Under a deal made public in March, French company TotalEnergies is getting $1 billion — essentially a refund of its leases for offshore wind projects off New York and North Carolina — if it invests the money in fossil fuel projects instead.

State attorneys general from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont joined New York in challenging the cancellation of the lease off of New York, the larger of the two projects and the bulk of the payout. They say it will harm their states’ economies, energy grids and climate goals.

“This administration cooked up a sham deal to pay a foreign energy company hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to abandon offshore wind and invest in oil and gas instead," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. "We are fighting back to stop this illegal agreement that threatens to erase over a thousand union jobs and cheat millions of New Yorkers out of clean, affordable energy.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she and James will continue to aggressively fight back against President Donald Trump’s “overt and never-ending hostility toward offshore wind." Trump, who often talks about his hatred of wind power, has said his goal is to not let any “windmills” be built.

The complaint filed in District Court for the District of Columbia names administration officials, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, as defendants, and argues that they canceled the lease without following proper procedures. The states are asking a federal judge to vacate the lease cancellation and settlement agreement with TotalEnergies' subsidiary, Attentive Energy.

Separately, a coalition of renewable energy groups filed a complaint in District Court in Oregon on Sunday over Pentagon officials not completing national security reviews for new onshore wind farms on private lands. They say this inaction has brought a total halt to all wind project development. The Pentagon has said its siting clearinghouse is actively evaluating land-based wind energy projects and it's a complex, time-consuming process.

The Interior Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday about the New York-led lawsuit, but Burgum defended the deal last month during a hearing at the House Natural Resources Committee.

U.S. Rep. Dave Min, a California Democrat, asked Burgum if it's appropriate for Interior to send $1 billion to a foreign oil company to stop producing energy, while people are dealing with sky-high utility bills.

Burgum said TotalEnergies was simply refunded their money, which they have already invested in other energy projects in the U.S.

“They essentially gave the U.S. government an interest-free loan and their money was refunded to them,” he said.

Min said the cancellation of TotalEnergies’ offshore wind leases is a case study on Interior's “economically illiterate and unlawful energy strategy.”

TotalEnergies purchased the lease off New York and New Jersey, in 2022, for $795 million. This was planned as a larger project, with the potential to generate 3 gigawatts of clean energy to power nearly one million homes. It would have brought $10 billion in savings to ratepayers across New York, with $500 million in savings for low-income households, on electricity bills, according to the complaint filed Tuesday.

TotalEnergies also purchased a lease for its Carolina Long Bay project in 2022 for about $133 million. It aimed to generate more than 1 gigawatt there, enough to power about 300,000 homes.

Burgum has said companies were sold a product that was only viable when propped up by massive taxpayer subsidies when they bid for these offshore wind leases in 2022, under former President Joe Biden.

The Trump administration is spending nearly $2 billion to get energy companies to walk away from U.S. offshore wind projects. It adopted this strategy after federal courts thwarted Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action.

Democrats in Congress are investigating the TotalEnergies agreement, and California is investigating a deal that ended a floating offshore wind project, Golden State Wind, proposed off the state's central coast.

Bluepoint Wind also agreed to end its lease for an offshore wind project in the early stages of development off the coasts of New Jersey and New York. Tuesday's complaint does not challenge this agreement, as the lease has not been canceled yet.

___

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.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans will meet Tuesday to discuss next steps after the Justice Department said it would comply with a court order pausing the implementation of a $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate President Donald Trump’s political allies.

Trump has tapped Federal Housing Finance Director Bill Pulte to be the acting director of national intelligence to replace Tulsi Gabbard. Trump made the surprise announcement Tuesday on Truth Social.

The Latest:

Rubio does not support Netanyahu’s plan of seizing 70% of Gaza

Rep. Rose DeLauro of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, pressed Rubio on where the U.S. stands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s goal of seizing 70% of Gaza to defeat the Hamas militant group.

Rubio said Netanyahu’s statement was not part of President Trump’s 20-point plan to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The plan would end Hamas’ rule and rebuild the territory.

“We have a plan — it doesn’t call for that,” Rubio said. “And at the end of the day, we understand that what we want, and I think what the Israelis would ultimately want, is a Gaza that is governed by a non-Hamas” entity.

Testy exchange between Murphy, Mullin kicks off hearing

The budget hearing with DHS Secretary Mullin is already getting heated.

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy used his opening statement to lambast Mullin and his department.

Murphy said while Mullin vowed during his confirmation hearing to keep the department out of the news, he’d done the opposite. He slammed Mullin’s threats to pull CBP officers from airports and accused the department of reckless spending.

“Every day, this agency is breaking the law at scale and wasting billions of taxpayer dollars. DHS does not implement the law any longer. It makes up the law,” said Murphy.

Mullin, who until just a few months ago was a senator alongside Murphy, diverted from his prepared remarks to respond to Murphy.

“I do have an opening statement here, but, wow, Senator Murphy, the outlandish claims you made there, it’s just flat wrong,” said Mullin who blamed rhetoric like Murphy’s for a growing number of threats and attacks against his officers.

Democratic lawmaker blasts ‘insidious sledgehammer’ to foreign aid during Rubio’s second hearing

Rep. Lois Frankel, one of the senior Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, said that when Rubio was first confirmed to be America’s top diplomat she was hopeful about what he had presented as his “commitment to democracy and American leadership.”

“And then what happened? DOGE came in with Elon Musk,” the Florida lawmaker said.

She added that Musk and his allies’ time in the administration has had “devastating consequences” that resulted in the dismantling of USAID agency, terminating critical health and development programs, and forcing thousands of experienced public servants out of government.

Rubio faces continued protests during second hearing

When Rubio began his testimony before a House Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday afternoon, a man stood up with a sign and urged the Secretary of State stop supporting Israel and what the man said was “genocide.” The man was quickly led out of the room.

Rubio faced protesters during an earlier hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. They raised concerns that sanctions against Cuba were hurting children on the island nation.

This is the first time Rubio is testifying to lawmakers since the Iran war began.

Mullin hearing kicks off in Senate

A Senate budget hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is getting started.

Mullin is at the appropriations subcommittee on homeland security.

The Senate is currently weighing legislation that would fund immigration enforcement agencies through the end of President Donald Trump’s term.

That’s designed to bypass any need for Democratic support. They’ve demanded restraints on ICE and Border Patrol before agreeing to fund the agencies.

But that funding attempt has been caught up in Republican opposition to a $1.776 billion settlement fund to compensate Trump allies who believe they have been politically prosecuted.

Mullin’s likely to face questioning about conduct of immigration enforcement officers, treatment of detainees at an ICE facility in New Jersey and security preparations for the World Cup.

Rubio faces more grilling during second congressional hearing of the day

Rubio is testifying for the second time Tuesday before lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

The stated reason is the State Department’s budget, but questions will likely veer into issues concerning the Iran war, the Trump administration’s campaign against drug cartels in Latin America and U.S. support for Taiwan.

The former Republican senator from Florida sat for well over two hours of questioning on Tuesday morning in front the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In the afternoon, he’ll be testifying before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations.

Like the Senate hearing, the hallways outside the room included protestors. Some called Rubio a terrorist and told him to stop killing children in Gaza and Iran when he walked into the room.

Mullin faces Senate grilling on DHS budget, immigration crackdown and World Cup worries

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is slated to appear Tuesday in the Senate to answer questions about the agency’s budget, at a time of intense scrutiny about how the Trump administration is carrying out immigration enforcement and preparing for the World Cup.

The Senate is weighing legislation to fund immigration enforcement agencies through the end of Trump’s term in a maneuver that would bypass the need for support from Democrats, who have demanded restraints. The attempt has stalled over separate Republican opposition to a $1.776 billion settlement fund to compensate Trump allies who believe they have been politically prosecuted.

Mullin, who was tapped by Trump to lead Homeland Security after his predecessor Kristi Noem was fired, is appearing in the Senate Tuesday for the first time since his confirmation hearing in March. On Wednesday, he’ll testify in the House about the budget.

From festering infections to untreated cancer, ICE detainees across the US describe medical neglect

An investigation by KFF Health News and The Associated Press has found that hundreds of detainees across at least 33 states allege immigration detention facilities are failing to provide adequate medical care.

Detainees allege they didn’t receive medications on time — or at all — for conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, epilepsy, Parkinson’s and HIV. Requests for help went unanswered for weeks. Blood sugars rose. Infections festered. Cancers remained untreated. Detainees collapsed and had seizures.

U.S. jails and immigration detention centers have long struggled to meet the medical needs of the people in their charge. But the system is sagging under an influx of detentions since Trump returned to office: More than 75,000 immigrants were being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as of mid-January, up from around 40,000 a year earlier.

KFF Health News and AP asked the Department of Homeland Security to respond to the findings six days before publication but it did not provide comment.

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Trump keeps getting checkups because ‘he likes the results,’ Oz says

The CMS administrator faced another question about the president’s more-than-annual physicals. The president went for the fourth known checkup of his second term last week.

“I think he likes the results,” Oz responded. “He aces the test every single day, and I do actually believe that he is curious to make sure everything is going in the right direction.”

His getting so many physicals was more of a sign of his “very meticulous” nature, Oz contended, because he “wants to know all the numbers” and stay on top of them.

Oz says he trusts Trump’s judgement, when asked why Pulte is qualified to serve as director of national intelligence

Oz was repeatedly questioned about why Pulte is qualified for the role when he has no known experience with intelligence or national security.

He called Pulte “a great guy” and said, “I know him socially” but had not worked with him in his job.

When pressed, Oz said, “You’re asking me a question that’s not in my lane. I’m so focused on making sure Americans are healthy.”

He later said that he appreciated reporters want an answer but said, “I’m not going to be the one giving it to you.”

Oz says Trump’s health is ‘spectacular’

The CMS administrator, who is a physician by trade, says the almost 80-year-old president has “excellent” health, according to his medical records.

Trump went for another checkup at Walter Reed last week.

“That amount of energy and that amount of mental acuity does not exist in a vacuum,” Oz told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. Referring presumably to Trump’s physical body, Oz said: “you have to have a vessel to carry it.”

Trump appears to dispute state media reports that Iran cuts off talks

Trump in a social media post on Tuesday disputed that Iran has cut off communication with mediators, calling Iranian reports of a cessation in talks “false and erroneous.”

“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today,” Trump said. “Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!’”

Fars and Tasnim, two semiofficial Iranian news agencies, reported earlier Tuesday that Iran had stopped communicating with mediators about extending a ceasefire in the war with the U.S. and Israel.

Oz reveals TrumpRx is adding 160 more drugs

The CMS administrator announced during the White House press briefing that 160 new medications are being added to the government’s discounted drug website TrumpRx.

That brings the total number of drugs on the site to more than 750, Oz said.

The news comes two weeks after the Trump administration unveiled partnerships with various online pharmacies to add some 600 generic drugs to the platform.

Even with generics added, experts said the potential savings heavily depend on a patient’s situation. For the vast majority of Americans who have health insurance, using that coverage to get medications is cheaper than paying cash through TrumpRx.

Rubio Senate hearing ends as House hearing nears

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has wrapped up his hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, which was his first before Congress since the Iran war began.

Rubio will face the House Appropriations Committee at 2 p.m.

Lights, camera, press briefing: The Dr. Oz show comes to the White House

Dr. Mehmet Oz is about to be in the spotlight. It’s a place where he’s already comfortable.

The heart surgeon and longtime daytime TV host, now running the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will lead Tuesday’s White House press briefing as the fourth administration official to stand in for press secretary Karoline Leavitt during her maternity leave.

Oz rose to prominence on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show before spinning off his own series, “The Dr. Oz Show,” in 2009. And though he now leads one of the Trump administration’s wonkiest agencies, he’s still found ways to use his camera showmanship to his advantage.

With social media videos and speeches around the country in recent months, he’s become one of the most public promoters of the administration’s efforts to fight healthcare fraud.

Democratic senator calls Rubio absence during US-Iran talks in Pakistan ‘embarrassing’

Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada called out her former senate colleague for being at a party while Vice President J.D. Vance led a delegation to Pakistan in April to meet with their Iranian counterparts.

Rubio was actually cage-side with Trump at a UFC event in Miami as the peace talks with Iran failed on the other side of the world.

“I just feel that’s embarrassing for us and it’s embarrassing for you,” Rosen said. “We confirmed you to be in the negotiations that are happening. And it’s just unthinkable to me that you are not you are missing high stakes negotiations or that you’re not involved. It’s sad.

In one of his more sharp rebukes, Rubio defended his absence.

“I was co-located with the president in the midst of a high stakes negotiation, so that I could immediately inform him about events occurring halfway around the world,” he said. “I was where I needed to be at that moment.”

Republicans offer first takes on Trump’s pick for intelligence chief

Some Republicans are voicing skepticism about the qualifications of President Donald Trump’s choice to serve as the acting director of national intelligence.

“I don’t see any evidence of qualifications for that job, but as you know, the Senate doesn’t have a role to play in acting (appointments,)” Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said of Trump’s choice, Bill Pulte.

“I do not know Mr. Pulte at all. I do not know if he has any intelligence or military background. I don’t even know if he has a security clearance. I know nothing about him at all,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

Collins said she had not made a firm decision yet “because maybe there’s a lot in his background that is relevant to this important position.”

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said Pulte “doesn’t seem qualified.”

“Beyond his absence of apparent qualifications, maybe there’s something I don’t know about,” Cassidy said.

‘No one is begging’: Rubio defends US unsteady stance in Iran negotiations

In a tense back-and-forth, Democratic Sen. Cory Booker and Rubio argued over who has the upper-hand in the more than two month war between U.S. and Iran.

The New Jersey lawmaker pointed to the unsteady ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, which has been further tested in recent days by back-and-forth attacks.

“We are the strongest nation on the planet Earth, and we’re in a stalemate with Iran,” Booker said to the secretary. “And now we’re begging to get back into a deal that you all trashed in the first place.”

“There’s no one begging,” Rubio responded, detailing what he called the dire situation of Iran’s economy. “I don’t know where you’re getting this perception that Iran is stronger.”

Rubio says Afghan allies can’t come to US but will try to resettle them elsewhere

The secretary said he could not commit to Democratic Sen. Chris Coons to resettle more than 1,000 Afghans who assisted America’s war effort and relatives of U.S. service members to the U.S. as was promised under the Biden administration.

Rubio said the U.S. is in talks with multiple countries to take a few hundred of them in order to avoid sending them back to the Taliban where they will likely face reprisal.

Those individuals have been stranded at a U.S. base in Doha for the past year as the Trump administration’s immigration actions have left them in a limbo.

The refugees at Camp As-Sayliyah include Afghans who served as interpreters and with Special Operations Forces as well as the immediate families of more than 150 active duty U.S. military members.

Rubio says State Department decided a few weeks ago to reengage in the global vaccine alliance Gavi

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, questioned Rubio over last year’s U.S. withdrawal of funding from the global vaccine alliance Gavi amid the growing Ebola outbreak abroad.

In his response, Rubio said the State Department is taking matters into its own hands after letting Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist before entering office, have his say.

“The president had asked that we allow Secretary Kennedy to play a leading role on the Gavi decision because of his strongly held views with regards to vaccine safety and he wanted them to conduct some reforms,” Rubio said.

“We have certainly allowed him to play a leading role in determining what we’re going to do next but right now we are sort of at a stage where we are going to re-engage. We need to drive this to an outcome.”

Rubio says pressure from China is not holding up Taiwan arms deal

Rubio said a U.S. arms deal to Taiwan is not under review right now because of pressure from China, although he said the Chinese almost always bring up the issue in discussions with the United States and Trump has described it as a great negotiating chip.

“They are constantly talking about Taiwan arms sales, but that in no way is what is holding up our decision making or the White House’s decision making,” Rubio said. “It is something the president will have to decide on the timing of when and how that is executed on. It’s been approved by Congress, it’s been noticed, the money is available.”

Rubio added that the U.S. recently sold arms to Taiwan in December.

“So there are a variety of reasons why these things don’t happen immediately,” Rubio said.

Sen. Van Hollen questions Rubio suggestion of link between Cuba and Hamas

Van Hollen pressed Rubio on whether there’s any evidence to support his suggestion of a continuing link between Cuba and the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups in the Middle East.

Van Hollen noted that a thorough review by the intelligence community under the Biden administration had concluded there was no evidence that Cuba was involved in state-sponsored terrorism.

Rubio pointed to Cuba’s historical support of leftist and Marxist groups in the Western Hemisphere. However, Rubio didn’t answer Van Hollen’s question about whether the current administration had found new evidence of Cuba being a state sponsor of terrorism. “Why would I need new evidence?” he said.

Democratic senator tells Rubio that Trump foreign policy ‘has become a dumpster fire’

In a sharp diatribe against the status of U.S. foreign policy, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen blasted Rubio and his boss, Trump, for the actions taken in the year and a half in office regarding aid and foreign intervention. The Maryland lawmaker specifically took aim at the U.S. and Israeli decision to strike Iran, accusing Trump of entering the war on behalf of Israel.

“Netanyahu said he’s been waiting 40 years to do this. It turns out he finally found a president who was both stupid and reckless enough to join him,” Van Hollen said.

He then detailed the war’s impact, including the death of 14 U.S. service members and thousands of civilians, and the increase in gas prices.

“Let’s face it, Mr. Secretary, the Trump foreign policy has become a dumpster fire,” Van Hollen added.

Trump made the surprise announcement Tuesday on social media that Pulte would be replacing Tulsi Gabbard, the former Hawaii congresswoman who had served as the director of national intelligence. Trump said Pulte will keep his other positions even as he fills in for Gabbard, who resigned last month after revealing her husband’s cancer diagnosis.

The Republican president cited Pulte's work at the FHFA and his role as chair of the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as indicating that his real estate work would overlap with the skills needed to coordinate 18 federal agencies tasked with aspects of foreign and domestic security.

“William has deep experience managing the most sensitive matters in America, the safety and soundness of the Markets," Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump's choice to elevate Pulte, who would also continue in his post at FHFA, shows how the president is putting a greater priority on loyalty to him, even as the Iran war has damaged Trump politically going into November's midterm elections and raised concerns about the quality of advice that aides are giving to a president who has rewarded flattery.

It’s unclear what national security expertise Pulte brings to bear as the U.S. faces conflict in the Middle East, helps Ukraine defend itself against Russia's assault and manages the emergence of artificial intelligence as a military tool. But Pulte, who's 38 years old, has been a frequent guest on Air Force One as Trump has traveled to Mar-a-Lago, his home and club in Palm Beach, Florida.

On one such flight, the housing finance director stood in a doorway as Trump discussed with reporters the ballroom he’s building at the White House and handed Trump a series of renderings of the project that the president held up.

Questions about Pulte's experience

Several Senate Republicans reacted skeptically to Pulte’s appointment, questioning whether the housing finance director has the experience necessary to oversee the intelligence agency.

“We don’t need a weaponized DNI. We need professionals there," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota. "I’m trying to get more information about the current state of their thinking about that position. And, again, if he’s somebody they want in that position permanently, he’s got, as you all know, a lengthy road ahead of him.“

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in response to questions about Pulte's national security credentials: “I have no observations on the matter.”

Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas, all of whom are leaving the chamber after this year's elections, joined the chorus of wariness against Pulte.

“Doesn’t seem qualified,” Cassidy said.

“I don’t see any evidence of qualifications for that job,” said Cornyn, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“When we looked at his background for the current confirmation, I thought most of his experience was in the building industry,” Tillis said. “I didn’t know he had any national security experience.”

Democrats noted that Pulte's major qualification appeared to be his enthusiasm for fulfilling Trump's requests.

“The concern is not only that Mr. Pulte lacks the ‘extensive national security experience’ required by statute for the job, which was created after intelligence failures led to the deaths of thousands of Americans on 9/11," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., in a statement. “It is that he appears to have been selected precisely because the White House believes he will provide the narrative it wants, not the intelligence we need.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said Pulte has been “abusing his authority” as the federal housing finance director and Trump is now "rewarding his lackey — who has no national security experience — with a perch atop our nation’s intelligence community. What could go wrong?”

Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, the liberal consumer rights advocacy group, warned that Pulte was “Trump's hatchet man” who would use the government against those Americans who object to the president's actions.

“Placing Pulte in this post would position him to use the nation’s massive surveillance apparatus and police capacity to harass, intimidate and threaten the many, many people that Trump considers his enemies," Weissman said.

Pulte's attacks on Trump foes

As the grandson of the founder of PulteGroup, one of the country's largest homebuilders, Pulte has cut a combative streak on social media and used his post at the FHFA to attack perceived opponents of the Trump administration.

His time overseeing mortgage finance has been linked with criminal referrals over allegations of mortgage fraud by public officials Trump sought to punish, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat; Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; and Lisa Cook, a board member of the Federal Reserve, who was nominated by a Democratic president, Joe Biden.

The prosecution against James was dismissed in November after a judge concluded that the prosecutor who filed the charges was illegally appointed. Other referrals made by Pulte, including against Schiff and Cook, have not yielded any criminal charges. Lawyers for both have denied any claims of wrongdoing. But Trump did try to use the possibility of mortgage fraud as grounds for removing Cook from the Fed.

Cook’s lawyer accused Pulte of pursuing mortgage fraud on a partisan basis, focusing on Democrats and refusing to pursue similar allegations against Republicans.

Pulte told reporters at the White House several months ago that he had also made criminal referrals regarding at least one Republican official, but he declined to provide the name.

He has famously gone after then-Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not cutting the central bank’s benchmark interest rates as aggressively as the president wanted. He has also been linked to ideas such as the 50-year mortgage and efforts to lower mortgage rates through the purchase of home loan debt that have not paid off as promised, as mortgage rates began to climb after the Iran war started at the end of February.

Pulte has a reputation for cultivating enemies. In a legal feud pursued by Pulte that involved his family namesake's homebuilding company, he accused his grandfather’s widow of insider trading. He was believed to be the driving force behind a website trashing an aunt as a “fake Christian.” And he publicly blasted another relative as “a fat slob,” “weirdo” and “grifter,” according to court records.

Politico reported in September that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened to punch Pulte in the face. The showdown occurred at a private dinner, and the treasury secretary claimed that he had heard Pulte had been badmouthing him to Trump.

If formally nominated, Pulte would need to be confirmed by the Senate to hold the position full-time.

In his first term, Trump at various points had acting officials leading the Justice and Defense departments and in top posts at Homeland Security and the Interior.

___

Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.

The plaintiffs argued in two lawsuits that Trump’s order aimed at ensuring only citizens vote should be found unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules. They also told the court that the move puts a costly burden on state election officials to comply and would spread fear over concerns they could be prosecuted.

"This is going to be a sea change in way that some states administer their ballots," said Michael Cohen, who was part of a team representing California, adding that “it will be difficult to overstate the disruption that this will cause.”

The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the League of Women Voters in the other lawsuit, has called the order “a dangerous attempt to disenfranchise eligible voters nationwide." The group said the orders transforms "the U.S. Postal Service from a neutral mail carrier to an arbiter of who may cast a ballot by mail.”

“This case challenges an extraordinary and abusive assertion of executive power over the administration of federal elections,” the organization said in its complaint.

The hearing comes less than a week after another judge declined to halt the order. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee in Washington, agreed with the Republican Trump administration’s contention that it was too early to block the order because it has yet to be implemented.

The Trump administration, in its motions to dismiss the lawsuits, argued plaintiffs lack standing to bring their claims. They also argued the motions are premature and plaintiffs lack the legal basis to bring their Administrative Procedure Act claim, which governs how federal agencies develop and issue regulations.

Stephen Pezzi, a lawyer for the Trump administration, said the harms the plaintiffs referenced were subjective, since much can change with the voting list before it is finalized. He also said no one would be prosecuted for violating the executive order.

Missouri Solicitor General Lou Capozzi, speaking for the states supporting the list, argued it was too early to say how his state might use the list but it was “unlikely” that any voter would be removed this year from the voter rolls because of it.

“We are not exactly sure how we would use it,” Capozzi said, adding that "we don't want this process to be strangled in the crib so to speak.”

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani took the requests for motions to halt the order along with motions to dismiss the cases under advisement.

During oral arguments, Talwani expressed concerns about whether the federal system could be ready for upcoming elections and risks posed to election workers who rely on a state list that is different than the federal one. She also raised doubts about the reliability of a federal list — noting, for example, women who changed their names after getting married or someone who has moved from state to state might be missed.

“Isn’t there a reasonable fear and concern on behalf of voters that they will be precluded?” Talwani asked.

Trump issued the order in March after a bill he supported to overhaul voting stalled in Congress. The order would have had the federal government create a list of eligible voters and then directed the Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to those on the list. Election officials argued it was ripe for abuse and could cause chaos, and the postal union has objected to the idea of mail carriers policing ballots.

The Postal Service has published a proposed rule required by Trump's executive order in the Federal Register. Among other things, the rule would not apply to primary elections or overseas ballots.

Since his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump has groundlessly claimed mail voting is rife with fraud and has launched a federal investigation into that year’s vote, even though repeated audits and investigations, including ones run by Republicans, found it was free of widespread fraud. Trump also has said he wants to “take over” election administration in Democratic areas.

Despite New Mexico's persistent challenges, the primary election comes at a time of promise for the next governor. Surging oil prices caused by the Iran war have translated into an influx of tax revenue to state coffers. New Mexico is the nation’s second-largest oil-producing state behind Texas, and the industry’s revenue funds an array of progressive social programs that include universal childcare.

For the first time, the primary is open to voters who are independent. The state’s semi-open primary system, which was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last year, allows the roughly 23% of New Mexico voters who are not affiliated with a political party to request either a Democratic or Republican ballot.

While voters will decide primaries in three congressional seats, a U.S. Senate seat and a long list of statewide offices, the governor's race is the main attraction.

Former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who also served a term in the U.S. House, and Albuquerque-based District Attorney Sam Bregman are seeking the Democratic nomination to replace Lujan Grisham, who reached her term limit.

Haaland, a citizen of Laguna Pueblo, could become the first Native American woman elected governor in the U.S. Her campaign has focused on reducing costs for families, emphasizing her ancestral roots in the state and touting her experience working in the nation's capital.

She was out campaigning Tuesday, making her first stop at San Felipe Pueblo, a Native American community north of Albuquerque.

“Don’t just honk, vote!” Haaland said as she waved a campaign sign and encouraged passing motorists to turn into the voting center parking lot.

She was greeted with hugs by women from the pueblo. Meredith Ansera, a project coordinator with the pueblo, said she worked with Haaland during her tenure as a tribal administrator who helped oversee education and childcare programs.

“She knows what our needs are and she’s been there,” said Ansera, who cast her ballot early last week.

Haaland leads Bregman in fundraising. Her campaign has highlighted Bregman's wealth and cast him as out of touch with everyday New Mexicans. Haaland declined several opportunities to debate Bregman, who has argued that his experience as a prosecutor puts him in the best position for Democrats in a state with high crime rates.

His campaign also criticized Haaland after her name appeared in the Jeffrey Epstein files. She flew on a private jet chartered by one of Epstein's companies during her 2014 unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor. That flight to a fundraising meeting in Washington, D.C., was paid for by Gary King, her running mate at the time. King's family had sold Epstein a ranch in New Mexico two decades earlier.

Haaland said she was unaware of Epstein’s role in arranging the flight and never met him.

Bregman, the prosecutor for Bernalillo County and the father of Chicago Cubs All-Star Alex Bregman, has promised to stand up to the Trump administration on issues such as healthcare and immigration.

Three candidates are running in the Republican primary, with the winner facing an uphill battle to claim a state that has trended left in recent years. Democrats have won every statewide elected office since 2017, and it's been decades since a Republican presidential candidate won the state.

Gregg Hull was mayor of fast-growing Rio Rancho and has pointed to his leadership there as a blueprint for how he would govern, promising to attract large employers. Duke Rodriguez, former state Cabinet secretary under former Republican Gov. Gary Johnson turned cannabis CEO, has focused on stabilizing the state’s healthcare system, which faces financial troubles and a severe shortage of physicians. Public relations professional Doug Turner has focused on plans to lift the state’s public education system from the bottom of national rankings.

While Hull and Turner have not aligned their campaigns with the MAGA movement, Rodriguez was recently served a cease-and-desist letter from a law firm representing President Donald Trump for “deceptive use” of Trump’s image in campaign materials.

The winner of November's general election will inherit the oil windfall in the state budget that has led to competing ideas on how best to use it — from cutting one-time checks for taxpayers to funding tax credits that would mostly aid low-income residents to eliminating the state's income tax.

The state's reliance on fossil fuels to fund its programs also has proved politically sensitive for Democrats.

University officials said Hokie Ventures will provide greater flexibility as college athletics continues to evolve through revenue-sharing models, Name, Image and Likeness opportunities, changing media rights agreements and new governance structures.

“As we continue to elevate Virginia Tech Athletics as a strategic priority that strengthens the student experience, creates shared community pride, drives regional economic impact and enhances national visibility, we must accelerate our competitive momentum and capacity to meet the challenges ahead,” Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said. “Hokie Ventures will enhance our ability to support our student-athletes, engage our fans, manage the NIL landscape, and prepare for the future of college athletics.”

The approval marks another step in the university’s long-term strategy to position Hokie Athletics among the nation’s top programs. University leaders pointed to the Board-approved “Invest to Win” initiative and the hiring of football coach James Franklin as key milestones in a broader effort to modernize the athletics department and compete at the highest level of the Power Four landscape.

“College athletics is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and Virginia Tech intends to be proactive, strategic and forward-thinking in how we position ourselves for the future,” Director of Athletics Whit Babcock said. “Hokie Ventures is another important step in a long-term vision that began with ‘Invest to Win’ and reflects our commitment to building a sustainable model for success at the highest level of college athletics.”

According to the university, Hokie Ventures will focus on generating sustainable revenue, improving organizational agility, creating a more business-oriented operating model and expanding philanthropic and investment opportunities that support athletics.

Officials said the new structure will allow Virginia Tech to move more quickly in areas such as corporate partnerships, sponsorships, emerging revenue opportunities and investment strategy, while the athletics department remains focused on student-athlete support, coaching, compliance and competition.

“Hokie Ventures is a bold, forward-thinking step that recognizes the realities of modern college athletics and creates opportunities to strengthen the resources, partnerships, and overall support necessary to compete and win at the highest level,” Franklin said. “We’re committed to positioning Virginia Tech aggressively and responsibly for long-term success, a mindset benefiting our football program, our student-athletes and the entire department.”

The organization also is expected to facilitate expanded third-party NIL initiatives for eligible Virginia Tech student-athletes.

“This is about positioning Virginia Tech for long-term success in a rapidly changing environment,” Babcock said. “We recognize that additional change across college athletics is inevitable, and we believe this model provides Virginia Tech with the flexibility, alignment and infrastructure necessary to continue competing nationally while supporting a first-class student-athlete experience.”

University leaders emphasized that Hokie Ventures will operate under university oversight and governance standards while maintaining institutional control consistent with NCAA and accreditation requirements.

Board of Visitors member Ted Hanson said the nonprofit represents the next phase of Virginia Tech’s athletics strategy.

“This is another important step in a comprehensive strategy to elevate and enhance athletics at Virginia Tech. It began with the Board’s approval of the historic ‘Invest to Win’ plan, which then became foundational to the hiring of James Franklin and now the creation of Hokie Ventures,” Hanson said. “Hokie Ventures will provide a modern, future-state architecture to deal with the evolving landscape of college athletics and set up Virginia Tech for future success.”

University officials also noted that new self-generated revenue streams could help support Virginia Tech’s broad athletics portfolio, including its Olympic sports programs, as the financial model of college athletics continues to change nationwide.

Implementation planning for Hokie Ventures will begin in the coming weeks with university leaders, athletics administrators and external advisors. Additional operational details and leadership announcements are expected at a later date.

More primaries are being held on Tuesday as well. Democrats are banking on a rare chance to regain ground in Iowa, a rural state that has repeatedly eluded them in recent years. Republicans, meanwhile, are grappling with a New Jersey congressman whose unexplained absence could put their already slim majority at risk.

— California: Voters are weighing in on who should lead the nation’s most populous state, where there is no clear leader among candidates vying to advance in the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Plus, U.S. House races are on the ballot, along with the Los Angeles mayor’s race.

— New Mexico: Contests in the state include primaries for congressional seats, a U.S. Senate seat and a long list of statewide offices, but the governor’s race is the main attraction. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is running for the Democratic nomination, which could put her on a historic path for Native American leaders.

— New Jersey: One of this year’s most closely watched House midterms will take place in the battleground district represented by Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who has drawn public scrutiny and concern after missing more than 100 House votes due to an undisclosed medical issue. Voters are deciding which Democrat will run against him in November.

— Read more about races in Iowa, Montana and South Dakota.

Here's the latest:

2 Democrats hope to replace Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst

Zach Wahls and Josh Turek are both state lawmakers running for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by the retiring Republican Ernst.

They agree on a lot. But they each say they’re the better pick to win a state that’s dominated by Republicans.

Iowa hasn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since Tom Harkin won his last term in 2008.

GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson is endorsed by Trump and Ernst for the Republican nomination. Hinson faces former state Sen. Jim Carlin in the GOP primary.

Another Democratic voter sees Josh Turek as ‘best positioned’ in November

John Smith, 56, said the most important factor in his vote in Iowa’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate was identifying an individual who would be “best positioned in the general.”

Smith voted for Josh Turek over Zach Wahls.

The two state lawmakers campaigned on different visions for how to win statewide in November. Democrats want to flip the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who has the backing of Trump and Ernst, is seeking the GOP nomination.

“It feels like there’s more opportunity for Democrats to gain ground this year than in past years,” said Smith, who lives in Des Moines.

California governor candidate Tom Steyer sings ‘I Won’t Back Down’

Steyer kicked off Pride Month and capped off the last full day of his primary campaign for California governor by belting out Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”

A photo he posted on social media shows Steyer, wearing a backward baseball cap, singing karaoke alongside his wife Kat at a bar in the gay enclave of West Hollywood on Monday night.

“I can’t sing,” Steyer wrote Tuesday on X, “but I can wish you a Happy Pride.”

Steyer, a former hedge fund manager turned liberal activist, has spent millions of his own money as he hopes to advance to the November election.

Will Republican-turned-independent congressman survive California primary?

One of California Democrats’ top targets when they redrew the state’s congressional map was Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley. They split his Northern California district in two, tethering each half to more Democratic areas near Sacramento to create two Democratic-leaning seats.

Kiley opted to run in the 6th District, which is crowded with local Democratic candidates. He became an outspoken critic of political gerrymandering and then left the Republican Party to run as an independent. That might be his best shot of survival with the new California map.

Josh Turek’s electability argument resonates with one progressive Iowa voter

Emily MacFarland, a Democrat, said she voted Tuesday feeling concerned about the nation’s democracy and the state of Iowa. She said she’s glad to see more national attention on the once-competitive state. “I’m just hoping that we can become more purple,” the 49-year-old Des Moines, Iowa, resident said. “I think that Donald Trump is helping out all of the Democrats. This is our chance, honestly.” Like other Iowa Democrats, MacFarland said she had a hard time deciding between Josh Turek and Zach Wahls, two state lawmakers competing to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. Being more progressive, she said she normally would’ve voted for Wahls. But ultimately, MacFarland chose Turek, who has said his experience winning a state House race in a red district can translate to success statewide. “I feel that he has a better shot at maybe getting a few Republicans that maybe are not happy with the Republican Party, or lean more independent,” she said.

Republicans vying to take on New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker

The party has been adrift in the Democratic-leaning state since last year when its Trump-backed candidate for governor lost by double digits.

Voters face a four-way race between attorney Justin Murphy, surgeon Robert Lebovics, Army veteran Richard Tabor and former TV reporter Alex Zdan.

The winner will face Booker, the Democrat who is running for a full third term. Republicans have struggled in Senate contests in New Jersey, which they haven’t won in over five decades.

One Iowa Democrat likes that Zach Wahls won’t ‘shy away’ from his positions

Kristen Anderson, 48, and her 21-year-old daughter, Sydney Baratta of Des Moines, Iowa, both voted on Tuesday for Zach Wahls to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. Anderson said it was a “hard call” because there wasn’t anything wrong with Wahls’ competitor, Josh Turek. Many Iowa Democrats felt torn between the two state lawmakers who want to flip retiring Republican Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat in November. “I don’t have strong inclination that one of them is necessarily better than the other,” Anderson said. But Wahls is “not someone whose going to shy away from his stance,” she said. “He just seems like a good guy, just generally.” Baratta said she wants to see a younger person in office and that she’d be happy with either candidate. But Wahls, she said, brings fresh perspective and a vocal record protecting women’s access to abortion and public education, both important issues to her. “I’m really excited and intrigued by the fact that we might have some younger people in office who can portray my perspective a little bit more realistically,” she said.

San Francisco’s congressional seat is open for the first time in decades

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the embodiment of the Democratic establishment for some. So it was perhaps natural that a wealthy former software engineer, Saikat Chakrabarti, announced plans to challenge her in her San Francisco district.

Chakrabarti is the founder of Justice Democrats, a group that launches primaries of fellow Democrats from the left, and he’s used the millions he made in Silicon Valley to fund his campaign. But Pelosi, who has been in office for nearly 40 years, is retiring from her 11th District seat, and it’s not clear Chakrabarti will make it to the November ballot.

He faces state Sen. Scott Wiener, a well-known lawmaker who has served in San Francisco and the state capitol in Sacramento, and San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, who has been endorsed by Pelosi.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Pratt says it’s a two-person race between him and Bass

Republican Spencer Pratt is dismissing Nithya Raman’s campaign as “weak” and effectively over. The only real race, he says, is between him and Democratic incumbent Karen Bass.

Raman, a former Bass ally and progressive city council member, is challenging the mayor from the left.

In a social media video posted Monday, Pratt says Raman hasn’t gotten anything done during her six years in city leadership. He calls a vote for Raman a waste.

“At this point, it’s me and Karen,” Pratt says.

Trump and Vance boost California governor candidate Steve Hilton

President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged his followers to vote for Hilton, a former Fox News TV host and British political adviser.

“He will work with me and the Federal Government, the money will flow because I have confidence in him (but not any of the others!), and we will MAKE CALIFORNIA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance called Hilton a “good guy” and encouraged Californians to vote for him.

“California is such a beautiful state--it just needs better political leadership!” Vance wrote on X.

A progressive challenger to Bass in LA mayor’s race

Nithya Raman was once an ally to Bass, but she filed to challenge her as mayor just hours before the filing deadline. Raman described the city as “at a breaking point.”

She has promised to speed up housing construction, bring back entertainment industry jobs and improve services in a city known for dirty streets and buckled pavement.

Raman hasn’t drawn as much national chatter as Pratt, a former reality television star whose supporters have tried to boost his candidacy with AI-generated videos.

Last week, Raman took a shot at that tactic with her own video showing her flanked by supporters. “No AI was used in the making of this video,” it said.

Some California Democrats aren’t sure who to back for governor

The nation’s most populous state is dominated by Democrats, but some are unsure of who to vote for.

“I’m kind of pinching my nose and voting this go-around rather than being excited,” said Colin Culver, a 21-year-old San Diego resident who ultimately voted for Tom Steyer.

It’s been a chaotic campaign, particularly when former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race after being accused of sexual assault.

Paul Mitchell, a Democratic strategist tracking ballot returns, said some voters “are holding onto the ballot because they have seen this kind of topsy-turvy governor’s race,” and “they’re waiting to make sure they’re making the right choice.”

The Democratic primary for New Mexico governor has been combative

Two Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination to replace Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a term-limited Democrat who will leave office at the end of 2026. Sam Bregman, an Albuquerque-based district attorney, is campaigning on his law enforcement record and promises to stand up to the Trump administration.

Former congresswoman and U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has emphasized her ancestral roots in the state and experience working in the nation’s capital.

Haaland leads Bregman in fundraising by a wide margin, but the primary has become increasingly combative. Bregman’s campaign has seized on the fact that Haaland has declined multiple opportunities to debate him. Meanwhile Haaland’s campaign has cast Bregman as out of touch with everyday New Mexicans, highlighting his personal wealth.

Karen Bass wants a second term as Los Angeles mayor

By any measure, Bass’ first term has been challenging. The worst wildfire in city history began while she was traveling with a presidential delegation in Ghana. Homelessness continues to be a challenge.

“I haven’ always got it right,” Bass says.

But now she wants a second term, which would allow her to keep leading the city of 4 million people as it hosts the Olympics in 2028.

Bass is facing challenges from the left and the right. Progressive city council member Nithya Raman and Republican reality television personality Spencer Pratt are among the 14 names on the ballot.

With so many candidates, no one is likely to get a majority of the vote on Tuesday, meaning the election would be settled by a November runoff between the top two.

Battleground contest brewing in New Jersey district

One of the most closely watched House races in this year’s midterms is unfolding in the New Jersey district represented by Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who’s been absent from votes for nearly three months.

Kean is running unopposed in the Republican primary, where he’s has Trump’s support. But his absence because of an undisclosed personal medical issue has generated outsized interest in the contest.

Kean is seeking a third term.

Trump says absent congressman is ‘working tirelessly’

Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. is running unopposed in the primary for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district on Tuesday. But he’s facing growing scrutiny for an unexplained medical absence that has stretched for more than three months, causing him to miss more than 100 votes in Congress.

Trump weighed in on social media late Monday, saying Kean was “working tirelessly” to support the MAGA agenda.

Though Kean isn’t facing any GOP competition today, he’s seeking reelection this fall in one of the few genuinely competitive congressional districts left on the map. Several Democrats vying to take him on in the general election have made his absence — and the lack of clarity surrounding it — a central part of their message.

Democrats hope to dislodge GOP incumbent by redrawing his California district

Every two years, the attention of the nation’s political class is riveted on a Democratic-leaning congressional district in California’s Central Valley. Republican Rep. David Valadao has been able to fend off repeated Democratic challengers, except in 2018, when he barely lost. But he ran again two years later and reclaimed the seat.

Democrats redrew the district to make it even tougher for Valadao. They recruited a moderate who represents the area in the state capital, Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains, to run against him. But she’s had to battle a more liberal rival, political science professor and school board member Randy Villegas. The primary will determine Valadao’s next opponent.

California uses a top-2 primary system

That means all candidates are on the same ballot, regardless of their party affiliation. California has used that system for more than a decade.

It’s occasionally resulted in two candidates from the same party competing against each other in a general election. That happened most notably in U.S. Senate races in 2016 and 2018, when two Democrats faced off.

In the governor’s race, though, one Republican and one Democrat have always advanced to November. Democrats had feared a lockout this year given their large field of candidates. But those worries have diminished in the race’s closing weeks.

Republican candidates for governor say California needs a change

A Democrat has held the governor’s office since 2011, when Jerry Brown took over from Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Democrats have also had a firm grip on the state Legislature.

Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco say that means Democrats are to blame for the state’s expensive gas and housing, its homelessness crisis and a slew of other problems. Both have pledged to reduce regulations and taxes.

Hilton has President Donald Trump’s backing. That could help him in the primary but hurt him in the general election in the heavily Democratic state.

Republicans will fight hard to keep the Iowa US Senate seat

Holding on to Iowa is a big part of the GOP’s plan to keep its U.S. Senate majority.

A super PAC affiliated with Senate Republicans has pledged $29 million to help ensure the seat stays in GOP hands.

California uses a top-2 primary system

That means all candidates are on the same ballot, regardless of their party affiliation. California has used that system for more than a decade.

It has occasionally resulted in two candidates from the same party competing against each other in a general election. That happened most notably in U.S. Senate races in 2016 and 2018, when two Democrats faced off.

In the governor’s race, though, one Republican and one Democrat have always advanced to November. Democrats had feared a lockout this year, given their large field of candidates. But those worries have diminished in the race’s closing weeks.

5 Republicans want to be Iowa governor

The candidates are U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, state Rep. Eddie Andrews, businessman and former conservative political director Zach Lahn, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former director of the state Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen.

If no candidate earns at least 35% of Republican primary voters, the nominee would be selected at a contested state party convention.

Trump endorsed Feenstra on Friday, saying on social media that “Randy is MAGA all the way!”

2 veteran California US House members draw generational challenges

The generational fighting that has been ripping through the Democratic Party continues in California’s primaries.

In the Los Angeles-area’s 32nd District, 42-year-old lawyer Jake Levine is challenging Brad Sherman, 71, a 15-term member of the House of Representatives.

And in the 7th District near Sacramento, 40-year-old city councilwoman Mai Vang is challenging Doris Matsui, 81, who has held the seat since her husband, a congressman himself for decades, died in 2005.

California Democrat’s spending dwarfed his rivals

Tom Steyer, the former hedge fund manager turned climate activist, spent nearly $200 million of his money on advertising alone.

The billionaire’s ad campaign was the most expensive in the country by far this election cycle. The data comes from advertising tracker AdImpact.

Steyer’s rivals in the governor’s race and his critics have accused him of trying to buy the election.

But he’s defended his spending, saying he is fighting against powerful corporate interests that are driving up the price of living in the state. Pacific Gas & Electric, a major California utility, is among the corporations and business interests funding anti-Steyer ads.

“I’m only working for the people of California,” Steyer said last week.

3 Republicans seek party nomination for New Mexico governor

They are former mayor of fast-growing Rio Rancho Gregg Hull, cannabis business owner Duke Rodriguez and public relations professional Doug Turner.

While Hull and Turner have not aligned their campaigns with the MAGA movement, Rodriguez was recently served a cease-and-desist letter from a law firm representing Trump for “deceptive use” of the president’s image in campaign materials. That contest's winner faces an uphill battle to win in a state where a Republican has not been elected to statewide office in 10 years.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., pointed to Blanche's expected testimony in a House committee Tuesday afternoon. He told reporters that Blanche “previewed what he was going to say" about the settlement, which is designed to compensate Trump’s political allies and has met with strong pushback from Senate Republicans.

“The conversation I had with him was very definitive," Thune said.

Asked if it was his understanding that the settlement fund was off the table, Thune said “that is correct."

Still, neither Blanche nor Trump have said anything publicly about the future of the fund.

GOP senators who revolted against the settlement before leaving for a Memorial Day recess two weeks ago have said they want more information from the administration about the future of the fund, which could potentially go to Trump supporters who beat police and attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The Justice Department said Monday it would comply with a court order pausing its implementation.

Meanwhile, Trump has been reconsidering whether to move forward with it at all, according to a person familiar with his thinking.

Immigration bill caught in settlement uproar

Caught in the middle is legislation that would fund Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies for three years. Republicans abruptly left town May 21 without passing it after Democrats said they would offer amendments to scrap or scale back the judgment fund, forcing Republicans to go on the record for or against it and endangering the money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.

“The only way to ensure Trump’s $2 billion, taxpayer-funded giveaway to Trump’s MAGA allies never sees the light of day is to abolish it by law,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.

Returning to Washington on Monday evening, Thune said he wasn’t sure if the immigration spending bill would move this week. “To be determined,” he told reporters.

Republican senators leaving a lunch meeting on Tuesday also said it was still unclear if it would move.

“We'll just have to wait and see,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told reporters. If senators are satisfied with Blanche's testimony, “we'll probably proceed quickly,” he said.

Standoff comes after surprise announcement

The extraordinary standoff comes after Trump announced the fund with no heads up to lawmakers as part of a settlement to resolve his lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. When word of the settlement broke, the Senate was already navigating tricky passage of the immigration legislation with an added $1 billion in White House security costs — including for Trump’s ballroom project.

Furious, Senate Republicans jettisoned the White House security money from the bill and made clear they would not pass the legislation at all unless the White House made major changes to the settlement.

“I do think the best way to handle it is if the administration decides to shut it down themselves,” Thune told reporters Monday, referring to the fund.

The Justice Department said it would comply with a ruling Friday from U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who temporarily halted the fund for two weeks. The judge scheduled a June 12 hearing for arguments on whether to extend her order.

The department said in a statement that it strongly disagrees with the ruling but would comply.

Senators say they need more ‘explicit’ commitment

Republican senators weren't satisfied. They have said that they need more detail from the administration on what happens after that deadline before deciding next steps.

“It’s pretty clear that the president has to say very explicitly that there’s not going to be a weaponization fund,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

Oklahoma Sen. Jim Lankford said Trump administration officials “need to say what they actually mean.”

“They need to say, we’re setting this whole thing aside,” Lankford said.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said that if the settlement is “completely pulled, then I’m satisfied. But I haven’t heard anybody say that.”

Kennedy said the administration already has to abide by the court decision, “that’s in the Constitution. I have to know more about their position.”

“Right now, the reconciliation bill looks like a broken arm with the bones sticking out,” Kennedy said. “It won’t move this week, in my opinion, unless we have some resolution on the weaponization account.”

Republicans issue rare ultimatum to DOJ

The outrage over the fund came to a head last month at a closed-door meeting between senators and Blanche that Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas described on a recent episode of his podcast as “one of the roughest meetings I’ve seen in my entire time in the Senate.”

GOP senators had been discussing several ways that they could curb the fund, including limiting who can receive payouts, changing the makeup of the commission in charge of settlement decisions, adding some sort of judicial review for applicants or scrapping the fund altogether.

Amid the backlash, a person familiar with the matter, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the president’s thinking, said Monday that Trump was reconsidering whether to move forward with the fund. But the president has not said publicly what he intends to do.

Also complicating matters is Trump’s campaign-year push to defeat GOP lawmakers whom he sees as disloyal, including some of Thune’s most reliable Republican votes in the narrow 53-47 Senate. Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Cornyn of Texas both lost reelection bids in May after Trump endorsed their primary opponents, and it’s unclear how supportive they’ll be of the president’s agenda going forward.

“I think it’s hard to divorce anything that happens here from what’s happening in the political atmosphere around us,” Thune said before the Senate left town.

___

Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

The order establishes a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release. Participation by AI developers would be voluntary, the order says.

“Advanced AI capabilities make our Nation stronger, but also introduce new national security considerations that require coordinated action across executive departments and agencies,” the order says.

It was not immediately clear to what extent the order differed from the one Trump declined to sign on May 21.

The order says the government would have only 30 days to review an AI system, a shorter time frame than some in the industry were expecting. A longer time period might have been seen as too burdensome for a fast-moving and highly competitive industry.

Trump canceled an Oval Office event with tech industry executives last month because he did not like what he saw in the earlier version of the order's text. “We’re leading China, we’re leading everybody, and I don’t want to do anything that’s going to get in the way of that lead,” Trump told reporters at the time.

That directive was characterized as a voluntary collaboration with participating U.S.-based tech companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI and Google, which are sometimes described as “frontier labs” because they are building the most advanced AI systems. Several companies had been planning to have executives present at the May 21 signing event. Trump ended up signing it without any ceremony.

The White House said in a social media post Tuesday that the executive order "creates a process for frontier labs to voluntarily share cutting-edge cyber models in order to secure critical infrastructure and strengthen the government’s own cyber defenses. We are NOT conducting oversight of all new models, as that level of government overreach would have chilling effects on free speech and innovation."

Juan Londoño, a policy analyst at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute, said the order is imperfect but “a step in the right direction to prepare the nation for the release of advanced AI systems.”

He applauded the White House's characterization of the process as voluntary but said he was concerned about the vagueness of how the government, led by the director of the National Security Agency, will decide which AI models qualify for scrutiny, and how it will decide which “trusted partners” get early access to them.

Londoño said in an interview that giving so much discretion to the NSA director was a “dangerous precedent” that could enable the government to “weaponize” the policy against companies it is clashing with, like Anthropic.

Plans for a new AI cybersecurity directive followed Anthropic's April announcement of its most advanced AI model, called Claude Mythos, in the middle of the company's legal fight with the Trump administration over a contract dispute with the Pentagon.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell soon after convened an urgent meeting with Wall Street CEOs, warning them about the risks posed by Mythos' apparent ability to find cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the world’s software. Anthropic has limited access to Mythos to only a small group of trusted partners, such as big tech companies and banks, though it said Tuesday it has expanded that group by another 150 organizations.

Anthropic didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about Trump's new order but its chief rival, ChatGPT maker OpenAI, described the policy as an important step.

“As AI capabilities continue to advance, we believe effective safety frameworks should continue to be developed through democratic institutions, informed by technical expertise and broad stakeholder input, to promote accountability and public trust,” said a statement from Chris Lehane, OpenAI's chief global affairs officer.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also welcomed Trump's policy but criticized the administration for having “belatedly discovered the need to redo something it hastily dismantled in its first year.”

Trump repealed many of former President Joe Biden’s guardrails for AI just hours after returning to the White House last year.

Either Josh Turek or Zach Wahls will go up against a full-throttled Republican defense of two-term Sen. Joni Ernst’s seat, which the GOP considers pivotal to keeping its Senate majority. It’s one of many competitive races in Iowa attracting national interest, including from the White House. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have both touched down in the state this year to shore up Republican enthusiasm.

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is seeking the GOP nomination and has the backing of Trump and Ernst. She is running against former state Sen. Jim Carlin.

Democrats feel hopeful that high prices, lost manufacturing jobs, shuttered healthcare facilities and a struggling agricultural economy will help the party dismantle the all-GOP federal delegation and Republican statehouse trifecta. Leading the ticket is State Auditor Rob Sand, the candidate for governor and the lone Democrat currently holding statewide office. Sand, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary, has been able to hone his moderate message, remind voters of his rural upbringing and amass an $18 million campaign fund.

Republicans, meanwhile, must close the door on a five-way primary Tuesday for the nominee to replace outgoing Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Tense Senate primary grappled with Democratic establishment and electability

As Democrats look to reclaim Senate control, the GOP Senate campaign arm has committed $29 million to help the party's nominee in Iowa.

The Democratic Party’s ongoing debate over the party's direction and strategy to win back disaffected voters is playing out in the state, albeit with different dynamics than it did in Maine or Texas.

Turek and Wahls are aligned on many Democratic positions, including a public health insurance option, higher minimum wage and more labor bargaining rights. They both talk about corruption in politics benefiting corporate interests and hurting working-class people.

But they campaigned on different visions for how to win statewide in November — and attracted distinct lines of attack from their Republican opponents.

Turek is a relative newcomer to elected office. He played professional wheelchair basketball in Europe, and he competed for the U.S. in four Paralympics, including as recently as 2021. He won his state House seat in 2022.

Wahls rose to national fame in 2011 as a 19-year-old who defended his two moms to lawmakers considering a resolution against same-sex marriage. He addressed the Democratic National Convention the following year. He won his first state Senate term in 2018 and was Senate Democrats’ leader for nearly three years.

Wahls said at the time that his “vision for change” was what led his Senate colleagues to oust him as minority leader. He emphasized in a debate last month that “we desperately need a new vision for small town and rural Iowa” and said his message is resonating with working-class voters frustrated with both parties.

Wahls' opposition to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer as party leader has been a defining tenet of his campaign. He has criticized a coastal playbook that doesn’t work in Iowa.

A flood of outside support has boosted Turek in the final stretch. Democratic political operation VoteVets has spent $10 million to blanket the airwaves, social media and mailboxes in support of Turek. Political organizations affiliated with Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Democratic Senate campaign arm, have recently contributed to Turek's campaign committee.

Responding to Wahls’ criticism of the cash, Turek has said he’s not a “D.C. insider.” He has argued his success in a Trump-won district can translate statewide.

“I don’t have strong inclination that one of them is necessarily better than the other,” Anderson said.

Kristen Anderson, 48, of Des Moines, said she voted for Wahls, whom she described as “not someone who's going to shy away from his stance.”

“He just seems like a good guy, just generally," she said.

John Smith, 56, said he voted for Turek. The Des Moines resident said the most important factor in his decision was choosing the candidate who would be “best positioned in the general.”

Turek also got Emily MacFarland's vote for a similar reason. She said she's hopeful the state will be more competitive for Democrats this year.

“I think that Donald Trump is helping out all of the Democrats," MacFarland said. "This is our chance, honestly.”

GOP jostling over the governor’s seat

Five Republicans are in the primary to replace Reynolds, who opted out of a third bid. The nominee will face a well-funded Sand.

The candidates are U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, state Rep. Eddie Andrews, businessman and former conservative political director Zach Lahn, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former director of the state Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen.

Trump endorsed Feenstra on Friday, saying that “Randy is MAGA all the way!"

If no candidate earns at least 35% of Republican primary voters, the nominee would be selected at a contested state party convention scheduled for June 13.

While Republicans celebrate years of progress under Reynolds, the primary has unearthed sticking points over economic development, tax policy and property rights, as well as the relationship between the state’s water quality, farm conservation practices and rising cancer rates.

Primaries in targeted congressional seats

Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, endorsed by Trump, again faces a 1st District challenge from businessman David Pautsch, who earned 44% of votes against the incumbent congresswoman in the 2024 primary. Three-time Democratic candidate Christina Bohannan, who came about 800 votes shy of unseating Miller-Meeks in the last election, has the Democratic congressional committee's support but must first fend off her primary opponent, first-time candidate Travis Terrell.

In northeastern Iowa, former state Rep. Joe Mitchell, endorsed by Trump, and state Sen. Charlie McClintock are Republicans seeking Hinson’s open 2nd District seat. Three Democrats want the nomination: state Rep. Lindsay James, former nonprofit leader Clint Twedt-Ball and Kathy Dolter, a former dean of nursing at an Iowa community college.

Republican incumbent Rep. Zach Nunn and Democratic state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott are both unopposed on the primary ballot in the competitive 3rd Congressional District.

The S&P 500 rose 0.1% a day after setting its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 252 points, or 0.5%, with an hour remaining in trading, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% lower.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise helped lead the market, and its stock soared 17.1% after it reported a profit for the latest quarter that blew past analysts’ expectations. It credited demand from customers building their artificial-intelligence capabilities.

Marvell Technology leaped 29.3% toward its best day in three years after Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, suggested at a conference in Taiwan that Marvell could be “the next trillion-dollar company.” The last company to enter the expanding club of behemoths was Micron Technology, which is likewise riding the AI wave. Nvidia, which slipped 0.8%, has seen its total value explode over $5 trillion.

Generac climbed 6% after saying it signed a deal to provide backup power generators to an unnamed “leading hyperscale data center operator.”

Such “hyperscalers” are spending tremendous amounts of money to build huge AI data centers, which are powering what proponents believe is the next great revolution for the global economy.

Alphabet is one of those hyperscalers, and the parent company of Google said it's raising $80 billion in cash to help pay for its investments by selling shares of its stock. It’s planning to spend as much as $190 billion on equipment and other investments this year.

That’s more than all the stock of The Walt Disney Co. is worth, and Alphabet is forecasting its spending on investments next year will “significantly increase.”

Such huge sums raise the question about whether AI can produce the profits and productivity necessary to make all the investment worth it. Critics have already been talking about the possibility of a bubble in AI investment, and Alphabet's stock fell 3.3%. It was one of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500.

Analysts have been saying the broad U.S. stock market may be set for a slowdown following an unrelenting streak of nine straight winning weeks for the S&P 500, its longest since 2023. The rally has been largely due to strong profit reports from U.S. companies, as well as hopes that the United States and Iran will reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. That would allow oil to flow freely again from the Persian Gulf and hopefully lower its price.

In the oil market, prices rose again to claw back more of last week's slump. Brent crude oil, the international standard, climbed 1.1% to settle at $96.00 per barrel, and it's still well above its roughly $70 level from before the war.

In the bond market, Treasury yields were relatively steady.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.45% from 4.47% late Monday. It briefly jumped after a report said that U.S. employers were advertising many more jobs at the end of April than economists expected, a potential signal of continued health for the U.S. labor market. But it quickly pulled back to where it was just before the report's release.

High yields worldwide recently have threatened to slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and all kinds of other investments. They have already forced the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate to its most expensive level in nine months, and they could curtail companies’ borrowing to build the AI data centers that have supported the U.S. economy’s growth recently.

In stock markets abroad indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 2.5% for one of the world’s biggest moves.

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AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

The market in Trujillo was set on fire last June when the women refused to give in to threats. Days later, they marched, demanding protection from authorities. Nothing changed. But that didn’t surprise Saavedra, as police had failed her in August 2024, when her house was attacked with explosives in another extortion attempt.

That level of violence by Peruvian gangs is the main concern for voters who will elect a new president in a runoff election Sunday. Many will leave their homes to vote fearful of becoming crime victims again during their trip to the polls.

“You can’t even stick your head out for fear of being shot,” Saavedra, 49, said.

Illegal gold mining fuels organized crime

The first extortion cases reported in Trujillo took place more than 20 years ago, but the crime has spread throughout Peru in the last five years. During that period, extortion complaints increased fivefold, reaching 28,948 cases last year, while killings doubled, reaching 2,226 in 2025, according to official data.

Police and security experts attribute the expansion of criminal gangs in Trujillo to their involvement in illegal gold mining. They say the gangs initially profited by providing security to illegal gold miners in a nearby town, then used the proceeds to hire hitmen, buy weapons and strengthen their presence in the city.

According to official data, illegal mining generates approximately $7 billion annually, much more than the roughly $1.2 billion generated annually by drug trafficking.

The first victims of extortion were public transportation companies, whose drivers were killed if payment was not made. Transportation workers continue to be targeted, with at least 239 drivers killed last year across the country, according to the independent Observatory of Crime and Violence.

Of those killed, more than half were motorcycle taxi drivers, widely used on the outskirts of cities where roads are often unpaved. But it has been the murders of bus drivers that have triggered transportation strikes and protests.

Experts attribute the increasing power of organized crime in Peru to the profits that decades-old criminal groups are earning from illegal gold mining in the Andes and the Amazon. In 2025, Peru exported 100 tons of illegally mined gold, nearly matching the 109 tons of legally mined gold it exported.

Even schools are crime targets

In a Trujillo neighborhood where a quarter of the country’s footwear is manufactured, union leader Máximo Varas said that around 1,500 small business owners in that industry pay extortionists to be able to work.

“Everyone pays — even I get extorted. No one is safe,” he said.

Across Trujillo, several buses, restaurants, corner stores, nightclubs and even schools have stickers on their facades, including of a puma, a cross and a Batman logo. Police said the stickers indicate that the businesses have paid extortion fees. Authorities sometimes go around Trujillo removing those stickers and replacing them with ones from law enforcement.

For businessman Iván Díaz, 58, violence has increased “unreasonably" in Trujillo. In 2023, he was kidnapped for 11 days by criminals dressed as police officers who dragged him from his office. To obtain a $250,000 ransom, his captors cut off part of two fingers on his right hand and sent videos of the torture to his family to “advance the payment.”

“I had to adapt to reality and keep a cool head,” Díaz said.

In May, the courts sentenced four members of the criminal group Los Pulpos, which emerged in Trujillo in the 1990s and later expanded to neighboring Chile, to life imprisonment for Díaz’s kidnapping.

Authorities have limited resources to fight crime

The Ministry of Economy estimated in July that crime costs Peruvians some $5 billion annually. This figure includes state investment to fund police operations, but also private spending on surveillance cameras and security guards.

Peru’s outlying neighborhoods lack paved roads, potable water and electricity, but above all, they lack a police presence. In contrast, wealthier municipalities like the capital’s San Borja, where the two presidential candidates — the conservative Keiko Fujimori and the progressive Roberto Sánchez — live, have a large number of uniformed officers as well as an additional force of private security agents patrolling their streets.

Security experts maintain that combating crime requires an anti-corruption purge of the national police force, which has some 130,000 officers, and significant funding for investigations.

An agent investigating organized crime groups who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the press told The Associated Press that due to a lack of technology, the police cannot track the phones associated with the digital wallets that criminals use to receive extortion payments.

Harvey Colchado, a congressman-elect and retired police officer, said each of the country’s 70 police investigative units had a monthly budget of $29,000 five years ago, but now, they have no funds as the state allocated the money elsewhere. He added that this is compounded by laws approved in recent years with the support of the parties of Fujimori and Sánchez that make it difficult to prosecute criminals.

The laws Colchado referred to eliminated preliminary detention in certain cases and raised the threshold for seizing criminal assets and carrying out searches.

“This is a cancer," Saavedra said. "(Police) don’t have the resources to trace the calls, to know where the messages are coming from. That’s the only way to stop it."

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

Mullin's appearance at the appropriations subcommittee on homeland security comes as the Senate is weighing legislation that would fund immigration enforcement agencies through the end of President Donald Trump’s term in a maneuver that would bypass the need for support from Democrats, who have demanded restraints before agreeing to fund the agencies.

But, the attempt to fund those two agencies for the long term has been stalled over separate Republican opposition to a $1.776 billion settlement fund to compensate Trump allies who believe they have been politically prosecuted.

Mullin, who was tapped by Trump to lead Homeland Security after his predecessor Kristi Noem was fired, is appearing in the Senate Tuesday for the first time since his confirmation hearing in March. On Wednesday, he'll testify in the House about the budget.

The hearing also comes at a time when Mullin, who projected himself as a steadying hand at a department wracked by instability during Noem's tenure, has set the travel industry on edge with threats to withdraw U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from airports in so-called “sanctuary cities."

Such a move could upend international travel at a time when millions of visitors are gearing up to come to the U.S. for the World Cup.

Mullin said during a news conference Monday that if needed, he has a plan to pull CBP officers from airports to help with security at the Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, where demonstrators have been protesting conditions inside. But he said the state is working to provide security there so it’s not needed right now.

New Jersey state police on Friday relieved federal immigration enforcement agents who had been facing off against protesters at the facility for days. The mayor of Newark Sunday also imposed a curfew around the center.

“As long as we continue to have this partnership with local and state law enforcement then there will be no need to do so,” Mullin told reporters during a news conference in Dallas Monday, in response to questions about whether he would be pulling CBP officers from airports.

Mullin can also expect to face questions over a recent announcement from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that demands that most green card seekers apply for permanent residency from their home country, changing longstanding policy that allowed them to do so from the U.S. and prompting widespread confusion among immigration lawyers and their clients.

The killing of Henry Nowak, 18, happened in December, but the story got renewed attention after the killer was sentenced to life with a minimum of 21 years in prison Monday, and video was released that showed police not believing Nowak when he said that he had been stabbed.

The killer, Vickrum Digwa, 23, who is Sikh, had reported to police that he was the victim of a racist attack by Nowak, who was white.

Officers who arrived at the scene on a residential street in the southern England coastal city of Southampton appeared to take him at his word. But the court determined that Digwa had lied about being the victim of racism.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was sickened by the video and said there were questions to be answered about how “accusations of racism informed the decision-making in this case."

A large group of people gathered outside a Southampton police station to protest Nowak’s death.

Victim complains he can’t breathe as police handcuff him

The university student, who was lying on his back, told police he had been stabbed as they grabbed his wrists and tried to make him sit up. He repeatedly said he couldn't breathe.

“You've been stabbed? Whereabouts?” an officer said in the video. “Don't think you have, mate.”

After the sentencing hearing, the victim's father, Mark Nowak, said that the case wasn't about racism or religion, and he wanted his son's death to lead to safer streets and not be used to create “further division, hatred or tension.”

But Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigrant Reform UK party, said on Tuesday that it was an example of so-called two-tier policing — a popular far-right talking point that suggests ethnic minorities are better treated than white people.

Farage said that people should respond to the incident with “pure cold rage,” and he called for an end to “anti-white prejudice," and the promotion of the idea “that white lives matter just as much as Black lives.”

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood rejected that there are different policing standards for different communities and urged members of Parliament not to “allow this murder to turn communities against one another."

Mahmood said that she understood people's horror over video of the tragic death, and said that the government is trying to sharply reduce knife crime.

Police watchdog investigating response by officers

She called for calm as the Independent Office for Police Conduct investigates the conduct of the officers from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. She said that rumors spread online had led to death threats against an officer who wasn't involved in the arrest.

“Misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse,” she said. “We must all together condemn it.”

Two summers ago, a stabbing rampage that killed three girls and wounded 10 other people at a dance class in northern England led to nearly a week of widespread rioting after people incorrectly identified the teen suspect on social media as a Muslim asylum-seeker. The fiery and violent clashes with police was mostly aimed at migrants and Muslims.

The parents of the British-born attacker in that case were Christians from Rwanda, and investigators haven’t been able to pin down his motivation, but ruled out terrorism. Police found documents about subjects including Nazi Germany, the Rwandan genocide and car bombs on his devices.

In the case of Nowak, a first-year student at the University of Southampton who had been out with friends, police officers walked up to the scene of what had been reported as an assault. Nowak could be seen on a driveway and was being held up by someone who said he had a mouthful of blood.

Digwa was standing nearby and told officers he had also been injured, pointing to his eyelid that he said was swollen. He claimed that Nowak had knocked off his turban and pulled his hair.

After Nowak was handcuffed, officers lay him on his side and searched for stab wounds. He appeared to have lost consciousness when one of the officers said he was being arrested for assault and read him his rights.

When officers discovered his injuries, they uncuffed him and started CPR, police said.

Judge disputes racist claim

Digwa was convicted of murder in Southampton Crown Court.

Judge William Mousley told Digwa that he didn’t believe Nowak said anything racist to him.

“You are the only person to make that claim and it is completely at odds with his previous character,” he said.

In the U.K., where gun ownership is strictly regulated, knives are often the weapons used in violent crimes and are also subject to restrictions. In general, people aren't allowed to carry bladed weapons except for pocketknives whose cutting edge is no longer than 3 inches (7.62 centimeters). But Sikhs are allowed to carry ceremonial knives, known as kirpans, for religious reasons.

Mousley said Digwa had a small kirpan, which is a strict requirement for Sikhs to carry, but he also had an 8-inch (21-centimeter) sheathed Sikh dagger that was used as the weapon to kill Nowak. He said that the religious association of the knives had endangered other Sikhs.

“Your actions have stirred up racial tension in Southampton and across the country which have made many Sikhs worried about their own safety even though they have done absolutely nothing wrong," the judge said.

Police apologized to Nowak's family and said that the lies told by Digwa had misled officers.

“It is devastating the officers did not believe Henry when he said he’d been stabbed and couldn’t breathe," Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said. “The details of the police response raises serious concerns about police impartiality, fairness and judgment."

Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was convicted of assisting an offender after trying to hide the murder weapon. She will be sentenced on July 17.

Jacobs was on the field Tuesday for the Packers’ second week of organized team activities. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said before Tuesday's practice that Jacobs’ situation hasn’t caused distractions.

“I would say business as usual,” LaFleur said.

Jacobs was arrested May 26 in Brown County, Wisconsin, on allegations of strangulation and suffocation and other offenses. Hobart/Lawrence (Wisconsin) Police Chief Michael Renkas said police had been dispatched to a complaint involving Jacobs on the morning of May 23.

Jacobs has issued a statement through his lawyers saying he “vehemently denies the allegations.” He was released from a Wisconsin jail on May 27 during the Packers’ first week of OTAs while authorities investigated the case.

District Attorney David Lasee said it’s too soon to make a formal charging decision.

“Our office has requested additional investigation, as there is reason to believe that additional evidence may exist that would impact whether criminal charges are appropriate, and what charges would be issued. ... The investigation remains open and is ongoing,” Lasee said last week.

Jacobs rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. The Packers have nobody else on their roster who ran for as many as 200 yards for them a year ago.

That followed a 2024 season in which Jacobs ran for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns while earning his third Pro Bowl selection.

Jacobs, 28, has rushed for 7,803 yards and 74 touchdowns in his seven-year career, which included five seasons with the Raiders. He earned All-Pro honors and had an NFL-leading 1,653 yards rushing with Las Vegas in 2022.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FVFD said they were dispatched to the 200 block of Sunset Hill Lane around 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday for reports of a structure fire. Upon arrival, crews found heavy fire showing from the rear of a two-story home. They then began an aggressive fire attack.

Authorities said the fire was brought under control and they were on scene for around three hours.

The fire department said that one person was displaced and two cats died as a result of the incident.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The reports by the Fars and Tasnim news agencies, both believed to be close to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, came as tensions flared in Israel’s separate but related fight against the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A regional official involved in the mediation, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the talks, told The Associated Press that Iran had not communicated at all on Tuesday after saying that a ceasefire needed to be enforced in Lebanon for negotiations to continue.

Trump says talks ‘going on continuously’

But Trump called reports of a cessation in talks “false and erroneous.”

“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago and today,” Trump said in a social media post. "Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not address the reported cutoff in communications as he testified at a congressional hearing in Washington. Instead, he sounded an optimistic note about the nuclear dimension of the negotiations, while cautioning that there’s no guarantee of reaching “a deal that’s acceptable.”

Iran has been trying to increase pressure on Trump over negotiations on the Iran war ceasefire and loosening the Islamic Republic's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and the oil, gas and other commodities that normally pass through it. Trump then could potentially push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt or slow the advance of his forces, which have moved deeper into Lebanon than at any time in over a quarter of a century.

The conflicts have increasingly become conjoined, as Iran insists that any potential truce in the war there must also quell the fighting in Lebanon.

Israel and the U.S. maintain the fighting in Lebanon is separate from the Iran war talks.

Inflation takes an economic toll on Iran

Meanwhile, year-on-year inflation in Iran reached a level in May unseen since World War II, underlining the economic pain average Iranians are facing. While the U.S. is eager to ease the Islamic Republic's grip on the strait — through which a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed in peacetime — Iran faces economic challenges as its oil-backed economy remains under a U.S. naval blockade.

Economic pressure touched off nationwide protests in Iran in 2017 into 2018, when rising food prices sparked demonstrations that killed over 20 people and saw hundreds arrested. The next year, an increase in government-subsidized gasoline prices caused protests that saw over 300 people reportedly killed.

Then came the protests over the collapsing value of Iran's currency, the rial, at the start of this year. They were the most intense demonstrations to shake the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution and the chaotic years that followed. Iran's theocracy met January's protests with a crackdown on demonstrators in January that killed over 7,000 people, according to activists' estimates.

Now, even as hard-liners hold gun-handling workshops and organize marriages under the shadow of a ballistic missile to bolster spirits, experts note there could be new demonstrations if people find themselves priced out of feeding their families.

“I have no doubt that if Trump leaves (Iran without a formal peace deal) ... most probably, we will see something like January by the end of summer because of the economic and social situations," analyst Mohsen Jalilvand said in a video published by Iran's Fararu news website.

Prices climb at ‘an unprecedented rate’

Iran's Central Bank said the consumer price index, which measures a basket of goods and services, reached 77.2% in May compared with the year before. The rate is 8.5% higher than in April, the bank added. Inflation in daily and general needs — like medicine, taxi fares, tobacco and communication fees — rose 113.8% from the year before.

A private economic think tank in Iran, the Bamdad Institute of Economic Studies, described the current figures as “an unprecedented rate since World War II.” Iran’s Central Bank did not acknowledge the significance of the figures.

The previous record came in 1942. During the war, the British and Soviets invaded Iran and took over its railway, disrupting food supplies. The lack of food, worsened by a poor harvest, sparked hyperinflation and a famine. Hunger and a typhus outbreak killed many.

Airstrikes this year have greatly damaged Iran's businesses and its oil industry, Meanwhile, the U.S. blockade has been targeting Iranian crude oil shipments trying to reach the international market, a key source of hard revenue. Tax revenues have been depressed by businesses struggling even after the fighting paused.

The rial, which traded at 32,000 to $1 in 2015, now trades at over 1.7 million to $1.

“We will definitely have higher prices," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned in May. "We are fighting, and we must accept this hardship.”

Tehran-based economist Saeed Leilaz, speaking to the AP, warned that annual inflation in Iran could reach 80%.

"Iran’s society cannot tolerate above 25%” annual inflation, he said.

___

Karimi reported from Tehran, Iran. Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz in New York and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

The video of Shelby Officer Karson Hyder pummeling Cherrie Moore on Friday has circulated widely on social media.

Hyder, 22, turned himself in to the Cleveland County Detention Center Monday morning and was released on a $10,000 secured bond. Court records do not list an attorney for him, and a phone number associated with his name was out of service.

Hyder, who was suspended Friday and fired on Saturday, was responding to a breaking-and-entering call when the scuffle ensued.

According to a warrant, Moore, 34, fled the residence on foot and resisted arrest, assaulting Hyder by “grabbing and ripping (his) uniform.”

A separate warrant filed Monday alleged Hyder “unlawfully and willfully did assault and strike Cherrie Moore” by grabbing Moore “by the arm, pushing her to the ground and striking her in the face with a closed fist, thereby inflicting serious injury possible broken nose and busted lip.”

The State Bureau of Investigation had announced Saturday it had opened an investigation into Hyder.

Moore was initially charged with breaking and entering, resisting arrest and assault on a public officer, but the latter two charges have since been dismissed. She was freed on an unsecured bond. A phone number associated with Moore was disconnected.

Her attorney, Ronald Haynes, told The Associated Press in an email that Moore “is recovering and receiving treatment for her mental health.”

“The heinous actions of former Officer Karson Hyder will forever negatively impact Ms. Cherrie Moore and her family,” Haynes continued. “It’s a small relief that city officials responded so promptly to terminate and charge Mr. Hyder."

The campaign pilgrimage by the two candidates, one from each end of the political spectrum, comes with both men facing concerns they could cost their parties winnable races in the November midterms, with control of the Senate at stake for the final two years of Trump's second presidency.

Paxton's planned meeting with Trump comes after he won the president's coveted endorsement ahead of trouncing Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas runoff last month. The scheduled meeting was confirmed by a person with knowledge of the president's plans but who was not authorized to discuss them publicly.

Senate Republicans feared that Paxton, the Texas attorney general, would be a weaker candidate against James Talarico, the Democratic nominee, in the fall. Paxton has endured an indictment, an impeachment and public disclosure of martial infidelity.

He also is expected to meet with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who backed Cornyn. Senate Republicans’ campaign arm excoriated Paxton during the primary campaign, accusing him of “repulsive and disgusting” behavior and quoting his estranged wife saying she filed for divorce “on biblical grounds.”

Platner will meet with several Democratic senators days after disclosure that he and his wife have had marital difficulties and sought counseling after he reportedly sent sexually explicit text messages to other women.

Both candidates are scheduled to attend fundraisers as well.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, who is set to meet with Platner, said he doesn’t believe Maine voters are focused on Platner’s marriage. Asked if Platner still has a shot in the race, Heinrich said “we’ll have to see" and “I suspect so.”

Platner and Paxton are pressing ahead with few apologies

Platner and his wife have criticized media coverage of their marriage, framing it as a private matter that should not shape the campaign. Still, the latest personal issues added fuel to some Democrats' skittishness about Platner, who already faced scrutiny over online posts that were dismissive of sexual assault and a tattoo that is recognized as a Nazi symbol. Platner has apologized for the posts and covered up the tattoo.

Paxton has offered no apologies for his baggage. He framed his win over Cornyn as a “Texas-sized message to Washington,” and thanked Trump — who himself has endured repeated personal and political scandal to win two national elections — for his support.

Like Paxton, Platner was not the choice of his party's Senate brass, with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer backing Maine Gov. Janet Mills. But Platner effectively became the presumptive nominee after Mills suspended her campaign weeks ago because of fundraising difficulties.

Maine's primary is June 9, and Platner would face Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican who is running for a sixth term, in November. Defeating Collins is crucial to Democrats' attempts to regain control of the Senate. Democrats have repeatedly tried to unseat Collins, but she has always survived. In 2020, Collins won reelection even though Democrat Joe Biden carried the state over Trump by nine percentage points.

In Texas, some Republicans fear they will need to divert critical resources to boost Paxton over Talarico, who has become a national fundraising phenomenon.

Although Republicans have dominated Texas for decades, prominent party leaders have said the race could be genuinely competitive this time. Eight years ago, during the midterm election of Trump's first presidency, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz won reelection over another Democratic fundraising juggernaut, Beto O'Rourke, by less than 3 points.

Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate advantage and earlier in the campaign cycle were heavily favored to maintain their majority. But as Trump's popularity fades and primary fights yield nominees, Democrats have become more confident in their prospects.

Most Democrats and Republicans are taking their usual sides

With control of the Senate on the line, most partisans have generally lined up behind Platner and Paxton, even if begrudgingly because of their political baggage. Tuesday's fundraising events were the latest evidence. The event for Paxton, with a $1,000 minimum donation required, according to the invitation, is being co-hosted by seven senators, including Cruz. The fundraiser for Platner is being co-hosted by former Biden White House chief of staff Ron Klain.

“My priority is to make sure that Republicans control the majority so we can continue the agenda that we're on,” said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, on Tuesday. “Ken Paxton is absolutely necessary as far as keeping that majority. I have faith that the people of Texas will support him, and he'll get across the finish line."

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a progressive, said her top concern is Platner's prospective constituents.

“I want to hear from him about the economy,” she said ahead of their meeting. “And more about what he talks to the people of Maine about.”

That echoes another leading progressive who, like Warren, has endorsed Platner. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, said he still supports Platner as part of the left's economic populism.

“Of course,” Sanders told reporters Monday. “Why would I not?”

But not all Democrats are on board, including one who first came to the Senate with an outsider persona. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat who has earned a reputation for speaking and voting against his party, even appeared to relish Platner’s newest controversy, calling him “phustle,” a reference to Platner’s apparent profile uncovered on Kik, a popular, private messaging app.

“So much bizarre and tacky and gross stuff that you lose count. It’s like you need to have a bingo card,” Fetterman said.

The senator stopped stopped short of calling on Platner to drop out, but he echoed some Democrats' private concerns.

“I mean, what’s next?” he said.

He later said, “I’m not going to carry water for that guy.” _____

Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa, and Barrow reported from Atlanta.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he received the decision “with indignation.” He also blamed the decision by the U.S. administration on his rival in October's elections, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, who visited Washington last week. The senator is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, once nicknamed “the Trump of the Tropics” by his allies.

The announcement late Monday came after an investigation by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, charging Brazil with lax anti-corruption enforcement and unfair tariffs of its own, among other things.

The U.S. has had a goods trade surplus with Brazil for years.

U.S Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that he and President Donald Trump had “constructive’’ meetings with Lula and other Brazilian officials. But he said that “we continue to have substantial differences in resolving the issues identified in this investigation.’’

Lula on Tuesday cited other reasons for the punishing tariff proposal. For the first time he named an American official as a hurdle to his relations with Trump and once again he threatened to retaliate.

“I spoke to President Trump for three hours, and that Marco Rubio guy, the head of the State Department, he is anti-Latin American,” Lula said. “He is a deadly enemy of Cuba, a deadly enemy of many Latin American countries. I already told Trump that he does not like Brazil.”

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond a request for comment from The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Brazil’s government said in a statement that its dialogue with American counterparts, which includes “personal involvement of Presidents Lula and Trump,” is being ”sabotaged by merely electoral and family matters” of the Bolsonaros.

It added that it hopes “the recommendations do not become effective tariffs.”

“But we stress we will adopt every measure that is capable of reducing the damage that might be caused to the national economy, to the jobs and the income of Brazilians,” the country's government said.

Last year, Trump had slapped Brazil with a 50% tariff, mainly to protest its prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro for trying to overturn his electoral defeat in 2022. His relationship with Lula seemed to have improved early May, when the Brazilian visited the White House.

But last week, the Trump administration designated two Brazilian gangs as terrorist organizations, after Sen. Bolsonaro's visit. Lula opposes the designation, which analysts say could bolster his political rival.

Greer’s office has scheduled a public hearing July 6 on the proposed tariffs.

Trade lawyer Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding, noted said that the administration’s plan excludes more than half of U.S. imports from Brazil, including aircraft and key minerals.

The Trump administration invoked Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to launch the investigation into Brazil’s trade practices.

Sen. Bolsonaro travelled to meet officials in Washington last week in the wake of a scandal at home in which he admitted receiving funds from a disgraced banker. Another son, former lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, was also present.

On Tuesday, Trump posted a photo of the Bolsonaros in the Oval office on his social media site.

“These sons of Bolsonaro can be worse than him. They are actually sell outs of our country, they went there to ask a foreign nation to meddle in Brazilian affairs,” Lula said in a speech to residents of the city of Catalao, south of capital Brasilia. “They are traitors.”

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in February that Trump overstepped his authority by using a different law – the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 – to impose sweeping tariffs on U.S. trading partners, including Brazil.

However, Section 301 tariffs have survived legal challenges, and the administration is likely to use that authority to impose other tariffs and to recoup some of the tax revenue lost when the Supreme Court rejected the IEEPA tariffs.

Brazil’s president said that during a visit to Washington early May, he handed Trump documents showing that the U.S. has a trade surplus with Brazil.

Documents published by the U.S. Trade Representative show that last year, U.S. exports to Brazil rose nearly 11% to $54.4 billion. Brazilian exports to the U.S. fell 5.7% to $39.9 billion, meaning the U.S. had a trade surplus of more than $14 billion.

The trade imbalance for services is more lopsided in favor of the U.S., with services exports in 2024 reaching $29.6 billion, quadruple the Brazilian services exports to the U.S.

“I am not going to cry about it,” Lula said. “If they (the U.S.) don’t want to buy from us, we will sell to someone else.”

China has been Brazil’s biggest trading partner for about a decade.

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Mauricio Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.

In his first public testimony since the Iran war began at the end of February, Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the Iranians have agreed to negotiate on nuclear points that they had not been willing to address in the past but would not offer an assessment on what those talks might produce.

“They have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention,” Rubio said. He did not elaborate but added that there was no guarantee "it will lead to a deal that’s acceptable” and that negotiations have been made difficult by the instability of Iran’s leadership.

Rubio's optimism ran counter to pessimistic reports from two semiofficial Iranian news agencies that Iran has stopped communicating with mediators after Israel threatened to bomb Beirut as it fights the Hezbollah militant group.

Democrats criticize Trump administration's approach to Iran, and Rubio defends it

Rubio's wide-ranging testimony, which covered the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Asia and beyond, was met with fierce objections from Democrats.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., blasted Rubio and President Donald Trump for actions taken regarding foreign aid cuts and foreign intervention. Van Hollen specifically took aim at the U.S. and Israeli decision to strike Iran, accusing the Republican president of entering the war on behalf of Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “said he’s been waiting 40 years to do this," Van Hollen said. "It turns out he finally found a president who was both stupid and reckless enough to join him. Let’s face it, Mr. Secretary, the Trump foreign policy has become a dumpster fire."

Rubio's testimony, which was taking place as Israel and Lebanon began a new round of political talks at the State Department with the situation between Israel and Hezbollah still uncertain, did not provide definitive answers on any of the main questions of the day.

He said Iran is not guaranteed a massive payout for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway for global oil shipments, and would have to commit to further concessions on its nuclear program to get significant sanctions relief.

“The more they give, the more they would get,” he said, later adding, “They’re not going to get it as a signing bonus.”

Rubio also said there are indications that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is taking a bigger part in the discussions despite not being seen publicly since the war began.

"I think there are indications out there that he is increasingly engaging at some level, although all of his communications have been in writing and through intermediaries,” he said.

Democratic senator says drugs being on boats isn't a targeting criterion for US strikes

On other issues, Rubio dismissed questions about the legality of Pentagon strikes against dozens of alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, which have killed more than 200 people since early September.

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said the military's targeting criteria for those strikes does not include drugs being present on the boat. He called it “odd” but said he could not share much more because the criteria are classified.

Rubio pushed back, saying every strike has a legal officer who makes a determination on whether a strike is legal. He also said the U.S. military has “walked away from strikes” multiple times because they did not meet the targeting criteria.

The Trump administration says the U.S. is at war with drug cartels, while many Democrats have questioned the legality and effectiveness of the strikes.

The Republican former senator faces a second congressional hearing Tuesday and a pair of others Wednesday about the State Department's annual budget request, though questions have mostly focused on top foreign policy issues.

Rubio wades into Taiwan arms sales opposed by China

Rubio acknowledged that the Trump administration is holding up a new potential $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan but said it remained under consideration and would not be canceled. He noted that the U.S. recently sold arms to Taiwan in December worth $11 billion.

He said the deal is not under review because of pressure from China, although he said the Chinese bring up the issue in discussions with the United States. Trump also has described it as a great negotiating chip.

“They are constantly talking about Taiwan arms sales, but that in no way is what is holding up our decision-making or the White House’s decision-making,” Rubio said. “It is something the president will have to decide on the timing of when and how that is executed on.”

Protesters chant at Rubio about Cuba

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, also was questioned about the Trump administration’s escalatory behavior toward Cuba, as Trump has hinted that the small island country could be the next U.S. target after operations in Iran are wrapped up.

He faced chants from protesters who urged him to “stop killing Cubans” when he entered the Senate briefing room. The protesters were quickly pulled from the room. Their chants also included “Let Cuba live!”

Rubio defended the administration's approach to Cuba and said it would remain focused on changing the Cuban government's policies.

"I really don’t believe this system is capable of reform unless new people take over or a new mindset takes hold,” he said.

Despite a series of meetings between U.S. and Cuban officials, Trump and Rubio have renewed threats against the island's government, which take on greater weight after the administration announced criminal charges against former President Raúl Castro.

Over his congressional career and now as America's top diplomat, Rubio has maintained that Cuba is a national security threat because of its ties to U.S. adversaries and that Trump is intent on addressing it.

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Amiri reported from New York.

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Follow the AP's coverage of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at https://apnews.com/hub/marco-rubio.

Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, launched dozens of projectiles and drones toward Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon and Israeli cities and towns in recent days as Israel's airstrikes killed dozens, including women and children, in Lebanon. Hezbollah did not carry out any attacks on Israel after Trump's announcement.

The ongoing hostilities — despite Trump's announcement and a nominal ceasefire that began in April — are deepening displacement for Lebanon's conflict-weary population. They also are a significant sticking point in negotiations to extend a ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, as the Islamic Republic wants any such deal to end fighting in Lebanon, too.

Two semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported Tuesday that the country cut off communication with mediators facilitating the ceasefire talks.

Another round of talks between Israel and Lebanon began Tuesday in Washington, where Lebanese negotiators will seek a full ceasefire that will prevent future attacks. The talks began in April and were the first in more than three decades between the countries, which have no formal diplomatic relations. Hezbollah has rejected direct talks, counting on pressure from Iran.

The planned talks come days after Israeli ground troops made their deepest incursion into Lebanon in 26 years and Israel then threatened to strike Beirut’s southern suburbs, causing panic in the Lebanese capital as thousands fled.

Israel says it will keep attacking if Hezbollah does

Trump said Monday he'd spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and had communicated with Hezbollah through mediators, and that no troops would be “going to Beirut." But the intensity of attacks between Israel and Hezbollah continued.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel previously refrained from attacking Beirut out of deference to negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. But he said Netanyahu informed Trump in a phone call late Monday that Israel will attack Beirut's southern suburbs if Hezbollah continues targeting northern Israel, echoing comments from the prime minister the previous day.

Lebanon's top political authorities insist that the talks must continue, despite Beirut's struggles in stopping the strikes, and the mounting pressure from over 1 million displaced people living in difficult conditions.

“Negotiations is the least costly option on Lebanon and the Lebanese people,” Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said. “It is the shortest road to the occupation and allow our people in the south to return to the cities and villages.”

An Israeli drone strike hit a car on the road linking the southern town of Marjayoun with the city of Nabatiyeh, killing James Karam, a dentist from the nearby Christian town of Qlayaa, along with his daughter and son, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported Tuesday.

The Lebanese army said two soldiers were lightly wounded when another drone targeted them on a road outside the city.

Drone strikes killed two Syrians working at a plant nursery in the village of Jibchit and two people in the nearby village of Toul, the news agency reported. A third strike hit a car near the village of Harouf, killing one person.

Two other airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed three people, according to NNA.

The Israeli military said it wasn't aware of any Israeli strikes in the area where Karam and his family members were killed.

NNA also reported that an Israeli airstrike in the southern village of Marwaniyeh on Monday killed six people from the Abdullah family. Hassan and his wife Hanan were killed alongside four children Ali, Ibrahim, Leen and Julia. A third son survived but is undergoing treatment.

Hezbollah said Tuesday its fighters fired anti-tank missiles on Israeli troops who were pushing into the southern village of Hadatha, about 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the Israeli border.

Sirens sounded in several areas in northern Israel, its military said in a statement. It added that “a suspicious aerial target" was identified in the area where Israeli soldiers are operating in southern Lebanon, but that no injuries were reported.

More than 3,400 people have been killed in Lebanon

The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,468 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million people. According to Netanyahu’s office, at least 27 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.

Israel’s military said late Monday that a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon. It added that seven more soldiers were wounded in the incident, three of them severely.

Hezbollah’s use of hard-to-detect fiber-optic drones has been deadly for the Israeli military, which is struggling to respond.

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This story has been corrected to say Hezbollah fired at Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.

—

Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel.

In an executive order, Trump lowered tariffs on agricultural equipment, including combines and harvesters, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, to 15% from 25%.

He expanded the existing category of industrial equipment that is subject to a 15% tariff to include mobile industrial equipment like bulldozers and forklifts — when they're imported from countries that have a trade deal with the U.S.

The order says countries that use at least 85% melted and poured or smelted and cast steel or aluminum by weight could qualify for a lower 10% duty rate, in an effort to encourage companies in other countries to use U.S. metals.

The changes go into effect Monday. They are temporary and set to expire at the end of 2027.

“In my judgment, this temporary modification appropriately accounts for these products’ roles in productive economic activity in the United States,” Trump said in his order.

Tariffs on copper, steel and aluminum were imposed during Trump's first term in 2018 under Section 232 of Trade Expansion Act of 1962 — which allows tariffs on imports that are deemed a threat to national security. He renewed those tariffs in April 2025.

Since then, Trump has been adjusting tariffs on metals and metal products. In June 2025, he hiked nearly all of his tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to a punishing 50% from 25%.

In April 2026, he set a flat 50% rate for goods made entirely or almost entirely of aluminum, steel, or copper — such as steel coils or aluminum sheet — while implementing a 25% tariff rate for derivative products made “substantially” of steel, aluminum or copper.

Barry Appleton, a law professor and co-director New York Law School’s Center for International Law, said the adjustments appear to be more about the midterm elections than true relief for farmers.

"Farm bankruptcies are soaring, farm sentiment is declining, and Republican senators are openly warning their party is heading toward midterm losses in key agricultural states," he said. “This proclamation is the White House’s response: throw the farm belt a bone before voters go to the polls.”

The body of a 15-year-old boy has been recovered from the Roanoke River, Roanoke Police Department said.

RPD said the preliminary investigation found that this appears to have been an accidental drowning.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Roanoke Fire-EMS and the Roanoke Police Department are currently on scene around Piedmont Park searching for a missing 15-year-old boy.

Roanoke Fire Chief David Hoback said a missing person search is currently underway. Hoback stated the boy was swimming with his friends in the area prior to the search.

Law enforcement said they were notified about the incident around 10:39 a.m. on Tuesday. There is currently a heavy first responder presence in the area.

10 News is currently on scene. We will update you with more information as it becomes available.

Her hair covered by a pink bonnet, Basekawike prepares porridge, omelets and bread for breakfast in a shed outside the Evangelical Medical Center in Bunia, the heart of the outbreak in eastern Congo. Lunch and dinner might include fresh fish with fufu, made of mashed plantains, finished off by fruit. She feeds both patients and health workers.

“Even though the patients have this disease, they still feel better when they eat, and the doctors have the energy to treat the sick and give them medication,” Basekawike told The Associated Press as she prepared vegetables and potatoes with goat meat in a large pot. “I’m here for them like a parent, preparing food so they feel comfortable.”

Her contribution may appear like a simple task, but it has become a critical support for the remote region as it grapples with the rapidly spreading Bundibugyo virus, the rare species of Ebola confirmed in May.

As of Tuesday, 321 cases including 48 deaths had been confirmed in the Central African nation’s three eastern provinces of Ituri, North and South Kivu, according to the World Health Organization. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said the number of suspected cases has dropped to 116 from 906 last weekend as many were ruled out after investigation.

Neighboring Uganda's has had 15 cases and one death confirmed, its health ministry said Tuesday. Uganda closed its border with Congo last week despite WHO guidance not to do so.

Meanwhile, Congolese authorities reopened Bunia’s airport on Tuesday for domestic flights, requiring passengers to undergo temperature checks and respect strict sanitary measures.

The International Organization for Migration on Tuesday urged governments to strengthen cross-border coordination instead, warning that border closures could drive people's movement underground and increase transmission risks.

“Viruses do not stop at borders, and neither should our response,” said Ugochi Daniels, IOM deputy director-general for operations. “When borders close, people often continue moving through informal routes where health screening and surveillance are limited.”

The Congo-Uganda border has numerous footpaths beyond formal border posts.

Before the outbreak, the region already faced one of the world's most severe food crises, because of an ongoing conflict that has displaced millions of people as government forces fight rebels. The United Nations has warned that might complicate efforts to manage the spread of the virus among an already wary population.

“Ebola is an additional crisis on top of a crisis,” said Olivier Nkakudulu, who heads the World Food Program in Ituri province.

WFP is facing a critical choice as aid cuts by the U.S. and other major partners have disrupted operations in the vulnerable region. Efforts to contain the disease, which WHO has deemed a public health emergency of international concern, have been hampered.

Meanwhile, attacks by suspicious residents on health workers and the slow delivery of aid because of the conflict have been challenging.

Responders say they have ensured patients' nutritional demands are met as “comfort food” takes on a more significant meaning.

“Today we need to increase the amount because the number of patients has gone up,” said Esther Bao, a nurse and one of the volunteers. She worried about patients who, because of their health situation, “don't eat just any meal.”

Among the rare signs of optimism, at least five people have recovered in the outbreak, which continues to spread.

More than 400 meals have been served since the food assistance began on Thursday, according to Nkakudulu.

But "without more funding, we might not be able to prioritize every suspected case,” Nkakudulu said. "We might have to focus on some and not have food to give to others."

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Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria. Geir Moulson in Berlin and Mark Banchereau in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has escalated Moscow’s aerial campaign in recent weeks in an apparent bid to take advantage of Ukraine’s shortage of U.S.-made air defense systems and persuade an increasingly pessimistic audience at home that Moscow is prevailing in the 4-year-old war.

Emergency rescue crews digging through the wreckage of apartment buildings pulled out the bodies of a 3-year-old child as well as those of a woman and her 8-year-old son in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, officials said.

The attack stretched past dawn, with explosions reverberating across cities. Officials said 16 people were killed in Dnipro and six in Kyiv.

Residents of the capital have been on edge for days after Russia warned last week that a massive aerial attack was coming and told foreign diplomats to leave. None appeared to heed the call and no embassies immediately reported damage Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed for more U.S. and European support, describing the massive overnight attack as “an explicit statement by Russia: If Ukraine is not protected from ballistic missiles and other missile strikes, those strikes will continue.”

Putin has stepped up his aerial campaign against Ukraine, with Russian forces recently launching another of their powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missiles. Ukraine's shortage of air defense systems, in part because of depleted U.S. stocks from the Iran war, has left civilians especially vulnerable to ballistic missiles, even as Kyiv's defenses stop most of Moscow's drones.

A mother and daughter shelter in a bathtub

At least 81 people were wounded in the capital, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration. Iryna Salikova, 37, spent the night lying in a bathtub for protection with her 3-year-old daughter, as blasts reverberated across the city.

“Our window was broken. A cobblestone flew into the children’s room,” Salikova said, although they weren't hurt. “Thank God we’re alive. Today we’re alive, today we’re lucky.”

Russia unleashed 73 missiles and 656 drones across Ukraine, according to the country’s air force, with the main targets including Kyiv, Dnipro and the eastern cities of Poltava, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian air defenses destroyed or suppressed 40 missiles and 602 drones.

Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov proclaimed Wednesday would be a day of mourning for the dead in his city. That announcement came 20 minutes before Filatov said another drone had struck a residential building there about 2:40 p.m.

Putin seeks to change the narrative of the war

Putin is keen to generate some positive news from the conflict that began with Russia’s February 2022 invasion of its neighbor and hasn’t gone according to plan.

Western officials and analysts say Ukrainian drones are pinning down Russian troops on the front line, choking Russian supply lines in occupied regions of Ukraine and disrupting oil facilities deep inside Russia that provide vital revenue for Moscow. That has made the war, which Moscow refers to as a “special military operation,” more visible to Russians and increased pressure on Putin.

U.S.-led peace efforts have fizzled out as the sides made no progress on key differences and after the war in Iran grabbed Washington’s attention. Zelenskyy accepted an unconditional ceasefire demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump but Putin refused.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that Tuesday's bombardment struck military-industrial facilities in the Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi and Sumy regions.

Ukraine said residential, energy and civilian infrastructure was hit but did not confirm or comment on damage to any military-related sites.

Putin signaled that Russia won’t let up its attacks. He said Tuesday that Ukraine’s May 22 drone attack on a college dormitory in Starobilsk in the Russia-controlled Luhansk region of Ukraine that killed 21 had given the war “a whole new dimension.”

Ukraine said the attack in Starobilsk hit a Russian drone pilot training center.

Man hurled from Kyiv apartment by blast

Hits of 30 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and 33 drones were recorded in at least 38 locations across Ukraine, according to regional authorities. Debris from destroyed drones fell on 15 locations, the air force said.

Damage was recorded to residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure in eight districts of Kyiv.

Olena Dniprovska, 65, and her husband Yevhen, 64, were wounded in their apartment in Kyiv’s Podilskyi district.

“I went out into the corridor with the phone, and before I understood what happened, everything fell on my head, the glass, and the door blew off,” said Dniprovska, dried blood streaked across her face and a bandage on her chin. “I ran out into the front door and started calling my husband from the room, but he was also blown out by the blast wave.”

“Now I have nowhere to live, the apartment is completely destroyed, no doors, no windows, no balcony. You can step straight from the room out onto the street,” she said.

In Kharkiv, at least 19 people were wounded in residential areas in the past two days — including 11 on Tuesday.

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Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Our 10 to 10 forecast has us only warming into the lower 70s, with a few showers and storms possible for the later afternoon and early evening hours. You won’t need the umbrella for the morning, but you’ll want to grab it for the evening commute just in case!

Futurecast shows the coverage of these showers to be widely scattered at best. These quick-moving showers and storms will at best bring a tenth of an inch of rainfall, so this will not be a widespread drought-buster at all.

After today’s rain, we stay dry for the rest of the week with another system headed our way for the weekend. Have a great Tuesday!

Minneapolis-based General Mills said in a statement late Monday that the deal will allow the buyers to exclusively sell the Häagen-Dazs brand in ice cream shops and gifting businesses across mainland China. General Mills will continue to sell Häagen-Dazs ice cream to Chinese retail and food service operations.

Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed. The deal is expected to close by the end of this year.

General Mills didn't immediately respond Tuesday when asked how many Häagen-Dazs stores it has in China. In its latest annual report, General Mills said it operated 332 ice cream parlors worldwide.

Ningji operates around 3,000 retail tea outlets in China. It opened its chain of stores in 2021 and has received funding from ByteDance, the Beijing-headquartered creator of TikTok, and Shunwei Capital.

Yaling Jiang, an independent Chinese consumer analyst, said Häagen-Dazs has been charging premium prices in China “without delivering sufficient product value or cultural relevance.”

Its line of products — traditional ice cream with higher fat content — has “passed its peak" in China at a time when low-fat, airy gelato options are becoming more common, she said.

Foreign businesses have also been shifting ownership of their operations toward Chinese investors as Chinese consumer confidence has stagnated and economic growth has slowed.

Starbucks said in November that it would form a joint venture with Chinese private equity firm Boyu Capital in a deal worth about $4 billion that allows Boyu to hold up to a 60% stake in its operations in China.

In February, Toronto-based Restaurant Brands International — the parent of U.S. fast food chain Burger King — said it had formed a joint venture with Chinese investment firm CPE to operate and expand the Burger King restaurant chain in China.

CPE invested about $350 million into the joint venture under the deal terms, and owns approximately 83% of the business.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s latest ruling in a series of Mexico vs. FIFA appeal cases over more than 10 years comes ahead of the men's national team hosting South Africa on June 11 in the storied Azteca Stadium where the chant is often heard.

The chant, a one-word slur that literally means male prostitute in Spanish, usually occurs when the opposing goalkeeper is taking a goal kick.

It went viral in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and was heard again at the next editions in 2018 in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. Mexico fans have defied requests and education programs by the federation aiming to control the abuse.

The latest case at CAS followed FIFA prosecutions of incidents at games in 2024 against Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil and the United States. The chant was heard by anti-discrimination monitors who also will work for FIFA at the World Cup's 104 games in Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.

CAS said its judges upheld FIFA-imposed fines totaling 140,000 Swiss francs ($178,000). They lifted a sanction of closing part of a stadium at a FIFA-organized game such as the World Cup.

The court said its judges at a hearing in Miami in March weighed the Mexican federation mitigation that it had “put measures in place since 2015 to educate, prevent and eradicate the chant.”

“They (the judges) observed that the conduct of the fans was collective and widespread, and not merely a one-off occurrence,” CAS said in a statement.

Noting the “unique nature” of the challenge facing Mexican soccer officials, the court said the federation should not escape liability.

Mexico will also host World Cup group-stage games against South Korea in Guadalajara and the Czech Republic at Azteca.

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

“Every two minutes, I'd check,” Blair said.

Friday, nothing. Saturday, nothing. Sunday was mostly gone and Blair was driving home from a weekend visit to his parents' home in Virginia. As he pulled into his driveway, he realized that he had missed a phone call.

The caller was Albert Sanders Jr., the executive vice president and head of referee operations for the NBA. Turns out, that call was the email that Blair had waited years to get.

Blair called Sanders back and got the news: For the first time, he'll work a game in the NBA Finals. He's the only first-time selection in this year's group of 12 referees who will officiate the title series that starts Wednesday between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.

“Very emotional moment, very emotional moment for me, because I’ve been right there on the doorstep for so many years," Blair said. "Yeah, very emotional. This is my 18th year and one thing I had to realize going through this journey is that everybody has their own journey. Everybody has their own timetable. You become a referee, become an umpire, you get to the first round, the second round, third round. You just have to worry about yourself and your journey.”

The league released the full list of selections on Tuesday. Scott Foster was picked to work his 19th finals, the most among current referees. The other selections besides Foster and Blair: Tony Brothers (15th finals), Marc Davis (15th), James Capers (14th), Zach Zarba (13th), John Goble (10th), Josh Tiven (7th), James Williams (6th), Courtney Kirkland (5th), Sean Wright (3rd) and Tyler Ford (2nd).

The league typically reveals the crew that will work each game around 9 a.m. EDT on game day.

“Being selected to work the NBA Finals is the highest honor for an NBA official, and I congratulate them on an outstanding and well-earned achievement,” said Byron Spruell, the NBA's president for league operations. “We are grateful for their unwavering dedication to the game and pursuit of excellence in their craft.”

Blair was a second-round pick by the Houston Rockets in 1992, though never played a regular-season game in the league. He played internationally before starting his referee career and has worked more than 1,000 NBA games since 2008.

Finals referees get special white warm-up jackets, only given to those selected to work the title series. Blair already has two of those from 2021 and 2022 when he was an alternate, but the one he gets this time will have much more meaning.

“This is so funny,” Blair said. "One referee called me and he said, ‘I know you got two other white jackets, but they had an asterisk on it. So, you can throw those away. Now you got a real one.’”

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

Ruto said on Monday that the U.S. had a long-standing partnership with Kenya on health matters and that the quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base was one of 24 facilities that had been established in the event of an Ebola outbreak in the country.

Some Kenyans have opposed the Laikipia facility after the U.S. last week said no American Ebola patient would be allowed to return home and that patients would instead be quarantined at the facility in Kenya. The U.S. intends to commit $13 million to the partnership with Kenya.

The high court on Tuesday extended orders issued Friday suspending the construction of the facility and the arrival of foreign patients. The case had been filed by the Law Society of Kenya and a constitutional watchdog, Katiba Institute, who cited Kenya's fragile health system as unable to handle foreign patients.

Kenyans took to the streets on Monday and Tuesday to protest a plan to quarantine Americans in the country. Protest organizers said two people were killed during Monday’s demonstrations outside Laikipia Air Base.

Speaking for the first time on the matter, Ruto said he agreed to the establishment of the facility based on existing bilateral relations.

“When President Trump asked the government of Kenya to support them by having a center at Laikipia Air Base, I gave the OK because it was an agreement and a partnership with friends who have worked with Kenya for 30-40 years,” he said.

Ruto said the facilities established across the country under the partnership would also benefit Kenyans in the event of an Ebola outbreak.

“We are a responsible government. We know what we are doing. People should relax. Politicians should avoid reckless, unnecessary talk that doesn’t mean anything,” he said.

Kenya has not recorded any Ebola cases, but neighboring Uganda has reported nine cases and one death confirmed. In Congo, 321 cases and 48 deaths had been confirmed as of Tuesday in the Central African nation’s three eastern provinces of Ituri, North and South Kivu, according to the World Health Organization.

The state’s unusual primary system, in which the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party, means Democrats have a chance of effectively missing out on a pickup in the San Diego suburbs, where Republican Rep. Darrell Issa's district was redrawn to give it a slight Democratic lean.

Issa retired, and a Republican San Diego County supervisor, Jim Desmond, stepped in to run. So did an avalanche of nine Democrats — so many that some fear the Democratic vote will be split among them, leaving Desmond and the only other GOP candidate, Jim O’Neil, as the top vote-getters. Under that scenario, Democrats would be locked out of the November general election.

“After millions of dollars and a nationwide effort to redraw these districts in response to Texas, Democrats being shut out would be a nightmare,” said Ammar Campa-Najjar, a former Obama administration official who is one of the Democrats running.

California has been the bright spot for Democrats in a redistricting war kicked off by President Donald Trump to help his party retain control of the House. After Texas redrew its map to make as many as five more seats winnable for the GOP, California voters allowed Democrats to suspend their state’s own independent redistricting commission and create a new map in retaliation.

But when Virginia Democrats tried to replicate that, they were blocked by their state Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, letting Republicans eliminate some majority-Black congressional districts in the South.

Campa-Najjar, San Diego City Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert and investor Brandon Riker, who is financing his own campaign, are the most prominent Democrats in the race for the seat vacated by Issa. Many Democrats are optimistic their voters will coalesce around one candidate and set up a competitive election this fall against Desmond, whom Trump endorsed.

The 48th district would not be the only competitive fall race for Democrats.

In the Central Valley, they redrew the seat held by Republican Rep. David Valadao to make it even more Democratic. Valadao is a survivor of several targeted Democratic campaigns and one of two remaining Republican House members who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

He's expected to make it to the general election, so the primary will determine which Democrat faces him — state Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains, a moderate backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or Randy Villegas, a political science professor at College of the Sequoias and a school board member who represents the party’s liberal wing.

The schism between establishment Democrats and a younger, insurgent progressive wing is a defining characteristic of many of this year's primaries.

In a safe Democratic district in San Francisco, Scott Wiener, a state lawmaker and former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, is considered likely to make the November race to replace retiring former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The suspense is over whether he will face Saikat Chakrabarti, a wealthy former technology entrepreneur who supported Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s insurgent primary in 2018, or Supervisor Connie Chan, who was endorsed by Pelosi.

In Sacramento, city council member Mai Vang is challenging 81-year-old Rep. Doris Matsui, who succeeded her late husband after he died in 2005.

Rep. Brad Sherman, whose Southern California district stretches from the San Fernando Valley to Malibu, is being challenged by Democrat Jake Levine, a 42-year-old lawyer who argues that it is time to move on from the 15-term congressman.

And in a redrawn district that stretches from Napa Valley into conservative Northern California farming communities, 14-term Democratic Rep. Mike Thompson has drawn a younger challenger, former venture capitalist Eric Jones.

California's congressional primaries also will determine the fate of Republicans targeted in the Democratic redraw.

In Southern California, sitting Republican Reps. Ken Calvert and Young Kim were drawn into the same conservative district and are battling over their pro-Trump credentials.

In the Sacramento suburbs, Rep. Kevin Kiley, who left the GOP to become an independent and a critic of partisan gerrymandering, hopes to survive in one of the two Democratic-leaning districts where his more conservative district’s voters were scattered.

Meanwhile, in the San Francisco suburbs, six Democrats and two Republicans are running for the seat formerly held by Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, who resigned and ended his gubernatorial bid amid sexual harassment allegations. The top two vote-getters advance to the November ballot to fill the seat starting in 2027, while a special election will be held June 18 for the remainder of Swalwell's current term.

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This story corrects the spelling of the name of a candidate who is running in San Francisco. It is Saikat Chakrabarti, not Saikat Charkrabati.

Thankfully, there are several ways to reduce that stress, according to mental health experts who have helped people who have experienced disasters. One of the most important things to do is have a plan, they say.

“Preparation is always one of the most powerful tools that I can imagine — not just for safety, but also for mental health,” said Ruben Juarez, a health economist at University of Hawaii professor who directed the Maui Wildfires Exposure Study, which looked at health and social impacts of the deadly 2023 fires.

And when the disaster is over, they say, try to restore a sense of normalcy by seeking out support, returning to routines and helping others.

Kevin Westmoreland, who co-owns The Corner Kitchen in Asheville, North Carolina, learned meditation techniques and breathing exercises to deal with the stresses that the restaurant industry can present. When the remnants of Hurricane Helene unleashed torrents of rain on the state two years ago, water and mud poured into the restaurant and “everything was tossed around inside the building as if it was in a blender,” he recalled.

“All you could do to get through it is try to take a breath and move forward, step by step,” he said.

Plan ahead for unpredictable weather

One way to ease anxiety is to prepare as best you can ahead of time, including hashing out a plan for what to do during a disaster.

Making an evacuation plan and putting together an emergency kit can provide a sense of control, said Melissa Brymer, a psychologist and director of terrorism and disaster programs at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress.

She recommends a step-by-step guide for families at ready.gov/plan. The American Red Cross also has extensive guides for hurricane preparedness. Make sure to consider special preparations for anyone with disabilities, special needs, new mothers and expectant mothers, Brymer advises. Also make sure that pets are included in disaster plans.

Weather is unpredictable, so it helps to accept that there are things you won't be able to control.

Being informed can also give people a sense of control in extreme weather. Focus on facts by gathering information from trusted sources and stay up-to-date on weather watches and warnings.

Share your fears and concerns with friends, relatives, a therapist or others who can give you support, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

How to talk to children about storms without alarming them

Parents should consider talking to children in a matter-of-fact way, explaining that storms are normal. Children might be afraid of storms, but many are interested in learning more about them.

It's OK to acknowledge that it's a stressful time, Brymer said. But adults should limit some conversations to only other adults to avoid overly worrying children.

“Kids kind of register our panic, and then they’re going to panic if we’re starting to panic,” she said. “We don’t want them to start worrying for us."

Keep track of your mental health

One of the Maui wildfires study's findings was that mental health affects rippled through the entire community and were found in many people who weren't in the burned area, Juarez said. It's a reminder to be aware that your mental health could be affected by disasters that strike your community, even if they don't directly affect your home or neighborhood.

Westmoreland said one of things that helped him cope after Helene was to try and put things in perspective.

“We try to look at it like it's just a business and equipment — as long as our employees are safe, those are the important things,” he said.

The restaurant, built around 1895 by American industrialist George Vanderbilt in the Biltmore Village section of Asheville, has since reopened after major renovations and repairs.

The Anxiety and Depression Association has more tips, including:

— Find a positive activity such as donating blood, preparing care packages or volunteering to help others. That can offer a sense of purpose to counteract the feelings of being powerless.

— Seek support from others dealing with the same issues.

— Be aware that if your symptoms persist for several weeks, it may be a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder and you should seek help.

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Martin is a former Associated Press reporter.

Programmers at the American Cinematheque, a nonprofit arts group that curates for several historic theaters in Los Angeles, heard the cries for comedies and thought, well, what if they did the opposite? Bleak Week, which would conveniently coincide with the city’s June Gloom, could be the art house version of Shark Week.

“We didn’t know how it was going to go,” said Grant Moninger, the group's artistic director. “People may like this … or people may look at it and somehow be offended.”

In 2022, he and Chris LeMaire programmed wall-to-wall selections of world cinema’s most austere offerings, from Elem Klimov’s anti-war epic “Come and See” to Béla Tarr’s 439-minute “Sátántangó.” LA-based film critic Katie Walsh was one of the early champions of the concept. When it was announced she remembered tweeting the “sickos” meme.

“I was just like, yes, this is for me, this for the sickos,” Walsh said. “We were really enthusiastic about it online. I think that they were like, OK, great, this is like a concept that is going to translate.”

From niche experiment to global footprint

Five years later, Bleak Week has gone global. Across June, there will be Bleak Weeks taking place in 100 theaters in 73 cities spanning eight countries, from the United Kingdom and Canada to Puerto Rico and Latin America. In the United States, it’s not just the biggest cities either: There are versions in Columbia, Missouri (Ragtag Cinema), Pittsburgh (Row House Cinema), Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, (Cinema Art Theatre), Brookline, Massachusetts (Coolidge Corner Theatre) and Albuquerque, New Mexico, (Guild Cinema), to name a few.

“Although Bleak Week sounds depressing, it’s really a celebration of the human experience,” Moninger said. “It’s really what cinema is about: empathy and understanding the world.”

Ennui at the movie theater wasn't niche after all. Those nearly 7 ½-hour showings of “Sátántangó” regularly sell out. It’s not uncommon to see famous people both on the stage and in the audience ( Sean Baker and Mikey Madison were spotted at a screening one year of “In a Glass Cave,” about an ex-Nazi pedophile). Even Tarr, the great Hungarian filmmaker who died earlier this year and once said he’d never come back to the United States, made an exception and attended Bleak Week in year two. Expansion soon followed to The Paris Theatre in New York and The Prince Charles Cinema in London.

“The thing about cinema is that you get to experience all the colors of human experience,” said Walsh, who has both attended and served as a moderator over the years. “Bleak Week offers a chance to kind of like revel in this specific feeling in a lot of ways. I just really love it. I see stuff that I would never ever see elsewhere.”

At the end of the movies, Walsh said, “I usually have to go stare at a wall for like 30 minutes.”

Over 300 movies at Bleak Week 2026

The fifth edition is already underway in Los Angeles at the Egyptian Theatre, the Aero Theatre and the Los Feliz 3. On the schedule are appearances by the likes of Isabelle Huppert, who will do Q&As for several films, including “The Piano Teacher” and “Heaven’s Gate,” filmmaker Ari Aster, showing his director’s cut of “Midsommar” and Denis Villeneuve on behalf of his breakout film “Incendies.”

One of the most liberating aspects about the concept is that there’s no genre stranglehold on the idea of bleak cinema. It can be wartime. It can be interpersonal drama. It can be fantasy. It can even be family friendly. They’ve empowered local programmers to make their own selections; This year there are over 300 movies being shown globally.

“They know their audience. They know what films will resonate,” said LeMaire. “It’s fun for us to see all the different approaches.”

The Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago is focusing on animation, playing movies like Hayao Miyazaki’s “Princess Mononoke,” Martin Rosen’s “Watership Down” and Michael Schaack’s “Felidae.” The Argentina program will include both local films and a retrospective of Aster’s works. At Vancouver’s historic Park Theatre, selections were made by local filmmakers and “friends of the venue.” Actor Finn Wolfhard elected “The Celebration,” “Sinners” cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw chose “The Deer Hunter” and “Anora” producer Samantha Quan picked “The Virgin Suicides.”

The most programmed film this year is Isao Takahata’s animated “Grave of the Fireflies,” about a boy and his sister fighting for survival in post-World War II Japan after losing their parents. One movie they make a point to show every year is “Come and See,” which Moninger said is “the bleakest of the bleak experience.”

The concept is open to interpretation, as long as it’s a narrative film. The one thing it can’t be is a documentary.

“There’s something still yet triumphant about taking horrible experiences or someone’s personal tragedy and being able to turn it into art,” Moninger said. “That’s really one of our only rules is that we just don’t do docs.”

When it’s all said and done, at least in Los Angeles, they make sure to close with something sweet: The three “Paddington” movies. It’s what they like to call a “marmalade chaser.”

A man was arrested in connection with a Roanoke shooting incident that injured two last week, Roanoke Police Department said.

RPD said one of the men injured in the shooting, 28-year-old Joshua Vaughn, was identified as the suspect who initially shot at the group.

Vaughn was arrested on May 28 and charged with the following:

• aggravated assault
• use of a firearm in commission of a felony

This investigation is still ongoing.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The Roanoke Police Department announced Tuesday that it was investigating a shooting that injured two men Tuesday evening.

According to officials, officers responded to the 3000 block of Ferncliff Ave. NW for the report of a shooting. Police learned two men with gunshot wounds were being transported by personal vehicles to local hospitals. Officials say they are both being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation determined the shooting occurred outside a gas station in the 2600 block of Cove Road NW.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Roanoke Police Department at 540-344-8500.

Kostyuk won an intense all-Ukraine quarterfinal against Elina Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on Tuesday. That set up Kostyuk against Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, who thumped Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-3.

In men’s play, up-and-coming Rafael Jodar of Spain was powerless against second-seeded Alexander Zverev, losing 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-3. The 2024 runner-up from Germany will face Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic or Joao Fonseca of Brazil for a place in Sunday's final.

Kostyuk leads Andreeva 2-0 on the tour; the second win in the Madrid final a month ago. Kostyuk didn’t shake hands at the net, following protocol for Ukrainians with opponents from Russia and its ally Belarus since the war started four years ago.

“We had a very difficult night again in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv, so many people dead,” Kostyuk said. "I want to give this match to Ukrainian people and to their resilience. Slava Ukraini! (Glory to Ukraine!)”

Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight, killing at least 18 civilians and wounding more than 100 others, authorities said on Tuesday.

“I texted my family if they were OK. This is pretty much all I can do,” Kostyuk said. “The biggest thing I can do is sit here and talk about it so more people can find out about it so they don’t get used to this terrible life.”

Svitolina said friends in Ukraine told her about the attacks just hours before the match.

“Just very sad that we all have to really put up with this heaviness and pain every single day, and scared moments not knowing what’s going to bring the next day,” Svitolina said.

She will leave Roland Garros to look after the daughter she has with French tennis player Gael Monfils, but will be cheering on Kostyuk.

“Hopefully she can get the title,” Svitolina said. “It’s going to be massive for Ukraine.”

No. 7-seeded Svitolina got off to a slow start but worked her way back, matching No. 15 Kostyuk’s power from the baseline. Kostyuk was better on the important points in the decider and improved her impressive 2026 record on clay to 17-0.

She's the first Ukrainian woman to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros in the Open era since 1968. Svitolina has reached the semis at the other three Grand Slams but failed for the sixth time to win a French Open quarterfinal.

Andreeva will appear in her second French Open semifinal, two years after the first. She was asked about the challenges of playing a Ukrainian in wartime.

“Well, for me it doesn’t matter who I play,” Andreeva said. “I really try to play against the ball that is coming at me. Usually it doesn’t matter to me who I’m playing against, so I’m trying to really focus on the game and on the game plan.”

Asked whether she found it frustrating to hear Russian opponents avoiding the issue, Kostyuk said she wished “there was some more clear stance on what’s going on.”

“Especially when your country is killing other people,” she added. “I don’t know how you can sleep at night peacefully when you know that this is going on, and you have nothing to say about it.”

After a week of hot weather, rain arrived in Paris and play started under the closed roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier. Competing in the quarterfinals for the first time in 17 years, Cirstea struggled to find her rhythm against her 19-year-old rival.

The 36-year-old veteran, playing the final season of her career, immediately dropped her serve. She didn't hold serve or win a game until the first game of the second set. Andreeva’s deep, accurate groundstrokes and charges to the net took a toll on 18th-seeded Cirstea, whose attempt to come back was shortlived.

“I felt like it was one of my best matches so far this tournament,” Andreeva said. “Super happy to be back in semis.”

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

Appalachian Power Company (APCo) offers an option designed to smooth out those fluctuations: the Average Monthly Payment (AMP) plan.

The program spreads energy costs across the year, helping customers avoid sharp increases during months when they use more electricity, while maintaining a more consistent monthly payment.

How the AMP plan works

At its core, the AMP plan is built around a rolling average. APCo calculates a customer’s monthly payment based on the previous 12 months of energy use.

“Each month, you pay what the average has been over the last 12 months, plus 1/12 of any deferred balance,” said Izzy Post Ruhland, communications specialist for Appalachian Power. “If the deferred balance is a credit, it’s subtracted from the average.”

That average is recalculated each month to reflect the most recent 12 months of usage. This means payments may shift slightly over time, but they remain more stable than traditional billing, which can rise and fall sharply with seasonal demand.

Understanding the deferred balance

A key part of the AMP plan is the deferred balance -- the difference between what a customer pays and the actual cost of electricity used. This amount will display each month on the billing statement.

If a customer uses more energy than their average payment covers, the additional cost is added to the deferred balance. If they use less, the balance is credited.

Rather than requiring customers to settle that difference all at once, the AMP plan spreads it out.

“On the AMP plan, the deferred balance is split over 12 months,” Post Ruhland said. “Small fluctuations in bill totals, as opposed to a potentially high one-time deferred balance payment, offer smaller, steady payments that make energy expenses more manageable.”

This structure helps keep payments within a narrower range throughout the year -- even during periods of heavy energy use.

A more predictable alternative to traditional billing

Unlike standard billing, which reflects exact monthly usage, or other budget-style plans that may include a large annual “settle-up,” AMP is designed to avoid major surprises.

“This plan is preferred because there is not a settle-up month,” Ruhland said. “By paying 1/12 of any deferred balance each month, customers are better able to stay current and keep their account on track.”

That consistency can be especially helpful for customers on fixed incomes or those working within a tight monthly budget.

The AMP plan has been available to APCo customers for nearly two decades, offering a long-standing option for those looking to better manage energy costs.

“It helps keep bills more consistent, while still making sure the full cost is recovered over time,” Post Ruhland said.

Who can enroll -- and when

Customers are not automatically enrolled in the AMP plan and must sign up through their account.

Post Ruhland said APCo recommends waiting until you’ve lived in your home for a year before enrolling. That allows the system to calculate a more accurate average that’s based on a full 12 months of usage.

Some small businesses and churches may also be eligible, though customers are encouraged to contact APCo’s Customer Operations Center to confirm.

The plan can be especially useful after a period of unusually high bills.

“We recommend looking toward AMP as an option when higher-than-expected bills come around, as a way to level them out moving forward,” Post Ruhland said.

Key differences from the Budget Plan

Customers currently enrolled in APCo’s Budget Plan may notice some similarities, but there are important differences.

• The Budget Plan typically sets a fixed monthly payment for most of the year, followed by a “settle-up” period that can result in a larger charge or credit.
• The AMP plan, by contrast, adjusts continuously using a rolling average and incorporates any deferred balance into monthly payments over time.

That means there is no large annual reconciliation -- unless a customer leaves the program.

What to keep in mind

While the AMP plan offers greater predictability, it does require customers to stay current on their payments. Missing two consecutive due dates or leaving the program can trigger the total deferred balance to become due.

If a customer moves within APCo’s service area, both the plan and the deferred balance can transfer to the new address.

A steadier approach to energy costs

For customers looking to reduce the impact of seasonal spikes, the AMP plan offers a way to bring more consistency to monthly energy expenses.

“It levels out the higher bills and creates stable and predictable payments year-round without the fear of a large anniversary or settle-up bill,” Post Ruhland said.

Customers interested in enrolling can log into their Appalachian Power account to view their estimated monthly payment and sign up.

Click or tap here to learn more about the AMP plan.

Andrew Richard Lukehart, 53, is scheduled to receive a three-drug injection starting at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. He was sentenced to death after being convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in 1997 for the death a year earlier of 5-month-old Gabrielle Hanshaw.

This would be Florida’s eighth execution so far this year, following a record 19 executions in 2025. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The previous record was set in 2014 with eight executions.

According to court records, Lukehart was watching his girlfriend's baby in February 1996 while his girlfriend was caring for her older daughter, who had been ill. At some point, the girlfriend said Lukehart drove away from their Jacksonville home, and she couldn't find baby Gabrielle. Lukehart called his girlfriend about 30 minutes later and told her to call police because the baby had been kidnapped and he was chasing the kidnapper.

Later that evening, Lukehart was found in a neighboring county after driving his car off the road. During questioning the next day, Lukehart told investigators that Gabrielle died after he dropped the baby on her head and then shook her. He told police that he panicked and threw the baby in a pond. Law enforcement officers searched the pond and found the child's body.

The Florida Supreme Court denied Lukehart's appeals last week. His attorneys had claimed that medication he was taking for kidney disease could have a negative reaction with the lethal injection drugs. They also argued that having only a month between the signing of Lukehart's death warrant and the execution deprived him of his due process.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied Lukehart’s final appeal on Monday.

A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida led the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis. Alabama, South Carolina and Texas tied for second with five executions each.

Another execution is planned in Florida later this month. Dusty Ray Spencer, 74, was convicted of fatally stabbing his wife in 1992.

All Florida executions are carried out via lethal injection of a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

The process could grind to a halt, however, after the Trump administration said Friday that it intended to appeal a federal judge’s order to allow all companies that paid the invalidated duties to seek refunds, not just the ones that filed lawsuits.

Until the Department of Justice informed the judge of its planned appeal, the refund system overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection had worked fairly smoothly. Refunds reached the bank accounts of the first successful applicants on May 12, about three weeks after importers and their customs brokers could start submitting claims, according to CBP.

Applications for refunds totaling $85 billion — more than half of the $166 billion the agency estimated the government owes to companies that paid the tariffs on imported goods — were accepted for processing as of May 22, CBP reported in a legal filing earlier in the week. It said it had so far directed the Treasury Department to issue $20.6 billion in refunds.

The administration revealed its appeal preparations while objecting to a demand by Judge Richard K. Eaton for CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott to appear in the U.S. Court of International Trade on June 9. The judge said he wants to know how long it would take to repay all 330,000 importers that might be eligible for refunds and whether he should require the government to speed up the process.

Justice Department lawyers asked Eaton to allow Scott's deputies to appear in his place, arguing that as a high-ranking presidential appointee, the CBP chief could not be compelled to testify. They also argued that Eaton exceeded his authority when he determined that the Supreme Court's ruling entitled “all importers of record’’ to refunds.

“For that reason, defendants intend to appeal the court’s universal injunction," the lawyers wrote, adding that CBP would continue to move “as quicky as it can to process refunds in a phased approach” for businesses that filed legal complaints asserting their rights to refunds.

Eaton responded that he needed to hear directly from Scott whether the government would return all of the money it collected between April 2025, when Trump put what he called “reciprocal” tariffs on most countries, the Supreme Court's decision in late February.

“It is undisputed that the remedy for this unlawful collection is for the United States government to refund the unlawfully collected duties," the judge wrote.

Refunds coming in phases

Customs and Border Protection is handling refund claims in phases, focusing first on payments that weren't finalized before the Supreme Court handed down its 6-3 decision. CBP officials said those later, estimated payments were simpler to process because they remained open in its system.

In Friday’s filing, the Justice Department said the agency required technological upgrades to its refund portal and “importer-specific orders” in each lawsuit that businesses filed before it could recalculate the final tax bills for older “liquidated” accounts.

More than 1,000 companies filed lawsuits in the trade court to recoup their tariff costs. It was not immediately clear how many importers that paid the tariffs did not sue and might not receive refunds if an appeal of Eaton's blanket order succeeds.

Ryan Majerus, a partner on the international trade team at law firm King & Spalding, said he thinks "it’s definitely a fraction of the total in terms of folks who paid” the defunct duties. An appeal would likely affect only imported merchandise that was in the U.S. for 314 days, a time when CPB issues its official determination of the duties owed, he said.

“This doesn’t cover everybody, only those really old entries,” Majerus said about a potential appeal.

But filing an appeal could slow the refund process even if the government “already lost the war” before the Supreme Court, according to Barry Appleton, a professor at New York Law School and managing partner of Appleton & Associates International Lawyers.

“If the government can freeze the refund machinery while it litigates, it buys months, and every month of delay is a month the Treasury keeps the money,” Appleton said.

Price cuts promised

Some national retail chains said they planned to use their tariff refunds refunds to lower customer prices on some items. Walmart Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey told analysts last week that the company would implement price cuts even though the maximum refund it might be eligible for represented less than half of 1% of Walmart’s annual U.S. sales.

Costco intends to return the tariff costs that it passed on to members, CEO Ron Vachris said. How much of its refund the big-box retail chain redistributes, when and in what form, depends on factors such as the size of the refund, when it arrives, and developments in a lawsuit seeking tariff compensation for Costco customers, Vachris told investors Thursday.

Consumers may see refunds first from shipping companies such as FedEx, UPS and DHL, which acted as customs brokers when they delivered products ordered from overseas.

The companies charged either the sellers that shipped the packages or the buyers who received them and submitted the collected tariffs to CBP. All three promised to transmit any refunds they get to the customers that paid the import taxes.

Putting refunds back into the business

The Supreme Court invalidated only the country-by-country tariff rates Trump set by citing the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The president also has moved to introduce new tariffs since the court’s Feb. 20 ruling.

Some smaller companies told The Associated Press that the tariff refunds they’ve received so far would go toward paying remaining or future tariffs or getting back on solid financial footing after more than a year of uncertainty and additional costs.

Jay Foreman, CEO of toy company Basic Fun, said he received about $450,000, or 7% of his total claim, over two consecutive days. He took the repayment as a positive sign but that the pace since then seemed like a “total slow roll.”

“It’s time to release the funds back into the economy, especially given how much we and others need these funds to support our businesses,” Foreman said.

Men’s grooming brand Manscaped has received about 30% of the $12 million in refunds it applied for, President Kevin Datoo said. The San Diego company deferred investments and took on debt to pay tariffs on imports from Indonesia, China and elsewhere in Asia, he said.

“We need to shore up the balance sheet because there’s still a whole second chapter here,” Datoo said.

Melkon Khosrovian, who owns Greenbar Distillery in Los Angeles, said he applied for a tariff refund of about $90,000 for 17 different shipments of herbs, spices and packaging that are hard to find domestically. To date, he said he received $18,000.

Khosrovian invested in automating his bottling system last year to reduce personnel costs while his import expenses grew. He recalled how the White House had argued the tariffs would create more U.S. manufacturing jobs.

The tariffs were “painful,” he said. “Our choices were bad and worse: raise prices and lose customers, or keep prices the same and not make any money.”

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AP writers Anne D’Innocenzio and Stan Choe in New York, and Lisa Leff in London contributed to this report.

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This story was first published on May. 30, 2026. It was updated on Jun. 2, 2026 to correct the name of the law firm where Ryan Majerus is a partner. It’s King & Spalding, not King & Spalding.

Del Mastro says she received a call from an unknown number. When she answered, a man’s voice told her that her 37-year-old daughter had been kidnapped by a Mexican cartel and demanded $20,000 for her release. Moments later, Del Mastro heard her daughter’s voice pleading for help.

“It sounded just like her,” Del Mastro said.

But it wasn’t her daughter. Instead, scammers had used artificial intelligence to mimic her daughter’s voice, a tactic known as an AI ‘voice cloning’ scam.

According to the FBI, Americans lost more than $893 million to AI-related scams last year. These hoaxes are becoming easier for scammers to pull off as technology advances. Fraudsters can use AI to steal and clone voices, making them nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.

“My daughter’s voice said back to me, ‘I’m so sorry, Mom. I love you,’” Del Mastro recalled.

In a panic, Del Mastro says she wired the scammers around $5,000 because that’s all she could get at that moment and said it could have been worse. But that’s money she says she can’t get back.

“As a parent, when you truly believe that your child, adult child, is in distress and terror distress, you’ll do anything. You’ll do anything,” she said.

That sense of desperation and panic is exactly what scammers count on, experts say. When fear takes over, it can cloud judgment. That’s why experts recommend taking a moment to look for red flags. Try to contact your loved one through other means, such as sending a text message or calling from another phone.

Experts also suggest that families establish “code words” to help verify each other’s identities in situations like this.

“If you can imagine, the heart is this moving object that’s in three dimensions. What MRI does is it cuts it in 2D slices, so you end up with more than a thousand images during your whole scan. And just think of a human having to read through a thousand images and look for potentially very, very small disease, maybe appearing in only like two or three images at a time. That’s very time-consuming. And just the training needed to do that accurately and efficiently, it just takes a really long time,” explained David Chen, PhD, one of the researchers involved with developing the AI program for Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Chen said the technology works by analyzing all of the heart images at once and then compiles a report within a matter of seconds.

It’s also trained to look for a variety of heart conditions unlike other AI programs that only focus on a certain type.

He said their goal isn’t just to speed up the time it takes to read cardiac MRI images but to also provide more accessibility.

“AI, at least to me, is not something that replaces human beings. It’s to make people more efficient and also bring them back to the practice of medicine, bring them back to getting you in front of people, bring it back to really taking care of the patient,” he noted.

Dr. Chen said the technology is still in the research phase and more work needs to be done before it can be used on real world patients.

Left, who was a securities analyst, trader, and guest commentator on television channels including CNBC and Fox Business, was charged in July 2024 with one count of engaging in a securities fraud scheme, 17 counts of securities fraud, and one count of making false statements to federal investigators. As a short seller, Left would make money betting that stocks would fall.

The Justice Department said Tuesday that Left was convicted of one count of participating in a securities fraud scheme and 12 counts of securities fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 31. He faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

“Andrew Left used his expertise to profit at the expense of retail investors, ordinary people who owned the stocks he targeted. He callously boasted that it was like ‘taking candy from a baby,’” Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said in a statement. “Egregious schemes like this strike at the heart of free, fair and open markets, and warrant prosecution when they involve criminal manipulation. Investors should have confidence that U.S. markets are safe and free from the type of deliberate manipulation that Left engaged in to enrich himself at the expense of American investors.”

The Justice Department previously said that Left conducted business under the name Citron Research, which had a website that published investment recommendations. He published research on companies ranging from Tesla and GameStop to Grand Canyon Education and Peloton.

According to the indictment, Left would comment on publicly traded companies and make recommendations on the shares. The commentary often included sensationalized headlines (“Investors Peddling Themselves into Frenzy”) and exaggerated language to maximize the reaction it would get from the stock market. As alleged, Left knowingly exploited his ability to move stock prices by targeting stocks popular with retail investors and posting recommendations on social media to manipulate the market and make fast, easy money.

The indictment further alleged that before Citron would publish its commentary, Left would create long or short positions in a public company on which he was commenting in his trading accounts and prepared to quickly close those positions after Citron’s publication and take profits on the short-term price movement caused by his commentary.

In a post on social media platform X under the Citron Research handle, Left expressed his opposition to the conviction.

“We disagree with the jury and this does not stop here,” the post said. “We will keep fighting for free, honest speech and opportunity, the backbone of this country. This is not over.”

U.S. employers posted 7.6 million job vacancies in April, the Labor Department reported Tuesday, up from 6.9 million in March and most since May 2024. Economists had forecast just 6.8 million openings.

The department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that layoffs fell but so did the number of Americans quitting their jobs - a sign of confidence in their prospects. And the report's measure of gross hiring also dropped in April, suggesting that companies remain reluctant to add new workers even as they hold on to the ones they have.

The American job market has been recovering from a dismal 2025. Last year, companies, nonprofits and government agencies added fewer than 10,000 jobs a month, least outside a recession since 2002.

This year has been better — job growth averaged 76,000 a month from January through April. Big tax refunds — the product of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax cut bill last year — have given the economy a lift this year, offsetting the impact of sharply higher energy prices since the United States and Israel attacked Iran Feb. 28. But the refunds have mostly been paid out and are fading as an economic booster.

The United States also doesn’t need as many new jobs as it used to. Trump’s immigration crackdown and Baby Boomer retirements mean that fewer people are competing for work. As a result, the so-called break-even point — the number of new jobs needed every month to keep the unemployment rate stable — has dropped to near zero from 155,000 a month two or three years ago, according to an April report by Federal Reserve economists Seth Murray and Ivan Vidangos.

On Friday, the Labor Department will issue its job report for May. The numbers are expected to show that employers added 100,000 jobs last month, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet. The unemployment rate is expected to have stayed at a low 4.3%.

Critical to NASA's Artemis moon program, the company's massive New Glenn rocket blew up during an engine-firing test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. A lightning tower and the transporter-erector used to move and hoist the rocket were destroyed in the blast that sent shock waves across the state.

CEO Dave Limp said the methane, hydrogen and oxygen tanks look to be in good shape. The water tank is also fine and the support tower that's still standing can be repaired in place. A booster and other rocket parts housed nearby were not damaged.

Overall, this was “a bit of good news,” Limp said in an X update, adding: “We will fly again before the end of this year.”

The cause is still under investigation.

Just two days before the accident, NASA awarded a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Blue Origin, choosing New Glenn rockets to launch a pair of rovers to the moon ahead of the arrival of the first Artemis moonwalkers who will drive them. New Glenn also is needed to launch the company's Blue Moon lander that will be used to get astronauts to the lunar surface in the coming years.

NASA is aiming for as early as 2028 for the first moon landing by astronauts since Apollo 17 in 1972.

The space agency will “do all we can” to get the pad back in action as soon as possible “while staying extremely focused on progressing the lander,” Administrator Jared Isaacman said via X.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn line of reusable rockets — named after John Glenn, the first American in orbit — has launched only three times. It’s not nearly as big as SpaceX’s Starship that is making test flights to the fringes of space from Texas. NASA has ordered up Starships, in addition to Blue Moon landers, to get Artemis astronauts to the lunar surface in the years ahead.

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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.

“He transcended boxing into every space you can imagine,” she told The Associated Press this week ahead of the 10-year anniversary of Ali’s death on June 3, 2016, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

“Muhammad lived by this mantra: service to others is the rent we pay for our room here on earth," Lonnie Ali said during an interview at The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky. “He showed up every day with kindness and empathy in his heart for people who are in need."

Ali, known as the “Louisville Lip” in his hometown, rose to prominence as a trash-talking world champion boxer in the 1960s and began speaking about civil rights issues as his star was rising. He is widely regarded as the most famous and influential boxer of all time, winning the heavyweight title three times.

The Ali Center is sponsoring a “Day of Compassion” on Wednesday, the 10th anniversary of his death, to promote acts of service and caring. Lonnie Ali, who serves as the center's lifetime director, said the hope is an expanding annual event to highlight works of service and volunteering.

The day will focus on one of "the core values that made up Muhammad Ali” in an increasingly divided country, she said.

“Today, we are in a place where we are losing touch with our humanity and with each other,” she said. “It’s causing rifts, not just in families and communities, but in this nation. We’re becoming increasingly polarized and separated, and sort of retreating to people who think like us, look like us, and not really reaching out.”

She also challenged political leaders to lead with compassion, noting the recent weakening of the 1965 Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court.

“We should always be thinking about how we can uplift a community, not how we can make it harder for them,” Lonnie Ali said. “We want equal representation in this country. You can’t have equal representation when you’re denying people voting rights, you can’t do that.”

But there is hope, she said, and she saw that when the city of Louisville came together for a weeklong celebration of Ali's life in 2016. The week was capped by a funeral procession through the city and past her late husband's modest childhood home near downtown Louisville. Former President Bill Clinton and actor Billy Crystal spoke at his funeral, and Will Smith, who portrayed Ali in a 2001 movie, was a pallbearer.

The outpouring of love for Ali at his hometown funeral service was livestreamed to millions around the world. A decade later, Ali’s face graced a U.S. Postal Service stamp for the first time, showing his enduring influence.

“We’re talking about people who traveled thousands of miles to come here, who had never met the man, never laid eyes on him personally, but wanted to ... give their last respects to him: kings, princes, presidents, heads of state, celebrities, sports figures,” Lonnie Ali said.

The lineup for the event, which will take place Sept. 18-19 at the T-Mobile Arena, also includes Weezer, Goo Goo Dolls and Kenny Chesney. More artists will be announced at a later date.

Ryan Seacrest will once again host, and fans can hear it all on iHeartMedia radio stations or watch it streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

The general public can buy tickets on AXS.com starting at 2 p.m. EDT/11 a.m. PDT on June 12. Capital One cardholders will be able to access a presale beginning at 1 p.m. EDT/10 a.m. PDT on June 10.

“The iHeartRadio Music Festival is all about bringing together the biggest artists across every genre for two unforgettable nights, and this year’s lineup truly reflects the incredible diversity of music today,” Tom Poleman, chief programming officer, and John Sykes, president of entertainment enterprises of iHeartMedia, said in a joint statement.

Earlier this year, BTS made a triumphant return after a nearly four-year musical hiatus. “ARIRANG,” the 14-track, fifth studio album from the septet is huge; an ambitious reunion and the band’s first original full-length release since the seven members completed South Korea’s mandatory military service. Not that it has been all quiet at team BTS: The band staggered their enlistments, giving ample time for its members to focus on solo projects while the group was on a break.

They've returned to the stage since then, and iHeartRadio Music Festival is another victory lap.

Four meters (13 feet) beneath them, a team of archaeologists is digging the other way — straight down and back in time, to Roman Paris 2,000 years ago.

In 2019, fire brought Notre Dame’s spire crashing down as the world watched. The cathedral was rebuilt and reopened in late 2024, and now Paris wants to soften the hot, bare square in front of it with trees and shade.

But in a city this old, the soil cannot be turned until what lies beneath it is excavated, in case it is damaged during works.

So a slice of Notre Dame’s forecourt has become an excavation site — an open pit ringed by barriers and crossed by a wooden walkway, a few steps from the line-up.

A modern Da Vinci Code

French media have dubbed it the “dig of the century.”

“It’s a rare opportunity for us to work on something that’s tangibly going to make a difference to the history of Paris,” Lucie Altenburg, a conservator with the Paris archaeology unit, told The Associated Press.

Among the hundreds of objects already found: a fourth-century coin stamped with the face of the Emperor Constantine, and shards of medieval pottery painted on the inside with marks no expert has yet deciphered — like a modern Da Vinci Code.

“It makes Notre Dame feel alive again,” said Emily Carter, 34, a tourist from Manchester waiting in line with her two children. “You come to see the cathedral, then realize there’s another city under your feet. That’s almost more moving.”

The first traces appear 50 centimeters (20 inches) down; 4 meters (13 feet) lower, the team is still pulling up the past. Some days they fill 15 crates — from ground that has lain untouched for decades.

Ancient cities have archaeologists monitoring digs

This is the bargain in every old city: The past is not in a museum down the street — it is under the street.

Cities rise. Each age builds on the rubble of the last, and the ground climbs with it; in Rome, it has risen about 9 meters (30 feet) since the empire fell in the fifth century AD.

When Athens built its metro for the 2004 Olympics, it set off the largest excavation in Greek history and turned up tens of thousands of objects, now shown in the stations themselves. Paris is no different.

It all comes from the island in the Seine, the Ile de la Cite, where Paris began.

Centuries later, Notre Dame rose on the same ground.

At the cathedral's birth in 1163, the entire square was packed with medieval houses, split by a single street, said Camille Colonna, the archaeologist leading the dig.

Digging down, her team has reached their cellars — and therefore also the time in history they represent.

Below them lie Merovingian and Carolingian grain pits, from the sixth to the 10th centuries; below those, darker and deeper still, a dense Roman quarter from the fourth and fifth centuries.

Twenty centuries are stacked in 4 meters (13 feet) of earth — or about the height of two-and-a-half Napoleon Bonapartes standing on top of one another.

“Here you can see the layers — medieval Paris, Roman Paris, maybe even before that,” said Yasmine Benali, 22, an archaeology student watching from behind the barriers. “It makes the city feel less like a postcard and more like something still being discovered.”

Coins, ceramics and mysterious markings

The richest finds here come from the foulest place: the deep pits beneath the medieval houses, old latrines that doubled as rubbish dumps.

Out of them the team keeps lifting whole jugs and cups — thrown away centuries ago, yet still intact — among the broken plates and animal bones.

It’s “rare to find complete ceramics,” said Valentine Breloux, an archaeologist with the unit.

Here the soft waste cushioned them, and centuries later they miraculously came up whole.

Then some other objects came that confounded experts. As conservators cleaned what looked like ordinary medieval pottery, they found faint reddish writing painted on the inside — the same mysterious markings on shard after shard.

What they mean has yet to be deciphered.

Of everything she has cleaned from Notre Dame, Breloux said, these are the most “astonishing.”

Coins can help date the layers

The coins came up as black discs, eaten by rust. But under an X-ray, a face returned: it was Constantine, the Roman emperor who ruled in the early 300s AD.

Such objects also "can be invaluable in giving us the date of the (underground) layer,” Altenburg said.

The Roman finds are the ones the archaeologists value most — the deepest, oldest and least understood. In Roman times, the town was called Lutetia, and its center lay across the river, on the Left Bank.

As the Roman empire collapsed, people pulled back to the Ile de la Cite, where Notre Dame would later rise, and fortified the island with walls of stone taken from earlier buildings.

Colonna’s team found some proof: a Roman doorstep found in the dig, taken from a much bigger building, carried over, turned upside down, and laid in a road as paving.

Paris houses thousands of finds in an archaeology center

Every find leaves the pit and travels north, to the city’s archaeology center — what Colonna calls “a huge archaeological store," a treasure house of Paris.

For archaeologists, the cathedral dig is a rare treat. In France, like elsewhere, they work only where building work is about to begin — a bit like how industrial quarry workers end up unearthing dinosaur remains.

"This only happens because the city of Paris decided it wanted to beautify the area," Altenburg said.

The new square should be mostly finished by 2028: a kind of woodland clearing, with 160 new trees and a thin film of water sliding over the stone to cool it in summer — part of how Paris is bracing for ever hotter summers induced by global warming.

The tourists who now wait in the bare sun beneath the gargoyles will, in a few summers, line up in the shade.

The old underground parking lot will reopen as a visitor center looking onto the Seine.

Until then, the Notre Dame team wants to go deeper still — past the Romans, toward whoever came before them, the Gauls who gave the city its first name.

“The hope is that we are able to go back in time even further than we’ve ever been before,” Altenburg said.

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Nicolas Garriga in Paris contributed.

More primaries are being held on Tuesday as well. Democrats are banking on a rare chance to regain ground in Iowa, a rural state that has repeatedly eluded them in recent years. Republicans, meanwhile, are grappling with a New Jersey congressman whose unexplained absence could put their already slim majority at risk.

Here are some things to watch as voters in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota cast ballots.

California's low-wattage race for governor

Ronald Reagan. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Jerry Brown. Gavin Newsom.

The governor's office in California typically attracts some of the highest-wattage names in politics, but not this year.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Alex Padilla took a pass on the race. And with Newsom barred from seeking a third term, the campaign to succeed him turned into a sprawling, often messy contest.

In the final stretch, much of the attention has focused on Democrats Xavier Becerra, the former congressman and state attorney general who was also health secretary under President Joe Biden, and Tom Steyer, a billionaire known for his climate activism. Republican Steve Hilton is campaigning with President Donald Trump's endorsement.

Under California's primary system, all candidates appear on a single ballot and the top two finishers advance to the November general election, regardless of party. The absence of a front-runner incentivized virtually anyone with political ambition and a modicum of organization to join the race, leaving Democrats worried that their candidates would divide the vote and ultimately be shut out of the fall campaign. But those fears have eased in the primary's closing weeks, with the party now expecting to secure at least one slot on the November ballot.

The results could offer insight about how voters are feeling in a state where Democrats have dominated statewide elections for two decades.

Los Angeles mayor seeks to fend off reality star challenger

In a city still recovering from the most destructive wildfire in its history, Mayor Karen Bass is in a tough fight for reelection.

The mayor, who is a frequent target of Trump's criticism, was in Ghana as part of a presidential delegation when the blaze began. She has acknowledged mistakes but has centered her campaign around a message of recovery and progress.

Bass is facing a spirited challenge from reality television personality Spencer Pratt, who has blamed Bass for presiding over destruction that claimed his own home. Pratt, who rose to fame on “The Hills,” has shared videos created by artificial intelligence that show him taking on a superhero persona to battle street criminals and Democratic politicians.

The race is officially nonpartisan, but Bass is a Democrat, as is progressive city council member Nithya Raman, who made a last-minute decision to challenge her one-time ally. Pratt is a registered Republican who has received a nod of approval — if not an outright endorsement — from Trump.

Unless a candidate receives a majority of the vote in the primary, the top two will advance to a general election in November.

Los Angeles hasn't elected a Republican mayor since Richard Riordan won his second term in 1997, and the results will be closely watched for signs of dissatisfaction with liberal urban governance. The winner will emerge as a national and global figure as the city prepares to host the Olympics in 2028.

Democrats look to Iowa to rebuild in the heartland

Iowa wasn't always a Republican stronghold.

Before Trump reshaped American politics, this was the state the lifted the political career of Barack Obama and sent Tom Harkin to the Senate for five terms.

The party is particularly excited about Rob Sand, who is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for governor. A native of Decorah, Iowa, he has the rural roots that have become rare among Democrats. Perhaps most importantly, he's a proven winner in a Republican-leaning state, having been elected twice as auditor.

Republicans head into the primary with five candidates. Trump jumped in last week to endorse Rep. Randy Feenstra.

This is the first open contest for the governor's seat since 2006. Democrats are hoping that a combination of the economic fallout from Trump's tariff policies, rising gas prices stemming from the Iran war and the lack of a Republican incumbent could give them their best opportunity in years. Sand also has a fundraising advantage over the Republicans, including Feenstra.

State Rep. Josh Turek and state Sen. Zach Wahls are competing in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by incumbent Republican Joni Ernst. The race has divided in part along questions of who should lead the party in Washington, with Wahls openly criticizing Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Republicans have largely coalesced behind U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson as their candidate for the Senate seat.

An unexplained absence puts crucial GOP seat at risk

In the final frenzied days before an election, voters can sometimes grow tired of hearing from candidates so much. But in New Jersey's 7th congressional district, they're not hearing from one candidate at all.

Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. is running unopposed in Tuesday's primary. But he's facing growing scrutiny for an unexplained medical absence that has stretched for three months, causing him to miss more than 100 votes in Congress.

That's not an ideal statistic for any lawmaker, but it's especially problematic for someone running in one of the few genuinely competitive congressional districts. While gerrymandering has yielded most U.S. House seats reliably Democratic or Republican, Kean's district has flipped between the parties in each of the last two midterm elections. Republican Leonard Lance lost to Democrat Tom Malinowski in 2018. Malinowski lost to Kean in 2022.

As they cling to a narrow majority in the House, Republicans can't afford to lose a district like Kean's. Several Democrats vying to take on Kean in the fall have made his absence — and the lack of clarity surrounding it — a central part of their message.

In a social media post late Monday, Trump said Kean was “working tirelessly” to support the MAGA agenda.

New Jersey was one of the first places that voter pushback to Trump became apparent last year when Democrat Mikie Sherrill won the governor's race by more than 14 percentage points. The turnout in the 7th district on Tuesday could provide clues about whether that Democratic enthusiasm remains in place.

Democrats pin their hopes on independent candidates in some states

Democrats are hopeful they can mount a serious challenge against Republican Senate candidates in deep-red South Dakota and Montana this fall. But their best hope may not be the Democrats featured on Tuesday’s primary ballot.

Both states feature higher-profile independent candidates, who, because they’re not running to represent a political party, do not have to compete in primary elections.

In Montana, there are five Democrats competing for the party’s Senate nomination. But independent Seth Bodnar, the former University of Montana president, has raised more money than all of them combined. He’s even significantly out-raised Trump-backed Republican candidate Kurt Alme.

In South Dakota, three-term incumbent Republican Mike Rounds is expected to cruise to his party’s nomination on Tuesday. He’ll face Democrat Julian Beaudion, a former highway patrol trooper and small business owner, on the November ballot. But it’s a former Democrat now running as an independent, Brian Bengs, a military veteran, who may be the tougher challenger.

The U.K. has a legally binding target, set in 2008, of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. By law, the government must legislate for emissions caps for future five-yearly budgets on a strict timetable.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said that the government will accept the advice of its independent Climate Change Committee of an 87% target for the next budget, covering the years 2038 to 2042.

The government argues that moving to clean energy will reduce the country's exposure to fuel-price shocks like those seen from the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East.

“As Britain faces the second fossil fuel shock of the decade, the only way to protect family and business finances is to drive for clean homegrown power that we control,” Miliband said.

Scientists said that the goal puts the U.K. on course to meet its 2050 net zero target, though Tuesday's announcement doesn't include details of how it will be achieved.

“I think this is very good news as a milestone to net zero at 2050. But, alongside the ambition, we need both a coherent joined-up plan to achieve it and a delivery board — independent of government, politics and the (Climate Change Committee) — tasked with making it happen," said Martin Siegert, professor of geosciences at the University of Exeter.

The opposition Conservative and Reform UK parties argue that the government should water down renewable energy targets, and extract more oil and gas from the North Sea to reduce Britain’s dependence on imported energy.

Conservative Party energy spokeswoman Claire Coutinho said that the emissions target “will make us weaker, poorer and send everyone’s energy bills even higher.”

The hearing before the House Appropriations Committee was scheduled for discussion of the Justice Department's budget, but lawmakers will almost certainly focus their questioning on the creation of a fund that has provoked outrage over the mere possibility that violent pro-Trump rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, could be eligible for payouts.

The Republican president is now reconsidering whether to move forward with the fund established to resolve his lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns, according to a person familiar with the matter, in the face of Republican backlash and legal setbacks. The person insisted on anonymity to discuss the president’s thinking on Monday. The Justice Department also said Monday it would comply with a Virginia court temporarily blocking the administration's “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” effectively agreeing to pause the plan for at least two weeks.

Another judge in Florida raised the prospect of reopening the IRS lawsuit because of “grievous allegations” of improper dealing made against the administration by settlement critics.

The Trump administration has defended the fund as an appropriate measure to make up for what officials insist was a weaponized Justice Department during President Joe Biden's Democratic administration, a claim the Biden administration strongly denied. Though some Trump supporters, including participants in the Capitol riot, have celebrated the announcement, the reaction among Republicans in Congress has been decidedly more hostile, forcing Blanche to try to assuage a GOP constituency that generally operates in close alignment with the administration.

The furor has especially complicated matters in the Senate, where Republicans defiantly left town 10 days ago without passing legislation to fund Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies. Republicans who returned to Washington on Monday said they won’t have the votes to pass the Homeland Security spending bill until the White House works with them to place parameters on the fund. Many have pushed the administration to impose limits or scrap the idea altogether.

At a Senate budget hearing last month, Blanche refused to rule out the possibility that those who carried out violence on Jan. 6 could be eligible for payouts and has repeatedly said in interviews that anyone who feels persecuted by the criminal justice system is free to apply. Payouts will be decided by a five-member commission appointed by Blanche.

But he has apparently struck a more conciliatory tone in private when confronted by Republican anger.

Blanche encountered a groundswell of opposition last month at a tense private meeting with GOP senators, with more than half raising concerns, including by shouting at the Justice Department's top official, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said in a recent episode of his podcast.

“There were fireworks at an epic level — and I've got to say, it's one of the roughest meetings I've seen in my entire time in the Senate," Cruz said.

Behind closed doors, Blanche was “adamant” that no one who assaulted police at the Capitol would receive compensation, according to Cruz.

“He said not just ‘no,’ but ‘hell no,’” the senator recalled.

More than half of 2025’s sales were “mega-deals” valued at $100 million or more, the ministry said, adding that sales have more than doubled in the last five years, despite widespread criticism of Israel’s conduct in its wars in Gaza, with Hezbollah and with Iran.

It did not identify any of the buyers.

Countries that have vowed to shun Israeli weapons makers are nonetheless quietly placing orders, according to industry officials. Experts say governments look to Israel because its weapons are battle-tested and they're able to see in real time that the munitions and systems work.

“There is a clear and unmistakable thread connecting the (army's) battlefield achievements across all fronts, the extraordinary capabilities of Israel’s defense industries, and the success of Israeli defense exports around the world,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz. He said the growing figures reinforce Israel's position as a leading defense technology power and carry a responsibility to keep innovating.

One area Israel’s Defense Ministry says will be a future priority for innovation is taking down drones, which has proven challenging during the war with Iran. Drones are hard to pinpoint on radar systems calibrated for spotting high-speed missiles and can be mistaken for birds or planes.

This year’s Defense Tech Expo in Tel Aviv reflected the growing international interest in Israeli weapons, with manufacturers promoting arms and other equipment shaped by the country’s recent conflicts. But it also highlighted the tension between showcasing the military technology and the political debate surrounding its use, with event protesters decrying the widespread destruction of Gaza as a testing lab for Israeli weapons.

Israel’s Defense Ministry says it uses its equipment to defend the country and its people, and denies that it uses battlefields as testing grounds.

More than a quarter of the sales last year were missile, rocket, and air defense systems, as in the year prior, said the defense ministry. There was also a surge in observation and optronics systems, it said. Optronics is a branch of electronics dealing with optical, infrared or ultraviolet radiation, and is used in applications such as rifle sights.

A March report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said that for the first time, Israel has surpassed the United Kingdom in its share of global arms exports, making it the world’s seventh-biggest supplier.

At issue is territory claimed by both that is believed to contain large, exploitable amounts of natural gas and other hydrocarbons.

The decision to take the matter to the the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, comes after Thailand last month terminated a 25-year-old memorandum of understanding with Cambodia meant to resolve overlapping maritime claims.

Thailand unilaterally revoked the agreement in May after relations between the countries worsened last year after major armed clashes over their land border.

Last year’s fighting with Cambodia spurred nationalistic fervor, putting political pressure on Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to abrogate the pact.

In a live broadcast on TVK state television, Hun Manet said that his government had delivered formal notice to Thailand and to the U.N. secretary-general to begin compulsory conciliation proceedings under UNCLOS rules.

“Cambodia has never violated the sovereignty of other states," he said.

"At the same time, we are unwaveringly determined to defend Cambodia’s sovereignty. Today, we continue to honor that responsibility, not through force, but through international law; not through unilateral action, but through peaceful engagement.”

It wasn't immediately clear when the claim might be adjudicated.

Anutin responded to the announcement by telling reporters that Cambodia's action wasn't a problem. He had previously said that Thailand would continue to pursue a resolution of the maritime border issue according to UNCLOS guidelines, but didn't agree with Cambodia's intention to force conciliation.

Any UNCLOS ruling isn't binding on the parties involved, even though both countries are signatories to the international pact.

Thailand has been averse to having territorial issues decided by third parties rather than handled bilaterally. It has long felt that a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice awarding Cambodia the hilltop Preah Vihear temple along their border to be unfair, which has contributed to ongoing tensions between the neighbors.

By green-lighting controversial “return hubs” outside the 27-nation EU, the regulation represents the EU’s hardest line on migration so far and has drawn sharp criticism from opponents who warn it will endanger migrants and undermine human rights from Spain to Romania.

“The new regulation will speed up the return process and increase returns of persons who have no legal right to stay in the EU,” said Nicholas Ioannides, deputy migration minister for Cyprus, which holds the rotating presidency of the 27-nation bloc.

The deal was struck between the EU's three main institutions — the European Commission, the European Council and European Parliament — during a so-called “trilogue” Monday evening.

“Europe cannot afford another period of standstill,” said Dutch lawmaker Malik Azmani, who shepherded the regulation through the European Parliament.

“There is an urgent need for an effective return policy with higher return rates," he said, adding that only 28% of rejected asylum seekers return to their country of origin, with the majority staying put in the EU. “This situation is deeply concerning. It undermines public confidence in our common migration policies.”

Critics compared the regulation to the immigration policies of the Trump administration, which has struck a series of secretive agreements with nations around the world to deport thousands of people to countries that are not their own. The United Kingdom also planned to deport migrants to Rwanda, but the plan was bogged down in legal red tape and was dropped when a new government came to power in July 2024.

Several EU governments are already in talks with third countries

“Across the Atlantic, we see the violence and fear created by ICE’s brutal immigration enforcement," said Silvia Carter, spokesperson for the Brussels-based Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “Europe should be learning from the harms of that model, not building its own version of it.”

Law enforcement officers across the bloc no longer need warrants from judges to raid private residences or public institutions like hospitals, she said. “The regulation is going to create a draconian detention and deportation machine."

The provisional agreement will now head to the EU lawmakers and governments, where approval will likely be swift.

“These new rules will ensure swifter, simpler, and more effective procedures across the European Union for returning non-EU nationals who have no right to stay, in full respect of international law and fundamental rights,” said Henna Virkkunen, EU commissioner for technology.

EU member nations will soon be able to set up bilateral deals with countries outside the bloc to build deportation centers. At least five EU nations — Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece — are already in talks with third countries, mostly in Africa, to host “return hubs” on the model of Italy's detention deal with Albania.

“We are delivering the member states tools in their hands to make those agreements and arrangements with third countries,” Azmani said.

Mélissa Camara, a lawmaker from the French Green party, said the deal was “a historic setback” for human rights in the bloc.

“The legalization of return hubs outside the European Union, the green light for the detention of minors, home visits inspired by ICE practices: the legal arsenal serving a xenophobic ideology is now complete,” she said.

EU migration policy has steadily shifted to the right

The EU has continually tightened migration policies after right-wing parties secured the majority of votes in some countries in the 2024 elections to the European Parliament. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, from the center-right European People’s Party coalition, has said that the new measures will prevent a repeat of the 2015 crisis caused by Syria’s civil war, when about 1 million people arrived to seek asylum.

Fueled by people fleeing conflict and poverty across Africa and the Middle East, the 2015 refugee crisis and successive years of irregular migration to Europe drove a rightward shift in the bloc's politics not unlike the anti-immigrant sentiment that buoyed a “ red wave ” in the 2024 election in the United States.

After successfully campaigning on tougher migration policies, the winners of that election, the European People’s Party, the largest political group in the EU, began negotiating migration reform with centrist and left parties only to eventually sidestep them by allying instead with the far right, said Carter, the asylum rights activist. “There was quite an unprecedented shift in the European Parliament."

Advocacy groups warned the regulation would cut deep into the protections granted by the EU fundamental charter on human rights and expose people to risks outside the bloc.

“This deal will give governments much broader powers to detain and deport people," said Marta Welander, a spokesperson for the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian organization. "It looks set to normalize immigration raids, expand the use of detention in prison-like facilities outside EU territory that are essentially legal black holes, and increase the risk of people being deported to countries where they could face persecution, torture or worse.”

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Follow AP’s coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

Japan's Environment Ministry said a record 13 people were killed in more than 230 attacks by bears in 2025.

Police and fire department officials rushed to the Sasakino district of Fukushima in northeastern Japan after receiving an emergency call from the Fukushima Steel Works reporting bear attacks on two employees.

Security camera footage shows a black bear appearing and chasing an employee near the entrance. As the man in his 20s tries to flee, the bear throws him to the ground. It then moves into the compound and injures a second male employee in his 60s.

The bear later injured a third person, a male employee in his 60s at separate company. A woman in her 80s who lives in the neighborhood also was attacked and injured, the Fukushima City Fire Department said.

The three men sustained minor injuries and the woman had moderate injuries but none were considered life-threatening, the fire department said.

The bear had not been caught as of Tuesday afternoon and was believed to be inside the second company compound, which was surrounded by uniformed police carrying long sticks.

Two nearby schools were closed, including Noda Elementary School, which held classes online and put a warning on its website to “avoid non-essential outings and stay safe.”

The bear attack has rekindled last year's nationwide fear that led to Japan's army being dispatched to the northern prefecture of Akita where more than 60 people were attacked by bears, with four killed.

The encroachment by a growing bear population has occurred in a region with a rapidly aging and declining human population that has few people trained to hunt the animals, experts say.

The Japanese government in March estimated the overall bear population at around 57,800. Officials have adopted a road map of bear population management, calling for systematic culling. Under the plan, the number of municipal bear control staff will triple to 2,500 within five years, while the number of bear traps will double.

Bear sightings were reported recently in Tokyo's western suburbs, including the hiking area of Okutama. Park officials have set up additional traps and launched bear alerts on social media.

The government has stepped up a public awareness campaign, urging hikers and mushroom hunters to check notifications about bear sightings and avoid outdoor activity in the early morning and evening when bears are active.

An environment ministry manual advises that anyone encountering a bear should not panic, move slowly and avoid turning around and running. As a last resort, the manual says anyone attacked should turn face down, ball up and cover their neck.

“The point is to save yourself from a fatal wound," according to the manual.

The Cleveland Browns traded the two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year to the Los Angeles Rams for pass rusher Jared Verse and three draft picks in a blockbuster deal on Monday.

Garrett was the unanimous choice for Defensive Player of the Year last season after he had 23 sacks and broke the NFL single-season record. He is expected to report to the Rams' facility on Tuesday and have a news conference to discuss the trade.

Garrett's addition marks the first time the reigning AP NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year will be teammates. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford won his first MVP award last season.

General manager Andrew Berry was able to make a deal after the Browns and Garrett agreed to modify the contract and defer option payments over the 2026-28 seasons in March. The first payment of around $10 million was due on March 28, but was moved to near the start of the regular season.

Garrett demanded a trade at the end of the 2024 season, but signed a four-year contract extension last March with a total value of $204.8 million that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. The contract also included a no-trade clause.

Berry had long said that Garrett would play his entire career in Cleveland, but Garrett's lingering frustrations over the franchise's direction and the chance to start anew meant it was time to move on.

Cleveland is 8-26 the past two years after making the playoffs in 2023.

“As discussions intensified we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads: do we hold on to a truly generational player who has become the identity of our team, or do we make the difficult decision that we think is best for the organization over the long run?," Berry said after the trade was announced.

The Browns get Verse — the 2024 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year — a 2027 first-round selection, a second-round pick in 2028 and a 2029 third-round selection.

Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement that they met with Garrett on Saturday to discuss the trade.

“Trading Myles was never our intent, but we also recognize that certain opportunities demand serious consideration, and we believe this is the right move for our team. Adding a young defensive star like Jared Verse, along with valuable draft assets, are necessary to strengthen a talented young core and align with the youth of our team,” the Haslams said.

Garrett was not seen at the Browns' facility during offseason workouts even though he made a couple of visits to Cleveland during the Cavaliers' NBA playoff run. Garrett has a minority stake in the Cavaliers.

Coach Todd Monken said two weeks ago he had not had a face-to-face meeting with Garrett since being hired in late January. Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg said last week he had some conversations over the phone with Garrett about the direction of the defense.

Garrett supported defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz being promoted to head coach before ownership opted for Monken. Schwartz ended up resigning after three years in Cleveland.

The 30-year old Garrett is the first player in NFL history with at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons (2020-25) and the only player with double-digit sacks each of the past eight years. His 125½ career sacks are tied for 20th on the league list.

Garrett, who was part of five double-digit losing seasons during his nine years in Cleveland, finally gets a chance to contend for a Super Bowl title.

“Nine years. It’s hard to put into words what that really means when so much of your life has been shaped in one place, around one team, and with one community behind you ... Cleveland made me tougher. You challenged me. You taught me about perseverance, about showing up even when things aren’t easy, and what loyalty really looks like. Through the highs, lows, setbacks, injuries, expectations, inclement weather, and difficult seasons, you all kept showing up. I never took that for granted,” Garrett said in a social media post Monday night addressed “To Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and every Browns fan.”

The Browns have the sixth-lowest win percentage since 2017 and are 58-90-1. By comparison, the Rams have the fifth-best record over that span at 92-57, including seven playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title in 2021.

The trade also elevated the Rams to Super Bowl favorites.

Another huge trade by Rams

The trade is yet another blockbuster deal swung by Rams general manager Les Snead, whose eagerness to use his draft picks in trades for star veterans has kept the Rams among the NFL’s top teams during coach Sean McVay’s decade on the sideline.

Snead notably acquired star cornerback Jalen Ramsey from Jacksonville in 2019 in a deal that included two first-round picks, securing the cornerstone of the secondary for a team that won a Super Bowl. But the Rams only won it all after they acquired Matthew Stafford in early 2021 in an even bigger trade for Jared Goff and two first-round picks.

Just a couple of months ago, Snead acquired star cornerback Trent McDuffie from Kansas City in a deal for four draft picks, including a first-rounder, to rebuild the secondary that was the weak link of last season’s team.

Before Snead shocked the NFL by picking quarterback Ty Simpson this spring, the Rams had made only one first-round selection over the previous nine years. That pick was Verse, who quickly became a star during his two seasons as the anchor of the Rams’ rebuilt pass rush in the wake of Aaron Donald’s retirement.

Verse had 4½ sacks while being selected as the NFL’s top defensive rookie in 2024, and he had 7½ sacks last season along with three forced fumbles. Byron Young led the Rams with 12 sacks and interior lineman Kobie Turner contributed seven sacks, and both young stars are heading into the final year of their rookie contracts.

With his Rams in title contention in November 2021, Snead acquired vaunted pass rusher Von Miller from Denver in a trade for LA’s second- and third-round picks. Miller contributed nine sacks in 12 games, providing exactly what they needed alongside Donald to win it all.

The current Rams are among the preseason Super Bowl favorites after winning 12 games and reaching the NFC championship game last season. Stafford, the reigning league MVP, is returning at the head of the NFL’s most potent offense last season along with a retooled defense featuring McDuffie and fellow ex-Kansas City star Jaylen Watson as its new cornerbacks — and now they’ve added the most feared pass rusher in the league.

The Rams’ roster in 2026 now includes last season’s NFL leads in yards passing, TD passes, total receptions (Puka Nacua), receiving touchdowns (Davante Adams) and sacks (Garrett).

After the Rams won the Super Bowl in February 2022 and then crashed out of the playoff picture in an injury-filled 2022-23 season, Snead briefly discarded his usual draft philosophy. He rebuilt his roster through a series of key selections in 2023 and 2024, drafting an entirely new defensive line with Verse, Young, Turner and Braden Fiske — along with All-Pro receiver Nacua.

With his rebuilt roster looming as a Super Bowl favorite again, Snead used his depth on the defensive line to make it even better.

Verse's acquisition gives the Browns the past two AP Defensive Rookies of the Year. Carson Schwesinger won last season after leading NFL rookies with 156 tackles and 11 tackles for loss.

“We receive a young, elite player at a premium position who will only continue to improve in his third NFL season. Jared’s passion and relentless style of play will be embraced by our fans. He will fit right in with the established identity of our defense,” Berry said.

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AP Pro Football writer Rob Maaddi also contributed to this story.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the commissioner on Monday requesting his appearance at a hearing on June 10 examining the league's TV deals and their compliance with the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.

The 65-year-old law grants professional sports leagues limited antitrust immunity, allowing them to pool their media rights and negotiate as a single entity while protecting them from antitrust lawsuits.

The law applies only to broadcast networks. Courts have ruled in the past that it does not apply to other media, including cable, satellite and streaming. There has been bipartisan sentiment in favor of updating the law, and president Donald Trump has been among the critics of the NFL's embrace of streaming.

According to Jordan's letter, the hearing next week will “examine the extent to which the antitrust exemption created by the SBA has been used by the professional sports leagues to harm consumers and whether potential legislative remedies may be needed to address that harm.”

An NFL spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.

The move by Congress comes as the Justice Department is investigating the NFL for potential anticompetitive practices. Speaking in April when the probe was disclosed, a government official, who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name, said it was “about affordability for consumers and creating an even playing field for providers.”

In March, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission urging them to review whether the NFL’s distribution methods comply with the 1961 law. The FTC has sought comments from the public on the shift of live sports from broadcast channels to streaming services.

The NFL has said 87% of its games are available on free television, and games aired exclusively on cable or streaming services remain available over the air in the home markets of the competing teams.

The league has broadcast or streaming deals with CBS/Paramount+, NBC/Peacock, ABC/ESPN/ESPN+, Fox, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube TV. Thursday night games moved to Prime Video in 2022, and the league has since moved a wild-card playoff game, Christmas Day games and a Black Friday game to streamers.

This season, Netflix will stream an opening-week game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, and a Green Bay Packers-Rams game the day before Thanksgiving.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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In another viral post, one X user referenced a common meme in response to the encyclical, writing: “The atheism leaving my body the moment the pope starts talking about how AI is an affront to God and the new Tower of Babel."

That kind of reaction to Leo’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), has been prevalent online since its release last week. That enthusiasm is driven in part by a perception, especially among young people, that few political or global leaders grasp or take seriously the known and potential ramifications of AI’s rapid rise. Leaders often have worked to accommodate the tech industry, citing the need for economic growth — and along the way, critics say, cozying up to wealthy CEOs.

“People have really been looking for a response to AI,” said Isabel Thurston, a 27-year-old comedian from Boston. “This was the first — at least in my sphere of the world — world leader to make an announcement to this magnitude.”

History’s first U.S.-born pope has demonstrated a willingness to embrace aspects of contemporary culture. He was recently spotted wearing Nike sneakers under his vestments, and in his encyclical, Leo quoted the wise wizard Gandalf from the “Lord of the Rings," a series by Catholic author J.R.R. Tolkien.

“It’s clear that this is written by an American pope. There’s a spirit breathing through this document of an emphasis on individual freedom, on human happiness and human dignity," Robert Orsi, a professor of religious studies and history at Northwestern University, said of Leo's encyclical. “At times, I thought the language really resonates with the Declaration of Independence.”

This specific kind of cultural fluency may help explain some of his viral moments as the leader of the ancient faith.

Just weeks earlier, a group of youths visiting the Vatican coaxed the 70-year-old pontiff to do a viral hand gesture on camera known as the 6-7 meme — a meaningless “brain rot” joke among young people. Though it’s clear in the video that the pope, like most adults, doesn’t understand what they’re asking him to do or its significance, he does it anyway and is met with enthusiastic cheers. A week later, he did it again while smiling and waving to crowds from the popemobile.

The portrait that has emerged from these instances is one of playfulness, but also intentionality. The pontiff reiterates throughout “Magnifica Humanitas” that it is the church’s responsibility to engage contemporary questions and challenges.

“Her mission has a historical scope and entails a responsibility for the way in which social relations are built,” Leo wrote about the Catholic Church. “She cannot consider herself a stranger to the forces shaping society. On the contrary, the Church actively participates in the processes by which society grows and is organized.”

Since his election last year, Leo has made a point to directly converse with — and sometimes critique — various aspects of society, ranging from politics to entertainment and sports.

Pope Francis, Vatican II and other preludes

Orsi studies the relationship between Catholicism and modernity, which he says have often historically been at odds with one another. He said Leo’s encyclical and his broader papacy, like that of his predecessor Pope Francis, is informed heavily by the still-polarizing Second Vatican Council, which brought modernizing reforms to the church more than 60 years ago.

“It’s speaking with a Vatican II voice to the modern world. So, it’s not a voice of condemnation, but it’s a voice of respect,” Orsi said of Leo’s encyclical. “Pope Francis, in a sense, was the necessary prelude to this kind of encyclical. I think Francis gave a really strong encouragement to take a clear critical voice on these urgent questions.”

That’s not to say there haven’t been detractors to Leo's approach. Some criticized his decision to present his encyclical alongside Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah. The Vatican decided to involve the tech company as part of its decade-long effort to engage Silicon Valley in dialogue over the human cost of AI.

In the roughly 42,300-word document, the pontiff exhorts all “men and women of goodwill” to not be afraid to get their “hands dirty on the ‘construction site’ of our time.”

That willingness has sometimes led to measured but very public rebukes of policies, actions and leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and the ongoing war in Iran. Some conservatives including Vice President JD Vance, who is a Catholic convert, have invoked the concept of “just war” theory in response to Leo’s critiques.

Church teaching has long allowed for “just wars” — the use of force to stop an unjust aggression — as long as certain conditions are met. But Leo directly addressed this doctrine in his encyclical, calling it “outdated.” “Humanity possesses far more effective and capable tools for promoting human life and resolving conflicts, such as dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness,” he wrote.

Hollywood to baseball: American culture at the Vatican

Last November, the pontiff hosted a “World of Cinema” day at the Vatican with actors and filmmakers including Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Gus Van Sant and Spike Lee, who gifted Leo a custom New York Knicks jersey with the number 14 and the name Pope Leo on the back.

“Cultural facilities, such as cinemas and theaters, are the beating hearts of our communities because they contribute to making them more human,” Leo told his Hollywood audience. “The logic of algorithms tends to repeat what ‘works,’ but art opens up what is possible.”

He has also not been shy about his love of the Chicago White Sox, sometimes sporting baseball caps or posing with bats — the latter inspiring a kind of subgenre of Leo memes. “POV: you’re a priest who just asked ChatGPT to write your Sunday homily,” the Rev. Harrison Ayre posted on X with a photo of Leo holding a bat and smiling.

Shortly after “Magnifica Humanitas” was released, Thurston, who is Catholic, posted a video of her and a friend drinking margaritas while meticulously studying and discussing printed pages of the encyclical. It has racked up more than 3 million views on Instagram.

“An aspect that made the video going viral really joyful for me was to represent all of the Catholics or lapsed Catholics or adjacent interested parties as really celebrating what Pope Leo is saying in his encyclical,” she said.

Orsi said this strategy is coming at a crucial time for the Catholic Church following years of reckoning with its legacy of clergy sexual abuse. “I think a lot of people who moved away from the church are now saying, ‘Wait, maybe the church does have something to say to the modern world,’” he said.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

With no candidate taking an outright majority of the vote, the election will head to a second round in June.

But Cepeda and Petro sowed doubt in the results of the first round, claiming without evidence that hundreds of thousands of votes were manipulated and that foreign actors manipulated the results of the election.

Cepeda said he was waiting for electoral authorities to scrutinize the results before accepting the election.

“Only when the vote-counting commissions have fully clarified what happened will we comment on tonight’s results,” Cepeda said, though he acknowledged the vote was likely going to a second round.

Cepeda won 41% of the vote, while de la Espriella won 44% of the votes, with 99.98% of the results counted by electoral authorities.

Cepeda is a progressive senator who has promised to carry on a fraught plan to achieve “total peace" by negotiating peace pacts with guerrillas and criminal gangs. He was consistently leading polls in the run up to the Sunday vote, but in the weeks leading up to the election de la Espriella rapidly gained support with a promise that he would crack down on armed groups.

The neck-and-neck results likely spell trouble for Cepeda in the run-off election, as de la Espriella is expected to scoop up support from voters who threw their support behind another conservative candidate in the first round.

De la Espriella — a newcomer known as El Tigre, or “The Tiger” — has sought to portray himself as a supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“Let the United States of America and democratic parties monitor this runoff election. I will lead this battle; I will be Colombia’s best warrior," de la Espriella said in an impassioned speech Sunday night, pounding his chest behind bullet-proof glass in front of supporters.

Colombian voters are weighing peace deals or a crackdown

Voters across Latin America are increasingly ditching leaders that pitched progressive policies aimed at addressing the root issues of conflict, such as lack of opportunities for young people and corruption. Instead, voters have increasingly turned to candidates promising heavy-handed security crackdowns.

The polarized vote comes as the Trump administration is playing a more aggressive role in Latin America than any U.S. government in decades, placing mounting pressure on countries like Colombia, Mexico, and Ecuador to crack down on crime.

The election has also underscored two sharply diverging visions for the future of peace in a country marked by years of conflict.

On one side, Cepeda has promised to continue Petro’s progressive agenda and a largely failed effort to negotiate peace pacts with armed groups, following a plan that’s likely to sharply contrast with Trump’s vision for Latin America.

On the other side, de la Espriella has promised to fiercely crack down on criminal groups and build 10 mega-prisons, echoing the war on gangs policy of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, which has driven down homicide rates but fueled accusations of human rights abuses.

“Today’s election isn’t just important for us, it’s important for all of Latin America,” said Juan Acevedo, a 62-year-old sociologist walking out of a voting station in Colombia’s capital on Sunday morning. “Whoever wins here will suggest to the region if progressive policies will continue or if things are going to return to the right.”

Vote is seen as a referendum on Petro

The election — 10 years after Colombia signed an historic peace pact with guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC — as seen as a referendum on Petro’s policies.

The deal a decade ago had offered hope to break the nation’s vicious cycle of fighting between rebel groups and the government. But violence has since roared back, in part because armed groups have taken advantage of peace negotiations with Petro's government to make territorial gains.

That came to a head in the lead-up to the election. Criminal groups have increasingly launched drone strikes, armed attacks have plagued the race and last June, 39-year-old politician and presidential hopeful Miguel Uribe Turbay was fatally shot at a political rally. Still, Cepeda and Petro have maintained strong support among many because of progressive policies pushed forward under Petro, such as boosting the minimum wage.

Both de la Espriella and Valencia have touted their affinity for Trump, though Valencia’s electoral loss dealt another blow to a once powerful political current known as Uribismo.

Colombians are divided on the way forward

Maria Eugenia, a 57-year-old seamstress on Friday in downtown Bogotá, Colombia's capital, said she welcomed an all-out offensive on an expanding slate of criminal groups, regardless of the human cost.

While she approved of Petro’s pushes to improve the country's medical infrastructure, she said she was voting for de la Espriella because violence in rural areas of the country has gotten out of hand. She said negotiating peace pacts was effectively rewarding armed groups.

“Of course, whenever you come down with a heavy hand, there’s always going to be debate,” she said. “But some people are going to have to fall to clean up what needs to be cleaned up.”

Others, like Acevedo, the sociologist, said a security crackdown such as the one promoted by de la Espriella meant a return to past military campaigns that he said only reinforced Colombia's cycle of violence.

He said he supports Cepeda, adding that while the government hasn't done a perfect job — failing to pass ambitious reforms and follow through on promises to reduce violence — it was better to continue pushing forward with their political coalition's efforts to take a different approach in addressing the country's violence.

He added that his main critique of Petro's administration was the power grabs made by criminal groups as they negotiated with the government. He said he hoped that if Cepeda won, he would strike a better balance between negotiating peace and maintaining control over those groups.

“We're a country that has lived through 60 years of conflict,” Acevedo said. “The danger here is that we return to the times where everyone is saying that the only way to solve our problems is with bullets and more war.”

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

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This story was first published on May 31, 2026. It was updated on Jun. 2, 2026 to correct the first name of the candidate to Abelardo instead of Aberaldo.

Youmans brings more than 16 years of experience to the position and holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from North Greenville University and a master’s degree in social work from Howard University.

Previously, Youmans served as county administrator in Hampton County, where he is credited with leading a financial stabilization effort that significantly improved the general fund’s budgetary balance. Officials said he also helped advance strategic goals into 33 adopted objectives.

In Roanoke, Youmans will work alongside Assistant City Manager Angie O’Brien to support City Manager Valmarie Turner. He will oversee operational departments, including public works and general services.

Through their own determination and courage, and with family support, Yousufi and others like Mona Amini had been able to study, to play soccer for clubs and for the Afghanistan women’s team. But when the Taliban returned to power in 2021 it shut down all women’s sports, and the players of the Afghan team went into hiding.

After a frantic evacation, 13 of the players settled in Australia where for five years they lived, played and trained in the hope of once again being allowed to represent their country.

The Afghanistan soccer federation doesn’t recognize the women’s team. But in April, soccer’s world governing body granted the Afghan women’s team eligibility for international competition.

This week, 23 members of the Afghan Women United program are in a training camp in Auckland, New Zealand and will play games against a team from the Cook Islands.

“It was a special day that we heard that Afghanistan can represent again our flag in international tournaments," Amini, a midfielder, told The Associated Press in a Zoom call Tuesday. “This is the result of hard work that we did in the past four or five years.”

Seven months ago, the Afghan women played in the so-called “Unite” tournament in which they achieved a win over Libya.

“It was a very special moment because we played in an international friendly tournament, and after three years we heard our anthem,” Amini said. “That was amazing for me.”

A better future

FIFA’s subsequent recognition was another important milestone on a long and perilous journey.

Yousufi, a Melbourne-based goalkeeper, remembers her reaction vividly.

“We’re going to have the national team! That’s the greatest thing ever that could have happened to the team," she said. “It was super important to us, especially thinking of the time when we arrived in Australia and we had lost everything: family, our childhood memories and that national team.”

Yousufi said she left home with one backpack, “to be safe and to continue to be alive.”

“When we came here the most important part of our life was to be a soccer player and to be a soccer team,” she said. "When we we saw we could not be (officially) a national team and we could not represent our country ... it was like I lost the game.”

While many ended up in Australia, there are Afghan players spread across Europe and some in the United States. Coach Pauline Hamill holds talent identification camps and helps pull the squad together for games.

Memories of their darkest days remain a strong part of the team’s motivation to succeed, and to represent women and girls still in their homeland. The Afghan women’s team played its last official competitive match in 2018.

“We couldn’t play freely in Afghanistan," Amini said. “Going out from home was tough because there was the risk of the Taliban seeing us and finding that we were playing soccer. "It was a very tough time and I’m pretty sure every one of the girls, every single one of us, fought hard to create this team and we are very happy right now to stay with each other.”

A student and an athlete

Yousufi was a student and a soccer player, and she said it was difficult even before the Taliban returned to power “for a girl to play football in Afghanistan with such difficulties as family barriers and difficulties of the society to accept a woman in sport.”

“We were thinking of any other outcomes like the danger we were facing, everyday dangers in Afghanistan like bomb explosions. Considering all those things — and it was the same for the other girls — we took all those risks to be part of the national team and to be a football player.”

Then life became even more difficult.

“The only thing humans want is freedom, and the Taliban took our freedom,” Amini said. “It is really difficult that you cannot educate, you cannot play sport, you cannot go outside or you cannot do what you love ... (or) follow your dreams.”

Role models

Amini said the refugee players now were determined to represent all women and girls in Afghanistan.

“We are here and we are going to be trying our best to do something for them, to be the voice of them so that we could have a new generation for the future for the Afghanistan women’s national team,” she said.

Yousufi said she was among a group of players “adopted by the Australian government,” and “we’re now living our life and continuing our journey with football, with our education and also being a voice for all those girls who are in Afghanistan.”

“Our team might be the one to change the way the people think and also the way that things are happening towards the girls and women in Afghanistan," she said. “We're all trying our best show that women and girls can be part of the society and can be someone who is in education or in sport, that women also have the right to do that.”

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

“We want to be aggressive off the ice,” the GM said. “When you have a chance to add really high-end players, we never want to miss out on it.”

While the Golden Knights under Kelly McCrimmon have deservedly earned their reputation for going after every high-end player available, that sentiment came from Carolina's Eric Tulsky, whose team has generally been considered far more selective.

The Hurricanes have taken bigger leaps since Tulsky took over two years ago, but his challenge has been finding particular players who fit coach Rod Brind'Amour's demanding style. The Golden Knights have added one big star after another, in the name of trying to win it all for a second time in less than a decade of existence.

One approach will end with hoisting the Cup.

“It probably should be more fun than we appreciate in the moment,” McCrimmon said. “We have made a lot of big decisions over our time in the league — very bold. I always say that to be big or bold is one thing. You’ve got to make good decisions, and I think that we’ve collectively through our hockey ops have done a good job of that. It’s exhilarating to win.”

Building the Hurricanes

Six Carolina players were drafted and developed, including No. 1 defenseman Jaccob Slavin, top-line forwards Seth Jarvis, Sebastien Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, and young building-block winger Jackson Blake.

Starting goaltender Frederik Andersen was a free-agent signing, and second-liners Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven were acquired in trades. Tulsky, a Harvard graduate with a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley, worked under previous GM Don Waddell and pieced the rest of the puzzle together himself.

McCrimmon pointed to Waddell as a positive influence and complimented his counterpart for smart draft picks and trades.

“They’ve consistently been building their team, and they’ve done it different ways,” McCrimmon said. “Looking at it from the outside, they’ve been aggressive in their way of doing that. They have an idea what they want it to look like, the type of players that their organization will make good use of and they go out and get those guys.”

Sometimes those guys do not fit. One of the big gambles Tulsky made came in January 2025 when he gave up young forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury in a three-way trade that landed the Hurricanes big winger Mikko Rantanen and veteran Taylor Hall.

Rantanen was not interested in re-signing, so Tulsky explored options and flipped him to Dallas for young Logan Stankoven and picks.

“Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’ve got to be ready to figure out how you’re going to move forward from there,” Tulsky said. “One of the strengths of our organization is we’re not afraid to take those swings, but we’re confident that if we just keep staying aggressive, some will work out, some won’t (and) we’ll end up ahead of where we would be if we just stayed passive the whole time.”

Stankoven, free-agent signing Nikolaj Ehlers and other additions like Eric Robinson and Mark Jankowski have fit Brind'Amour's mold like a glove. Tulsky was a hockey blogger before moving into management and he thinks analytically but also credits his staff for talent evaluation to play for this coach.

“We’ve really focused on finding people who fit the way we want to play,” Tulsky said. “We ask players to play a very distinctive style, and our scouts have done a great job finding players who can come in and look their best playing the way Rod needs them to play.”

Building the Golden Knights

From the start, Vegas was built to win. Original GM George McPhee aced the expansion draft, from picking players from the other 30 teams in the league to making side deals that brought even more talent into the fold.

The initial bunch delivered an unexpected trip to the final during the club's inaugural season in 2017-18, with goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury the backbone of a group that included forwards William Karlsson and Reilly Smith and defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb. Karlsson, Theodore and McNabb have been around the entire time, and Smith returned after a brief absence.

Along the way, McPhee and McCrimmon never shied away from making big moves. They made trades for Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin, signed Alex Pietrangelo and made a sign-and-trade for Mitch Marner.

“We appreciate how George and Kelly operate,” McNabb said. “They’re always trying to build a winning team, and they’ve done a great job for the nine years.”

The Golden Knights have made the playoffs in eight of them, won the Cup in 2023 and consistently been championship contenders.

"It’s a privilege," McCrimmon said. "We don’t take it for granted. We work real hard. You have to get lucky along the way at times, also. That’s kind of been our objective right from the opening season."

McNabb said McCrimmon is doing his job. There are no complaints from players about Vegas going big-game shopping all the time.

“I don’t know if he’s in on every player, but he’s trying to make the team better and that’s what you want and you appreciate,” McNabb said. “You want to be on a team that’s trying to get better and have the best team going into playoffs and performing in playoffs.”

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

After drawing outcry in Congress and the courts, however, the White House is reconsidering the fund. That potentially means the suit — and the possibility that the president could still cash in — might be back on.

Trump hasn’t been shy about turning the presidency into a major source of personal benefit, involving everything from merchandising deals to crypto ventures to high-dollar political and official events at his properties.

Asked about possible self-dealing by the president, the White House called such suggestions “the same, tired narrative that Democrats have pushed against President Trump, his family, and his administration for a decade.”

"President Trump only acts in the best interests of the American public — which is why they overwhelmingly re-elected him to this office, despite years of lies and false accusations against him and his businesses from the fake news media," spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. “There are no conflicts of interest.”

Here are some key ways Trump has reaped rewards for himself, his children and allies in his second term:

Suing his government and deals favoring his family

Last year, the president submitted a claim seeking $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for a FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House.

In January this year, Trump, his two eldest sons and the family's business, the Trump Organization, filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department after a former IRS contractor illegally leaked Trump's tax returns.

In an attempt to resolve those cases, Trump's government agreed that $1.776 billion in taxpayer funds be distributed to people who believe they were targeted by past administrations for prosecution for political purposes — including the Trump supporters imprisoned for attacking police while overrunning the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

After blowback from even some congressional Republicans, the Justice Department now says it will comply with a ruling temporarily blocking the fund.

But there was less clamor about another part of the deal allowing the government to drop pending IRS audits into Trump and his relatives.

Separately, the Air Force has agreed to purchase interceptor drones from Powerus, a Florida-based company linked to Trump’s family. And ProPublica reported that direct intervention from the White House preceded the Pentagon agreeing to loan $620 million to Vulcan Elements, a North Carolina startup linked to Donald Trump Jr.

Trump Organization spokesperson Kimberly Benza denied any ethical conflicts between the White House and the family business.

“The Trump Organization operates completely separate from the presidency and is in full compliance with all ethics and conflict-of-interest laws,” Benza said in a statement.

As for Powerus, Benza said Eric Trump was “a passive investor in a vehicle that, among many others, holds an interest” in the company, but wasn't involved in its decision-making or management.

Trading in financial markets he can help move

Trump has traded stocks and bonds in unprecedented ways for a sitting U.S. president.

Office of Government Ethics filings show Trump made more than 3,600 stock trades in the first quarter of 2026 alone — transactions far exceeding $100 million in value.

Many of those trades involved sizable purchases of shares of technology and artificial intelligence giants like Nvidia, Dell, Oracle and Palantir before Trump's administration took policy actions favoring those firms.

Similar disclosures last year show that Trump bought up more than $300 million in bonds issued by companies, states and municipalities even as he repeatedly pressed the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates — a move that could help drive up the value of his holdings.

Crypto ventures

Trump's family has raked in big profits in the crypto sector since he was reelected. A key driver has been the $TRUMP meme coin, announced the day before Trump took office. Some 220 of the top investors were invited to a subsequent, private reception with the president.

Trump's family also has a controlling stake in World Liberty Financial, a crypto firm co-founded with the president's special envoy Steve Witkoff and run by his son Zach. It has its own stablecoin, USD1, and got a major boost when, just before Trump took office, an investment fund linked to the United Arab Emirates bought a large stake in it.

An Abu Dhabi state-backed investment firm, MGX, subsequently pledged to use $2 billion worth of USD1 to purchase a stake in Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange — a move that further bolstered World Liberty Financial.

Trump-branded bonanza

Beyond the digital realm, scores of companies pay to license the president's name for physical products, from Bibles, guitars and sneakers to watches, fragrances and a gold-hued cellphone.

Trump has promoted many such goods on social media, particularly during his 2024 campaign, but they've also made conspicuous appearances at the White House.

When French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited last summer, Trump showed them a merchandise room off the Oval Office stocked with goods for sale on his website. A few months later, video emerged of Trump at the White House spraying Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa with bottles of his “Victory 47” cologne and perfume, which he gave him as a gift.

The president displayed hats emblazoned with “Trump 2028” on the Resolute Desk while meeting with congressional Democrats last year. And, during a televised Cabinet meeting in May, at every seat was a red hat commemorating America's 250th anniversary.

Each hat sells for $55 on Trump's website.

Paydays for the president's properties

The Republican National Committee and various political groups associated with Trump and the GOP have held fundraisers and political events at Mar-a-Lago, as well as Trump's estate in Bedminster, New Jersey, and his golf clubs in Doral, Florida, and Sterling, Virginia.

The LIV Golf league, controlled by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, which is helmed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has held events at Doral. Trump will host the G20 summit there in November.

That means world leaders, support staff, business executives, journalists and the bevies of others involved will be paying the Trump Organization, which purchased Doral in 2012, to attend. The president has already tried to head off criticism of self-dealing around the summit, saying that government attendees will be billed “at-cost" and “We will not make any money on it."

Meanwhile, conservative groups and Republican committees have spent at least $26 million at Trump properties since 2015. The actual figure is likely higher since some groups don’t have to detail their spending.

Renovation and construction projects

Qatar gave Trump a $400 million jet that he intends to employ as Air Force One, then store at his presidential library after he leaves office. The gift has undergone extensive taxpayer-funded rebuilding and security upgrades that lawmakers estimate may exceed $1 billion.

Trump has also ordered up scores of renovation projects meant to leave his mark on Washington while passing on the costs to taxpayers.

He long insisted that wealthy donors would pay for the $400 million ballroom he demolished the White House's East Wing to build — only to seek $1 billion in federal funding for security upgrades he says the military and Secret Service have sought as part of the project.

At least $15 million in public funds is going for the ceremonial arch Trump wants built at an entrance to the nation’s capital. The National Park Service is also paying a contractor $13.1 million to carry out the Trump-directed renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Jing Sheng Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, initially was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after the crash early Friday morning on Interstate 95. On Monday, a grand jury indicted him on three additional charges of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving, according to a statement from the Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

Authorities said Dong was driving a motorcoach from New York to North Carolina when he struck a line of vehicles that had slowed down in a work zone. A family of four from Greenfield, Massachusetts, on their way to a wedding were killed, as was a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts.

Dong, who remained hospitalized Monday, previously was accused of speeding in Colonial Heights, Virginia, in November 2024 and in Annapolis, Maryland, in March, according to online court records. In the latter case, he is accused of driving a motorcoach 72 mph (116 kph) in a 50 mph (80 kph) zone.

In the Virginia case, Dong was convicted of driving 73 mph (117 kph) in a 55 mph (89 kph) zone and paid $219 in fines and court costs. He also has a pending case in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, where he was accused of trespassing in July.

The bus involved in Friday’s crash was operated by E&P Travel Inc., based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, a board member said.

Court documents related to the bus crash do not list an attorney for Dong. Neither the attorney representing him in the trespassing case nor the lawyer representing him in Maryland responded to emails seeking comment Monday.

Prosecutor Eric Olsen said Dong will be transported to jail upon his release from the hospital.

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Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire.

Hidden Valley girls soccer took down Abingdon 6-2 while Cave Spring defeated William Byrd 8-0. Blacksburg boys soccer battled Jefferson Forest and it was the Bruins who came out on top in overtime, 2-1.

For Hidden Valley, the Titans found themselves down 2-1 before rattling off four goals to take control of the game and advance to the 3D championship.

They’ll face Cave Spring, who kept their unbeaten season alive with a shutout of William Byrd. Cave Spring’s win has them back in the region final and thus, the state tournament for the third year in a row.

Hidden Valley and Cave Spring will duke it out for the 3D championship on Thursday at 6 p.m.

In Blacksburg, a battle between two unbeaten squads in the Bruins and Jefferson Forest came down to the wire in overtime, but the Bruins scored the golden goal to advance.

Jefferson Forest pulled ahead in the remaining minutes of the first half, but Blacksburg scored in the 2nd half to tie the game and ultimately give them the chance to win in overtime.

The Bruins set themselves up with a chance at a Region 4D championship when they take on Charlottesville on Wednesday.

Auburn softball and baseball both won by the same score - 12-0 - advancing to the Region 1C championship game.

Eagles softball mashed their way to the win, putting three balls over the fence in the first three innings of their game against Grayson County, including two home runs in the first inning.

The Eagles advance to take on George Wythe softball on Wednesday at 5 p.m. for a chance at the Region championship.

Just steps away on the baseball diamond, Auburn baseball put on a run-scoring clinic as well, beating Giles 12-0. The Eagles ability to put the ball in play made the difference, and their offensive pressure caused Giles to mismanage a few runs in Auburns favor.

The Eagles will take on Fort Chiswell on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Hidden Valley baseball put up 16 runs in a dominating performance against Northside, as the Titans came out on top 16-3. They scored double digits before Northside got on the scoreboard.

The Titans will battle Abingdon for the 3D championship on Thursday at 6 p.m.

As of Tuesday, June 2, the Virginia average for regular gas is $4.130, according to AAA. Premium averages $5.001 per gallon, while diesel averages $5.287 per gallon.

In Roanoke, gas prices are starting to dip and have fallen 18.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.04 per gallon, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 155 stations in the area. That’s 2.8 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and about $1.15 per gallon higher than a year ago.

Comparatively, prices across the country continue to decrease as well, with the national average price of diesel about 15.5 cents less than it was a week ago at $5.437 per gallon. The national average price of gas has fallen approximately 19.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging about $4.29. While the national average is down, it’s still $1.18 per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

Taking a closer look at our region, here’s a look at the average price of gas for localities in our area:

• Roanoke:
• • Regular: $4.046
  • Mid: $4.526
  • Premium: $4.899
  • Diesel: $5.296
• Lynchburg:
• • Regular: $4.047
  • Mid: $4.544
  • Premium: $4.939
  • Diesel: $5.302
• Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford (New River Valley area)
• • Regular: $4.116
  • Mid: $4.564
  • Premium: $5
  • Diesel: $5.258

GasBuddy reports that the cheapest station in Roanoke was priced at $3.71 per gallon, while the most expensive was $5.59. Statewide, the lowest price was $3.29, while the highest was $5.59 per gallon.

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.

Since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint war against Iran on Feb. 28, the cost of crude oil, the main ingredient in gasoline, has spiked and swung rapidly. That’s because the conflict has caused deep supply chain disruptions and cuts from major oil producers across the Middle East.

Jacob Baker, 36, who is charged with murder in the deaths of two 69-year-old men and one 79-year-old man, appeared in court Monday where a judge granted a defense request for Baker to undergo a mental fitness examination.

According to a criminal complaint, the killings were of “exceptional depravity.”

Robert Shine, 69, was found dead last week submerged in a cement pond, according to police. The body of a 79-year-old man was discovered a day later a few hundred feet away.

And later that day, police found 69-year-old John Carse dead at a property 19 miles (31 kilometers) from where the other two bodies were located.

Police hadn't released the name of the 79-year-old man, but prosecutors identified him in the criminal complaint as Frederick Morse. Friends said they knew him as “Chitta.”

If convicted and if a jury agrees that Baker knew the victims were older men, or that the killings were especially heinous, he would face a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility for parole. Without the enhancement, parole would be possible.

Police apprehended Baker last week, following a manhunt of the vast island, where the three victims were found in the remote and mostly rural Puna community known for its jungle-like landscape and free-spirited residents.

The killings left residents on edge in the community set amid lush jungle and barren lava fields where people seeking to live off-grid commonly trade work for lodging.

Disturbing details of the investigation are detailed in a probable cause document, including that Morse was found dead in his bed with several severed fingers. Shine was found with fractured ribs and other injuries and had been strangled before he was put in a concrete fishpond, where he was found face-down in water. Carse was found face-down in dirt under corrugated roofing material and an autopsy found cuts to his face, severed neck muscles, a broken jaw and other injuries, the document said.

A woman told police she had driven Baker to a store in Hilo, east Hawaii's biggest town, before the men were found, and while driving back, he showed her a newly purchased knife and said he would “shank all the rapists in Pahoa and anyone who messed with him,” according to the document. Baker "reportedly spoke about the island being full of rapists and pedophiles and stated that he wanted to ‘chop them up with machetes.’”

She described him as erratic, aggressive and hyperverbal, police said, and that he referred to himself using the Spanish word for hitman. Police said they determined he also purchased two brass knuckles.

She then took him to a tattoo shop, where police said Baker got a tattoo under his left eye.

Baker is ordered held without bail. A report on his mental fitness examination is due Aug 4. A court hearing is scheduled Aug. 11.

A two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, the 37-year-old deGrom (4-4) allowed four hits and struck out eight in his fourth attempt at the milestone victory. The right-hander went 1-3 with a 5.72 ERA in five May starts and has not won this season when allowing multiple runs.

Jacob Latz pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save to help the Rangers win their fourth straight game.

Michael McGreevy (3-5) gave up two runs on five hits and two walks in six innings after yielding eight runs in nine innings over his previous two starts.

Masyn Winn lined his second home run of the season down the left-field line off reliever Peyton Gray to cut Texas’ lead to 2-1 in the sixth.

Joc Pederson hit an RBI single up the middle to drive in Danny Jansen after Jansen walked, stole second base and advanced to third on Nicky Lopez's single in the fifth to make it 2-0.

Duran lined an RBI double to the left-field wall to drive in Brandon Nimmo and give Texas a 1-0 advantage in the fourth.

Up next

Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (5-6, 3.93 ERA) will face Cardinals RHP Dustin May (3-6, 4.57) in the middle game of the series Tuesday night.

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

The jury returned the verdict for Chikei Rick Chow. Chow, 61, who is Asian, shot Cyrus Carmack-Belton in the back after chasing him from his convenience store in Columbia. He maintained he acted to defend his son.

The killing sent waves of anguish and grief through the African American community in Richland County, where nearly half the population is Black.

After the verdict was read, sobs and cries of distress could be heard coming from Carmack-Belton’s family seated in the gallery. Chow sat silently frozen before slowly bowing his head onto his interlocked hands.

Defense lawyer Jack Swerling said they're very pleased with the verdict but also feel for Carmack-Belton's family.

“My heart goes out to them, but 14-year-old kid should not be roaming the streets of Columbia or South Carolina with semiautomatic pistol loaded and ready to fire,” he said.

Todd Rutherford, an attorney and representative in the South Carolina Legislature, stood next to Carmack-Belton’s father as he told reporters that they don't agree with the verdict.

“This makes us feel as if our children don't matter and they do,” he said. "This makes us feel like Cyrus' life didn't matter and it did."

Rutherford announced they will pursue a civil lawsuit.

“I've been practicing law for almost 30 years. I've never seen anything like this. I don't understand it,” he said.

Prosecutors and a defense lawyer in closing arguments painted different pictures of the 2023 shooting. Prosecutors said Chow acted in anger because he wrongly thought the teen had stolen four bottles of water from the store. A defense lawyer said Chow fired to defend his son only after the teen pointed a gun at him.

“This case is not about a shoplifter. This case is about a father who sees a gun pointed at his son and had to make a decision,” defense attorney Shaun Kent told jurors during closing arguments, noting that Andy Chow testified Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at him.

Prosecutors acknowledged Carmack-Belton had a semiautomatic pistol, but they say it fell on the ground during the chase, and he never threatened anyone with it. Prosecutors said Chow chased the teen more than 130 yards (119 meters) from the store.

Gipson told jurors that Chow “chased a kid down, shot him in the back.”

During closing arguments, Gipson placed a bottle of water before jurors. Gipson said Chow “at the end of the day, believed that a human is not more than that.”

Gipson said multiple witnesses testified that they didn’t see anything in Carmack-Belton’s hands and didn’t see him point a gun as he ran from the store.

“Nobody testified that happened that doesn’t have the last name Chow,” Gipson said.

The fatal shooting prompted vigils and protests outside the store. Empty water bottles were arranged to spell out “Cyrus” at one 2023 vigil.

“I am Lady Sarsaparilla Ovabyte, of the Coventry Ovabytes,” she said. “We are purveyors of fine cordials.”

Her companion peered through glasses made from fused-together forks.

“Captain Bob McSpoon, inventrepreneur,” he said.

On a Victorian-era street in rural Ōamaru, New Zealand, Ovabyte and McSpoon, who usually go by Juliet and Greg Thorn, weren’t the only ones wearing goggles or forks, or emitting steam. They were in the small town to attend the annual steampunk festival, a four-day love letter to being as odd as possible, which draws thousands of visitors from around the country and abroad.

Steampunk fuses Victorian aesthetics and mechanics with a science fiction twist to create a parallel universe imagining what the age of steam might have produced if it had continued to the present day. The genre is limited only by imagination, and the weirder the better.

Steampunks pride themselves on a knack for recycling and DIY, honing skills in sewing, metalworking, hat-trimming and steam mechanics as they dream up fantastical personas with outfits to match. During the year, attendees are bricklayers, engineers, artists and farmers, with many describing themselves as normally shy or reserved. But they had come to the festival to be seen.

“The first time you dress up and go out in public is really scary and then people get such a buzz out of it,” Juliet Thorn said. “It’s so cool that you take on a different personality.”

Teapot racing and parasol dueling are steampunk sports

In its 17th year, whole traditions and sporting codes have sprung up around the steampunk festival, which is among the world’s best-known.

Hundreds crowded into upstairs rooms and old community halls for steampunk-themed contests. They raced to dunk cookies in cups of tea and cram the soggy results into their mouths before their competitors. A parasol-dueling contest looked like competitive vogueing judged on speed and style.

Michele Cotten won a fashion show displaying wild and upcycled outfits that participants spent months finessing. Cotten fused steampunk with the Star Trek universe to create a hooped dress made in the style of a navy Starfleet uniform. It was rigged with Christmas lights to evoke a galaxy and Cotten, a crowd favorite, strutted and posed to whoops from onlookers.

Then there was the teapot racing, in which competitors sent remote-controlled vehicles mounted with teapots around a fiendish obstacle course to the gasps and groans of a watching crowd.

“If you go out of bounds, that’s a disqualification,” said Ross McKay, one of the sport’s creators, who dreamed it up with his late wife and a friend. He has since introduced teapot racing to other steampunk events worldwide.

“It’s lots of fun and the judges will take bribes,” he added.

When McKay’s wife showed him pictures of steampunks, he recalled thinking, “What a bunch of weirdos," but the self-confessed “history geek and science fiction nerd” found plenty to love about the genre. The retired banker was soon enrolled in night classes for sewing.

Now he is Captain Roscoe Dangerfield, Inspector of Nuisances to Her Majesty Queen Victoria III, which combines the historical element of a real Victorian job with the fiction of a monarch who never lived.

The steampunk community had become his tribe, he said.

Small town is an unlikely steampunk capital

Ōamaru is the placid home to 14,000 people and 3,000 endangered native penguins, the latter of which live at the far end of town in a colony so pungent it can be smelled from the hill above. The town on New Zealand’s South Island doesn’t feature the sweeping vistas popularized by the Lord of the Rings films, which bring tourists to nearby regions, and for years was mostly seen as a stopping point between the cities of Christchurch and Dunedin.

An architectural quirk has put Ōamaru on the map as what locals call the steampunk capital of the world. The town features a completely preserved Victorian street by the harbor, a legacy from the 19th century days when Ōamaru was a commercial and mercantile powerhouse as a departure point for meat, wool and grain exports from New Zealand to Britain.

The cream-colored stone buildings now form the backdrop for the festival's steampunk adventures. Later in the year the town also hosts a Victorian festival celebrating a historically accurate version of the era, with the events coexisting peacefully after the steampunks and Victorians decided the town was big enough for everyone.

Anything goes in a no-rules genre

Steampunk, a term coined in the 1980s, gives participants an opportunity to rewrite Victorian-era social conventions on the basis that if you are flying on a magic carpet or traveling through time, it doesn’t matter if you make the rest up.

“We’re an equal opportunity society,” said Iain Clark, who co-founded the festival and is widely known in the community as Agent Darling. “Women, unlike in Victorian times, can be anything. We have female engineers, captains of industry, captains of airships, adventurers, explorers, scientists.”

Sometimes all in the same week. Bringing a different outfit for each day of the event is common and fitting rooms at the festival’s headquarters allow for quick changes, with nothing strange enough to raise eyebrows.

In the street, a Star Wars trooper trudged past, followed by a pack of wolves. A French tourist nervously adjusting his crocheted and leather gloves was introduced to steampunk only three days earlier and immediately fell in love with the genre.

“You can be creative and you can be somebody else and no one cares,” said John Syben, who was attending his fourth festival.

His partner, Chris Sinclair, said the pair previously had been “far too tame, so we’ve gotten more and more outrageous every year.”

“There’s always someone who’s more nuts than you," she said.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner tossed five scoreless innings to earn his 100th career win as the Texas Rangers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Monday night.

“It’s really cool,” deGrom said. “As a kid, your goal is to just play major league baseball and for it to become a reality and win 100 games in the major leagues, it’s kind of crazy to think about. Today was Nolan’s third birthday, so I’ll always remember that being my 100th night on his third birthday.”

The right-hander notched his 99th victory May 10 when he threw seven scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs.

In his first three attempts at reaching the century mark, the 37-year-old deGrom (4-4) went 0-2 while allowing 12 runs over 15 innings. He finished 1-3 with a 5.72 ERA in five May starts, but Monday night was different after the calendar flipped to June. He yielded just four hits and struck out eight to help the Rangers win their fourth straight game.

“I was trying not to do too much,” deGrom said. “Having the meeting, talking to (catcher) Danny (Jansen) I was like, `Hey, tonight we’re hitting the glove as many times as we can. Mechanics are what they are. We’re throwing everything else out the window. We’re going back to how I used to pitch.'"

Selected in the ninth round of the 2010 amateur draft, deGrom debuted for the New York Mets in 2014 and was the NL Rookie of the Year.

Despite going 100-69 with a 2.61 ERA in 260 career starts, deGrom has only made 30 starts five times in his first 12 big league seasons, and 2025 was his first time making 30 starts since 2019.

“He’s never really felt 100%,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “I’ve said it before, he should be a Hall of Famer. I think he’s going to be a Hall of Famer. That’s how dominant he’s been throughout his career, and he’s still got a couple of years left in him, too.”

DeGrom is the 16th active pitcher to reach 100 career wins after Texas teammate Nathan Eovaldi became the 15th on July 30, 2025, against the Los Angeles Angels.

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

The end of the voting period, which began in early May, concludes a chaotic contest without a clear front-runner. Candidates tried to elbow each other out in the final stretch as each sought to convince voters that they were best prepared to lead the most populous state and one of the world's largest economies.

California puts all candidates on a single primary ballot regardless of party, and the top two finishers advance to the November general election. About 60 candidates were on the ballot, most of them largely unknown to the state’s roughly 23 million voters.

On the Democratic side, top contenders include Xavier Becerra, a former state attorney general and U.S. health secretary; Tom Steyer, a billionaire climate activist; Katie Porter, a former member of Congress; and Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose.

The two most prominent Republicans are conservative commentator Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

The Democrats campaigned on fighting Trump administration attacks on the state’s liberal policies, while Republicans vowed to bring change after more than 15 years of Democratic leadership in Sacramento. But the through line of the race was how to tackle the state's notoriously high cost of living.

Drivers were paying $6.08 per gallon at the pump as of the end of May, $1.65 higher than the national average, according to AAA. Meanwhile the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office has estimated that the typical home is about $775,000, more than double the national average. And Californians pay the second-highest residential electricity rates behind Hawaii, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Some candidates proposed suspending the state’s gas taxes, which total roughly 70 cents a gallon, while others floated subsidizing in-state tuition at public colleges. A few of the Democrats said they would eliminate private health insurance in favor of a government-run system with no premiums, while the Republicans vowed to increase oil and gas production and reduce regulations.

“The truth is that we’ve gone off track — we’ve got one-party rule,” Hilton said at a debate in May. “The results have been such a disappointment. It is time for some balance.”

Primary system creates uncertainty

Earlier in the race, Democrats worried about possibly being locked out of the general election even though they count 45% of the state's registered voters compared to Republicans' 25%.

The concern was that their relatively crowded field of candidates could split the Democratic vote enough for the two Republicans to advance under the single primary system, which was first used at the statewide level in 2014.

Two candidates from the same party have never made the general election in a California governor's race, though it happened twice for U.S. Senate elections in 2016 and 2018.

Recent developments, however, have diminished Democrats’ fears as a few candidates emerged as leading contenders. In the race's final days it was Hilton warning that Republicans could be locked out if they failed to coalesce behind him.

Candidates squabbled over their records

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell’s resignation and withdrawal from the race after sexual assault allegations were made against him left an opening for Becerra, who previously had struggled to gain traction.

Highlighting his long political resume, Becerra started raising more money and won the endorsements of powerful labor groups and Latino legislative leaders.

But that momentum also made him a target, and his rivals criticized his leadership as health secretary including his handling of an influx of unaccompanied migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021, when Becerra's Department of Health and Human Services was responsible for shelters where they were housed. Some of them were criticized as having inadequate living conditions, and there were also concerns about authorities failing to thoroughly vet sponsors with whom some children were placed.

“The secretary has never met a crisis that he couldn't ignore,” Mahan said at a debate in April.

Steyer's campaign spent or booked more than $203 million in ads for broadcast TV, cable and radio, according to tracker AdImpact. On the campaign trail, he was attacked over past investments in fossil fuels and private prisons at a hedge-fund he founded in the 1980s and left more than a decade ago. And some accused him of trying to buy the election.

“This race will come down to those who’ve earned it versus those who are trying to buy it,” Becerra told CNN in April.

Republicans, for their part, never coalesced behind a strategy to send both Hilton and Bianco to the general election, and the two fought to consolidate support. President Donald Trump’s endorsement in April of Hilton, a former political adviser to a conservative British prime minister, likely boosted him among GOP voters and diminished Bianco's chances of advancing.

Trump on Monday evening again urged people to vote for Hilton, saying Democrats have done an “absolutely horrendous job” running the state.

“Steve can turn it around, before it is too late, and, as President, I will help him to do so!” Trump posted on his social media platform.

A final result could take a while

All California voters receive a mail ballot, and election officials count those that are received up to a week after Election Day so long as they are postmarked by then. That often results in a drawn-out count, with no winners declared until days or even weeks later.

It is the first time in over two decades that there has not been a political superstar in the governor’s race. In 2003, A-list actor and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger rocketed into office in a recall election that ousted then-Gov. Gray Davis; in 2010, former Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown cemented a political comeback by winning nearly three decades after his first two terms; and in 2018, Newsom had already established a national profile after stints as lieutenant governor and San Francisco mayor and won easily.

The setup today does bring a few showers and storms to the Southeast, some that could be strong to severe. We will stay dry for the most part, but can’t rule out an isolated shower or storm for the Highlands Zone this afternoon.

Futurecast shows the front that will move through the area today and bring a bit of cloud cover to the region, with isolated instances of precipitation in the mountains. The bulk of the rainfall will stay well to the south of us today.

Today and tomorrow will be the best chances for rainfall throughout the week, with high pressure taking over for the latter half of the week as high temperatures remain in the 60s and 70s.

Rocky Mount PD announced that Forbes has been located.

Original:

The Rocky Mount Police Department announced Monday that it was searching for a missing 16-year-old boy last seen at Franklin County High School Monday.

Amari Forbes was last seen wearing a black button-up shirt, light blue jeans and black Adidas shoes with white stripes.

Officials said if you have any information regarding his whereabouts to contact the police department at 540-483-3000.

Momcilovic announced his decision on Instagram on Monday, less than a week after pulling his name out of the NBA draft.

A 6-foot-8 forward, Momcilovic led the nation in 3-point shooting at shooting 48.7% on 7.5 attempts per game last season and was fifth nationally in 3-pointers made. He made at least five 3-pointers in a game 10 times in 2025-26, including eight in a last-second loss to Arizona in the Big 12 tournament.

Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while leading Iowa State to the Sweet 16 for the third time in five years. He shot 43% from 3 in three seasons with the Cyclones.

Momcilovic announced in April he planned to enter the transfer portal and test the NBA waters before pulling out just before the deadline last Wednesday.

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

“If it’s about the money, then I can just pack it in and not go out there and give my best effort. But I plan to be the best leader possible as well as dominating on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays,” Garrett said last March.

That is why Garrett’s nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns ended on Monday when he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, less than 15 months after signing a $204.8 million, four-year contract extension with $122.8 million guaranteed.

The Browns dealt the two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year to the Rams for pass rusher Jared Verse and three draft picks.

Garrett demanded a trade last year during Super Bowl week, but agreed to an extension one month later that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at the time.

General manager Andrew Berry was adamant that Garrett would spend his entire career in Cleveland and enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame wearing orange and brown. But repeated quarterback missteps, organizational dysfunction, and a disastrous trade for Deshaun Watson have kept the Browns in a near-constant state of rebuilding.

“We were sincere in that desire as we entered this offseason and did not envision a world where Myles was not a Cleveland Brown,” Berry said on Monday. “However, as we embark on a new era of Browns football with a young core and a replenished asset base, we felt this move was important to our transition.”

Berry was able to make a deal after the Browns and Garrett agreed to modify the contract and defer option payments over the 2026-28 seasons in March. The first payment of around $10 million was due on March 28, but was moved to near the start of the regular season.

Cleveland will still have a cap hit of $15.53 million this year and $25.56 million next year for the trade.

Trade set in motion early

The second honeymoon between Garrett and the Browns after signing the extension was short lived.

“To lose the same way every time, it’s frustrating as hell,” Garrett said on Oct. 12 after a 23-9 loss at Pittsburgh, where the Browns failed to score a touchdown on offense.

Rookie Dillon Gabriel was making his second start at quarterback after replacing veteran Joe Flacco, who was traded to AFC North rival Cincinnati.

After the Steelers’ loss, Garrett had at least a half-sack in nine straight games. He set a team record with five at New England in Week 8, had four against Baltimore in Week 11, and three the following week at Las Vegas. He broke the single-season mark of 22½ sacks set by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt during the fourth quarter of his final game for the Browns in the season finale at Cincinnati.

After Kevin Stefanski was fired many on the defense lobbied for coordinator Jim Schwartz to be promoted to head coach.

“I’m committed to winning, and as long as the team (and) organization are doing so and they’re committed to that same thing, then I’m all on board. But if we’re thinking anything other than winning — tanking or rebuilding, that’s not me,” Garrett said on Jan. 2.

Schwartz was bypassed as the organization selected Todd Monken in late January. One week later, Schwartz resigned after three years in Cleveland.

Monken said two weeks ago he had not met Garrett face-to-face since being hired.

Garrett — who has a minority stake in the Cavaliers — visited Cleveland a couple of times during the NBA playoffs, but did not make a stop at the Browns' complex.

Garrett’s time in Cleveland

Garrett was the Browns’ first overall pick in 2017. He was part of the NFL’s second 0-16 team his rookie year, the first of five double-digit losing seasons he endured.

Garrett helped lead Cleveland to its first playoff win since the 1994 season, defeating Pittsburgh 48-37 in an AFC wild-card matchup during his fourth year in 2020. The Browns returned to the playoffs in 2023, losing to Houston in the first round, but went 8-26 over the past two seasons.

Cleveland has the league’s sixth-worst record since 2017 at 58-90-1.

The 30-year-old Garrett — a five-time All-Pro — is the first player in NFL history with at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons (2020-25) and the only player with double-digit sacks each of the past eight years. His 125½ career sacks are tied for 20th on the league list.

“What I can say with complete honesty is this; I gave this city everything I had. I suited up and wore those colors with pride, and I don’t regret a second of being part of this storied franchise. Every Sunday. Every offseason. Every play, Every down. Every moment. You gave me more in return than I can ever repay,” Garrett said in a social media post addressed to Browns fans. "The best days for this franchise are ahead, Thank you for letting me grow here. Thank you for believing in me.

“Loving you is easy, leaving you is the hard part. Thank you for nine unforgettable years.”

Different seasons, same dysfunction

The Browns have had 42 quarterbacks make at least one start since their 1999 return, including 15 the past nine seasons.

The revolving door at quarterback is a major reason why the Browns have had just four winning seasons since their return and why Monken is the seventh coach hired by Jimmy and Dee Haslam since they bought the franchise in 2012.

Jimmy Haslam said last year the Browns “took a big swing and miss” when they sent three first-round picks to Houston for Watson in 2022 and signed him to a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million deal that remains the worst in NFL history.

However, guess who is favored to start Week 1 at Jacksonville? Watson, who has not played since Week 7 of the 2024 season after two Achilles tendon injuries. Watson is vying with Shedeur Sanders, who started the final seven games as a rookie last season, going 3-4 with seven touchdown passes, 10 interceptions, and a 68.1 passer rating.

If the Browns struggle again at quarterback, they will have two first-round picks in 2027.

What does Verse add?

Garrett’s trade did not bring three first-round picks, but it did add a young pass rusher in Verse. Besides the 2027 first-rounder, the Browns received a second-round pick in 2028 and a third-rounder in 2029.

Verse’s acquisition gives the Browns the past two AP Defensive Rookies of the Year. Carson Schwesinger won last season after leading NFL rookies with 156 tackles and 11 tackles for loss.

Verse, the 19th overall pick in the 2024 draft, had 4½ sacks as a rookie and 7½ sacks last season, along with three forced fumbles.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Abel also hinted that he may depart from Warren Buffett 's longtime hands-off operating model by consolidating Taylor Morrison with Berkshire's existing site-built homebuilding operations that are part of its Clayton Homes subsidiary. For six decades under Buffett, Berkshire promised to largely leave companies alone after it acquired them and allow the executives to keep running the day-to-day operations the same way.

“Over time, we expect to unify our site-built homebuilding operations into a combined platform,” Abel said in a statement about his first big acquisition on Sunday, “enabling us to deliver the dream of homeownership to more Americans.”

In addition to Clayton, which specializes in manufactured homes but also has a site-built unit, Berkshire owns several other housing related businesses including Benjamin Moore paint and Shaw Floors.

Berkshire's new investment in Alphabet will expand the stake that Buffett's company started to build last fall. By the end of March, Berkshire's Alphabet investment had tripled to include nearly 58 million Alphabet shares worth almost $17 billion.

Alphabet said Monday that Berkshire has agreed to buy $5 billion of Class A common stock and another $5 billion of Class C stock as part of a broader plan to raise $80 billion to pay for the computing infrastructure needed to power its AI offerings.

It's not clear how much consolidating Abel might do among the dozens of companies Berkshire owns. Those holdings include an assortment of insurers like Geico, major manufacturers such as Precision Castparts and a slew of retail and service companies like NetJets, Dairy Queen and Helzberg Diamonds. But Abel is known as a much more active manager than Buffett ever was.

“Given Greg’s strength as an operator it will be interesting to see if he does consolidate these units to get some greater scale and efficiencies,” said CFRA Research analyst Cathy Seifert.

Abel has been overseeing all of Berkshire's non-insurance businesses since 2018, and he hasn't made any major changes in operations though he has encouraged the company's subsidiaries to cooperate more when it makes sense. Abel became CEO in January, but Buffett remains chairman and Berkshire's largest shareholder.

“Under Greg, where it makes sense for efficiencies or scale, we'll likely see more consolidation than we saw under Buffett when Berkshire was smaller and the acquired company's founders were still in place,” said investor Steven Check, who is president of Check Capital Management.

Berkshire shareholders will likely be excited just to see Abel making deals, given that the Omaha-based company is currently sitting on nearly $400 billion cash. This deal by itself isn't likely to make a meaningful impact on Berkshire's bottom line because the conglomerate is so big, but dealmaking and investing are the areas of Abel's resume that investors had the most questions about.

Buffett praised Abel in an interview with CNBC on Monday morning.

“Greg did that faster than I could have done it, smoother than I could have done it, and I never talked to the CEO. He has launched,” Buffett told CNBC.

Abel has led acquisitions before while leading Berkshire's massive utility division, but obviously Buffett would have signed off on those. Now Abel is making the decisions with advice from Buffett and the rest of the board.

“I think investors will cheer Greg’s foray into M&A as CEO. The purchase price seems rich given the current interest rate/macro environment,” Seifert said.

Berkshire agreed to pay Taylor Morrison investors $72.50 per share in the all-cash deal. That represents a 24% premium over the company's previous closing price of $58.50. Shares of the Scottsdale, Arizona-based homebuilder jumped up near that purchase price on Monday while Berkshire's shares slipped 1%.

But Raymond James analyst Buck Horne said in a research note that it's possible Berkshire could face some competition from private equity firms or other potential buyers who might be willing to pay more for Taylor Morrison before its shareholders can vote on whether to accept this offer.

“We would not be shocked if other players and/or private equity began to sharpen their pencils before the ink on this agreement is fully dry,” Horne said.

While Santa Clara, California-based Nvidia has already been massively successful in supplying high-end chips for data centers riding the worldwide AI demand boom, it is plotting different plans to expand its presence across AI systems and products.

Jensen Huang, the Taiwanese American founder and CEO of Nvidia, made the announcement in Taipei at the annual Nvidia GTC event. Microsoft and Nvidia “are going to reinvent the PC (personal computer),” he said in his keynote speech.

“This is going to be the new PC,” Huang said as he unveiled Nvidia’s RTX Spark superchip — which combines CPU, or central processing unit, and GPU, or graphics processing unit, capabilities — that would power new Windows laptop and desktop computer models in what the company called “AI personal computers,” expected to debut in the fall of this year.

Nvidia is already the world’s most valuable company, ahead of Apple, Google’s parent Alphabet and Microsoft. Its new superchips for PCs will challenge chipmaking rivals including Intel and AMD. Nvidia's shares were up nearly 4% in early U.S. trading, while Intel and AMD both fell more than 3%.

The company said it will be “reinventing the personal computer” for creating and gaming. “When it has an autonomous (AI) agent, an agent that’s helping you, that understands you, you could talk to it. It could look at you. You could ask it to read files, go help you do some research. It could do a lot more,” Huang said.

Microsoft said in a separate statement that the personal computers running on Nvidia’s RTX Spark superchips would be able to support “highly capable AI models” and complex workloads. With the new superchips, these personal computers can run AI agents locally, Nvidia said.

“This is the first across the lineup of PC reinvention for 40 years,” said Huang.

Nvidia’s move is significant at a time when demand is growing for the use of personal AI agents, said Lian Jye Su, chief analyst at the technology research and advisory group Omdia.

“For consumers, it means more choices, which is always a good thing,” Su said.

Neil Shah, analyst and co-founder of Counterpoint Research, described Nvidia’s announcement as a move that’s “revolutionizing how PCs would look like in the next 10 years.”

The new laptops and desktop computers “will drive agentic AI applications in every home,” Shah said, with an aim of having an “AI supercomputer” in each household.

Also during Monday’s speech, Nvidia’s Huang said its new Vera CPUs for data centers are in full production and are “going to be our new major growth driver” on the boom of AI agents, with early customers including Anthropic, OpenAI and SpaceXAI.

Huang also revealed a humanoid robot reference design that could act as a blueprint for future research, especially within the higher education sector. Nvidia said its “Isaac GR00T” stands nearly six feet tall and has the humanoid chassis of Chinese robot maker Unitree’s H2. It is equipped with five-fingered dexterous hands, made by Singapore-based robotics startup Sharpa, that are capable of finely controlled movements.

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Chan reported from Hong Kong.

Second-place finisher, progressive Sen. Iván Cepeda, and his ally, President Gustavo Petro, have questioned the election results, without providing evidence.

Cepeda on Monday called on de la Espriella to debate him ahead of their June 21 runoff. De la Espriella replied on X: “Are you ready, coward? … First, acknowledge the election results and let’s debate right now.”

De la Espriella rapidly gained traction ahead of Sunday’s election and won nearly 44% of the vote. Cepeda, who had consistently led polling, won less than 41%.

In the runoff, De la Espriella is expected to scoop up additional votes from Colombians who supported other conservative candidates in the first round.

Cepeda will face an uphill battle, said Sergio Guzmán, a political analyst. De la Espriella's win is "a shift in public opinion that is very difficult to overcome. So now Abelardo is emerging as the likely favorite to win.”

Markets in Colombia and the Colombian peso jumped on Monday, likely a product of de la Espriella’s proposal to roll back regulations on businesses and willingness to open the country to fracking — a sharp turn from Petro’s environmental agenda.

Miroslav Jenca, head of the United Nations verification mission in Colombia, said Monday that his team observed firsthand the commitment of Colombian security and electoral authorities to ensure an orderly vote.

“I call for a peaceful election campaign, without resorting to any violence,” Jenca said. “I encourage all parties to address their differences through institutional mechanisms.”

A political shift in the Americas continues

The 47-year-old De la Espriella, known as “El Tigre” or “The Tiger,” has never held office in Colombia and prided himself on living a luxurious life in Italy before deciding to run for president.

He pitched himself as an outsider who would cozy up to U.S. President Donald Trump and follow El Salvador President Nayib Bukele's war on gangs, which has driven down homicide rates but fueled accusations of human rights abuses.

“I will wipe out narcoterrorism and those who I've declared a military target like cockroaches, like rats. I will unleash upon them the wrath of God never seen before,” de la Espriella said in an interview with The Associated Press in the final stretch of the campaign, where he promised to open 10 mega-prisons to fight crime.

He joins a growing number of leaders across Latin America, from Chile to Honduras, seeking to latch onto the “Bukele model” as voters across Latin America are ditching leaders who pitched progressive policies aimed at addressing the root issues of conflict such as lack of opportunities for young people and corruption.

De la Espriella's supporters come from a wide range of backgrounds. Yolanda Peréz, a 64-year-old woman serving coffee in Colombia's capital, Bogotá, said with a wink the day before the election: “I'm thinking of voting for El Tigre.”

Miguel Maheca, a 20-year-old first-time voter, flashed his ballot to his mother as he strolled out of the polling station on Sunday, saying with a grin, “Love isn't what's going to make us safe in Colombia."

But experts say El Salvador's security successes will be nearly impossible to replicate in a country like Colombia, which is more than 50 times larger than the Central American nation and has many more armed groups fighting for territory.

The Trump administration is playing a more aggressive role in Latin America than any U.S. government in decades, putting mounting pressure on countries like Colombia, Mexico and Ecuador to crack down on crime.

De la Espriella made a name for himself as a lawyer defending high-profile clients such as former President Álvaro Uribe as well as controversial figures like Alex Saab, a close ally of Venezuela’s ousted president Nicolás Maduro who faces legal issues in the U.S.

Cepeda had vowed to carry on peace efforts

The progressive Cepeda has promised to carry on his ally Petro's fraught plan to achieve “total peace” by negotiating peace pacts with guerrillas and criminal gangs.

Their political movement was born from a rejection by many Colombians of a militarized offensive by Uribe in decades past to beat back guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Thousands of civilians were killed by Colombian forces in a scandal known as “false positives.”

De la Espriella “represents a return to the paramilitary politics and drug-trafficking — a mafia-run, plutocratic and corrupt past that the country experienced during Álvaro Uribe’s two administrations,” Cepeda said on Sunday.

Petro, a former rebel, won Colombia's presidency in 2022, ending decades of domination by leaders from Uribe's political movement. He gained massive support from rural-dwelling, Indigenous and poorer Colombians who felt they had never been directly spoken to by the country's leaders.

Now that movement is backed into a corner.

“This is de la Espriella’s election to lose,” wrote Renata Segura, director of International Crisis Group's Latin America and the Caribbean Program. “Cepeda thought he could win appealing squarely to the left, and that proved to be a massive mistake. How he pivots in the next month will determine if he has any chance to win.”

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

Social media platforms with at least 8 million users in Malaysia, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, must implement age-verification systems and block users under 16 from creating accounts.

Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Commission said age verification for existing users will be rolled out over the next six months. Users identified as under 16 will have a month to download or transfer data, including photos and videos, before restrictions or other actions are applied.

Companies that fail to comply could face penalties of up to 10 million ringgit ($2.5 million). Parents whose children manage to bypass the law will not be penalized.

The government said the measures are aimed at protecting children from harmful content, cyberbullying and platform features designed to encourage excessive use.

Countries including Australia,Brazil and Indonesia have introduced or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. Others including Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are studying or developing similar approaches.

Malaysia's regulator said the rules are not intended to prevent children from accessing digital technology. Platforms are required to improve user safety, discourage excessive use and take action against underage accounts and harmful content.

Technology companies have yet to describe how they will comply.

Clara Koh, Meta’s director of public policy for Southeast Asia, has cautioned that Malaysia's under-16 ban could backfire by driving teenagers away from protected apps and into unregulated corners of the internet.

Governments around the world face pressure to address concerns about social media’s impact on children’s mental health and online safety. In March, a U.S. jury ordered Meta and YouTube to pay millions of dollars in damages in a case alleging that platform design features contributed to harm suffered by a young user.

Malaysian families have varying views

In Kuala Lumpur, Saravanan Ganasan and Jayaradha Veerasamy, whose children are 12 and 15, said they approve of the changes. They already had banned their kids from using social media, believing minors lack the psychological capacity to cope with it.

Devices are kept out of bedrooms, screen time is limited to common areas and their son is not allowed to lock his phone with a password.

“Exposure is what we fear,” Saravanan said. “The wrong kind of exposure will do damage to the mind.”

Aadhavan Saravanan, 15, said he believes he would be addicted to social media if allowed full freedom. “Social media is, like, a luxury and it’s not a necessity,” he said.

The couple said the restrictions have forced their children to develop offline life skills. Aadhavan reads books in a backyard mango tree and repairs broken household appliances, while their daughter cooks and does crafts.

“A lot of parents are very scared that children get bored,” Jayaradha said. “But boredom is actually very good because they start thinking out of the box.”

But Shaun Hew, in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Cheras, said the new restrictions go too far.

Hew believes social media allow his kids to spend time productively, as long as there is proper adult oversight. His 11-year-old son uses platforms to learn cooking and his daughter, 14, uses YouTube for exam preparation.

He worries a sudden cutoff could cause teenagers to rebel and find unregulated ways to bypass internet blocks.

Some express concerns over privacy and safety

Some critics said Malaysia’s decision could increase the risks of data privacy breaches and expand state surveillance.

“It is very much following the trend, but in a way that is raising alarms due to requiring a government ID for age verification,” said Benjamin Loh, social science lecturer at Monash University in Malaysia. He said social media companies could end up storing sensitive personal data without sufficient safeguards.

Loh said the decision also could unintentionally affect stateless individuals, undocumented residents and members of marginalized communities including LGBTQ+ people who rely on anonymity online for safety.

Without penalties on parents, families can easily bypass the law by creating accounts for their children, he added.

“This is a major gap that, unless regulators are willing to fix, will result in the law having little effect in stopping children from using social media,” he said.

Deputy Utt’s funeral procession traveled from Roanoke through Carroll County and on to Mount Airy, North Carolina. He was 31 years old.

A routine call that turned deadly

U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, who represents Virginia’s 9th Congressional District, described the circumstances of the shooting.

“This was just a wellness check,” Griffith said. “They do those daily, checking to see if everything’s OK with somebody. And this one, the man opened fire and killed one of the officers. Just horrible.”

Suspect Michael Puckett was apprehended in Surry County within 24 hours of the shooting. Puckett will be transported back to Carroll County to face charges stemming from the Friday night shooting, according to the anchor tag from the broadcast report.

‘When one hurts, we all hurt’

The procession drew a wide turnout from the law enforcement and first responder community. Montgomery County EMS Captain Taylor Fisher said the response was expected — even if the occasion was not.

“In the first responder community we’re all family,” Fisher said. “So when one hurts we all hurt and we just want to show our support for his family and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. Make sure they know that they’re not alone.”

“It’s not a surprise to see the overwhelming support. It’s unfortunate. It’s not what we want to see, what we want to do, but there’s no doubt that we all show up for it.”

Roanoke City sheriff: ‘This is the way it should look’

Roanoke City Sheriff Antonio Hash traveled to Radford to pay his respects and said the strong turnout reflected exactly what the law enforcement community should do when one of its own falls.

“Families coming together, especially the law enforcement family, coming together in difficult times as this — to see anybody die in the line of duty or any death, period — but a line of duty death is hard on any agency in your family,” Hash said.

Hash said every agency in the Commonwealth had a responsibility to show up.

“This is the way it should look,” he said. “When you got officers who’ve done a lot of duty, every agency around the Commonwealth ought to show up. I know it’s difficult on some agencies or further away, but this is the way it should look. When somebody sacrifices or gives up themselves.”

Hash said he made the trip specifically to show solidarity with Deputy Utt’s family and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

“We showed up even in this difficult moment; we still showed up just to show our love and support for Carroll County,” Hash said. “But most importantly, that family who lost their deputy during this tragic incident.”

Congressman Griffith echoed that sentiment.

“It’s always hard, but it’s always warm to know that the law enforcement community stands by their own,” Griffith said.

The potential retreat is a nod to the legal setbacks the fund has encountered since it was announced two weeks ago and a recognition of the mounting political backlash from Republicans concerned by a lack of oversight of the money disbursement and the possibility of payouts to participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The Trump administration had defended the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” established to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns, as an appropriate corrective measure for what officials insist was weaponized law enforcement during the Biden administration.

But while some Trump supporters — including participants in the Capitol riot — celebrated the announcement of the fund, the reaction among Republicans in Congress has been decidedly more hostile. The outrage came to a head last month at a closed-door meeting between senators and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas described on a recent episode of his podcast as “one of the roughest meetings I’ve seen in my entire time in the Senate.”

The furor has especially complicated matters in the Senate, where Republicans defiantly left town 10 days ago without passing legislation to fund Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies after Democrats said they would offer amendments to scrap or scale back the judgement fund.

Republicans who returned to Washington on Monday said they won’t have the votes to pass the Homeland Security spending bill until the White House works with them to place parameters on the fund. Many have pushed the administration to impose limits or cancel the idea altogether.

Amid the backlash, a person familiar with the matter, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the president’s thinking, said Monday that Trump was reconsidering whether to move forward with the fund. The Justice Department separately said Monday that it would comply with a judge's order from Friday that temporarily halted implementation of the fund pending additional arguments later in the month.

But Republicans said they were still seeking a more explicit commitment that the fund would be pulled back.

“They need to say what they actually mean,” said Republican Sen. Jim Lankford. "They need to say, 'We’re setting this whole thing aside.'”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated Monday that he hoped the White House would move to drop the fund. He said he wasn’t sure if the immigration spending bill would move this week.

“I do think the best way to handle it is if the administration decides to shut it down themselves,” Thune told reporters.

He said any additional statements from the administration would be helpful, but: “I think the statement they made effectively shuts it down. We’ll find out.”

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said that if the settlement is “completely pulled, then I’m satisfied. But I haven’t heard anybody say that.”

It was not immediately clear whether the retreat being signaled on the fund Monday indicated that the administration would also backtrack on another element of the IRS settlement — a commitment by the government to abandon any probes of Trump, his family and other associates over whether they’ve paid their fair share of taxes.

The fund was dealt a pair of legal blows on Friday, including an order by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema that temporarily barred it from being implemented. The judge scheduled a June 12 hearing for arguments on whether to extend her order. The Justice Department statement did not say whether the government intended to continue to make legal arguments for the fund.

“This Fund was open to anybody who was so weaponized, targeted, or persecuted, whether they were Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent, or otherwise,” the statement said. "The Department will abide by the Court’s ruling.

Separately, the federal judge in Florida overseeing Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS ordered Trump’s attorneys on Friday to respond to “grievous allegations” by settlement critics that the president abandoned his claims to avoid the court’s scrutiny of an illegal deal. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams gave them until June 12 to respond in writing to allegations of collusion and whether the case should be reopened because the court was the “victim of a fraud.”

_____

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed to this report.

The explosion occurred at midday Sunday in Kaungtup village, Namhkam township in Shan state near the Chinese border.

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, the ethnic rebel group that controls the area, said in a statement Monday evening that the death toll from the blast has reached 43, including seven children. Previous estimates from rescue workers had ranged from 38 to 45. Determining the exact toll has been complicated because bodies were blown apart by the force of the explosion.

The group said 112 people, including 25 children, were injured, with 37 in critical condition, raising concerns that the number of fatalities could increase.

“Rescue operations and the compilation of casualty figures were still underway,” said the statement.

Many of Myanmar’s resource-rich areas, where most mining operations have been largely unregulated, are controlled by different armed militias engaged in sporadic fighting against the central government to seek greater autonomy. Accidents, such as deadly landslides, are fairly common.

TNLA said Sunday's blast involved gelignite used in local mining and stone quarrying. Although gelignite is commonly used, it becomes highly unstable over time when improperly stored.

Residents of the 200-household village reported that they were never told explosives were being kept there.

An investigation into the specific cause of the explosion is underway, the TNLA said.

The incident has cast a spotlight on Myanmar’s lucrative but largely unregulated mineral industry and Chinese investment in the country's extractive industries.

Two local residents told The Associated Press on Monday that mines producing raw materials for silicon metal — a key industrial substance used in semiconductors, solar panels, and aluminum alloys — are located in mountainous areas about 15 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Namhkam town.

The residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their safety, said the mines are operated jointly by the TNLA and Chinese businessmen and are inaccessible to most residents. The claim couldn’t be independently verified by the AP.

Myanmar’s mining industry is a major global provider of rare earth elements, copper, tin, and precious gems, especially jade and rubies, and is the main supplier to China, where the extracted materials are processed and refined.

China maintains a complex role as a top ally to Myanmar’s military-backed government while also fostering relations with the ethnic minority groups.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian in Beijing expressed deep condolences and confirmed that a Chinese national injured in the blast is receiving medical treatment. Beijing has pledged assistance in handling the aftermath.

The TNLA, part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, seized control of the Namhkam area in late 2023 during a major offensive against the military government. This conflict is part of the broader turmoil following the February 2021 military coup, which ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and triggered widespread armed resistance.

While the TNLA signed a China-mediated ceasefire with the military in late 2023, peace in the region is shaky and extraction of minerals and gemstones provides critical income for both the central government and the rebel groups fighting against it.

___

Associated Press writers Anton Delgado in Bangkok and E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing contributed to this report.

Marner was nearing the end of his contract with Toronto, and all signs pointed to him not re-signing. Carolina had just acquired fellow pending free agent Mikko Rantanen from Colorado in a three-way trade in late January, and after several weeks it was also clear that would not be a long-term relationship.

The Maple Leafs and Hurricanes discussed the possibility of a Marner-for-Rantanen swap. Marner held the keys with his full no-movement clause, and he preferred staying put and seeing out one more run with the team that drafted him, then went on to choose Vegas, going to the Golden Knights in a sign and trade in late June before hitting the open market.

Marner's decision caused a domino effect that led Vegas and Carolina to this stage, where they'll now meet in the Stanley Cup Final beginning Tuesday night. The Hurricanes pivoted to sending Rantanen to Dallas for Logan Stankoven — one of their best players during this run — along with a pick they then used to trade for K'Andre Miller last summer, in the process saving the salary cap space needed to sign top free agent Nikolaj Ehlers.

The Golden Knights got Marner, who leads all scorers in the playoffs and left no doubt why the Hurricanes were interested. Asked what the team liked, general manager Eric Tulsky declined comment because Marner is under contract with another team.

"I can answer that one," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. “What don’t you like about him?”

‘What if?’ is not on Marner's mind

When speculation was building last spring about Marner potentially being involved in a trade for Rantanen, it wasn't just a question of hockey. Marner's wife, Stephanie, was pregnant with the couple's first child. Marner is from the Toronto area.

The Leafs reached the second round before blowing a 2-0 series lead to defending and eventual back-to-back champion Florida. The Hurricanes lost in five games to the Panthers in the East final, still missing something.

This season, Marner was a point-a-game player. He has seven goals and 14 assists for a playoff-high 21 points.

“Mitch is playing with tremendous confidence,” GM Kelly McCrimmon said. “I think he’s really savoring the moment.”

Marner credited the coaching staff for putting him in positions to succeed and teammates for finishing scoring chances. Wearing a Vegas hoodie on Cup final media day, he insists he's not thinking about the alternate reality of playing for Carolina instead.

“No, I’m not a guy that lives in the past,” Marner said. “I’m in the present. I’m here in the moment.”

The Hurricanes pivoted perfectly

Tulsky was referring to Rantanen when he said of taking chances, “Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’ve got to be ready to figure out how you’re going to move forward from there.” Trading Martin Necas to the Avalanche for Rantanen did not work out, though getting veteran winger Taylor Hall from Chicago in the same deal certainly has.

The pursuit of Marner fits in the same category, but plan B worked out swimmingly. Stankoven has been a difference-maker for Carolina centering the second line of Hall and Jackson Blake and is showing why he was the centerpiece of the return from the Stars for Rantanen.

Had Marner wanted to go to Carolina, Stankoven could still be with Dallas. Instead, he had to grapple with the strange feeling of getting traded.

“I didn’t see it coming,” Stankoven said. “Everything kind of happens for a reason. Obviously, Dallas got their player, and I just want to become the best version of myself here in Carolina. Just how welcoming everyone has been here, the fans, my teammates, I absolutely love the city and couldn’t be happier that I was able to sign long term here.”

The same day Stankoven signed an eight-year, $48 million contract, Tulsky used one of the first-round picks from the Rantanen trade to acquire Miller from the New York Rangers and sign him long term. By the end of the week, Ehlers chose Carolina among several intriguing suitors.

Miller has thrived with the change of scenery, and Ehlers has, along with Stankoven, given the Hurricanes the offensive finish they lacked in several playoff runs that ended before the final.

“(Ehlers) adds things to it that aren’t what we would ask a lot of players to do,” Tulsky said. “Having that kind of ability on the team — someone who could just create scoring chances out of thin air — it always makes you more dangerous.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Adelman, the father of Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman, was 79. The cause of his death was not immediately announced.

“The Denver Nuggets were extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Hall of Fame Head Coach Rick Adelman,” the Nuggets said Monday night. “Our thoughts are with head coach David Adelman, the entire Adelman family and the many friends and loved ones that were lucky enough to know Rick.”

Rick Adelman won 1,042 games as an NBA coach, 10th-most in league history. Only four other coaches — Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Jerry Sloan and George Karl — coached more games and had a better winning percentage than Adelman, who took the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals twice and also was head coach in Sacramento, Houston, Minnesota and Golden State.

“Adelman will be remembered not only as a coach and a player, but also as a mentor to so many in the basketball community,” read a statement from the coaches' association, which honored Adelman with its Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.

“Rick Adelman’s NBA coaching career has been highlighted by innovation, integrity and excellence,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said when the NBCA presented that award three years ago. “His teams always played to their strengths, and Rick always found subtle ways to reinvent NBA basketball to help his players thrive. His quiet, unassuming nature belies his impact as one of the great NBA coaches of all time.”

Adelman also played in the NBA from 1969 through 1975 as a point guard for five different teams — but found his calling as a coach.

The Kings, in paying tribute, said Adelman “will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him — with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork."

Adelman's path to the NBA, as a coach, was unintentional.

He thought he would become a high school coach, though his lack of experience was a deterrent. He then started his coaching career at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon.

“We had great success there,” Adelman said in his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech. “The one thing I did not realize is Jack Ramsey was following my team.”

Ramsey was coaching the Portland Trail Blazers, and invited Adelman to interview when a position opened on his staff. Adelman worked under Ramsey for three seasons and Mike Schuler for 2 1/2 more, then took over as interim coach with 35 games left in the 1988-89 season.

“We had a team that was ready to win,” Adelman said in 2021.

Blazers owner Paul Allen told Adelman he could coach the 1989-90 season. The rest is history. Portland won 59 games that season with Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey and Buck Williams leading the way, getting to the NBA Finals and falling to Detroit.

Adelman was off and running. He took the Blazers back to the NBA Finals two years later, falling then to Chicago. After his Portland era, Adelman coached two years at Golden State and then went to Sacramento — where he had eight winning seasons in an eight-year stint, with players like Vlade Divac, Peja Stojaković, Mike Bibby, Chris Webber, Jason Williams, Bobby Jackson and current Kings coach Doug Christie. And in those Sacramento years, Adelman was widely credited for running some types of offenses that the league had never seen.

“He was a brilliant strategist and teacher of the game, and an even better person,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

Adelman had 210 players appear in at least one NBA game for him.

“He actually challenged me and poured into trusting me," 20-year guard Kyle Lowry said Monday night. “That was important for me. He didn’t have to. He could have done everything else, he could have played other players, but he believed in me. ... He just trusted his players. He just wanted to win. And if it wasn't for him, I don't know what career I would have. It's a sad day.”

Among Adelman’s accomplishments: He engineered a 22-game winning streak with Houston in 2008, a run that is the fourth-longest in NBA history.

“Coach Adelman guided the Rockets with professionalism, integrity, and a deep commitment to the game,” the Rockets said in a release. “His role in leading the team during the 22-game winning streak in 2008 remains one of the most remarkable achievements in franchise history and will always be remembered by Rockets fans.”

The Blazers noted that not only did Adelman lead the team to the finals twice, but he was a player on the inaugural Portland team in 1970.

"Rick was one of the most influential figures in franchise history," the Blazers said.

___

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

Trump announced the development in a social media post following a call with Netanyahu. Israeli forces recently made their deepest incursion into Lebanon in more than a quarter century. Trump said there would be no Israeli troops “going to Beirut” and that those on their way "have already been turned back.”

He said Hezbollah had "agreed that all shooting will stop — That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel.”

Netanyahu confirmed the conversation but cast it less as restraint and more as a warning, saying he told Trump that Israel would strike targets in Beirut, Lebanon's capital, if Hezbollah’s attacks do not stop. The Israeli military will continue “to operate as planned” in southern Lebanon, Netanyahu added.

There was no immediate word from Hezbollah.

The two sides have been under a ceasefire since mid-April, but Hezbollah resumed attacks after Israeli strikes in Lebanon that Israel characterized as self-defense. The fighting also presents a major obstacle in the emerging deal to extend the ceasefire in the Iran war. Tehran wants any agreement to include Lebanon.

Lebanese authorities secured Hezbollah’s approval of a proposal by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Israel would not strike Beirut's southern suburbs, and Hezbollah would not attack northern Israel, according to a statement issued by the Lebanese Embassy to the U.S.

Moments after Trump’s message, Israel detected missile launches from Lebanon and warned Israelis in part of northern Israel to take cover.

Talks between Israel and Lebanon are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington, where Lebanese negotiators hope to widen the scope of areas that will not be attacked in the country as they seek a complete ceasefire.

Israel orders strikes on Beirut suburbs

Trump's comments emerged after Israel’s government ordered strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut and as Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel, including the outskirts of the coastal city of Haifa.

A joint statement by Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the orders followed what they called repeated violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah and “attacks against our cities and citizens.”

The Israeli military's Arabic spokesman later posted on X that residents should leave the suburbs, adding that if Hezbollah continues attacking Israeli communities, Israel will launch attacks on the Beirut area of Dahiyeh, where Hezbollah enjoys wide support.

After Monday's warning, large numbers of people were seen fleeing Dahiyeh, jamming roads leading out of the area.

Mohammed Farhat, 23, fled with his brother and parents from Beirut’s southern suburb of Haret Hreik and was heading with his mother on a motorcycle to stay with relatives in another neighborhood.

“We are worried. I am used to it but left for my parents,” the university student said.

Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire overnight

Israeli airstrikes overnight on southern Lebanon left six people dead, including a Syrian citizen in a village near the city of Nabatiyeh, the state-run National News Agency said. Israel struck other towns and villages near the major city, close to the strategic Beaufort Castle and other towns the Israeli military captured in recent days.

An airstrike Monday afternoon in the port city of Tyre caused heavy damage to the Jabal Amel Hospital, the Health Ministry said. A video released by the ministry showed shaken women and children inside the hospital, where windows were blown out.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, said its air force had intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory, as well as a suspicious aerial target in the area where Israeli soldiers operate in southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported, the military said.

Hezbollah said early Monday that it attacked Israeli troops in Zawtar al-Sharqieh, just north of the Litani River, and struck what they said was Israeli military infrastructure in Tiberius, a few dozen miles south of the border.

Israel and Lebanon set to hold talks in Washington

The latest attacks happened just before the next round of direct Israel-Lebanon talks in the U.S. capital. Hezbollah has rejected direct talks, counting on pressure from Iran, which has demanded an end to the war in Lebanon in its talks with the United States.

The Israel-Lebanon talks that began in April in Washington were the first in more than three decades between the countries, which have no formal diplomatic relations.

Beirut is still committed to holding talks to end the conflict despite the boiling tensions, said a Lebanese diplomatic official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted Monday that any ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran is a “ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon."

“Its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts," Iran's top diplomat said in a post on X.

The Lebanese capital has been mostly spared since the ceasefire

Beirut has been mostly spared from airstrikes since the ceasefire went into effect, apart from two targeted attacks on the city's southern suburbs in May.

Saudi Arabia condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, saying it “categorically rejects” Israel’s movement into the small Mediterranean nation. The Saudi Foreign Ministry called on the international community to prevent Israel from going deeper into Lebanon.

Lebanese parliament chief Nabih Berri, a key Hezbollah ally, said in a statement Sunday that he could guarantee the militant group’s “full, comprehensive and immediate commitment to a ceasefire.” Berri added: “But who will force Israel to stop its aggression?”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that his government continues work to end “the suffering of the Lebanese in general and the southerners in particular.” Later, he issued a statement reiterating Beirut's commitment to negotiations, saying they are “safer” than war."

At the United Nations, Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that Israel’s push into Lebanon violates Lebanon’s territorial integrity and the 2006 council resolution requiring Israel to withdraw to south of the U.N.-drawn border with Lebanon.

She also accused Hezbollah of violating the resolution that requires the militant group to disarm.

U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said a deescalation and peace will come quickly “if Hezbollah immediately ceases its attacks, as apparently it’s promised, and the government of Lebanon asserts its fully sovereignty, rebuilds, and brings its people home.”

Lebanon's U.N. Ambassador Ahmad Arafa commended the Trump administration for “constructive efforts aimed at giving diplomacy a chance” and Trump's latest push.

The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,433 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million people.

Israel’s military said a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon overnight in a drone attack by Hezbollah. Hezbollah’s use of hard-to-detect fiber-optic drones has been deadly for the Israeli military, which is struggling to respond.

According to Netanyahu’s office, at least 26 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.

___

Mroue and Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Melzer reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

“Did anyone else hear that boom?”

“Anyone feel that?”

NASA let people know over the weekend that the cause of the commotion was a meteor, but on Monday they revealed even more stunning details.

The fireball was as heavy as an elephant and 5 feet (1.52 meter) wide and was going 42,000 mph (67,592.5 kph) when it entered Earth’s atmosphere. It broke up miles above New England on Saturday and the energy released was equivalent to about 230 tons of TNT, the agency estimated, accounting for the booms.

NASA revealed the jaw-dropping details in a social media post Monday along with other statistics.

The meteor was made up of natural material — not a satellite or space debris — and traveled through the atmosphere for about 26 miles (41.8 kilometers), according to NASA, before falling into Cape Cod Bay, which sits along southeastern Massachusetts.

The agency was quick to point out that meteors are very common, but typically don't have as big of an audience as this one.

“They often occur over the ocean or unpopulated areas with no witnesses, or during the daytime, making them difficult to spot,” according to NASA.

The event prompted widespread speculation initially.

The rattling boom had some people in Massachusetts and Rhode Island thinking there had been an earthquake or that a tree had fallen. Others posted that their dogs were freaking out. At least one person posed the possibility of aliens.

A man in Peabody, Massachusetts, posted that it had been a windy day, so he thought a large tree had hit his house. When he came outside, he said, he found most of his neighbors in the street asking the same questions.

Several people filed reports with the U.S. Geological Survey, registering the shaking they felt with the National Earthquake Information Center, Steve Sobie, an agency spokesman, confirmed.

The agency opened an event page, based on the number of “Did you feel it?” reports it received on its website. But Sobie said there was no event registered on the agency’s seismographs. meaning the shaking was not due to an earthquake.

The American Meteor Society received dozens of reports from Delaware to Montreal with people either hearing the double boom, feeling the ground shake or seeing the fireball, its program monitor, Robert Lunsford, said.

Jing Sheng Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, initially was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after the crash early Friday morning on Interstate 95. On Monday, a grand jury indicted him on three additional charges of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless driving, according to a statement from the Stafford County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.

Authorities said Dong was driving a motorcoach from New York to North Carolina when he struck a line of vehicles that had slowed down in a work zone. A family of four from Greenfield, Massachusetts, on their way to a wedding were killed, as was a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts.

Dong, who remained hospitalized Monday, previously was accused of speeding in Colonial Heights, Virginia, in November 2024 and in Annapolis, Maryland, in March, according to online court records. In the latter case, he is accused of driving a motorcoach 72 mph (116 kph) in a 50 mph (80 kph) zone.

In the Virginia case, Dong was convicted of driving 73 mph (117 kph) in a 55 mph (89 kph) zone and paid $219 in fines and court costs. He also has a pending case in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, where he was accused of trespassing in July.

The bus involved in Friday's crash was operated by E&P Travel Inc., based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, a board member said.

Court documents related to the bus crash do not list an attorney for Dong. Neither the attorney representing him in the trespassing case nor the lawyer representing him in Maryland responded to emails seeking comment Monday.

Prosecutor Eric Olsen said Dong will be transported to jail upon his release from the hospital.

____

Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire.

“I went in thinking I was like,’Oh, I just hyper extended my knee like it’s nothing, it’ll be back to normal in a few days.”

But Avery Steger later discovered she suffered a torn ACL and torn meniscus. Tough news for the Highlander soccer player who would have to miss her senior wrestling season. While she wasn’t able to compete on the mats, the senior took on a different vantage point as she continued through rehab.

“I actually took up photography as a coping mechanism and kind of started a small business sort of thing,” Steger said. “So, I just took up a lot of coping mechanisms and just worked back to where I needed to be more mentally than anything.”

Then came the top of the year when Avery could begin soccer training with the slight possibility of returning to the pitch.

“We didn’t know what time frame it was,” said Glenvar girls soccer coach Kyleigh Drew. “We were hoping it was before postseason so that way so she could get playing time.”

That brings us to Glenvar’s regular season finale just a few weeks ago. After immense support, Steger was back on the field less than a year after having surgery.

“I think once like I got the mindset of like, ‘Hey, I’m actually like back like I can play.’ That’s when it clicked,” said Steger.

But she didn’t more than just show up on senior night. Steger delivered what was truly a special moment--scoring a goal on a penalty kick.

“I was so hyped up. I was like, oh my gosh, it like actually went in and I think that meant a lot to me, but more so to my coaches and my trainers and my fellow teammates,” Steger said.

“I cried. I literally cried,” said Coach Drew. “It was awesome. It was just awesome.”

“I don’t think I would be where I am right now without my coaches and especially my teammates because they were always there for me. They were always like, ‘hey, if you need to talk like we can talk and we can get to where we need to be.”

And where Avery will eventually be is at Randolph College with plans to continue both soccer and wrestling. But before that happens, Avery has another task at hand finishing this season better than the last.

“Hoping to get back to where we can get back to the championship and just going out with a smile on our face,” Steger said.

Major League Baseball proposed a salary cap last week and appears set to start a lockout after the current labor contract expires Dec. 1.

“Our union has never been broken and never will be,” interim executive director Bruce Meyer said Monday during an online news question-and-answer session with reporters. “Our players have what they have, including being the only sport that doesn’t have this ultimate restriction, the salary cap, because our players have always been the most unified and that’s going to continue.”

Baseball has had nine work stoppages since 1972, the last a 99-day lockout that slightly delayed the 2022 season. Regular-season games have not been lost since a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95, the last time MLB proposed a cap.

The NFL has had a cap since 1994, the NBA since 1984-85 and the NHL since 2005-06.

“The unions in the other sports didn’t agree to salary-cap systems because they thought it was a good thing for players. That’s not what happened,” Meyer said. “In one way or the other, they were not able to fight the way that our union has and, not criticizing anybody, it’s just a fact. Our union has always been the most solid, and that’s why our union has the best system.”

Negotiators have not scheduled the next bargaining session. The union last week proposed expanded free agency and salary arbitration rights along with almost doubling the major league minimum and increasing revenue sharing.

MLB’s proposal last Thursday would cap team spending in 2027 at $245.3 million, using figures for luxury tax payrolls that include $20.1 million for benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. It also would establish a payroll floor of $171.2 million, forcing some teams to spend more. The Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s biggest spenders, had a $415.2 million payroll on opening day this year — around $170 million over the proposed cap.

“Our salary cap and floor proposal addresses our fans’ concerns by leveling the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 like the other leagues," MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Under our proposal, major league players will receive more compensation in year one of the system than in 2026.”

Los Angeles shattered MLB’s spending record with a combined $515 million in payroll and luxury tax last year en route to its second straight World Series title. Los Angeles’ total was seven times the $68.7 million payroll of Miami, the lowest-spending team, and more than the payrolls of the bottom six clubs combined.

Meyer likened a cap to “Big Brother” telling a team it can't sign a player it wants to.

"At a time of exploding popularity, growth and interest, the owners’ goal is more money in the pockets of owners," he said. “Don’t blame them for that, but that’s what it is. Whether it’s more in profits because they’re holding down labor costs or growing their franchise values.”

Meyer dismissed MLB's contention that payroll disparity causes fans of lower-spending teams to lose hope. No small-market team has won the World Series since the 2015 Kansas City Royals.

“We do not accept the premise that there’s some existential crisis going on,” he said. “People are still lining up to buy these teams, to get in whether as a minority investor or otherwise, and that’s because the sport is extremely healthy.”

He pointed out lower-payroll teams do reach the 12-team playoffs and Cincinnati got in last year while the New York Mets did not. Six postseason teams had payrolls above $200 million last year, and MLB emphasizes high-spending teams usually dominate the later rounds.

“We don’t want money to be taken away from teams that want to spend it and give it to teams that don’t want to spend it,” Meyer said. “We want to encourage more San Diegos. San Diego is a small-market team that went out, decided to compete, signed a lot of players, turned around their franchise.”

MLB's proposal calls for a 50-50 split with players of defined revenue, including for player spending on signing bonuses for players from high school and college, and international amateurs agreeing to initial contracts.

“It's not even a real 50%. It’s taking billions of dollars off the top before they’re proposing to even share any of that,” Meyer said. "Players' share under their proposal would go down. Players' share for this season, 2026, is projected to be well over 50%. ... Had MLB’s proposal been in place in 2026, players would, we estimate — would lose over half a billion dollars.”

He faulted MLB for how it defined revenue and spending.

“Their proposal of course excludes things like expansion fees, franchise values, the place where they make their most money,” he said. "Their proposal deducts billions of dollars in expenses ... so it’s not even a real 50%.”

“They’ve effectively managed to cobble together the worst system for players in any of the major sports, and not even close,” Meyer added.

Player contracts this year, using average annual values and including benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool, total $6.14 billion, according to MLB's opening-day figures. Slot values for signing bonuses in this year's amateur draft come to about $359 million and international signing bonus pools to $208 million.

Under MLB's proposal, there would be an escrow system in which players would have money withheld in the event their share of revenue rises above the specified amount. They would get more money if their share falls short.

“If revenues are soft or they go down, then that means players at the end of the day won’t get the guaranteed money,” he said.

Meyer also said some teams heighten disparity by not spending on players.

“Every team now has the ability to put a competitive team on the field, every single team,” he said. “One of the things that I find kind of ironic in a perverse way, if team X decides we’re not going to spend money on players, well that increases the disparity in payroll.”

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

The majority opinion by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit upholds a March 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C. Reyes concluded that President Donald Trump’s executive order to exclude transgender troops from military service likely violates their constitutional rights.

Meanwhile, the energy price spike triggered by the Iran war has seeped into the price of bonds that help fund the U.S. government, causing interest rates to climb in ways that are worsening affordability pressures, hampering economic growth and creating a new risk for Republicans in November’s midterm elections.

Also, the United States said Monday that it bombed radar and drone sites in Iran after Tehran shot down an American drone over the weekend. Iran then said it launched a strike of its own, and Kuwait reported incoming fire.

The nominal ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. has been repeatedly tested with such back-and-forth attacks, even as officials from both countries try to negotiate an end to the war.

Here's the latest:

Asked if Vance would be a great president, second lady says he’d be great at anything

The second lady told ABC News of her husband: “I think he would make a great anything he’d like to be.”

She said she’d been asked a couple of times about misconceptions of the vice president, and said, “I think people don’t understand what a fundamentally gentle person he is.”

Second lady won’t say if she wants vice president to seek the White House in 2028

Asked during an interview with ABC News if she’d like to see Vice President JD Vance run for president, second lady Usha Vance offered a careful dodge.

“I’m not a particularly ambitious person,” she said, after a pause. “I would like to see him happy.”

The second lady added of her husband, “I would like to see him making contributions that matter. And whatever form that takes is a form that I’ll be supportive of.”

Trump reconsidering pursuing $1.8B fund meant to compensate his allies

That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity to discuss the president’s thinking.

The potential retreat is a recognition of the legal setbacks the fund has encountered since it was announced two weeks ago, as well as a mounting political backlash from Republicans concerned by a perceived lack of oversight of the money disbursement and the potential for payouts to participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The Justice Department has said it would temporarily pause its implementation to comply with a court order.

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— By Seung Min Kim

Trump administration shares more information about new Medicaid work rules

The Trump administration on Monday provided more details for how Americans on Medicaid will be able to claim exemptions from new work mandates.

A new rule reveals that starting in 2028, if health or government data doesn’t prove exemptions, some Medicaid enrollees will need to prove they are eligible with documentation.

The rule also puts forth a stricter-than-expected definition for who can qualify for exemptions based on being “medically frail.” To meet that qualification, a person’s health condition must significantly impair their ability to comply with the work requirements, according to the text of the rule.

The work requirements were part of a 2025 law. Starting in 2027, they’ll require some working-age Medicaid participants to work or do community service at least 80 hours a month, or be enrolled in school at least half the time.

States have warned implementing the changes will be expensive and time consuming. Advocates say they’ll cause millions to lose their health insurance.

Monday’s rule will be open to public comment before it is finalized.

Trump to head to Wisconsin on Friday

The White House says the president will head to Chippewa County, located in the northwest part of the state.

The trip will highlight the administration’s efforts to benefit farmers, particularly on taxes and trade.

“Wisconsin families put their faith in President Trump in 2024, and he has spent every single day since taking office fighting and delivering for them,” White House spokeswoman Liz Huston said.

The visit is part of a series of trips that are intended for Trump to promote his economic agenda and achievements.

Trump administration says it will comply with court order that temporarily paused $1.8 billion compensation fund

The Trump administration said Monday it will comply with a court ruling temporarily blocking a nearly $1.8 billion fund meant to compensate allies of the president, effectively agreeing to pause the plan for at least two weeks after setbacks in the courts and a fierce backlash from Republicans who objected to potential payouts to participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The announcement from the Justice Department comes in response to a Friday court ruling by a federal judge in Virginia who ordered plans for the fund halted pending additional arguments later this month. The department said in a statement that it “disagrees strongly” with the ruling but would abide by it.

The Trump administration had defended the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” established to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns, as an appropriate corrective measure to make up for what officials insist was a weaponized law enforcement during the Biden administration.

Thune says Trump dropping anti-weaponization fund is ‘best way to handle’

Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated Monday he was hopeful the White House would move to drop the $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate Trump’s allies.

“I do think the best way to handle it is if the administration decides to shut it down themselves,” Thune told reporters.

The fund had caused a standoff between the White House and the Senate after Republican senators defiantly left town 10 days ago without passing legislation to fund Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies. The Senate returns today.

US to drastically slash the number of embassies in Africa that can process visas

The State Department plans to drastically slash the number of U.S. embassies and consulates in Africa that can process visas for foreigners seeking to come to the United States.

The almost 50 U.S. embassies and consulates that are processing visa applications will be reduced to 20 in the coming weeks, according to three U.S. officials and an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. There is not yet a set date for the change, but it is expected in June, according to the officials, who were not authorized to comment to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The move is part of the Trump administration’s effort to crack down on issuing both immigrant and non-immigrant visas as part of its broader aim to limit immigration to the U.S. and clamp down on those who travel on temporary visas but then overstay them. The administration also has scaled back personnel at embassies and consulates around the world.

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Trump says Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to dial back fighting

President Donald Trump said Monday that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to dial back fighting after he held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and communicated with the Lebanon-militant group through mediators.

Trump announced the development in a social media post following his call with Netanyahu.

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Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service, appeals court panel rules

A Trump administration policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service, a divided panel of federal appeal court judges ruled on Monday.

The majority opinion by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit upholds a March 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C. Reyes concluded that President Donald Trump’s executive order to exclude transgender troops from military service likely violates their constitutional rights.

The administration appealed after Reyes issued a preliminary injunction requested by attorneys for six transgender people who are active-duty service members and two others seeking to join the military. The appeal court’s majority decided that the injunction should be narrowed to the plaintiffs currently serving in the military but not those seeking to join.

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Colorado elections clerk released from prison after governor commutes sentence

Tina Peters, the former clerk convicted of participating in a scheme to chase election conspiracy theories promulgated by President Trump, was released from prison Monday after the president successfully pressured Colorado’s Democratic governor into commuting her sentence.

Peters’ release was confirmed by the Colorado Department of Corrections. The state agency said it would have no more information about the 70-year-old inmate. Her sentence was shortened by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis last month after Trump waged a lengthy pressure campaign against the governor and his state.

Colorado elections clerk set to be released from prison based on her sentence commutation

Former Colorado elections clerk and conspiracy theorist Tina Peters is scheduled to be released from prison Monday after serving less than a quarter of a nine-year sentence for her role in a scheme to copy her county’s election system.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, commuted Peters’ sentence last month following pressure from President Trump.

The Colorado Department of Corrections would not confirm the time of Peters’ release, and a representative for her attorney said Peters would not speak to the media when she’s freed.

Peters was the first local election official to be charged with breaching security after the 2020 election. She snuck in an outside computer expert affiliated with My Pillow Chief Executive Mike Lindell — who himself denied that Trump lost the White House in 2020 — and the person copied the county’s Dominion Voting Systems computer server as it was updated in 2021.

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Crude oil prices rise after latest US-Iran fighting, and US stocks slip

Oil prices are rising following the latest fighting to threaten the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, but Wall Street isn’t very worried.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.1% early Monday, falling a bit below the record it set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 166 points, and the Nasdaq composite was little changed.

Brent crude climbed 4.7%, and Treasury yields moved higher in the bond market. Tech stocks held up better than the rest of the market.

Science Applications International Corp. soared after becoming the latest U.S. company to report bigger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

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Tensions linger between Republicans and White House over the ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

A standoff between the White House and the Senate remains unresolved after Republican senators defiantly left town 10 days ago without passing legislation to fund President Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies.

Senate Republicans who are returning to Washington on Monday say they won’t have the votes to pass the Homeland Security spending bill until the White House works with them to place parameters on the new $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate Trump’s allies. But Trump has shown little interest in doing so, even after a judge temporarily halted any payouts.

It’s unclear how they’ll settle the dispute.

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Jerome Powell uses JFK award speech to warn against political pressure on Fed, courts and schools

Former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell used one of his first major public appearances since leaving office to defend independent institutions while accepting an award Sunday honoring his efforts to preserve the central bank’s independence.

Speaking at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library overlooking Boston Harbor, Powell called universities, courts, Congress and the central bank “the foundation and the embodiment of our democracy” and argued that the Fed’s independence was a “priceless asset” that must be protected.

It was one of his most direct defenses of Fed independence, warning that a single administration’s decision to remove bank officials over policy differences would open the way for future elected officials to follow suit, ultimately undermining the credibility that the Fed has spent decades building.

Powell, who frequently clashed with Trump during his eight years as chair, stepped down as his term expired in May. He was succeeded by Kevin Warsh, whom Trump selected to lead the central bank.

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Trump vents about judge who blocked the Kennedy Center renovation and fumes over his legal setbacks

Trump on Saturday branded the federal judge who blocked his renovation of the Kennedy Center as “an anti Trump Hater” and predicted that the nation’s premier performing arts center, which he wanted to shutter for a two-year overhaul, will “soon be closed, probably never to open again.”

In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump fumed about the Friday decision from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who also ordered Trump’s name removed from the center. Clearly angered by his latest legal setback, he said it was “impossible for me to be treated fairly,” tying Cooper’s ruling to earlier losses, including the Supreme Court’s rejection in February of his sweeping tariffs.

His post aimed to make the case for the project even as he says he’s giving up on it. Hours after Cooper’s decision, Trump said he was backing away from the renovations and making arrangements to relinquish control to Congress of what, until the Republican president’s second term, had been known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

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Trump set to headline ‘Great American State Fair’ for nation’s 250th anniversary after artists drop out

An upcoming celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, “The Great American State Fair,” recently had several musical guests back out partly over the event’s ties to President Trump. Now, Trump himself is slated to headline the festivities, the organizers said Saturday.

“I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance,” Trump posted to his social media platform Truth Social Saturday, adding that he was thinking of bringing “the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate ‘Artists.’”

The group organizing the June fair on Washington’s National Mall, Freedom 250, confirmed the billing in a statement, writing, “We are excited to announce that President Trump will personally kick off this historic celebration on Wednesday, June 24.”

Freedom 250 is billed as nonpartisan, but was launched last year by Trump and is led by a former State Department appointee from Trump’s first term. Several artists, including Bret Michaels, the Commodores and Martina McBride dropped out last week.

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US bombs Iranian military sites and Kuwait is hit by drone and missile fire

The United States said Monday that it bombed radar and drone sites in Iran after Tehran shot down an American drone over the weekend. Iran then said it launched a strike of its own, and Kuwait reported incoming fire.

The nominal ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. has been repeatedly tested with such back-and-forth attacks, even as officials from both countries try to negotiate an end to the war. It’s not clear how close they are to a deal — and there is always the risk that an attack could derail those talks.

In the meantime, Iran has maintained its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global energy supplies and driving up the price of fuel around the world, with far-reaching consequences.

Fighting has also escalated between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, despite their nominal ceasefire. Israel has extended its occupation deep into Lebanon, and Hezbollah — which joined the war in support of its main backer, Iran — continues to launch drones into Israel.

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Trump is facing a new inflation warning from the bond market, adding to his midterm challenges

The world is getting more uptight about lending money to President Donald Trump’s government — causing interest rates to climb in ways that are worsening affordability pressures, hampering economic growth and creating a new risk for Republicans in November’s midterm elections.

The energy price spike triggered by the Iran war has seeped into the price of bonds that help fund the U.S. government. Interest rates on a 10-year U.S. Treasury note are topping 4.44%, up from 3.95% before the war started at the end of February. Average mortgage rates have climbed to their highest levels in nine months, while auto sales are slumping.

The challenge is global in scale, as interest rates have risen for multiple countries as the world has been adjusting to the prospect of higher inflation, mounting questions about the sustainability of government debt and a dramatic surge in investment in artificial intelligence.

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The five people will complete their monitoring at home after remaining symptom-free and meeting criteria for monitoring outside the quarantine unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

They are leaving Omaha about three weeks after they and the 13 other Americans arrived in Nebraska following a deadly outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship traveling in the South Atlantic Ocean.

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

A total of 13 confirmed or probable hantavirus cases, including three deaths, have been linked to the ship, according to the World Health Organization.

No Andes virus cases have been confirmed in the U.S., and the risk to the public remains low, health officials said.

None of the U.S. passengers has shown any symptoms, a spokesperson for Nebraska Medicine said Monday.

Symptoms of hantavirus have taken as long as 42 days to appear in previous outbreaks, but some medical experts say most people who develop symptoms do so within 21 days.

The doctors in Omaha monitoring the passengers had said previously that they would work with each person individually to determine if it was appropriate for them to go home to finish their recommended 42-day quarantine period.

Federal officials arranged travel for the five people going home, in coordination with state and local authorities. Officials said the travel was not to be on commercial flights, with appropriate biocontainment measures in place. State health departments will continue daily symptom monitoring, maintain 24/7 oversight and provide guidance.

Two of the people returning to their homes live outside New York City, said city Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin.

One of the remaining passengers, Jake Rosmarin, posted on his blog Sunday that he plans to stay at the Omaha unit for his final three weeks of quarantine because he would have immediate access to care if he gets sick and he doesn’t want to risk unnecessarily exposing anyone else.

Rosmarin, who posts daily updates about his experience, said he’s not judging anyone who decided to go home.

“For me personally, this experience has been incredibly traumatic," Rosmarin said. “I don’t think I’ve fully processed everything yet, and right now I don’t want to leave until I know there is no risk of me getting sick or putting my family, friends, or the general public at risk.”

Not everyone quarantined in Nebraska has been happy about it. About a week after the 18 arrived, U.S. health officials issued quarantine orders forcing two passengers who wanted to leave to stay there.

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Stobbe reported from New York.

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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.

Platner, a Democrat, posted a video over the weekend taken by his wife, Amy Gertner, who reportedly told his campaign of the text messages last year. In the video, Gertner decried coverage of the issue as “gossip” and said “being married is hard.”

Sanders, a critical early backer of Platner, told The Associated Press on Monday that he still supports the oyster farmer and combat veteran, who hopes to unseat veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

“People can't afford healthcare. Can't afford groceries. Can't afford to put gas in their cars. And I think it might be a good idea if we focused on the important issues facing the working families of Maine and this country,” Sanders said.

Pressed later by reporters on whether he still backed Platner, Sanders was unequivocal.

“Of course,” he said. “Why would I not?”

The independent senator added that he was scheduled to meet with Platner while he's in Washington this week and feels the nation should “focus on issues more important than the Platner marriage.”

During the Washington trip, which a campaign official said has been in the works for weeks, Platner is expected to meet with other senators and attend a fundraiser co-hosted by Ron Klain, the former chief of staff to President Joe Biden.

Democratic senators returned from a 10-day recess to a barrage of questions about Platner. Many who have previously backed him stood by their support, while others avoided weighing in. California Sen. Adam Schiff said he would need to “follow up to find out the scoop on that before” he could comment.

Platner is seeking the Democratic nomination for one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country as Democrats hope to defeat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins and regain control of the chamber. The Maine primary is June 9, and Platner's primary rival for the nomination, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, already suspended her campaign in April.

Platner is scheduled to appear in Bar Harbor Friday evening with progressive Rep. Ro Khanna of California and a pair of Democratic Maine candidates. It’s billed as a “get out the vote” rally and it’s taking place at a historic theater in the coastal resort town.

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Whittle reported from Portland, Maine. Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.

Sabalenka beat Osaka 7-5, 6-3 on Monday to reach the French Open quarterfinals and move one step closer to finally winning the clay-court Grand Slam, where she lost last year's final to Coco Gauff.

It was the first women’s night match at Roland Garros in three years and Osaka entered the court wearing a golden bomber jacket over her gold sequin playing dress, trailing a tiered train with puffs of tulle.

Sabalenka wore more standard tennis attire: A slightly sheer black flared tennis dress with a red underlayer; plus diamond necklaces.

In the matchup of four-time Grand Slam champions, Sabalenka improved to 3-1 in her career against Osaka, who was playing in the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time.

Sabalenka overpowered Osaka from the baseline, and produced a huge forehand return winner on her first match point that Osaka barely got her racket on.

Tournament organizers had been criticized for not scheduling more women's matches at night, with Roland Garros officials responding that women's best-of-three set matches don't occupy enough time for TV broadcasters. The men play best-of-five set matches.

Sabalenka won in 1 hour, 27 minutes.

“The atmosphere and the attention that this match brought (is) going to show them that probably for the future they should consider putting at least sometimes women matches at night,” Sabalenka said.

Sabalenka's quarterfinal opponent will be Diana Shnaider, who beat Madison Keys — the last American woman remaining in contention — 6-3, 3-6, 6-0.

French hopes were dashed following Diane Parry’s 6-3, 6-2 loss to 114th-ranked Maja Chwalinska of Poland.

Chwalinska had never been beyond the second round of any major, and her run is even more impressive considering she came through three qualifying rounds.

Chwalinska's quarterfinal opponent will be Anna Kalinskaya, who surprised even herself by reaching the last eight after defeating Anastasia Potapova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10-7).

“Thinking two weeks ago that I will be here, I wouldn’t believe it,” Kalinskaya said. “I would probably laugh with my team.”

Many top women's players were already eliminated, including auff, four-time winner Iga Swiatek and No. 2-ranked Elena Rybakina.

Sinner's out but Italians move on

Despite top-ranked Jannik Sinner losing in the second round, Italian fans will have at least two men in the quarterfinals.

Tenth-seeded Flavio Cobolli advanced to his second Grand Slam quarterfinal — and his first here — after beating American Zachary Svajda 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5).

“It’s for sure my favorite Grand Slam to play,” Cobolli said after winning on Court Philippe-Chatrier. “We have the best feeling with the surface as Italians.”

A little while after his win, Cobolli — a former youth soccer player at Italian club Roma — joined players from the Paris Saint-Germain team as they paraded the Champions League trophy on Court Philippe-Chatrier. PSG beat Arsenal in the final on Saturday.

Cobolli's next faces No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 to complete a career set of reaching the last eight at all four majors. The Canadian has never been beyond a Grand Slam semifinal, though.

“Not having Sinner in the semifinals is another opportunity, but you need to be there,” Auger-Aliassime said.

Big-serving Matteo Berrettini joined Cobolli in the quarterfinals after beating Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-3, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (6). Berrettini last reached the quarterfinals here in 2021 — but hadn't been back to the tournament since then because of a series of injuries and physical issues.

Matteo Arnaldi made it three Italians in last eight when he beat Frances Tiafoe — the last American man in the draw — 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in a match that lasted 5 hours, 26 minutes and ended after 1 a.m.

Berrettini and Arnaldi face each other in the quarterfinals, ensuring that at least one Italian man will advance to the semifinals.

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AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin, and AP Fashion Writer Colleen Barry in Milan contributed to this report.

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

A few minutes later, White said she also appreciates coaching Clark.

Two days after cameras caught the Indiana star and the Fever coach engaged in what appeared to be a brief sideline spat, Clark and White explained the confrontation was not the result of some deep-seeded dispute but rather the result of two highly competitive women fighting to win a game.

“I think a lot of those things happen all the time,” Clark said Monday. “I know there's a camera on me and that's how it's going to be, but there are a lot of people out there in the media or on TV that think they know a lot of things and they're just blatantly wrong about a lot of things. I ride with Steph, I ride for these girls. Steph has my back more than anybody.”

What fans saw Saturday, though, was White appearing to confront Clark who responded by putting her arms in the air. White then pulled Clark and plugged in rookie guard Raven Johnson for Clark. White has since said she was merely challenging a player to perform at a higher level.

But on social media, the fierce postgame reaction focused largely on whether the incident may have exposed a rift between the two and whether White might be fired. They spent Monday taking turns passionately expressing their unhappiness over how the exchange — and their relationship — were characterized by outsiders.

“As far as we were concerned, the moment died right then,” White said. “We can’t control the outside narrative. We can’t control where people choose to take a snippet of an instance in a game or whatever it might be and run with it. We know that people are always going to have an opinion about what we’re doing in here, people are always going to have an opinion about Caitlin. It’s the reality of the world we live in, the reality of the job we have. But it’s not the reality of what the relationship is like.”

It's been an understandably frustrating start for the Fever and Clark, who missed 31 games last season with an assortment of injuries. Rather than starting this season as the title contenders many expected to see, the Fever fell to 4-4 with Saturday's 100-84 loss at expansion Portland.

Clark, the former Iowa star and the NCAA's career scoring leader, has struggled in her comeback, too. She's made just 39.3% of her shots and only 33.3% of her 3-pointers this season and last week's West Coast trip wasn't any better.

She finished Saturday's game 1 of 7 from the field with six points and no 3s while trying to play through foul trouble. Clark went 4 of 19 from the field in last week's two games, finishing with 22 points, 12 assists and six turnovers. Her defensive play also has come under fire.

Indiana hosts Atlanta and Angel Reese on Thursday.

Off the court, Clark has been dealing with a sore back, which kept her out of the first matchup against Portland, May 20, and prompted league officials to warn the Fever about not listing Clark on the team's injury list before the game.

Yet White has continued to defend one of the league's most popular players, and Clark said she appreciates the support she's received from the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year.

“When I got hurt at the Connecticut game last year, like I bawled in Steph's arms,” Clark said. “That's somebody I will ride for for the rest of my life. Those are moments that people don't see. People just sit on their phones all day, they don't see those moments. They don't see the moments where we come into work, they don't see the moments that absolutely suck that people have your back. They think they know everything when in reality they don't have a clue.”

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

First up for the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is the doubles tournament at Queen’s Club. But Wimbledon and the U.S. Open could be next.

“It seems like she’s trying to work her way up maybe to the U.S. Open, and those fans would be so ready to see her back on a singles court there,” former No. 1 Lindsay Davenport said at the French Open after the WTA Tour announced Monday that Williams has accepted a wild-card invitation to play doubles at next week’s grass-court tournament in London.

Williams won seven Wimbledon titles and six at the U.S. Open before stepping away from the game in 2022. In doubles, she won six titles at Wimbledon and two at the U.S. Open — all with her older sister Venus Williams.

“She’s a legend. It’s inspiring to see,” top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka said. “I’m excited to see her play and probably face her. ... It’s very good news for tennis.”

John McEnroe suggested Williams could compete in singles at Wimbledon, which starts June 28.

“She’s not getting any younger but she’s Serena Williams so I bet you she would tell me about wanting to win the whole damn thing,” McEnroe said in Paris.

The Queen’s Club tournament starts next Monday and the WTA said Williams will play “with a partner to be announced in due course.”

“Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” Williams said in a statement. “Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career and I’m excited to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.”

Williams has not competed since bidding farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, Williams said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis.

Davenport said some current women’s players went down to Florida to practice with Williams recently.

“I don’t think anyone’s admitted to that, but I do know that some of them were,” Davenport said. “So I think she has kind of a handle on where the level is. But I don’t know if she’s been playing a two-hour singles match, right? We’ll have to see how she can handle that physically.”

Williams, who has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles overall in her storied career, became eligible to compete in February after re-registering with tennis’ mandatory anti-doping program six months earlier — which is the first step toward a comeback.

Djokovic is competitive at 39

Davenport noted how Novak Djokovic is still competitive at 39 — having recently pushed 19-year-old Joao Fonseca to five sets before getting beaten in the third round in Paris.

"It’s not going to be easy. If anyone could do it, certainly it could be her," Davenport said of Williams. “We’re seeing kind of an unprecedented time with players and how they train now, being able to play better longer, play at a level that we never expected.

“She always looks in incredible shape; and better shape than arguably when she left.”

While Williams' big serve automatically gives her an advantage on grass, it's a surface that also presents unique challenges because of the speed of play and low bounces.

“Grass is a tough surface to start on," Davenport said. "It goes very quick, very low, very physical, not as much running as clay, but a lot of bending. ... She wouldn’t come back unless she knew she could play at such a high level. But we’ve got to be a little graceful in the time we give her until she hits her feet.”

Williams sisters were role models for Osaka

Four-time major champion Naomi Osaka, who beat Williams in the 2018 U.S. Open final for her first major title, was excited at the prospect.

“It will bring people to watch tennis,” Osaka said Thursday. “I’m going to be tuned into the first match, for sure. I think a lot of people are. Everyone knows Serena and Venus were my role models growing up, so it’s going to be cool to see her on the grounds again.”

Williams recently posted a video on Instagram showing herself training on a hard court with her daughter: “Rumor has it…I got a new trainer,” Williams said in the post.

Williams’ second daughter was born in 2023.

Venus Williams, who also had a stint at No. 1 in the rankings and is a five-time Wimbledon champion, is still playing occasionally at 45.

McEnroe played doubles at 47

McEnroe was 47 when he returned after 12 years of retirement and won a tour-level doubles tournament with partner Jonas Bjorkman.

“Physically I still had it for doubles, so she definitely could still have it for doubles, there’s no question about that. She could win anything (in doubles),” McEnroe said. “The singles is more difficult. ... I’m not really sure what the plan is. She hasn’t called me to tell me the plan.”

Gauff never got to play Williams

“One of my biggest regrets was not being able to play her,” defending French Open champion Coco Gauff said.

Added fellow American player Madison Keys: “Serena Williams playing tennis is only good for tennis. Let’s be real. We all want to watch Serena play tennis.

“I mean, you literally get to watch history every single time she takes the court,” Keys added. “So why not watch more?”

Women returned to Queen's after more than 50 years

A women’s tournament rejoined the men’s competition at Queen’s last year after an absence of more than 50 years, meaning Williams will be making her debut at the historic grass-court tournament.

“And now,” said Queen’s tournament director Laura Robson, "we have an icon of the game stepping back on to court at this prestigious venue."

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AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire contributed to this report.

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

On X, acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez confirmed the move, saying there was “nothing controversial” about it and that it came because speechwriters, who use classified material, were now occupying the space.

“The Pentagon Press Office has been redesignated as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility due to speechwriters from the Office of the Secretary of War sharing the facility,” Valdez wrote.

“These speechwriters routinely handle classified material … as a result, journalists will no longer be permitted to enter the office space. There’s nothing controversial about that.”

The latest move, first reported by The Washington Post, took place against a backdrop of escalating tensions between the U.S. media and the second Trump administration, which has played out both in the public arena and at times in the courts.

For many years, Pentagon reporters had credentials granting them wide movement in the building as they sought to interact with press officials there. But last October, most news outlets turned in access badges and walked out of the Pentagon rather than agree to government-imposed restrictions on their work,

The New York Times sued the Defense Department on May 18 for the second time in five months, arguing that a requirement that journalists be escorted while on Pentagon grounds violates the First Amendment and is “an unconstitutional attempt by the Pentagon to prevent independent reporting on military affairs.”

The paper said it had filed the additional lawsuit after first suing the Pentagon in December over new rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to challenge an interim policy “that the Pentagon hastily put into place after a federal judge ruled in The Times’s favor in its original lawsuit.” The new policy included the requirement that journalists be accompanied by escorts at all times while in the Pentagon.

The policy was implemented in March following a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman that had struck down earlier restrictions. The following month, the judge ruled that the interim policy violated his March order. But the escort policy remained in place when an appeals court stayed part of Friedman’s ruling while the government appeals. The appeals process is ongoing.

Just a month ago, the two announced a settlement that avoided a trial over Lively's claims that Baldoni led a campaign to smear her reputation after she accused him of sexually harassing her on the set of their 2024 film “It Ends With Us.”

But on Monday, lawyers for Lively were back in court, trying to get a judge to make Baldoni pay her legal bills plus other penalties. They said she's entitled to the money under a California law because Baldoni's countersuit, which claimed she had defamed and extorted him, was thrown out last year by a judge.

Neither actor was present for the hearing before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman in New York.

Baldoni and his lawyer, Ellyn Garofalo, accused Lively of trying to do “an end run" around a trial that was canceled when the two agreed to settle. While the financial terms of the settlement weren't announced publicly, Garofalo told the court it was resolved without Baldoni and his production company “paying a cent of the $300 million in damages she was demanding.”

“Reopening this for basically what is an alternative trial would involve reopening discovery, new experts, new expert depositions,” she said.

Lively's lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, asserts that the lawsuit Baldoni brought against Lively was the very kind of litigation the California law was designed to stop. The law is intended to protect survivors of sexual harassment from protracted and damaging legal fights.

Liman did not immediately rule after hearing more than an hour of arguments.

The two actors have been fighting in court since late 2024 over the fraught filming of “It Ends With Us."

Lively had claimed that during filming, Baldoni made inappropriate comments about her appearance, violated physical boundaries while filming a love scene, and pushed for nudity — against Lively’s wishes — during a scene in which her character was giving birth.

Lively also accused Baldoni and his production company of then orchestrating an effort to damage her public reputation and her credibility, in case she went public with her complaints.

Baldoni, who directed the dark romantic drama and starred in it with Lively, denied harassing her or orchestrating a smear campaign. He claimed the complaints about his behavior were made up by Lively as part of an effort to seize creative control of the movie. He countersued, accusing Lively and her husband, “Deadpool” actor Ryan Reynolds, of defamation and extortion.

The judge ultimately dismissed Lively’s sexual harassment claims, ruling that she couldn’t pursue them under federal law because she was an independent contractor rather than an employee on the movie set. The retaliation claim had been headed for trial when the two sides settled.

In a joint statement after the deal was reached, the two sides said they agreed Lively’s concerns “deserved to be heard” and that they ”remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments.”

“It Ends With Us,” an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling 2016 novel about a relationship devolving into domestic violence, was released in August 2024 and exceeded box office expectations.

Lively appeared in the 2005 film “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and the TV series “Gossip Girl” from 2007 to 2012 before starring in films including “The Town” and “The Shallows.”

Baldoni starred in the TV comedy “Jane the Virgin,” directed the 2019 film “Five Feet Apart” and wrote “Man Enough,” a book challenging traditional notions of masculinity.

A long-anticipated deal was completed Monday when the Eagles traded Brown to the AFC champion New England Patriots for two draft picks, ending the tenure of perhaps the greatest receiver in franchise history.

Also, one of the more complicated ones.

Brown's relationship with the franchise, notably Super Bowl MVP QB Jalen Hurts, soured as much as his production in 2025 and the clock ticked toward a June 1 deadline for a deal when his contract would no longer be such an albatross on the salary cap. The Eagles will save up to $133 million overall in cash.

It still stings a bit.

The Eagles can now spread $43.4 million in dead money over the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

Sounds great — along with the 2028 first-rounder and a 2027 fifth-rounder acquired from the Patriots — on paper.

On the field, the Eagles will surely miss Brown, who had 339 catches for 5,034 yards receiving with 32 touchdowns in four seasons with the franchise. Brown, who turns 29 later this month, was acquired in a trade with the Tennessee Titans during the 2022 draft and was signed to a four-year deal worth $100 million.

Brown had 106 catches for 1,456 yards receiving in 2023 after he had 88 catches for 1,496 yards in 2022 in his first season with the Eagles and was rewarded with one of the richest contracts in team history.

He agreed to a three-year contract extension in April 2024 that included $84 million in guaranteed money.

The Eagles would win the Super Bowl in the 2024 season — Brown was caught reading an inspirational self-help book on the sideline during the postseason run — but the good vibes wouldn't last much longer.

Brown is not only the Eagles' No. 1 wide receiver, he was also one of the top receivers in franchise history. He topped 1,000 yards receiving all four seasons with the Eagles — including consecutive 1,400-plus-yard seasons — and was a crucial member of two teams that played in the Super Bowl.

“It is hard to find great players in the NFL and A.J.’s a great player,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said at the end of the season.

Brown thanked the Eagles, staff and fans in a social media post and wrote, “Playing for this city has been an honor. And I'm thankful for every moment in midnight green.”

Yet, Brown was unhappy last season as the Eagles offense stagnated, leading to a change at offensive coordinator.

Brown and Eagles coach Nick Sirianni bickered on the sideline during a wild-card loss to the 49ers, forcing chief security officer Dom DiSandro to intervene. Brown ripped off his helmet in frustration and yelled more in Sirianni’s direction.

Brown had nothing to say after the game, continuing a pattern where he declined to speak to the media over the final weeks of the season.

Brown had been irked about his production — rather, his lack of it — last season and wasn't shy about voicing his need for a bigger role in the offense.

He would post cryptically on social media, including a September post that said: “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”

Brown is on his way to New England, where he will be reunited with coach Mike Vrabel, his former coach in Tennessee.

The Eagles signaled the end of Brown's tenure during the April draft when they selected Southern California wide receiver Makai Lemon in the first round. Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver after catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards — tops in the Power Four conferences — and 11 touchdowns for the Trojans.

Philadelphia had already added receivers Dontayvion Wicks, “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore to potentially pair with No. 1 receiver DeVonta Smith.

Brown never got to meet the new guys inside the locker room after he skipped last week's voluntary organized team activities.

“For us, we’re focused on learning the offense,” Hurts said last week. “It really doesn’t change in terms of our approach to improve.”

Hurts and Brown had reported cracks in their relationship in 2024 when Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said “ things have changed ” in their dynamic. Both players downplayed any tension, but questions lingered about their relationship all the way until last week's organized team activities.

The 51st pick overall out of Mississippi in 2019, Brown had been the best receiver drafted by the Titans since the organization moved to Tennessee in 1997. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2020 and had 185 career catches for 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns before he was dealt to the Eagles for a first-rounder in the 2022 draft.

Brown hopes he can find the happiness, catches and cash in New England that he failed to find in his two previous stops.

“It’s going to be a hard time for me to say anything bad about A.J. Brown,” Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said at OTAs. “I’m a big fan of A.J. Brown, one of my really good friends, one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever been around, just respect him as a man. But this is the business.”

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