5+ min ago (1139+ words) Pope Leo XIV plans to pray at an Armenian Apostolic cathedral in Istanbul in a gesture supporting Christian unity and Christian minorities in Turkey Beyond its ecumenical symbolism, the visit also may signal quiet support of ongoing efforts to heal century-old wounds between Turkey and Armenia, long scarred by mass killings and decades of mistrust, observers note. An estimated 1.5 million Armenians died in massacres, deportations and forced marches that began in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey. Historians widely view the event as genocide. Turkey denies the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been inflated and those killed were victims of civil war and unrest. It has lobbied to prevent countries from officially recognizing the massacres as genocide. Pope Francis did not visit any Armenian sites during his visit to Turkey in 2014, but on his way to the airport before departing he…...

21+ min ago (481+ words) President Donald Trump's top officials are meeting with a team of Ukrainian negotiators WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Top Trump administration officials are meeting Ukrainian negotiators in Florida this weekend, pushing to broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine and setting the stage for key talks planned this week in Moscow with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, were expected to sit down with a Ukrainian delegation to further hash out the details of a proposed peace framework " talks that come at a sensitive moment for Ukraine as it continues to push back against Russian forces that invaded the country in 2022. On Friday just before the Florida sit-down, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the resignation of his powerful chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, who…...

29+ min ago (268+ words) Hondurans are set to elect a new president following U.S. Donald Trump's unexpected involvement in the race TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Hondurans will elect a new president Sunday while still grappling with U.S. Donald Trump's sudden intervention in what was expected to be a close contest, the latest signal of the United States' renewed interest in Latin America. Among the five presidential candidates on the ballot, polls indicated three had a chance to win and were finishing in close competition. Castro promises to "democratize" an economy still defined by extreme wealth and poverty. Nasralla casts himself as the outsider who can clean up the country's endemic corruption. And Asfura is trying to restore the National Party as a pro-business force tarnished by previous bouts of presidential corruption. Honduras' security situation has improved in recent years as homicides across the region continue to fall, but…...

1+ hour, 1+ min ago (135+ words) Authorities in Stockton, California, say four people are dead and 10 wounded following a shooting during a family gathering at a banquet hall STOCKTON, Calif. -- Four people were killed and 10 wounded in a shooting during a family gathering at a banquet hall in Stockton, sheriff's officials said Saturday. Heather Brent, a spokesperson for the San Joaquin County sheriff's office, said the victims included both children and adults. Early indications "suggest this may have been a targeted incident," Brent said during a news conference at the scene. The shooting occurred inside the banquet hall, which shares a parking lot with other businesses. Detectives were still working to identify a possible motive. Authorities did not immediately provide additional information about the conditions of the victims. Officials said earlier that several were taken to hospitals....

1+ hour, 1+ min ago (346+ words) AUBURN, Ala. -- Ty Simpson and Isaiah Horton connected three times for touchdowns, and No. 10 Alabama escaped Auburn with a 27-20 victory in the rivalry known as the Iron Bowl on Saturday night. The Crimson Tide advanced to face fourth-ranked Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game next week in Atlanta. Alabama (10-2, 7-1) beat Georgia 24-21 on the road in the regular season. The Tide were on the ropes again at Jordan-Hare Stadium. After leading 17-0 early in the second quarter, they found themselves tied in the waning minutes. But Simpson found Horton on a fourth-and-2 play from the Auburn 6 with 3:50 remaining. It was their third hookup of the night, including 6- and 3-yard scores in the first half. Simpson completed 19 of 35 passes for a season-low 122 yards. Horton finished with five catches for 35 yards, with all three scores coming in the red zone. Alabama won despite…...

1+ hour, 1+ min ago (594+ words) Lionel Messi has led Inter Miami to the MLS Cup final after a 5-1 win over New York City FC FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Lionel Messi will play for another trophy. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets clearly aren't ready to begin their retirements, either. Tadeo Allende scored three goals " Alba and Busquets, a pair of longtime Messi teammates who will retire when this season ends, had the assists on his first two " and Inter Miami topped New York City FC 5-1 on Saturday night for the Eastern Conference title and a berth in the MLS Cup final. Mateo Silvetti scored in the 67th minute for Inter Miami, with Messi setting up that goal " the 405th assist of his career for club and country, which is generally believed to be the most in soccer history. Telasco Segovia scored off a heel pass from Alba in the…...

1+ hour, 2+ min ago (662+ words) A devastating fire in a Hong Kong apartment complex has killed at least 128 people HONG KONG -- A steady stream of people placed bouquets of white roses, carnations, lilies and other flowers Sunday at a makeshift memorial outside the blackened buildings of a Hong Kong apartment complex that went up in flames, killing at least 128 people in one of the city's deadliest blazes. Many bowed toward the scene of the fire and said short prayers, or left handwritten notes among the flowers. There has been an outpouring of support and sympathy, with thousands of city residents visiting the site of the fire to pay tribute to the dead and donate supplies to those who lost everything in the blaze, which started Wednesday and took until Friday to fully extinguish. The eight buildings of the Wang Fuk Court complex in the suburb…...

1+ hour, 33+ min ago (294+ words) CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- J'Mari Taylor became the first Atlantic Coast Conference running back since 2021 to run for a touchdown and throw for a score in the same game as No. 17 Virginia beat Virginia Tech 27-7 on Saturday night to clinch a spot in the conference championship game. Taylor ran for 80 yards and a score and quarterback Chandler Morris threw for 182 yards and ran 8 yards for a touchdown as the Cavaliers beat the Hokies for just the second time in the last 21 meetings between the schools. Virginia (10-2, 7-1 ACC) turned an interception off a deflected pass on Tech's first possession into a touchdown and never looked back. The Cavaliers' defense held Tech to a season-low 197 total yards in front of 58,832, the largest crowd at Scott Stadium since 2011. Virginia linebacker Maddox Marcellus, playing in place of injured star Kam Robinson, had nine tackles, an interception…...

1+ hour, 35+ min ago (341+ words) Short-yardage quarterback Will Wilson ran for four touchdowns to help N RALEIGH, N.C. -- Short-yardage quarterback Will Wilson ran for four touchdowns while starter C.J. Bailey threw two scoring passes as N.C. State blew out rival North Carolina 42-19 on Saturday night, ending NFL icon Bill Belichick's first college season with the Tar Heels. Wilson ran for 54 yards and had a 15-yard dragging-the-pile score in the third quarter for the Wolfpack (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who scored touchdowns on all four first-half drives to firmly take control of this one. Bailey threw TD passes to Wesley Grimes and Justin Joly in that dominant first half on the way to yet another rivalry win for coach Dave Doeren, who has now beaten UNC five straight years. Gio Lopez threw a touchdown pass for the Tar Heels (4-8, 2-6), though he was knocked from the game early in the third…...

2+ hour, 14+ min ago (183+ words) Led by Amani Lyles' 25 points, the Akron Zips defeated the Milwaukee Panthers 105-81 AKRON, Ohio -- Amani Lyles had 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists in Akron's 105-81 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday. Evan Mahaffey finished with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting, six rebounds and three steals for the Zips (6-2). Shammah Scott had 14 points and went 6 of 9 from the field (1 for 3 from 3-point range). Danilo Jovanovich finished with 21 points and two blocks for the Panthers (3-5). Stevie Elam added 17 points and seven rebounds for Milwaukee. Seth Hubbard had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. Akron took the lead for good less than four minutes into the game and it was 52-39 at halftime, with Lyles racking up 16 points. Akron pulled away with an 8-0 run in the second half to extend a 19-point lead to 27 points. The Zips outscored Milwaukee by 11 points in the final half, as…...