INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Grammy-nominated Jordin Sparks will sing the national anthem at next week's Indianapolis 500, race organizers announced Thursday.
The singer, songwriter and actress also performed the anthem before the 2015 and 2024 races. This year's “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” is scheduled for May 24.
“Jordin knows how important the national anthem performance is to the pre-race ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500, and we have been moved by her two previous renditions,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said in a statement released by track officials. "This year’s performance will be a special moment as we mark the 250th birthday of our nation and prepare for another incredible edition of the world’s greatest race.”
Boles announced Wednesday that reserved seats for the race have been sold out, though there are still general admission tickets available. Although race officials do not announce attendance figures, the grandstand capacity is estimated to be 275,000 and the world's largest single-day spectator sporting event typically has an estimated 350,000 fans in attendance.
Sparks became the youngest winner of “American Idol” in the television show's sixth season. Since then, her singles have generated more than 10 million digital tracks sales in the U.S. Sparks also co-wrote Ariana Grande’s smash single, “The Way.”
She has toured with superstars such as Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, The Jonas Brothers, New Kids on The Block and Backstreet Boys in addition to headlining her own tours. Sparks owns two BET Awards, one American Music Award and one People’s Choice Award and was twice nominated for Grammys.
Sparks also has performed on Broadway, made her film debut by paying the lead role in the film “Sparkle,” opposite the late Whitney Houston, and has most recently worked on network news programs.
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
FILE - Jordin Sparks arrives at the BET Awards on June 9, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
MARMARIS, Turkey (AP) — Dozens of boats carrying activists and aid for Palestinians set sail from Turkey’s Mediterranean coast on Thursday in the latest attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza — just weeks after Israel intercepted a previous flotilla and detained two activists.
More than 50 vessels departed from the port in Marmaris in what the organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla described as the final leg of their journey to Gaza’s shores.
On April 30, Israeli forces intercepted more than 20 boats from a flotilla near the southern Greek island of Crete, initially holding about 175 activists. The incident drew protests and condemnation from several countries and raised questions about what any nation can legally do to enforce a blockade in international waters. Israeli officials said they had to act early because of the high number of boats involved.
Israel took two of the activists — Spanish-Swedish citizen of Palestinian origin Saif Abukeshek and Brazilian citizen Thiago Ávila — back to Israel where they were interrogated and detained for several days. The activists accused Israel of torture. Brazil and Spain condemned Israel for “kidnapping” their citizens. The two were deported from Israel on Sunday.
Organizers say the latest efforts involved a regrouped fleet following Israel’s interception, joined by additional boats. Nearly 500 activists from 45 countries were taking part.
They hope to draw renewed attention to the conditions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which was ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war. The Gaza Health Ministry said a total of 72,744 Palestinians have been killed since the war in Gaza began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.
A fragile 6-month-old ceasefire in Gaza has halted the most intense fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas-led militants. Around 2 million Gaza residents are still living in ruins with shortages of food and medicine, and only limited aid entering through a single, Israeli-controlled border post.
Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since the militant group Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s population.
Last year, Israeli authorities blocked a similar attempt involving about 50 vessels and some 500 activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and several European lawmakers.
Israel arrested, detained and later deported the participants, who claimed Israeli authorities abused them. Israeli authorities denied the accusations.
Previous efforts to breach the blockade have also failed. In 2010, Israeli commandos raided the Turkish boat Mavi Marmara, which had been participating in an aid flotilla attempting to reach Gaza. Nine Turkish citizens and one Turkish-American on board were killed. The last time an activist boat succeeded in reaching the strip was in 2008.
Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey.
Boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying activists and humanitarian aid, prepare to depart for Gaza from the port of Marmaris, Turkey, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in an attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade. (AP Photo/Murat Kocabas)
An activist chants slogans while hanging Palestinian flags on a boat belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying activists and humanitarian aid, as it prepares to depart for Gaza from the port of Marmaris, Turkey, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in an attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade. (AP Photo/Murat Kocabas)
Boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying activists and humanitarian aid, prepare to depart for Gaza from the port of Marmaris, Turkey, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in an attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade. (AP Photo/Murat Kocabas)
An activist rests as boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid, prepare to depart for Gaza from the port of Marmaris, Turkey, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in an attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade. (AP Photo/Murat Kocabas)
Boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying activists and humanitarian aid, prepare to depart for Gaza from the port of Marmaris, Turkey, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in an attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade. (AP Photo/Murat Kocabas)
Boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying activists and humanitarian aid, prepare to depart for Gaza from the port of Marmaris, Turkey, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in an attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade. (AP Photo/Murat Kocabas)
FILE - Activists in orange life jackets sit aboard a Gaza-bound Sumud Flotilla boat as Israeli navy soldiers sail it into the port of Ashdod, Israel, Oct. 2, 2025, after it was intercepted while approaching the Gaza coast. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, file)
