Pope had a bronchial spasm and his prognosis remains guarded, Vatican says

Pope Francis suffered a bronchial spasm on Friday that resulted in him breathing in vomit, requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said in relaying a setback in his two-week long battle against double pneumonia.

The 88-year-old pope responded well, with a good level of gas exchange, and remained conscious and alert at all times, the Vatican said in its late update.

The development marked a setback in what had been two successive days of increasingly upbeat reports from doctors treating Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14.

The episode, which occurred in the early afternoon, resulted in a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors decided to keep his prognosis as guarded.

The Vatican has already made alternative plans for Ash Wednesday next week, making clear Francis still had a long road ahead. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will preside over the March 5 ceremony and procession that inaugurates the church’s solemn Lenten season leading up to Easter in April.

Earlier Friday, Francis had spent the morning alternating high flows of supplemental oxygen with a mask and praying in the chapel. He had had breakfast, read the day’s newspapers and was receiving respiratory physiotherapy, the Vatican said.

Doctors did not resume referring to Francis in “critical condition,” which has been absent from their statements for three days.

Prayers continued to pour in

In Mexico City, a few dozen people gathered Thursday night at the cathedral to pray for Francis’ recovery.

“He is like part of the family,” said Araceli Gutiérrez, who treasures the time she saw the pope during his trip to the country of nearly 100 million Catholics in 2016. “That’s why we feel so concerned for him.”

María Teresa Sánchez, who was visiting from Colombia with her sister, said that she has always felt close to Francis — the first Latin American pope.

“That’s like having a relative within the higher-ups, with God,” she said. “He has done so much for religion; he’s such a humble person.”

Catholic Church Feb 23

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Pope Francis writes personal message amid hospitalization. Read his statement

Upcoming calendar in question

In past years, when Francis has battled bronchitis and influenza in winter, he curbed his participation in Ash Wednesday and Holy Week events, which call for the pope to be outdoors in the cold leading services, participating in processions and presiding over prayers in the solemn period in which the faithful commemorate Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

Beyond that, Francis has a few major events coming up that he presumably would hope to keep if well enough. On April 27, he is due to canonize Carlo Acutis, considered to be the first millennial and digital-era saint. The Vatican considers the Italian teenager, who died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15, an inspiration for young Catholics.

Another important appointment is the May 24 commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council. The spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew I, has invited Francis to join him in Iznik, Turkey, to commemorate the anniversary, which he has called an important sign of reconciliation between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Before he got sick, Francis said he hoped to go, though the Vatican hasn’t confirmed the trip.

___

Maria Hernandez contributed from Mexico City.

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Teen serial killer murdered six people — mostly ‘complete strangers’ — over nine months in Chicago, police say

Antonio Reyes, 21, allegedly also tried to stab his jail cellmate to death

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Route 41 in suburbs shut down as SWAT team responds to standoff during eviction

Travis Hunter is in Indianapolis, but the two-way star will not participate in workouts at the NFL combine.

The Heisman Trophy winner shared that news with reporters Thursday during his media session.

Hunter, who played both wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, sees himself as a unique talent — worthy of the No. 1 overall pick.

“They say nobody has ever done it (played both ways in the NFL), for real, the way I do it, but I tell them I’m just different. I’m a different person,” Hunter told reporters. “I’ve been doing it for a long time, so I feel like I can keep doing it.”

While many teams have said they prefer him as a cornerback, many executives and coaches that have spoken this week have emphasized that it will be advantageous to use Hunter in a variety of ways. Hunter sees himself as a full-time two-way player, though, rather than just a gimmick receiver with select play packages.

“I’m going to play both,” he said. “That’s not my job to figure it out. I like to play both sides of the ball. If they give me the opportunity to play both sides of the ball, I’m going to play both sides of the ball.”

Last season, Hunter played 688 snaps on defense and 672 snaps on offense — winning awards for the best college player (Heisman Trophy and Walter Camp Award), best defensive player (Chuck Bednarik Award) and best wide receiver (Fred Biletnikoff Award). With those accolades, Hunter sees himself as the player that should be selected first in April.

“Super important (to go No.1 overall),” Hunter said. “That was one of my dreams to go No. 1 and be the best I can be.”

The Tennessee Titans currently hold the No. 1 overall pick, with the top-five being rounded out by the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars. Aside from Hunter, other players in consideration at the top of the board include Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

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Trump signals Canada, China and Mexico tariffs could take effect next week

President Donald Trump said Thursday that 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico would go into effect Tuesday.

In a post on his Truth Social app, Trump said the tariffs were needed to combat the continued flow of illicit drugs into the United States.

“We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA,” he wrote, adding that the tariffs would be imposed “until it stops, or is seriously limited.”

Trump also said reciprocal tariffs on major trading partners, which he threatened earlier this month, were slated to take effect April 2.

Major stock indexes retreated on the news after notching earlier gains Thursday morning. Trump has continued to keep markets off balance as he has advanced, then withdrawn, various tariff proposals in recent weeks. He has also offered conflicting rationales for imposing them, with a long-running fixation on closing the U.S. trade deficit giving way to ongoing concerns about drug flows — even though interdiction data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection show trafficking is already in retreat.

Days after first proposing the Canada and Mexico duties earlier this month, the president announced he was suspending them for 30 days after signaling he had won concessions from the two nations. Some experts said some of those gains, which included a troop deployment by Mexico and a new anti-drug policy for Canada were less substantial than heralded.

A proposal for steel and aluminum tariffs announced earlier this month are also scheduled to take effect Tuesday — but Trump did not mention those duties Thursday in his social media post.

More recently, the president called for tariffs on autos, computer chips and pharmaceuticals.

Yet, those, too, went unmentioned Thursday.

And as for the reciprocal duties now planned for April, the White House has signaled that those tariffs would also be contingent on studies of their potential impact.

All told, though Trump has threatened a bevy of tariffs since taking office, only an additional 10% duty on Chinese goods on top of existing levies on that nation have gone into effect so far.

Still, many analysts say the unpredictability alone created by Trump’s talk of tariffs has already taken a toll on the markets and the economy.

“Instead of clearing up the uncertainty about the direction of U.S. economic policy, Donald Trump’s victory in last November’s presidential election has only magnified it,” Capital Economics research and consultancy group said in a note to clients Thursday morning, “with threats of massive punitive tariffs and the potential upending of traditional geopolitical alliances plunging the rest of the world into a state of heightened uncertainty too. Uncertainty could end up weighing on global investment and consumer spending for an extended period, particularly if Trump repeatedly pushes back his tariff deadlines.”

Trump has previously stated that the duties would bring in revenues and help close America’s budget deficit.

“Our country will be extremely liquid and rich again,” he said.

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News here:

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What is measles? What to know after outbreak leads to first US death since 2015

A child has become the first death from measles in the U.S. since 2015, but what should you know about the virus and its spread?

The death was connected to an outbreak in West Texas, which has become the largest outbreak in the state in nearly 30 years. But outbreaks of the virus aren’t unheard of, including a recent one that took place in Chicago in 2024.

Here’s what we know about the virus and the cases being reported so far:

What is measles?

Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to nine out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most kids will recover from the measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.

“Some people think of measles as just a little rash and fever that clear up in a few days. But measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5 years old,” the CDC’s website states.

What to know about recent outbreaks

Texas

The Texas death was reported to be a “school-aged child who was not vaccinated” and had been hospitalized last week, the Texas Department of State Health Services said Wednesday in a statement.

The measles outbreak in rural West Texas has grown to 124 cases across nine counties, which state health officials have said is Texas’ largest in nearly 30 years.

The outbreak is largely spreading in the Mennonite community in West Texas, where small towns are separated by vast stretches of oil rig-dotted open land but connected due to people traveling between towns for work, church, grocery shopping and other errands.

The cases have been concentrated in a “close-knit, undervaccinated” community, state health department spokesperson Lara Anton has said, especially among families who attend small private religious schools or are homeschooled.

Texas health department data shows the vast majority of cases in the area are among people younger than 18.

New Mexico

There are also nine cases in eastern New Mexico.

Others

Measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019, and there was a rise in cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60.

“In March 2024, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) identified an outbreak of measles in Chicago,” the city’s health department stated.

The outbreak was declared “over” as of May 30 that year.

Illinois had just five measles cases in 2023, the first the state had reported since 2019. By 2024, the state reported 67 cases, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data.

What about measles vaccines?

The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — which is considered safe and highly effective at preventing infection and severe cases — is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old for the first shot, with the second coming between 4 and 6 years old.

The vaccine series is required for kids before entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide.

Earlier this month, new federal health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said a panel would investigate the childhood vaccine schedule that prevents measles and other dangerous diseases. The U.S. Health and Human Services Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to CDPH, Chicago has a high measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rate, “meaning that most children and adults in Chicago are vaccinated and protected.”

“Illinois children as young as 7 years-old can get vaccinated at pharmacies under Illinois law,” according to the department. “CDPH Immunization clinics provide MMR vaccine for no out-of-pocket cost to any child 0–18 years and uninsured adults 19 and older.”

How common is measles?

According to Illinois health officials, most measles cases that currently occur are often diagnosed in preschool-age children who have not yet been vaccinated “or in school-age children and young adults who have had only one shot of measles vaccine.”

Cases are primarily reported in late winter or early spring.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Measles typically starts with cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a fever that can get very high, CDPH reported.

A rash commonly develops within three to five days of those early symptoms appearing.

“The rash looks like tiny, red spots that start at the head and spread down to the rest of the body,” the department stated.

According to the CDC, symptoms typically appear within seven to 14 days of exposure to the virus.

Complications are possible, particularly for children under the age of 5. The complications range from ear infections and diarrhea to more serious issues like pneumonia and encephalitis.

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Michelle Trachtenberg, actress known for roles in ‘Buffy' and ‘Gossip Girl,' dead at age 39 in NYC

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, known for roles in “Buffy,” “Harriet the Spy,” and “Gossip Girl,” has been found dead in New York City at the age of 39, according to a police spokesperson.

The NYPD responded to a 911 call around 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning to a luxury apartment building in the Columbus Circle area, police said. When officers arrived they found Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive, according to the NYPD.

Trachtenberg was pronounced dead at the scene, identified by sources as her residence. The medical examiner will determine the cause of her death, but police said “criminality is not suspected.”

One of her most popular and longest roles, Trachtenberg received acclaim for her role as Dawn Summers on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in the early 2000s, alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar. She starred in a number of film and television roles throughout her career including “Harriet the Spy,” which was one of her first acting roles, and “Gossip Girl,” in which she played Georgina Sparks.

In January, Trachtenberg responded to fans on social media who expressed concern about her health and wellbeing, E! reported at the time.

On Jan. 17, she shared a selfie with “Spy Kids” star Alexa PenaVega, writing, “These kids….now adults getting our roots/hair done! Love this girl @vegaalexa.” One user commented, “Michelle u look sick. R u ok?”

The “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” alum responded, “Explain to me how I look sick. Did you lose a calendar and not realize I’m not 14. I’m 38. How sad for you to leave such a comment.”

She captioned another selfie in January, “Fun fact. This is my face,” she captioned the post. “Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have you hate? Get a calendar.”

Trachtenberg grew up in Brooklyn, according to the entertainment website IMDb.

The actress last posted on Instagram a week ago with a throwback photo. She regularly would post about being in New York and add a hashtag “#newyork” to her posts.

Police said the investigation in her death is ongoing.

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg attends the 28th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party on February 9, 2020 in West hollywood, california. (Photo by Michael Tran / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Michelle Trachtenberg during 2003 Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony – Green Room at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)

NEW YORK CITY, NY – FEBRUARY 13: Michelle Trachtenberg attends MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK Opening Night Party at Shang at The Thompson LES Hotel on February 13, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by PATRICK MCMULLAN/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

– JUNE 15: Michelle Trachtenberg attends Calvin Klein Collection Presents “First Party on the Highline” at The High Line on June 15, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by DAVID X PRUTTING/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

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Shocking video shows Southwest plane and private jet nearly colliding at Chicago Midway Airport

The plane managed to land safely after conducting a go-around

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Couple forced to sit next to dead body for 4 hours after woman dies mid-flight

A married couple said they were forced to sit next to a dead woman’s body for four hours on a flight from Australia to Qatar.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were on a Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne to Doha, the Qatari capital, last week. About 10 hours into the flight, a woman exited the restroom, collapsed and died in front of them, the couple told Australian news program “A Current Affair” on Sunday.

“They did everything they could, but unfortunately the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch,” Ring said.

Ring said the flight crew then put the woman’s body in an empty seat next to the couple for the remaining four hours of the flight.

“They looked a bit frustrated, then they just looked at me and saw seats were available beside me, my wife was on the other side, we were in a row of four,” Ring said. “They said, ‘Can you move over please?’ and I just said, ‘Yes no problem’. Then they placed the lady in the chair I was in.”

Qatar Airways, which is owned by the Qatari government, said in a statement to NBC News on Monday, “First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight.”

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“We apologize for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused, and are in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures,” the statement said.

The couple said the flight crew would not let them change seats for the remainder of the flight and asked them to remain seated as medical staff addressed the body upon landing. They added that they were not offered any support by Qatar Airlines after the fact.

“They have a duty of care towards their customers as well as their staff, we should be contacted to make sure, do you need some support, do you need some counseling,” Ring said.

The couple’s final destination was Venice, Italy. They said they’re still trying to salvage their trip.

“I’m trying to make the best of a pretty hard situation, but, you know, we’re on holidays so we’re really trying to have a good time,” Colin said.

Jay Blackman contributed.

This article originally appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBCNews:

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Trump expresses hope Russia's war in Ukraine is nearing an endgame as he meets with France's Macron

President Donald Trump said he was hopeful that Russia’s war in Ukraine was nearing an endgame as he met on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron on the third anniversary of the invasion.

Trump, in broad-ranging comments on the state of the conflict, said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine to keep the peace. He also expressed hope that the conflict could end within weeks and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would soon come to the U.S. to sign a deal to give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals to help repay some of the $180 billion in American aid that’s been sent to Kyiv since the start of the war.

“It looks like we’re getting very close,” Trump told reporters at the start of his bilateral meeting with Macron. He added that Zelenskyy could potentially visit Washington this week or next to sign the deal.

Trump and Macron earlier on Monday participated in a virtual meeting with fellow Group of Seven leaders to discuss the war.

The talks come at a moment of deep uncertainty about the future of transatlantic relations, with Trump transforming American foreign policy and effectively tuning out European leadership as he looks to quickly end the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine is also looking for future security guarantees as part of any agreement. Trump, however, did not say whether the emerging deal would include American security guarantees.

“Europe is going to make sure nothing happens,” Trump said.

The anniversary — and talks — come at an unnerving moment for much of Europe witnessing a dramatic shift in American foreign policy with Trump’s return to power.

Trump also has made demands for territory — Greenland, Canada, Gaza and the Panama Canal — as well as precious rare earth minerals from Ukraine. Just over a month into his second term, the “America First” president has cast an enormous shadow over what veteran U.S. diplomats and former government officials had regarded as America’s calming presence of global stability and continuity.

“We have necessity to have guarantees for solid peace,” Macron said at the start of the meeting. “This is very important moment for Europe as well.”

Trump said he also believed Putin would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a potential deal to end Russia’s war there.

“Yeah, he will accept it,” Trump said. “I have asked him that question. Look, if we do this deal, he’s not looking for more war.”

The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Putin has repeatedly railed against Western forces on Russia’s borders and previously said that European or U.S forces in Ukraine would be a major security issue for Moscow.

Despite some hiccups, the military, economic and moral power of the United States has dominated the post-World War II era, most notably after the Cold War came to an end with the collapse of the Soviet Union. All of that, some fear, may be lost if Trump gets his way and the U.S. abandons the principles under which the United Nations and numerous other international bodies were founded.

“The only conclusion you can draw is that 80 years of policy in standing up against aggressors has just been blown up without any sort of discussion or reflection,” said Ian Kelly, a U.S. ambassador to Georgia during the Obama and first Trump administration and now a professor at Northwestern University.

Visits start on anniversary of war in Ukraine

Trump is set to hold a meeting Thursday with another key European leader, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The talks come after Trump shook Europe with repeated criticism of Zelenskyy for failing to negotiate an end to the war and rebuffing a push to sign off on a deal giving the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, which could be used in the American aerospace, medical and tech industries.

European leaders also were dismayed by Trump’s decision to dispatch top aides for preliminary talks with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia without Ukrainian or European officials at the table.

Meanwhile, the United States on Monday failed to get the U.N. General Assembly to approve its resolution urging an end to the war without mentioning Moscow’s aggression. The assembly approved a dueling European-backed Ukrainian resolution demanding Russia immediately withdraw from Ukraine.

On the minerals deal, Zelenskyy initially bristled, saying it was short on security guarantees for Ukraine. He said Sunday on X that “we are making great progress“ but noted that “we want a good economic deal that will be part of a true security guarantee system for Ukraine.”

The friction follows a public spat, with Trump calling Zelenskyy a “dictator” and falsely charging Kyiv with starting the war. Russia, in fact, invaded its smaller and lesser-equipped neighbor in February 2022.

Zelenskyy, who said Sunday in response to a question that he would trade his office for peace or to join NATO, then angered Trump by saying the U.S. president was living in a Russian-made “disinformation space.” Confronting Trump might not be the best approach, analysts say.

“The response to President Trump doing something to you is not to do something back right away. You tend to get this kind of reaction,” said retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

High-stakes talks between European and US leaders

Macron said ahead of the meeting he intended to tell Trump it’s in the joint interest of Americans and Europeans not to show weakness to Putin during U.S.-led negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. He also suggested he’ll make the case that how Trump handles Putin could have enormous ramifications for U.S. dealings with China, the United States’ most significant economic and military competitor.

“You can’t be weak in the face of President Putin. It’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest,” Macron said. “How can you then be credible in the face of China if you’re weak in the face of Putin?’”

Yet, Trump has shown a considerable measure of respect for the Russian leader. Trump said this month he’d like to see Russia rejoin what is now the Group of Seven major economies. Russia was suspended from the G8 after Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region.

___

AP writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Emma Burrows in London and Sagar Meghani, Chris Megerian and Will Weissert contributed reporting.

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‘The Bear' star Jeremy Allen White reveals his 2 favorite Chicago restaurants

Jeremy Allen White may play a famed Chicago chef and owner of the fictional restaurant “The Bear,” but which real Chicago restaurant is his favorite?

The actor was asked that question at the Screen Actors Guild Awards over the weekend and he gave two of his top picks.

They include Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf and La Scarola.

River North’s Bavette’s is no stranger to such reviews, having been named last year in a ranking of the world’s 101 best steak restaurants.

La Scarola, a famed Italian mainstay in the city, boats a long list of celebrity clientele, and has long been considered one of Guy Fieri’s favorites in Chicago as well.

The newest season of the hit show “The Bear” was set to begin filming in the city this month.

The famed Chicago-set comedy-drama series is scheduled to return for its fourth season in 2025.

The highly acclaimed series follows chef Carmy Berzatto, played by actor Jeremy Allen White, as he navigates the loss of his brother and the opening of a high-end restaurant in Chicago. The show highlights Chicago’s vast culinary scene, featuring several city and suburban spots throughout each season, with cameos even from some of the city’s most beloved cooking stars.

Last season followed the cast as “The Bear” restaurant aimed to find its footing, but left off on a cliffhanger for fans following their first big review.

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If you stayed at one of these popular hotels you may be eligible for some money

Those who stayed at a number of popular hotels in Las Vegas and other cities, whose data was potentially compromised in one of two data incidents in recent years, could be eligible for part of a multi-million dollar class-action settlement.

According to a settlement website, guests whose information may have been compromised in data breaches involving MGM Resorts International could now be eligible for part of a $45 million settlement, but how much you get will depend on a few things.

The so-called “data incidents” occurred in July 2019 and September 2023, resulting in “varying amounts of private information of customers and guests of MGM” being accessed. That included things like names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, birth dates, drivers’ license numbers, passport numbers and even Social Security numbers.

In September, MGM Resorts reported a 10-day computer shutdown in an effort to shield such data from a cyberattack. The Las Vegas-based company denied any wrongdoing as part of the class-action settlement.

Notices were being sent out starting on Feb. 20 to those who may be eligible to file a claim. Those notices will continue to go out through April, the settlement website stated.

Here’s what to know about the case:

Who is eligible to file a claim?

Those in the U.S. “whose private information was compromised because of the data incidents and who were sent notice” are eligible, according to the website.

Those with notices should receive a “unique ID” and PIN to file their claim.

“Please be patient and make sure to check your email regularly for any notifications from the Settlement Administrator,” the website reads.

Those who do submit a claim can also provide documentation, where applicable, of any financial losses related to the breaches. Losses of up to $15,000 are eligible for inclusion though some could receive a “flat cash payment” even without such documentation.

How much could you get?

According to the settlement website, there are three tiers of potential payments. Each one depends on how much information was compromised.

The tiers include:

• Tier 1 Cash Payment – If your Social Security number or military identification number was exposed, you may be eligible to receive an estimated $75 flat cash payment.
• Tier 2 Cash Payment – If your passport number or driver’s license number was exposed, you may be eligible to receive an estimated $50 flat cash payment.
• Tier 3 Cash Payment – If your name, address, and/or date of birth was exposed, you may be eligible to receive an estimated $20 flat cash payment.

In addition to the flat cash payments, all who are included in the settlement and file a claim are eligible for one year of financial account monitoring.

Those who document financial losses could be eligible for more money. Documentation can include anything from credit card statements to bank statements to invoices to telephone records to receipts and more.

Such losses could include the following:

• Unreimbursed losses relating to fraud or identity theft;
• Professional fees including attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, and fees for credit repair services;
• Costs associated with freezing or unfreezing credit with any credit reporting agency;
• Credit monitoring costs that were incurred on or after the Data Incidents through the Claim Form Deadline; and
• Miscellaneous expenses such as notary, facsimile, postage, copying, mileage, and long-distance telephone charges.

“You will not be reimbursed for expenses if you have been reimbursed for the same expenses by another source,” the website notes.

What is the deadline to file a claim?

The deadline to file a claim online is June 3. Those who file by mail must have their claim postmarked before June 3.

To file a claim online, click here.

A final approval hearing is scheduled to be held at 9 a.m. on June 18.

Which hotels are part of MGM Resorts?

Las Vegas

Bellagio
ARIA
Vdara at ARIA
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
MGM Grand
The Signature at MGM Grand
Mandalay Bay
W Las Vegas
Four Seasons
Park MGM
NoMad Las Vegas
New York-New York
Luxor
Excalibur

Other U.S. locations

MGM Springfield
MGM National Harbor
MGM Grand Detroit
Beau Rivage
Borgata
MGM Northfield Park
Empire City Casino

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Zelenskyy says he's willing to give up presidency for peace in Ukraine or NATO membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a press conference in Kyiv on Sunday he would be willing to resign from his post in exchange for peace in Ukraine or NATO membership.

“If it is peace for Ukraine, and if you really want me to leave my post, I’m ready,” Zelenskyy said in Ukrainian. “Alternatively, I can trade this for NATO membership, if such conditions exist, immediately, so we don’t have lengthy discussions. I’m focusing on Ukraine’s security today, not in 20 years. And I don’t intend to stay in power for decades.”

Zelenskyy’s offer is a major concession amid an ongoing public dispute with President Donald Trump, which escalated last week when Trump suggested that the Ukrainian president was responsible for starting the war. In reality, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, initiating the current land war.

In response, the Ukrainian president accused Trump of living in a “disinformation bubble” and pushing Kremlin talking points. The U.S. president then went on to call Zelenskyy a “dictator” and a “modestly successful comedian.”

When asked about Trump on Sunday, Zelenskyy told reporters in Ukrainian, “We are partners and I want him on our side.”

Asked directly about some of the things Trump has said about him over the past week, Zelenskyy said, “There is no space for emotions. I have pragmatic position. I can’t name these words a compliment, but what can I do?”

“I am the elected president by 73% of Ukrainian people. After the martial law, there will be elections. Perhaps he will say something good about me. It is more important what Ukrainians think about me,” the Ukrainian president added.

The feud comes as the U.S. and Russia have resumed high-level talks and several senior Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.

Trump has pledged to begin peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, saying on Friday that it’s not important for Zelenskyy to attend peace negotiations because “he’s been at meetings for three years and nothing got done.”

“I don’t think he’s very important to be at meetings, to be honest with you,” Trump told Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade. “He’s been there for three years. He makes it very hard to make deals. But look what’s happened to his country, it’s been demolished.”

Earlier this month, during an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy told moderator Kristen Welker that he would not accept a peace deal without Ukraine at the negotiating table.

“I will never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine, never,” he said in English in that interview. “This is the war in Ukraine, against us, and it’s our human losses.”

This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News:

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Commission to explore Illinois-Indiana land exchange one step closer to reality

A bill aiming to explore the possibility of a land exchange between Illinois and Indiana took a step closer to reality in the Indiana legislature.

The bill, which would establish an “Indiana-Illinois boundary adjustment commission,” passed on a party-line vote in the House on Thursday, and was referred to the state’s Senate on Friday.

That legislation comes as more than 30 Illinois counties have passed referendums expressing a desire to explore the possibility of severing ties with Illinois over what they believe to be a stark difference in values and ideals from those of Cook County, where a plurality of the state’s population resides and most of the state’s political power is centered.

The Indiana bill was authored by House Speaker Todd Huston, and passed through committee and the full House last week.

“To all of our neighbors in the west, we hear your frustrations and invite you to join us in low-cost, low-tax Indiana,” Huston has said, according to the Indianapolis Star.

The language of the bill would create a commission made up of five representatives from Indiana and five from Illinois, and would be tasked with evaluating the boundary between the two states, and whether states that want to leave Illinois would be permitted to be added into Indiana.

Even if Indiana passes the bill and Gov. Mike Braun signs it, Illinois would have to pass similar legislation, which is not considered likely given the state’s Democratic Party majority in both chambers of the General Assembly.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker dismissed talk of Indiana taking counties from Illinois as a “stunt.”

“It’s not going to happen, he recently said. “But I’ll just that say Indiana is a low-wage state that doesn’t protect workers, a state that does not provide health care for people when they’re in need and so I don’t think it’s very attractive for anybody in Illinois.”

In previous election cycles, more than 30 Illinois counties have evaluated non-binding referendums over the question of whether they would explore separating from Cook County and forming their own state. All of those counties have approved the measure, including Iroquois County, which is located roughly 75 miles south of Chicago.

The reasoning behind the referendums, according to supporters, is that the city of Chicago and Cook County have a sizable impact on the policies enacted by the state legislature, and rural counties share different interests that are not being represented by the actions of the General Assembly.

Many legal experts have expressed skepticism that such an effort would be successful on numerous fronts. To start, Illinois and Indiana legislators would both have to agree on territory that would move between the two states, and if that agreement were to be reached, the U.S. Congress would have to approve the move, as it has final say over all border debates between states.

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Why isn't the U.S. using a bird flu vaccine in poultry?

The United States has so far avoided vaccination as a strategy to eradicating bird flu in poultry, instead relying on culling infected flocks. With the escalating outbreak driving up egg prices to record highs, could that approach soon change? 

And as millions of flocks continue to die, why aren’t vaccines being given already? 

The Agriculture Department on Friday gave its strongest sign yet that the federal government could be shifting its strategy. The agency said it granted a conditional license for an H5N2 bird flu vaccine designed to work against variants of the H5N1 virus, the strain circulating among herds of dairy cows and domestic poultry in the U.S. H5N2 belongs to a family of bird flu viruses which includes H5N1.

The license to Zoetis, a New Jersey-based vaccine manufacturer, is an acknowledgment that the vaccine has met the USDA’s requirements for safety and “reasonable expectation” of effectiveness, a company spokesperson said. 

However, the USDA has stopped short of allowing doses to be widely distributed. An agency spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the conditional license doesn’t mean that it has approved the vaccine for commercial use or that poultry farmers can purchase it at this time. 

“This is simply a normal step in the research and development phase, not in the implementation of a vaccine strategy,” the USDA spokesperson said. 

Still, experts say, the move suggests that federal health officials may be considering other tools, such as a vaccine, to address the ongoing crisis. In December, the government expanded testing of the nation’s milk supply.

As of Tuesday, more than 160 million chicken, turkey, goose and other infected birds have been euthanized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There have been outbreaks in at least 972 dairy herds across 16 states, although culling livestock isn’t a typical practice as they can recover from the disease.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is expected “in the coming days” to announce a new strategy to fight the virus, a USDA spokesperson said, without commenting on whether vaccines would play a role.

If the federal government were to vaccinate poultry, it could come with a number of complications, notably that many U.S. trading partners won’t accept exports from countries that allow vaccinations, said Carol Cardona, an expert on avian health at the University of Minnesota.

“When we talk about poultry, we’re talking about ducks and turkeys and chickens, and that’s the chickens we eat and the egg laying chickens, and they’re all grouped together in terms of trade restrictions,” she said.

The broiler industry — the agriculture sector responsible for raising chicken specifically for meat consumption — would likely be the most impacted, Cardona said. It represents about 96% of the poultry industry, she said, and has huge export markets. The broiler industry provides $449.5 billion in economic activity and $36.7 billion in government revenue, according to a report from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, an industry trade group.

“The broiler industry, in their own interest, would say, ‘No, no vaccine until there are no egg layers left,” Cardona said. “It’s an extreme position, but they could.” 

What’s more, the federal government and manufacturers will still need to make enough vaccines to immunize poultry farms across the U.S. The government,  Cardona said, got burned in 2015 when it authorized a bird flu vaccine to be placed in the nation’s stockpile, but was never used. In January, the USDA said it would begin to rebuild its stockpile of bird flu vaccines for poultry.

“So if the announcement comes, we’re ready to vaccinate, people have to put in orders,” she said. 

Daniel Perez, a poultry medicine expert at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine who studies how influenza viruses jump from animals to humans, said he’s concerned that vaccinating poultry could facilitate silent spread, where transmission occurs in asymptomatic birds.

“Vaccines can sometimes be seen as kind of a double-edged sword,” Perez said. “They can control the disease, but at the same time, they may not be able to control infections. So vaccinated animals may show no signs of the disease.” 

As is seen with vaccinated humans, not every vaccinated bird will be protected or have the same level of protection as the next, he said.

“If a high path virus enters into a facility of vaccinated chickens, there could be these low levels of viral replication that eventually promote the emergence of strains with mutations,” Perez said, “and the effect of those mutations could be a virus with increased host range, a virus that can infect other species,” including humans.

Cardona said it’s “theoretical” but it’s possible there could be vaccinated birds with “silent infections.” 

However, she noted that the country has a lot more resources to manage a scenario like that than it previously had.

“We have a lot more labs and a lot more testing capacity than we had back when those were theorized to be problems,” Cardona said.  

Another consideration is that people who vaccinate the birds — likely farmworkers — will likely need adequate protection to make sure they’re not infected by the virus, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Public health experts, he said, have been concerned about the potential health risks of poultry and dairy workers who work in close proximity to animals and often in dirty environments.

Perez said there’s currently ongoing research to provide mass vaccination of poultry via drinking water, reducing human exposure.

Another idea is vaccinating the farmworkers against the virus as well, Schaffner said. 

“Hazmat suits and face shields and gloves — things which work pretty well in the hospital when you’re taking care of a patient — don’t work so well when you’re out on the farm,” he said. 

Perez noted that influenza vaccines for poultry and humans aren’t highly effective, and typically use an older technology that takes months to produce doses. 

“I would say we should use this crisis as an incentive to do more research on improving vaccines,” he said.

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As consumer delinquencies rise, U.S. economic growth increasingly powered by the wealthy

Most official data continues to show the U.S. economy is humming along, with unemployment historically low and inflation expectations still relatively stable.

Yet under the hood, a wealth divide that had subsided somewhat in the early stages of the pandemic era has suddenly grown more stark: The upper echelons of America’s income distribution — those making roughly $153,000 in annual income — are the ones that are now powering much of the spending driving U.S. growth.

Meanwhile, Americans who are not at the top are facing increasing financial difficulties.

The upshot is that the U.S. economy may be exposed to a more acute downturn if prices of the most highly valued assets, like stocks, homes and cryptocurrencies, take a turn for the worse.

“The fact that consumer spending is so concentrated among folks who are well-to-do makes the economy vulnerable,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics.

Many households in lower income brackets — approximately $73,000 and below — still likely have a job, and their wages have, on a broad average, largely kept pace with inflation. Yet most are unlikely to own the kinds of assets that have seen rapid appreciation in recent years, Zandi said.

“For the lower and lower-middle, it has been a struggle,” Zandi said.

Instead, he said, they’ve used credit cards to maintain purchasing power.

Yet the annual percentage rates on those cards have yet to sink below 20%.

“That’s tough to digest financially,” Zandi said. “So they’re having to continue to make some pretty tough choices.”

As a result, the share of overall consumer debt in delinquency is now at its highest level in nearly five years, according to data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Meanwhile, the share of credit card accounts showing delinquencies of at least 90 days overdue has climbed to more than 11%, the highest share since 2011 and a greater percentage than any time in the pandemic and post-pandemic era, the data showed.

It’s a similar story for the share of newly delinquent credit cards, which at about 9% are also back at highs not seen since 2011.

And the share of active credit card accounts making just the minimum payment is now at a 12-year high, according to data from Kansas City Federal Reserve.

While income divides have always been present in the U.S. economy, until the pandemic, the pace of spending growth had largely been consistent across all wealth brackets.

But about three years ago, according to a 2024 Federal Reserve report, higher-income households’ spending growth began to accelerate. The trend has persisted into this year, though it is starting to slow somewhat: Anecdotally, even households making above $100,000 — a level once considered privileged — are increasingly turning to options like Walmart to meet spending needs.

Still, the wealthiest U.S. consumers continue to pull away: The most recent data from the FICO credit reporting group shows the share of individuals with credit scores of 750 or greater is at record highs, while the share with scores of less than 600 has begun to creep back up after years of declines.

“Missed payments on bankcards … have grown to the point that they are now higher than pre-pandemic levels,” Can Arkali, FICO’s senior director for scores and predictive analytics, wrote last fall. “Faced with ongoing economic uncertainty, rising interest rates, and elevated consumer prices, people continue to heavily rely on credit cards for everyday expenses. This can weigh on people — especially those who are already financially distressed — and lead to higher credit card utilization and subsequent defaults on credit card payments.”

Nonprime borrowers, who now number in the millions, are facing particular distress.

“For this segment of the credit population, both payment default and debt levels have been increasing at a higher rate than the trends observed on the total FICO Score population and are now well over pre-pandemic levels,” Arkali wrote.

Despite the worrisome trends, there is no sign of an imminent crisis.

“I’d say I feel cautious optimism,” said David Sojka, senior adviser at Equifax, noting that growth in delinquencies has actually slowed. “Consumers are being more judicious in their spending and utilization rates — they’re managing how they’re spending relative to their means.”

But the trends are clear.

“Credit card performance is showing signs of consumer stress,” economists with the Philadelphia Federal Reserve wrote last month, adding: “Consumers are not only spending more, leading to higher balances, but paying off less, increasing revolving amounts.”

This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News:

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Vatican says Pope Francis is in critical condition, suffered asthmatic crisis

Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a long asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high flows of oxygen, the Vatican said.

The 88-year-old Francis, who has been hospitalized for a week with a complex lung infection, also received blood transfusions after tests showed a condition associated with anemia, the Vatican said in a late update.

“The Holy Father continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday. At the moment the prognosis is reserved,” the statement said.

Earlier, doctors said that Francis was battling a pneumonia and a complex respiratory infection that doctors say remains touch-and-go and will keep him hospitalized for at least another week.

The Vatican carried on with its Holy Year celebrations without the pope on Saturday.

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In a brief earlier update on Saturday, Francis slept well overnight.

But doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis would be the onset of sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. As of Friday, there was no evidence of any sepsis, and Francis was responding to the various drugs he is taking, the pope’s medical team said in their first in-depth update on the pope’s condition.

“He is not out of danger,” said his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone. “So like all fragile patients I say they are always on the golden scale: In other words, it takes very little to become unbalanced.”

Francis, who has chronic lung disease, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened.

Doctors first diagnosed the complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it.

Carbone, who along with Francis’ personal nurse Massimiliano Strappetti organized care for him at the Vatican, acknowledged he had insisted on staying at the Vatican to work, even after he was sick, “because of institutional and private commitments.” He was cared for by a cardiologist and infectious specialist in addition to his personal medical team before being hospitalized.

Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of medicine and surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, said the biggest threat facing Francis was that some of the germs that are currently located in his respiratory system pass into the bloodstream, causing sepsis. Sepsis can lead to organ failure and death.

“Sepsis, with his respiratory problems and his age, would be really difficult to get out of,” Alfieri told a news conference Friday at Gemelli. “The English say ‘knock on wood,’ we say ‘touch iron.’ Everyone touch what they want,” he said as he tapped the microphone. “But this is the real risk in these cases: that these germs pass to the bloodstream.”

“He knows he’s in danger,” Alfieri added. “And he told us to relay that.”

Deacons, meanwhile, were gathering at the Vatican for their special Jubilee weekend. Francis got sick at the start of the Vatican’s Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration of Catholicism. This weekend, Francis was supposed to have celebrated deacons, a ministry in the church that precedes ordination to the priesthood.

In his place, the Holy Year organizer will celebrate Sunday’s Mass, the Vatican said. And for the second weekend in a row, Francis was expected to skip his traditional Sunday noon blessing, which he could have delivered from Gemelli if he were up to it.

“Look, even though he’s not (physically) here, we know he’s here,” said Luis Arnaldo Lopez Quirindongo, a deacon from Ponce, Puerto Rico who was at the Vatican on Saturday for the Jubilee celebration. “He’s recovering, but he’s in our hearts and is accompanying us because our prayers and his go together.”

Beyond that, doctors have said Francis’ recovery will take time and that regardless he will still have to live with his chronic respiratory problems back at the Vatican.

“He has to get over this infection and we all hope he gets over it,” said Alfieri. “But the fact is, all doors are open.”

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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