Spain's Sanchez seeks closer China ties amid strains with US

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked his 100th day in office on Sunday with a rally to tout early successes and vow to follow through on his unabashedly "socialist" agenda.

"I know there are many who use 'socialist' as a dirty word, something to be ashamed of," the 34-year-old told a packed room in Queens.

"They can try all they want, but we will not be ashamed of using government to fight for the many, not simply the few," he said.

Mamdani pointed to a program to fill city street potholes -- over 100,000 since January 1 -- as evidence he is committed to making the lives of everyday New Yorkers better.

"If government can't do the small things, how could you ever trust it to do the big ones? How can we promise to transform our city if we can't pave your street?"

The young mayor was joined at the rally by his close ally, 84-year-old leftist icon Bernie Sanders.

Mamdani touted progress on signature campaign promises, such as launching city-run grocery stores -- the first of which will open next year -- and providing free childcare for young children.

He has also reshuffled city committees that could pave the way for freezing rent increases in the coming months.

Free bus rides, however, are still only under discussion with New York State authorities, he said.

The new mayor's approval rating, according to two polls released this week, stood at 48 percent with New York residents and 43 percent among voters.

According to the Emerson College Polling/PIX11 survey of voters, 54 percent praise his initiatives on childcare and 49 percent on housing costs.

However, the survey also shows that 68 percent of Hispanic voters and 58 percent of Black voters believe the city is "on the wrong track."

Although highly critical of Donald Trump during his campaign, Mamdani has apparently struck up a cordial relationship with the Republican US president, visiting the White House twice in recent months.

According to a Marist Poll, 59 percent of New Yorkers believe he has struck the "right balance" with Trump.

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Rory McIlroy was hailed for his resilience and determination under pressure on Sunday after a gritty performance to win his second consecutive Masters title.

Second-ranked McIlroy grinded out a one-under par 71 in the final round at Augusta National to complete a wire-to-wire triumph, defeating top-ranked Scottie Scheffler by a stroke for his sixth major title.

McIlroy led in driving distance with an average of 334.3 yards but was third-worst in driving accuracy and managed a bogey at 18 after sending his tee shot over trees to the right and near the adjacent 10th fairway.

"I've competed against him for a long time, and you don't win the amount of tournaments he has won out here without being pretty resilient," Scheffler said.

McIlroy set a Masters record with a six-stroke lead after 36 holes but squandered it Saturday and had to fight back from three strokes back through six holes.

"Having a six-shot lead at Augusta is never easy, and losing that is obviously something difficult," Scheffler said.

"But at the end of the day when you tee it up here on Sunday, he's tied for the lead to start the day, had a solid round and did what he needed to do in order to get it done."

Fellow American Cameron Young, who won last month's Players Championship, played alongside McIlroy for three days, including in Sunday's final pairing.

"He's obviously a great player," Young said. "I think if you asked him he would admit that he didn't drive it particularly straight the first two days and did some incredible scoring.

"So sure, yes. There is plenty to learn from him."

England's Tyrrell Hatton, who fired a closing 66 to share third two strokes adrift, called McIlroy matching Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back Masters winners "unbelievable."

"He's an incredible player and pretty cool what he's done in the game," Hatton said.

McIlroy was also praised by US President Donald Trump in a social media post celebrating the 36-year-old Northern Irishman's triumph.

"Congratulations to Rory McIlroy on another Great Championship, The Masters!" Trump wrote. "He performed tremendously under intense pressure, something which few people would be able to even think about doing.

"With each year, Rory is becoming more and more a LEGEND!"

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley placed the green jacket on McIlroy, a role usually filled by the prior year's winner.

"You continue to be a wonderful champion and we look forward to watching you compete and wearing the green jacket here at Augusta National for many years to come," Ridley said.

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Viktor Orban, who has ruled Hungary as a self-described "thorn" in the European Union's side for 16 years, conceded defeat to conservative Peter Magyar in the country's parliamentary elections on Sunday.

Here are the main reactions from Europe.

- France - 

"France welcomes this victory for democratic participation, for the Hungarian people's commitment to the values of the European Union, and for Hungary in Europe," President Emmanuel Macron posted on X after speaking with Magyar. 

French far-right National Rally party chief Jordan Bardella paid tribute to Orban, calling him a "great patriot".

- Germany - 

"I am looking forward to working with you," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on social media. 

"Let's join forces for a strong, secure and, above all, united Europe," he added. 

- United Kingdom -

"This is an historic moment, not only for Hungary, but for European democracy," Prime Minister Keir Starmer posted on X. 

- Italy - 

Though Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni congratulated Magyar on this "clear electoral victory", but also made a point of thanking her "friend Viktor Orban for intense collaboration" over the years. 

- Spain - 

"Today Europe wins and European values win," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X, congratulating Hungarian citizens on "historic elections".  

- European Union - 

"Hungary has chosen Europe," wrote Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission on X in English and Hungarian. 

"Europe's heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight," she said. 

- Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Magyar on his "resounding victory", pledging to work with the country's new leadership.

"We are ready for meetings and joint constructive work for the benefit of both nations, as well as peace, security, and stability in Europe," Zelensky said in a post on X.

"The people of Hungary have delivered a clear and resolute 'no' to any attempts at pulling their country back into Moscow's orbit," said Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

- Estonia - 

Estonia's Prime Minister Kristen Michal welcomed "a historic choice for a free and strong Hungary in a united Europe, rejecting forces that ignore their interests".

- Ireland - 

"I look forward to working with Prime Minister elect Magyar to strengthen bilateral relations between Ireland and Hungary based on our shared membership of the European Union and our commitment to shares values," said Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin.

- Croatia - 

"I look forward to further strengthening cooperation between Croatia and Hungary, both bilaterally and at the European level," said Croatia's Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic after a phone call with Magyar. 

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The 2025-26 regular season concluded for Mizzou tennis with a 4-0 loss to No. 17 Florida on Sunday in Gainesville, Florida.

The Tigers finished with a 12-17 record overall and 0-15 in Southeastern Conference play.

Although the duo of Korina Roso and Andrea Artimedi picked up a 6-2 victory in doubles action on court two, the Gators picked up wins in both of the other matchups.

Gian Octa, Alex Ackman and Lara Quaglia dropped their respective singles contests to ranked opponents, while the rest ended unfinished. Roso battled with Florida's Valery Gynina in the most competitive duel of the bunch, but her match was unfinished down 7-6. 

Mizzou is set to close out the year for good at the SEC Tournament in Norman, Oklahoma. It will run from Wednesday to Sunday. 

Justin Rose expressed disappointment at failing to shed his "nearly man" tag at the Masters as a final-round lead slipped out of his grasp down the back nine on Sunday.

Rose, 45, has never won the Masters despite finishing runner-up at Augusta National on three occasions, including two nail-biting playoff defeats.

On Sunday, Rose started brightly and seized a two-shot lead at the turn, but ultimately had to settle for a share of third after three bogeys on the back nine.

"Just a chance that got away obviously," Rose told reporters, describing the latest loss as "another little stinger."

"I was by no means free and clear and was nowhere close to having the job done -- but I was right in position," he said.

Having started the final day three shots off the lead, the English veteran scored a scintillating 32 on the front nine.

With overnight leaders Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young faltering, Rose found himself with a two-shot lead at the turn.

"I was really in control, first ten holes... And the mentality was to run through the finish line, not just try and get it done," he said.

But as he approached the daunting section of Augusta National known as "Amen Corner", Rose's challenge came undone, with bogeys on the 11th and the par-three 12th, where he fluffed a chip from the fringe.

He appeared to have restored his momentum by reaching the par-five 13th green in two. But his eagle attempt ran wildly past the hole, and he failed to even make birdie.

"Clearly too aggressive with it," he reflected.

"Maybe just lost my patience there a little bit off the back of two bogeys... Those are the little things that end up costing you," Rose told Sky Sports.

Despite a birdie at 15, another bogey on the 17th meant Rose's long wait for the green jacket continues.

Just 12 months ago, Rose had lost a playoff to McIlroy. In 2017, he also lost an Augusta playoff, to Sergio Garcia.

While those sudden death losses felt like a "flick of a coin," this year "was an opportunity to do better, so obviously that is frustrating for sure," said Rose.

He expressed gratitude for the vocal support he received from the crowd.

"I think people just know I play hard, I try hard, I've been close," said Rose.

"I'll come back next year and give everything, of course," he said.

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World number one Scottie Scheffler was left ruing early round struggles at Augusta after his bid to pull off a record Masters comeback came up agonizingly short.

Scheffler, who had trailed eventual Masters champion Rory McIlroy by a massive 12 shots after Friday's second round, finished just one adrift of the Northern Irishman after Sunday's gripping final round shoot-out.

The 29-year-old two-time Masters champion appeared poised to eclipse the previous biggest 36-hole comeback in Masters history, belonging to Jack Burke, who made up eight strokes to claim the green jacket in 1956.

But a bogey-free four-under-par 68 left Scheffler one shy of McIlroy's winning total, leaving the American pondering what might have been had it not been for a difficult second round on Friday where he made four bogeys in a two-over-par 74.

"I'd say Friday probably hurt the most in terms of my chances of winning," said Scheffler, who felt that moves to soften greens after Thursday's opening round did not benefit all players.

"Going out on Friday, whatever they did to the greens to soften them up, they did some stuff, and I just wasn't able to take advantage of that going on early on Friday," he said.

"I would have liked it to have been a little bit more equal in terms of the firmness on Thursday and Friday."

Yet even allowing for his slow start, Scheffler remained an ominous presence lurking behind McIlroy on Sunday.

Back-to-back birdies on the 15th and 16th holes left him within striking distance of the leaders, and a birdie putt on 17 rolled the slightest fraction wide of the cup.

His hopes of a birdie on 18 were blown off course when the wind held up his approach to the green, forcing him to settle for a par.

"The putt I hit on 17 I really thought I made," Scheffler said. "The shot into 18 I hit it exactly how I wanted to. I think we just lost the wind.

"Overall I'm not going to hold too many regrets, but yeah, definitely a bit disappointed now.

"But I started the weekend 12 shots back and ended up only one shot back. If I am going to blame anything, I should probably blame the first two rounds before I start looking at stuff from the last couple."

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez begins a three-day visit to China on Monday, aiming to strengthen trade ties with the world's second-largest economy as relations with the United States show signs of strain.

The trip marks Sanchez's fourth visit to China in four years as he seeks to position Spain as a key bridge between China and the 27-member European Union.

The visit comes amid tense relations with Washington under President Donald Trump, whose tariffs and unpredictable foreign policy have raised concerns among European allies.

Leaders from Britain, Canada and Germany have recently visited Beijing, and Trump is expected to travel there in May.

Trump threatened last month to cut trade with Spain after the country denied the use of its military bases for US strikes against Iran, a key economic partner of Beijing.

Spanish government sources said a primary goal of the trip is to secure greater market access, particularly for agricultural and industrial goods, and to explore joint ventures in the technology sector.

Sanchez is also expected to use the visit to attract new investors for the eurozone's fourth-largest economy and to gain access to China's critical raw materials.

On Monday, he is scheduled to visit the headquarters of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi and tour a technology exhibit at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 

Sanchez is set to meet top Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, on Tuesday and hold a press conference.

China's exports to Spain far exceed Spanish exports to the Asian country. 

Last year, Spain, with a population of around 50 million, ran a trade deficit of 42.3 billion euros ($49.1 billion) with China, a country of more than 1.4 billion people.

The government has said that Spain's exports to China rose 6.8 percent in 2025, crediting the growth to strong ties with Beijing.

During Sanchez's visit to China in April 2025, Beijing agreed to expand access for a range of Spanish products, including pork and cherries. 

- Spanish 'gateway' -

Spain holds special appeal for Chinese investors, in part because its economy is growing at one of Europe's fastest rates and energy costs remain relatively low, said Claudio Feijoo, a China expert at the Technical University of Madrid.

"China perceives Spain as relatively friendly, less confrontational toward China than other countries and likely more independent from Washington. This allows for more autonomous decision-making," he told AFP.

"Spain is also seen as a gateway to Europe, Latin America and North Africa. It can function as a hub -- a place from which multiple markets can be accessed at once."

Agricultural products have the greatest potential in China, he said, noting that the country "cannot produce all the food it needs, or at least not at the quality required by its population", while Spain is a major producer of many food items.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Wednesday called Spain "an important partner of China within the EU", adding that Sanchez's visit offers a chance to "promote bilateral relations to an even higher level".

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia paid a state visit to China last November, the first by a Spanish monarch in 18 years, highlighting the closeness of ties.

Sanchez, one of Europe's few remaining left-wing leaders, is travelling with his wife Begona Gomez and Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares.

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Right‑wing candidate Keiko Fujimori led exit polls following Peru's troubled presidential election Sunday, but failed to avoid a runoff after a tight vote marred by irregularities and a police raid on the country's election authority. 

Fujimori, the 50-year-old daughter of a disgraced former president, led with about 16 percent of the vote, according to pollsters at Ipsos and Datum. 

A string of candidates followed in a statistical tie for second place and the final spot in a June runoff.

About 27 million Peruvians were choosing between 35 presidential candidates in a race dominated by concerns over crime and corruption. 

But election day was marred by delays and irregularities that sparked unproven accusations of foul play and cast a shadow over results.

Police and prosecutors moved into the election authority headquarters as polls were still open, probing the failure to deliver voting materials that left about 63,000 people unable to cast ballots.

Authorities said election materials failed to reach about 100 polling places, mostly in Lima, forcing dozens of centers to open hours late. 

At 15 centers, angry voters waited for hours under the equatorial sun, only to be turned away when ballots failed to arrive. 

"We have had a logistical problem, and we have done everything humanly possible to reduce it," said Piero Corvetto, head of the National Office of Electoral Processes. 

"There is no possibility of fraud," he said. "There is full assurance that the election results will faithfully reflect the popular will." 

Several candidates voiced unease and called for voting to be extended into Monday if necessary. Authorities closed the polls after extending voting by one hour. 

Outside the election headquarters, a small group of protesters gathered as police guarded the building and investigators took statements. 

"We cannot stay silent," said Karina Herrera, a 25‑year‑old administration student. "They have not made it easier for people to vote." 

Officials said police also raided a private subcontractor, blamed for failing to deliver election materials on time. 

The missing votes make up a small fraction of the total but could still matter in a close race. 

In the 2021 election, just 238,000 votes separated second and third place. 

Exit polls by Ipsos and Datum put Roberto Sanchez, Ricardo Belmont, Rafael Lopez Aliaga and Jorge Neito within a couple of points of each other in the race for second place.

No candidate was close to the 50 percent needed to win outright. 

Crime dominated the campaign. The homicide rate has more than doubled in 10 years, while reported extortion cases jumped from 3,200 to 26,500 a year.

On the eve of the vote, Fujimori told AFP she would restore order by deploying the army in prisons, strengthening borders and deporting migrants.

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Colombian reggaeton star Karol G is set to turn up the heat in the California desert even further on Sunday with a performance capping the Coachella music festival's first weekend.

The "Manana sera bonito" singer is the first Latina artist to headline the festival, which draws massive crowds over two consecutive weekends in Indio, California.

Her makeup artist, Duvan Foronda -- who spoke with AFP this Sunday -- teased that Karol G "is going to look absolutely stunning; you've never seen her dance the way she's going to dance today." 

The singer made her Coachella debut in 2022 with a set that turned into a full-blown Latin party, embracing her roots and featuring guests such as fellow Colombian J Balvin, as well as DJ Tiesto and Becky G -- with whom she performed her empowering hit "Mamiii." 

Since then, the Colombian artist has released two albums, the latest being the Caribbean-flavored "Tropicoqueta" that debuted last year with the single "Latina Foreva." 

Sporting a look inspired by tropical showgirls, Karol G is expected to get her thousands of fans up and dancing.

Some of them began their day by visiting a pop-up market near the festival grounds -- an event the singer had promoted on her social media channels to boost Latinx-owned brands in the United States.

"I'm so emotional," said fan Cristina Medina, breaking down in tears.

"'Latina Foreva' represents strength and pride in being Latinx, and in supporting one another. Just look at this opportunity she's created for the Latinx community. She is truly special," she added.

Medina stopped by the vintage market organized by Bichota Records to channel the reggaeton star's signature look.

She could hardly believe her eyes when she came face-to-face with the Colombian singer's makeup artist, Duvan Foronda, who was on-site to do fans' makeup and promote his own line. 

"People want to wear lots of glitter -- lots of sparkle. They're ready to see 'La Bichota,' but looking absolutely dazzling," Foronda told AFP, noting that the key to a "Tropicoqueta" look is appearing "super natural," featuring the orange tones that define the current aesthetic of the Medellin diva.

- A diverse line-up -

Other highlights of Sunday's diverse lineup include songwriter flowerovlove, the group Major Lazer, the godfather of punk Iggy Pop, British dancer and singer FKA twigs, the architect of big beat Fatboy Slim, rapper Young Thug, and kings of K-pop, BIGBANG. 

The first weekend of Coachella -- marking the start of the US music festival season -- kicked off on Friday led by pop star Sabrina Carpenter. She brought her "Sabrinawood" concept to the stage -- a sort of love letter to cinema -- which featured appearances by big-screen stars such as Sam Elliott, Susan Sarandon and Will Ferrell. 

On Saturday -- following electrifying performances by the techno-industrial collaboration Nine Inch Noize (the result of a partnership between Nine Inch Nails and German producer Boys Noize) and New York rockers The Strokes, among others -- Canadian superstar Justin Bieber reconnected with his audience after nearly four years away from major stages.

Surprises on the second day included Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, who sang his 90s hit "1979" alongside indie up-and-comer Sombr, and Jennifer Lopez, who made an appearance during the set of French DJ David Guetta. 

Coachella is set to wrap up its first weekend with a screening of the first episode of the third season of "Euphoria" -- the HBO hit returning to the small screen this Sunday after a four-year hiatus.

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AUGUTSA, Ga. -- Shreveport native Sam Burns finished the 2026 Masters tied for 7th place (-9) for his best result at the event.

He started his day in sole possession of third place. The former LSU and Calvary golfer shot at 73 (+1) in his final round Sunday.

Burns' prior best finish was T-29 in 2023.

Rory McIlroy won the event at (-12) for his second consecutive victory at Augusta.