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Friday, April 17, 2026

ICE detains 86-year-old in US to marry long-lost love, family says

April 17, 2026
ICE detains 86-year-old in US to marry long-lost love, family says

An 86-year-old French woman who moved to the United States to marry her long-lost love decades after they first met is being held at an immigration detention facility, her family has said.

USA TODAY

The woman, identified as Marie-Thérèse Helene Ross, was detained byImmigration and Customs Enforcementofficers on April 1 and remains in custody at a detention facility in Louisiana, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

One of her sonstold the French newspaper Ouest-Francethat ICE did not notify the family of his mother’s detainment and that they only found out after French consular officials visited her.

Sam Zeidan watches behind chain link, hoping to catch a glimpse of his brother in a group of migrants being loaded onto an airplane at the Alexandria Staging Facility in Alexandria, Louisiana on June 11, 2025. Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana, is an ICE facility run by private contractor LaSalle Corrections.

Louisiana ICE detention centers key to Trump immigration policies

"They handcuffed her hands and feet like she was a dangerous criminal," her son told the outlet. "For us it’s urgent to get her out of the detention center and bring her back to France. Given her health, she won’t last a month in such conditions of detention."

In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, DHS described Ross as an "illegal alien from France."

"She last entered the country in June 2025 under the Visa Waiver Program, which permitted her to remain in the country for 90 days," the statement said. "Seven months later, she is still illegally in the United States."

In response to questions about Ross' health, DHS said ICE "maintains longstanding practices to provide comprehensive medical care." The agency also urged undocumented immigrants to "self-deport" or risk being "arrested and deported without a chance to return."

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Her family did not respond to requests for comment.

Couple reunites after more than five decades apart

Ross moved to the United States in 2025 to pursue a romance with a former U.S. serviceman with whom she fell in love in the 1950s when she worked at a NATO base in western France. The pair were forced to separate in the 1960s after France withdrew from NATO’s integrated military command structure,the Guardian reported.

The two went on to marry other people but reconnected on social media in 2010, her family told Ouest-France. After their respective partners died, Ross moved to Anniston, Alabama, to rekindle their relationship and get married.

Ross’ son said they were like "a couple of teenagers."

But after less than a year together in Alabama, the man died in January. Ross had not yet obtained paperwork that would allow her to remain in the country, her family said. Days before a court hearing related to a dispute with one of her late husband’s children, she was detained by immigration agents.

"Our mother’s a fighter – a force of nature," Ross' son told Ouest-France, adding that they are racing to get her out of ICE detention. "The others being held call her unsinkable."

The arrest comes as the DHS faces scrutiny for itsaggressive immigration enforcement, including the arrests of spouses of U.S. veterans and service members. In early April, ICE agents arrested the wife of a U.S. Army sergeant at a base in Louisiana. The woman, Annie Ramos, a Honduran immigrant who entered the U.S. as a toddler, was released days later.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:French woman, 86, in ICE custody after moving to marry long-lost love

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A dispatch from inside the Vatican bubble during a remarkable exchange between pope and president

April 17, 2026
A dispatch from inside the Vatican bubble during a remarkable exchange between pope and president

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — There is an odd sense of isolation when you are coveringPope Leo XIVfrom inside the Vatican’s traveling press pool: Escorted from venue to venue with police motorcades that clear even the most congested of traffic jams, it’s a membership that has many privileges.

Associated Press Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists aboard his flight bound for Algiers’ Houari Boumédiène International Airport on Monday, April 13, 2026, at the start of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa. (Alberto Pizzoli/Pool Photo via AP) Pope Leo XIV speaks to journalists aboard his flight bound for Algiers’ Houari Boumédiène International Airport on Monday, April 13, 2026, at the start of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa. (Alberto Pizzoli/Pool Photo via AP)

Algeria Pope Africa

But during Leo’s epicfour-nation trip to Africa, being inside the Vatican “bubble” has been an almost surreal experience, asan unprecedented back-and-forthplays out between U.S. President Donald Trump and history’s first American pope.

Every morning this week, waking up todevelopments in Washingtonfrom the evening before, the questions have abounded: Will Leo bite? How will he address the latest criticism, if at all, while focusing on the Africa program he has planned?

That was certainly the case on Wednesday, as Leo, the Vatican delegation and a pool of around 70 accredited reporters boarded the ITA Airways charter for the second leg of Leo’s 11-day odyssey — the flight from Algiers, Algeria to Yaounde, Cameroon.

Much to the reporters’ delight, Leo had responded head-on to Trump at the start of the trip when he gamely greeted reporters traveling April 13 from Rome to Algiers. He responded to those who asked him about Trump’s Truth Social post a day earlier, in which the U.S. president had accused him of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and owed his papacy to Trump.

Trump was responding to Leo’s calls for peace, in reference to the Iran war, and comments that Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization were “truly unacceptable.”

Leo had told journalists aboard the papal plane that he was merely preaching the Gospel when he called for peace and criticized war, and that he didn’t fear the Trump administration.

A comment about peace

On Wednesday, Leo didn’t take questions from reporters and kept his remarks focused on his just-concluded visit to Algeria, where he honored the legacy of his spiritual inspiration,St. Augustine of Hippo.

In brief remarks to reporters standing at the front of economy class, Leo didn’t refer to war or Trump. But he spoke in terms that could suggest the latest overnight lobs from Washington certainly hadn't gone unnoticed. Perhaps tellingly, he spoke exclusively in English.

Trump had kept up the criticism on Truth Social, while U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, said that Leo should “be careful” when speaking about theology.

For starters, Leo noted the sign of “goodness,” “generosity,” and “respect” that the Algerian government showed him in welcoming him on the first-ever papal visit. He said that the Algerian honors had included a full military aerial escort of the papal plane through Algerian airspace.

He also recalled his visit to the Great Mosque in Algiers, which he said was a significant way to show that “although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace.”

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He said that St. Augustine’s message of searching for God, searching for truth, building bridges and seeking unity and community “is something which the world needs to hear today and that together we can continue to offer in our witness as we continue on this apostolic voyage.”

A papal press pool

Like other heads of state, the pope travels internationally with both the Vatican’s own media team as well as a group of external news organizations that pay, oftentimes handsomely, to have their reporters travel aboard the papal plane and have special access to cover his events.

Being inside the Vatican bubble has journalistic advantages and disadvantages. You get the best access and are traveling under the Vatican’s security umbrella, meaning there’s little or no hassle from local security organizers. The Vatican facilitates visas and local SIM cards in advance, and arranges hotels and local transportation, allowing reporters to focus on the news rather than logistics.

Journalists in the bubble get the pope’s speeches ahead of time and have occasional access to delegation members, as well as other information in real time from the Vatican spokesman.

But the real reason news organizations choose to spend thousands of dollars per journalist, per trip, to be on the papal plane is to be on hand for the pope’s news conferences. The only time a pope holds such briefings with journalists is at an altitude of 35,000 feet (around 10,000 meters)

Who could forget Pope Francis’ famous line on his maiden trip as pope, in 2013 to Rio de Janeiro, when he uttered the line “Who am I to judge,” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest.

The downside of being in the Vatican bubble is obvious for many of the same reasons it’s helpful: You are removed from local reality, whether in Algeria or Alaska, and rarely have time to do the type of on-the-ground reporting that makes a news report balanced.

Those news organizations that have the resources have teams on the ground producing such content, or journalists within the bubble break away to do their own reporting, so that the end result is a healthy combination of official Vatican information and local input.

But when the real drama involving the pope is occurring thousands of miles and time zones away, being in the Vatican bubble is a somewhat jarring experience. The news everyone wants to know isn’t necessarily what the pope has on his agenda.

But on this trip, the first by an American pope to Africa, being in the Vatican bubble certainly had its advantages.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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Dolphins not interested in trading star running back De'Von Achane, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan says

April 17, 2026
Dolphins not interested in trading star running back De'Von Achane, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan says

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jon-Eric Sullivan is looking for generational players to add in next week'sNFL draft.

Associated Press FILE - Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) escapes a tackle by New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) during the first half of an NFL football game, Nov. 30, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File) Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan gestures during a pre-NFL draft football press conference Wednesday, April 15, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Dolphins Achane Football

The Miami Dolphins general manager knows he already has one on his roster in De'Von Achane, and he has no interest in parting ways with the star running back.

Despite unloading the majority of Miami's core from the last few seasons, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and receiversJaylen WaddleandTyreek Hill, Sullivan said Wednesday that Achane is not going anywhere amid contract negotiations.

“He is not available for trade," Sullivan said. "Things are going good. We've had some positive conversations over the last couple of days. Trending in the right direction.”

Achane is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is expected to be a key piece of Miami's rebuilt roster along with quarterback Malik Willis, whom Miami acquiredafter cutting Tagovailoain March.

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Achane rushed for at least 800 yards in each of his first three seasons, with 1,350 yards on 238 carries last season. He averaged a league-leading 5.7 yards per carry with eight rushing touchdowns, along with 488 receiving yards and four receiving scores.

The Dolphins have 11 total picks in the 2026 draft, including the 11th overall selection.

Sullivan also had had talks on potential contract extensions for center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks, though nothing is imminent for either veteran. Both were captains for the Dolphins last season.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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Myanmar cuts ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi's sentence, frees former president

April 17, 2026
Myanmar cuts ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi's sentence, frees former president

April 17 (Reuters) - Myanmar has reduced the sentence of imprisoned ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer told Reuters on Friday, as part of ‌an amnesty by a new president who ousted her government in a ‌coup five years ago.

Reuters

Suu Kyi, 80, was serving a 27-year sentence for a litany of offences her ​allies said were politically motivated to keep her at bay, ranging from incitement and corruption to election fraud and violating a state secrets law.

The sentence has been cut by one-sixth, but it remains unclear whether the Nobel Peace Prize winner will be allowed ‌to serve the rest of ⁠her sentence under house arrest, the lawyer said.

The wildly popular Suu Kyi, who had dismissed the charges against her as "absurd", has ⁠not been seen in public since the end of her marathon trials, and her whereabouts have been unknown.

Earlier, state media reported that President Min Aung Hlaing approved an amnesty for 4,335 prisoners, ​the ​third such move in the past six months. ​Amnesties typically take place in ‌Myanmar each year to mark Independence Day in January and New Year in April.

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Among the prisoners freed was Win Myint, who served as president from 2018 until the 2021 military coup.

Win Myint, an ally of Suu Kyi, was "granted a pardon and the reduction of his remaining sentences under specified conditions", state broadcaster MRTV said.

A spokesperson for ‌the military-backed government did not immediately respond to ​a request for comment.

The 2021 coup against Win ​Myint and Suu Kyi's democratically elected ​government was led by Min Aung Hlaing. It plunged the Southeast Asian ‌country into a nationwide civil war that ​continues to rage.

Min Aung ​Hlaing was elected president on April 3 following polls in December and January during which the opposition was stifled and largely absent. Critics and Western ​governments dismissed the vote ‌as a sham designed to entrench military rule behind a democratic facade.

(Reporting ​by Reuters Staff; Writing by David Stanway and Martin Petty; Editing by ​Muralikumar Anantharaman, Christian Schmollinger and John Mair)

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50 million people on alert for severe weather from Texas to Michigan

April 17, 2026
50 million people on alert for severe weather from Texas to Michigan

More than 50 million people across the Midwest and Plains are bracing forsevere weatheron Tuesday, a day after baseball-sized hail and multiple tornadoes were reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas.

ABC News

The threat of damaging storms has shifted slightly south from where strong winds blew the roofs off several buildings on Monday, including the collapse of a nursing home roof in Lodi, Wisconsin.

A level 3 out of 5 "enhanced risk" for severe storms is in place on Tuesday for parts of Iowa, southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, far northern Indiana, far northwestern Ohio and southern Michigan. Strong tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail are possible for parts of the Midwest on Tuesday, including the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, Des Moines, Iowa and Detroit.

Andrew Anderson - PHOTO: A tornado is seen in Webb, Iowa, April 13, 2026.

A tornado watch has been issued until at least 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday for parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Large hail and damaging winds are expected across that region.

A level 3 out of 5 "enhanced risk" for severe storms is also in place on Tuesday for parts of central Oklahoma. Some tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail are possible for parts of the south-central Plains on Tuesday, including Oklahoma City.

ABC News - PHOTO: tornado watch

A widespread area from the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas to the U.S.-Canadian border in Michigan is under the threat of slightly less severe storms on Tuesday.

Tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma, are possible, along with large hail and damaging winds.

KMBC - PHOTO: Damage is seem to a motel from a tornado that struck April 13, 2026 in Ottawa, Kansas.

In the Northeast, severe weather threat alerts are in effect from northern Pennsylvania to southern Vermont until at least 10 p.m. ET Tuesday.

The storms are expected to pop up in the Northeast sometime after 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday and continue into the evening.

The severe weather comes after destructive storms hit on Monday in parts of rural Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas.

ABC News - PHOTO: Severe weather outlook for Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

At least 14 tornadoes were reported on Monday across Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

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The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed at least two tornadoes touched down in eastern Kansas on Monday. The NWS said one of the tornadoes, packing 125 mph winds, measured as an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale and cut a 7-mile path of destruction through the city of Ottawa, Kansas.

The sheriff's office in Franklin County, Kansas, reported that three people suffered minor injuries in Ottawa.

A second tornado, according to the NWS, hit the city of Quenemo in Osage County, Kansas, measured as an EF0 with winds of 65 mph.

Video taken by ABC Kansas City affiliate station,KMBC, showed the roofs ripped off several buildings in the Ottawa area, including a motel in the city.

In nearby Hillsdale, Kansas, in Miami County, the NWS is surveying storm damage from another suspected tornado. More than 50 homes were damaged, according to the Red Cross, which was providing support for displaced families.

ABC News - PHOTO: Severe weather outlook through 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

On Wednesday, severe storms are expected to be in place from Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Tulsa, to southern Wisconsin. Parts of Kansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Ohio, including the cities of Pittsburgh and Cleveland, could also be in the path of severe weather on Wednesday.

ABC News - PHOTO: Severe weather outlook for Wednesday, April 15, 2026

In Michigan, heavy rains over the past few days, combined with snow melt, caused flooding on Monday when several rivers, including the Manistee River in northwest Michigan's Lower Peninsula, overflowed, officials said. Several roads and bridges were washed away in the flood and some homes were damaged by the floodwaters, authorities said.

Flooding threatens Hawaii, while dry and breezy conditions raise fire danger in the Northeast

The Manistee River, near Sherman, Michigan, reached a new record level on Monday and was still rising early Tuesday morning as heavy rain continued to fall. The river has surpassed 18 feet, topping its previous record of 16.9 feet set in April 2014, authorities said.

The US just had its warmest March ever, by a historic margin

Residents living downstream from two Michigan dams were advised to evacuate after seepage was found at the base of the Bellaire Dam in Antrim County. The Cheboygan Dam in Cheboygan County, near Lake Huron, was at risk of failing, authorities said Monday night.

Rain in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is expected to taper off on Tuesday afternoon, but another round of thunderstorms is expected to bring more rain to the area on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, increasing the flooding threat and adding pressure to the Bellaire and Cheboygan dams.

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Thursday, April 16, 2026

Trump reiterates Pope Leo criticism, says it is 'unacceptable' for Iran to have a nuclear bomb

April 16, 2026
Trump reiterates Pope Leo criticism, says it is 'unacceptable' for Iran to have a nuclear bomb

April 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald ‌Trump reiterated his ‌criticisms of Pope Leo ​on Tuesday and said it is "unacceptable" for Iran ‌to ⁠have a nuclear bomb.

Reuters

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"Will someone ⁠please tell Pope Leo that ​Iran has ​killed ​at least ‌42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that ‌for Iran ​to ​have ​a Nuclear ‌Bomb is absolutely ​unacceptable," ​Trump said on Truth Social.

(Reporting ​by ‌Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; ​Editing by ​Sonali Paul)

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Is your area at risk for severe weather? 100 million in path of storms

April 16, 2026
Is your area at risk for severe weather? 100 million in path of storms

Severe weather is expected tostretch across a large portion of the countryWednesday, April 15, with storms developing from the southern Plains into the Midwest and southern Great Lakes — impacting more than 100 million people.

USA TODAY

Forecasters say multiple rounds of thunderstorms could bring large hail, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes as the system moves east through the day and into the evening. The setup is complicated, with leftover storms from earlier in the day influencing where new storms form.

"Severe thunderstorms posing a risk for large hail to very large hail, severe gusts, and a couple of tornadoes will be possible across portions of the southern Plains toward the Great Lakes this afternoon and evening," theStorm Prediction Centerwrote.

More:Tornado watch issued? Here's what to do when sirens go off

Where is the greatest threat?

The strongest storms are expected from parts of Oklahoma and north Texas through Missouri, Iowa and into Illinois and Wisconsin, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

In the Southern Plains, storms are likely to develop along a dryline by midafternoon, especially across Oklahoma and North Texas. Some of these storms could quickly become severe, producing very large hail and damaging winds. A tornado or two cannot be ruled out, particularly early in the storms’ development.

Farther north, across Iowa and northern Missouri into Illinois, the atmosphere is expected to become unstable again after morning storms. This could lead to scattered thunderstorms capable of producing very large hail, with some tornado risk as well.

Storms may also redevelop farther east into parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania later in the day. While uncertainty remains higher there, isolated severe storms — including the potential for damaging winds and a brief tornado — are possible.

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Storm Prediction Center map shows severe weather threat Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

Storms continue through the week

The active pattern will not end Wednesday.

On Thursday, April 16, the severe weather threat shifts east, with isolated strong to severe storms possible from the Mid-South through the Ohio Valley and into parts of the Northeast, including New York and southern New England, according to theStorm Prediction Center. The main concerns will be damaging wind gusts and hail, though the threat appears more limited than Wednesday.

By Friday, April 17, a more significant setup is expected to develop again.

A stronger system is forecast to bring widespread severe thunderstorms from the southern Plains into the Mississippi Valley and parts of the Midwest. This includes areas such as Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa, where all hazards — large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes — will be possible.

Forecasters say some storms could become intense, especially if discrete supercells develop before storms merge into a larger line. That could increase the risk for very large hail and stronger tornadoes before a transition to a more widespread wind threat later in the day.

Storm Prediction Center maps show severe weather threat across the U.S. Thursday, April 16, through Friday, April 17, 2026. Storm Prediction Center maps show severe weather threat across the U.S. Thursday, April 16, through Friday, April 17, 2026.

Rolling storm damage report

As storms move across the country, this interactive map lets you track impacts in real time. See where tornadoes touched down, hail sizes reported, trees knocked over and roads closed due to flooding.

Hover over each icon to view detailed reports from National Weather Service stations right in the strike zone.

U.S. weather radar

U.S. weather watches and warnings

Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text

Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached atbaddison@gannett.com.Find her on Facebook here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:US severe weather threatens 100 million. Maps show greatest risk areas

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Orioles manager Craig Albernaz has broken jaw, 7 facial fractures after getting hit by Jeremiah Jackson line drive

April 16, 2026
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz has broken jaw, 7 facial fractures after getting hit by Jeremiah Jackson line drive

A day afterbeing struck in the face with a line drive, leaving a bright red welt on his cheek, Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz showed up to work on Tuesday.

Yahoo Sports

But he’s working injured.

Albernaz, who returned to the dugout from the scary scene Monday night, revealed that he did not come away from the incident unscathed. Per Albernaz, he has “at least” seven facial fractures and a broken jaw.

But he doesn’t need surgery or his jaw wired shut. And the first-year manager appears ready to move forward with business as usual — outside of a a soft diet.

He also looks remarkably OK for a guy who just had the right side of his face fractured into pieces.

“I feel good actually, I mean, considering everything,” he said at a pregame news conference Tuesday afternoon. “… Ball hit me pretty flush in the cheek. Feel good, luckily no surgery. I think all-in-all, it’s at least seven fractures in my cheek area — orbital. And then a broken jaw.

“But luckily it doesn’t have to be wired, no surgery. I just have to eat baby food for six weeks.”

Craig Albernaz was back at work Tuesday, a day after his jaw was broken and face fractured in seven places due to a line drive. (File Photo)

In case you missed it, here’s the line drive that hit Albernaz on the cheek during Monday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Orioles second baseman Jeremiah Jackson hit a line-drive foul ball in the fifth inning that made a beeline for the dugout.

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Albernaz was standing on the top step of the dugout away from the protective netting, and the ball caught him squarely on the cheek at 70.6 mph.

Albernaz immediately left the dugout to receive medical attention.

He said Tuesday that his first thought after being hit was to cover up his face “because if it was really bad, I didn’t want my family to see it on TV.”

He said he then went through and cleared concussion protocol and tried to return to the dugout, but the medical team insisted that he undergo a CT scan.

While he was waiting to have the scan, he FaceTimed his family to let them know that he was OK. And in the sixth inning, he heard commotion from the crowd around a home run — that was hit by Jackson.

Jackson hit a sixth-inning grand slam that cut Baltimore’s then 7-2 deficit to 7-6. The home run ultimately sparked the Orioles to rally for a 9-7 win to move into a first-place tie with the New York Yankees in the AL East at 9-7.

At that point,Albernaz said that he said “f*** this”and went back to the dugout to join the celebration andgive Jackson a hugafter Jackson had rounded the bases.

Albernaz was then ordered by the medical team to return to the clubhouse for his CT scan. But he ended up with a souvenir from the ordeal.

Jackson autographed his grand-slam ball and gave it Albernaz, along with an inscribed apology for hitting him him in the face with his line drive: “Sorry homie.”

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Alycia Baumgardner is fighting for gender equality for women in the ring

April 16, 2026
Alycia Baumgardner is fighting for gender equality for women in the ring

When Alycia “The Bomb” Baumgardner steps into the ring at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, she won’t be fighting only South Korean boxer Bo Mi Re Shin for the women’s super featherweight belt.

NBC Universal Alycia Baumgardner (Ed Mulholland / Getty Images for Netflix file)

It will also be another round in Baumgardner’s bout for gender equality as she pushes boxing to adopt the same rules for women’s fighters that it does for men.

“As you grow as an individual and a face and a game changer in the sport like boxing, you want to see how you’re able to implement new changes, right?” Baumgardner told NBC News ahead of Friday’s showdown in New York City. “This is my chance to really showcase who I am.”

A typical men’s prizefight lasts 12 rounds, with each round lasting three minutes. For women, most fights are 10 rounds, with each round lasting two minutes. Baumgardner is pushing for women to fight the same amount of time for a few reasons.

For one, she said, it benefits her as a boxer.

“You would think one minute doesn’t change much, but it changes drastically when you are a fighter who has a set of skills that allows you to take your time and to set up a trap,” she said. “Boxing is about a sweet science, how you can set up a play. It’s like chess. Me being able to fight three minutes has allowed me to slow everything down, set up what I want to set up and take my time.”

Then there’s the business. Self-promotion and boxing have always gone hand in hand. The boxers who are able to attract more eyeballs usually participate in bigger fights. Bigger fights can lead to bigger paydays, and Baumgardner doesn’t want a perception of women’s fights to limit her potential in the sport.

One of the allies in Baumgardner’s push is the promoter she’s signed to: Most Valuable Promotions, the company founded by YouTuber-turned-manosphere influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul, who has been vocal about earning better pay for fighters in both boxing and MMA.

Paul has also taken a keen interest in women’s combat sports. MVP promoted the first women’s fight to headline Madison Square Garden, when Katie Taylor squared off with Amanda Serrano in April 2022. Next month, MVP will put on its first MMA showcase, when Ronda Rousey returns to the sport in a superfight against Gina Carano.

Baumgardner’s bout with Shin is the first U.S. boxing match for MVP under a new deal it signed with ESPN. Baumgardner said part of the reason she signed with Paul is that MVP ist focused not only on her equality as a fighter, but also on her equality as a businesswoman.

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“Boxing is a dog-eat-dog sport at the end of the day. They don’t care about you,” she said. “You have to know that you have to take care of yourself first. And there’s a way of doing it, and that’s teaming with people who see you for you.”

Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua (Leonardo Fernandez / Getty Images file)

In a recentinterview with Sports Illustrated, Paul compared his goal of building up women’s boxing with the WNBA, which he said needed stars like Caitlin Clark to begin competing with the popularity of the NBA. Paul wants to speed up the process by putting on fights such as Friday’s.

“I believe in the long run that all of these women will want to work with MVP,” Paul told SI. “We have the best distribution for women’s fighting and the biggest platforms and the biggest paydays and the most amount of followers to promote these women, too.”

One of the ways Baumgardner can advance her business interests is to book bigger and bigger fights, which she is keenly aware of. Paul told SI he is pushing behind the scenes for Baumgardner to fight Serrano, who is the unified champion at featherweight, one weight class above Baumgardner.

Baumgardner was also recently called out by Caroline Dubois, the unified lightweight champ, who asked for a fight with Baumgardner after she defeated Terri Harper this month.

“People say she hits hard,” Duboissaid after the Harper fight. “I know I hit harder.”

Baumgardner said of Dubois’ challenge: “I’m well aware of being called out, but I also am aware that I’m in my division and you’re in your division. The fact that you’re calling me out as a 135 pounder and you’re calling out a 130 just tells me that you’re worried about the recognition and the attention and the clout off of my name.”

She added: “I’m not a charity fighter. I am a prizefighter. Put some skin in the game, build a résumé, have some more stock in your name so that the fight can be built and be bigger.”

What much of Baumgardner’s motivation comes down to is time and how much she values it and how much value can be added when she proves she can fight just as long as men. She’ll get another chance to show how valuable she is at “the world’s most famous arena” on national television Friday night.

“Women are told to be a certain way. They’re put into a box,” she said. “When you tell a woman she can’t do anything, she proves why she can. And I think it’s just a moment of self-belief and also, honestly, to prove a point. I can do this, too.”

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What's going on with Donald Trump and Pope Leo? A timeline

April 16, 2026
What's going on with Donald Trump and Pope Leo? A timeline

The contentious back-and-forth betweenPresident Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIVcontinued over the weekend, with the president lashing out at the pope's criticisms of the war in Iran.

USA TODAY

The president also appeared to take issue with arecent closed-door meetingbetween the Chicago native and a figure close to former President Barack Obama.

Here's a breakdown of what's going on.

How did the situation withDonald Trumpand Pope Leo start?

The recent friction began Tuesday, April 7, when Trump threatened to wipe out "a whole civilization" in Iran if the nation's capital didn't make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The threat proved controversial among many, including the pope, who labeled the comment "truly unacceptable."

"I would invite citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities, political leaders, congressman, to ask them to work for peace and to reject war always," the pope said to the press later that day.

Following the two-week ceasefire deal announced the next day, Pope Leo asked the world to join him in "this moment of delicate diplomacywith prayer."

"I welcome with satisfaction − and as a sign of living hope − the announcement of an immediate two-week truce," the pope wrote on X. "Only by returning to negotiations can the war come to an end."

During a prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican Saturday, April 11, the pope called out the "delusion of omnipotencethat surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive."

"Enough of the idolatry of self and money!" the pope said. "Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life."

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shakes hands with U.S. Vice President JD Vance during their meeting, on the day delegations from the United States and Iran are to hold peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026. Members of the media work as a screen displays news with images of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and separately with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, at a media centre set up for the coverage of the U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026.

See JD Vance in Pakistan for Iran peace talks

What did Donald Trump write about Pope Leo on Truth Social?

The president took to social media Sunday to call the pope "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy."

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In a lengthy Truth Social post dedicated to the pope, Trump praised the religious figure's brother Louis for being "all MAGA," criticized the Catholic Church's actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and condemned the pope's criticisms of the United State's foreign policy.

Trump also claimed responsibility for the pope's election, saying, "If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican."

"He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump," the president wrote.

Trump targets Pope Leo's meeting with Obama adviser

Trump also appeared to take issue with a recent closed-door meeting between the pope and Democratic strategist David Axelrod.

Axelrod served as a senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, stoking speculation among many about a potential meeting between the pontiff and 44th president.

In his Truth Social post, Trump wrote, "Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod."

Trump labeled Axelrod "a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested," and continued to say the pope should "focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician."

Has Pope Leo responded to Trump's Truth Social post?

The popeaddressed Trump's commentsSunday as he spoke to reporters on a flight from Rome to Algeria.

"I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do," he said. "I do not look at my role as being political, a politician. I don’t want to get into a debate with him. I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing."

When asked for his thoughts on the president's Truth Social comments, the pontiff said: "It’s ironic – the name of the site itself. Say no more."

CONTRIBUTING:Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,Terry CollinsandPhillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Pope Leo responds to Trump's Truth Social post. What did it say?

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Tigres reach CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals despite a 3-1 loss to the Sounders

April 16, 2026
Tigres reach CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals despite a 3-1 loss to the Sounders

SEATTLE (AP) — UANL Tigres lost the match but won their series on away goals Wednesday.

Associated Press Cristian Roldan of the United States' Seattle Sounders reacts during a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal first leg soccer match against Mexico's Tigres in Monterrey, Mexico, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Mendoza) Marco Reus of the United States' LA Galaxy, left, shakes hands with a referee at the end of a CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal first leg soccer match in Toluca, Mexico, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Mexico US CONCACAF Soccer

Albert Rusnak scored twice and the Seattle Sounders had a 3-1 victory over theTigres, but the Tigres advanced to theCONCACAF Champions Cupsemifinals.

Rusnak put the home team ahead in the 11th minute and added a goal in the 82nd minute, while Danny Musovski scored in the 49th. Joaquim Pereira scored in the 31st minute for Tigres, who won the first leg 2-0.

The Mexican squad progressed because away goals are the tiebreak in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Tigres, aiming for a second Champions Cup title and first since 2020, will faceNashville SC, who defeated Club América on Tuesday.

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Paulinho leads Toluca

Portuguese striker Joao Dias Fernandes Paulinho scored two goals in a six-minute span in the second half as Toluca FC cruised to a 3-0 victory Wednesday over LA Galaxy to advance to the semifinals.

Jesus Gallardo opened the scoring in the 10th minute and Paulinho followed with goals in the 58th and 64th minutes.

Toluca, which won back-to-back titles in Mexico, advanced to the semifinals for the sixth time and will play LAFC.

The 33-year-old Paulinho, who recently was called up to play for Portugal in friendly matches against Mexico and the United States, scored five goals in the series which finished 7-2 on aggregate.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Tanzania investigates death of American social media influencer

April 15, 2026
Tanzania investigates death of American social media influencer

DAR ES SALAAM, April 15 (Reuters) - Police in Tanzania said they are questioning the fiancé ‌of U.S. social media influencer Ashly Robinson, who ‌died after an alleged suicide attempt while the couple were ​on vacation in Zanzibar, a tourist hub off the east African country's mainland.

Reuters

Police have confiscated the passport of her partner, Joseph Isaac McCann, 45, also a U.S. ‌citizen, they said ⁠in a statement issued late on Tuesday.

Robinson, 31, who is also known by her ⁠social media name Ashlee Jenae, and McCann arrived in Zanzibar on April 4 and booked into a ​hotel.

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They later ​moved to a second ​hotel where they "appeared to ‌be having domestic conflicts," police said, citing hotel staff. Management subsequently separated the two into different rooms.

"According to reports, she attempted to hang herself using a clothing belt tied inside a wardrobe in Room 25 ‌of the hotel," the police ​statement said. She died in ​hospital on April ​9 around 9 p.m. local time while ‌receiving treatment.

"Investigations into the matter ​are ongoing, ​pending professional medical reports and forensic examination from doctors," police said. McCann has not been charged. ​Reuters was ‌not immediately able to contact his lawyer for ​comment.

(Reporting by Nuzulack Dausen; Writing by Elias Biryabarema; ​Editing by Philippa Fletcher)

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