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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State elevated its chief academic officer to president Thursday, moving swiftly past theabrupt resignationof former President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. following revelations about his "inappropriate relationship" with the female host of a podcast for military veterans.

Ohio State President

Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi Bellamkonda as Carter's successor — bypassing the traditional nationwide search — and Ohio State's fourth president since 2020.

The trustees want what's best for the university, board chair John Zeiger said.

"The right leader is already at our university," he said during a special board meeting, "and his vast experience, his personal values and management skills, his strong record here at Ohio State and his ability to inspire excellence in all those around him give this board great confidence" that Bellamkonda is the right fit.

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Carter resigns after 'inappropriate relationship'

Days earlier, the board of trustees confronted Carter about a tip from outside the university. He disclosed that he had "made a mistake in allowing inappropriate access to Ohio State leadership," according to his public statement, and submittedhis resignation. The retired Navy vice admiral was just two years intoa five-year contractunder which he made more than $1.1 million a year, plus bonuses and residency at Ohio State's president's mansion.

He did not elaborate on the nature of the relationship and his statement indicated he and his wife, Lynda, are still together.

Expressing surprise and disappointment, Zeigeraccepted his resignationSunday and the university said it was investigating Carter's "inappropriate relationship with someone seeking public resources to support her personal business."

JobsOhio, the state's privatized economic development office, said Carter's resignation was "possibly connected" to his relationship to Krisanthe Vlachos, host of what was supposed to be a four-episode veterans' podcast pilot, The Callout, for which it paid $15,000 an episode. Only one episode was delivered and the state is trying to claw back its $60,000, the office said.

"Ohio State is a trusted partner and Admiral Carter, sharing our passion for military and veterans, recommended The Callout Podcast as an opportunity to build and engage a military and veteran audience in Ohio," the office posted on X, "and connect them to the massive job opportunities coming to Ohio's super sectors like advanced aerospace/defense and energy."

Due diligence halts investment

VetEarnUSA LLC, an Ohio businessregistered by Vlachoson Dec. 20, is part of the investigation, said Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson. She listed the address of the operation as that of WOSU Public Media. WOSU has said Vlachos had a contract with them to record her podcast inside their studios in Columbus. The business filing also listed a St. Louis ZIP code. The Associated Press left phone and email messages seeking comment from Vlachos.Carter was a guest on the first podcast and JobsOhio said it supplied Vlachos a vendor pass to attend theConsumer Electronics Show - CES, to "meet people and identify angles for the remaining three podcasts."The office further said it paid Vlachos $10,000 toward a theater production for veterans called "Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret." It was part of the office's Hometown Heroes program, which brings free programming to military, veterans and their families.Lastly, Vlachos had submitted a proposal to JobsOhio, the Ohio State president's office and others for a mobile job-search app for Ohio veterans. "We conducted due diligence and decided not to move forward with any investment," the office said of the project.JobsOhio asserts that it followed all appropriate protocols in its partnerships with Carter's office and Vlachos, and that there were "no irregularities in our contracting or our vetting process."New president voices optimismAfter the board meeting, Bellamkonda told reporters that stakeholders are certain to have a spectrum of reactions to Carter's swift departure and potential misconduct, and he pledged to move forward and hold the university to a high standard.The university brought Carteron board in 2023from the University of Nebraska system. He is also a former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and he attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School, known as Top Gun.Bellamkonda, a bioengineer and neuroscientist, joined the university after holding leadership, research or teaching positions at Emory University, Duke, Georgia Tech and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He earned his Ph.D. in medical science and biomaterials at Brown.He pledged to redouble the university's commitment to excellence."Looking ahead, knowing our collective strengths, I promise you this: Together we will take on hard things that are worth doing," he said. "Hard things that are worth doing in athletics, in healthcare, in education, in fact in all the things we do. We will lead and we will not be afraid to lead."___This story has been corrected to show the new president is Ravi Bellamkonda, not Ballamkonda.

VetEarnUSA LLC, an Ohio businessregistered by Vlachoson Dec. 20, is part of the investigation, said Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson. She listed the address of the operation as that of WOSU Public Media. WOSU has said Vlachos had a contract with them to record her podcast inside their studios in Columbus. The business filing also listed a St. Louis ZIP code. The Associated Press left phone and email messages seeking comment from Vlachos.

Carter was a guest on the first podcast and JobsOhio said it supplied Vlachos a vendor pass to attend theConsumer Electronics Show - CES, to "meet people and identify angles for the remaining three podcasts."

The office further said it paid Vlachos $10,000 toward a theater production for veterans called "Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret." It was part of the office's Hometown Heroes program, which brings free programming to military, veterans and their families.

Lastly, Vlachos had submitted a proposal to JobsOhio, the Ohio State president's office and others for a mobile job-search app for Ohio veterans. "We conducted due diligence and decided not to move forward with any investment," the office said of the project.

JobsOhio asserts that it followed all appropriate protocols in its partnerships with Carter's office and Vlachos, and that there were "no irregularities in our contracting or our vetting process."

New president voices optimism

After the board meeting, Bellamkonda told reporters that stakeholders are certain to have a spectrum of reactions to Carter's swift departure and potential misconduct, and he pledged to move forward and hold the university to a high standard.

The university brought Carteron board in 2023from the University of Nebraska system. He is also a former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and he attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School, known as Top Gun.

Bellamkonda, a bioengineer and neuroscientist, joined the university after holding leadership, research or teaching positions at Emory University, Duke, Georgia Tech and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He earned his Ph.D. in medical science and biomaterials at Brown.

He pledged to redouble the university's commitment to excellence.

"Looking ahead, knowing our collective strengths, I promise you this: Together we will take on hard things that are worth doing," he said. "Hard things that are worth doing in athletics, in healthcare, in education, in fact in all the things we do. We will lead and we will not be afraid to lead."

This story has been corrected to show the new president is Ravi Bellamkonda, not Ballamkonda.

Two police officers who protected the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, are seeking to continue their lawsuit over a plaque commemorating their and other officers' actions that day after it was installed last week "in an area blocked to the public," their court filing said.

Tuesday's court filing argues that the "decision to install the plaque in a part of the Capitol hidden from the public fails to comply with the text law."

Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodgessued the Architect of the Capitollast year over the delay in implementing a 2022 law requiring the installation of a plaque honoring law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol against rioting supporters of President Donald Trump. The Architect of the Capitol agency is tasked with preserving the Capitol building and grounds.

In Tuesday's court filing, the lawyer for the officers argued that the recent installation violated the text and the spirit of the law, pointing to the legislation's purpose to "honor" the officers.

"Honor is a social — that is, public — recognition," their lawyer, Brendan Ballou, wrote. "Hidden from all visitors, the current location is no different than the basement the plaque was kept in for years."

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Ballou also pointed out thatthe lawrequired the plaque to be permanently displayed on the "western front" of the building's exterior.

NBC News has reached out to the Architect of the Capitol and the Justice Department for comment.

House Speaker Mike Johnson's officehad arguedthat the law was "not implementable," pointing to language in the law that said the names of officers should be on the plaque, while the plaque that was created instead listed law enforcement agencies. Johnson, R-La., had sought to aid Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, leading a group of House Republicans ina U.S. Supreme Court briefsupporting Texas' lawsuit contesting the results in four swing states that then-President-elect Joe Biden won.

In January,the Senate unanimously votedto hang the plaque to honor the law enforcement officers. The resolution required it to be "prominently" displayed "in a publicly accessible location in the Senate wing of the United States Capitol."

On Saturday, staff from the Architect of the Capitol's office installed a plaque, which read, "On behalf of a grateful Congress, this plaque honors the extraordinary individuals who bravely protected and defended this symbol of democracy on January 6, 2021."

"Their heroism will never be forgotten," it continued.

LONDON (AP) — News thatPrime Minister Keir Starmer ignored warningsof senior advisers and appointed Jeffrey Epstein's palPeter Mandelsonas Britain's ambassador to the U.S. was bad for the embattled leader. It seems unlikely to improve.

Britain Epstein Mandelson

Starmer continues to weather the fallout from Mandelson's appointment — and later sacking — but the nearly 150 pages of documents released by his government Wednesday were just a small fraction of the thousands of pages still to come.

"It's hard to believe that later releases are going to persuade anybody to see the PM's decision in a better light," said Tim Bale, politics professor at Queen Mary University of London. "It's damning stuff and, if the country weren't preoccupied with rather more important Middle Eastern matters at the moment, it might even have hastened Starmer's departure."

Starmer picked an ambassador tainted by scandal

Documents confirmed what was already known: Starmer chose the savvy veteran politician despite a reputation tainted by previous scandals and ties toEpstein.

The due diligence checklist released from Mandelson's vetting highlighted in bold letters the red flags Starmer ignored, spelling out where his relationship with Epstein could expose the government to "reputational risk."

It also spelled out unrelated reputational issues over Mandelson's work in a previous Labour government — when he twice had to resign over financial matters — and his work at Global Counsel, a lobbying firm he co-founded.

In one document, Starmer was warned that making a political appointment to the post was riskier than choosing a veteran diplomat, as is more common in Britain.

"If anything goes wrong, you could be more exposed as the individual is more connected to you personally," then-Cabinet Secretary Simon Case advised.

Starmerfired Mandelsonin September after documents showed he maintained contact with Epstein — whom he once called his "best pal" — after the financier's 2008 conviction for sexual offenses involving a minor.

Starmer says Mandelson misled him about the depth and extent of his friendship with the convicted sex offender. He said he regrets ever giving him the ambassador's job.

"It was me that made a mistake, and it's me that makes the apology to the victims of Epstein, and I do that," Starmer said Thursday.

Documents released so far have not provided evidence to back up Starmer's claim he was misled, in part because police investigating Mandelson requested that correspondence between the prime minister and Mandelson be withheld to protect the integrity of the probe.

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Mandelson was briefly arrested last month on allegations he passed sensitive government information to Epstein a decade and a half ago. He has denied wrongdoing andhasn't been charged. He does not face allegations of sexual misconduct.

Defense lawyer Marcus Johnstone, who is not connected to Mandelson, said civil servants, government lawyers and the police had probably fought a "small war" behind closed doors before deciding what documents to release. He said that fight will continue as batches of thousands of pages of documents are released in the weeks and months ahead.

"We need to remember that the files we are seeing today are only the thin end of the wedge on Mandelson," Johnstone said. "But we should be under no illusions that what we are currently seeing is anything like the full picture."

A question of judgment

Despite firing Mandelson in September, Starmer faced new questions about his judgment whena huge trove of filespublished by the U.S. Department of Justice in January provided more details about Mandelson's ties with Epstein. Opponents and even some members of the governing Labour Partycalled for the prime minister's resignation.

Starmer survivedthe immediate danger, but his position remains fragile, even though he never met Epstein and is not implicated in his crimes.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch on Thursday accused Starmer of lying to Parliament about the appointment and suggested Labour members of Parliament reconsider his leadership.

"It is very clear that he told lie after lie after lie about the appointment of Peter Mandelson," Badenoch said. "He wanted to make this all about Peter Mandelson. This is about his judgments."

The prime minister's spokesperson Tom Wells said Thursday that proper rules were followed in scrutinizing Mandelson, but the vetting process needs to be improved.

Crisis is overshadowed by the Iran war

Starmer has often appeared more sure-footed on the international stage than at home and that could provide the political cover he needs at this time.

He responded cautiously to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran — not joining in the airstrikes, which he hinted broke international law, and initially refusing to let American warplanes use British bases.

After Iran struck back by firing missiles and drones at neighboring countries, Starmer said U.S. planes could use U.K. bases to strike Iran's missile program, but not other targets.

Starmer's reticence angered Trump, who complained last week that Starmer was "not Winston Churchill." But polls suggest his reaction to the war aligns broadly with public sentiment, which is wary of deeper involvement in the conflict.

"The whole affair, while certainly doing nothing to help him, seems — rightly or wrongly — pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things," Bale said about the Mandelson documents.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa withdrew fromThe Players Championshipafter one hole on Thursday.

Morikawa, the No. 4 player in the world, took a practice swing on the par-5 11th hole and reached for his lower back. He tried to stretch, and minutes later took a cart ride from an official into the clubhouse.

Morikawa won at Pebble Beach earlier this year, his first PGA Tour title in 16 months.

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He was the second player to withdraw from the richest tournament in golf.Ryan Fox withdrewwith an illness before his afternoon tee time.

Morikawa was not replaced because he had already started the tournament.

AP golf:https://apnews.com/hub/golf

March Madnessis about Cinderellas. It's about upsets. And it's about the nation's best teams fighting for a national championship.

For a select few players, it's also about looking ahead to the NBA. March is the final proving ground for NBA prospects seeking to improve their draft stock. In those terms, this March is like few others before it.

This upcoming draft class is special, thanks to one of the best freshman classes in college basketball history with the potential to produce numerous NBA All-Stars. Several of those players will have more on the line in the upcoming weeks than cutting down the nets.

Here's a look at five players with the most to gain from the2026 NCAA tournament.

Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Before he ever played a college game, the consensus projections for this year's NBA Draft had Darryn Peterson going No. 1 overall.

This is despite Peterson playing in a historic freshman class featuring AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson — all players who would be contenders for the top pick in most NBA Drafts. And there's a boatload of high-end prospects behind them.

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Now, with the regular season done, Peterson's spot at the top isn't so secure. Peterson has flashed the otherworldly gifts that made him a seemingly can't-miss prospect — elite playmaking, shooting and athleticism combined with a 6-foot-5 frame to make him a three-level scorer. He's arguably the best perimeter defender in the draft.

But flashed is the key word here. Peterson's been a model of inconsistency with Kansas. His pile of DNPs and early exits for various reasons could reasonably give scouts second thoughts about spending No. 1 pick capital on a guy who may not have a passion for playing the game.

To be clear, the state of Peterson's basketball drive isn't known. He may be as driven as his fellow No. 1 pick contenders. But Peterson's not saying anything to set the record straight.

Without clarity, NBA executives are now left to parse his shaky availability in their assessment of Peterson based on what they've seen. And nobody wants to be on the hook for a Ben Simmons redux — especially when there are elite talents sitting right behind him with zero questions about their basketball drive.

Peterson isn't plummeting down draft boards. His talent is simply too tantalizing. But a strong showing when the stakes are highest could go a long way in cementing his spot at the top.

AJ Dybantsa, BYU

Dybantsa, meanwhile, has not disappointed.

The freshman forward arrived at BYU with enormous expectations and has met them. If Peterson falls, Dybantsa could be the biggest beneficiary.

There's little not to like about Dybantsa's game. A 6-9 forward with a 6-11 wingspan, he has prototypical NBA size. He's a tremendous athlete who can face up and attack the basket or use his footwork and length to back down overmatched defenders.

He dunks. A lot.

Dybantsa is a three-level scorer who can pull up from mid-range over shorter opponents or cross up his defender for a bucket. He's a capable if not spectacular 3-point shooter (33.9%). He's a strong rebounder and a willing playmaker and passer who rarely makes bad decisions with the ball.

He has upside as a high-level defender in the NBA who can leverage his size and athleticism to defend multiple positions.

Dybantsa led the nation in scoring in the regular season, averaging 24.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1 steal per game while shooting 51.2% from the floor.

There's room for him to move up to No. 1 in this draft, especially if he can demonstrate improved 3-point shooting. And fans of the team who selected him there would be hard-pressed to find reason to complain.

The biggest hindrance for Dybantsa improving his stock is his team. BYU was once 17-2 and ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation. But it lost nine of its last 14 regular-season games to fall out of the rankings and drop its NCAA seeding stock.

The drop-off is largely due to an ACL tear to All Big-12 guard Richie Saunders. He won't be back for the tournament, and an early exit isn't out of the question.

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A run to the second weekend of tournament play or beyond on Dybantsa's back would give him the opportunity to further make his case to be the No. 1 pick.

Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Acuff arrived at Arkansas this season asa top-10 prospectand the gem of John Calipari's recruiting class.

His name was not, however, mentioned among the elite NBA prospects of this year's freshman class. A standout campaign for the Razorbacks has changed the conversation and rocketed him up draft boards.

Acuff is an explosive scorer and offensive weapon who propelled Arkansas to a third-place finish in a strong SEC. In a conference loaded with individual talent,Acuff was named SEC Player of the Yearas the conference leader in both scoring (22.2 ppg) and assists (6.4 apg).

His production, impact on winning and relentless motor have prompted chatter that he's the most NBA-ready guard in the draft — even more so than Peterson. He's a three-way scorer who's crafty at the rim and developed into one of the nation's best 3-point shooters (43.7% on 5.6 attempts per game).

His 49-point effort against Alabamawas one of the best individual performances of the college basketball season.

There are questions about his NBA profile. He doesn't jump off the charts athletically. At 6-foot-3, he doesn't posses prototypical height. He's strong at 190 pounds, but there are concerns about whether he can be an effective defender in the NBA against bigger guards.

Acuff's height shouldn't be a concern on offense at the next level. Jalen Brunson, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Darius Garland, Trae Young and De'Aaron Fox — all 6-3 or shorter — have all proven that you don't need to be 6-6 to be an All-Star level weapon out of the backcourt.

His perceived shortcomings could end up acting as at tiebreaker on draft boards. But a strong NCAA tournament showing could be the difference in Acuff being selected high in the lottery or dropping closer to the teens.

Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

Mikel Brown Jr. is another explosive guard with high-lottery upside alongside concerns that could drop him lower in the draft. His trajectory has moved opposite of Acuff's.

A 6-foot-5 scoring point guard, Brown arrived at Louisville mentioned alongside Boozer and Wilson as an ACC Freshman and Player of the Year contender and a potential top-five pick. An inconsistent and inefficient scoring season with the Cardinals dropped him out of both awards conversations and has put his draft prospects on shakier ground.

Brown instead finished third-team All-ACC and will enter NCAA tournament play with questions about his health.Brown is skipping this week's ACC tournamentwith a lingering back injury that's plagued him all season and could, in part, explain his efficiency issues.

He's doing so in hopes of playing in the NCAA tournament, where he's hoping he can strengthen his draft stock alongside leading Louisville on a deep run.

Brown has ideal size for a point guard and can take over a game on offense with his shooting. He has the deepest shooting range of any guard in the draft. He flashed that explosiveness this season, most notably in a 45-point effort against NC State in which he shot 10 of 16 from 3.

Brown averaged 18.2 points an 4.7 assists per game.

But his shooting was streaky. His 41% field-goal rate (34.4% from 3) is probably the biggest concern for NBA scouts, and he had five games in which he was held below 10 points. He's not a tremendous athlete, and he doesn't play above the rim despite his height.

Brown's upside is undeniable as that of an All-Star level guard who can light up the scoreboard. He probably has more to gain than anybody on this list from a strong NCAA tournament showing. That is, if he plays.

Koa Peat, Arizona

Koa Peat's draft projections are all over the board. Some think he's a lottery pick. Some think he's a late first-rounder. Some think he'll be best-served by returning to college for another season.

A 6-8, 235-pound forward, Peat is a classic high-performing college forward. A five-star recruit, he's been one of the three best players alongside senior guard Jaden Bradley and fellow freshman standout Brayden Burries on an Arizona team that's spent most of the season ranked No. 1 in the nation. Arizona's a virtual lock for a No. 1 seed alongside Duke and Michigan.

Peat is a physical scorer and rebounder who averaged 13.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in the regular season while shooting 54.8% from the floor. He's a high-energy guy who stepped immediately into a leadership role as a freshman. He burst onto the scene with 30 points in his college debut to lead Arizona past reigning champion Florida.

There are questions about how well his game translates to the next level. He's a reluctant and below-average 3-point shooter (31.6% on 0.7 attempts per game) who doesn't have great floor-spacing upside. He doesn't have the height or size to bully NBA players in the post or to be an effective rim protector.

A strong performance in a deep Arizona run — particularly one with improved shooting — could go a long way to help Peat's draft stock.