The Argentina captain, who many consider the greatest player of all time, scored two more World Cup goals on Monday in his team's 2-0 victory over Austria. That gave him a record total of 18 at the world's biggest tournament.

“Beyond anything I’m so happy for the win," Messi said. "It was huge, tough and difficult. It would allow us to be relaxed to what’s ahead. All matches in this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m enjoying this moment and craving to enjoy with my teammates.”

The first goal against Austria came in the 38th minute and two days before Messi’s 39th birthday, and amid the concern of an ailing father back at home. It was the sixth consecutive World Cup game in which Messi has scored — joining France striker Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho as only players to do so.

Messi had equaled Germany striker Miroslav Klose for the most goals in the World Cup at 16 with his first hat trick at the tournament in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in the Group J opener last Tuesday night in Kansas City.

He first had a chance to set the record in the ninth minute against Austria on Monday, but he missed a penalty kick.

“There were moments when I was really angry about missing the penalty, but I was able to make up for it,” said Messi, who has won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards as the best player in Europe.

Argentina advanced to the knockout round by winning its first two group games, with Messi scoring all five of the team's goals so far in his sixth World Cup.

Messi added his 18th World Cup goal in stoppage time when he shot one through several defenders after the first attempt was turned away by goalkeeper Alexander Schlager.

In the first half, the record became Messi's alone when he caught Schlager leaning the wrong way after Thiago Almada let Facuno Medina’s pass go by him and directly onto the Argentina captain’s left foot from about 20 yards.

As the ball went into the net, Messi ran toward a corner and thrust his right arm into the air to celebrate the mark with the decidedly pro-Argentina crowd among the 70,649 fans in the sold-out home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

There had been a gasp from those same fans when Messi missed the penalty kick in the ninth minute.

His left-footed attempt went just wide of the right post. He is now 4 of 7 on penalty kicks in regulation play at the World Cup with misses in three consecutive tournaments.

Klose scored his 16 goals while playing in 24 World Cup matches for Germany, which wrapped up his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time over Messi and Argentina.

In an interview published on June 12, Klose said he expected Messi to break the scoring record.

“I expect my record to fall in this tournament,” Klose told German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung. “With the larger field of competing teams there are more games and so more chances to score goals. And I assume Argentina and France will go far. That’s perfectly OK, the record will be broken eventually anyhow and Messi is welcome to be the one who does it. I’m a big fan of Messi, always have been. Messi is a genius.”

Messi’s hat trick in the previous game, in his 200th international appearance, came 20 years to the date of his World Cup debut in Germany, when he also scored. Monday was his FIFA-record 28th match in the tournament.

The penalty kick came after Lautaro Martinez was running free in the box and was tackled from behind by Xaver Schlager and Stefan Posch, the defender playing with a broken jaw. Schalger got a foot on the ball, but Posch drew the penalty because he did not touch the ball as Martinez tumbled to the ground.

Play continued for more than a minute with Martinez still on the ground near the goal. When the game was stopped for him, officials reviewed the play.

Messi’s father has been undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness, the family said in a statement last week while not providing any specifics. The 68-year-old Jorge Messi has played a key role in his third son’s soccer career, acting as his agent and managing his business affairs off the field.

Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion after scoring his first goal against Algeria, and said after that match his tears came following some tough days not related to soccer.

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AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth in Duesseldorf, Germany, contributed to this report.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Santana on Monday called Davis “a visionary.” Barry Manilow said music wasn't just business to Davis “it was family.” Michael Bublé said the music executive “believed in people and their dreams.” Patti Smith thanked Davis for a half century of “love and support.”

Davis died Monday in his Manhattan apartment. A statement from the family says Davis “discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations.”

Davis was 94.

Here's some reaction to Davis' death and his legacy.

Barry Manilow

“My heart is heavy with the loss of my friend Clive Davis. For fifty years we worked together, created together, argued together, and celebrated together. Yes, some would say it was business. But to Clive, it never was. It was family. And I was honored to be a part of his.” — on X.

Carlos Santana

“Clive Davis was a visionary. He could hear the intangible before anyone else could see it. He believed in Santana from the beginning, and years later he believed in us again. That kind of faith is a beautiful blessing, and I will always be grateful.

“Clive understood that music is more than entertainment. Music is a healing force. It brings people together beyond fear, beyond separation, beyond borders. He dedicated his life to championing artists and helping them share their gifts with the world.

“Clive recognized the light in people. He encouraged artists to trust their own voice and step into their destiny. Because of his vision, countless musicians were able to reach hearts across the planet.” — in a statement.

Patti Smith

“This is thanking Clive Davis for transforming music, and on a very personal note, for believing in me, shepherding my efforts and a half century of your love and support.” — on Instagram.

Michael Bublé

“Heartbroken to hear of the passing of Clive Davis. Clive wasn’t just a music legend, he was a champion of artists and someone who believed in people and their dreams. Forever grateful for his guidance, his generosity, and the opportunities he gave so many of us.” — on Instagram.

Paul Stanley

“The music world and all those who have loved music for 6 decades have lost the visionary and champion of so many artists in so many genres. A one of a kind genius.” — on X.

Stephen Bishop, songwriter and guitarist

“Clive did so much for artists and for the music business as a whole. He was truly one of a kind and lived an incredibly full and remarkable life. If you knew him, you knew he genuinely cared about artists. He could be tough, but he was always fair.” — on X.

The agreement comes after months of negotiations, with tax exemptions for data centers emerging as the biggest sticking point between the State Senate and House of Delegates.

The compromise keeps existing tax breaks for data centers in place, while creating a new tax on the electricity those facilities use. That tax is expected to generate about $600 million each year for Virginia’s General Fund.

Supporters say the deal balances economic growth with making sure data centers contribute more to the state.

“This compromise will bring hundreds of millions of dollars into our budget and at the same time make sure that they are paying their fair share,” said Delegate Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke.

Rasoul and Senator David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke, both pushed for ending tax exemptions for data centers during negotiations. Suetterlein said he believes the final agreement does not go far enough, criticizing the decision to maintain tax exemptions for data centers while increasing taxes elsewhere.

“There’s a sales tax increase for working Virginians envisioned in this budget and at the same time the world’s largest corporations will not be paying sales tax on their data centers,” Suetterlein said.

Rasoul said the agreement represents progress after years of debate over how Virginia should handle the growing data center industry.

“I think it’s a great step forward. No one thought that this would be a $2 billion line item when this started about a decade ago,” Rasoul said. “Trying to make sure that they’re paying their fair share is top of mind for everyone.”

The deal is also drawing criticism from groups on both sides of the data center debate.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is calling for a pause on new data center construction until potential environmental impacts can be studied.

“We want to see safeguards for water use, energy efficiency, environmental standards for land use,” said Zander Pellegrino, a spokesperson for the group. “Most importantly for us as an organization is that we want to see meaningful action to address the climate crisis.”

Meanwhile, the Data Center Coalition, a group representing the industry, criticized the agreement, saying the changes could make Virginia less attractive for future investment.

“With this sweeping package of regulations and tax hikes intended to claw back the state’s economic development agreements, the General Assembly is breaking its commitments to an industry that has invested hundreds of billions of dollars, pays billions in annual taxes, and supports tens of thousands of jobs, including many blue-collar union workers who face an uncertain future as businesses prioritize new investment in states with competitive and stable business environments,” said Josh Levi, President and CEO of the Data Center Coalition.

House GOP Leader Delegate Terry Killgore, R-Gate City, issued a statement after the votes, criticizing the budget but expressing relief that a government shutdown was avoided.

“The budget has finally passed, but not in a manner that should make any Virginian proud. More than 100 days after the General Assembly adjourned, lawmakers were forced to consider a budget that was substantially rewritten at the last minute and loaded with policy provisions that should have been debated openly during the regular legislative session,” said Delegate Killgore.

The budget also includes several provisions impacting Virginians, including:

• A plan allowing retail cannabis sales to begin July 1, 2027, with a maximum of 350 stores.
• Four percent raises each year for SOQ-funded school positions, including many public-school employees.
• $6 million for Virginia Tech’s patent research center.
• $20 million toward an inland port project in Washington County.
• Funding to explore options for speeding up projects along Interstate 81, including the possibility of adding a third toll lane.

The budget now heads to Spanberger’s desk, who will review the legislation before it becomes law. The budget has already seen support from Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi, who calls it a win for Virginians.

“Today, the State Senate and the House of Delegates passed the biennium budget bill that prioritizes Virginians, working families, and the health of our economy in the face of Republican-led Congressional attacks on critical programs such as healthcare funding, food assistance for hungry children, and essential services that protect the wellbeing of our communities,” said Lt. Governor Hashmi.

Messi had a golden opportunity to break the record in the ninth minute, but went wide to the right on a penalty kick. Almost 30 minutes later, Messi caught Alexander Schlager leaning the wrong way after Thiago Almada let Facuno Medina's pass go by him directly onto Messi's left foot.

“There were moments when I was really angry about missing the penalty, but I was able to make up for it,” Messi said.

In the waning seconds of injury time, Messi extended his record by sending a shot through several defenders after Schlager turned away his first attempt. He entered the game even with Germany striker Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 goals over four World Cups from 2002-14.

“Beyond anything I’m so happy for the win,” Messi said. “It was huge, tough and difficult. It would allow us to be relaxed to what’s ahead. All matches in this World Cup are very even, very intense. I’m enjoying this moment and craving to enjoy with my teammates.”

Two days before his 39th birthday and with an ailing father back home, Messi celebrated twice with teammates to the delight of the decidedly pro-Argentine crowd at the sold-out home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

Most of those fans were wearing Messi’s familiar No. 10 jersey with white and blue stripes, dwarfing the small pockets of red-clad Austrian supporters under the retractable roof that offered air-conditioned comfort on the second day of what is sure to be another hot Texas summer.

The scoring record came 40 years to the day since Maradona’s “goal of the century” — another No. 10 who made a solo run from the other side of midfield to give Argentina a two-goal lead in a 2-1 victory over England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals in Mexico City. Argentina went on to win the title.

Messi joined Just Fontaine and Jairzinho as the only players to score in six straight World Cup games. Argentina extended its winning streak in the tournament to eight since a shocking loss to Saudi Arabia in its 2022 opener in Qatar.

Messi has scored all five of Argentina goals in the tournament and has 12 World Cup goals since turning 35. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as soccer’s best player in Europe had his first World Cup hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in its Group J opener last week in Kansas City.

Austria, which opened with a 3-1 victory over Jordan, can advance with a win over Algeria on Saturday in Kansas City.

Argentina returns to AT&T Stadium to face Jordan in a group finale Saturday night.

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

Athletic director Warde Manuel didn't take much time to make a move.

Mike Boynton was promoted to interim coach to replace Dusty May, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been announced.

May and the Dallas Mavericks are finalizing a contract for him to make the jump to the NBA, another person with knowledge of the deal told the AP. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal wasn’t completed.

Who is Mike Boynton?

Manuel chose to give Boynton, a two-year assistant under May and a former Oklahoma State coach, another chance to lead a program.

The school is hoping continuity will help convince players on the roster to stay out of the transfer portal.

Boynton recruited Cade Cunningham to play for the Cowboys in 2020 even though they were facing NCAA penalties from rule violations under a former assistant coach.

“There’s not a lot of coaches that would say, 'Do what you want to do, I’m going to help you if you want to leave,'" Cunningham said at the time. He went on to be drafted No. 1 by the Detroit Pistons in 2021.

Two years ago, Boynton was fired with a 119-109 record over seven seasons.

May said during the NCAA Tournament that his top assistant should get another shot.

“He’s an elite basketball coach,” May said in April. “He did a really good job at Oklahoma State, especially considering the circumstances."

The 44-year-old Boynton, who is from New York, previously was an assistant with the Cowboys and Stephen F. Austin under current Illinois coach Brad Underwood.

Freedom of movement

Just days after winning the national championship, Manuel said during a celebration at the school that he reached an agreement with May that would keep him under contract for many years to come.

Two months later, May bounced.

And, no one seemed to see it coming.

“I was shocked,” All-America forward Yaxel Lendeborg said, a day before he was expected to be a first-round pick in the NBA draft. “I almost fell to my knees.”

Sign of the times?

Even though May seemed to embrace the new era of college athletics that features freedom of movement with the transfer portal and the ability for athletes to make money on their name, image and likeness, he might have been drawn to the NBA where his role is to coach while others handle the business side of the franchise.

Manuel made a deal with May shortly after the season ended in part to keep him away from suitors such as North Carolina, which fired Hubert Davis and hired former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone.

“I think for all of those Michigan fans, they have nothing to worry about," May said on “The Rich Eisen Show" in April.

What’s next for Michigan?

May previously planned to reload for next season with nine newcomers, including three from the portal, but those newcomers along with returning players will now have an opportunity to transfer because he left.

In addition to losing May after two seasons, Michigan will be without three players projected to be first-round picks in the NBA draft on Tuesday night.

If Michigan does not name a permanent head coach within 30 days, players on the roster will have a 15-day window to transfer.

May leaves big sneakers to fill

Manuel hired May away from Florida Atlantic in 2024 and he quickly turned around a program that lost a school-record 24 games two years ago, leading to former Fab Five player Juwan Howard getting fired.

May successfully leveraged opportunities in the transfer portal in each of his two years, looking for players who loved to pass because they usually make good teammates. He also made the most of his players’ talents with spacing on offense and a swarming style on defense.

He helped make Michigan a place Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. wanted to be last season. The trio of transfers helped the team win a school-record 37 games and its second national title while improving their NBA stock.

Little did they know, May would also be working in the league next season.

“I’m happy for him,” Mara said. “Obviously, I don’t think anyone expected it or knew about it. I had no idea.”

May is leaving to lead the Mavs, a team that features reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg and nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving. He succeeds Jason Kidd, who was let go two weeks after Masai Ujiri was hired as president of basketball operations and alternate governor.

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AP Basketball Writers Tim Reynolds and Brian Mahoney in Miami and New York and AP Sports Writer Schuyler Dixon in Dallas contributed to this report.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Greenspan died from complications of Parkinson’s disease, said his wife of 29 years, NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell.

“To me he was my husband, who shaped my life from our very first date in 1984," Mitchell wrote. "He had ‘irrational exuberance’ for baseball, the Washington Commanders, tennis, golf, and music, especially jazz. He will be remembered for his brilliance and his kindness. Being his life partner was the joy of my life.”

The Fed said Greenspan helped to cement trust in the Fed during a time of economic uncertainty.

“Under his leadership, the Federal Reserve achieved a sustained era of price stability that supported economic growth and helped anchor the public’s confidence in the institution,” the central bank said in a statement Monday.

Greenspan was hailed as "Maestro'' — before crisis hit

In 18 1/2 years at the Fed, Greenspan presided over a breathtaking surge in stock prices and a 10-year economic boom that started in March 1991. He was celebrated as “Maestro’’ and “Oracle’’ — an economic virtuoso whose every utterance was dissected for clues on where interest rates and the economy were headed.

The intense scrutiny of Greenspan’s intentions gave birth to new Fed folklore: the “Briefcase Indicator.” A stuffed briefcase carried into Fed meetings implied changes might be afoot because Greenspan carried with him charts and research to make his point.

But his reputation began to suffer almost as soon as he left the Fed in 2006. American housing prices tumbled rapidly, causing huge losses for banks that had repackaged mortgage loans into a dizzying array of complex securities. The growing financial crisis pushed the U.S. economy into the Great Recession of 2007-2009 — the deepest downturn since the 1930s.

Critics blamed the devastation on Greenspan’s easy money policies and his support for deregulated financial markets. Greenspan himself later acknowledged “I made a mistake’’ in assuming that banks could essentially regulate themselves.

Greenspan became the authoritative voice on the US economy

For almost two decades, it seemed that Greenspan could do no wrong. Not only in the United States but across the world, he was regarded with a mixture of reverence and awe. Many openly dreaded the day when he would leave the Fed.

Investors hung on his sometimes inscrutable observations. In the most well-known such remark, Greenspan sent financial markets reeling on Dec. 5, 1996, when he suggested with just two words — “irrational exuberance” — that stock prices were too high.

Mindful of his power to move markets, Greenspan typically resorted to obfuscation. At times, he even joked about his habit of doing so. “I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant,” Greenspan once told a befuddled congressional committee.

Greenspan was one of the few Fed chairs that Kevin Warsh, chosen by Trump to lead the Fed, praised at his swearing-in last month. Warsh has said one of his goals is to dial back the Fed's communications, particularly the guidance it gives financial markets, an approach closer to Greenspan's than to Warsh's immediate predecessors as chair.

Yet for all his circumspect comments, Greenspan did make the Fed more transparent. He was the first chair to issue a statement explaining the Fed's interest-rate decisions. Before Greenspan, investors had to divine the Fed's intentions from market changes. Greenspan also began to release minutes and even full transcripts of meetings, though those changes were in response to pressure from Congress.

A protégé is born

Born in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, the young Greenspan was a math whiz who was trotted out by his mother to show off for visitors.

“I was a prop at parties,’’ he said in a 2007 interview with PBS NewsHour. A Julliard School dropout, he worked as a professional musician in his teens, playing clarinet and saxophone alongside the future jazz great Stan Getz. It was a humbling experience that persuaded the young Greenspan to seek another line of work.

He pursued undergraduate and graduate study in economics at New York University, eventually earning a doctorate there. For most of three decades, he ran an economic consulting firm. During the 1950s, he became a disciple of the libertarian philosopher Ayn Rand, who stuck him with the nickname the “Undertaker’’ for his dark clothes and quiet bearing. When Greenspan was sworn in as President Gerald Ford’s chief economic adviser in 1974, Rand stood beside him.

An early trial for a new Fed chair

President Ronald Reagan tapped Greenspan to run the Fed in 1987. He was tested almost immediately. On Oct. 19, 1987, which came to be known as “Black Monday,” the stock market suffered the worst one-day percentage loss in American history just two months into his term. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 22.6% for reasons that remain opaque to this day.

Greenspan was credited for helping restore stability. He assured Wall Street that the Fed would supply as much money to the financial system as was needed to restore calm. Stocks recovered, and the American economy emerged unscathed by the market crash.

During his tenure at the Fed, Greenspan drew praise for presiding over what was at the time the longest economic expansion in American history. (It was later surpassed by a 128-month expansion that ran from June 2009 through February 2020.) During Greenspan's tenure at the Fed, the nation’s unemployment rate briefly dropped below 4% for the first time since 1970.

And inflation, which had bedeviled the United States and much of the global economy during the 1970s, was remarkably dormant during Greenspan’s chairmanship, something many economists thought impossible for so long a period.

During the long boom, Greenspan argued that improvements in technology had made the economy so efficient that it could run faster and at lower rates of unemployment, without unleashing inflation. As a consequence, the theory went, the Fed could keep interest rates low even when the economy was roaring.

The economy soared in the late 1990s, expanding by 4% or more for four straight years, and Greenspan was credited with holding off on rate hikes and allowing the boom to run.

Warsh has said that AI could reproduce the 1990s experience of high growth with low inflation, though economists are skeptical it will play out the same way.

A passion for numbers and life

As Fed chair, Greenspan relished poring over obscure economic data, from monthly boxcar loadings to steel production, all in a bid to assess where the economy was going. He would often phone economists at other government agencies to discuss details. He would rise early each morning for a two-hour soak in his bathtub, time that he used to review statistics and Fed staff memos.

Improbably, Greenspan also made the gossip pages as an unlikely ladies’ man. He dated the television journalist Barbara Walters and later married Mitchell after a 12-year courtship. They had no children.

Greenspan dated Walters while working as an adviser to President Gerald Ford. According to a biography of Greenspan, “The Man Who Knew” by Sebastian Mallaby, when Ford read a newspaper item about the pair, he cut it out and sent it to his chief of staff, Dick Cheney, with a note that said, “I don’t believe it.”

A strong faith in self-regulating markets is challenged

All along, Greenspan held fast to the belief that financial markets could largely regulate themselves. With officials from President Bill Clinton’s White House, he helped block efforts by Brooksley Born, the nation’s top commodities regulator, to bring federal oversight in the late 1990s to the shadowy market in over-the-counter derivatives. The derivatives allowed speculators to make bets on everything from the price of oil to high-risk mortgages.

Eventually, history would vindicate Born, not the Maestro.

The low interest rates Greenspan had engineered helped swell housing prices into a dangerous bubble. And the financial deregulation he supported allowed banks and other financial firms to pile up huge risks, often hidden from government supervision. Bad derivatives bets helped sink insurance giant American International Group, which required a $180 billion taxpayer bailout. Vaunted investment firms Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers failed and U.S. financial markets nearly collapsed.

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, which was assigned to investigate the debacle by Congress, concluded:

“More than 30 years of deregulation and reliance on self-regulation by financial institutions, championed by former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan and others ... had stripped away key safeguards, which could have helped avoid catastrophe."

Life after the Fed

In the years after stepping down as Fed chairman in 2006 just shy of his 80th birthday, Greenspan kept busy doing what he loved to do most — following the economic data. He ran his own consulting firm, Greenspan Associates, through which he dispensed advice to Wall Street clients and collected handsome speaking fees.

He kept up a busy schedule well into his 90s, writing his memoir and two other books on the economy, as well as opining on the latest economic developments on television news shows.

He also signed onto opinion articles and statements defending the Federal Reserve’s political independence from President Donald Trump’s ongoing attacks. In January 2026 he signed a statement criticizing the Trump administration’s investigation of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The statement, which was also signed by two other former Fed chairs and five former Treasury secretaries, called the investigation “an unprecedented attempt to use prosecutorial attacks to undermine” the Fed’s independence and warned it would have “highly negative consequences for inflation.”

In his 2013 book “The Map and the Territory,’’ Greenspan defended himself against critics who assigned him significant blame for the 2008 financial meltdown. He argued that traditional economic forecasting was no match for the irrational risk-taking that can feed catastrophic price bubbles.

“Bubbles go up very slowly as euphoria builds,” Greenspan said in a 2013 interview with The Associated Press. “Then fear hits, and it comes down very sharply. When I started to look at that, I was sort of intellectually shocked.”

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AP Economics Writers Martin Crutsinger contributed to this report.

This morning we are still dry and clear, but that all changes this afternoon. Strong to severe storms will move through the area in two waves, with the first wave starting around lunchtime.

Our SPC outlook puts the entirety of the viewing area under a slight risk today. The threats we are anticipating include hail, wind damage and heavy rainfall. This slight risk does extend from the entire state of Virginia into the Carolinas as well. The fuel from these storms is due to the combination of heat, humidity and a cold front.

Futurecast shows the first line of showers and storms around lunchtime hour, so you will want the umbrella for the lunch break and evening commute. This first line will be a bit more organized, with isolated cells developing in the second afternoon line around 1-2 PM.

Isolated instances of heavy rainfall will develop depending on the amount of clearing we have behind the first line of storms around lunchtime.

The first line of storms will be fueled with the convective development and the second line fueled with the cold front forcing. This is why we need to stay weather aware all day today!

In the wake of this front, we clear out for Tuesday and Wednesday before resuming another active pattern Thursday through Sunday.

Sunday Evening Update

With the heat and humidity abundant in our atmosphere, it was only a matter of time before we saw our next risk for severe weather.

A strong cold front will sweep through the region on Monday, bringing in the possibility of severe thunderstorms to hit the region. The Storm Prediction Center has put us under a slight risk for severe weather as well.

Winds will be the primary threat with this system, with a potential for damaging gusts throughout the afternoon. With a stark temperature contrast ahead of the front and behind the front, you’ll certainly feel the cooler air rush into the region, even if you aren’t experiencing a thunderstorm at that given moment.

We can’t rule out the risk of flooding in some areas either. While yes... we are still under drought conditions, any thunderstorm cell that pops up could produce significant rainfall rates that lead to the ground not absorbing moisture quickly enough, leading to flooding.

The hail threat is relatively low, as this setup just isn’t conducive to any significant hail. However, an isolated instance could appear in any supercells that develop.

The timing of this system appears to begin around noon and continue until around 8 p.m. The best chance for severe weather appears to be around 2-5 p.m., so certainly keep an eye on the sky and the radar if you happen to be outside tomorrow. However, I would forgo any outdoor plans or events, and be sure you have any outdoor furniture or items secured.

As always, we’ll continue to keep you informed.

Elder clears fifth obstacle in qualifying round

Elder made it through five obstacles in the qualifying round of Season 18, impressing with both his speed and endurance on the course.

“I’m really happy with how I did on American Ninja Warrior 18 in the qualifying round. I made it all the way through the fifth obstacle, and I was going at a very fast pace,” Elder said.

Elder trains at a local gym, focusing on grip strength and timing — the same skills that carried him through qualifying. But this season required some adjustments after his training schedule changed significantly from last year.

“Last year I was able to get in the ninja gym multiple times a week because I was coaching at the gym so I was able to come in and train all the time. Now I can only get in the gym once a week for open gyms and I have been doing more lifting and upper body workouts,” Elder said.

From farm to finish line

Outside the gym, Elder’s family runs a small farm in Campbell County — and farm life plays a bigger role in his competition prep than you might expect.

“Last year I powered up for my ninja runs by eating my ninja nuggets. Which were from my chickens on my farm. This year, I switched it up and I have ducks now. I’m powering up with quack snacks which are the same thing but from the ducks. I guess we’ll find out if they help me more or less,” Elder said.

Catch Elder in action when the semifinals air Monday, June 22, at 9 p.m. on WSLS.

The timing only gives his family more reason to celebrate.

Tkachuk was elected to the Hall of Fame on Monday, less than 24 hours after his sons became teammates when Brady was traded from Ottawa to Florida, joining older brother Matthew.

The patriarch nicknamed “Walt” Tkachuk is part of a player class that includes center Patrice Bergeron, who won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011 and the Selke Trophy as the league's top defensive forward six times, and goaltenders Carey Price from Montreal and Pekka Rinne from Nashville.

U.S. women’s hockey pioneer Cindy Curley and executive Brian Burke also are set to be inducted in November.

Tkachuk was one of the premier power forwards of his era, playing in the 1990s and 2000s as part of the first great generation of American hockey players. He recorded 1,121 points in 1,290 games, counting the playoffs, with Winnipeg, Phoenix, St. Louis and Atlanta, and was part of the U.S. team that won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

“I was blessed to play in the greatest sports league in the world,” Tkachuk said. “Through good times and bad times, it was always the best experience imaginable.”

Bergeron, who spent his entire career with the Bruins, was chosen in his first year of eligibility.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

The patrols come two days after Trump said authorities had made “multiple arrests” of people he insisted were responsible for damage to the peeling coating after an algae bloom occurred. The liner was installed as part of his $14 million-plus project.

The president has confirmed the problems likely require draining the pool again for liner repairs, and he promised a quick fix. But the timeline was not clear Monday, and the administration did not immediately respond to questions about a new round of work. Contractors and federal workers in recent days have been using chemicals and ozone nanobubbles to combat the algae.

Trump pitched the original improvements as intended to clean, beautify and reinforce an iconic site that he said had become dilapidated and dirty because of previous presidents' neglect. Algae has plagued the pool for a century, and Trump insisted that a newly installed ‘American flag blue’ coating, which he selected himself, would turn the pool into a gleaming expanse along the National Mall.

Yet within weeks of Trump declaring the rehabilitation completed in time for Independence Day, the water was plagued by a vivid green algae bloom that clouded the pool's coating. An approximately 4 foot-square piece of the liner was observed last Friday to be partially floating in the pool. The Associated Press observed additional pieces in the water Monday.

Via social media, the president has blamed the problems on “SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE!” He asserted Monday on Truth Social that intentional damages include a “300 foot long gash” and that “chemicals have been illegally placed in the water.” A day earlier, Trump posted, “Work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool.”

He has not substantiated those claims, and even if anyone has deliberately peeled the lining, that would not explain the algae bloom that appeared more intensely than what typically occurred before the renovation.

Images showing that Trump's project apparently backfired boomeranged across social media last week, drawing crowds of onlookers eager to see the effects themselves. An unknown number ended up being detained by federal authorities.

One man arrested was David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland. A former Olympic canoe racer, Hearn told The Associated Press that he reached into the pool because he wanted to examine the peeling new coating. He said he briefly touched a chunk that was still attached to the side of the pool, then let go shortly after a park worker told him to. Hearn said he was then detained by National Guard troops and Park Police for five hours before being released Friday night.

“I’m a curious citizen,” Hearn said in a telephone interview. “I reached down to see what it felt like. It was very rubbery.”

The Park Police did not immediately respond Monday to AP's questions about how many arrests were made and whether any charges had been filed. Washington's Metropolitan Police Department said Monday that the agency is not involved.

It was not immediately apparent what criminal or civil violation someone might commit reaching into the pool. Trump, in one of his Truth Social posts on the matter, threatened prison time for his unnamed assailants, referencing laws against defacing federal monuments.

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Barrow reported from Atlanta. Katie Vogel contributed reporting from Washington, D.C.

Vance and U.S. officials claimed progress on multiple fronts, including the establishment of “mechanisms” to ensure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy shipments, stays open and to address fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, where a ceasefire appeared to be holding.

The vice president departed Switzerland as technical teams were still in place negotiating. He stressed that the key for President Donald Trump would be Iran's actions rather than its words.

“My point is that I trust actions, and what the president has asked us to do is verify what they’re doing, focus less on what they’re saying,” Vance said.

Iran effectively closed the strait after the U.S. and Israel attacked on Feb. 28, causing fuel prices to skyrocket far beyond the region. The interim agreement to end the war was supposed to reopen the channel. Dozens of ships passed through it over the weekend, even though the main route is still mined and closed.

Shortly after those attacks, Hezbollah and Israel also went to war, with Hezbollah firing rockets and drones at civilian communities in northern Israel and Israel seizing large swaths of southern Lebanon. Iran has insisted that addressing the fighting in Lebanon is a critical component of any deal to end the wider conflict.

Iran noted “major progress” to end the fighting in Lebanon and called that the first real test of the negotiations.

In other developments, the U.S. Treasury issued a 60-day license waiving sanctions on Iranian oil as part of the interim agreement. Notably, the license allows Iranian oil to be imported into the U.S., which has not imported significant amounts of Iranian oil since the 1990s.

Also on Monday, the State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would travel this week to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain to discuss the latest developments in Iran.

Trump was not in Switzerland but loomed large over talks

The mediation effort in Switzerland started Sunday and stretched into early Monday.

“We haven’t built the house, but we’ve laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people,” Vance told reporters after initial talks with Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.

Trump did not attend what was dubbed the “Lake Lucerne Summit,” but his presence certainly loomed large. The talks were jolted by statements from Trump, who, from thousands of miles away, fired off comments that offended the Iranians.

Iranian state media said talks had paused after the “publication of an insulting message by the U.S. President.” The negotiations later continued.

Vance floats unfreezing Iranian assets to purchase US goods

The vice president suggested that the U.S. could agree to unfreeze Iranian assets for purchases of U.S. soy, corn and wheat. He said Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and one of the lead U.S. negotiators, came up with the idea with officials from Qatar.

Vance said Qatar would have approval over the process, and Iranian money that would be accessible as sanctions were lifted would buy American products "for the benefit of the Iranian people.”

Iran, which has pressed for the unfreezing of billions of dollars in assets, has not commented on the idea. The assets have been frozen over years of sanctions, banking restrictions and legal disputes imposed by the U.S. and international community.

High-level talks have ended but technical talks continue

In a joint statement, mediators Pakistan and Qatar hailed what they called “encouraging progress.”

The interim deal to end the fighting in Iran, signed last week by the leaders of the U.S. and Iran, sets a 60-day period for negotiations on key issues, including the future of Tehran’s nuclear program amid concerns that Iran wants to use it for military purposes, a claim the country denies.

Vance said the technical talks, which were to continue this week, were critical. U.S. envoys Kushner and Steve Witkoff are handling many of the technical details.

More ships pass through strait

Meanwhile, more ships went through the Strait of Hormuz. According to data and analytics firm Kpler, there were 71 confirmed transits over the weekend, with a peak of 35 crossings on Saturday. Before the war, 100 to 130 vessels passed through the strait each day.

Ships have been avoiding the central route to steer clear of mines, choosing instead to use the smaller northern route, which goes through Iranian waters, and the southern route, which goes through Omani waters. In the markets, U.S. oil prices dropped more than 2% in Monday afternoon trading to $74.66 a barrel.

Trump, over the weekend, made clear he was annoyed by Iran’s public commentary on the strait, which Iran’s military said it closed Saturday in response to continued fighting in Lebanon. U.S. Central Command disputed that Iran closed the strait again.

Ahead of the talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had vowed to “never back down from the right to enrich uranium,” according to state media.

Trump on Sunday told Fox News in a phone interview that Pezeshkian should watch what he says and threatened to take over Iran, according to one of the news channel's correspondents.

Trump also posted on social media as negotiators worked: “Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”

Iranians agree there was progress on their top issue

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that mediators delivered "major progress to end the Lebanon War.” But he said the first “real test” of negotiations would be whether the mechanism succeeds in halting the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a signatory to the U.S.-Iran deal.

But as of Monday evening in the Middle East, the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to be holding.

“We have not detected trajectories from either side since yesterday,” said Tilak Pokharel, a spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon known as UNIFIL.

Airspace violations and Israeli military movements continued, Pokharel said.

Hezbollah has not announced any attacks on Israeli forces since Saturday.

The lull in fighting in Lebanon is the longest since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2.

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Kim and Boak reported from Washington. Associated Press reporters Abby Sewell in Beirut, David Rising in Bangkok, Fatima Hussein in Washington, Mae Anderson in New York, Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this story.

Earlier this year, Davis was hospitalized following an upper respiratory issue and was released a few days later. His death, in his Manhattan apartment, was confirmed by his publicist Aliza Rabinoff, who also shared a statement from his family.

“To the world, our father was the iconic music legend whose vision, instincts, and relentless pursuit of excellence shaped the soundtrack of countless lives. He discovered, mentored, and championed the greatest artists in modern music history, leaving an indelible mark on culture that will endure for generations,” the statement read.

Unlike other record moguls whose influence waned as they got older, Davis' might only seemed to grow, spanning multiple genres and labels. Into his later years, he was directing the careers of everyone from Barry Manilow to “American Idol” winners Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. And his exclusive pre-Grammys gala, held the Saturday night before the Sunday award show every year since 1975, continued to be an institution.

“Clive’s talent has always been seeing and hearing what other people don’t,” former President Barack Obama said in a video message played at this year’s gala.

A Brooklyn background

Clive Jay Davis was born on April 4, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York, where he grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood. His father was an electrician and traveling salesman. He attended New York University and then Harvard Law School, eventually landing a job as an in-house lawyer at Columbia Records.

Davis always had a knack for business, and by 1967, became president of the company, just seven years after being hired as an attorney. He cited attending the Monterey International Pop Festival that year as pivotal; it eventually led him to bringing Bruce Springsteen, Chicago, Neil Diamond and many other groups to the label — bringing a counterculture spirit to a company that had resisted rock ‘n’ roll.

Davis took big swings in the music industry, particularly in his support for Black artists, beginning when he signed Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records in 1971.

In 2015, the NAACP recognized Davis for his groundbreaking work by presenting him with the Vanguard Award. And last summer, Davis was presented with the Apollo Theater’s Apollo Legacy Award and inducted onto its Walk of Fame.

An unrivaled career

His success stories were staggering, with Houston a crowning achievement and devastating tragedy: Davis signed her to his Arista record label when she was just a teen and turned her into America's reigning pop princess.

Houston racked up multiple No. 1 hits and became one of the top-selling artists in pop history before drug abuse hobbled her career. She died in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2012, just hours before she was to appear at the annual pre-Grammy Awards gala hosted by Davis, who had been convinced she was turning her life around.

“Maybe I should have been more skeptical,” Davis wrote in his 2013 memoir, “The Soundtrack of My Life,” “but I’ve always been optimistic, and I felt hopeful. It felt like old times.”

He also launched the career of multi-platinum, multiple-Grammy winner Keys — and was quick to note other talents he signed, including Joplin and Billy Joel, Blood Sweat & Tears and other “all-timers,” as he so often put it.

“I signed Patti Smith, the great Renaissance woman ... I signed Lou Reed ... I signed the Grateful Dead,” he proudly touted in an interview with The Associated Press in 1999.

He also signed the then up-and-coming producer Sean “Diddy” Combs to a label deal with his Bad Boy Records. Under Davis, the label would have some of its biggest successes, most notably with late rap icon the Notorious B.I.G. That was long before the hip-hop mogul Diddy would be incarcerated, convicted of violating the federal Mann Act, which bans transporting people across state lines for any sexual crime.

An exec who built lifelong careers

Davis didn't simply have an eye for new talent — he also knew how to keep veterans relevant, decades after their first hit. Aretha Franklin, whose legend was made at Atlantic Records, flourished in her later years at Arista, as did Luther Vandross, who made his last albums for another Davis label, J Records.

It was Davis who conceived of the 1999 album “Supernatural,” which paired guitar god Santana with some of the day's hottest talents. The record won a record-tying eight Grammys and gave Santana more success than he had ever enjoyed in his decades-long career.

And he had middle-aged star Rod Stewart trade in his rock hits for standards from “The Great American Songbook.” The album, released in 2003, sold millions and was so successful it spawned four titles in all.

Davis didn’t always make the right choices; he turned down a chance to sign up Meat Loaf. And he and his collaborators didn’t always agree.

He and producer David Foster fought bitterly over the arrangement for Houston’s all-time hit, a cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” Davis won that fight — and the song was published with its iconic a capella intro.

And Manilow strongly objected to recording “I Write the Songs,” noting that he didn’t even write the song, a Bruce Johnston ballad that became a signature hit for Manilow, who would have similar latter-day success mining the music of the 1950s, 60s and '70s.

“He's just brilliant at picking ideas he thinks the public will connect,” raved Manilow, who had worked with Davis since he was a budding singer at Columbia Records.

But not an infallible figure

Davis also had his struggles. Though he became president of Columbia Records in 1967 after joining the label in 1960 as a lawyer, by 1973 he was gone in a bitter fallout. The label accused him of mismanagement of funds and he was fired. Although Davis says he was later cleared, it wasn't the end of his problems; he later was indicted on tax evasion charges, pleaded guilty to one count and had to pay a $10,000 fine.

However, Davis would declare victory: He says Columbia gave him the money to start Arista to resolve the dispute, and the label would become a huge success with artists like country superstars Brooks & Dunn, sassy R&B group TLC, Babyface, Houston, Franklin and others.

The label had huge success with a debut act — Milli Vanilli. But the male pop duo would become the embarrassment of the industry when, after winning a Grammy, it was revealed that they weren't actually singing their songs (Davis blamed the debacle on the label's European division, which he said signed them; the group was later stripped of its best new artist Grammy).

In 1999, as Arista was celebrating its 25th anniversary, Davis faced another crisis: The label's then-parent company, BMG Entertainment, a division of German media conglomerate Bertelsmann, wanted him to retire; most of its executives were eased out by 60, and Davis was in his mid-60s.

In 2000, despite support from his superstar roster, the company ousted him in favor of producer and songwriter Antonio “L.A.” Reid, who would later become chairman of Island/Def Jam.

Still, Davis' successes were many

However, instead of severing its ties with Davis, BMG helped him launch J Records in what BMG has described as the largest record company startup ever created. Vandross was one of his initial artists, along with forgettable acts like the boy-band O-Town.

J Records was a success from the start, though, and only grew in stature with the arrival of a young singer named Keys, a piano-playing singer-songwriter with powerful pipes and dramatic R&B songs. Keys' albums would go on to sell millions and win several Grammys.

His influence grew even more when Davis was tapped for BMG's U.S. division.

He became a key backer of the careers of the winners of “American Idol,” guiding many albums to platinum status. The show's link to Sony BMG came through a deal between Davis and 19 Recordings Unlimited, the label managed by “Idol” creator Simon Fuller.

In 2007, however, Davis disagreed with the direction of Clarkson's “My December,” and she publicly criticized him. The album was a flop, and she later apologized.

In 2008, Sony BMG replaced Davis as chairman and chief executive officer of the BMG label group, giving him the title of chief creative officer.

He was serving as worldwide chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment up until his death.

A love-filled personal life

In his memoir, Davis confirmed longtime rumors that he was bisexual and had been living with a man in recent years.

“Do I feel I could have been similarly attracted to a woman?” Davis wrote. “The answer is yes.”

He is survived by his four children, sons Fred, Doug and Mitchell, daughter Lauren, and his eight grandchildren Austin, Charlie, Matthew, Hayley, Harper, Sloane, Billie and Cody, two great grandchildren, cousin Jo Schuman and partner Greg Schriefer.

His family shared a loving statement on Monday.

“Through every chapter of his remarkable life, family remained Clive’s greatest pride and deepest joy. Today, we celebrate not only a towering figure whose influence changed music forever, but the man who led our family with grace, generosity, and kindness. We will miss him greatly, cherish him always, and carry his love with us for the rest of our lives.”

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Former AP writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody was the main writer of this obituary.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials on Monday confirmed the end of the quarantine.

“Through close collaboration among federal, state, and local partners, HHS helped protect the American people, contain potential risks, and bring this response effort to a successful conclusion,” HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said in an email.

More than 120 people were evacuated from the MV Hondius in Spain’s Canary Islands early last month — including the 18 Americans who wound up in the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha — though most were from other countries.

In addition to those people evacuated by health officials in full protective suits, at least 30 other passengers had left the ship earlier before the outbreak was documented. That included seven Americans, who were allowed to monitor for any symptoms at home. When the ship eventually docked in the Netherlands, 25 crew members and two medical personnel were on board and had to quarantine.

The World Health Organization didn't immediately respond Monday to questions about the status of all the other people who had to quarantine around the globe. A total of 13 cases of the virus, including the three who died, were identified among people who were on the ship.

Most Americans returned home but some were forced to quarantine

One of the American passengers, Angela Perryman, had been held against her will and against the recommendation of a government medical expert. She said in an interview Monday passengers were told that the quarantine monitoring period ended Sunday at 2pm. She left on a flight that evening. Others were flying out Monday, she said.

“We were locked in our rooms until 1:55. And at 2 o’clock, ‘OK, well, everybody walk out and go home,’” Perryman said, speaking from her Florida home.

Some stayed the night elsewhere in Omaha, but Perryman pushed for a flight home that evening. The government paid for the flights, she said.

Seven of the last remaining patients remained there voluntarily, but Perryman was forced to stay as the result of a controversial quarantine order that was deemed unnecessary even by some health officials.

Perryman and seven others spent six weeks at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. That monitoring period was set because symptoms of hantavirus have taken as long as 42 days to appear in previous outbreaks. None were reported to have develop the illness. The seven remained there voluntarily, but Perryman was forced to stay as the result of the controversial quarantine order.

Ten others who were at the facility were allowed to leave earlier under an agreement that they would be closely monitored in their home states.

Outbreak developed on a small cruise ship

The passengers were on a Dutch cruise ship, the MV Hondius, traveling in the South Atlantic that became the setting of a hantavirus outbreak that killed three people, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America.

Hantaviruses usually spread when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings, but the hantavirus that caused the outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases, health officials say.

Some 25 Americans were on the ship, including about seven who disembarked in April and 18 who remained on board. Sixteen were evacuated to the Nebraska quarantine unit in Omaha on May 11, and two other Americans joined them a few days later.

Passengers staying in Omaha enjoyed Nebraska hospitality

During the passengers’ stay, local Omaha restaurants and food trucks delivered special meals for them to enjoy almost daily. And the nurses sometimes made Starbucks runs to deliver some of the passengers’ favorite drinks.

The rooms they stayed in are like hotel rooms equipped with a desk, television, internet connection and exercise equipment to help the passengers pass the time.

One of the passengers, Jake Rosmarin, on Monday morning posted an "I’m finally coming home" video that showed him leaving his room at the quarantine center, hauling two suitcases and a backpack and turning out the lights as he walked out the door. Later Monday, he posted a video of the Omaha skyline shot out the window of his plane as he headed home to his fiance in Boston and his family.

Rosmarin, who is a travel blogger, posted a tearful video Sunday thanking the staff of the quarantine unit, the Omaha community and his family and friends who helped him get through quarantine.

“I want to thank the Omaha, Nebraska, community for welcoming us with open arms and showing us complete kindness and generosity. And a big thanks to all of you who have helped me get through this because I really don’t know if it would have been as easy without the support from strangers,” he said while wearing a Nebraska Huskers sweatshirt that someone sent him.

Florida wouldn't agree to monitor passenger round the clock

Perryman had a darker take. She was forced to stay after Florida officials refused a federal demand that the state provide round-the-clock surveillance on her if she were returned home. This even as they had started making travel arrangements for the passengers weeks ago, she said.

“Nobody actually expected anybody to get sick at that point,” she said. “Everybody was well aware that we were all going home on commercial flights.”

She called the six-week quarantine “a political stunt.”

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Then there's the price of beer.

There are some fun — and yes, sometimes pricey — food and drink offerings at the venues playing host to the World Cup. A $75 caviar-topped tray of tater tots and a $40 empanada weighing in at 5 pounds (2.2 kilograms) for the daring or for sharing in Miami. Rib-eye tacos for $8 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Something called a Twinkie cheeseburger that has nothing to do with dessert for $22 in Los Angeles.

Prices, in many cases, aren't all that different from what U.S. fans would experience on NFL Sundays or college football Saturdays. But some international fans aren't used to such pricing and are calling foul, especially over beer prices that can top $20.

“It's unfair. It's not right. It's wrong,” said Thomas Schüller, an engineer from Germany in Toronto to watch his national team play over the weekend, as he held a beer that cost him 24.25 Canadian dollars (about $17 or 15 euros). “It's three times the cost of what I pay in my country.”

But is that stopping him?

“Well, no,” Schüller acknowledged.

World Cup beer prices become a mild pint of discord

There is clearly some sticker shock among international visitors to this World Cup, especially when it comes to the concession prices. In Europe, it's not uncommon for beers to be perhaps around 4 or 5 euros (about $5-6).

There's also no shortage of intrigue on the menu at the concession stands at stadiums across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

“Never seen anything like it,” said Janine Arbetter, a fan from Austria, as she waited for a hot dog, chips and soda combo in Miami last week. The pre-tip price: $19.35 (about 17 euros), which included a discount for using Visa. “It's a lot of food for a little snack.”

Some Argentina fans happily showed off their $34 lobster rolls from a match in Kansas City on social media, but in Toronto, the brisket sandwich with chips and a bottle of soda for nearly 40 Canadian dollars ($28) had some online commenters lamenting it as “robbery.”

“It's OK, more or less, for the World Cup,” German fan Daniel Feldmann said of the food prices while watching a match in Vancouver last week.

Concession offerings vary from stadium to stadium

FIFA, the sport's governing body and the tournament organizer, has very specific rules on just about everything related to the World Cup — and there are guidelines that concessionaires have to follow as well. But prices can vary by market, as do the food and drink offerings. And that means the experience in one city might look, or taste, nothing like what's offered in another.

The “Fancy AF Tots” for $75 at Miami Stadium aren't really tots at all — it's three deep-fried hash brown patties, with caviar, creme fraiche and chives. (For those who just want the caviar, it'll be $70.) Southern California's Twinkie cheeseburger is in fact a burger topped with a Texas Twinkie — a bacon-wrapped jalapeño stuffed with brisket and cream cheese.

But there's also a slew of choices specific to a local market; for example, Vancouver offers short rib poutine (an iconic Canadian dish of fries loaded with beef gravy, pulled short rib and cheese curds) along with a maple bacon smokie (smoked sausage topped with bacon onion jam that features Canadian maple syrup).

And in Miami, the signature offerings include pan con lechon (a Cuban-style sandwich with pork, infused with citrus mojo sauce and served on a toasted full Cuban loaf) and Empanada Mundial (the five-pound, handmade, chicken-and-cheese-stuffed dish named after the World Cup).

Both Vancouver and Miami have Sodexo Live as a food and beverage provider, and the typical game-day menus in both stadiums were revised a bit to accommodate a soccer crowd.

“We want it to feel like Miami when you’re here,” said Zach Williams, Sodexo Live's vice president of operations at Miami Stadium. “Everything we do around the Miami Stadium, we want to make sure everybody understands that when they come here, they’re getting a Miami experience.”

Atlanta Stadium keeps prices low

In Mexico City, a beer could cost a day's pay — literally. The daily minimum wage in Mexico City is just 315.04 pesos (roughly $18). Some beers at Mexico City Stadium were selling for between 299 and 310 pesos — about twice as much as fans would ordinarily pay in the same stadium when the World Cup isn't in town.

But in Atlanta, where Falcons owner and stadium operator Arthur Blank promised the low concession prices he's championed for many years would hold for the World Cup, pizza slices were $3, 32-ounce sodas were $4, a cheeseburger was $5, chicken tenders with fries were $6 and beers could be had for as little as $8.

Jonathan Arango, a 33-year-old from Greenville, South Carolina, was at a match in Atlanta with his wife, daughter and father.

“In total for what we got — three orders of tacos, a slice of pizza, two waters and a Coke — we spent like $50,” Arango said. “Compared to what we’ve paid at other events ... it's nice after you paid a lot for a ticket.”

And Schüller pointed out that even though the tournament does come around every four years, it still feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“The entire football world is having fun,” Schüller said, “so cheers to that.”

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Associated Press journalists Tales Azzoni, Maura Carey, Andrew Dalton, Carlos Rodriguez, Alanis Thames, Stephen Whyno and Ben Kule contributed to this story from various World Cup venues. Kule is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup

The shooting has sparked outrage in the small city of Senatobia, where some say it’s the latest in a series of troubling encounters between police and Black residents.

Kohen Wiley was riding with his mother and another woman in a Walmart parking lot on June 14 when police responded to a shoplifting call. The family says they were driving away, while the officers say the car was heading toward them.

“I watched my baby take his first breath, and I watched my baby take his last breath,” Vellesiya Wiley said at a news conference Monday.

The other woman in the car, whose name has not been released, suffered “critical injuries,” according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the inquiry.

Standing alongside Kohen’s parents and grandparents at a local church, civil rights attorney Ben Crump told reporters Monday that the best way to determine whether the officers were at risk is to publicly release any body camera, dash camera or Walmart security camera video.

“If that is the truth, then show us that,” Crump said. “The longer you delay releasing the video, the more distrustful we become.”

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation declined to comment on what videos investigators have or whether they would be released, agency spokesperson Bailey Martin said Monday.

“This case has been made a top priority,” Martin said in an emailed statement, “and we currently have multiple agents working tirelessly to ensure every aspect of the investigation is thoroughly examined.”

The agency says the officers weren’t hurt. Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford did not return a phone message seeking comment Monday.

State investigators gave an initial account of the shooting last week, saying that when Senatobia police arrived at the Walmart, they found two women and a child getting into a car and driving away.

“Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. An officer then discharged their weapon and the vehicle fled the scene,” the agency statement said.

Kohen's mother has said the shoplifting call was over a box of diapers that her friend was carrying — and that she believes her friend had paid for the diapers. State investigators declined to comment on those details.

Crump questioned why police didn't let the car go and take down the license plate number.

“They were called over a box of diapers and a family now has to bury their baby,” Crump said Monday. “You cannot put those two things next to each other and call it reasonable policing.”

Crump also said an independent autopsy would be performed.

While there's no question the child was shot by police, he said, details about the angles at which any bullets struck the child could yield clues as to whether the officer fired from in front of the car or off to the side — and therefore whether that officer was in any danger.

Policing expert Ian Adams, who teaches criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, told The Associated Press last week that police should know that “shooting into a moving vehicle is a very bad idea and one to be avoided at almost all costs,” noting the danger to passengers and other bystanders.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal wasn't completed.

May and the Wolverines won their first NCAA championship since 1989 with a 69-63 victory over UConn in April to wrap up a 34-3 season. They opened the NCAA Tournament by becoming the first team ever to score at least 90 points in five consecutive games.

That came three years after May led Florida Atlantic to its only Final Four appearance. The Owls returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2024 before May was hired by Michigan.

The 49-year-old May replaces Jason Kidd, who was let go two weeks after Masai Ujiri was hired as president of basketball operations and alternate governor of the Mavericks.

He comes to the NBA with a chance to mold 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick and reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg. Veteran star Kyrie Irving is also on the roster for now after missing the entire 2025-26 season following an ACL tear in March of last year.

May's first job as a college assistant was at Murray State in 2005-06. He then served on staffs at UAB, Louisiana Tech and Florida before getting his first head coaching job at Florida Atlantic.

The Owls went 35-4 during their dream season in 2022-23, which ended with a 72-71 loss to San Diego State in the national semifinals when Lamont Butler hit a buzzer-beating shot for the Aztecs.

“I was a fan of Dusty’s when he was at FAU,” said Yaxel Lendeborg, who played for May at Michigan and is expected to be a lottery pick in the first round of the NBA draft on Tuesday night. “And now, after playing for him, I’m a bigger fan. I have so much respect for Dusty May, I can’t even tell you.”

Lendeborg said at last month’s draft combine that he believed May ran Michigan’s program like an NBA program in many ways.

“A lot of schemes, a lot of switching and stuff. And his offense was very much a pro-style offense,” Lendeborg said. “We played fast-paced, physical, all of that. ... I’ve gained so much knowledge from him as far as those actions and just those little communication keys.”

May’s rise in coaching has been meteoric, particularly after the last four seasons.

He took over at Florida Atlantic in 2018 and had four consecutive seasons of finishing just over .500 — before striking gold in the 2022-23 season, going 35-4 and taking the Owls on that improbable Final Four run.

May went 25-9 at FAU the following season, then went to Michigan and brought the Wolverines back to prominence. He was 64-13 in his two seasons after replacing Juwan Howard with Michigan coming off an 8-24 season, the school's lowest win total since going 7-20 in 1981-82.

Michigan went 27-10 in May’s debut, won the Big Ten Conference Tournament and made it to the NCAA Sweet 16.

May’s record in his last four college seasons was 124-26, an .827 winning percentage that was third best in all of major college men’s basketball over that span behind Houston’s Kelvin Sampson (.861) and Duke’s Jon Scheyer (.832).

The Indiana native was a student manager for the Hoosiers and coach Bob Knight while he was in school there from 1996-2000. He gained experience in scouting, video operations and player development while with the Hall of Fame coach, who died in 2023.

After graduating from Indiana, May spent two seasons as an administrative assistant and video coordinator at Southern California. He returned to the Hoosiers in similar roles from 2002-05.

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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami and AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Arlington, Texas, contributed to this report.

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

Alberto Carvalho 's resignation letter dated Sunday made no direct mention of the Feb. 25 search of his home and the LA Unified School District’s headquarters. Two days after the FBI served the search warrants, the district’s Board of Education voted unanimously to place Carvalho on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Authorities have not provided details of the nature of the investigation involving the district, which serves more than 500,000 students. The investigation appears to relate to a contract the school district had with an education technology company whose leader was later indicted for fraud. The company, AllHere, had a contract with the district to create an AI chatbot.

Before becoming the Los Angeles superintendent in 2022, Carvalho had spent his entire education career in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where he drew national praise for improving graduation rates and academic achievement among Black and Hispanic students. While advocating for Miami’s immigrant students, he spoke openly about his own struggles as a young recent arrival from Portugal working in restaurants and construction while homeless at times.

Authorities have not accused Carvalho of any crimes. He denied any wrongdoing earlier this year and had asked to be reinstated as head of the nation's second-largest district. On Sunday he resigned via a letter addressed to “students, families, teachers, staff, and community." He cited what he called “historic progress” made during his tenure.

“Placing students first has always guided my work,” Carvalho wrote. “Because I believe our schools must remain focused on students and learning without distraction, I am resigning as Superintendent of LAUSD effective today, June 21, 2026.”

In its statement released early Monday, the Board acknowledged it received the letter of resignation.

“The Board remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring stability, continuity, and continued progress through strong leadership. Our focus remains unchanged: providing every student with a high-quality education, supporting our dedicated workforce, and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve,” it said in the statement.

It said that Andrés Chait, who has been acting superintendent, will remain in that position until a permanent decision is made.

In February, the FBI also searched a third location near Miami. The Miami Herald reported the Florida property belonged to Debra Kerr, who previously worked with AllHere.

In 2024, Carvalho heavily touted a deal with AllHere for an AI chatbot named “Ed” designed to help students. But about three months after unveiling the technology and paying the company $3 million, the district dropped its dealings with AllHere, which collapsed into bankruptcy. Months later, founder Joanna Smith-Griffin was charged with securities and wire fraud, along with identity theft.

At the time, Carvalho denied personal involvement in the selection of AllHere, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“Mr. Carvalho respects the rule of law and the investigative process and has always acted in the best interests of students and within the bounds of the law,” Holland & Knight, the law firm representing him, previously said in a statement. “While the government’s investigation remains ongoing, no evidence has been presented by prosecutors supporting any allegation that Mr. Carvalho violated federal law.”

Following the search of school headquarters, LA Unified said it was cooperating with investigators and had no further information.

Carvalho became superintendent of LA schools in 2022 on a four-year contract with an annual salary of $440,000. He began a new four-year contract earlier in February, just weeks before the raid, for the same salary, according to school board meeting documents.

In Miami, Carvalho began his education career as a high school physics teacher in the 1980s and climbed the administrative ranks. He led the district for nearly 14 years.

In 2020, a nonprofit he founded to support Miami schools drew scrutiny after it solicited a $1.57 million donation from an online education company doing business with the district. The district’s inspector general later determined the donation didn’t violate state or district ethics policies but did create the “appearance of impropriety” and should be returned, according to The Miami Herald. Instead of returning the funds, the foundation distributed the money to Miami-Dade teachers in the form of $100 gift cards.

Kat Vaughn says she was walking with her two children back from a nearby park when she spotted an unfamiliar device on her property a few feet away from the road. She later had an officer from the Roanoke Police Department come out to help identify it.

“We didn’t receive anything in the mail. I double checked to make sure that there was no emails or anything about it,” Vaughn said.

The device was identified as a Flock Raven audio detection unit, installed just a couple of yards from her home.

City approved 75 devices in April

Vaughn says she later learned the device is tied to Roanoke’s expanding public safety technology network. In April, Roanoke City Council voted to install 75 Raven audio detection devices across the city.

During the approval process, police described the devices as audio-only, with no cameras. Officials said the units are placed in what they call data-driven, high-crime areas, and that the system is event-triggered — not continuous recording. Police also noted the system does not monitor conversations and is funded through grant money.

According to city documents, many of the planned installations are expected to be placed within public right-of-way.

Vaughn’s address is not on approved list

City council documents from the day of the April vote included a list of 75 locations — and Vaughn’s address was not among them.

The responding officer also appeared unfamiliar with the device at first, according to Vaughn.

“And when the officer got out here, he wasn’t sure what it was either. So, we went and got a tall ladder to be able to get up to take a picture of it closer. And he said, yeah, I think you’re right. It’s a gun surveillance device. And he said that they actually weren’t supposed to be installed until July,” Vaughn said.

City to provide answers

10 News has reached out to both the Roanoke City Police Department and City Council seeking answers on several key questions, including public right-of-way clarification, whether residents are notified before installation, and whether this specific device was part of the April approval.

The Roanoke Police Department responded to 10 News in an email, saying, “We are working on this.” The city and police department have been given a deadline of Wednesday, with a full report expected Thursday, June 25.

This is a developing story, and we are working for you to find out more.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, coming off its 11th winning week in the last 12, and pulled 1.7% below its all-time high set early this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 161 points, or 0.3%, as of 2:38 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1% lower.

In the oil market, prices eased following talks over the weekend between the United States and Iran on their war. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said they created a “good foundation for a successful final deal.”

An end to the war could clear the Strait of Hormuz for oil tankers and allow for the undisputed resumption of deliveries from the Persian Gulf. Iran’s military had said Saturday that it closed the Strait of Hormuz again, though U.S. Central Command has disputed that.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 3.5% to $77.71, closer to its roughly $70 price from before the war. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 2.6% to settle at $73.86 per barrel.

The lower oil prices, though, did not pull down Treasury yields in the bond market. Yields have been climbing because of speculation that the Federal Reserve may have to hike interest rates this year in order to keep a lid on inflation, which has been accelerating because of expensive oil caused by the Iran war. Economists expect a report on Thursday to show a measure of inflation for U.S. consumers sped up to 4.1% in May from 3.8% in April.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.51% from 4.46% late Thursday and from just 3.97% before the war.

Traders are betting on a 90% chance the Fed will raise its federal funds rate at least once by the end of the year, with a small minority calling for four increases. That’s up from the 57% chance seen just a week ago, according to data from CME Group.

High yields in bond markets worldwide caused by worries about inflation are threatening to slow economies and have already sent rates higher for mortgages and other kinds of loans. High yields also hurt prices for investments, particularly those seen as the most expensive. That raises the pressure on companies that have soared in the mania around artificial-intelligence technology.

SpaceX fell 10.6% to drop toward $165. It’s heading toward a third straight loss following a big three-day run since its ballyhooed debut on the U.S. stock market, when it initially sold its stock at $135 per share.

Elsewhere on Wall Street, AbbVie climbed 6.7% after saying it agreed to buy Apogee Therapeutics and its potential treatments for patients with dermatologic, respiratory and other related inflammatory and immunological diseases. Apogee Therapeutics soared 46.7% following the announcement of the deal, valued at roughly $10.9 billion.

In stock markets abroad, the United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 rose 0.7% after Keir Starmer said he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party and will leave office within weeks.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.5% and ended at another all-time high, led by AI stocks. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.7% to its own record, helped by AI-related companies.

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AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott and AP Senior Producer Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.

Judge Tony Graf made the ruling during a hearing Monday morning, saying the purpose of a preliminary hearing is to establish whether there is enough evidence to justify bringing the case to trial, not to determine whether someone is innocent or guilty.

Graf also postponed a ruling on whether prosecutors could face sanctions for comments to the media about a bullet fragment recovered from the conservative activist’s body until Friday. The defense team had asked Judge Tony Graf to block the death penalty in the case, claiming the prosecutors’ comments could sway potential jurors regarding his guilt.

Robinson, 23, has not yet entered a plea. He is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 killing of Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump who was shot in the neck while addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University.

Prosecutors have said DNA consistent with Robinson’s was found on the trigger of the rifle, the fired cartridge casing and two unfired cartridges. Defense attorneys note that forensic reports indicate multiple people’s DNA was found on some items, which they say requires a more complex analysis.

Robinson reportedly texted his roommate, who was also his romantic partner, that he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred,” prosecutors have said.

Robinson's defense team asked the judge to block prosecutors from using recorded statements from the roommate in the preliminary hearing, set to begin on July 6. The roommate should be brought to testify in person, the defense attorneys said, so that Robinson can exercise his right to confront witnesses in person and challenge their credibility. But Graf denied that request, saying the time for challenging witnesses will come later.

“The Utah Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasized that a preliminary hearing is not a trial on the merits, but a gateway to the finder of fact,” Graf said. The task of determining whether a witness is credible is a job for the jury if the case goes to trial, he said.

The case has attracted widespread attention, and online speculation and conspiracy theories grew after the defense team disclosed in public court documents that initial tests were inconclusive to determine whether the bullet was fired from the suspected murder weapon.

Conjecture over that evidence fueled unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that there might have been a second shooter, or that his death was staged. Attorneys on both sides have raised concerns that the misinformation and extensive media attention could taint the potential jury pool.

Judge Graf held a hearing earlier this month over whether prosecutors should be held in contempt for their comments about the bullet.

Robinson’s attorneys accused prosecutors including Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard of trying to influence potential jurors by going on a “media tour” to talk about ballistics evidence in the case.

Ballard argued at the June 12 hearing that he didn’t speak to the media about case specifics, and he only remarked generally about how ballistics testing can be inconclusive.

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Brown reported from Denver and Boone from Boise, Idaho. Associated Press reporter Hannah Schoenbaum contributed from Salt Lake City.

In a ruling unsealed Monday, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz found the “dominant purpose” of the subpoenas was to “coerce Minnesota officials into assisting the federal government with enforcing civil immigration law and to harass and retaliate against them for failing to do so.”

Tensions between the Trump administration and Minnesota’s Democratic leaders escalated in January as federal immigration officers clashed with protesters in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, especially after officers’ fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

President Donald Trump even threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell protests and accused Walz, who was Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ running mate in 2024, and others of encouraging protesters to disrupt Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

Judge finds ‘weak to nonexistent’ reasons for subpoenas

The subpoenas seeking records were served in January as part of an investigation into whether Walz and other officials obstructed or impeded law enforcement actions. They were sent to the offices of Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and officials in Ramsey and Hennepin counties.

The ruling is the latest rebuke by the federal judiciary of Justice Department efforts to aggressively implement the Trump administration agenda in courts and target the president’s political adversaries through subpoenas and similar demands.

The judge ruled that there appeared to be “extremely weak to nonexistent” connections between the information sought in the subpoenas and any possible criminal violation. The subpoenas seek materials “that largely if not entirely relate to constitutionally protected conduct,” the judge wrote, noting that Minnesota has the legal right not to devote its resources to enforcing federal immigration law.

The Justice Department “is not conducting a criminal investigation,” the judge wrote, “but is instead using the grand jury process for other (unlawful) purposes.”

The evidence that the subpoenas were issued for unlawful reasons is overwhelming, the judge said, arguing that the Justice Department “has struggled — without success — to identify a single plausible investigatory justification” for them.

The Justice Department said in a statement that it “takes the unlawful obstruction of federal law enforcement operations extremely seriously and will continue to act in full compliance with the law to investigate these matters.”

Targets hail the judge's decision

Walz, in a statement, called the ruling “a victory for the rule of law and our democracy.”

“The U.S. Justice Department is pursuing criminal investigations into the President’s political opponents,” said Walz, the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president. “This case was just one example of that, but we are seeing daily reminders of this administration’s lawlessness — in Minnesota and around the country. We all must continue to seek justice and uphold the rule of law.”

Ellison said “it should disturb every American that Donald Trump is weaponizing the criminal justice system against people he disagrees with.”

The subpoenas are “a politically motivated retaliation against our city for lawfully standing up to ICE and fighting for our residents,” Her said in a statement.

Frey said the investigation was “never about justice, law, and order, but the absence of it.”

“Subpoenaing political opponents because they spoke on behalf of their constituents violates the core tenets of our democracy and human decency,” he said.

Frey also observed that criticizing government action is not a crime.

“One of the defining strengths of our democracy is the ability to challenge those in power without fear of retribution. Elected officials have both the right and the responsibility to speak honestly about how government decisions affect the people they serve,” he said.

Subpoenas were among many federal actions against Minnesota officials

Over the last year, judges have dismissed indictments against two prominent Trump foes, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, and grand juries have repeatedly refused to return indictments sought by the Justice Department.

The moves reflect mounting public concerns that the Justice Department, an institution meant to make investigative and prosecution decisions independent of the White House, is being politicized under the current Trump administration.

Vice President JD Vance has separately called on the Justice Department to investigate Walz and Ellison over allegations they failed to stop widespread social services fraud, though the department has not said whether it will open an investigation. Walz and Ellison have described those allegations as politically motivated and defended their efforts to combat fraud in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, other legal battles related to the immigration surge continue. The federal government has suggested Minnesota prosecutors don’t have jurisdiction to investigate federal officers.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in March sued the administration for access to evidence in the Good and Pretti killings, accusing the administration of withholding evidence from state investigators. Moriarty also has pursued criminal charges against ICE officers in two other incidents, including the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man, and suggests her office is investigating several other cases as well.

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Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

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This story has been corrected to show the federal judge's name is Patrick Schiltz, not Schlitz.

The law, which took effect Jan. 1, 2026, prohibits state-regulated health insurance plans from charging copays, coinsurance or deductibles for diagnostic and supplemental breast imaging, including diagnostic mammograms, ultrasounds and breast MRIs.

Lynchburg patient surprised by $300 bill

Debbie Farrago of Lynchburg said she had a routine mammogram and was told at the front desk that a follow-up ultrasound would be covered at no cost.

Weeks later, a bill for more than $300 arrived. Farrago says the charge was tied to her insurance deductible. Centra was the facility where she received care, but the billing determination was made through her insurance provider.

“And I said, ‘Hey, you know, why am I getting billed this when they told me at the desk I shouldn’t?’” Farrago said.

It took her months and hours of research and phone calls with her insurance provider to get the charge removed.

“Why is it not being filed, and why do we even have to go through this first of all?” she said.

Farrago said she worries others across Virginia are quietly absorbing costs they were never required to pay.

“I think a lot of people might not even know. So, they would just pay it,” she said.

Second patient comes forward

After Farrago’s story was first reported, another local patient reached out with a similar experience.

Lynn, who asked that her last name not be used, is waiting to schedule surgery to remove a cancer found during a diagnostic mammogram. On top of her health concerns, she is facing a bill she didn’t expect to receive.

“My balance is $623.15,” she said.

Navigating the health care system while managing a serious diagnosis has taken a toll.

“So, navigating the system of health issues, like it gets overwhelming. Because you, you know, the tests need to be done. But in the back of your mind, you’re like, costs, like, what am I paying?” Lynn said.

And Lynn is not alone. According to the Brem Foundation, 1 of 3 women name cost as a factor for why they do not plan for breast cancer screenings.

Lynn was connected with Kirsta Miller, director of policy at the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation, for guidance on next steps.

“Health insurance can be complicated and confusing, and navigating the bills and the things that you’re getting in, your explanation of benefits and all those things can be difficult,” Miller said.

Lynn said the experience reinforced how important it is to speak up.

“If I had not advocated for my own self, then I wouldn’t be where I’m at now,” she said.

According to the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation, many patients have already paid bills they were never required to pay.

Not all insurance plans are covered

The Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation, which helped advocate for the legislation, says the new law comes with an important caveat — it does not apply to every insurance plan.

The law covers only state-regulated health insurance plans, which most commonly means plans purchased through the Virginia Marketplace. Patients who receive health insurance through an employer are likely not covered, as federal, out-of-state and employer-sponsored self-insured plans are not required to comply with Virginia state insurance laws.

“VBCF knew there would be a learning curve in terms of awareness of the new breast imaging law,” the organization said in a statement.

To help patients navigate the new rules, the foundation created an online resource page with detailed information about the law and guidance on whether it applies to a specific plan.

What patients should do

The Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation recommends that patients take the following steps:

• Before your appointment: Call your insurance provider and confirm whether you have a state-regulated health care plan covered under the new law.
• If you receive a bill: Do not pay immediately. Contact your insurance plan first, point out that you believe your plan is covered by the new law and file an appeal if necessary.
• If asked to pay upfront: It is acceptable to ask the provider to bill your insurance company first or send a bill later. Providers may not yet be aware of the new law.
• If all else fails: If you have exhausted all options with your insurer and believe your plan is covered, the Virginia Bureau of Insurance may be able to help resolve the situation. The number is 804-371-9631.

Farrago said her experience reinforced the importance of pushing back.

“Reach out for help to organizations that can help you out with it and be your own best advocate for sure,” she said.

Washington has won three straight games on the road, including closing out victories late over New York and Minnesota.

“I think it takes time to get to where you want to go,” said Washington forward Kiki Iriafen, who scored the go-ahead basket in the wins over both the Liberty and Lynx. “And that’s something that our coaches have stressed to us. Like the first month of May was kind of hard having back to back losses and even this month, as well. But our coaches told us, like, playoff contending teams don’t happen in May.”

The three consecutive road wins — Washington also won at Connecticut last week — were the first time the team has done that since 2024. The victory at New York on Friday night snapped a 10-game regular season losing streak to the Liberty.

“You just want to get better each and every month. So kind of looking at the season as month to month to month rather than we lost X amount of games or we have this many more games to go," Iriafen said. "I think it’s just a comfortability. We’re all getting more comfortable with each other.”

Coach Sydney Johnson feels that his young team bought in during training camp by putting in the work to get better. The Mystics have the youngest roster in league history.

“I think it’s a combination that we understood we were fielding one of the youngest teams in the history of the league. At the same time, having really competitive players from winning programs,” Johnson said. “We also know that it’s really, really hard to win in this league. Really, really hard. And so we’ve learned some tough lessons, and we’re taking some of that learning and transferring it to future performances.”

Washington returns home to face Minnesota on Wednesday.

Power poll rankings

Las Vegas and Minnesota sit tied atop the power poll this week. The two teams were followed by Atlanta and New York. Dallas was fifth and Golden State sixth. Washington moved up four spots to seventh. Indiana, Los Angeles and Portland were next. Toronto, Phoenix and Chicago came after the Fire. Seattle and Connecticut rounded out the poll.

Player of the week

Sonia Citron of Washington was the AP player of the week. She averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists to help the Mystics win their three games last week. Olivia Miles of Minnesota, Jordin Canada of Atlanta, Jessica Shepard of Dallas and Marina Mabrey of Toronto also received votes.

Game of the week

New York at Las Vegas, Tuesday. The Liberty and Aces will meet for the first time this season with the next matchup taking place in New York on June 30 with the Commissioner's Cup championship at stake. The Liberty have dropped their last two games, blowing fourth quarter leads in both contests. Las Vegas is coming in off a dominating win over Golden State.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The Czech cited “mental stress” and fear when the testing agent “rang my door late at night without properly identifying themselves.”

The International Tennis Integrity Agency made the announcement, saying Vondrousova refused a test in December and the maximum four-year ban for a routine first offense was reached by an independent tribunal following a hearing this month.

Vondrousova became Wimbledon’s first unseeded female champion when she beat Ons Jabeur in the 2023 final. She reached a career-high ranking of No. 6 that year. She also reached the French Open final in 2019, losing to Ash Barty.

The 26-year-old Vondrousova detailed her reaction to the missed test in an Instagram post in April.

“It is very tough for me to talk about this, but I want to be transparent with you about my mental health,” Vondrousova said. “The recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress.”

The ITIA said Vondrousova “did not submit a sample when notified by a Doping Control Officer during an out-of-competition test attempt at her home at around 8 p.m. on 3 December 2025” and that she instead signed a refusal form.

“I have never doped. I have never had a positive test,” Vondrousova wrote on Instagram after the ruling was released. “Throughout my entire career, I have undergone countless anti-doping controls and have always stepped onto the court with a clear conscience. Just three days after the incident that ultimately changed my life, I was tested again. The result was negative. Just like every test before it.”

Vondrousova was represented by Los Angeles-based lawyer Howard Jacobs, a specialist in doping rules cases. Jacobs helped two-time Grand Slam singles champion Simona Halep win an appeal case in 2024 at the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a four-year ban for doping.

Vondrousova becomes the latest high-profile tennis player involved in a doping case after Halep, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.

Sinner accepted a three-month ban in a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency at the start of last year and Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension at the end of 2024.

Halep, Sinner and Swiatek each proved they were not entirely responsible for their positive tests.

“We recognize this is a significant ban,” ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse said. “You can’t have an anti-doping system where a player is in a better place by refusing to take a test than they would by taking a test and testing positive. So that feeds into the structure of the doping rules that provides for a starting point in the four-year ban for refusing to take a test.”

Vondrousova’s ban expires June 21, 2030. She can appeal the decision to the Switzerland-based CAS.

During a hearing before the tribunal, Vondrousova presented explanations that stress and poor mental health affected her decision making, in addition to concerns for her safety because she claimed the tester did not identity herself.

The tribunal also took testimony from the doping control officer and concluded the evidence offered “no compelling justification” for the test refusal.

Tennis players and other pro athletes are required by anti-doping rules to specify where they will be available for a one-hour period each day to give samples for testing.

The female testing agent showed up at Vondrousova’s home outside the assigned hour that the player signed up for that day — in a surprise test. Athletes are required to submit for testing if they are located for a surprise test outside their assigned hour. If they are not found when a tester shows up outside assigned hours, there is no sanction.

“Unpredictable testing is an essential tool to protect clean sport,” Moorhouse said. “The independent tribunal ultimately supported that principle. This case is an important reminder that players can be tested at any time, in any place, and that refusal comes with significant risk.”

The ITIA would not say if any inconsistencies were found in Vondrousova's previous anti-doping history.

“We wouldn’t disclose that,” said Nicole Sapstead, the ITIA's senior director of anti-doping, adding: “We look at all things like that.”

Vondrousova, ranked 122, hasn't played since January.

Wimbledon starts next week.

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AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report.

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

The justices, by a 6-3 vote, granted an appeal from New York prosecutors who had urged them to undo a federal appeals court decision that overturned the verdict. The three liberal justices dissented.

Prosecutors had been preparing to try the man, Pedro Hernandez, for a third time. His first trial ended in a mistrial.

The unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed Hernandez’ murder and kidnapping conviction in the second trial because of how the judge had answered a question from jurors.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had called the basis for overturning the conviction “a slender reed” that essentially ignored a five-month-long trial with 66 witnesses.

The justices agreed, in an unsigned opinion, that federal courts should not second-guess state courts under a 1996 federal law that was intended to reduce federal court oversight of state criminal trials.

“The Second Circuit exceeded its authority in holding that Hernandez is entitled to relief,” the justices wrote.

Hernandez, 64, has been serving a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

Bragg hailed the high court's decision. “It’s impossible to imagine the pain of losing a child, waiting so long for justice and having to brace for more proceedings,” Bragg, a Democrat, said at a news conference on an unrelated issue, adding that he hoped the Patz family gained some peace of mind from the high court’s ruling.

A message seeking comment was sent to Etan’s father.

Hernandez’ lawyers said they were “terribly disappointed” by the ruling. “We firmly believe that an innocent man is in jail for a crime that he did not commit,” attorneys Harvey Fishbein and Alice Fontier said.

Hernandez admitted to the crime under police questioning, but his lawyers say he confessed falsely because of a mental illness that sometimes made him hallucinate. They emphasized that the admission came after police queried him for about seven hours before reading him his rights and recording the interview. Hernandez then repeated his confession on tape, at least twice.

Etan vanished while walking to his downtown Manhattan school bus stop on May 25, 1979. Hernandez worked at a nearby convenience shop at the time, but the Maple Shade, New Jersey, resident didn’t become a suspect until 2012.

Etan was among the first missing children ever to appear on milk cartons, and the anniversary of his disappearance became National Missing Children’s Day.

Hernandez already has been tried twice. A jury deadlocked in 2015, and then a different panel of jurors convicted him at a 2017 retrial.

During deliberations, the 2017 jurors asked a complicated question: If they decided Hernandez didn’t confess voluntarily when he hadn’t been read his rights yet, must they disregard his other confessions? The then-judge responded simply, “the answer is no.” The jury went on to convict.

In overturning that verdict, the appeals court said the jury’s question should have gotten a more fulsome answer, including the possibility of discounting all the confessions.

Hernandez’ retrial had been expected to start in September, and his lawyers and prosecutors were due to give the trial judge a status update next week.

Asked about next steps, Bragg said prosecutors would await guidance from appellate judges and the state trial court that has handled the case.

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Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report from New York.

Merlín the duck — Mexico’s unofficial World Cup mascot — didn’t take any questions; his owner, Carla Gómez, did that for him.

Gómez, a street vendor who sells water and soft drinks, introduced her family with pride and determination, presenting them as representative of countless other working-class Mexicans. “We are the working part” of Mexico, she said.

Sitting beside the lectern, with Merlín at the center, were her sons, Carlos, 22, and Cristian, 14, who “doesn’t rest after school” and helps her every day by selling goods and carrying packages.

Merlín, he said, is “the boss of our little business. He’s the one who follows behind us, making sure we’re working and doing things the right way.”

The family takes great care with his diet, feeding him small fish, crickets and, on Sundays, even a meat taco.

Gómez said she was moved by the way Merlín captured the hearts of World Cup fans.

“It has been the best thing that has happened to us in this life,” she said, though she noted that other ducks the family had owned also became local celebrities in Mexico City’s historic center, including Bruna, who wore tennis shoes.

Gómez said she believes the family went viral because people saw in them “a hard-working family, a family that gets up every day to make ends meet.”

The president eventually had to cut off questions to move the news conference along, but not before trying to pet Merlín and posing for a photo with the family.

The scene had barely ended when social media filled with criticism of the president’s decision to welcome the duck while relatives of missing persons — who have been demonstrating and seeking a face-to-face meeting with her since the start of the World Cup — remained unheard.

Wildlife advocates also warned that the popularity of pets like Merlín can have unintended consequences. In a Facebook post, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Unit of Pachuca, a city about 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of Mexico City, cautioned that fame can fuel “impulse purchases and abandonment.”

“Animals do not need owners for fashion; they need responsible caretakers,” the government-run agency wrote.

Merlín, at least, appears to have found them.

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Russia has pounded civilian areas of Ukraine with drones and missiles since its all-out invasion more than four years ago. Ukraine increasingly has struck back against oil facilities and military factories deep inside Russia.

A United Nations tally says more than 16,000 civilians have died in the war. U.S.-led peace efforts have failed to stop the fighting.

The Sumy attack hit a home and killed a 36-year-old man, his son and the 73-year-old mother of his partner, according to Oleh Hryhorov, the head of the regional military administration. The man’s partner and 10-year-old son were wounded, he said.

“An ordinary home — not a military target whatsoever," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X.

The Ukrainian missile attack on the industrial plant in Voronezh in southwestern Russia killed five people and injured dozens, Gov. Alexander Gusev said. He did not name the plant.

Ukraine’s General Staff said it hit a Voronezh factory that produces electronic parts for Russian missile and air defense systems.

Ukraine's monthly civilian casualties are highest in 4 years

The number of civilian casualties in Russian attacks has jumped recently, according to the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, as Moscow’s forces struggle to gain momentum on the battlefield.

At least 274 civilians were killed and 1,763 injured in Ukraine in May, the highest monthly total of civilian casualties since April 2022, the mission said earlier this month. Most casualties are in cities far from the front line, it said.

A Russian nighttime drone strike killed a woman and wounded three people, including an 11-year-old boy, in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, regional head Ivan Fedorov said.

Russia launched 88 long-range attack drones and one ballistic missile overnight, Ukraine’s air force said, with air defenses shooting down or jamming 79 of the drones.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces intercepted 301 Ukrainian drones during the night over multiple Russian regions, the Crimea peninsula, the Azov Sea and the Black Sea.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 84 Ukrainian drones targeting the Russian capital were shot down. He didn’t mention any damage, but all four Moscow airports temporarily halted flights.

The success of Ukraine’s long-range campaign against oil facilities, military transport and infrastructure has prompted Russian-held Crimea to halt civilian gasoline sales.

And all summer camps in illegally annexed Crimea on Monday stopped accepting children and new bookings until Sept. 1 for security reasons, said the Russian-installed governor of the occupied peninsula, Sergei Aksyonov.

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The latest attack — which now number at more than 60 — brings the number of people who have been killed in boat strikes by the U.S. military to more than 210 people since the Trump administration began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” in early September.

It is unclear if the survivors of this strike were rescued. In this case, and the strike on June 16 that left two survivors, U.S. Central Command said that they notified the U.S. Coast Guard. A statement from the Coast Guard said they suspended their search for survivors for the June 16 strike a day later with “no signs of survivors or debris” but had no comment on the current strike.

As with most of the military’s statements on strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs.

A black and white video posted on X showed a boat speeding through the water before being struck by a visible projectile and then bursting into flames.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

Critics of the strikes have questioned the overall legality as well as their effectiveness. Part of the argument has been that the fentanyl behind many fatal U.S. drug overdoses is typically trafficked over land from Mexico, where it is produced with chemicals imported from China and India.

On Thursday, U.S. lawmakers demanded that the Pentagon release “unedited video” of the very first strike that the military conducted after reports emerged that the U.S. chose to conduct a follow-up strike on survivors of its initial attack.

Two men on the boat initially survived the attack that killed nine others, and they were clinging to the wreckage when the vessel was struck again, killing them. The White House confirmed the follow-up strike, insisting it was done “in self-defense” to ensure the boat was destroyed and in accordance with the laws of armed conflict.

But some legal scholars said a second strike killing survivors would have been illegal under any circumstance, armed conflict or not.

The Pentagon’s watchdog said in May that it planned to look into whether the U.S. military followed an established targeting framework when carrying out the strikes. However, the evaluation is focused specifically on what’s known as the six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle and not on the legality of the strikes, the inspector general’s office said.

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This report has been corrected to reflect that the attack took place on Sunday in the Caribbean, rather than Thursday in the Pacific.

The announcement Monday from Gov. Kathy Hochul's office suggested a dual-hosting format, the likes of which Milan and Cortina pulled off at this year's Olympics.

It does not mention a year, though with the 2034 Games going to Salt Lake City and with Switzerland tabbed as the preferred bidder for 2038, the first likely available spot for New York to host would be 2042.

“The time is now to return the Olympic flame back to New York,” Hochul said.

Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980 — the year of the “Miracle on Ice” when the underdog U.S beat the Soviet Union in men's hockey on home ice. It also spent time in the mix as an emergency backup for this year's sliding sports when the venue in Cortina was riddled with construction delays.

The exploratory committee will take about a year to complete its work. The formation of the committee does not mean New York is officially involved in a bid process. The chair of the committee will be Ashley Walden, president and CEO of the Olympic Regional Development Authority.

Also among those on the committee is Assemblyman Robert Carroll, who was in Italy for the Games in February and often has said how the Milan Cortina model is one that could work in New York.

Lake Placid is among the few former hosts expected to have reliable enough weather to be able to host the Games by 2050, according to a recent climate change study.

The 2030 Olympics will be held in the French Alps.

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Sheinbaum said her administration would seek to send the oil via commercial and privately owned firms instead of state-owned companies as it has done in the past.

Mexico became a key fuel supplier to Cuba after the U.S. attacked Venezuela in early January and halted critical oil shipments. But those shipments, which had already been reduced, were completely suspended after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on any country that provides or sells oil to the island.

Since the attack on Venezuela, only one oil shipment has reached Cuba, courtesy of a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of oil that were used up in one month.

The lack of fuel has worsened an energy crisis on the island that produces only 40% of the petroleum it needs, leading to severe power outages, reduced work hours, water shortages, suspended surgeries and spoiled food.

Sheinbaum said she wants to take advantage of a package of free-market reforms that Cuba’s government recently approved, leveraging Mexican business owners who are already on the island.

“The mechanism would be through private companies that have permits to transport fuel to Cuba,” she stated without providing further details. “We hope that commercial transport can resume soon,” she added, without specifying when it might happen.

Sheinbaum said Mexico also would continue sending humanitarian aid.

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The national weather service, Meteo France, said most of the country — the largest in the European Union — was entering conditions that likely won't ease before Friday.

Meteo France called the heat wave exceptionally intense and similar to the August 2003 heat wave, "but with a still uncertain duration.” France introduced a heat watch warning system after that heat wave, when the highest temperatures in over half a century caused an estimated 15,000 deaths, many of older people in apartments and retirement homes without air conditioning.

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Human-caused climate change is tied to increasing extreme weather, and U.N. climate agency projections say the next five years should shatter more heat records.

A country with little air-conditioning swelters

Several towns across France experienced their hottest day ever on Monday. Paris baked through its hottest night for June, not getting below 24.2 C (75.5 F). The French capital broke another June record with 37.7 C (99.9 F) recorded Monday afternoon.

“This will continue through the end of the week, with heat levels never before recorded across more than three-quarters of the country on Wednesday and Thursday," the weather service said.

The heat wave worsened air quality in Paris as it causes the formation of ozone that traps pollution. The air quality monitoring agency in the Paris region said pollutants were likely to exceed the recommended threshold.

In a country without widespread air-conditioning, people tried to adapt. Education minister Edouard Geffray said 1,352 schools were closed on Monday due to the heat, while several thousand adjusted their schedules, with students released earlier and classes relocated in air-conditioned rooms.

Deaths are reported in rivers and a parked car

A growing swath of France, spreading on Monday to more than half its regions, was under a “red alert” for heat, with areas forecast to suffer highs past 40 C and nights not dropping below 20 C.

Broadcasts on the Paris transport network urged commuters to hydrate. Medical specialists warned of the potentially deadly combination of drinking alcohol in extreme heat. Authorities cracked down on alcohol consumption in public.

Multiple drownings were reported as people sought relief in rivers, despite warnings about currents and other dangers.

Two children, aged 2 and 4, died on Monday after being found unconscious in their family’s car in the southern town of Carpentras, according a statement from the public prosecutor. According to initial findings, they had locked themselves inside the vehicle. An investigation was opened under the offense of involuntary manslaughter. Government messages warned parents not to leave children unattended in cars.

Heat warnings spread in Europe

In the United Kingdom, the weather office issued a rare “red” weather warning for Wednesday and Thursday, saying temperatures could exceed 37 C (99 F) in the shade and could rise to 40 C in parts of England and Wales.

The Met Office said extreme temperatures could cause heat-sensitive equipment to fail, including power and mobile phone services.

Over the last four years, more than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes, and most of those were preventable, the World Health Organization’s Europe office said this month. The above-average temperatures can cause heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.

The EU monitoring agency found that in Europe and globally, 2024 was the hottest year on record and the continent experienced its second-highest number of “heat stress” days.

Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, especially in southeastern Europe, making the region more vulnerable to health impacts and wildfires.

The burning of gasoline, oil and coal, plus deforestation, wildfires and many kinds of factories, release heat-trapping gasses that cause climate change.

The races have become bellwethers of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political clout, testing whether the young democratic socialist can leverage excitement he ignited last year to reshape the city's congressional delegation.

And he has been working hard to promote his slate of three House candidates, lending his star power to several campaign videos, along with hosting a rally with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders last week to boost his picks just before the election.

“The party of the past will not be what leads us into the future. We need a Democratic Party with backbone,” Mamdani said.

Meanwhile, in another closely watched race, Jack Schlossberg, the 33-year-old grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, is hoping to ride his family ties and big social media following to a seat in Congress representing part of Manhattan.

But the Kennedy scion is facing strong opposition from Alex Bores, a state Assembly member at the center of a Silicon Valley spending war over his proposals to regulate artificial intelligence, and Micah Lasher, another state Assembly member who has deep experience in New York government and is backed by many of the state’s Democratic leaders.

George Conway, an attorney who was once married to a top Trump adviser but later become one of the president’s critics, is also in the race.

In his campaign's closing stretch, Schlossberg rallied with David Letterman, former host of the “The Late Show with David Letterman.” His mother, Caroline Kennedy, cut a campaign ad for him. Lasher hit the street to meet voters.

Bores releasing an ad about the dangers of AI and worked to highlight the millions of dollars that Big Tech players are spending to oppose his run.

On Monday, Bores was making a final play for support, standing on a busy street corner to chat with voters and hand out campaign flyers. One woman, 74-year-old Pattie Jordan, cruised by without breaking her stride, telling the candidate “I'm voting for you” as he slipped a flyer into her hand.

“He's the guy,” Jordan told The Associated Press, adding that Bores impressed her during a recent forum.

In a brief interview, Bores said “people are ready to turn the page.”

"They want someone who is effective, they want someone who is actually going to make real change," Bores said.

Mamdani has not made an endorsement in that race. Instead, he has focused on three other congressional contests, including two featuring embattled incumbents.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist whose campaign has been buoyed by the mayor’s support, is challenging U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who was the first Dominican American elected to Congress in a district that includes northern Manhattan and part of the Bronx.

Espaillat has drawn attention to inflammatory social media posts Avila Chevalier made in her 20s, attempting to portray her as an unserious candidate. Avila Chevalier, in a recent debate, said she regretted the posts and apologized for one crass post about former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Former city Comptroller Brad Lander got the mayor's endorsement in his attempt to unseat U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, a fellow Democrat.

Lander, who appeared in the crowd at a joyous City Hall ceremony celebrating the Knick's NBA championship win on Thursday, has worked to play up his alliance with the mayor, while Goldman, who did not endorse Mamdani in his mayoral race, has tried to shift the conversation to his own productiveness in Congress.

Mamdani is also supporting Claire Valdez, a former state Assembly colleague and democratic socialist ally, in her bid to defeat Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

Reynoso and Valdez are both progressives who share many similar views, though Valdez has framed herself as a potential Mamdani ally in Washington.

De la Espriella, a business owner and lawyer who earned U.S. President Donald Trump’s endorsement despite never having run for office, led with 49.7% of the votes over lawmaker Iván Cepeda, with 99.9% of results released by electoral authorities. Cepeda, ally of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, had 48.7%.

Election officials have not formally announced a winner.

A victory by de la Espriella is expected to usher in policies that will reverse Petro's agenda, including a contentious plan to hold parallel peace negotiations with illegal armed groups. Cepeda, Petro's protégé, had pledged to push forward that strategy and other social reforms if he won Sunday's vote.

The election was colored by people's fears of renewed internal conflict.

“I will govern for all Colombians," de la Espriella, nicknamed “The Tiger,” told thousands of supporters as he stood behind bulletproof glass in the northern city of Barranquilla on Sunday night. But his conciliatory tone changed as he spoke.

“Pack your bags and prepare to become the opposition,” he added. “Make no mistake, Mr. Cepeda. You already know how fiercely the tiger roars.”

Progressive candidate calls count 'unofficial'

Cepeda on Monday responded to de la Espriella's remarks, warning him against threats, veiled or otherwise.

“Let me be perfectly clear: We are half of this country in political terms, and we have a long history of resistance,” Cepeda said in the capital, Bogota. “We are very hardened. Don’t come threatening us. Neither your roars nor your screams frighten us.”

He asked supporters to remain calm and maintain “exemplary behavior.” Hours earlier, people in the western city of Cali took to the streets, damaging a public bus, several surveillance cameras and an ATM.

The vote count showed that the municipality that includes Cali favored Cepeda with nearly 60%. Authorities there said four police officers were injured in the protest and two demonstrators were arrested.

After the results became public Sunday, Cepeda characterized the count as “unofficial and non-binding” and announced that his team was challenging results from more than 30,000 voting stations. Petro also vowed to challenge the outcome.

No recount has flipped the results of a presidential election in Colombian history.

Sunday’s winner will begin a four-year term Aug. 7.

The candidates pitched voters widely different strategies to prevent the South American country from the nonstop violence, such as car bombs, kidnappings, disappearances and forced displacements, that Colombians lived with in previous decades.

De la Espriella, 47, promised a heavy-handed approach to crime-fighting, including drug trafficking. He also said he plans to end Petro’s attempts to establish dialogue with multiple armed groups — an effort that has largely failed — and build mega-prisons, emulating Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's aggressive policies. Those tactics have lowered homicide rates in the Central American country but have fueled accusations of human rights abuses.

De la Espriella holds dual Colombian and U.S. citizenship. He's a Trump supporter and a member of the Republican Party.

“He Won, BIG!” Trump said on social media.

‘It’s always the same violence'

Yolanda Hernández, who recycles trash for a living, voted for Petro in 2022 but cast her ballot for de la Espriella this time. While she acknowledged that Petro was unable to deliver on promises meant to help the poor because of congressional gridlock, she said Colombia cannot afford another four years under his vision for the country.

“We want change in Colombia because it’s always the same violence, always the same thing,” Hernández, 49, said. “(Petro) said he was going to lower the cost of services, that he was going to lower the price of food, and everything is more expensive.”

More than 426,000 voters chose a third, no-name option on the ballot meant to allow people to express dislike of both candidates. Another 29,000 voters cast blank ballots.

Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin American Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Sunday's result shows the country “has not shifted overwhelmingly or decisively” against Petro's project or for de la Espriella's outsider “iron fist showmanship.”

Freeman said the result also underscored Colombia's regional divisions.

“It’s regional, not just ideological, polarization; or rather, the two overlapping,” he said. “Ironically, de la Espriella's iron-fist message performed best in the core of the country, not the periphery, which bears the brunt of Colombia’s violence.”

Colombia’s illegal groups have more than 27,000 members.

Last year, authorities recorded 14,780 homicides, the most since at least 2015, driven by clashes among illegal armed groups. Among those killed was conservative presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe.

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The Commerce Ministry said that Chinese companies would be blocked from exporting “dual-use” items to the 10 companies, which include military drone makers and some involved in rare earth mining. Dual use refers to goods that can have military as well as non-military applications.

The ministry said the export ban was both to safeguard China’s national security and in response to what it called the U.S. government’s “wrongful expansion of its so-called List of Chinese Military Companies.”

George Chen, partner for Greater China at the advisory firm The Asia Group, said the ban was an unsurprising and proportionate response to the U.S. restrictions.

“Most of them are U.S. defense industry players or they have close connections with the U.S. government for contracts and other reasons,” he said. “Those companies are not going to do business in China, so the impact will be quite symbolic.”

Separately, the Finance Ministry said that government entities would be prohibited from buying products from 46 American companies including multiple units of Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and General Dynamics. A brief statement did not give any reason for the prohibition.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Defense Department added several tech companies including Alibaba and Baidu to its list of firms that it says have links to the Chinese military. Baidu said the suggestion that it is a military company is “totally baseless.”

The designation prevents them from getting U.S. military contracts.

The Commerce Ministry said at the time that the American sanctions run counter to the consensus that Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump reached during Trump's visit to China in May.

In Monday's announcement, the ministry said that companies or individuals in third countries are prohibited from transferring dual-use items from China to the sanctioned American firms. It also said that Chinese companies could apply for export approval for goods that are “genuinely necessary.”

The 10 companies are AVEOX in Simi Valley, California; Red Cat Holdings and Teal Drones, both in South Salt Lake, Utah; IMSAR in Springville, Utah; Jaia Robotics in Bristol, Rhode Island; Ball Aerospace & Technologies in Broomfield, Colorado; Oshkosh Defense in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; L3Harris Maritime Services in Norfolk, Virginia; MP Materials in Las Vegas; and USA Rare Earth in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Representatives for Tree directed The Associated Press to an official confirmation posted to Tree’s Instagram account.

“Rest in peace Oliver Tree Nickell June 29, 1993 — June 14, 2026. Your legacy will live on forever,” the caption read next to a slideshow of images reflecting Tree’s life and career.

“His legacy will live on through his foundation/endowment named ‘Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant For Baby Geniuses’ coming soon. This is something that Oliver had put together before his passing, written in his will,” the caption continued. “We will make sure his wish comes to fruition so that more joy, love and art can be spread into the world, that was his final wish.”

On the morning of June 14, two helicopters collided and crashed in the Brazilian city’s Western zone, killing all six people aboard, firefighters said. Police confirmed that Tree was on the list of passengers given to aviation authorities. Argentine streaming channel Blender said that content creator Gaspar Prim Díaz, known as Gaspi, was also in one of the helicopters.

Tree was in the middle of his world tour at the time, which kicked off in Mexico City on May 30 and was scheduled to hit all seven continents.

An outsider in pop and a viral hitmaker

Born June 29, 1993 in California, Oliver Tree Nickell June, a pop outsider with a knack for internet virality, was known for his own myth-making. Rocking bright ’80s fashion and a distinctive bowl cut, Tree told interviewers he started piano lessons when he was 3 years old and had an album written by age 6. When he started his recording career in the 2010s, he did so while creating characters and making memes as he made music.

He released an electronic EP, “Demons,” under the name “Tree” in 2013 on R&S Records and scored a crucial feature on DJ and music producer Whethan’s 2016 single “When I’m Down,” growing his profile and online interest. That same year, he signed to the major label Atlantic Records and began recording as Oliver Tree.

In 2018, he released his “Alien Boy” EP with the record company, anchored by the double music video “All That x Alien Boy.” His specific visual language — off-kilter, comedic, collaborative — scored him legions of fans. To date, the video has over 52 million views on YouTube. And the single “Alien Boy” was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) — his first of a few. His other platinum-certified songs include 2018’s “Hurt,” 2021’s “Life Goes On” and 2022’s “Miss You” with German musician and DJ Robin Schulz.

Over the years, his music evolved, marrying the genres of alternative rock, hip-hop and electro-pop with his cheeky flair.

His comedic persona continued to develop at the same pace: Consider the music video for 2018’s “Movement,” where he bathed in a tub filled with Flaming Hot Cheetos and dubbed it an online “challenge.” Or his 2020 major label full-length debut “Ugly Is Beautiful,” released weeks after he set the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest kick scooter.

Then came 2022’s “Cowboy Tears,” a humorous country detour, 2023’s “Alone in the Crowd,” which follows the story of a character named Cornelius Cummings, and most recently, his entirely self-produced 2026 album, “Love You Madly Hate You Badly.”

All the while, his social media profile continued to explode due to his humorous antics and hooky-heavy songs. On TikTok, he boasts of 22.6 million followers — as well as 8.6 million on YouTube and 5 million on Instagram.

Tributes to Tree quickly poured in from other musicians

As news of Tree’s death broke online, famous fans and friends began paying homage to him.

“Spoke to Oliver a few weeks ago. This is heartbreaking. A really amazing and beautiful human,” rapper Kid Cudi wrote on X. “Sending all my prayers and love to the families dealing with losses. Oliver we love you, forever.”

“Been an absolute wreck today. It’s really hard to understand how someone who you once shared such a specific and formative time of your life with can all of a sudden be gone,” singer Melanie Martínez wrote Sunday in an Instagram Story post. “He was so dedicated to his art which I admired and respected so deeply. I think everyone who knew him will look back at those moments of laughter and joy he so easily sparked. His laugh was so contagious and warm.”

“I’m in shock … I can’t believe it,” wrote singer Bebe Rexha on X. “He was so smart. Passionate. Talented. Kind. I’m so sad. May he rest in peace.”

Cole Tomas Allen had argued that involvement in his prosecution by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro created a potential conflict of interest because they were among many administration officials present at the April dinner. Allen's attorney also had raised concerns about the close friendship between Trump and Pirro, a former Fox News commentator.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden wrote in his ruling that neither their attendance at the dinner nor Pirro's personal relationship with the president merited their disqualification. McFadden noted that Allen is not charged with attempting to harm Blanche and Pirro, and there is no evidence to suggest he even knew they would attend the dinner.

“They are unlikely to be trial witnesses, nor do they meet the legal definition of victims,” wrote McFadden, who was nominated to the bench by Trump.

Allen has been accused of trying to breach a security checkpoint armed with guns and knives. He has pleaded not guilty to various charges, including assaulting a federal official with a deadly weapon and attempted assassination of the president. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of the attempted assassination charge alone.

Allen also is accused of firing a shotgun at a Secret Service agent during the attack, which disrupted and ultimately prompted an early end to one of the highest-profile annual events in the nation’s capital. The Secret Service officer who was shot once in a bullet-resistant vest fired his own weapon five times without hitting anyone. Allen, of Torrance, California, was injured but was not shot.

Vance’s comments came after he and Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf wrapped up a lengthy round of initial talks aimed at solidifying a permanent end to the war between the countries.

Also, President Donald Trump on Saturday lashed out at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, insisting she asked “over and over” for a photo with him at the recent Group of Seven summit and criticizing what he said was Italy’s lack of cooperation during the Iran war. The remarks deepen the spat that began this week, which ultimately led Italy’s foreign minister to cancel a planned trip to the United States.

Here's the latest:

Ships continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz after weekend talks between the US and Iran

According to data and analytics firm Kpler, there were 71 confirmed transits over the weekend, with a peak of 35 crossings Saturday. About 100 to 130 vessels passed through the strait each day before the war.

The main central route of the Strait of Hormuz is still mined and is closed. But ships have been passing through the smaller northern route, which goes through Iranian waters, and the southern route, which goes through Omani waters.

US stocks drift near their records in mixed trading after oil prices fall

The S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, coming off its 11th winning week in the last 12, and pulled 1.7% below its all-time high set early this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 131 points, or 0.3%, as of 10:45 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1% lower.

In the oil market, prices eased following talks over the weekend between the United States and Iran on their war. Vice President JD Vance said they created a “good foundation for a successful final deal.”

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 2.8% to $78.29, closer to its roughly $70 price from before the war. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 2.3% to $74.14 per barrel.

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Rubio heads to the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain as efforts intensify to end the war with Iran

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain this week as the Trump administration has stepped up efforts to end the war with Iran while Gulf countries remain uneasy about a proposed deal.

The State Department announced Monday that Rubio would visit the three countries for bilateral meetings with leaders to discuss the memorandum of understanding reached last week between the U.S. and Iran, weekend talks in Switzerland between senior Iranian and U.S. officials as well as security for American allies and partners in the Middle East, including the status of the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio will discuss “regional priorities,” “efforts to secure full and free safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region,” the department said in a statement.

While in Bahrain, Rubio will also meet with Gulf Cooperation Council officials “to discuss shared priorities.”

US Treasury waives sanctions on Iranian oil as part of interim agreement to end war

The license authorizes the production, delivery and sale of Iranian oil. It will last through Aug. 21.

The license emerged Monday as U.S. Vice President JD Vance said his lengthy talks with senior Iranian officials in Switzerland created a “good foundation for a successful final deal.” Negotiators are seeking a permanent end to the war the U.S. and Israel began in late February.

Trump was not in Switzerland but loomed large over Iran talks

The talks were jolted by statements from Trump, who, from thousands of miles away, fired off comments that offended the Iranians.

Iranian state media said talks had paused after the “publication of an insulting message by the U.S. President.” The negotiations later continued.

Vance pushed back against the notion that Trump’s threats complicated the talks.

“No, they didn’t throw a wrench in the system,” Vance said. He added, “Yes, they did threaten to walk out, or at least there were social media threats that they would walk out. But we were negotiating well past one in the morning yesterday, so they didn’t walk out.”

Middle East has desperately asked the US for a deal, Vance says

Vance also said the U.S. was not imposing the deal on the region, even though the negotiations include provisions about the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, without representatives from Israel or Lebanon.

“This is a deal that the region has desperately asked the United States to put in place,” Vance said. “This region has been a basket case for a very long time.”

What Vance said about the IAEA

Vance touted that Iran had agreed to invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back into the country. However, Iran did not acknowledge that and it was not immediately clear how big a shift that would be.

Since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in 2025, inspectors have visited the Islamic Republic.

However, Tehran has refused inspectors access to the enrichment sites in the country bombed by the U.S., where Iran’s highly enriched uranium is believed to be buried.

Vance says he’s returning to the US as ‘technical’ team continues talks with Iran

Vance said that he was returning to Washington, but he said that talks would continue between the American and Iranian “technical teams.”

“We wanted to set up a structure for that so that you could have proper political oversight, but obviously, as much as this place is very beautiful, I can’t stay here for the next 60 days,” Vance told reporters.

The vice president said that the negotiating teams would have the proper oversight in DC as they waded into an array of issues including how to monitor and address the nuclear material in Iran.

Vance says he kept Israel posted on the talks

Vance said negotiators had been in constant contact with Netanyahu as well as other countries in the region throughout the negotiations in Switzerland. Some hardliners in Israel’s government have criticized Netanyahu for being sidelined in the negotiations.

Vance lists progress he says was made in Switzerland

Vance said Monday that the U.S. and Iran have made progress on four key points in initial negotiations in Switzerland, listing them as:

Establishing a mechanism for keeping the Strait of Hormuz open

Coordination for the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon

An agreement on IAEA inspection

A process for the technical negotiations that remain

Vance says any Iranian financial assets that were unfrozen could be used to buy American-grown food

The vice president said that Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of Trump and one of the lead U.S. negotiators, came up with the idea with officials from Qatar.

Vance said that Qatar would have approval over the process, but Iranian money that would be accessible as sanctions were lifted “would actually go to buy American soy, American corn and American wheat for the benefit of the Iranian people.”

Iran has not acknowledged this measure and does not currently have demand for U.S. crops.

Vance says Trump was right to respond to Iranian ‘trash talk’

Vance said that Iranian negotiators “did threaten to walk out” on peace talks, as he defended social media posts by Trump that criticized Iran.

“What we told the Iranians yesterday is when you guys engage in what us millennials might call ‘trash talk,’ you can’t expect the president of the United States not to respond and not to correct the record,” Vance said.

Vance noted that Iran’s team continued to negotiate and did not leave the talks, adding that the country’s team of technical experts had stayed in Switzerland.

“So, yes, there was a little bit of threatening, there was a little bit of whining,” Vance said. “But at the end of the day, the talks continued and we made great progress.”

Vance says peace talks with Iran had created a ‘good foundation for a successful final deal’ to end the war

Vice President JD Vance said that peace talks with Iran had created a “good foundation for a successful final deal” to end the war that began at the end of February.

“The final deal is the house,” Vance told reporters. “We set the foundation. We haven’t built the house, but we’ve laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people.”

The vice president noted that Iran’s team did threaten to walk out of the talks, but he defended social media posts by Trump that had caused Iranian officials to feel offended.

“What we told the Iranians yesterday is when you guys engage in what us millennials might call ‘trash talk,’ you can’t expect the president of the United States not to respond and not to correct the record,” Vance said.

Trump tries to blame Reflecting Pool woes on vandalism, without offering substantiation

Trump on Saturday announced that federal authorities had made “multiple arrests” of people he said were vandalizing the Reflecting Pool as he struggled to explain why the $14-million-plus rehabilitation project he launched for the nation’s 250th anniversary seemingly backfired.

Trump said his predecessors had let the pool turn an algae-stained green and that he’d line it with “American flag blue” so it better reflected the Washington Monument. But after the new pool was unveiled, its blue tinge quickly became a familiar green. Workers treated it with chemicals to kill the algae, but then the painted blue lining on the bottom began to peel.

On Friday night, Trump posted about the pool.

“We’ve had some real problems with Vandalism at the beautiful Reflecting Pool,” he posted on his social media site Friday night. “Just like three days ago, they destroyed the grass outside of the Pool, they’ve also done everything possible to hurt the inside surface that was just installed.”

He offered no details to substantiate his claim.

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Trump deepens the dustup with Italy’s Meloni, who says his ‘unprovoked attacks are senseless’

Trump on Saturday lashed out at Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, insisting that she asked “over and over” for a photo with him at the recent Group of Seven summit and criticizing what he said was Italy’s lack of cooperation during the Iran war.

The remarks deepen the spat that began this week with the Republican president’s interview with an Italian broadcaster, during which Trump claimed Meloni “begged” for the photo during the G7 meeting in France. Meloni has called that “completely fabricated.” The dustup led Italy’s foreign minister to cancel a planned trip to the United States as Meloni’s government lined up in her defense.

“Italian Prime Minister Gigiorgia Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G-7 meeting in France,” Trump wrote on his social media platform while spending the weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat. He misspelled her first name in the initial post, which he later corrected.

Meloni soon responded, saying in a statement to Trump that “these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless.”

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US and Iran wrap second day of talks after rough start

Senior negotiators from the U.S. and Iran on Monday wrapped up a lengthy round of initial talks aimed at solidifying a permanent end to the war between the countries.

The mediation effort in Switzerland started Sunday and had rocky moments. But it also led to some agreements between the two sides.

Mediators Qatar and Pakistan hailed what they called “encouraging progress” made during the talks as Iran and the United States agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon. A senior U.S. diplomat claimed progress on multiple fronts, including the establishment of “mechanisms” to ensure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy shipments, remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon holds.

Yet the talks between the U.S. and Iran, who were accompanied by Qatari and Pakistani officials, were jolted by blistering statements from U.S. President Donald Trump, who, from thousands of miles away from the Swiss negotiating venue at a mountainside resort near Lake Lucerne, was firing off comments that offended the Iranians.

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Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until his Labour Party chooses a new leader — with expectations growing that it will be former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

Burnham confirmed on social media that “I will put myself forward as part of this process.” Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who was considered his main rival for the top job, said he will back Burnham.

It was Burnham's victory in a special parliamentary election last week that triggered Starmer's decision to resign, as Labour lawmakers flocked to the charismatic former mayor in the hope he can revive the party's fortunes. After nearly a decade as mayor of the northwestern city, Burnham returned Monday to Parliament, where he took the oath of office in the House of Commons. Only members of Parliament are eligible for the party leadership.

Streeting's statement makes it more likely that Burnham will be selected without a leadership contest.

Burnham was cheered loudly by lawmakers — and heckled by one, who shouted “He’s not the Messiah!" — as he was sworn in, before posing for selfies and a group photo with dozens of Labour MPs in another part of Parliament.

Britain’s next election does not have to be held until 2029. Asked if he would call an early vote if he becomes prime minister, Burnham said: “You’re jumping several hurdles ahead there.”

Starmer is the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside No. 10 Downing St., and announce a departure. His statement came the day before Britain marks the 10th anniversary of its vote to leave the European Union, a decision that still roils the country’s economy and politics.

After weeks of insisting he would fight to keep his job, Starmer conceded to growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government’s flagging fortunes. He led Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024, but since then his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.

A new leader in place within weeks

Starmer made the announcement outside his official residence, where he delivered his first speech as prime minister two years ago. His voice choked with emotion near the end of the brief statement, which was watched by his staff, Cabinet ministers and scores of journalists.

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” Starmer said. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.”

He said he spoke to King Charles III, Britain's constitutional monarch, to inform him of the decision.

Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following Burnham's special election victory.

Starmer said nominations for a leadership contest will open July 9, and the new leader will be in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer break on Sept. 1.

If Burnham is the only candidate, the change could come by mid-July.

Starmer struggled to fulfill election pledges

Starmer has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living. He has been hamstrung by repeated missteps, including his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as U.K. ambassador to the United States.

Labour is losing liberal voters to the growing Green Party and facing a rising Reform UK, the Nigel Farage -led anti-immigration party that consistently leads in nationwide opinion polls.

U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in even before an announcement, linking Starmer’s exit to two of the Republican leader's recurring grievances: immigration and renewable energy.

“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT,” Trump posted on his social media platform.

Starmer’s initially warm relationship with Trump has soured in recent months over issues including the Iran war, which the U.K. didn’t join.

Praised on the world stage

In contrast to missteps domestically, Starmer has won praise for his international role, notably in rallying European support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, and working to mitigate the economic and political turmoil unleashed by the Iran conflict.

A NATO summit in Turkey next month may be his last foray on the world stage as Britain's leader.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, posting on X, thanked Starmer for his support and cooperation “that have helped make our Europe and our protection of life stronger.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Starmer’s legacy.

“It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years,” she said on X. “European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”

While many Labour lawmakers have rallied behind Burnham, some have said that Starmer had been treated unfairly. London legislator Neil Coyle railed on X against “the prospect of an utter stitch-up & the media circus being rewarded."

Many hope Burnham can connect with voters

Burnham is the front-runner to succeed Starmer because many people see him as the best person to defeat the anti-immigration Reform Party at the next election, said Olivia O’Sullivan, an analyst at London's Chatham House think tank.

Burnham appeals to Labour Party lawmakers who were frustrated by the way Starmer has governed, O’Sullivan said. Many hope that he will set out a “clearer vision” and connect with voters in parts of the country that are in danger of turning to Reform.

Still, O'Sullivan cautioned that may not translate into genuine change.

“It’s absolutely correct that that is not the same thing as offering a radically different set of policies or even a particularly clear policy program,” she said.

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Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London and Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed.

He said he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party but would remain caretaker prime minister until a new head is chosen by the party.

Andy Burnham, who won a special parliamentary election last week, confirmed that he will run to succeed Starmer.

Starmer won a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, but a series of missteps badly damaged his credibility.

His resignation comes the day before Britain marks the 10th anniversary of its vote to leave the European Union, a decision that still roils the country’s economy and politics.

Here's the latest:

Canadian prime minister lauds Starmer

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says the world is safer and allies are more united because of Starmer’s efforts, thanking him for a lifetime of public service.

Carney wrote in a social media post that it had been a privilege to work alongside Starmer as he led international efforts to support Ukraine through the Coalition of the Willing, strengthen NATO, improve Arctic cooperation, and deepen the historic partnership between Canada and the United Kingdom.

Burnham poses for his first-day photo

Dozens of Labour lawmakers cheered loudly as Andy Burnham arrived for a first-day photo. They crowded onto the steps in the 900-year-old Westminster Hall in Parliament to greet their newly elected colleague and potential future leader.

Burnham posed for a group portrait and took selfies with some, including rival-turned-supporter Wes Streeting and Treasury chief Rachel Reeves. She seems likely to lose her job once Starmer leaves office.

Loud cheers as Burnham is sworn in as lawmaker

Andy Burnham has been sworn in as a lawmaker in Parliament.

Loud cheers broke out among lawmakers in the House of Commons as Burnham returned to Parliament after nearly a decade as mayor of Greater Manchester.

European Commission president looks forward to stable relations with the UK

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Starmer “did a true reset built on trust, without any question.”

Speaking on the eve of Brexit's 10th anniversary of Britain’s departure from the EU, von der Leyen said: “I’m looking forward to resuming a strong and stable relationship with the people of the United Kingdom.”

Burnham greeted by media frenzy as he arrives at London train station

About 50 journalists and photographers waited to greet Burnham as he arrived at London’s Euston station by train from Manchester, ahead of being sworn in as a lawmaker at Westminster.

The former mayor of Greater Manchester told reporters that his “priority” for the day was to be officially sworn in as a lawmaker.

“It’s been very kind of sad for me today to leave Greater Manchester. The people have been brilliant to me over the last few years. I’ve loved every minute of the role,” he said.

Britain and Labour Party would benefit if Burnham faces a challenge for the prime minister post

A leadership contest would strengthen Britain’s new government because it would give front-runner Andy Burnham the chance to lay out his policies before becoming prime minister, said Victoria Honeyman, a professor of politics at Leeds University.

Burnham arrived in London on Monday to take up his seat in Parliament following a special election victory last week.

“If you are Andy Burnham, you want a bit of a proper contest because these kinds of show contests where it’s basically all decided are not necessarily good for anybody,” Honeyman said. “It isn’t good for the country because it doesn’t really kind of wrinkle out all of the issues that people want to talk about. You don’t really get a very good view of the individuals that are competing for the role.”

But Burnham won’t want the contest to be “too bruising,” she said, “because you don’t want the party to be criticized too massively publicly, and you want to be able to present yourself as being unified, which is very difficult if it’s quite a vicious battle.”

Why is Andy Burnham the front-runner to succeed Starmer?

Because many people see him as the best person to defeat the anti-immigrant Reform Party at the next election, according to Olivia O’Sullivan, the director of the UK in the World Program at the Chatham House think tank.

Burnham’s greatest asset is that he appeals to Labour Party lawmakers who were frustrated by the way Starmer has governed, O’Sullivan said. The hope is that he will set out a “clearer vision” and connect with voters in parts of the country that are in danger of turning to the Reform Party, she said.

Burnham was elected to Parliament last week after decisively defeating a Reform candidate in a special election.

“He won a very strong majority in precisely the type of area, the type of constituency that the Labour Party is worried it’s losing,” O’Sullivan said. “So it may be that a lot of his appeal is centered in the fact that he seems to connect better with those voters and offer a clearer vision. But it’s absolutely correct that that is not the same thing as offering a radically different set of policies or even a particularly clear policy program.”

Ukrainian President thanks Starmer

“Keir, thank you for all our cooperation, your support, and the joint decisions that have helped make our Europe and our protection of life stronger," Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.

"Here in Ukraine, we deeply value Britain, and every meeting and every conversation we have had has always been filled with real substance ... I wish the United Kingdom and all British people every success as well as realisation of your national goals. We have confidence in Britain.

Keir, you are always a welcome guest in Ukraine.”

Reform UK leader calls for a general election

Nigel Farage, who leads the anti-immigration party, wrote on X that “Reform demands an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change.”

“If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming,” he said.

Farage said Labour has betrayed voters’ trust, citing the Starmer government’s unpopular welfare and tax policies and illegal immigration as examples of the party’s failings.

Britain’s next national election doesn’t have to be held until 2029. British politics allows parties to change leaders midterm without the need for a general election.

EU Council president praises Starmer's role in EU-UK relations

António Costa said on Monday that Starmer helped turn “a new page” in EU-UK relations 10 years after Brexit.

“We turned a new page in EU-UK relations,” Costa said in a social media post. “The EU is committed to continued cooperation in this spirit.”

Starmer was seen as repairing relations with Brussels following Brexit and had helped schedule an EU-UK summit for July 22.

But on Monday, the European Commission said they were reassessing that plan.

Norwegian prime minister thanks Starmer for a ‘strong and close partnership’

“I respect the decision he has made,” Jonas Gahr Støre, a fellow center-left leader, said in a statement.

“The United Kingdom is Norway’s close ally in Europe, and over the past two years our countries have grown even closer through important agreements," he said.

Støre added: “We have worked closely together to strengthen security cooperation in Europe and to support Ukraine.”

Burnham says the country expects ‘stability and seriousness’

In a post on X, Andy Burnham thanked Starmer for his service and leadership.

He said Starmer’s decision to step down “marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way. I will put myself forward as part of this process.”

“The country expects stability, seriousness and a continued focus on the issues that matter most and that is what it will get.”

He added: “People want to see progress on economic growth, cost of living, public services, housing and opportunities for the next generation. Political change should never distract from the responsibility to improve people’s lives.”

Andy Burnham will run to succeed Starmer

Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham confirms he will run to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister.

Wes Streeting, considered another leading contender, said he will back Burnham. That makes it more likely that Burnham will be selected without a leadership contest.

Liberal Democrats say ‘merry-go-round of prime ministers’ needs to change

Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat Leader, said Starmer’s replacement would have to change “our broken politics.”

“The British people are sick of being let down by an endless merry-go-round of prime ministers while nothing really changes for them,” he said. “This time must be different. It can’t just be about changing who’s in No. 10, it has to be about changing our broken politics so we can fix our country.”

Zack Polanski, who leads the Green Party, echoed that the U.K. needs a “bold change of direction.”

Referring to former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who many expect to become the next Labour leader, Polanski said: “The time for half measures and sticking plasters is long gone — if he becomes the next PM, Burnham must be bold or he will be bust.”

German leader calls Starmer a reliable partner

“The German government has always had in Keir Starmer a reliable and close partner in foreign policy questions, particularly regarding Ukraine,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, told reporters. He declined to comment on the “internal motives in Britain.”

He said the government believes a meeting that Merz plans to host in Berlin Wednesday of the so-called “E5” — Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Poland — will go ahead as planned despite Starmer’s announcement. The meeting is meant as part of preparations for the upcoming NATO summit.

Some key quotes from Starmer’s resignation speech

"Walking up this street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life. A new Labour government. The first in 14 years. A page in our country’s history turned after years of disappointment and despair. ... The chance to change the lives of millions of people for the better. That’s what I came into politics for. The journey to that point was not easy."

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question. And I accept that answer with good grace."

“Every decision I’ve taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party. I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision.

“I will remain in post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete. And I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power.”

The curious sign of the lion and the unicorn

Starmer stood behind a lectern featuring a crest with a lion and a unicorn.

One is not a native of the U.K. and the other is mythical.

Both have shared the distinction of being part of the royal coat of arms since the 17th century.

The lion, although never living in the wild of England, is its national animal. The unicorn, though fictional, is Scotland’s official animal.

The two became part of the crest when the two crowns were united in 1603, when King James I ascended the throne in England; he was already King James VI in Scotland.

Starmer is the sixth prime minister in 10 turbulent years of UK politics

When he was elected in 2024 in a landslide victory for Labour, Starmer pledged to steady the ship and end years of political chaos under his successors, the Conservative Party.

Starmer had succeeded Rishi Sunak, who held the top job from 2022 to 2024.

Before Sunak, Liz Truss lasted only 45 days. Truss followed three other Conservative prime ministers: Boris Johnson (2019-2022), Theresa May (2016-2019), and David Cameron (2010-2016.)

Formal contest to replace Starmer will begin in early July and could end in days

Starmer said Monday that nominations will open on July 9 and close when Parliament breaks up for its summer recess, which is scheduled to begin July 16. The contest will be open to members of Parliament from the ruling Labour Party.

Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is the leading candidate to replace Starmer. The question now is whether anyone will challenge him.

If there is no challenge, Burnham could become Labour leader and thus prime minister soon after nominations close. Even if there is a contest, Starmer said a successor would be selected by Sept. 1.

EU leader praises Starmer

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Starmer’s legacy after news of his resignation in a post online on Monday.

“It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years,” she said on X. “European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”

The prime minister's speech ends on an emotional note

Starmer’s voice choked with emotion near the end of the brief statement.

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” Starmer said. “I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.”

Starmer resigns

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party.

Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until a new Labour leader is chosen in the next few weeks.

Starmer made the announcement after facing growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the government’s flagging fortunes. He has been in office since leading Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024. In those two years, his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.

As Starmer spoke, protesters sing

As Starmer began his speech, protesters nearby played the EU anthem, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”

Expectations of a resignation

Expectation is building that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out a timetable for his resignation, conceding to pressure from his Labour Party to hand over the reins of power.

If he does, Starmer will be the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside 10 Downing Street and announce a premature departure.

Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following the victory of intraparty rival Andy Burnham in a special election for a seat in Parliament. Burnham, until last week the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, ran with the aim of challenging Starmer for leadership of the party and the country.

Burnham is due to be sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday.

Amid economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and a sweltering Milan Fashion Week, designers largely stripped things back for next summer, embracing clean lines and pared-down looks. Prada led the way, with co-creative directors Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons arguing for simplicity and familiar clothes reimagined through proportion and fabrication.

That didn’t mean dressing for the heat was straightforward. Milan’s runways were filled with leather and knits for the next summer season, suggesting that fashion’s elite may need generous air-conditioning, mountain escapes or higher latitudes to wear some of the looks.

Key trends from Milan Fashion Week menswear Spring-Summer 2027 collections that closed on Monday include the embrace of luxury materials, sartorial ventilation and lighter tailoring, while a few defiantly chose bling over restraint.

Leather prevails despite the heat

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season was the persistence of leather.

Prada’s leather combinations were inspired by the universality of jeans, featuring slim five-pocket pants matched with cropped flat-pocketed jackets that functioned as shirts. Other designers used woven and perforated techniques to make leather more breathable, even as temperatures climbed.

In Milan, luxury and practicality were often in tension.

The return of the body

After years of oversized silhouettes, menswear is once again embracing the body.

Designers broadly agreed that a well-dressed man still wears a suit. The challenge was how to survive the heat. The response was ventilation, with dress shirts left unbuttoned. Some were rendered transparent. Or they were simply done away with.

Long trousers remained dominant, but there was a shift toward closer-to-the-body dressing. Dolce & Gabbana pushed the idea furthest with microshorts that showcased muscular legs, while some brands exposed torsos.

Suiting for a hotter planet

Tailoring remained central to Milan collections, but in lighter, more relaxed forms.

Designers softened construction, opened necklines and experimented with fabrics and construction that allowed more airflow. The result was tailoring designed for rising temperatures without abandoning formality. U.S. designer Thom Browne, now under Zegna ownership, returned to Milan for the first time since 2008 with layered suiting that drew heavily on summer-friendly seersucker and pleated skirts for men, long a brand hallmark.

The message from Milan was clear: the suit isn’t going anywhere, but it is adapting.

Of course, restraint is not for everyone

While much of Milan embraced restraint, some designers doubled down on decoration.

Philipp Plein presented a crystal-encrusted denim ensemble that takes days of handwork to complete. Dolce & Gabbana also leaned into embellishment, including beaded accents that recalled coral.

If Prada’s vision was reduction, these designers unapologetically offered maximalism and glamour.

Space for new voices

A lighter Milan calendar created opportunities for emerging designers to gain attention alongside the industry’s biggest names.

Martin Quad made his Milan debut with unusual tailoring tricks that got him noticed in his native Copenhagen, while Domenico Orefice embraced leather and richly woven textiles for his co-ed collection.

Japanese designer Shinya Kozuka's Shinyakozuka label made its Milan debut with one of the most poetic and summery collections of the season, epitomized by a bare-chested model in a billowing sheer coat in teal worn baggy white trousers.

Extreme feels-like temperatures, heat stress days and tropical nights have all become dramatically more frequent, long and severe over the past six decades as the planet's warming intensifies — a result of the burning of fossil fuels coal, oil and gas — according to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change on Monday.

The researchers went beyond just temperature, which is frequently studied, and used feels-like temperatures, to understand more of the impact on people. They assessed heat stress on individual humans, influenced by temperature, humidity, wind speed and more. They used what’s called the Universal Thermal Climate Index to analyze those factors and model the human body’s response to the environment.

The combination of heat and humidity can be dangerous for humans, because humidity impacts how sweat evaporates, and that's a cooling mechanism. Heat waves that are humid can be more fatal than dry heat waves as humans don't cool down as easily.

Heat stress is worsening in already-warm regions, and beyond

Past studies have looked at the extent to which human-driven climate change has sent temperatures soaring, especially in recent years. One study says people globally suffered an average of 41 extra days of dangerous heat in 2024. Some research says that the world is on track to add nearly two months of superhot days each year by the end of the century.

Here, researchers looked at heat stress at three levels: strong (index temperatures of greater than or equal to 32 degrees Celsius, or 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit); very strong (index temperatures of greater than or equal to 38 degrees Celsius, or 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit); and extreme (index temperatures of greater than or equal to 46 degrees Celsius, or 114.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

Places that might see around 50 more days per year of at least strong heat stress compared with the 1970s include parts of Southern Africa, such as in Namibia and Angola; Eastern Africa, including parts of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda; and parts of Mexico and Central America.

In Southern Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey, some areas will see up to 40 additional days with strong heat stress compared with the 1970s. Much of Southern Europe is seeing almost a full month of additional strong heat stress days from decades ago.

In the U.S., much of the country sees 15 or more days of at least strong heat stress, and southern parts, including Texas and Florida, are seeing close to 25 or more days with very strong heat stress.

Those heat stress seasons are also lasting longer.

The study’s lead author Rebecca Emerton, also a senior scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts in the United Kingdom, said it was striking “to see heat stress not only intensifying in those places that we already consider as being hot or used to experiencing heat waves ... but also to see this, we call it, expanding footprint of heat stress expanding into regions where it’s historically been rare or non-existent.”

According to the study, the feels-like temperatures on the ten warmest nights of each year have also increased faster — 0.32 degrees Celsius (0.58 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade — than the ten warmest days, 0.27 degrees Celsius (0.49 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade.

For tropical nights, the researchers considered minimum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). This means people might not be recovering properly from daytime heat in the overnight hours.

And now, one billion more people face at least one day of extreme heat stress each year than they did in the 1970s.

The future impact depends on action

The world has known that adding heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests will warm the globe, said Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center on Cape Cod, who was not involved in the research.

“This study adds stark details about increasing dangers to billions of humans,” Francis said. “This analysis shows not only is temperature rising, but so is humidity, which makes high temperatures more deadly because our body’s air conditioning system — sweating — struggles to keep up.”

Emerton says the work highlights the urgent need to mitigate future warming and ensure adaptation strategies, heat health action plans, early warning systems and climate risk assessments are in place.

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Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

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Read more of AP’s climate coverage.

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

This crash has been cleared, according to VDOT.

ORIGINAL STORY

A multi-vehicle crash on US-29 southbound in Campbell County is causing delays, according to VDOT.

Authorities say the crash happened in the vicinity of Mountain Lake Road. At this time, the south right lane and right shoulder are closed.

Stay with 10 News for the latest traffic updates.

The crash happened on Saturday at about 2:45 p.m. on I-77 northbound at the 4-mile marker.

State troopers say a 2005 Coachman Encore recreational vehicle was travelling northbound on I-77 when it lost control, ran off the right side of the road and hit the guardrail. The passenger, Gretchen H. Karcher, of Versailles, Pennsylvania, was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle, 73-year-old Ronald J. Winkler, also from Versailles, Pennsylvania, was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

The blast at the Ras Laffan industrial area could cause further chaos in global energy markets, as Qatar remains one of the world's top natural gas producers. Qatar shut down its production after Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz meant it couldn't get shipments out to clients.

With Iran loosening its grip as negotiations continue over a permanent end to the war, Qatar began work to try to restart its export terminal. That sparked the explosion and fire at the Barzan gas supply facility, state-run QatarEnergy said.

“I would like to emphasize that this was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature," Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi told a news conference Monday afternoon in Doha, Qatar’s capital.

The minister gave the toll and said the dead came from India and Pakistan. The nationalities of the 66 injured included people from Qatar and a variety of African and Asian nations, al-Kaabi said.

The scale of the damage remains unknown.

The Barzan plant had a capacity of almost 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day, which Qatar used primarily for local electricity generation and to power its crucial water desalination plants in the desert reaches of the Arabian Peninsula.

Qatar owns nearly all of the plant, with a small share also held by ExxonMobil. The oil company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In March, an Iranian missile hit Ras Laffan, sparking a fire that caused “extensive” damage before it was extinguished, authorities said. Qatar had already halted production there because of Iranian attacks.

Qatar shares its massive offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf with Iran. That natural gas production has made Qatar wealthy. It has used that money to raise its profile worldwide through hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, creating the Al Jazeera news network and funding its work as an international mediator, including the talks in Switzerland between Iran and the United States.

But in his first press conference last Wednesday, new chair Kevin Warsh began to reverse some of those steps. Warsh, like many economists, thinks the financial markets have become too dependent on Fed guidance, and that such direction is more effective in financial crises or economic downturns.

Warsh's changes to the Fed's communications represent something of a return to former chair Alan Greenspan's circumspect approach. Greenspan died at 100 on Monday. He is the only former chair Warsh praised at his swearing-in last month.

As chair, Warsh has rapidly delivered on his promise to slash the Fed's communications. He sharply cut the central bank's post-meeting statement and underscored at the press conference the removal of the guidance it formerly gave to financial markets about the Fed's next interest-rate moves. Yet such an approach carries the risk of more violent swings in stock and bond prices, analysts say, and ultimately could lead to higher interest rates for consumers and businesses.

“Forward guidance in general has served to suppress volatility and anchor market expectations,” said George Pearkes, global macro strategist at Bespoke Investment Group. “And that has led to lower borrowing rates, relative to alternatives.”

Still, the impact on consumers is likely to be modest, Pearkes added, with mortgage rates perhaps a quarter-point higher than they would be otherwise.

Warsh may be headed back to 1990s

Such swings could be a sign of things to come. Previous chairs have signaled the Fed's next moves clearly enough that financial markets have largely anticipated the central bank's actions. But Warsh appears to be following Greenspan, whose oracular comments often kept investors guessing.

Yet Greenspan, who served as chair from 1987 to 2005, also ushered in several changes that made the Fed more transparent. He began the practice of issuing statements after each Fed meeting to announce its interest-rate decision. He also began publicly releasing the minutes of each meeting and the full transcripts, after a five-year delay, though those moves came in response to pressure from Congress.

The first statement was issued Feb. 4, 1994, and said the Fed would increase its key rate for the first time in five years. The move caught investors off-guard and the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2.4% that day.

The paring back of Fed communications is part of a larger package of potential reforms to the central bank's operations that Warsh signaled Wednesday. He announced that the Fed will set up five task forces to examine the Fed's communications, its balance sheet, how it analyzes and gathers economic data, the impact of AI on productivity and jobs, and the frameworks it uses to analyze inflation.

Warsh said the communications task force would consider changes to the quarterly economic projections the Fed issues as well as look at other recent innovations, including press conferences. Former chair Ben Bernanke was the first to hold them, though he did so only after every other Fed meeting. Warsh's predecessor, Jerome Powell, shifted to holding them after every meeting.

Such steps were a sharp contrast with the 1990s, when Greenspan never explained a Fed decision, on the record, to reporters. Warsh could ultimately dial back some of the Fed's increased transparency.

“This is a big change in how the Fed has conducted itself since the (2008-2009) global financial crisis,” Matthew Luzzetti, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, said. "Since then there has been a one-way train to greater communication, more transparency, and more forward guidance. Warsh has now put that train in reverse.”

Fed chairs have seen benefits to forward guidance

Previous Fed chairs, starting with Bernanke, have seen a clear benefit to more communication: It helps guide the markets in the direction the Fed wants. Fed officials control a short-term interest rate, but the rates that affect the economy — such as the yield on the 10-year Treasury — are heavily influenced by investors' expectations for inflation and economic growth. By telegraphing their next moves, policymakers can cause those longer-term rates to change even before the Fed adjusts its own benchmark rate.

Yet Warsh's view is that financial markets have become too dependent on Fed guidance. Instead, he wants investors to gauge where the Fed may move next by examining economic data and making their own judgments, which the Fed can then consider as part of their assessments of where the economy is headed.

“Financial market prices are probably the most important source of information to guide central bankers,” Warsh said at Wednesday's news conference.

Guidance can help with unexpected events

David Andolfatto, an economics professor at the University of Miami and former economist at the St. Louis Fed, said he agreed with Warsh that forward guidance has flaws. It can be easily upended by unexpected events, he said, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine or the Iran war.

But the chair should set out guidelines for how the Fed will react to unexpected events, Andolfatto said, or to challenges such as the persistent inflation it is grappling with now, yet Warsh so far hasn't done so.

“I’m with him on dispensing with forward guidance, but you have to replace it with a contingency plan,” Andolfatto said. “It's not enough to say, trust me, we'll keep inflation at target.”

Ironically, Warsh's decision to drop forward guidance may empower the other 18 members of the Fed's rate-setting committee, Pearkes said. Those officials — six members of the Fed's governing board, plus the presidents of the 12 regional Fed banks — frequently give public speeches, and their remarks will get even more attention as financial markets seek clues about what the Fed may do next.

A big challenge to Warsh's approach will come if there is a sharp financial downturn or economic crisis, as occurred during the COVID pandemic. In those circumstances, economists said, forward guidance can play an important role calming markets.

“Whether it will stand the test of time and he will behave this way for five years is a very different question, but one that we're going to have to wait for events to unfold to get an answer to," Pearkes said.

Donaldson, 63, was found guilty at Newry Crown Court of one count of rape, four counts of gross indecency and 13 indecent assault charges involving two girls from 1985 to 2008.

He showed no emotion as the verdicts were read or when Judge Paul Ramsey said Donaldson would face a lengthy prison sentence later in the year and had him taken to jail. A pre-sentencing hearing was scheduled for Sept. 25.

Donaldson’s arrest two years ago ended his career as one of the leading Northern Ireland voices in favor of maintaining the historic ties with the United Kingdom. He resigned as leader of the conservative Democratic Unionist Party, or DUP, and gave up his seat in the U.K. Parliament.

Donaldson testified — emotionally at times — over two days and denied all the allegations against him, saying he was “crystal clear” he did not rape one of the girls when she was a child decades ago.

Donaldson’s wife, Eleanor Donaldson, 60, was found to have aided and abetted her husband’s offenses for witnessing the abuse and doing nothing to intervene. Because of mental health issues, she faced only a fact-finding hearing that could not result in a conviction.

The two complainants, who said they were abused as children, testified that Donaldson groped them when they were around primary school age. The older of the two, referred to in court as Complainant B, said he raped her.

“It just didn’t happen, I am absolutely crystal clear about that,” Donaldson testified. “It is not something I would ever have done, it is just simply not true.”

Complainant B said that in the 1990s, years after the abuse, Donaldson apologized “for what had happened in the past” at a meeting held at a Christian center where she had stayed while dealing with drug issues.

Donaldson testified that he had apologized for making her uncomfortable at the meeting.

Donaldson wrote a letter to Complainant A in 2020 to say he regretted “hurt, pain and distress” he caused. He claimed that the letter did not refer to sex abuse allegations but other behavior.

“I know how deep the wounds are caused by my sinful and selfish actions,” he wrote and said he hoped God would “lift a sinner out of the deep pit of sin.”

Police said officers responded around 2:30 a.m. to the 2300 block of Yorktown Avenue after receiving reports of shots fired. When they arrived, they found a man with serious injuries. He was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital by the Lynchburg Fire Department.

The investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Bond at 434-455-6161. Tips may also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 888-798-5900, online at http://p3tips.com, or by using the P3 Tips mobile app.

And is a wine named SEX too provocative or not provocative enough?

Absurd as they may sound, these are the questions haunting wine marketers grappling with slumping sales and increasingly elusive drinkers. How consumers -- especially younger drinkers -- answer them will determine whether an industry long defined by fuddy-duddy pretense can find its footing in 2026 and beyond.

“That self-important way that wine can refer to itself — we’re really trying to tip that on its head,” said Helen Kurtz, chief of marketing for The Wine Group, which hopes that offerings such as its easy-drinking Cupcake Vineyards wines can attract a generation that came of age on Frappuccinos and gas station BuzzBallz.

“It’s about being less serious about ourselves, because that’s what this consumer is demanding,” she said.

By which she means partnering the company’s MD 20/20 (yes, it’s a wine) with World Wrestling Entertainment matches (“Mad Dog Enters the Ring”), and launching the aptly named Fuel by Franzia line of boxed wine beverages for NASCAR (“Full Throttle Flavor”).

Alcohol consumption has dropped

It’s a fresh lesson on the importance of finding your customer rather than hoping they find you. Because almost across the board, alcohol consumption is down, a trend that accelerated post-pandemic. A host of factors is at play, including aging Boomers seeking healthier lifestyles, Gen Z’s gravitation to low- and no-alcohol beverages, and widening availability of alternatives such as marijuana.

Each segment of the alcohol industry -- valued at around $560 billion in the U.S. -- is responding differently. Hard liquor, for example, has found a rare growth category in ready-to-drink canned cocktails. But the wine industry faces its own constellation of challenges, many of its own making.

For anyone new to wine -- particularly much-coveted 20-somethings -- finding one’s way can be daunting, something of a Château du Stuffy effect.

“You’ve got a bunch of things, what you might call friction points, with wine, that are particularly salient to younger consumers,” including cost and drinkability, said Christian Miller, director of research for the Wine Market Council.

A pretentious image keeps some customers away

Wine, from the labels to the language used to describe it, historically has leaned pricy and pretentious (looking at you, “notes of asphalt and barnyard”). Wine trends also have favored boozy and bracing styles, a hard sell for folks used to sipping hard seltzers at the club.

Fewer than a third of Gen-Z households own a corkscrew, according to a trends report by the British household products company Lakeland. Even simply trying a wine comes with a gatekeeper: Hard liquor is easy to sample at a bar or as single-shot nips; most wine requires a full-bottle commitment.

A cadre of wineries has begun pushing the bounds of wine culture by ditching the fussy façade in favor of a sassy vibe and accessible language. Price matters, too (the sweet spot seems to be the $8 to $20 a bottle range), but not nearly so much as the message.

It's about using contemporary communication to pitch "something that’s been made for centuries,” said Charles Smith, founder of House of Smith, the company behind younger, shopper-friendly brands such as Kung Fu Girl Riesling and SEX Rosé. “My mantra is always to communicate the language of wine to everyone because not everyone speaks wine. The wine should be a reflection of the consumer who is going to buy it.”

Can tie-ins to pop culture make wine more relatable?

Bogle Family Wine Collection has leaned in with its Juggernaut Wines. Adorned with almost graphically violent labels showcasing alpha predators -- a shark, a grizzly, an orca, a lion and some sort of particularly angry bird of prey -- the bottles are a far cry from the placid villas and languorous ladies plastered across so many wines.

The other side of it is getting those bottles into spaces not traditionally associated with wine, said Jessica LaBounty, the company’s marketing director. For two years, Juggernaut has announced “Adventure awaits” as it sponsored the grueling Tough Mudder races. They’ve also done placements at zoos that host nights where people can name dead rodents and insects after former partners and feed them to the animals. Cheers…?

And this year, it’s Discovery network’s Shark Week. Juggernaut's chardonnay label sports an especially snappish great white and “just the right amount of bite.”

“The viewer base of Shark Week lines up really, really nicely with who we know our consumer to be," LaBounty said. "It’s another way to meet them where they are already versus kind of asking them to come to us.”

Learning to speak Gen Z is key

The goal is to bridge a generational divide in which wine got lost. Younger drinkers don’t and won’t talk about wine the way older drinkers do. To point, there's a clever social media meme about a Millennial marketing team pitching wine vs. a Gen-Z social media team. The Millennial effort goes on at length about terroir and full-bodied flavors. Gen-Z’s pitch? “it’s giving… yummy”.

Vibe is everything for Bread & Butter Wines, with the tagline, “Don’t overthink it.” As in, pair their red blend with a candy charcuterie board. Or their pinot noir with a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich. Want fries with that? Try their prosecco.

“The No. 1 goal is to disrupt the shelf because it is so crowded,” said Caitlin Ward, brand and digital marketing director. “Sassiness is a way to do that.”

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J.M. Hirsch is a longtime food writer who was food editor of The Associated Press for nearly a decade until 2016.

The business leaders were on different sides of the debate when Britain voted to leave the European Union in 2016. But 10 years later they are both frustrated by Brexit.

A decade ago, backers promised that Brexit would be the key to a bright new future where, freed from the edicts of EU bureaucrats, Britain would regain control of its laws and its borders and the economy would boom. But the reality failed to live up to the hype as Britain struggled to adjust to life without unfettered access to the 27-nation free trade bloc and its market of 450 million people.

Economic growth is anemic, taxes are high, public services are creaking and successive governments have been unable to stem the flow of migrants who wash up on the English Channel coast in inflatable boats. As a result, it's not exactly a happy anniversary.

“No, it’s not delivered everything that was said it would deliver on the tin, but it is delivering,” Boyd told The Associated Press. “It’s very sluggish. You only need to look at the statistics to see that.”

Boyd, the managing director of REIDSteel, which employs about 130 people at a plant in Christchurch, England, still stands behind his decision to support Brexit, but blames lackluster results on politicians who weren’t committed to delivering. Britain has also experienced unexpected challenges over the past 10 years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Boyd said.

Economists see fundamental issues

The Brexit vote quickly increased costs for businesses as they prepared for an uncertain future during years of negotiation over the U.K.’s new relationship with the EU. Then, when Britain finally left the bloc on Jan. 31, 2020, new rules governing trade in goods and services made it more expensive and time-consuming to do business with European partners.

Creon Butler, who leads the global economy and finance program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, said there were long-term consequences to leaving the European single market.

“Whatever was promised, whatever one hoped for, (you have) to accept that it has been a major loss of wealth and prosperity for us through the choice we made to leave,” he said.

“That’s a decision the British public have made, and they’re entitled to make it, but it does make us poorer,” he added.

By most measures, the British economy today is weaker than it would have been without Brexit, according to a recent report published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The report, compiled by researchers in Britain, Germany and the U.S., compares the performance of the U.K. economy to 33 other countries, including its European neighbors, the U.S., Canada and Japan.

Brexit has reduced Britain’s gross domestic product, a broad measure of economic output, by 6% to 8%, investment by 12% to 13% and productivity by 3% to 4%, the researchers concluded.

Carmakers had many challenges

Britain’s carmakers were early and outspoken opponents of Brexit, arguing that increased red tape surrounding shipments of parts and finished vehicles would damage an industry built on a network of interlinked factories in multiple European countries.

Those concerns reduced investment in the U.K. auto industry because international carmakers were less likely to see Britain as an attractive way into the European market. As a result, the industry is hoping that international trade deals will help boost demand for its products.

“We have been able to move with the times, so to speak, but undoubtedly it’s putting us at more cost into the industry, more pressure,” Hawes said.

Brexit supporters trumpeted the freedom to negotiate its own trade agreements as one of the primary benefits of leaving the EU, and Britain has since signed dozens of deals with countries ranging from Australia to India to the United States.

But EU countries still account for 41% of Britain’s exports and half its imports, according to the latest government figures.

During more than 50 years as a member of the EU and its predecessors, many British businesses also came to rely on Europe as a source of cheap labor, especially after the bloc’s eastward expansion in 2004.

That pipeline dried up after Brexit ended the free movement of labor, one of the bloc’s founding principals.

The owners of Britain’s curry restaurants, an integral part of communities from Aberdeen in Scotland to Aberystwyth in Wales, have been especially hard hit by the loss of Eastern European workers who went home rather than deal with burdensome new visa requirements. And they’re furious because the industry backed Brexit after assurances it would lead to more visas for South Asian cooks, something that hasn’t happened.

“We feel betrayed,″ said Oli Khan, president of the Bangladesh Caterers Association UK, who serves up tandoori lamb chops, vegetable biryani and chili paneer at his restaurant in Stevenage, north of London.

In an effort to mitigate some of the problems caused by Brexit, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has begun talks with the EU about rebuilding a closer relationship as he seeks to energize the country’s stagnant economy.

Starmer won't finish them, however. On Monday, he said he is stepping down.

Polls suggest frustration with Brexit is growing

Starmer’s move comes as a survey by the Ipsos polling firm, the Policy Institute at King’s College London and the think tank UK in a Changing Europe suggests that frustration with Brexit is growing.

The survey of 2,245 Britons aged 18 and older carried out in May, found that 48% said Brexit was going worse than they expected, up from 28% in March 2021. Some 9% said it was going better than expected and about one in three said it was going as expected.

But Boyd said the most important survey is still the one that took place on June 23, 2016, when 51.9% of those who cast ballots — or 17.4 million people — voted to leave EU.

He continues to believe that Britain has a brighter future outside the EU.

Brexit hasn’t delivered on its promise because politicians, large corporations and other entrenched interests worked to thwart the will of the people, Boyd said. This resulted in a Brexit deal that kept Britain too closely tied to the EU and unable to realize its potential as an entrepreneurial nation filled with creative, hardworking people, he said.

And there's no going back, he said.

“Imagine if we were to rejoin ... today. The conditions upon which we would be allowed back in would be akin to us re-boarding the Titanic on the condition that we surrender our life vests first,″ he said. “Need I say any more?”

Then came this spring’s historic and devastating floods across northern Michigan — in some areas, for the first time anyone can remember — swamping homes, pushing dams to the brink of failure and washing out roadways. Dozens of counties were under a state of emergency.

Black Lake was so high that floating ice broke apart decks and crashed through windows.

“We’ve never seen anything like that. Never,” said Solum, who experienced flooding often when he lived in Houston. Knee-high floodwater forced them to tear out flooring, drywall, furniture, bedding and appliances.

Across Michigan, thousands were left without financial protection after record April rains fell on top of record March snowfall. Worse, many had no idea they were at risk despite years of increasingly heavy precipitation.

Their experience exposes vulnerabilities across the country, experts say, because flood plain maps don’t cover all areas. What's more, the federal government's mapping method is arguably outdated and does not account for actual risks as climate change increases the odds of more extreme weather.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency develops and updates maps that determine who's in a flood plain and must buy insurance, and to help communities plan. But it hasn’t developed maps in many less-populated areas, including some Michigan counties that experienced unprecedented flooding.

Black Lake, for example, straddles two counties — Cheboygan, which has a 2012 FEMA flood plain map, and Presque Isle, where most areas have never been mapped. The longtime summer and retiree destination is ringed by small cabins and some larger homes.

Another issue: FEMA’s maps are based on risks of rivers, streams and other waterways overflowing their banks. But they don’t account for flooding caused strictly from increasingly heavy rainfall that overwhelms stormwater infrastructure in urban areas and inundates rural towns where there's nowhere for the water to go.

First Street, a company that researches the financial implications of climate change, found more than twice the number of properties at significant flood risk nationwide after incorporating that rainfall data into its own models and by mapping the whole country, including smaller streams that FEMA does not.

That includes four times more properties in Michigan.

“I couldn’t believe it when we first started building our model how different we were from FEMA,” said Jeremy Porter, chief economist at First Street, who says federal maps are “missing a whole source of flooding.”

FEMA uses that extra rainfall data to help set insurance rates, experts said. But it's unclear whether it's proceeding with an effort to incorporate it into flood plain mapping.

The General Accounting Office, a federal watchdog agency, raised concerns five years ago that FEMA’s flood hazard maps didn't reflect the best available climate science or heavy rainfall.

FEMA declined an interview request, but said in a statement that 95% of the U.S. population lives in areas with maps, which are “snapshots in time.” It did not respond to questions about whether this year’s flooding adds urgency to mapping less-populated areas or whether it's updating its mapping methods.

Climate change sets the stage for devastating floods

Michigan experienced “truly a monumental flood” that in many areas exceeded what is known as a 100-year flood, meaning it has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year, said Matthew Occhipinti, the state's National Flood Insurance Program coordinator.

But it wasn’t a fluke, experts said.

A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture for longer periods, which can lead to heavy rain or snow when enough builds up. And this spring, an “extraordinarily warm” Gulf of Mexico set the stage for both snow and rain in the upper Midwest, said Richard Rood, a University of Michigan climate scientist.

A massive March snowstorm dumped up to 2-4 feet (61-122 centimeters) across northern Michigan. Then April’s record rainfall created more runoff than waterways, dams and culverts could handle.

“We call these storms historic; that is only true compared to the past,” said Rood, adding that Michigan and neighboring Wisconsin experienced their wettest March 1-April 15 period on record. “I think it is more appropriate to consider it typical of the climate of the future.”

That's why it's important to update flood maps and for communities to be prepared, experts said.

“You should never be lulled into complacency that, ‘Oh geez we just had the big flood so we’re good for another 100 years or another 500 years,’” said Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers. “Mother Nature does not obey statistical averages.”

FEMA mapping progress is slow in rural areas

FEMA has been working to update existing flood plain maps — some that were decades old — but has made little progress creating new ones in rural areas where development could occur, despite a 2012 congressional mandate, Berginnis said.

The agency has historically prioritized places with the greatest population and risk, which makes sense due to budget constraints, Berginnis said, but also leaves about two-thirds of the country’s streams, rivers and coastlines unmapped. Some of those areas are unpopulated federal land that likely won't be mapped.

His organization estimates it would cost $4 billion to $12 billion to fully map the country, but FEMA has never had the funding to do so, he said.

Flood plain managers worry the agency could fall even further behind due to significant staffing losses under the Trump administration.

FEMA lost close to 20% of its total workforce in 2025, according to a General Accounting Office report. That includes about 25% of its permanent and most senior staff, said Christopher Currie, who audits FEMA for the GAO.

“We're very concerned,” said Currie, adding that FEMA was chronically understaffed even before Trump's second term. Now it would have to divert resources from many programs, including mapping, to respond to multiple disasters.

Some communities don't understand their risks

Getting accurate flood-risk information to communities is a challenge even beyond flood plain mapping.

Communities must participate in the National Flood Insurance Program before homeowners can buy policies underwritten by FEMA and sold by private companies. But many — including several hundred in Michigan, Occhipinti said — have never joined.

Communities can participate without a map. But experts say those that haven’t might never have experienced damaging floods or don’t understand the insurance program.

They also might not realize they have an elevated risk if they rely on FEMA’s National Risk Index, a separate tool from mapping. The index gives one score for a community’s overall risk of any type of natural disaster, and assumes there are no flood risks if the community doesn't have a flood plain map, said Berginnis.

That means a community with a low score might actually have elevated flood risks, he said, which “gives people the absolute wrong sense of security.”

But even program participation doesn’t guarantee homeowners get accurate information.

Diane Peterman, who evacuated as her crawlspace filled with floodwater, said she tried buying insurance three times but was told she couldn’t, even though her township participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.

“They said, ‘You’re not in a flood zone’ and I said, ‘But I live on a lake,’” said Peterman, who later learned that her neighbor had insurance.

In Michigan, an average policy costs about $1,000 for $250,000 in coverage, though that rate can vary widely based on factors such as home value and location, Occhipinti said. Some companies will sell private flood insurance, though it’s rare, he said.

Berginnis said homeowners and communities should seek information beyond what FEMA provides.

“FEMA flood maps should always be the beginning of the journey and not the end,” he said. “Maybe states and communities need to step up and lead a little bit more.”

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Troopers say they were called to Floyd Highway around 10 a.m. for a crash involving a motorcycle and several other vehicles.

According to investigators, 69-year-old Kenneth Martin Wingfield of Roanoke was riding his Harley-Davidson north when he crossed the centerline and sideswiped a southbound Chevrolet Cruze. After that, he collided head-on with a Range Rover.

Wingfield died at the scene, VSP said.

The crash is still under investigation.

A friend who did mountain rescue told Blea to download a free app called Watch Duty. On the app, he could see the fire's perimeter, track evacuation orders and read updates about the emergency response. “It influenced me to leave the home sooner than later,” said Blea, who left with his wife and son that evening, before the Eaton Fire destroyed their home.

Blea was one of more than 2.5 million people who used Watch Duty to track fires burning across Los Angeles County that week. The information was collected, vetted and disseminated by about two dozen Watch Duty staff and over 100 volunteers who monitored emergency radio traffic, aircraft reports and local agency communications.

The service proved vital, said David Hertz, a Malibu resident and captain of his community’s fire brigade, especially when some areas received little-to-no warning about the Eaton and Palisades fires that killed 31 people. “It’s like a democratization of data that empowers people."

This month, Watch Duty began helping people track another deadly and destructive climate hazard: flooding.

The expansion comes as peak flash flood season begins in the U.S. and nearly one year after last July’s deadly Texas floods that killed more than 130 people, prompting outcry over why Texas Hill Country residents and visitors didn’t receive better communication about the impending danger.

“This is painful that this keeps happening,” said John Mills, CEO and co-founder of the donor-supported nonprofit behind the app. “We’re not spreading enough information fast enough on as many channels as humanly possible.”

Mills built the app after his own close calls

Mills founded Watch Duty in 2021 after not receiving official alerts or evacuation instructions when a fire burned near his Northern California home.

It’s a problem seen in many recent disasters. While the U.S. has systems for sending alerts by text, radio, and other means, the process to issue a specific warning or evacuation order can get tangled in bureaucracy and often depends on humans making difficult decisions under pressure.

Often the information people need to understand their risk is out there, Mills said, but it is hard to find and use. “The systems are really struggling to meet people where they are."

On fire days, Mills found himself relying on volunteer radio operators who monitored scanners during emergencies and posted updates on social media. The posts helped, but social media had downsides — including how misinformation and unrelated content could drown out life-or-death updates.

A software engineer and entrepreneur, Mills recruited some of those volunteers and fellow engineers to build an answer. He made Watch Duty a nonprofit, which has helped build trust with its more than 20 million users. It received nearly $6 million in grants and donations in 2025.

Watch Duty puts emergency information in one place

Watch Duty now has about 300 volunteer “reporters" who collate and vet information from radio scanners, cameras, satellites, user-generated content and public announcements. Information is available in five languages and pushed out through maps, text feeds, and push notifications that can sound even when phones are silenced.

“You’re not going to have to go to multiple other entities, to the weather service, emergency management website, county website,” said Watch Duty meteorologist Pete Curran. “It’s in one place, in plain language, and it's going to wake you up if you're asleep."

Watch Duty can sometimes push out information faster than local agencies in part because its reporters have only one role to fill, said Curran, a retired firefighter. “Our only responsibility is to watch and listen. We’re not in charge of the incident.”

The nonprofit took on flooding next because of its widespread impact. “We are seeing crazy rainfall in places that it’s not normal for them,” said Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator under President Joe Biden and longtime data scientist who is now a Watch Duty board member. “Maybe it’s never happened before, but it’s happening now, so you need to be aware.”

The app pulls weather modeling and other data from the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Geologic Survey. Users can view NWS flood warnings and watches, river gauge levels, and notices of possible dam or levee failures.

Users can also better understand their risk ahead of time. They can see whether they're in a FEMA-designated flood area, or what levels on a river gauge would indicate danger, and customize notifications to be alerted if a gauge reached a certain height.

Preparation and redundancy enhance safety

Despite Watch Duty's explosive growth, a phone app can't solve all the challenges with informing the public during emergencies.

“I love seeing products like this come out, but one thing we know to be true in the Texas floods, is a warning is only as good as the knowledge to do something about it,” said Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

The ASFPM recommends knowing how to reach an evacuation zone and not just having an emergency plan, but practicing it. “One of the massive failures is not knowing what to do,” said Berginnis.

The national infrastructure for monitoring weather and alerting the public is also at risk from past and proposed funding cuts to federal agencies and local emergency warning systems. “At the end of the day, if you want eyes and ears out there, you've got to pay for it,” said Berginnis.

Mills stressed Watch Duty is not meant to replace the work of weather and emergency agencies. “We need National Weather Service, we need fire service, we need all this infrastructure to operate.” He said users should still enroll in their local alerting system.

And of course, a phone app is only helpful to those who download it, and who have cell coverage to use it.

“You have to have redundancy,” said Berginnis, adding that an inexpensive NOAA weather radio can fill in when other systems fail. "Sometimes we get so focused on tech, we forget the easy stuff.”

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Coming on board as strategic partners are the Detroit-based Ilitch Companies, and the Larry Tanenbaum-backed Toronto-based Kilmer Sports Ventures, the league announced Monday.

The two multi-sports-team-owning groups bring a wealth of financial backing, business connections and influence to a 12-team league that’s doubled in size since being established in June of 2023.

“This is the clearest signal of validation to the marketplace, to the players, to other owners, to media companies that we are cementing our reputation as one of the fastest-growing sports properties in the world,” PWHL advisory board member Stan Kasten told The Associated Press.

“These are serious, long-time experienced sports investors, and they are telling the world what they think about us,” he added “And that says much more than just them writing a check.”

With the additions, the PWHL’s existing centralized structure will remain in place, headed by founder and primary financial backers Mark and Kimbra Walter. The Walters, together with the PWHL’s advisory board, will continue overseeing operations, with the new partners providing expertise, relationships and perspective, the league said.

“Kimbra and I are incredibly proud of what the PWHL has accomplished in a short time, and are excited about what it can achieve moving forward,” said Walter, who’s holdings include baseball’s Dodgers and the NBA Lakers.

Post-Olympic boost continues

Kasten said adding investors is well ahead of schedule, and deemed timely entering Season 4 to support the momentum the PWHL gained coming out of the Milan Cortina Games.

The league registered growth in nearly every metric last season, with U.S. numbers spiking further following the Hilary Knight-led Team USA’s gold-medal victory in February. The league also expanded its North American footprint last month by adding teams in Detroit, Las Vegas, San Jose and Hamilton, Ontario.

“I want to hear the case for going slower, but I can’t imagine it,” Kasten said. “The reception of fans, of sponsors and other willing partners has allowed us to go faster.”

The Ilitch family’s holdings include the NHL Red Wings and baseball’s Tigers. The Ilitch’s influence was apparent last week, with a wide range of company employees involved in Detroit hosting the PWHL’s awards and draft.

“The PWHL’s rise has been one of the most compelling stories in professional sports, and we are proud to be part of that story,” said company CEO Chris Ilitch. “Investing in the PWHL means an opportunity to broaden the game’s reach, connect with new fans, and create pathways for athletes for generations to come."

Tanenbaum is chairman emeritus and maintains a personal stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, whose properties include the NHL Maple Leafs and NBA’s Raptors. Meantime, Kilmer Sports owns the WNBA's Toronto Tempo and France’s AS Saint-Etienne soccer team.

“What Mark Walter and PWHL senior leadership have built so quickly is incredible, and we’re honored to be part of this league and everything it stands for,” Tanenbaum said.

Salaries, for now, won't increase

The financial injection will not immediately translate into pay raises for players, because the PWHL has yet to turn a profit on the hundreds of millions of dollars Walter has already invested, Kasten said.

“When we are making money, that would be a great day for me and for the players,” he said. “We’re not there yet. I hope this gets us closer.”

The PWHL became the first professional women's league to open with a collective bargaining agreement in place, and running through 2031. Last season, 10 of 194 players had salaries topping $100,000, with the minimum at just over $37,000, according to the PWHL Players Association.

The PWHL has grown from a six-team league that launched on Jan. 1, 2024, with Toronto hosting the inaugural game at the 2,500-seat Mattamy Athletic Centre. Within five months, Toronto had relocated to its current home, the 8,500-plus seat Coca-Cola Coliseum — and after enjoying a regular-season game sellout at the Maple Leafs’ 19,200-capacity home.

Last season’s average attendance of 9,304 represented a 28% jump over 2024-25. The league also grew its corporate partnership base to 81, up from just over 50 a year earlier.

Still seeking U.S. broadcast partner

With 12 teams, the league is better positioned to attract a U.S. national broadcast partner. Last season, Scripps Sports aired numerous games, including the Walter Cup Finals, on ION, which reaches 126 million American households.

The PWHL is also poised to improve its existing broadcast deals in Canada once its current contracts expire after next season. One possibility is enhancing its agreement with CBC, with the national broadcaster ending its lengthy history of airing NHL games.

Kasten would only say, “stay tuned.”

“We didn't know what we had,” he added, reflecting on the PWHL's launch.

“We didn't have venues. We didn't have cities. We didn't have logos,” Kasten said. “We felt deeply that if we provided the environment for the greatest women's hockey players in the world to do what they do, that there would be a market for them. And that has been demonstrated in countless ways over and over.”

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

The 2026 midterm contests in Maryland take place under the shadow of the 2028 elections. Moore is running for reelection amid speculation that he also has his eye on a possible presidential campaign. Meanwhile, the contested primaries in all eight of Maryland’s congressional districts could be the last held under the current set of boundaries, as state lawmakers consider entering the national mid-decade redistricting fray with a map that could eliminate the state’s lone Republican congressional seat in time for the 2028 elections.

At the top of the ballot, Moore and Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller face a primary challenge from Eric Felber and his running mate, LaTrece Hawkins Lytes. In Maryland, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run on the same ticket. Felber is a physician who unsuccessfully challenged Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin in the 8th Congressional District primary in 2024.

The Democratic ticket will face the winners of a nine-way Republican primary field that includes former state Del. Dan Cox and his running mate, Rob Krop. Cox lost to Moore in the 2022 general election for governor and ran unsuccessfully in 2024 for the 6th Congressional District Republican nomination.

In the 5th Congressional District, 24 contenders seek the Democratic nomination to replace former Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who is retiring after 23 terms. Among those running are former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, health care business executive Quincy Bareebe, Prince George’s County state Del. Adrian Boafo, Prince George’s County Councilwoman Wala Blegay and former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn.

Bareebe led the field in fundraising as of early June, followed by Dunn. Boafo has endorsements from Hoyer, Moore and Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks.

Dunn served at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters supporting President Donald Trump attacked the complex in an attempt to block certification of his 2020 presidential election defeat. Dunn ran in the 3rd Congressional District in 2024, placing second in the 22-candidate Democratic primary.

The district includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s County in southern Maryland, but the bulk of voters come from parts of Anne Arundel County and heavily Democratic Prince George’s County.

U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney seeks a second term in the 6th Congressional District but first must clear a strong Democratic primary challenge from the man she replaced, former U.S. Rep. David Trone, who has loaned his campaign $25 million from his personal fortune. Trone gave up the seat for an unsuccessful 2024 U.S. Senate primary bid where he spent $63 million of his own money to place second behind Alsobrooks, who went on to win the seat.

A majority of voters in the 6th District come from Democratic leaning Frederick County and heavily Democratic Montgomery County, but the district also includes all of Garrett, Allegany and Washington counties in heavily Republican western Maryland.

Moore and his allies in the state Legislature attempted to redraw the state’s congressional districts in response to new Trump-backed maps in several Republican-controlled states, but the measure was blocked in mid-April by Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson, who said the plan put existing Democratic seats at risk.

But in the wake of an April U.S. Supreme Court decision that prompted some Republican-controlled southern states to eliminate several Democratic-held majority-Black districts, Ferguson said in a statement that “Maryland must respond as the ground shifts under us.” The Legislature may take up the measure again ahead of the 2028 election in the form of a state constitutional amendment that could go before voters as early as November.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for governor, U.S. House, state Senate, state House and local offices in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

Who gets to vote?

Voters registered with a political party may participate only in their own party’s primary. Democrats may not vote in the Republican primary or vice versa. Independent or unaffiliated voters may not participate in either primary.

How many voters are there?

As of May 31, there were about 4.6 million registered voters in Maryland. That includes about 2.2 million active registered Democrats, about 1 million active registered Republicans and about 1 million active voters not affiliated with any party. There are an additional 250,000 inactive registered voters that the state does not break down by party.

How many people actually vote?

About 671,000 registered Democrats and about 295,000 registered Republicans cast ballots in the 2022 primaries for governor. That was about 16% and 7% of registered voters at the time.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 60% of Democratic primary votes and about 37% of Republican primary votes in the 2022 primaries were cast early in-person or by mail.

As of Wednesday, about 228,000 Democratic primary ballots and about 67,000 Republican primary ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.

When are early and absentee votes released?

The first vote reports of the night tend to be from early voting and mail ballots cast before Election Day.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2022 primary, the AP first reported results at 8:42 p.m. ET, or 42 minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 4:15 a.m. ET with about 56% of total votes counted.

In Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, the two most populous in the state, the first votes were reported at 9:05 p.m. ET. The last election night update from Montgomery County was at 2:25 a.m. ET with about half the vote counted and from Prince George’s at 3:05 p.m. ET with about 59% counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

Recounts in Maryland are not automatic. A losing candidate may request and pay for a recount if the vote margin between the top two candidates is 5% or less of the total votes cast for those two candidates. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

The new congressional boundaries could result in an additional Democratic seat, as Republicans try to retain a slim U.S. House majority in a midterm election environment where the president’s party typically loses seats in Congress.

The state adopted the new map over the objections of the Republican-controlled Legislature after a Utah court invalidated lawmakers’ 2021 plan, which divided the Democratic stronghold of Salt Lake City among four Republican-dominated congressional districts. The court ruled that the Republican lawmakers’ map violated a voter-backed 2018 measure designed to reduce partisanship in redistricting.

The Utah Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling in February, and a Republican measure backed by President Donald Trump to repeal the 2018 anti-gerrymandering law failed to make the November ballot. The reshuffling of seats in Utah comes as Republicans are set to make gains from mid-decade redistricting efforts in several states at Trump’s urging.

In the newly drawn Salt Lake City-based 1st Congressional District, former Salt Lake City mayor and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams looks to return to Congress in a district more favorable than the one he represented for one term at the end of the last decade. He faces state Sen. Nate Blouin, tax attorney Michael Farrell and former American Heart Association lobbyist and former TikTok and Meta policy analyst Liban Mohamed. At the start of June, McAdams had almost triple Blouin’s overall fundraising haul and dwarfed the rest of the field combined in cash available.

Republican Riley Owen is running unopposed. Had this district been in effect in the 2024 presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris would have carried it with 60% of the vote.

The new 2nd Congressional District in northwest Utah is the least changed of the state’s four districts. It tracks closely with the current 1st Congressional District. Republican U.S. Rep. Blake Moore, who currently represents the 1st District, is running for a fourth term, but he faces a tough primary against state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee. At the April state party convention, Lisonbee defeated Moore by an almost two-to-one margin in a nomination vote among delegates, but Moore secured a spot in the primary through a signature petition. Lisonbee has criticized Moore for co-chairing the “Better Boundaries” committee that helped pass the 2018 redistricting law that many state Republicans blame for costing them a seat in Congress.

In the massive new 3rd Congressional District spanning southern and eastern Utah, Republican U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy faces a primary challenge from former state Rep. Phil Lyman in her bid for a second full term. Maloy currently represents the 2nd Congressional District, which overlaps with the new 3rd District in southwest Utah, but the bulk of the new district along the Colorado border will be new territory. Maloy narrowly won the nomination vote at the April state convention over Lyman after two rounds of voting, but not by enough to keep Lyman off the primary ballot.

In the new 4th Congressional District, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Kennedy is unopposed for renomination. The district overlaps mostly with Maloy’s current 2nd District on the western side of the state, not the eastern half that he’s represented since 2025.

Republican U.S. Rep. Burgess Owens of the current 4th District in the heart of Utah opted not to seek reelection.

Trump has endorsed all three incumbents seeking reelection.

About half of Utah’s 29 state Senate seats and all 75 state House seats are up for election in 2026. Republicans hold overwhelming supermajorities in both chambers.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. MT, which is 10 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. House, state Senate, state House and state Board of Education.

Who gets to vote?

Any registered voter may participate in the Democratic primary regardless of party registration. Only registered Republicans may vote in the Republican primary. Eligible voters may register in-person at the polls during the early voting period or on Election Day. Voters who are not affiliated with any political party may affiliate with the Republican Party at the polls on Election Day and vote in the Republican primary.

How many voters are there?

As of June 16, there were about 2.1 million registered voters in Utah, including about 1 million registered Republicans, about 297,000 registered Democrats and about 622,000 voters not affiliated with any party.

How many people actually vote?

Roughly 427,000 votes were cast in the 2024 Republican state primary. Total votes in Democratic primaries ranged from about 68,000 in the 2024 presidential primary to about 221,000 in the 2020 presidential primary.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

Elections in Utah are conducted predominantly by mail.

As of Thursday, about 163,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s primaries, including about 127,000 from Republicans, about 32,000 from Democrats and about 2,900 from unaffiliated voters.

When are early and absentee votes released?

Most counties tend to release a significant amount of early in-person and mail results in the 1st vote update of the night. But in about two-thirds of counties, advance voting results are released along with results from in-person Election Day voting.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2024 state primary, the AP first reported results at 10:03 p.m. ET, or three minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 2:07 a.m. ET with about 74% of total votes counted. The tally surpassed 90% of the vote counted by June 27 at 6:32 p.m. ET, two days after Election Day.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

Recounts are automatic in Utah only in the event of a tie vote. A losing candidate may request a recount if the vote margin is 0.25% of the total vote or less. In elections with fewer than 400 total votes cast, recounts may be requested if the winning margin is one vote. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

The Republican gubernatorial runoff features two-term Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson, son of Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson. President Donald Trump announced Friday he was endorsing both Evette and Wilson in the runoff.

“I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other,” he said in a Friday evening social media post. Trump had endorsed Evette in the primary over Wilson and five other candidates.

Trump’s picks have had a strong record at the ballot box in 2026, although some recent contests have shown that the president’s backing is not a guarantee of victory. The president’s picks for Iowa governor and Georgia governor lost their nomination bids, while his pick for Oklahoma governor was forced to a runoff after placing second in the June 16 primary.

Evette had Trump's endorsement for the primary but also failed to win the nomination outright. She received 28.9% of the primary vote, narrowly outperforming Wilson, who received 26.1%. U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman placed third with 17.1%.

Evette’s best showing was in the Pee Dee region to the northeast along the North Carolina border and the Atlantic Ocean. The region was a strong area for Trump in 2024 and comprised about 15% of the total primary vote. Wilson’s strongest area was in the central core of the state, where Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris ran about even in 2024. The area includes Richland County, home to the state capital of Columbia, and reaches southwest to the Georgia border to include several of the state’s majority Black counties. Collectively, the area made up about 19% of the total primary vote.

A key battleground in the runoff will be the Upcountry region that includes some of the state’s most populous counties, including Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson. Evette was the top vote-getter in this area, although the margin between first-place Evette and third-place Norman was less than 2 percentage points.

The eventual Republican nominee will face Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, who won the nomination outright in the primary. Democrats last won the governorship in 1998.

The winner in November will succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who has endorsed Evette. Regardless of party, his replacement will likely play a key role in the early stages of the 2028 presidential race, with the state expected to once again hold critical first-in-the-South presidential primaries.

Placing a distant fifth in the gubernatorial primary was U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a one-time staunch Trump ally who broke with the president in calling for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Both the Republican and Democratic primaries to replace her in the 1st Congressional District were forced to a runoff.

The Republican finalists are Charleston County Councilwoman Jenny Costa Honeycutt and state Rep. Mark Smith. The Democratic finalists are former Hilton Head Island general counsel and U.S. Coast Guard veteran Mac Deford and retired Navy Vice Admiral and former Navy Reserve Chief Nancy Lacore. Honeycutt had a 4-point lead over Smith in the Republican primary, while Lacore outperformed Deford by nearly 8 points in the Democratic primary.

Trump carried the 1st District in 2024 with about 56%, compared to about 43% for Harris.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 7 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in primary runoffs for U.S. House, governor, attorney general, agriculture commissioner and state House.

Who gets to vote?

Voters who cast a ballot in a partisan primary on June 9 may only vote in the runoff of the same party as they did in the primary. In other words, Democratic primary voters may not vote in a Republican primary runoff or vice versa. Registered voters who did not participate in a party primary on June 9 may vote in the runoff for either party.

How many voters are there?

As of Saturday, there were about 3.4 million registered voters in South Carolina. Voters in South Carolina do not register by party.

How many people actually vote?

About 473,000 voters cast ballots in the June 9 Republican primary for governor.

The total number of voters in a runoff tends to be smaller than in the preceding primary. In the last Republican primary runoff for governor in 2018, the number of voters fell about 7% from the primary. The drop-off was about 14% in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial runoff.

The two statewide primary runoffs in 2022 had much starker drops. The number of Republican runoff voters for state school superintendent fell by 47% compared to the primary. Total voters in the Democratic U.S. Senate runoff was 74% less than in the primary.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 52% of the Democratic primary vote and about 29% of the Republican primary vote in the June 9 primaries was cast early in-person or by mail.

As of Wednesday, halfway through the state's two-day early voting period, about 37,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.

When are early and absentee votes released?

Nearly all of South Carolina’s 46 counties release all or almost all of their early in-person and mail voting results in the first vote update of the night, usually before releasing any results from in-person Election Day voting.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the June 9 primary, the AP first reported results at 7:20 p.m. ET, or 20 minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 12:19 a.m. ET with about 99.9% of total votes counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

In South Carolina, recounts are automatic if the margin between the winning and losing candidates is 1% of the total vote or less. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

One incumbent who is not up for election but has emerged as a key figure in the campaign is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is looking to shape the city's congressional delegation through a series of endorsements, including for challengers to two Democratic incumbents.

New York is expected to play a key role in deciding control of the chamber in November.

In New York City, competitive primaries in traditionally safe Democratic seats could help define the party’s identity in the Empire State and beyond.

In the 10th Congressional District in Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, two-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Golden faces a strong challenge from former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who has endorsements from Mamdani and Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Mamdani and Lander are former mayoral campaign rivals.

In the 13th Congressional District in Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, five-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat faces three primary challengers, including doctoral student and political organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who also has Mamdani's backing.

In the 7th Congressional District straddling Brooklyn and Queens, retiring 17-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez has endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, but he faces a tough race against state Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, who has endorsements from Mamdani and Sanders.

In Manhattan’s 12th Congressional District, eight Democrats are running to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler. The top contenders include state Assemblymen Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, attorney, Donald Trump critic and former Republican George Conway, and Kennedy family scion Jack Schlossberg. Conway leads the field in fundraising, but Lasher boasts endorsements from Nadler, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and former independent New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

North of the city in the 17th Congressional District, five Democrats hope to unseat two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, who is unopposed for the nomination. The field includes former White House counterterrorism official and Army combat veteran Cait Conley, Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson and Tarrytown Village Trustee Effie Phillips-Staley. Conley leads in fundraising and available cash as of early June, followed by Davidson, with Phillips-Staley a distant third.

This swing district in the northern suburbs of New York City is among the top seats Democrats hope to flip. Democrat Kamala Harris narrowly carried the district in 2024. Her strongest showing was in Westchester County, the largest of the district’s four counties and the closest to New York City. Trump carried Rockland, Putnam and Dutchess counties with double-digit leads.

On Long Island, vulnerable Democratic freshmen Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen are defending their seats in the 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts, respectively. Both face contested primaries.

In the massive 21st Congressional District in upstate New York, Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is not seeking a seventh term following her aborted run for governor and her withdrawn nomination for United Nations Ambassador. State Assemblyman Robert Smullen has the backing of local party officials to replace her, while business owner Anthony Constantino has an endorsement from Trump.

The only statewide contest at stake on Tuesday is the Democratic primary for state comptroller, where the five-term incumbent, Tom DiNapoli, faces his first-ever primary challenge after almost 20 years in office.

Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James are running for reelection, but they are unopposed for their party’s nominations and do not appear on primary ballots, as is the case for their Republican opponents, Bruce Blakeman and Saritha Komatireddy. Under New York election law, primaries are not held in contests where only one candidate seeks the nomination.

Voters will also decide contested primaries for state Senate and state Assembly. All 63 state Senate and 150 state Assembly seats are up for election in 2026. Democrats hold about 2-to-1 majorities over Republicans in both chambers.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 9 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. House, state comptroller, state Senate and state Assembly.

Who gets to vote?

Voters registered with a political party may participate only in their own party’s primary. Democrats may not vote in the Republican primary or vice versa. Independent or unaffiliated voters may not participate in either primary.

How many voters are there?

As of Feb. 20, there were about 13.4 million registered voters in New York, including about 6.4 million registered Democrats, about 3 million registered Republicans and about 3.4 million voters not affiliated with any party.

How many people actually vote?

About 899,000 Democratic primary votes and about 451,000 Republican primary votes were cast in the 2022 primaries for governor.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 20% of the 2022 primary vote was cast early in-person or by mail. The figure rose to about 39% in the 2024 presidential primaries.

As of Wednesday, about 107,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.

When are early and absentee votes released?

New York counties and New York City tend to release all or almost all of their results from early voting and most of their results from mail voting in the first vote update of the night, usually before any results from in-person Election Day voting are released.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2022 primary, the AP first reported results at 9:04 p.m. ET, or four minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 3:11 a.m. ET with about 95% of total votes counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

In New York, an automatic recount is triggered in races where more than 1 million votes are cast if the margin of victory is less than 5,000 votes. For smaller races, the automatic recount is triggered if the margin of victory is 20 votes or less or 0.5% or less of the total votes cast. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 133 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

According to officials, the crash occurred at 1:30 p.m. on Horsepasture Price Road in Henry County when a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta was traveling on Horsepasture Price Road and crossed the centerline and struck a 2019 Mack dump truck head-on.

The driver of the Volkswagen, 47-year-old Mark Hensley of Ridgeway, and a passenger, 39-year-old Amy Hand, died at the scene. VSP says neither individual was wearing a seatbelt.

A dog in the car was taken into care by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division. The driver of the truck was uninjured. The crash remains under investigation.

Addressing the governing body of the U.N. World Food Program in Rome, Leo pressed governments to cut red tape and tear down obstacles that prevent assistance from reaching those in need.

Echoing a warning first voiced by late Pope Francis during a WFP visit a decade ago, Leo criticized political and administrative barriers that slow humanitarian aid while military spending continues unhindered.

“Whereas forms of aid and development projects are obstructed by involved and incomprehensible political decisions, skewed ideological visions and impenetrable customs barriers, weaponry is not,” he said. “In effect, conflicts are ‘fed’ more readily than people are nourished.”

The appeal comes as funding for food assistance has dropped sharply — by about 59% since 2022 — even as needs have surged, according to a recent WFP report.

There was some positive news on funding last week, with the United States pledging $800 million to the WFP. The agency said the contribution will help more than 38 million people in at least 37 countries at a time of unprecedented global need.

Still, the WFP’s more than $10 billion appeal for 2026 remains severely underfunded.

For years, the U.S. Agency for International Development was the backbone of humanitarian aid worldwide. But last year, the Trump administration abolished the agency, cutting $60 billion in overall assistance. Under a reset in December, the U.S. has restored funding to the WFP and announced $218 million in assistance to UNICEF.

Leo warned that today’s crises — from conflict to climate and economic strain — have become “persistent realities,” arguing that the global system is no longer simply failing but reproducing the conditions behind hunger.

He described a fractured international order marked by mistrust, with countries prioritizing national interests over cooperation even as hunger fuels instability, migration and conflict.

Warning that the stakes go beyond humanitarian relief, the pope urged leaders to place human dignity at the center of decision-making.

“Every human person possesses an inherent and inalienable dignity that remains intact regardless of circumstance, condition or social status,” he said.

In each category, CR selected three standouts: a Top Pick, a Value Pick, and an Expert Pick for special features. CR wants you to feel confident that you’re buying safe baby gear that also fits your budget.

CR’s certified car-seat safety technicians spend months testing car seats to rate how easy they are to use, how well they fit different vehicles, and how they perform in simulated vehicle crashes. This year’s ratings reflect over 300 crash tests. CR tests at a higher speed than the federal standard and aim to represent a real-world crash environment.

Cybex Cloud T is CR’s Top Pick for infant car seats. CR also recommends the Chicco KeyFit Infant Child Car Seat as a more affordable choice that still performs well in CR’s safety testing.

For bassinets, the Top Pick is the Maxi-Cosi Iora Bassinet. The Expert Pick is the Chicco Chicco LullaGlide Plus Bassinet, which offers motorized gliding and a sound machine that can be controlled from your phone.

And for strollers, models like the Baby Jogger City Mini GT3 Stroller and UPPAbaby Vista v3 with Rumbleseat V3 Stroller ranked highest in their categories, earning high marks for ease of use, maneuverability, and safety.

Knowing which baby gear is safe, performs well, and offers good value means peace of mind for new parents.

CR says its safety testing has helped identify unsafe baby and children’s products in the past — contributing to recalls, stronger standards, and better products for families.

As of Monday, June 22, the average price of regular gas per gallon in Virginia is $3.68, according to AAA. Premium averages $4.57 per gallon, while diesel averages $4.92 per gallon.

Taking a closer look at our region, here’s a look at the average price of gas for localities in our area:

• Lynchburg:
• • Regular: $3.56
  • Mid: $4.09
  • Premium: $4.52
  • Diesel: $4.91
• Roanoke:
• • Regular: $3.67
  • Mid: $4.17
  • Premium: $4.57
  • Diesel: $4.99
• Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford (New River Valley area)
• • Regular: $3.69
  • Mid: $4.12
  • Premium: $4.54
  • Diesel: $4.81

Count on 10 News to bring you the latest price at the pump every morning.

To find out where the lowest fuel prices are near you, visit GasBuddy’s website.

As Susan Albers, PsyD, psychologist at Cleveland Clinic explains, bird watching, also known as birding, can be very calming.

“The number one benefit of birding is that it gets you out into nature. Studies have shown that just 15 minutes out in nature can reduce your cortisol, the stress hormone, reduce your heart rate and your blood pressure, in addition to releasing a relaxation response. So, getting out into nature can be a great investment in your mental health,” said Dr. Albers.

Dr. Albers said birding is also a natural way to practice mindfulness meditation, which is when you stay grounded in the moment.

Rather than focusing on any worries or repetitive thoughts, your brain concentrates on the sights and sounds of the birds instead.

She said another perk to birding is that it can be done anywhere.

You could sit by your window or go to the park.

You also don’t need any fancy equipment or to be an expert.

What matters is that it helps you relax.

“The best time to go birding for your mental health is in the morning. Birds are the most active. You also get exposed to the morning sunlight and fresh air, and studies have shown that this helps to boost your mood and sets a positive tone for the entire day,” she said.

Dr. Albers said birding can also be a great way to learn something new.

There are many apps and books available about the hobby.

The suspects, aged 14 and 15, were arrested. The suspects and the victims were students of the San Jose National High School in Tacloban city, where the mid-morning shooting happened, regional police chief Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy said.

An investigation was underway to determine the cause of the shooting in the government-run school, which has more than 1,500 students. Capoy said that the suspects, who were close friends, said in initial questioning that they were bullied in school. He did not elaborate.

They have no criminal records. One of the suspects got the 9 mm pistol he used in the attack from an aunt, a police officer, who was now being investigated. The other suspect used a cal. 38 revolver. They managed to bring the guns onto the campus because there was only one guard on duty at multiple entrances and exits, Capoy said.

“The suspects barged into two rooms because after the shooting in the first, the children scampered and the suspects apparently ran after some victims into another room,” Capoy told reporters.

Most of the dead and wounded were female students, he said. Police recovered at least 40 shell casings at the scene of the attack.

In a video posted online, students hiding under desks in a shut classroom can be heard screaming and weeping as gunshots are heard outside. Some called their mothers. Other videos show visibly terrified students streaming out of the school campus, some holding and embracing each other.

One of the suspects was arrested in the school after the attack but the second fled and hid in a house nearby. He was found by police who were alerted by residents, police said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a thorough investigation of the shooting and asked law enforcers to boost security in all schools, workplaces and public areas, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.

“The president was saddened by this incident. Anybody, especially the parents of the victims, will feel sad and terrified,” Castro said.

The suspects were to be turned over to government welfare officers after the investigation since they are minors. The 14-year-old would be exempt from criminal prosecution under a 2006 Philippine law, which sets the minimum age of 15 for a minor to be criminally liable and only if authorities determine that a suspect was clearly aware of the crime that was committed and its repercussions.

The national police have urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with authorities by providing any information that may aid the ongoing investigation.

Crimes involving the use of firearms are prevalent in the Philippines, partly due to the proliferation of unlicensed firearms, but school shootings are relatively rare.

In 2022, a man armed with pistols opened fire at an upscale university in the Manila metropolitan area ahead of a graduation ceremony, killing a former Philippine town mayor with whom the suspect had a long-running feud, and two others in the brazen attack. The gunman was arrested.

Page has served as interim sheriff since Hank Partin announced his retirement in late March. Page joined the sheriff’s office in 2013 and recently led its Criminal Warrant Division. He also served as a full-time member of the U.S. Marshals Service Western District of Virginia Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Page is set to face the winner of the Democratic primary on Aug. 4. Currently, the three Democratic candidates are retired county sheriff’s office Capt. Ed Hertling, Christiansburg police Lt. Tim Brown and former county sheriff’s office Lt. Greg Warden.

According to Page’s campaign website, his top priorities include public safety, deputy welfare, servant leadership, inter-agency partnerships, school safety and jail rehabilitation and reentry.

Early voting is already underway for the Aug. 4 primary, and the general election will take place on Nov. 3.

“Thanks to EVERYONE who came out to vote yesterday,” the Montgomery County Republican Party said in a Facebook post. “Turnout exceeded not just our expectations but our hopes as well. After an overwhelming showing by Montgomery County, the Montgomery County GOP is proud to announce that our candidate for the Sheriff’s position is Robert Page. He has our full support and backing going into this most critical of elections in November.”

A total of 100 people have recovered in the outbreak concentrated in the Ituri province since it was declared on May 15, Congo’s Ministry of Health said Sunday. At least 365 patients are in hospitals or in isolation, it said.

The Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no vaccines or treatment, was the worst ever in its first month. Officials admit there could be far more cases they still don’t know about and that the peak of the outbreak is still ahead.

Contact tracing remains a key issue for local authorities, who have only achieved a 55% coverage rate, the ministry said.

“If you want to control an outbreak, especially Ebola outbreak, you must know the index case. We don’t have confidence on when this outbreak started,” the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya told The Associated Press last week.

Officials also are yet to identify the patient zero and trace more than 35,000 people who have come in contact with infected individuals as of last week, authorities said.

That’s partly because eastern Congo is also battling ongoing violence from rebels. In Ituri, attacks by the Islamic State group-backed Allied Democratic Force have cut off access to many villages and forced people to flee their homes, including those sheltering in overcrowded camps and others constantly on the move.

More than a month into the outbreak, officials believe the disease continues to outpace response efforts and no one knows its true scale.

Displaced persons at risk as unexplained deaths reported in a camp

At the Kigonze displacement camp in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, camp officials said Friday that 10 people had died last week in unusual circumstances, raising the fear of a possible outbreak in the camp of over 20,000 displaced people.

There had been no Ebola case confirmed at the site, camp officials said, but added that the death rate was unprecedented and called for investigation.

The U.N. refugee agency has said at least 2 million people forcibly displaced from their homes, including over 320,000 refugees, live in areas at risk of Ebola in Congo.

In a statement on Friday, the agency said it was “deeply concerned by the accelerating spread” of the virus and “the growing risks it poses to displaced communities across the region.”

“If a disease or epidemic were to spread among the thousands of people living at this (Kigonze) site, it would be a real catastrophe given our already very precarious living conditions,” said Charité Banza, a civil society leader in Ituri.

So, perhaps it's only right that for Clark to sew up his latest, sweetest triumph, he had to rescue himself from a potentially history making collapse — and do it in front of a New York crowd that, for the most part, came out to Long Island to watch him fail.

Clark's second U.S. Open victory will be remembered as the one where he handled Shinnecock Hills and somehow salvaged a final-round Sunday that saw a six-shot lead at the start dwindle to a single, precious stroke by the end.

It will also be remembered for the cheers when he missed shots, and for a winning, tap-in putt on the 18th green that was greeted with an awkward dribble of applause — a strange reaction, especially given the hills Clark has had to climb to become a champion,.

“We've dealt with his anger issues since he was that high," said Clark's father, Randall, explaining the journey as he held his hand about hip high. "It's because golf is not a game of perfection. And he wants to be perfect."

Clark, 32, was open about his struggles at his last U.S. Open victory in 2023, explaining his mother's death 10 years earlier had left a scar and that the rage came out most viscerally in the aftermath of missed golf shots.

His felt like a simple tale about overcoming obstacles and personal growth.

But that journey is never truly finished.

His demons came back into full view a year ago when he smashed a locker at Oakmont after missing the cut at the U.S. Open. He has since apologized and the suits at Oakmont, appalled at first, have moved on, as well.

The fans in New York clearly haven't. It made for an awkward stroll across the course Sunday, where Clark was paired with top-ranked Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler, trying to complete the career Grand Slam, likely would've been a fan favorite against anyone. No problem there, he said, but even he found himself cringing at the cheers ringing out when Clark missed shots, which happened a lot on a front nine in which he shot 38 and saw his lead shrink to one.

“You like seeing the fans cheer for you,” Scheffler said. “I think sometimes it can get a little too much when, you know, balls are kind of going off greens and you start hearing cheers. That felt a bit much to me.”

Clark's winning moment came on No. 16. Nursing the one-shot lead, he teed off into the deep fescue — a horrendous lie, according to caddie-turned-TV analyst Jim “Bones” Mackay. Clark made it look better than that, lashing into the fairway, then hitting an 8-iron that straightened out along the back of the green.

He nailed the 30-foot birdie putt — his longest make of the day — to give himself a two-shot lead over Sam Burns with two holes to play.

About a half-hour later, Clark two-putted from 50 feet on 18 to become a two-time winner instead of the player to blow the biggest 54-hole lead in U.S. Open history. The two-putt was reminiscent of the way he wrapped up his win three years ago at Los Angeles Country Club.

So much has changed since then.

“It’s been part of every question in every interview for the last 12 months," his dad said of the constant rehashing of the locker incident, all of which Clark has handled with patience. "I do think it's gone on too long.”

In response to Oakmont, Clark has paid for the repairs to the locker. He has given money to charity and participated in anger-management courses.

He did not feel much love on Long Island.

“A little disappointing,” said Randall Clark, who took a red-eye flight from Denver to be there for the win. “At the same time, he's a warrior. He 'bowed up and said ‘I’m going to figure this out and still get through.' It's too bad. We've seen this before in the New York area with the Ryder Cup."

But this was no Ryder Cup, the likes of which was marred by unruly behavior from the New York fans last year at Bethpage.

Clark conceded he heard it all and concluded, “man, they definitely don't want me to win.”

“It’s pretty rare in an open championship, or a major, to have fans kind of boo against your shots or cheer for bad shots,” he said.

All he could do, though, was turn to his caddie and laugh, especially when they heard from one of those rare fans who were actually pulling for him.

Now, the question is — will this show of grit in the face of adversity give Clark a fresh start? Or will it always be about the locker and some meltdown lurking around every corner?

“I sure hope it closes the door on it,” he said. "I figured in my mind that this would maybe be the last time just because it’s one year removed. I’ll probably always get (those questions). But I hope I don’t become the heel of the PGA.

“I guess if I am, any press is good press, right?”

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

Problem is, the competition in the National League might be a little too stiff this year.

Ohtani is 7-2 with a 1.47 ERA so far this season. With the Los Angeles Dodgers nearly halfway through their schedule, he's made 12 starts and thrown 73 2/3 innings. His career highs in those categories are 28 and 166, back in 2022. That year he went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA for the Los Angeles Angels and finished fourth in the American League Cy Young race.

Ohtani's hitting has always been more reliable than his pitching on a year-in, year-out basis. He didn't pitch at all in 2019 or 2024, and his teams have been careful with his workload. Even now, he's a few innings shy of qualifying for the ERA title, but with a mark that far below 2.00, he's clearly one of the game's top starters.

Still, he remains a long shot for the Cy Young according to oddsmakers. Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski (8-3, 1.45 in 15 starts) is the favorite, and Philadelphia's Cristopher Sánchez (9-3, 1.80) isn't far removed from throwing 50 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

Ohtani is a runaway favorite to win another MVP, of course. He isn't on pace for the eye-popping home run and stolen base stats he's produced in the past, but he leads the National League in on-base percentage, and when you factor in his pitching value it's hard to make a case for anyone else.

Trivia time

The very first Cy Young Award went to a member of the Dodgers, back in 1956 when there was one honor covering both leagues. Brooklyn's Don Newcombe won it. Since moving to Los Angeles, the Dodgers have had seven pitchers win the Cy Young. Who were they?

Performance of the week

The first two cycles of the 2026 season took place this past week. Pete Crow-Armstrong completed the single-double-triple-homer set for the Chicago Cubs on Monday in a win over Colorado. Then Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies pulled it off Saturday during a rout of the New York Mets.

Crow-Armstrong did get picked off first immediately after the single that gave him the cycle — so give the slight edge to Harper here.

Honorable mention: Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies hit three home runs in the same game Harper hit for the cycle. The only other time two teammates pulled that off was June 3, 1932, when Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees hit four home runs and Tony Lazzeri hit for the cycle. The Yankees beat the Philadelphia Athletics 20-13 that day.

Comeback of the week

The Athletics overcame a seven-run, sixth-inning deficit to beat the Los Angeles Angels 12-11 in 10 innings on Friday night. It was a wild evening, with the A's taking a 4-0 lead before allowing 11 consecutive runs. The Angels had a win probability of 99% by the bottom of the seventh according to Baseball Savant.

The comeback began an inning earlier when Zack Gelof singled home a run to make it 11-5. With two outs in the seventh, Tyler Soderstrom walked and Jacob Wilson followed with a homer to cut the deficit to four. A two-run homer in the eighth by Max Muncy made it 11-9.

The A's were down to their last out when Jonah Heim hit a tying two-run homer in the ninth. After Muncy, the third baseman, threw a runner out at the plate in the top of the 10th, the Athletics won when Nick Kurtz drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom half.

The A's (38-40) are 1 1/2 games out of first place in the AL West despite what is now the worst run differential in the AL at minus-54.

Trivia answer

Sandy Koufax (three times), Clayton Kershaw (three times), Don Drysdale, Mike Marshall, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser and Eric Gagne.

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

L’Équipe also apologized to Doku in a statement late Sunday and said the comments by France Pierron did not represent its values.

Pierron described childbirth as “a disgusting moment, excuse me, where the dad is useless” when taking part in the television show “L’Équipe de Choc” on Friday.

“There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your place,” she said on the show, reacting to Doku’s comments in the United States.

Doku’s wife Shireen is due to give birth to their son in early July when Belgium hopes to be playing in the knockout rounds of the World Cup.

“No one wants to miss a birth,” said the 24-year-old Doku, who is a star in the Belgium squad and plays for Manchester City.

Pierron questioned Doku’s priorities as he was “living a childhood dream. It might never happen again in your life.”

It was unclear if Pierron would be part of Monday’s scheduled broadcast of the talk show on the cable channel run by the storied daily sports newspaper.

Doku received support from England forward Ollie Watkins, who was asked about the family choices facing players.

“He said it only happens once, your first child. Welcoming them to the world is a blessing,” Watkins said during a news conference at the England training camp.

“Someone labeled it disgusting. And I think for a start that’s not a way to label a birth. I don’t think it’s anyone else’s business what he gets up to after training,” Watkins said.

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

On Saturday around 8:30 p.m., firefighters responded to help a dog named Moose, who had gotten his paw stuck in the arm of a bench seat. A veterinarian from Healing Springs Animal Hospital was also called to the scene to help sedate Moose and keep him calm.

The fire department was able to safely remove Moose’s paw from the bench seat and reunite him with his grateful family, safe and sound.

The French state already has a 50% stake in KNDS, which was formed in 2015 with the merger of Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and France's Nexter. The other half is held by the German family behind Krauss-Maffei Wegmann.

Headquartered in Amsterdam, KNDS had 4.4 billion euros ($5 billion) in revenue last year and more than 11,000 employees.

European countries are moving to ramp up their defense spending and production and boost their military ranks as they contend with Russia’s war in Ukraine and concerns about the United States’ unpredictability.

The German government said its planned stake “will secure long-term influence on a company that is strategically significant for European security and defense capability.” It added in a statement that “national industrial value creation, as well as technological sovereignty and the protection of security interests and key technologies in Germany" also will be strengthened.

A separate joint statement said that the German and French governments have reached an agreement on the strategy and governance of KNDS, “of which they intend to become joint shareholders through transactions aiming at equal shareholding levels for both countries.”

It didn't specify when that will happen or what level the countries' stakes will ultimately settle at, but said the accord paves the way for a possible IPO of KNDS in the near future.

The two governments said their agreement “reflects the shared determination of France and Germany to strengthen Europe’s industrial and defense capabilities, support their armed forces, and strengthen European sovereignty over the long term.”

Beside the tanks, KNDS' products also include Puma infantry fighting vehicles and Boxer and Dingo armored personnel carriers.

Officers were called to the complex around 11:39 p.m. Friday, June 19. When they arrived, they found 47-year-old Hasan Barksdale, who appeared to have been shot. Barksdale was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

During the investigation, law enforcement identified Robert Penick as a suspect and obtained several warrants for his arrest. Authorities later determined that Penick had traveled to the Lynchburg area on Saturday. With help from the Lynchburg Police Department, Penick was arrested after a pursuit with officers.

Penick faces several charges, including:

• Second-degree murder
• Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony
• Felon in possession of a firearm

Investigators are still gathering information about the incident and asking anyone who was in the area at the time, or who may have seen suspicious activity or has video footage (including doorbell or dash cameras), to come forward.

Penick is being held without bond at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail. He has also been charged with preventing a law enforcement officer from making an arrest.

The tiny island nation that stunned tournament favorite Spain last week did it again against Uruguay — a two-time World Cup champion — on Sunday, coming from behind for a 2-2 draw.

Kevin Pina scored on a free kick for Cape Verde's first-ever goal in the World Cup, and Helio Varela scored the equalizer for what has become one of the most surprising teams of the expanded 48-team tournament — a club now with a legitimate chance of getting into the knockout stage.

“This is something we owe to other smaller national teams — teams that struggled to qualify for a world tournament,” Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito said through an interpreter, adding his entire squad believes it can continue its historic play and reach the knockout stage.

Cape Verde, which has two points in Group H along with Uruguay, faces Saudi Arabia in its final group match.

“We’re also here to show that a country may be small, may struggle financially," he added, "but if they are resilient, if they can endure struggle, they can also stand shoulder to shoulder with other major teams and with players who are on another level.”

The group of islands off Africa’s West coast have about 4,000 square kilometers of landmass and approximately a half million inhabitants, making Cape Verde the third-smallest nation by population to qualify for the World Cup.

Even as a large number of fans at Miami Stadium chanted for Uruguay throughout Sunday's match, Cape Verdean players seemed undaunted.

“Once you’re on the pitch, a lot of things become equal,” Leitão Brito said.

Cape Verdean fans who watched their squad pull off one of the stunners of the tournament last week by holding Spain to a scoreless draw continued their celebrations when Pina split Uruguay's wall and blasted a strike past diving goalie Fernando Muslera for a 1-0 lead in the 21st.

Maxi Araújo and Agustin Canobbio scored late first-half goals to put Uruguay ahead. But Varela, minutes after coming into the game in the second half, took advantage of a bad pass by Mathias Olivera and caught Muslera way off his line for a tying empty-net goal and his first international score.

“I had dreamed of this,” Varela said in a quote distributed by FIFA, “but I never imagined it would happen this way. Scoring my first goal for the national team on my World Cup debut is incredible. I have no words.”

Varela celebrated by hopping into his teammates' arms and flexing atop their shoulders as Muslera and other Uruguay players dropped their heads in disappointment.

“The result, I think, was quite deserved,” coach Marcelo Bielsa said afterward through an interpreter.

Uruguay failed to capitalize on numerous late chances to take the lead and settled for its second draw after a 1-1 finish against Saudi Arabia in its opener. La Celeste face Spain in their group stage finale, needing a positive result to have a chance at advancing.

“The organizational mistakes that were made — that a squad makes — they always fall upon the driver,” Bielsa added. “What I mean by that is the head coach. ... There is no magical recipe whatsoever to fix them. It goes without saying we paid a very high cost for those mistakes.”

It was another special moment for Cape Verde's Vozinha, who became one of the tournament's breakout stars after shutting down Spain. The 40-year-old goalie had his mother in the stands for Sunday's match; she was unable to attend Cape Verde’s opening draw against Spain because she couldn’t obtain a visa.

It was also the first World Cup match with two starting goalies aged 40-plus. Muslera, who made his 18th World Cup appearance, turned 40 on June 16.

Vozinha waved at the crowd after the final whistle as his teammates ran to a section of Cape Verdean fans, who cheered and danced on their way out of the stadium as if they were celebrating a victory.

“You show up, you believe, and we work very hard as a team,” said Cape Verde defender Stopira. “I think all the world can see we play, we play very good, and we also have quality in the team. So now it’s on to the next game, and to try to reach the next one.”

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

The new Prada uniform for next spring and summer: slim, cropped jackets and five-pocket trousers, pulled together with timeless blazers or leather blousons.

“Sometimes you just realize you need a good pasta pomodoro,” Simons said before the show, referring to the Italian mealtime staple.

Prada's pasta pomodoro

While the collection was inspired by jeans, Prada acknowledged she had never worn a pair in her life, while Simons said he had only recently returned to the everyday classic after two decades of wearing wool trousers year-round.

So against all odds, five-pocket trousers paired with flat-pocket jackets became the new Prada uniform, both slim and cropped.

Most looks were realized in luxurious, buttery leather in monochromes of antique white, gray, burgundy or turquoise that hit the runway to rock guitar riffs. A subset appeared in nearly transparent white technical fabric more suited to Europe’s recent heatwave. Only a handful of closing looks were fashioned from actual denim.

A smattering of cropped shirts and knitwear vests featured geometric patterns that were pulled together with clashing silk scarves tied around the midriff. The only bags were colorful pouches worn at the waist, sometimes attached to thick belts. A pointy shoe with multiple Velcro straps finished the looks.

Back to the streets

Prada said the goal was a collection of pieces that were universal and to avoid “useless design,” which she added was “a lot of what’s around” on other runways.

Simons said the designers wanted to reconnect fashion with the way people actually dress, noting that some of fashion’s strongest ideas historically came “from the street” rather than being dictated by luxury brands and runways.

“It’s a clear silhouette, vertical, simple, sharp, proud. A lot of white, peaceful, hopeful, and cleansing,” Simons said. “We think this collection is breaking the perception of what is perceived as typical luxury in high fashion.”

In the spirit of simplicity, the collection was presented in a bare showroom with transparent bench seating.

Everyone had a front-row view, with the VIP section hosting NBA superstar Anthony Edwards, South African-Australian singer and actor Troye Sivan, K-pop boy group ENHYPEN and British actor Louis Partridge.

Crowds of excited fans withstood the early summer heatwave to greet their favorite celebrities.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and Canadian Secretary of State (Defense Procurement) Stephen Fuhr signed the first phase of a pact to provide early warning radar coverage from the Canada-United States border into the Arctic.

“What this really means is that Australia and Canada are now partners in terms of the future development of the Over-the-Horizon Radar,” Marles told reporters at the Australian Parliament House in the capital Canberra.

“There is now a very strategic dimension to the relationship,” Marles added.

Fuhr said the two British Commonwealth countries, both of which are partners in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance that also includes the United States, Britain and New Zealand, had “stood shoulder-to-shoulder for generations.”

“As the world adjusts to its new strategic and economic realities, I can’t think of a stronger partner to work with more than Australia,” Fuhr said at a joint press conference with Marles.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he’d chosen Australia’s radar system over comparable U.S. technology shortly after he came to power last year.

In March, Carney became the first Canadian prime minister to visit Australia in 12 years.

During the visit, Carney and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese agreed to increase cooperation on defense technologies, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.

BAE Systems Australia said in a statement it will support both governments in developing the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar.

The Australian system, developed over 40 years, works by refracting high-frequency electromagnetic waves off the ionosphere to detect distant objects that are invisible to conventional radars because of Earth's curvature.

The deal is Australia’s largest ever defense export. Australia’s previous record defense export was a $700 million deal signed in 2024 to provide Germany with 100 Australian-made Boxer heavy weapon carrier vehicles.

Salah scored his 68th goal in international play, a total now just one goal shy of current Egypt coach Hossam Hassan’s career record for the Pharaohs, in a 3-1 World Cup victory Sunday night over New Zealand.

It was his third World Cup goal after he netted two at the 2018 tournament in Russia. Three goals at the World Cup gives the 34-year-old Salah the most ever for an Egyptian player.

Salah played for Liverpool for nine seasons, winning two Premier League titles and becoming the league's leading foreign goal scorer. But he had a dip in form this season and amid tensions, announced his contract with the squad would be ended a year early.

His departure from Anfield sparked discussion as to where the striker would be going next. For now, he plays for Egypt with his future plans still uncertain.

While between clubs, Mo Salah has etched his name further into the history books as the captain of the first Egyptian team to win a World Cup match.

“What happened today is history for us as Egyptians,” Salah said. “We see a lot of teams win games, but for us as Egyptian, it doesn’t happen often, first time in history.”

Fans would have to wait to see the Salah they grew to expect at Liverpool. He started slow in the first half, missing wide left on a direct free kick and watching New Zealand take an early lead, but he would not be denied for long.

Salah scored Sunday on a pass from Mostafa Ziko in the 67th minute. The ball slid underneath a defender and past New Zealand goalkeeper Max Crocombe to give the Pharaohs a 2-1 lead.

Salah wasn’t done adding to his resume quite yet, getting an assist in the 82nd minute on the Pharaohs’ final goal, his second assist of this game. He also had an assist on Egypt’s lone goal in its 1-1 draw against Belgium earlier in the tournament.

“He’s a good player,” New Zealand captain Chris Wood said. “You have to keep an eye on him.”

The four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner scored nine goals in 10 matches to qualify the Pharaohs for this World Cup. Salah became the career scoring leader in African World Cup qualifying history.

Salah should have his share of clubs interested in his talents after a strong start to the World Cup.

“Salah worked hard on the pitch,” Egypt manager Hossam Hassan said. “I am sure we are going to see more from him.”

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Connor Joyce is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup

A victory by de la Espriella would effectively be an indictment of the policies of outgoing President Gustavo Petro, whose protégé had promised to continue his agenda if he defeated his rival.

De la Espriella, a business owner and lawyer who earned U.S. President Donald Trump’s endorsement despite never having run for office, led progressive lawmaker Iván Cepeda taking 49.7% of the votes, with 99.9% of the results released by electoral authorities. Cepeda, Petro’s ally, earned 48.7% support. Election officials have not formally announced a winner.

“I appear before you tonight to announce the most important news of my life: the Colombian people have entrusted me with the supreme honor of serving them as their next president of the Republic of Colombia,” de la Espriella told thousands of supporters as he stood behind bulletproof glass in the northern city of Barranquilla. “I will govern for all Colombians … there will be no retaliation, no persecution, because in a democracy there are no irreconcilable enemies.”

Cepeda told supporters that his campaign considers the count “unofficial and non-binding” and that his team will challenge results from more than 30,000 voting stations. No recount has flipped the results of a presidential election in Colombian history.

“We will not allow ... the rollback of the social gains we have achieved,” Cepeda said. “We will not allow democracy to be violated.”

Petro also vowed to challenge the outcome.

Both candidates pitched voters widely different strategies to prevent the South American country from experiencing the nonstop merciless violence, such as car bombs, kidnappings, disappearances and forced displacements, that Colombians lived with in previous decades.

Sunday's winner will begin a four-year term Aug. 7.

De la Espriella promises tough-on-crime approach

De la Espriella, 47, promised a heavy-handed approach to crime-fighting, including drug trafficking. He also said he plans to end Petro’s attempts to establish parallel peace negotiations with multiple armed groups — an effort that has largely failed — and build mega-prisons, emulating Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's aggressive policies. Those tactics have lowered homicide rates in the Central American country but have fueled accusations of human rights abuses.

De la Espriella, nicknamed “The Tiger,” holds dual Colombian and U.S. citizenship. He's a Trump supporter and a member of the Republican Party.

“We have had an armed conflict and a drug trafficking problem for too long, and this has greatly polarized the country,” retired economist Víctor Duque, 72, said while wearing a national soccer team jersey at a voting center in the capital, Bogota. “I believe it is one of the most important elections that has taken place in Colombia this century.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Presidents Javier Milei of Argentina and Daniel Noboa of Ecuador were among the first political leaders to congratulate de la Espriella.

“The Trump Administration looks forward to working closely with your incoming administration to advance regional security cooperation, end illegal immigration to the United States, and strengthen our economic ties,” Rubio said on X. “Colombia’s best days are ahead.”

“He Won, BIG!” Trump later said on his social media platform.

Voters seek change

In the first round, Cepeda earned 41% of the vote, while de la Espriella garnered 44%, according to official results. Petro, without evidence, sowed doubts in the results after Cepeda, who had consistently led polls ahead of the May vote, did not win outright and even finished behind de la Espriella.

Yolanda Hernández, 49, voted early Sunday before she started selling black-ink pens outside a Bogota voting center. Clients, she said, buy the pens because ink cannot be erased from paper ballots, which reduces the possibility of fraud.

Hernández, who recycles trash for a living, voted for Petro in 2022, but cast her ballot for de la Espriella this time. While she acknowledged that Petro was unable to deliver on promises meant to help the poor because of congressional gridlock, she said Colombia cannot afford another four years under his vision for the country.

“We want change in Colombia because it’s always the same violence, always the same thing,” Hernández said. “(Petro) said he was going to lower the cost of services, that he was going to lower the price of food, and everything is more expensive.”

People in the streets of Bogota yelled “Petro out! Petro out!” and honked car horns as results became public.

Fighting between rebel groups plagues the nation

Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin American Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Sunday’s result shows the country “has not shifted overwhelmingly or decisively” against Petro’s project or for de la Espriella’s outsider “iron fist showmanship.” Freeman added that the result also underscored Colombia’s regional divisions.

“It’s regional not just ideological polarization; or rather, the two overlapping,” he said. “Ironically, de la Espriella’s iron fist message performed best in the core of the country, not the periphery, which bears the brunt of Colombia’s violence.”

The election comes 10 years after Colombia signed a historic peace pact with guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, that had offered hope to break the nation’s vicious cycle of fighting between rebel groups and the government.

But violence has since roared back, particularly as most rebel groups abandoned their ideologically driven fight for the financial benefits of drug trafficking. Colombia’s illegal groups have more than 27,000 members.

Last year, authorities recorded 14,780 homicides, the most since at least 2015 and driven by clashes among illegal armed groups. Among those killed was conservative presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe. Extortions have also soared, reaching 13,417 cases in 2025, more than double the number tallied in 2015.

He quieted them with a 52-foot putt to tap-in range for his second U.S. Open title in four years, avoiding the worst collapse in tournament history after his six-stroke lead dwindled to one.

Oh, how this anybody-but-Wyndham crowd would've relished that.

New York loves a winner, but the one these fans really wanted to see on Sunday was Scottie Scheffler, who was chasing the career Grand Slam, or Sam Burns, who lost by a stroke. Not Clark.

Call it backlash for him damaging a locker in a fit of rage at Oakmont Country Club while missing the cut last year in the U.S. Open. Or for saying on TV that being surrounded by kids playing in the Masters Par 3 Contest was “great birth control." Or even for winning his first U.S. Open title in 2023 over fan favorites Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler.

Or maybe the folks spending their Father's Day at Shinnecock just wanted to see a little drama after Clark built leads of two, four and six strokes after each of the first three days.

“Man, they definitely didn’t want me to win,” Clark said.

On Saturday, he complained that fans had largely deserted the course by the time he was finishing his third round. On Sunday, he might’ve wished they had stayed home.

It's rare for a golfer in the lead at a major championship — or any golfer for that matter — to be the subject of such derision. It happened to McIlroy at the Ryder Cup last September at Bethpage Black, also on Long Island, but that was a team competition. McIlroy was the star of the winning European side and U.S. fans went overboard in letting him have it.

Clark said he tried to see himself in an “underdog” role on Sunday, as he did in 2023.

“Anytime someone said something negative to me, I replaced it with something positive,” Clark said. “Some of it’s self-deserved. I kind of brought it on myself, but I also get it, too. Scottie was going for the career Grand Slam, and it hasn’t happened very often.”

Even so, the animosity appeared to rattle Clark early in his round. He bogeyed the second, sixth and seventh holes as fans threw their support behind Scheffler. They cheered Clark's mistakes while showering Scheffler with affection — even serenading the four-time major champion, who turned 30 on Sunday, with “Happy Birthday."

It was “Get in the bunker!” for Clark and “We love you Scottie!” for Scheffler, who tied for fourth at even par.

“You like seeing the fans cheer for you. I think sometimes it can get a little too much when, you know, balls are kind of going off greens and you start hearing cheers,” Scheffler said. “That felt a bit much to me.”

Anti-Clark fans cheered when he flared a shot under a pair of trash containers on the fourth hole and again when his shot on the seventh hole landed in a bunker.

“Wyndham gonna lose 'em,” a man said as Clark walked to his ball on 10.

“Get in the fescue!” a fan yelled after he teed off on 13. When his second shot landed on a precarious part of the green, the crowd chanted “Go! Go! Go!” and gleefully roared as the golf ball rolled off the back.

Clark won over the crowd, at least for a moment, on the 16th hole — punching out from the tall grass and pumped his fist after nailing a 24-foot birdie putt to go to 5-under par. For the moment, he held a two-stroke lead and the crowd's hopes of a different winner were fading.

But the taunts returned on the next hole as Clark backed off of his 8-foot par putt and then missed it. As Clark walked to the 18th tee, scratching his head with his hat in hand, a fan in the grandstand sang “Under Pressure."

“Yeah, it was tough, but I’m proud of myself that I battled through,” Clark said. “I mean, things really could have gotten away from me. I stood tough. Yeah, I would have liked to have won by more, but as long as you win, it doesn’t matter.”

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Associated Press writers Doug Ferguson and Eddie Pells contributed to this report.

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

A statement from mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the cell would include the Lebanese government and would “ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon." But it remains unclear whether that will be enough to stop fighting between the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah and Israel, which occupies Lebanon and insists it must maintain a free hand to attack militants who are launching attacks into northern Israel.

The U.S. offered no immediate comment, while Iran praised the meditators' work.

The talks marked the start of a 60-day diplomatic process that seeks to reach a permanent deal to end the Iran war. But the fighting in Lebanon remains one of the key sticking points.

Meanwhile, Iran insisted it had again shut the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf crucial to energy shipments, while the U.S. said traffic continued.

Tense start to talks

The negotiations had a tense start Sunday in Switzerland, when Tehran took offense at U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to attack and his warning that Iran's president should watch what he says.

“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump said on social media. “If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”

The comments from afar — on social media and to news outlets — complicated efforts by Vice President JD Vance and mediators Pakistan and Qatar to keep Iran engaged in discussions.

“They would do better to be careful about their statements," Iran's lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said on X after Trump's comments. "Our armed forces are prepared to respond to them in a different manner. They may keep talking, it is we who act.”

But later, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that “tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War.” He said the first “real test” of negotiations would be whether the deconfliction cell succeeded in halting the fighting in Lebanon.

Vance and U.S. negotiators including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, met with Qalibaf and Araghchi for what Iranian state media said was about 80 minutes. One released photo showed Vance on a laptop, working with Qatar's prime minister and Kushner over his shoulder, a coffee machine visible in the background.

Pakistan and Qatar after the meeting said lower-level technical talks would continue in Switzerland for the rest of the week. Such talks aim at producing the breakthroughs needed for high-level officials to return and sign agreements.

A senior U.S. diplomat engaged in the talks, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private discussions, said the talks Sunday included clarifying what Iran meant by recent statements about the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiators also discussed “mechanisms” to ensure the strait remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon is enforced, along with “robust” discussions on the nuclear issue.

Iran first wants to focus on Israeli strikes in Lebanon

Negotiators are in a 60-day sprint to reach an agreement on the technical details that hold massive implications for the world economy and global security.

“The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” Vance said as the talks began, and asked whether they could “change relations in the Middle East permanently.”

The Iranian delegation did not take part in speaking to assembled Western journalists ahead of the talks.

The U.S. wants Iran locked into negotiations over its nuclear program amid concerns it may be used for military purposes, which Iran denies. Vance also wants Tehran to commit to keeping open the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran on Saturday claimed to close. The U.S. has disputed that, saying shipping traffic continued Sunday.

A renewed ceasefire in Lebanon, brokered on Saturday, appeared to be holding, and Israel's military said it would lift movement restrictions for residents near the border with Lebanon on Monday morning — another sign of calm.

But neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a signatory to the U.S.-Iran deal, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep his forces in southern Lebanon until any threat to Israel is eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to halt attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing.

Sharp words are exchanged over Iran's nuclear program

The agreement signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian immediately allows Tehran to sell its oil freely and paves the way for Iran to tap into billions of dollars in assets that are currently frozen. A member of Iran's negotiating team told state television that draft wording was reached about “temporary sanctions waivers for oil and petroleum derivatives."

The agreement also calls for Iran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were targeted in U.S. strikes a year ago.

Pezeshkian, however, declared Sunday that "we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,” according to Iran’s state media.

Trump, in a telephone interview with Fox News, later warned that the Iranian president should watch what he says and threatened to take over Iran, in comments relayed by a Fox correspondent.

Iran had cautiously approached the talks given its previous experience with U.S. negotiations on the nuclear issue, which twice in the past year were interrupted by military strikes.

The deal has stirred controversy

Trump and Vance have come under searing criticism from parts of their own party for the deal, with Republican hard-liners unfavorably likening it to the nuclear agreement signed by the Obama administration that Trump and Republicans have insisted did nothing to terminate Iran’s nuclear program.

The new agreement says commercial vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days without charge, but does not preclude future fees imposed by Iran. Trump made his own threat Saturday to levy U.S. tolls if there is no deal with Iran in 60 days, insisting that the money would be for “services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East.”

The Trump administration has been working to reassure global markets that the war has been merely a blip on oil prices, as Americans complain about high gasoline prices ahead of peak summer travel. After the deal was announced, oil futures dropped almost 8%.

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Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

There were 64,003 people in the stadium for the 2-2 draw between Cape Verde and Uruguay on Sunday night, none of them with a better how-they-got-there story than Ana Candida Evora — the mother of Vozinha, Cape Verde's goalkeeper.

Evora arrived in Miami on Friday, reunited with her son over the weekend and watched Sunday's game from a suite at Miami Stadium. Cape Verde's storybook ride now has a chance of reaching the knockout stage, depending largely on how its group stage finale against Saudi Arabia goes.

Cape Verde is one of the absolute feel-good stories of the World Cup, a tiny island nation with two draws in its two matches to this point. Vozinha — whose name is Josimar José Évora Dias — had his mother in the stands Sunday; she was unable to attend Cape Verde’s opening draw against Spain because she couldn’t obtain a visa.

And even without a win — in fact, her 40-year-old son didn't even make a save Sunday — her presence makes Cape Verde’s story even better. She waved her country's flag when it was over, celebrating wildly as her son saluted fans from the field.

“We have a lot of people working very hard,” Vozinha said.

Goalkeepers don't always have to make a save to be effective. Vozinha's best two plays of the match might not even show up on a stat sheet — he was perfectly positioned on a pair of Uruguay scoring chances in the closing minutes, cutting down angles and forcing shooters to aim at tight spaces. Both shots sailed high, and Vozinha exhaled deeply both times.

“I want to thank all the fans, everyone who helped in the process, for the support you gave to the team, especially to Cabo Verde,” Evora said Sunday in remarks distributed by FIFA in a video message before the match. “We’re all rooting for Cabo Verde to play well, to shine on the pitch. The players need to have faith and everything will go well.

“Keep your heads held high, go onto that pitch, push for a goal and you’ll perform beautifully, my boys. A kiss for you, be strong and brave. Blue Sharks!”

The team is commonly called Tubarões Azuis in Portuguese, which translates to Blue Sharks.

Evora carried a Cabo Verde flag into the stadium Sunday, her son's name and jersey number on the back of her shirt, and she was ushered into a suite to watch the contest. Vozinha heard roars from the fans — even with a mostly pro-Uruguay crowd — whenever he was shown on the video screens during warmups, and got perhaps the loudest ovation of any player when starters were introduced.

Evora's visa issues — primarily raising the money needed for one — were worked out after the U.S. State Department, FIFA, U.S. lawmakers and Cape Verde's soccer federation evidently combined efforts and cleared a path for Evora to come to Miami. She arrived Friday afternoon after more than 24 hours of travel from Cape Verde and was immediately surrounded by FIFA officials and volunteers as she made her way through the airport.

FIFA even hosted her briefly at the organization's tournament headquarters in Florida over the weekend, officials said Sunday.

Vozinha had about 50,000 followers on Instagram as the World Cup was starting. He was up to 15 million followers by game time Sunday after he grabbed the world's sporting attention by leading Cape Verde to a scoreless draw against Spain — one of the pretournament favorites to win the title.

That means he gained about 30 followers every second from the end of the Spain match to the start of the one against Uruguay.

He went viral after that match against Spain with tearful comments, wishing that his late grandparents could have seen him play in the World Cup and that his mother's visa issues had been resolved in time to be there. That sparked an immediate effort to find ways for Evora to get to the U.S. for the tournament.

And the tie, combined with a story of a goalie and his mom, brought attention onto Cape Verde's soccer team like never before. A showdown with the Saudis awaits Friday in Houston and it's possible that, if Cape Verde advances, it could be back in Miami Gardens for a round-of-32 game — potentially against Lionel Messi and defending World Cup champion Argentina.

“When you dream of something, something can happen,” Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes said.

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's comments on X came as the delegations met overnight in a Swiss resort and shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday, even as talks began in Switzerland between his vice president and Iranian officials on next steps in the interim agreement signed last week to end the war.

The U.S. team is led by Vice President JD Vance and includes Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. The Iranian negotiators are led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Pakistan and Qatar are mediators.

On the eve of talks, Tehran said it closed the Strait of Hormuz again over Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. The interim deal is meant to stop fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon. Iran has said talks must first address that issue.

The U.S. says shipping traffic on the crucial waterway continues, and Trump has threatened to impose American tolls in the strait if a final deal with Iran isn’t reached in 60 days. Other issues include unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets and addressing the heart of tensions: Iran's nuclear program.

Here is the latest:

Pakistan and Qatar says lower level talks planned for rest of week.

High-level negotiations in Switzerland seeking a permanent end to the Iran war ended early Monday, with lower-level talks planned for the rest of the week as Iran and the United States agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon.

A statement from mediators Pakistan and Qatar said Iran and the United States agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon. The cell would include the Lebanese government and would “ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon.”

But it remains unclear whether that will be enough to stop fighting between the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah and Israel, which occupies Lebanon and insists it must maintain a free hand to attack militants who are launching attacks into northern Israel.

The U.S. offered no immediate comment, while Iran praised the meditators’ work.

The talks marked the start of a 60-day diplomatic process that seeks to reach a permanent deal to end the Iran war. But the fighting in Lebanon remains one of the key sticking points.

Iran’s foreign minister says major progress to end Lebanon War

Abbas Araghchi says on X “Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end the Lebanon War, ” saying that they “delivered major progress.”

Pakistan, Qatar and Iran all have acknowledged the end of the first round of high-level talks. The U.S. hasn’t comment.

In his message, Araghchi said the first real test of the understandings reached would be a deconfliction method create over the fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iran has tied success in the talks to the end of the fighting there. Israel insists it will continue to occupied Lebanese territory and must have a free hand to fight Hezbollah, which has launched attacks into northern Israel.

Negotiators expect to work through the night

Negotiators hoping to reach a deal to end the war in Iran are anticipating working through the night, according to a senior U.S. diplomat engaged in the talks.

The diplomat, who insisted on anonymity to detail private discussions, said the Iranians remained in the talks contrary to some reports, and said that much of the discussions have included clarifying what Iran meant by some of its recent statements about the Strait of Hormuz. The negotiators also discussed various “mechanisms” to ensure the strait remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon is enforced.

— Seung Min Kim

Oil prices rise slightly

Oil prices inched up a bit on Sunday amid the lingering uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, the critical passageway for the world’s oil and natural gas.

The price of U.S. crude oil rose nearly 3% to $78.70 per barrel on Sunday. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, was up a little over 1% to $81.70 per barrel.

Iran says Lebanon but also oil, frozen assets discussed

Members of Iran’s delegation, briefing their media, said the talks Sunday to reach a deal to end the war in Iran had mainly focused on Lebanon.

Other issues, including the release of frozen Iranian assets and Iran’s oil exports, had also been discussed, the reports said.

Hamid Bovard, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Co., who is part of Iran’s delegation in Switzerland, said the issue of lifting oil-related sanctions and the associated waivers was pursued during negotiations.

Bovard was responding to a question from a correspondent from IRNA, Iran’s state-run news agency.

Iran celebrates World Cup draw with political points

Iran is celebrating its World Cup 0-0 draw with Belgium and goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand’s seven saves.

Some Iranian media are sharing images of Beiranvand blocking the Strait of Hormuz. And Iran’s lead negotiator in Switzerland, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, posted a photo of one save on X with the statement: “This is how we protect our land.”

Netanyahu brushes off criticism the war fell short of its goals

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he believes the Iranian government will collapse as a result of the military campaign. Creating the conditions for a popular uprising was one of his original goals.

“I think we created the conditions for its future fall,” Netanyahu told the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem on Sunday.

“That is what will be the real triumph, when the Iranian people take their own destiny in their hands, and they knock out this brutal regime that is terrorizing them and terrorizing the rest of the world.”

Syria's president says he has no desire to intervene in Lebanon

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says Syria has no desire to intervene militarily in Lebanon, despite Trump’s remarks suggesting Syria could help “take care of Hezbollah.”

Al-Sharaa's comments came in an interview with United Arab Emirates network Al Mashhad on Sunday. He said Trump's remarks had been “misunderstood.”

Trump “spoke about Syria’s role in finding a safe and peaceful solution, but the statement was misinterpreted as if Syria were going to invade Lebanon tomorrow morning,” al-Sharaa said.

Israel will lift movement restrictions near border with Lebanon

Israel’s military says residents of the north near the border with Lebanon will be able to move around freely with no restrictions as of Monday morning. For months, residents have faced restrictions because of the threat of attack by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in southern Lebanon.

The military did not say what led to its decision Sunday, but it has noted that a fragile ceasefire is in place. Its announcement came as the U.S. and Iran meet in Switzerland on their interim deal to end the war. Iran has insisted they must address Israel’s attacks in Lebanon first.

Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon.

Iran state news agency suggests talks hit ‘difficult’ phase

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency suggested that talks have “entered a difficult phase” after what it described as an “insulting” statement by Trump. It did not specify the statement. Trump made multiple provocative warnings to Iran on Sunday, including to “hit Iran very hard again.”

An official with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press that the Iranian delegation remains engaged in the talks and has not indicated to mediators any intention to leave. The official requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.

— Victoria Eastwood in Cairo

Hezbollah leader wants Israeli forces out of Lebanon

Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said in a televised speech that the militant group will not accept any ceasefire deal that grants Israel “freedom of action” within Lebanon or does not result in a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

“There are no ‘security zones,’ for Israel,” Kassem said, using Israel’s term.

He also said Hezbollah will comply with a ceasefire “if it happens,” but “we will not accept any violation.” The Iranian-backed Hezbollah is not part of the talks between Israel and Lebanon that will continue Tuesday in Washington.

Uneasy calm has settled over Lebanon, with no Israeli strikes reported overnight or Sunday after days of heavy fighting.

U.S. ambassador says Trump and Netanyahu are still close

The U.S. ambassador to Israel is playing down recent differences between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mike Huckabee said in a speech in Jerusalem that despite Trump’s sometimes blunt language about the Israeli leader, the two still have a close relationship and the president remains deeply committed to Israel’s well-being.

“The one thing that I’ve always heard him say – always -- and that I’ve always watched him do, is that America has an unbreakable bond with the state of Israel,” Huckabee told the JNS International Policy Summit. “And I trust that he means what he says.”

Trump makes a threat and Iran's lead negotiator responds

Trump in a telephone interview with Fox News has said that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had “better watch his mouth.” The broadcaster also quoted Trump as saying Pezeshkian had “better shape up or we’ll take over the rest of the country.”

Not long after that, Iran's lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf posted on X that “We do not regard American threats as amounting to anything. They would do better to be careful about their statements.”

Pezeshkian earlier Sunday said that “what is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,” according to state media.

Netanyahu says Israel won't withdraw from Lebanon

Speaking at a memorial service for his late brother, Yonatan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will "remain in the security buffer zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary.” He was referring to an area up to 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border that Israel has occupied.

Netanyahu has made similar comments in the face of Iranian and U.S. calls for a halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. He spoke Sunday as U.S. and Iranian officials began negotiations in Switzerland.

Netanyahu also reiterated his claim that he “will not allow Iran to arm itself with nuclear weapons."

Iranian TV says Iran is talking with Qatar after direct talks

Iranian state television says the Iranian and Qatari delegations are having discussions after about 80 minutes of four-way negotiations including the U.S. and Pakistan.

Israel’s president says Iran complicates peace deal with Lebanon

Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Fox News that a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon cannot be reached if Iran is “trying to squeeze themselves into this conflict” via the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group.

Herzog's position is largely ceremonial. He said Israel and Lebanon will hold another round of talks in Washington on Tuesday. Hezbollah is not a party to the talks.

Iran wants any agreement with the U.S. to include peace on all fronts including Lebanon. It has said Lebanon will be a focus in today’s talks in Switzerland.

Iran's president worries about street protests

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed concern that some Iranians could openly protest again. He said in a speech reported by semiofficial news outlets that “what I fear is that we may fail to satisfy the people, and that they may come out into the streets to protest," which could affect the country's unity during negotiations with the U.S.

Iran saw nationwide protests weeks before the war began as unrest over the weak economy turned into anti-government anger. Thousands of people were killed in the crackdown that followed, the bloodiest since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. For a while, the U.S. and Israel mentioned regime change in Iran among their war goals.

US energy secretary says ships still pass through the strait

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says 67 ships went through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, similar to traffic before the war began in terms of oil and oil products.

Iran’s joint military command on Saturday said it had closed the strait over Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group. The U.S. disputed that announcement.

Wright also told Fox News that Iran has not yet “demined” the strait’s central shipping channel, but the U.S. has opened a separate channel to the south and has been escorting ships through it.

Wright acknowledged that some commercial shippers still have safety concerns.

Israel's military stands by for renewal of combat

Israel’s military issued a statement around the time that direct talks began. Its chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, was speaking from southern Lebanon. He said “the ceasefire that has been declared is fragile, and we must maintain a high level of readiness for the renewal of combat operations.”

He said the military continues to defend against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and its efforts to rebuild.

Previous talks between Vance and Iranian officials lasted nearly a day

The last time that Vance met directly with senior Iranian officials for such talks was in early April, days after a ceasefire took effect in the war. Those talks in Pakistan's capital of Islamabad ended after 21 hours without reaching an agreement. Again, Vance was meeting with lead negotiator Qalibaf.

It's now after 4 p.m. in Switzerland.

Direct US-Iran talks have begun in Switzerland

Both Iran and the White House say four-way talks have begun in Switzerland. Vance is meeting with Iranian officials.

Trump hopes to get the agreement signed last week back on track. Israel's ongoing military campaign in Lebanon against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group threatens progress on implementation.

Iran says its main focus in these talks is the situation in Lebanon. Israel says it must defend itself from Hezbollah. But the U.S. side wants to get Iran locked into negotiations over its nuclear program, which has long been at the heart of tensions.

Trump warns Iran about Hezbollah

Trump has warned in a post on social media that Iran needs to stop Hezbollah from “causing trouble.”

"If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump wrote from Camp David, where he is spending the weekend.

Vance says that the Mideast is at a turning point

The U.S. vice president spoke as officials were gathering for the start of the U.S.-Iran talks on Sunday.

“The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” Vance said in brief comments ahead of the talks, dubbed the “Lake Lucerne Summit.”

“Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently, or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but is certainly very much something that can happen,” Vance added.

It was not clear if the Iranians were present during Vance's remarks.

Israel says it killed 2 militants in Gaza involved in Hamas’ financial arm

The Israeli military says it killed two militants who were involved in helping transfer up to half a billion dollars to Hamas. The military says the two — Hussein Qadra and Mohammed Farra, who worked with Hamas and the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad — were killed in a strike last week.

It said on Sunday that the men oversaw a network of couriers and money exchange spots in both Gaza and Turkey that funneled money toward Hamas militants and infrastructure.

Both men were killed on Wednesday and buried on Thursday, according to their families. Farra’s family said his father, mother and sister were killed in an Israeli strike earlier in the war.

The conflict in Gaza is not part of the U.S-Iran talks underway in Switzerland.

Pakistani team meets separately with US, Iranian delegations

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has separately met with JD Vance and with the Iranian delegation at the Bürgenstock Resort near Lucerne in Switzerland where the high-level talks are taking place.

Islamabad says Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, accompanied Sharif at the meetings. It did not provide further details.

Sharif has repeatedly said Munir played a key role in brokering the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran.

A video released by Sharif’s office shows him warmly embracing Qalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker, and Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, as Munir looks on.

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog is also at the scene of the talks

Rafael Grossi, chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog — the International Atomic Energy Agency — met with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on the sidelines of the gathering at the picturesque mountainside resort near Lake Lucerne on Sunday morning.

The agency had monitored the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated between the U.S. and Iran under the Obama administration.

Trump in 2018 withdrew the U.S. from that agreement.

Talks in Switzerland will focus on the Israel-Hezbollah war, Iran says

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei says Tehran will mainly focus during the talks on Sunday on the ongoing fighting in Lebanon.

Tehran insists that the deal’s implementation start with a cessation of all fighting — including between Israel and Hezbollah.

Baghaei said the U.S. “has been unable or unwilling” to hold Israel to the ceasefire.

Iran will meet in the morning with Pakistani and Qatari mediators, and in the afternoon, there will be a four-way meeting including the U.S. negotiating team. There is currently only one day of negotiations planned, Baghaei told the state news agency.

“The implementation of any document is more important than its signing,” Baghaei also said Sunday.

Iran’s president has said that Iran will maintain its right to a nuclear program.

“What is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,” Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday, according to state media.

A temporary lull in Israeli strikes in Lebanon

As the U.S.-Iran talks were to kick off in Switzerland, a ceasefire appears to be holding in Lebanon, a lull that came after another day of heavy fighting.

Since the ceasefire, Israeli strikes on Friday and Saturday killed 97 people, including eight women and four children, Lebanese officials said. Five Israeli soldiers were also killed.

Israel says it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure on Saturday, including a tunnel network in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Tebnit.

But by Sunday morning, residents in southern Lebanon reported a lull in Israeli strikes. There also were no reports of Hezbollah fire from the Israeli side.

Israel’s military has received instructions to uphold the ceasefire, and said it is only acting defensively, according to an Israeli military official who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines.

—Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel

Strait of Hormuz is once again a challenge

The strait has emerged as a key focus, with Iran’s joint military command saying on Saturday that it was closed again because of the U.S. “clear breach of its commitments” by failing to end the war. The interim deal is meant to stop fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon where Israeli forces are battling the militant Hezbollah group.

The U.S. disputed Iran’s announcement, with the U.S. Central Command saying that traffic continues to flow and that 55 merchant ships transited on Saturday with more than 17 million barrels of oil.

Ships began transiting after the interim U.S.-Iran agreement was signed last week. The U.S. lifted its blockade of Iran’s ports and now allows Tehran to sell its oil freely — terms that have left some in U.S. Congress asking whether the war was worth it.

The interim deal signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian gives negotiators 60 days to reach a nuclear agreement, but the time can be extended.

It was no problem for Heim, whose No. 67 Toyota inexplicably kept getting faster on the way to his first career Cup Series victory in only his 13th start.

The 23-year-old part-time driver from Marietta, Georgia, took a deep breath before the second half of the race and reminded himself that he had as much experience as the veterans on the 16-turn, 3.4-mile street course on Coronado Island, just south of downtown San Diego.

“I’m speechless,” Heim said. “Maybe I knocked some good into the car. I have no idea. I had high expectations coming into this race. I just reset and went after it.”

Heim, the 2024 truck series champion who will move full time into Cup next season with 23XI Racing, led the final three laps after snatching first from teammate Tyler Reddick.

“I was able to stick with him, and five to go came, and it was time to put some pressure on him and see if I could get him to make a mistake,” Heim said. “Sure enough, he did.”

Bubba Wallace finished second to deliver a 1-2 finish for 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA great Michael Jordan.

Reddick suffered a flat tire in the closing laps and fell to 25th, cutting his lead in the standings to eight points over Hamlin.

“To even have a shot at it at the end was really nice,” said Reddick, who started from the rear after unapproved adjustments to his No. 45 Toyota. “First and foremost, congratulations to Corey. I thought I was going to be able to hold him off there. It definitely stings. Really needed a good points day. Had another really bad one, so we’ll try and scrape together.”

It’s the second time in three years that an inaugural street race has produced a first-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series. Shane van Gisbergen won his Cup debut in the 2023 Chicago Street Race.

Heim became the third first-time winner in Cup this season, joining Ty Gibbs (Bristol) and Carson Hocevar (Talladega).

“Just crazy,” Heim said. “I hope I don’t wake up from this dream.”

His peers already think Heim’s for real.

“Awesome job by Corey Heim,” two-time Cup champion Kyle Larson said after finishing third. “That’s really cool. He’s a super talented race car driver, and it's neat to see somebody get their first win, especially at a challenging track like this.”

Zane Smith and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top five.

Hamlin, the driver-owner who had won the past three races for Joe Gibbs Racing, finished 14th.

SVG stunner

Van Gisbergen finished 38th in his bid for an eighth road or street course victory (which will make him the active leader among Cup drivers).

After starting from the pole position, van Gisbergen was caught in a crash that started when Trackhouse Racing teammate Connor Zilisch and Austin Hill collided while battling for the lead on a Lap 32 restart. The nine-car incident caused a nine-minute red flag for wall repairs.

“I felt like I was giving Austin space, and the next thing, I was in the wall,” said Zilisch, who led the first eight laps of his Cup career in the highlight of a miserable rookie season. “Really unfortunate. I hate to end both days for both Shane and I. We had a really fast car today. I had a lot of fun. I really enjoyed just getting to race out front and lead laps.”

Driver swap

During the first caution, Christopher Bell was replaced in the No. 20 Toyota by Brent Crews, but the driver relief stint was short. Crews exited in last place after a gearbox problem on the 28th lap.

Bell is still recovering from a broken wrist in a June 7 crash at Michigan International Speedway and said getting out of the car was precautionary and not because of pain.

One more for Johnson

In his second and last Cup start of the 2026 season, Jimmie Johnson slammed a tire barrier after missing a chicane on the fifth lap and finished 28th.

The seven-time series champion said Saturday that he still plans on the 2027 Daytona 500 as his final start as a Cup driver, but he is open to racing in other series.

Up next

NASCAR will stay in California, heading north to Sonoma Raceway on June 28. Van Gisbergen dominated in winning on the road course last season, leading 97 of 110 laps from the pole position.

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Sunday at Shinnecock Hills wasn't much better. The New York crowd behind Scottie Scheffler in his bid for a career Grand Slam turned on Clark, cheering his misses and wishing for the worst.

That's what made this U.S. Open title so much sweeter.

On the edge of the greatest collapse in U.S. Open history, Clark held his nerve against a charge by Sam Burns and a Shinnecock Hills crowd that never gave him much love until he showed his mettle with his second U.S. Open title in four years.

“The first one was kind of just the breakthrough of knowing I can do it,” Clark said after a two-putt par from 50 feet for a 3-over 73 and a one-shot victory. “And then this one was a lot of redemption. Last year was so tough, a terrible year. I left this place in shambles, and it’s amazing what a year can do. I’m leaving here this Sunday as a champion, and I’m just so blessed.”

Clark, who won the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, became the first wire-to-wire winner of the U.S. Open since Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014.

This sure didn't feel like a stroll through the Hamptons.

He had the largest 54-hole lead in the U.S. Open in 15 years. It was down to a single shot in just five holes, and stress followed him the rest of the way.

The clincher for Clark was on the par-5 16th, where on Saturday he made the only eagle of the week. This time it was his worst drive, well left into the gnarly fescue. He gouged that out and narrowly cleared a bunker. His 8-iron barely stayed on the back of the green. He rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt for a two-shot lead with holes to play.

It was a signature moment with muted applause. The gallery rooted against him all day, putting all their support behind Scheffler, who made his own share of mistakes and never got closer than three shots of Clark all day.

“Winning major championships is extremely difficult,” Scheffler said after a 71 to tie for fourth. “He had some stones down the stretch. ... Being in the arena is not for everybody, and I think it shows a lot about Wyndham, how he handled not only this golf course but I think the crowd today. And he is a well-deserving champion.”

Clark had the highest final round of a U.S. Open champion since Graeme McDowell closed with a 74 to win at Pebble Beach. No matter. The 32-year-old American has two U.S. Open titles, and two wins in the last month.

Burns closed with a 67, his second chance in as many years to win the U.S. Open. He bounced back from a three-putt bogey on the 15th with a an 18-foot birdie to stay within one shot. He made a weak pass at a 10-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead on the 17th. What haunts him is a 17-foot birdie chance on the 18th that grazed the right edge of the cup, causing him to drop to his knees.

“I would say last year at Oakmont I felt more I lost the golf tournament. I certainly don’t feel that way today,” Burn said. “I did everything I could to have a chance to win today.”

Clark finished at 4-under 276 and got a surprise at the end when his father, Randall, took an overnight flight from Denver to watch his son win for the first time.

Even the New York crowd had no choice but to salute him.

“New York didn't really like me — I love you guys,” Clark said at the closing ceremony, hoisting the silver trophy. “But I get it. Some of it’s self-deserved. I did some unfortunate things last year that I really regret, and I’ve been sorry multiple times and I’m still sorry, so hopefully I can win you guys over eventually."

Clark noticed fans leaving early on Saturday and hoped for a big crowd and big energy for the final round. He got every bit of that, and it was uncomfortable at times. One was ejected when he shouted, “Don't choke, Wyndham.” The grandstand behind the seventh green broke into cheers when his shot rolled off the green and into the bunker.

“I get it — they were rooting for Scottie,” Clark said. “Grand Slams only happen a few times. He’s going to get it. He’s the best player in the world. But today it’s my day.”

It almost wasn't.

But Burns never caught caught him. No one did.

Tom Kim, who like Scheffler celebrated a birthday on Sunday, was on the fringes of seriously contending until he fell back with a bogey on the 17th and shot 70 to finish third.

Clark's hit a superb wedge that spun back to 4 feet for birdie on the 10th to restore the lead to two shots. But then he went long on the 13th with a pitching wedge and couldn't save par. And then came his big moment on the 16th, and one last act of lagging a 50-foot putt to tap-in range.

That's how it was at Los Angeles in 2023, when he needed two putts from 60 feet and lagged it close. Clark simply is at his best against tough tests, and rough arenas. Three years ago, he denied Rory McIlroy. This time it was Scheffler.

“The first one was amazing, and this one seems even better,” Clark said. “I think especially after such a sour taste last year in this championship, to have some redemption and win this again is almost surreal.”

A month ago, he was two years without a win and No. 75 in the world. Then he shot 60 in the final round to win The CJ Cup, contended the next two weeks and won his second major. It moves him to No. 8 in the world.

The smile he wore holding that U.S. Open trophy would suggest he feels on top of the world.

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

The 17-year-old amateur surprised his father, Joe, on the 18th hole Sunday when his caddie brought Russell's clubs to him outside the ropes to carry them the rest of the way.

“It was kind of a fun Father’s Day gift,” Miles Russell said. “Kind of cool since it was my first one. Hopefully it’s something he’ll remember for a long time.”

Russell had Charlie Woods, Tiger Woods' son and his future teammate at Florida State, carrying the bag for him when he advanced to the U.S. Open through a 36-hole qualifying tournament earlier this month.

Ramon Bescansa was on the bag for Russell at Shinnecock Hills — but only for 71 1/2 holes.

As Russell walked toward the 18th green, Bescansa turned toward the ropes and found Joe Russell. He placed the bag down just inside the ropes and removed his caddie bib and handed it to Joe, who put it on.

According to the NBC broadcast, Miles Russell asked a USGA rules official in the morning if he would be allowed to make the switch and was given permission. Joe Russell was not aware of the plan.

Miles Russell smiled widely as his father caught up to him and they walked up to the green.

Russell tapped in for par to finish off an even-par 70 in the final round. After becoming the second-youngest male amateur since World War II to play the weekend at the U.S. Open, he finished at 7 over for the tournament while being paired the final two rounds with fellow amateur Jackson Koivun, who led Auburn to two NCAA championships and shared low amateur honors with Ryder Cowan at 5 over in his final tournament before turning pro.

“It was a pretty special week,” Russell said. “Just to be here was really special, and to make the cut was kind of bonus points. I didn’t quite have my best stuff the last two days, but still really cool. Just a great experience.”

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

“If my grandmother had tires, she'd be a car,” Niemann said Sunday, not wanting to speculate much after wrapping up a tournament sullied by an opening-round 11 on the par-4 sixth hole that featured two tee shots out of bounds and two penalty strokes for hurling his club in frustration.

Niemann shot 4-under 66 in the final round to finish at 1-over 281. It doesn't take heavy math to imagine the possibilities had he not shot 7-over par on one hole.

Maybe more importantly, his 281 put him in a tie for seventh, which means he'll get an invitation to next year's U.S. Open, at Pebble Beach, that goes to everyone in the top 10.

Niemann's 66 paired with a 65 he shot in the second round, shortly after learning his 9 on No. 6 had been bumped up two shots for violating the code of conduct. It meant the only person to shoot a lower round than Niemann over four days at Shinnecock was Wyndham Clark, the winner, who opened the week with a 64. Of course, with that 11, Neimann also recorded the single worst one-hole score over the four rounds.

“A good experience, a good test for myself," Niemann said. "What happened on Thursday and coming back, I was pretty proud of” myself.

Niemann didn't try to deflect blame or suggest he didn't deserve the two-shot penalty for chucking the club after hitting the two errant tee shots, then being rejected when he asked for relief from what he thought might be fire ants.

Play was called for the day shortly after that. Niemann completed his first round Friday morning, then learned about the penalty.

“I was not trying to offend anyone,” he said. “I was frustrated. I had my expectations, which are always super high. I was playing good golf. I knew it was going to be a tough week, a long week, a challenging week. ... I’m not happy doing that. I’m not proud about throwing a golf club.”

He did not want to delve into the debate about whether the USGA was too aggressive in applying the penalty. Even though the course was virtually empty at the time, he did, in fact, throw the club.

He called his comeback story “something to learn from.”

Asked what others might learn from his odyssey around Shinnecock Hills, he said: “Everyone just stop throwing clubs. Just behave.”

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

But Scheffler never nailed down the other part — namely, applying any pressure of his own on the player who left the door open Sunday at the U.S. Open before sneaking away with the win.

While Clark hung on to beat Sam Burns by one shot and capture his second title in four years in the toughest test in golf, Scheffler will wait another year for a chance to fill that last hole on his Grand Slam resume.

“I felt close again,” Scheffler said. “It's just little things here and there.”

With Clark struggling most of the day, the world’s No. 1 player celebrated his 30th birthday by making a grand total of two birdies over a round of 1-over 71 at Shinnecock Hills. He actually beat Clark by two shots in their final-pairing showdown. But he came in trailing by six.

In a more telling sign of the opportunity he could not cash in on, Scheffler started as the best bet to reel in Clark among those jammed in a four-way tie for second heading into the round. He left in a three-way deadlock for fourth, passed up by Burns (67) and left behind by fellow birthday boy Tom Kim, who shot 70 and finished alone in third.

Scheffler's struggles were all part of a strange day and a strange vibe around Shinnecock. It was filled with lots of cheers for everything he did well, but also cheers for Clark's mishaps — the product of a New York crowd familiar with Clark's history of smashing a locker at Oakmont last year out of frustration.

"You like seeing the fans cheer for you," Scheffler said. “I think sometimes it can get a little too much when balls are kind of going off greens and you start hearing cheers. That felt a bit much to me.”

It never really led to momentum, though, for the Texan, who won the British Open last year and put himself in position to become the seventh player to complete the career Grand Slam. He'll have to wait until next year at Pebble Beach. On Sunday at Shinnecock, he spent most of the day stuck in neutral.

His chances to mount a comeback got delayed on the par-3 seventh, where he needed two shots from a bunker and a 15-foot putt just to save bogey. That kept him within four of Clark. But he never drew closer than three.

Scheffler's last, best chance might have been on the par-5 16th, when Clark teed off into the thick fescue and Scheffler was in perfect shape in the fairway. But Scheffler hit driver off the deck into the rough and Clark hit a fantastic shot back into the fairway. When Clark made birdie there to Scheffler's par, the lead was five and it was a two-man contest between Clark and Burns, who was playing three groups ahead.

"He showed what he’s made of there with a great birdie on 16," Scheffler said. “Wyndham has a pretty good -- I don’t know if 'escapability is the right word — but he’s, I would say, a very underrated scrambler.”

With the tip of his cap, Scheffler also gave a nod to reality: He lost this tournament over the first two and half days — or maybe even over the first nine holes, where he made the turn at 3 over after a three-putt from 30 feet for double-bogey on No. 8.

Two months ago, Scheffler overcame a similarly slow start at the Masters and made a Sunday charge to finish one shot shy of Rory McIlroy in what would have been an unprecedented comeback from 12 strokes down heading into the weekend.

This time, Scheffler was eight back of Clark after the first day.

“I’ve been pretty good in first rounds over the last few years, and for some reason, the sharpness just hasn’t been there early in tournaments,” Scheffler said. “I haven’t had those leads that I’ve needed in order to win tournaments. I’ve been playing catch-up all year.”

And so, Scheffler heads into the defense of his British title still with four majors to his name, but no U.S. Open. One thing those wins have in common: He has had at least a share of the lead heading into the final round of all of them.

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

The Panthers and Ottawa finalized a deal Sunday night, with Florida sending four draft picks to the Senators for Brady Tkachuk — the brother of Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk.

The picks were the No. 9 pick in this year's draft, Tampa Bay's first-round pick this year (acquired earlier Sunday in a trade Florida made sending Mackie Samoskevich to Seattle), the Panthers' second-round pick in 2027 and their top 10-protected first-round pick in 2029. And that means Florida adds an elite player to its forward corps without losing any of its top seven scorers from this past season.

“Brady is a dynamic competitor and one of the most physical and relentless forwards in the league,” Panthers hockey operations president and general manager Bill Zito said. “A proven leader and exactly the type of player we want in our locker room, he strives to make everyone around him better both on and off the ice. We’re thrilled to welcome Brady to South Florida to join our group as we continue our pursuit of championship hockey.”

Brady Tkachuk has spent the entirety of his eight-year NHL career in Ottawa, and now he joins his brother, Olympic teammate and podcast co-host in Florida — the place where Matthew Tkachuk has spent the last four seasons, winning two Stanley Cups and getting to the final three times.

The Athletic was first to report the pending trade.

Brady Tkachuk has two seasons left on the seven-year, $57.56 million contract he signed in October 2021 when he also became Ottawa’s captain. As recently as late April, he bristled at conversation about his name being in trade rumors following a first-round playoff exit.

“This was not a decision we took lightly, but ultimately we did what we felt was best for the long-term future of our hockey club,” Senators general manager Steve Staios said Sunday. “We now possess cap space and draft capital and will be actively working to improve our roster.”

It’s a move that makes sense for so many reasons and has seemed almost inevitable.

Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk reveled in the chance to play alongside one another for USA Hockey at the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025 (winning silver) and the Milan Cortina Olympics this year (winning gold, the first for the American men’s program on the Olympic stage since the miracle in Lake Placid 46 years ago).

Their parents — their dad is NHL legend Keith Tkachuk — have a home in Florida and are regular attendees at Panthers games, and the USA Hockey ties means Brady Tkachuk already has relationships with many in the Florida organization. Zito had a role within USA Hockey during this past Olympic cycle and Panthers equipment manager Teddy Richards had a role with the 4 Nations and Milan Cortina teams as well.

Brady Tkachuk was Ottawa’s captain for the last five seasons, and he was — by far in some cases — their leader in countless categories over his eight years with the Senators. No player had more goals (213), points (463), power-play goals (62), shots (2,202), hits (1,921), winning goals (28), multigoal games (30) and penalty minutes (821) in his tenure with the club, which acquired him with the No. 4 pick in the 2018 draft.

And now, four years after landing Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers have tapped into the Tkachuk family well of talent again.

It also adds another big name to the list of players that Florida has locked up for several seasons going forward, including Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling, Anton Lundell and others. They’re all Stanley Cup winners, and now Brady Tkachuk would figure to have a real chance to get his name etched onto hockey’s chalice in the coming years as well.

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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Officers responding to a 911 call around 9:51 p.m. found the man unconscious and unresponsive with injuries indicating a fall from an “elevated position,” New York City police said. Police did not say how far the man fell, but said he was in Section 300. They identified him as Paul Kueker of Niantic, Connecticut.

The man was with his wife, according to police. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police do not suspect foul play.

The rock band Goose was performing. In a statement, the band said it was “reeling” from the tragedy.

Goose played a concert Sunday evening in Central Park and said all proceeds from the show would go toward a charitable fund providing support and resources for their fans.

“We considered whether or not we were going to play and came to the decision that the best thing we can do right now is bring our community together, lean on one another, and offer a space for healing,” the Sunday statement said. “So let’s be kind to each other tonight and remember our friend.”

He was that close to sinking a birdie putt on the 18th hole to tie leader Wyndham Clark at the U.S. Open and instead missed just right by a half-inch — maybe.

"I really thought I made that putt," Burns said after shooting a 67 Sunday to get to 3 under for the tournament and go into the clubhouse one stroke behind Clark. “It just didn't go in.”

Burns sat down in the scoring tent, let out an exasperated sigh and put his hands on his head. He could only watch as Clark birdied No. 16, bogeyed 17 and two-putted in on 18 to win by the single shot Burns did not make down the stretch.

"I felt like I was chasing all day," Burns said. “It's unfortunate I just came up one short.”

The heartbreak at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island came a year after Burns' miserable finish at the U.S. Open at Oakmont outside Pittsburgh. He led after two rounds, played in the final group Sunday and everything fell apart in the rain when he shot 78 to fall out of contention and into a tie for seventh.

Burns was brilliant Sunday in his bid for retribution. Entering the final round at even par, seven back of Clark, Burns birdied three of his first eight holes to move past Scottie Scheffler and others into second place.

“To start the day seven shots back, I knew it was going to take something really special,” Burns said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start.”

Clark bogeying three of his first seven holes made it close, but Burns was never able to pull into a tie for first. Three-putting at No. 15 put him in a difficult spot, and he thought the back nine was playing difficult.

With Clark shooting the same back-nine 35, Burns felt differently following this loss than a year ago, saying, “The guy who played the best won.”

It just wasn't him.

“Last year at Oakmont, I felt like more I lost the golf tournament,” Burns said. "I certainly don’t feel that way today. I gave it my best, and I did everything I could to have a chance to win.”

When Burns was hitting balls on the driving range Sunday night, his dad, Tom came over with a fatherly message on Father's Day.

“He just said he was really proud,” Sam Burns said as he got choked up. “I think we both knew how special it could have been for Father’s Day. But I know he’s proud.”

Burns' wife, Caroline, is 37 weeks pregnant with the couple's second child, he said. Burns played with 2-year-old son Bear while waiting for Clark to finish and left the course with life perspective after another difficult defeat.

“It’s a crazy life we live sometimes,” Burns said. “As a competitor, you want to go out there and compete as hard as you can and try to win. But at the end of the day, when you’re off the golf course, it’s really not that important and family is a lot more important than golf.”

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

The Iron Fire in Utah’s Juab County was first detected Saturday and had blackened 34 square miles (87 square kilometers), authorities said. The fire about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southwest of Salt Lake City forced the evacuation of Eureka, population 1,000, and people at a nearby ranch.

No homes had been lost, and UTAH Fire Info, a multiagency operation, said in a post on X that firefighters conducted a successful backburn operation to protect the town.

Kelly Wickens, a fire prevention specialist with the Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands, warned that the fire was continuing to grow amid drought conditions. Wickens said the fire was human-caused and remains under investigation.

Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox visited the town Sunday.

“We knew that there was going to be extreme fire danger, and sure enough we had multiple fires,” Cox said.

The Iron Fire was one of six fires burning in Utah at varying levels of containment.

A wildfire prompted evacuations over the weekend near Sedona, Arizona, burning about 300 acres (120 hectares) of steep and rugged terrain near Oak Creek Canyon. As of Sunday afternoon, about 300 fire personnel were fighting the blaze, which remained uncontained. Residents evacuated earlier were still not being allowed to return home.

Much of the Western U.S. from the Rockies to the Pacific coast saw above-average temperatures this weekend with even hotter weather anticipated for early this week. Officials warned that the prolonged dry, hot weather and relatively low humidity increased the risk of fire danger.

Much of Utah is experiencing severe to extreme drought, while parts of Arizona and Colorado are experiencing severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. In Colorado, the southwest corner of the state was under a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service until Monday, due to gusty winds and low relative humidity.

Extreme heat claimed the lives of three hikers in two separate incidents last week in the Grand Canyon. Temperatures were expected to climb in the Southwest on Sunday, with a forecast of up to 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42.2 C) in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Meanwhile, the Florida Forest Service said fire crews from across the state had nearly contained several brush fires in western Miami-Dade County in Florida,

No worries.

Forbes called on freshman Caden Glauber for the 29th time this season, and for the 29th time he's pitched, the Tar Heels won.

Their 6-2 victory over Oklahoma kept alive their pursuit of the school's first national championship in baseball. The winner-take-all Game 3 is Monday night.

“This is what it’s all about,” Forbes said. “This is why you work so hard — to play in a night game, national championship game. So we’re excited about that opportunity.”

Lynch and Glauber cooled off Oklahoma’s bats, Owen Hull and Cooper Nicholson homered, and North Carolina (54-13-1) bounced back from a 9-3 loss in Game 1.

The Sooners (42-23) scored twice in the first inning and then had two hits and a total of five baserunners the rest of the way. Lynch injured his lower left side throwing his second pitch of the fifth. Glauber (12-0) came on and struck out the side and fanned a total of eight over five innings.

“When you play for the best team in college baseball, it’s pretty easy to go out there with the defense you have and the offense you have,” said Glauber, who has allowed one run in 10 1/3 CWS innings.

Glauber graduated from high school a year early and was 17 when he enrolled at Carolina last fall. He's the only pitcher in Division I with 12 wins and five saves and is pitching to a 2.05 ERA over 92 innings, with all but three of his appearances in relief.

He's been comfortable on stages big and small all season. Sunday he faced an OU team that had been averaging 9.4 runs per game in the postseason and 8.25 in the CWS.

“The preparation takes over the fear,” he said. “We work so hard on it. You know, you’ve got to have the right mindset, and you know that you’re made for the moment, whatever moment you’re in.”

The Sooners were held to their fewest runs since a May 19 loss to LSU. They hadn't been held scoreless over eight straight innings since a 3-0 loss to Southeastern Louisiana on March 17. Their four hits were their fewest since a March 19 loss to LSU.

“Obviously, tough loss today,” OU's Trey Gambill said. “But I don’t think we overly care. We know that we still have the opportunity to win the national championship. It’s going to be a fun atmosphere. We’re excited. Have a good meal tonight, good shower and be ready for tomorrow.”

OU freshman starter Xander Mercurius (1-3) struck out six of the first seven batters he faced but encountered trouble when Carolina's first two batters reached base in the third inning. Jake Schaffner pulled a ball into the right-field corner for a two-run triple and scored on a wild pitch to put the Tar Heels up 3-2. Mercurius began laboring in the third and left after Hull's second homer of the CWS and ninth of the season leading off the fifth.

“The trick in baseball is to not get away from your game plan and start trying to punch guys out,” OU coach Skip Johnson said, “and he kind of lost it a little bit. Instead of just trying to throw the ball to the target, he’s trying to punch people out.”

Nicholson's team-leading 16th homer, off Nate Smithburg in the seventh, made it 6-2.

Glauber walked consecutive batters with one out in the ninth. The game ended when Dasan Harris grounded to second and Gavin Gallaher turned an unassisted double play that was confirmed after Oklahoma challenged the call.

Johnson said Nick Wesloski (2-1) would start for the Sooners on Monday. Wesloski pitched 5 2/3 innings in an 11-4 win over Georgia last Wednesday. Forbes said he was undecided on a starter.

“It will be all hands on deck,” he said. “I feel like we’ve got about seven options to start tomorrow, and I like every one of them.”

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

At the match's conclusion, at least one attendee wearing a pre-revolutionary flag shirt was detained for trying to run onto the pitch. And afterward, though demonstrations were quieter than Monday's, an Associated Press reporter observed a fan who got into a scuffle with protesters being loaded into an ambulance.

But before the match had even kicked off, U.S. Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said Sunday that the Iranians had “tried to get somebody in yesterday” who had direct ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. In a statement, the soccer federation vociferously pushed back.

“The claim that an official representative of the Iranian Football Federation attempted to board a flight to enter the United States yesterday and was prevented from doing so is an outright and undeniable lie,” the statement said.

Mullin told Fox News that most teams travel with around 120 people, but the U.S. had accepted 53 in Iran's case. He said the rest of the people Iran had tried to secure visas for had “direct ties to the IRGC and aren’t their normal traveling group.” The federation called Mullin's claims “completely unsupported by any evidence or documentation, but also represent a clear attempt to cover up discriminatory behavior and unreasonable restrictions.”

That statement echoed Iran's complaints throughout the tournament that politics have infringed on soccer, even as U.S. Vice President JD Vance said there was an opportunity to “turn over a new leaf” with talks beginning in Switzerland on the interim deal to end the war. Iran’s players and coach have complained about shuttling to and from Mexico instead of Tucson, Arizona, and the barring of some officials and staff, and the federation has said it would pursue a complaint against FIFA.

Iranian national team player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said after the match that he doesn’t want to keep focusing on the challenging situation, and that players are now focused on recovery and preparing to travel to Seattle for the next game, against Egypt. He said he hopes the team can head there as soon as possible to adapt.

“We don’t ask for much. We just ask for the same procedure as for all the other 47 teams,” he said. “Hopefully we can bring everyone who is involved and help us with us.”

At the stadium near Los Angeles, fans wearing green-and-red scarves, stickers and T-shirts were mixed on the impact of the team's shift to train across the border in Mexico. Some said the team was unfairly burdened, while others who followed the team to Tijuana were thrilled to get closer access to the players.

Shamira Ghaemmaghami, 66, of nearby Orange County, said she was supporting the players from her native Iran and also from Belgium. She said she respects the right of protesters to voice their opinions but feels sports should unite people, not separate them.

“Fighting over these things, sports and politics should not be mixed,” she said. “They worked so hard to get where they are, both sides, actually.”

Outside the stadium, a few hundred people demonstrated against Iran's government. Aside from some verbal altercations and the scuffle after the match, the protests were smaller than at Iran's first game and featured more security from the outset. Inside, some fans carried the red-and-green flags emblazoned with a golden lion and sun that predate the 1979 Islamic Revolution — a flag that seemed at least as visible as the official flag of Iran itself. They were also joined by a sizable crowd of Belgium fans wearing red and yellow and those donning jerseys from countries including Argentina, the U.S. and Mexico.

Gerald Martinez, 66, of Tucson, wore a green Iran scarf. While not Iranian, he and his son decided to support the team when they initially announced they'd be training in their hometown.

“I wish they were all here. I wish they were welcome,” Martinez said, adding he felt the team was suffering a disadvantage.

Stefan Arts, 42, traveled from Antwerp, Belgium, and said he's met many people who were Iranian but supporting his country’s team instead. That's how Arman Sharif, 40, of Los Angeles, feels. He was outside the stadium to protest and said he feels the players are allied with the government in Tehran.

“Whoever it is, we're a fan of the opponents,” Sharif said.

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Associated Press reporters Ty ONeil, Gregory Bull and Andrew Dalton in Inglewood, California; Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego and Thomas Strong in Washington contributed to this report.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

“The city and county have opened spaces for families seeking relief from the smoke, and we will continue working around the clock and doing everything possible to put this fire out completely," Bass said in a news release announcing the emergency declaration.

The fire at a privately owned cold-storage warehouse in the city's Boyle Heights neighborhood started Wednesday, prompting shelter-in-place orders in the area because of the risk of hazardous air. Residents were told to close all windows, doors and vents, turn off air conditioning and bring people and pets to an inside room.

Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore said in a news conference that they have taken care of the hazardous materials portion of the blaze and now they are working on the biohazard challenges.

“We have 85 million pounds of frozen food inside of this facility and the way the building has been laid out, it’s very difficult for us to get in there because there’s zero visibility inside,” Moore said. “Our firefighters are not able to just go in there and start moving pallets.”

The mayor's declaration asks for recovery help under the California Disaster Assistance Act. She also asked the state to expedite access to resources and other relief programs.

Bass said their chief concern is for the health and safety of the people impacted by the fire, so they are trying to secure the help needed to move the toxic materials away from the area and dispose of them in a way that will avert a major environmental disaster.

“So this is about prevention,” she said. “This is about protecting your public health.”

The match “is everything in our world for the moment,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said Saturday in comments translated from Arabic.

Their pursuit of history is part of a larger surge in African soccer's global standing.

The expanded 48-team pool at this year’s tournament helped give African teams more representation and a chance to show they belong at the top level of international soccer. A record 10 teams are representing the continent at the World Cup, Egypt among them.

“The national squads of Africa have proven their great performance many times at the World Cup, including this one,” Hassan said.

At the 2022 World Cup, Morocco made a memorable run to the semifinals.

Other African teams have made their mark on this World Cup already, with Ghana and Ivory Coast winning their opening matches against Panama and Ecuador, respectively. Four African teams, including Egypt, played to a draw in their opening matches.

The Pharaohs’ 1-1 draw against Belgium gave them their first World Cup point since 1990. They carried a lead into halftime against Belgium, the first time they had done so at the World Cup. In fact, the match against Belgium was only the second time Egypt had ever had a lead against an opponent at all in the tournament.

Morocco staved off five-time champion Brazil, Congo escaped with a draw against Portugal and Cape Verde stunned tournament favorite Spain, holding it scoreless in a 0-0 draw.

From a continent on the rise, Egypt has emerged as a powerhouse. Seven-time winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Pharaohs want to demonstrate that their prowess extends outside of Africa at this year’s World Cup.

“We want to represent African football and Arab football,” said Hassan, Egypt’s all-time leading goal scorer and a key player for the Pharaohs at the 1990 World Cup.

Hassan’s experience helped propel an Egyptian squad headlined by stars Mo Salah and Omar Marmoush back into the tournament after missing out in 2022.

Salah sits two goals shy of matching his coach’s record. The squad also features a solid lineup of younger players, including 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim. Abdelkarim made his international debut with the senior team in a friendly against Russia just last month, the latest debutant in a new generation of African stars.

We want to live up to the aspirations of the Egyptian fans,” Hassan said. “I only think about bringing happiness to our fans.”

After New Zealand, the Pharaohs face Iran in Seattle for the last match in the group stage.

As Egypt closes in on history, the team plays for its fans and nation – and also for Africa.

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Connor Joyce is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Five strokes behind third-round leader Jing Yan and four back of Woad going into the day, the 4-foot-11 Yamashita shot an 8-under 64 to get to 17-under 271 at Blythefield Country Club.

“I didn’t think about like win today,” Yamashita said. “I just focused on playing just like every round. My putting was solid today and I was able to put together a really good round.”

The 24-year-old Japanese player birdied the par-5 18th in regulation and the playoff.

“I really didn’t expect like it’s going to be playoff, but once it did, I was able to reset mentally and focus on the task at hand,” Yamashita said. “I’m glad I was able to take advantage of the opportunity and turn it into a win.”

Woad had a 68, holing out from a bunker for birdie on the 17th before running into trouble on the 467-yard 18th.

“Felt like I hit an OK putt,” the 22-year-old English player said. “Obviously, lipped out on the high side.”

In the playoff, both players were in front of the green in two. Yamashita played first, hitting a flop shot to 3 feet. Woad then hit her pitch 10 feet past and missed the comebacker.

Yamashita won for the third time on the LPGA Tour after winning 13 times on the JLPGA. Last year, she won the Maybank Championship and major Women’s British Open and was the LPGA rookie of the year.

Wei-Ling Hsu (67) and Yan Liu (67) tied for third at 15 under. Minji Kang (66) and Cassie Porter (70) were 14 under. Yan had a 73 to tie for seventh at 13 under.

The major KPMG Women’s PGA Championship begins Thursday at Hazeltine in Minnesota.

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

Here’s a look at five changes Virginia residents may want to know about.

New restrictions on semi-automatic firearms, high-capacity magazines

Virginia will limit the future sale, manufacture and transfer of certain semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines beginning July 1.

Current owners may keep firearms they already legally own, but the new restrictions are already sparking debate over gun rights and public safety.

Clean Slate Act seals criminal records

The Clean Slate Act allows eligible misdemeanors and some low-level felonies to be automatically sealed, making it easier for Virginians to find jobs and housing.

Supporters estimate more than 100,000 criminal records to be sealed belonging to people who were convicted but have not reoffended in the past seven years.

While the Clean Slate Act expands access to record sealing, eligible Virginians will still need to apply through the courts in many cases to have their records sealed.

Wage transparency, salary history ban

Many Virginia employers will now be required to disclose salary ranges in job postings, giving applicants more information and bargaining power before they apply.

A companion salary history ban also takes effect July 1, prohibiting employers from requesting a candidate’s past salary or wage history.

Speed-limiting devices for reckless drivers

Judges will have the authority to require certain speeding offenders to install speed-governing technology in their vehicles. The measure targets repeat reckless drivers and high-speed offenders.

Supporters say it’s aimed at preventing dangerous repeat behaviors and reducing deadly crashes on Virginia roads.

Styrofoam ban expands statewide

More food vendors across Virginia will be required to stop using foam takeout containers starting July 1 as part of the state’s ongoing, phased environmental initiative.

The ban enters phase two on July 1, expanding from large chain restaurants to all remaining food vendors statewide.

While all five laws officially take effect July 1, some elements of enforcement may roll out gradually over time.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating the incident between two commercial flights that happened Saturday at Boston Logan International Airport.

Todd Curtis, a former safety engineer at Boeing, estimated the distance between the two jetliners using Flightradar24, a website that tracks flights. Curtis now coproduces a podcast about flight safety issues.

“This is a significant incident,” Curtis said, adding that it was particularly concerning because it involved two professional airline crews.

He said federal aviation officials have been concerned about such runway incursions for a while now and will scrutinize Saturday’s close call.

Near-misses and runway incursions at U.S. airports will be the subject of a hearing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation will seek ways to strengthen safety across the national airspace system.

The Delta flight from Dallas had to execute a go-around, or aborted landing, to avoid the American plane departing from an intersecting runway, according to the FAA and flight logs.

The crew of Delta flight 2351 coordinated with air traffic control to perform the go-around, an airline spokesperson said. The plane, which had 129 passengers and six crew members on board, landed safely and deplaned normally, according to the spokesperson.

Go-arounds are safe, routine procedures performed at the discretion of the pilot or air traffic controllers, according to the FAA.

Still, seeing the single-sentence announcement from The All England Club that the 23-time Grand Slam champion will play singles at Wimbledon was stunning nonetheless.

“Serena Williams (USA) receives the final ladies’ singles wild card,” read the key line in Sunday's announcement, which was issued eight days before the grass-court Grand Slam begins.

At age 44, Williams will actually play both singles and doubles at Wimbledon after already accepting a wild card for the doubles competition with older sister Venus.

“This is not a drill,” Wimbledon said on its social media accounts Sunday.

Commented the WTA Tour, “Name a more iconic return…we’ll wait.”

Wimbledon held open the eighth and final women's singles wild card spot until Williams made up her mind. As recently as earlier this week after losing a doubles match in Berlin, she appeared to be waffling over the decision.

“Oh my gosh, there are some left?” she replied when she was told there was still a wild card spot open. Wild cards are special invitations handed out by tournament organizers, which allow former champions and others access to the main draw without the necessary entry qualifications. But then she mused about her readiness for it.

“Do you think I’m ready for singles?” she asked a reporter and then turned to doubles partner Karolina Muchova to ask what she thought.

“I think I would be interested in it,” the Czech player responded.

“That’s the question of the hour, right?” Williams said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I wonder why there’s — I don’t know.”

Well, now that Williams has made up her mind, the big remaining question is how she can physically handle singles play after so long.

Serena’s most-recent singles match was a loss to Ajla Tomljanovic in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, she said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis. Her second daughter was born in 2023.

“Just finished a mean game of duck duck goose,” Williams said on X after the wild card announcement.

Of Williams' 23 Grand Slam titles in singles, seven have come at Wimbledon: in 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016. She’s also won 14 Grand Slams in doubles, all with Venus, and six of them at Wimbledon.

Serena also swept the singles and doubles (with Venus) titles at the 2012 London Olympics, when the tennis competition was held on the hallowed grass of the All England Club.

At her last Wimbledon appearance in 2022, Serena was beaten in the opening round by 115th-ranked Harmony Tan in her first match since having to stop less than a set into her opening contest at the All England Club because of an injury the year before.

Serena won a doubles match with partner Victoria Mboko at Queen’s Club last week but then the pair had to withdraw after Mboko injured her knee in a singles match.

In another doubles match at the Berlin Open on Tuesday, Serena and Muchova were beaten by Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe.

As of Sunday, Serena had not entered the singles draws of any grass-court tuneup tournaments before Wimbledon.

She will learn who her first-round opponent is on Friday when the singles draws for Wimbledon are held.

While she’s No. 593 in the doubles rankings courtesy of her victory last week, Serena has no singles ranking after being away for so long.

Iga Swiatek is the defending Wimbledon champion, while Aryna Sabalenka is ranked No. 1.

Because Serena has no ranking, she could potentially face Swiatek, Sabalenka or any other top-ranked player in the opening rounds.

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

“Why isn’t Governor Pritzker calling me for help. I could make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH, in ONE YEAR, it would be one of the safest!!!” Trump said in a Sunday morning Truth Social post.

The office of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender who has repeatedly rebuffed Trump's calls for a military intervention, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Under Trump, National Guard troops have been deployed on crime-fighting missions in Democrat-led cities including New Orleans, Washington, D.C. and Memphis, Tennessee.

While Chicago Police Department data shows a slight uptick in shooting incidents compared to the first half of last year, violent crime rates have generally dropped in the city over the past few years, in parallel with national trends.

Preliminary information shared by Chicago police indicate there have been at least two dozen shooting incidents since 5 p.m. on Friday. Those killed by gunfire include a 21-year-old shot in the chest Sunday, an 18-year-old shot in the armpit Saturday evening and a 50-year-old shot in the chest Friday.

At least 12 people in a crowd on a Chicago street suffered gunshot wounds Friday evening after an SUV pulled up and two people inside started shooting, police said.

The eight men and four women in the group ranged in age from 17 to 47. They were being treated at four hospitals. Police said another man suffered unknown injuries and refused medical treatment.

That shooting happened on Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. Earlier Friday, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama welcomed the first visitors to his presidential center on the South Side.

“What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in an X post Saturday. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones.”

“Violence has no place in our city, and those responsible will be held accountable," he said.

Other major U.S. cities experienced gun-related violence over the weekend. In Philadelphia, two people were killed and two others wounded following a shooting early Sunday morning, according to Fox-29. In Cincinnati, a shooting killed three people Saturday evening, WLWT reported. And police in Kansas City, Missouri say they are investigating a shooting Friday evening that left one dead and five wounded.

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Associated Press writer Jack Brook contributed from New Orleans.

Multiple drownings were reported as people sought relief in whatever water they could find.

About a third of France is under a “red alert” for heat, and high temperatures reached 40 C (104 F) in some areas, in a country where air conditioning isn’t widespread. The forecast for Monday is even hotter.

The Eiffel Tower and other Paris venues set up misting stations to cool down crowds. Tourists in Rome dunked in fountains.

Over the last four years, more than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes, and most of the fatalities were preventable, the World Health Organization’s Europe office said this month. More above-average temperatures are expected this summer, which can cause heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.

Human-caused climate change is tied to increasing extreme weather, and U.N. climate agency projections say the next five years should shatter more heat records. A rapid study found that human-caused climate change was responsible for killing about 1,500 people in an unusually early European heat wave in May.

Waterways offer comfort, and dangers

In this latest European hot spell, French media reported that four children drowned Saturday. Summer drownings are an annual problem that health authorities say worsens during hot spells. One man drowned in southwestern Germany and three others were missing after swimming in the Rhine River, the German news agency dpa reported.

Canal Saint Martin in Paris drew throngs Sunday splashing and diving off a bridge, despite authorities' attempts to control the crowds.

“With this heat, it’s the only way to have fun while going out,″ swimmer Nicolas Cruz told The Associated Press.

Zouzou Hobbs was skeptical at first of swimming in the murky urban canal.

”But it’s hot. I’m going to risk it,''' she decided. ‘’We need to cool off before tonight when we’re gonna be dancing.''

Solstice parties draw large crowds in extreme heat

France’s annual Music Day on Sunday was of particular concern. The nationwide summer solstice celebration involves thousands of concerts in village squares, rave venues and Paris clubs, bringing communities together and increasingly drawing British and other international visitors. Some concerts were canceled.

The French government banned drinking booze in “red alert” zones, and ordered organizers of music day events to limit alcohol consumption to “preserve emergency services and allow medics to concentrate on taking care of the most vulnerable.”

Authorities are notably worried about people living in the baking streets, and elderly people in nursing homes or isolated in their homes. About 15,000 older people died in France in a 2003 heat wave that became a national reckoning.

The government mobilized emergency services and military forces for reinforced wildfire readiness, imposed tightened surveillance of water supplies to France’s many nuclear reactors, and ordered 845 schools to close Monday.

Spain, Italy, Germany swelter as tourists seek relief

Spain kicked off the summer with large parts of the country on alert because of temperatures expected to hover around 40 C (104 F) — even in the interior of the Basque region, an area in the north of the country, which typically experiences cooler temperatures.

Authorities have suspended outdoor sports and cultural activities in the region. The heat wave is expected to scorch Spain at least through Wednesday.

In Italy, authorities expanded heat warnings — referred to locally as “red flags” — to eight cities Sunday in northern and central parts of the country. Temperatures there are mostly in the upper 30s C (high 90s to low 100s F).

At one farm outside Milan, owners set up fans and sprinklers to keep cows cool, while visitors to Milan Fashion Week huddled under parasols and clutched fans. In Rome, tourists dunked their arms and occasionally their faces into the city’s famed fountain pools.

German meteorologists are forecasting temperatures of up to 37 C (98 F) for Monday and Tuesday, and up to 39 C (102 F) on Wednesday.

The U.K. weather office has issued an “extreme heat” warning for much of southern England and parts of Wales from Monday until Thursday, saying temperatures could reach 38 C (100 F). The current record for a June day is 35.6 C (96 F), reached in 1976.

Thunderstorms also threatened regions in Germany and Poland.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is convening a new government heat crisis meeting Sunday, and ordered government ministers to plan for better adapting France to heat waves in the future — including “via air conditioning, if necessary.”

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Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, Greece, Claudia Ciobanu in Warsaw, Poland, Jill Lawless in London, and Teresa Medrano in Madrid, contributed to this report.

Teenage superstar Yamal scored 10 minutes into his first start on soccer’s biggest stage and Spain kickstarted its tournament with the 4-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday.

The 18-year-old forward slid in at the far post to touch home a low cross for the opening goal and became the eighth-youngest scorer in World Cup history. More importantly, he settled Spanish nerves after the European champion was held to a surprise 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in its opening game.

“The first game wasn’t really us, it was different, but now we’ve arrived and we’re going for more," Yamal said.

In a tournament that has already seen Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane get off to flying starts, Yamal's strike saw him join the party.

“I’ve always dreamed of being at a World Cup, and being able to score in my first match as a starter is a dream,” he said. “I watched the last World Cup from a classroom so being able to score here with my mum and my family in the stands is a dream come true.”

The Barcelona winger is already considered one the world’s top players and helped Spain win the European Championship in 2024 despite being just 16 years old when the tournament started. He is tipped to take over from Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the sport’s biggest star but came into the World Cup with questions over his fitness after he missed the end of the season with a hamstring injury.

After being used only as a second-half substitute against Cape Verde, he was thrown in from the start on Sunday and wasted no time in making his presence felt, repeatedly slicing through the Saudi defense before turning home Mikel Oyarzabal's cross.

“When there are players with individual attributes in this game that can work (beat opponents) one-on-one, they can make a difference,” said Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis. “This is a player that makes a difference all the time in Spain and I think the better the physical condition, the more time he has, he’ll help his team even more.”

A full house at Atlanta Stadium that was mainly filled with Spain fans erupted in celebration just at the sight of Yamal emerging for the pre-game warm up. And the cheers were even louder as he raced away to celebrate his goal, dropping to his knees, praying and kissing the turf.

It was just the impact Spain coach Luis de la Fuente wanted from his star player, having been inundated with questions about when Yamal would be ready to start.

Those questions felt even more anxious after Spain, one of the pre-tournament favorites, was shut out by Cape Verde.

After all, Spain has failed to advance beyond the round of 16 since lifting the World Cup in 2010, winning just three games during that run.

But Yamal's opener sparked a flurry of first-half goals. Oyarzabal, who was criticized for not touching the ball at all in the first 30 minutes against Cape Verde, not only provided the assist for Yamal, but scored two more with close range strikes in the 21st and 24th.

So dominant was Spain's lead that De la Fuente had seen enough and took both his scorers off at halftime.

Inside four minutes of the second half, the lead was extended when Marc Cucurella's shot rebounded off Hassan Altambakti for an own goal.

“It’s crazy to question this team,” De la Fuente said. "You can have better days, worse days, normal days, but questioning, doubting this generation of very young footballers, with a bright future, I think it’s unfair.

“I love that I have the honor to lead this group of footballers, this group of players who are a role model for many people in football and for many athletes and people loving this sport.”

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup