Paris engineer wins Picasso painting at charity auction

Russian strikes killed seven people, including a child, and wounded dozens across Ukraine on Tuesday, regional authorities said.

Moscow has pummelled its neighbour with hundreds of drones almost nightly since the beginning of the four-year war, but recently had expanded daytime strikes. 

A morning attack on the central Dnipropetrovsk region claimed the lives of five and wounded 27, said local governor Oleksandr Ganzha. 

"The enemy attacked four districts of the region more than 30 times with missiles, drones, and artillery," Ganzha said. 

In the afternoon, a Russian drone killed an elderly woman in the frontline city of Kherson in the south, said regional prosecutors. 

Later in the evening, another drone killed an eight-year-old boy and wounded nine in the central Cherkasy region, said its military administration. 

Separately, authorities in the port city of Odesa said Russian drones hit two civilian vessels and the harbour infrastructure. 

The industrial hub of Dnipropetrovsk lies more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the front line, which snakes through eastern and southern Ukraine.

Russian troops have captured a sliver of territory in the wider Dnipropetrovsk region, which is not one of the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow claimed to have annexed after its invasion.

Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed since Russia invaded in February 2022.

US-brokered talks on the conflict have failed to push the sides closer to a deal, with negotiations frozen for weeks.

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Mizzou men's basketball secured its second portal acquisition with the commitment of small forward Jamier Jones on Tuesday afternoon.  

Jones, a rising sophomore from Florida, spent his freshman season playing under Mizzou alum Kim English at Providence. Following English's firing, Jones entered the portal and was immediately linked to Mizzou because of his ties to general manager Tim Fuller. 

Fuller served on English's staff from 2023-25 and helped recruit Jones to Providence. In his lone season with the Friars, Jones impressed, averaging 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He appeared in 31 games and made 19 starts.

With the arrival of Jones, the Tigers have now made two additions to the portal. He joins Tennessee forward Jaylen Carey as two of the five current newcomers who will be coming to Columbia next season. Along with the three freshman arrivals — McDonald's All Americans Jason Crowe Jr. and Toni Bryant and sharpshooter Aidan Chronister — Mizzou coach Dennis Gates will continue to explore options in the portal to bolster his roster for next season. 

French luxury group Kering saw sales slide by six percent in the first quarter of this year, with its troubled flagship Gucci fashion house still dragging down its performance.

The group, which embarked on a deep restructuring effort with the hiring of CEO Luca de Meo last year, plans to unveil a roadmap to turning around its performance to investors on Thursday.

The six-percent drop in sales to 3.57 billion euros ($4.21 billion) was comparable to that suffered by rival LVMH, the world's largest luxury group.

Sales were flat on a like-for-like basis that strips out exchange rate fluctuations and changes in the business. 

"Group revenue stabilized, marking an important first step in our recovery and a further sequential improvement," said de Meo in comments on the first quarter.

Sales by Gucci fell by 14 percent to 1.35 billion euros.

The drop was eight percent on a like-for-like basis, which constitutes an improvement from pervious quarters.

"Gucci remains our top priority," said de Meo, who previously helped turn around the fortunes of French carmaker Renault.

"A comprehensive turnaround is underway, with decisive actions across client, distribution and, above all, the offer," he added.

Kering has struggled to turn things around at Gucci, its flagship Italian fashion house famous for its handbags. Last march it wooed Georgian designer Demna to take over as artistic director.

Gucci is Kering's main money-spinner, until recently accounting for almost half of revenues and two-thirds of operating profit.

The group no longer provides a breakdown of sales by its other fashion brands that include Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen and Brioni. 

Overall that division saw sales fall by nine percent to 2.85 billion euros, or by three percent on a like-for-like basis.

The much smaller jewellery and eyewear divisions both saw sales rise in the first quarter.

Kering said revenue in the Middle East fell by 11 percent in the first quarter after having posted growth in the first two months.

After initial disruptions due to the war launched by the United States and Israel on Iran, the company said its retail network is back in operation.

The group reiterated its objective to return to growth in 2026.

Last year, sales fell 13 percent to 14.7 billion euros, with net profits tumbling to 532 million euros.

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(The Center Square) – The twin Gulf cities of Houston and New Orleans are hosting maritime events in April and May as part of America 250 celebrations.

Houston is hosting the first Navy Fleet Week in Texas history Wednesday, April 15, through Wednesday, April 22. 

New Orleans is hosting the inaugural Sail 250 event in the country from May 27 through June 1.

America 250 is the official nationwide celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary.

Houston Fleet Week is being hosted by the city of Houston in collaboration with the Port of Houston, Houston First Corporation and other groups. It’s identified “eight can’t miss events” taking place between Wednesday and Sunday.

U.S. Navy Admiral Daryl Caudle, Commander of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command said, "At least 1,000 sailors and Marines will 'flood the zone' around your great city," when first making the announcement with Houston Mayor John Whitmire.

"Fleet Week will build on the positive relationships between the military and the community and allow Houstonians and all other visitors to learn more about the U.S. Navy's proud history of courage and service to the country," Mayor Whitmire said, adding that “Houston and the Navy share a special maritime connection. Billions of dollars-worth of trade flow in and out of the Houston Ship Channel every day, and the Navy is responsible for protecting that seaborne trade as it travels across the oceans.”

Multiple events are planned, including a Parade of Ships in Galveston on Wednesday morning. Visitors can also attend wreath laying ceremonies, events downtown and aviation exhibits at the Lone Star Flight Museum. On Sunday, they can attend a naval exhibition at Sylvan Beach in La Porte and concerts and band performances in the Museum District. 

Visitors will also be able to tour one of three Navy ships, including an amphibious assault ship and two combat ships. They include USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship designed for multi-purpose operations, including troop transport and aircraft support; USS Minneapolis-St. Paul (LCS-21), a Freedom-class littoral combat ship optimized for operations in near-shore environments with high speed and agility; and USS Cooperstown (LCS-23), a Freedom-class littoral combat ship.

They will also be able to tour a U.S. Coast Guard cutter: USCGC Edgar Culbertson (WPC-1137), a Sentinel-class fast response cutter equipped for a range of missions including search and rescue, law enforcement, and port security. 

In neighboring Louisiana, Sail 250 New Orleans will transform the city's Mississippi River waterfront into a display of tall ships, U.S. naval vessels, and maritime heritage. A welcoming parade, fireworks and other events are planned.

New Orleans & Company and the Port of New Orleans are hosting the celebration. Walt Leger, III, pesident and CEO of New Orleans & Company, said, “As one of the world’s great cultural crossroads and home to the Port of New Orleans — a vital gateway connecting global commerce to the American heartland — our city has long stood at the intersection of nations, ideas, and maritime enterprise. There is no more fitting place to begin this momentous national commemoration. We proudly invite visitors from around the globe to experience our remarkable culture while celebrating America’s enduring maritime legacy.” 

An international fleet of ships will be docked along the riverfront representing the navies of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the Netherlands, Peru, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Uruguay. Free deck tours will be available daily.

Visitors will also be able to tour the only square-rigged vessel currently in government service: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, a 295-foot three mast barque used to teach navigation to future officers. 

"Sail 250 represents an extraordinary opportunity for the U.S. Navy, Marines Corps., and Coast Guard to connect with the American people, and our international partners, as we commemorate our nation's 250th anniversary. The historical significance and advantageous positioning of New Orleans at the southern delta of the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast makes it the perfect launching point for this celebration,” Rear Adm. Calvin M. Foster, Deputy Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic, said.

All naval America 250 events are free and open to the public. Registration is required to tour vessels and security measures are in place, authorities said.

Far from the downturn that has shaken many luxury houses in recent years, Britain's Rolls-Royce on Tuesday launched an ultra-luxury, limited-series electric car. 

The imposing bonnet, crowned by the marque's iconic Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, remains, but the new convertible series marks a further step into fully electric luxury motoring. 

Limited to just 100 clients, the collection will be available by invitation only. 

The company intends to offer an opportunity "to be part of that journey, to be able to meet our designers, meet our craftspeople" and personalise every detail, Julian Jenkins, Rolls-Royce director of sales and brand told AFP. 

"Our clients have over 44,000 colours to choose from of our current palette."

While the company, owned by BMW since 1998, has not disclosed the price of the vehicles, it placed them between its most complex private commissions and other bespoke creations, which can reach several million pounds. 

The carmaker recorded a slight decline in sales last year, with a total of 5,664 vehicles sold -- a six percent drop from its record 2023 performance. 

The dip remains modest compared with the turbulence faced by other luxury brands, such as fellow British brand Burberry. 

In fact, 2025 was the company's "fourth best year", Jenkins said. 

"We've seen an increasing strength, particularly in our bespoke operation with our clients really wanting to commission something very special, something unique."

The company already knows who will be the 100 clients, and they will receive their cars from 2028.

They are mainly based in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States and the Middle East, but not in China, where the car "is not homologated" due to "the efficiency regulations for electric vehicles", he said. 

The pastel blue prototype, named Project Nightingale, is a convertible two-seater with a sleek, streamlined silhouette. 

The model is inspired by the brand's experimental high-speed 'EX' models of the 1920s. Its range has not been revealed.

It is Rolls-Royce's second electric model, following the launch of the Spectre three years ago.

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South Africa on Tuesday handed back to Zimbabwe ancestral human remains and a centuries-old stone carving of its sacred national emblem, the Zimbabwe bird, stolen more than 100 years ago during the colonial era.

The restitution was part of a worldwide push for the repatriation of artefacts looted from African countries during colonisation.

Eight coffins draped in the Zimbabwean flag stood at an event for the handover in a Cape Town museum which was attended by officials from both countries.

Little was known about the remains except that they were of people who had been exhumed as "scientific specimens", officials said.

One was believed to have been a tribal chief whose skull and jaw were collected in 1910, culture minister Gayton McKenzie said.

"He was somebody's leader, a lot of people's ancestor. He has been sitting in the museum drawer for 116 years," McKenzie said.

Another was believed to be a man murdered over accusations of witchcraft.

"They were removed from their graves -- not found, not donated," McKenzie said.

Once repatriated, the remains would be returned to "where they belong", Zimbabwean government representative, Reverend Paul Damasane, said.

- Identity and spirit -

The soapstone carving of a Zimbabwe bird that was returned at the event was the first of several looted from the stone ruins of the ancient complex of Great Zimbabwe built in the 11th to 13th centuries, officials said. 

A British explorer had ripped it from its pedestal in the late 19th century and sold it to British mining magnate Cecil John Rhodes, the 1890-1896 prime minister of the Cape Colony.

It was displayed at Rhodes's Cape Town estate which was bequeathed to the government on his death in 1902. 

Nearly "140 years since the first one was taken and sold to Cecil John Rhodes, that very same statue ... is finally making its journey home," South Africa's culture ministry said.

South Africa had returned four other ancient carvings of the birds the year following the former British colony's independence in 1980, officials said. 

The original grey-green birds are around 33 centimetres (13 inches) in height and most were perched on stone columns more than a metre high at Great Zimbabwe, the centre of a once-powerful civilisation.

They are the national emblem of Zimbabwe, depicted on banknotes, coins and the national flag, and considered. 

Great Zimbabwe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in the southeast of the country, is undergoing a $5-million revamp funded by the French development agency that is due for completion in the coming weeks.

The complex is Africa's second-largest remaining pre-colonial structure after the pyramids of Egypt.

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An art-loving engineer from Paris was the lucky winner of an original Picasso painting worth over a million euros at a charity raffle in Paris on Tuesday.

Ari Hodara, 58, who only bought his ticket at the weekend, was picked at a ceremony in Paris that was livestreamed from auction house Christie's, with the funds raised from the event to be donated to research into Alzheimer's disease.

A total of 120,000 tickets were sold at 100 euros ($118) apiece, with a portrait of Dora Maar, one of Picasso's muses, up for grabs. 

Titled "Tête de femme" ("Woman's head"), the inky grey and blue gouache work was painted in 1941 and was purchased from a private art dealership, Opera Gallery.

"How do I know this isn't a prank?" Hodara asked when called from the auction house after being picked from a list of ticket-buyers in 52 countries.

Organisers, led by French journalist Peri Cochin with backing from the painter's family and foundation, put on two similar raffles of the Spanish master's work in 2013 and 2020.

A 25-year-old American from Pennsylvania won the first, while an accountant from Ventimiglia in northwest Italy claimed the second after being given a ticket as a Christmas present by her son.

The 12 million euros raised will be donated to the Alzheimer's Research Foundation.

"The funding for research is ridiculous," head of the foundation, Olivier de Ladoucette, said Tuesday. "In our developed societies, we still haven’t understood that this is a major public health issue and that absolutely everyone needs to get involved. 

"This Picasso initiative is one more building block so that one day Alzheimer’s will be nothing more than a bad memory," he added.

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(The Center Square) – Concurrent with the Trump administration’s War on Fraud, a survey shows that most American voters believe government fraud is responsible for the nation’s high cost of living, with one expert saying that fraud is the “invisible tax.”

Utah Treasurer Marlo Oaks told The Center Square that the survey commissioned by the State Financial Officers Foundation “makes clear that Americans across the political spectrum are concerned about their tax dollars being lost to fraud and waste.”

“That concern reflects a straightforward reality,” Oaks said. “When accountability weakens, the financial burden ultimately falls on households.”

“Efforts to reduce the cost of living and to strengthen oversight are closely connected,” Oaks said.

“As financial officers, we are committed to ensuring that public funds are managed responsibly and transparently,” Oaks said.

“We will work with the Trump administration to protect taxpayer resources and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse,” Oaks said.

State Financial Officers Foundation is a collection of state treasurers, auditors, and comptrollers whose top job is to be a “watchdog of taxpayer dollars,” according to the organization’s media relations.

State Financial Officers Foundation CEO OJ Oleka told The Center Square in regards to his organization’s survey: “Americans rightly understand that fraud is the invisible tax worsening the affordability crisis.”

Oleka said that “taxpayer dollars being stolen and wasted by fraudsters isn't just a criminal issue, it's an economic one.”

“The Trump administration's war on fraud and waste is popular, justified, and absolutely necessary for reducing the cost of living for American families,” Oleka said. 

“Fortunately, dozens of principled state treasurers and auditors are bringing the same might to this fight as they brought to our battles against ESG, debanking, and every other threat to Americans' financial security,” Oleka said.

According to the poll conducted by Deep Root Analytics for the State Financial Officers Foundation, 87% of U.S. voters are very concerned (50%) or somewhat concerned (37%) about “fraud or misuse of taxpayer money in government programs.”

Misuse of tax dollars is no doubt important to these pollees and their standard of living, since the total household income before taxes for 40% of them is less than $50,000 a year, according to the poll.

Eighty-three percent of surveyed voters believe that “fraud or misuse of government funds contributes to higher taxes or costs for families” a great deal (46%) or a fair amount (37%).

Additionally, 70% of voters believe “there is too little oversight over government spending and people who want to misuse taxpayer money have too easy of a time doing it.”

This same percentage believes the nation needs “more aggressive fraud investigation and prevention measures to ensure taxpayers’ money isn’t wasted.”

Interestingly, At 32%, those with "moderate" political views were the largest political bracket surveyed.

Thirty-seven percent of those polled identified as Republicans, while 38% identified as Democrats.

The survey was conducted in March 2026 and surveyed slightly more females (52%) than males (48%).

The Trump administration’s War on Fraud began March 2026, with the establishment of a “task force to eliminate fraud.”

At the beginning of April, Colin McDonald was sworn in by Vice President Vance to lead the new National Fraud Enforcement Division, with the State Financial Officers Foundation stating it is "exactly the accountability America needs.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney promised quick action Tuesday to transform an economy under threat from US President Donald Trump, hours after his Liberal party clinched a majority in parliament.

The Liberals swept three by-elections held Monday, giving them full control of parliament and Canada's first majority since 2019, during Justin Trudeau's first term as prime minister.

"Now it's time to get serious," Carney said, addressing the election results.

"We're building big, we're moving fast, we're just getting started," he added.

Carney's Liberals won the most seats in a general election a year ago, but fell narrowly short of a majority.

Liberal poll numbers have improved over the past year, with Carney consistently reminding Canadians that they live in a changed world and can no longer count on solid ties with the United States.

Carney didn't mention Trump on Tuesday, but again stressed that Canada's economy needed to be "more independent."

While more than 85 percent of US-Canada trade remains tariff free, Trump's levies on key sectors have triggered Canadian job losses and slowed growth.

The North American free trade deal that Trump signed in his first term is also in jeopardy, with revision talks set for the coming weeks. Trump has said the pact offers the United States no benefit.

- 'Enormous shock' -

The Liberal majority was made possible by a series of stunning floor-crossings since last year's election. Four Conservatives and one left-wing New Democratic lawmaker have joined the Liberal caucus.

Carney on Tuesday dismissed Conservative criticism that he earned his majority through shady political deals.

He said every elected lawmaker had the right to support the government program.

"We're fortunate to have them," he said of the floor-crossers.

Carney's first policy move since securing his majority was a response to Trump's war in Iran.

The prime minister announced federal tax breaks on petrol and jet fuel that will begin Monday and are set to run through Labor Day, seeking to ease energy costs that have skyrocketed since the United States and Israel began striking the Islamic republic.

Carney called the war "an enormous shock in the global economy," and described the energy tax breaks as a "responsible and temporary measure" to make life more affordable.

- 'Be strong' -

The Liberals easily held two Toronto districts in Monday's by-elections, areas seen as safe seats for the party.

In the Quebec district of Terrebonne, the Liberal candidate edged out a challenger from the separatist Bloc Quebecois by just 731 votes.

In Montreal on Tuesday, 82-year-old Lisette Duquette told AFP she would have preferred a Bloc Quebecois victory but described Carney as "talented" and cited a tendency to "rally" behind him, "given the whole global situation."

Marcel Tremblay, a 75-year-old Montreal resident, said the face-off with Trump was Carney's key challenge.

"Now he has a majority. With what's happening in the United States and internationally, we need to be strong."

"The new prime minister is building ties with many other countries so that we'll have fewer dealings with the United States. That's a good thing," he said.

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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni received a sharp rebuke from US President Donald Trump and suspended a defence agreement with Israel on Tuesday, signalling a shift in her foreign relations.

The far-right prime minister was the only European leader to attend Trump's inauguration in 2025 and has sought to position herself as a bridge between Europe and his administration.

While ties with Israel were already becoming strained over the Gaza war, the relationship with Washington has been increasingly tense since US-Israeli strikes on Iran set off the Middle East war.

Energy import-dependent Italy has been hit economically and has refused to get involved in the war, siding with European allies.

Trump's extraordinary criticism on Sunday of Pope Leo XIV's growing anti-war rhetoric also proved particularly contentious.

After an initial mild statement of support for Pope Leo against Trump's broadside on Monday, Meloni issued clearer criticism the same day, saying the US leader's words were "unacceptable".

Speaking on the sidelines of a wine fair in northern Italy on Tuesday, Meloni returned to the subject of ties with Israel and the United States, saying that allies should be frank with each other.

"When we don't agree, and I often don't agree, we have to say it" and "act accordingly," she told reporters.

"In view of the current situation, the government has for example decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel," Meloni said.

Israel responded saying the suspension of the deal, which involves the exchange of military equipment and technology research, "will not affect Israel's security".

"We have no security agreement with Italy. We have a memorandum of understanding from many years ago that has never contained any substantive content," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein told AFP.

Tensions between the two countries have risen over the past week after the Italian government accused Israeli forces of firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.

Italy summoned Israel's ambassador in protest over the incident, which damaged at least one vehicle but caused no injuries. 

On Monday, Israel summoned Italy's ambassador following comments by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemning "unacceptable attacks" on Lebanese civilians by Israeli forces.

- Meloni 're-positioning' -

Meloni is in a vulnerable position at home after losing a justice reform referendum last month -- her first political defeat and one that analysts put down in part to her closeness with Trump.

"She is re-positioning herself," Lorenzo Castellani, politics professor at LUISS University in Rome, told AFP.

Close ties with the US and Israel were creating "political problems" so she is "adapting to circumstances", he said.

Castellani said he believed that Italy would have "a more critical voice, while staying within existing alliances".

Her growing criticism of Trump got a strong response on Tuesday.

"I'm shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong," Trump told Corriere della Sera in an interview.

Echoing her criticism of his attack on the pope, Trump told Corriere that it was she who was "unacceptable".

"She’s unacceptable because she doesn't mind that Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if they had the chance."

Referring to her refusal to get involved in the Middle East, he said: "She thinks America should do the job for her, she should not be involved."

Meloni's allies and political opponents were swift to offer support.

"We are and remain staunch supporters of Western unity and steadfast allies of the United States, but this unity is built on mutual loyalty, respect, and honesty," Foreign Minister Tajani said on X.

He said that until now, Trump considered Meloni a courageous person, and "he was not mistaken, but she is a woman who never shies away from saying what she thinks".

"And on Pope Leo XIV she said exactly what all of us Italians think. The prime minister and the government defend and will always defend only and solely the interests of Italy," he said.

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