Gunfire rocks Mali districts, including junta stronghold: witnesses

Nelly Korda rolled to a five-stroke victory in the LPGA Chevron Championship on Sunday, capturing her third major title to assure her return to the world number one ranking.

The 27-year-old American took a five-shot lead into the final round and carded a two-under par 70 to win the first women's major of the year with China's Yin Ruoning and Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit sharing second.

Korda completed an impressive wire-to-wire victory at Memorial Park in Houston, becoming the third player in the last 50 years to win a major championship after leading by multiple strokes after each round.

"Honestly, having that big of a lead, it's not easy," Korda said. "It was definitely one of the hardest things I've had to do mentally. Just happy to get it done."

Korda, whose 2024 Chevron triumph was her second major after a victory in the 2021 Women's PGA, had matched the tournament's 54-hole scoring record with a 16-under total and opened the final round with an up and down birdie at the par-five first.

She nabbed another birdie at the par-five third, where her long eagle attempt just missed.

Playing partners Patty and Yin tried to keep some pressure on, both posting three birdies on the front nine, but the American was still up by five at the turn.

A three-putt bogey at the 12th saw Korda's lead cut to four, but she answered with birdies at the 13th and 14th -- bombing a drive at 13 and sticking her approach within three feet of the pin.

A bogey at 17 didn't even dent her lead as Yin made bogey as well.

Both of Korda's bogeys were three-putts, and she missed a couple of birdie chances as well.

"What I kept telling myself was I really want to hoist this trophy because I want to show the kids at home that it's OK to miss short putts and still win a major championship," she said. 

"You're going to make mistakes, but you have to mentally still be in it 100 percent.

"I want to show it to myself, and I wanted to show it to everyone also looking up to me."

There may have been some miscues on the green, but Korda hit 12 of 13 fairways in regulation and 16 of 18 greens.

Yin finished with four birdies in her three-under 69 and Patty had three birdies and a bogey in her 70 -- coming home with 10 straight pars.

The victory continued a strong 2026 campaign that has seen Korda win the season-opening Tournament of Champions and finish second in her three other starts.

She will rise from number two in the world to number one, supplanting Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul who missed the cut this week.

bb/gj

BOZEMAN, Mont. — An official U.S. Postal Service notice said the lease for the Babcock Station Post Office at 32 E. Babcock St. in Bozeman would not be renewed and the agency was considering a new retail location within the 59715 ZIP code.

The notice said USPS planned to send a postcard about the proposed relocation. It listed USPS Real Estate Specialist Robb Groetzinger with the project.

According to the notice, the Postal Service was considering leasing an existing building with about 4,800 square feet and 44 or more parking spaces for retail operations and employees. The agency said the new site would be as close as reasonably possible to the current location.

The notice said retail services would remain at the current Babcock Station site until preparations were finished at a replacement location.

USPS invited the public to submit comments on the proposal within 45 days to United States Postal Service, Attn Bozeman MT Babcock Station Relocation, PO Box 27497, Greensboro, NC 27498-1103.

The notice also said the Postal Service does not receive tax dollars for operating expenses and funds its operations through postage, products and services.

A Syrian court conducted the first hearing Sunday in the trial of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad and senior figures from his government, one of whom appeared in person. 

Assad and his brother Maher have fled Syria and will be tried in absentia, but one of their relatives, former security official Atif Najib, was in the dock in handcuffs.

"Today we begin the first trials of transitional justice in Syria," judge Fakhr al-Din al-Aryan declared as he opened the session.

"This includes a defendant in custody, present in the dock, as well as defendants who have fled justice," he said.

A judicial source, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the proceedings marked the beginning of preparations for the trials of Assad, his brother and other prominent figures, such as Najib.

Najib, who was arrested in January 2025 in the aftermath of the collapse of the Assad government, appeared in court in Damascus in a striped prison jersey. 

He previously headed Syria's political security branch in the southern province of Daraa, where Syria's 2011 uprising first erupted.

He is accused of having led a broad campaign of repression and arrests there.

Syria's 13-year civil war killed more than half a million people and displaced millions of others. Tens of thousands of people disappeared, some into the country's brutal prison system.

Syria's new authorities have repeatedly vowed to provide justice and accountability for Assad-era atrocities, while activists and the international community have emphasised the importance of transitional justice in the war-ravaged country.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on X on Sunday that justice would remain "a major goal that the state and its institutions strive to achieve".

The judge did not question Najib during Sunday's session, which was dedicated to "preparatory administrative and legal procedures", and announced that a second hearing would be held on May 10.

The judicial source said in-person trials will include Wassim al-Assad, another relative of the ousted president, former grand mufti Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun, as well as military and security officials arrested by the new authorities in recent months.

Assad fled to Moscow with only a handful of confidants as Islamist-led forces closed in on Damascus in December 2024, abandoning senior officials and security officers, some of whom reportedly went abroad or took refuge in the coastal heartland of Assad's Alawite minority.

mam-lk/lg/jj

Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram scored 23 points apiece as the Toronto Raptors held off the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-89 on Sunday to knot their NBA playoff series at 2-2.

A tight, back-and-forth battle came down to the wire in Toronto, where the Raptors trailed by five with 2:10 left to play but powered to the lead with a 9-0 scoring burst and held on for the win.

"We want it so bad," Barnes, who added nine rebounds and six assists, told broadcaster ESPN. "We're hungry. We're fighting."

Both teams struggled offensively, the Raptors enduring a particularly dismal day from three-point range, making just four of 30 attempts from beyond the arc.

Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points to lead the Cavaliers and James Harden added 19.

But neither could connect in the final minute, Mitchell missing two attempts in the final 30 seconds as Barnes made six free throws down the stretch to seal it.

The best-of-seven Eastern Conference series now shifts back to Cleveland for game five on Wednesday. The home team has won every game so far.

bb/mw

Minnesota star Anthony Edwards will be miss several weeks with a left knee bone bruise suffered in the Timberwolves' win over Denver in game four of their NBA playoff series, ESPN reported Sunday.

All-Star guard Edwards was hurt when he came down awkwardly after rising to defend a shot at the basket, hyperextending his left knee.

ESPN reported that medical tests ruled out ligament damage, but Edwards is still expected to miss the rest of the Timberwolves' first-round series and, if they advance, at least part of the second round.

But the Timberwolves will be without key starter Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the playoffs, confirming Sunday he had suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon when he went down in the opening minutes of Saturday's game four.

"He will undergo surgery this afternoon," the team said in a statement. "DiVincenzo is out indefinitely and further updates of his progress will be posted when available."

The Timberwovles have won three straight games to take a 3-1 lead over the Nuggets and can close out the series with another win in Denver on Monday.

The Timberwolves have reached the Western Conference finals in each of the past two seasons.

If they get past the Nuggets, they will face either the San Antonio Spurs or Portland Trail Blazers in the conference semi-finals.

bb/gj

"Michael," the much-anticipated biopic about late superstar Michael Jackson, debuted atop the North American box office this weekend with a thriller-ing $97 million, industry estimates showed Sunday.

The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and distributed by Lionsgate, chronicles the legendary artist's rise from a child star to one of the world's most famous pop icons.

In the starring role is Jaafar Jackson, the popstar's nephew.

"This is a record-shattering opening for a musical biography," said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.

The film has strong audience approval, "playing as a feel good, nostalgic appreciation," he said, but "reviews are weak."

"Most critics feel the film is superficial and avoids the complicated parts of the performer's life, including allegations of sexual misbehavior," Gross said, while noting a Part 2 is in the works.

With the film already released in Europe, it has globally taken in nearly $220 million, according to Exhibitor Relations.

In second place at the US and Canadian box office was "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," with another $21.2 million.

After spending the last three weeks in the top spot, the animated sequel from Universal and Illumination Studios has hauled in over $775 million at the global box office, Exhibitor Relations reported.

Third place went to Amazon MGM's hit sci-fi adventure comedy "Project Hail Mary," with $13.2 million.

The film, which stars Ryan Gosling as a teacher-turned-astronaut who must save Earth from a dimming sun, has earned nearly $600 million worldwide, in an extended theatrical run.

In fourth place with $5.6 million was "Lee Cronin's The Mummy," an original horror flick from Warner Bros about a young girl possessed by a demon in an ancient mummification ritual.

Fifth place went to "The Drama," A24's romantic comedy with a dark twist starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson about a couple unraveling just before their wedding.

The film took in an additional $5.6 million, for a global box office haul of $80 million.

Rounding out the top 10:

"Hoppers" ($1.9 million)

"You, Me & Tuscany" ($1.5 million)

"Over Your Dead Body" ($1.4 million)

"I Swear" ($640,000)

"Normal" ($625,000)

des/mjf

The state visit by Britain's King Charles III to the US would take place as planned, Buckingham Palace said on Sunday, following a shooting at a Washington media gala.

The incident late Saturday at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association came less than 48 hours before Charles and Queen Camilla begin a four-day state visit to the United States.

The palace said that Charles was "greatly relieved" that Trump, his wife Melania and other guests were unharmed and later on Sunday said the trip would go on as planned.

"The King and Queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the Visit getting underway tomorrow," it said.

Earlier, senior UK minister Darren Jones told British broadcasters during a round of interviews that security teams in Britain and the US were "working closely to ensure the security arrangements are put appropriately in place" for the state visit.

It is understood the king and queen reached out privately to the Trumps to express their sympathies with those impacted Saturday night, and to share their gratitude to the security services who prevented further injury.

Trump has said one law enforcement officer was shot at close range but appeared not to be critically injured. 

During the four-day state visit -- organised to honour the historic relationship between Britain and the US as America marks 250 years of independence -- Charles and Camilla will visit Washington and New York.

Charles will become the first British monarch to address Congress since his mother, the late queen Elizabeth II, in 1991, while the royal couple will have tea with Trump and Melania and attend a state dinner.

- Tensions -

It comes as transatlantic tensions over the Iran war and the Epstein scandal's long shadow threaten to intrude on the landmark visit.

Trump has repeatedly lambasted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his war opposition, as well as his government's immigration and energy policies.

The pair spoke by phone Sunday, when Starmer "extended his best wishes... following the shocking scenes at last night's White House Correspondents Dinner", Downing Street said. 

"He expressed his relief that the President and First Lady were safe and wished a speedy recovery to the officer injured," it added.

They also discussed "the urgent need to get shipping moving again in the Strait of Hormuz, given the severe consequences for the global economy and cost of living for people in the UK and globally," Starmer's office noted.

bur-yad/jj

Republican US Senator Thom Tillis said Sunday that he would support Kevin Warsh's nomination as Federal Reserve chairman after the investigation into the current Fed chief was dropped.

Tillis had warned that he would oppose Warsh's confirmation unless a Department of Justice probe into Jerome Powell was stopped.

The move was the last major obstacle to a confirmation vote before Powell's term ends on May 15.

"The U.S. Attorney's Office criminal investigation into Chair Powell was a serious threat to the Fed's independence, and it needed to end before I could support Kevin Warsh's confirmation," the senator from North Carolina wrote on social media.

The investigation concerned Powell's handling of the renovations to the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, whose budget is now estimated at $2.5 billion, up from the initial $1.9 billion.

Powell revealed the existence of the investigation in early January, seeing it as a "threat" from President Donald Trump and his administration to pressure the institution into lowering its key interest rate.

A Tillis vote against Warsh would have been enough to block the Senate Banking Committee from advancing the nomination to a confirmation vote on the Senate floor.

On Friday, Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, announced the end of the investigation.

Pirro indicated that she had instructed the Fed's inspector general, Michael Horowitz, to take over and conduct his own investigation, a standard procedure for an administrative, non-criminal inquiry.

But she left the door open to restarting the investigation "if the facts warranted it." 

On Saturday, Trump refused to acknowledge the end of this legal saga, stating that he had an "obligation to find out" why the renovation costs had skyrocketed. 

Tillis wrote on Sunday that he had received "assurances" that the criminal case would only be reopened if the inspector general's findings warranted it.

Warsh "is an outstanding nominee, and it is time for the Federal Reserve to move beyond this distraction and return its full attention to its mission," the senator said.

tu/abx/mjf/mlm

Mali has been plunged into an unprecedented security crisis after an alliance of Tuareg rebels and a jihadist group carried out synchronised attacks against the West African country's military leadership.

The two groups are the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition and the al-Qaeda-linked Jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). The FLA is made up of mainly Tuareg groups who want independence for Azawad, a territory in northern Mali.

Defence Minister General Sadio Camara, a key figure in the military regime, was killed in one attack, his family and government sources said Sunday.

Mali's army says it has been engaged in fierce fighting against the attackers since Saturday morning.

Here is what we know:

- Tuareg rebels in Kidal -  

FLA fighters said Sunday they had full control of Kidal, a key town in the north. 

Fighting appears to have stopped for the moment in Gao, another northern town, with rebels positioned on the outskirts.

The situation remains "confusing" in Sevare, central Mali, where gunfire was still ringing out in some areas, said one local official.

On Sunday afternoon, calm returned to Kati, a junta stronghold just 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the capital Bamako, after gunfire in the morning, one resident told AFP.

- Defence minister killed - 

General Camara, 47, was killed Saturday when an explosive-laden car detonated outside his home, an attack claimed by the jihadist JNIM group.

- Tuaregs cut deal with Russians -  

FLA fighters said they had reached an agreement to allow Russian Afrika Korps soldiers to withdraw from a camp where they had been entrenched since Saturday. 

"The Russian fighters in Kidal have decided to leave their position," a diplomatic source told AFP. "They are coordinating their departure with the FLA rebels."

A resident of Kidal told AFP he had seen a military convoy leave the town.

- The junta leaders - 

General Assimi Goita, the head of the junta, has neither been seen nor heard from since the attacks began. 

A Malian security source told AFP he had been "evacuated from Kati on Saturday and is in a safe location" at a "special forces camp" near Bamako. 

Security sources said head of intelligence General Modibo Kone and military Chief of Staff General Oumar Diarra were wounded during Saturday's attacks in Kati.

- 'Hunt' -  

Mali's army said statement Sunday: "The hunt for armed terrorist groups continues in Kidal, Kati, and other locations across the country." 

The military has imposed curfews, stepped up patrols and reinforced checkpoints across the country.

On Saturday evening, Mali's military rulers said the attacks had resulted in 16 civilian and military injuries and "limited material damage".

mk-sd-lar-str-bdi/gv/jj

(The Center Square) – The California man accused of storming security at Saturday night's White House Correspondents’ Dinner and shooting a Secret Service officer before being detained, likely was targeting Trump administration officials, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday.

President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and members of Trump's cabinet were at the event and were rushed out of the banquet hall of the Washington, D.C. Hilton.

“It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche said on NBC’s “Meet the Press. "But I want to wait and not get ahead of us on that."

A long gun and shell casings were recovered at the scene.

No one else but the Secret Service agent, who Trump said he spoke to and was doing OK, was injured in the attack.

The New York Post reported Sunday that it received a copy of a "manifesto" the suspect, Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, sent to family members just minutes before the attack.

"Administration officials (not including Mr. [FBI Director Kash] Patel): they are targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest," the Post reported the manifesto read.

Allen, media outlets reported, was a tutor and amateur video game developer. He attended the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, where he graduated in 2017. He donated $50 to the campaign of then presidential candidate Kamala Harris through ActBlue. 

According to the Post, Allen's manifesto said he wanted to minimize casualties at the hotel but, "I would still go though most everyone here to get to the targets if it were absolutely necessary (on the basis that most "chose" to attend a speech by a pedophile, rapist and traitor, and are thus complicit) but I really hope it doesn't come to that." 

Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Trump said the manifesto shows the suspect was a sick guy.