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Missed call in Brewers’ victory over Rays puts additional spotlight on Bucknor

By
The Associated Press
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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Umpire C.B. Bucknor’s tough start to the season continues.

Bucknor was working as the first-base umpire for the Milwaukee Brewers’ 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday when he made a call that was so obviously incorrect from the replay that it had both managers smiling afterward.

Milwaukee was leading 4-2 in the sixth inning when Jake Bauers hit an infield single. Bauers initially was called out because Bucknor determined he hadn’t touched first base. The replay showed Bauers clearly touching the top of the bag, right across the middle.

“I don’t know what happened,” said Bauers, who passed up repeated opportunities to comment further on the missed call during his postgame interview with reporters. “I’m just thankful to get on base and thankful to come around and score.”

This call came after Bucknor had the poorest results among umpires in Major League Baseball’s new Automated Ball-Strike System last weekend. Six of eight challenges of his calls were successful during Cincinnati’s 6-5, 11-inning win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

All six overturned calls involved strikes being changed to balls. The two confirmed calls involved a ball and a strike.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy also brushed aside questions about the call during his postgame news conference.

“I’m not going to criticize that,” Murphy said.

Television cameras showed Murphy and Rays manager Kevin Cash smiling after the replay showed how apparent it was that Bauers had touched first base. Murphy was asked about those reactions.

“Kevin and I are friends,” Murphy said. “We hadn’t had a chance to talk to each other before the game, so we just smiled back at each other.”

Bauers was asked if he’s grateful that MLB has a replay system in place.

“Yeah, grateful for that,” he replied with a laugh.

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

Christian Pulisic scoreless streak for US extends to 8 games since 2024 as World Cup approaches

By
The Associated Press
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ATLANTA (AP) — As the World Cup nears, Christian Pulisic’s scoreless streak for the United States stretched to a career-high eight games.

“It’s frustrating, but I’m just going to stay positive,” he said after Tuesday night’s 2-0 loss to Portugal in a friendly. “A lot of big things ahead, and I know I’m going to get to the other side.”

Pulisic hasn’t scored an international goal since a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Jamaica on Nov. 18, 2024, and he’s scoreless in 12 games with AC Milan since Dec. 28.

U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino moved the 27-year-old from a wing to striker for the first time since taking over in October 2024 in an effort to get him more chances closer to goal. Pulisic had 28 touches, up from 24 in the first half of Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Belgium.

Pulisic missed the ball on an open volley from a Tim Weah cross in the 22nd minute and was just wide from outside the penalty area in the 36th. Pulisic got a yellow card for dissent in first-half stoppage time for kicking Samú Costa after he was pushed off the ball.

“He was very active and I think he made a good job,” Pochettino said. “Unlucky or ashamed a little bit that he didn’t score with the opportunity that he (had). It’s normal.”

With 32 goals in 84 international appearances over a decade, Pulisic is the top American player. He scored 10 goals in his first 15 appearances for AC Milan this season.

“Yes, he feels frustrated, but that is what we want, what we expect. He was fighting,” Pochettino said. “He’s going to score because he has the quality. I am sure that he’s going to come back to his club. … He’s going to start to score again.”

Preparing to co-host the World Cup in June, the U.S. has lost eight straight games to European opponents while getting outscored 22-6. It is winless against the continent in 10 matches since 2021.

“Both first halves, and we caused the teams a lot problems. We put a lot pressure on them. We did a lot great things,” Pulisic said. “Just little moments or just being a little bit more clinical and it’s just the same story but I feel really close and I feel like we’re in a good place.”

Pochettino announces his World Cup roster on May 26, and the Americans play their last warmups against Senegal five days later and Germany on June 6. They open the World Cup on June 12 against Australia, face Paraguay a week later and close the first round against Turkey on June 25.

Pulisic thought back to the last two games before the 2022 World Cup, a 2-0 loss to Japan and a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. At the tournament, the U.S. tied Wales and England, then beat Iran 1-0 on a goal from Pulisic to advance before a round of 16 loss to the Netherlands.

“I remember people were doubting us after that camp,” he said of the September 2022 friendlies. “Maybe we didn’t have a great camp, and at the end of the day, we go in, we have a great World Cup. It’s all behind us. So like I said, better now, and we’re going to figure it out. We’re going to figure it out when it really counts.”

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

Food assistance slashed for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees trapped in Bangladesh camps

By
The Associated Press
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SYDNEY (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees struggling to survive in Bangladesh’s overcrowded camps will see their food assistance slashed starting on Wednesday, raising alarm throughout the increasingly desperate community.

Currently, the 1.2 million Rohingya trapped in the squalid camps receive $12 a month per person, an amount the persecuted minority from Myanmar has long warned is barely sustainable. Most of the Rohingya in the camps fled brutal attacks by Myanmar’s military in 2017 and they are legally barred from working in Bangladesh, leaving them largely reliant upon humanitarian aid to survive.

Under the United Nations’ World Food Program’s new tiered system, the amount each person receives will vary based on the severity of their family’s needs, with around 17% of the population getting as little as $7 per month. A third of the population that has been classified as “extremely food insecure,” such as households headed by children, will continue receiving $12.

“It is very difficult to understand how we will survive now with only $7. Our children will suffer the most,” said camp resident Mohammed Rahim, who said he and his wife were already struggling to feed their three children before the reduction. “I am deeply concerned that people may face severe hunger and some may even die due to lack of food.”

The WFP has repeatedly warned that rations in the camps could be slashed as a result of last year’s steep foreign aid cuts by the United States and other countries, which saw the agency lose a third of its funding. But WFP spokesperson Kun Li said Wednesday’s change in food distribution was unrelated to the funding cuts, and it should not be described as a “ration cut,” despite two-thirds of the population receiving fewer rations as a result.

The agency said a ration cut implies food assistance is being reduced below 2,100 calories a day, the recommended minimum standard for emergency food aid. But the WFP said even those who will now receive just $7 per month will still be able to meet that threshold.

The plan “ensures that even with differentiated ration sizes, all Rohingya continue meeting their minimum food needs, strengthening fairness, transparency, and equity in food assistance,” the agency said in a statement.

But a ration cut is precisely what the change means for the Rohingya, said Bangladesh’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman.

With desperation already running high, Rahman told The Associated Press that the Rohingya will attempt to flee in search of food and work.

“Law and order will be deteriorated,” he said.

The same military that attacked the Rohingya in 2017 during what the U.S. declared a genocide overthrew Myanmar’s government in 2021 and remains in control of the country. That has made it virtually impossible for the Rohingya to return home safely.

Last year’s foreign aid cuts deepened misery across the camps, particularly for children, with the closure of schools contributing to a surge in kidnapping, child marriage and child labor. Programs to support the Rohingya were only around half funded in 2025, and are only 19 percent funded this year.

In 2023, the WFP was forced to cut rations to $8 a month due to a drop in donations. By November of that year, the agency said that 90% of camp residents could not afford an adequate diet and 15 percent of children were suffering from acute malnutrition, the highest rate ever recorded in the camps. Rations were restored to $12 a month in 2024.

Hungry, exhausted and increasingly hopeless camp residents who lived through that ration cut wonder how they will cope moving forward. Dozens of Rohingya staged protests against the new system on Tuesday, calling for the restoration of full rations. Many held signs warning of starvation and declaring “Food is a right, not a choice.”

Rahim, the father of three whose food aid has been reduced to $7 a month, said he is sick, and his children cannot safely leave the camps to earn money due to the increasing risk of kidnapping, violence and trafficking.

Rahim said several people he knows are already considering returning to Myanmar because of the reduced rations, despite the severe risks. Many others, he said, are considering fleeing to Malaysia on rickety fishing boats — an incredibly dangerous journey that results in hundreds of Rohingya children, women and men dying or vanishing each year.

“Ration cuts are pushing people toward life-threatening risks, leaving them with no safe choices,” he said. “I am very worried about the future of our children.”

North’s Muthukumaran repeats as The Republic Girls Swimmer of the Year

By
James Pence
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Columbus North junior Mridula Muthukumaran is The Republic Girls Swimmer of the Year. She is pictured in the natatorium at Columbus North High School in Columbus, Ind., Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.

Mike Wolanin | The Republic

Mridula Muthukumaran improved her swimming skills and technique the past offseason, and it showed in the results.

The Columbus North junior was a state finalist for the second straight year in the 200-yard individual medley. She was the lone swimmer from the area that qualified for the state meet this year.

“Knowing what I swam last year, I think I had a better understanding of what I had to do going into sectional and kind of had a better focus on my events because I swam them a year before,” said Muthukumaran, who repeats as The Republic Girls Swimmer of the Year. “So going in, it was really working turns, starts and the main techniques in the pool so I could be faster than what I was last year.”

Muthukumaran has been across the globe ever since she was young. She was born in Oregon and moved to Canada near the Toronto area, then India until settling in Columbus when she was around 5 years old.

While in Canada, Muthukumaran took lessons to learn the basics of swimming, but more as water safety rather than competitively. It wasn’t until she moved to Columbus that she began to take swimming seriously. Muthukumaran played other sports as well as swimming, but gave them up to focus squarely on swimming.

“I absolutely love being at the pool,” Muthukumaran said. “This was the first sport that I wanted to do, and so I tried out swimming. I tried a few other sports. I did some tennis and basketball, but it made me realize, swimming is the thing I really wanted to focus on. That was the sport I enjoyed the most. So I dropped the other sports that I did, and through high school, I was like, ‘I want to focus on one sport,’ and that’s what I’ve done.”

Muthukumaran began swimming for Donner Swim Club at 6 years old and has been there ever since. Easy to say, she chose the right sport.

Last year as a sophomore, Muthukumaran swam in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly. This year, she qualified for the state meet in the 200 IM.

“Mridula’s work ethic and dedication is what makes her successful. She does not make excuses and finds a way to push and make herself better than the day before.” North coach Mike Cunningham said. “Mridula has goals, and this is what motivates her. She wants to be set with a state cut prior to sectional, so that she can place top-16 at state. This is what pushes her to continually challenge herself to be better.”

Even though she didn’t make it out of the prelims, Muthukumaran was proud of her season and knows what she has to work on heading into next year in the 200 IM and butterfly. Muthukumaran didn’t rule out trying other events if her performance is well in them.

“I think being able to see what I did at sectional and at state and comparing myself, I think I have higher goals. I also know more, especially what I have to work on for my own event,” Muthukumaran said. “I think going into next year, if these are the same events I choose to swim in, I think I would love to work on my breaststroke for my individual medley, and for the fly, really going out and not being scared to go all out for the first 50 (yards).”

When she is not competing, Muthukumaran finds as much time as possible to relax in the water. Whether it is high school or college when her competitive swimming ends, Muthukumaran still wants to stay active in the water.

“If we go out, and there’s a pool, I like to at least spend an hour to relax there,” Muthukumaran said. “When I do decide to retire from swimming, I’m still going to go in and do it for the fun of it. It’s a great way to stay in shape and be active, and I don’t think I could be without being in the water at least for a little bit because I’ve done it for so long.”

Muthukumaran still has time to decide if she wants to pursue swimming after high school. She said she’d like to swim in college, but only if her schedule allows.

“Currently, I’ve decided that I do want to compete in college. If I end up doing it and I decide that, I plan on going into the medical field,” Muthukumaran said. “I know it’s a lot of academically-related stuff. If swimming doesn’t fit with my schedule, I will still apply for the club at the college, and I plan to do at least college club.”

Muthukumaran looks for better results next year. She’ll look to try for a top-16 finish or a state finals cut.

“I really do want to try and get the school record in the 100 fly and for the 200 IM,” she said. “I would really like it if I could potentially get the high school state cut in that event. If I was able to make it to state in both my events, it would be really amazing if we got some of our relays to also go into state.”

The 2025-26 Republic All-Area Girls Swimming team:

Mridula Muthukumaran, Columbus North: The junior won a sectional title and finished 26th at state in the 200 individual medley and placed third in the 100 butterfly in the North Sectional.

Cora Tregoning, Columbus North: The senior finished fourth in the 200 freestyle and fifth in the 500 freestyle and swam on the fourth-place 200 medley relay team in the North Sectional.

Abby Proffitt, Columbus North: The junior finished fourth in the 500 freestyle and swam on the third-place 200 freestyle relay and fourth-place 200 medley relay teams in the North Sectional.

Caroline Crawford, Columbus North: The sophomore finished seventh in the 100 backstroke in the North Sectional.

Advika Badve, Columbus North: The junior swam on the third-place 200 freestyle relay and fourth-place 200 medley relay team in the North Sectional.

Brooklyn Pendleton, Columbus North: The senior swam on the third-place 200 freestyle relay team in the North Sectional.

Harmony Ernstes, Jennings County: The senior finished fourth in diving in the Floyd Central Sectional and was a regional diving qualifier.

Honorable mention

Columbus North: Carolina Bologna, Bryn Emmitt, Nandini Kondhare, Ell Maignan, Sanchita Ponnathpur. Jennings County: Ava Biehle, Claudia Zuniga.

East nets season opening win over Highlanders JV

By
James Pence
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Kash Coers

Columbus East didn’t quit after it looked like momentum changed in the way of the Floyd Central JV in Tuesday’s season opener for the Olympians.

After the match was tied, East wouldn’t be denied as they controlled the last two sets to come away with a 25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 25-23 victory over the Highlanders.

The Olympians have many new players to the volleyball team this season, but they didn’t look like newbies Tuesday.

“One thing I can say about this group, there is 13 of them, and they may not have the most experience, but the fight and chemistry they had is absolutely insane,” East coach Kailey Davidson said. “They’re eager to learn. They’re eager to win, and they said it from the jump (Monday) at the beginning of practice that they didn’t care who we played, they were going to fight, and they were going leave it out on the floor, and I think tonight really proved that.”

East junior libero Trevor Ernst is one of the most experienced players returning to the team. Even with a lot of teammates new to volleyball, the chemistry and communication was key to the victory.

“I’m super proud of these guys, and we’ve seen a lot of growth already in practice,” Ernst said. “Really from the beginning, these guys showed a lot of determination and grit, and I’m definitely blessed to be a part of this team.”

Kash Coers led the Olympians with 18 assists and five aces. David Sylva pounded seven kills, Eli Shafer had seven blocks and Jax Branaman notched four digs.

Also for East, Kamron Robertson and Jacob Thomas each tallied five kills, Matthew Muir had two blocks, Branaman recorded four digs and three aces, Coers added three digs and Robertson and Aiden Sorrells each served one ace.

The Olympians will be on the road for the next couple weeks and have close to two dozen matches still to play in a six-week timeframe. The next contest for East is Thursday at Perry Meridian.

“That first win, it is a big one. It gives us confidence,” Ernst said. “We know what we need to improve on still but it is a good place to start off this season.”

Bull Dogs topple Panthers for first victory

By
Staff Reports
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Macario Mendez

NORTH VERNON — Columbus North picked up its first baseball win of the season Tuesday, bouncing back from Monday’s season-opening loss with a 17-7 victory at Jennings County.

Like Monday, the Bull Dogs built a big lead early, only to see the opposition come back. North scored three in the first and four in the second, but the Panthers answered with seven in the bottom of the second to tie it.

The Bull Dogs went ahead with five runs in the fourth, then added one in the sixth and four in the seventh. Daiju Iwaya pitched three shutout innings to pick up the win in relief of Bryson Satterfield.

Macario Mendez went 4 for 4, Iwaya went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs and Dillon Long went 2 for 3 with a double and five RBIs to lead North’s 15-hit attack. Jack Whaley went 2 for 3 with a double, and Brock Kintner went 2 for 3.

Cooper Lane went 3 for 4 with a double to lead the Panthers, who managed five hits in their season opener.

Business sentiments in Japan improving despite Iran worries

By
The Associated Press
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TOKYO (AP) — Business sentiment among major Japanese manufacturers rose to 17 in March from 16, according to the Bank of Japan’s quarterly survey released Wednesday.

The improvement in the key so-called diffusion index in the closely watched “tankan” report, recorded for the fourth quarter straight, comes even as worries grow about Japan’s economic growth and oil supplies because of the war in Iran.

The survey is an indicator of companies foreseeing good conditions minus those feeling pessimistic.

The index for large non-manufacturers, such as the service sector, stood unchanged from the last tankan at 36.

Japan’s inflation has so far remained relatively moderate, but worries are growing about prices at the gas stands and other products. Investors and consumers alike are filled with uncertainty about how much longer the war may last and what U.S. President Donald Trump might say next. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 has gyrated wildly in recent weeks.

Analysts say the Bank of Japan may start to raise interest rates because of concerns about inflation, given the soaring energy costs and declining yen — two elements that greatly affect living costs for the average Japanese consumer.

Historically, Japan has benefited from a weak yen because of its giant exports, exemplified in autos and electronics. A weak yen raises the value of exports’ earnings when converted into yen.

But in recent years, a weak yen is working as a negative, as resource-poor Japan imports much of its energy, as well as other key products such as food and manufacturing components.

The U.S. dollar has been soaring against the yen lately.

Japan’s central bank had a negative interest rate policy for years to fight deflation until it normalized policy in 2024. It kept the rate unchanged at 0.75% in March. The next Bank of Japan monetary policy board meeting is set for April 27 and 28.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

Olympians rout Charlestown for first win

By
Staff Reports
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Baleigh Fish

CHARLESTOWN — Columbus East picked up its first softball win of the season Tuesday, an 11-1, six-inning victory at Charlestown.

The game was tied 1-1 before the Olympians (1-1) scored four times in the second to take the lead for good. They added three in the fifth and three in the sixth.

Baleigh Fish threw a six-hitter with 10 strikeouts and only one walk and went 4 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs to lead East’s 13-hit attack. Natasha Armstrong went 3 for 4 with a double, and Lola Watkins went 2 for 4.

East falls to Whiteland in season opener

By
Staff Reports
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Aiden Bumbalough

WHITELAND — Columbus East opened its baseball season Tuesday with a 12-4 loss at Whiteland.

Aiden Bumbalough went 3 for 3 with two home runs and three RBIs. Zander Weatherford had a home run.

East’s Jacob Huffman, Ryker Stott and Kaden Arnholt combined to allow 13 hits and seven walks, while strking out four.

Athletes of the Week

By
   
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Justin Reckers

MALE

Justin Reckers // Columbus North junior track athlete

Reckers finished seventh in the 3,200 meters in the big-school division of Saturday’s Hoosier State Relays in 9 minutes, 16.65 seconds.

His performance last week: “I felt pretty good about the 3,200. I stuck with the group I wanted to, and I was able to finish strong.”

Do you do anything special to prepare? “I just stretch, roll and do some strides.”

Favorite drink: “Chocolate milk”

Favorite food: “Burgers”

Favorite class: “Math”

Favorite sports team: “Purdue, because that’s where I want to go.”

Favorite athlete: “I look up to (Olympic 1,500 champion) Cole Hocker because he’s from Indiana, and he’s doing great things.”

Role model: “My parents (Barbara and Brian Reckers) and some guys on the team who put in a lot of work.”

Best advice: “Just do the work, even when it’s hard, even when you don’t want to.”

Athletics goal: “Go sub-9:10 (in the 3,200).”

If you could travel anywhere: “I would love to go to Europe. Europe is very pretty. I would love to hike the Dolomites and all the mountains over there.”

FEMALE

Emma Haston // Columbus North sophomore track athlete

Emma Haston

Haston finished seventh in the high jump in the big-school division of Saturday’s Hoosier State Relays with a leap of 5 feet, 4 inches.

Her performance last week: “I was was aiming for about 5-7 or 5-8, and that didn’t end up happening, but getting on the podium was special.”

Do you do anything special to prepare? “I get my Bible out and go over my favorite verses, and I just remember all the things that He’s given up for us and put that into my spirit.”

Favorite drink: “Root Beer”

Favorite food: “My mom’s pizza pasta”

Favorite class: “Weights class”

Favorite sports team: “I like Nebraska volleyball.”

Favorite athlete: “(Olympic high jump champion) Yaroslava Mahuchikh”

Role model: “Definitely mom (Jennifer Haston). She’s always there for me.”

Best advice: “Find out who you are through everything, not just through sports, not just through school, but find out who you are outside of that.”

Athletics goal: “This year, I’m trying to break the (school) record (5-6) and get 5-7 or 5-8.”

If you could travel anywhere: “I want to go to Bora Bora just because it’s such a pretty place.”

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