Blessed Htoo made the most of a golden opportunity to end what turned into a roller coaster of emotions for Como Park.

St. Paul Como Park attacker SK, top, celebrates with goalkeeper Louden DeGaetano (00) after they defeated Simley 4-3 in overtime of the Class 2A Semifinal of the Boys State Soccer Tournament at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)

He does know that his tally with 5:42 left in double overtime means the Cougars will play for a state title after beating Simley 4-3 in a Class 2A boys soccer semifinal Tuesday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

A feed from Stephan N’da split a pair of defenders, getting the ball to Htoo racing into the box.

“I saw the keeper was shuffling to come out or not and then at the last (second) he came out, I went to the left and passed it into the goal,” Htoo said.

Unseeded in the tournament, Como Park (15-5-1) will face top-seeded Blake (18-1-2) in Friday’s public school vs. private school 2:45 p.m. final back in downtown Minneapolis.

“We want to represent what the people of St. Paul can bring to soccer,” said Cougars captain Henry Simmons. “We want to show the immigrants who come to St. Paul what they can do.”

Winning a second school title — the Cougars won the 2013 Class A crown — would be a case of climbing the ladder. Como Park, which finished fourth in the St. Paul City Conference, upset No. 3 New Ulm 3-1 in the quarterfinals. Simley (17-2-2) was the No. 2 seed.

St. Paul Como Park goalkeeper Ta Htoo, left, stops a shot by Simley defender Elvis Hernandez Paz (26) during the second half of the Class 2A Semifinal of the Boys State Soccer Tournament at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. St. Paul Como Park won 4-3 in overtime. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)

“We’re happy to have made state for the first time in nine years, but we weren’t just happy to be here. After watching film of all seven other teams that qualified, we felt we could give anybody a game,” said coach Brendan Doyle.

Simley coach David Albornoz said the only thing his team did not do is win.

“You want to walk out of these games with a sense of pride that you have done everything you can do. … To come back from 3-1, to overcome a couple of mistakes and still be able to compete, we did everything we could. I’m extremely proud.”

It helps to have the recently named Class 2A Mr. Soccer in your lineup.

Simley’s Elvis Hernandez Paz and Michael Hernandez Ruiz, two of five finalists for the award, combined on a textbook give-and-go with Paz, the award winner, scoring in the 68th minute to make it 3-2.

Paz did so again with 2:06 left, converting a Luis Ramirez Reyes feed and tipping the ball over the Como Park goalkeeper a split-second before the players collided.

“He earned the title, Mr. Soccer. There’s a reason for it, and he showcased that today,” Albornoz said.

St. Paul Como Park fans celebrate after they defeated Simley in overtime during the Class 2A Semifinal of the Boys State Soccer Tournament at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)

Htoo couldn’t have been in a better spot at the right time to make it 3-1 Como Park in the 58th minute, interrupting a punt attempt by Simley goalkeeper Dylan Gonzalez and scoring into an open net.

But Gonzalez more than redeemed himself and forced overtime with a leaping, fully extended one-handed tip to thwart a Patrick Tennison chip with 26 seconds left in regulation.

Pai Chi’s right-footed shot from 45 yards away was perfectly placed just under the crossbar for a 2-1 Como Park lead in the 31st minute. Doyle said Chi scored from 50 yards out in a section semifinal win over St. Paul Washington.

Blake 4, Northfield 1

Landon Bell, Jackson Fulton and Moises Hueta scored in the first half, and the Bears beat No. 4 Northfield 4-1.

James Lewis added a late goal for Blake, which seeks its third crown, and first in Class AA. It won Class A titles in 2008 and 2018.

Josue Lazaro scored for Northfield (12-4-5).

By SUZAN FRASER and MUNIR AHMED

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have failed in Istanbul after four days of negotiations, Pakistan’s information minister said before dawn Wednesday, accusing the Taliban government in Kabul of refusing to act against militants blamed for deadly cross-border attacks.

Related Articles

Brigitte Macron’s daughter testifies about alleged cyberbullying of France’s first lady

French senators say security at the Louvre is ‘not in line’ with modern standards and demand action

US and China seek to strike a deal over rare earths, tariffs, soybeans

How Mike Waltz is leading the Trump administration’s ‘a la carte’ approach to UN funding

Gaza ceasefire tested as Israel and Hamas exchange fire and blame

The talks followed an earlier round in Doha that produced a ceasefire on Oct. 19 after deadly border clashes between the two sides left dozens dead, including soldiers, civilians and militants.

Pakistan accuses the Taliban of harboring militants linked to a surge in attacks, while Kabul denies its territory is being used against Pakistan.

Before dawn Wednesday, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar took to social media platform X, saying the dialogue “failed to bring about any workable solution,” despite mediation by Qatar and Turkey.

There was no immediate comment from Kabul about Tarar’s remarks.

The latest development came hours after the state media in both countries said there was an impasse in the talks, with the state media from the both sides blaming each other for the failure to reach a deal.

Tarar said Pakistan at the request of brotherly countries Qatar and Turkey gave peace a chance and engaged with the Afghan Taliban government first in Doha and then in Istanbul.

He accused the Taliban of being “indifferent to Pakistan’s losses” even though “Pakistan has always desired, advocated and immensely sacrificed for peace and prosperity for the people of Afghanistan.”

Tarar said Pakistan is thankful to Qatar and Turkey for facilitating this dialogue, which was part of a broader diplomatic push to ease months of heightened tension between Islamabad and Kabul over cross-border attacks and militant safe havens — issues that have strained relations since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan four years ago.

He said that “since the Taliban regime bears no responsibility towards the people of Afghanistan and thrives on war economy, it desires to drag and mire the Afghan people into a needless war.”

Tarar said “Pakistan’s patience has run its course,” and warned that Islamabad would “continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism.”

Earlier, on Tuesday, three Pakistani security officials who had direct knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press that there was a deadlock in the talks in Istanbul over the reluctance of Kabul in accepting demands about assurances that Afghan soil not be used against Pakistan.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. They said the host country was trying to end the deadlock so that the final round of the talks could resume as soon as possible.

People wait near the closed gate at the Spin Boldak border crossing with Pakistan, after the border was shut for nearly two weeks following clashes between Afghan and Pakistani forces, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Sibghatullah)

According to the Pakistani officials, the Taliban delegation was “not fully willing” to accept Pakistan’s proposals and continued to seek guidance from Kabul before making decisions.

Afghanistan-controlled media RTA made similar accusations against the Pakistani side, saying Kabul “made every effort to hold constructive talks,” but that the “Pakistani side does not seem to have this intention.”

As the latest round of the talks was underway in Turkey, U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday pledged to help resolve the crisis between the two neighbors very quickly.

The recent fighting prompted Qatar to host the initial round of talks, which produced a ceasefire that both sides say is still holding despite the stalemate in Istanbul.

Islamabad-based security analyst Syed Mohammad Ali on Tuesday said Afghanistan’s strategy at the talks was to slow the diplomatic process and shift focus to other bilateral issues. He noted Afghanistan’s “reluctance to give clear, unambiguous and internationally verifiable commitment to act against Afghanistan-based Pakistani Taliban and other militants.”

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks in recent years, mostly blamed on the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group closely allied to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Islamabad says the group is being sheltered in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

Authorities in Pakistan have said the country’s military earlier this month targeted hideouts of the TTP in Afghanistan. It triggered deadly clashes between the two countries until Qatar brokered the ceasefire.

All border crossings between the two sides have remained shut for more than two weeks, with trucks carrying goods stranded pending the reopening of key trade routes.

Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writer Abdul Qahar contributed to this story from Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

By ELÉONORE HUGHES and DIARLEI RODRIGUES

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — About 2,500 Brazilian police and soldiers launched a massive raid on a drug-trafficking gang in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, arresting 81 suspects and sparking shootouts that left at least 60 suspects dead, officials said.

Related Articles

Brigitte Macron’s daughter testifies about alleged cyberbullying of France’s first lady

French senators say security at the Louvre is ‘not in line’ with modern standards and demand action

US and China seek to strike a deal over rare earths, tariffs, soybeans

How Mike Waltz is leading the Trump administration’s ‘a la carte’ approach to UN funding

Gaza ceasefire tested as Israel and Hamas exchange fire and blame

The operation included officers in helicopters and armored vehicles and targeted the notorious Red Command in the sprawling low-income favelas of Complexo de Alemao and Penha, police said.

The police operation was one of the most violent in Brazil’s recent history, with at least one human rights organization calling for an investigation into each death.

Rio’s state Gov. Claudio Castro said in a video posted on social platform X that 60 criminal suspects were “neutralized,” 81 arrested and 75 rifles seized during the massive one-day raid that he called the biggest such operation in the city’s history. A large amount of drugs also was seized, the state government said.

An Associated Press journalist also saw the bodies of at least two police officers among 10 bodies brought to the Getulio Vargas hospital in Penha. Police did not immediately confirm the deaths of officers.

An unknown number of people also were wounded.

César Muñoz, director of Human Rights Watch in Brazil, called Tuesday’s events “a huge tragedy” and a “disaster.”

“The public prosecutor’s office must open its own investigations and clarify the circumstances of each death,” Muñoz said in a statement.

Footage on social media showed fire and smoke rising from the two favelas as gunfire rang out. The city’s Education Department said 46 schools across the two neighborhoods were closed, and the nearby Federal University of Rio de Janeiro canceled night classes and told people on campus to seek shelter.

Suspected gang members blocked roads in northern and southeastern Rio in response to the raid, local media reported. At least 70 buses were commandeered to be used in the blockades, causing “significant damage,” the city’s bus organization Rio Onibus said.

The operation Tuesday followed a year of investigation into the criminal group, police said.

Gov. Castro, from the conservative opposition Liberal Party, said the federal government should be providing more support to combat crime — a swipe at the administration of leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Gleisi Hoffmann, the Lula administration’s liaison with the parliament, agreed that coordinated action was needed but pointed to a recent crackdown on money laundering as an example of the federal government’s action on organized crime.

Emerging from Rio’s prisons, the Red Command criminal gang has expanded its control in favelas in recent years.

Rio has been the scene of lethal police raids for decades. In March 2005, some 29 people were killed in Rio’s Baixada Fluminense region, while in May 2021, 28 were killed in the Jacarezinho favela.

While the Tuesday’s police operation was similar to previous ones, its scale was unprecedented, said Luis Flavio Sapori, a sociologist and public safety expert at Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais.

“What’s different about today’s operation is the magnitude of the victims. These are war numbers,” he said.

He argued that these kinds of operations are inefficient because they do not tend to catch the masterminds, but rather target underlings who can later be replaced.

“It’s not enough to go in, exchange gunfire, and leave. There’s a lack of strategy in Rio de Janeiro’s public security policy,” Sapori said. “Some lower-ranking members of these factions are killed, but those individuals are quickly replaced by others.”

The Marielle Franco Institute, a nonprofit founded by the slain councilwoman ’s family to continue her legacy of fighting for the rights of people living in favelas, also criticized the operation.

“This is not a public safety policy. It’s a policy of extermination, that makes the everyday life of Black and poor people a Russian roulette,” it said in a statement.

By MIKE SCHNEIDER

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Two Florida university students and an advocacy group for retirees are asking a federal judge to let them intervene in a lawsuit filed by young Republican groups challenging the 2020 census results, saying they worry that the Trump administration won’t vigorously defend the case.

Related Articles

Democrats force a Senate vote to block Trump’s tariffs on Brazil

Man deported to Laos despite court ordering blocking his removal, attorneys say

Trump administration moves to overrule state laws protecting credit reports from medical debt

‘Cancer doesn’t care’: Citizen lobbyists unite to push past Washington’s ugly politics

Trump administration shakes up ICE leadership across the country in major overhaul

The Trump administration has attacked the 2020 census results instead of defending the head count, the Alliance for Retired Americans and the two University of Central Florida students wrote Tuesday in their motion to intervene.

They said they are concerned that the Republican administration and the young Republican groups could reach a settlement that would alter 2020 census numbers and undercount people in nursing homes and college dorms.

The numbers gathered from the once-a-decade head count are used to determine how many congressional seats and Electoral College votes each state gets. They also guide the distribution of $2.8 trillion in annual federal spending.

But the 2020 census numbers have come under attack this year from Republicans, as President Donald Trump has been pressuring Republican-led state legislatures to redraw their congressional districts to benefit the GOP ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Revised census numbers from a successful lawsuit could be used in redistricting efforts.

In an August social media post, Trump instructed the Commerce Department to have the Census Bureau start work on a new census that would exclude immigrants who are in the United States illegally. The 14th Amendment, however, says that “the whole number of persons in each state” are to be counted, and the Census Bureau has interpreted that to mean anybody residing in the U.S., regardless of legal status. Federal courts have repeatedly supported that interpretation.

Concerns that the Republican administration wouldn’t vigorously defend the 2020 count were raised by census and redistricting experts when the young Republican groups sued in federal court in Tampa in September.

“The Commerce Department, you know, might just throw up their hands and say, ‘We agree with the plaintiffs,’” said Jeffrey Wice, a New York Law School professor.

The lawsuit by the University of South Florida College Republicans and the Pinellas County Young Republicans challenges two methods used during the 2020 census — “differential privacy” and “imputation” for group quarters, which include college dorms, nursing homes and other places where people live together under one roof.

Differential privacy adds intentional errors to the data to obscure the identity of any given participant in the 2020 census while still providing statistically valid information. Imputation is a process of using other information to fill in data about people when census-takers can’t reach anyone at a particular address.

Although the 2020 census numbers were released during the first months of Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration, the execution and final planning for the head count, including the decision to use the statistical methods, took place during Trump’s first term.

The 2020 census faced unprecedented obstacles from the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricanes and wildfires, social unrest and efforts by the Trump administration to end the count early. Group quarters such as college dorms and nursing homes were especially challenging because campuses were closed and care facilities restricted access in an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19.

In the Florida lawsuit, three federal judges have been designated to hear arguments in the case. Two of the judges were nominated by Republican presidents, George H.W. Bush and Trump, and the third was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social