LAFC earns final FIFA Club World Cup spot with win over Club AmericaNew Foto - LAFC earns final FIFA Club World Cup spot with win over Club America

USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. LAFChas secured the last ticket to the big dance, rallying to defeat Club América, 2-1, ina FIFA Club World Cup playoffthat required extra time at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Former LAFC attacker Brian Rodríguez had given América a 64th-minute lead froma VAR-assisted penalty kick, and the Liga MX powers seemed to have done just enough to claim a win that will be worth nearly $10 million at a minimum. However,Igor Jesus' 89th-minute headerleveled the scored, saving LAFC, and in extra time Denis Bouanga — the club's most important player in recent years — added to his legend byfiring home the winnerin the 115th minute. The win sends LAFC into the Club World Cup, where they will join English giant Chelsea, Tunisian club Esperance Sportive de Tunis, and Flamengo, arguably the most well-supported club in Brazil. LAFC and Club América were in a playoff due to a convoluted series of events that could only happen when you get Concacaf and FIFA together to sort out a new tournament format. Initially, the last four winners of the Concacaf Champions Cup — Monterrey, the Seattle Sounders, Club León, and Pachuca — were set to take places in the Club World Cup. However, Club León and Pachuca share owners, something FIFA said cannot be permitted at the Club World Cup. FIFA eventually decided that León was disqualified, and announced a playoff between LAFC (the team León defeated in the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup) and Club América (the top-ranked Concacaf team in FIFA's rankings for Club World Cup purposes). León, Pachuca, and Costa Rican club Alajuelense all appealed, with Alajuelense arguing that as Central America's top-ranked team, they should be admitted, but all were rejected. That leaves the final spot in Group D up for grabs, with Saturday's winner claiming the place. Group Stage: June 14-June 26 Round of 16: June 28-July 1 Quarterfinals: July 4-5 Semifinals: July 8-9 Finals: July 13 There are 32 teams in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup that have been separated into eight groups of four for the round-robin group stage in June. Here's how the field breaks down Al Ahly FC (Egypt) FC Porto (Portugal) SE Palmeiras (Brazil) Inter Miami (United States) Paris Saint-Germain (France) Atlético de Madrid (Spain) Botafogo (Brazil) Seattle Sounders FC (United States) FC Bayern München (Germany) Auckland City FC (New Zealand) CA Boca Juniors (Argentina) SL Benfica (Portugal) Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) CR Flamengo (Brazil) Chelsea FC (England) LAFC (United States) CA River Plate (Argentina) Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) CF Monterrey (Mexico) Inter Milan (Italy) Fluminense FC (Brazil) Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Ulsan HD (South Korea) Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa) Manchester City (England) Wydad AC (Morocco) Al Ain FC (United Arab Emirates) Juventus FC (Italy) Real Madrid (Spain) Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) CF Pachuca (Mexico) FC Salzburg (Austria) Every match during the 2025 FIFA World Cup will be live streamed for free onDAZN.com, which is the exclusive global broadcaster of the event. Saturday, June 14 Group A:Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami, 8 p.m. ET (Miami) Sunday, June 15 Group C:Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group B:Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atlético Madrid, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Group A:SE Palmeiras vs. FC Porto, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group B:Botafogo vs. Seattle Sounders, 10 p.m. ET (Seattle) Monday, June 16 Group D:Chelsea vs. LAFC, 3 p.m. ET (Atlanta) Group C:Boca Juniors vs. Benfica, 6 p.m. ET (Miami) Group D:Flamengo vs. Espérance de Tunis, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Tuesday, June 17 Group F:Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group E:River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group F:Ulsan HD vs. Mamelodi Sundowns, 6 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida) Group E:Monterrey vs. Inter Milan, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Wednesday, June 18 Group G:Manchester City vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group H:Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal, 3 p.m. ET (Miami) Group H:Pachuca vs. FC Salzburg, 6 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group G:Al Ain vs. Juventus, 9 p.m. (Washington, D.C.) Thursday, June 19 Group A:Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly, 12 p.m. ET, (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group A:Inter Miami vs. Porto, 3 p.m. ET, (Atlanta) Group B:Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid, 6 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group B:Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Friday, June 20 Group C:Benfica vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida) Group D:Flamengo vs. Chelsea, 2 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group D: LAFC vs. Espérance de Tunis, 6 p.m. ET (Nashville, Tennessee) Group C:Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors, 9 p.m. ET (Miami) Saturday, June 21 Group F:Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group E:Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group F:Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group E:River Plate vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Sunday, June 22 Group G:Juventus vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group H:Real Madrid vs. Pachuca, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte, North Carolina) Group H:FC Salzburg vs. Al Hilal, 6 p.m. ET (Washington, D.C.) Group G:Manchester City vs. Al Ain, 9 p.m. ET (Atlanta) Monday, June 23 Group B:Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Group B: Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group A:Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras, 9 p.m. ET (Miami) Group A:Porto vs. Al Ahly, 9 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Tuesday, June 24 Group C:Benfica vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte) Group C:Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors, 3 p.m. ET (Nashville) Group D:Espérance de Tunis vs. Chelsea, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group D:LAFC vs. Flamengo, 9 p.m. ET (Orlando) Wednesday, June 25 Group F:Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD, 3 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group F:Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m. ET (Miami) Group E:Inter Milan vs. River Plate, 9 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group E:Urawa Red Diamonds vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena) Thursday, June 26 Group G:Wydad AC vs. Al Ain, 3 p.m. ET (Washington) Group G:Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. ET (Orlando) Group H:Al Hilal vs. Pachuca, 9 p.m. ET (Nashville) Group H:FC Salzburg vs. Real Madrid, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Saturday, June 28 Match 49: Winners of Group A vs. Group B runner-up (Philadelphia) Match 50: Winners of Group C vs. Group D runner-up (Charlotte) Sunday, June 29 Match 51: Winners of Group B vs. Group A runner-up (Atlanta) Match 52: Winners of Group D vs. Group C runner-up (Miami) Monday, June 30 Match 53: Winners of Group E vs. Group F runner-up (Charlotte) Match 54: Winners of Group G vs. Group H runner-up (Orlando) Tuesday, July 1 Match 55: Winners of Group F vs. Group E runner-up (Atlanta) Match 56: Winners of Group H vs. Group G runner-up (Miami) Friday, July 4 Match 57: Winners of Match 49 vs. Winners of Match 50 (Philadelphia) Match 58: Winners of Match 53 vs. Winners of Match 54 (Orlando) Saturday, July 5 Match 59: Winners of Match 51 vs. Winners of Match 52 (Atlanta) Match 60: Winners of Match 55 vs. Winners of Match 56 (East Rutherford) Tuesday, July 8 Match 61: Winners of Match 57 vs. Winners of Match 58 (East Rutherford) Wednesday, July 9 Match 62: Winners of Match 59 vs. Winners of Match 60 (East Rutherford) Sunday, July 13 Match 63: Winners of Match 61 vs. Winners of Match 62 (East Rutherford) The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments bysubscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Club World Cup schedule: LAFC punches final ticket to FIFA tournament

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

LAFC earns final FIFA Club World Cup spot with win over Club America

LAFC earns final FIFA Club World Cup spot with win over Club America USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pri...
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AP PHOTOS: Fans watch as Paris Saint-Germain wins the Champions League for the first timeNew Foto - AP PHOTOS: Fans watch as Paris Saint-Germain wins the Champions League for the first time

AP photographers capture fans watching the Champions League final won for the first time by Paris Saint-Germain in Munich on Saturday. PSG thrashed Inter Milan 5-0, a record margin in the final in the tournament's 69 years. This gallery has been curated by AP photo editors. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

AP PHOTOS: Fans watch as Paris Saint-Germain wins the Champions League for the first time

AP PHOTOS: Fans watch as Paris Saint-Germain wins the Champions League for the first time AP photographers capture fans watching the Champio...
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Top defense officials say Ukraine war has blurred lines, exposing global threatsNew Foto - Top defense officials say Ukraine war has blurred lines, exposing global threats

SINGAPORE (AP) — China and North Korea's support for Russia in itswar against Ukrainehas exposed how lines between regions have blurred, and the need for a global approach toward defense, top security officials said Sunday. North Korea has sent troops to fight on the front lines in Ukraine, while China has supported Russia economically and technologically while opposing international sanctions. Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė told delegates at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premiere defense forum, that if Ukraine were to fall, it would have a ripple effect in Asia and suggested it could embolden China in its territorial claims on Taiwan and virtually the entire South China Sea. "If Russia prevails in Ukraine, it's not about Europe. It's not about one region," she said. "It will send a very clear signal also to smaller states here in Indo-Pacific that anyone can ignore their borders, that any fabricated excuse can justify invasion." The comments echoed those fromFrench President Emmanuel Macronas he opened the conference on Friday advocating for greater European engagement in the Indo-Pacific. On Saturday,U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethsuggested European countries should focus their defense efforts in their own region andleave the Indo-Pacific more to the U.S.,but Šakalienė said the regions were clearly intertwined. "It's not a secret that when we talk about the main perpetrators in cyber security against Japan it's China, Russia and North Korea," she said. "When we talk about main cyber security perpetrators against Lithuania it's Russia, China and Belarus — two out of the three are absolutely the same." She added that "the convergence of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea into an increasingly coordinated authoritarian axis," demands a unified response. Iran has been a key supplier of attack drones to Russia for its war effort. "In this context, the United States' strategic focus on Indo-Pacific is both justified and necessary, but this is not America's responsibility alone," she said. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters on the sidelines that his main takeaway from the three-day conference, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, was the "real intent in the way in which European countries have engaged" in the debates. "It reflects the sense of connection, interconnectedness ... between Indo-Pacific on the one hand and the North Atlantic on the other," he said. China sent a lower-level delegation from its National Defense University this year to the conference, but its Foreign Ministry on Sunday responded to comments from Hegseth that Beijing was destabilizing the region and preparing to possibly seize Taiwan by force. "No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the U.S. itself, who is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific," it said, while reiterating its stance that the Taiwan issue was an internal Chinese matter. "The U.S. must neve play with fire on this question," the ministry said. Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr, whose country has been involved inincreasingly violent clashes with Chinaover competing claims in the South China Sea, scoffed at the idea that the U.S. was the problem. "What the Chinese government considers fair and just may stand in stark contrast to the norms and values accepted by the rest of the world, especially the smaller countries," he said. "To envision a China-led international order, we only need to look at how they treat their much smaller neighbors in the South China Sea." He also underscored the international implications of the tensions in the Indo-Pacific, noting that the South China Sea was one of several maritime routes that are "arteries of the global economy." "Disruption in any of these maritime corridors triggers ripple effects across continents, impacting trade flows, military deployments, and diplomatic posture," he said.

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Top defense officials say Ukraine war has blurred lines, exposing global threats

Top defense officials say Ukraine war has blurred lines, exposing global threats SINGAPORE (AP) — China and North Korea's support for Ru...
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A new natural gas project off Senegal makes fishing communities feel threatenedNew Foto - A new natural gas project off Senegal makes fishing communities feel threatened

GUET NDAR, Senegal (AP) — It's impossible to miss the gas platform off the coast of northernSenegal. Its flare stack burns day and night above the rolling breakers. Thenatural gas project, a joint venture between British energy giant BP and U.S.-based Kosmos Energy, started operations on the final day of 2024. It is meant to bring jobs to the densely populated fishing community of Guet Ndar, just outside the old colonial capital of Saint Louis. The gas extraction plant, the deepest in Africa, is aimed at helping to transform Senegal's stagnant economy after the discovery just over a decade ago ofoil and gas off the country's coast. The first offshore oil project also began last year. Fishermen say the project is killing their livelihoods Mariam Sow, one of the few remaining sellers in the once-thriving fish market, said the decline began in 2020 when the platform started rising from the sea. "This market used to be full every day," Sow said, gesturing at the barren lot. The nearby beach is now occupied by hundreds of unused boats. Fishing is central to life in coastal Senegal. It employs over 600,000 people, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The country exported nearly half a billion dollars worth of fish in 2022, according to think tank Chatham House, citing international trade data. What's the gas project about? The Grand Tortue Ahmeyim project plans to extract gas off Senegal and neighboring Mauritania. According to BP, the field could produce 2.3 million tons of liquefied natural gas every year. Last year, Senegal electedPresident Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who ran on an anti-establishment platform. He pledged to maximize the country's natural resources, including by renegotiating what he called unfair contracts with foreign firms and distributing revenues to the population. "I will proceed with the disclosure of the effective ownership of extractive companies (and) with an audit of the mining, oil, and gas sector," he said in his first address. It was not clear whether contract renegotiation efforts had begun, or whether they would include the gas project. The fishermen of Guet Ndar say the benefits promised by both the project and Senegal's government have not materialized. The cost of living remains high, and the price of natural gas, a major cooking source in Senegal, is still rising. Lower gas prices had been a major selling point for the gas project. Mohamed Sow, a shopkeeper in Dakar, said his customers complain that a 12-liter gas canister has gone from 5,000 CFA ($8.50) to 8,000 CFA ($13.80) in the past few years. "It's impossible to keep raising the price," he said. Senegal's government did not respond to requests for comment. The fishing community near the project says it has noticed more signs of trouble. A leak that took weeks to fix Soon after the gas project's production began, fishermen said they noticed a large number of bubbles in the sea. BP cited a temporary gas leak that "had no immediate impact on ongoing production activities from the remaining wells." The leak took weeks to fix. BP did not say how much gas — largely methane — leaked into the ocean, or what caused a leak so early in the new project. In a response to written questions, BP said "the environmental impact of the release was assessed as negligible" considering the "low rate" of release. The environmental charity Greenpeace, however, called the effects of such spills on the environment significant. "The GTA field is home to the world's largest deep-water coral reef, a unique ecosystem. A single spill can wipe out decades of marine biodiversity, contaminate food chains and destroy habitat," it said in a statement. Sitting outside a BP-built and branded fish refrigeration unit meant to help community relations, Mamadou Sarr, the president of the Saint Louis fishermen's union, talked about the concerns. Sarr asserted that fish have become more scarce as they are attracted to the platform and away from several reefs that the people of Guet Ndar had fished for centuries. Drawing in the sand, he explained how the fish, drawn by the project's lights and underwater support structures, no longer visit their old "homes." Areas around the platforms are off-limits to fishermen. Sarr also said an artificial reef that BP is building lies in the path of ships that regularly visit the structures, keeping the fish away. A fisherman's life One fisherman, Abdou, showed off his catch after two days at sea: two insulated boxes full of fish, each about the size of an oil drum. A box of fish fetches 15,000 CFA, or $26. Prior to the gas project, he said, he would get four or five boxes per two-day trip. Now, getting two is a win. That worsens a problem already created byoverfishingby foreign vessels. BP stressed that face-to-face talks with members of the community about such issues are ongoing, and noted its community-facing projects such as microfinance and vocational training programs in the region. Sarr said that despite its promises, the government failed to consider his community when agreeing to the gas project. "This is our land and sea, why don't we get a voice?" he asked. He and others expressed irony that the refrigeration unit sitting next to them cannot be opened. The key is "somewhere in Dakar" Sarr said, and locals said they have never seen inside it. ___ For more on Africa and development:https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP'sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atAP.org.

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

A new natural gas project off Senegal makes fishing communities feel threatened

A new natural gas project off Senegal makes fishing communities feel threatened GUET NDAR, Senegal (AP) — It's impossible to miss the ga...
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Mookie Betts' late-night mishap leaves Dodgers star sidelined for 2nd straight game with broken toeNew Foto - Mookie Betts' late-night mishap leaves Dodgers star sidelined for 2nd straight game with broken toe

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers shortstopMookie Bettsfractured his fourth left toe and missed his second straight game Saturday. "The last couple days, it's been hard for him to even put on a shoe, so that's obviously why he's not in the lineup," manager Dave Roberts said. "But I still don't believe it's going to be an IL stint. I think day-to-day is fair right now." Roberts said Betts injured himself after the Dodgers returned from their road trip midweek. "It was something in the middle of the night in his house, in his bedroom," he said. "It was dark and he kind of hit something." Rookie Hyeseong Kim started in Betts' place Saturday against the New York Yankees. Betts missed the Dodgers' season-opening series in Japan with an illness that caused him to drop weight because he wasn't able to keep food down. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Mookie Betts' late-night mishap leaves Dodgers star sidelined for 2nd straight game with broken toe

Mookie Betts' late-night mishap leaves Dodgers star sidelined for 2nd straight game with broken toe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodge...
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Teagan Kavan leads Texas softball to WCWS win vs Oklahoma hours after grandmother diesNew Foto - Teagan Kavan leads Texas softball to WCWS win vs Oklahoma hours after grandmother dies

Teagan Kavan's right arm was dominant Saturday in helping herTexas softball team earn its first-ever winagainst rivalOklahomain theWomen's College World Series. Her excellence inside the pitching circle, however, came with a heavy heart. Kavan's complete-game performance in the Longhorns' 4-2 win against the four-time reigning NCAA championSoonerscame only hours after her grandmother diedSaturday morning at 97 years old. REQUIRED READING:Texas vs Oklahoma softball score: Longhorns score first ever WCWS win vs Sooners Kavan's grandmother was an instrumental force not only in her life, but her softball career. The 6-foot sophomore from West Des Moines, Iowa wears No. 17 in honor of her grandmother, who was born on Nov. 17, 1928. Despite being hundreds of miles away from Texas' campus, her grandmother watched every Longhorns game. When she'd get too nervous in a given moment to watch it live, she'd watch a replay of it later. As Kavan once said, "softball is her favorite part of most days. Her love and support for me knows no bounds." "My grandma, she's got the best seat in the house,"Kavan said in a postgame interview with ESPN. "This is where she wants me. She's rooting for us all the way. This is where she wants us." all heart from@teagan_kavan🤘#HookEm|@NCAASoftballpic.twitter.com/0ir1ghqfiu — Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball)May 31, 2025 In Saturday's win, Kavan kept one of college softball's most potent lineups largely in check, giving up two runs, only one of which was earned, and striking out eight in seven innings of work. In just her second college season, Kavan has been the ace of a Texas team that will be one of just two remaining unbeaten squads left in the WCWS by the end of the day on May 31. The win against the Sooners improved her record to 26-5 this season, and she leads all Longhorns pitchers with a 2.40 ERA and 221 strikeouts. She was named a second-team All-American this season by Softball America, D1Softball and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. WCWS SCHEDULE:Scores, start times, TV channels for Saturday NCAA softball games On Saturday, she saved her best, and certainly guttiest, performance of the season for her team's biggest game. "Through her, my teammates, they all have my back," Kavan said to ESPN. "All 21, 22 of us, they all have my back. … It was all for her. It was beyond me, honestly. Just relying on them, looking at them in the eyes and getting confidence from them." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Teagan Kavan keys Texas WCWS win vs Oklahoma after grandmother's death

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Teagan Kavan leads Texas softball to WCWS win vs Oklahoma hours after grandmother dies

Teagan Kavan leads Texas softball to WCWS win vs Oklahoma hours after grandmother dies Teagan Kavan's right arm was dominant Saturday in...
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Japan PM Ishiba mulls Trump trade meeting before G7, says Yomiuri newspaperNew Foto - Japan PM Ishiba mulls Trump trade meeting before G7, says Yomiuri newspaper

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is considering visiting Washington to meet President Donald Trump before a mid-month summit of the Group of Seven nations as he seeks a trade deal, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday. Japanese officials see signs of progress on easing Trump's tariffs after repeated visits by top tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa, and say the U.S. side has shown strong interest in Japan's proposals, the Yomiuri said, citing Japanese government officials it did not name. Economy Minister Akazawa will return to Washington for more talks late this week, after which a decision will be made on a U.S. trip by Ishiba, the newspaper said. The White House and the Japanese Prime Minister's Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside business hours. Japan, a major U.S. ally, faces a 24% tariff from next month unless it can negotiate a bilateral deal. It is also scrambling to find ways to get Washington to exempt its automakers from 25% tariffs on automobiles, Japan's biggest industry. Some Japanese government officials hope an agreement can be announced in time for President Trump's birthday on June 14, the Yomiuri said. Akazawa, after meeting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, said on Friday the two sides had "agreed to accelerate the talks and hold another round ahead of the G7 summit," to be held from June 15 to 17 in Canada. But he said there would be no deal without U.S. concessions on tariffs, including on autos. Ishiba has said bilateral negotiations were progressing on trade expansion, non-tariff measures and economic security, while Tokyo has mentioned possible increases in its purchases of U.S. military equipment and energy, as well as cooperation on shipbuilding and repairing U.S. warships in Japan. (Reporting by Anton Bridge in Tokyo; Additional reporting by Alexandra Ulmer in Washington; Editing by William Mallard)

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Japan PM Ishiba mulls Trump trade meeting before G7, says Yomiuri newspaper

Japan PM Ishiba mulls Trump trade meeting before G7, says Yomiuri newspaper TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is consi...
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Trump White House steps up attacks on courts after tariff rulingNew Foto - Trump White House steps up attacks on courts after tariff ruling

The White House is increasing its attacks on the judicial branch in the wake of decisions that briefly blocked President Trump's sweeping tariffs. It's a battle-tested playbook the administration has used before on a number of fronts with the courts, which have emerged as an even greater bulwark to the president's policies in his second term, especially with a GOP Congress that has largely left him unchallenged. At the same time, the Trump team's verbal attacks on the judiciary are more intense than any other administration in recent U.S. history, and underscore the public relations battle the White House is engaging in. That battle is intended to rile up Trump's base, while also pressuring his opponents and the courts. Deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller decried a three-judge panel's ruling that initially halted Trump's sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs as "judicial tyranny." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called it part of a "troubling and dangerous trend of unelected judges inserting themselves into the presidential decision-making process." National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, a typically mild-mannered adviser, attacked the panel as "activist judges." It echoed the same rhetoric Miller, Leavitt and others have routinely used to push back on judicial rulings that block or undermine the administration's agenda on immigration, efforts to shrink the government and more. It is also similar to the way Trump attacked judges who handled his legal cases before he won a second term. The tactic serves the White House's goals on multiple fronts. It allows officials to go on offense, where they are most comfortable. It also provides fodder to Trump's MAGA base, creating a common opponent at a time when Democrats are out of power and largely helpless to impede the president's agenda. The strategy has been cause for alarm for Democrats and experts who have voiced concerns about the long-term impact of attacks on the courts. "Courts upholding the rule of law is what separates America from dictatorships around the world. We are not ruled by kings, but by laws," Skye Perryman, president of left-leaning legal group Democracy Forward, posted on the social platform X. "Intimidation of courts and ignoring the rule of the law betrays these values." The three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of International ruled on Wednesday to block Trump's April 2 "Liberation Day" tariffs, which placed a 10 percent levy on all imports along with higher "reciprocal" tariffs for dozens of countries that could go into effect over the summer. The ruling also blocked earlier orders that imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. Many had already been adjusted or delayed as stocks fell, and Treasury yields rose in the wake of Trump's trade shifts. An appeals courttemporarily liftedthe block in a ruling on Thursday. But in the 24 hours in between, Trump allies went to work attacking the trade court and portraying it as the latest instance of judges deliberately undermining the president. The attacks came despite the fact that one of the judges who presided over the tariffs case was appointed by Trump. Leavitt devoted the start of her briefing with reporters on Thursday to bashing the decision. She argued Trump was on sound legal footing and was being undermined by judges who "brazenly abused their judicial power." Jason Miller, a former senior adviser on the Trump campaign, claimed the trade court's ruling showed a brewing battle "between American sovereignty and having a globalist takeover." After an appeals court temporarily reversed the trade court's ruling, the target shifted slightly to the conservative group the Federalist Society and its longtime leader, Leonard Leo, who played a central role in shaping Trump's judicial picks during his first term. "I am so disappointed in The Federalist Society because of the bad advice they gave me on numerous Judicial Nominations," Trump wrote Thursday. "This is something that cannot be forgotten! With all of that being said, I am very proud of many of our picks, but very disappointed in others." Alex Brusewitz, a GOP digital strategist and Trump adviser, called the Federalist Society "anti-MAGA." The barrage of attacks on the trade court followed a well-worn strategy Trump and his allies have used to try to shake confidence in judges and the court system. Dating back to his first campaign in 2016, Trump questioned whether one judge was biased against him because of their Mexican heritage. During the 2024 campaign, Trump relentlessly attacked the judge overseeing his hush money trial, comparing him to "a devil" in remarks after the case concluded with Trump being found guilty on 34 felony counts. Critics argue that the attacks from Trump and his allies are not only harmful, but also ignore context about who is ruling against the president. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, noted the federal judges who have issued court orders blocking or pausing the Trump administration's actions thus far have been appointed by five presidents. "Trump keeps taking executive actions that blatantly, flagrantly exceed his authorities under the law and the Constitution. And he keeps losing in court, regardless of WHO appointed the judges. (Some of them were HIS.)," David Axelrod, an official in former President Obama's administration, posted on X. "Yet he and his apparatchiks call it a 'judicial coup.'" But the attacks are part of a hardened outlook among Trump and some of his closest advisers that judges across the country are attempting to run out the clock on his second term by issuing injunctions and rulings that halt his agenda. "That is the crisis in the courts," said one White House official. "The president is elected to a four-year term, and it should not be possible for a dozen district court judges to grind down that term to prevent the president from doing what he campaigned on." Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Trump White House steps up attacks on courts after tariff ruling

Trump White House steps up attacks on courts after tariff ruling The White House is increasing its attacks on the judicial branch in the wak...
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Shohei Ohtani throws 29 pitches in 2nd live batting practice since elbow surgeryNew Foto - Shohei Ohtani throws 29 pitches in 2nd live batting practice since elbow surgery

LOS ANGELES (AP) —Shohei Ohtanichecked off another step Saturday as he works toward making his pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-way superstar faced hitters for the second time since elbow surgery, throwing 29 pitches at Dodger Stadium in a 25-minute session before the defending World Series champions played the New York Yankees. Ohtani threw 22 pitches in hisfirst live batting practicelast weekend in New York. The stadium music was turned off and everyone from teammates to workers to media watched Ohtani. A Los Angeles Police Department helicopter flew noisily overhead. Freddie Freeman's 8-year-old son, Charlie, stood in the outfield holding his glove. Kiké Hernández sat cross-legged behind the mound. Ohtani threw to seven batters from Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in a simulated setting. He came out of it well, according to manager Dave Roberts. "He's just using his entire arsenal, also with today doing the up-down, he's certainly well beyond where he was in spring (training)," Roberts said. Against his first batter, Ohtani fielded a grounder to the left of the mound and made throw to first where no one was. The second hitter laced a single to right. He gave up a few more singles. Roberts looked on from third base and pitching coach Mark Prior stood behind the mound. Ohtani paused at times to talk to Prior. Roberts guessed the right-hander's velocity was "somewhere in the mid-90s." "I think he would wishes his command would have been a little bit better," Roberts said, "but really positive day for sure." Roberts said Ohtani could throw another two or possibly three innings next Saturday. The three-time MVP isn't expected to pitch in a major league game until after the All-Star break in mid-July. "You still got to get to five or six innings, so we still got a ways to go," Roberts said. Ohtani was coming offa two-homer performancein the Dodgers' 8-5 series-opening win Friday night. He leads the majors with 22 homers. "I think the thing that's most impressive is his ability to compartmentalize," Roberts said. "He's essentially doing the work of two players and still to go out there and perform on the offensive side is pretty remarkable." Ohtani is recovering from surgery in September 2023, the second major operation on his right elbow since he arrived in the majors from Japan. He hasn't pitched in a big league game since Aug. 23, 2023, for the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings during five seasons as a big league pitcher. He had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Oct. 1, 2018, and returned to a major league mound on July 26, 2020, though he was limited to just two starts during the pandemic-shortened season. He didn't speak with media after his session. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Shohei Ohtani throws 29 pitches in 2nd live batting practice since elbow surgery

Shohei Ohtani throws 29 pitches in 2nd live batting practice since elbow surgery LOS ANGELES (AP) —Shohei Ohtanichecked off another step Sat...
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Amari Avery has to borrow a friend's clubs and still manages to make cut in the U.S. Women's OpenNew Foto - Amari Avery has to borrow a friend's clubs and still manages to make cut in the U.S. Women's Open

ERIN, Wis. (AP) — Amari Avery had to borrow a friend's clubs for one of the biggest rounds of her life and still found a way to make the cut in the U.S. Women's Open. That was just part of an eventful weekend that also included an attempted break-in at the place where she was initially staying. "To say it was wild is putting it pretty nice," Avery quipped after completing her third round Saturday at Erin Hills. Avery's frantic Friday began at about 2 a.m. when she said her family had to notify the police about a suspicious person at the place in Milwaukee where they were sleeping. "My boyfriend, my mom, and my dad saw the person outside the door, so it was a little bit scary," Avery said. "We just kind of stayed back away from the front door, and we were just kind of hoping it would solve itself. It was nice that the guy ended up leaving and the police came and made us feel more safe." They then packed up their things while Avery's boyfriend, Gavin Aurilia, prepared to board a flight out of town. One problem: Aurilia inadvertently left with Avery's clubs instead of his own. Avery and Aurilia both have played collegiately at Southern California. "We use the same (bag) from USC, so it's obviously the exact same, it looks the exact same," Avery said. "I think it's equally my dad and my boyfriend's fault for not checking the bags. But they loaded it in the car, my dad took him to the airport, and he grabbed the wrong set. That was that, and we actually didn't realize until about like 12:15, before my tee time." Then the potential fallout from this oversight started to sink in. "I sat in my hotel at 12:30 like, 'I guess I am going to pull out from the U.S. Open after a pretty solid round,' " Avery said. "I was obviously devastated." Avery got rescued by former USC teammate Gabi Ruffels, who played Saturday morning and was unlikely to make the cut after finishing the first two rounds at 7-over par. "My agent asked, 'Do you want to use her clubs?' " Avery said. "I was like, 'Well, how did she play?' Because I was like, if she's playing good, no one in their right mind is giving me their clubs. I probably wouldn't, either, and I'm a nice person. "But unfortunately for her, she missed the cut, but it was fortunate for me and she's obviously a very class act, great friend of mine, so she lent me the clubs." Avery carded a 73 with the borrowed clubs in the second round, good enough to enable her to make the cut. She was playing her 17th hole of the day when darkness forced a suspension of play Friday night. Avery finished the round Saturday morning after her own clubs already had been returned to Wisconsin, though United States Golf Association rules required her to finish that round with the same equipment she'd used at the start of it. Avery got her own clubs back because Aurilia's mother had caught a flight from Phoenix on Friday to bring them to her. "I can't thank her enough," Avery said. "I can't thank my whole inner circle enough. To hop on a flight like that is crazy, and I'm just super grateful." Avery actually posted a better score with the borrowed clubs in the second round than she did with her own clubs in the third round. On a day when scores across the board were much weaker than they'd been in the first two rounds, Avery posted a 76, though she nearly aced the 189-yard, par-3 No. 6. "Based on the score and just based on how I felt yesterday, I felt like Gabi's clubs were honestly pretty good," Avery said. "I joked with her last night after I called her and I said, 'Obviously, thank you so much for lending me the clubs.' I was like, 'I might take your putter.' Like I love my putter, like everyone knows that. But I don't know, my college coach said I gained putts yesterday. "I was like, maybe I should take her putter and maybe like an iron or two. But, no, it was nice to have my clubs back." ___ AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Amari Avery has to borrow a friend's clubs and still manages to make cut in the U.S. Women's Open

Amari Avery has to borrow a friend's clubs and still manages to make cut in the U.S. Women's Open ERIN, Wis. (AP) — Amari Avery had ...
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South Korea is voting for a new president after six months of political chaos. Here's what to knowNew Foto - South Korea is voting for a new president after six months of political chaos. Here's what to know

After half a year of political turmoil, uncertainty and division, South Korea will vote for a new president to succeed Yoon Suk Yeol, the disgraced former leader who plunged the democratic nation into chaos by declaring martial law in December. This election feels particularly significant; the country, a US ally andAsian economic and cultural powerhouse, has floundered for months with a revolving door of interim leaders while navigating Yoon's impeachment trial and a multipronged investigation into the fateful night of his short-lived power grab. All the while, South Korea's economy has suffered, with US President Donald Trump's trade war and a potential global recession looming in the background. Two men are each promising to help the country recover if elected – a lawyer turned politician dogged by legal cases who survived an assassination attempt, and a former anti-establishment activist turned conservative minister. Polls open on Tuesday morning and a winner could be declared by Wednesday. Here's what you need to know. The frontrunner is Lee Jae-myung, 60, of the liberal opposition Democratic Party. A former underage factory worker from a poor family, Lee became a human rights lawyer before entering politics. He is a former mayor and governor, and most recently served as a lawmaker after narrowly losing to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election. He survivedan assassination attemptin January 2024 when a man stabbed him in the neck during a public event. He again made headlines on December 3, 2024 – the night Yoon declared martial law and sent troops to parliament. Lee was among the lawmakers who rushed to the legislature and pushed past soldiers to hold an emergency vote to lift martial law. Helive streamed himselfjumping over a fence to enter the building, in a viral video viewed tens of millions of times. On the campaign trail, Lee promised political and economic reforms, including more controls on a president's ability to declare martial law, and revising the constitution to allow two four-year presidential terms instead of the current single five-year term. He has emphasized easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula while holding on to the longtime goal of denuclearizing North Korea; he also supports boosting small businesses and growing the AI industry. But Lee has also been dogged by legal cases, including several ongoing trials for alleged bribery and charges related to a property development scandal. Separately, he was convicted of violating election law in another ongoing case that has been sent to an appeals court. Lee denies all the charges against him. Speaking to CNN in December, he claimed he had been indicted on various charges "without any evidence or basis," and that the allegations are politically motivated. Lee's main rival is Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP). When Yoonleft the party in May,he urged supporters to back Kim – a 73-year-old former labor minister, who had been a prominent labor activist at university, even being expelled and imprisoned for his protests. He eventually joined a conservative party, and stepped into the nomination after several rounds of party infighting. The PPP initially selected Kim as its candidate; then dropped him, eyeing former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo instead. The party finally chose Kim after he filed legal challenges. But the PPP remains deeply divided and its candidate trailed Lee in pre-election polling. In a statement after his nomination, Kim vowed to seek unity and build a "big tent" coalition to take on Lee,according to Reuters. Kim has also promised to reform the country's politics, judiciary and election management systems to rebuild public trust. His campaign emphasized making South Korea business-friendly through tax cuts and eased restrictions, and by promoting new technologies and nuclear energy. Several third-party and independent candidates are also running for the presidency. They include Lee Jun-seok, a former PPP leader who founded his own conservative New Reform Party last year. At the forefront of voters' minds is the country's flailing economy and rising cost of living. Youth unemploymenthas surgedand consumption has declined, with the economyunexpectedly contractingin the first quarter of this year. Part of that is due to Trump's trade war – which has hit South Korea's export-reliant economy hard.South Korea's exports to the US fellsharply in the first few weeks of April after US tariffs kicked in, andthe nation's largest airline haswarned the downturn could cost it up to $100 million a year. Though officials from both nations have met for tariff talks, the political turmoil at home is likely slowing progress and hampering a possible trade deal until a new South Korean president is elected. That's why both main candidates have focused on the economy, promising to stabilize the cost of goods and improve opportunities in housing, education and jobs. But there's a host of other problems the next president will have to tackle, too – such as the country'srapidly aging societyandplummeting birth rates, which represent an urgent demographic crisis also seen in other countries in the region likeJapanandChina. Among the common complaints of young couples and singles are the high cost of childcare, gender inequality and discrimination against working parents. Then there are regional tensions. There's the ever-present threat from North Korea, which hasrapidly modernized its armed forces, developingnew weaponsand testing intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach almost anywhere in the United States. Experts have warned in recent years that the country may also be preparing to resume nuclear tests, which it paused in 2018. Across the Yellow Sea lies China, which South Korea has a strong trade relationship with – but historically fraught diplomatic relations. South Korea also maintains a close security alliance with the US, and hosts nearly 30,000 American troops in the country. In recent years, South Korea, Japan and the US have drawn closer together, working to counter Chinese influence in the strategically important Asia-Pacific region. Yoon was removed from office in April following months of legal wrangling, after parliamentvoted to impeach himlate last year. It was a remarkable fall from grace for the former prosecutor turned politician, who rose to prominence for his role in the impeachment of another president – only to eventually meet the same fate. Soon after, Yoon moved out from the presidential residency and into an apartment in the capital Seoul. But his legal battles are ongoing; he faces charges including insurrection, an offense punishable by life imprisonment or death (though South Korea has not executed anyone in decades). Yoon denies all charges against him. CNN's Yoonjung Seo and Gawon Bae contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

South Korea is voting for a new president after six months of political chaos. Here’s what to know

South Korea is voting for a new president after six months of political chaos. Here's what to know After half a year of political turmoi...
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At least 7 killed, 30 injured after bridge collapse, train derailment in Russia near UkraineNew Foto - At least 7 killed, 30 injured after bridge collapse, train derailment in Russia near Ukraine

At least seven people were killed and 30 hospitalized after "illegal interference" caused a bridge to collapse and a train to derail in Russia's Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, Russian authorities said early on June 1. The train's locomotive and several cars derailed "due to the collapse of a span structure of the road bridge as a result of an illegal interference in the operation of transport," Russian Railways said on the Telegram messaging app. Two children were among those hospitalized, one of them in serious condition, Alexander Bogomaz, the governor of the Bryansk region, said on Telegram. Among those killed was the locomotive driver, Russia's state news agencies reported, citing medics. More:'Very disappointed': Trump continues to criticize Putin's war tactics during negotiations Russia's ministry of emergency situations said on Telegram that its main efforts were aimed at finding and rescuing victims, and that some 180 personnel were involved in the operation. Russia's Baza Telegram channel, which often publishes information from sources in the security services and law enforcement, reported, without providing evidence, that according to preliminary information, the bridge was blown up. Reuters could not independently verify the Baza report. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Since the start of the war that Russia launched more than three years ago, there have been continued cross-border shelling, drone strikes, and covert raids from Ukraine into the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions that border Ukraine. The train was going from the town of Klimovo to Moscow, Russian Railways said. It collided with the collapsed bridge in the area of a federal highway in the Vygonichskyi district of the Bryansk region, Bogomaz said. The district lies some 62 miles from the border with Ukraine. More:US and Russia clash over intensifying Ukraine war U.S. PresidentDonald Trumphas urged Moscow and Kyiv to work together on a deal to end the war, and Russia has proposed a second round of face-to-face talks with Ukrainian officials next week in Istanbul. Ukraine is yet to commit to attending the talks on Monday, saying it first needed to see Russian proposals, while a leading U.S. senator warned Moscow it would be "hit hard" by new U.S. sanctions. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Daniel Wallis) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Seven killed, 30 hurt after bridge collapse causes train derailment

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

At least 7 killed, 30 injured after bridge collapse, train derailment in Russia near Ukraine

At least 7 killed, 30 injured after bridge collapse, train derailment in Russia near Ukraine At least seven people were killed and 30 hospit...
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PSG fans unfurl banner calling for end to 'genocide in Gaza' during Champions League finalNew Foto - PSG fans unfurl banner calling for end to 'genocide in Gaza' during Champions League final

MUNICH (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain supporters displayed a banner saying "Stop genocide in Gaza" during the Champions League final on Saturday. They raised it shortly after Achraf Hakimi opened the scoring in a5-0 rout of his former sideInter Milan. Some PSG fans also held Palestinian scarves and flags during the game. PSG fans are known for their stance against the war in Gaza. They previously displayed a giant banner saying "Free Palestine" in November during the Champions Leaguematch against Atlético Madrid. The latest banner was likely to lead to disquiet among local authorities in Munich. Munich's city hall displays an Israeli flag as well as a Ukrainian one, and German support for Israel is strong for historical reasons. PSG could also face a fine. UEFA bans the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit a provocative message that is judged not fit for a sports event, particularly provocative messages that are of a political, ideological, religious or offensive nature. Financial penalties are typical for a first offense — 10,000 euros ($10,700) for a political banner or disturbances. Israel's nearly three-month blockade on Gaza has pushed the population of over two million to thebrink of famine. It has allowed some aid to enter in recent days, but aid organizations say far from enough is getting in. The U.N. World Food Program said the fear of starvation in Gaza is high. The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking 250 hostages. Israeli strikes have killed more than 54,000 Gaza residents, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

PSG fans unfurl banner calling for end to 'genocide in Gaza' during Champions League final

PSG fans unfurl banner calling for end to 'genocide in Gaza' during Champions League final MUNICH (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain support...
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Russell Wilson says Malik Nabers, Brian Daboll are why he signed with GiantsNew Foto - Russell Wilson says Malik Nabers, Brian Daboll are why he signed with Giants

Russell Wilsonhas been no stranger to moving in the last few years. He has gone coast-to-coast since 2021, which was his final season with theSeattle Seahawks. Since then, he's made stops with theDenver BroncosandPittsburgh Steelersbefore inking a deal with theNew York Giantsfor the 2025 season. While theSteelers have made their intentions clear with their interest in Aaron Rodgers, Wilson is letting everyone know why he decided to play for "Big Blue" in the shadows of the Big Apple. During anappearance on the "7PM in Brooklyn" podcastwith Carmelo Anthony, the quarterback was asked about his offseason move to theGiants. He went on to list a number of reasons, but none appeared to be bigger thanMalik Nabers. "I was just excited because, for me, New York and this opportunity here to play here, the world's biggest market, the toughest, one of the toughest divisions in football, a lot of odds against you, team that I played against last year when I was in Pittsburgh," Wilson said. "I just turned on the film and watching this guy Malik Nabers, man, this dude's a superstar." Wilson spoke glowingly of Nabers, who finished his rookie season with 109 catches, 1,204 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. "I saw him, I was watching the film and just before I tried to make decisions, try to get a clear understanding of who the players are, this and that, and obviously you see the highlights and everything else, but when you watch every single catch and every single rep and every play, you get to see the kind of player he is, man, he's dynamic. He touches that football, he gone," Wilson said. The quarterback also had praise for his new head coach. "I really liked [Brian] Daboll too," Wilson said. "Obviously watching Dabes over the years, the guy who was a coach of the year, I don't know, two, three years ago, brilliant mind spending time with him. I actually came out here last year before I signed with Pittsburgh last time too, and I just had a great appreciation of his mind for the game and how he saw the game." The veteran figures to be the starter heading into the 2025 season in what has quickly become a crowded quarterback room. New York signed Wilson andJameis Winstonin free agency before draftingJaxson Dartin the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. There is also the presence ofTommy DeVito, who reached folk hero status over the last two years. Wilson pointed out that he doesn't shy away from challenges or the bright lights. Ultimately, he feels comfortable with the Giants, adding that they have the pieces for success going forward. Considering the Giants have made the playoffs in just two of the 13 seasons since winning the Super Bowl in 2011, the quarterback certainly has his work cut out for him. All the NFL news on and off the field.Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Russell Wilson talks Malik Nabers, reasons for signing with Giants

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Russell Wilson says Malik Nabers, Brian Daboll are why he signed with Giants

Russell Wilson says Malik Nabers, Brian Daboll are why he signed with Giants Russell Wilsonhas been no stranger to moving in the last few ye...
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Trump Explains Reason For Doubling Steel, Aluminum TariffsNew Foto - Trump Explains Reason For Doubling Steel, Aluminum Tariffs

President Donald Trump at the U.S. Steel Corporation—Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Penn., on Friday, May 30, 2025. Credit - Rebecca Droke—Getty Images President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he plans to double the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports—increasing the charge from 25% to 50%. The tariff escalation comes at a precarious time, asTrump's "reciprocal" tariffsare immersed inlegal trouble at the court leveland manyU.S. businessesare struggling to contend with the back-and-forth nature of the levies. Trump's announcement also coincides with the "blockbuster" agreement between U.S. Steel and Japanese steel company Nippon, a deal which he promised will include no layoffs and the steelmaker will be "controlled by the USA." The steepened tariffs could potentially further escalate tensions between the U.S. and its top steel partners, which include Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. As theU.S.' number one steel importer, Canada—with whom the U.S. has already escalated tensions due to Trump's other tariffs—stands to feel the pressure of this latest move. Here's what to know about Trump's doubled tariffs and what experts have to say about it. Trump announced his decision during a rally at U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant near Pittsburgh in West Mifflin, Penn., surrounded by hardhat-donned steel workers. "We're going to bring it from 25% percent to 50%—the tariffs on steel into the United States of America—which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States," Trump told the crowd, offering his reasoning that the increased charges will ultimately help the domestic industry. "Nobody's going to get around that." He later posted about his decision on social media, revealing that the tariffs would also be raised for aluminum."Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before," Trumpwrote on Truth Social. "This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum workers." But Wayne Winegarden, a senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, argues that the Trump Administration has yet to fully explain the exact math behind the number for the steel and aluminum tariffs. "They've never given any justification why 25% is the right number, let alone why 50% is," Winegarden says. "It was just doubled." Read More:Meet the Five Small Businesses That Helped Knock Down Trump's Tariffs In Trump's announcement post on Truth Social, he said that the doubled tariffs would come into effect on Wednesday, June 4. Although it's worth noting that other tariff threats—such as the proposed50% charge on the E.U.and the majority of Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs that he announced on April 2—have been temporarily paused to allow time for negotiations. It remains to be seen if an extension will be granted for this new June 4 date. The back-and-forth on tariff dates and rates has left many businesses in limbo, though Felix Tintelnot, professor of economics at Duke University, says that with steel and aluminum, the Administration has generally followed through on the timings they've announced. The question, he says, is how long the 50% will stand, as he's seen the rates "flip-flopping all the time." Tintelnot argues that the resulting uncertainty is causing real harm to U.S. businesses and thus, in turn, impacting workers, despite Trump's claims that the tariffs will bring large amounts of money to the U.S. steel industry. "We're talking about expansion of capacity of heavy industry that comes with significant upfront investments, and no business leader should take heavy upfront investments if they don't believe that the same policy [will be] there two, three, or four years from now," Tintelnot says. "Regardless of whether you're in favor [of] or against these tariffs, you don't want the President to just set tax rates arbitrarily, sort of by Executive Order all the time." Read More:Trump Agrees to Extend Deadline After Threatening E.U. With 50% Tariff Though Tintelnot says that the escalated tariffs should help the domestic steel industry, he argues it will be coinciding with struggles in other U.S. industries as a result of the increase. "So, this is expected to raise the price of aluminum, which is important in inputs for downstream industries like the automotive industry, as well as construction, so there's sort of a distributional conflict here," Tintelnot warns. "Yes, it does help the domestic steel sector, but [it's] hurting these other sectors of the economy, and they are already hard hit by other tariffs." Winegarden agrees, arguing that the tariffs are "working against themselves" and that consumers can expect prices to increase. "[Trump is] making it more expensive for domestic auto manufacturers to produce here," he says. "It's an economically inconsistent, illiterate policy that seems to be hiding under thenational security justifications." The USW (Unity and Strength for Workers, most commonly referred to as United Steelworkers)—a trade union of steelworkers across North America— saidin a statementthat the increase will have a negative impact on Canada's industries and jobs. "This isn't trade policy—it's a direct attack on Canadian industries and workers," said Marty Warren, United Steelworkers national director for Canada. "Thousands of Canadian jobs are on the line and communities that rely on steel and aluminum are being put at risk. Canada needs to respond immediately and decisively to defend workers." Meanwhile, Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress,said that the planto double tariffs is a "direct attack on Canadian workers and a reckless move" and warned that it "could shut Canadian steel and aluminum out of the U.S. market entirely and put thousands of good union jobs at risk." Speaking about the tariffs overall, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carneysaid on Fridaythat he intends to jumpstart and fast track national building projects throughout the country to respond to Trump's trade war, "ensuring that the Canadian government becomes a catalyst for, not an impediment to, nation-building projects that will supercharge growth in communities, both large and small." Other international lawmakers, meanwhile, have voiced their disapproval of Trump's tariffs escalations. Australia's Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell, saidthat Trump's doubled charges were "unjustified and not the act of a friend." On Saturday, the European Union (E.U.)issued a statement to press, saying they are "prepared to impose countermeasures, including in response to the latest U.S. tariff increase." "This decision adds further uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic," an E.U. spokesperson said of Trump's doubled tariffs plan. Bernd Lange, a member of the European Parliament from Germany, doubled down on the E.U.'s warning. "We have our countermeasures ready for the unjustified tariffs on steel and aluminum," Langeposted on X, tagging Trump. "If what has been announced really becomes reality, then we should apply these counter-tariffs immediately." Contact usatletters@time.com.

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Trump Explains Reason For Doubling Steel, Aluminum Tariffs

Trump Explains Reason For Doubling Steel, Aluminum Tariffs President Donald Trump at the U.S. Steel Corporation—Irvin Works in West Mifflin,...
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Who could be the next face of DOGE?New Foto - Who could be the next face of DOGE?

A few names are coming into view as people who could lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which all signs suggest will have a big influence even with Elon Musk's departure from his official government work. The White House insists no single person will lead DOGE and that every Cabinet secretary and host of other officials will continue Musk's work. A few individuals stand out, however. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought is where "all the attention is turning toward," said Jordan Wood, a former communications aide in Trump's first term. "Elon was the necessary disruptor—he bulldozed his way in and got everyone's attention. But Russ is the operator. He understands how government really works better than just about anyone in the administration. He's methodical and knows exactly which levers to pull from the inside," Wood said. A source close to Trump World also pointed to Vought as the one person who would be at the helm, but noted that DOGE under Musk was not always politically popular. "DOGE served its purpose – but like much with Trump world, rapid fire approach can sometimes miss the political mark," the source said. Musk joined President Trump in the Oval Office for a press conference on Friday to mark his final day as a special government employee, which has a 130 day limit. "This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning," Musk said, adding that he is confident the team will be able to find $1 trillion in savings. "I'll continue to be visiting here and be a friend and adviser to the president," he added. Trump also suggested that Musk will continue to be a major figure in his administration, telling reporters, "Elon's really not leaving – he's going to be back and forth." Musk began Trump's second term with big plans to cut up to $2 trillion from the federal budget and as of Friday, DOGEestimatesthat it has saved $175 billion overall due to its cuts. That came with the firings of thousands of federal employees across multiple agencies, big and small. Meanwhile, Vought had previously advocated for slashing federal spending and putting federal bureaucrats "in trauma" prior to his appointment at OMB. Vought His agency was also at the center of a controversial memo in January that had called for agencies to freeze funding to ensure it aligned with the administration's priorities. Anew memo this weekfrom the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that directed agencies to not hire individuals based on their race, sex or religion, directs heads of departments to send reports to OPM and OMB by the end of June. Vought, at the helm of OMB, would receive those reports on recruitment and eliminating such practices the administration deems discriminatory. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller has also been floated as someone who can take over the work of DOGE. While one Trump ally pointed to Vought as the likeliest individual to spearhead DOGE's efforts in Musk's absence, the source noted Miller would likely seek to keep the federal bureaucracy in check. Miller, for his part, is a longtime Washington, D.C. figure who worked as a GOP Senate staffer and is well-acquainted with the ins and outs of the federal government. He replied to Musk's poston Xabout his time as a special government employee coming to an end to highlight the work. "The work DOGE has done to eliminate government waste and corruption — the rot embedded deep within Washington — is among the most valuable services ever rendered to government. And the work has only just begun," Miller said. Miller's wife, Katie Miller, was an adviser and spokesperson for Musk at DOGE and was among the few top officials who exited with the Tesla CEO. She is going to work for Musk full-time in the private sector, a source familiar told The Hill, confirming reportingfrom CNN. Ultimately, though, the Trump ally argued there was unlikely to be a single new face of DOGE. Musk's style and omnipresence would be difficult to replicate, the ally said, and a single leader is likely unnecessary at this point with major cuts to government staffing in particular already implemented. "As I understand it, Russ would oversee it in more of a team effort way, versus one person being the face," the Trump ally said. That's in line with what press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday in terms of who the next face of DOGE would be. She said that Trump's entire Cabinet would be tasked with rooting out what they see as waste and fraud. "The entire Cabinet understands the need to cut government waste, fraud and abuse and each Cabinet secretary at their respective agencies is committed, that's why they were working hand in hand with Elon Musk and they'll continue to work with the respective DOGE employees who have onboarded as political appointees at all of the agencies," she said. During their work to overhaul the federal workforce, DOGE staff members went into various agencies and some stayed working in those agencies and are embedded in them now. While many Cabinet officials embraced the work of DOGE, there was some pushback from the likes of FBI director Kash Patelwho told his staff in Februaryto hold off on replying to outreach from Musk. Wood argued that embedded DOGE workers could make more of an impact overhauling the government. "This shift from high-profile disruption to quiet execution could actually make the cuts more effective—and a lot harder to reverse," Wood said. To be sure, Musk is a unique figure to replace. He is the richest man in the world who sometimes espouses wild conspiracy theories, hassparked controversyover his alleged drug use, and with him also comes big-ticket checks for high-dollar political fundraising. The Tesla CEO has compared himself to the Buddha to argue that his efforts to slash the federal budget and workforce will carry on even after he leaves the White House. "Is Buddha needed for Buddhism?" Musk quipped in a briefing to a small group of reporters last month, when asked who will fill his avoid. He called DOGE "a way of life" and said converts have been made inside of the administration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Who could be the next face of DOGE?

Who could be the next face of DOGE? A few names are coming into view as people who could lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)...
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Astros find fracture in Yordan Alvarez's right hand, delaying slugger's return from ILNew Foto - Astros find fracture in Yordan Alvarez's right hand, delaying slugger's return from IL

TheHouston Astroshoped sluggerYordan Alvarezmight be activated from the injured list this weekend. However, he'll be sidelined for a longer period after imaging exams found a fracture in his right hand that was originally diagnosed as inflammation. Alvarez, 27, was placed on the IL on May 5 (retroactive to May 3) withright hand inflammation. That was believed to be a factor in a subpar season during which the three-time All-Star is batting only .210/.306/.340 with 3 home runs, 4 doubles and 18 RBI. Those numbers are far below his career .295/.387/.573 average with four consecutive seasons of 31 or more homers. After Alvarez took batting practice against two minor league pitchers Friday, the Astros were encouraged enough to believe he might return to the lineup. "It went really well,"Astros manager Joe Espadatold reporters. "He hit some balls out of the ballpark, he hit some balls the other way. He said he felt good, so we'll see where this takes us. I think this is a step in the right direction." However, Alvarez said he still felt discomfort in the hand, so the Astros sent him for further imaging. The fracture was then discovered. Astros general manager Dana Brown said the fracture was "60 percent healed," but Alvarez would be shut down from hitting as a result. Dana Brown gives an update on Yordan Alvarezpic.twitter.com/o240p5xMg0 — Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart)May 31, 2025 Apparently, the fracture wasn't originally visible through imaging exams because of the swelling in Alvarez's hand. Only after the inflammation subsided could the break be seen. "Obviously I was very excited,"Alvarez said to reportersthrough an interpreter. "I thought that was going to be the avenue for my return. But I was uncomfortable and wasn't feeling good. And that's where we took the decision." Yordan on his injury update.#BuiltForThispic.twitter.com/jPyxwDfIfV — SportsTalk 790 (@SportsTalk790)May 31, 2025 The seven-year veteran added that trying to play through the injury may have caused further damage, including the fracture. Alvarez's diminished performance and subsequent absence has hurt the Astros' production at designated hitter and left field, the two positions he typically plays. Houston has gotten a .239/.309/.383 average with seven home runs and 25 RBI from the DH spot and a .233/.293/.353 line with six homers and 23 RBI from left field. Without Alvarez, the Astros have gone 15-11 and managedto take first placein the American League West, holding a half-game lead over theSeattle Marinersheading into Saturday's MLB schedule.

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Astros find fracture in Yordan Alvarez's right hand, delaying slugger's return from IL

Astros find fracture in Yordan Alvarez's right hand, delaying slugger's return from IL TheHouston Astroshoped sluggerYordan Alvarezm...
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Oldest stadiums in MLB: When every active ballpark openedNew Foto - Oldest stadiums in MLB: When every active ballpark opened

Major League Baseballexperienced a ballpark boon around the turn of the millennium, with 19 of the game's 28 permanent stadiums opening between 1991 and 2010. Only two ballparks built prior to 1961 remain in Fenway Park (1912) and Wrigley Field (1914), with both stadiums having undergone substantial modernization efforts over more than a century of use. Dodger Stadium (1962) is the third-oldest MLB stadium, with Angel Stadium (1966) and theKansas City Royals' Kauffman Stadium (1973) rounding out the five oldest. MLB's newest stadium is theTexas Rangers'Globe Life Field(2020), opening three years after theAtlanta Braves' Truist Park, the only other ballpark built since 2012. Temporarily playing in Sacramento, theAthleticsexpect to open their new Las Vegas ballpark in 2028. MLB STADIUM RANKINGS:Travelers rate baseball's best ballparks for 2025 Here's a look at when every MLB stadium opened: Fenway Park – 1912 (Red Sox) Wrigley Field – 1914 (Cubs) Dodger Stadium – 1962 (Dodgers) Angel Stadium – 1966 (Angels) Kauffman Stadium – 1973 (Royals) Rogers Centre – 1989 (Blue Jays) Rate Field– 1991 (White Sox) Orioles Park at Camden Yards – 1992 (Orioles) Progressive Field – 1994 (Guardians) Coors Field – 1995 (Rockies) George M. Steinbrenner Field – 1996 (Rays' home ballpark for 2025) Chase Field – 1998 (Diamondbacks) T-Mobile Park – 1999 (Mariners) Daikin Park – 2000 (Astros) Comerica Park – 2000 (Tigers) Oracle Park – 2000 (Giants) Sutter Health Park– 2000 (Athletics' home ballpark until team moves to Las Vegas) American Family Field – 2001 (Brewers) PNC Park – 2001 (Pirates) Great American Ball Park – 2003 (Reds) Citizens Bank Park – 2004 (Phillies) Petco Park – 2004 (Pirates) Busch Stadium – 2006 (Cardinals) Nationals Park – 2008 (Nationals) Citi Field – 2009 (Mets) Yankee Stadium – 2009 (Yankees) Target Field – 2010 (Twins) LoanDepot Park – 2012 (Marlins) Truist Park – 2017 (Braves) Globe Life Field – 2020 (Rangers) The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Oldest stadiums in MLB: See when every active ballpark opened

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Oldest stadiums in MLB: When every active ballpark opened

Oldest stadiums in MLB: When every active ballpark opened Major League Baseballexperienced a ballpark boon around the turn of the millennium...
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In Iowa, Trump's agenda collides with 2028 ambitionsNew Foto - In Iowa, Trump's agenda collides with 2028 ambitions

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, at fundraisers in Iowa this week, sought to explain to the Republicans who are poised to have the first say in picking the party's 2028 presidential nominee why they want to put the brakes on the "big, beautiful" bill that contains much of President Donald Trump's agenda. But Sue Cheek, a resident of Eldridge nearby, didn't want to hear it. "We are the ones that elected Trump. This is what we wanted him to do. So let him do it," she told CNN minutes before Scott took the stage at a fundraiser Friday night at a casino in Davenport. "We are in a critical place right now in our country," said Cheek, who works at a credit union. "I don't care how much it costs to make our country secure. Once we get that done, then we can worry about that other stuff." Trump is only months into his second term in office, but already, ambitious Republicans are flocking to the state whose caucuses are expected to kick off the party's 2028 presidential nominating contest. Paul spoke at a GOP fundraiser in Cedar Rapids on Thursday, and Scott followed with a fundraiser in Davenport on Friday. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will speak at the conservative Christian group The Family Leader's summit in July. Days later, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will visit Des Moines to headline the state party's Lincoln Dinner. The two senators arrived in Iowa while the fate of Trump's legislative agenda rested in the Senate. Conservatives like Paul and Scott are demanding changes — with Paul seeking to remove a debt ceiling increase and both seeking much steeper spending cuts. Their positions put them at odds with many Republicans in this politically potent state who helped propel Trump to the White House. Asked by CNN before Thursday's event if he's faced pushback from Republicans in Iowa who want to see Trump's agenda advance quickly, Paul acknowledged that "some have." "Some people come up to me and some people genuinely say, 'Support the president. Support the president,'" Paul said. "But I think I was elected to be an independent voice." "There are things that we have some disagreements, and I don't think it would be right just to be quiet and not try to make the bill better," Paul said. Scott said he is eager to achieve much of Trump's bill, including making 2017 tax cuts permanent and funding efforts to secure the US-Mexico border. "I want to get the president's agenda done, too," he told CNN. But, Scott said, "we have to understand we have a spending problem." "Interest rates are high. Inflation is high. If we want to help … we got to get a balanced budget," Scott said. "We've got to have a we have to have a clear path to balanced budget." Though the 2028 election is still years from taking shape, Iowa — where an open race for governor and competitive House races in next year's midterm elections give ambitious Republicans a pretext to visit and help raise money — is a near-permanent presidential battleground when an incumbent won't be on the ballot in the next election. Jeff Kaufmann, the longtime Iowa Republican Party chairman, said potential candidates are already calling him to ask for advice. "We're certainly not going to have a 'Never Trump' candidate that even has a prayer. I'm not even sure at this point if a person that is lukewarm on Trump is going to do very well," Kaufmann told CNN. But, he said, voters there have "a high tolerance for debate." "As long as they explain themselves — and in Iowa, they're going to have a chance to do that — and as long as they are methodical and the underlying basis is conservative, come to Iowa," Kaufmann said. "Everybody is going to get an honest look." That tolerance for debate was on display Thursday night in Cedar Rapids, when Paul received a friendly applause even after delivering a speech criticizing Trump's tariffs and staking out his opposition to the "big, beautiful bill" that contains much of Trump's agenda. The Kentucky senator said he opposes the measure's debt ceiling hike and wants to see overall spending levels drastically reduced. Doug Dix, a retired banker who lives in Hiawatha who attended Paul's speech Thursday night in Cedar Rapids, said he agrees with Paul's positions on principle, but doesn't want to see Trump's agenda thwarted. "I'm looking for somebody that wins and gets things done," he said. "Let's see if they get it done. I don't think Rand Paul's going to prevent it from getting it done." "Get the bill done. Get it on his desk," Dix said. Many Republicans said they are frustrated — not with Senate conservatives yet, but with judges, Democrats and the media, which they described as playing much larger roles in impeding Trump. Tim Striley, the chairman of the Clinton County Republican Party, said Friday the intra-party debates over the bill are "healthy." More frustrating, he said, are court rulings blocking Trump's actions. "You've got to give the man a chance to govern," he said. "They didn't do that the first time." Bonnie Powell, a retired nurse in Davenport, said she'd like to see Republicans on Capitol Hill back Trump. "It gets frustrating," she said. "But no matter how frustrating, Republicans aren't near at the level of disagreeing as the other party." Her husband Steve Powell added: "Rand Paul, I've always liked him, but I don't agree with him on this. … He's only one vote. He's not going to make the difference." "I'd like to see them follow through with what Trump's already started," he said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

In Iowa, Trump’s agenda collides with 2028 ambitions

In Iowa, Trump's agenda collides with 2028 ambitions Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Rick Scott, at fundraisers in Iowa this we...
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Trump pardons drive a big, burgeoning business for lobbyistsNew Foto - Trump pardons drive a big, burgeoning business for lobbyists

Seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump has become big business for lobbying and consulting firms close to the administration, with wealthy hopefuls willing to spend millions of dollars for help getting their case in front of the right people. "From a lobbying perspective, pardons have gotten profitable," said one lobbyist whose firm has received such calls. There's no set rate for pardon help. But two people directly familiar with proposals to lobbying firms said they knew of a client's offer of $5 million to help get a case to Trump. These people, like others, were granted anonymity to speak candidly. And while such high numbers do not seem to be standard, they speak to a burgeoning pardon economy. A $5 million figure is higher than numbersThe New York Times reportedTrump allies receiving for pardon help in his first term. In 2021, the outlet reported that Brett Tolman, a former federal prosecutor who advised the White House on pardons, was receiving five-figure amounts for the work, according to filings and a client. The Times also reported that John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer convicted of disclosing classified information, was told that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump ally, could help secure him a pardon for $2 million; Giuliani disputed that account. Cozying up to a president's allies or hiring lobbyists to gain access to clemency isn't new. But along with the price spike, what's different now is that Trump is issuing pardons on a rolling basis — rather than most coming at the end of the administration. "It's like the Wild West," a Trump ally and lobbyist said. "You can basically charge whatever you want." The increased use of the pardon power has some familiar with the process concerned about the appearance of financial and political favoritism that can erode confidence in the clemency process. "This is very destructive to our justice system. It delegitimizes the pardon power," said Elizabeth Oyer, who served as pardon attorney for the Department of Justice during President Joe Biden's administration. "It entrenches a two-tier system of justice in which wealth really can be a get-out-of-jail-free card." "All pardon and commutation decisions are solely made by President Trump, who is always willing to give well-deserving Americans a second chance — especially those who have been unfairly targeted by a corrupt justice system," White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said. Since Trump took office in January, he has pardoned or granted executive clemency tomore than 1,500 people, most related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. It's a significant uptick from a similar time frame during his first term in office. Even without the Jan. 6 defendants, Trump has pardoned 58 people; in his previous administration, Trump had pardoned just one person in his first year. In the past week alone, Trump has pardoned or commuted the sentences of 27 people. Many clemency recipients have been people with the means to elevate their case — allies, donors,celebritiesand former politicians. There is a process for vetting pardon applications through the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney, but presidents have not always followed it. Some of the pardons Trump is granting, involving people currently incarcerated, would not be able to make it through the typical process. Unless the Justice Department grants a waiver, the regulations say that petitioners need to wait until five years after either the conviction or the end of their sentence, and they place a premium on acceptance of responsibility. As of this week, there are 6,394 applications for commutations and 1,529 applications for pardons. Not every Trump-aligned lobbyist is eager to take pardon work; some who have turned down offers said they have passed them along to a small handful of Trump supporters who then help the pardon-seeker get on the president's radar. In some cases, referral fees are paid to the lobbying firms even if they are not directly engaged to do the work, according to three people familiar with the process. "There are others, like us, who have turned down a bunch of that work, but generally the way that works is that they get referred to others who are helping," said a Washington-based lobbyist whose firm has been approached by people seeking a pardon. The person said that roughly half their client inquiries in recent months have been for pardon help. In the past, it was roughly 1 in 50 client solicitations. The Trump ally who is also a lobbyist said their firm is not taking pardon clients out of concern that they could face blowback when the political winds inevitably change. Another lobbyist said they turn down pardon work because it feels "sketchy." In a case that drew significant attention this week, Trumppardoned reality-TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted in 2022 on fraud and tax evasion-related charges. The two built a national following through their reality show "Chrisley Knows Best." The pardons came after a public pressure campaign led by their daughter Savannah, a prominent Trump supporter with nearly 3 million followers on Instagram. Key to reaching Trump is pushing a message that will appeal to the president, particularly one around a politicization of justice by Democrats or overzealous prosecutors. "Weaponization is real,"said Tolman, who is now a Fox News contributor and the executive director of the conservative-leaning criminal justice reform group Right on Crime. "If you are in power and you are willing to use the power of the prosecution to go after your political adversaries, how do we fix it?" His comments came during a 2024panelat the Conservative Political Action Conference focused on the "weaponization" of the justice system. The panel also included now-Attorney General Pam Bondi and Savannah Chrisley, who used the platform to talk about her parents' case. Tolman has become one of the go-tos for help when people are seeking Trump pardons. Hehelped the Chrisleys, as well as Charles Kushner, the father of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. At the end of Trump's first term, he alsolobbied Trump to pardon Ross Ulbricht, who in 2015 was sentenced to life in prison on narcotics and money-laundering charges related to his dark web marketplace Silk Road. Getting Ulbricht out of prison became a cause célèbre to many on the political right who thought he was unjustly targeted by the justice system. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised to pardon Ulbricht, and he did so as one of his first acts after taking office. Tolman did not respond to a request seeking comment. Other Trump allies who have played influential roles in the pardon process over the past few weeks include Washington attorney Adam Katz, who previously represented Giuliani and helped securea sentence commutationfor a California businesswoman in Trump's first term. Katz did not return a request seeking comment, but lobbyists interviewed by NBC News named him, along with Tolman, as two of the people to whom they refer pardon work. Corcoran Partners, a Florida-based lobbying firm whose managing partner includes Matt Blair, the brother of Trump deputy chief of staff James Blair, has alsoregisteredto lobby on federal pardon issues for the first time. In March, Matt Blair's firm registered to lobby on "pardon" issues for Juno Empire Inc., a Miami-based company that is identified in federal lobbying records as a "medical billing advocate." It's not clear what this company does or what its issue is, and there was no contact information available for Juno. Corcoran Partners did not return a request for comment. Longtime Trump confidant Roger Stone alsoregisteredin February to lobby for Roger Ver, who is nicknamed "Bitcoin Jesus" and, if extradited from Spain, faces up to 109 years in prison for, among other things, allegations that he tried to evade nearly $50 million in tax payments. It's the first time Stone's firm, Drake Ventures, formally registered to lobby on pardon issues, records show. An attorney for Ver did not return a request for comment. Some lawyers also see new hope for their clients in Trump's willingness to issue pardons. Tim Parlatore, a former member of Trump's legal team, represented Adm. Robert Burke, who wasconvicted in May of bribery. Parlatore told NBC News that he had unsuccessfully attempted to get Justice Department leadership to reconsider the Burke case before it went to trial, and that he'd try to secure a pardon now that Burke has been convicted. "I think I have a great appeal for Burke, but will I go and ask for a pardon? Absolutely! You'd be crazy not to," he said. "The way that that case was investigated and presented, I believe, was fundamentally unfair." Parlatore said he wanted to "pursue all possible remedies" for his client. "I'll go to call people and try to figure this thing out, whether it's Ed Martin, Alice Johnson," he said, referring to Trump's pardon attorney and his more informal "pardon czar." "I just want to make sure that that gets in front of the right people to make a decision." The president's pardon power, a vestige of the British monarchy, is largely unchecked. Trumpisn't the first personto face criticism for controversial pardons. But the perception that Trump is leaning into rewarding supporters was boosted last week when Martin, Trump's current pardon attorney, openly signaled the political motivations forthe pardongiven to Scott Jenkins. The former Virginia sheriff was facing 10 years in prison after a federal jury found him guilty of taking $75,000 in return for doling out law enforcement authority to local businessmen, as well as two undercover FBI special agents. "No MAGA left behind," Martinpostedon X after the pardon was announced. One staffer familiar with the pardon process said Martin and the administration were trying to "undo the damage from weaponization," often choosing to pardon people they felt were unfairly targeted. "You have a president who's going to exercise his presidential powers that he has from the Constitution, whether or not there's some guidebook," they said. "He does it on trade, he does it on immigration, and he does it everywhere." That staffer and other Trump allies argue that it was Biden's use of the power that has set the precedent under which they are currently operating. Biden pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 8,000 people, including to his sonHunter, who was set to be sentenced on federal gun charges just weeks before the pardon was issued. On the way out of office,he also issued pre-emptive pardonsfor some members of his family, worried Trump would try to prosecute them. An administration official called Biden's pardon decisions an "absolutely earth-shattering departure from presidential norms." Trump supporters argue the potential hit to a president's reputation that previously existed for the perception of politicizing the clemency process is no longer there. "It's become easier after Hunter's pardon. Long gone are the days of an eleventh-hour pardon. It has become more transactional," the Trump ally and lobbyist said. Beyond increased payments to lobbying firms to help secure pardons, family members of those seeking pardons have also found it useful to amplify their platform by going on conservative media outlets that Trump is known to watch or appear in MAGA-friendly spaces. Savannah Chrisley, for example, spoke at the Republican National Convention and suggestedher parents were targeted for being conservative. During a press conference Friday, she said it was a "misconception" that she "either paid for a pardon or slept for a pardon" for her parents. She said she simply went to Washington and made sure she was in "the right room at the right time" and "begged for meetings." "Many people have come on my OAN program to make their case for pardons," former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who became a news anchor for One America News Network after Trump unsuccessfully tried to install him as attorney general, told NBC News. "Some have not. Some might get granted in the future. I trust President Trump's judgment." Gaetz says he himself has not officially focused on pardon work but said his show, like others, can help amplify a pardon-seeker's case. "I've covered pardons as a journalist," he said. "One way people get on the pardon radar is coming on my show and making their case on other media President Trump is known to watch."

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

Trump pardons drive a big, burgeoning business for lobbyists

Trump pardons drive a big, burgeoning business for lobbyists Seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump has become big business for lobbyi...
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NCAA baseball tournament: Utah Valley upsets Oregon after controversial 'malicious contact' callNew Foto - NCAA baseball tournament: Utah Valley upsets Oregon after controversial 'malicious contact' call

Utah Valley upset Oregon in the opening round of the NCAA men's baseball Eugene Regional on Friday, but the 6-5 win occurred under major controversy. The Wolverines took a 4-0 lead in the third inning with the first four batters reaching base against Ducks pitcher Jason Reitz. He struck out the next two batters, but gave up a two-run single to Mason Strong. Oregon closed the margin to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame on back-to-back home runs from Drew Smith and Anson Aroz. Utah Valley added to its lead on a two-run single by Jimmy De Anda in the seventh. But the Ducks closed the gap to 6-4 in the eighth on Smith's second homer of the game. From there, the game became hectic. Aroz drew a walk following Smith's home run and advanced to third on a Maddox Molony single. Chase Meggers then lofted a sacrifice fly to left field that brought Aroz in to score — or so it appeared. De Anda's throw bounced in front of Strong at the plate and the catcher couldn't snare the carom. Aroz ran hard into Strong to get to home plate, which Utah Valley coach Nate Rasmussen disputed. We have CHAOS in Eugene 👀👀👀Anson Aroz has been called out and ejected for malicious contact for a collision at the plate. Utah Valley leads host Oregon in the 9thpic.twitter.com/r25VZGPJSE — 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7)May 31, 2025 Rasmussen asked umpires to review the call, contending Aroz committed "malicious contact" in running over Strong to score. After reviewing the play with the NCAA's replay command center in Pittsburgh, the umpiring crew agreed with Rasmussen. Aroz was ruled out and ejected from the game. Not only did the call cost Oregon a run and get Aroz ejected from the game, but the outfielder is also suspended for Saturday's game against Cal Poly because of it. In the ninth, the Ducks added a run with Carter Garate drawing a walk and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Jacob Walsh. But they couldn't get the tying run across against Utah Valley's Carston Herman, who struck out Smith to end the game. Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski was obviously fuming. Now, Anson Aroz cannot play on Saturday.That's a dicey call 🎥ESPNpic.twitter.com/oAkAn0u7E2 — Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_)May 31, 2025 Following the game, Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski was understandably upset over the call against Aroz. Umpires told him the ruling "came from Pittsburgh" and was out of their hands. He then defended Aroz for going hard into the catcher the way he did. "I was taught to play hard. I was taught to get after it by my dad and my coaches growing up," Wasikowski said, via The Oregonian. "And, unfortunately, playing hard was not rewarded tonight by whatever rule was supposedly violated by a player that was playing hard." Utah Valley head coach Nate Rasmussen said he asked the umpiring crew to look at the play because he didn't think Anson Aroz made a proper sliding attempt.pic.twitter.com/FRgasx2IL0 — Brady Ruth (@BradyRuth10)May 31, 2025 Rasmussen said he asked for the review because Aroz didn't attempt to slide. "That was the big thing. It just felt like he didn't go down for an actual baseball move," he told reporters. "That's what I saw in the moment. ... All I know was that our catcher got hit hard and I was right there for his safety. And I'm glad that it obviously went in our direction." Oregon has to avoid elimination against Cal Poly on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Utah Valley will face Arizona in the winners bracket at 9 p.m. ET.

byMario Satorik
in
May 31, 2025

NCAA baseball tournament: Utah Valley upsets Oregon after controversial 'malicious contact' call

NCAA baseball tournament: Utah Valley upsets Oregon after controversial 'malicious contact' call Utah Valley upset Oregon in the ope...
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