Judge quickly rejects mistrial request at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial

Judge quickly rejects mistrial request at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge immediately rejected a defense request for a mistrial on Wednesday at the sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, after his attorneys said prosecutors tried to imply to a jury that the music mogul interfered with the investigation into rapper Kid Cudi’s firebombed Porsche in 2012.

Although such mistrial requests are common during lengthy federal trials involving hundreds of pieces of evidence and dozens of witnesses, this was the first request at Combs’ trial, which is in its third week of testimony in Manhattan. Combs has been active in his defense, regularly writing notes to his lawyers, and they have consulted with him as they questioned witnesses.

Judge Arun Subramanian instructed the jury to disregard testimony about the destruction of fingerprint cards that occurred months after Cudi’s car was set ablaze. Weeks before that firebombing, Combs became enraged when he learned that Cudi was dating Cassie, the singer who had a nearly 11-year relationship with Combs from 2007 to 2018.

The Molotov cocktail used to burn Cudi’s car in his Hollywood Hills driveway was fashioned out of a 40-ounce Old English 800 malt liquor bottle and a designer handkerchief, according to Lance Jimenez, an arson investigator for the Los Angeles Fire Department, and photographs shown in court.

The defense’s mistrial request came after Jimenez testified that fingerprints taken from Cudi’s burned up Porsche 911 were destroyed in August 2012, about eight months after the fire. Jimenez said someone in the Los Angeles Police Department who was not involved in the investigation ordered the fingerprint cards destroyed. He said that was not normal protocol.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he led a racketeering conspiracy for 20 years that relied on fear and violence to get what he wanted. If convicted, he could face 15 years to life in prison. Cassie and other witnesses have testified that she was repeatedly beaten by Combs, and she said she was frequently coerced to engage in unwanted sex acts.

Defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro asked for the mistrial during a morning break with the jury out of the room. She told Subramanian that “prosecutorial misconduct” had occurred and said “there’s no way to un-ring this bell.”

She said prosecutors were on notice during jury selection that some prospective jurors had to be eliminated from consideration for the jury because they believed Combs could buy his way out of the racketeering conspiracy he’s charged with.

“These questions were designed to play right into that,” she said.

Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo called the prosecution’s conduct “outrageous.”

Combs’ lawyers argued that the prosecution’s questions and Jimenez’s resulting testimony was highly prejudicial because prosecutors were suggesting that Combs had something to do with the destruction of the records.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said “a mistrial is absolutely unwarranted here.” She said the subject of fingerprints was raised to counter defense suggestions through questions posed to other witnesses that the car firebombing was poorly investigated and that the area was not canvassed for fingerprints.

High-end beef with local roots: NC ranchers raise Wagyu cattle

High-end beef with local roots: NC ranchers raise Wagyu cattle

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — May is North Carolina Beef Month, and it’s a time to recognize the people and practices behind some of the finest beef in the country. One of the standout products gaining attention in the region is Wagyu beef, known for its high marbling and rich flavor. Wilder’s Wagyu, a North Carolina-based operation, is among those spotlighting this unique breed.

Jacklyn Smith, one of the founders of Wilder’s Wagyu, says they intentionally entered the Wagyu space to offer something different to beef lovers.

“We felt like it was a very niche market. It was a really cool, fun beef angle; just this high-end product with a very neat palate experience for the consumer. Different than what most people are used to,” said Smith.

Wagyu beef literally means “Japanese cow,” with “wa” meaning Japanese and “gyu” meaning cow or cattle. According to The Wagyu Shop, Wagyu cattle are distinct not just by origin but by the quality of beef they produce, which includes higher levels of monounsaturated fats and essential amino acids.

Smith says the genetic background of Wagyu cattle is one of the most compelling aspects of their work.

“Being able to work with the genetics of the parentage of the cattle allow us to really hone in on what is creating that best beef experience for the American palate,” said Smith.

The cattle used for Wagyu in the U.S. descend from a small group imported in the 1970s, as further imports were later restricted. Smith notes this has made the existing genetic lines especially valuable.

“They are just a special breed of cow that originated in Japan. A few were imported to the U.S. back in the ’70s and then importation of them stopped. We’ve been working with the same genetics within the U.S.,” said Smith.

Wagyu beef in Japan must pass a strict grading system, with A5 being the highest possible rating for yield, marbling, color, and texture. This same emphasis on consistency is part of what makes Wagyu distinctive, according to Smith.

“The consistency of beef with the marbling is very unique to the breed. It’s just hyper-marbles, a very fine marbling, which makes the consumer experience when tasting it very unique and special,” said Smith.

In addition to taste, there are some nutritional differences that set Wagyu apart. According to the American Wagyu Association, Wagyu contains about 30% more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than other beef breeds. Foods naturally high in CLA are associated with fewer negative health effects.

Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival returns with music, food and community spirit

Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival returns with music, food and community spirit

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — One of the city’s most anticipated cultural events is making a major return this fall. The 2025 Raleigh Wide Open Music Festival will take over downtown on October 3rd and 4th, bringing live music, food, art and community spirit to the streets.

David Brower, Executive Director of PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, says the event has built such momentum, there was no slowing it down.

“The streets of downtown Raleigh are filled with fiddles and banjos and families all coming together downtown to enjoy the sheer cultural experience,” said Brower. “It’s just such fun that everyone didn’t really want it to stop.”

Festival-goers can expect multiple outdoor stages offering free performances across genres like bluegrass, gospel, folk, Americana and more. Though there will be beer for sale on nearly every corner, organizers emphasize that the festival is more than just a craft beer event—it’s a full cultural celebration.

Alongside the music and beer gardens, there will be food trucks, art vendors and other festivities that span downtown Raleigh.

“I think the beer, the food [and] the art market that’s going to be out on the street is really just part of the day that really celebrates people coming together downtown,” said Brower.

Brower says one of the things he loves about Americana music is that it focuses on authenticity.

“Whether it’s an authentic voice or an authentic story that’s being told through song or a traditional playing style… it’s something that’s played from the heart,” said Brower. “It’s something that’s rooted in community and family.”

This year’s event will also highlight musicians and craftspeople from the 26 North Carolina counties most impacted by Hurricane Helene, offering them a platform and support as recovery continues.

“[It’s about] paying homage to our friends from the west. It’s also just a way of getting some work for the artists that we love that happen to live in Western North Carolina,” said Brower.

The full performer lineup will be released in the coming weeks on the festival’s official website.

Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after leading effort to slash federal government

Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after leading effort to slash federal government

By CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Elon Musk is leaving his government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy.

His departure, announced Wednesday evening, marks the end of a turbulent chapter that included thousands of layoffs, the evisceration of government agencies and reams of litigation. Despite the upheaval, the billionaire entrepreneur struggled in the unfamiliar environment of Washington, and he accomplished far less than he hoped.

He dramatically reduced his target for cutting spending — from $2 trillion to $1 trillion to $150 billion — and increasingly expressed frustration about resistance to his goals. Sometimes he clashed with other top members of Trump’s administration, who chafed at the newcomer’s efforts to reshape their departments, and he faced fierce political blowback for his efforts.

Musk’s role working for Trump was always intended to be temporary, and he had recently signaled that he would be shifting his attention back to running his businesses, such as the electric automaker Tesla and the rocket company SpaceX.

But administration officials were often vague about when Musk would step back from his position spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, and he abruptly revealed that he was leaving in a post on X, his social media website.

“As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote. “The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”

A White House official, who requested anonymity to talk about the change, confirmed Musk’s departure.

Musk announced his decision one day after CBS released part of an interview in which he criticized the centerpiece of Trump’s legislative agenda by saying he was “disappointed” by what the president calls his “big beautiful bill.”

The legislation includes a mix of tax cuts and enhanced immigration enforcement. Musk described it as a “massive spending bill” that increases the federal deficit and “undermines the work” of his Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE.

“I think a bill can be big or it could be beautiful,” Musk said. “But I don’t know if it could be both.”

Trump, speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, defended his agenda by talking about the delicate politics involved with negotiating the legislation.

“I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it,” he said.

Trump also suggested that more changes could be made.

“We’re going to see what happens,” he said. “It’s got a way to go.”

Republicans recently pushed the measure through the House and are debating it in the Senate.

Musk’s concerns are shared by some Republican lawmakers. “I sympathize with Elon being discouraged,” said Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson.

Speaking at a Milwaukee Press Club event on Wednesday, Johnson added that he was “pretty confident” there was enough opposition “to slow this process down until the president, our leadership, gets serious” about reducing spending. He said there was no amount of pressure Trump could put on him to change his position.

Speaker Mike Johnson has asked senators to make as few changes to the legislation as possible, saying that House Republicans reached a “very delicate balance” that could be upended with major changes. The narrowly divided House will have to vote again on final passage once the Senate alters the bill.

On Wednesday, Johnson thanked Musk for his work and promised to pursue more spending cuts in the future, saying “the House is eager and ready to act on DOGE’s findings.”

The White House is sending some proposed rescissions, a mechanism used to cancel previously authorized spending, to Capitol Hill to solidify some of DOGE’s cuts. A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget said the package will include $1.1 billion from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS, and $8.3 billion in foreign assistance.

Musk occasionally seemed chastened by his experience working in government.

“The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,” he told The Washington Post. “I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.”

He also recently said that he’ll reduce his political spending, because “I think I’ve done enough.”

Musk had previously been energized by the opportunity to reshape Washington. After putting at least $250 million behind Trump’s candidacy, he wore campaign hats in the White House, held his own campaign rallies, and talked about excessive spending as an existential crisis. He often tended to be effusive in his praise of Trump.

“The more I’ve gotten to know President Trump, the more I like the guy,” Musk said in February. “Frankly, I love him.”

Trump repaid the favor, describing Musk as “a truly great American.” When Tesla faced declining sales, he turned the White House driveway into a makeshift showroom to illustrate his support.

It’s unclear what, if any, impact that Musk’s comments about the bill would have on the legislative debate, especially given his departure from the administration. During the transition period, when his influence was on the rise, he helped whip up opposition to a spending measure as the country stood on the brink of a federal government shutdown.

His latest criticism could embolden Republicans who want bigger spending cuts. Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee reposted a Fox News story about Musk’s interview while also adding his own take on the measure, saying there was “still time to fix it.”

“The Senate version will be more aggressive,” Lee said. “It can, it must, and it will be. Or it won’t pass.”

Only two Republicans — Reps. Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — voted against the bill when the House took up the measure last week.

Davidson took note of Musk’s comments on social media.

“Hopefully, the Senate will succeed with the Big Beautiful Bill where the House missed the moment,” he wrote. “Don’t hope someone else will cut deficits someday, know it has been done this Congress.”

The Congressional Budget Office, in a preliminary estimate, said the tax provisions would increase federal deficits by $3.8 trillion over the decade, while the changes to Medicaid, food stamps and other services would reduce spending by slightly more than $1 trillion over the same period.

House Republican leaders say increased economic growth would allow the bill to be deficit-neutral or deficit-reducing, but outside watchdogs are skeptical. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates the bill would add $3 trillion to the debt, including interest, over the next decade.

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Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Milwaukee, and Kevin Freking, Lisa Mascaro and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

Reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers get second shot at closing out Hurricanes in Eastern final

Reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers get second shot at closing out Hurricanes in Eastern final

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Florida Panthers missed on their first chance to eliminate the Carolina Hurricanes and return to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year.

Closing out a playoff series isn’t easy, even for the reigning Cup champions.

The Panthers are just 4-7 in series-clinching games over the past two seasons entering Wednesday night’s visit to Carolina for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final. That includes Monday’s 3-0 home loss with a chance to sweep the Hurricanes in this round for the second time in three seasons.

Florida is 1-2 in closeout games this year, losing at home to Toronto in Game 6 of a second-round series before winning Game 7 on the road. It is trying to become the ninth franchises in NHL history to reach the Stanley Cup Final in three or more consecutive seasons.

The Hurricanes’ season-extending win in Game 4 ended a 15-game losing streak in a conference final, a run going back to sweeps in 2009, 2019 and the 2023 loss to Florida.

Trailing 3-1 in this best-of-seven series, Carolina had tied for the NHL lead with 31 regular-season home wins, then went 5-0 in two playoff rounds. But Florida won Games 1 and 2 in Raleigh by a combined 10-2 score, earning its fourth consecutive road win of this postseason and seventh overall.

Cheesy Beef Artichoke Dip

Cheesy Beef Artichoke Dip

Cheesy Beef Artichoke Dip

Photo Courtesy of BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

Cheesy Beef Artichoke Dip Recipe from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Serving size: 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces Cooked (or Leftover) Beef Pot Roast, chopped
  • 1 (12oz) can artichoke hearts, drained
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 3/4 cup reduced-fat dairy sour cream
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
  • 5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl mix together cream cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepper, and garlic. Once smooth add in spinach, chopped Beef, and artichoke hearts; combine.    
  2. Coat a 9 X 9 baking dish with non-stick spray. Place mixture into baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture is bubbling and golden brown. Serve warm along side fresh vegetables and tortilla chips. 
Trump administration sues North Carolina over its voter registration records

Trump administration sues North Carolina over its voter registration records

By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Trump administration accused North Carolina’s election board on Tuesday of violating federal law by failing to ensure voter registration records of some applicants contained identifying numbers.

The Justice Department sued in federal court also asking a judge to force board officials to create a prompt method to obtain such numbers.

The department alleges that the state and the board aren’t complying with the 2002 Help America Vote Act after board officials provided a statewide voter registration form that didn’t make clear an applicant must provide either a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. If an applicant lacks neither, the state must assign the person another unique number.

A previous edition of the state board, in which Democrats held a majority, acknowledged the problem in late 2023 after a voter complained. The board updated the form but declined to contact people who had registered to vote since 2004 in time for the 2024 elections so they could fill in the missing numbers.

According to the lawsuit, the board indicated that such information would be accumulated on an ad hoc basis as voters appeared at polling places. It’s unclear exactly how many voters’ records still lack identifying numbers.

Lawyers from the department’s Civil Rights Division contend the board must act more aggressively. They want a judge to give the state 30 days to develop a plan to contact voters with records that don’t comply with federal law, obtain an identifying number for each and add that to the electronic list.

The litigation follows similar efforts by the Republican Party and a state GOP candidate to address the registration records for the 2024 election.

The lawsuit also referred to President Donald Trump’s broad executive order on elections in March to “guard against illegal voting, unlawful discrimination, and other forms of fraud, error, or suspicion.”

“Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in a press release. “The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws.”

This month, the board’s composition changed to reflect a 2024 law approved by the GOP-dominated General Assembly that shifted the board’s appointment powers from the now-Democratic governor to Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek. A previous 3-2 Democratic majority is now a 3-2 Republican majority.

The new iteration of the board sounds open to embrace the Justice Department’s wishes.

Executive Director Sam Hayes said late Tuesday the lawsuit was being reviewed, “but the failure to collect the information required by HAVA has been well documented. Rest assured that I am committed to bringing North Carolina into compliance with federal law.”

Local elections start in September.

The state and national GOP last year sued over the lack of identifying numbers, which they estimated could have affected 225,000 registrants. But federal judges declined to make changes so close to the general election.

The issue also was litigated after Election Day as part of formal protests filed by the Republican candidate for a seat on the state Supreme Court who challenged about 60,000 ballots he contended were cast by registrants whose records failed to contain one of the two identifying numbers.

The election board said earlier this year at least roughly half of those voters actually did provide an identifying number.

State appeals courts criticized the board’s handling of the registration records but ultimately ruled the challenged ballots had to remain in the final election tally. Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs defeated Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin by 734 votes out of over 5.5 million ballots cast.

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This story has been updated to corrected that the Help America Vote Act was passed in 2002, not 2003.

S&P 500 rallies 2% as Wall Street’s roller-coaster ride whips back upward after Trump delays tariffs

S&P 500 rallies 2% as Wall Street’s roller-coaster ride whips back upward after Trump delays tariffs

By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s roller-coaster ride created by President Donald Trump’s trade policies whipped back upward on Tuesday, this time because of a delay for his tariffs on the European Union.

The S&P 500 leaped 2% in its first trading since Trump said Sunday that the United States will delay a 50% tariff on goods coming from the European Union until July 9 from June 1. The European Union’s chief trade negotiator later said on Monday that he had “good calls” with Trump officials and the EU was “fully committed” to reaching a trade deal by July 9.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 740 points, or 1.8%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 2.5%. They more than recovered their losses from Friday, when Wall Street’s roller coaster dropped after Trump announced the tariffs on France, Germany and the other 25 countries represented by the European Union.

Such talks give hopes that the United States can reach a deal with one of its largest trading partners that would keep global commerce moving and avoid a possible recession. Trump declared a similar pause on his stiff tariffs for products coming from China earlier this month, which launched an even bigger rally on Wall Street at the time.

“We focus on actions over words,” Jean Boivin and other strategists at BlackRock Investment Institute said, “as economic constraints spur policy rollbacks.”

Caution still remains on Wall Street, of course, even if the S&P 500 has climbed back within 3.6% of its record after falling roughly 20% below the mark last month.

A worry is that all the uncertainty caused by on-again-off-again tariffs could damage the economy by pushing U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending and investments. Surveys have already shown U.S. consumers are feeling worse about the economy’s prospects and where inflation may be heading because of tariffs.

On Tuesday, though, optimism ruled. The stock market’s gains accelerated after a report released by the Conference Board said confidence among U.S. consumers improved by more in May than economists expected.

It was the first increase in six months, and consumers’ expectations for income, business and the job market in the short term jumped sharply, though it still remains below the level that typically signals a recession ahead. About half the survey results came after Trump paused some of his tariffs on China.

The rise in confidence was widespread, covering different age and income groups, according to the Conference Board.

On Wall Street, Nvidia rallied 3.2% and was the strongest single force driving the S&P 500 higher ahead of its profit report coming on Wednesday. It’s the last to report this quarter among the “Magnificent Seven” Big Tech companies that have grown so large that their stock movements dominate the rest of the market.

Nvidia has been riding a tidal wave of growth created by the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology, but it is also facing criticism that its stock price has shot too high.

Informatica climbed 6% after Salesforce said it would buy the AI-powered cloud data management company in an all-stock deal valuing it at about $8 billion. Salesforce rose 1.5%.

They were part of widespread gains across the U.S. stock market, where 93% of the stocks within the S&P 500 rose.

One of the outliers was AutoZone, which fell 3.7% following a mixed report on its performance for the three months through May 10. Its profit fell short of analysts’ expectations, though its growth in revenue was stronger than expected.

CEO Phil Daniele said both its DIY and commercial businesses did well domestically, but shifting moves in foreign-currency values put pressure on the retailer’s operations outside the United States.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 118.72 points to 5,921.54. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 740.58 to 42,343.65, and the Nasdaq composite gained 461.96 to 19,199.16.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased to take some of the pressure off the stock market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.44% from 4.51% late Friday. It had been rising last week, in part because of worries about the U.S. government’s rapidly increasing debt.

Yields had been climbing for bond markets around the developed world, particularly in Japan, where a recent auction of longer-term bonds found relatively few buyers. But analysts said worries eased a bit after Japan’s finance ministry sent a questionnaire to bond investors that they took as a signal of efforts to calm the market.

In stock markets abroad, European indexes mostly rose, while Asian indexes were mixed.

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AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

US consumer confidence rebounds after five straight months of declines amid tariff anxiety

US consumer confidence rebounds after five straight months of declines amid tariff anxiety

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ views of the economy improved in May after five straight months of declines sent consumer confidence to its lowest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, largely driven by anxiety over the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose 12.3 points in May to 98, up from April’s 85.7, its lowest reading since May 2020.

A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market jumped 17.4 points to 72.8, but remained below 80, which can signal a recession ahead.

The proportion of consumers surveyed saying they think a U.S. recession is coming in the next 12 months also declined from April.

Trump’s aggressive and unpredictable policies — including massive import taxes — have clouded the outlook for the economy and the job market, raising fears that the American economy is headed toward a recession.

However, Trump’s tariff pullbacks, pauses and negotiations with some trading partners may have calmed nerves for the time being.

“The rebound was already visible before the May 12 US-China trade deal but gained momentum afterwards,” said Stephanie Guichard, senior economist at The Conference Board.

Trump had initially imposed a stunning 145% tariff on most goods from China, but agreed to a 90-day pause for negotiations. The U.S. also came to an agreement with the U.K. earlier in May.

Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Trump and European Union leaders announced that the president’s 50% tariff on imports from the E.U., which he announced Friday, are on hold until July 9. That announcement would not have impacted the Board’s survey, which closed on May 19.

The Conference Board said the rebound in confidence this month was broad-based across all ages and income groups.

Consumers’ assessments of the present economic situation also improved, with the exception of their view on job availability, which weakened for the fifth straight month despite another strong U.S. jobs report.

However, less than 25% of respondents said they were worried about losing their jobs, compared with the 50% of respondents who said they were concerned about not being able to buy the things they need or want.

The Labor Department earlier this month reported that U.S. employers added a surprising 177,000 jobs in April and the unemployment rate remained at a low 4.2%.

Write-in responses to the survey showed that tariffs are still consumers’ biggest concern. Inflation is also still weighing on their minds, though some noted that inflation seemed to be easing, along with gas prices.

Earlier in May, the Commerce Department reported that consumer prices rose just 2.3% in March from a year earlier, down from 2.7% in February. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.6% compared with a year ago, below February’s 3%. Economists track core prices because they typically provide a better read on where inflation is headed.

Gas prices have hovered around $3.17 per gallon this month, down from $3.59 a year ago, but up a few pennies from April.

The slowdown in inflation could be a temporary respite until the widespread duties imposed by Trump begin to push up prices in many categories. Most economists expect inflation to start ticking up in the coming months.

Robert Frick, an economist with Navy Federal Credit Union, said that while the tariff rollbacks may have boosted Americans’ confidence this month, that optimism may be fleeting.

“When prices start rising from existing tariffs in a month or two, it will be a sobering reminder that a new inflation fight has just begun,” Frick said.

The Board’s survey Tuesday also showed that Americans’ plans to spend on homes, cars and vacations also increased from April, with significant gains coming after the May 12 China tariff pause.

Hurricanes get another home-ice shot at Panthers with Game 5 in Eastern final

Hurricanes get another home-ice shot at Panthers with Game 5 in Eastern final

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — It’s one win in a series otherwise going resoundingly against them. The Carolina Hurricanes still face a long and improbable climb ahead against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

For now the reward from Monday’s sweep-averting road win is simply another chance to play at home in Wednesday night’s Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final.

“I don’t really think (mentality) changes if you’re up three or down three,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said Tuesday. “Like, what, are you going to try harder? Everybody’s trying their hardest and everybody wants to win that next game.”

Carolina’s 3-0 win Monday night staved off elimination while ending a nasty conference-final losing streak (15 games dating to 2009). But playing on means keeping fleeting hope alive, even against a tested and deep champion.

Florida swept Carolina in the 2023 Eastern final with four one-goal wins that gave the Hurricanes reason to feel they were in it the whole way. This had been anything but, starting with the 5-2 loss in Game 1 followed by a 5-0 romp that drew frustrated chants from a rowdy-turned-despondent home crowd.

In Saturday’s Game 3, Florida turned a 1-1 game entering the third into a 6-2 win that moved them within a win of the Cup final.

Getting to closeout opportunities is not new for the Panthers, who won nine of their first 10 series under Paul Maurice.

Also not new: letting the first chance (or three, in one case) at that closeout win slip away. Monday’s loss dropped Florida’s record in potential closeout games since the start of the 2023 playoffs to just 9-8.

It begged this question of Maurice: Do the Panthers learn from those missed chances?

“I don’t believe in it. I don’t believe in that idea at all,” Maurice said. “If it was just a learned thing, you’d be 16-0 every year. It’s just not real. We had won seven of eight playoff games going into (Monday) night. … They were better at their game than we were at our game. We’ve managed to not have that happen very often.”

That said, he is a big believer in learning. The tape Tuesday showed there was much to learn coming out of Game 4, and players knew lessons were coming.

That’s how the day went, and then it was off to the plane. Simple.

“The first four or five minutes I would call them names. I’m mindful of the hotline now so the names aren’t nearly as good as they used to be,” Maurice said. “Then I show them the video that attaches them to the names that I’ve called them, and then we’re going to do a bunch of video on something technical about where we’ve got to be better, where we can be better, so we can see it.”

(Lengthy) injury report

Florida’s Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola and A.J. Greer all missed Game 4 with injuries; all skated Tuesday and are expected to skate again Wednesday morning before determinations are made for Game 5.

Reinhart left Thursday’s Game 2 in the first period after a low hit by Carolina’s Sebastian Aho. Greer appeared to injure himself delivering a hit on Jordan Staal in Game 3, while Mikkola was shaken up after crashing hard into the boards — his right shoulder hitting first — that same night.

Carolina, meanwhile, started the series with defenseman Jalen Chatfield sidelined, while Sean Walker has missed the past two games since taking a jarring open-ice hit from Greer in Game 2. That’s left the Hurricanes without two of their top six blue-liners.

Young legs

There’s been at least one promising development for Carolina in the play of its youngsters, forward Logan Stankoven and defenseman Alexander Nikishin.

The 22-year-old Stankoven, the primary return in the Hurricanes’ deadline-deal pivot out of the Mikko Rantanen business, has scored in two straight games and is tied for second on the team with five playoff goals.

His Game 4 winner came off a nifty feed from the 23-year-old Nikishin, marking the first NHL point for a top blue-line prospect pressed into three playoff games for his first NHL action due to Carolina’s blue-line injuries.

Road vs. home success

Florida has seven road playoff wins, the past four coming by a combined score of 22-4 going back to matching 6-1 wins in Games 5 and 7 of the second-round series against Toronto.

Carolina had 31 home regular-season wins to tie the Los Angeles Kings for most in the league, then went 5-0 in two playoff rounds.

Staying alive

Carolina is 6-6 under Brind’Amour when facing elimination. That includes two wins last year after falling behind 3-0 against the New York Rangers in a six-game second-round series.

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AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report.

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