April

Israel and the Lebanese government have agreed to implement a new US-mediated ceasefire, the Trump administration has said, despite Israel’s defence minister insisting the military will continue operations in Lebanon.

Furthermore, while Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Thursday that the ceasefire would come into force within 24 hours of approval by all concerned parties, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has dismissed the deal, labelling it a “surrender and defeat”.

The Trump administration announcement comes just weeks after a previous agreement to cease hostilities was supposedly reached on April 16. Since then, however, more than 600 people have been killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon while Israel has expanded its military presence in the south of the country, now occupying about one-fifth of the country.

The renewed diplomatic push also comes as Washington pursues parallel shuttle negotiations with Iran. Tehran, a close ally of Hezbollah, has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a condition for any broader agreement to end the war with the US and has repeatedly called for Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Iran’s position was underlined when Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani said the baseline demand in Lebanon is for Israeli forces to withdraw to the positions they held before the start of the US-Israel war on Iran at the end of February – a demand that is not explicitly reflected in the agreement.

Iran and Hezbollah’s responses to the US announcement, coupled with Israel’s insistence that military operations will continue, have cast serious doubt on its viability. Critics of Israel’s war on Lebanon also point to the April truce, which they say has completely failed to halt Israeli attacks or Israel’s occupation of the south of the country.

What has been announced?

According to the Trump administration, Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire contingent on a “complete cessation” of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of its fighters from the area south of the Litani River.

The agreement also calls for the creation of “pilot zones” where Lebanese Armed Forces would take exclusive control “to the exclusion of all non-state actors”. The stated aim is to move towards a wider political and security agreement, including the dismantling of non-state armed groups and preventing their re-emergence.

But Hezbollah was not party to the talks and has already rejected the agreement. Lebanon was represented by government diplomats, even though the Lebanese army is not a party to this conflict.

According to the wording of the agreement, the parties are due to reconvene during the week of June 22 to continue diplomatic and security talks, with the US facilitating communications in the meantime. It remains unclear if that stage of the agreement will ever be reached.

What was agreed in April?

The April agreement used different language, saying Israel and Lebanon would implement a “cessation of hostilities” from April 16, and never actually used the word ceasefire.

It also included a clause allowing Israel to “take all necessary measures in self-defence, at any time, against planned, imminent or ongoing attacks”.

That clause does not appear in the new text, which could be interpreted as a small concession. That was until Israel Katz said Israel would continue its military operations in Lebanon regardless.

The latest agreement also repeats Israel’s longstanding demand that Hezbollah withdraw from south of the Litani River.

Meanwhile, there is one major glaring omission. While the text focuses heavily on Hezbollah’s withdrawal from parts of southern Lebanon, it does not mention Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Lebanese journalist and analyst Souhayb Jawhar told Al Jazeera the agreement is defined as much by what it leaves out as by what it includes.

The text, he said, focuses on Hezbollah’s obligations and those of the Lebanese state: removing armed elements from south of the Litani and creating zones where the Lebanese army holds exclusive control.

“This point alone explains much of the scepticism within Hezbollah and its political environment,” Jawhar told Al Jazeera. “From the party’s perspective, any agreement should include a clear ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal, and a framework for addressing outstanding issues, rather than becoming a document focused primarily on restructuring Lebanon’s internal security landscape.”

What else is different this time?

Other points of contention regarding the new agreement are the “pilot zones”, which appear to go beyond stopping the fighting and instead test a new security model in southern Lebanon – one that could eventually be expanded elsewhere, analysts say.

“This is why many observers see these zones as the beginning of a gradual transition from a security environment in which Hezbollah played the dominant role to one in which the Lebanese state and its armed forces become the sole security authority,” Jawhar said.

He added that the fate of the agreement may depend less on Lebanon-Israel talks than on the US-Iran track. If Washington and Tehran reach a wider understanding, the ceasefire in Lebanon will have a stronger chance of holding because both sides will have an interest in stabilising the Lebanese front.

“If those negotiations stall or collapse, Lebanon could quickly return to being one of the main arenas of pressure and confrontation between the two sides,” Jawhar added.

What is the situation in Lebanon now?

Southern Lebanon remained under heavy military pressure on Thursday, with Israeli strikes on Kafra and al-Mansouri in the southwest of the country. In the Bekaa Valley, one person was killed and four others wounded in an Israeli strike on Sohmor, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).

A separate strike hit Tell al-Aqareb, while further raids targeted Haddatha, Tibnin, Haris, and Harin. The NNA also reported more Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon as drones flew at low altitude over Beirut. In Maaroub, one person was killed and another wounded when Israeli forces targeted a motorcycle.

Israeli warplanes also struck towns and villages across the south, including Zawtar al-Sharqiya, Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Shoukin, Barachit, Srifa, Zibdin, Haris and Deir Zahrani. Jets and drones have also been flying over the south for much of the morning, including a drone seen at extremely low altitude over Tyre.

Lebanon’s Civil Defence authorities have warned people not to return south, citing the continued danger to civilian life in towns and villages across southern Lebanon.

More than 3,000 people have been killed, and more than one million have been forced from their homes since Israel renewed its assault on Lebanon in early March.

NEW YORK — A prediction market reported former U.S. Rep. George Santos to federal prosecutors after he boasted he’d be going to President Trump’s State of the Union address, then bet against his own attendance, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

Kalshi, the online prediction marketplace, referred Santos to the Department of Justice after detecting suspicious trades made by him ahead of Trump’s Feb. 24 speech, the person said. The person spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Kalshi also reported the trades to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a federal regulatory body that has vowed to crack down on insider trading in prediction marketplaces.

The Justice Department and the CFTC didn’t immediately respond Tuesday to inquiries from the AP.

Santos also did not respond to text messages or phone calls.

The referral was first reported by NPR. Santos told NPR that he wasn’t aware of the investigation. He declined to say whether he had a Kalshi account.

“I’m not saying yes, I’m not saying no,” Santos told NPR.

The convicted ex-congressman had repeatedly discussed his intention to attend the State of the Union, which came just four months after he was granted clemency by Trump in a fraud case that led to his expulsion from the U.S. House.

On the eve of Trump’s speech, Kalshi put the odds of Santos attending at close to 75%.

Then, minutes into the speech, Santos posted on X that he had been waylaid at the airport. Immediately, several social media users accused him of running another scheme.

“Santos talking to his accountant and telling him to open his Kalshi account and bet all his money on No,” one user wrote, alongside a meme of Al Pacino counting money in the movie Scarface.

In March, Santos addressed the complaints on his podcast.

“I guess people lost money,” he said. “Some people made unexpected money. That’s to show you how fragile these markets are.”

Santos, who won office as a Republican after inventing a bogus persona as a Wall Street dealmaker, was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft in 2024.

After serving just 84 days, he was ordered released by Trump, who called Santos a “rogue” but said he didn’t deserve a harsh sentence and should get credit for voting Republican.

Prediction markets, including Kalshi and its chief rival Polymarket, have drawn scrutiny as their businesses have expanded — with some lawmakers urging the platforms to do more to guard against insider trading.

Both companies have said they are reporting suspicious trades to federal regulators. Some investigations have led to criminal charges. In April a soldier involved in the military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was charged with using classified information to win more than $400,000 predicting the date of his capture on Polymarket.

In April, the Senate approved a bipartisan resolution to prevent its own members from using prediction markets.

Offenhartz writes for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of Los Angeles is reportedly under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over sexual misconduct allegations.

The investigation came after the New York Post reported in April that the 51-year-old, five-term congressman had been spotted kissing a much younger congressional staffer from a different office in 2023.

According to CNN, which on Tuesday first reported news of the investigation, the congressional committee learned of other allegations of sexual misconduct as it investigated the report of Gomez’s 2023 conduct with the staffer.

Gomez was friends with former California Rep. Eric Swalwell, who earlier this year resigned from Congress and suspended his California gubernatorial campaign after multiple women accused him of sexual assault. Gomez had been a co-chair of Swalwell’s campaign.

The 2023 incident with Gomez and a younger staffer reportedly occurred at a party hosted by Swalwell, according to the New York Post. Gomez’s office denied the report at the time.

Another lawmaker, Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, also resigned from Congress in April in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct with a former staffer who later committed suicide.

Both Swalwell and Gonzales were under investigation by the ethics committee before they resigned, but those investigations ended when they left office as the committee only has jurisdiction to investigate sitting members.

Gomez’s office didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment, but, in a statement to CNN, Gomez said he would cooperate with the ethics investigation. While he acknowledged making “personal mistakes” outside his marriage and apologized to his family, he said his actions didn’t violate House ethics rules.

“Years ago, I made personal mistakes outside my marriage that have caused real pain to my wife and family. Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most,” Gomez said.

The House Ethics Committee declined to comment on the reported investigation.

Gomez is married to Mary Hodge, a past top aide to former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. The couple have a son whom Gomez wore in a baby carrier during the lengthy House speaker election in 2023. That same year, Gomez founded the Congressional Dads Caucus, which has advocated for expanded child tax credits and other parent-friendly legislation.

The disclosure of the congressional investigation comes as Gomez faces a campaign challenge from Angela Gonzales-Torres, a Pasadena City College counselor with the backing of the progressive Justice Democrats.

Gonzales-Torres has criticized Gomez for receiving the backing of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, though Gomez has at times taken political stances at odds with the group.

After news of the ethics investigation broke, Gonzales-Torres wrote on the social media platform X, “I take political corruption seriously … I also take very seriously what appears to be a culture in Congress in which men abuse women.

“If @RepJimmyGomez has nothing to hide, he should have no concern. But if there was any criminal behavior that he witnessed, participated in, or helped conceal, we will find out and we will help ensure accountability and justice.”

Gomez was first elected to Congress in a 2017 special election to succeed Xavier Becerra, who is now running for governor and has seen the biggest boost in support following Swalwell’s departure from the race in April.

Gomez previously served in the state assembly from 2012 to 2017 and was political director for the United Nurses Assn. of California before that.

Xavier Becerra’s campaign for California governor appeared doomed just two months ago. Every major opinion poll showed the longtime Democratic politician mired near the bottom of the pack, overshadowed by his flashier or wealthier rivals.

Now Becerra tops them all, according to the most recent opinion polls, emerging as a surprise front-runner in a race that has confounded voters and political experts alike.

Both his loyal supporters and well-financed critics have a hard time explaining Becerra’s rapid ascent, with theories ranging from outright luck to a nefarious social media push. Others credit Becerra’s mild temperament, describing him as a steady figure — the Goldilocks candidate in a field of competitors who weren’t just right.

Becerra, when assessing his sudden rise, believes voters wanted experience, not “glitz and sizzle.”

“Folks put their faith in someone who’s done that kind of work and achieved results, someone who’s taken on real crises and been able to pull us out of them,” Becerra said in an interview Friday after a union rally in the Inland Empire. “Now it’s time to get things done. I think they’re looking for someone who could actually do that.”

Becerra’s team also points to the fortuitous timing of their seven-figure political ad campaign that launched shortly before explosive allegations of sexual assault and misconduct against the then-leading Democrat in the race, former Rep. Eric Swalwell. After Swalwell suspended his campaign on April 12, Becerra’s ascent began.

Becerra is backed by 25% of likely California voters, followed by Republican Steve Hilton at 21% and environmental activist Tom Steyer, a fellow Democrat, at 19%, according to a new UC Berkeley Institute for Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times. Two months ago, before Swalwell dropped out of the race, support for Becerra registered at just 5%.

Whatever the outcome of Tuesday’s primary election, Becerra’s surge over the other Democrats in the final sprint of his campaign will be a defining moment of the 2026 governor’s contest.

“It’s almost too good to be true,” said Carrie Webster, a Becerra supporter and Long Beach hairdresser who interviews political candidates on social media using the name “Crowd Source Carrie.”

“He shot through the roof, but it feels like it’s all organic,” said Webster, 49, who said she isn’t paid for her political work.

A Sacramento resident, Becerra, 68, served one term in the state Legislature, more than two decades as a Los Angeles congressman and then as California attorney general, and most recently worked as the secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration.

His only previous statewide race was his 2018 bid for attorney general. In that contest, which he won handily, he had the major advantage of incumbency after being appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to fill the vacancy caused by then-Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris’ election to the U.S. Senate.

Running for governor has proved to be much more daunting. His top Democratic challengers not only include Steyer, a free-spending billionaire, but also former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, current San José Mayor Matt Mahan, former Orange County congresswoman Katie Porter and state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

In early March, the chair of the California Democratic Party, Rusty Hicks, urged stuggling candidates to drop out of the race. He feared the crowded field of candidates would splinter the party’s voters and lead to a Republican being elected as the next governor of California.

Under the state’s top-two primary system, only the first- and second-place finishers in the primary advance to the November election, regardless of party. While Hicks did not mention Becerra by name, he was certainly among the struggling candidates at the time.

Until now, Becerra’s splashiest moment was in late March, when he launched a public pressure campaign to boycott a gubernatorial debate hosted by USC after he and other candidates of color were excluded from lineup. University officials based the invites on opinion polls and a controversial campaign fundraising formula. The debate was canceled less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place.

Then came the allegations against Swalwell, which prompted nationwide interest in the otherwise sleepy California governor’s race. Political data strategist Paul Mitchell compared the moment to a dramatic scene midway into a “Real Housewives” season.

“Finally, somebody flipped a table, threw wine on somebody else, and all the voters started paying attention,” he said.

Alf LaMont worked for Swalwell’s team as a digital communications expert until his firm quit on April 10 following news reports about the allegations against the East Bay Democratic congressman.

LaMont said he was “doomscrolling” that same night when he saw an “organic, random” push for Becerra on Threads and other social media sites. LaMont said he immediately called Becerra’s campaign team and signed up to work for him.

Webster, the Long Beach content creator, also noticed the online buzz about Becerra.

“People were saying, ‘Let’s print out yard signs, T-shirts,’” Webster said. “Or someone would say, ‘I’m going to start Gen X for Becerra,’ or ‘I’m going to start Millennials for Becerra.’”

The push was so noticeable that Steyer’s campaign hired an intelligence agency with ties to a major Israeli firm to study the trend.

The agency’s report found about 3,000 fake accounts that amplified Becerra across social media platforms X, Facebook and Instagram while also criticizing Steyer, according to Steyer’s team. In all, the fake accounts generated 1.3 million views and 42,000 engagements, the report stated.

Steyer spokesperson Kevin Liao alleged a coordinated network from Becerra’s team or his supporters. Becerra’s campaign denied any role and dismissed the influence of the fake accounts.

Earlier opinion polls also offer a possible explanation for Becerra’s rise.

Even as he remained stuck behind other candidates in support among voters, Becerra’s favorability ratings versus his unfavorability ratings were better than rivals, including Porter and Villaraigosa.

Swalwell also had high favorability ratings, and when he dropped out, Becerra was “seen as the least objectionable of the candidates that were remaining,” Mitchell said.

The UC Berkeley Institute poll released Thursday shows more likely voters viewed Becerra favorably (44%) than unfavorably (38%). By contrast, 39% of voters viewed Steyer favorably and 43% unfavorably.

Becerra’s campaign credits part of his April surge to good fortune. His team unleashed a large advertising buy — a major chunk of his remaining campaign funds — placing spots on cable TV and online beginning in late March.

The timing was opportune given the chaos caused by Swalwell.

Becerra’s ads depicted him as calm and experienced. One showed him speaking to a diverse group of young people about his record of challenging President Trump, suing his administration more than 100 times when he served as attorney general, and his plan to bring down the cost of living for “the next generation.”

At the same time, LaMont’s team — which also is behind Gov. Gavin Newsom’s political communications — created a more “earthy” and “grassroots” look to Becerra’s campaign ads and messaging. Words like “Tio” and “carne asada” emphasized the candidate’s Latino heritage.

Polls done in the wake of Swalwell’s exit showed Becerra gaining ground.

Special interest groups, including California Medical Assn., which had supported Swalwell, switched to Becerra. A well-financed, independent political committee campaigning against Steyer — an effort intended to benefit Swalwell — also moved over to Becerra. Major corporations, including Chevron, Meta and McDonald’s, lined up next.

Becerra appeared unprepared for the speed at which voters and others gravitated toward him. He stammered through hastily filmed videos asking for small-dollar donations as his campaign sought to convert the new interest around him into donors.

He appeared stiff during his first post-Swalwell debate appearance; he mistakenly referred to Trump’s “war in Iraq” instead of Iran during his first answer and fended off the first of many attacks to come during an April 22 debate. During a sit-down interview with a KTLA-TV reporter in Los Angeles in early May, Becerra went immediately on the defensive — questioning whether it was a “gotcha piece.”

Still, people flocked to town halls, including one in Oxnard in May, where he leaned into his “bad dad joke” persona. He greeted the large crowd with his corny, familiar line, “Did you think you were coming to a Bad Bunny concert?”

Oxnard audience member Rose Castren, 68, told The Times she liked Becerra’s “calm and reassuring” style. The retired nurse watched the CNN debate in early May, where the candidates piled on Becerra to try to undercut his momentum.

“The other candidates seemed to be coming unglued,” she said. “And he didn’t.”

Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts on Thursday approved the design for the triumphal arch that President Trump wants built at an entrance to the nation’s capital.

Commissioners, all of whom were appointed by Trump, approved the design despite overwhelming opposition from the public. Approval is a key step in the project’s process.

The proposed arch is one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing alongside a White House ballroom to leave his imprint on Washington.

He has said some of his other projects, such as adding a blue coating to the interior of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, will beautify the city in time for July 4 celebrations of America’s 250th birthday.

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts approved the concept for the arch at its monthly meeting in April.

As presented to the federal agency, the arch itself would stand 250 feet tall from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure on top of the structure. The statue would be flanked on top by two eagles and guarded at the base by four lions — all gilded. The phrases “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All” would be inscribed in gold lettering atop either side of the monument.

A public observation deck on top would provide 360-degree views of the surroundings.

The commission’s vice chairman, architect James McCrery II, said in April that he preferred the arch without the figures on top. Removing them would significantly reduce the arch’s height by about 80 feet. Critics of the project, including an overwhelming number of people who submitted public comment in April, said the arch would be taller than any other monument in the capital city and dominate the skyline.

At a height of 250 feet, the arch would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial, which is 99 feet tall, and be close to half the height of the Washington Monument, an obelisk that is about 555 feet tall.

McCrery also recommended that the lions on the base be removed because that animal is “not a beast natural to the North American continent.” And he objected to plans for an underground tunnel for pedestrians to get to the arch, which would be built on a traffic circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Preliminary surveys and testing of the site began last week.

A group of veterans and a historian have sued the Trump administration in federal court to block construction on grounds that the arch would disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery, among other reasons.

Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have argued that Washington is the only major Western world capital without such an arch. Burgum’s department includes the National Park Service, which manages the plot where Trump wants to put the arch.

Trump’s rehab of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is also the subject of a court challenge brought by the Cultural Landscape Foundation, which said the administration’s moves to repaint the bottom of the Reflecting Pool blue without first undergoing relevant reviews ran afoul of federal preservation laws governing historic sites.

The nonprofit group argued in a lawsuit filed last week that the changes at the Reflecting Pool are part of Trump’s broader effort to push through dramatic renovations in Washington without proper reviews and undermine the tone of the area.

A hearing in the case was scheduled for Thursday afternoon in federal court in Washington.

Superville writes for the Associated Press.

May 14 (UPI) — U.S. consumers spent $757.1 billion on retail and food services in April, a 0.5% increase over March, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Thursday.

For 12 months ending in April, not adjusted for price changes, sales increased by 4.9%. Total sales for February through April increased 4.4% over the same period in 2025.

Gasoline sales climbed 2.8% in April after jumping 13.7% in March.

Retail trade sales increased by 0.5% over March and 5.2% over last year. Non-store retail went up 11.1% for the year. Sales minus gasoline and building materials increased 0.46%.

While retail sales increased in April, they did so at a slower rate than in March, which increased by 1.6% for the month. Yet it was still the third consecutive monthly increase.

Retail sales as a whole grew but several categories experienced declines, including furniture store sales, down 2%, car dealerships, down 0.5%, department stores, down 3.2%, and clothing stores, down 1.5%.

A consumer survey conducted by the University of Michigan found that consumer sentiments are low due to concerns about high prices and current economic conditions. This has caused consumers to hold off on making major purchases, such as furniture and automobiles.

May 13 (UPI) — Final demand wholesale inflation rose by 6% on an annual basis in April, marking the largest increase since 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday.

More than three-quarters of the 2% increase in final demand goods in April was attributed to a 7.8% increase in energy prices. Final demand services moved up 1.2%, pushed along largely by a 2.7% increase in trade services.

The producer price index increased by a seasonally adjusted 1.4% in April, double the rate increase in March. The increase outpaced the Dow Jones consensus estimate of 0.5%. It is the largest monthly increase since March 2022.

The annual 6% wholesale inflation increase is the largest since December 2022.

Machinery and equipment wholesaling was another big factor in rising inflation. Final demand service prices for machinery and equipment rose by 3.5%.

Final demand excluding volatile food and energy rose 0.6%, the largest bump since October. For the year ending in April, final demand excluding food and energy was up 4.4%, the largest increase since February 2023.

By commodity type, the index for unprocessed goods went up 4.1%. Intermediate demand goods increased 2.7% for the month, the sixth consecutive monthly increase.

About 80% of the index increase for unprocessed goods for intermediate demand can be attributed to unprocessed energy materials which increased 9.2%. Crude petroleum rose by 11.3%.

Unprocessed non-food materials and excluding energy fell by 1%.

May 12 (UPI) — Prices for consumer goods rose faster than expected in April, with food and energy prices driving the spike, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Tuesday.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis in April, after rising 0.9% in March, the BLS said. Over the past 12 months, the all-items index increased 3.8% before seasonal adjustment.

The energy index rose 3.8% in April, which was more than 40% of the increase. That put the 12-month rise at 17.9%. The gasoline index rose 28.4% annually.

Airline fares rose 2.8%, making the 12-month rise at 20.7%, CNBC reported.

Food prices rose 0.5% for the month. The price of food at home rose 0.7%, which is the biggest monthly rise since August 2022, CNBC reported. The price for food away from home increased 0.2%, the BLS said.

When excluding energy and food, prices rose 0.4% in April. Those prices are calculated from household furnishings and operations, airline fares, personal care, apparel and education. That number puts inflation higher than the 2% goal set by the Federal Reserve, with the monthly rate at its highest since January 2025.

But the index for new vehicles, communication and medical care decreased in April. New vehicles and communication declined 0.2%, while medical care declined 0.1%. Used vehicle prices stayed flat.

Workers are feeling the pinch, too, as real average hourly wages dropped 0.5% for the month and 0.3% annually.

“Inflation is the key drag on the U.S. economy now,” said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, CNBC reported. “This is hurting Americans. There is a real financial squeeze underway. For the first time in three years, inflation is eating up all wage gains. This is a setback for middle-class and lower-income households and they know it.”

Whether the Fed will lower interest rates in the wake of rising inflation is a concern for economists.

“Given that inflation is heading in the wrong direction and the labor market is holding up, it’s very unlikely that the Fed will be able to lower interest rates any time soon, and it’s possible that we may start pricing in rate hikes for next year,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management, CNBC reported.

One rebound got away. Another went to the Oklahoma City Thunder on a foul by Deandre Ayton. When a third opportunity glanced past Ayton’s nonchalantly extended arm, JJ Redick had seen enough.

The Lakers coach couldn’t even sub fast enough before Ayton’s two-handed frustration shove of Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell put a disappointing punctuation mark on a disastrous 19-second stretch for the Lakers starting center.

Ayton, a key part of the Lakers’ first-round series win, has been largely absent in the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. With the Lakers behind 3-0 in the best-of-seven series after Saturday’s 131-108 loss at Crypto.com Arena, Ayton has averaged 7.7 points per game and 9.3 rebounds against the Thunder.

Desperate to avoid the dreaded 3-0 hole, Ayton was limited to 10 points and six rebounds and just one defensive board. He was held to one-of-seven shooting in Game 2 for just three points, although he had 22 rebounds over the first two games.

After an up-and-down regular season, it appeared that the former No. 1 overall pick was ready to live up to the hype. He was a quiet star in the Lakers’ first-round series win against the Houston Rockets, often guarding All-Star Alperen Sengun one-on-one and dominating the paint. He averaged 11 points and 10.8 rebounds against the Rockets.

Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault took note. He called Ayton a “priority” for the Thunder defense in this series. Redick said Ayton raises the Lakers’ ceiling more than any other player.

The Lakers tried to spark their X-factor in the third quarter. They built a two-point halftime lead off the stellar shot-making of Rui Hachimura (21 points) and Luke Kennard (18 points) but funneled the ball toward Ayton after the break.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton dunks against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Hachimura, who made all four of his three-point attempts in the first half, had a chance at a three on the Lakers’ first possession but instead passed to Ayton, who was fouled on the floor. Marcus Smart tried a lob to Ayton, but the center couldn’t corral the pass. The Lakers went back to him on each of the next two offensive possessions and he scored on both.

He scored six of his 10 points during a three-and-a-half-minute stretch of the third quarter.

“DA is a hell of a player,” said Smart, one of Ayton’s closest teammates. “We all know it. We just want to get him the touches and get him the feel early, just to give them a different look. … All the guards are doing their thing. So we’re just trying to get the big fella involved.”

Ayton’s signature soft touch around the basket has suddenly escaped him. After shooting 60.4% from the field during the first round and a career-best 67.1% during the regular season, Ayton is shooting 39.3% (11 for 28) against the Thunder. He made just three of 11 shots in the restricted area during the first two games.

The Lakers needed Ayton to thrive during this series against the double-big lineup of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Some of Ayton’s shooting struggles have depended on where the lanky 7-foot-1 Holmgren has been on the court, Redick said. The Lakers have tried to draw Holmgren out of the paint more to free up Ayton.

Holmgren has still been a force in this series with 21.3 points and 10 rebounds per game. Hartenstein has made 14 of 16 shots from the field in the three games.

Ayton’s backup Jaxson Hayes was also neutralized in Saturday’s blowout, not returning to the game after just eight minutes and 30 seconds of mostly ineffective play. When Redick had seen enough from Ayton in the fourth quarter after he gave up two offensive rebounds and fouled twice in 19 seconds, the coach opted for rookie Adou Thiero.

Thiero, a 22-year-old who tries to make up for his lack of experience with pure motor and athleticism, had a team-high eight rebounds with four points in 13 minutes and 12 seconds.

But the Lakers gave up an offensive rebound off a free throw immediately after Thiero replaced Ayton. Hayes, sitting at the end of the bench with his arms folded across his chest, stared blankly ahead and shook his head slowly.

No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven playoff series. Ayton has been quiet in this series, but he doesn’t plan to be silenced much longer with the season on the line.

“We ain’t gonna give up,” Ayton said on his way out of the arena. “We will be back to fight on Monday.”

Staff writer Broderick Turner contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — As Kamala Harris eyes a possible 2028 presidential bid, there is little outward enthusiasm among her biggest 2024 backers to fund a repeat performance, adding to uncertainty about the former vice president’s prospects in what is sure to be a crowded primary field.

The Times reached out to more than two dozen top donors to the biggest pro-Harris super PAC in 2024. Several of them said they do not plan to support her should she choose to run, or declined to talk about her. Others did not respond.

“I don’t think it’s a helpful narrative [for 2028] to start with the 2024 hangover,” said one fundraiser for Harris’ 2024 campaign, who requested anonymity to speak candidly. “There is an enormous appetite for new blood — something fresh, something that really represents the future, not the past.”

That narrative is poised to present Harris’ biggest challenge if she decides to run — particularly if it jeopardizes her ability to pull in crucial funding. Though few in the party want to criticize Harris, few appear inclined to endorse her, and conversations about her prospects often come down to one thing: Democrats’ anxiety about winning.

“She’s run, she’s lost, so the question’s going to be, is there somebody that gives Democratic voters more of a sense that they could win?” said Dick Harpootlian, a longtime South Carolina Democratic strategist. “That’s what all of us are looking for. We want to win in ‘28.”

The chatter among party elites appears at odds with recent polling in Harris’ favor, including in April’s Harvard Center for American Political Studies/Harris Poll, which showed Harris leading the Democratic field with support from 50% of Democrats.

The former vice president has also been met with enthusiasm from audiences in a series of recent speaking stops — including when she told a friendly crowd at a New York conference in April that she “might” run for president.

Harris remains undecided about whether to mount a run, according to a person familiar with her thinking, who said Friday she has been focused on boosting Democrats ahead of the midterm elections, meeting voters and delivering messages about the economy and affordability.

If she were to run, Harris would expect a crowded primary field to split donors and would be aware of the need to overcome the perception of skeptics, this person said — but noted that 2028 would afford a very different dynamic than the circumstances under which she took the nomination in 2024.

“There’s a bit of a ‘doth protest too much’ quality to some of these complaints about the idea of her running,” said the person close to her. “It may be a backhanded way of acknowledging that she’d be quite formidable if she decided to get in.”

Speculation about whether Harris would run again — and whether she should — has swirled since her truncated 2024 campaign ended in defeat to Donald Trump. Harris’ decision not to run for California governor in a wide-open race was broadly viewed as signaling presidential ambitions, and she reentered the public eye with the publication of a book about the 2024 campaign and an associated speaking tour.

Last month, Harris gave her strongest signal yet that she could seek the party’s nomination again, telling the Rev. Al Sharpton at a gathering of his civil rights organization in New York that she was “thinking about it.”

“I know what the job is and I know what it requires,” Harris said at the time.

Harris’ 2024 loss to Trump and failure to capture any battleground states — after entering the race late following President Biden’s exit — was bruising for Democrats. The defeat is lingering longer for some top donors than it did after Hillary Clinton’s loss to Trump in 2016, making them extra wary, said one Democratic political consultant.

“Especially in the donor class, everyone feels burnt,” he said. “People just want to turn the page.”

The Times contacted top donors to Future Forward, the Democratic super PAC that spent the most to back Harris in the 2024 election. All the donors contacted gave at least $1 million and some acted as bundlers for the campaign, soliciting big checks from other donors in addition to their own contributions.

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, who gave $1 million to Future Forward in 2024, said he hoped to support a different Californian.

“Gavin is the candidate who can motivate both the left and the center,” Hastings told The Times, referring to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

A bundler for both Harris and Biden said it comes down to who can give Democrats the best chance to succeed.

“I think it is too early to pick a favorite in the 2028 race, but Kamala Harris will not be my candidate,” this person said. “I don’t think she would appeal to a swing voter, and we need swing voters to win.”

Others, including a few party leaders, deflected questions by citing a focus on this year’s midterm elections. Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), who last year praised Newsom’s presidential prospects during a visit by the governor, said Tuesday that Democrats should be zeroed in on 2026.

“I’m not thinking about 2028, and if she were to call me I wouldn’t talk to her about it,” Clyburn told The Times when asked about Harris’ chances.

Enthusiasm for Harris and skepticism about her viability in 2028 aren’t mutually exclusive, said the former Harris fundraiser.

“A lot of people love her and also don’t think that she is the answer for 2028,” the fundraiser said.

The attitudes of the donor class and political elite may be at odds with those of regular Americans, particularly Black and working-class voters, the Democratic political consultant said. Few of the possible candidates have the potential to excite Black voters the way Harris does, he said.

If a candidate, whether Harris or someone else, makes a successful case that they can win, Black voters will be “strategic and optimistic enough” to rally around whoever it is, said Keneshia Grant, a Howard University political scientist.

But, she said, “I don’t think that they are going to take well to work by elites or the donor class to sideline Harris if there is no clear, reasonable, exciting, Obama-level, yes-we-can candidate instead of her.”

Harris speaks the Public Counsel Awards Dinner on April 29 in Beverly Hills.

(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)

In recent weeks, Harris has spoken at a fundraiser in South Carolina, a party luncheon in Michigan and a dinner in Arkansas. On Thursday, she was in Nevada to rally Democrats ahead of the midterm primary.

She also joined other likely 2028 contenders at the Colorado Speaker Series in Denver and Sharpton’s conference, accepted an award from the nonprofit Public Counsel at a Los Angeles gala and addressed the National Women’s Law Center gala in Washington to a warm reception, as did Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

“She was inspiring, she was hopeful, she pushed back on Trump,” said Jay Parmley, chair of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, where Harris spoke at a party-hosted fundraiser in Greenville on April 15.

South Carolina, a key primary state, could help unlock Harris’ path to the nomination. If Black voters there boosted her to a win, she could build early momentum.

But Parmley said he believed she would have to “get over” the hurdle of convincing voters that she can beat the GOP.

“I don’t think it’s a given she wins here without work,” Parmley said. “She’s going to have to really visit with voters and work just like everybody else.”

Times staff writer Ana Ceballos in Washington contributed to this report.

The Lakers are one playoff defeat from their season being over and from the conversation turning to LeBron James’ future.

They are in a hole no team has climbed out of in the history of the NBA, the Lakers’ 131-108 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 putting L.A. down 3-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.

James and his teammates gave a gallant effort Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, but the defending champion proved to be more than the Lakers could handle.

James finished his night with 19 points on seven-for-19 shooting, eight assists and six rebounds. Rui Hachimura had 21 points and Austin Reaves finished with 17 points and nine assists.

Even so, the Lakers have now lost all three games by double digits.

And the Lakers are fully aware that no NBA team has successfully come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs, with those teams holding a 161-0 record. Only four teams have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0, all of which ultimately lost the series, including the Boston Celtics in 2023.

Lakers forward LeBron James shows frustration as Thunder center Chet Holmgren slam dunks during Game 3 on Saturday night.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Game 4 is Monday night, when the Lakers will try to stave off elimination and a night that will determine how the conversations go with James if they lose.

James has been frequently asked this season about retirement, but he has not given any indication of what the future holds for him.

He’s 41 years old and playing in an NBA-record 23rd season.

James is in the final year of his contract that pays him $52 million, making him a free agent this offseason. He can retire, join another team or perhaps return to the Lakers next season.

That will be the conversation if the Lakers can’t win Game 4.

They will see the same Thunder team that had seven players score in double figures, led by Ajay Mitchell’s 24 points and 10 assists and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 23 points and nine assists.

The Lakers went down 13 in the third quarter and had to play catchup the rest of the way. They never did, going down by 112-94 with 6 minutes and 12 seconds left, forcing Lakers coach JJ Redick to call a timeout.

The deficit just kept growing, topping out at 27 points in the fourth.

They were outscored 33-20 in the third quarter. The Lakers didn’t take care of the basketball in the third, turning it over six times, and they didn’t play good defense, allowing the Thunder to shoot 59.1% from the field and 55.6 percent from three-point range,

The Lakers did not give an inch to the Thunder in the first half, even when they fell behind by 10 points.

They just kept grinding until they led 59-57 at halftime.

Hachimura had 16 points in the first half, continuing his hot three-point shooting by making all four of his threes. Luke Kennard came off the bench to give the Lakers 13 points, shooting five for six from the field and three for four from three-point range.

The Lakers kept the pressure defense on Gilgeous-Alexander. Though he had 14 points in the first half, he shot only four-for-14 from the field and one for five from three-point range.

The Lakers shot 55% from three-point range in the first half, which went a long way in helping them.

The Lakers lost the first two games by identical margins of 18 points and each loss was magnified because Gilgeous-Alexander was kept under wraps for the most part by L.A.’s defense.

When Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul with 10:34 left in the third quarter of Game 2 and went to the bench, the Thunder turned a five-point lead into a 13-point advantage at the end of the quarter.

So, when he wasn’t on the court, the Lakers failed to take advantage.

“Well, you know, again, I’ll repeat what I said after the game: we’ve got to be better in the non-Shai minutes,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

Role players like Mitchell and Jared McCain hurt the Lakers in the second game. Chet Holmgren also was hard to deal with.

“Mitchell and McCain have hurt us in those non-Shai minutes, and then Chet [Holmgren] has hurt us the whole game,” Redick said. “I think you’ve got to be willing to live with something. Shai playing one-on-one, thus far in the series, we haven’t been willing to live with, so you’re going to be in rotation. That can lead to smalls on bigs at the hole, and the offensive rebounding from Chet has really hurt us.”

OKLAHOMA CITY — Austin Reaves has officially entered the Lakers’ postseason chat. It might still be too little, too late.

The Lakers guard responded to his worst playoff performance with his best, recording a playoff career-high 31 points Thursday in the Lakers’ 125-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.

But against the powerful Thunder, Reaves didn’t get a chance to punctuate his comeback night with any emphatic celebration. He instead ended the game in a heated conversation with officials, surrounded by almost all of his teammates as the Lakers felt they were battling the referees and the Thunder in equal measure.

Reaves’ game-high scoring effort wasn’t enough to fend off the relentless defending champions that had six players score in double figures, including three with 20 or more points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each had 22 points for the Thunder, who take a 2-0 lead as the best-of-seven series turns to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday.

With Luka Doncic sidelined because of a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for three more weeks, the Lakers are still outmanned in the Western Conference semifinals despite Reaves’ recent return. He rushed back from a Grade 2 left oblique strain in time to play in the Lakers’ first-round series but has struggled to find his rhythm after a month-long absence.

He shot a dreadful three for 16 from the field in Game 1 against the Thunder, finished with only eight points and missed all five of his three-point shots. Including his two first-round games, Reaves had missed 14 consecutive three-pointers entering Game 2.

Criticism of Reaves dominated social media after Game 1. The 27-year-old guard is due for a new contract this summer that would solidify his status as one of the sport’s star players. A slow start to these playoffs and last year’s postseason struggles made Reaves an online punching bag for fan frustrations.

But the low-key Reaves is “one of the least chronically online NBA players there is,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. The extent of Reaves’ social media usage is his long-time friend Trent Swaim posting golfing videos on the duo’s “Hillbilly Bogey” accounts and Reaves asking his representatives to post sponsored content for his endorsement deals.

He doesn’t need to troll internet comments to fuel his game. Reaves can do that on his own.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves, center right, talks with referee John Goble, center left, after the team’s loss in Game 2 on Thursday night in Oklahoma City.

(Nate Billings / Associated Press)

“He’s got a great sense of self-accountability to where he’s his own worst critic,” Redick said before the game, “and he’s going to hold himself to a standard of how he wants to play.”

Reaves drove aggressively into the paint early Thursday, tying the score 16-16 in the first quarter on a three-point play after the Lakers erased an early seven-point deficit. He had 13 points in the first half as the Lakers took a one-point lead into the locker room. He scored or assisted on the Lakers’ first 11 points of the third quarter as the team built a five-point lead with 8:35 to go in the third.

“That’s what we need Austin to be,” guard Luke Kennard said. “Even though he missed some shots last game, he was aggressive and he just got back into it. … I know a lot of people can think it’s easy to just come back and play a basketball game but at this level, what he’s done last series and now, it’s impressive. We need him to continue to be aggressive. He’s such a good teammate, easy to play with. It’s good to see him have a really good game and, hopefully gives him confidence going into the next one.”

The Lakers need to play near-perfect basketball to have a chance to knock off the defending champions. The Thunder took a 2-0 series lead against the Lakers despite relatively quiet performances from Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning most valuable player had 18 points in Game 1 and was limited to less than 28 minutes Thursday because of foul trouble.

When Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul with 10:34 remaining in the third quarter Thursday, the Thunder trailed 66-61. They didn’t need their star to rip off a 27-19 run to finish the quarter and take a commanding 13-point lead into the fourth.

The Lakers had seven turnovers during the decisive stretch. Reaves had five of the Lakers’ 21 total giveaways and the miscues turned into 26 points for the Thunder, who led the league in points off turnovers during the regular season.

“It starts with the turnovers,” Reaves said. “I think you’re not going to be perfect; you’re going to have turnovers. Just trying to eliminate the live-ball turnovers where they get easy fast-break layups or threes or dunks.”

OKLAHOMA CITY — The effort was being provided by all the Lakers at a high level and it was being led by LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

But the Lakers are facing the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals and it is a chore that remains too heavy for Los Angeles.

Even with Reaves recovering to score 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting and handing out six assists and James collecting 23 points and six assists, the Lakers still lost Game 2 of the best-of-seven series, 125-107, Thursday night at Paycom Center.

The Lakers trail the series 2-0, with Game 3 back in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night.

The odds have now increased against the Lakers winning this series. In NBA history, only 34 teams have recovered from a 2-0 hole to win a best-of-seven series, while 431 teams have gone on to win the series.

The Lakers even did a very good job again on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, throwing double teams at him to hold the All-Star guard to 22 points.

Lakers forward LeBron James. left, tries to drive past Thunder guard Luguentz Dort during the first half of Game 2 on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.

(Nate Billings / Associated Press)

Chet Holmgren had another strong game with 22 points, nine rebounds, four steals and two blocks and Ajay Mitchell had 20 points for the Thunder.

The Lakers, who had a one-point lead at halftime, went down 13 points at the end of the third quarter, but a James three-pointer pulled them to within 95-89, forcing the Thunder to call a timeout with 8:57 left.

The Lakers even got to within five points in the fourth quarter, but a 10-2 run by the Thunder put L.A. in a 13-point hole with 5:53 left, this time forcing Lakers coach JJ Redick to call a timeout so his players could collect themselves.

The Lakers could not.

A big play was when Reaves took a charge against Gilgeous-Alexander with 10:34 left in the third quarter, which was his fourth foul. Gilgeous-Alexander was called for a flagrant foul on the play and Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul.

Reaves shot three free throws, making them all for a 66-61 Lakers lead.

Gilgeous-Alexander then took a seat on the bench.

Yet the Lakers were unable to maintain their quality of play against a Thunder team that just kept charging ahead even with Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench.

The Thunder finished the third on an 18-8 run to open a 93-80 lead.

One of the many keys for the Lakers was getting a productive Reaves. It was just his fourth game back after being out a month because of a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, and it showed. Reaves missed 13 of his 16 shots in Game 1 and all five of his three-pointers, and scored just eight points.

Reaves didn’t make any excuses for his poor play.

“He’s got a great sense of self-accountability to where, you know, he’s his own worst critic and he’s going to hold himself to a standard of how he wants to play,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Had a great conversation with him yesterday and today. He’ll be good to go.”

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, center, pulls up for a shot over Thunder center Chet Holmgren, left, during the first half of Game 2 on Thurday night.

(Nate Billings / Associated Press)

Reaves scored 13 points in the first half while distributing the ball.

He missed his first two shots, but finished the first half five-for-nine shooting.

Along with James scoring 10 points and handing out five assists, Rui Hachimura scoring 11 and Marcus Smart adding eight while doing his part to slow down Gilgeous-Alexander, the Lakers opened a 58-57 lead at the half.

The Lakers sent defenders at Gilgeous-Alexander often, double-teaming the league most valuable player and forcing the other Thunder players to shoot the basketball in the first half.

Gilgeous-Alexander only took nine shots in the first half and made four.

The Thunder shot just 25% from three-point range in the first 24 minutes.

Note: Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt was downgraded out for Game 2 because of a dislocated right pinky finger.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Lakers coach JJ Redick was succinct about what it was like for his group to face the defending NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder during the regular season.

“We sucked against this team,” he said pregame.

The Lakers lost all four regular-season games against the Thunder by double figures, making L.A.’s 108-90 defeat to Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs just another big loss to the talented Thunder.

LeBron James led the Lakers with 27 points and six assists while Rui Hachimura had 18 points, but Austin Reaves had only eight points, shooting three for 16 from the field.

The Lakers doubled teamed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander frequently, limiting him to 18 points and forcing him into seven turnovers.

But the Thunder just turned to Chet Holmgren, who had a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, driving to the basket against Lakers guard Austin Reaves, finished with 18 points on eight-of-12 shooting from the field and six assists in Game 1.

(Kyle Phillips / Associated Press)

Game 2 is here Thursday night.

The Lakers didn’t help themselves at the beginning of the fourth quarter, turning the ball over on two of their first three possessions. When Marcus Smart turned the ball over and Alex Caruso waltzed in for a layup, the Lakers went down by 15 points and had to call a timeout with 10 minutes and 41 seconds left to regroup.

The Lakers never did.

They fell into a 19-point hole in the final 12 minutes of play and never fully recovered.

The Lakers lost by almost 30 points per game in their four-game series against the Thunder during the regular season, and one of the games was a 43-point shallacking.

But the Lakers found their groove in the first round against the Houston Rockets and that has fueled their belief in this series against the Thunder.

“We’ve been able to execute, even just going back to the last three games of the regular season,” Redick said. “Again, we kind of had to reset with not a lot of time and build something a little bit new on the fly. I think our guys were able to find their way and find their way from an execution standpoint, and for the most part, did a good job of that on both ends in the Houston series.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves makes one of his three baskets on a layup against Thunder center Chet Holmgren, but Reaves finished with only eight points on three-of-16 shooting from the field in Game 1.

(Kyle Phillips / Associated Press)

“This is a different team and the best team, and it’s going to require more. I think every round that you advance in the playoffs, you need to elevate all of the stuff even more. …That’s our attention to detail, that’s our belief, that’s our poise. We got to be great in all those areas.”

The Lakers talked every practice about the runs the Thunder go on and how they had to limit them.

Well, it happened at the end of the first quarter, when Oklahoma City scored the last five points of the frame, and it happened at the outset of the second quarter, when the Thunder scored the first five points of the frame to open a 10-point lead.

Redick leaped off the bench to call a timeout with 10:36 left in the second to get things back in order for the Lakers.

The Lakers recovered, but they then went down 56-43 in the second quarter and had to recover again.

They did, pulling to within 61-53 at the half.

Note: Lakers reserve forward Jarred Vanderbilt injured his right finger in the second quarter and didn’t return. Vanderbilt tried to block a dunk by Chet Helmgren, but instead hit hand on the backboard and went down in pain.

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans have added $1 billion in White House security upgrades to legislation that would fund immigration enforcement agencies, a proposed boost for President Trump’s ballroom project after a man was charged with trying to assassinate him at the White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner last week.

The GOP bill released late Monday would designate the money for the U.S. Secret Service for “security adjustments and upgrades” related to the ballroom project, which Trump and Republicans have been pushing since Cole Tomas Allen allegedly stormed the April 25 media dinner at the Washington Hilton with guns and knives. The legislation says the money would support enhancements to the ballroom project, “including above-ground and below-ground security features,” but also specifies that the money may not be used for non-security elements.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle praised Republicans for including the money for the “long overdue” project, saying it would “provide the United States Secret Service with the resources they need to fully and completely harden the White House complex, in addition to the many other critical missions for the USSS.”

The money is part of a larger bill to pay for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, as Democrats have been blocking funds for both agencies since mid-February. Congress passed bipartisan legislation to fund the rest of the Homeland Security Department on April 30 after a record-long shutdown, but Republicans are using a partisan budget maneuver to push through the ICE and Border Patrol dollars on their own. The House has not released its bill yet, but the Senate is expected to start voting on its version of the legislation next week.

It is unclear exactly how the $1 billion would be used, and the amount far exceeds the proposed $400 million for construction of the ballroom. The White House has said in court documents that the East Wing project would be “heavily fortified,” including bomb shelters, military installations and a medical facility underneath the ballroom. Trump has said it should include bulletproof glass and be able to repel drone attacks.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has sued to block construction of the project, but a federal appeals court said last month that it can continue in the meantime.

The White House has said that private money would pay for the construction but public money would be used for security measures. Some Republicans have suggested that public money pay for all of it, arguing the security breach at the dinner shows the president needs a secure place to host events.

“It would be insane” to hold the dinner at a hotel again, said Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who introduced a bill to pay for the ballroom’s construction with Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala.

Democrats have said they will oppose any efforts to pay for the ballroom.

“While Americans are struggling to make ends meet as a result of President Trump’s failed policies, Republicans are focused on providing tens of billions of dollars for the President’s vanity ballroom project and cruel mass deportation campaign,” said Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees the U.S. Secret Service.

Jalonick writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has shown an ability to make a lot of noise at the government agency known in recent years to be a little sleepy.

But his April 28 announcement that the Walt Disney Co.’s eight ABC TV stations will undergo an early review of their broadcast licenses is his loudest action yet taken on behalf of President Trump, who repeatedly threatened media outlets that he believes are critical of him.

Carr is calling for the review two years before any of the station licenses are up, citing the agency’s inquiry into Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies and whether they violated federal anti-discrimination rules.

The timing of Carr’s move is raising eyebrows as it comes after First Lady Melania Trump’s call for the firing of ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over his April 23 comedy bit on the White House correspondents’ dinner. A tuxedo-clad Kimmel called Melania Trump “beautiful,” saying she had “the glow of an expectant widow.”

The first lady’s remarks came after a man armed with a shotgun, handgun and several knives breached security at the Washington black-tie event on April 25. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, was arrested and faces three criminal charges, including attempting to assassinate the president.

Kimmel’s gag became ammunition for right-wing commentators, who claim the left is stoking political violence.

The host said the joke was about the age difference between the 79-year-old president and his wife. Kimmel denied it was a call for violence and has continued to mock the president on his show.

Carr insisted at a Washington news conference last week that his demand for a review is not related to Kimmel’s remarks.

Although many are skeptical, Carr, who was at the April 25 dinner, told The Times there would be an action related to ABC coming soon. The conversation occurred hours before the shots were fired.

The investigation into Disney’s practices began in March 2025, part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reverse DEI initiatives across private companies, federal agencies, universities and other organizations.

After the 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which spurred the Black Lives Matter movement, companies such as Disney and NBC-owned Comcast aggressively promoted their diversity efforts.

But experts believe Carr is acting on ABC at the behest of Trump, as the chairman has often expressed support on social media whenever the president criticizes one of the broadcast TV news outlets.

“It might be the case that Disney can get some early relief by saying this should be dismissed because this is really a 1st Amendment issue,” said James Speta, a professor at the Northwestern University School of Law. “We all know what’s going on here — the administration doesn’t like the speech that’s coming out of the talent on the broadcasting airwaves.”

Disney is not commenting on Carr’s DEI investigation, but it earlier defended the record of its TV stations, which are ratings leaders in most markets. “We are confident that record demonstrates our continued qualifications as licensees under the Communications Act and the First Amendment and are prepared to show that through the appropriate legal channels,” the company said.

Here’s a primer on what to know and the challenges Disney may face.

Why are TV stations licensed by the government?

Government licensing regulates the spectrum allocated to broadcast channels, largely to prevent interference between TV signals. When renewals come up, the license holder must demonstrate that the station is serving the public interest by providing local news, program diversity and educational and informational shows for children. The procedure once occurred every three years, but deregulation efforts have extended that period to the current span of eight years.

When was the last time a TV station faced a significant license renewal challenge?

The most notable recent example was Fox Corp.’s Philadelphia station WTXF, which was up for a license renewal in October 2023. Activist groups filing the challenge said Fox was unfit to own the outlet after a judge ruled earlier that year that the company’s Fox News Channel had spread falsehoods about voter fraud in the 2020 election.

Fox paid $787 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems that alleged the cable news channel damaged the company’s reputation.

Fox News, which operates on cable and satellite and is therefore not subject to FCC control, has a different management team than the parent company’s local TV stations, which mostly cover their communities and do not typically present political commentary. The FCC rejected the renewal challenge in January 2025, noting that none of the false information on Fox News was heard on the Philadelphia station. WTXF was not cited in Dominion’s lawsuit.

Are there any other examples?

Yes. Other White House administrations have threatened to pull TV station licenses in response to negative news coverage. At the height of the Watergate scandal in the 1970s, Richard Nixon’s allies unsuccessfully attempted to challenge the TV licenses of three stations then owned by the Washington Post.

Has a company ever lost its broadcast license?

RKO General, a unit of the General Tire and Rubber Co., was the last company to lose broadcast TV station licenses in 1987, including Los Angeles outlet KHJ. The case was related to corporate malfeasance and not broadcast content on the stations.

The process to revoke the RKO licenses took seven years from the moment the FCC voted in favor of the move.

But isn’t this case different?

Yes. Although the rule Carr mentioned is legitimate, the FCC has rarely if ever acted on it, according to one veteran TV executive who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. If Disney or any other company was found to violate the nondiscrimination rule, they would in previous eras probably be subjected to a just a fine, not the denial of a license, which would be viewed by many as government censorship.

What happens in the event that ABC licenses are not renewed?

Nothing immediately, as the licenses are in effect through 2028 to 2032, depending on the outlet. If Disney had to sell the stations, the price would probably be depressed due to pressure to unload the properties.

But public communications attorney Andrew Jay Schwartzman told The Times last month that the bar for denying a renewal is high and any effort would be tied up in court on constitutional grounds.

“The law intentionally sets out a very steep burden for the FCC to deny a license renewal; the process takes many years, during which time the licensee continues to operate normally under ‘continuing operating authority,’” Schwartzman said.

The Lakers understand the daunting challenge they’re about to face against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.

Lakers coach JJ Redick referenced the great Chicago Bulls teams that won back-to-back championships in 1996 and ’97 and the Golden State Warriors teams that won titles in 2015 and ’17 when talking about the Thunder after practice Sunday.

“The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history,” Redick said. “It’s just the reality. They’re that good. I think our guys recognize that and respect that, and we know what kind of task we have in front of us.”

The Thunder had the best record in the regular season at 64-18. They were ranked first in defensive field-goal percentage (43.7%), first in defensive rating (106.5), first in net rating (43.7) and second in points given up per game (107.9).

They have the league’s reigning most valuable player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the leading candidate to repeat as MVP. He was second in scoring this season (31.1 points per game) and leads the postseason in scoring (33.8).

The Thunder just swept the Phoenix Suns in their first-round series. The Lakers eliminated the Houston Rockets in six games.

This season the Thunder beat the Lakers by an average of 29.2 points per game in sweeping the four-game set. So the Lakers are facing long odds to win this series, but they say they aren’t intimidated heading into Game 1 on Tuesday night.

“You can respect the team but you can’t fear them,” forward Jake LaRavia said. “You can’t come into the game fearing the opponent and then you’re just gonna come in and get punked. So, we respect how good this team is, but our goal is to win — win the games and win the series. So, our mindset stays the same.”

The Thunder have a reputation as a stingy defensive team — they were called for the seventh-fewest fouls per game (19) this season.

“They’re top five in every category that’s disruptive-base: steals, blocks, turnovers forced, all that stuff. And they don’t foul,” Redick said. “They somehow do all of that without fouling, which is one of the most remarkable things, I think, in NBA history.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is famous for drawing fouls. He took nine free throws per game this season, third-most in the league.

“Nobody’s been able to stop him all season,” Redick said. “So, you can hope and pray.”

Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives against the Lakers during a Thunder win on April 2.

(Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

The Lakers had their own weapon at the free-throw line, but it’s unclear when Luka Doncic might return from injury. The All-Star point guard hasn’t played since sustaining a Grade 2 left hamstring strain against the Thunder on April 2.

Doncic was coming off a magical month, becoming the only player in history other than Michael Jordan to score 600 points in March.

Redick had no update on Doncic’s status — he remains out indefinitely.

But the Lakers got by the Rockets with LeBron James leading the way. He averaged 23.2 points, 8.3 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the six games. And star guard Austin Reaves, who also was injured in the April 2 game against the Thunder, returned to help beat the Rockets.

Still, few think the Lakers, who advanced past the first round for the first time since 2023, can get by the deep and talented Thunder.

“You could say nobody thought we were going to get past Houston, but everybody in this building believed,” Reaves said. “It’s the same mindset going into this. We obviously know the team that we’re about to face and how good they are and the problems that they can create for 48 minutes. So, we’ll have to lock in every single day, film, whatever it could be, to continue to get better and and pay attention to all the little details like they do.”

Mark Vientos hit two homers and drove in four runs and right-hander Clay Holmes allowed one run in 6⅔ innings as the New York Mets beat the Angels 5-1 on Sunday.

Holmes (4-2) allowed four hits with three walks and six strikeouts as the Mets took two of three games from the Angels and won a series for just the second time since April 7. New York also won two of three against Minnesota (April 21-23).

The Mets used Bo Bichette at shortstop Sunday, one day after Ronny Mauricio fractured his left thumb and was placed on the injured list. Shortstop Francisco Lindor also is on the injured list with a calf strain.

Jorge Soler had an RBI single for the Angels and right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-1) gave up two runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings with three walks and six strikeouts. Los Angeles had ended a season-high seven-game losing streak Saturday. The Angels are 2-12 since April 18.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Zach Neto and Mike Trout worked walks to open the game against Holmes and Soler hit a one-out run-scoring single to center.

As Holmes settled in, the Mets grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Vientos hit a towering two-run homer 427 feet, halfway up the rock pile beyond the center field fence.

The Angels were in the game until the eighth inning when Tayler Saucedo hit Brett Baty with his first pitch of the inning and was replaced by Nick Sandlin. Carson Benge had an RBI double to right for a 3-1 lead and Vientos followed with another two-run home run, this time to left.

The Mets’ outfield made a pair of spectacular plays, with left fielder MJ Melendez making a diving catch in the sixth inning and Benge making a diving catch in right for the second out of the ninth.

Up next for the Angels: RHP Jose Soriano (5-1, 0.84 ERA) will pitch in Monday’s series opener against White Sox RHP Davis Martin (4-1, 1.95 ERA).

Season series: 0-4

Nov. 12, 2025, in Oklahoma City
Thunder 121, Lakers 92
Neither team was at full strength with James sidelined because of sciatica and the Thunder without Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams. Oklahoma City still dominated behind an effortless 30-point, nine-assist night from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It was the largest defeat of the season for the Lakers until April.

Feb. 9, in Los Angeles
Thunder 119, Lakers 110
Both teams were without their MVP candidates as Gilegous-Alexander sat because of a strained abdominal muscle and Doncic was sidelined by a hamstring injury. The Thunder proved their depth and chemistry by holding off the Lakers in the fourth quarter. This was one of just eight clutch-time losses for the Lakers during the regular season.

April 2, in Oklahoma City
Thunder 139, Lakers 96
The nightmare score wasn’t as scary for the Lakers as seeing their two leading scorers injured in the same game. Reaves played through what was later diagnosed as a Grade 2 oblique muscle strain, and Doncic left in the third quarter with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. The game was expected to be a major showdown between MVP candidates and a litmus test for the Lakers, who entered with 13 wins in their previous 14 games.

April 8, in Los Angeles
Thunder 123, Lakers 87
The Lakers were without four starters and still reeling from the regular season-ending injuries suffered by Doncic and Reaves the previous week. Matching up with the Thunder again only exacerbated the emotional hangover. Redick tried to inject some energy into the group by benching veterans Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt for small mistakes early, but the coach later admitted the tactic didn’t work.

Whew. Sigh. LeBron!

History eluded. Embarrassment avoided. Belief restored.

The most secure legacy played with the most desperation. The most creaky veteran played with the most aggression. The winningest superstar played like he had everything to lose.

Wow. Gasp. LeBron!

So it went at Houston’s Toyota Center on Friday night when the Lakers, just two losses from becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a three-games-to-none lead, blew away the Rockets 98-78 to win their first-round series four games to two.

It was a night that prevented possibly the greatest meltdown in NBA history. It was a night that celebrated possibly the greatest player in NBA history.

“Started with LeBron,” Marcus Smart said. “The OG came out.”

When the shorthanded Lakers needed him most, their ageless 41-year wonder indeed showed up huge, James fighting down the lane, throwing in from deep, finding teammates like the sizzling Rui Hachimura and the surging Austin Reaves, leading with his entire massive being.

James wasn’t going to be on the wrong side of history. He wasn’t going to further stain his sterling 42-13 close-out record. He wasn’t going to let his final season end so early.

Wait a minute, this is not his final season? Not a chance. Bury any lingering doubt. After watching him dominate the youngest starting five in these playoffs Friday, it is impossible to imagine he’s going to call it quits.

He scored a game-high 28 points while enduring a team-high 37 minutes. He had eight assists, seven rebounds and only three turnovers. He even played defense, as the Lakers were a game-best plus-26 when he was on the court.

His night ended with him appropriately surrounded in the locker room by teammates who were bleating like goats. Because he’s the, well, you know.

Lakers forward LeBron James shoots over Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. during the first half of Game 6.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

“It speaks to his greatness,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, and, yeah, somebody must be great if they can induce grown men to imitate farm animals. “To me he’s had the greatest career of any NBA player … for him to do it again and answer the bell again, it’s … baffling in some ways.”

From the frying pan to the fire, the Lakers now travel to Oklahoma City to face the defending champion Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals beginning Tuesday.

This could get real ugly, real quick.

The Lakers won’t have injured leading scorer Luka Doncic for the foreseeable future. They will be playing a Thunder team that drubbed them in the regular season, including a 43-point stomping just last month.

The Lakers don’t stand a chance. They’ll be lucky to avoid a sweep. They should quit while they’re ahead.

Which is exactly what everyone said about them before this Rockets series, before they took advantage of a Kevin Durant injury and Reaves’ return from injury, before they revealed a sense of focus and connection completely unexpected from this disjointed group.

Before James decided he wouldn’t let them lose.

“We had some obstacles obviously and I know they were without guys as well, but I thought we answered the call,” James said. “I thought we answered the challenge, and for them to allow me to lead them, that means a lot to me.”

Truly, lost in all the criticism over the last two Lakers losses was the truth that they never should have been in this position in the first place.

Consider this near miss one of James’ greatest postseason achievements. Consider his first playoff series win a huge endorsement for Redick as coach. Consider any positivity that comes from the Oklahoma City series as pure gravy.

Lakers forward LeBron James scores on an uncontested layup after blowing past the Rockets defense during the first half of Game 6.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

“For us to be written off a few weeks ago and to win a playoff series is a big deal,” Redick said. “And it speaks to the character of our team and the leaders of our team that they didn’t let go of the rope.”

James led the Lakers to a five-point lead in the first quarter, then absolutely dominated with a 14-point second quarter in which he outscored the entire Rockets team and gave the Lakers an 18-point halftime lead that never was challenged.

See if you can follow along …

James hits a fallaway. Jake LaRavia races down for a layup. Smart draws a charge. James hits a three. James hits a spinning layup. LaRavia connects on a fastbreak jam. James sinks another layup.

For those breathlessly keeping score, the Lakers began that second quarter with a 9-0 run that, dating to the first quarter, was an incredible 21-2 smackdown. At one point the Rockets missed a dozen straight shots. At another point they were 0 for 15 in the quarter.

The Rockets momentarily stopped the bleeding with six consecutive points late in the half, but on James’ last-minute trey, the Lakers finished the quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 49-31 halftime lead.

”He just has this ability to set the tone for the entire group,” Redick said. “He did that again tonight and the guys responded.”

James scored on a jump shot just seconds into the third quarter and the rout continued. Houston, which made only six baskets in the quarter, mounted a bit of a surge late in it, but Smart ended any momentum by drawing his third charge of the night.

“I love charges,” Smart said. “They’re demoralizing.”

Redick angrily called a timeout with 6:28 remaining in the game after a defensive lapse with the Lakers leading by 19. James fittingly scored on a layup immediately after the timeout, and the game was formally finished.

The Lakers’ defense was astounding, holding the Rockets to 13 points below their season low. The Lakers’ rebounding was astonishing, nearly doubling the offensive rebounds of the NBA’s best offensive rebounding team.

The Lakers offensive collective also was cool, Hachimura hitting five of seven treys, Reaves scoring 15 points with three blocked shots, and Deandre Ayton finishing a fine series with 16 rebounds.

But this was about the OG, who noted that he is finally comfortable celebrating small victories and said, “I think we should be proud of the way we handled this.”

The way he handled this.

Bleat … bleat … bleat.