at MIAMI -101
Atlanta -137 at WASHINGTON +116
Philadelphia -123 at CHICAGO CUBS +103
at COLORADO OFF San Diego OFF
LA Dodgers -178 at SAN FRANCISCO +150

Interleague

FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE
Milwaukee -116 at DETROIT -104
Cincinnati OFF at TAMPA BAY OFF
at N.Y METS -175 Minnesota +146
at TEXAS OFF Pittsburgh OFF
at ARIZONA -152 Chicago White Sox +126

National Hockey League (NHL)

Tuesday

FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG LINE
at TAMPA BAY -191 Montreal +158
at BUFFALO -169 Boston +142
at VEGAS -156 Utah +131
at COLORADO -277 Los Angeles +225

Consensus odds provided by Sportradar

Source

]]>
New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon survives party leadership vote months before election /world/2026/04/new-zealand-prime-minister-luxon-survives-party-leadership-vote-months-before-election/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:05:34 +0000 /?p=29164172&preview=true&preview_id=29164172 WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister said Tuesday that he had survived a vote on his leadership among his own party’s lawmakers, after recent slumps in the polls prompted speculation he might be ousted.

The vote, during a routine meeting of Luxon’s center-right National Party lawmakers, was held privately. Luxon emerged afterward, however, to tell reporters he had called for a confidence vote, in which he was successful.

“The last week, there has been intense media speculation about my leadership,” Luxon said, adding that he had called for a confidence vote “to put that media speculation to rest.”

He did not give a breakdown of the vote or say that it had been unanimous.

National has governed New Zealand in a right-wing coalition government since the 2023 election. Luxon, a former airline executive who entered Parliament in 2000, has led the party since 2021.

The vote among his lawmakers happened months before , scheduled for Nov. 7. Recent drops in the polls for National had prompted speculation from analysts that he would face a leadership challenge.

After an unusually long meeting of his caucus at Parliament in Wellington, which lasted two and a half hours, instead of the usual hour, Luxon read from a brief statement about the vote. He departed without taking questions from reporters.

While two recent New Zealand prime ministers — National’s John Key and Labour’s Jacinda Ardern — have voluntarily quit the post, it would have been extremely unusual for lawmakers to oust a sitting prime minister.

Luxon blamed reports of unrest within his part’s ranks on news outlets, but one political poll released days ago appeared to have made a discussion of leadership unavoidable. The 1News-Verian poll suggested slumping support for Luxon and for National in a hypothetical election.

The levels of support in the most recent poll implied the right-wing bloc led by his party could come in behind the left-wing bloc led by Labour if an election were held immediately, though the vote won’t occur for more than another six months.

“If the media want to keep focusing on speculation and rumor, I am not going to engage,” Luxon said Tuesday.

Source

]]>
Agustín Ramírez homers and Marlins halt Cardinals’ winning streak with 5-3 victory /sports/2026/04/agustin-ramirez-homers-and-marlins-halt-cardinals-winning-streak-with-5-3-victory/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:02:25 +0000 /?p=29164355&preview=true&preview_id=29164355 MIAMI (AP) — Agustín Ramírez homered and Max Meyer pitched effectively into the sixth inning to lead the Miami Marlins to a 5-3 victory over St. Louis on Monday night, snapping the Cardinals’ five-game winning streak.

Meyer, who has battled injuries since being selected third overall in the 2020 amateur draft, left after 5 1/3 innings and 91 pitches. He permitted two runs on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts.

Calvin Faucher (2-2) got the final two outs in the sixth. He allowed the tying run to score on a wild pitch but was credited with the win after Miami went back ahead in the bottom half.

Pete Fairbanks gave up a leadoff triple to Masyn Winn and a sacrifice fly to Ramón Urías in the ninth before finishing for his fourth save in five opportunities.

Meyer hit JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera with pitches to begin the game but then retired 10 batters in a row.

Jordan Walker got the game’s first hit when he singled with one out in the St. Louis fourth to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. He scored on Winn’s sacrifice fly to put the Cardinals up 1-0.

Michael McGreevy (1-2) didn’t allow a baserunner until Kyle Stowers walked with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Stowers scored on Xavier Edwards’ ground-rule double to tie it at 1.

leading off the fifth for a 2-1 lead.

Faucher entered with one out and Walker on first in the sixth. Winn singled before Walker scored on a wild pitch to tie it 2-all.

Stowers singled in the sixth before scoring the go-ahead run from first on a double by Otto Lopez. Edwards walked but was thrown out at home on Liam Hicks’ single that drove in Lopez to make it 4-2.

Lopez, who has a hit in nine straight games, drew a walk from Ryan Fernandez in the eighth before scoring on Hicks’ single for a 5-2 advantage.

McGreevy gave up four runs on five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Wetherholt has been hit by a pitch in a Cardinals-record five straight games.

Up next

Cardinals RHP Dustin May (2-2, 6.98 ERA) starts Tuesday opposite Marlins RHP Chris Paddack (0-3, 5.59).

___

AP MLB:

Source

]]>
Coach K’s grandson charged with misdemeanor DWI in collision that killed teen who was riding bicycle /ncaa-basketball/2026/04/coach-ks-grandson-charged-with-misdemeanor-dwi-in-collision-that-killed-teen-who-was-riding-bicycle/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:59:17 +0000 /?p=29164351&preview=true&preview_id=29164351 DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — A grandson of retired Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has been charged with misdemeanor driving while impaired in connection with a collision that killed a 15-year-old bicyclist.

Joseph Savarino, 26, admitted to drinking before the incident Saturday night and a Breathalyzer test measured his blood-alcohol concentration at 0.11%, according to Durham County court records. The legal limit is 0.08%.

Savarino’s vehicle struck the boy, who was riding his bike in northwest Durham, police said. An investigation is ongoing.

Savarino made his first court appearance Monday, and a judge revoked his driver’s license before releasing him on a $100,000 secured bond. The bond was posted by Debbie Savarino, Joseph’s mother and Krzyzewski’s daughter. She is an assistant athletic director at Duke.

Joseph Savarino’s attorney, Butch Williams, did not immediately respond to telephone and email messages left at his office. Savarino’s next court appearance is May 20.

___

AP college basketball: and

Source

]]>
Mitchell scores 30, Harden adds 28 as Cavaliers beat Raptors 115-105 for 2-0 series lead /sports/2026/04/mitchell-scores-30-harden-adds-28-as-cavaliers-beat-raptors-115-105-for-2-0-series-lead/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:54:14 +0000 /?p=29164329&preview=true&preview_id=29164329 CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, James Harden added 28 and the Cleveland Cavaliers held on for a 115-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night for a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Evan Mobley had 25 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who had at least three players score at least 25 points in a postseason game for the second straight season and fourth time overall.

Cleveland — which never trailed — has won 12 straight playoff games against Toronto, tying the NBA postseason record for consecutive wins against an opponent. The streak began in the 2016 Eastern Conference finals, when the Cavaliers took the final three games. Cleveland swept Toronto in four games in the second round in 2017 and ’18.

The Cavaliers also have 12-game winning streaks against Detroit and Atlanta, while the Los Angeles Lakers had a 12-game run against Seattle from 1980 through ’89.

Scottie Barnes led Toronto with a playoff career-high 26 points. RJ Barrett had 22 points and nine rebounds.

The series shifts to Toronto for Game 3 on Thursday night.

Harden had four assists to move into seventh place on the playoff career list with 1,139. He also had five steals, the fourth time he’s had at least that many in a playoff game.

A driving layup by Barnes got Toronto within 99-90 midway through the fourth quarter. Mitchell responded with seven straight points to put it away.

The Cavaliers had a 73-57 advantage midway through the third quarter before the Raptors countered with a 16-6 run.

___

AP NBA:

Source

]]>
Japan approves scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports in a change of its postwar pacifist policy /europe/2026/04/japan-approves-scrapping-a-ban-on-lethal-weapons-exports-in-a-change-of-its-postwar-pacifist-policy/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:52:19 +0000 /?p=29164261&preview=true&preview_id=29164261 TOKYO (AP) — Japan on Tuesday endorsed scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports, a major change of its postwar pacifist policy as the country seeks to build up its arms industry and deepen cooperation with defense partners.

The approval by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet of the new guideline clears a final set of hurdles for Japan’s postwar arms sales.

The move comes as the country accelerates its military buildup in the face of growing security challenges in the region. While the change of policy met with China’s criticism, it has been largely welcomed by Japan’s defense partners like Australia and attracted interests from Southeast Asia and Europe.

Opponents say the change violates Japan’s pacifist constitution and will increase global tensions and threaten the safety of the Japanese people.

Japan long prohibited most arms exports under its post-World War II pacifist constitution. It has made recent changes due to rising global and regional tensions, but exports were limited to five areas: rescue, transport, alert, surveillance and minesweeping.

The new guideline scraps those limits and allows the export of equipment such as fighter jets, missiles and destroyers — a major change from existing exports such as flak jackets, gas masks and civilian-use vehicles Japan has sent to Ukraine and intelligence radar sold to the Philippines.

Source

]]>
Earthquake sets off brief tsunami alert and a megaquake advisory in northern Japan /asia/2026/04/powerful-7-4-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-off-japan-tsunami-alert-issued/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:47:45 +0000 /?p=29161320&preview=true&preview_id=29161320 TOKYO (AP) — A 7.7 magnitude earthquake Monday off northern sparked a short-lived tsunami alert and an advisory of a slightly higher risk of a possible megaquake for its coastal areas.

The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency said there was a 1% chance for a megaquake, compared to a 0.1% chance during normal times, in the next week or so following the quake near the Chishima and Japan trenches.

Officials said the advisory was not a prediction but urged residents in 182 towns along the northeastern coasts to raise their preparedness while continuing their daily lives.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to confirm their designated shelters and evacuation routes and to check emergency food and grab bags so they can run immediately when a megaquake hits. “The government will do our utmost in case of an emergency,” she told reporters.

It was the second such advisory for the region in recent months. but no megaquake occurred.

Still, Monday’s earthquake and tsunami were a reminder to the quake-prone area of the March 2011 disaster that ravaged large swaths of the northern coast, triggering a nuclear crisis in Fukushima.

NHK television footage showed hanging objects swaying and people squatting at a shopping center in Aomori, as authorities told people to seek higher ground and avoid coastal areas.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said two people, one in Aomori and another in Iwate, were injured after falling.

Shinkansen bullet trains connecting Tokyo and northern Japan were temporarily suspended, leaving passengers in cars and on platforms waiting for service to resume.

The quake occurred off the coast of Sanriku at around 4:53 p.m. and was about 19 kilometers (11 miles) deep, JMA said. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake’s strength as 7.4 magnitude.

A tsunami of about 80 centimeters (2.6 feet) was detected at the Kuji port and a smaller tsunami of 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) was recorded at another port, both in Iwate prefecture, before Japan lifted all tsunami alert and advisories.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said nuclear power plants and related facilities in the region were intact and no abnormalities were detected.

It’s been 15 years since on March 11, 2011, ravaged parts of northern Japan, causing more than 22,000 deaths and forcing nearly half a million people to flee their homes.

Source

]]>
Louisiana community is struggling to understand after man killed 8 children /national/2026/04/man-kills-8-children-and-shoots-his-wife-and-another-woman-in-shreveport-louisiana/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:47:11 +0000 /?p=29161107&preview=true&preview_id=29161107 SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A stunned Louisiana city struggled to come to grips Monday with the carried out by a father who was separating from his wife and used an assault-style weapon despite a 2019 felony firearms conviction.

The violence a day after the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in two years. Schools brought in counselors for the victims’ young classmates and community leaders called for a city-wide reckoning on stopping domestic violence.

“We cannot afford to wait until the next crisis,” said Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn. “We owe it to the eight children who were lost.”

The shooter, identified as Shamar Elkins, killed , police said. His wife and another woman were also shot and wounded.

Shooter ‘just snapped,’ brother-in-law says

Elkins had voluntarily checked into a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in January for just over a week for mental health treatment, said his brother-in-law, Troy Brown, who lived in the house with his wife, Keosha Pugh, and was at work during the attack. Elkins appeared “better when he came home,” he said.

Elkins’ wife was seeking a divorce, which was causing him stress, Brown said. But everything seemed calm in the house when Brown left for work Saturday night, with the children playing games or watching TV.

“All I know is he just snapped,” Brown told The Associated Press. “If I wouldn’t have been at work, he was going to kill everybody in the house and that includes me.”

Brown’s wife, who made a series of frantic calls for help when the shooting started, and their 12-year-old daughter escaped through the home’s roof, he said. His wife broke her pelvis after falling and has since had surgery, he said.

“She said she was running for her life,” said Lionel Pugh, an uncle of the two women shot. “The only ones he didn’t kill was the ones who got away.”

Elkins died after fleeing and a police pursuit. It was not clear whether he was killed by officers who fired or from a self-inflicted gunshot, Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said.

Officials said the — three boys and five girls — ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old.

Brown said his 10-year-old son, who loved to go outside and run around and play with friends, was killed.

“I’m never going to get to throw the football with him again,” he said “I’m never going to get to hear him say, ‘Dad, can I get this bag of chips?’”

Elkins and his wife, identified by family members as Shaneiqua Elkins, were separating and had been due in court Monday, said Crystal Brown, a cousin of a woman shot in the attack. She said the couple had been arguing about the separation before the shooting.

Family members described Shaneiqua Elkins as a doting mother, who celebrated her children’s success in school.

“She raised those kids right,” Pugh said. “They were the center of her universe.”

Gunman had no recent arrests for domestic violence, police say

While the shooter did not appear to have a long criminal history, court records showed Elkins was placed on probation in 2019 after pleading guilty to illegal use of weapons. In that case, Elkins fired five rounds at a vehicle and told police that someone inside it had pulled a gun on him, according to a police report.

Based on Louisiana law, a person convicted of certain violent felonies — including illegal use of weapons — are banned from having a gun for at least 10 years after completing their sentence and probation.

Authorities said Monday that how and when Elkins got the gun is being investigated.

Louisiana, a reliably red state, has expanded access to guns in recent years. For years, Democrats in Louisiana have proposed bills to tighten gun control — or at least put “red flag” measures in place. But Republicans have routinely blocked such legislation.

Investigators were not aware of other domestic violence issues involving Elkins, said police spokesperson Chris Bordelon.

Elkins had served in the Louisiana National Guard from 2013 to 2020, said guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Noel Collins. Elkins held the rank of private and had no deployments, Collins said.

The violence started before sunrise Sunday

Authorities said the shooting erupted before dawn at two homes.

Elkins shot a woman in a neighborhood south of downtown, and opened fire a few blocks away at the home where the children were targeted, police said.

One of the victims, 5-year-old Braylon Snow, was getting ready for preschool graduation next month, said Laurance Guidry, president and CEO of Caddo Community Action Agency, which runs the Head Start program where Braylon was a student.

“They have the cap and gowns just like you would have when you were graduating from high school,” Guidry said.

Gov. Jeff Landry said during a news conference Monday that he thought he had seen evil up close after a truck attack last year on left 14 dead. “But the tragedy that unfolded this weekend seems to have eclipsed that,” he said.

Landry announced that the foundation created by the state’s first lady will pay the children’s funeral expenses.

A relative says they were a joyful family

Francine Monro Brown, a cousin of Shaneiqua Elkins, said she would often see the children playing in the yard on Sunday mornings when she drove past the house on her way to church.

“Happy children, joyful children. Shaneiqua is a great mother, She provided a great home for the kids,” Brown said as she stood near a growing memorial of stuffed teddy bears, flowers and pink and blue balloons.

Betty Pugh, another cousin of Shaneiqua Elkins, said she was always with her children. “That was the way we were taught: to love our kids, to take care of our kids. And that’s what she did,” Pugh said.

The mayor of Shreveport, a city of about 180,000 residents in northwestern Louisiana, called it one of the city’s worst days.

The shooting was the deadliest in the U.S. since January 2024, when eight people were killed , according to maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

___

This story has been updated to correct that Shaneiqua Elkins’ sister was not shot, she was injured escaping, and a second woman who authorities have not identified was also shot.

___

Brook reported from New Orleans. Contributing were Associated Press reporters Gerald Herbert in Shreveport; Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Jake Offenhartz in New York; and Hallie Golden in Seattle.

Source

]]>
Bryce Elder strikes out 6 in 6 2/3 and the Braves win 6th straight with 9-4 victory over Nationals /washington-nationals/2026/04/bryce-elder-strikes-out-6-in-6-2-3-and-the-braves-win-6th-straight-with-9-4-victory-over-nationals/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:43:42 +0000 /?p=29164319&preview=true&preview_id=29164319 WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Olson had three RBIs, Bryce Elder struck out six in 6 2/3 innings and the Atlanta Braves won their sixth straight game with a 9-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.

Drake Baldwin added two RBIs, and Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, Dominic Smith and Eli White each had an RBI for Atlanta.

Ronald Acuña Jr. was hit by a pitch in the fourth and sixth innings before . The Braves said X-rays were negative and Acuña was day to day.

Olson’s two-run homer over the center-field wall tied it at 2-all in the fourth. Olson added an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the ninth for a five-run lead.

Atlanta broke it open with five runs in the sixth.

Atlanta chased Washington starter Jake Irvin in the sixth after a fielding error and a hit batter. Washington reliever PJ Poulin came in and threw a wild pitch, and then Baldwin drove in two on a double down the left-field line to put Atlanta ahead for good at 4-3.

Albies and Harris hit back-to-back RBI singles in the sixth and Smith followed with an RBI on a fielder’s choice to make it 7-3.

Atlanta has won 10 of its last 12 games.

Elder (3-1), who entered leading the National League with a 0.77 ERA through four starts this season, allowed four runs, three earned.

Irvin (1-3) allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings of work.

Daylen Lile homered for Washington and Jacob Young had a two-run single to open the scoring in the first.

Up next

The four-game series — and the second of 13 matchups between the teams this season — continues on Tuesday with Atlanta RHP Reynaldo Lopez (1-0, 2.18 ERA) going against Washington LHP Foster Griffin (2-0, 3.05). The Nationals are in a stretch of 17 games in 17 days with the next off day April 27.

___

AP MLB:

Source

]]>
Rookie Sal Stewart hits his 8th homer as Reds top Rays 6-1 for 4th straight win /sports/2026/04/rookie-sal-stewart-hits-his-8th-homer-as-reds-top-rays-6-1-for-4th-straight-win/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:39:41 +0000 /?p=29164303&preview=true&preview_id=29164303 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Rookie Sal Stewart homered, doubled, stole a base and scored twice as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1 on Monday night for their fourth straight win.

Stewart put Cincinnati on the board with in the first inning, ending Jesse Scholtens’ scoreless streak to start the season at 9 2/3 innings.

With his eighth homer, Stewart matched Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox for the lead among major league rookies and St. Louis’ Jordan Walker for the National League lead. Stewart has the rookie lead in RBIs (21) and extra-base hits (13).

The 23-year-old first baseman also snagged a line drive with the bases loaded for the final out.

Rhett Lowder (3-1) needed 33 pitches to get through the first inning, issuing a bases-loaded walk to Yandy Díaz. He settled in from there, allowing five hits and two walks in six innings.

Three relievers worked an inning apiece for Cincinnati. The Reds entered the game with a bullpen ERA of 2.31, the best in the majors.

Scholtens (1-1) allowed five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

TJ Friedl doubled in the third and scored on Elly De La Cruz’s single. Eugenio Suárez added a two-run double in the sixth for Cincinnati.

In the seventh, Stewart hit a two-out double, stole third and scored on a wild pitch by Trevor Martin.

Cincinnati’s Ke’Bryan Hayes ended a career-worst 0-for-33 slump with a single in the sixth, ending the longest active streak in the majors. He went 1 for 4 and is batting .071.

Up next

Right-hander Chase Burns (1-1, 2.42 ERA) starts for Cincinnati on Tuesday against Tampa Bay lefty Steven Matz (3-0, 3.80).

___

AP MLB:

Source

]]>
Isaac Paredes’ first 2 home runs of season power slumping Astros to 9-2 victory over Guardians /sports/2026/04/isaac-paredes-first-2-home-runs-of-season-power-slumping-astros-to-9-2-victory-over-guardians/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:36:37 +0000 /?p=29164270&preview=true&preview_id=29164270 CLEVELAND (AP) — Isaac Paredes hit his first two home runs of the season and Christian Walker also went deep as the Houston Astros beat the Cleveland Guardians 9-2 on Monday night for just their third victory in 15 games.

Walker lined a two-run shot to left-center in the first inning to open the scoring. The first baseman snapped an 0-for-15 slump by going 3 for 5 with three runs.

Paredes broke a 2-all tie with a leadoff homer to left field in the fourth that sparked a four-run inning. His first longball of the year came in his 76th plate appearance. Paredes, who homered at least 19 times in each of the last four seasons, added a solo shot in the eighth to close the scoring.

Paredes and Carlos Correa each had three hits. Correa’s two-run single capped the fourth-inning outburst and put the Astros in front 6-2.

Spencer Arrighetti (2-0) pitched five innings and gave up two runs, five hits and four walks while striking out three. The Astros are 9-15 after beginning the season with a 6-3 mark.

Slade Cecconi (0-3) was tagged for seven runs (six earned) in five innings. Brayan Rocchio went 3 for 3 with a walk for the Guardians, who had won three of four.

Astros center fielder Taylor Trammell exited in the third inning after injuring his left groin while running the bases. Houston infielder Nick Allen (mid-back spasms) was placed on the 10-day injured list before the game.

Up next

The middle game of the series is set for Tuesday night, with Astros RHP Ryan Weiss (0-2, 6.75 ERA) facing LHP Parker Messick (3-0, 1.05), who took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against Baltimore last Thursday.

___

AP MLB:

Source

]]>
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving Trump’s Cabinet after abuse of power allegations /government/2026/04/labor-secretary-lori-chavez-deremer-is-leaving-trumps-cabinet-after-abuse-of-power-allegations/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:35:23 +0000 /?p=29163649&preview=true&preview_id=29163649 WASHINGTON (AP) — Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is out of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet, the White House said Monday, after multiple allegations of abusing her position’s power, including having an affair with a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job.

Chavez-DeRemer is the third Trump Cabinet member to leave her post after Trump his embattled Homeland Security Secretary in March and Attorney General earlier this month.

In a statement posted on social media, Chavez-DeRemer praised Trump and wrote, “I am proud that we made significant progress in advancing President Trump’s mission to bridge the gap between business and labor and always put the American worker first.”

Unlike other recent Cabinet departures, Chavez-DeRemer’s exit was announced by a White House aide, not by the president on his social media account.

“Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving the Administration to take a position in the private sector,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said on the social media site X. “She has done a phenomenal job in her role by protecting American workers, enacting fair labor practices, and helping Americans gain additional skills to improve their lives.”

He said Keith Sonderling, the current deputy labor secretary, would become acting labor secretary in her place. The news outlet NOTUS was the first to report Chavez-DeRemer’s resignation.

Labor chief, family members faced multiple allegations

Chavez-DeRamer’s departure follows reports that began surfacing in January that she was under a series of investigations.

A New York Times report last Wednesday revealed that the Labor Department’s inspector general was reviewing material showing Chavez-DeRemer and her top aides and family members routinely sent personal messages and requests to young staff members.

Chavez-DeRemer’s husband and father exchanged text messages with young female staff members, according to the newspaper. Some of the staffers were instructed by the secretary and her former deputy chief of staff to “pay attention” to her family, people familiar with the investigation told the Times.

Those messages were uncovered as part of a broader investigation of Chavez-DeRamer’s leadership that began after the New York Post reported in January that a complaint filed with the Labor Department’s inspector general accused Chavez-DeRemer of a relationship with the subordinate.

She also faced allegations that she drank alcohol on the job, and that she tasked aides to plan official trips for primarily personal reasons.

Late Monday, on her personal X account, Chavez-DeRemer posted, “The allegations against me, my family, and my team have been peddled by high-ranked deep state actors who have been coordinating with the one-sided news media and continue to undermine President Trump’s mission.”

Both the White House and the Labor Department initially said the reports of wrongdoing were baseless. But the official denials got less full-throated as more allegations emerged — and when Chavez-DeRemer might be out of a job became something of an open question in Washington.

At least four Labor Department officials have already been forced from their jobs as the investigation progressed, including Chavez-DeRemer’s former chief of staff and deputy chief of staff, as well as a member of her security detail, with whom she was accused of having the affair, The New York Times reported.

“I think the secretary demonstrated a lot of wisdom in resigning,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Monday after her departure was made public.

She enjoyed union support — rare for a Republican

in March 2025, Chavez-DeRemer is a former House GOP lawmaker who had . She enjoyed unusual support from unions as a Republican but lost reelection in November 2024.

In her single term in Congress, Chavez-DeRemer that would make it easier to unionize on a federal level, as well as a separate bill aimed at protecting Social Security benefits for public-sector employees.

Some prominent labor unions, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, backed Chavez-DeRemer, who is a daughter of a Teamster, for Labor Secretary. Trump’s decision to pick her was viewed by some political observers as a way to appeal to voters who are members of or affiliated with labor organizations.

But other powerful labor leaders were skeptical when she was tapped for the job, unconvinced that Chavez-DeRemer would pursue a union-friendly agenda as a part of the incoming GOP administration. In her Senate confirmation hearing, some senators questioned whether she would be able to uphold that reputation in an administration that fired thousands of federal employees.

She was a key figure in Trump’s deregulatory push

Aside from reports of wrongdoing in recent months, Chavez-DeRemer had been one of Trump’s more lower-profile Cabinet picks, but took key steps to advance the administration’s deregulatory agenda during her tenure.

For instance, the Labor Department last year more than 60 workplace regulations it saw as obsolete. The rollbacks included minimum wage requirements and people with disabilities, and rules governing exposure to harmful substances and safety procedures at mines. The effort drew condemnation from union leaders and workplace safety experts.

The proposed changes also included eliminating a requirement that employers provide adequate lighting for construction sites and seat belts for agriculture workers in most .

During Chavez-DeRemer’s tenure, the Trump administration canceled millions of dollars in international grants that a Labor Department division administered to , ending their work that had helped reduce the number of child laborers worldwide by 78 million over the last two decades.

In her statement Monday, Chavez-DeRemer said, “While my time serving in the Administration comes to a conclusion, it doesn’t mean I will stop fighting for American workers.”

The Labor Department has a broad mandate as it relates to the U.S. workforce, including reporting the U.S. unemployment rate, regulating workplace health and safety standards, investigating minimum wage, child labor and overtime pay disputes, and applying laws on union organizing and unlawful terminations.

___

Associated Press writers Steven Sloan and Will Weissert in Washington, and Cathy Bussewitz in New York, contributed to this report.

Source

]]>
Baseball Glance /sports/2026/04/baseball-glance-28/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:35:18 +0000 /?p=29162176&preview=true&preview_id=29162176 All Times EDT

East Division

W L Pct GB
New York 13 9 .591
Tampa Bay 12 10 .545 1
Baltimore 10 12 .455 3
Boston 9 13 .409 4
Toronto 8 13 .381

Central Division

W L Pct GB
Cleveland 13 11 .542
Detroit 12 11 .522 ½
Minnesota 11 11 .500 1
Chicago 8 14 .364 4
Kansas City 7 15 .318 5

West Division

W L Pct GB
Athletics 11 11 .500
Texas 11 11 .500
Los Angeles 11 12 .478 ½
Seattle 10 13 .435
Houston 9 15 .375 3

___

East Division

W L Pct GB
Atlanta 16 7 .696
Miami 11 12 .478 5
Washington 10 13 .435 6
Philadelphia 8 13 .381 7
New York 7 15 .318

Central Division

W L Pct GB
Cincinnati 15 8 .652
Pittsburgh 13 9 .591
St. Louis 13 9 .591
Chicago 12 9 .571 2
Milwaukee 12 9 .571 2

West Division

W L Pct GB
Los Angeles 15 6 .714
San Diego 15 7 .682 ½
Arizona 13 9 .591
Colorado 9 13 .409
San Francisco 9 13 .409

___

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Sunday’s Games

Pittsburgh 6, Tampa Bay 3

N.Y. Yankees 7, Kansas City 0

Cleveland 8, Baltimore 4

St. Louis 7, Houston 5, 10 innings

Cincinnati 7, Minnesota 4, 10 innings

Seattle 5, Texas 2

Toronto 10, Arizona 4

Chicago White Sox 7, Athletics 4

San Diego 2, L.A. Angels 1

Detroit 6, Boston 2

Monday’s Games

Boston 8, Detroit 6

Baltimore at Kansas City, 7:40 p.m.

Houston 9, Cleveland 2

Cincinnati 6, Tampa Bay 1

Toronto at L.A. Angels, 9:38 p.m.

Athletics at Seattle, 9:40 p.m.

Tuesday’s Games

Houston (Gordon 0-0) at Cleveland (Messick 3-0), 6:10 p.m.

Cincinnati (Burns 1-1) at Tampa Bay (Matz 3-0), 6:40 p.m.

Milwaukee (Patrick 1-0) at Detroit (Montero 1-1), 6:40 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees (Gil 0-1) at Boston (Early 1-0), 6:45 p.m.

Minnesota (Woods Richardson 0-3) at N.Y. Mets (McLean 1-1), 7:10 p.m.

Baltimore (Baz 0-2) at Kansas City (Bubic 2-1), 7:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Mlodzinski 1-0) at Texas (Rocker 0-1), 8:05 p.m.

Toronto (Corbin 0-0) at L.A. Angels (Kochanowicz 2-0), 9:38 p.m.

Athletics (Lopez 1-1) at Seattle (Castillo 0-1), 9:40 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Burke 0-2) at Arizona (Kelly 1-0), 9:40 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games

Cincinnati at Tampa Bay, 1:10 p.m.

Houston at Cleveland, 1:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Kansas City, 2:10 p.m.

Toronto at L.A. Angels, 3:07 p.m.

Athletics at Seattle, 4:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Detroit, 6:40 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees at Boston, 6:45 p.m.

Minnesota at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

___

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Sunday’s Games

Pittsburgh 6, Tampa Bay 3

Washington 3, San Francisco 0

Miami 5, Milwaukee 3

Chicago Cubs 2, N.Y. Mets 1, 10 innings

St. Louis 7, Houston 5, 10 innings

Cincinnati 7, Minnesota 4, 10 innings

Colorado 9, L.A. Dodgers 6

Toronto 10, Arizona 4

San Diego 2, L.A. Angels 1

Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 2

Monday’s Games

Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 7:40 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

Cincinnati 6, Tampa Bay 1

Miami 5, St. Louis 3

Atlanta 9, Washington 4

Tuesday’s Games

Cincinnati (Burns 1-1) at Tampa Bay (Matz 3-0), 6:40 p.m.

Milwaukee (Patrick 1-0) at Detroit (Montero 1-1), 6:40 p.m.

St. Louis (May 2-2) at Miami (Paddack 0-3), 6:40 p.m.

Atlanta (López 1-0) at Washington (Griffin 2-0), 6:45 p.m.

Minnesota (Woods Richardson 0-3) at N.Y. Mets (McLean 1-1), 7:10 p.m.

Philadelphia (Luzardo 1-3) at Chicago Cubs (Imanaga 1-1), 7:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Mlodzinski 1-0) at Texas (Rocker 0-1), 8:05 p.m.

San Diego (Vásquez 1-0) at Colorado (TBD), 8:40 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Burke 0-2) at Arizona (Kelly 1-0), 9:40 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers (Yamamoto 2-1) at San Francisco (Roupp 3-1), 9:45 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games

St. Louis at Miami, 12:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Tampa Bay, 1:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Detroit, 6:40 p.m.

Atlanta at Washington, 6:45 p.m.

Minnesota at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 7:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

San Diego at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

L.A. Dodgers at San Francisco, 9:45 p.m.

Source

]]>
Hawks backup Mouhamed Gueye injures his hip but returns to Game 2 against the Knicks /sports/2026/04/hawks-backup-mouhamed-gueye-injures-his-hip-leaving-them-even-thinner-up-front-against-the-knicks/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:33:16 +0000 /?p=29164174&preview=true&preview_id=29164174 NEW YORK (AP) — Backup Mouhamed Gueye bruised his right hip early in Game 2 of the playoffs Monday night, but was able to return to the game late in the first half for an Atlanta Hawks team in need of healthy big bodies against the New York Knicks.

Gueye had just come into the game in the first quarter and tried to throw down a dunk to finish a fast break. He came up short and then landed hard behind the baseline, where he remained as play continued until the Hawks called timeout. Gueye was eventually helped up and went directly toward the locker room.

The Hawks announced in the second quarter that the native of Senegal was questionable to return. He came back into the game with 1:03 remaining in the half after starter Onyeka Okongwu picked up his third foul.

The Hawks were already playing without center Jock Landale because of a sprained right ankle, and Okongwu was questionable coming into the day with right knee inflammation before being cleared to play after Atlanta’s morning workout.

Atlanta eventually gave Tony Bradley, who was added to the roster late in the season, his first playing time of the series late in the first quarter.

___

AP NBA:

Source

]]>
Japan has approved scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports in a big change of its postwar pacifist policy /world/2026/04/japan-has-approved-scrapping-a-ban-on-lethal-weapons-exports-in-a-big-change-of-its-postwar-pacifist-policy/ Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:26:14 +0000 /?p=29164252&preview=true&preview_id=29164252 TOKYO (AP) — Japan has approved scrapping a ban on lethal weapons exports in a big change of its postwar pacifist policy.

Source

]]>