Paris court to rule in case involving alleged cyberbullying of Brigitte Macron

PARIS (AP) — A Paris court is to rule on Monday in a case involving10 people accused of cyberbullyingFrench first ladyBrigitte Macronby spreading false online claims about her gender and sexuality, allegations her daughter said damaged her health and family life.

The defendants, eight men and two women aged 41 to 60, are accused of posting "numerous malicious comments" falsely claiming that PresidentEmmanuel Macron's wife was born a man and linking the 24-year age gap with her husband to pedophilia. Some of the posts were viewed tens of thousands of times.

Brigitte Macron did not attend the two-day trial in October.

Her daughter,Tiphaine Auzière, testifiedabout what she described as the "deterioration" of her mother's life since the online harassment intensified. "She cannot ignore the horrible things said about her," Auzière told the court. She said the impact has extended to the entire family, including Macron's grandchildren.

Defendant Delphine Jegousse, 51, who is known as Amandine Roy and describes herself as a medium and an author, is considered as having played a major role in spreading the rumor after she released a four-hour video on her YouTube channel in 2021.

The X account of Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known as Zoé Sagan on social media, was suspended in 2024 after his name was cited in several judicial investigations.

Other defendants include an elected official, a teacher and a computer scientist. Several told the court their comments were intended as humor or satire and said they did not understand why they were being prosecuted. They face up to two years in prison if convicted.

The case follows years of conspiracy theories falsely alleging that Brigitte Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is actually the name of her brother. The Macrons have alsofiled a defamation suitin the United States against conservative influencerCandace Owens.

The Macrons, who have beenmarried since 2007, first met at the high school where he was a student and she was a teacher. Brigitte Macron, 24 years her husband's senior, was then called Brigitte Auzière, a married mother of three.

Emmanuel Macron, 48, has been France's president since 2017.

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Paris court to rule in case involving alleged cyberbullying of Brigitte Macron

PARIS (AP) — A Paris court is to rule on Monday in a case involving10 people accused of cyberbullyingFrench first ladyBri...

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This Vietnamese town boomed as factories left China. Now it’s asking what’s next?

BAC NINH, Vietnam (AP) — The transformation of Vietnam's Bac Ninh is evident in the signs above its shops and the spicy Chinese and Korean dishes on its tables.

Once known for its rice fields and the love duets of its centuries-old Quan Ho folk songs, the city just north of Hanoi has become one of Vietnam's busiest factory zones, reflecting a surge of investment, hastened by President Donald Trump's tariff hikes, that are reshaping the region.

The economy has profited fromfriction between Washington and Beijingas factories shifted out of China, joining earlier waves of foreign investment by the Japanese and South Koreans that have madeVietnama global manufacturing hub. But rising labor costs, worker shortages and inadequate infrastructure are exposing the limits to its rapid rise.

With rivals like Indonesia and the Philippines competing hard for new projects, Vietnam is trying to climb into higher-value manufacturing and expand export markets to maintain that momentum. That effort is evident in Bac Ninh.

Vietnam is building more capacity

Traditionally a center for artisans, Bac Ninh's first boom began around 2008 when Samsung built its first phone factory there, turning Vietnam into its largest offshore manufacturing base.

Now, Chinese companies are pouring in as they diversify their factory locations to skirt U.S. tariffs and other trade restrictions. After Hanoi and Beijing normalized ties in the 1990s, inflows of Chinese investment began to pick up as Chinese firms in places like Bac Ninh tapped Vietnam's electronics supply chain, labor force and supportive local governments, often aided by Chinese-speaking intermediaries who smooth paperwork and logistics.

But Vietnam is too small to replace China, whose economy is 40 times larger, as the world's factory floor. To try to keep up, its leaders are building new infrastructure, including a highway to the Chinese border that has cut travel time by more than an hour. A railway will connect Hanoi to Haiphong — Vietnam's largest seaport — and then the border town of Lao Cai.

On Dec. 19, Bac Ninh broke ground on the expansion of an industrial zone for high-tech manufacturing, including electronics, pharmaceuticals and clean energy. It's part of a synchronized nationwide push in which Vietnam launched 234 major projects worth more than $129 billion just weeks before a pivotal National Party Congress in January, when leaders will decide the country's political leadership and economic direction.

The China factor collides with reality

In Bac Ninh's downtown, a convenience store bears the name Tmall, after Alibaba's flagship online marketplace. Signs in Chinese advertise services for investors. Chinese–Vietnamese language schools have opened to help locals and Chinese to learn each others' languages.

But as Chinese companies compete for the best labor and other resources, costs are rising for the"China plus one"strategy of moving factoriesout of Chinato other locations, for example,Apple's shift into India.

"It is becoming difficult to recruit workers," said Peng, who works at a telecoms equipment company that moved from China's southern technology hub of Shenzhen. He gave only one name because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Labor costs have jumped 10%–15% since 2024, he said, "And we expect them to keep rising."

Vietnam still need technology, equipment and expertise fromChina, which had created "the best manufacturing ecosystem," said Jacob Rothman, co-founder and CEO of China-based Velong Enterprises, which makes grill tools and kitchen gadgets and has shifted some production to Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia and Vietnam.

Supply chains and manufacturers in China have benefited from decades of government support, large-scale investment and its huge population, Rothman said. "You can't recreate that overnight."

Brian Bourke, global chief commercial officer at U.S.-based SEKO Logistics, said while factories making footwear, furniture and technology are still relocating to Vietnam, it lags China in infrastructure and logistics capabilities.

Some of those limits are surfacing in boomtowns like Bac Ninh, where firms are trying to lure workers with higher wages and bonuses, a box of instant noodles on their first day and bus fares if they commute from another city, according to state media.

Vietnam faces competition from its neighbors

Few countries have benefitted more from Trump's trade war than Vietnam, whose biggest export market is still the U.S. In 2024, Vietnam ran a $123.5 billion surplus with the U.S., the third largest behind China and Mexico. That irked Trump, who threatened a 46% import tax on Vietnamese goods before settling on 20%.

The two countries are still working toward a deal to keep mosttariffs at 20%.Vietnam has offered broad preferential access for U.S. products, theWhite House saidin October. So far, it has largely absorbed the tariffs, running a trade surplus of $121.6 billion in January-November 2025.

The agreement in October by Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to a year-long trade truce and lower average tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S.to about 47%helped ease some concerns. But persisting uncertainty over tariffs and other trade restrictions means companies aren't just trying to shift factories out of China but to spread them across several countries, said Frederic Neumann, chief Asia economist at HSBC.

Even with lower U.S. tariffs on China, the calculus still favors moving to Southeast Asia where manufacturing inefficiencies add only about 10% in cost. But while large corporations can shift production easily, smaller firms may struggle to fit a new factory with expensive equipment.

"(The) race to move outside of China is still happening, and it's accelerating," Rothman said.

Vietnam is still attracting ample foreign investment. Cumulative foreign investment topped $28.5 billion as of September, up 15% from last year. But scrutiny of Vietnam's role as a hub for tariff-dodging transshipments has some manufacturers hedging their bets.

One of SEKO Logistics' customers has shifted some of its furniture making to India, not wanting to "put all their eggs in Vietnam," Bourke said.

Countries likeIndonesiaand thePhilippines, which missed the early gains Vietnam captured, are promoting themselves as alternative manufacturing bases. In the Philippines, a new law allows foreign investors to lease private land for up to 99 years to attract long-term commercial and industrial investment.

Vietnam as a 'tiger economy'

Vietnam has a goal of becoming rich by 2045.It aims to become Asia's next "tiger economy," following export powerhouses like South Korea and Taiwan by shifting from low-cost assembly work to manufacture higher-value products like electronics and clean energy equipment.

It's offering incentives like tax breaks on imported machinery and discounted rents to help factory suppliers upgrade and modernize. About a third still use non-automated equipment and only about 10% use robots on their production lines.

The country also is trying to reduce its dependence on the U.S. market by expanding exports to the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and India. Overseas trade offices have been asked to share market intelligence and promote products made in Vietnam.

Vietnam knows that rising costs and tougher competition will test how far it — and places like Bac Ninh — can climb. Announcing hundreds of projects in December, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh framed the stakes: Vietnam must "reach far into the ocean, delve deep underground and soar high into space."

Chan reported from Hong Kong. Associated Press researcher Yu Bing in Beijing contributed.

The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP'sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atAP.org.

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Venezuelans face uncertainty as the Trump administration’s plans for their country emerge. Here’s what to know

An emboldened President Donald Trump declared Sunday night that the US is "in charge" of Venezuela after detaining President Nicolas Maduro in a military raid over the weekend, as he issued stark warnings to other countries that they could be next.

Maduro, who was dragged into custody with his wife, Cilia Flores, in a deadly early Saturday morning raid, is slated to appear in court for the first time at noon ET in New York City to face charges that he and his associates conspired with with narcoterrorists to ship thousands of tons of cocaine to the US.

Trump's latest comments come even as some in his administration, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, suggested the US would be relying more on leverage over Venezuela and coercion, rather than directly running it as Trump first suggested during a Saturday morning news conference.

Meanwhile,Venezuelans are hunkering downas they wait for more information about what the Trump administration has in store for their country. The Trump administration is working quickly to establish a compliant interim government, according to US officials, prioritizing administrative stability and repairing the country's oil infrastructure over an immediate turn to democracy.

In particular, US officials have focused on the country's vice president,Delcy Rodríguez, who Trump advisers identified weeks ago as a viable, if nonpermanent, alternative to Maduro. Despite Rodríguez's initial attacks on the administration over Maduro's capture, US officials privately maintained optimism she would work with the United States.

By Sunday night, Rodríguez was striking a softer tone than she previously had, calling for "cooperation" with the US.

Trumpreturnedto Washington, DC, late Sunday night where lawmakers are mostly divided along party lines in their reaction to the military operation, which Congress was not notified about ahead of time.

Democrats in Congress have slammed the administration for not seeking congressional authorization before the attack, while Trump allies in the GOP have mostly praised the operation.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, a Republican, told CNN on "State of the Union" that new "legitimate" elections including members of the country's opposition party will likely be a next step.

Here's what to know:

What happened during the military operation?

The Trump administrationstruckvarious parts of Caracas, Venezuela's capital city, in the early hours of Saturday, January 3. Members of the US Army's elite Delta Force dragged Maduro and Flores from their bedroom and flew them to the USS Iwo Jima, then onto New York, via Guantanamo Bay.

The operation took months of planning and was the culmination of a pressure campaign on Maduro that has featured a massive US naval buildup in the Caribbean and a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers.

Trump's pressure campaign on Maduro hasincluded strikes destroyingmore than 30 boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in what the US has described as a counter-narcotics campaign. Trump last monthordered a blockadeof sanctioned oil tankers coming to and leaving Venezuela, and the US hasseized multiple vesselssince the announcement.

What is up with Venezuela's oil?

Rubio rejected accusations on Sunday that the operation was conducted in order to give US companies better access to Venezuela's oil reserves,which are the largest proven in the world.Still, he predicted there will be "dramatic interest" from Western oil companies on ABC's "This Week."

CNN reported Sunday, however, that energy companies have been privately wary of committing to the endeavor, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations. Experts and members of Venezuela's opposition say that the oil industry cannot be revitalized without political stability.

Venezuela's reserves consist of heavy, sour crude oil, which requires special equipment and a high level of technical prowess to produce. Products made in the refining process include diesel, asphalt and fuels for factories and other heavy equipment.

Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company PDVSA says its pipelines haven't been updated in 50 years, and the cost to update the infrastructure to return to peak production levels would cost $58 billion.

In recent weeks, members of the Venezuela opposition briefed Trump administration officials on their plans to revitalize the oil sector in Venezuela in the event of Maduro's ouster, according to two sources familiar with the interaction. But now, opposition members are wary of what the Trump administration is planning because they do not want remaining members of the Maduro regime to lead the country or any efforts to rebuild the country's oil industry.

Who is in charge in Venezuela?

Trump said during a news conference after the operation that the US would "run" the country "until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." Later Sunday, Rubio appeared to clarify those comments, saying that the administration's focus is on setting future policy.

"It's running policy," he told NBC's "Meet the Press," adding that the "entire national security apparatus" will be involved in those decisions.

Rodríguez, a Maduro loyalist, assumed the powers and duties of acting president on Sunday. While Rodríguez initially slammed the operation and demanded the US release Maduro and his wife, she later extended an invitation to the US government to collaborate on an "agenda of cooperation."

"President Donald Trump: our peoples and our region deserve peace and dialogue, not war. This has always been President Nicolás Maduro's message, and it is a message of all Venezuela right now," Rodríguez said in comments made directly to the US president.

The Trump administration has shrugged off calls to support the leader of Venezuela's opposition, María Corina Machado, and the president said Saturday that he didn't believe the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner has the "respect" or "support" to lead the country.

Trump told theNew York PostSunday that Machado would only win an election if she had his support, adding that "I like her very much."

Speaking to CNN, Venezuelan opposition politician David Smolansky pushed back on Trump's suggestion that Machado lacks support at home, calling her "the most trusted leader in Venezuela."

He pointed to her landslide primary victory and her backing of president-elect Edmundo González as proof of her legitimacy.

The opposition maintains that González was the true winner of the 2024 elections, and on Sunday he referred to himself as "president" and called for the Venezuela's military to put him in power.

"As commander in chief, I remind you that your loyalty is to the constitution, to the people and to the republic," González said. "This is a historic moment. We face it with calm, clarity and democratic commitment."

What about other countries in the region?

Trump threatened other countries on Sunday and implied military action could come to Colombia.

"Colombia is very sick too, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he's not going to be doing it very long," Trump told reporters on Air Force One.

Trump also touched on Mexico, noting that he repeatedly offered the assistance of US troops to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, but that "she's a little afraid."

He also repeated comments he had made about Cuba on Saturday, noting that he is not considering military action against Cuba, and that he believed that it would fall of its own volition.

"I think it's just going to fall. I don't think we need any action," he said Sunday.

Cuba's President Miguel Diaz Canel has condemned the US operation and has called it "state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people and against Our America." The country said Sunday that at least 32 of its nationals were killed in the attack.

To the north, Trump renewed his interest in acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark – a NATO ally – that he says the US "absolutely" needs for "national security." The Danish prime minister urged Trump to tone down his rhetoric, saying the US had no right to annex the island.

How are Venezuelans dealing with the fall out of the military operation?

CNNreported over the weekendthat the streets of Caracas and other cities have been quiet, with people only venturing out to for basic supplies in case the capital sees clashes or looting.

There have been little signs of the government-backed paramilitary groups known as colectivos on the streets, but long lines outside of supermarkets and pharmacies.

Opposition supporters are celebrating in private, and there have been no rallies supporting the US action. State media in Venezuela has featured supporters of the regime with defiant messages for Trump.

CNN's Ali Main, Kit Maher, Kevin Liptak, Jennifer Hansler, Kristen Holmes, Tim Lister, Eric Bradner, and Catherine Nicholls contributed to this report.

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Kings vs. Bucks: LaVine drops 20 off bench in return, more Kings hurt

SACRAMENTO, CA - TheSacramento Kingslost their fifth consecutive game as they saw the return ofguard Zach LaVinebut lost key pieces,forward Keegan Murrayandguard Keon Ellis, on Sunday night against theMilwaukee Bucksat Golden 1 Center.

Kings guard Keon Ellis injured his left thumb in the first half and did not return. Later forward Keegan Murray left the game with a left ankle injury with 4:01 left in the third quarter after colliding with Bucks center Myles Turner on a drive to the basket and landing awkwardly. The Bucks went on to win, 115-98.

Kings head coach Doug Christie told reporters he didn't have an update on his injured players, but was understandably deflated that they went down, especially after getting Murray back on the court from a previous injury.

"I don't know yet. It's not even for me to speculate," Christie told reporters after the game. "Obviously, we'll get everything. You guys will know as soon as we do."

Short in his response, Christie added: "It's hard man. ... it's just difficult."

Russell Westbrook led the Kings with 21 points. and LaVine had 20 points in 35 minutes off the bench in his first game back since Dec. 18.

"I told Doug, I think I'll be available for today. The last couple of games they've been asking me if I'm thinking about it or not," LaVine told USA TODAY Sports. "He told me he had me coming off the bench today and I said 'OK'. I haven't done it in a while but it was fine."

LaVine added that his ankle is fine and he's more worried getting conditioned and back in basketball shape.

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

"Tired," LaVine said. "I haven't played full court in an NBA game in nine games. My ankle feels fine. That's why I wanted to make sure I was 100% before I came back."

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a game-high 37 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. recorded a double-double with 25 points and 10 assists.

"I thought our non-Giannis minutes in the first half were phenomenal and that actually opened up the game for us because it allowed us to sit Giannis a little longer," Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said to reporters after the game. "I thought that was key. And then I thought overall we just were playing the right way."

Sacramento Kings:News, updates, stats, injuries and more

Kings vs. Bucks highlights

Sacramento trailed after the first quarter, 28-26, despite getting eight points a piece from Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan.

Zach LaVine came off the bench in his first game since Dec. 18. He scored five points in five minutes of action in the first.

Bucks opened the second quarter with a 9-0 run in 1:40. The Bucks' lead climbed to as many as 20 in the first half. Sacramento, as a team, scored 18 points in the second quarter.

The Bucks led 62-44 after 24 minutes.

Milwaukee continued to pour gasoline on the flame. As they opened the third quarter on a 11-4 in first four minutes of the period, their lead grew to 25.

Kings forward Keegan Murray went down with an injury in the third quarter with 4:01 left after colliding with Bucks center Myles Turner on a drive to the basket. Murray received help from the medical staff as he limped off the court to the locker room.

Sacramento cut the lead down to 16 at the end of the third quarter. Bucks hung on to a lead, 85-69.

Kings looked to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, as they turned up their defensive intensity.

They opened the quarter on a 12-0 run.

They cut the deficit down to 10 following back to back three-pointers from Dennis Schroder and Zach LaVine to open the period. They trailed 85-75 with 11 minutes left.

It was cut to a single-digit game on a Westbrook block and slow-step layup on the other side. That was followed by Schroder, who fired a midrange to bring the deficit down to six with under 10 minutes in the game.

Westbrook then stole the ball from Antetokounmpo and led the breakaway to find LaVine for a double-pump two-hand slam to bring the Kings within four points.

Westbrook forced a back court violation on Bucks guard Ryan Rollins as Kings continued to take advantage of their newfound life.

Momentum was halted briefly when Schroder fouled Kevin Porter Jr. on a three-point attempt with 8:22 left in the game.

The Bucks managed to extend their lead back to 10, as Antetokounmpo continued to get whatever he wanted in the paint and Porter from the outside.

Milwaukee ran the score back up and would win the game, 115-98.

Recap: Kings keys

• Ryan Rollins can score: Rollins is rolling this season. He averages a little more than 17 points per game and shoots 42% from deep. Someone will have to take on the challenge of slowing him down. Rollins was slowed down, compared his previous games. He scored 12 points.

• Greek Freak presence: Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to dominate the paint, as he usually does. He leads the league with 20.1 points in the paint per game. Make it tough, play physical and force him to earn those easy buckets at the free throw line. Antetokounmpo, indeed, did dominate this game, scoring a game-high 37 points and 11 rebounds.

• Get defensive stops: This team likes to score, but they will also allow other teams to score as Milwaukee allows 116 points per game. Offense shouldn't be a question, can Sacramento get stops defensively? Kings looked good defensively for a stretch in the fourth quarter, but it was short-lived. Overall, Sacramento had 10 steals and seven blocks. Westbrook, alone, had four steals and three blocks.

• Compete for 48 minutes: Going to repeat this point of emphasis because it's usually one quarter where the Kings have a lapse or lose focus or just simply don't compete for 12 minutes and it costs them the game. It happened again against Phoenix. They have to fix that to have a chance to win. The game was arguably lost in the second quarter when the Kings were outscored 34-18. They even fought back from a 26-point lead to bring the game within three.

Kings next five games

• Jan. 6 vs. Dallas Mavericks

• Jan. 9 at Golden State Warriors

• Jan. 11 vs. Houston Rockets

• Jan. 12 vs. Los Angeles Lakers

• Jan. 14 vs. New York Knicks

➤Sacramento Kings complete 2025-26 schedule

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Kings vs. Bucks recap: highlights, LaVine returns, more Kings injuries

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Kings vs. Bucks: LaVine drops 20 off bench in return, more Kings hurt

SACRAMENTO, CA - TheSacramento Kingslost their fifth consecutive game as they saw the return ofguard Zach LaVinebut lost ...

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Bears home dogs, Rams biggest wild-card favorite

The Los Angeles Rams will travel cross country as the No. 5 seed in the NFC to play at a division champion in the wild-card round, and they will do it as a double-digit favorite.

The Carolina Panthers (8-9) backed into the playoffs courtesy of Atlanta's win over New Orleans, and their reward as the NFC South champions is a date against a team that has been among the Super Bowl favorites all year. The Rams (12-5) were installed as a 10.0-point favorite by DraftKings for the wild-card opener on Saturday -- nearly a touchdown bigger spread than in any of the other five games.

By contrast, Saturday's second game will pit Chicago against bitter division rival Green Bay. The Bears are the No. 2 seed in the NFC, but opened as a +1.5-point home underdog against the Packers. The teams split their regular-season meetings, with the Bears winning 22-16 in overtime at home in Week 16.

Despite Green Bay closing the regular season on a four-game losing streak, the Packers were installed as one of four road favorites in the first round.

Sunday will feature two of the marquee matchups of wild-card weekend.

Jacksonville (13-4) will play host to Buffalo (12-5), with the Bills opening as a 1.5-point road favorite against the AFC South champions. The game also features the highest total points line at 51.5.

The Bills and Jaguars will be followed by the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) playing host to the San Francisco 49ers (12-5). Philadelphia opened tied as the second biggest favorite of the weekend at -3.5.

That equals the line for the New England Patriots (14-3), who will close out Sunday's trio of games at home against the Los Angeles Chargers (11-6).

The first round of the playoffs will conclude will the fourth road favorite. Pittsburgh (10-7) was the last team into the postseason on Sunday night courtesy of the Baltimore Ravens missing a field goal on the final play of the regular season, and the Steelers were immediately installed as a 3.0-point home underdog against the Houston Texans (12-5).

Along with the Packers-Bears, the Chargers-Patriots are tied for the lowest total points line of the weekend at 45.5.

Despite facing a potential three road-game gauntlet to reach the Super Bowl, the Rams enter the postseason with the second-shortest Super Bowl champion odds at +425. That's behind only Seattle at +350, as the Seahawks (14-3) claimed the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye.

The AFC's top seed, the Denver Broncos (14-3), own the third-shortest title odds at +650.

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION ODDS*

Seattle Seahawks (+350)

Los Angeles Rams (+425)

Denver Broncos (+650)

New England Patriots (+950)

Philadelphia Eagles (+1000)

Buffalo Bills (+1000)

Houston Texans (+1200)

Jacksonville Jaguars (+1400)

Green Bay Packers (+2200)

Chicago Bears (+2200)

San Francisco 49ers (+2800)

Los Angeles Chargers (+2800)

Pittsburgh Steelers (+5000)

Carolina Panthers (+15000)

*DraftKings

--Field Level Media

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Florida holds off Colorado 2-1, hands Avs just 3rd regulation loss of season

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad scored unassisted goals, Daniil Tarasov made 27 saves and the Florida Panthers snapped Colorado's second 10-game winning streak of the season by topping the Avalanche 2-1 on Sunday night.

Colorado fell to 31-3-7, its 69 points still the second-most in NHL history through 41 games and the most in nearly a century. Boston had 73 points through 41 games in 1929-30. The NHL added regular-season overtime along the way and changed the points structure in 1999-2000 to add a point for losses past regulation.

But the Panthers never trailed Sunday. Bennett scored 6:27 into the game, and Ekblad made it 2-1 with 1:48 left in the second period.

Artturi Lehkonen scored midway through the second period for Colorado, whichlost captain Gabriel Landeskogearly in that period with what the team said was an upper-body injury.

The three regulation losses for Colorado tie the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers for the fewest through 41 games of any season. The Avalanche had gotten at least one standings point in 30 of their last 31 games coming into Sunday, going 26-1-4 in that stretch.

It was the third time this season Colorado was held to one goal. The Avs won both of the previous games.

Scott Wedgewood stopped 23 shots for Colorado, his record falling to 18-2-4 on the season.

The Panthers were further short-handed than usual. U.S. Olympic team defenseman Seth Jones (upper body) was out for Florida, and the Panthers expect word Monday on how much time he'll miss. He was hurt in the first period of Friday's Winter Classic.

Florida leaves for a six-game trip Monday andMatthew Tkachuk— who has yet to play this season following August surgery to repair a torn adductor and sports hernia — will be on the plane. It's unclear yet if Tkachuk will play during the trip.

That trip is the start of a second half where Florida plays 26 of its final 41 games on the road.

Avalanche: At Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

Panthers: At Toronto on Tuesday night.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Florida holds off Colorado 2-1, hands Avs just 3rd regulation loss of season

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US capture of Maduro divides a changed region, thrilling Trump's allies and threatening his foes

MEXICO CITY (AP) — In his celebratory news conference onthe U.S. capture of Venezuelan strongmanleader Nicolás Maduro,President Donald Trumpset out an extraordinarily forthright view of the use of U.S. power in Latin America that exposed political divisions from Mexico to Argentina asTrump-friendly leaders riseacross the region.

"American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again," Trump proclaimed just hours before Maduro wasperp-walked through the officesof the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New York.

The scene marked a stunning culmination of months of escalation in Washington's confrontation with Caracas that has reawakened memories of apast era of blatant U.S. interventionismin the region.

Since assuming office less than a year ago — and promptly renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America — Trump has launched boatstrikes against alleged drug traffickersin the Caribbean,ordered a naval blockadeon Venezuelan oil exports and meddled in elections inHondurasandArgentina.

Through a combination oftariffs, sanctions andmilitary force, he has pressured Latin American leaders to advance his administration's goals ofcombating drug trafficking,halting immigration, securingstrategic natural resourcesand countering the influence of Russia and China.

The new, aggressive foreign policy — which Trumpnow callsthe "Donroe Doctrine," in reference to 19th-century PresidentJames Monroe's beliefthat the U.S. should dominate its sphere of influence — has carved the hemisphere into allies and foes.

"The Trump administration in multiple different ways has been trying to reshape Latin American politics," said Gimena Sanchez, Andes director for the Washington Office on Latin America, a think tank. "They're showing their teeth in the whole region."

Reactions to US raid put regional divisions on display

Saturday's dramatic events — including Trump's vow thatWashington would "run" Venezuelaand seize control of its oil sector — galvanized opposite sides of the polarized continent.

Argentine PresidentJavier Milei,Trump's ideological soulmate, characterized one side as supporting "democracy, the defense of life, freedom and property."

"On the other side," he added, "are those accomplices of a narco-terrorist and bloody dictatorship that has been a cancer for our region."

Other right-wing leaders in South America similarly seized on Maduro's ouster to declare their ideological affinity with Trump.

In Ecuador,conservative President Daniel Noboaissued a stern warning for all followers ofHugo Chávez, Maduro's mentor and the founder of the Bolivarian revolution: "Your structure will completely collapse across the entire continent."

In Chile, where a presidentialelection last monthmarked byfears over Venezuelan immigrationbrought down the leftist government, far-right President-elect José Antonio Kast hailed the U.S. raid as "great news for the region."

But left-wing presidents in Latin America — includingBrazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum,Chile's Gabriel Boricand Colombia'sGustavo Petro— expressed grave concerns over what they saw as U.S. bullying.

Lula said the raid set "an extremely dangerous precedent." Sheinbaum warned it "jeopardizes regional stability." Boric said it "violated an essential pillar of international law." Petro called it "aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America."

Trump haspreviously punishedorthreatenedall four leaders for failing to fall in line with his demands, whileboostingandbailing out allieswho show loyalty.

The attack recalls a painful history of US intervention

For Lula — among the last surviving icons of theso-called "pink tide,"the leftist leaders who dominated Latin American politics from the turn of the 21st century — Trump's military action in Venezuela "recalls the worst moments of interference in the politics of Latin America."

Those moments range from American troops occupying Central American and Caribbean nations to promote the interests ofU.S. companies like Chiquitain the early 1900s to Washingtonsupporting repressive military dictatorshipsin Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay to fend off Soviet influence in the 1970s.

The historical echoesin Maduro's downfall fueled not only harsh condemnations andstreet protestsamong Trump's left-wing opponents but also uneasy responses from some of his close allies.

Usually effusive in his support for Trump,President Nayib Bukelewas oddly quiet in El Salvador, a nation still scarred by a brutal civil war between a repressive U.S.-allied government and leftist guerillas. He posted a meme mocking Maduro after his capture Saturday, but expressed none of the jubilation seen from regional counterparts.

In Bolivia, whereold anti-American dogmasdie hard due to memories of the bloody U.S.-backed war on drugs, new conservativePresident Rodrigo Pazpraised Maduro's removal insomuch as it fulfilled "the true popular will" of Venezuelans who tried to vote the autocrat out of office in a 2024election widely seen as fraudulent.

"Bolivia reaffirms that the way out for Venezuela is to respect the vote," Paz said.

His message didn't age well. Hours later, Trump announced he would work withMaduro's loyalistvice president, Delcy Rodríguez, rather than the opposition thatprevailed in the 2024 election.

"The Trump administration, it appears at this point, is making decisions about the democratic future of Venezuela without referring back to the democratic result," said Kevin Whitaker, former deputy chief of mission for the State Department in Caracas.

When asked Sunday about when Venezuela will hold democratic elections, Trump responded: "I think we're looking more at getting it fixed."

As the right rises, Trump puts enemies on notice

The Trump administration's attack on Venezuela extends its broader crusade to assemble a column of allied — or at least acquiescent — governments in Latin America, sailing with the political winds blowing in much of the region.

Recent presidential elections fromChiletoHondurashaveelevatedtough, Trump-like leaders who oppose immigration, prioritize security and promise a return to better, bygone eras free of globalization and "wokeness."

"The president is going to be looking for allied and partner nations in the hemisphere who share his kind of broader ideological affinity," said Alexander Gray, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington research institute.

Those who don't share that ideology were put on notice this weekend. Trump said Cuba's Communist government "looks like it's ready to fall." He slammed Sheinbaum'sfailure to root out Mexican cartels, saying that "something's going to have to be done with Mexico." He repeated allegations that Petro "likes making cocaine" and warned that "he's not going to be doing it very long."

"We're in the business of having countries around us that are viable and successful, where the oil is allowed to really come out," he told reporters Sunday on Air Force One. "It's our hemisphere."

DeBre reported from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Associated Press writers Maria Verza in Mexico City and Darlene Superville aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

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US capture of Maduro divides a changed region, thrilling Trump's allies and threatening his foes

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