Florida tourists gather to 'witness history' ahead of Moon launch

A major 7.4-magnitude quake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia on Thursday, killing at least one person, causing waves of up to 75 centimetres (2.5 feet) and triggering a tsunami warning that was subsequently lifted.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the tremor hit at a shallow depth of 35 kilometres in the Molucca Sea between the Sulawesi and Maluku island groups in the early morning.

One person was killed when a building collapsed in the city of Manado in North Sulawesi province, a local search and rescue official told AFP.

"The quake was felt strongly and around Manado... one person died and one person had a leg injury," George Leo Mercy Randang told AFP by telephone.

The victim was "buried under the rubble" of a collapsed building, he said.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) initially said hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) of the epicentre along the coasts of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Within half an hour of the quake, waves up to 75 centimetres were recorded in North Minahasa and 20 centimetres in Bitung, both in the north of Sulawesi island, according to Indonesia's BMKG geological agency.

Thirty-centimetre waves were also logged in North Maluku province.

The PTWC lifted its warning just over two hours after the tremor, saying the tsunami threat "has now passed."

Ternate resident Budi Nurgianto, 42, said he was inside his house when the tremor struck, sending people panicking outside.

"The quake was felt strongly. I heard it first from the walls of the house that shook," he said.

"When I went outside, there were many people outside. They were panicked. The quake was felt (for) quite long, more than a minute.

"I even saw some people leaving their house without having finished their shower."

- Aftershocks -

BMKG head Teuku Faisal Fathani told journalists in the capital Jakarta there were 11 aftershocks, the biggest with a magnitude of 5.5.

An AFP journalist in Manado on Sulawesi, about 300 kilometres west of Ternate by sea, said the shaking woke him and others in the city of around 450,000 people.

"I immediately woke up and left my house. People (were) immediately scrambling outside. There is a school and the pupils rushed outside," he said.

The shaking persisted for "quite long" but he did not witness "significant damage", he added.

The PTWC had initially warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre were possible for parts of Indonesia, with smaller waves possible for the Philippines, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and Palau.

"Government agencies responsible for threatened coastal areas should take action to inform and instruct any coastal populations at risk," the agency said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said it expected "slight changes" in the sea level along the Pacific coast from northern Hokkaido to southern Okinawa, but has not issued any warnings.

The earthquake centres of the Philippines and Malaysia have also not issued tsunami alerts.

Indonesia and neighbouring countries experience frequent earthquakes due to their location in the Pacific "Ring of Fire" -- an arc of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

In 2004, a magnitude-9.1 quake struck Aceh province, causing a tsunami and killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia.

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(The Center Square) – Just over a month after Operation Epic Fury began, President Donald Trump Wednesday proclaimed U.S. strikes on Iran are nearing completion, while telling allies to step up defense of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas passageway.

During a nearly 20-minute address from the White House Wednesday night, the president outlined the accomplishments of the military strikes, while sending a swift warning to the Iranian regime.

“I’m pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion…We are going to finish the job. And we’re going to finish it very fast,” the president said.

“Our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield,” said the president.

“I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly, we’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two or three weeks, we’re going to bring them back to the stone ages, where they belong,” Trump said.

The president claims the Iranian’s Navy, Air Force and leadership have been decimated.

Trump highlighted his core objective of the mission, which includes eliminating Iran’s ability to produce and build nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, and supporting proxies in the region.

The president spotlighted concerns over Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, which were demonstrated when the Islamic Republic attempted to strike Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, exceeding prior beliefs of their long-range missile capabilities.

“They had some weapons that nobody believed they had. We just learned that we took them out,” said Trump. “We are systematically dismantling the regime’s ability to threaten America or project power outside their border.”

The president addressed concerns over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on the global oil trade, assuring American taxpayers of the nation’s energy independence, though gas prices topped $4 a gallon in states across the nation.

Trump proclaimed that the U.S. is completely independent of oil from the Middle East, but “we are there to help. We don’t have to be there. We don’t need their oil.” He reiterated his commitment to helping allies in the region.

He attempted to reassure Americans that the high prices at the gas pump will be short-lived as the conflict wraps up.

“This is a short-term increase and has been entirely the result of the Iranian regime launching to raise terror attacks against commercial oil tankers and neighboring counties that have nothing to do with the conflict,” said the president.

The president said the U.S. imports “almost no oil through the straight.”

Trump stressed his attempts at diplomacy with Iran in striking a deal to cease the production of nuclear and ballistic missiles.

Trump called out allies depending on oil from the Strait to step up and take back the Strait of Hormuz.

“I have a suggestion. Number one, buy oil from the United States of America. We have plenty. We have so much. And number two, build up some delayed courage,” said the president.

Trump left the door open for diplomacy with the Islamic Republic, describing the new regime as “less radical and much more reasonable.”

However, he warned them that if a deal isn’t made “during this period of time,” the U.S. will hit key targets, including energy infrastructure and oil.

Spanish police on Wednesday said they were investigating "Islamophobic and xenophobic" chants that were heard during a Spain-Egypt international football match in Barcelona, which the prime minister said "tarnish" the country.

Egypt's national anthem was also jeered ahead of the 0-0 draw on Tuesday in a pre-World Cup friendly, while authorities at La Liga side Espanyol's RCDE Stadium appealed to fans more than once over the public announcement system to refrain from making offensive comments.

It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid's Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior in particular repeatedly racially abused.

"We are investigating yesterday's Islamophobic and xenophobic chants at RCDE Stadium during the Spain-Egypt friendly match," Catalonia's regional police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, wrote on X.

A section of supporters had chanted: "Whoever doesn't jump is Muslim."

One of Spain's starters during Tuesday's match, forward Lamine Yamal who plays for Espanyol's city rivals Barcelona and is Muslim, slammed the chants as "a lack of respect and something intolerable".

"To those who sing these things: using a religion as a form of mockery on a pitch shows you up as ignorant and racist," the teenage star wrote on Instagram.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned an "unacceptable" incident on X, adding: "we cannot allow an uncivil minority to tarnish the reality of Spain, a diverse and tolerant country."

Justice Minister Felix Bolanos said on X that "racist insults and chants embarrass us as a society".

"The far right will not leave any space free from their hatred, and those who remain silent today will be complicit," he added.

- 'Intolerable' -

The Egyptian Football Association expressed in a statement its "total condemnation of the vile racist incident" by some spectators who "went beyond the limits".

The Spanish Football Federation also condemned the chants, as did most major political parties.

But the leader of the far-right Vox party, Santiago Abascal, took aim on X at political opponents who "get worked up about a chant that is not even an insult, just an expression of identity".

The game in Barcelona was moved from Qatar due to the war in the Middle East and was played out in a hostile environment from the start.

A message urging fans to stop xenophobic chants and remarks was displayed on the screen at half-time and read aloud by the stadium announcer at the ground. 

The announcement was repeated early in the second half, prompting some sections of the crowd of 35,000 to respond with whistles.

"I don't know exactly what the protocol is, but I think it was the right decision to display the message on the screen and make the announcement," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said after the match, calling the chants "intolerable".

"Violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves. They must be removed from society, identified, and kept as far away as possible," the 64-year-old added.

- First conviction -

Spain has struggled to stamp out racism at football matches.

Vinicius, 25, has become a lightning rod for racist abuse since arriving in the Spanish capital in 2018 from Brazilians Flamengo.

In January 2023, Atletico Madrid fans hung an effigy of Vinicius from a bridge near Real Madrid's training ground.

In 2025, five Real Valladolid fans, who racially abused Vinicius in a 2022 match, were found guilty by a court of committing a hate crime -- the first such ruling in Spain regarding insults at a football stadium.

Spain's game with Egypt was a warm-up fixture for this summer's World Cup, with both nations qualified for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

La Roja will face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H, while Egypt are scheduled to play against Belgium, New Zealand and Iran in Group G.

bur-rbj-at/ds-imm/bsp 

Carmakers reported mixed first-quarter US sales Wednesday pointing to a hit from winter storms, as the Middle East war clouds the industry's outlook compared with unusually favorable dynamics a year ago.

The US-Israeli offensive against Iran, launched on February 28, has boosted oil costs by more than 50 percent, sending gasoline prices to more than $4 per gallon in the United States.

While that adds to the affordability challenges facing the industry, experts and automakers say it is too soon to determine the war's overall impact on sales.

General Motors said Wednesday it sold 626,429 vehicles between January and March, and that the early part of the quarter was marred by "severe winter weather," while March emerged as a "much stronger month."

It also cited the "exceptionally high" level of sales in March 2025, when worries about expected tariffs from President Donald Trump prompted shoppers to rush car purchases.

Meanwhile, Toyota Motor North America reported 569,420 first-quarter vehicle sales, down 0.1 percent from a year ago.

But FCA US, the US affiliate of Stellantis, reported a four percent increase to 305,902 from its line-up, which includes Jeep, Dodge and Alfa Romeo.

And Hyundai reported a one percent increase to 205,388 units. 

Other leading automakers, including Ford and Tesla, have yet to release first-quarter figures.

Cox Automative projected a US sales decline of 6.5 percent, with the boost from expected lofty tax refunds offset by affordability difficulties and anxiety about the war.

Exactly how the Iran conflict impacts auto sales will depend on its duration, especially if higher inflation prompts central banks to keep interest rates high, or raise them higher.

The war "adds tremendous amount of uncertainty to the vehicle market," said Charlie Chesbrough, an economist at Cox Automotive.

A note from Oxford Economics pointed to improving dynamics in March after winter storms abated.

"However, sales will face major headwinds as higher gas prices due to the US-Iran war take a bite out of consumers' real disposable income growth," Oxford said.

- Impact on EVs? -

Auto information website Edmunds projected US car sales of 3.7 million in the first quarter, down 6.5 percent from the year-ago period.

"Between severe weather, geopolitical uncertainty, rising gas prices and ongoing affordability challenges, it's no surprise sales are down year over year," Edmunds said.

Deutsche Bank said it did not anticipate an "immediate near-term impact" from the war on volumes, confirming an outlook of 15.8 million sales for this year, down 2.5 percent from 2025.

Analysts that track electric-vehicle maker Tesla expect it sold 365,645 units in Q1, which would be an increase of 8.6 percent from the 2025 period but a decrease of 12.6 percent from the final quarter of 2025.

The outlook for EV sales has been clouded by Trump's elimination of tax credits to encourage sales of the climate-friendly autos.

But an extended period of high energy prices could spark greater interest in EVs.

Searches for EVs on Edmunds accounted for 23.8 percent of customer queries in the week of March 16, up from 20.7 percent in late February.

"While higher gas prices can spur interest in electrified vehicles, they typically need to be sustained or more pronounced to drive a meaningful shift," said Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds.

"Right now, many consumers appear to view the latest spike as temporary," she said.

Previous oil-price surges have sent automobile markets into tailspins: Sales dropped 44.7 percent the year after the 1973 oil shock and more than 40 percent after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

Auto sales plunged 45.5 percent in the year after the 2008 financial crisis, and slid 12.7 percent after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, according to figures from Anderson Economic Group.

elm-jmb/mlm

(The Center Square) – America is going back to the moon, after Artemis II lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday evening, more than five decades after Americans last set foot on the moon.

The lunar-bound spaceship lifted off shortly after 6:30 p.m. from the Kennedy Space Center, the first mission to the moon since 1972, when Apollo 17 spent over three days on the surface of the moon.

Artemis II is being manned by three American astronauts and one Canadian, commanded by Ret. U.S. Navy Capt. Reid Wiseman, piloted by U.S. Navy Capt. Victor Glover, along with mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

Artemis II marks some historical firsts for NASA. Koch will be the first woman astronaut to travel to the moon, while Hansen is set to be the first Canadian astronaut to make the trek.

The Artemis II mission will orbit the moon and is expected to last 10 days. The Orion spacecraft is expected to travel nearly 250,000 miles from Earth, the furthest a human has ever traveled from Earth.

The mission, which followed Artemis I, launched in 2022 as an unmanned lunar spaceflight — leading the way for other Artemis missions. Artemis I, II and III —eventually paving the way for Artemis IV in 2028, when humans are expected to set foot on the lunar surface.

The Artemis II mission is expected to pave the way for NASA to build a moon base, similar to the International Space Station. Ultimately, NASA plans to send humans to Mars.

Artemis II’s mission mirrors the Apollo 8 mission, launched in December 1968, paving the way for the Apollo 11 mission, which saw astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin make history as the first humans to set foot on the moon.

At the time of the Apollo 8 mission, which orbited the moon on Christmas Eve 1968, it was considered the most dangerous mission NASA had undertaken to that date, with only a 50/50 chance of return. The mission proved an enormous success for the space program.

Over the past 45 years, the U.S. has focused its human space missions on orbiting Earth. Despite not launching a mission beyond Earth’s orbit in nearly 60 years, costs for the latest mission program have decreased.

The Apollo program cost American taxpayers $290 billion (inflation-adjusted) by the time of the first moon landing, Apollo 11, in 1969. NASA predicts the Artemis program will cost taxpayers $105 billion by the first landing, which is expected to launch by 2028.

The space capsule is expected to splash down off the coast of California.

A Florida judge ruled Wednesday that Tiger Woods can leave the United States to seek "comprehensive inpatient treatment" after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Woods's attorney, Douglas Duncan, submitted the motion to travel in Martin County Court, citing the 50-year-old golfer's urgent need for an "intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program" as well as privacy from media and public scrutiny.

Judge Darren Steele granted the motion after a teleconference on the matter.

Woods's decision to "step away" from his golf-related activities in the wake of a rollover car accident on Friday means he will not captain the 2027 US Ryder Cup team, the PGA of America confirmed on Wednesday.

Woods pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to misdemeanor charges of DUI with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test.

A breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system at the time of the crash, but Woods refused a urine analysis.

In requesting approval for Woods to leave the country, Duncan said Woods's doctor had recommended the specific treatment facility "based upon the Defendant's complex clinical presentation and the urgent need for a level of care that cannot safely or effectively be done within the United States, as his privacy has been repeatedly compromised.

"Ongoing medical scrutiny and public exposure create significant barriers to his care and would result in setbacks and an inability to fully engage in treatment."

Woods has battled through numerous injuries in his career, including multiple back surgeries.

In 2017 he was arrested on suspicion of DUI after police found him asleep at the wheel of his damaged car, with the engine running.

Woods said he had taken a mix of painkillers, eventually pleading guilty to reckless driving and entering a treatment facility to seek help with managing prescription drugs.

In February of 2021 Woods underwent emergency surgery for multiple compound fractures in his right leg and a shattered ankle after a rollover crash in California.

According to the accident report from the Martin County Sheriff's Office, Woods told officers he had had seven back surgeries and over 20 operations on his leg, advising them he has a limp and that one ankle seizes while walking.

Woods told officers he was "looking down at his cell phone and changing the radio station and did not notice the vehicle in front of him had slowed down," according to the report.

- 'Lethargic and slow' -

But Sheriff's deputies described his movements as "lethargic and slow," noting his eyes were "bloodshot and glassy".

Police said in the report that Woods was found with two hydrocodone pills, an opioid painkiller, and appeared unable to safely drive a vehicle when he was apprehended.

Woods said in a statement posted to his social media accounts on Tuesday that he was "stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health.

"This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery," he said.

- Prioritizing health -

Woods, who had surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon in March of 2025 and a further back surgery in October, hasn't competed in a top-level golf event since the 2024 British Open.

But he has been playing a key role as chair of the PGA Tour's Future Competition Committee created to help shape a new-look tour, and he confirmed in February he was contemplating accepting the role of Ryder Cup captain.

"We commend Tiger for prioritizing his long-term health and deeply respect the courage it takes to make such a personal decision," the PGA of America said in their statement saying he had "shared with us" that he will not serve as captain.

PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp and Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National, offered equally supportive statements.

Ridley said Augusta National and the Masters Tournament "fully support Tiger Woods as he focuses on his well-being.

"Although Tiger will not be joining us in person next week, his presence will be felt here in Augusta," Ridley said of the five-time Masters champion.

bb

Four astronauts blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket Wednesday on a long-anticipated journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.

With an intense roar that reverberated far beyond the launchpad the enormous orange-and-white rocket carried three Americans and one Canadian away from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at approximately 6:35 pm local time.

NASA teams and spectators alike cheered on the spacecraft as it ascended away from Earth, a milestone that finally came to fruition after years of delays and massive cost overruns.

"We're going to the Moon!" exclaimed one onlooker.

During final checks before Artemis 2 was deemed a go for launch, astronauts gave brief words: "We are going for all humanity," said the Canadian aboard, Jeremy Hansen.

Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson then addressed the astronauts directly.

"Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy: On this historic mission, you take with you the heart of this Artemis team, the daring spirit of the American people and our partners across the globe, and the hopes and dreams of a new generation. Good luck. God speed Artemis 2. Let's go," she said.

The weather was not quite perfect but close to it, with a 90 percent chance of conditions suitable for launch.

The team, clad in bright orange suits with blue trim, includes Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch along with Canadian Hansen.

The first steps involving performing various checks to ensure the reliability and safety of the spacecraft -- it has never carried humans before -- before venturing forth on the approximately 10-day journey in which they'll hurtle around the Moon without landing.

They will also test its manual piloting capabilities during docking simulations.

- Repeated setbacks -

The journey marks a series of historic accomplishments: it will send the first person of color, the first woman and the first non-American on a lunar mission.

If the mission proceeds as planned, the astronauts will set a record by venturing farther from Earth than any human before.

It is also the inaugural crewed flight of NASA's new lunar rocket, dubbed the Space Launch System (SLS).

The mammoth orange-and-white rocket is designed to allow the United States to repeatedly return to the Moon, with the goal of establishing a permanent base that will offer a platform for further exploration.

The mission was originally due to launch as early as February.

But repeated setbacks stalled it and even necessitated rolling the rocket back to its hangar for analysis and repairs.

Some 400,000 people were expected to gather near the so-called Space Coast to watch history in the making, according to local authorities.

- 'BEYOND THE STARS' -

The Artemis program was facing pressure from President Donald Trump, who has pushed the pace of a program that aims to see boots hit the lunar surface before his second term ends in early 2029.

Artemis 2's objectives include verifying that both the rocket and the spacecraft are in working order to pave the way for a Moon landing in 2028.

That deadline has raised eyebrows among experts, in part because Washington is relying on the private sector's technological headway.

The current era of American lunar investment has frequently been portrayed as an effort to compete with China, which is aiming to land humans on the Moon by 2030.

Trump will be tied up Wednesday evening addressing the nation in his first such speech since US and Israeli forces began strikes on Iran on February 28, igniting a regional war and a global energy crisis.

But he took a moment to drop a line on social media ahead of the planned launch.

"We are WINNING, in Space, on Earth, and everywhere in between -- Economically, Militarily, and now, BEYOND THE STARS. Nobody comes close! America doesn't just compete, we DOMINATE, and the whole World is watching," Trump posted on Truth Social.

cha-mdo/bgs

Tiger Woods has turned down the captaincy of the 2027 US Ryder Cup team as he steps away from golf-related activities to focus on his health, the PGA of America said Wednesday.

Woods was arrested on Friday on suspicion of driving under the influence after a rollover car crash near his Florida home.

"We commend Tiger for prioritizing his long-term health and deeply respect the courage it takes to make such a personal decision," the PGA of America said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Woods pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of DUI with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test stemming from Friday's crash.

He later issued a statement saying he was "stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health."

A breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system but he refused a urine analysis after the crash and officers at the scene judged him to be impaired.

The PGA of America, which organizes the US team for the biennial USA-Europe match play showdown, said it "stands in full support" of Woods, calling him "an enduring part of the PGA of America family."

Woods, 50, confirmed in February that the PGA of America had reached out to him about captaining the US team for next year's Ryder Cup matches at Adare Manor in Ireland.

Woods said at that time he had not yet made up his mind.

Europe have won the past two Ryder Cups, including last year's edition at Bethpage Black in New York. The United States haven't lifted the trophy on European soil since 1993.

bb/amz

(The Center Square) – The Trump administration’s decision to send tax dollars to the abortion industry by continuing former President Joe Biden’s Title X grant awards to Planned Parenthood has encountered pushback from the pro-life crowd, who state that taxpayers should not be made to fund the termination of unborn children.

President of pro-life organization Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America Marjorie Dannenfelser told The Center Square that “the Trump-Vance administration must correct course by at a bare minimum reinstating the Protect Life Rule.”

Dannenfelser said the Protect Life Rule is “a proven policy from the first Trump administration that barred Title X funds from organizations performing abortions.”

“It is unacceptable that the process still hasn’t even begun fourteen months into the term,” Dannenfelser said.

“Taxpayer dollars should never fund Planned Parenthood because its primary business is ending the lives of innocent unborn children through hundreds of thousands of abortions each year,” Dannenfelser said.

Dannenfelser said the Trump administration’s decision “comes on the heels of the administration undermining GOP states by allowing the shipping of abortion drugs into their borders, violating their laws.”

“It has even gone so far as to side with the abortion industry against red states in cases brought by GOP attorneys general,” Dannenfelser said.

“And it comes after the president suggesting the GOP should be ‘flexible’ on the Hyde Amendment,” Dannenfelser said, adding that “this spells disaster for November.”

“Three out of four GOP primary voters support defunding Planned Parenthood, with one-third saying they would be less enthusiastic about voting if Republican leaders abandon pro-life principles,” Dannenfelser said. “This is not a fringe view, but a core demand from the party’s base.”

Dannenfelser told The Center Square that “SBA Pro-Life America’s field team is on the ground daily in battleground states motivating voters who are most likely to stay home if they feel betrayed,” and that action to continue funding Planned Parenthood “undermines that critical work.”

“The pro-life movement helped deliver the election victory, and the administration has both the mandate and the tools to deliver its commitments,” Dannenfelser said. “Enough is enough.” 

As SBA Pro-Life America stated in a news release, the Trump-Vance administration “decided not to cancel Biden’s Title X grant awards to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion business.”

“After initially pausing funds that were awarded under President Biden, the administration unfroze the grants in January and will now extend them one more year,” SBA said.

SBA has expressed disappointment in some of the president’s recent abortion stances.

For instance, at the beginning of 2026, Trump said Republicans may have to be “flexible” on the Hyde Amendment, The Center Square reported – the Hyde Amendment being a rule which protects unborn lives and prevents taxpayers from being forced to fund abortions.

A Florida judge granted golf superstar Tiger Woods's request to leave the United States to seek "comprehensive inpatient treatment" after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Woods's attorney, Douglas Duncan, submitted the motion to travel on Wednesday, citing the 50-year-old golfer's urgent need for an "intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program" as well as privacy from media and public scrutiny.

Martin County Court Judge Darren Steele granted the motion after a teleconference on the matter.

In requesting approval for the travel, Duncan said Woods's doctor had recommended the out-of-country treatment facility "based upon the Defendant's complex clinical presentation and the urgent need for a level of care that cannot safely or effectively be done within the United States, as his privacy has been repeatedly compromised.

"Ongoing medical scrutiny and public exposure create significant barriers to his care and would result in setbacks and an inability to fully engage in treatment."

Woods said in a statement posted to his social media accounts on Tuesday that he was "stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health.

"This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery," he said.

Four days earlier Woods was arrested on suspicion of DUI after crashing his SUV into a trailer being pulled by a pickup truck near his Jupiter Island home.

Woods pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges of DUI with property damage and refusing to submit to a lawful test on Tuesday.

A breathalyzer test showed no alcohol in his system but he refused a urine analysis after the crash last Friday.

In the accident report from the Martin County Sheriff's Office, authorities said Woods "stated he was looking down at his cell phone and changing the radio station and did not notice the vehicle in front of him had slowed down."

- 'Lethargic and slow' -

Sheriff's deputies said in the report that Woods was observed "sweating profusely" and described his movements as "lethargic and slow," noting his eyes were "bloodshot and glassy" and he was "limping and stumbling to the right" while walking.

Police said in the report that Woods was found with two hydrocodone pills, an opioid painkiller, and appeared unable to safely drive a vehicle when he was apprehended.

Asked about his medical condition, the report said, "Woods advised he's had seven back surgeries and over 20 operations on his leg... Woods advised he has a limp and his ankle seizes while walking."

Woods was previously arrested on suspicion of DUI in 2017 after police found him asleep at the wheel of his damaged car, with the engine running.

Woods said he had taken a mix of painkillers, eventually pleading guilty to reckless driving and entering a treatment facility to seek help with managing prescription drugs.

In February of 2021 Woods underwent emergency surgery for multiple compound fractures in his right leg and a shattered ankle after a rollover crash in California.

He returned to competition with a 47th-placed finish at the 2022 Masters but has not competed in a top-level golf event since the 2024 British Open.

Woods underwent surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon in March 2025, and had further back surgery last October.

bb/amz