Pope marks first Easter under cloud of Mideast war

The scale of the killing in Israeli strikes on Lebanon Wednesday is "horrific", the UN rights chief said, urging the international community to help end the unfolding "nightmare".

At least 112 people were killed and 837 more were wounded in Lebanon Wednesday after Israel launched a wave of strikes unprecedented in the current war, according to the latest Lebanese health ministry toll.

Volker Turk, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the attacks, saying the numbers killed and injured were appalling.

"The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific," he said in a statement.

"Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians."

Mass casualties have been reported, and hospitals overwhelmed, the statement added.

A UN Human Rights team at the site of a strike in Beirut described a scene of devastation, with several dead bodies amid the rubble.

- 'Prompt investigations' -

International humanitarian law spells out clearly that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, said Turk.

"Each and every attack must comply with international humanitarian law fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions to protect civilians," he said.

"These principles are non-negotiable, and must always be respected, whatever the circumstances of armed conflict.

"There must be prompt and independent investigations into all alleged violations, and those responsible brought to justice."

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Turk also deplored Hezbollah's missile and drone attacks on northern Israel, and urged both parties to stop, immediately.

More than a million people have been displaced in Lebanon by the conflict, and Israel has launched a ground invasion in the south.

"The scale of such actions, coupled with statements by Israeli officials indicating an intention to occupy or even annex parts of southern Lebanon, are deeply troubling," said Turk.

"The international community must act quickly to help bring an end to this nightmare.

"Efforts to bring peace to the wider region will remain incomplete as long as the Lebanese people are living under continuing fire, forcibly displaced, and in fear of further attacks."

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A British-American dealer dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" who sold the drugs that killed "Friends" star Matthew Perry, and boasted she supplied an elite circle of Hollywood VIPs, was jailed for 15 years on Wednesday.

Jasveen Sangha, 42, was one of five people charged over the death of the beloved Canadian-American actor, who was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his luxury Los Angeles home in 2023.

Sangha, a dual citizen of the United States and Britain, ran a drugs emporium from her swanky apartment in Los Angeles, from where she dished out narcotics to wealthy customers in America's entertainment capital.

"To cultivate her business, (Sangha) marketed herself as an exclusive dealer who catered to high-profile Hollywood clientele," prosecutors wrote in sentencing papers. 

"As she told one customer in 2020, 'I'm really select with people,' and 'it's a very VIP circle of celebs.'"

Sangha worked with a middleman, Erik Fleming, to sell 51 vials of ketamine to Perry's live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.

Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that she had supplied, including on October 28, 2023, when he administered at least three shots of Sangha's drugs, which killed the actor.

When Sangha heard news reports about Perry's sudden death, she tried to cover her tracks.

"Delete all our messages," she instructed Fleming.

Sangha's actions "show a cold callousness and disregard for life. She chose profits over people, and her actions have caused immense pain to the victims' families and loved ones," prosecutors wrote.

Investigators who raided Sangha's home in the aftermath of Perry's death found methamphetamine, ketamine, ecstasy, cocaine, and counterfeit Xanax pills, as well as a money counting machine, a scale, and devices to detect wireless signals and hidden cameras.

- Doctors -

Perry, 54, had openly struggled for decades with addictions, but had appeared to colleagues to be beating his demons when he died.

His death set off waves of grief among generations of "Friends" fans and sparked a police probe that uncovered a ring of suppliers and enablers, including medical doctors who were callously profiting from the pain of a man they should have been helping.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who admitted four counts of distribution of ketamine in the weeks before Perry's death, was ordered to serve 30 months in jail when he was sentenced last year.

Another doctor, Mark Chavez, was ordered to be confined at home and told to do hundreds of hours of community service.

Plasencia bought ketamine off Chavez and sold it to Perry at hugely inflated prices.

"I wonder how much this moron will pay," Plasencia wrote in one text message.

Prosecutors said addict Perry was paying over $2,000 per vial of ketamine; his dealers paid a fraction of that.

Iwamasa and Fleming are scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

Sangha admitted one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury.

Her plea acknowledged that she also sold four vials of ketamine to another man, 33-year-old Cody McLaury, in August 2019.

McLaury died hours later from an overdose.

- 'Mostly sober' -

Perry had been taking ketamine as part of supervised therapy for depression.

But prosecutors say that before his death, he became addicted to the substance, which is used as an anesthetic, but also has psychedelic properties and is a popular party drug.

"Friends," which followed the lives of six New Yorkers navigating adulthood, dating and careers, drew a massive following and made megastars of previously unknown actors.

Perry's role as the sarcastic man-child Chandler brought him fabulous wealth, but hid a dark struggle with addiction to painkillers and alcohol.

In 2018, he suffered a drug-related burst colon and underwent multiple surgeries.

In his 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," Perry described going through detox dozens of times.

"I have mostly been sober since 2001," he wrote, "save for about sixty or seventy little mishaps."

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(The Center Square) – The 2026 midterm elections are just under seven months away and the races for the U.S. House are beginning to heat up.

With control of the chamber on the line, a national ratings outlet says Pennsylvania has the most “Toss Up” races in November.

The Cook Political Report’s most recent ratings update on Tuesday shifted GOP U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan’s bid for reelection in Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District from the “Lean Republican” category to the “Toss Up” column. 

“Freshman Rep. Rob Bresnahan’s stock trades have dogged him all cycle, giving Democrats a potent line of attack in a district that has been trending Republicans’ way but is very much in play this cycle,” the Cook Political Report writes.

Bresnahan was elected to Congress in 2024 to represent the seat in northeast Pennsylvania after defeating Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright by roughly 1.6 points.

Although the primary election is still just one month away, it appears that the general election showdown is set for the contested district. 

Bresnahan and Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, are the only candidates who have filed to run for the seat in 2026.  

In addition to Bresnahan’s bid for a second term being labeled a “Toss Up,” the Cook Political Report has rated the reelection races for U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-7th District, and Scott Perry, R-10th District, in the same category. 

“Pennsylvania’s 7th District, nestled in the Lehigh Valley, is a rare true swing seat,” writes the Cook Political Report. “Donald Trump won the district by three points in 2016, lost it by less than a point in 2020, and then won it again by three points last year.”

Like Bresnahan, Mackenzie also flipped a blue seat red in 2024 after defeating Democrat incumbent U.S. Rep. Susan Wild by 1 point. Mackenzie’s roughly 4,000-vote victory was the closest Congressional contest in Pennsylvania’s last cycle. 

While Mackenzie is the only Republican to file for the seat, four Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination to face him. 

Perry, who is seeking an eighth term in Congress, bested Democrat Janelle Stelson by 1.2 points in 2024. His previous race was his closest election since being elected to Congress. 

A rematch may be in the cards for the 10th Congressional District. 

Stelson, a former central Pennsylvania television anchor, is running for the seat again and will face Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas for their party’s nomination.

Perry is the only Republican to file for the seat.

“Stelson is now waging a rematch against Perry, and both parties view the congressman as one of the most vulnerable House Republicans in the country,” according to a race summary by the Cook Political Report. 

Republicans currently hold a slim majority over Democrats in the U.S. House, putting these races in battleground districts in Pennsylvania in the spotlight in November.

(The Center Square) – A proposed expansion of the Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas export facility in Louisiana could threaten the federally protected eastern black rail, a marsh bird, according to new environmental analysis done by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass LNG Stage 5 expansion project in Cameron Parish is "likely to adversely affect" the eastern black rail, a secretive, sparrow-sized bird, the federal energy regulator ruled in a draft environmental impact statement released in early April.

The commission’s draft environmental review includes habitat mitigation measures that place the Sabine Pass expansion project on track for a permit.

Three other proposed or existing export facilities on the Louisiana coast – Commonwealth LNG and Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG and Calcasieu Pass 2 LNG – have faced legal challenges centered on their impacts on the eastern black rail and the bird’s sensitive marsh habitat.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates the population of the eastern black rail has declined in the eastern United States by 75% in the last 10 to 20 years.

In October 2020, the service officially listed the eastern black rail as threatened but declined to designate critical habitat, saying publicizing the bird’s location would invite disturbance from overzealous birders.

Following a legal challenge by the Center for Biological Diversity and Healthy Gulf, a federal court ruled in July that the service’s refusal to designate specific habitat for the marsh bird was unlawful.

“Habitat loss is driving the eastern black rail to the brink of extinction and this decision recognizes that the Fish and Wildlife Service can’t ignore that reality,” said Kristine Akland, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, after the ruling. “Protecting wetlands is essential if this secretive little bird is going to have a fighting chance to survive rising seas and relentless development.”

The federal court ordered the service to reconsider, finding it had failed to properly analyze how a formal habitat designation would benefit the species' survival – specifically when weighed against the dual threats of industrial development and rising sea levels.

About one month later, the service released the Eastern Black Rail Draft Recovery Plan, which provides an outline for saving the species over a 60-year period at a projected cost to taxpayers of approximately $420 million.

Cheniere’s Stage 5 expansion would add three liquefaction units, or “trains” – numbers seven, eight and nine – at the Sabine Pass export facility, according to an amended application filed with federal regulators in June. The three trains would potentially increase peak production at the plant by approximately 20 million metric tons of LNG annually, according to an Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

The federal energy regulator concluded that while most environmental impacts would be temporary or short-term during construction, the project would cause some permanent effects on wetlands, forested lands, and air quality.

To mitigate these impacts and protect species like the eastern black rail, federal regulators are requiring Cheniere to implement a suite of oversight plans that include “strict” controls for erosion and spill prevention, specialized wetland construction procedures, and a horizontal directional drilling plan designed to minimize surface disturbance. During construction, Cheniere must also follow protocols for weed control, traffic management, and ongoing community engagement, the commission said in a statement announcing the ruling.

The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication getting comment from Healthy Gulf.

Donald Trump claimed "total" victory after a ceasefire with Iran. But critics say the deal is a fresh example of their maxim that the tough-talking US president always "chickens out."

In the space of 12 nerve-wracking hours, Trump went from warning that a "whole civilization will die" to hailing that agreement as a big day for world peace.

The reality on the ground however showed a still shaky two-week ceasefire with a host of unanswered questions -- not least about whether Trump had ever intended to follow through on his apocalyptic threats.

"President Trump is proving to be an increasingly unpredictable force and unreliable ally,"  Peter Loge, director of George Washington University's School of Media, told AFP.

The former businessman and author of "Art of the Deal" has a long favored a negotiating style that relies on maximum leverage in order to extract more whoever is on the other side of the table.

Trump insisted his approach, which included a vow to bomb Iran back to the "stone age" by targeting civilian energy plants and bridges, had served its purpose.

"Total and complete victory," the president told AFP in a brief telephone interview after Monday's announcement. "100 percent. No question about it."

The White House also insisted that everything had gone according to plan, saying that Trump had always planned for Operation Epic Fury to last between four and six weeks. 

"The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters 

But critics say that Trump has employed the same tactic on everything from tariffs to wars to his threats to annex Greenland, especially as markets start to react unfavorably.

The phenomenon now has its own acronym, which originally began with traders: TACO, or "Trump Always Chickens Out."

- 'Military moron' -

Loge -- who predicted on Tuesday morning that Trump would take a self-declared win on Iran then give "give them two more weeks" -- added: "The only consistent thing President Trump does is declare victory."

The time period of two weeks is also familiar to Trump-watchers who have seen him evoke the interval in a series of previous crises.

Critics led by rival Democrats lashed out at the Republican president, who has flexed his executive muscle in the face of a largely pliant and currently absent Congress.

"Trump is a military moron," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said as he announced the Senate would vote next week on a war powers resolution.

Trump's opponents say the war has left Iran effectively in control of the Strait of Hormuz, with a stranglehold over world energy prices. There's also little evidence he has done more to prevent Iran getting a nuclear bomb, given that the Iranians still possess their store of highly enriched uranium.

And Trump's Republicans are nervous that the Middle East war will hit them in November's midterm elections for control of Congress, given that American families are already finding it harder to pay the bills.

"All of this happens when one man…has unchecked power to wage war," added Schumer. 

The criticism grew as the ceasefire appeared to be increasingly fragile, with Iran threatening to torpedo it if Israel did not stop attacks on Lebanon.

"Trump, 'the peace President', should have never started this war alongside Israel, who clearly doesn’t want peace," former ally and congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said on Thursday.

Nevertheless, Trump loyalists praised the deal.

"It looks like Trump ultimately hits the home run here, takes it to the brink. Iran blinks," said Fox News host and ally Laura Ingraham on her show after the announcement of the deal.

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US President Donald Trump will discuss the possibility of leaving NATO when he meets with the alliance's chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday, the White House said, accusing Washington's partners of "turning their back" on the American people.

The meeting comes one day after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Trump has expressed anger at Western partners' refusal to back his war on Iran, rocking the 77-year-old transatlantic alliance.

"It's quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it's the American people who have been funding their defense," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

When asked if Trump would discuss a possible withdrawal from NATO, Leavitt said: "It's something the president has discussed, and I think it's something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary-General Rutte."

"Perhaps you'll hear directly from the president following that meeting," she added.

Trump has branded NATO partners "cowards" for limiting US forces' access to bases on their territories and for refusing to lead efforts to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

But NATO's secretary-general touts a record of pulling Trump back onside -- and will be looking to do so again when he meets the president, as well as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.

Ahead of the White House visit, Rutte met with Rubio to talk about Iran, Russia's war against Ukraine and NATO responsibilities.

"The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing US-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO Allies," said State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

- 'Obsolete' -

NATO has been thrust repeatedly into crisis since Trump returned to power last year -- most acutely by his threat to seize the vast Arctic island of Greenland from alliance member Denmark.

That followed him pulling the rug out from under Ukraine in its war against Russia, his threats not to protect allies unless they don't spend more on defense, and warnings that Washington could pull troops from Europe. 

Dubbed a "Trump whisperer," Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, has been central to allied efforts to mollify the US leader, often by means of flattery. 

On Iran, he has sought to thread the needle by calling US efforts to degrade Tehran's military capability something to "applaud."

Trump has warmed to Rutte's praise, describing the secretary-general as "a wonderful guy" -- even while claiming that fellow NATO countries had "gone out of their way not to help" in the Middle East.

Speaking as Rutte headed to Washington, a NATO official said he planned to "discuss current security dynamics including in the context of Iran as well as Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine" in his talks with Trump.

And he would "seek to build on the success" of last year's NATO summit in The Hague at which allies agreed to Trump's demand to ramp up their defense spending target, the official said.

Trump has long railed against NATO, calling it "obsolete" in 2017 and mulling withdrawing.

Compounding the worries this time, however, Trump has been joined by traditional NATO supporters including Rubio, who warned last week the United States was "going to have to reexamine" the relationship in light of the rift over Iran.

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire Tuesday barely an hour ahead of Trump's deadline to obliterate the rival country was set to expire, with Tehran to temporarily reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz.

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Five Americans with multiple major triumphs but no green jacket made final preparations Wednesday at Augusta National on the eve of the 90th Masters.

For two-time major winners Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Bryson DeChambeau and five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, a firm and fast layout will test their shotmaking skills.

"They are in a really good spot. They are definitely firm," 10th-ranked Schauffele said of the greens.

"Speed on the greens is going to be crucial, as always. Big accomplishment to keep three-putts off the card.

"If you can really be disciplined, make sure your good shots are great but make sure your bad shots are in the correct spots, that's how you need to play to be in contention.

"The hard part is doing it."

Schauffele, the 2024 British Open and PGA Championship winner, was third at the Players Championship and fourth at the Valspar Championship in his final Masters tuneups.

"It's nice to have a few good events under my belt," Schauffele said. "Definitely working on a few things and trying to get myself back into the picture here."

The 2019 Masters runner-up has five top-10 finishes in the past seven Masters.

Seventh-ranked Morikawa, the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 British Open winner, has battled a back injury.

"I'm taking it day by day. It's not exactly where I want to be, and it's unfortunate, but that's just the body and I can't push it," Morikawa said.

"It has been a little bit of a mental battle, just trying to trust with where it's at."

For Morikawa, third at the 2024 Masters and in the top five in three of the past four years, it means seeking new ways to do familiar things.

"Sometimes you've got to find other ways to get around a golf course. I'm making a different game plan than I've come up with in the past," he said.

"It's frustrating, but at the same time, I can't do anything stupid... What's amazing is chipping and putting still feel great. Just got to be able to get the ball there."

World number 15 Thomas, the 2017 and 2022 PGA Championship winner, underwent microdiscectomy back surgery last November to address nagging hip pain and returned to play in February.

- Proud and happy -

Thomas, who won last year's PGA Heritage title the week after the Masters, was eighth at last month's Players Championship in just his second event back.

"Coming off of six months off competition, definitely proud and happy of that and hopefully just get a little bit of momentum," Thomas said. "I felt very comfortable."

Koepka, a two-time US Open champion and three time PGA Championship winner, has a history of peaking his game for the majors through a build-up for weeks during PGA Tour events.

"I've always been a slow starter," Koepka said. "Sometimes that first week I'm not exactly sharp. Then the second and third week I just got better, so a lot of those were teed up for majors."

Two-time US Open winner DeChambeau, ranked 24th, likes his complete game and hopes to improve on his fifth-place showing from last year, his best Masters finish.

"I feel like I'm driving it well, wedging it well, chipping it pretty well, putting it well. Iron play as well," DeChambeau said. "Just making sure the numbers are correct and hitting my distances and missing in the right places."

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Rory McIlroy tossed a golf ball to a child at the 2016 Players Championship and that kid, US Amateur champion Mason Howell, will play alongside McIlroy to start the 90th Masters.

Defending champion McIlroy, a 36-year-old five-time major winner from Northern Ireland, will join 18-year-old Howell from nearby Thomasville and American Cameron Young off the first tee at 10:31 a.m. (1431 GMT) Thursday.

"The incredible thing about our game is because our careers are long, so many generations overlap," McIlroy said. "I remember playing the first two rounds of the 2010 US Open with Tom Watson. That's incredible to think about now."

McIlroy watched Tiger Woods win the 1997 Masters in record fashion and said, "I want to do that." Now he's the idol instead of the idolizer.

"Rory was one of my idols growing up, so it'll be a super special moment for me," Howell said. "I can't ogle at his game too much. I got to focus on myself.

"I'll be super excited but at the same time I'll be super nervous -- just controlling my emotions and sticking to my game plan and just having fun."

That Nike golf ball Howell received from McIlroy spent years in Howell's room, serving as inspiration. Now it will be in his bag when he plays Augusta National alongside McIlroy.

"I've got his ball in my bag right now, one that he gave me in 2016," Howell said. "It says 'Rors' on the side.

"I'm going to say I'm going to play the first hole with a Nike, which I'm not... That would be a power move, but yeah, that's kind of the plan. Hopefully it doesn't get back to him before Thursday."

Howell was born in 2007, just weeks before McIlroy was low amateur in his major debut at the 2007 British Open at Carnoustie at age 18.

"I just think about the time span," McIlroy said. "I've been lucky that the people I looked up to took me under their wing when I was starting off. That's the incredible thing about golf that not a lot of other sports have."

Howell, set to attend the nearby University of Georgia, stayed in the Crow's Nest, a housing area at the club for amateurs.

"Just being here at the Masters playing in front of this many people, it's awesome," Howell said. "It's kind of a lot to handle. When Thursday comes, I know I'll be pretty nervous but excited at the same time.

"If I keep a smile on my face, I think the rest will take care of itself."

His goal for the week is making the cut and having four "solid" rounds.

"I can't wait for it to get started, but I know when it does it'll be gone in the blink of an eye," he said. "I wish it would honestly slow down. Just trying to soak it all in."

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Eleven leaders of a Turkish LGBT rights group went on trial Wednesday on charges of "obscenity" and "violating the protection of the family", their lawyer told AFP.

The defendants, leaders of the Genc LGBTI+ association (Young LGBTI+ in Turkish), stand accused of breaching an article of the Turkish constitution on protecting family values, as well as publishing images on social media showing same-sex couples kissing -- deemed "obscene" by the authorities.

They face up to three years in jail and having their civil rights suspended if found guilty by the court in the western city of Izmir.

Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but the LGBT community is frequently targeted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has blamed it for a declining birth rate.

"This trial arises from a policy of excluding LGBT+ people from the public sphere," said Kerem Dikmen, the association's lawyer.

"It is an attack on freedom of expression and freedom of association," said Dikmen, himself on trial for being a member of the group's supervisory board.

"This is not about obscenity. Activities that are perfectly legitimate, legal and in line with the constitution are being criminalised. It is a form of dehumanisation," he added.

LGBT rights campaigners have appealed against another court ruling issued in December ordering the association's dissolution on the basis of the same charges.

"We will not give up defending human rights. But they are trying to send a message to society through us," said Dikmen.

The next hearing in the case is slated for October 14.

A draft amendment of Turkey's penal code that proposed prosecuting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people for behaviour deemed "contrary to biological sex and general morality" and promoting such behaviour in Turkey was withdrawn last November.

Since 2015, the annual Pride march has been almost systematically banned and suppressed in the country.

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Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley says the home of the Masters won't create fictional scripted dramas anytime soon but would look "outside the box" to grow the sport.

And he wants distance limitation for elite-level golf balls, saying, "It's time to address this issue" to "protect the integrity of what makes golf so great."

Speaking Wednesday on the eve of the 90th Masters, Ridley noted a 2022 viral collaboration with YouTube's Dude Perfect but admitted the all-sports video left something to be desired.

The video, made weeks before the Masters, featured Dude Perfect using hockey sticks, baseball bats, tennis racquets, pool cues and frisbees through Amen Corner -- the famed 11th, 12th and 13th holes at August National.

"A few years ago we had Dude Perfect playing frisbee at Amen Corner. In retrospect, I like those guys, but that may not have been the best idea," Ridley said.

"But it does point out that we try things every once in a while that are a little bit non-traditional, so we'll continue to look at things.

"We're certainly willing to look outside the box every once in a while."

Ridley indicated Augusta National hadn't pondered fictional shows set around the famed grounds in the way the NFL has embraced certain projects.

"It's not something I think we've considered," he said. "There's no shortage of examples of things that we're looking at. I think the last few years have pointed out we'll try different things."

Ridley noted the tension between respecting tradition and innovation.

"I do think we need to be looking at non-traditional ways of promoting the tournament, but more so promoting golf," he said.

- 'Prodigious distances' -

It's the same fine line involved in limiting golf ball technology, something Ridley and governing bodies support to reduce distance at the elite level.

"Our position is grounded on much more than protecting the Augusta National golf course," Ridley said. "We will continue to make modifications as are necessary to react to driving distances that in some cases exceed 350 yards.

"The game has become much more one-dimensional. As players drive the ball prodigious distances and routinely hit short irons into par-fours and even some par-fives, this issue goes beyond competitive impacts."

Ridley said shot shaping, risk taking and executing under pressure is at the heart of elite greatness, not just distance.

"Regulation of the golf ball is not an attempt to turn back time or stifle progress," he said. "It's an effort to preserve the essence of what makes golf the great game that it is."

Ridley addressed comments by PGA Tour chief executive officer Brian Rolapp that, while majors like the Masters benefit from the tour, the tour has no ownership stake in the majors.

"There are a number of golf organizations, including ours, that make the journey to the PGA Tour possible," Ridley said.

"We really need to look at the entire eco-system to get a full perspective of that issue."

- No idea on gnomes -

Ridley said that after adding six national open champions to Masters qualifiers, the club would consider others.

"I do think there might be other national opens that should be considered," he said.

Asked about reports this might be the last year for the popular collectable "Masters gnome" at the club gift shop, Ridley said even he doesn't have the answer.

"I've been asking that question for several years, and they won't tell me the answer, so I can't help you," Ridley said.

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