JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 885

Washington — First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday read a six-minute statement at the White House denying any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, calling online accusations 'completely false' and saying she and her attorneys have fought what she described as unfounded and baseless lies.

She urged Congress this week to hold a public hearing allowing survivors to testify under oath and have their testimony entered into the congressional record; the rare address followed recent Justice Department releases of Epstein-related records and was livestreamed for public notice and verification.

Sidon, Lebanon – An Israeli airstrike has damaged a Shia religious and community complex in the southern coastal city of Sidon, according to initial reports from local officials and residents. The strike hit the complex late on Wednesday, sending smoke and debris into nearby streets and prompting emergency crews to cordon off the surrounding area while they worked to secure the site. Local responders and municipal authorities are inspecting the damaged buildings, checking for structural risks and searching for any potential victims. Early accounts describe shattered windows, scorched facades and damage to vehicles in the vicinity, but the full extent of the destruction remains under review.

Lebanese emergency services and health authorities have not yet released confirmed figures on casualties, and details on the specific part of the compound that was targeted have not been independently verified. Israel has not issued an immediate public statement on this particular strike or its intended objective. The incident comes amid continued cross-border exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and armed groups based in Lebanon, which have intensified in recent weeks alongside broader regional tensions. The latest strike has added to local concerns in Sidon and elsewhere in southern Lebanon about the potential for further escalation and additional damage to civilian infrastructure.

AUGUSTA, Ga. Xander Schauffele's tee shot on the par-5 eighth hole Thursday at Augusta National appeared to settle inside a spectator merchandise bag; he marked the spot with a tee, removed the ball, returned the bag to a woman in pink and white, and continued play.

He played on without penalty and completed the front nine one under; his tee on the ninth found pine straw and a bunker but he splashed close. Tournament officials applied standard rules and there were no reported penalties or injuries during play on Apr 9, 2026.

Augusta, Georgia. On Thursday April 9, defending champion Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns each shot 5-under 67 to share the early lead at the 90th Masters at Augusta National, while Patrick Reed surged to four-under with two front-nine eagles and Scottie Scheffler teed off later in the round.

Players and officials noted firm, dry conditions that could harden the course; Tommy Fleetwood and Masters rookie Kristoffer Reitan were close behind, Aaron Rai finished T-10, and Akshay Bhatia opened with 1-over; tournament setup decisions and remaining three rounds will determine final leaderboard movement this weekend.

Washington — The U.S. will host ambassador-level talks next week in Washington, D.C., to discuss a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, with U.S. Ambassador Michel Issa to lead alongside Israeli and Lebanese envoys; U.S. and Iranian negotiators are also scheduled to meet in Pakistan this weekend, officials said Thursday.

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have strained a fragile ceasefire and complicated U.S. mediation, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to authorize direct talks; State Department meetings next week aim to launch negotiations, while U.S.-Iran discussions in Pakistan this weekend could determine the broader diplomatic trajectory.

Washington — The U.S. Labor Department reported consumer prices jumped 0.9% in March, after a 0.3% rise in February, while the Commerce Department previously recorded a 0.4% increase in the PCE price index for February, according to government releases this week.

The monthly increases pushed annual CPI to 3.3% and annual PCE to 2.8%, with energy prices, notably gasoline, driving large monthly jumps; markets and policymakers noted the readings this week as they reassess the likelihood of near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts.

West Palm Beach. Colorado State University released its initial 2026 Atlantic hurricane forecast on April 9, predicting 13 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes, numbers below 30-year averages; forecasters attributed the outlook primarily to a projected transition from La Niña to El Niño.

Coastal residents were reminded this week that a single landfalling storm can cause significant damage; CSU scheduled its next forecast update for June 10, and officials noted mixed sea-surface temperatures and potentially strong El Niño development could still alter season activity.

RICHMOND, Va. — On Wednesday and Thursday this week Governor Abigail Spanberger signed the Right to Contraception Act and legislation phasing Virginia's minimum wage to $15 by 2028, and she joined other governors in a letter to PJM Interconnection urging fair data-center cost allocation and reliability measures.

The measures formalize state protections and policy timelines: the contraception law bars state and local restrictions on obtaining contraceptives, the wage bill sets incremental increases through 2028, and the PJM letter seeks a consumers-first framework; Spanberger has also defended ending a 287(g) agreement and addressed redistricting criticism this month.

Washington. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that the U.S. economy grew at a 0.5% annualized rate in the fourth quarter (October–December), revising down from a prior 0.7% estimate and attributing much of the slowdown to a 43-day federal government shutdown that cut spending.

The revision reduced full-year 2025 growth to 2.1%, below 2024's 2.8% and 2023's 2.9%; federal spending and investment contracted 16.6% annualized, subtracting 1.16 percentage points from Q4 GDP, while consumer spending rose 1.9%; officials warned the outlook this year is uncertain amid higher energy prices.

WASHINGTON — U.S. applications for unemployment benefits rose by 16,000 to 219,000 for the week ending April 4, the Labor Department reported Thursday, exceeding FactSet expectations of 210,000 and following the prior week's 203,000 filings; this data arrived before a Tuesday ceasefire announcement.

Oil prices fell to about $95 a barrel after the Tuesday ceasefire then climbed near $100 early Thursday after Israel launched attacks on Lebanon and Iran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz, and financial markets retreated Thursday amid the oil-price volatility and geopolitical uncertainty.