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  • Havertz sparks Germany’s 7-1 rout of Curaçao after underdogs’ historic 1st goal in World Cup


    HOUSTON (AP) — Germany’s seven-goal rout of Curaçao in its World Cup opener on Sunday was the perfect outcome to overshadow a close first half and boost the team after consecutive group-stage exits for the four-time champions.

    Kai Havertz scored two goals as Germany pulled away from World Cup first-timer Curaçao and piled it on in a 7-1 win in group play. The smallest country to ever appear in the tournament hung tight at 1-1 until the 38th minute.

    “We really needed this convincing win,” coach Julian Nagelsmann said. “We needed this self-confidence. It was there but it definitely grew.”

    He said Sunday’s display was important for the country’s fans.

    “We have to show them that we can perform and we have to have the confidence,” he said. “I think we’re in a better spot than we were entering this match.”

    Livano Comenencia tied it at 1-1 with his left-footed shot through traffic from the center of the box in the 21st minute to give Curaçao its first goal in the tournament and send fans of the tiny Caribbean nation into a frenzy.

    “Even though it wasn’t me, it felt like it was me, it was all of us, the whole island, everybody,” Curaçao’s Jearl Margaritha said. “We screamed our lungs out. So we were happy.”

    It was all Germany after that with the team regaining the lead on Nico Schlotterbeck’s header off Nathaniel Brown’s corner kick in the 38th.

    “One team has very high expectations and the other one doesn’t and that’s a bit tricky,” Nagelsmann said.

    The six-goal margin was well short of the World Cup record of nine, which has happened three times, most recently when Hungary beat El Salvador 10-1 in 1982. And the performance from the Germans was much more expected than the last time they won 7-1 in a World Cup, beating host Brazil in the 2014 semifinals.

    Havertz connected on a penalty shot into the left goal in first-half stoppage time to make it 3-1. Germany was awarded the penalty shot after Felix Nmecha was tripped in the box by Riechedly Bazoer.

    Germany wasted no time after halftime to extend the lead, with Jamal Musiala scoring on a right-footed shot across the goalkeeper’s area in the 47th minute.

    Brown scored in the 68th minute to push the advantage to 5-1. The 22-year-old has an American father, but made it clear ahead of the World Cup he’d be representing the country in which he was born and raised by his mother.

    Deniz Undav added a goal in the 78th minute. Havertz’s second goal came in the 88th.

    Germany is seeking redemption after failing to get out of the group stage in Russia and Qatar following its 2014 title.

    “We are on the right path but of course there are things that we can do better and we will have stronger opponents,” Nagelsmann said.

    Nmecha one-timed it with his right foot into the near post just inside the upper box with an assist from Florian Wirtz in the sixth minute to make it 1-0.

    The crowd of 68,021 was overwhelmingly rooting for Germany but there was a spirited contingent of people cheering on Curaçao.

    It was the first match of the tournament at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL’s Houston Texans.

    Manuel Neuer, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who came out of international retirement for the tournament, had one save in his first appearance for Germany in almost two years.

    The match featured the largest age gap between coaches in World Cup history with Curaçao’s 78-year-old coach, Dick Advocaat, becoming the oldest ever in the tournament against 38-year-old Nagelsmann, who is the youngest coach in this year’s tournament.

    Germany faces Ivory Coast in its next match in Toronto on Saturday and Curaçao meets Ecuador Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri.

    ___

    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup


  • Tyra Banks sues Netflix over ‘America’s Next Top Model’ documentary, alleging defamation


    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tyra Banks has filed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix and the directors of its docuseries “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model,” alleging that the producers stripped down hours of interview footage to construct a false narrative.

    In the lawsuit filed Saturday in Los Angeles federal court, the model who created and hosted “America’s Next Top Model” said she was interviewed for 3 ½ hours, during which she took responsibility for some of the show’s controversial decisions. Those interviews were edited down to 16 minutes and manipulated “to support a false and defamatory narrative unrelated to what she actually expressed,” the lawsuit said.

    “The accountability Ms. Banks took ended up on the cutting room floor. It was there, but viewers were never given the opportunity to see it,” her lawyers wrote.

    Banks is seeking damages in her lawsuit against Netflix, the directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy and EverWonder Studio. She’s also seeking an injunction barring the use of her image in connection with the docuseries’ soundtrack, released as an album.

    Emails seeking comments were sent Sunday to the defendants’ representatives.

    “America’s Next Top Model” launched in 2003 and ran for 24 seasons. In recent years, the reality competition series has undergone a critical reevaluation over accusations of body shaming, manipulation of contestants and problematic photoshoots. Banks has previously addressed those criticisms, acknowledging “the insensitivity of past ANTM moments” and “some really off choices.”

    The lawsuit contends that the producers of the Netflix docuseries used “selective editing, deliberate omission, and surgical manipulation of continuous footage” to formulate a narrative that Banks allowed a contestant to be sexually assaulted on the show, used the contestant’s trauma to drum up ratings and then couldn’t remember it when asked during the interviews.

    “Defendants edited the Netflix Series to make it appear that Ms. Banks knew she was being asked about a sexual assault and was intentionally trying to evade the topic,” the lawsuit stated, contending that Banks hadn’t been told — or asked — about the assault during the interview.

    Banks’ lawyers wrote that she wasn’t permitted to review the docuseries until a day before its Feb. 16 release. According to the lawsuit, she had not been contacted for fact-checking after her interviews, and was not given an opportunity to respond to accusations from other participants. Other judges from the show, including one her lawyers contend holds a grudge against Banks, consulted on the docuseries.

    “Had Ms. Banks known these individuals were so deeply involved in the formulation of the Netflix Series, also serving as consultants shaping the editorial direction, and that she had been excluded from such a role, it would have raised a red flag,” the lawsuit read. “She would have known she was being set up. She would not have participated.”

    Banks’ lawyers reached out to Netflix in March to request access to the full footage of her interviews. Netflix and EverWonder denied that request, according to the lawsuit. Since the docuseries’ release, public reaction has been “swift, harsh, and directed squarely at Ms. Banks” — even SMiZE & DREAM, her ice cream shop in Sydney, Australia, has been subject to review bombing on Google, the lawsuit read.

    The Associated Press sent an email seeking further detail from Banks’ lawyers and representatives on Sunday.

    “Every other conversation about ANTM’s legacy — including the candid reflection Ms. Banks came prepared to have — is now drowned out by an accusation she was never given the chance to answer,” her lawyers wrote. “This lawsuit is that answer — particularly after her efforts to resolve the matter directly with Netflix and the producers were refused.”


  • Puerto Rican Day Parade marches through Manhattan with pulsing music and vibrant colors

    NEW YORK (AP) — New Yorkers who weren’t partied out after the Knicks championship found another excuse to celebrate on Sunday as the National Puerto Rican Day Parade marched through Manhattan with pulsing music and vibrant colors.

    Tens of thousands of spectators lined Fifth Avenue under sunny skies to watch marchers decked out in red-white-and-blue. This year’s honorees included rapper and singer Daddy Yankee, who served as grand marshal, and actor Anthony Ramos, who was part of the original Broadway cast of “Hamilton.”

    Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew cheers as he clutched a small Puerto Rico flag and wore a Knicks jersey over a shirt and tie.

    The event, which bills itself as America’s largest cultural celebration, honors the contributions of Puerto Ricans on their home island and throughout the nation and world. It’s a been a June tradition in the city since the late 1950s.

    U.S. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez and jazz musician Charlie Sepulveda were recognized with lifetime achievement awards.

    The parade was traveling along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan from 44th Street to 79th Street, spanning 35 city blocks.

    The National Puerto Rican Day Parade Scholarship Gala was held on Friday, celebrating academic excellence and student achievement.

  • Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says US AI restrictions underscore risks of dependence


    WESTPORT, Ireland (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday U.S. restrictions on Anthropic’s newest AI models show the dangers of overreliance on a limited number of American providers.

    AI giant Anthropic said Friday it has taken its latest artificial intelligence models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5, offline to comply with a directive from the Trump administration to prevent their use by foreign nationals.

    The export controls mark the U.S. government’s most significant step to date to restrict access to the most advanced AI models. Anthropic released Fable widely this week. That model is a limited version of the even more advanced Mythos, to which the company has tightly limited access due to cybersecurity fears.

    “The situation we’re in collectively right now with Mythos and Fable is something that can happen with overreliance on certain models” Carney said. “Nobody has done anything wrong in the situation. But we will have done something wrong if we just accept this, don’t take the lesson, don’t build out and diversify.”

    Carney made the comments in Ireland ahead of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France. He said artificial intelligence will be one of the major discussions on Monday night.

    Anthropic, based in San Francisco, California, has said the new Mythos model it announced on April 7 is so “strikingly capable” that it is limiting its use to select customers because of its ability to surpass human cybersecurity experts in finding and exploiting computer vulnerabilities.

    “You’ll hear me say this over and over again. It is never a good idea to have one option,” Carney said.

    Carney said he spent 45 minutes talking with French President Emmanuel Macron about artificial intelligence on Friday night. He said there “will not be a mission accomplished banner” that comes out of the summit because the issues are complex.

    Carney linked the U.S. AI curbs to Canada’s push to diversify trade and technology. More than 70% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. and Carney has set a goal for Canada to double its non-U.S. exports in the next decade. Trump’s trade war is causing a chill in investment.

    Carney doesn’t have a bilateral meeting scheduled with Trump at the G7 despite the free trade agreement between U.S., Canada and Mexico being up for renewal. He said USMCA discussions will be held at the summit among Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for U.S. trade, Janice Charette, Canada’s chief negotiator, and U.S. Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

    “The right way to do it at this stage, will be between the principal negotiators, which is going to happen in Evian,” he said.

    Carney visited his family’s ancestral village of Aghagower, Ireland earlier Sunday. Carney’s grandfather, Robert Carney, and grandmother, Nora Moran, were both from the town in County Mayo, and immigrated to Canada in the 1920s.

    Owen Morgan was with his 17-month-old son, Malachy Morgan — who was wearing Montreal Canadiens jersey — and said people in Mayo county are very proud of Carney.

    “People are very impressed,” Morgan said. “He’s very much standing up for Canadians, and I think that’s very much admired.”


  • Steven Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ opens No. 1, while ‘Obsession’ sensation continues


    NEW YORK (AP) — Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day,” billed as his first popcorn movie in years, launched with $44 million in domestic theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.

    “Disclosure Day” opened largely as expected, collecting $92.9 million worldwide over its first weekend. That was good enough to give the 79-year-old Spielberg, who conceived the film’s story, his best opening weekend for an original movie, not accounting to inflation.

    Of course, Spielberg is the father of the modern blockbuster. But “Disclosure Day,” released by Universal Pictures, is his first summer movie in 10 years. And it opened in a much different movie world than once greeted “Jaws” or “Jurassic Park.” Its closest competition was the indie horror hit “Obsession,” directed by a YouTuber-turned-filmmaker, Curry Barker, more than 50 years Spielberg’s junior.

    “It played very, very evenly across all of the U.S. and Canada,” said Jim Orr, distribution chief for Universal. “It did not come across as a coastal big-market movie. It resonated with everybody.”

    While a much-watched NBA finals game might have been expected to depress ticket sales, at least in New York, Orr said there was no noticeable dip in the city’s box office numbers Saturday night.

    After Gen Z propelled moviegoing for the last several weeks, a slightly older audience drove interest in “Disclosure Day.” Some 41% of moviegoers were aged 45 and up.

    “What’s encouraging is that we had this big an opening with that audience demographic and with the fact that it’s an original film,” said Orr. “So if we’re opening this well, and we think we’re going to have great word-of-mouth, and we have an older audience that doesn’t necessarily rush out on opening weekend, all of that points to a great run through the summer.”

    “Disclosure Day” returns Spielberg to the subject of alien life. Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor and Colman Domingo star in a chase to reveal government evidence of UFO encounters. It cost $115 million to make.

    While a good start, “Disclosure Day” — like most original movies — will depend on strong legs to be successful. Reviews (80% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) have been strong, though audience response wasn’t overwhelming. The movie landed a “B” CinemaScore.

    “It’s off to a solid start,” said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for Rentrak. “Let’s see how it plays in the coming weeks. If it holds like some of these other films have, like ‘Project Hail Mary,’ ‘Michael,’ ‘Obsession,’ it will be in good shape. Staying power has been the bread and butter of this year and this summer.”

    Meanwhile, the “Obsession” sensation continues. Though it originally opened with $17.2 million, the Focus Features release has exceeded that for four consecutive weekends. It did so again this weekend, collecting $19 million in ticket sales to bring its North American haul to $188.3 million and its worldwide total to $286.5 million.

    Having cost less than $1 million to make, “Obsession” ranks among the most profitable releases in recent memory. Focus acquired it for $15 million.

    Last weekend’s top film, “Scary Movie,” slid to third place with $14.5 million. The Paramount Pictures release, the sixth entry in the horror spoof franchise, dropped steeply from its opening weekend, down 73%. But with a modest production budget of $30 million, the Miramax-produced sequel is already a considerable success. Its two-week domestic total is $88.6 million.

    A24’s “Backrooms” added $11.3 million domestically in its third weekend. It’s rapidly grossed $262.3 million globally.

    In its second weekend, Amazon MGM’s “Masters of the Universe” fell fast following a disappointing launch. Its box office dropped 71% with $8.7 million. Its two-week domestic total stands at $46.7 million

    Next weekend, The Walt Disney Co.’s “Toy Story 5” opens with big expectations at the box office.

    Top 10 movies by domestic box office

    With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:

    1. “Disclosure Day,” $44 million.

    2. “Obsession,” $19 million.

    3. “Scary Movie,” $14.5 million.

    4. “Backrooms,” $11.3 million.

    5. “Masters of the Universe,” $8.7 million.

    6. “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” $4.7 million.

    7. “Michael,” $4.1 million.

    8. “The Furious,” $2.8 million.

    9. “Stop! That! Train!” $2 million.

    10. “The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act,” $1.8 million.


  • Justin Trudeau skipped Canada World Cup opener because girlfriend Katy Perry performed at US game


    Former Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay on Friday at Inglewood, California, rather than his own nation’s game vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto.

    Trudeau said he made the decision because his girlfriend, Katy Perry, performed in the pregame show before the match at SoFi Stadium.

    “Sometimes supportive boyfriend duties call. But you know who I’m rooting for to take the Cup,” he wrote on X on Saturday.

    Trudeau was Canada’s prime minister from 2015-25.

    Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are co-hosting this year’s World Cup. Canada tied 1-1 in a game that started at 3 p.m. EDT and the U.S. beat Paraguay 4-1 in a match that began six hours later.

    ___

    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup


  • The world wants more high-protein products, but there’s not enough whey to go around


    Global consumers want more protein in every bite, but the dairy industry is struggling to give it to them.

    Athletes and older adults have long used smoothies and shakes blended with whey protein concentrate – a powdered byproduct of cheese-making – to build or maintain muscle. More recently, food companies have sprinkled it into everything from breakfast cereals, Pop-Tarts and potato chips to bagels, tortillas and Starbucks drinks to meet growing consumer demand.

    The average U.S. supermarket now has 38,708 products advertising their protein content, according to NielsenIQ, a market research company. But the eagerness to appeal to ingredient-focused shoppers is causing shortages of food-grade whey protein and pushing prices to new records.

    “Demand is very firm and seemingly outpacing supply for right now,” said Kathleen Wolfley, vice president of Ever.Ag Insights, a data provider and consulting company for the agriculture industry.

    Wholesale prices for whey protein began rising in 2024, and the pace accelerated last year and so far this year, Wolfley said.

    Whey protein concentrate with 80% protein – the type often used by food makers and supplement companies as a booster – is trading on the dairy commodities market at more than $13 per pound in the U.S., up 250% from a year ago, according to Ever.Ag. Whey protein isolate, a more refined vesion that contains at least 90% protein, is 150% more expensive than last year, the company said.

    That’s raising prices for consumers. U.S. prices for whey protein concentrate powder have increased by around 15% over the past year, while more premium whey isolate powder has seen steeper gains, according to Datasembly, a price-tracking company.

    It’s a similar story in Europe. In late May, 80% whey protein concentrate hit a new record average of 26,450 euros ($30,518) per metric ton, a price more than double from less than a year earlier, according to DCA Market Intelligence, a Netherlands-based commodity pricing firm.

    Here’s what’s happening with whey protein and when strained supplies might be alleviated.

    Curds and whey

    Milk contains two proteins: casein and whey. During the cheese-making process, the casein – which forms solid curds – is separated from the liquid whey, which is dried to form a powder. Every pound of cheese yields nine pounds of whey, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    U.S. milk consumption has fallen for decades as Americans shifted to beverages like sodas. But the appetite for cheese remained strong, Wolfley said. A nation of cheese-eaters generated a lot of whey protein, and some of the excess used to be exported to China and other countries.

    The domestic hunger for high-protein snacks and meals is now keeping more whey protein in the U.S. for use as a food additive or a nutritional supplement. U.S. exports of 80% whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate to China fell 47% from January through April compared to the same four-month period a year ago, according to Vesper, an Amsterdam-based company that tracks commodity prices.

    “There simply isn’t enough product for the U.S. customer, and exports have therefore been paused as much as possible,” said Jasper Endlich, a Vesper dairy analyst.

    China is seeking more whey protein from Europe, which also is seeing shortages thanks to reduced U.S. exports, Endlich said.

    Whey and weight loss

    Use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is one of the factors that has supercharged demand for whey protein concentrate, Wolfley said.

    Obesity drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound are designed to suppress the appetites of people taking them. The foods they do eat need to be nutritionally dense, experts say. GLP-1 users often are advised to consume enough protein to help them feel full for longer and to retain muscle mass as they lose weight.

    Around 6% of obese and diabetic patients in the U.S. and 2% of obese and diabetic patients worldwide were using GLP-1 drugs last year, according to an estimate by the investment bank Morgan Stanley. Some estimates have put GLP-1 use as high as 12% of the U.S. adult population, since not everyone on GLP-1 drugs is obese or diabetic.

    Food and nutrition companies are creating added-protein products to attract those consumers as well as people who think drinking protein shakes to replace meals will help them lose weight.

    Pricey protein

    Tight supplies and higher costs have caused some manufacturers to increase the prices consumers pay for protein powder or protein-enriched products.

    Now Foods, an Illinois-based maker of health foods and nutritional supplements, said tubs of whey protein powder are consistently the biggest seller in its sports nutrition category. But after two years of paying more for raw ingredients, the company raised the price of its own whey protein products earlier this year.

    Bryan Morin, the sports brand manager at Now, said the company doesn’t anticipate further price increases on whey protein powder this year. It’s trying to absorb some of its increased costs by cutting back on discounts. It’s also considering expanding its portfolio to include products made with milk protein concentrate, a powder that contains less whey and is cheaper.

    “From our perspective, broader market dynamics continue to indicate a tight and evolving protein landscape,” Morin said.

    More on the whey

    Wolfley, at Ever.Ag, said manufacturers are investing in whey protein production, which should eventually improve supplies. But the relief won’t be immediate.

    Glanbia, an Irish nutrition company, said in November that it planned to increase its whey protein isolate production in New Mexico, but the additional capacity won’t be in place until 2027. In February, Canadian dairy company Agropur said it intended to increase whey protein manufacturing at plants in Quebec, Nova Scotia, South Dakota and Wisconsin by 2029.

    In the meantime, higher prices could cause some consumers to stop buying whey protein powders, especially at a time when groceries are getting more expensive overall, Wolfley said. Reduced retail demand might reduce shortages at the wholesale level.

    “The supply-demand dynamics could start to improve, but I don’t know if that’s a tomorrow dynamic or within a year. Some of these things are going to take time,” Wolfley said.


  • Australia spoils Turkey’s return to the World Cup with a 2-0 victory


    VANCOUVER, B.C. (AP) — Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe scored and Australia spoiled Turkey’s return to the World Cup for the first time in 24 years with a 2-0 victory on Saturday night.

    Goalkeeper Patrick Beach made eight saves for the Socceroos in their group opener as FIFA President Gianni Infantino looked on. Australia was playing in its sixth straight World Cup and seventh overall.

    Turkey reached the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup but then missed five straight tournaments before qualifying this year by beating Kosovo in a playoff.

    Irankunda broke through for the Socceroos in the 27th minute with a low shot while pursued by three defenders. It came less than a minute after the first-half hydration break.

    Irankunda celebrated by punching the corner flag in a tribute to Australian soccer legend Tim Cahill. The 20-year-old who plays for Watford is the Socceroo’s youngest-ever goal scorer at a World Cup.

    Minutes later Beach stopped Abdulkerim Bardakcı’s blast from distance. Beach started in goal for the Socceroos rather than experienced counterpart Matthew Ryan in a surprise decision from coach Tony Popovic.

    Kenan Yildiz, a 21-year-old who plays for Juventus, was not in the starting lineup but subbed in for Turkey at half-time.

    Turkey had a dangerous free kick in the 57th minute, but Arda Güler’s attempt was saved by Beach. Güler, a talented 21-year-old attacking midfielder who plays for Real Madrid, was not yet born the last time Turkey played in the World Cup.

    Connor Metcalfe capitalized on Ismail Yüksek’s turnover in the 75th minute to double the Socceroos’ lead. The Socceroos fell to France in the opener in Qatar but then beat Tunisia and Denmark in their group before getting knocked out by eventual champion Argentina in the round of 16.

    It is the third World Cup appearance for the Turks, who reached the tournament for the first time in 1954.

    The teams are in Group D with the United States and Paraguay. The Americans downed Paraguay 4-1 in their group opener on Friday in Los Angeles.

    ____

    AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup


  • Downtown Geneva boards up as drastic security tightens ahead of anti-G7 protests


    GENEVA (AP) — Scores of shops and businesses in downtown Geneva boarded up their storefronts with wooden panels ahead of planned anti-G7 protests on Sunday.

    French and Swiss authorities have imposed extensive security measures as U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders attend a G7 summit of leading industrialized nations starting on Monday. There are concerns the gathering could trigger violent unrest.

    The June 15-17 summit of some of the world’s richest nations being held in the French town of Evian-les-Bains, on Lake Geneva, is meant to discuss the Middle East, Ukraine and global economic imbalances. Activist groups including environmentalists, feminists and foes of capitalism have called for a big demonstration later Sunday.

    A flotilla of around 20 boats appeared on Lake Geneva off the coast of Evian on Saturday, displaying anti-G7 and pro-Palestinian banners. Some 20 protesters were detained on Friday evening, according to Swiss media reports.

    Earlier, between 100 and 150 people had gathered in Geneva for a protest bicycle ride, slowing down traffic and chanting anti-G7 and pro-Palestinian slogans, public broadcaster RTS reported.

    Business owners and local leaders are worried of a repeat of violent protests that smashed storefronts on the sidelines of the G8 summit in 2003, when Russia was in the club of nations.

    Local resident Robin Hedz lamented the “mess” and expressed bafflement about the “wood-wall everywhere,” while acknowledging the memories of the trail of damaged property at the summit over a generation ago.

    The Swiss government said the army will deploy some 4,000 personnel to support police during the summit. Operations will include airspace and road restrictions as well as patrols on Lake Geneva. Seven of the 35 roadway border crossings will remain open. Geneva also is closing a major park where activists wanted to congregate.

    France will deploy more than 13,000 police and gendarmerie officers to ensure security in the summit area just across the border. Over 800 French border control officers will be active, up from about 60 normally.

    French gendarmes buzzed around in motorboats off the coast of Evian on Saturday, and one officer hoisted up a bulky drone-interception device in a display of the security measures being rolled out for the summit.

    Protests are nothing new around such elite gatherings. This time, activists want to demonstrate frustration with Trump’s leadership on issues as diverse as tariffs, the war in Iran and the climate, or even highlight his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

    “We are very afraid of the policy and the politics of Mr. Trump and also of the other leaders of the G7, because they are fighting, making war all over the place,” said Francoise Nyffeler, spokesperson for the NoG7 coalition, which has organized the demonstration and march on Sunday.

    “The planet is in danger and we are very scared about it and we want to protest and say that the people of the world are against their policies,” she added.


  • Jalen Brunson bet on himself and bet on the Knicks. A championship and a Finals MVP was his reward


    SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Jalen Brunson was fully aware of how much money some people spent to see the New York Knicks finally become champions again. Some tickets during the NBA Finals sold for $5,000, some for $50,000, some for probably more.

    Of course, Brunson parted with more money than any of those fans.

    Brunson is now an NBA champion and NBA Finals MVP in large part because of what he did against the San Antonio Spurs in the finals — though, really, his biggest contribution to this title run likely came in 2024, when he left as much as $113 million on the bargaining table to allow the Knicks the financial flexibility they needed to finish building a championship roster.

    It was considered an unprecedented move.

    It paid off.

    Brunson had 45 points — including 13 straight down the stretch — to lead the Knicks to a 94-90, title-clinching win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night, one that sealed a 4-1 win.

    “I knew it was achievable,” Brunson said.

    It was a storybook finish to a story like none other; not only did Brunson make the Knicks champions, he made his dad one as well. Rick Brunson played for the Knicks, and now is an assistant coach on his kid’s team.

    “I have all of his trophies,” Rick Brunson said. “He has not one trophy at his house. I’m going to get his MVP trophy, too.”

    A Big Apple legend for life

    Brunson now has a seat at the table of sports kings of New York, alongside the likes of Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Mark Messier and others. Deliver a championship to the Big Apple and you get celebrated for life. Brunson doesn’t seek attention — in fact, he genuinely seems to dislike it — but such is the risk one takes when he leads a storied franchise to its first title in more than half a century.

    There was no doubt Jalen Brunson would win finals MVP. Knicks coach Mike Brown doesn’t understand why he wasn’t among the top vote-getters for the regular-season MVP as well.

    “I hope you guys will listen to me: He’s a top-three MVP candidate,” Brown said, holding his grandson on his lap in the championship celebration. “Everybody kind of mentions his name in passing. They don’t do it seriously enough. … He is a fricking 1-A. He is a MVP candidate and I hope tonight you guys recognize what this man is about.

    “He is him.”

    There are countless reasons why the Knicks have turned their fortunes around over the last four seasons, but the list starts with Brunson. New York had four winning seasons in a 21-year span before Brunson arrived; the Knicks have had four winning seasons in the four years that he’s worn the franchise’s colors. They’ve now won eight playoff series with Brunson in the lineup; they won seven series, total, from 1998 through 2022.

    He’s a bona fide superstar as well, with three consecutive All-Star selections and three consecutive seasons in which he’s averaged at least 26 points. The only other players to do that in each of the last three years — be an All-Star and average 26 points in every one — are Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

    They’ve all been NBA champions, too. So, now, is Brunson.

    “He’s a tremendous player that’s skilled, picks his spots, knows his angles, shoots contested shots without being sped up,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said earlier in the finals. “He’s a phenomenal player.”

    Another title won in Texas

    Texas has been good to Brunson when it comes to titles. Villanova’s 2016 championship was won in Houston, and the 2018 championship came in San Antonio — at the Alamodome, just a few minutes away from the arena that the Spurs call home.

    Oddly, Texas wasn’t always that good to Brunson as a pro — which is how he ended up in New York.

    Brunson joined the Knicks in 2022 after leaving Dallas, which didn’t offer him a contract anywhere near what the Villanova guard felt he deserved.

    And then, two years later, Brunson took far less than he’d earned.

    In 2024, Brunson signed a four-year extension with New York that could be worth $156.5 million if he accepts his option for the 2028-29 season. If Brunson waited until 2025 for his extension, he would have been eligible for a five-year, $269 million deal.

    Brown said, if he was in that position, he wouldn’t have taken the discount deal.

    “He set the bar before he even stepped on the floor,” Brown said.

    Brunson will almost certainly recoup some if not all of that money in his next extension, one that could top $300 million — possibly by a lot. But by passing up the much larger guarantee then, he provided the Knicks with the ability to make other moves that are paying off now.

    And among the ones that followed his June 2024 decision: The Knicks brought in starters Mikal Bridges (a former Villanova teammate) and Karl-Anthony Towns.

    Could all that have happened if Brunson didn’t accept the smaller extension? Maybe, but unlikely.

    “I think he’s still underrated in the league, and he keeps proving people wrong, game by game, series by series, playoff appearance by playoff appearance,” said Knicks forward Josh Hart — one of the ‘Nova Knicks,’ the moniker given to the trio of himself, Brunson and Bridges, all NCAA champions at Villanova who have now become NBA champions in New York. “As a friend, as a teammate, it’s funny because you know he’s one of the best players in the league, and you’re happy that he’s starting to get some recognition.”

    He’s getting more than some recognition. He’s getting a ring.

    “Just thankful that this opportunity presented itself,” Brunson said, “and we were able to get it done.”

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