With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor

North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the latest propaganda images to promote the child touted as a potential successor.

State media KCNA said Kim and his daughter – along with Kim Jong Un's powerful sister Kim Yo Jong and other officials – fired the rifles after the North Korean leader gifted them to military leaders to salute their service to the reclusive state's ruling party.

One of the images – which was flagged during a CNN check as being potentially AI-manipulated – showed the girl,believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and in her early teens, firing a sniper rifle.

In all, North Korea released 27 pictures of the event.

CNN checked four of the photos for signs of manipulation. Only the picture of Kim Ju Ae firing the rifle showed possible use of AI.

Kim specially prepared the gifts of the "new generation sniper's rifle" for the key leaders, calling it "a really wonderful weapon," the KCNA report said.

The shooting-range event came after the conclusion of a congress of the Korean Workers' Party, a largely rubber-stamp political gathering of the nation's elite, where Kim's leadership was reaffirmed by unanimous vote.

At the assembly, Kim Yo Jong was promoted to director of a party department after years in a deputy role, solidifying her standing in the inner circle. Several senior party and military posts were reshuffled, elevating younger loyalists.

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But much of the attention was on Kim's daughter.

Kim Ju Ae stood withbher father on the grandstand as he reviewed some14,000 troops goosestepping through Kim Il Sung Square, named after her great-grandfather, in the capital of Pyongyang.

She has also been at her father's side for previous missile tests and other ruling-party events, fueling speculation that she will be the fourth-generation successor to the Kim family dynasty that has ruled North Korea since before the Korean War started in 1950.

In February South Korea's spy agency said it believes the dictator has "entered the stage of nominating her as successor."

There has been no official confirmation from North Korea on the daughter's role, but the image of her purportedly firing the sniper rifle on Friday brought even more attention to her.

"By emphasizing that Kim Ju Ae knows how to fire a rifle, North Korea is hinting that she is undergoing succession training," Yang Mu-jin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul,told the Chosun Daily newspaper.

Other images appeared to show Kim Ju Ae, wearing a leather jacket, observing through binoculars as her father took a shot, and helping present the rifles to others at the event.

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2/28/2026 11:32:00 PM

With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor

North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the lates...

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Read President Trump’s statement on Iran in full

U.S. President Donald Trump said in an 8-minute video posted on his Truth Social that the U.S. has begun "major combat operations in Iran." He claimed Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach U.S. and appealed to the Iranian people to "take over your government."

Here's Trump's address in full:

A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran. Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. A vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.

For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted Death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries. Among the regime's very first acts was to back a violent takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, holding dozens of American hostages for 444 days. In 1983, Iran's proxies carried out the marine barracks bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American military personnel.

In 2000, they knew and were probably involved with the attack on the USS Cole. Many died. Iranian forces killed and maimed hundreds of American service members in Iraq. The regime's proxies have continued to launch countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East in recent years, as well as U.S. naval and commercial vessels and international shipping lines. It's been mass terror, and we're not going to put up with it any longer.

From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime has armed, trained and funded terrorist militias that have soaked the earth with blood and guts. And it was Iran's proxy, Hamas, that launched the monstrous Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, slaughtering more than 1,000 innocent people, including 46 Americans, while taking 12 of our citizens hostage. It was brutal, something like the world has never seen before.

Iran is the world's number one state sponsor of terror, and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested. It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I'll say it again, they can never have a nuclear weapon. That is why in Operation Midnight Hammer last June, we obliterated the regime's nuclear program at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. After that attack, we warned them never to resume their malicious pursuit of nuclear weapons, and we sought repeatedly to make a deal. We tried. They wanted to do it. They didn't want to do it. Again they wanted to do it. They didn't want to do it. They didn't know what was happening. They just wanted to practice evil. But Iran refused, just as it has for decades and decades.

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They've rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can't take it anymore. Instead, they attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing the long range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland. Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they ever had, and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as a means to deliver their message.

For these reasons, the United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests. We're going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally again obliterated. We're going to annihilate their navy. We're going to ensure that the region's terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or the world and attack our forces, and no longer use their IEDs, or roadside bombs as they are sometimes called, to so gravely wound and kill thousands and thousands of people, including many Americans. And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. It's a very simple message. They will never have a nuclear weapon.

This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces. I built and rebuilt our military in my first administration and there is no military on earth even close to its power, strength or sophistication. My administration is taking every possible step to minimize the risk to U.S. personnel in the region. Even so, and I do not make this statement lightly, the Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war. But we're doing this not for now. We're doing this for the future. And it is a noble mission. We pray for every service member as they selflessly risk their lives to ensure that Americans and our children will never be threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran. We ask God to protect all of our heroes in harm's way. And we trust that with his help, the men and women of the armed forces will prevail. We have the greatest in the world, and they will prevail.

To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity. Or in the alternative, face certain death. So, lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death. Finally, to the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.

For many years, you have asked for America's help. But you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want. So let's see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass.

May God bless the brave men and women of America's armed forces. May God bless the United States of America. May God bless you all. Thank you.

This story has been updated to correct "Fort Doe" to "Fordo."

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2/28/2026 11:32:00 PM

Read President Trump’s statement on Iran in full

U.S. President Donald Trump said in an 8-minute video posted on his Truth Social that the U.S. has begun "major comb...

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Spanish feminist targeted by AI fakes wants stricter online regulations

By David Latona

MADRID, Feb 27 (Reuters) - A Spanish women's rights activist who suffered online abuse, including AI-generated fake nude images, said the government's ‌pledge to regulate social media does not go far enough, calling ‌for anonymous accounts to be made traceable to end impunity for digital violence.

As Europe's push to ​rein in U.S.-based tech giants is shifting from fines and takedown notices to stiffer measures, Madrid wants to impose a ban on under-16s accessing social media and criminal liability for platform executives who fail to remove illegal or hateful content.

France, Greece ‌and Poland are weighing similar ⁠measures after Australia became the first country to block social media for children under 16 in December.

Carla Galeote, a 25-year-old lawyer ⁠and prominent online feminist commentator, told Reuters governments were reacting only now because digital violence had become impossible to ignore, although the problem predated AI.

"Social media isn't new - ​and ​the violence is brutal, systematic, 24/7," Galeote ​said. "What hit me hardest wasn't the ‌deepfake, it was going to the police and being told it wasn't even a crime."

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She dismissed plans to ban children from social media as "paternalistic", arguing all users, regardless of age, need protection from digital abuse.

Spain's proposed law has sparked backlash from tech company executives, who accuse Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of threatening free ‌speech. Galeote, however, believes regulation and freedom ​of expression can coexist.

"It's impossible to think that ​a man on the street ​could shout that they'll rape you and nothing happens, but ‌that's what we're seeing online," she said.

Instead ​of imposing easily ​absorbable fines, Galeote advocated barring platforms from major markets, like the European Union, for repeated violations.

While defending pseudonymous online use, Galeote emphasized the need ​for traceable identities behind all ‌accounts.

"Call yourself 'PeppaPig88' if you want - fine. But there has to be ​a real identity behind that account," she said.

(Reporting by David Latona; ​Editing by Aislinn Laing and Andrei Khalip)

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2/28/2026 11:32:00 PM

Spanish feminist targeted by AI fakes wants stricter online regulations

By David Latona MADRID, Feb 27 (Reuters) - A Spanish women's rights activist who suffered online abuse, in...

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'As good a basketball team as I've seen': How Dusty May led Michigan to Big Ten title in Year 2

Champaign, IL —Michigan basketballfans owe a huge thank you to Mrs. May, according to coachDusty May.

In his second year leading the program, May and the No. 3-ranked Wolverines clinched the Big Ten Conference regular season title witha dominant 84-70 win over No. 11 Illinoison Friday, Feb. 27, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois.

May has helped lead Michigan's transformation from an 8-24 campaign in the 2023-24 season to a potential No. 1 seed and the regular-season conference title with an impressive 27-2 record in 2025-26.

REQUIRED READING:March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament last four in, first four out

May, of course, wasn't with Michigan during the 2023-24 season: He was coaching Florida Atlantic to the Final Four as a major Cinderella. The run with the Owls had every program with an opening trying to court May. However, the choice of Michigan came down to a family decision.

"Anna, my wife, is a major, major influence and probably more of an influence on my decision-making than I," May said of his decision to pick Michigan over other programs with interest. "I'm a pretty simple man. Give me a ball, a gym and some dudes that want to work, and I am happy with Michigan."

May pointed to Michigan as a place where he would want his sons to attend college, which factored into his decision — rather than seeking a team that could win a championship right away.

Talk about having the best of both worlds: With the win over Illinois, the Wolverines clinched their first Big Ten regular-season title since 2021. Now, they are locked into a No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and are likely a lock for the same in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

"The first time we saw the team together, we felt like this was the most talented team that our staff collectively had ever been around," May said. "And some of us have been high majors, mid majors, low majors. ... We felt this team had the highest upside or most potential of any group."

Michigan showed promise in May's first year in 2024-25, finishing the season 27-10 with a loss to Auburn in the Sweet 16. The 14-6 record in conference play tied Maryland for second in the Big Ten, a sign the Wolverines were heading in the right direction.

May then went to the transfer portal to add UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg, North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau, Illinois forward Morez Johnson Jr. — who had 19 points and 11 rebounds against his former team on Feb. 27 — and UCLA center Aday Mara, putting together a Big Ten championship-caliber roster.

"We want to win a Big Ten regular season championship every year," May said. "... Did we envision this? What's our record, 17-1 (in Big Ten play)? Absolutely not. Because I have that much respect for the teams, coaches and talent in this league."

Elite Michigan defense beats an elite Illinois offense

According to KenPom rankings,Illinois entered Feb. 27 as the No. 1 team in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency. Meanwhile, Michigan entered with the No. 2 defense, trailing only No. 1 Duke.

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The adage that defense wins championships won the day for the Wolverines.

"That's why they are so good," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said of Michigan taking away any potential mismatches Illinois has used against other opponents this season.

"They're as good a basketball team as I've seen in my nine years in this league," Underwood added.

Illinois' adjusted offensive efficiency (or points per 100 possessions) sat at 132.4 entering play on Friday. The Fighting Illini entered averaging 85.1 points per game, which ranked 22nd in the nation. They also tied for sixth in 3-point baskets made per game.

However, the Wolverines' defense limited Illinois to 70 points — its lowest total in a loss since Nov. 28 vs. UConn — 41.3% shooting from the field and 9-of-29 shooting from 3-point range.

"They're really good at punishing a matchup," May said of the Illinois offense. "Because of our lineup versatility, I don't think they did it as well as they usually do."

While Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler finished with a game-high 23 points, including 17 points in the second half, he shot just 7-for-17 from the field and had four turnovers. Lendeborg took the responsibility of not only guarding Wagler, but also guarding him for the full 94-feet, putting pressure on him as soon as he received the inbounds pass.

"Yax was up to the challenge," May said. "He loves guarding point guards. And then when he switches, you have a big body that played (center) in the American Conference, and played it pretty well. So it's not as easy to get the matchup advantages they are hunting against our team, because we can change what we do."

Veteran leftovers carry team to new era

Nimari Burnett, Will Tschetter and Harrison Hochberg are three members of the Wolverines who were around for the 2023-24 team that finished 3-17 in conference play, good for dead last in the Big Ten standings.

However, each of them has stuck around with the program, with Burnett starting all 29 games this season and Tschetter appearing in all 29 games. Instead of showing them the door when he took over the program, May instead kept the three to build the culture in Ann Arbor for the team that won the conference this season.

"We kept those guys because we believe in who they are as people, first and foremost," May said. "That was a tough season for Michigan basketball. There were a handful of guys we couldn't recruit for various reasons and then there were a handful we thought might fit our culture as far as work ethic.

"Nimari and Will were both guys who dove in from Day 1, and they wanted Michigan to be back in this position. It was that simple."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:How Dusty May led Michigan to Big Ten regular season title in Year 2

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2/28/2026 10:04:00 PM

'As good a basketball team as I've seen': How Dusty May led Michigan to Big Ten title in Year 2

Champaign, IL —Michigan basketballfans owe a huge thank you to Mrs. May, according to coachDusty May. In his s...

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Inter Miami book White House visit to celebrate MLS title

Inter Miami will celebrate the first MLS Cup championship in club history with a March 5 visit to the White House, The Athletic and the Miami Herald reported on Friday.

The Herald cited a source indicating that "everyone" from the club would be in attendance to meet President Donald Trump, meaning that Lionel Messi is expected to be there.

The visit is scheduled two days before Inter Miami will oppose D.C. United in Washington.

Many MLS Cup champions have been honored in White House ceremonies, including the Columbus Crew in September 2024 after they won the title the prior season.

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The 2024 MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy didn't go to the White House last year, but the Galaxy were feted there following their title runs in 2011, 2012 and 2014. Among the players meeting with President Barack Obama to celebrate the 2011 championship was then-Galaxy star David Beckham, now the co-owner of Inter Miami.

Messi has never been to the White House, despite having been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden in January 2025. The Argentine superstar missed the ceremony because of scheduling issues.

Trump has worked closely with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the leadup to the World Cup that will be jointly hosted this summer by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Inter Miami began as an MLS expansion team in 2020 and endured three rough seasons until Messi's arrival in 2023. The World Cup-winning forward powered the Herons to the Leagues Cup title in 2023 and the MLS Supporters' Shield in 2024 before the team captured the MLS Cup with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps last December.

--Field Level Media

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2/28/2026 10:04:00 PM

Inter Miami book White House visit to celebrate MLS title

Inter Miami will celebrate the first MLS Cup championship in club history with a March 5 visit to the White House, The...

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No. 21 Miami (Ohio) escapes Western Michigan on Trey Perry's winner

Trey Perry made a go-ahead layup with 0.4 seconds left, helping No. 21 Miami (Ohio) remain unbeaten with a 69-67 victory over Western Michigan on Friday in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Justice Williams sank a 13-foot jumper to forge a 67-67 tie with 12.8 seconds remaining before Perry used his body to fend off EJ Ryans and went off the glass to convert a left-handed layup.

Miami's Peter Suder scored 18 points before fouling out with his team trailing 57-50 with 7:03 remaining in the second half.

Almar Atlason scored 16 points off the bench and Perry added 14 points while making his first start of the season for the RedHawks (29-0, 16-0 Mid-American Conference), who remained the lone unbeaten team in Division I.

They have won a program-best 14 in a row on the road and completed a season sweep of the Broncos. Miami (Ohio) recorded an 87-76 victory over Western Michigan on Jan. 6.

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Head coach Travis Steele's frustrations boiled over at halftime, as he verbally abused the referees and knocked down a speaker as he walked off the court. Steele was whistled for a technical foul, with Ryans making one of two foul shots to start the second half.

Jayden Brewer collected 19 points and 11 rebounds and Williams and Ryans each had 14 points for the Broncos (10-19, 4-12), who have lost 10 of their last 13 games.

The RedHawks trimmed a nine-point deficit to one at 63-62 after Atlason converted a four-point play with 3:26 remaining in the second half. Antwone Woolfolk's layup gave Miami a 66-65 lead and Eian Elmer split a pair of free throws before Williams forged a tie.

Suder made a layup in transition as Miami erased an eight-point deficit to level the contest at 49-49 with 11:02 remaining in the second half. Suder was whistled for his fourth foul just seven seconds later, and Williams responded by making three layups and two foul shots during a personal 8-0 run.

Suder made a layup to extend Miami's lead to 26-23 with 3:05 to play in the first half. However, Western Michigan scored the last seven points before intermission. Carson Vis converted a three-point play to highlight that sequence.

--Field Level Media

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2/28/2026 10:04:00 PM

No. 21 Miami (Ohio) escapes Western Michigan on Trey Perry's winner

Trey Perry made a go-ahead layup with 0.4 seconds left, helping No. 21 Miami (Ohio) remain unbeaten with a 69-67 victo...

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Police video shows chaotic aftermath of Rhode Island ice rink shooting

Newly released video of the aftermath of a deadlyshooting at a Rhode Island ice rinklast week shows a chaotic scene of bystanders and law enforcement rushing to help victims and initial confusion over which person was the shooter.

"My dad shot my brother," a woman tells an officer outside the arena, police body camera video obtained byThe Boston Globeon Friday shows.

The officer quickly races into the arena, the more than 21-minute video released by the Pawtucket Police Department shows. The video has been almost completely blurred except for the outside of the building and images of the stands.

Authorities say shooter Robert Dorgan, 56, targeted family members during a youth hockey game. Dorgan's ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan, adult son Aidan Dorgan, and Rhonda Dorgan's father,Gerald Dorgan, were killed. Rhonda Dorgan's mother Linda Dorgan and a family friend, Thomas Geruso, were wounded.

Robert Dorgan, who also went by the names Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgano, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

In the video, the police officer can be heard shouting, "Where is he? Where is he?" as he enters the arena and raises his gun.

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Moving past left-behind jackets and bags, the officer runs toward people gathered at the front of the bleachers and repeatedly asks, "Where's the shooter?"

"The shooter's right here," a man tells him.

Over the next several minutes, the video depicts a fast-paced scene in which the officer, bystanders who identify themselves as a firefighter and a nurse, as well as others, rush to work together to help the victims.

A man checks a victim for a pulse and describes it as "faint." The officer directs someone to get more rags so they can put pressure on a victim's wounds. Another voice wails in the background.

Voices can be heard describing a man with two gunshot wounds in the back and a woman shot in the back, side and hand.

"Aidan, hey, talk to me, Aidan. Aidan, how old are you? How old are you, buddy?" the officer asks before seemingly discovering more gunshot wounds. "Oh, he's got three. Oh, my God, he's got more."

Law enforcement have credited several "good Samaritans" who intervened and quickly stopped the attack. At least three bystanders were able to contain the shooter in the middle of the stands as the crowd fled and ran around them.

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2/28/2026 09:32:00 PM

Police video shows chaotic aftermath of Rhode Island ice rink shooting

Newly released video of the aftermath of a deadlyshooting at a Rhode Island ice rinklast week shows a chaotic scene of by...

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Israel launches attack on Iran's capital with US help as tensions high over nuclear talks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched a daylight attack Saturday onIran's capital, with a cloud of smoke rising from the city's downtown. The first apparent strike happened near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

APTOPIX Iran US Israel

Iranian media reported strikes nationwide.

The United States is participating in the strikes, according to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military operations. It was not clear the full extent of the American involvement. The White House declined to immediately comment.

It also wasn't immediately clear whether the 86-year-old Khamenei was in his offices at the time. He hasn't been seen publicly in days as tensions with the United States have grown. The attack comes as the United States has assembled a vast fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region to try to pressure Iran intoa deal over its nuclear program.

Roads to Khamenei's compound in downtown Tehran had been shut down by authorities as other blasts rang out across the capital. Neighboring Iraq closed its airspace, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Targets in the Israeli campaign included Iran's military, symbols of government and intelligence targets, according to an official briefed on the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic information on the attack.

Trump wanted a deal to constrain Iran's nuclear program, and he sees an opportunity while the country isstruggling at homewithgrowing dissentfollowingnationwide protests. Iran had hoped to avert a war, but maintains it has the right to enrich uranium and does not want to discuss other issues, like its long-range missile program or support for armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

It wasn't immediately clear if Iran would immediately strike back, but it had warned that American military personnel and bases spread across the region would be targets for any retaliation.

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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the attack as being done "to remove threats." He did not immediately elaborate.

Several hospitals in Israel launched their emergency protocols, including moving patients and surgeries to underground facilities.

In Tehran, witnesses heard the first blast by Khamenei's office. Iranian state television later reported on the explosion, without offering a cause.

Sirens sounded across Israel at the same time as it closed its airspace. The Israeli military said that it had issued a "proactive alert to prepare the public for the possibility of missiles being launched toward the state of Israel."

More explosions struck Iran's capital after Israel said it was attacking the country. Authorities have offered no casualty information from the strikes.

Meanwhile, Iran shut down its airspace and mobile phone services were cut.

The warning to pilots came out as explosions rang out across Tehran, the Iranian capital.

Toropin reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

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2/28/2026 09:32:00 PM

Israel launches attack on Iran's capital with US help as tensions high over nuclear talks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel launched a daylight attack Saturday onIran's capital, with a cloud of smoke...

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Israel launches strike against Iran, declares state of emergency across country

Israel launched what it called a "preemptive strike" against Iran Saturday morning, according to Defense Minister Israel Katz, as a state of emergency was declared across the country.

The government declared the state of emergency because of the expectation of Iranian retaliation with drones and ballistic missiles.

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This is a developing story and will be updated.

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2/28/2026 09:32:00 PM

Israel launches strike against Iran, declares state of emergency across country

Israel launched what it called a "preemptive strike" against Iran Saturday morning, according to Defense Minist...

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Dodgers don't expect Snell to be ready on opening day, Yamamoto tunes up for World Baseball Classic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — TheLos Angeles Dodgersdo not expect two-time Cy Young Award winnerBlake Snellto be ready for opening day as he works on coming back from a shoulder injury that has lingered since last season.

Dodgers Spring Baseball

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Friday that the lefty has been throwing on flat ground, not the mound, and is making progress.

Snell was limited to 11 games last year in the regular season, going 5-4 with a 2.35 ERA. He was 3-2 in six postseason starts and helped the Dodgers repeat as World Series champions.

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In a spring training game againstSan Francisco, right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto gave up two runs and five hits while striking out five over three innings. Yamamoto will head to Japan for the World Baseball Classic with Dodgers teammateShohei Ohtani.

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

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2/28/2026 08:04:00 PM

Dodgers don't expect Snell to be ready on opening day, Yamamoto tunes up for World Baseball Classic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — TheLos Angeles Dodgersdo not expect two-time Cy Young Award winnerBlake Snellto be ready for ope...

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Celtics post one of NBA's best offensive performances as they await Jayson Tatum's possible return

BOSTON (AP) — The Celtics have been one of the NBA's hottest teams since returning from the All-Star break.

Nets Celtics Basketball

They can add one of the best offensive performances in league history to their list of accomplishments as they await a possible return of star Jayson Tatum to action.

Boston shot a season-high 66.7% (52 of 78) from the field in their148-111 winover the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. It was the second-best field goal percentage in team history, falling just short of the 67.9% they shot against the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 21, 1984.

The Celtics also shot 64.7% from the 3-point line Friday, which equated to an80.8% effective field goal percentage– the highest in NBA history. Effective field goal percentage measures shooting efficiency by adjusting for the fact that 3-pointers are worth more than two-point shots

All-Star Jaylen Brown led the way, finishing with 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. But he got plenty of support from his teammates, with trade deadline acquisition Nikola Vucevic adding 28 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double as a member of the Celtics.

"I thought we just did a good job reading the game," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. "I thought we made the right reads throughout most of the entire game. I thought tonight Vooch really looked comfortable in his offensive reads and his offensive screening. He unlocked a lot of stuff for us."

All 13 Celtics players scored in the game, with Boston committing only three turnovers after halftime.

"We just try to read the game and take what's there," Brown said.

Boston, winners of five of its six games since the All-Star break, will now wait to see if Sunday night's home matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers will mark the return of Tatum.

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The game, originally scheduled to be played earlier in the day, was moved by NBC into an 8 p.m. primetime slot, creating speculation it could signal Tatum's plan to return.

It's been 41 weeks since Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon last May in the waning minutes of the Celtics' loss to the New Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics are required by the NBA to release an initial injury report by 5:00 p.m. EST on Saturday ahead of Sunday's home game against the 76ers.

After practicing with the Celtics' G League team two weeks ago, Tatum said he hadn't yet made a decision of whether he'd return.

"It doesn't mean that I'm coming back or I'm not, it's just following the plan. So it's just another step," Tatum said. "I don't know percentage. I just know I feel a little bit better everyday. I just try to focus on that."

Tatum said in the same interview that he is also mindful of not wanting to disrupt the progress of a Celtics team that at 39-20 currently sits in second place in the Eastern Conference standings.

'I'm just hyper aware of what's going on. I think it would just stem from that. Obviously, I know what I bring to the table and bring to the team. But I'm also aware that these guys have been playing extremely well," Tatum said.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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2/28/2026 08:04:00 PM

Celtics post one of NBA's best offensive performances as they await Jayson Tatum's possible return

BOSTON (AP) — The Celtics have been one of the NBA's hottest teams since returning from the All-Star break. ...

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Alabama Supreme Court denies Charles Bediako’s request to play for Alabama again

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court has denied a request by former professional basketball playerCharles Bediakoto play for the University of Alabama again this season while he appeals his eligibility case against the NCAA.

T25 Alabama Bediako

According to online court records, the high court on Friday denied Bediako's emergency motion for an interim injunction so he could play again for the Crimson Tide. Bediako said an expedited decision was needed because the end of the regular season and postseason tournaments are fast approaching.

An email seeking comment was left with Bediako's lawyer after regular business hours on Friday.

Bediako, who played in the NBA G League, on Monday filed an appeal of Tuscaloosa Circuit Court Judge Daniel Pruet's recentdecision that endedBediako's temporary playing status with the University of Alabama.

Bediako, a 7-foot center from Canada, spent two seasons (2021-23) at Alabama, averaging 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, and helped the Crimson Tide make the NCAA Tournament both years. He wasn't selected in the 2023 NBA draft, but played three years in the G League, the NBA's minor league.

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He filed a lawsuit against the NCAA after it denied Alabama's request to allow him to return to collegiate competition this season. His lawyers argued that Bediako remains within his five-year college eligibility window. NCAA President Charlie Baker and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankeyhave opposedBediako's reinstatement.

A judge, who laterrecused himselffrom the case, issued a temporary restraining order that allowed Bediako to play while the case moved forward. He ended up playing in five games. But Pruet on Feb. 9 ruled against Bediako, writing that the player "failed to demonstrate that he is entitled to the injunctive relief that he seeks."

Bediako has been playing for Canada in FIBA World Cup qualifiers, including in Thursday's 96-85 win over Puerto Rico.

Alabama's regular season ends on March 7. The SEC men's basketball tournament takes place in mid-March, and the NCAA Tournament will be held from March 17-April 6.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphereandhere(AP News mobile app). AP college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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2/28/2026 08:04:00 PM

Alabama Supreme Court denies Charles Bediako’s request to play for Alabama again

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court has denied a request by former professional basketball playerCharles Be...

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Deaths on a boat off Cuba spotlight Florida anti-government groups

MIAMI (AP) — Astolen boat, with 10 people aboard, loaded with weapons, departs the Florida Keys but gunfire erupts before reaching Cuba. The explanation, according to the Cuban government, is the men aboard were terrorists who wanted to infiltrate the country.

Cuba Boat Shooting

The fatal shooting broke out Wednesday amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Cuba. The ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has led the Trump administration to take a more aggressive stance toward the country's longstanding ideological nemesis in Latin America. It shines fresh attention on the deep-rooted freedom movement among Cuban exiles in south Florida, including some fringe elements who have long sought a violent overthrow of the island's communist leadership.

Armed raids, provocative publicity stunts and protests blurring the lines of legality stretch back decades in the Florida straits. Many of them are led by hardliner exiles, some who fought in Fidel Castro's guerrilla army that took power in 1959 before breaking ranks when the popular leader converted Cuba into a Soviet satellite.

But such confrontational tactics have faded since the Cold War, leaving many in Miami to speculate the armed incursion was a fabrication of Cuba's intelligence agencies.

"Cuban Americans today are, whether on the left or on the right, really focused on trying to influence U.S. policy rather than thinking that somehow paramilitary action by small groups are gonna overthrow the Cuban government," said William LeoGrande, an American University government professor who specializes in Cuba.

The shooting left four dead and many questions. Cuba's government said most of the people on the boat were violent criminals. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who rose to prominence surrounded by the Cuban exile politics of Miami, was quick to cast doubt on the Cuban account, saying that the U.S. would investigate what he described as a "highly unusual" sea shootout.

Anti-Cuban government groups ebb and flow

The counter-revolutionary groups — with names like Alpha 66 and Omega 7 — were always small in number but were at their strongest in the 1970s and '80s. Their influence receded as the Reagan administration arrested their leaders for violent attacks on U.S. soil, like an assassination plot targeting Castro during his 1979 visit to the United Nations and the shooting death a year later of a Cuban diplomat in New York.

Antonio Tang joined Alpha 66 shortly after fleeing Cuba and going into exile in Canada in 1981.

He trained in weapons and guerrilla tactics with the volunteer group at a camp in the Everglades called Rumbo Sur — Direction South. Many of its actions were over before they started, he said.

"We were kind of amateurs — and no match for the Cuban military and interior ministry," said Tang. "They always knew in advance what we were doing. Many folks ended up in jail."

Ernesto Díaz, deputy secretary general of Alpha 66, described the 10 men as martyrs.

"It is an act of compassion for a Cuban people who are suffering," Diaz, 86, said. "It was a sacrifice that has demonstrated the nobility and sensitivity towards freedom in Cuba."

Cuban attempts to co-opt groups

Former Cuban intelligence officer Enrique Garcia said a well-funded Cuban intelligence department — called Q-2 — spent decades co-opting armed resistance groups. In some cases, Cuban agents would fund weapon purchases and drive unsuspecting exiles into plots.

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Agents infiltrated Brothers to the Rescue, which lost four members in 1996 when Cuban fighter jets shot down their airplanes in the Florida straits.

"This strategy —seemingly still in place— sought to portray the Cuban exile community as extremist and link the U.S. government and agencies to such activities," said Garcia, who defected to the U.S. in 1989. "The U.S. intelligence community is aware and must have documented in its archives that this was a permanent modus operandi of the Cuban intelligence service."

Garcia said he can't remember any covert act of the sort Cuba has denounced in at least three decades.

He also finds the timing of the attack suspicious. The Trump administration has asserted almost unprecedented pressure on Havana to open its economy and relinquish almost seven decades of single-party rule.

Families give an incomplete picture

Marina Luz Padron, whose ex-husband, Hector Cruz Correa, was among those reported killed, appealed for privacy as the family mourns. She described her ex-husband as an excellent father to their 4-year-old child, who still hasn't been told about his fate.

"If he went to Cuba it was because he wanted freedom for his country," Padron told The Associated Press in a brief interview.

Other family members spoke to Spanish language influencers in Miami describing their loved ones as peaceful and far removed from what Cuban officials denounced as a "terrorist" incursion.

Ibrahim Bosch, president of the Republican Party of Cuba, another exile group, said that Michel Ortega Casanova, one of those killed, was the leader of his party in Tampa for a while until he requested to be replaced so he could spend more time to with his family.

"He was an excellent person, very hardworking, very dedicated to his family," Bosch said. "He always had the hope of freedom for Cuba."

But Florida resident Misael Ortega Casanova said his brother — an American citizen who has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years and still agonizes over the suffering that Cubans endure — was on an "obsessive and diabolical" quest for Cuba's freedom.

"They became so obsessed that they didn't think about the consequences nor their own lives," Misael told The Associated Press.

Catalini reported from Morrisville, Pennsylvania.

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2/28/2026 07:32:00 PM

Deaths on a boat off Cuba spotlight Florida anti-government groups

MIAMI (AP) — Astolen boat, with 10 people aboard, loaded with weapons, departs the Florida Keys but gunfire erupts before...

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Argentina Senate approves Milei-backed labor reform

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 27 - Argentina's Senate on Friday approved a labor reform backed by President Javier Milei, giving it final ‌clearance to become law and landing the libertarian leader one ‌of his most significant legislative wins.

Milei's administration argues the reform, which passed with 42 votes ​in favor, 28 against, and two abstentions, will spur investment and create formal jobs, while labor unions contend it weakens worker protections, including the right to strike.

The reform is expected to bolster investor confidence in Milei's market-driven ‌reforms.

Passage of the bill is ⁠seen by analysts as a signal that Milei has the political backing to advance his broader free‑market agenda.

Since taking ⁠office, Milei has stabilized the exchange rate and sharply cooled inflation, bringing monthly price increases down from double digits to 2.9% in January, gaining accolades ​from the ​International Monetary Fund.

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One of the bill's ​most contentious provisions establishes an ‌employer-financed severance fund consisting of contributions currently earmarked for the national pension system. The change could make it easier for companies to lay off workers and opposition lawmakers say the fund would impact the pension system's resources.

The reform also relaxes hiring rules, changes the vacation system, allows the standard ‌workday to be extended from eight to ​12 hours, and permits salaries to be ​paid in foreign currency.

Unions, which ​have mounted protests including a nationwide strike, object to ‌new limits on the right to ​strike that require ​essential services to maintain minimum operations during work stoppages.

The labor reform is one of several legislative priorities for Milei's administration. Lawmakers are ​also advancing changes to ‌the law protecting Andean glaciers, a move the government says will ​unlock mining investment and which environmental groups strongly oppose.

(Reporting by ​Maximilian Heath; Editing by Sam Holmes)

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2/28/2026 07:32:00 PM

Argentina Senate approves Milei-backed labor reform

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 27 - Argentina's Senate on Friday approved a labor reform backed by President Javier Milei, giving ...

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