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BEIJING (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called onBeijing and Hanoito prioritize advancing infrastructure connectivity and strengthen their collaborations in emerging fields likeartificial intelligenceand semiconductors during a meeting with Vietnam'snewly electedpresident, the state broadcaster reported.

To Lam's four-day trip to China, which began on Tuesday, is his first overseas trip since he was elected last week. That signaled Lam's foreign policy priorities and stronger ties between the two Communist nations.

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CCTV reported that Xi said defending the socialist system and the Communist Party's ruling position is the greatest common strategic interest between the two parties during their meeting.

He also urged both sides to firmly uphold confidence in their paths and systems and persist in reform without changing direction, the report said.

Lam said Vietnam would regard developing relations with China as its objective need, strategic choice and topic priority. He also said the country is willing to enhance the level of cooperation in various areas, including trade, investment, railways and other infrastructure, CCTV added.

MIAMI, Florida, April ‌12 (Reuters) - Implementing ‌a newly ​announced U.S. blockade of the ‌Strait ⁠of Hormuz will ⁠take a ​little ​while, ​President Donald ‌Trump said in an interview with ‌Fox ​News' "Sunday ​Morning ​Futures ‌with Maria Bartiromo".

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(Reporting ​by ​Bo Erickson ​in ‌Miami, FloridaEditing ​by David ​Goodman)

HAVANA (AP) — On a recent sweltering afternoon in the Cuban capital, dozens of commuters on bicycles, scooters and electric motorcycles gathered in a tidy row at the entrance of theHavanaBay Tunnel. They were waiting for the Ciclobús, a bus specially fitted to take people — and their rides — through the underwater tunnel linking Old Havana to the eastern side of the island.

APTOPIX Cuba Transport

The diesel-powered bus can accommodate around 60 travelers and their vehicles, making enough trips to transport more than 2,000 people per day. It features a front seating section, but half its metallic frame is an open bay for cargo. Riders enter via a specialized ramp and stay with their vehicles for the duration of the trip, holding onto wall-mounted grab bars for balance. Bicycles, motorcycles and scooters are not allowed in the tunnel.

While the Ciclobús is not new, it has never been as popular — and essential — as Cuba navigates its most severe energy crisis in decades.

Theenergy blockadeimposed byU.S. President Donald Trumpin January has forced the country to ration gasoline to only 20 liters (5 gallons) per vehicle through a cumbersome appointment process that can take weeks, or even months,halting public transportation. These days, the streets of Havana are almost empty of cars but teeming with thousands of bicycles and small electric motorcycles that have become the only way to get around.

“My husband owns a bicycle, so I'm riding as his companion,” said Ingrid Quintana, a resident of East Havana, who works in the old part of Havana, while waiting for the tunnel bus. “It’s an option we have, because there’s no public transportation and we can’t afford to pay for a private taxi, so we ride the Ciclobús."

The Ciclobús is the shortest public transportation route on the island, covering 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) in about 15 minutes.

After boarding near the Havana Bay Tunnel in Old Havana, passengers endure a rattling journey through the darkness of the underwater passage. They emerge in eastern Havana, a sprawling residential zone where hundreds of thousands reside. By contrast, the alternative land route must skirt the massive bay, a 16-kilometer (10-mile) trek through sparsely populated and poorly paved industrial port areas.

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The fare for boarding ranges from 2 to 5 Cuban pesos (a tiny fraction of a U.S. dollar on the informal market) depending on whether you are transporting a bicycle or a motorcycle.

In comparison, a ride in a shared taxi from the eastern neighborhoods — passing through the tunnel — costs 1,000 Cuban pesos (about $2). A Cuban worker can earna monthly salary of 7,000 Cuban pesos(about $14).

Owned by Havana’s state-run transport company, the Ciclobús emerged in the 1990s during the so-called “Special Period,” the crisis triggered by the collapse of the Soviet Union that left the island isolated, prompting then-PresidentFidel Castroto distribute Chinese-made bicycles among the population.

Over time, the service lost some of its appeal as residents turned to regular buses or shared taxis. But it is now seeing a resurgence asfuel shortagesforce more Cubans to rely on bicycles, electric tricycles, scooters and motorcycles for their daily commutes.

“Most jobs are on the other side, in the city, and that’s why we have to ride it to get across,” said 32-year-old gym teacher Bárbaro Cabral, gripping his bicycle tightly as the Ciclobús began to fill with passengers.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

The four Artemis II astronauts said Saturday that they’re “bonded forever” in their first public remarks sincecompletingNASA’s first lunar mission in more than 50 years.

Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen took the stage at Ellington Field in Houston to raucous applause.

“We are bonded forever, and no one down here is ever going to know what the four of us just went through, and it was the most special thing that will ever happen in my life,” Wiseman said.

“Before you launch, it feels like it’s the greatest dream on Earth, and when you’re out there, you just want to get back to your families and your friends,” Wiseman said. “It’s a special thing to be a human, and it’s a special thing to be on planet Earth.”

The four arrived safely back on Earth on Friday, splashing down into thePacific Oceanoff the coast of San Diego in their Orion capsule after their 10-day trip around the moon.

With the completion of their mission, they became the first humans to see the entire far side of the moon, which permanently faces away from Earth, with their own eyes.

“Even bigger than my challenge trying to describe what we went through, the gratitude of seeing what we saw, doing what we did, and being with who I was with — it’s too big to just be in one body,” Glover said.

Koch spoke on the importance of a crew that is “inescapably, beautifully, dutifully linked.”

“When we saw tiny Earth, people asked our crew what impressions we had. And honestly, what struck me wasn’t necessarily just Earth, it was all the blackness around it. Earth was just this lifeboat hanging undisturbingly in the universe,” she said, pausing with emotion.

“I know I haven’t learned everything that this journey has yet to teach me, but there’s one new thing I know, and that is, planet Earth: You. Are. A. Crew,” she added.

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When it was Hansen’s turn to speak, the Canadian astronaut joked, “This is the furthest I’ve been away from Reid in a long time.”

Hansen said he has gained gratitude, joy and love from the mission. He asked the crew to gather, and they put their arms around each other as he spoke on love.

“What you saw was a group of people who loved contributing, having meaningful contribution, and extracting joy out of that. And what we’ve been hearing is that was something special for you to witness,” Hansen said.

“And the reason I had them form up here with me is because I would suggest to you that when you look up here, you’re not looking at us. We are a mirror reflecting you. And if you like what you see, then just look a little deeper. This is you,” he added, to a standing ovation.

The four astronauts also set a new record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth, 252,756 miles. The previous record of 248,655 miles was set by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970 during their emergency return to Earth.

There were other historical firsts as well. Koch was the first woman, Glover the first person of color and Hansen the first non-American on a lunar mission.

The four-person crew also became the first to launch aboard NASA’sSpace Launch System rocket and Orion capsule.

The astronauts were able to capture stunningphotos of the moon’s far sidethat were splashed on the front pages of newspapers across the country this week. The photos captured never-before-seen features on the lunar surface, including rugged topography with countless craters, ridges, mountains and ancient lava plains.

NASA said these pictures will help researchers understand how the moon formed and how its landscape has changed over time.

NASA aims to launch the next mission, Artemis III, in mid-2027. The space agency plans on sending astronauts to land on the moon in a mission called Artemis IV in 2028.

Azzi Fudd has been selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft

NEED TO KNOW

• She'll join her girlfriend, Paige Bueckers, on the Dallas Wings

• Both athletes played college basketball for the University of Connecticut, and went public with their relationship in July 2025

Azzi Fuddand her girlfriendPaige Bueckersare staying together!

On Monday, April 13, Fudd, a 23-year-old Virginia native and former UConn Huskies star, was selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft. She will be heading to the Dallas Wings — which just happens to be the same team as Bueckers, 24.

“I’m excited to play again with Paige,”Fudd saidwhile speaking to ESPN after the pick. The couple played at the University of Connecticut, and won a national championship together in 2025.

“She’s an incredible person,” Fudd continued of her girlfriend. “An incredible player, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

The room erupted in cheer as Fudd’s interview played on a large screen inside The Shed at the 2026 WNBA Draft in New York City. Bueckers, who was seated in the audience, was seen smiling as she watched Fudd gush about their future during her big moment.

PEOPLE also caught up with Fudd at the draft, where she shared the helpful tips she’s gotten from her peers, including Bueckers.

“I feel like the advice has mostly been a combination of, one, soak this whole weekend in,” the athlete tells PEOPLE exclusively. “You know, it only happens once — it's your moment — so really take it all in, try to take notes, try to learn, try to just enjoy the moment. And then going forward, be confident, stay true to yourself, do what got you drafted, and also enjoy that moment as well.”

The pairwent public with their relationshipin July 2025, the same year the Huskies won the NCAA National Championship.

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Fudd and Bueckers have been a star couple from the start. They first met while trying out for the USA Women’s Under-16 National Team in 2017, then both made the team and went on to win gold.

It was also Bueckers who encouraged Fudd to commit to UConn.

"Paige is the kind of teammate that everyone wants to play with because she’s so selfless," Fudd toldGlamourin August 2025. "The way she plays, she gets everyone involved. She’s also just a great player, so she attracts so much attention that it makes it easier for everyone else to get good looks and opportunities on the court."

During that same interview, Fudd opened up to the outlet about what it would be like if she ever ended up on the same WNBA team as Bueckers, or if they became rivals.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I definitely would love to play with her again; at the same time, I’d love to play against her,” she added. “I think it's kind of a win-win. There’s no bad option.”

Like Fudd, Bueckers was alsoselected as the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draftby the Dallas Wings.

Read the original article onPeople

PORT-AU-PRINCE, April 12 (Reuters) - Haiti declared three days of national ‌mourning on Sunday, a ‌day after a deadly stampede killed ​25 people during an annual celebration thronged by students and visitors at its Laferriere Citadel tourist ‌attraction.

In a ⁠national address, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said ⁠mourning would begin from Tuesday, and the government would cover ​the funeral ​expenses for ​disaster victims.

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Earlier in ‌the day, Emmanuel Pierre, the national head of the civil protection authority, told Reuters authorities had revised down the death ‌toll to 25 ​from an initial ​tally of ​30.

The early-19th-century fortress built ‌shortly after Haiti's independence ​from ​France is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

(Reporting by Harold Isaac ​in ‌Port-au-Prince; Writing by Laura Gottesdiener ​in Monterrey, Mexico; Editing ​by Clarence Fernandez)

At least one person is dead, and six others were injured in what authorities described as a mass shooting at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in New Jersey.

Police responded to a report of a shooting at about 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 11, at a Chick-fil-A in Union Township, New Jersey, according to the Union County Prosecutor's Office. Authorities said several masked suspects entered the restaurant, moved behind the counter, and opened fire, reportedMyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Officers found seven victims at the fast food restaurant, including one person who was "subsequently pronounced" dead, the Union County Prosecutor's Office said in anews releaseon Sunday, April 12. The six other victims were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

"This is an active and ongoing investigation," the Union County Prosecutor's Office said in the news release. "While no arrests have been made at this time, the preliminary investigation reveals this does not appear to be a random act of violence and that there is no immediate ongoing threat to the general public."

Authorities encouraged the community to "remain vigilant" and report any information that could help with the investigation to the Union County Prosecutor's Office or the Union Police Department. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 908-654-TIPS (8477) or online at uctip.org.

The Union County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an indictment and conviction, according to the Union County Prosecutor's Office. Union Township is a township in Union County and is a suburb of Newark, located just southwest of the city.

New Jersey community 'heartbroken and shaken' by shooting

Union Township Mayor Patricia Guerra-Frazier said the incident has shaken the community and condemned the act of violence. She added that her office is working closely with law enforcement partners as the investigation continues, and has asked anyone with information to come forward and help authorities.

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"Our community is heartbroken and shaken by the tragic act of violence that occurred last night at a local Chick-fil-A," Guerra-Frazer said. "What should have been an ordinary evening has left families grieving, individuals injured, and our entire Township in shock. On behalf of the Township of Union, we are keeping all those affected in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time."

In astatement on X, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport confirmed that local law enforcement is investigating the shooting. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation.

"I am horrified by the shooting last night in Union Township," Davenport said on April 12. "Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. Gun violence has no place in our state, period."

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said she was briefed on the shooting and her office remains in "close contact" with local officials.

"My thoughts are with those who were injured in the shooting, and with their families," Sherrill said in astatement on Xon April 12. "I am grateful to our first responders for their swift action and continued efforts to keep the community safe."

Contributing: Cheryl Makin, MyCentralJersey.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Chick-fil-A shooting in New Jersey leaves 1 dead and 6 others injured