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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Para snowboarder Noah Elliott struggled to keep it together as he crossed the finish line in his final race at theMilan Cortina Paralympicson Friday.

Milan Cortina Paralympics Snowboard

He knew it was a special gold-medal run in what he calls his "redemption Games."

It capped a successful day for the United States at the conclusion of the Para snowboarding competitions at Milan Cortina; Kate Delson also won gold at her first Games,Brenna Huckabyjoined Delson with her fifth Paralympic medal, andMike Schultzearned a bronze in his final Paralympic participation.

"Oh my God, my emotions. It was so hard for me not to cry coming across that finish line," Elliott said after winning the men's banked slalom. "I've worked so hard, and this is my 'redemption Games.' And to be able to stand atop the podium today, hear our national anthem, I couldn't be more proud.

"This is what it's all about," the 2025 ESPY winner added. "This is why we do what we do to try to get that top position. It just all hit me."

Elliott, now a four-time Paralympic medalist in three Games appearances, said it wasn't easy to come back from a gruesome 2022 injury when his femur bone came through his amputated leg.

"I didn't think I was going to even be able to go and do it but it was just a great Games for me," he said. "I couldn't be more proud to come back after a surgery, get back on the grind, work hard, set those goals in the gym, work out, and just get better at snowboarding and show up here."

The 28-year-old Elliott's left leg was amputated at age 15 because of cancer. He won the silver medal in the Para snowboard cross race earlier in these Games. He also won the gold in banked slalom in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in addition to a bronze in snowboard cross.

"This is my 'redemption Games' because I'm finally healthy again," he said. "And that's why these medals mean so much to me."

Delson's first

The 20-year-old Delson, the youngest member of the American Para snowboarding squad at Milan Cortina, won the women's banked slalom to add to her silver in Para snowboard cross.

She was thrilled to share the podium with Huckaby.

"It's just amazing," said Delson, who was born with a congenital disability that left her missing most of the muscles in her right leg, including her calf.

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"I'm just so happy we get to share this moment with someone who I've literally been watching and has been my role model and my friend and my roommate, and now we get to stand on the Paralympic podium together," Delson said. "The best thing ever."

The 30-year-old Huckaby, whose right leg was amputated because of bone cancer at age 14, has won all five of her medals at Milan Cortina. Of Delson she said there was "no one I would rather see on that gold medal spot."

"I'm super stoked for her, she's put in the work, she's put in the time. We were all there at the bottom giving her a hug because I think we were all freaking excited for her."

The silver medalist in banked slalom was three-time Paralympic medalist Lisa Bunschoten-Vos of the Netherlands, a fellow mother like Huckaby.

"I get to share the podium with two of the biggest legends in this sport," Delson said. "So that's pretty freaking cool."

Schultz goes out with a medal

Schultz ended his Paralympic career by winning his fourth medal across three Games.

"These boys are fast. You know, over the last couple of seasons, they've been pushing me beyond my comfort zone and that's one of the reasons why I'm like, you know what, it's time," he said. "But to be on the podium and bring home a medal in my last Paralympic Games is, man, that feels good."

Schultz said he now wants to focus on his business of building the prosthetics that many of the Para athletes have been using at Milan Cortina.

"My goal this year was to be at my best during these Games, and I believe I achieved that," he said.

The 44-year-old Schultz made his Paralympic debut at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, winning gold in snowboard cross and silver in banked slalom. He won a silver medal in snowboard cross at the 2022 Beijing Games. He was sixth in snowboard cross in Italy.

The final day of racing for Para snowboarding was moved from Saturday to Friday because of a forecast of rain amid warm weather conditions in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

AP Winter Paralympics:https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Iraq is getting caught in the crossfire ofthe Iran waras the only country facing strikes from both sides, and that threatens to drag the nation that has so far avoided two years of regional turmoil into a full-blown crisis.

Iraq Iran US Israel

As the war nears two full weeks, Iraq's situation is growing more desperate.Disruptions to Gulf shippingand strikes on oil fields and infrastructure have all but halted exports, jeopardizing a state that relies on such trade for the bulk of its revenue.

If the shutdown continues, Baghdad could be unable to meet its oversizedpublic‑sector payrollas soon as next month, risking widespread unrest, two Iraqi Kurdish officials said.

The federal government has appealed to northern Kurdish leaders to resume exports via a pipeline to Turkey, but talks remain deadlocked over longstanding domestic issues. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive political matters.

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In the meantime, a parallel conflict to the wider war has escalated between Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups and the U.S. Near-daily drone strikes have targeted American interests across the country, while the U.S. has struck back against militia bases to defend its troops.

Since the war began Feb. 28 following a major U.S. and Israeli strike in Iran, drone and missile attacks have targeted American interests in Iraq, including military bases in the Baghdad and Irbil airports, and U.S. diplomatic facilities. Iran and its allied Iraqi militias also have struck oil fields and energy infrastructure to escalate the economic toll.

Unlike other Middle Eastern states touched by the war, Iraq hosts both entrenched Iran-aligned forces and significant U.S. interests. Its economy depends overwhelmingly on oil, so disruptions to production or exports through the Strait of Hormuz could sharply cut government revenue just as a fraughtpolitical transition grips Baghdad.

The longer the conflict lasts, the greater the risk that economic shocks, political paralysis and friction with Iran‑backed militias will combine to unravel Iraq's hard‑won relative stability.

Proxy battles

Leaders in Baghdad and Irbil continue to urge caution and insist the war must not be fought on their soil, but the conflict's trajectory is increasingly slipping beyond their control. The U.S. has communicated assurances to Iraqi leaders that the country won't be dragged into the regional war, according to the two Kurdish officials who spoke to AP.In the war's opening days, drone and rocket strikes by Iran and allied groups began targeting U.S. bases, diplomatic missions and oil facilities. In Irbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, near‑daily drone attacks have targeted not only U.S. military and allied interests but also commercial sites and even hotels.Iran-backed groups have also struck Kurdish groups based in northern Iraq after reports that Washington planned to arm some of themto press against Tehran.Some Iranian Kurdish leaders have signaled their willingness to mount cross-border operations into Iran if supported by the U.S..Iraq is operating under a caretaker government after the U.S. opposed the nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al‑Maliki. Caretaker premier Mohammed Shia al‑Sudani, with even more limited powers, lacks the influence to rein in powerful militia groups.The U.S. has struck back, striking militia sites across the country, including in Jurf al-Sakhr, south of Baghdad, northern Iraq and in al-Qaim, along the Iraq-Syria border.As in past upheavals, Iraqis have learned to adapt to daily violence that intrudes on everyday life.At an Irbil cafe, patrons heard the whine of incoming drones, then a muffled explosion, before a plume of smoke rose on the horizon where it was shot down. A waiter urged calm, saying the strikes were aimed at the U.S. Consulate or airport and posed no direct threat to customers.Major fiscal shocksThe gravest threat to Iraq's stability is disrupted oil production, which could cripple government revenues. The Kurdish officials said Baghdad warned them that public-sector payrolls could be disrupted as soon as next month.To alleviate the pressure, Baghdad has asked for exports of at least 250,000 barrels per day of crude from fields in Kirkuk via the pipeline to Ceyhan in Turkey that runs across Kurdish territory. Talks have stalled, however, after Kurdish negotiators conditioned the move on lifting an existing U.S. dollar embargo and restoring economic benefits tied to trade.Iraq's government ordered production curtailed from oil fields in southern Iraq, where the majority of its 4.8 million barrels per day is produced, after the war all but stopped traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and militias attacked facilities. Sales from oil account for over 90% of state revenues.Iraq has one of the world's largest public‑sector workforces and pensioner rolls, and past payment delays have sparked mass protests.Production has been halted at oil fields hit by strikes. In the Kurdish region, Canada's ShaMaran Petroleum and U.S. private firm HKN have suspended output at the Sarsang and Atrush blocks."If oil exports are disrupted, the immediate impact would likely be a decline in the value of the Iraqi dinar. This would quickly trigger inflation, and within a short time the prices of basic goods could rise sharply," said Farhad Soleimanpour, an Iraqi Kurdish political analyst."For the Kurdistan region, the situation could be even more difficult because it does not have its own central bank or significant financial reserves. Iraq may be able to withstand the shock for several months, but the Kurdistan Region would likely face immediate financial pressure," he added.The war has also battered power supplies.The Khor Mor gas field in the autonomous Kurdish region is offline, cutting electricity generation by nearly two‑thirds. Where the region once provided 24‑hour power, households now receive just four to six hours a day, said Omed Ahmad, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Electricity.Political weaknessesSince the November 2025 election, Iraq has been without a government after the U.S. opposed the return of al‑Maliki, the former prime minister. The war complicates the fraught transition, forcing a caretaker administration with severely limited powers to manage the fallout.But that caretaker status also lets Iraqi leaders deflect responsibility by claiming they lack the authority to act, said Iraq analyst Tamer Badawi. "No one wants to take this big responsibility at the moment," he said.That would mean taking charge and reining in multiple armed groups, from Iran‑backed militias targeting U.S. interests to Kurdish‑Iranian opposition factions, whose actions deepen fault lines that could spark civil unrest.Even if some oil is exported via the pipeline, there is no way to assure the infrastructure will not come under attack by militia groups, officials have warned.Iraq has defied the odds so far, largely avoiding the regional upheaval from the war in Gaza that began in 2023. Political and religious leaders have remained committed to keeping the country out of wider conflict and preserving its stability."Iraq faces pressure to maintain neutrality while different political groups inside the country have opposing positions regarding the conflict," Soleimanpour said. "Some factions support closer relations with Iran, while others prefer stronger cooperation with the United States and Western countries. This internal division increases political tension."

Leaders in Baghdad and Irbil continue to urge caution and insist the war must not be fought on their soil, but the conflict's trajectory is increasingly slipping beyond their control. The U.S. has communicated assurances to Iraqi leaders that the country won't be dragged into the regional war, according to the two Kurdish officials who spoke to AP.

In the war's opening days, drone and rocket strikes by Iran and allied groups began targeting U.S. bases, diplomatic missions and oil facilities. In Irbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, near‑daily drone attacks have targeted not only U.S. military and allied interests but also commercial sites and even hotels.

Iran-backed groups have also struck Kurdish groups based in northern Iraq after reports that Washington planned to arm some of themto press against Tehran.Some Iranian Kurdish leaders have signaled their willingness to mount cross-border operations into Iran if supported by the U.S..

Iraq is operating under a caretaker government after the U.S. opposed the nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al‑Maliki. Caretaker premier Mohammed Shia al‑Sudani, with even more limited powers, lacks the influence to rein in powerful militia groups.

The U.S. has struck back, striking militia sites across the country, including in Jurf al-Sakhr, south of Baghdad, northern Iraq and in al-Qaim, along the Iraq-Syria border.

As in past upheavals, Iraqis have learned to adapt to daily violence that intrudes on everyday life.

At an Irbil cafe, patrons heard the whine of incoming drones, then a muffled explosion, before a plume of smoke rose on the horizon where it was shot down. A waiter urged calm, saying the strikes were aimed at the U.S. Consulate or airport and posed no direct threat to customers.

Major fiscal shocks

The gravest threat to Iraq's stability is disrupted oil production, which could cripple government revenues. The Kurdish officials said Baghdad warned them that public-sector payrolls could be disrupted as soon as next month.

To alleviate the pressure, Baghdad has asked for exports of at least 250,000 barrels per day of crude from fields in Kirkuk via the pipeline to Ceyhan in Turkey that runs across Kurdish territory. Talks have stalled, however, after Kurdish negotiators conditioned the move on lifting an existing U.S. dollar embargo and restoring economic benefits tied to trade.

Iraq's government ordered production curtailed from oil fields in southern Iraq, where the majority of its 4.8 million barrels per day is produced, after the war all but stopped traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and militias attacked facilities. Sales from oil account for over 90% of state revenues.

Iraq has one of the world's largest public‑sector workforces and pensioner rolls, and past payment delays have sparked mass protests.

Production has been halted at oil fields hit by strikes. In the Kurdish region, Canada's ShaMaran Petroleum and U.S. private firm HKN have suspended output at the Sarsang and Atrush blocks.

"If oil exports are disrupted, the immediate impact would likely be a decline in the value of the Iraqi dinar. This would quickly trigger inflation, and within a short time the prices of basic goods could rise sharply," said Farhad Soleimanpour, an Iraqi Kurdish political analyst.

"For the Kurdistan region, the situation could be even more difficult because it does not have its own central bank or significant financial reserves. Iraq may be able to withstand the shock for several months, but the Kurdistan Region would likely face immediate financial pressure," he added.

The war has also battered power supplies.

The Khor Mor gas field in the autonomous Kurdish region is offline, cutting electricity generation by nearly two‑thirds. Where the region once provided 24‑hour power, households now receive just four to six hours a day, said Omed Ahmad, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Electricity.

Political weaknesses

Since the November 2025 election, Iraq has been without a government after the U.S. opposed the return of al‑Maliki, the former prime minister. The war complicates the fraught transition, forcing a caretaker administration with severely limited powers to manage the fallout.

But that caretaker status also lets Iraqi leaders deflect responsibility by claiming they lack the authority to act, said Iraq analyst Tamer Badawi. "No one wants to take this big responsibility at the moment," he said.

That would mean taking charge and reining in multiple armed groups, from Iran‑backed militias targeting U.S. interests to Kurdish‑Iranian opposition factions, whose actions deepen fault lines that could spark civil unrest.

Even if some oil is exported via the pipeline, there is no way to assure the infrastructure will not come under attack by militia groups, officials have warned.

Iraq has defied the odds so far, largely avoiding the regional upheaval from the war in Gaza that began in 2023. Political and religious leaders have remained committed to keeping the country out of wider conflict and preserving its stability.

"Iraq faces pressure to maintain neutrality while different political groups inside the country have opposing positions regarding the conflict," Soleimanpour said. "Some factions support closer relations with Iran, while others prefer stronger cooperation with the United States and Western countries. This internal division increases political tension."

TORONTO (AP) — The suspect vehicle in a shooting at the United States consulate in Toronto this week has been found and policeon Thursday said that it was stolen.

Toronto police said the white Honda CR-V was recovered "within hours" of the shooting on Tuesday, but they are not providing any other details. They said the vehicle was stolen shortly before the incident.

No injuries were reported after police say two people pulled up in front of the downtown consulate around 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday and shot at the building with a handgun before fleeing the scene.

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The shooting came amid heightened tension over the Iran war and followed gunfire attacks on two Toronto-area synagogues last weekend. Authorities said the U.S. and Israeli consulates, as well as embassies in Ottawa, would see an increase in security.

The shooting was only reported about an hour later and police have said it's possible the people inside the heavily fortified building were unaware of what had taken place.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have said the shooting is being treated as a "national security incident," and the gunfire was condemned by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney as an act of intimidation.

Toronto has a large Iranian community and the war in Iran has prompted demonstrations outside the U.S. consulate, both in support and in protest. The consulate is often the site of protests.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on people to "lower the temperature" and call out antisemitism followingThursday's attackon a Detroit-area synagogue that she said on Friday "could have looked a lot more like Sandy Hook" had it not been for security.

And while the governor and other leaders said law enforcement is trying to comb through more evidence about the incident, more information is coming to light about the man who was killed by security guards after he rammed his truck into the temple.

Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun said that 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, who lived in his city, had "lost several members of his own family ... in an Israeli attack on their home in Lebanon."

Truck ramming at synagogue being investigated as targeted act of violence against Jewish community: FBI

Baydoun joined other leaders in condemning the attack, which took place as children were inside the temple.

"This tragedy comes at a time when communities everywhere are confronting rising hate and senseless violence. No matter where violence occurs, whether in West Bloomfield or anywhere around in the world, harm against innocent people is something we must all stand firmly against," he said.

"The tensions we see across the world too often find their way into our own neighborhoods, reminding us how deeply connected our shared safety is," the mayor added.

The suspect was armed with a rifle, and the truck contained fireworks and an unidentified chemical agent that ignited soon after the crash, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

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'Criminal explosion' strikes synagogue in Belgium, official says

Nobody inside the synagogue was hurt, and the synagogue noted that all 140 students as well as staff, teachers and security all returned home, Whitmer told reporters Friday morning.

The sheriff's office said one synagogue security guard was hit by the suspect's truck in the incident and was "knocked unconscious" but was expected to be okay.

Whitmer said she was angry at the situation and said the Jewish community has been on heightened alert because of the rise in antisemitic attacks, threats and rhetoric over the last couple of months.

"People like the person who attacked this community yesterday get fulminated by rhetoric that they see online and they see on television and hear on the radio. It radicalizes them," she said.

The governor reiterated that there were children under a year old inside the synagogue during the incident.

"My friend Brian said this could have looked a lot more like Sandy Hook. Let's not lose sight of that," Whitmer said.

"This is not a political debate, this is targeting babies who are Jewish. This is antisemitism at its absolute worst," she added.

New footage of federal immigration agents fatally shooting an unarmed U.S. citizen has thrust a family's yearlong quest for more information into the national spotlight.

Videos and records released by Texas officials are raising new questions about theDepartment of Homeland Security's version of events that led to the killing of Ruben Ray Martinez during a chaotic traffic scene.

Nearly a year has passed since the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent fired at close range into Martinez's car at the scene of a late-night traffic accident on March 15, 2025, in South Padre Island, a resort town off the southern coast of Texas. Officials said Martinez, 23, accelerated his vehicle at an agent, an account his family had long disputed.

Little was known about the case − which involved local, state and federal law enforcement − for months. Martinez, an Amazon and Walmart worker from San Antonio, was the first U.S. citizen killed by federal agents amid theTrump administration's aggressive approach to immigration enforcement.

Protests, anger in Minneapolis after 2nd person fatally shot

But Martinez's case came into the spotlight only after the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two U.S. citizens killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis in January. Good and Pretti's killings have drawn scrutiny by Americans andcongressional lawmakers from both partiesabout federal agents' tactics.

Though the killings occurred during immigration enforcement operations, agents shot Martinez while they were helping local law enforcement control traffic at an intersection in a popular spring break destination.

Martinez's mother, Rachel Reyes, has brought attention on her son's case, even as she said she supported PresidentDonald Trump.

Information on Martinez's case came through a watchdog group's release of an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement document. ICE's internal report,obtained by the nonprofit watchdog American Oversight, said Martinez "accelerated forward" into an officer. HSI Supervisory Special Agent Jack Stevens told Texas officials he shot Martinez three times out of fear, according to a memorandum.

Martinez's family and his best friend, Joshua Orta, the lone passenger in the vehicle, have strongly disputed the government's account. Family lawyers said video footage released by state officials backs up their suspicions, but they are seeking more evidence.

"It is clear that these ICE officers have used, in their statement, dramatic language," Butch Hayes, one of Reyes' lawyers, said in an interview. "And that dramatic language does not match up with the videos that we have seen."

On Feb. 25, a Cameron County grand jury didn't find probable cause to indict the federal agent in the shooting, the Texas Tribune reported. Orta, 25, died in an unrelated car accident days before the grand jury decision.

Todd Lyons, acting ICE director, said the agency stood "by the grand jury's unanimous decision that found no criminality."

"This incident was investigated from every possible angle by an independent body, and it cleared our officer," Lyons said in a statement.

The Texas Department of Public Safety, which investigated the shooting and releasedevidence on March 6, didn't respond to emailed questions. The South Padre Island Police Department didn't respond to requests for comment. It was unclear whether the federal agents in the shooting had body cameras.

Local police body-worn cameras and local businesses' surveillance videos paint a grainy and incomplete picture of what happened in the intersection.

In a statement, Chioma Chukwu, executive director of American Oversight, said the case was part of a "troubling pattern" of escalating use of force, delaying disclosures and "misleading information about incidents involving deadly force."

What happened in Martinez's killing?

Nearly a year ago, Martinez and Orta visited their friends' condo in South Padre Island, according to a draft witness statement by Orta before his death, which Reyes' lawyers provided to USA TODAY. Local and state investigators also interviewed Orta, the substance of which was included in the state evidence released in March.

Martinez's birthday was days before the shooting, and he and Orta went out on a late birthday celebration. That night, Martinez and Orta drank alcohol, failed to get into a club, and had gone to eat at Whataburger, Orta's statement said.

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On their way back, they arrived at the scene of the accident. They had a bottle of Crown Royal whiskey and marijuana in the car, evidence records showed. Toxicology results later showed Martinez's blood alcohol content was 0.124%, above the legal limit, and he had marijuana and the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, in his system.

Orta said Martinez seemed nervous about alcohol in the car, and he told investigators Martinez was "jittery" with police and he panicked. Orta said Martinez never meant to hurt anyone.

In surveillance footage, Martinez's Ford Focus is seen driving slowly behind an ambulance as local law enforcement officers from different agencies slowed traffic. The footage shows a line of cars in a left turning lane, while Martinez's vehicle is in open lanes near police vehicles. Martinez brakes at several points.

In body camera footage, an officer is heard saying he saw an open container in Martinez's car. In footage, an officer tells Martinez to keep going. Officers from behind Martinez's car yell to stop the vehicle.

"Stop him," one officer yells repeatedly, according to the video, and then yells, "Get him out."

Martinez slows at one point as an officer waves pedestrians through, another video shows. "Where is he going?" the officer at the crosswalk says toward Martinez's vehicle. "Hey, where you going?"

Then Martinez's car rolls forward. "Hey, stop him," the officer at the crosswalk says.

Video disputes agents' accounts

In the middle of the intersection, two HSI agents appear to try to stop him.

Martinez's car is then seen stopped. HSI Special Agent Hector Sosa is seen standing in front of the vehicle. Sosa told Texas Rangers, "The driver accelerated forward, striking myself and ended up on the hood of the vehicle."

The video shows Martinez's car slowly turn left as officers move toward the car. Orta's statement said Martinez had tried to turn the car around to leave.

Inan angle captured by The New York Times, video shows Sosa pressed against the front of the car and he appeared to be on the hood. Orta told investigators that the car was moving slowly and that Sosa was on the hood, as if the car caught his feet.

Sosa's email signature said he is a "Defensive Tactics Instructor Coordinator" and "Body-Worn Camera Coordinator." It was unknown whether he or Stevens, who shot Martinez, had body-worn cameras. When reached by phone, Sosa declined to comment.

Video shows Stevens, who was close to the driver's window, open fire into the vehicle. There were no warnings or commands when Stevens fired into the car, Orta said in the witness statement. Stevens didn't respond to requests for comment.

In his memorandum to Texas Rangers, Stevens said that he could smell marijuana, that he could see "the driver's eyes were open widely, his fist clenched to the steering wheel," and that Martinez looked past the officers on the scene while failing to comply with verbal commands from multiple law enforcement officers.

Stevens said he feared for the "safety and life of SA Sosa, myself, the local law enforcement officers immediately in the path of the vehicle, and the pedestrians present in the area traversing the crosswalks and sidewalks in the path of the vehicle." He said the 2025 New Orleans vehicle ramming attack was "still fresh on my mind."

In the aftermath of the shooting, footage shows Stevens pulling Martinez out of the vehicle. He forces Martinez face down on the pavement and handcuffs him. Sosa said he took Orta out of the passenger side.

After Martinez was handcuffed, first-responders began giving Martinez CPR compressions, video shows. In footage, Orta is seen sitting in the middle of the crosswalk with his hands cuffed behind his back, on the other side of the car from Martinez.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What video of Ruben Ray Martinez killing by DHS agent shows