NBA suspends 5 players for their roles in Pistons-Timberwolves altercation that spilled into stands

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NBA suspends 5 players for their roles in Pistons-Timberwolves altercation that spilled into stands

2025-04-02 08:55 Last Updated At：09:01

NEW YORK (AP) — Detroit's Isaiah Stewart was suspended for two games and four other players from the Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves drew one-game suspensions for their roles in an on-court altercation between the teams earlier this week, the NBA said Tuesday.

Stewart got two games “based in part on his repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts,” the league said.

The NBA handed the one-game bans to Detroit's Ron Holland II and Marcus Sasser along with Minnesota's Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo. All five of those players were ejected from Sunday's game, as were Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff and Minnesota assistant Pablo Prigioni.

“Obviously things went too far,” Bickerstaff said after that game. “But what you see is guys looking out for one another, guys trying to protect one another, guys trying to have each other’s backs. ... Those are nonnegotiables in our locker room.”

The incident began when Holland fouled Reid with 8:36 left in the second quarter of the Timberwolves’ 123-104 victory over the Pistons in Minneapolis. Reid confronted Holland, who then pushed DiVincenzo, who then shoved Holland — and they wound up falling into spectators seated along the baseline.

Stewart and Sasser then entered the altercation, “which resulted in a continued escalation of the situation,” the league said.

Reid and DiVincenzo will serve their one-game suspensions Tuesday when the Timberwolves visit Denver.

"I thought they did what they needed to do to protect themselves and their teammates. We’re not disappointed,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said before the game against the Nuggets. "We're disappointed, obviously, they’re not going to be with us tonight, but, it’s part of the landscape of the game.

“The game’s gotten a little bit more physical, I think, which we all embrace. But a lot of teams are playing for a lot of things right now so there could always be a tipping point. It kind of happens, and just got to be mindful of it moving forward. But I’m not mad at them.”

Stewart will begin serving his suspension Wednesday when the Pistons visit Oklahoma City, and Holland and Sasser also will serve their suspensions in that game.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupt Microsoft's 50th anniversary party over Israel contract

2025-04-05 06:40 Last Updated At：06:50

A pro-Palestinian protest by Microsoft employees interrupted the company’s 50th anniversary celebration Friday, the latest backlash over the tech industry’s work to supply artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military.

The protest happened as Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman was presenting product updates and a long-term vision for the company's AI assistant product, Copilot, to an audience that included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer.

“Mustafa, shame on you,” shouted Microsoft employee Ibtihal Aboussad as she walked toward the stage and Suleyman paused his speech. “You claim that you care about using AI for good but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Fifty-thousand people have died and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region.”

“Thank you for your protest, I hear you,” Suleyman said. Aboussad continued, shouting that he and “all of Microsoft” had blood on their hands. She also threw onto the stage a keffiyeh scarf, which has become a symbol of support for Palestinian people, before being escorted out of the event.

A second protester, Microsoft employee Vaniya Agrawal, interrupted another part of the celebration during which Gates, Ballmer and current CEO Satya Nadella were on stage — the first public gathering since 2014 of the three men who have been Microsoft's CEO.

An investigation by The Associated Press revealed earlier this year that AI models from Microsoft and OpenAI had been used as part of an Israeli military program to select bombing targets during the recent wars in Gaza and Lebanon. The story also contained details of an errant Israeli airstrike in 2023 that struck a vehicle carrying members of a Lebanese family, killing three young girls and their grandmother.

In February, five Microsoft employees were ejected from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella for protesting the contracts. While the February event was an internal meeting, Friday's protest was far more public — a livestreamed showcase of the company's past and future.

“We provide many avenues for all voices to be heard," said a statement from the company Friday. “Importantly, we ask that this be done in a way that does not cause a business disruption. If that happens, we ask participants to relocate. We are committed to ensuring our business practices uphold the highest standards.”

Microsoft declined to say whether it would take further action.