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England captain Ben Stokes was struck on the face by a cricket ball, which required surgery for a broken cheekbone.

England Test captain Ben Stokes has said he feels “quite lucky” to be alive as he recovers from surgery after being hit in the face by a cricket ball.

All-rounder Stokes required the procedure after suffering a broken cheekbone sustained by being hit by the ball during a net session while he was coaching academy players at his domestic county side Durham in February.

Stokes is set to play in two first-class County Championship games next month, but he revealed the incident could have been so much worse.

“I copped one straight in the face,” the 34-year-old told the England and Wales Cricket Board.

“Pretty nasty but, funnily, probably the best result of a bad situation, to be honest. Just a couple of inches one way or the other, I might not be here doing this interview, if I didn’t turn my head round.

“All things considered, although I had pretty major facial surgery to sort it out – it was a bit of a mess under here (cheekbone), I’ve got out quite lucky. So pretty thankful for that.”

He added: “Obviously it set everything back about a month, five weeks, with getting back to where I wanted to be to play at the start of the season for Durham, but just had to sort of quickly go back to the drawing board and put a plan together to get me ready to play a couple of games for Durham before the Test summer starts.

“At the back end of all that now, but it was a pretty scary situation. Thankfully still here and everything’s all right.”

Stokes is expected to be fit to lead England in the first Test of their home season against New Zealand at Lord’s starting on June 4, as they look to recover from their woeful 4-1 Ashes humiliation in Australia.

Stokes downplays rift with England coach McCullum

Stokes, meanwhile, has played down reports of disagreements with head ⁠coach Brendon McCullum but added that they do have different viewpoints at times.

British media reported that former New Zealand captain McCullum’s relationship with Test ⁠captain Stokes frayed during the Ashes series defeat in Australia, though the duo have publicly backed each other.

“I am very confident in mine and Brendon’s ability to be able to work together, because we’ve done it for ‌such a long period of time now,” Stokes said in an interview with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

“But we work together in a slightly different way. The main point of me and Brendon is our alignment towards winning things and making this team as good as they can be.”

Since taking charge in 2022, McCullum and Stokes implemented ⁠an ultra-aggressive style of play known as “Bazball”, which has ⁠come under much scrutiny since England’s Ashes defeat, prompting the ECB to launch a thorough review into the team’s preparations.

McCullum was retained as coach.

“Agreeing on every single thing, that’s ⁠just impossible,” Stokes said.

“We agree 95% of the time on things, but those 5% things that we might ⁠have different views on, we talk about it ⁠between each other and then we end up getting to the place where we want to get to.

“We put a lot of our heart and soul into this job. Brendon certainly ‌has for the four years he’s done it so far, and hopefully we’ll still be together at the end of 2027, winning what we want ‌to ‌win.”

England host New Zealand for a three-Test series in June before eight limited-overs matches at home to India.

Draw for the 24-team 2027 AFC Asian Cup, originally set for Saturday, moved to May 9.

The draw for the 2027 ⁠Asian Cup ⁠in Saudi Arabia has been rescheduled for May 9 in Riyadh as the ⁠United States-Israel war on Iran disrupts regional sporting events.

The draw, originally scheduled for last Saturday, will be held at the historic At-Turaif District in Diriyah. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said ⁠on Wednesday that the postponement was ‌made to ensure the full participation of all key stakeholders and member associations.

A number of sporting events across the region have been postponed or cancelled due to the war, which began on February 28.

Saudi Arabia is set to ⁠host the 24-team, quadrennial continental championship for the first time from January 7 to February 5. With 23 of the ⁠24 teams already confirmed, the draw will divide the qualified ⁠nations into six groups of ⁠four.

The final qualification place will be decided on June 4 when Lebanon face Yemen in a playoff.

Defending champions ‌Qatar have already secured their place at the finals along with four-time winners Japan and fellow ‌World ‌Cup qualifiers South Korea, Iran, Jordan, Australia and Uzbekistan.

April 15 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump said peace talks with Iran “could be happening in the next two days,” with American negotiators most likely to return to Islamabad where the first round of talks at the weekend ended without a breakthrough.

In an interview with the New York Post on Tuesday, Trump said talks between the sides were “happening, but, you know, a little bit slow,” saying a new round of direct negotiations would probably be hosted by a country in Europe.

However, around 30 minutes after the interview had concluded, Trump called back to tell the Post that it should keep its reporter covering the talks in Islamabad in place and not bring them home.

“You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we’re more inclined to go there [Islamabad]. It’s more likely, you know why? Because the field marshal is doing a great job,” Trump said, referencing Pakistan’s Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir who has a direct line of communication with the regime in Tehran and a strong relationship with Trump.

“He’s fantastic, and therefore it’s more likely that we go back there. Why should we go to some country that has nothing to do with it?” added Trump.

The Washington D.C.,-headquartered Institute for the Study of War also said a fresh round of negotiations was likely this week but said it believed Iran’s approach would be to try to buy time by spinning out the talks

“Iran likely aims to protract negotiations as long as possible in order to prepare for a potential resumption of conflict,” ISW said in a post on X.

The developments, which came as a fragile cease-fire that took effect April 7 entered its second week, followed earlier reports in which unnamed White House officials told CNBC, CNN and NBC News that in-person negotiations could restart before the truce expires on Tuesday.

Vice President JD Vance said round one of the talks in Islamabad, which ran for more than 20 hours, foundered on differences over Iran’s nuclear program — which the United States wants it to give up completely to ensure it can never develop a nuclear weapon — and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Reports later emerged that more progress had been made than initially suggested, with the sides getting close to agreement on nuclear enrichment after Iran countered U.S. demands for a 20-year suspension with an offer to halt all enrichment for 5 years.

Trump told the Post he was unhappy with the thinking that a moratorium on enrichment, instead of terminating the program, would make the regime in Tehran more amenable to a lasting peace agreement by providing them a face-saving “success” to sell to the Iranian people.

“I’ve been saying they can’t have nuclear weapons. So I don’t like the 20 years. I don’t want them [Iran] to feel like they have a win.”

Experts concurred with Trump’s analysis, saying the only way to guarantee Iran would not be able to pursue a nuclear weapon in the future was to make sure the entire program was put beyond use, in a verifiable way, and that it needed to happen while Trump was still in office.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a 2025 deal between Iran and the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, enrichment by Tehran of its 300 Kg stockpile of uranium was capped at 3.67%, in exchange for sanctions relief.

However, that deal lapsed in October, although in practice it was long dead after Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement in May 2018, during his first term, with Iran subsequently proceeding to enrich an expanded 441 kg uranium stockpile to around 60%, not far short of weapons grade.

Israel’s ambassador to the US has held talks with his Lebanese counterpart. But as a pro-settler ‘activist’ and former soldier who took part in invading Lebanon, critics say Yechiel Leiter is a problematic negotiator.

Top naval commanders of South Korea, the United States and Japan gathered in Seoul on Wednesday to hold a series of talks aimed at strengthening their trilateral maritime security cooperation, the South’s Navy said.

The gathering brought together Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kim Kyung-ryul, U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Stephen Koehler and Adm. Akira Saito, chief of staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, for bilateral talks and a trilateral dinner meeting, according to the armed service.

The meetings came amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, raising speculation over whether their talks would address the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier called on South Korea, Japan and others to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help secure shipping lanes.

In the bilateral talks between Kim and Koehler held earlier in the day, both sides exchanged opinions on the robust South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture as well as cooperation in the area of naval maintenance, repair and operations, the Navy said.

Kim and Saito, meanwhile, held in-depth discussions on expanding personnel exchange and resuming joint maritime search and rescue exercises (SAREX) as discussed in a ministerial meeting between their defense chiefs earlier this year, it added.

In January, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, met in Japan and agreed to resume joint SAREX drills for the first time in nine years as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation.

The top admirals of the three countries were set to attend a dinner meeting later Wednesday to likely discuss trilateral coordination measures to respond to and deter North Korea‘s advancing nuclear and missile threats.

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April 15 (UPI) — The U.S. military’s maritime blockade of Iran has “completely halted” sea-based trade with the Middle Eastern country, U.S. Central Command said late Tuesday.

President Donald Trump announced the blockade on Sunday after negotiations to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran collapsed.

The blockade of 12 U.S. warships, more than 100 fighter and surveillance aircraft and more than 10,000 soldiers began at 10 a.m. EDT Monday, an effort to prohibit maritime traffic to and from all Iranian ports.

According to U.S. military officials, it covers the entire southern coastline of Iran, including ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, between which lies the Strait of Hormuz.

“A blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented as U.S. forces maintain maritime superiority in the Middle East,” Adm. Brad Cooper, Central Command commander, said in a statement.

“In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.”

Central Command said earlier Tuesday that no ships had made it through during the blockade’s first 24 hours and that six vessels had complied with U.S. forces’ direction to return to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.

“The blockade is being enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas,” Central Command said.

The blockade comes amid a two-week cease-fire between the United States and Iran that Trump announced on April 8. During the fragile truce negotiations on a permanent end to the war were to be conducted.

However, negotiations with Iran collapsed in Pakistan on Sunday, seemingly over disagreements on Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Not long after the war began with the United States and Israel attacking Iran on Feb. 28, Iran sharply restricted vessel traffic to the Strait of Hormuz, an important trade route through which flows roughly 27% of the world’s maritime trade in crude oil and petroleum products as well as 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.

Iran’s control of trade through the strait has caused gas prices to spike, threatening countries with energy crises.

The U.S. blockade appears aimed at financially squeezing Iran by cutting it off from maritime trade revenue.

According to Maid Maleki, senior fellow of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a nonpartisan Washington, D.C., research institute, the blockade could cost Iran about $435 million a day.

“The blockade makes continued resistance economically impossible,” he said in a statement.

Javokhir Sindarov wins the Candidates Tournament with ⁠a round ⁠to spare and will face India’s Gukesh next.

Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has clinched victory in the chess Candidates Tournament with ⁠a round ⁠to spare, drawing with Dutchman Anish Giri to set up a World Championship match against India’s Gukesh Dommaraju.

The 20-year-old stormed ⁠through the event in Cyprus on Tuesday, winning six of his 13 games and losing none in a dominant performance never seen at the Candidates.

Sindarov moved to ⁠9.5 points, two clear of second-placed Giri on 7.5, after the Dutchman failed to convert a winning position against China’s Wei Yi in the previous round.

“It was the hardest week in my life. I even slept really bad the last ‌few days. I am very happy to finish this tournament with a win,” Sindarov said after his win.

The tournament had been seen as a possible last opportunity for the old guard to mount another challenge for the world title, but Americans Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura never seriously threatened.

Gukesh won the title in 2024, defeating China’s Ding Liren in the 14th and ⁠final game of their match. Ding had himself become ⁠champion by beating Ian Nepomniachtchi after Magnus Carlsen, the five-times champion who remains world number one, relinquished the crown, citing a lack of motivation.

“I do not want to think a lot ⁠about the upcoming World Championship match right now. I know it will be a very hard match,” Sindarov said.

“Gukesh ⁠has an experience of playing at this level. ⁠But I have a very good team. I have a lot to work on, and I will work a lot for this and take my chances.”

While Sindarov’s breakthrough and the broader rise ‌of a younger generation are likely to prompt new speculation about a Carlsen comeback, the Norwegian has said he has no intention of returning to ‌the ‌classical World Championship cycle.

A precise date and a venue for the World Championship match have yet to be announced.

American YouTuber Johnny Somali, who sparked outrage in South Korea two years ago after kissing a statue symbolizing Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery, was sentenced by a court Wednesday to six months in prison and remanded in custody.

Somali was indicted by South Korean authorities on multiple charges, including obstruction of business and violations of minor public order laws.

He is accused of uploading a video of himself kissing a “Statue of Peace” that commemorates the former sex slaves in Seoul and performing a lewd dance in front of it in October 2024. He also provoked public outrage by causing disturbances on buses, subways and an amusement park, vandalizing a convenience store in Seoul’s Mapo district and playing obscene videos in public.

The Seoul Western District Court sentenced Somali to six months in prison and 20 days of detention and barred him from employment at institutions related to children and adolescents for five years.

The court then ordered him to be taken into custody immediately.

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Police in France have arrested students at Sorbonne University, Sciences Po and Paris-Saclay University during a sit-in against a controversial anti-Semitism bill that could outlaw criticism of Israel. Lawmakers are set to vote on the ‘Yadan law’, named after a pro-Israel French MP who sponsored the bill, on April 16.

April 14 (UPI) — A budget resolution to fund federal immigration enforcement could hit the Senate floor by next week, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Tuesday, as Republicans seek to bypass Democratic demands for reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.

Federal funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol lapsed on Feb. 14 after Republicans agreed with the Democrats to remove the Department of Homeland Security from a larger spending package and avert a government shutdown.

Neither agency has been funded through regular DHS appropriations since, though they continue operating through other, emergency funding.

Democrats began demanding reforms to the federal immigration enforcement agencies before agreeing to restore funding after two U.S. citizens were killed by federal immigration officers amid President Donald Trump‘s aggressive immigration crackdown.

Amid a stalemate in negotiations, Republicans are considering passing three years of funding for the agencies through a complicated legislative mechanism called a budget reconciliation bill that permits certain spending legislation to pass with a simple majority rather than 60 votes, Thune told reporters Tuesday in the Capitol.

“Republicans are going to stand with our Border Patrol, with our law enforcement agencies and we’re going to ensure that they are funded, not only today but well into the future,” Thune, R-S.D., said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is preparing the resolution to fund the agencies that will be followed by the reconciliation bill “to ensure the job gets done,” he said.

Democrats have blocked funding for ICE and Border Patrol until reforms — including requiring judicial warrants and banning officers from wearing masks — are made, but the reconciliation bill tactic could ensure funding without any votes from Democratic lawmakers.

The same tactic was used last year to pass Trump’s sweeping spending and tax cut bill, which provided $75 billion for ICE.

“All of the things that the Democrats made this about, which was supposed to be about reforms to the way that ICE and Border Patrol operate — they get none of that,” Thune said.

“And now, we’re going to fund those agencies for three years into the future. The only thing the Democrats got out of this was they now own the issue of open borders and defund law enforcement.”

Republicans hold a narrow 53-47 majority in the Senate, with two independents caucusing with the Democrats, as well as a 218-213 majority in the House.

The Senate has twice passed bipartisan bills to fund DHS aside from ICE and Border Patrol, which the House has balked at. Democrats blame the Trump administration’s influence on the lower chamber.

“Republicans are dragging the Senate through a partisan circus just to avoid basic accountability for ICE and Border Patrol,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters at the Capitol during a separate press conference on Tuesday.

He said Democrats will continue to push for immigration enforcement reforms.

“So, the pattern, unfortunately, with this administration is clearer and clearer,” the veteran New York Democrat said. “Chaos abroad — the war; chaos at home with not funding DHS with reforms. A failed war overseas, a manufactured crisis here in Washington — in both cases Republicans aren’t leading, they are following orders.”

April 14 (Asia Today) — More than 2,000 people took part in a marathon in southwestern South Korea to honor the legacy of Han Yang-won, a spiritual figure known for promoting coexistence and peace.

The third Haepyeong Marathon was held Saturday in Namwon, North Jeolla Province, the hometown of Han, who died in 2016. The event was organized by the Association for Coexistence and Peace and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The marathon commemorates Han’s lifelong efforts to promote interfaith harmony and shared national values. The event name comes from his pen name “Haepyeong,” reflecting his core philosophy of coexistence and peace.

Organizers said this year’s event also aimed to express solidarity with people affected by ongoing conflicts around the world and to call for an end to war.

Participants ran 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer courses, with ages ranging from 5 to 78, highlighting a cross-generational turnout.

“The message of coexistence and peace is more urgent than ever in a world marked by conflict,” said Kim Dong-gyu, secretary-general of the organizing group. “We hope this event can help inspire a future where people live together in peace.”

Han was a leader of a Korean indigenous religious tradition that incorporates elements of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. He also founded a national council of Korean religions in 1985 and led it for more than three decades.

He was posthumously awarded one of South Korea’s highest civilian honors in 2017 in recognition of his contributions to religious harmony.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260414010004375

April 14 (UPI) — The Justice Department on Tuesday asked a federal court to dismiss the convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers members who were found guilty of leading and organizing the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The request includes 12 former members of the groups, all of whom prosecutors said were ringleaders of the attack. After his return to office in 2025, President Donald Trump pardoned most of those who were convicted for their parts in the riot, a move affecting more than 1,000 people. However, the sentences of some, including these 12, were commuted to time served instead, freeing them from prison though the convictions remained.

The group involved in the Justice Department request on Tuesday includes Stewart Rhodes, a leader of the Oath Keepers who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy and other charges. Prosecutors said Rhodes and other Oath Keepers “began plotting to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power” after the 2020 election, CBS News reported.

Others whose sentences were commuted are Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl, Dominic Pezzola and Joseph Biggs, who were also convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role.

Appeals involving this group have continued, and the Justice Department requested Tuesday that federal appeals panels vacate the earlier convictions and drop the cases in whole.

“The United States has determined in its prosecutorial discretion that dismissal of this criminal case is in the interests of justice,” wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lenerz in the filing, Politico reported.

Greg Rosen, former chief of the Justice Department’s Capitol Siege Section, criticized the move, CBS News reported.

“It’s a reminder of what drove the pardons in the first place-the political violence is acceptable as long as your politics align,” he told CBS News. “And it’s a continuing and sad commentary on the current state of the department.”

US president says second round of talks could be held in Pakistan as blockade of Iranian ports continues.

April 14 (Asia Today) — Circle is stepping up efforts to expand its stablecoin footprint in South Korea, aiming to challenge the dominance of Tether through a dual strategy focused on trading and payments.

Tether currently accounts for more than 80% of stablecoin transactions in South Korea and over 60% globally, according to industry data. Circle’s USD Coin, or USD Coin, holds a much smaller share in Korea, at around 10%.

Industry officials said Circle recently met with major South Korean exchanges, including Upbit, Bithumb and Coinone, to expand USDC trading and improve accessibility. The move is aimed at securing liquidity in one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency markets.

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire visited South Korea this week and signed agreements with local exchanges and fintech firms to promote stablecoin adoption.

With Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, Circle is working on initiatives focused on regulatory compliance, transparency and user education. With Bithumb, the companies agreed to explore integration of multi-chain digital asset infrastructure and stablecoin technologies. Promotions such as fee discounts and airdrops are also being used to boost USDC trading on platforms like Coinone.

Beyond exchange trading, Circle is also expanding its payment infrastructure. The company is promoting its proprietary network to support real-world payments and cross-border transfers, including partnerships with South Korean fintech firm Hecto Financial.

Analysts say this reflects a broader strategy to compete with Tether not only in trading volume but also in real-world financial use cases.

USDC is backed by cash and U.S. Treasury assets and publishes regular disclosures, a structure that has made it attractive to financial institutions. It also operates across multiple blockchain networks, offering flexibility in transaction speed and fees.

Data suggests USDC has gained traction in payments and transfers. According to industry estimates, its on-chain transaction volume reached about $17 trillion last year, exceeding Tether’s roughly $12.9 trillion, indicating stronger usage in real-world transactions rather than exchange trading.

Experts say competition between the two stablecoins is shifting from market share to function.

“Stablecoin competition is no longer about issuance volume but about use cases,” said Gautam Chughani of CoinShares, adding that USDC is expanding rapidly in payments and institutional finance.

Analysts say Tether is likely to maintain its strength in trading liquidity, while USDC could gain ground through integration with the broader financial system.

Circle said it does not plan to issue a Korean won-pegged stablecoin directly, signaling instead that it may participate as a technology provider in a future bank-led consortium structure.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260415010004432

April 14 (Asia Today) — South Korea ranked first in the world for artificial intelligence patent filings per capita in 2024, underscoring the country’s high concentration of AI innovation even as the broader global market remains dominated by the United States and China, according to Stanford University’s 2026 AI Index Report.

The report said South Korea recorded 14.31 AI patent filings per 100,000 people, the highest among countries surveyed. Luxembourg followed with 12.25, while China posted 6.95, the United States 4.68 and Japan 4.3.

South Korea also posted the largest increase in AI use among 30 countries surveyed. Its usage rate rose to 30.7% in the second half of 2024 from 25.9% in the first half, an increase of 4.8 percentage points.

The United Arab Emirates ranked first in overall AI adoption at 64%, followed by Singapore at 60.9%, Norway at 46.4% and Ireland at 44.6%. South Korea ranked 18th in overall usage despite recording the sharpest increase.

China accounted for 74.24% of AI patents worldwide, far ahead of the United States at 12.06%, the report said. Stanford researchers said China has nearly closed the performance gap with the United States in AI, while Washington continues to hold advantages in capital, infrastructure and AI semiconductors.

The report said China has shown particular strength in physical AI fields such as patents, research papers and autonomous robotics, while countries such as South Korea are competing by building on their own specialized advantages.

It also said the number of countries with government-backed supercomputing clusters rose to 44 after major AI infrastructure investment in Europe and Central Asia last year. Stanford’s AI Index, now in its ninth year, is widely used as a data-based benchmark for tracking the global AI industry.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260414010004200

The Democratic representative from California has resigned his seat in Congress over multiple sexual misconduct allegations.

Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell has resigned from the United States Congress, amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct.

On Tuesday, a fifth woman came forward to accuse Swalwell of unwanted sexual contact, saying the Democratic lawmaker drugged and raped her during an encounter in 2018.

“My delay in taking action against Eric was driven by fear, not doubt – fear of his political power,” Lonna Drewes said during a news conference in Los Angeles.

Drewes’s lawyer, Lisa Bloom, said her firm would be filing a police report with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office.

Swalwell has denied allegations of wrongdoing. But on Monday, he announced he would resign from Congress, one day after suspending his gubernatorial campaign.

Polls had shown the 45-year-old leading the race to replace Gavin Newsom as governor of California.

But his campaign imploded last week after reports from the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN detailed allegations of sexual misconduct from several women.

One woman, identified as a former staffer, told CNN that Swalwell raped her in a New York City hotel in 2024, an encounter that left her bleeding and bruised.

Three other women told US news outlets that they had received inappropriate messages from Swalwell on the app Snapchat, which automatically deletes interactions.

The accusations quickly prompted backlash to Swalwell’s gubernatorial campaign. Supporters withdrew their endorsements, and a handful of bipartisan lawmakers said they would push for a vote to expel Swalwell from Congress.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office also announced on Saturday that it is investigating the sexual assault allegations.

In a statement on Monday, Swalwell apologised to his family, staff and constituents for what he called “mistakes in judgment”.

Although he confirmed he would resign his seat in Congress, he nevertheless criticised his colleagues for seeking his expulsion.

“I will fight the serious, false allegations made against me,” Swalwell wrote.

“I am aware of the efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong.”

Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna had said she would withdraw her motion to expel Swalwell once he stepped down, and she confirmed on Tuesday that he had submitted a resignation letter, “effective immediately”.

Republican Representative Tony Gonzales also announced on Monday that he would retire from Congress amid calls for his expulsion over allegations of sexual misconduct.

April 14 (UPI) — Police shot and killed a woman at an Omaha Walmart after she allegedly slashed a 3-year-old with a knife in a kidnapping attempt, law enforcement said Tuesday.

When officers arrived at the scene around 9:20 a.m. CDT, they found a woman outside the store “holding a knife to a 3-year-old child that was in a shopping cart,” Omaha Deputy Police Chief Scott Gray said at a news conference.

“The officers gave the suspect commands,” he said. “There is video that shows the suspect swiping the knife at the child, cutting him across the face. Officers at that time, at least one officer, fired their weapon, and the suspect is deceased at this scene.”

Police have not released the suspect’s identity. No officers were injured, the police department said on X.

The child was taken to a hospital with a large cut on his face and hand, but he is expected to recover.

The caretaker and child didn’t know the suspect, police said. The woman approached the caretaker and showed the knife. She gave the caretaker commands to walk in front of the shopping cart, so the three of them walked into the lot.

Gray said investigators don’t know why the woman approached the caretaker and child. Police believe she stole the knife from the store.

“Violence like this is unacceptable,” a Walmart representative told KETV-TV in Omaha. “We’re working with police and supporting them in their investigation.”

Officials said there was no threat to the public.

April 14 (UPI) — Saying, “Trump doesn’t scare me,” Olivia Troye, a former counterterrorism and homeland security adviser in the first administration of President Donald Trump, launched a campaign for Congress as a Virginia Democrat on Tuesday.

“I took [Trump] on when it mattered the most, and I’m ready to do it again,” she said in a campaign video posted on YouTube. “It’s time to send some real courage to Congress.”

The former Republican, who was also a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, resigned before the presidential election in2020. She became a vocal critic of Trump’s attitude toward the coronavirus pandemic and appeared in an ad for Republican Voters Against Trump to share those criticisms.

In her launch video, Troye said “the evil I saw in that White House was staggering.”

“Too many families are struggling to get by while Washington looks the other way,” she said. “I won’t because I’ve lived it. Virginia deserves someone who’s been through the fire, who isn’t afraid to fight for our freedom, for our values, for our future.”

Troye, the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, worked in the Pentagon during the George W. Bush administration, as an intelligence officer in the Department of Homeland Security and as an adviser for then-Vice President Mike Pence.

Details of Troye’s run depend in part on a vote planned April 21 in Virginia, Politico reported. If voters approve a redistricting measure in that vote, she’ll run in the state’s 7th Congressional District, while Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., will run in the 1st Congressional District.

April 14 (UPI) — Kevin Warsh, the presidential pick for the next Federal Reserve chairman, has wealth greater than any other recent chairman, his financial disclosures released Tuesday show.

The filings were part of the usual consideration process for the role. Warsh, if confirmed, would succeed current Chairman Jerome Powell, whose second term ends May 15. A Senate hearing on the matter is expected to take place April 21.

CNBC reported that Warsh’s disclosure forms show that the nominee has about $192 million in assets in combination with his wife, Jane Lauder, who is an heir to the Estee Lauder fortune. Warsh’s solo assets equal about $135 million to $226 million. These numbers show a large range because they can include variable items such as bonds, stocks and other assets.

By comparison, Powell’s financial filings for 2025 showed assets of between $19 million and $75 million, while former Chairman Ben Bernanke, who left office in 2014, submitted filings that year of about $2.3 million in assets, CNBC reported.

If the Senate confirms Warsh, he has said that he will divest a large amount of assets, of which about 1,800 were listed in the forms. Some of these were undisclosed because of cited “preexisting confidentiality agreements,” The New York Times and CNBC reported.

Warsh, who served as a governor at the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2011, also said that he would resign posts such as his role as financial adviser to investor Stanley Druckenmiller, as well as several other positions including a board seat at UPS.

Warsh will face the Senate Banking Committee in the planned hearing before a full Senate vote. However, an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into Powell has further complicated matters. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Senate Banking Committee, has said he will not vote on Warsh or any other nominee for the role until the investigation is completed.

April 14 (UPI) — Ecuador’s government will formally accept the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant this week, nearly a decade after technical disputes first delayed final delivery of the Chinese-built facility.

The handover follows resolution of an international arbitration dispute with Sinohydro, a subsidiary of PowerChina, over structural defects at the plant.

Ecuadorian Environment and Energy Minister Ines Manzano said the transfer will proceed under guaranteed conditions, allowing immediate operation and maintenance of the infrastructure.

Since the plant began partial operations in 2016, Ecuador and the Chinese contractor remained locked in a legal dispute over major structural flaws that prevented final acceptance of the project.

A 2018 report by Ecuador’s comptroller identified more than 7,600 cracks in the plant’s eight water distributors — key components that channel water to the turbines, local newspaper La Hora reported.

Subsequent technical reports and audits raised that figure to more than 17,000 cracks, fueling concerns over material quality, welding processes and possible design flaws.

The comptroller’s office warned the defects pose serious risks, including possible flooding of the powerhouse, total shutdown of the plant and danger to workers.

After Sinohydro declined to undertake permanent repairs, Ecuador took the dispute to the International Chamber of Commerce’s arbitration court.

The dispute was resolved through a financial and operational agreement under which Ecuador will receive $400 million in compensation. The government will next sign an operation and maintenance contract with PowerChina requiring the company to repair damage and replace defective water distributors, local newspaper El Comercio reported.

Separate from the structural issues, the facility also faces a broader environmental threat from regressive erosion of the Coca River, a geological process that has altered the surrounding area since the plant entered service.

The erosion has advanced toward the plant’s water intake structures, prompting the government to carry out emergency work that includes construction of permeable dams to slow the river’s force and retain sediment at a cost of $19 million.

The Coca Codo Sinclair plant is Ecuador’s largest and most strategic power generation facility.

With installed capacity of 1,500 megawatts, it supplies about 30% of Ecuador’s electricity demand on average and can account for more than half of the country’s hydropower generation during peak operations.

According to Infobae, the Coca Codo Sinclair case has become a symbol for analysts citing problems in Chinese-financed infrastructure projects across Latin America.

The plant was built with loans from the Export-Import Bank of China during the administration of Rafael Correa and has been at the center of investigations into alleged corruption tied to its contracting.

April 14 (UPI) — Los Angeles schools will not close for a strike after the district reached a deal with the third and final union Monday evening.

Hours before the 2 a.m. PDT strike deadline, the district announced it had struck a deal with the Service Employees International Union Local 99, which represents 30,000 custodians, food workers, special education assistants and bus drivers.

LAUSD announced on its website that schools would be open Tuesday.

“We are proud to have reached resolution with all of our labor partners, UTLA, SEIU, and AALA Teamsters Local 2010, ensuring stability for our schools and continuity for the students and families we serve,” Acting Superintendent Andrés E. Chait said.

The district had already reached tentative contract agreements with the unions that represent teachers and administrators over the weekend. Those unions were prepared to strike with the SEIU members if an agreement wasn’t made.

“We are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement in principle with SEIU Local 99 that will allow schools to be open today,” the district said in a statement. “LAUSD and SEIU teams will continue to work together to finalize the details of a tentative agreement.”

According to SEIU Local 99, the deal includes a 24% wage increase; more work hours ensuring health insurance benefits; rescinding layoffs for IT professionals; expansion of health care benefits for teacher assistants, after-school workers and others; and no subcontracting to outside vendors.

The SEIU must still vote to ratify the deal.

“This agreement was won through the bold action and courage of thousands of workers who were willing to sacrifice to improve conditions in their schools and their lives,” SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias said. “A strike was always the last resort, and we are proud that we could work with the school district and [Los Angeles] Mayor Karen Bass to reach an agreement that recognizes the contributions of front-line workers in our schools.”

Bass said on Instagram that she worked with both sides to help them find a deal “because a strike would disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of kids and their parents, who need childcare and need to go to work.”

Associated Administrators Los Angeles, which represents about 3,000 administrators, reached an agreement with the district Sunday night. United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing its roughly 35,000 educators, reached an agreement earlier in the day.

The three unions represent about 70,000 LAUSD employees, who serve about 400,000 students.

Follow the build-up and live text commentary of the game as Barcelona look to come back from 2-0 first leg defeat.