By REGINA GARCIA CANO, JOSHUA GOODMAN, GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA and E. EDUARDO CASTILLO

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A half-dozen masked assailants ransacked the headquarters of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Friday in the latest escalation of violence against opponents of Nicolás Maduro following the country’s disputed presidential election.

The raid occurred at around 3 a.m., Machado’s party said, adding that the assailants broke down doors and hauled away valuable documents and equipment. Images published by Machado’s party on social media show several walls covered in black spray paint.

The assault comes as top officials, including Maduro himself, have threatened to arrest the opposition leader, who has gone into hiding as she seeks to rally Venezuelans and the international community to challenge last Sunday’s election results.

The Biden administration has thrown its support firmly behind the opposition, recognizing last minute candidate Edmundo González as the victor, discrediting the official results of the vote proclaiming Maduro the winner.

The U.S. announcement late Thursday followed calls from multiple governments, including close allies of Maduro, for Venezuela’s electoral authorities to release precinct-level vote counts, as it has done during previous elections.

The electoral body declared Maduro the winner Monday, but the main opposition coalition revealed hours later that it had collected copies of 80% of the country’s 30,000 voting tallies and that they show González prevailed by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

“Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Maduro responded with a quick admonishment: “The United States needs to keep its nose out of Venezuela!”

González, whose location is also unknown, posted a message on X Friday thanking the United States “for recognizing the will of the Venezuelan people reflected in our electoral victory and for supporting the process of restoring democratic norms in Venezuela.”

The U.S. government announcement came amid a flurry of diplomatic efforts by Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to convince their fellow leftist to allow an impartial audit of the vote. On Thursday, the governments of the three countries issued a joint statement calling on Venezuela’s electoral authorities “to move forward expeditiously and publicly release” detailed voting data.

But it’s unclear what leverage the countries have over Maduro, who has shown little inkling to rethink his entrenched position.

While no ally or anyone in the armed forces has yet to break with Maduro over the contested elections, he faces huge obstacles righting Venezuela’s economy without the legitimacy that can only come from a credible election result.

Venezuela sits atop world’s largest proven crude reserves and once boasted Latin America’s most advanced economy, but it entered into freefall marked by 130,000% hyperinflation and widespread shortages after Maduro took the helm in 2013. More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left the country since 2014, the largest exodus in Latin America’s recent history.

U.S. oil sanctions have only deepened the misery and the Biden administration — which had been easing those restrictions — is now likely to ramp them up again unless Maduro backs down and agrees to some sort of transition.

“He’s counting on being able to wait this out and people will get tired of demonstrating,” said Cynthia Arnson, a distinguished fellow at the Wilson Center, a Washington think tank. “The problem is the country is in a death spiral and there’s no chance the economy will be able to recover without the legitimacy that comes from a fair election.”

On Monday, after the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner of the election, thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets. The government said it arrested hundreds of protesters and Venezuela-based human rights organization Foro Penal said 11 people were killed. Dozens more were arrested the following day, including a former opposition candidate, Freddy Superlano.

Machado — who was barred from running for president — and González addressed a huge rally of their supporters in the capital, Caracas, on Tuesday, but they have not been seen in public since. Later that day, the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, called for their arrest, describing them as criminals and fascists.

On Wednesday, Maduro asked Venezuela’s highest court to conduct an audit of the election, but that request drew almost immediate criticism from foreign observers who said the court, which like most institutions is controlled by the government, lacks the independence to perform a credible review.

Asked why electoral authorities have not released detailed vote counts, Maduro said the National Electoral Council has come under attack, including cyberattacks, without elaborating.

In an op-ed published Thursday in the Wall Street Journal, Machado said she is “hiding, fearing for my life, my freedom, and that of my fellow countrymen.” She reasserted that the opposition has physical evidence that Maduro lost the election and urged the international community to intervene.

“We have voted Mr. Maduro out,” she wrote. “Now it is up to the international community to decide whether to tolerate a demonstrably illegitimate government.”

Machado later posted a video on social media calling on supporters to gather Saturday across the country.

___

Goodman reported from Medellin, Colombia. Sá Pessoa reported from Sao Paulo. Associated Press correspondent María Verza in Mexico City contributed.

It was a good thing Darius Taylor did his homework because the subject matter was attentively sitting right in front of him.

At Big Ten Media Days last week, the current Gophers running back was placed at an interview podium, and legendary former U tailback Darrell Thompson there to listen in the second row. Seeing the past and present a few feet apart, the Pioneer Press asked Taylor what he knew about his famous predecessor.

“He’s a dog,” Taylor said of Thompson. “He had all the records right before Mo (Ibrahim). It’s really cool how he was the top dog right before Mo got in. Mo is a great player, too. We have a long history of great running backs and (I’m) trying to keep it going.”

Taylor passed the quiz.

And here’s a refresher for those at home: Thompson became the Gophers all-time leading rusher with 4,654 total yards in 1989; and Ibrahim broke that mark in 2022 with 4,668. Then last fall, Taylor got on the board with 799 rushing yards. It stands as fifth-best freshman total in program history behind leader Thompson (1,376) and runner-up Ibrahim (1,160).

The few hundred-yard gap was primarily due to Taylor playing only six total games last season due to injuries, while Thompson played 12 and Ibrahim 10 in their first seasons.

With 133 rushing yards per game, Taylor would have led the nation in that category, but he didn’t play in enough games to be eligible by NCAA criteria. He also was the only Big Ten running back to average more than 100 yards per game last fall, but again was sidelined during spring practices.

Throughout the offseason, Taylor focused on taking care of his body with the help of the U’s sports scientists, athletic trainers and nutritionalists “to make sure he has a really healthy 2024 and do everything he possibly can,” head coach P.J. Fleck said.

“That is like being a pro early,” Taylor said. “They always tell me I need to become a pro right now, before I even go to the pros because I have to understand the things I will have to do at that time. That will ultimately lead me there.”

After catching 11 passes for 92 yards a year ago, Taylor is expected to have a bigger role in the passing game with new transfer quarterback Max Brosmer. Both have done it in the past: Brosmer at New Hampshire, and Taylor as a high school receiver at Walled Lake Western in Michigan.

“He’s really big into getting through his progression,” Taylor said of Brosmer. “I think that he takes what’s there. I like that. He will throw the check down if it’s there. I like that he has that in his game.”

Part of keeping Taylor healthy is managing his work load. That Gophers fans know that will be a challenge for Fleck, who so often relies on one primary ball carrier over divvying up touches to a few players. Outside of Taylor’s one carry for three yards in the season opener against Nebraska, Taylor really played in five games and rushed at least 31 times in three of them. He was injured in the Iowa game before he could reach that total again.

The Gophers brought in two transfer running backs — Sieh Bangura (Ohio) and Marcus Major (Oklahoma) — who appear to be among the most likely candidates to share the workload. Taylor said he gets the sense it will be more of a “committee backfield” this fall.

“I think that (Marcus) and Sieh would be a great addition to the team and we still have Jojo (Jordan Nubin),” Taylor said. “Jojo is probably one of the hardest, if not the hardest, working running back in the room. He knows everything and is ready to play at the drop of a hat.”

On the field, Taylor wants to do a better job of making would-be tacklers miss in the open field. “That is something that I personally want to do to change my game and elevate it,” Taylor said.

Thompson, the color commentator on Gophers radio broadcasts, liked a lot of what Taylor showed in his first season. Thompson told Taylor that directly during that media session at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

“I like the balance. I like the acceleration. I do like your open field running,” Thompson said. “You already do a good job of closing down the distance before making a cut. He does a lot of it. It will all get better. It’s hard to go from high school to a freshman in college. He did a great job already and this year will be better. He know what is coming.”

Taylor responded with a laugh and said: “I know exactly what is coming.”

Thompson and Taylor also have gotten to know each other privately. Taylor has even referred to himself as “DT,” which has long been Thompson’s nickname.

Taylor also knows about Thompson’s youth mentoring organization, Bolder Options, and has looked int volunteering there.

“That is something I want to work with,” Taylor said. “I haven’t gotten around to it fully, but that’s definitely something that I’m looking to work into my schedule and get with those kids. I’ve been trying to do some of my own things as well.”

The fall, one of Taylor’s primary football goals is staying on the field and continuing to close the yardage gaps on Thompson and Ibrahim.

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By Sally French | NerdWallet

Until recently, the upfront price of a cruise was often hardly reflective of the final price. That’s because hidden fees, such as port fees and taxes, on cruise lines lurked like unwelcome stowaways. However, a California junk fee law banishing these surprise charges went into effect July 1, and it’s changing how people nationwide see cruise fares displayed.

Under California Senate Bill 478, companies can no longer advertise one low cost for a product or service sold in California — only to impose additional or mandatory fees later. That’s impacted all sorts of aspects of travel, from resort fees to vacation rental cleaning fees to, yes, cruise fees.

“It’s much easier now to find a good deal on a cruise, rather than a deal that looks good until all the port charges and fees are added,” Aaron Saunders, an editor at Cruise Critic, said in an email.

Though the law is specific to California, many major cruise operators have recently adopted transparent pricing models that all U.S. shoppers can see. For example, as of July 1, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America began including all mandatory taxes, fees and port expenses in their U.S. price displays.

Why cruise prices have a new look nationwide

There are a couple of reasons why California’s law has impacted U.S. cruise purchases, no matter where they’re sailing.

Pressure to be more transparent

Politicians, travel industry groups and consumers have called for more price transparency for years. President Joe Biden is even leading the charge on a federal crackdown on junk fees.

Many travelers prefer transparent pricing, too. In response to a proposed Federal Trade Commission rule that would prohibit junk fees, over 12,000 people submitted public comments, dozens of which specifically referenced cruises. Multiple people shared examples where final cruise prices ended up being double the advertised amount.

Consistency can be more practical

The other possible reason the California law has had an impact on national cruise operations is practicality.

“Treating California differently than the rest of the United States could have created confusion and introduced unnecessary complexity,” according to an FAQ issued by Royal Caribbean Group on changes to advertised pricing.

Plus, consistency makes it easier for consumers to compare prices, no matter where they’re buying from.

“This way, whether you’re checking fares in California, or your friend is checking fares in Florida, you’ll both see consistent pricing across the board,” Saunders said.

Cruises aren’t actually more expensive than before

Cruises that switched to transparent pricing models may now appear more expensive at the outset than they used to be, but the final cost remains the same. Saunders said that so far, he hasn’t seen any cruises change prices.

Instead, the change is that travelers can now see the total cost upfront. This could reduce potential frustrations around hidden fees.

It could also allow cruisers to make more informed decisions when comparing cruise lines. In the past, one cruise line might choose to display these fees upfront while another might not, making it hard for shoppers to compare total costs.

Cruise fees aren’t gone completely

Transparent pricing or not, knowing exactly what’s included in your cruise before booking is important.

While most U.S. cruise lines now disclose mandatory fees, many still charge for certain nonessentials, such as specialty restaurants, entertainment, alcohol or Wi-Fi. And some of these a la carte charges are subject to dynamic pricing as well, meaning they might get more expensive if you wait to add them to your reservation.

It’s more common to see this pricing model across cruises that offer cheaper upfront fares. In contrast, upscale cruise providers tend to have the fewest extra fees.

But a la carte pricing isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re seeking an alcohol-free vacation, or you enjoy the pause of notifications that comes with sailing through a cell service desert, then a cruise that charges extra for specialty drinks or Wi-Fi might be appealing. That way you’re not subsidizing services you won’t use.

Sally French writes for NerdWallet. Email: sfrench@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @SAFmedia.

The article Junk Fee Ban Sparks Price Transparency Wave for Cruise Fares originally appeared on NerdWallet.

MOORHEAD, Minn. — A St. Cloud man who was serving life in prison in connection with what a judge called an “assassin-like” shooting in Moorhead will walk free.

The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned the conviction of Ibrahim Abdiaziz Isaac due to insufficient evidence. In December 2022, Clay County District Judge Greta Smolnisky convicted Isaac of first-degree felony aiding and abetting murder for the Sept. 10, 2021, death of 32-year-old Abdi Mohamed Abdi.

The evidence against Isaac was circumstantial, Minnesota Chief Justice Natalie Hudson said in her opinion.

“We conclude that the State presented insufficient evidence because, when the circumstances proved are viewed as a whole, a rational hypothesis exists that Isaac only learned about the shooter’s plan after the murder occurred and, therefore, did not have the required knowledge or intent for aiding-and-abetting liability,” Hudson wrote.

Prosecutors claimed Isaac helped Idris Abdillahi Haji-Mohamed with the fatal shooting in the Griffin Court Apartments parking lot at 17th Street South and 30th Avenue South in Moorhead.

Specifically, prosecutors said Isaac and Haji-Mohamed drove together from St. Cloud to Fargo, N.D. Isaac then bought a black 2015 Chrysler 200 in Fargo and gave it to Haji-Mohamed the day of the shooting, according to a criminal complaint. Haji-Mohamed drove the Chrysler to Griffin Court and chased Abdi on foot while shooting at Abdi, according to court documents.

Abdi, 28, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds.

Isaac asked for a trial without a jury to determine whether he played a role in the shooting. During a sentencing hearing Feb. 1, 2023, Clay County prosecutor Brian Melton said the shooting couldn’t have happened without Isaac’s help.

Melton claimed that Isaac bought bullets used in the murder and helped hide the Chrysler.

Calling Abdi’s death “assassin-like in its nature,” Smolnisky sentenced Isaac to life without parole, the maximum punishment for first-degree aiding and abetting.

Isaac called for a new trial, saying that his conviction was “an abomination.”

At question was whether Isaac knew that he was buying a vehicle that would be used in a murder, Hudson said. Hudson noted that Isaac was driving to St. Cloud as the shooting happened.

The shooter called Isaac after the killing, Hudson said. Isaac did not intend to help the shooter after the murder, she added.

The case will not come back to Clay County for a trial, Melton told the Forum News Service on Wednesday. He called the ruling “a terrible decision.”

“He was intimately involved in it, and yet the Supreme Court used a different standard to come up with the decision that they came up with,” he said. “The message is clear from the courts that, if you’re a mob boss or a drug dealer or just somebody looking to kill your spouse, if you live in the state of Minnesota, that’s the state to live in because the laws protect the criminal.”

Messages left for Minnesota Chief Appellate Public Defender Cathryn Middlebrook, who represented Isaac during Supreme Court arguments, were not returned by publishing time.

Haji-Mohamed is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting. His attorneys have claimed that another person, who was killed in the Twin Cities after the Moorhead shooting, is responsible.

Haji-Mohamed also was found guilty for the Dec. 30, 2022, shooting death of 26-year-old Jeremy Ellis in Minneapolis. Haji-Mohamed was out of Clay County Jail on a $1.75 million bond in connection with the Moorhead shooting when he killed Ellis.

Haji-Mohamed was sentenced to 25½ years in prison for the Ellis murder. He remains in jail custody as he awaits his Moorhead trial.

That is scheduled to begin Sept. 23.

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