The U.S. and Iran offered contradictory remarks Tuesday about whether those sites would be inspected.

A week after the two countries signed an interim deal, leaders from the U.S. and Iran have repeatedly disagreed in public about what that document actually means.

International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi on Wednesday acknowledged the “war of words” over Iran’s nuclear program, but the dueling narratives are playing out on a range of issues, including Israel’s war with Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and how Tehran will spend billions of dollars once unfrozen.

After the signing of the memorandum of understanding, both sides agreed to a 60-day period to iron out these and other details, work that will take place in private. Until those talks are completed, leaders from both countries will continue to negotiate in public, raising the risks of derailing the shaky ceasefire in the region.

Grossi's remarks were the firmest yet from the United Nations agency, which is viewed as key in determining the status of Iran's nuclear stockpile.

Since Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran in 2025, the IAEA has been blocked by Tehran from visiting enrichment sites where the Islamic Republic is believed to store enough highly enriched uranium to potentially build as many as 10 nuclear weapons, should it choose to rush for the bomb. Iran long has maintained that its program is peaceful, though it is the only country in the world to have uranium enriched up to 60% purity without a weapons program.

Grossi says inspections are ‘going to happen’

“I can understand political statements, they are part of the reality, but the fundamental thing I would like to remind you and draw your attention to is that there has been a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by both presidents,” he told journalists at a news conference at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The accord “says explicitly that the nuclear activities that are going to be carried out with regards to the nuclear material facilities will be supervised by the IAEA — in all letters,” he said.

Grossi added: “Obviously, to do that, we will have to inspect. Whether this happens the day after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it’s important, but not essential. This is going to happen.”

Those inspections are key for the deal, which calls for Iran’s stockpile of uranium to be “downblended” from highly enriched levels.

Kazem Gharibabadi, an Iranian deputy foreign minister, took his own shot at Grossi after his remarks, saying Tehran didn’t meet with him while in Switzerland.

“These issues will be reviewed and decided only within the framework of a final agreement and as a result of practical action by the other side to end all sanctions and other measures.” Gharibabadi wrote on X.

He added: “You cannot advance the ‘stir up and take over’ policy with media hype.”

IAEA blocked from seeing bombed sites

The IAEA has been allowed to visit other nuclear sites in Iran since the 12-day war in 2025, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant. But without accessing the enrichment sites, the IAEA says it is unable to verify the status of Iran's stockpile or check the cascades of centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Both Iran and the IAEA say Tehran hasn't been enriching uranium, but nonproliferation experts worry that the Islamic Republic may be moving its stockpile to undeclared areas.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a deal last week that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed sanctions on Iranian oil, while giving each side 60 days to hammer out broader agreements.

But the uneasy ceasefire already has been tested by Iran saying it closed the strait again over fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence again broke out in Lebanon on Tuesday, but it did not escalate.

Israel’s defense minister said Wednesday that the U.S. had not demanded that Israel withdraw from Lebanon and maintained that Israel will remain there as long as Hezbollah poses a threat to its troops and residents. Hezbollah has refused to halt attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing.

“We are not withdrawing, and as of this moment -- and this is a diplomatic achievement -- there is no American demand for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon,” said minister Israel Katz.

Technical-level talks between the U.S. and Iran are expected to resume early next week at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Pakistan has been a key mediator.

Marco Rubio is in the Middle East

Grossi’s remarks came as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled in the Persian Gulf for a three-nation tour, beginning with a closed-door meeting and private working lunch in Abu Dhabi with Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the State Department said Wednesday. A photo later released by the State Department showed Michael Boulos, the husband of President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany, attended the meeting. Boulous’ father serves as an adviser to Trump and is working on the Sudan war.

Rubio then traveled to Kuwait, where the Trump administration announced the limited reopening of the U.S. Embassy more than three months after it was shuttered at the height of the Iran war.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended a ceremonial flag-raising at the embassy compound in Kuwait City. He will later go to Bahrain.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

In paperwork filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Texas in Houston, the camp listed its debt as more than $10 million. The camp along the Guadalupe River said it had assets in the range of $100,001 to $500,000.

Families of the victims filed a lawsuit in November seeking more than $1 million in damages, saying the camp operators failed to take the necessary steps to protect the girls as life-threatening floodwaters approached on July 4. Camp owner Richard Eastland also died in the flood.

All told, the destructive flooding killed at least 136 people along a several-mile stretch of the river, raising questions about how things went so terribly wrong.

The Associated Press sent emails and left phone messages Wednesday requesting comment from an attorney representing Camp Mystic and the Eastland family. A phone message seeking comment also was left for a spokesperson for the families who sued the camp.

The bankruptcy filing comes weeks after Camp Mystic halted plans to reopen this summer in the face of outrage from victims’ families and lawmakers that the century-old camp intended to welcome girls back while lawsuits and investigations remained ongoing.

Camp Mystic's attorney had said it was ready to reopen for business for nearly 900 campers before the camp's reversal in April. The decision followed weeks of testimony in court hearings and legislative investigations that laid bare the camp’s lack of detailed planning for a flood emergency and its reliance on poorly trained staff.

Families of the victims packed the hearings, often wearing “Heaven’s 27” pins with photographs of their daughters. They listened to the details of missed flood warning signs, the descriptions of the flood and the decision to leave the girls in their cabins until it was too late. Testimony included video of the raging floodwaters as a girl repeatedly screamed for “help!” somewhere in the distance.

Before halting the reopening plans, Camp Mystic invited journalists and lawmakers to review safety improvements at the camp and promised that no camp activities would take place in the low-lying area that was devastated by the flood. The Eastland family also stressed that hundreds of families wanted to return and described it as a special a place for generations of Texans.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

Wall Street was poised to open with modest gains Wednesday following a global sell-off in big technology stocks a day earlier.

Futures for the S&P 500 inched up 0.1% before the opening bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were flat. Nasdaq futures were up 0.3%.

Some of the companies hit hardest by selling Tuesday took back some of those losses before the market opened.

Chipmaker Micron, which tumbled more than 13% on Tuesday, gained 3.2% overnight. Marvell Technology rose 1.5% in premarket after skidding 9.4% a day earlier.

This week's selling has largely targeted companies that have seen their values surge amid the frenzy over artificial intelligence technology. Their pricey stock values give them more influence over the broader market’s direction.

Outside of the AI selloff, shares of Google parent company Alphabet inched higher overnight after it was announced that it would replace Verizon on the Dow Jones Industrial average Monday. Alphabet will become the fifth Magnificent 7 company to join the index.

Take-Two Interactive jumped 3% after announcing early Wednesday that its Rockstar Games would begin taking pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI, the latest of its blockbuster game series, on Thursday at midnight.

Oil prices fell again, continuing to edge closer to where they were before the Iran war started in late February. More ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz while U.S.-Iran talks on a permanent end to the Iran war continued to make progress.

Still, while vessel crossings in the strait increased in recent days, they remained well below prewar levels, they noted.

Brent crude, the international standard, fell $1.59 to $75.21 a barrel. It has been trading below $80 in recent days but is still elevated compared with the approximately $70 per barrel in late February before the war began.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.67 to $71.54 a barrel. It was around $67 a barrel before the war.

Early Wednesday, President Donald Trump said the Justice Department will investigate oil companies for price gouging

Trump said on social media that gasoline prices are not matching the decline in oil prices, so he has told the Justice Department “to immediately start looking into this.”

Crude oil prices have eased with the interim deal with Iran, which has enabled more oil tankers to start passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Prices at the pump are averaging $3.93 a gallon, according to AAA. Gasoline costs have fallen over the past month, just not as much as Trump would like.

“In other words, customers are being ‘gouged,’” Trump posted. “I have instructed the DOJ to immediately start looking into this. Gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I’m seeing!”

Investors are awaiting a report due Thursday on May’s personal consumption expenditures price index, or PCE, the Federal Reserve's preferred measurement of inflation in the U.S.

Bond yields have remained higher as inflation concerns grew amid global energy shocks. The yield on the 10-year Treasury settled at 4.48% early Wednesday.

The Federal Reserve has signaled that it could raise interest rates at least once before the end of the year. Wall Street sees an 85% chance that the central bank will raise its benchmark interest rate this year, according to date from CME Group. That’s compared to 60% a week earlier.

The potential for higher interest rates can stifle future spending and hurt prices for investments.

Elsewhere, in Europe at midday, Britain’s FTSE 100 was unchanged, while Germany's DAX fell 1.1% and France's CAC 40 ticked up 0.2%.

In Asia, South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index was up 3.3% to 8,471.02, recovering from its 10% decline on Tuesday. Shares of memory chipmaker SK Hynix, one of the country's most valuable stocks, climbed 1%. Samsung Electronics jumped 9.8%, after Tuesday’s 12.3% plummet.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 lost 0.9% to 69,174.97 after falling 3.6% on Tuesday.

Taiwan’s Taiex, which is also heavily influenced by tech shares, fell 2.2%.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was 0.3% higher at 23,412.18. The Shanghai Composite index was up 0.1% to 4,110.81. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.2% to 8,808.40.

The big falls in tech shares were an “illustration of rising volatility” in these stocks, said James Reilly, senior markets economist at Capital Economics. “This is particularly true in Korea where domestic retail buyers are taking on an increasing role,” he said.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will check in face-to-face with Trump on Wednesday, visiting the volatile U.S. leader two weeks before the annual summit of the military alliance at a time when the Pentagon is reviewing the size of the U.S. military footprint in Europe.

The saga over the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool took a turn as Trump said Tuesday that six people have been arrested over recent damage. The president’s troubled $14-million-plus rehabilitation project has become a visceral flashpoint over law enforcement, aesthetics and environmental concerns ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

The Latest:

US reopens embassy in Kuwait after shuttering during Iran war

The Trump administration has announced the limited reopening, more than three months after it was shuttered at the height of the war.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended a ceremonial flag-raising at the embassy compound in Kuwait City on Wednesday during the second leg of a three-nation tour of Gulf allies.

“Effective at midnight on June 24, 2026, the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait resumed operations following a suspension caused by Iranian attacks,” the State Department said. “The Embassy will immediately resume emergency services for American citizens, with other services phased in gradually.”

The embassy suspended operations on March 5, amid intensifying Iranian drone and missile retaliation for U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Ot was the only one to entirely close down, although all others in the region reduced staffing by either allowing or ordering non-emergency personnel to leave their posts.

Federal judge bars immigration arrests at US courthouses in a setback for Trump

U.S. District Judge Casey Pitts of San Francisco ordered an end to the arrests, saying in part that the reversal of longstanding policy failed to address the “chilling effect” on attendance at court hearings and resulted from “a complete lack of decision-making.”

“For 80 years, Congress has commanded federal agencies to think before they act,” wrote Pitts, referring to the 1946 Administrative Procedure Act, which demands that an agency at least provide sound reasons for following its chosen course.”

Another federal judge in May also barred arrests at immigration courts, but that order applied only in New York. This decision invalidates the policy nationwide.

James Percival, the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s general counsel, criticized Tuesday's ruling as an exercise in judicial overreach.

▶ Read more

Mamdani’s endorsements prove his power in New York, plus more takeaways

After two of Trump ’s picks for governor lost Republican primaries this month, he ensured it wouldn’t happen again. The president endorsed both GOP candidates in a South Carolina runoff, and one of them inevitably won.

Meanwhile New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani proved his endorsement power after boosting three progressives over establishment-backed candidates in Tuesday’s Democratic primaries. All three won, all but ensuring that two self-described democratic socialists will represent their deep blue districts in Congress. The mayor said it was a question of electing “better Democrats” who would “put working people back at the heart of politics.”

The losers in New York’s House primaries included New York Assemblyman Alex Bores, a former Palantir employee who pushed sweeping state-level AI regulation; Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy; and former Republican lawyer George Conway.

▶ Read more

Trump turns America 250 kickoff into a campaign-style rally on the National Mall

The President sees America’s 250th anniversary as a chance to get the country excited again — about Donald Trump.

He’s hosting a rally Wednesday on the National Mall, promising a stealth bomber flyover, military bands, singer Lee Greenwood of “God Bless the USA” fame and a speech by who else but Trump.

The president is trying to convince American voters that he’s put the unpopular Iran war in the rearview mirror, with oil prices easing as the Strait of Hormuz reopens amid negotiations with Tehran. The rally kicks off weeks of celebrations about America and its 1776 founding.

After musicians including Young MC and the Commodores canceled, Trump said he’s stepping into the void as “the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime.”

He said Wednesday’s event would be “the biggest rally we’ve ever had.”

▶ Read more

Trump says Justice Department will investigate oil companies for price gouging

Trump said on social media that gasoline prices are not matching the decline in oil prices, so he has told the Justice Department “to immediately start looking into this.”

Crude oil prices have eased with the interim deal with Iran, which has enabled more oil tankers to start passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Prices at the pump are averaging $3.93 a gallon, according to AAA. Gasoline costs have fallen over the past month, just not as much as Trump would like.

“In other words, customers are being ‘gouged,’” Trump posted. “I have instructed the DOJ to immediately start looking into this. Gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I’m seeing!

Federal appeals court allows the Trump administration to resume expanded use of speedy deportations

A federal appeals court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to resume carrying out speedy deportations of undocumented migrants throughout the United States, not just near the border.

A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out a lower court decision that temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s expanded use of expedited removal. The ruling was a big victory for the Republican administration, which views the expansion of so-called expedited removal as a key tool for carrying out its mass deportation policy.

Expedited removal — quick deportation without a chance to appear before a judge — has previously been applied to migrants arriving by sea or caught at or near the border shortly after crossing.

In January, Trump expanded its use to undocumented migrants all over the United States. Immigration agents began whisking migrants away from courthouses where they had gone for immigration proceedings and then removing them from the country within days.

▶ Read more

California intends to sue Trump administration over deal to end offshore wind project

California intends to sue the Trump administration over its deal to end an offshore wind project proposed off the state’s central coast.

State officials said they are combating the administration’s attacks on their offshore wind industry by sending a notice of their intention to sue to the Department of the Interior on Tuesday. Tuesday’s action is focused on the administration buying back the lease for Golden State Wind, a floating offshore wind project off California’s central coast.

California has made a major commitment to offshore wind because of its potential to generate vast amounts of clean electricity from strong, consistent winds off its coast. Its strategy calls for the state to develop 25 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2045, enough to power roughly 25 million homes and provide about 13% of the state’s electricity supply.

These energy and climate goals are now in jeopardy, and that’s why California will fight vigorously, said California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild.

▶ Read more

Troubled Reflecting Pool faces fresh scrutiny over vandalism claims and duck deaths

The saga over the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool took a turn as Trump cited six arrests over recent damage. The president’s troubled $14-million-plus rehabilitation project has become a visceral flashpoint over law enforcement, aesthetics and environmental concerns.

In a social media post, Trump claimed without supporting evidence that vandals had cause a “350-foot gash” in the paint as the administration faces a self-imposed deadline to fix the botched renovation before the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration next week. He repeated that the federal government would release images to substantiate his claim.

Trump pledged to beautify the century-old Reflecting Pool ahead of the anniversary, sealing the bottom in a color he dubbed “American flag blue.” But since that effort, its water has been plagued with algae and pieces of the new coating appeared to be peeling off.

Now the Center for Biological Diversity is calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate whether the use of pool chemicals to kill the algae bloom violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act after a Mallard duckling carcass was photographed floating in the murky water and two other ducks were found dead nearby.

▶ Read more

NATO’s Trump whisperer heads to the White House to soothe the president ahead of next month’s summit

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will check in face-to-face with Trump on Wednesday, visiting the volatile U.S. leader two weeks before the annual summit of the military alliance at a time when the Pentagon is reviewing the size of the U.S. military footprint in Europe.

Trump has long been critical of NATO, arguing the U.S. carries more than its fair share of military spending. But his grievances have been louder since the Iran war as he fumed over some member countries ignoring his call to help him restart oil trade through the shuttered Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has renewed his threats to leave the 77-year-old military alliance, raising the stakes ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit in Turkey next month. But Rutte, who has become known as a Trump whisperer for his ability to charm the president, is expected to use Wednesday’s White House meeting to try to appease him.

▶ Read more

Trump heads to Capitol to speak with GOP senators who have grown increasingly frustrated with him

The president is headed to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to meet with Republican senators who have grown increasingly frustrated with his efforts to divert their agenda.

Trump, who will attend a closed-door Senate GOP luncheon for the first time in more than a year, has pressured senators for months to focus on his proof-of-citizenship voting bill even though it doesn’t have the votes to pass. At the same time, he has blocked them from confirming one of his own nominees, asked them to fund parts of his White House ballroom project despite opposition and forced them to defend his Iran war even as they question the strategy and endgame.

Trump has also helped whittle down his own support in the Senate after endorsing primary challengers to two GOP incumbents who were previously reliable votes for his agenda — Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. Both have become more critical since losing their primaries.

Still, senators said ahead of the meeting that they hope to focus on unity, not disagreements.

▶ Read more

Meanwhile Keir Starmer, seeking to secure a legacy before he leaves office, faced the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions session in Parliament before flying to Berlin to meet European allies for talks on Ukraine and the Middle East.

Starmer announced his plan to resign on Monday and will be out of office within weeks once the governing Labour Party picks a new leader.

Starmer and his government took a roasting from Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who reeled off a list of alleged failures and said the Labour Party had betrayed and abandoned Starmer for Burnham, whom she joked was just “a pair of eyelashes and a black T-shirt.”

Starmer said he was proud of his record, arguing that he had worked to reverse years of austerity under the Conservatives.

“The test for every prime minister is handing over this country in better shape than you found it,” he said. “I know I can do that.”

Jones, a Starmer ally, had been encouraged to run so that Burnham faces a test of his ideas and policies in front of Labour lawmakers and members. Others argue that a leadership contest will only focus attention on the party’s internal divisions and extend a period of political uncertainty.

Jones told Sky News that running for the leadership is “not something that I’m going to do.”

But he cautioned Burnham against veering too far to the left in economic policy, a concern of some in the business and financial worlds. Burnham is expected to choose a new Treasury chief to replace Starmer appointee Rachel Reeves. Jones said it must be someone “that can reassure the markets, reassure the trade unions and reassure the parliamentary Labour Party, and by extension the public.”

Burnham is expected to make a speech next week outlining some of his economic plans.

Starmer is leaving after two years in office marred by missteps and judgment errors that eroded his standing with his party and the public.

Burnham, a former Cabinet minister who served since 2017 as mayor of Greater Manchester, won a special election last week for a seat in Parliament with the express aim of challenging Starmer for leadership of the Labour Party and the country.

So far, he faces no challengers. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who was considered his main rival, says he will back Burnham.

Nominations for the Labour leadership will open on July 9 and close a week later. If Burnham is the only contender, he could be prime minister by July 17. If there is a contest, the winner should be in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer break on Sept. 1.

Starmer told the weekly meeting of his Cabinet on Tuesday that he will try to oversee an “orderly transition” to his successor.

He is also keeping up a busy schedule, trying to cement a legacy for his shortened term in office. However, he is not allowed to make new major policy announcements or spending commitments during what remains of his premiership.

Starmer’s trip to Berlin for a meeting of the “E5” – Germany, France, Italy, Poland and the U.K. – for talks on European defense, the war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East, underscores the role he has played on the world stage. He has appeared more sure-footed in working with allies to support Kyiv and deal with fallout from the Iran war than he has on the home front.

The British government is expected to publish a long-awaited defense investment plan — which sparked the resignation of Defense Secretary John Healey on June 11 — before a NATO summit in Turkey on July 7 and 8 that Starmer is likely to attend.

The irony that she left her home in China and found a public platform for her LGBTQ+ artistic expression in San Francisco’s Chinatown — the country’s oldest — is not lost on her.

“Here in San Francisco Chinatown, I still continued my journey and met so many like-minded community members and friends,” Chen told The Associated Press through an interpreter. “It kind of actually encouraged me and gave me lots of strength to do what I know is my mission, my calling.”

The OUT Museum opened with a rainbow-ribbon cutting at the end of May — between Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Pride Month. Situated across from the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum, the bilingual museum is giving recognition to a demographic that has long felt invisible. It seems like an ideal fit in the progressive city at a time when some cities, states and the federal government are restricting or banning certain LGBTQ+ rights.

To start, the museum is only open on Saturdays and is one room with fewer than a dozen artworks by artists from China and the Chinese diaspora. But there is hope to expand the museum's exhibits and days of operation.

Museum allows Chinese artists to fully tell their stories

While still living in China, Chen launched a Kickstarter for a proposed museum six years ago — more than 2,000 donated on the platform. But she knew it likely wouldn't be built there. In 2022, she came to the U.S. on a J-1 visa as a visiting scholar at Georgetown University. By 2024, Chen gained attention in San Francisco for her role in an exhibition at the Asian Art Museum. That led to a residency with the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco.

The organization was “proud to be the incubating space for the OUT Museum prototype,” executive director Jenny Leung said in an email.

The level of support that followed amazed Chen.

“I got so many chances to connect with the local Asian American queer community and even the Chinatown community in general,” she said.

Interest soon followed from longtime collaborators and younger artists who reached out via Instagram. They are represented in the inaugural exhibition, which includes photography, zines and an interactive installation where visitors use thread to trace their self-discovery journey with gender and sexuality.

For Hong Kong-born artist Dixon Ngai, this museum offers an outlet to tell his story as mainstream media typically overlook the Chinese LGBTQ+ community. He contributed a hand-painted, Chinese porcelain wine pot inspired by the Cantonese opera “Di Nü Hua,” or “The Flower Princess.”

Ngai said the OUT Museum, unlike other exhibitions, is very specific to the experience of the Chinese queer community, allowing “more people to see our voice.”

Museum affirms evolving attitudes toward LGBTQ+ presence

Since the museum's opening, Chen has been “one hundred percent moved” by unexpected feedback from one particular demographic: Chinese immigrants, both queer and straight, who have lived in California for decades.

A 60-year-old transgender man who visited shared how he immigrated to the U.S. in the 1970s for crucial gender-affirming care. There was also a mother looking to connect with her gay adult son.

“She later emailed me saying that she’s so grateful for all the events the art museum has organized,” Chen said. “Her son came out to her, and she’s very proud of her son and she wants to express gratitude.”

These reactions are proof the museum is elevating the visibility of Chinese, Chinese American and Asian American LGBTQ+ people, said author and activist Helen Zia, a museum advisory board member. It also shows how attitudes have shifted, she said, as it would have been difficult to mount even 20 years ago.

“There were Asian churches who would have demonstrations week after week with thousands of people just condemning same-sex couples,” Zia said, recalling the response from the Chinese community in 2008 when she handed out pro-gay marriage flyers in Oakland's Chinatown. “We got people yelling at us, spitting.”

Later that year, Zia and her wife were among many couples who wed after the California Supreme Court rejected a same-sex marriage ban. Even today, she says the museum's presence sends a needed message.

“See our humanity,” Zia said. “Here's the beautiful art that we create and imagine and contribute to the world.”

LGBTQ+ life in mainland China

versus the US

Being homosexual in China means living under the radar and discriminatory policies. In 2001, the Chinese Psychiatric Association stopped listing homosexuality as a mental disorder. But LGBTQ+ couples still cannot marry or adopt. They are also limited in their right to publicly advocate. When Chen lived in Shanghai, she ran a grassroots center for lesbians. One of the reasons she left was because during the pandemic the government started cracking down on spaces for LGBTQ+ activism.

She likely could not even put on an art show, let alone a museum.

“From 2013 to 2015, that kind of art exhibition by queer artists (could) exist, but only if you don’t explicitly show or tell the audience that your work or yourself identify as queer or LGBTQ,” Chen said. “But not nowadays.”

That Shanghai center is how Zia met Chen a decade ago. Zia was doing research for a book and toured the center.

“She's been just incredibly brave in China, creating a center that attracted a lot of state attention,” Zia said.

A key difference Chen has noticed among American-born Chinese LGBTQ+ people versus those in China is they are more educated about gender and sexual identity and have more access to support.

Under the second Trump administration, LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under threat. President Donald Trump's administration has targeted gender-affirming care and sought to ban transgender people in the military. Some anti-Pride lawmakers recently proposed “Nuclear Family Month.”

San Francisco also recently dealt with shifting LGBTQ+ attitudes after Giants baseball players wrote Bible verses on Pride Night hats.

Nevertheless, the Chinese artists say the social landscape here is a breath of fresh air.

“Here in San Francisco, in California, we enjoy the air of freedom, there is equal human rights, there is security,” Ngai said. “So, we are very proud to be ourselves.”

This Sunday, Chen will proudly walk in her first San Francisco Pride Parade. She will plug the museum while dressed fittingly as a woman warrior from a Cantonese opera.

“I think completing this opening will be a start for me. It’s not the end,” Chen said. “We still have a long way to go.”

___

Tang reported from Phoenix.

Frank Carone, along with his brother and two others, were taken into custody, said the person, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the case and spoke on condition of anonymity.

No other details were immediately available. Indictments were expected to be unsealed later Wednesday.

Carone’s lawyer, Arthur Aidala, called the indictment “weak” and “based on purely circumstantial evidence that’s not worth the paper upon which it is printed.”

“Today’s indictment is a sad day for our criminal justice system,” Aidala said in a statement. “It epitomizes the government first finding a target and then spending three years and enormous taxpayer resources to find a crime.”

In a separate statement, Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for Adams, said Carone “dedicated decades of his life to public service, the legal profession, and helping countless individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations throughout New York.”

“This is an ongoing legal matter and my prayers are with his family,” Shapiro's statement said.

“Freedom Under Grace: Reflections on the Spiritual Tradition That Formed Me” is scheduled for Sept. 15, according to Image Books, an imprint of the Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group.

Released in Italian by the Vatican Publishing House earlier this year, “Freedom from Grace” features homilies, addresses and other works by Robert Prevost, when he was prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013.

“Each chapter is a window into the spiritual depth and vision of the man who would eventually become Pope Leo, with an urgent message of love and service to address the challenges of the world today,” Campbell Wharton, senior vice president and publisher of Penguin Random House Christian, said in a statement Wednesday. “It’s a book for any Catholic, but also any Christian or spiritual seeker looking for guidance and hope for living a life that transforms the world.”

The Vatican Museums on Wednesday announced the start of a five-year, $5.5 million project to clean and restore the Raphael Loggia, a 65-meter (yard) long, 4-meter (yard) wide corridor that is considered one of the highest expressions of Renaissance figurative art.

The windowed second floor corridor, which overlooks the palace’s San Damaso courtyard, is not open to the public. But lucky visitors to the pope or Secretariat of State walk along it en route to their audiences and are treated to biblical scenes, from the Old Testament and New, as well as botanical motifs in painting and stucco.

Pope Leo XIV, who moved back into the Apostolic Palace after Pope Francis famously stayed away, has his private apartments upstairs but walks along the corridor when going to audiences.

Raphael conceived of the decoration between 1517-1519 as one of his last commissions for Pope Leo X, alongside his more well-known and accessible masterpieces that are today highlights of any visit to the Vatican Museums: the recently restored Raphael Rooms and his tapestries.

Located deep within the inner sanctum of the Holy See, the passageway’s 13 arched bays are considered such a spectacular example of figurative painting that they were widely copied, including a full-scale replica at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Until 1813, the Raphael Loggia was open to the elements and suffered damage from rain and exposure, said Paolo Violini, in charge of painting restoration at the Vatican Museums. Even after windows were installed, the artworks suffered further because the windows trapped heat and humidity, leading to a particularly fragile state that requires special care.

Restorers will use hand-held lasers to clean and restore the stucco and wall paintings, using a “dry” cleaning method since the paints are water soluble and would suffer further if cleaned in a more traditional way or using chemical solvents, Violini said.

The restoration, being done in partnership with the World Monuments Fund, is being financed by the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation, a New York-based philanthropy.

At a press conference Wednesday, Schwarzman said the foundation’s overall contribution to the project was more than $14 million: $5.5 million for the restoration and the rest used to digitize images of the loggia so the public can appreciate it, to fund a documentary of the renovation and to endow a training program for art restorers at a Swiss university.

Alongside the restoration, the Vatican plans to also replace the arched windows of the loggia to install special glass that filters out the sun's harmful rays.

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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.

Artificial intelligence and the data centers they require use growing amounts of energy and are water hogs — and AI companies aren't transparent about how much of those resources they use, experts said. So each time you turn to the internet and seek an AI-fueled response, it's gobbling up precious resources.

“AI is going in the opposite direction to decarbonization efforts,” said cognitive computer scientist Sasha Luccioni, co-founder and chief scientific officer of the Sustainable AI Group. “We should be thinking about where we are going towards. If you’re recycling and a vegan but then you’re using ChatGPT to do your multiplication for you, well that’s kind of against the trend.”

“It’s like one other thing among many to think about when you’re like developing these daily habits,” Luccioni said. “It is not too late. You are not obliged to use AI for everything. You can opt out, you can have a say and you can kind of just like think about how you engage with this technology.”

But she also said Big Tech companies are making it hard by “integrating generative AI into everything. ... There's like this bait-and-switch going on. I feel that nowadays you use the same tools that you used to use, but now they're generative AI.”

There are a few ways climate conscious individuals aren’t completely powerless, said several experts in water use, artificial intelligence, data center placement and environmental sustainability.

Use AI less

The advice from experts is simple: Just use AI less often.

“The cleanest form of AI use is no use,” Kaveh Madani, a water scientist and director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health in Canada. “So when you could avoid using AI, don't use it.”

Don't use it for simple things. Don't use it for calculations, directions, store hours, recipes or shopping lists, which are all searches people used to do without AI, but now do it with AI and waste power and water, Luccioni said.

“Yeah, it’s great. You can generate a chocolate chip cookie recipe with Claude, or you can open a damn book. Like, those still exist. You really don’t need Claude,” Luccioni said. “You really don’t need all of these generative AI technologies to do day-to-day tasks. I do agree there are some productivity gains to be had but I think that it’s a pretty small percentage of what people are currently using.”

And when you make a query, make it concise because more information translates into more computing and more energy and water used. No need to be polite. Don't give unnecessary background information, Madani and others said.

Every query means more energy use, experts said.

The power and water cost of a query

Last year, global data centers used 448 trillion watt-hours of electricity, more than all but 10 countries of the world, and it is expected to more than double in the next four years, according to a new report from the United Nations University. By then, it will have moved up in rankings to just behind five countries for power use.

By 2030, just the electricity that data centers use — not including the massive amounts of water needed to cool them — would require nearly 2.5 trillion gallons of water (9.3 trillion liters), which is enough drinking water for the entire world for 1.7 years, said Madani, the study's co-author.

Getting an AI text response is the equivalent to using an efficient light bulb for two and a half minutes, but that's being done 2.5 billion times a day with ChatGPT alone, according to the report and Madani. Using AI to generate a complex video is the equivalent of 42 hours of that light bulb burning and using a gallon of water (4 liters), he said.

Lack of transparency is a problem

Except for a mention in a blogpost and scant information, private AI companies aren't transparent about the energy and water costs of queries, said Luccioni and other experts who have tried to calculate those costs. That reality forces them to just make estimates based on less common open source AI.

“We have no way of knowing and getting a sense of the amount of energy,” said University of Michigan computer science professor Mosharaf Chowdhury, who tracks energy consumption of open source models.

“If there’s no transparency, we have no choice. We’re really not choosing. We are being given whatever is being given to us,” said Ana Pinheiro Privette, a former top sustainability official for Amazon Web Services, who also used to direct the University of Illinois’ water security center and was a data scientist at NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “That’s the power. The power is to say ‘I actually want to understand what I’m consuming’.”

Forced into AI use but you can opt out

When you go online, many search engines, including Google, answer via AI and promote it, without users asking for machine learning to kick in. You have to opt out of AI, when you should have to opt in, Luccioni said.

“End users, you and me, we have absolutely no control other than saying ‘OK we don’t want to use any of it' and even then the companies force it onto us,” Chowdhury said.

You can opt out of AI in Google searches by putting “-ai” at the end of your search, Luccioni said. Or you can click on “Web” in search options.

There are search engines that reduce their carbon footprints by planting trees and use less energy in their AI, such as Ecosia, Luccioni said. And search engines DuckDuckGo and Startpage have no-AI options.

Consumers and neighbors have some power

“The big power I think the consumer has is the market message because I’ve seen that when I worked at Amazon,” Privette said. “They listen. They listen if everybody suddenly starts caring about not having a footprint.”

Years ago, when data centers wanted to build in an area, it was no problem. Now that they are multiplying in high population centers and people are speaking up and against them, said Privette. For example, data centers in two Virginia counties near Washington used 2.1 billion gallons (8 billion liters) of water in 2023.

Balaji Tammabattula, chief operating officer of BaRupOn which makes energy-ready data center campuses, said, “the moment you say that you’re building a data center, there’s a backlash. The data center is the new boogeyman.”

So he said companies like his have to listen and when they do, they use less water and energy.

“AI is not going anywhere,” Tammabattula said. “It has to be done. But it has to be with the help of the community, where we're understanding the concerns of the community.”

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Kennedy family scion and political novice Jack Schlossberg lost Tuesday to New York state Assembly Member Micah Lasher, in a closely watched and crowded Democratic primary for an open congressional seat in the heart of Manhattan.

Lasher has spent his career in politics, working for officeholders including the man whose seat he hopes to win in November, Democratic longtime Rep. Jerry Nadler. Flanked by another former boss, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and other politicians in New York City's Democratic establishment, Lasher said in his victory speech that he aimed to “revamp and recharge the Democratic Party in Washington" and to show it has "bold new ideas to improve the lives of struggling Americans and then deliver on them."

Lasher is well positioned for November's general election — Democrats make up two-thirds of the district's registered voters.

Before the race was called, Schlossberg had made an early appearance at his evening watch party at a Manhattan concert venue to thank his campaign workers and reiterate his message that Democrats need to put forward more frank, responsive and inspiring candidates "who are willing to speak plainly about the cost of living, about corruption and fearlessly about the Constitution."

“We don’t just need younger candidates. We need different people,” he said, adding, “unless Democrats learn from the signals that are being sent all across the country, we are going to keep on losing.”

About an hour later, deflated “oohs” rippled through the room of largely young supporters as they got news of Lasher's victory.

The campaign was colorful and hotly contested, partly because of Schlossberg's star power as the social-media-savvy grandson of the late President John F. Kennedy, but also because the race became an expensive proxy fight among artificial intelligence interests.

Schlossberg got plenty of attention in the race, as a member of a famous political family who delivered his own “progressive and aggressive” message in dynamic and popular, if sometimes wacky, social media posts.

Supporters “don’t just like me because I’m a Kennedy," Schlossberg told The Associated Press earlier this year. “They like me because of my experience, my ideas, and they trust me because they see what’s going on with their very own eyes.”

But he also faced questions about his limited professional resume and his seriousness as a candidate. The 33-year-old, who holds a joint law and business degree, worked briefly at the State Department’s environmental bureau and has written political opinion pieces for Vogue. He said that family money bought him independence from political fundraising.

Money cascaded into the race as some tech and AI companies lined up against candidate Alex Bores, a former tech company engineer and a state Assembly member who wrote legislation that many in the industry opposed. But some other, more regulation-friendly AI heavyweights counterpunched by trying to help Bores.

Voters in the district were deluged with mailers and ads, particularly about Bores and rival Micah Lasher, a fellow Assembly member and former Nadler aide. Lasher emphasized his long experience working in government for Nadler and others. Bores positioned himself as a fresher face who stood up to powerful interests.

“I didn’t get in this race to make a point about AI, but some of the most powerful people on the planet, a handful of oligarchs hell-bent on preventing any regulation of their industry whatsoever … decided they wanted to make an example out of this race. This was a huge and unprecedented fight, and we did not back down,” Bores said in a concession speech.

Alongside the AI battle, the race featured competing endorsements from Nadler and Carolyn Maloney, the fellow Congress member whom he defeated in a 2022 primary after their once-neighboring districts were largely combined by redrawn maps. This year, Maloney endorsed Bores, while Nadler endorsed Lasher.

Candidate George Conway had his own political connections, though not necessarily ones he embraced — a former Republican, he was married to Kellyanne Conway, a former adviser to Republican President Donald Trump before distancing himself from both of them. A veteran attorney, George Conway helped create the anti-Trump organization called The Lincoln Project.

Trump reveled in Conway's defeat, calling him “a Trump Deranged Loser” in a social media post.

Several other candidates also vied for the nomination.

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Associated Press journalist Emily Wang Fujiyama contributed.

The operation was part of Ukraine’s aerial campaign targeting energy facilities and military industries that has intensified as Kyiv builds bigger and better long-range weapons to ward off Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its fifth year.

In response, Moscow has ordered the redeployment of some air defense systems from Russian regions to the capital and to Crimea’s Kerch Bridge, a crucial transport link for supplying Russian troops, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The bridge connects the Crimean Peninsula with the Russian mainland.

“It is important that as many Russians as possible come to understand that it is the Russian leadership’s rejection of diplomacy that is prolonging the war,” Zelenskyy said on X.

Zelenskyy has accepted an unconditional ceasefire demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump but Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused.

Ukraine says the stricken gas plant was one of the world's largest

The overnight attack hit the Orenburg Gas Processing Plant, which is part of a complex that also houses the only helium plant in Russia, the General Staff said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app. The attack set the complex on fire, it said.

Orenburg, in the southern Urals near Russia's border with Kazakhstan, is more than 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) behind the front line in eastern and southern Ukraine.

The plant is one of the largest gas complexes in the world, according to the General Staff. It produces helium, used in liquid-fuel rocket engines and guidance systems, and ethane, a key component in producing solid rocket fuel and gunpowder, it added.

Overnight attacks also hit two satellite communication centers used by the Russian military, according to the General Staff.

One was the Dubna Space Communications Center near Moscow, which it described as Russia's largest ground-based satellite communications complex, and the other was in the Vladimir region east of the capital.

It was not possible to independently verify the General Staff’s report, and Russian officials made no immediate comment.

The General Staff's statement did not say whether the military used drones or missiles in the assault, but drones have recently been used to strike Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Ukraine continues to hammer Crimea

Ukraine has recently focused its drone and missile attacks on Crimea, aiming to cut off the vital Russian-held peninsula, and overnight drone strikes knocked out power in Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, the city’s Moscow-installed governor, said Wednesday.

Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, sits in a strategic location on the Black Sea. It has naval bases and also provides an important supply line to Moscow's forces inside Ukraine.

Ukraine recently destroyed more than 60,000 tons of Russian ammunition when it hit a Baltic Fleet arsenal near St. Petersburg, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine is trying to disrupt military supply lines in Crimea and strike the peninsula’s power grid at the height of the summer tourist season. Kyiv hopes the campaign will embarrass Putin and increase public pressure on him to end the war, according to Western analysts.

Ukraine’s Security Service said Wednesday it struck two military airfields and destroyed missile systems in Crimea.

Drones kill at least 3 in Russia and 2 in Ukraine

Russian forces shot down 323 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

Two people were killed and two others wounded overnight in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, east of Moscow, regional Gov. Gleb Nikitin said. Also, a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person overnight in Russia’s Belgorod border region, bordering Ukraine, local officials said.

Ukraine’s air force, meanwhile, said Russia launched 101 long-range attack drones overnight.

Russian drones attacked the city of Balakliia in northeastern Ukraine, killing a 56-year-old woman, according to Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration. Also, a 57-year-old streetcar driver man died as a result of a Russian guided aerial bomb that hit the outskirts of Sumy, said Oleh Hryhorov, head of the regional military administration.

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Elise Morton in London contributed.

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

The mayor said it was a question of electing “better Democrats” who would "put working people back at the heart of politics.” The approach consternated some in Democratic leadership, but the outcome showcased Mamdani's rising influence.

Elsewhere Tuesday, two opposing factions of the artificial intelligence industry spent millions on a House race that became a proxy fight over tech regulation.

And President Donald Trump, after two of his chosen candidates for governor lost Republican primaries this month, ensured it wouldn’t happen again. The president endorsed both candidates in a South Carolina runoff — and one of his endorsed candidates inevitably won.

Mamdani successfully flexes his political power in House races

When Mamdani took the stage in Brooklyn on Tuesday night, the crowd chanted “DSA,” the initials for the Democratic Socialists of America.

It was just the latest sign of an ascendant political movement, and two of the candidates successfully backed by Mamdani are democratic socialists.

In the primary for retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s seat, state Assembly Member Claire Valdez beat out Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. Valdez was endorsed by Mamdani, and Reynoso was endorsed by Velázquez.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat lost his bid for reelection to Darializa Avila Chevalier, another Mamdani-backed democratic socialist. Avila Chevalier hasn’t held public office before and once helped organize pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.

A third candidate backed by Mamdani, former city comptroller Brad Lander, defeated U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman by running to his political left. The race partly revolved around the war in Gaza, with Lander assailing Goldman for not being critical enough of Israel.

All three victors are expected to win their blue districts, which would also place three Mamdani allies in Congress come January.

Lasher won Manhattan House primary where AI regulation was debated

One crowded Democratic primary in Manhattan had become a proxy battle between two powerful camps in the artificial intelligence industry because of one candidate: New York Assemblyman Alex Bores.

Bores, a former Palantir employee, had cited ethical concerns in leaving the company and pushed one of the more sweeping state-level AI regulation bills in the country. He pointed to that legislation, which faced some industry pushback, as a framework for how he’d approach regulation in Congress.

His entry in the race for retiring Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler’s seat prompted a political group financed by investors in OpenAI to spend more than $7 million in ads attacking Bores — only for an opposing group connected to Anthropic to ride to his aid with more than $10 million.

Bores fell short in the primary, which was won by Assemblymember Micah Lasher, a longtime government hand backed by Democratic leaders. Lasher had criticized Bores by suggesting he would be beholden to the big tech faction who supported him.

“I have some news for the two big AI companies who’ve taken such an unusual interest in who won this congressional seat," he said Tuesday night. "I won’t be taking my cues from either of you when it comes to protecting our kids, our jobs, our environment.”

Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, and former Republican lawyer George Conway rounded out the field.

Trump successfully hedges in South Carolina after endorsement record gets shakier

The president is proud of his ability to pick winners in Republican primaries, but he stumbled in governor's races earlier this month. First U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra lost to businessman Zach Lahn in Iowa, then Lt. Gov. Burt Jones fell short to billionaire Rick Jackson in Georgia.

So Trump took steps to ensure a victory for his endorsement in South Carolina on Tuesday. After initially endorsing Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette shortly before the primary, he decided to also support state Attorney General Alan Wilson in the runoff.

“I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson!” he wrote in a social media post Friday. “It’s a Wealth of Riches – With either one you can’t go wrong.”

It appeared to be a prescient decision, and Wilson swiftly came out on top in the runoff.

“I was honored to receive his endorsement,” Wilson told his supporters of Trump in accepting victory Tuesday. “I think he saw the fight in our campaign, the energy in our campaign. And think he likes a fighter and I think that’s won him over. I want to thank you, Mr. President.”

In the end, Trump's endorsement was another winner on the night.

“Alan Wilson wins!” he posted on social media. “Endorsed by President Trump!”

Former US representative beats more progressive competitors in Utah's new Democratic battleground

It's unusual for Utah's Democratic primaries to draw much attention, but that's because the party hasn't had much of a shot in the staunchly red state. That is until redistricting last year created a lone Democratic island in the Salt Lake City area.

The new district had a dark enough hue of blue that primary candidates jostled for who was furthest left, a contest that former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams — who won Tuesday — worked to adapt to.

When McAdams last ran in 2018, ousting a Republican, he described himself as pro-life and fashioned himself as a moderate. Now, in the new left-leaning district, he pledged to support abortion rights and said he’s only “moderate in tone.”

The more progressive candidates who challenged him included state Sen. Nate Blouin, who has said the electorate had grown accustomed to Democrats who will “play nice” with Republicans and who won support from Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Maryland Republicans sought an heir to Hogan

Republican Larry Hogan reigned as Maryland governor for eight years, standing on a more moderate conservative platform to keep his perch in the left-leaning, East Coast state.

At Hogan's departure, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore took over in 2023, and he won his party's primary Tuesday in his bid for reelection to a second term. Moore is widely viewed as a potential presidential candidate in 2028.

Republicans voted for Dan Cox, who leaned furthest to the right out of the nine candidates and had a photo of himself with Trump on his law practice's website. On the campaign trail, he had pledged to cut taxes and expand housing affordability programs.

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This story has been corrected to show Moore took office in 2023, not 2024.

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Bedayn reported from Austin, Texas, and Lodhi from New York.

The individual, who has not been identified, returned from a humanitarian mission in one of the virus transmission zones in Congo and was taken into care at a specialized facility in France. The person is in stable condition, the ministry said.

The Congolese health ministry said Wednesday there are 1,094 confirmed cases of Ebola, including 277 confirmed deaths. The Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no vaccines or treatment, has been the worst ever in terms of case numbers in its first month.

Officials admit there could be far more cases they don’t know about and the peak of the outbreak, which was declared May 15, could still lie ahead.

All precautionary measures, including the patient’s isolation, were taken upon their arrival in France, the health ministry said, adding that their transfer to a hospital was carried out under secure conditions to prevent any risk of contamination.

“An in-depth epidemiological investigation is underway to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patient,” the ministry said, adding that a regional health agency will closely monitor them during a 21-day home isolation.

As of Wednesday, June 24, the average price of regular gas per gallon in Virginia is $3.763, according to AAA. Premium averages $4.661 per gallon, while diesel averages $4.89 per gallon.

Taking a closer look at our region, here’s a look at the average price of gas for localities in our area:

• Lynchburg:
• • Regular: $3.627
  • Mid: $4.17
  • Premium: $4.56
  • Diesel: $4.88
• Roanoke:
• • Regular: $3.685
  • Mid: $4.168
  • Premium: $4.586
  • Diesel: $4.952
• Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford (New River Valley area)
• • Regular: $3.695
  • Mid: $4.168
  • Premium: $4.562
  • Diesel: $4.814

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.

The 27-year-old Brooklyn resident decided to support Claire Valdez, who was backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, over Antonio Reynoso, another progressive who was the choice of the Democratic establishment, because she had “a clear and more consistent stance.”

Valdez triumphed in her congressional primary, as did two other insurgent candidates endorsed by Mamdani, and Israel was a key issue in each of the races. Now the question for Democrats is how many more voters like Venkatesh are out there as the party charts its path toward the November midterms and the next presidential election.

The war in Gaza, which began during Joe Biden’s presidency and undermined Kamala Harris’ bid to replace him, remains an open wound, and how Democrats attempt to stitch it closed will help define their future. A step in any direction risks alienating pieces of the party's unwieldy coalition at a time when it's trying to unify around the mission of retaking control of Congress.

“The Israel question has become defining,” said Matt Bennett, who leads the centrist Democratic group Third Way and frequently criticizes progressives as jeopardizing outreach to independent voters. He said some in Mamdani’s camp have embraced “a new level of extremism,” warning that “Republicans are very good at weaponizing crazy ideas on the fringe against mainstream candidates.”

Mamdani has no such concerns as he tries to reshape the Democratic Party from the mayor’s office of the country’s largest city. He sharply criticized the American Israel Public Affairs Committee for defending what he calls “a status quo of immorality” in Gaza, and voters who celebrated his slate's victories on Tuesday night chanted “Free Palestine.”

The mayor, meanwhile, argues that New York should shape Democrats’ search for their national identity in the coming years.

“When does the race for 2028 begin?” Mamdani asked last week on a stage with his slate of candidates. “It starts now.”

Israel-Palestine conflict animates Democrats' left flank

Even for a party accustomed to searing debates between progressives and moderates, the schism over Israel has been blistering. Although the U.S. alliance with Israel once had bipartisan support, the ascendancy of Israel's right wing led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strained those ties over the years. Then the war in Gaza shredded them.

Biden was denounced as “Genocide Joe” by pro-Palestinian supporters, who shifted their attention to Harris once she replaced him as the Democratic nominee for president two years ago.

“She was trying to the right thing," said Jamie Harrison, who led the Democratic National Committee at the time. "It was a hard and awkward place to be in.”

Harrison said the war in Gaza helped cost Harris the state of Michigan, which has a sizable Arab American population. However, he doubts that it was a defining national issue then or now.

“It’s one thing to be in New York. But I can tell you that most places, including where I am in South Carolina, it’s not what people are talking about,” he said. “They are concerned about affording gas and groceries and housing.”

Harrison expects Democrats to look for middle ground in the future, which includes “still supporting Israel’s sovereignty” while calling for “reducing U.S. aid to Israel and changing the nature of the relationship.”

One primary victor blasted the ‘hug Bibi’ strategy

Finding middle ground has been difficult so far, as demonstrated by the primary in New York's 10th congressional district.

Brad Lander, the former city comptroller backed by Mamdani, successfully challenged U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman in the race.

Both candidates are Jewish, and both have criticized the Israeli government. But Lander says the war in Gaza is a genocide, and Goldman does not.

“Our party needs to admit that Joe Biden’s ‘hug Bibi’ strategy was a catastrophic mistake," Lander said in his primary victory speech. He added, “We cannot keep paying for Netanyahu’s wars with our tax dollars. Democratic voters are saying this, loud and clear.”

Ari Rassouli, a voter in the district, said the incumbent's views on Israel were “one of the many reasons that I didn’t like Dan Goldman.”

Describing the war as a genocide, she said “a candidate that is in support of that has no place in our democracy at all.”

While talking to reporters on Tuesday, Lander acknowledged that Israel was among the top issues along with affordability and immigration.

“I like talking to Jewish voters who feel anxiety about the times we live in and say, ‘I have these values, I want to treat everyone like they’re equal and with dignity and created in God’s image. How do we navigate the times we’re in?’” he said.

He added with a smile, “Those are probably the longest conversations at the polls.” ___

Associated Press writers Anthony Izaguirre and Larry Neumeister contributed to this report.

The midterm elections in November will determine control of both chambers of Congress and will also see the election of dozens of governors and other state and local offices. Before then, voters must choose nominees for each of these offices, making their picks in primary elections throughout the spring and summer in all 50 states.

New York: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is reshaping the city’s congressional delegation through a series of successful endorsements in Democratic primaries in districts 10, 13 and 7.

Maryland: All eight of the state’s congressional districts held contested primaries. In a state that typically leans left (only one district is led by a Republican), the primaries often determine the general election winners. Gov. Wes Moore secured the Democratic nomination for a second term.

South Carolina: State Attorney General Alan Wilson won the Republican nomination for governor after President Donald Trump, who initially endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the job, said on Friday that either contender would be a good pick.

Utah: Voters cast ballots to nominate congressional candidates using a new map that created a Democratic-friendly district in Salt Lake City. Ben McAdams, a former Utah congressman who has sought to shed his reputation as a moderate, won the Democratic primary in that redrawn district.

Here’s the latest:

Avila Chevalier says her victory vanquishes ‘the politics of the past’

Darializa Avila Chevalier, the first-time candidate who ousted Rep. Adriano Espaillat in a Democratic primary, portrayed him as unresponsive to constituents’ calls and out of touch with such key issues as housing affordability in the district in upper Manhattan and part of the Bronx.

“Today we make it clear — the politics of the past ends today,” the democratic socialist said at her victory party, adding that “the era of taking a check and cashing a check and calling it representation is over.”

“No longer will we accept a politics that throws scraps at us and acts as if we should be grateful for them,” she said.

Mamdani’s picks sweep New York City’s congressional primaries

All three candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their primaries, knocking off incumbents Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th District and Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District and winning the Democratic nomination for the open seat in the 7th District.

Opposing views over Israel were at the center of the clash between incumbents and their Mamdani-backed challengers. Brad Landers, who ran against Mamdani in the 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary, criticized AIPAC’s support of Goldman and promised to sponsor legislation that would put restrictions on military aid to Israel.

McAdams supporter says his campaign gave her hope

Donna Gunn says it’s “beautiful” to see former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams win and to have an opportunity to send a fierce ally for LGBTQ+ rights back to Washington.

The longtime Special Olympics volunteer says she has been deterred from engaging in politics ever since Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election. But McAdams’ victory in the Democratic primary for Utah’s 1st Congressional District has given her hope, Gunn says.

“We are so happy and so lucky to get Ben, who’s going to stand up to that bully in the White House,” she said.

Democratic US Rep. April McClain Delaney advances in Maryland primary to defend her seat

McClain Delaney won her Democratic primary, fending off competitors in what became one of the state’s most expensive races.

Among her challengers was David Trone, the wealthy founder of Total Wine & More, who previously held the seat before stepping aside to make an unsuccessful Senate run in 2024. Trone lent some $25 million of his own money to his campaign.

McClain Delaney represents the 6th District, which stretches from the westernmost part of the state to the Washington suburbs.

She loaned her campaign more than $7 million.

Boafo gives a special thanks to Hoyer, his former boss

“Y’all, I gotta give a special thanks to my mentor, to my friend, Steny Hamilton Hoyer,” Maryland state Del. Adrian Boafo said after winning the Democratic primary for Maryland’s 5th District, which Hoyer has represented for decades.

“He’s been our Danish knight in shining armor, our rock,” Boafo said.

“Tonight, the Democratic voters of the 5th Congressional District decided that it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders. And it’s with great humility that I accept that responsibility.”

Valdez says democratic socialist victories in New York send a message

Speaking to supporters in Brooklyn after her Democratic primary victory, Claire Valdez said they hadn’t just won an election.

“We have declared that this movement is durable, that it is growing, and that it will not stop” until working people are not just offered a seat at the table, but “run the table.”

Valdez said that back when she was bagging groceries for work, “I couldn’t dream of running for office — I could barely dream of a day off.”

Utah Democrat says progressives will keep organizing after defeat

State Sen. Nate Blouin says the progressive movement “still has a long way to go” after former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams prevailed in the Democratic primary for Utah’s 1st Congressional District. McAdams was considered a more moderate candidate than Blouin and the other two Democrats in the race, former Meta and TikTok employee Liban Mohamed and tax attorney Michael Farrell.

“This isn’t the end,” Blouin said in a statement. “It’s the beginning of a new era of organizing in Utah, one focused on progressive values that strengthen our communities instead of billionaire donors and special interests.”

A spokesperson for Blouin declined to immediately answer when asked by text if the lawmaker will get behind McAdams’ campaign.

Trump relishes in downfall of Democratic foes in New York primaries

The president delighted in the defeat of two of his Democratic foes in Tuesday’s congressional primaries in New York.

He slammed Rep. Dan Goldman, a former federal prosecutor who served as lead counsel for Trump’s first impeachment, after Goldman lost his primary for a seat in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

“Weak and pathetic Congressman Dan Goldman just lost, BIG! I guess people didn’t like him illegally targeting President TRUMP,” the president wrote on his social media platform. “In any event, this jerk is finally GONE!”

And he took aim at George Conway, who lost his bid to succeed outgoing Rep. Jerry Nadler in a crowded race in Manhattan, calling Conway a “Trump Deranged Loser at the highest level.”

McAdams reminds supporters he voted to impeach Trump

Democratic primary winner Ben McAdams in Utah’s 1st Congressional District outlined his previous work in Congress to expand healthcare, invest in public lands and secure protections for LGBTQ+ communities.

But McAdams told supporters that his defining vote was to impeach Donald Trump, which was met with loud applause.

“I would do it again,” he said. “Character matters, courage matters and right now talk is cheap. Utahans deserve someone who has already shown the courage to stand up and speak with conviction when the pressure is real.”

Mamdani speaks in Brooklyn

The mayor celebrated all three of the candidates he endorsed winning their primaries on Tuesday.

“A year ago, it was not the end of a political movement,” he said. “It was the beginning!”

The crowd chanted “DSA! DSA!” after Mamdani took the stage, the initials for the Democratic Socialists of America.

“The old politics that got us to this crisis is not the politics that is going to get us out of this crisis,” Mamdani said.

Defeated Democrat says party will unite behind McAdams in Utah

Candidate Michael Farrell says he’s looking forward to working with Democratic primary winner Ben McAdams in Utah’s 1st Congressional District.

Farrell, a tax attorney, added that he isn’t worried about whether party members would rally behind McAdams following the highly competitive primary.

“Given the results, clearly folks are supportive of Ben pushing forward, so I don’t see an issue with that,” Farrell said.

Lasher hails the congressman — and ex-boss — he aims to succeed

After winning the Democratic nomination for retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler’s seat in the heart of Manhattan, state Assemblymember Micah Lasher said Nadler has been a political presence throughout his life.

“When I was born, I was already Assemblyman Nadler’s constituent,” Lasher said, adding that he later “watched as Congressman Nadler led fights long before they were convenient.”

Lasher, who has also worked for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Mayor Mike Bloomberg, says he wants to “revamp and recharge the Democratic Party” and to “show that Democrats in Congress shave bold new ideas to improve the lives of struggling Americans and then deliver on them.”

McAdams thanks supporters

Former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams credited his supporters at his election party following what appeared to be a decisive victory in a crowded Democratic primary for Utah’s 1st Congressional District.

“Thank you, Utah Democrats, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” McAdams said. “Tonight this victory belongs to every volunteer who showed up on a hot June afternoon and knocked door after door.”

He also asked for their continued support for the November general election: “You ran hard. You ran with conviction, and this party and this state are better for it. The energy and the passion your campaigns brought to this race is exactly what we need headed into November.”

McAdams voters cheer his victory

Supporters of former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams broke out in cheers as word of his victory spread at the Democrat’s election watch party in Salt Lake City.

People moved toward a podium surrounded by orange, blue and white balloons, where McAdams was getting ready to speak.

He prevailed in a highly competitive Democratic primary for Utah’s 1st Congressional District and enters the general election as the favorite in the newly drawn district.

Espaillat concedes New York’s 13th District Democratic primary

“Tonight wasn’t our night but I love you anyway,” he told supporters.

The New York congressman was up against Avila Chevalier, backed by Mamdani.

“When i came to this nation as a young immigrant boy, I could have never imagined that I would be a member of Congress,” Espaillat said. “That is the privilege of my life, to serve you the community, and I will continue to love and serve this community in the best way that I can.”

Mamdani-backed community organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier defeats Rep. Adriano Espaillat

Avila Chevalier scored an upset in the Democratic primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District.

The race pitted the community organizer backed by the city’s democratic socialist mayor against a five-term congressman.

Espaillat was the first person who had been an undocumented immigrant elected to Congress.

Avila Chevalier is currently a doctoral student at the City University of New York. Her victory underscores the influence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s political movement as he builds allies in Washington.

Trump-backed US Rep. Celeste Maloy wins GOP primary for redrawn House seat in Utah

Maloy defeated former state lawmaker Phil Lyman, who embraced false claims of fraud following the 2020 presidential election.

The district, spanning most of southern and eastern Utah, emerged last fall from a legal battle over the state’s previous congressional map, dramatically altering its makeup. The shakeup left Maloy vulnerable to a primary challenge.

Under the new map, Democrats are expected to pick up one of Utah’s four Republican-held House seats in the Salt Lake City area this fall.

Maloy will face off against Democratic nominee Kent Udell, an engineer, in the November general election. The GOP candidate is heavily favored to win in the deep-red district.

Alex Bores concedes in Democratic primary for Manhattan-based House seat after candidacy dominated by AI

The New York Assembly member lost the Democratic primary in the state’s 12th Congressional District to Micah Lasher, who previously worked as an aide for the seat’s current holder, Rep. Jerry Nadler.

“I didn’t get in this race to make a point about AI,” he said, but said “some of the most powerful people on the planet” lined up against him.

“They set out to make people afraid of them,” Bores said. “Instead, they learned just how ready the people are to push back.”

Anthony Constantino wins GOP primary for an upstate New York district after Trump endorsement

The brash, Trump-backed MAGA disciple who owns a custom sticker business in upstate New York defeated state Assembly Member Robert Smullen in the Republican primary to replace outgoing Rep. Elise Stefanik.

Constantino, who drew national attention after he put a massive “Vote For Trump” sign on the roof of his company’s building, is expected to cruise to victory this fall in the heavily Republican district, which stretches across most of New York’s northern tip.

Smullen had heavy support from the state’s Republican Party but it was not enough to overcome the president’s still-strong hold over voters.

Stefanik late last year said she would not seek reelection to the House and that she was suspending her campaign for governor to spend more time with her family.

Goldman concedes to Lander in Democratic primary for New York’s 10th District

US Rep. Dan Goldman said it was a privilege to serve in Washington, adding that there was a silver lining to his loss to Mamdani-backed Brad Lander.

“I can’t wait to be a much more present father,” he said. Goldman has five children.

Former US Rep. Ben McAdams wins Democratic primary for redrawn House district in Utah

Ben McAdams, a former Utah congressman who has sought to shed his reputation as a moderate, has won the Democratic primary in a redrawn U.S. House district that Democrats are strongly favored to win this fall.

McAdams defeated several candidates to his political left, including a state senator and a former employee of TikTok and Meta who had insisted McAdams is too conservative to represent a deep blue district.

The seat in the Salt Lake City area is among the few anticipated Democratic pickups following a national redistricting fight started by Trump to try to help Republicans maintain their majority in the U.S. House.

The 1st Congressional District race could be crucial for Democrats, who need to gain only a few House seats in November to take control of the narrowly divided chamber.

McAdams is strongly favored to defeat Republican Riley Owen, an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve who was chosen during the state GOP’s spring convention.

Republican Dan Cox will again face Democrat Wes Moore in Maryland governor’s race

Cox beat a crowded field of competitors to clinch the Republican nomination.

The 51-year-old ultraconservative former member of the state House of Delegates unsuccessfully ran against Moore four years ago.

Cox has promoted Trump’s lies about the 2020 election being stolen and organized buses to Washington for the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021.

He has pledged to slash taxes and beef up housing affordability programs if elected.

Nate Blouin not getting his hopes up in Utah House race

The Democratic state senator said just before polls closed that he was feeling calm, “because I think I know what’s going to happen.”

Blouin, a progressive Democrat, said he thinks the progressive vote will be divided, and former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams, a moderate, will prevail.

Blouin had urged another progressive candidate, Liban Mohamed, to drop out of the Democratic primary for Utah’s 1st Congressional District.

Polls have closed in Utah

In-person election day voting concluded in Utah at 8 p.m. local time, which is 10 p.m. EDT. Comparable past elections can offer clues about when to expect the first vote results and how long the vote count might take.

In the 2024 state primary, The Associated Press first reported results at 10:03 p.m. EDT, or three minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 2:07 a.m. EDT with about 74% of total votes counted. The tally surpassed 90% of the vote counted by June 27 at 6:32 p.m. EDT, two days after election day.

Micah Lasher wins the Democratic nomination for a Manhattan-based US House seat

Lasher is running to replace his former boss Rep. Jerry Nadler.

Lasher has worked as an aide for a wide range of New York political figures like Nadler, Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

He won a bruising primary battle for one of the richest and most Democratic House seats in the country. The large field included Kennedy heir Jack Schlossberg and former GOP lawyer George Conway.

Schlossberg calls for ‘different people’ in fight against corruption

Jack Schlossberg took the stage in Manhattan after polls closed in New York’s Democratic primary for the 12th Congressional District.

The grandson of President John F. Kennedy was the first of the candidates in the race to speak, but neither conceded nor suggested he had won. Instead, he repeated his message of a need for the Democratic Party to put forward more vigorous candidates.

“No matter what, if we win tonight, or if we don’t, we’re still in the midst of a corruption crisis,” he said. “We need to do things differently. We don’t just need younger candidates. We need different people, people who are willing to speak plainly about the cost of living, about corruption and fearlessly about the Constitution.”

Army veteran Cait Conley wins Democratic House primary in key New York swing district

Conley will face Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in the general election for New York’s 17th District.

Lawler, a two-term congressman, is considered one of the nation’s most vulnerable Republicans. Democrat Kamala Harris carried the Hudson Valley swing district in the last presidential race.

Conley earned the backing of national groups, including the American Federation of Teachers, VoteVets and the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.

The 40-year-old Democrat topped a field that featured Beth Davidson, a county legislator who raised questions about Conley’s ties to companies involved with Trump’s immigration crackdown. Conley denied any connection to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Conley emphasized her military background, having deployed six times as an Army officer to combat zones including Iraq and Afghanistan. She later served in the Biden administration as the director for counterterrorism on the National Security Council.

Maryland state Del. Adrian Boafo wins Democratic primary in race to succeed Rep. Steny Hoyer

In choosing Boafo over nearly two dozen competitors, voters in the 5th District opted for a continuation of Hoyer’s pragmatic style of politics rather than a more progressive, antiestablishment approach promised by some other candidates.

Boafo, 32, is endorsed by Hoyer — his former boss — along with Gov. Wes Moore and other prominent Democrats. He also secured donations from tech firms and the cryptocurrency industry. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC also spent more than $1 million backing him.

Boafo worked as a field director and campaign manager for Hoyer before becoming a lobbyist and state delegate.

Mamdani-backed candidate Claire Valdez wins Democratic primary in New York’s 7th District

New York state Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, a democratic socialist, defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso with the backing of Mamdani and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both endorsed Valdez in hopes of giving the progressive left a greater foothold over the Democratic establishment in New York’s congressional delegation.

The primary victory also leaves Valdez in strong position for November in the heavily Democratic district that covers parts of Brooklyn and Queens. It also marked a stinging setback for Reynoso, who had the endorsement of the district’s retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez.

Lots of voters in Salt Lake City despite wildfire smoke

Voters in the state’s most populous city were turning out in large numbers even as smoke from wildfires burning across Utah turned the skies hazy and produced some of the worst air quality on the planet.

Some voters at the Salt Lake County Government Center said they had been waiting for close to an hour as polls got busier later in the day. Some walked briskly to their vehicles after casting ballots, while others pulled up to drop boxes to avoid the lines and hazy air.

Seven large fires were burning across Utah, including a blaze that started over the weekend in the dry, grassy foothills just outside Salt Lake City. It had the 12th-worst air quality of any city globally on Tuesday, according to IQAir’s live ranking.

Trump, who will attend a closed-door Senate GOP luncheon for the first time in more than a year, has pressured senators for months to focus on his proof-of-citizenship voting bill even though it doesn’t have the votes to pass. At the same time, he has blocked them from confirming one of his own nominees, asked them to fund parts of his White House ballroom project despite opposition and forced them to defend his Iran war even as they question the strategy and endgame.

Trump has also helped whittle down his own support in the Senate after endorsing primary challengers to two GOP incumbents who were previously reliable votes for his agenda — Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. Both men lost their primaries and have since become more critical of the president.

Still, senators said ahead of the meeting that they hope to focus on unity, not disagreements.

“If we’re going to win the midterm elections, we need to get on the same page,” Texas Sen. John Cornyn said Tuesday ahead of the meeting. “We’re not on the same page now, and that I think is dangerous.”

It was uncertain, though, if Trump’s visit could smooth differences with the Republican majority — or if GOP senators who have been increasingly vocal about their frustration will voice their concerns directly.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said a lot of his complaints with the administration have already been communicated. He said he hopes this meeting will be “conciliatory.”

“That would be a big win for us tomorrow,” Tillis said on Tuesday.

Trump pushes Thune on SAVE America Act

Adding to the tension is Trump’s increasingly distant relationship with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. While Thune remains popular in his conference and cordial with the president, he has spent much of his time lately telling Trump what he doesn’t want to hear.

Thune said Tuesday that while Trump and some in their conference want to see the voting bill pass, “it’s just not realistic.”

Trump has been pushing the Senate to eliminate the filibuster and pass the legislation, known as the SAVE America Act, which would create strict new requirements for voters to prove citizenship and show voter ID at the polls. He has also demanded that they add a ban on mail-in ballots to the bill as well as unrelated provisions to block sex reassignment surgeries on some minors and prevent people born as men from playing in women’s sports.

“John is a leader and hopefully he can get the votes,” Trump said Tuesday on a trip to Pennsylvania, putting new pressure on Thune.

Thune devoted weeks of floor time to the voting bill earlier this year and has said he supports it. But he has repeatedly said there aren’t enough votes to scrap the filibuster that triggers a 60-vote threshold to pass most bills in the 53-47 Senate. And Democrats are uniformly opposed to the bill.

“Those are just hard realities,” Thune said. “And I think people at some point have to come to grips with that.“

Thune said he hopes the meeting is about “sitting down as a family” and figuring out their agenda in the remaining time before the election.

Some GOP senators back Trump on SAVE Act

Thune said he found out Trump was coming to the luncheon from Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who had extended the invitation without telling him — an unusual move that could signal some frustration within the ranks. Scott, a close Trump ally, leads the Senate Republican lunch every Wednesday.

Scott, who ran against Thune for leader two years ago, said Trump responded “on the spot” to his invitation and said he would come.

“He’s going to be very positive,” Scott said. ”There’s a lot that we can brag about that we’ve accomplished, and he wants to figure out how we can win November and continue to fulfill his agenda.”

On Monday, Scott sent a letter to his Republican colleagues arguing that the Senate should be taking votes every week on some version of the SAVE America Act and other GOP priorities that Democrats oppose.

“We need to show voters that we are listening to them and will fight for their priorities whether any Democrats vote with us or not,” Scott wrote.

Also needling Thune on the bill is Utah Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican who has amassed a large following on X with daily posts about how they should kill the filibuster and pass the bill. Several Republican senators, including Cornyn, confronted Lee at a closed-door lunch last week about his advocacy, which they said is dividing the party and creating unrealistic expectations.

Lee has also echoed Trump’s claims that Republicans can’t win elections unless the bill passes, despite the party’s sweeping victories in 2024. Trump has continued to falsely claim that the 2020 election he lost was stolen.

“The push to pass the SAVE America Act is not a ‘fantasy,’” Lee posted over the weekend. “It’s a plan to avoid a nightmare — one that’s coming soon unless we act.”

Thune said Tuesday that it’s Lee’s prerogative to post on social media, but “at the end of the day, I have a different reality. And sometimes the alternative universe that is X doesn’t reflect the facts on the ground.”

Frustration over Iran, intelligence job could also be topics

Trump could be faced with questions about his announcement on social media last week that he was delaying Jay Clayton’s nomination to become national intelligence director. Republican leaders had hoped to quickly confirm Clayton and circumvent Trump’s unpopular interim pick Bill Pulte, who has no known experience in the field.

In the same social media post, Trump said he wouldn’t sign a renewal of a key surveillance law unless Senate Republicans attach the SAVE America Act. That hardline approach has some support in the House, where a group of 25 Republicans has vowed to oppose all legislation until the voting bill moves forward.

Republicans could also use the luncheon to push Trump on the war in Iran and the agreement with Iran to end it. Most lawmakers still have not been briefed about the deal.

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said there are a lot of questions about the Iran agreement, but added that Trump may not be able to talk publicly about the ongoing negotiations.

“We’re there to listen” and to try and ensure that the rest of Trump’s term is successful, Rounds said. But that means “we’ve got to come out with a united team.”

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Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

But before you hang that new sweater, shirt, or baby outfit in your closet, or wear it straight from the store, Consumer Reports says you should wash it first.

Before Yvanna Cajina wears anything new, it goes straight into the wash.

“I’ve had issues with clothes in the past,” Cajina said. “That’s why I’m really careful about the clothes that I buy and making sure that I wash them beforehand.”

And that’s exactly what experts recommend. Even if new clothes look clean, Consumer Reports says they should always be washed before you wear them.

Consumer Reports Home & Trends writer Jodhaira Rodriguez says that includes everything, especially delicate items like underwear!

“It might seem unnecessary to wash all the new clothes you buy, but there are really good reasons to do it,” Rodriguez said. “For example, chemicals from the manufacturing and finishing process can still be on the fabric and for someone with sensitive skin, that can cause irritation.”

And babies can be even more vulnerable. Their skin is thinner and more absorbent than adults’, making them more sensitive to chemicals that may still be lingering in brand-new clothing.

“So you’re not just wearing a new outfit; you’re wearing everything it picked up along the way,” Rodriguez said.

Many clothes travel thousands of miles before reaching you. From factories, warehouses, shipping containers, and store shelves, where they are unpacked, handled, and even tried on by other shoppers.

Along the way, your “new clothing” may collect dust, dirt, bacteria, and even insects before ending up in your closet.

So what’s the safest way to wash new clothes? Consumer Reports laundry expert Richard Handel has a few key tips.

“Wash clothes with similar colors together,” Handel explained. “Some brightly colored garments can bleed or fade during the first wash. Washing in cold or cool water on a gentle cycle can help minimize that and also reduce the risk of shrinking.”

“I also use a special detergent to make sure that I’m not having a reaction,” Cajina said.

Two top-tested picks for gentle detergent from Consumer Reports: Persil Free & Sensitive and Costco’s Kirkland Signature Ultra Clean Free & Clear.

And before tossing anything in the washer, check the care label. Following those instructions can help your clothes last longer and continue looking their best.

If you’re wondering what that is and how you can help protect yourself, a Cleveland Clinic doctor explains.

“Norovirus is a group of viruses that cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal illness. What makes it especially contagious is that it doesn’t take much – just a small number of viral particles from someone who is infected can make you sick. Because of that, one person can easily spread it to many others,” said Marianne Sumego, MD, a primary care physician with Cleveland Clinic.

Along with being very contagious, Dr. Sumego noted the virus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States.

That’s because you can get norovirus from eating food that someone with the virus prepared without washing their hands.

You can also pick it up by being near someone who has it or by touching surfaces they’ve come into contact with.

To protect yourself, frequently wash your hands, avoid touching your face, clean surfaces and cook food properly.

If you get norovirus, Dr. Sumego said it’s important to isolate and take steps to recover.

“We don’t want to use an anti-diarrheal. We want norovirus to run its course, which can help you recover faster. The old adage of the BRAT diet – eating bananas, rice, applesauce and toast – is a good place to start feeling better, but dehydration is the real concern. You want to make sure you’re replacing fluids and using electrolyte replacement solutions,” Dr. Sumego said.

If you experience dizziness, extreme thirst or other concerning symptoms, Dr. Sumego recommends checking in with your doctor.

Hours later Tuesday, he was criticizing a major league rule that led to his ejection following an unusual play.

Chicago's series opener Monday night against the Mets in New York was postponed because of poor weather and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday at Citi Field.

Counsell and the Cubs also got washed out back home at Wrigley Field on Sunday, when they were supposed to wrap up a series against the Toronto Blue Jays. That game will be made up Aug. 6.

“Look, consecutive rainouts are, they're troublesome for pitching, for sure. And frankly, yesterday's game did not need to be rained out. It didn't rain, and for some reason we didn't play," Counsell said in the dugout late Tuesday afternoon, with a tarp covering the infield on another drizzly day in Queens.

There were a couple of heavy thunderstorms around Citi Field on Monday, in the late afternoon and after 11 p.m. It was a wet day throughout with light showers and mist — but the rain mostly stopped between about 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

First pitch had been scheduled for 7:10 p.m., but the game was called approximately 40 minutes before that. In their news release, the Mets announced the game was “postponed due to weather.”

It was the first time the Cubs had back-to-back games postponed because of weather since April 2018 — and the first time in different cities since early October 1986.

Counsell was asked if he sought any sort of explanation.

“Major League Baseball tells you the game’s canceled, and that’s it. Especially on the road. That’s all you get,” he said.

Shota Imanaga had been scheduled to start Monday for Chicago against Japanese countryman Kodai Senga, but with all the uncertainty during the evening about whether the game would be played, the Cubs ended up having Imanaga throw a bullpen and pushed his turn back to Wednesday.

"Just to give him a chance to touch the mound and be a little more in routine,” Counsell said.

Edward Cabrera started Tuesday night against Senga in the opener of a four-game series, which began following an 11-minute rain delay. Cabrera hurt his left leg in a 9-6 victory and is headed to the injured list.

"You stack a doubleheader, which affects — you’re not going to have enough starters available, so we’re either going to end up with a bullpen game or we’re going to call up (someone) later in the week,” Counsell said before the game.

Getting heated

In the seventh inning, Michael Busch drew a one-out walk for the Cubs that appeared to advance Pete Crow-Armstrong from first base to second.

Crow-Armstrong was running on the full-count pitch, however, and slid headfirst into second as Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez threw down. New York manager Carlos Mendoza challenged the play, and a replay review determined Crow-Armstrong was tagged out when he lost contact with second base at one point.

So even though Busch walked, his teammate was out at second.

“No comment. Pretty confusing stuff,” said Crow-Armstrong, who was ushered away from umpires when he attempted to argue.

Counsell got an explanation from the umps about what Mendoza was challenging. But when the call was overturned, Counsell came back onto the field and argued, waving his hand dismissively.

That's when he got ejected.

“Umpires interpret rules correctly. They don’t get that stuff wrong," Counsell said. "It’s a bad rule. It’s a terrible rule. I mean, I don’t know what else to say. Like, not a good rule.”

New arm in the 'pen

Jayden Murray reported to the Cubs and was added to their bullpen after the right-hander was acquired Saturday from the Houston Astros in a trade for minor league first baseman Cameron Sisneros.

“This is a guy that’s had a lot of success in the minor leagues. He’s pitched really well in the minor leagues. In the big leagues, he’s gotten just a limited opportunity," Counsell said. "We’ve got options, obviously, so there’s going to be some flexibility, but we like his performance right now in the minor leagues and think he’s ready to pitch big league innings.”

Murray made his Cubs debut in the ninth and gave up three runs, including Bo Bichette's homer, before getting the final out.

To open a roster spot, Chicago optioned right-hander Gavin Hollowell to Triple-A Iowa.

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

The Lynchburg Police Department says officers responded to multiple calls about large gatherings and disorderly crowds at Meadows Apartments in the nights leading up to a shooting that left an 18-year-old man seriously injured.

Police were called several times on June 21 and June 22, with reports of groups ranging from 60 to 200 people gathered in the apartment complex parking lot, playing loud music.

Officers received the report regarding the 18-year-old man on Monday, June 22, at about 2:30 a.m. He was seriously injured in the shooting and is currently receiving care at UVA Medical, according to the Lynchburg Police Department.

Investigators say gunfire also hit an apartment building, a dumpster and two vehicles. Multiple cartridge casings were recovered from the scene, and police are actively pursuing additional leads.

The Lynchburg Police Department is urging anyone who witnessed the incident, has video footage, or has information related to the shooting to contact Detective Bond at 434-455-6161. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 888-798-5900 or via the P3 Tips app.

ORIGINAL STORY

A man was seriously injured in a shooting overnight in Lynchburg, according to the Lynchburg Police Department.

Police said officers responded around 2:30 a.m. to the 2300 block of Yorktown Avenue after receiving reports of shots fired. When they arrived, they found a man with serious injuries. He was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital by the Lynchburg Fire Department.

The investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Detective Bond at 434-455-6161. Tips may also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 888-798-5900, online at http://p3tips.com, or by using the P3 Tips mobile app.

During a June 16 meeting with the Franklin County Board of Supervisors, Appalachian Power representatives reported that Smith Mountain Lake remains around 790 feet, about five feet below normal. Kyle Draper, communications manager for Bedford Water, previously told 10 News that it has been nearly 20 years since the lake was this low.

Because of these conditions, Appalachian Power activated “drought trigger points” under its Water Management Plan this spring. The company has reduced the amount of water released downstream from Leesville Dam, but says it remains within approved limits and continues to meet environmental and regulatory requirements.

Appalachian Power also emphasized that the Smith Mountain Project operates under a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and follows a Water Management Plan based on water availability and inflow, not a fixed lake elevation.

“The plan is designed to balance water resources, protect downstream aquatic habitats, and maintain water quality during periods of drought,” company officials explained.

The company says it will keep working with federal and state agencies, regional stakeholders, and local communities as drought conditions persist across much of Virginia.

You can find more information on current lake levels, the drought and overall project here: SmithMountainProject.com.

The president is hosting a rally Wednesday on the National Mall in Washington. He has said it will be replete with a military flyover by stealth bombers, military bands, singer Lee Greenwood of “God Bless the USA” fame and a speech by Trump.

It comes as Trump works to convince Americans ahead of critical November midterm elections that he's put the unpopular Iran war in the rearview mirror, with oil prices easing as the Strait of Hormuz has started to reopen in the wake of an interim deal to end the war with Tehran.

The rally is designed to kick off weeks of celebrations about America and its 1776 founding as part of “The Great American State Fair” on the mall, the national park that stretches from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.

But Trump’s appearance onstage was only announced after several musicians — including Young MC, Martina McBride and the Commodores — canceled their concerts because of concerns the event had become politicized. The president stepped into the void as he hyped his own ability to command a crowd.

“I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, the man who loves our Country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the Greatest President in History,” Trump posted on social media about his plan to be the event’s headliner.

In a video posted Monday night, he said the event would be "the biggest rally we’ve ever had,” and declared: “It’s our music, our playlist. We don’t have a lot of people boring you with songs you don’t want to hear. We have the hottest people.”

Tuesday afternoon, country singer Alexis Wilkins, the longtime girlfriend of FBI Director Kash Patel, posted on X that she would be performing at Wednesday's event.

Trump is pressing the case that he's made America better

Trump has struggled to deliver the presidency that he advertised to voters — causing his approval rating to dwell at a low 37%, according to the most recent Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling.

Democrats say his botched repairs to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and the resulting algae outbreak are a sign that he’s spending taxpayer money on vanity projects instead of the nation's legacy.

Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., said the Trump-affiliated group organizing the 250th anniversary was selling access to special interests and redrafting the nation's founding to the president's liking, based on documents he presented at a congressional hearing earlier this year.

“It should be about bringing us together,” Huffman said. “He's trying to make this 250th celebration all about him.”

Trump’s fondness for showmanship has not been a match for public anxiety about his presidency. Only 33% of U.S. adults approve of his economic leadership, with favorability at 40% on immigration and 34% on Iran.

“It’s clear that Trump’s preoccupations in his second term — from Iran to the Washington reflecting pool — are not those of most members of his base, let alone other Americans,” said Daniel Treisman, a politics professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. “That explains his unusually low approval ratings.”

Trump's rallies can only help him so much without concrete improvements on inflation

Inflation is still higher than what Trump inherited and it has been outpacing wage growth. The budget deficit remains on a path upward that keeps interest rates high. Investments in artificial intelligence are driving growth, but they come with fears of middle-class job losses such that the construction of data centers needed for America’s tech economy have become controversial politically.

Trump has fueled dramas over tariffs, NATO, immigration, ownership of Greenland and his own renovations of iconic buildings and monuments in Washington — generating a flood of controversy that has pushed things the administration sees as accomplishments — such as the capture of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolás Maduro — off the public radar.

James Snyder, a Harvard University professor, has partnered on research showing that past rallies have helped Trump turn out his supporters to vote, in the short-term. But he noted that Wednesday’s rally comes more than four months before the November midterm elections, and is unlikely to have a politically strategic benefit for Republicans.

“I would not expect that the rally would have any clear effect on the 2026 midterm elections,” Snyder said.

McMorrow’s new ad, shared first with The Associated Press, accuses Trump of blocking the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge and suggests he is doing so to benefit a major political donor, building on an anti-corruption message she has sought to make central to her campaign.

The bridge, which spans the Detroit River and connects the Motor City with Windsor, Ontario, was slated for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 12. It was abruptly postponed after officials said the U.S. and Canada were still working to resolve “outstanding issues.”

The dispute gives Democrats a rare opportunity to tie Trump directly to a project with visible economic consequences in a battleground state. For McMorrow, who is trying to gain ground in a three-person primary, it also offers a chance to distinguish herself as the first Democratic candidate to make the controversy a campaign issue. She's running against U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed.

The winner is expected to face Republican Mike Rogers, who lost to now-Sen. Elissa Slotkin in 2024. Rogers has also used the bridge in political messaging, saying that if he's sent to Washington he'll make sure the bridge is opened.

The ad claims Trump is blocking the bridge for billionaire donor

Standing in front of the bridge, McMorrow claims in the ad that it's ready to open but remains closed because “Donald Trump won’t open it.”

“I’m Mallory McMorrow and I have one message for the president: open this damn bridge,” she says.

McMorrow argues that Trump is blocking the bridge because “the billionaire family that owns the other bridge gave him a million bucks."

That claim references the Moroun family, owners of the privately held Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor. Federal campaign finance records show Matthew Moroun donated $1 million to Trump's super PAC earlier this year.

In February, Trump demanded in a social media post that Canada hand over at least half ownership of the bridge to the U.S. government and accept other unspecified demands, part of his broader clashes with Canada over trade.

Canada financed the bridge’s construction. The project was negotiated by Rick Snyder, the former Republican governor of Michigan, and work has been underway since 2018 and cost close to $4.4 billion.

Named after the late Canadian hockey great Gordie Howe, who spent 25 seasons leading the Detroit Red Wings, the bridge is expected to be another vital economic artery between Canada and the United States.

McMorrow is taking big swings. She may need to

McMorrow is hoping to break through in a race that many in the state see increasingly as a two-candidate contest.

In an interview with AP, McMorrow acknowledged that from the start of the race she's been a “dark horse” candidate. A state senator known for a viral speech in 2022, she faces a congresswoman with large resources in Stevens. El-Sayed, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018, has carved out the progressive lane with Sen. Bernie Sanders' backing.

The Gordie Howe digital ad is the second ad in a series, with an initial buy of over $400,000 on TV and digital platforms in the Detroit market. The first ad was a 30-second TV spot released Tuesday.

“Right now in this primary, my two opponents are trying to present a false binary choice,” McMorrow said.

Outside groups have also begun pouring money into the race. A PAC connected to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has spent nearly $8 million this month boosting Stevens, while Yes Michigan Action Committee, a super PAC supporting McMorrow, has reserved nearly $6 million in advertising, according to AdImpact.

Last week, El-Sayed became the first Democratic candidate in the race to directly spend for an ad.

“We have six weeks. I mean, anything can happen,” said McMorrow. “There are so many people who are just starting to tune into this race.”

Rip currents are one of the coast’s greatest dangers and account for the most beach rescues every year. About 100 people drown from rip currents along U.S. beaches each year, according to the United States Lifesaving Association. And more than 80% of beach rescues annually involve rip currents.

Already this year, there have been at least 21 people killed from rip currents in U.S. waters, according to the National Weather Service.

Here are some things to know about rip currents:

Rip currents can be hard to spot

Rip currents are narrow columns of water flowing rapidly away from the beach. They don't pull swimmers under water, but can carry them out a fair distance from shore.

“A rip current is like a river that pulls out to sea,” said San Diego Lifeguard Marine Safety Lt. Charlie Knight. “So when the waves come into the beach, it needs somewhere to go. And so it takes these little channels out that we call rip currents to put all that water back into the ocean.”

Low spots along the beach, or areas near jetties or piers, are often where rip currents form. They can be connected to stormy weather but also sometimes occur during sunny days. They can be hard to detect because the surface water often appears calm.

The current can flow as fast as 8 feet (3.2 meters) per second, faster than even a strong swimmer can overcome, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It's nearly impossible to fight rip currents

The most frequent advice from beach rescue teams and weather forecasters is to “'flip, float and follow.” Flipping over to float makes it easier to stay calm, conserves energy and keeps the airways open while the swimmer is in the rip current's grip.

It’s nearly impossible to fight the current directly. Many swimmers who get in trouble tire themselves out trying to get back to the beach, lifeguards say.

“People tend to panic when they can’t get into the beach, and that’s when we have problems,” Knight said. “So if you are caught in a rip current, the biggest thing is don’t panic, stay calm, flip over onto your back, float and allow the rip current to take you out.”

Once the rip current dissipates, it might leave the swimmer out in deeper water. Lifeguards recommend raising an arm to signal for help.

Look for flags warning of rip current conditions

Flags with different colors are used to warn beachgoers of various hazards.

Red means a high hazard, yellow means a moderate threat and green means low danger. There's also purple for dangerous sea life, such as jellyfish, and double red when a beach is closed for any reason.

The National Weather Service posts rip current risks on its websites around the coasts and has developed a computer model that can predict when conditions exist that may lead to their formation up to six days in advance for the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Guam.

If possible, it’s best to swim near a lifeguard station.

What to do when swimmer is spotted in a rip current

It can be dangerous to try to rescue someone caught in a rip current, officials say. Often the people trying to perform the rescue can get into trouble themselves.

It's best to find a lifeguard, if there is one, or call 911 if a struggling swimmer is spotted.

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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.

Trump has long been critical of NATO, arguing the U.S. carries more than its fair share of military spending. But his grievances have been louder since the Iran war as he fumed over some member countries ignoring his call to help him restart oil trade through the shuttered Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has renewed his threats to leave the 77-year-old military alliance, raising the stakes ahead of the NATO leaders' summit in Turkey next month. But Rutte, who has become known as a Trump whisperer for his ability to charm the president, is expected to use Wednesday’s White House meeting to try to appease him.

The visit comes after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week lashed out at allies during a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels. He announced a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe.

Hegseth echoed some of Trump’s critiques, faulting European allies for not letting the U.S. use bases in Europe to attack Iran. NATO allies were not consulted about the war before the U.S. launched it with Israel on Feb. 28, and some have been openly critical of Trump's strategy.

Trump has claimed NATO allies were not there for the U.S. and suggested leaving the alliance, which was founded in 1949 to counter the Cold War threat posed to European security by the Soviet Union. At the heart of their treaty is a mutual defense agreement in which an attack on one is considered an attack on all. The only time it has been invoked was in 2001, to support the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

The Pentagon’s warning that it will reduce its military presence in Europe to focus on threats elsewhere was the latest upheaval for the 32-member alliance since Trump returned to office.

The Republican leader stunned European allies last year when he threatened to annex Greenland, a semiautonomous island that is part of ally Denmark.

A chief part of Rutte’s mission these days is keeping the U.S. in NATO, and he’s proven himself deft in the past at subduing Trump’s frustrations.

Rutte frequently flatters the president, crediting him with getting NATO members to increase their defense spending. Trump last year pressured leaders to agree to invest 5% of their GDP annually on defense by 2035.

On Tuesday evening, Rutte appeared for an interview on Fox News Channel, of which Trump is known to be a dedicated viewer.

Rutte repeatedly praised Trump, emphasizing he is the leader of the NATO alliance and said of his efforts in Iran: “I’m completely behind him on this."

He said that Trump's frustrations over the use of bases in Europe involved a few “isolated cases."

The lengths to which Rutte is willing to praise Trump have at times raised eyebrows, such as when he referred to the president as “daddy” during the alliance’s summit last year.

He then sent him a fawning text message that employed one of Trump’s favorite flourishes, capitalizing random words. “Europe is going to pay in a BIG way, as they should, and it will be your win,” Rutte said.

Trump shared the private message on social media for the world to see.

He did it again in January, blasting out another Rutte message that closed with: “Can’t wait to see you. Yours, Mark.”

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Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.

A moon rose overhead, stars were visible above the runway, and beneath them came the wave: a barrel built tall enough to swallow the show.

It rose from a sandy outdoor set, spraying mist into the heat and giving the evening’s surf fantasy a practical appeal.

The front row had its own stars. Jeremy Allen White, Charles Melton, Future, Missy Elliott, Lola Young, Coco Jones, Quavo, Victor Wembanyama, Jackson Wang, BamBam and Finn Bennett were among the guests.

Out of the wave walked Williams’ surfer — sun-bleached, salt-worn and tailored for somewhere between shore and city.

For Louis Vuitton’s spring-summer 2027 men’s collection, surfing supplied the wardrobe: wetsuit textures, patched outerwear, weathered denim, beaded bombers, logoed surfboards and tailoring loosened by travel.

Since arriving at Vuitton, Williams has returned often to the dandy: elegant but easy, polished but relaxed.

This season, he sent him to the beach — or at least to the kind of beach reached after the boardroom, with luggage and cashmere in tow.

A silver camper, reimagined as a glass-walled habitat and parked among dunes, framed the Vuitton man on familiar house terrain: travel. Vuitton began with trunks, after all.

Hang 10, tailored

The clothes worked best when the surf references were handled lightly.

Technical wetsuits met tailoring fabrics, including functional diving pieces marked with Vuitton’s Monogram.

Weathered jackets looked already lived in.

Hoodies came sun-faded and salt-softened, with gilded LV drawstrings.

Denim and coats had shibori-like indigo effects. Bomber jackets were weighted with dense ropes of beadwork.

Williams’ trompe l’oeil effects also returned, with surfaces made to mimic other surfaces and casual pieces revealing more handwork up close.

Several pieces leaned into the after-surf wardrobe: robe-like coats, soft jackets and easy layers with the comfort of a towel thrown over cold shoulders.

The new flat-soled skate shoe brought the collection back to Williams’ older world: skateboarding, Billionaire Boys Club, Ice Cream and Nigo.

That gave the surf theme a sharper edge, and an obvious commercial engine.

Surf’s up, spectacle down

Williams’ Vuitton has always known how to stage an event. His debut turned the Pont Neuf into a gold Damier runway.

Other shows have brought games, houses, orchestras, choirs and front rows built for the camera.

Tuesday had plenty of production: a cinematic prelude with surfers Mikey February and Julian Wilson, a soundtrack featuring Quavo, Williams and Angélique Kidjo, and live performances by L’Orchestre du Pont Neuf and the Voices of Fire choir.

But the set did not overwhelm the clothes. The wave was huge. The collection held its own.

Vuitton said it would support Coral Gardeners, with plans to help out-plant 1,000 corals and restore 250 square meters of reef habitat in French Polynesia in 2026.

Williams took his bow as the wave still towered behind him.

This time, the clothes were not swept away.

The Subaru Forester, meanwhile, gained its hybrid powertrain option for 2025 and is better for it, improving this SUV’s fuel economy, performance and refinement. Both SUVs could be appealing if you’re interested in a high-mpg SUV that can help you get out into nature on the weekends. Edmunds’ auto experts tested both to find which one is a better fit for your needs.

Fuel economy and performance

The Cherokee gets an EPA-estimated 37 mpg in combined city/highway driving. The Forester Hybrid gets a bit less at 35 mpg combined. This is a nice boost from gas-only SUVs — the regular Forester gets up to 29 mpg, for example. Other rival hybrid SUVs are capable of even better mpg, though those are often front-wheel-drive versions that get slightly better fuel economy. The Cherokee and Forester Hybrid both come standard with all-wheel drive, with no option for front-wheel drive. On the upside, however, you’ll appreciate the extra traction if you do a lot of driving on slippery roads in the wintertime.

Both SUVs have decent power for daily driving. In Edmunds’ testing, the Cherokee accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds. The Forester Hybrid needed 8.8 seconds. Edmunds’ drivers did notice that the Cherokee’s hybrid powertrain does a better job of keeping noise and vibration out of the cabin, resulting in a quieter driving experience.

Winner: Jeep Cherokee

Comfort and utility

Edmunds’ editors found that the Forester has a smoother ride over bumps and ruts than the Cherokee. It also has more comfortable front seats that are easier to get in and out of. For long road trips, you’ll probably prefer the Forester. The back seats are pretty similar in these SUVs, though. Both are comfortable for adults and have enough space to install child seats easily.

Edmunds found the Subaru Forester’s boxy cargo area ideal for hauling your stuff, whether it be luggage, groceries or outdoor recreational gear. The Cherokee’s cargo area isn’t quite as roomy, but it is still quite useful.

Winner: Subaru Forester

Technology features

The Subaru Forester Hybrid may have a big portrait-oriented screen, but it’s often frustratingly slow to boot up and respond to your presses on the on-screen buttons. Feature content is good, but again, execution matters. For example, the Forester’s available wireless phone charging pad is made of hard plastic and isn’t grippy enough to keep a phone consistently in place if you take a sudden turn.

A similar situation exists with the Forester’s driver assistance features. The Forester comes with a lot of them, but the way they work isn’t great. For example, the adaptive cruise control can be slow to respond to changes in traffic, and the constant warning beeps to remind you to keep your hands on the steering wheel can get annoying. The Jeep’s driver assist features are more sophisticated and enjoyable to use.

Response time can also be an issue for the Jeep’s 12.3-inch landscape-oriented touchscreen, but the graphics look more modern. We also like that its available wireless phone charger grips onto a phone with tenacity and doesn’t take up much space.

Winner: Jeep Cherokee

On-road and off-road driving

Despite Jeep’s off-roading reputation, the Cherokee has less ground clearance than the Forester, and it lacks the sort of robust all-wheel-drive systems and off-road drive modes found in other Jeep models. A more rugged Cherokee variant, the Trailhawk, will debut for 2027, but for now, the specialized Forester Wilderness trim is the better bet for tackling a dirt road or trail.

Not surprisingly, then, the Cherokee is more at home on pavement. Its handling and steering are merely average, though, and suffers from an overly thick octagonal-like steering wheel that’s awkward to hold. The Subaru is also substantially easier to see out of.

Winner: Subaru Forester

Price and value

The 2026 Jeep Cherokee starts at $36,995, including destination, for its base trim. That’s a bit more than the Forester Hybrid that starts at $36,180 for its starter Premium trim. Broadly, the Forester Hybrid comes with more features for your money as well. For example, the Forester has standard heated front seats and a standard power-adjustable driver’s seat, while on the Cherokee you’ll have to get the next-step-up Laredo to get those features. It’s a similar story at the top of the lineup, where a fully loaded Cherokee will cost you about two grand more than the Forester.

Winner: Forester

Edmunds says

It’s a close call between these two small SUVs. They both get good mpg and can serve you well as a daily driver. Overall, however, Edmunds recommends the Forester Hybrid. Its slight advantages in comfort, utility and value make it the better pick.

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This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. James Riswick is a contributor at Edmunds.

The event will be held on Saturday, June 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Target in Valley View in the back parking lot.

The goal is to help prevent identity theft and fraud. You’re encouraged to bring documents containing personal information, like bank statements, medical records, tax documents and other paperwork that should not be thrown away in regular trash. Please note that there is a maximum of two bags of documents per person.

You’ll also have the chance to get your vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number permanently engraved on its windows with the HEAT (Help Eliminate Auto Theft) VIN Etching Event. This can deter thieves from stealing your car by making it more difficult to sell or dismantle for parts. There will be free Chick-fil-A gift cards for HEAT participants while supplies last.

Li also said the country’s heavy state subsidies were not the main reason for the rapid rise of its high-tech industries, at a time when Western officials have complained that China’s state support for industries from artificial intelligence to electric vehicles has provided an unfair competitive edge.

China’s No. 2 leader made the remarks in his speech at the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, known as the “Summer Davos,” held this week in the northeastern Chinese coastal city of Dalian.

He acknowledged there have been growing global concerns about China’s technological innovations, with some pointing to the term “China Shock 2.0,” as they see the nation's high-tech boom as a threat to many advanced economies.

Instead, that should be seen as “China Opportunity 2.0,” he said.

“From the global development perspective, ‘China Opportunity 2.0’ means there’ll be broader access to advanced technologies and more widely shared benefits,” Li said.

“China’s emerging technologies and products are bringing to the world not shocks, but opportunities,” he added. “Not threats, but empowerment.”

China’s tech advancements and growing exports of EVs, solar panels, chips, batteries, AI and robotics have offered affordable options to global markets, but have also raised criticisms among governments concerned about issues such as oversupply. Some are taking protectionist measures.

Li also dismissed claims that the rise of China’s high-tech sectors was because of massive government subsidies.

U.S. and European policymakers have raised concerns over Chinese state subsidies creating unfairness to their industries, while a June report by the 38-country Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, said huge state subsidies, including those in China, can distort global markets and create unfair competitive advantages.

“There are some people who say that Chinese products are competitive mainly because the Chinese government's subsidies,” Li said in his speech. “That’s not true. The Chinese government is not that wealthy.”

China’s large domestic market, which allows the mass and fast deployment of new technologies among its population of 1.4 billion, and huge corporate investments are among the key factors in its robust tech advancements, he said.

Li also name-checked Chinese tech giant Huawei, which has faced Western restrictions, and robotics company Unitree, both of which have risen quickly in size and market share, as examples of China’s innovation success.

Beijing earlier voiced its opposition to an expansion this month of the Pentagon's list of Chinese military-linked companies to Unitree and other tech firms, preventing them from landing U.S. defense contracts. The list also includes Huawei.

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Associated Press video producer Wayne Zhang in Beijing contributed to this report.

This time, Queiroz’s team earned a point that could end up being enough for a spot in the round of 32.

England dominated possession on Tuesday but came up empty on several late scoring opportunities in a rain-filled 0-0 draw.

“Our plan was to block and frustrate them from the first minute,” Queiroz said. “We did it.”

Four years ago at the World Cup in Qatar, Queiroz was coaching Iran when his team faced England and lost 6-2.

England, which has not lost to an African country at the World Cup in nine meetings, outshot Ghana 19-1 but failed capitalize on multiple chances in the closing minutes.

“Frustrated a little bit with how they defended, how they set up,” England midfielder Jude Bellingham said. “They got exactly out of the game what they played for. Couldn’t quite break them down, even with all corners, all the possession, all the shots on goal from distance.”

Both teams won their opening matches at this year's tournament, with Ghana beating Panama 1-0 and England defeating Croatia 4-2. Now both still have work to do in Group L before securing a spot in the knockout round at the first 48-team World Cup.

England ended up losing to France in the quarterfinals at the 2022 tournament. Ghana hasn’t made it to the knockout round since reaching the quarterfinals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

But with the expanded tournament this year, the best eight third-place teams will advance, giving both teams a good chance heading into their final group matches.

England will next play Panama on Saturday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Ghana will take on Croatia at the same time in Philadelphia.

The Three Lions had a chance to take the lead in the 86th minute when Nico O’Reilly’s header hit the crossbar. Harry Kane gathered the rebound but couldn’t get enough on it with his left foot and shot high.

Ghana’s best chance came in the 78th when Abdul Fatawu outfought England midfielder Eberechi Eze for the ball and raced down the sideline. He fed the ball to Prince Adu, but he was challenged from behind by Ezri Konsa before he could get off a shot. Adu wanted a penalty but didn’t get it.

“It was a clear penalty, if not a red card,” Queiroz said. “We have no doubts about that.”

England coach Thomas Tuchel said they were a bit surprised with how Ghana was aligned, defending in a 4-5-1 formation. He called Ghana's efforts one of the most physical that he's seen in the tournament.

“They defended with a lot of determination. A lot of discipline,” Tuchel said.

Tuchel added he doesn’t believe England was too dependent on Kane, the striker who won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

“He was not involved as much as we would like to, but it was so narrow,” Tuchel said. “It was difficult to find space. The little moments that he had were just so unlucky.”

In the first half, England had 60% of the possession but only five attempts on goal, with Kane missing inside the box just before the end of the half.

Ghana picked up the pace in the second half, getting a chance in the 50th when Marvin Senaya got a touch in the box, but couldn’t quite get much behind a header as it was blocked by the England defense.

Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare earned a clean sheet in his first World Cup start.

“I think we did our best to get the best possible result that we were hoping for,” Ghana midfielder Kwasi Sibo said. “It’s just the plan of the coach and we did follow the coach.”

(corrects previous story which said Ghana plays Panama)

___

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

As the big day approaches, 10 News is inviting kids from across the region to show off their patriotism in “Today’s 10 News Young Patriot.”

Getting involved is easy! We’re calling on teachers and families to send in recordings of kids reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Whether it’s one child or a group of friends, we want to see how local kids are saluting our country.

Plus, they’ll have a chance to be on TV! Send us your best videos, and your little superstar could be featured during our morning newscast.

How to use Pin It:

• Upload your photo to Pin It under a channel of your choice
• Provide a brief description
• Hit submit
• Be on the lookout for your kiddos during our morning newscasts and on our social media platforms

White is set to take the helm of Virginia Tech’s 22-sport athletics program and guide the department through a rapidly changing landscape in college sports. He previously served as vice president and director of athletics at Florida Atlantic University for nearly two decades.

To learn more about Brian White, click here.

Mitchell, a 78-year-old veteran in Montana, plans to take a red, white and blue 1954 Chevrolet pickup that he restored and drive it in local parades for the Fourth of July. In honor of the country’s milestone anniversary, he bought a decorative eagle to mount on the back of the truck, accompanied by American flags.

“I’ll be driving my pickup,” he said, referring to his role in the parades. “Usually we freeze a whole bunch of candy, and I have a couple of kids from down the block who get in the back and throw candy out. Everybody loves it.”

Mitchell isn't the only one looking forward to this year's festivities. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults feel “proud” about the country's 250th anniversary, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Roughly 3 in 10 say “excited” describes their emotions. The milestone will be marked with events across the country, and President Donald Trump has planned several for the nation’s capital, including a fair on Washington’s National Mall.

But as the celebrations begin, many Americans also feel indifferent or conflicted about celebrating the country. Other Gallup polling shows that most Americans now feel the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed with how the U.S. has turned out, a substantial increase from 25 years ago.

Most Republicans and older adults feel proud

Most Republicans say that “proud” or “excited” describes how they are feeling about the United States’ 250th anniversary. About 7 in 10 Republicans say pride describes their emotions, compared to about 3 in 10 independents and roughly 2 in 10 Democrats.

Older Americans — those ages 60 and older — are also mostly feeling proud, with about 6 in 10 saying this describes how they feel about the nation’s anniversary.

Mitchell, the Montana veteran, wants the country to be “celebrating it to the maximum.” As a Vietnam War veteran who was drafted into the war, he wants Americans to remember the men and women who have given their lives to protect the freedoms they have today.

“It was a sacrifice,” Mitchell said, referring to his service. “The most important thing about the celebration is understanding that freedom is not free, and it never will be free, so you need to celebrate that.”

About half of Republicans, 54%, say they feel excited about the country’s anniversary.

As the country marks 250 years of independence, most Americans believe the country has succeeded in achieving its founding ideals, according to new Gallup polling. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults say that America has succeeded “a great deal” or “a fair amount” in achieving the ideals for which the country was founded. That view is shared by a majority of Democrats, independents and Republicans — though Republicans are especially likely to say the country has succeeded.

Democrats and young people feel conflicted or indifferent

More Democrats and young people say “conflicted” or “indifferent” describes their feelings about America 250.

About 4 in 10 Democrats and roughly 3 in 10 adults under 30 say “conflicted” describes their feelings “extremely” or “very” well. About 3 in 10 in each case feel “indifferent.”

Laura Davis, a 44-year-old in Chicago who identifies as a progressive liberal, has struggled with what she describes as the “American declarations of grandiosity” this year, including Trump's White House ballroom construction and the repainting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. She believes that money could be better spent on Americans in need, as well as international aid, and she worries the country's reputation is being damaged by the Trump administration's actions.

“It doesn't mean we can't celebrate the things that do make America a unique and in some ways exceptional place to be,” she said. “But I think it's more nuanced than that, and I hope that doesn't get lost in the celebration.”

About 8 in 10 Americans say the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed with how the country has turned out, according to a new Gallup poll. Only about 2 in 10 say the signers would be pleased. That’s down significantly from 1999 — the first time the question was asked — when 55% believed they would be disappointed and 44% said they would be pleased.

Sydney Crispin, a 39-year-old Democrat in Maine, believes the country's “incredible” foundation is worth celebrating. Still, she is conflicted by what she sees as a decline in people's ability to have respectful discourse, something she believes is at the heart of America's identity. She hopes communities find ways to celebrate the remarkable parts of America this Fourth of July while still reflecting on its areas for improvement.

Celebrating the 250th: Spending time with friends or family tops on list

Just under half, 44%, of U.S. adults plan to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary by spending time with friends or family, according to a recent Gallup-With Honor poll. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults say they plan to watch coverage of America 250 events on television or social media.

More than half of adults ages 65 and older plan to celebrate with friends or family, while nearly half plan to watch coverage of the event on television or social media. Adults under 30 are more likely to say they are not planning to celebrate at all.

The Gallup-With Honor poll found about 2 in 10 U.S. adults plan to participate in a neighborhood or community event, while approximately 1 in 10 say they will be attending an official America 250 event.

Lyle Nelson, a 67-year-old in Idaho, said he plans to maintain his tradition of watching the annual Macy’s firework show at home.

Nelson — who agrees with a lot of what Trump has done in office — remarked that even though Trump was disappointed that he did not get reelected in 2020, he might be pleased that he's the one in the White House during this historic event.

“I wonder if he’s thankful that he gets to be president during the 250th anniversary,” Nelson said. “I think he'll be excited for that.”

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The AP-NORC poll of 2,596 adults was conducted April 16-20 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

The Gallup-With Honor poll of 3,199 adults was conducted May 12-22 using a sample drawn from Gallup's probability-based panel. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.1 percentage points. The separate Gallup poll of 1,001 adults was conducted May 1-17 using a sample drawn from Gallup’s probability-based panel. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.

Called Lakou Lakay, the name in Haitian creole means “home," and it reflects her family’s deepening roots in their adopted homeland where her granddaughter was born two years ago, automatically making her a Mexican citizen.

Like the United States, Mexico extends citizenship to children born within its borders.

President Donald Trump insists the U.S. is the only nation to do so as he seeks to deny birthright citizenship for children whose parents are living in the country illegally or have temporary legal status.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to weigh in soon on the constitutionality of his birthright citizenship order. Trump signed it on Jan. 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, amid his Republican administration’s broad immigration crackdown.

In April, Trump posted on Truth Social: “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow ‘Birthright’ Citizenship!”

In fact, about three dozen countries, mostly in the Americas, guarantee automatic citizenship to children born on their territory — among them, Canada, Honduras, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and of course, Mexico.

Petit Frere fled Haiti in 2019. She traveled from Brazil and walked through the Panamanian jungle to Mexico chasing the so-called American Dream with the intention of crossing the border and settling with relatives in Florida. But she soon learned that was an illusion, while Mexico opened its doors.

Her restaurant's name symbolizes in her Haitian culture a shared space affording a sense of belonging. On the walls she has framed signs in Spanish, English and Creole that make clear it is more than an eatery offering tasty traditional Haitian dishes, such as fish with plantains, and rice and beans.

“Every dish tells a story, every detail connects cultures,” one sign says. “We aim to promote an authentic cultural exchanges between two peoples with similar historical roots yet where Haitian identity proudly blossoms on Mexican soil.”

In just over five years in Tijuana, Petit Frere has established a thriving business, become fluent in Spanish and is getting a degree in social work.

And she welcomed the first generation Mexican in her family, her granddaughter, Alexca.

There are no figures on how many children born to noncitizens have received Mexican birthright citizenship. Tens of thousands of Haitians are living in Mexico. In 2021, when Mexico saw a significant increase in Haitian migration, at least 10 percent of arriving Haitian women were pregnant, according to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration.

Citizenship and birth

In the U.S., birthright citizenship was enshrined after the Civil War through the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, in part to ensure former slaves would be citizens.

The right was expanded to immigrants' children in the late 1800s when the Supreme Court ruled nearly anyone born in the U.S. — no matter their parents’ legal status — has citizenship.

The practice, many legal historians believe, dates to the 1600s and 1700s, with European rulers encouraging migration to the expanding American colonies. Those colonists, though, wanted any of their children born overseas to retain European citizenship.

So even as the colonial boundaries shifted "you're a citizen as long as you're born within the domain of the king, of the monarch,” said César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, a law professor at Ohio State University. “But the legal tie between the home country in Europe and the settlers remained strong through the promise of birthright citizenship.”

Dominican Republic removed birthright citizenship

In 2007, the Dominican Electoral Council officially ordered the denial of citizenship to all children born to parents without legal status.

Six years later, a Dominican court applied it retroactively to 1929.

Over a decade later, as many as 130,000 people remained stateless despite passage of a law in 2014 to correct the court decision after it drew strong international condemnation, according to the Center for Migration Studies of New York. The law now impacts the next generation, which remains vulnerable to deportation.

Her growing Mexican family

Petit Frere was born in French Saint Martin, a Caribbean island that does not offer automatic birthright citizenship. She and her mom, who is Haitian, were deported to Haiti when she was 6.

Petit Frere left Haiti seeking a better life. She was dismayed to discover when her teenage daughter left Haiti to be reunited with her in Tijuana three years later, she was nearly five months pregnant. She had been a teen mother herself and had hoped for a different path for her daughter.

But Alexca, a bubbly toddler who giggles and runs about, has conquered her grandmother's heart. Petit Frere said she's grateful her granddaughter was born in Mexico rather than Haiti, where surging gang violence has left more than 1 in 10 homeless.

A Mexican passport would also make travel easier. Traveling with a Haitian passport is considered extremely difficult, with few nations allowing holders to visit visa free.

“As a Mexican citizen, she will have more opportunities,” Petit Frere said.

That's also true for her three nieces who were born in Brazil and made automatic citizens there, she said.

Petit Frere said she and her daughter had permanent residency in Mexico before her granddaughter was born. But other parents in Tijuana's Haitian community did not. Mexico allows the parents of children with birthright citizenship to become permanent residents.

“There are a lot of children in Tijuana who are 6, 7, 8 years old now who are Mexican and their parents who are Haitian did not have legal status but now have become permanent residents because their children were born here," she said.

Petit Frere has started the paperwork to become a Mexican citizen, which would make it easier to expand her business, she said.

Petit Frere also is a community organizer with the Haitian Bridge Alliance, advocating for the Haitian migrant community. She said she hopes to pursue another degree in international migration, possibly through a U.S. university.

“The children of immigrants are proving to be the most outstanding in the world,” she said. Trump's efforts to limit birthright citizenship “could just be out of jealousy."

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Associated Press writer Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

Experts from the Moesgaard Museum said this week that the sprawling 100,000-square-meter (more than 1 million-square-foot) site features an area for processing flax as well as more than 80 pit houses — semi-buried huts that were used as workshops and dwellings in Viking times.

It's located in Søften, 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Denmark’s second-largest city, Aarhus, on the Jutland peninsula. The site dates back to the late Iron Age and early Viking Age, sometime between A.D. 600 and 950.

Archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg, who led the 10-month dig, said that “we have a clear focus on textile production, which makes this settlement different from other kinds of settlements of this period.”

“We have spindle whorls, we have weight looms; that tells us about what has been going on in the pit houses,” said Reher-Langberg, adding that archaeologists had also discovered silver coins, glass beads and pottery.

Experts found separate areas for production and crafts, plus a single residential home, which suggests work was overseen by a powerful individual with control over resources and production.

Reher-Langberg said that, over the last three decades, people with metal detectors had unearthed several silver coins in the area. A trial excavation 1½ years ago, before the start of construction work on a new road and industrial area, then piqued archaeologists’ interest.

“We could see in the trenches that it just keeps on going, with these houses and pit houses and textile production features,” Reher-Langberg said.

Moesgaard Museum historian Kasper Andersen said that the discovery at Søften is “another piece in the puzzle” to understanding the local economic, cultural and political structure at the time.

During the Viking era, Aarhus — then known as Aros — functioned as a center for royalty and international trade. And last year, archaeologists discovered another Viking site in Lisbjerg, just 4 kilometers (2½ miles) away, that was likely home to members of the nobility.

Goods and resources were likely brought from the countryside and settlements like Søften, before entering an extensive international trade network, Andersen said.

“When you have a production site of this scale, it cannot be only because of the local area. It needs to be understood as part of a greater network, a much bigger international perspective,” Andersen said.

Reher-Langberg hopes future carbon dating and pollen analysis might answer some lingering questions, for instance about what kind of textile production went on at the site.

During the Viking Age, considered to run from A.D. 793 to 1066, Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raids, colonization, conquest and trade throughout Europe, even reaching North America.

Andersen said that the discovery at Søften shows that Vikings were “not just simple, uncivilized, barbaric hordes, rambling about Europe.”

“To have a place like Søften, you need a very well-organized society with a production line, and you also need a market to have the production,” he said. “The textiles from Søften go into a market that’s much bigger than just the local area.”

The drone attacks added to the woes on the Black Sea peninsula, where Russian authorities have had to suspend gasoline sales to civilians as Ukraine has intensified its recent campaign to disrupt supply lines and the electrical grid at the height of the summer tourist season.

The peninsula was seized by force and illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014. Ukraine's increasing use of long-range strikes has highlighted its ability to inflict painful damage on Russia and put added pressure on the Kremlin while Moscow’s advances recently have ground to a near halt, Western analysts and officials say.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said last week that his forces are “isolating Crimea with drones.”

“It looks like in the nearest time, Crimea will become an island. This could lead to some very unexpected consequences for Russians,” Fedorov said on a blogger's YouTube channel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow had been warned that Ukraine aimed to disrupt energy supplies and Russia’s tourism industry. He didn’t say who gave the warning.

Ukrainian drones “coming in a huge stream” seek to “destabilize” Russian society, Putin said.

Russia's ​Deputy Prime Minister ​Alexander Novak told Putin on Tuesday that officials were considering suspending diesel fuel exports to protect the country's motorists, adding to ongoing bans on the export of jet fuel and gasoline, according to the Tass news agency. Novak also said scheduled maintenance at refineries had been postponed.

Ukraine also has hit targets near to the Kremlin in Moscow and in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city this month.

Parts of Crimea are without power

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said drones struck an oil storage depot at the Kerch thermal power plant in eastern Crimea, an electrical substation in the west, and a liquefied natural gas distribution station in Simferopol, the peninsula’s second-biggest city.

In addition, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said their units, working with what they said was the resistance movement in Crimea, destroyed a rail bridge over the North Crimean Canal near the village of Rozdolne.

The military described the span as a key logistics route used to supply Russian forces in southern Ukraine and said drones began hitting the structure late Sunday to Monday, collapsing part of it. A second strike early Tuesday targeted railway repair equipment deployed at the bridge and its remaining sections, it said on Telegram.

It was not possible to independently verify the Ukrainian claims, and Russian officials made no immediate comment.

Parts of Crimea were without power Tuesday, the area’s energy supplier said. But it attributed the outages to “technical malfunctions” in local electrical grids and said it expected power to be restored within 24 hours.

The diamond-shaped peninsula is important because of its naval bases and beaches, as well as its strategic location in the Black Sea. Russia has spent centuries fighting for it.

Russian-appointed officials in Crimea have appeared reluctant to discuss attacks on the peninsula, but new security measures suggest deepening tension.

Its Ministry of Sport on Tuesday canceled all sporting events, competitions, and training sessions for children through Sept. 1. It described the measures as “aimed solely at ensuring the safety of our children, athletes, and anyone who is involved with sport.”

On Monday, Gov. Sergei Aksyonov said that for security reasons, all summer camps in the region had stopped accepting children and new bookings until Sept. 1.

Successes against Russia boost Ukrainian morale

On the front line in eastern Ukraine, where Russia’s war of attrition has made slow and costly advances since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has deployed cutting-edge drone technology to keep the enemy pinned down.

Meanwhile, its medium-range drones have also disrupted Russia’s supply lines to the front, and its long-range strikes have increasingly damaged Russian oil facilities that provide vital revenue for the Kremlin’s war effort.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said Monday its forces have hit more than 800,000 enemy targets with drones since the beginning of the year and that 95% of drones used by the armed forces are domestically produced.

The successes have boosted Ukrainian confidence, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says sustained foreign support is locked in to help stop Russia.

Officials have shown renewed vigor in talking about the war.

Ukraine’s U.N. Ambassador Andrii Melnyk said Monday that Kyiv remained ready for direct talks with Russia to achieve a “just and lasting peace” based on the U.N. Charter, but warned that Ukraine’s willingness to compromise was not open-ended.

Melnyk said at a U.N. Security Council meeting that a ceasefire along the current front line already represented a major concession and urged Russia to withdraw from occupied Ukrainian territory.

He also said recent Ukrainian strikes had altered the dynamics of the war, adding: “This is just the beginning.”

Russia's top diplomat says Moscow will defend Belarus

Meanwhile, the Kremlin is ready to “ensure the security” of its neighbor and ally Belarus, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday, days after Zelenskyy demanded that Belarus remove relay equipment on its territory that Kyiv said aided Russian drone attacks.

The relay stations are used for signal transmissions to Russian drones attacking Ukraine, according to Zelenskyy.

Lavrov told the Russian news agency Interfax that Kyiv was trying to drag Belarus into the conflict. Moscow, in fact, had used Belarus' territory to launch its invasion of Ukraine.

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

The Taong Putik, or Mud People, festival is held annually in this village in Asia’s largest Catholic nation as devotees thank the local patron saint for miracles and fulfill vows made in prayer.

Melencio Nenuda, a 39-year-old construction worker, said the mud-covered parishioners frightened him as a child and he used to hide when they passed by. But that changed when when he fell seriously ill in the sixth grade and his mother prayed to St. John the Baptist, vowing that he would join the tradition if he recovered.

“I will continue to go back to this tradition because it gives me a good future,” said Nenuda, adding that his wife and son also participate.

Village residents link the festival to faith and survival

Devotees prepare for the observance before dawn.

Heading into nearby fields around 4 a.m., they search for soft mud and smear it over their bodies before wrapping themselves in dried banana leaves.

Once ready, they walk barefoot to St. John the Baptist Church carrying only cellphones and lighted candles. As they wait for Mass to begin, hymns are sung near a small fire formed by the candle offerings.

Local church leaders say the practice began in the 1800s, when farmers smeared themselves with mud as an expression of humility, and covered themselves with the leaves to conceal their identities due to discrimination against the poor during that time.

According to the Rev. Elmer Villamayor, who led the parish between 2014 and 2021, devotion to St. John the Baptist grew after a group of local men escaped execution during the Japanese occupation in World War II.

Villamayor said residents say the men were spared after a sudden rainstorm interrupted the proceedings, an event many interpreted as divine intervention.

Participants trace their devotion to personal blessings

While no official attendance records are kept, Villamayor estimates that up to 3,000 people take part in the festival.

Rickmar Castilio, 43, has participated for the last two decades. This year, his 11-year-old son Nathan joined him for the first time.

“There are a lot more devotees now,” Castilio said. “Maybe they have experienced miracles or they have seen good things and that is why there is an increasing number of people who believe in St. John.”

His family has its own blessing to be thankful for, Castilio said. After his first child died, he vowed to continue honoring St. John the Baptist through the annual ritual if a future child survived. He has returned every year since his prayers were answered.

“(I bring my child so) that he will get closer to St. John,” Castilio said. “The youth now are starting that path.”

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Hernández reported from Beijing.

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.

Gelof flied out to right as the leadoff hitter in the Athletics’ 3-1 loss to San Francisco. In the second inning, the Giants’ Matt Chapman hit a liner off the left-field wall to bring home Willy Adames and give San Francisco a 2-0 lead.

Chapman tried for a double, but the throw from Tyler Soderstrom in left field to Gelof was in time to nail Chapman. But Chapman inadvertently stepped on Gelof’s right hand as the second baseman was applying the tag with his glove hand.

Gelof quickly left the field in obvious pain — ending his night and his streak.

He was unavailable for comment after the game, but manager Mark Kotsay said X-rays were negative and Gelof did not need stitches.

Gelof’s hitting streak matched the longest in the majors in the past two seasons, joining Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas. It’s also the seventh longest in Athletics franchise history and the second longest since the club moved to California in 1968. Jason Giambi had a 25-game hitting streak in 1997.

Gelof also had his on-base streak of 27 games end, along with a streak of scoring in 13 consecutive games.

The Athletics selected Gelof from the University of Virginia in the second round of the 2021 draft. He had a strong rookie season in 2023, batting .267 with 14 homers in 69 games. He struggled the next two seasons, hitting .211 with 188 strikeouts in 2024 and batting .174 last year, when injuries limited him to 30 games.

Gelof is hitting .282 this season. Before Tuesday’s game, Kotsay said one reason for Gelof’s resurgence was a change in his bat-angle approach to the baseball.

“We’re seeing a player that resembles the guy that came up and really excited us about (his) future,” Kotsay said. “The confidence that he has continues to grow and you see it out there on the baseball field.”

Also on Tuesday, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, ending a 22-game on-base streak.

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

The pair passed the torch Tuesday night to former aides who won the Democratic primaries to replace them on Capitol Hill, and because both districts are overwhelmingly blue, they are all but certain to win in November and get sworn in to replace their former bosses.

Hoyer and Nadler are the latest lawmakers to successfully anoint their successors after spending decades in Congress. Among 68 members of Congress not seeking reelection this year, at least five have endorsed former staffers to replace them and more than a dozen others have, to varying degrees, worked to smooth the path to Capitol Hill for their favored replacements.

The practice can be controversial, particularly when lawmakers try to strategically time their announcement to give favored insiders the upper hand.

But even at a time when voters give Congress a dismal approval rating, they're often receptive to the recommendation of their own representative.

That was the case for Natasha Greensword, 45, who backed Adrian Boafo in Maryland's Democratic primary on Tuesday in part because he was endorsed by Hoyer, who has represented the area since 1981.

“It was a plus," Greensword said. There was also a racial component that resonated for Greensword, a Jamaican immigrant. “It did help him to have a white man endorsing a Black candidate and saying he’s got our backs,” she said.

Support from a well-known member of Congress can lift a candidate’s stature, which is particularly helpful if they’re not well known and need to stand out in a crowded field. But it can also backfire, particularly in the anti-incumbent environment that influenced so many prominent Democrats’ decision to step aside.

Norma James, 64, said she skipped over Boafo in Maryland’s primary in part because of Hoyer’s endorsement.

“If Steny was endorsing him, he’s not the one you want,” James said.

Retiring legislators can tip the scales

Many departing lawmakers prefer to keep their preferences to themselves when it comes time to hang it up. Others go to great lengths to arrange things how they want.

Most infamously, Democratic Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Illinois earned a formal reprimand from a bipartisan majority of the House for a particularly aggressive strategy to keep his seat in friendly hands.

Garcia announced his retirement plans just after the deadline to file paperwork to run for the seat. By then, his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, was the only candidate who had submitted the needed paperwork. She went on to win the primary for the Chicago-area district with 100% of the vote.

The maneuvering by Chuy Garcia and Patty Garcia, who aren't related, drove a wedge between House Democrats. Chuy Garcia dismissed allegations he was being deceptive, saying he made a last-minute decision not to run because of health and family considerations.

But Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., said Garcia's actions amounted to “election subversion” and introduced the resolution to reprimand him.

Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Steve Daines pulled a similar move in Montana. He quietly coordinated with former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who filed paperwork to run for the office nearly simultaneously with Daines withdrawing from the race. It all went down minutes before the filing deadline. Alme faced no serious opposition for the party's nomination and won the primary with 76% of the vote.

Daines coordinated his surprise handoff with the White House, and President Donald Trump immediately backed Alme. The last-minute shuffle avoided a potentially damaging Republican primary and caught Democrats flat-footed.

Some lawmakers prefer more subtle endorsements

Other lawmakers have taken a lighter touch to try and sway the direction of their district after they're gone, and not always successfully.

Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., made clear that state Rep. La Shawn Ford was his preferred successor after nearly three decades in Congress, but that wasn't enough to clear the field for him. Ford eked out a narrow win in a crowded primary in March.

In California, Democratic Rep. Julia Brownley made a quick endorsement of Assembly member Jacqui Irwin. She still had a contested primary, but she comfortably won a spot in the general election.

Republican Rep. Ralph Norman had better luck in South Carolina. Nobody challenged his chosen successor, state Sen. Wes Climer, who ran unopposed for the party's nomination.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi didn't recruit a preferred replacement as San Francisco's representative in Congress, and she declined to weigh in on the contentious battle to replace her until the last minute. Days before the primary, she endorsed county Supervisor Connie Chan, helping her make it to the general election in November.

Hoyer and Nadler back former aides

Hoyer, 87, was the longtime No. 2 Democrat in House leadership. Nadler, 79, was the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and is the dean of New York's congressional delegation after 34 years in Congress.

Both decided not to run for reelection this year in the face of a Democratic base hungry to push aside their party's aging leaders in Washington.

Hoyer backed his former campaign manager, Boafo, who is now a Maryland state delegate, in a crowded field of 24 candidates.

“Y’all, I gotta give a special thanks to my mentor, to my friend, Steny Hamilton Hoyer,” Boafo said after winning the Democratic primary Tuesday night.

“Tonight, the Democratic voters of the 5th Congressional District decided that it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders," he said. "And it’s with great humility that I accept that responsibility.”

Nadler endorsed state Assemblyman Micah Lasher, a longtime aide to New York Democrats including Nadler, in a feisty primary for the Manhattan House seat.

Lasher hailed his ex-boss in a victory speech, saying Nadler has been a political presence throughout his life.

“When I was born, I was already Assemblyman Nadler’s constituent,” Lasher said, adding that he later “watched as Congressman Nadler led fights long before they were convenient.”

At least three other retiring lawmakers backed former aides to succeed them, including Chuy Garcia.

Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia endorsed his former chief of staff, Rob Adkerson, who lost the primary in a runoff. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., endorsed his district director, Aaron Flint, within hours of announcing his decision not to run for reelection. Flint won a four-person primary earlier this month.

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Cooper reported from Phoenix.

The Trump administration's reversal of long-standing policy against arrests at immigration court resulted “not from merely unreasoned decision-making but a complete lack of decision-making,” wrote U.S. District Judge Casey Pitts of San Francisco. Authorities failed to address the “chilling effect” of arrests on whether people attend court hearings.

“For 80 years, Congress has commanded federal agencies to think before they act,” wrote Pitts, referring to the Administrative Procedure Act, a 1946 law that requires federal agencies to justify its actions. That law, he wrote, "does not require an agency to make the choice that a reviewing court might deem preferable. But it demands that an agency at least provide sound reasons for following its chosen course."

The ruling is the second setback for courthouse arrests since May when a federal judge in New York barred them at immigration courts. That order applied only in New York, while the latest decision invalidated the policy nationwide.

James Percival, the U.S. Homeland Security Department's general counsel, criticized the ruling as an exercise in judicial overreach.

“When a judge sentences a defendant, the defendant is taken into custody. If an alien is ordered removed by an immigration judge, the same should happen. A district judge ordering otherwise is naked judicial activism in service of an anti-American, open borders agenda,” Percival wrote online.

After Trump took office, hearings across the country often ended with cases being dismissed by the government, setting the stage for plainclothes agents to make arrests in hallways in coordination with attorneys from the Department of Homeland Security.

Pitts, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, faulted the administration for carrying out the arrests and for holding people in nearby cells for longer than a prescribed 12-hour limit.

Now the Bucks face the onerous challenge of retooling without the player who carried the team on his broad shoulders for over a decade.

The Bucks agreed on the eve of Tuesday’s draft to send Antetokounmpo along with forward Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move had yet to receive the required league approval.

Milwaukee also got the No. 13 selection in Tuesday’s draft - they used it on Tennessee forward Nate Ament - along with a first-round pick swap in 2030, first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and a second-rounder in 2033, the person said.

The move leaves the Bucks without one of the most beloved figures in Wisconsin sports history. Milwaukee fans watched in awe as Antetokounmpo spent the last 13 seasons maturing from a skinny teenager into one of the top players on the planet.

Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins understood this was a possibility when he accepted the job in April following the departure of Doc Rivers.

“Naturally, we did talk about Giannis, the entire roster, developmental pathways for everyone you know, moving forward,” Jenkins said during his introductory news conference last month. “Because from the coaching lens, I've got to start formulating that, what we’re going to do, not just this offseason, but when we hit the ground running, you know, at the start of training camp. So naturally, (we) talked about that. Had great dialogue, full transparency.”

Replacing a beloved superstar

Antetokounmpo had spent his entire career with the Bucks, who selected the 18-year-old from Greece with the 15th pick in the 2013 draft. The nine-time all-NBA forward leads the Bucks in virtually every career statistical category, including points, rebounds, assists, blocks, games and minutes.

He won MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. Antetokounmpo came back from a knee hyperextension in the 2021 playoffs to earn NBA Finals MVP honors while scoring 50 points in the title-clinching Game 6 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Antetokounmpo, 31, had signed multiple contract extensions to stay in Milwaukee and play in one of the NBA’s smallest markets. He was so appreciated for his loyalty that a mural of him — 53½ feet high and 56½ feet wide — appears on the side of a three-story building in downtown Milwaukee.

Plenty of fans stopped by that mural Tuesday to pay homage to Milwaukee’s departing superstar. Some left mementoes, including a Sports Illustrated commemorating the Bucks’ 2021 title that included this message: “Thanks for everything, big fella! 34 forever — Milwaukee.”

“I’m at a loss for words,” said Danny Nelson of Delafield, Wisconsin. “I still don’t think it’s real. He was everything to the city. It doesn’t feel real that he’s gone.”

Those fans generally harbored no hard feelings toward Antetokounmpo regarding the trade. They instead wanted to offer thanks.

“I want what’s best for him,” Isabelle Branger of Milwaukee said. “He’s done a lot for us here.”

Facing possibility of a long rebuild

The Bucks made plenty of high-risk, high-reward moves in an attempt to keep Antetokounmpo happy and remain in contention. But the Bucks never got beyond the second round of the playoffs after winning that 2021 title due in part to injuries to Antetokounmpo and other key players. They're coming off a 32-50 season that snapped a string of nine straight playoff appearances.

Those big swings they took to stay competitive with Antetokounmpo will make it tougher to rebuild without him.

Even after making this blockbuster deal to recoup draft capital, Milwaukee doesn’t have any first-round picks in 2027 or 2029.

The Bucks gave up multiple first-round picks in the 2020 trade that brought Jrue Holiday to Milwaukee and the 2023 deal in which they acquired Damian Lillard. Holiday played a key role in the Bucks’ 2021 title before leaving Milwaukee in the Lillard trade. Lillard was waived after tearing his Achilles in a 2025 first-round playoff loss to Indiana, a move that enabled the Bucks to sign former Pacers center Myles Turner.

That made it imperative that the Bucks find assets with their two lottery picks Tuesday, as they picked Arizona guard Brayden Burries at No. 10 overall before taking Ament at No. 13. That No. 10 pick represents their earliest selection since 2016, when they also went 10th and took Thon Maker.

Although he couldn't comment directly on Antetokounmpo's exit because the trade isn't official, Bucks general manager Jon Horst spoke generally about the path forward Tuesday night in a press conference following the first round.

“I’m just really excited to continue to build and kind of add on piece and piece and create, again, an identity, a style of play, a roster full of character and versatility and size,” Horst said. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but it’s a good start.”

The Bucks have one potential building block in guard Ryan Rollins, who turns 24 next month. Perhaps a new staff gets more from Turner, whose production dipped his first year in Milwaukee.

This trade gives Milwaukee an infusion of youth as it begins a new chapter.

Herro is a Milwaukee-area native and 2025 All-Star who has scored at least 20 points per game each of the last four seasons, though injuries limited the 26-year-old to 33 games in 2025-26.

Jaquez, 25, scored 15.4 points per game in a bench role this season. Ware is a 22-year-old, 7-footer. Jakucionis, 20, was the 20th pick in last year’s draft.

But this still represents a major transition for a team that had considered itself a legitimate contender as long as it had a healthy Antetokounmpo, who finished fourth or higher in the MVP balloting every year from 2019-25 before injuries limited him to a career-low 36 games this season.

This franchise has been through lean years before. The Bucks reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2001 but didn’t win another playoff series until returning to the East finals in 2019.

Longtime Bucks fans know the challenges that come after a superstar’s departure.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks to a 1971 title when he was known as Lew Alcindor and got them another conference championship in 1974 before requesting a trade. The Bucks sent Abdul-Jabbar to the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer of 1975, and they wouldn’t get back to the NBA Finals until that 2021 championship season.

Now the guy most responsible for that 2021 celebration also is leaving town.

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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.

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

U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who leads the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and is in his fifth term, was defeated by Mamdani’s most polarizing pick, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist who once helped organize pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.

U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, a two-term incumbent, was beaten by the Mamdani-backed former city Comptroller Brad Lander, a fixture among New York progressives who has often shown sympathy to the democratic socialist movement. And another Mamdani ally, democratic socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, defeated the handpicked successor of retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

Tuesday's primaries represented a major political gamble for the 34-year-old mayor, whose strength is surging, and a potential headache for Democratic leaders, who fear that Mamdani and his loyalists may push the party too far left ahead of November's midterm elections — when voters across the nation will decide which party controls Congress for the last two years of Trump’s final term.

The sweep also sends an undeniable message to establishment Democrats in Washington, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who campaigned against Mamdani’s candidates and lost. Mamdani and his slate were openly fighting for dramatic change on key issues, Israel's war in Gaza and affordability chief among them.

The mayor ping ponged across the city to celebrate his allies’ victories, declaring that his election had helped ignite a new era.

“A year ago, it was not the end of a political movement. It was the beginning,” a smiling Mamdani charged at Valdez's celebration party in Brooklyn, reflecting on his mayoral victory last year, as the crowd chanted, “DSA! DSA!”

Later, at Avila Chevalier's celebration in Manhattan, he added: “We are showing there is a new path for politics in our city and in our country."

In Washington, Jeffries downplayed the influence of the Mamdani-backed candidates before polls closed on Tuesday.

“We have agreed to strongly disagree,” Jeffries said of Mamdani on Capitol Hill. “There are 215 members of the House Democratic caucus. A handful of primaries that go in one direction or the other, in a given state or two, aren’t going to reshape who we are as House Democrats.”

Meanwhile, Democrat Jack Schlossberg, the 33-year-old grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, failed in his bid to write his own chapter in Camelot lore as he competed in a crowded field for a seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler. Mamdani made no endorsement in that hotly contested race.

Establishment Democrats celebrated the victory of state Assembly member Micah Lasher, a longtime government hand backed by Democratic leaders, who prevailed in a field that also included anti-Trump activist George Conway and assembly member Alex Bores, whose proposals to regulate artificial intelligence triggered tech industry blowback.

Mamdani's insurgents sweep to victory

Mamdani, whose first six months in office have drawn praise from establishment Democrats and even President Donald Trump, had made a big push to promote the three congressional candidates who challenged Democrats supported by the party's leadership.

Two of Mamdani’s congressional slate identify as democratic socialists, while Lander has allied himself with the movement in the past.

In his celebration speech on Tuesday, Lander vowed to abolish the federal bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, described Israel’s war in Gaza as “genocide” and referred to “Trump’s fascism.” He has been especially outspoken against Trump’s immigration crackdown and was acquitted earlier this month on charges related to a protest inside a building housing an immigration court .

All three of Mamdani’s candidates have promised to “abolish ICE,” condemned the “genocide” in Israel and vowed to “tax the rich” if elected.

Avila Chevalier, 32, was in her first race for political office in facing a longtime member of the House. Espaillat, 71, was the first Dominican American elected to Congress and has been representing his district in upper Manhattan and the Bronx for nearly a decade.

Avila Chevalier cast herself as an outsider. Espaillat’s allies called Avila Chevalier unfit for office, pointing out a history of inflammatory and profane social media posts when she was in her 20s.

Around an hour before polls closed, she was standing on a street corner in Harlem campaigning with controversial streamer Hasan Piker. Later, with Mamdani at her side at her Manhattan celebration, said slammed the “Democratic machine” for discounting her supporters.

“Today we make it clear -- the politics of the past ends today,” she said. “No longer will we accept a politics that throws scraps at us and acts as if we should be grateful for them.”

In East Harlem, 47-year-old voter Sara Hyler said she flip-flopped several times between Avila Chevalier and Espaillat in the lead up to Election Day, but eventually cast her ballot for Avila Chevalier after learning about heavy support for the incumbent by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

“It was the breaking point, my last straw,” she said of the donations to Espaillat by the lobbying group, also known as AIPAC.

Hyler said it was important to elect a new crop of progressive Democrats who aren’t beholden to AIPAC and the Israeli government. “As much as I support Israel, I don’t think we should be paying for them,” Hyler said.

The war in Gaza was a dividing line between Goldman and Lander, both of whom are Jewish. Lander assailed Goldman for not being tough enough on Israel over its military action against Palestinians. Goldman has consistently criticized Israel's government and condemned settler violence but has stopped short of describing the conflict as a genocide, which Lander has done.

Mamdani had backed Valdez over Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, in the race to succeed Velazquez in a district covering parts of Brooklyn and Queens. Though Reynoso won Velazquez's endorsement, he failed to earn the mayor's backing.

A Trump acolyte triumphs in upstate New York

In northern New York state, a Trump acolyte with no previous political experience prevailed over a conservative state lawmaker in the Republican primary for a seat soon to be vacated by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.

Anthony Constantino, head of the custom sticker company Sticker Mule, won the GOP nod in New York's 21st Congressional District, overcoming New York state Assembly Member Robert Smullen for the nomination.

Constantino had showcased his enthusiasm for the president by putting a massive “Vote For Trump” sign atop one of his company buildings. He also released a hip-hop album titled “Thank You President Trump," and commissioned a statue of Trump and gave it to the president in Florida. Trump has endorsed him.

Smullen, who had strong support from local Republicans, had argued that Constantino's antics, which include regular bashing of the state GOP, make him unfit to serve in the House.

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Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz, Jake Offenhartz and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed.

Now, AJ Dybantsa's arrival represents a potential turning point for a franchise that could really use one.

“He is a special person,” general manager Will Dawkins said. “I can't wait for the city to really embrace him. He's already started his own foundation giving back to people back in Massachusetts, Jamaica, Africa. He really is about where he wants to be.”

The Wizards took Dybantsa with the first overall pick in Tuesday night's NBA draft. The 6-foot-9 freshman averaged 25.5 points at BYU last season. Born in Boston, Dybantsa played at Utah Prep in high school before staying in state for his one year in college. When Washington won the draft lottery, there was speculation the Utah Jazz might try to trade up from No. 2 to take Dybantsa, but ultimately the Wizards kept the pick and selected him.

“I was just super confident. I've been betting on myself for a while now,” Dybantsa said. “Since about ninth grade I've been No. 1, so I didn't really plan on dropping in the draft.”

Dybantsa’s full name is Anicet Francois Dybantsa Jr. He wore flag pins Tuesday for Jamaica and the Republic of Congo, where his mother and father are from. Dybantsa had the commissioner announce him as Anicet in honor of his father.

“We're definitely getting a difference maker on the basketball court. There's no doubt about that,” Dawkins said. “What I would want our fans to know night one is that he is a worker. He is a passionate person who loves basketball and will continue to work and get better."

Dybantsa has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant, his favorite player. That’s fitting, because Durant has been a white whale of sorts for Wizards fans, since he’s from D.C. but hasn’t played there while in college or the pros.

The process of scouting Dybantsa began long before Washington found out it would pick first. He's been on the radar for a while.

“He’s just a competitor,” Dawkins said. “He sees a challenge and he attacks it. I’ve seen that from a very young age to where he is now. He has a humility about him that he knows how good he is, but he wants to keep working so he can reach the highest level.”

The Wizards won an NBA title in 1978, back when they were called the Bullets. But they have not won 50 games since 1979, and that was also the last time they so much as reached the conference finals. In between periods of total futility, they've occasionally had entertaining players and interesting teams. But a true superstar capable of delivering a championship? That's been for other franchises.

Washington blew the top pick in 2001, taking Kwame Brown. The Wizards fared better in 2010 with John Wall at No. 1 overall, and he at least helped them get past the first round of the postseason.

That era eventually ran its course, and not even a brief visit from Russell Westbrook in 2020-21 could make Washington particularly relevant. Recently, the Wizards have embarked on a significant rebuild that yielded a record of 50-196 over the past three seasons.

Washington drafted big man Alex Sarr at No. 2 overall in 2024, and the roster also includes recent first-round picks Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Will Riley and Cam Whitmore. Even before they won this year's lottery, there were signs the Wizards would be a lot more interesting in 2026-27. They traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis last season, and although Davis didn't play at all for Washington and Young barely did, Dybantsa is joining a team that has some intriguing talent around him.

“Obviously they have a great young core, and the potential is there,” Dybantsa said. “Them adding me, I think I can help them a little bit. Them re-signing Trae Young, them having A.D. and having good vets along with our young core. I think we can do big things.”

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

America’s most decorated cross-country skier is part of “Protect Our Winters,” an athlete-driven environmental group that sent a coalition to Washington to meet with lawmakers Tuesday and Wednesday. The group is most concerned with how the Environmental Protection Agency has weakened key climate, water and pollution regulations since President Donald Trump returned to office.

“I don’t want to stick my head in the sand and ignore the world burning,” Diggins said in an interview. “I feel like I have a responsibility to use my voice to advocate for change. And so that’s why it’s so important to me, because I want my great-grandkids to be able to build a snowman and try cross-country skiing someday, and be able go hiking and fishing and camping in the summer, and breathe clean air. I want that for them very badly.”

Diggins retired from professional ski racing this year after earning bronze in the women’s 10‑kilometer interval start at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Many skiers expressed concern during these Olympic Games about climate change and the accelerating melt of the world’s glaciers. A warming world jeopardizes the future of their sport.

Diggins described bringing her medals to Washington as a “beautiful, full circle moment.” She said she'll consider it a success if she has productive conversations that help pave the way for bipartisan efforts to strengthen and bolster the EPA in the future. Republicans currently in control of Congress have generally supported the Trump EPA’s actions.

“We’re trying to advocate for solutions that are going to protect us long term, and training and racing through four Olympics, that was a very long-term thing, you know? It’s not quick, immediate gratification, you work and you work and you work,” Diggins said. “I think it’s a nice reminder of like, it’s OK that we are looking for solutions for the future.”

Coalition includes athletes, scientists, storytellers

It's not the typical lobbying group. Professional ski mountaineer Brody Leven only owns a suit to go to Washington with Protect Our Winters. But, he said, they are the ones who can hopefully bring people together around policy solutions to climate change.

“We’re good at looking at adversity in the face and still moving forward," he said. "And we’re good at knowing something is going to be hard and trying to do it anyways.”

They plan to meet with Democratic and Republican members in both chambers. Olympians Jaelin Kauf, Gus Schumacher, Bea Kim, Julia Kern and Olivia Giaccio are involved, Protect Our Winters said.

During the Trump administration, the EPA has revoked a scientific finding that underpinned the fight against climate change, moved to roll back limits on toxic wastewater from coal-fired power plants and announced other cuts to federal limits on air and water pollution as it promotes fossil fuels. These changes clash with the agency’s historic mission to protect human health and the environment.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has said they are “ driving a dagger through the heart of climate-change religion and ushering in America’s Golden Age.” Doing so, he said, will save trillions of dollars in regulatory costs and hidden taxes, which in turn will make the cost of living more affordable and reignite domestic manufacturing.

Environmentalists say the EPA under Zeldin has abandoned its obligation to protect the public from dangerous greenhouse gas pollution at a time when climate change is creating greater risks of extreme weather, including stronger hurricanes, more dangerous floods and more intense wildfires. Legal challenges to a range of EPA rule changes have been filed by states, cities and public health and environmental groups.

Protect Our Winters looks beyond the Trump years

Ben Gubits, vice president of campaigns and advocacy for Protect Our Winters, said they expect the federal government to protect the health of American citizens and the planet. POW has lobbied Congress for about a decade, including several visits in 2021 and 2022 when it advocated for passage of a landmark climate bill. President Joe Biden signed the so-called Inflation Reduction Act in 2022.

“We are really thinking about a long-term and positive vision for the future, and how do we rebuild these critical institutions beyond the Trump years,” Gubits said.

Stuart Nissenbaum started working at the EPA early in Biden's term and left a year ago. He's part of the coalition, too. Nissenbaum said he thinks being in Washington with Olympians will help bring attention to their message. They are masters of their craft and they wore the U.S. flag while competing, which should resonate with members of Congress, he added.

Nissenbaum said he'll convey to legislators that clean air and clean water is bipartisan, and they should adopt policies grounded in science to protect the environment.

“Clean air and clean water isn’t something that we should take for granted,” he said. “It affects every single person.”

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa and commander of NATO’s Allied Land Command, will relinquish his command on July 2, according to an Army statement provided to The Associated Press. He is the latest in a line of nearly two dozen top military leaders to either retire or depart their jobs early under the leadership of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has undertaken an effort to thin the ranks of the military’s top brass with the mantra “less generals, more GIs.”

Donahue's deputy, Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, will perform his duties in the meantime, the statement added.

A West Point graduate and a career special operations commander, Donahue commanded Delta Force units in Iraq and Afghanistan before leading the 82nd Airborne division from July 2020 to March 2022.

It was during that period that he oversaw the security at Hamid Karzai International Airport during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country in 2021. On Aug. 30, 2021, Donahue became the last U.S. soldier to depart the country after nearly 20 years of war sparked by the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The moment was documented in an iconic photo taken through night vision goggles that showed the general boarding the last C-17 cargo plane to depart the country.

Hegseth and President Donald Trump had made the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan — an operation that was set in motion by a treaty negotiated with the Taliban by the Trump administration in its first term — a regular political punching bag and the subject of a new Pentagon review.

Last May, Hegseth ordered the new examination of the withdrawal despite there having already been multiple reviews of the operation by the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, the State Department and Congress, which have involved hundreds of interviews and studies of videos, photographs and other footage and data. It’s unclear what specific new information the new review is seeking.

Donahue’s leadership during the evacuation had nonetheless drawn bipartisan praise. Within the Army, he was widely seen as a top officer who could have led the service or been chosen to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

An Army official who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to talk about sensitive discussions told The Associated Press that Donahue’s departure comes as the Army is discussing downgrading U.S. Army Europe and Africa from four-star to a three-star command.

This move would come amid ongoing criticism from Hegseth about European allies.

Last week, Hegseth told NATO allies he would be conducting a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe that is “designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe.”

“It’s a review that some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors,” he added.

The Pentagon did not immediately comment on the news of Donahue's departure, which was first reported by The Atlantic.

“We basically have passed the point of doing real fundamental LLM research," Castricato said. “Now it’s just applications.”

The researcher quit his studies at Brown University and started a new company, called Overworld. Its ambition is in its name: AI that can understand and navigate a world, not just words.

There's still plenty of money to be made from AI chatbots — investors are counting on it as they commit trillions of dollars to leading developers like Anthropic and OpenAI. But a growing number of AI entrepreneurs are dedicating themselves to what they see as the next frontier: “world models” that teach AI systems, and sometimes robots, how to react in a physical environment.

They include some of the field's most prominent scientists, such as “Godmother of AI” Fei-Fei Li, who describes the concept of a world model as “one of the most important and most overloaded terms in AI today."

Scientists are applying AI in new dimensions with ‘world models’

At the heart of world model research is the idea that AI can't be truly intelligent if it can only read a book. It also needs to read the room.

“Where language models learn the statistical structure of text, world models learn the statistical structure of space and time: how light falls on a surface, how a garden looks from an angle no camera has captured, how objects respond to force and follow the laws of physics,” wrote Li, founder of the San Francisco startup World Labs, in an essay published this month.

Another proponent is AI pioneer Yann LeCun, who quit his job as Meta's chief AI scientist last year to start Paris-based Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs.

“World model is quickly becoming a buzzword,” LeCun said on a recent “Unsupervised Learning” podcast. He said he views it as something that enables an AI agent "to predict the consequences of its own actions."

There are multiple ways of defining world models, often based on the technologies someone hopes to build with it — be it robots or a more interactive video game.

Robots can't learn much from AI models trained on books

Training on all of humanity's books, news articles and visual media, as AI language models have done, has led to AI assistants that are changing the nature of office-based work and some creative fields. But some proponents see limitations in generative AI models that work by repeatedly predicting the next word or pixel to produce new dialogue, images or lines of code.

Chatbots can't pick up a coffee mug, notes Martin Hebert, dean of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University.

“There’s all the geometry of the world, the dynamic of how I move my hand, the physical interaction of the contact with the cup,” Hebert said. “This is much more complex than just predicting the next word in a sentence.”

For scientists like Hebert, who has spent more than four decades researching robotics, the most useful application for world models is as a faster and cheaper path to “physical AI" — another tech industry buzzword.

“Some people may have different definitions, but physical and embodied AI are kind of the evolution of what we used to call robotics,” Hebert said in an interview. Some of the AI advances that have made chatbots so useful can also be applied to building AI with a broad enough awareness of its environment to work like a robot’s brain, he said.

“In your body and spinal cord you have a very general model of how to balance, how to walk around, and you can adapt to your knee hurting in the morning, so you now walk a little differently," he said. "You don’t need to think about that. You have a general model somewhere in your nervous system and brain that allows your body to adapt very quickly.”

Simulated worlds are drawing interest from investors

Smarter robots aren't the only end game for world models. Castricato started Overworld last year and the tiny Rhode Island-based startup is now building video game worlds where a scene, say, of a spooky forest, can adapt as a virtual character moves through it and interacts with the objects in it.

“There’s no other world model where you can just walk through doors or where you can interact with a detailed environment like this,” he said in an interview. “We optimize for interaction above anything else.”

While the near-term applications aren't as readily apparent as AI coding tools, world model makers are attracting interest from venture capitalists like Steve Jang, co-founder and managing partner at Kindred Ventures.

The firm is investing in Overworld and other world model-focused companies, including Causal Labs, which is building AI models for weather prediction, and Extropic, which is building specialized computer chips suited to world models.

“I think that the future is many different types of models with many different philosophies and architectures," Jang said. "I don’t think that it’ll be one large, dense model to rule them all.”

In her recent essay, Li sought to create a “taxonomy of world models” to help sort out the confusion about the competing visions.

“A video model that produces gorgeous but physically impossible flames, a language model improvising a playable game, and a physics engine that faithfully simulates combustion all go by the same name,” she wrote.

She divided world models into three categories. The most commercially viable today are “renderers” that prioritize the visual fidelity of the virtual worlds they create but can't be trusted to teach robots much.

Then, there are “simulators” that create virtual training grounds that faithfully represent the physical structure of a world; and “planners” that try to predict what an AI agent or robot should do in an unstructured world.

“A robot that can plan is a robot that can work, and the entire industry is racing to be the one that gets there first,” she wrote.

There's no easy answer. Algorithmic division is certainly a factor in why there isn't an obvious pick this year. Where have the songs like “Despacito” in 2017 or “Old Town Road” in 2019 gone? Last year, some even wondered if Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” — a ballad, not a banger — qualified, a departure from the usual up-tempo, feel-good hits.

Whatever your summer mood or flavor, The Associated Press has found a song to soundtrack the season, collected in a Spotify playlist.

Biggest song of the year and therefore the default song of the summer: “Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley

Ella Langley broke out just last year with the throwback, spoken-word track “You Look Like You Love Me,” featuring Riley Green, but it’s her breakup banger “Choosin’ Texas” that has made her a crossover country star. Not only has it spent more time at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 than any other song this year, it also has some of the most distinctive lyrics of the year. “He always loved ‘Amarillo By Morning,’” she sings in a particularly melancholic verse, referencing the George Strait classic. “I should’ve taken that as a warnin’.” Indeed.

Past champion: “Luther,” Kendrick Lamar and SZA (2025)

Song of the summer for when you lose the beef but still have fight left in ya: “Janice STFU,” Drake

For the better part of 2025, Drake mostly made headlines for his feud with Kendrick Lamar. It’s safe to say he lost that war, but he’s clearly not going anywhere; he's still one of the most streamed artists of all time. “Janice STFU” is the undeniable hit off May's “Iceman,” with its familiar Lykke Li interpolation and moody production.

Past champion: “Nokia,” Drake (2025)

Song of the summer that shares a title with a film: “Midnight Sun (Girls Trip),” Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress

It's the title of a 2018 romantic drama starring Bella Thorne and a term used to describe regions around the Arctic Circle. But in 2026, the phrase “Midnight Sun” belongs to Swedish pop star Zara Larsson. It’s the title of her last album and lead single, the inescapable Eurodance-pop “Midnight Sun,” with an elastic vocal performance. Last month, she released “Midnight Sun: Girls Trip,” a collection of remixes featuring everyone from Shakira and Robyn to Kehlani and rapper JT and, of course, PinkPantheress.

Past champion: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” Deep Blue Something (1995)

Song of the summer for high-energy It Girls: “DANCE…,” Slayyyter

She’s the “Wor$t Girl in America,” if her cheeky album title is to be believed, but also one of pop’s great new provocateurs. At the album's center is her buzzy electro-pop opus “DANCE…,” perfect for those who’ve been patiently awaiting her mainstream rise — and those who need a good excuse to hit the dance floor.

Past champion: “Bad Girls,” Donna Summer (1979)

Song of the summer for the throwback crowd: “I Just Might,” Bruno Mars

Earlier this year, hitmaker Bruno Mars returned with his first new album in 10 years, anchored by the feel-good, disco-pop-soul single “I Just Might.” The throwback tune is a funky reprieve from slow or boring days — and one that will be heard on wedding dance floors for the foreseeable future.

Past champion: “Red Red Wine,” UB40 (1983)

Song of the summer that arrived at the beginning of the year: “Dracula (Jennie Remix)”, Tame Impala and Jennie

There’s a long tradition of the song of the summer arriving at the top of the year — looking at you, “drivers license” and “Boy’s a Liar PT. 2.” This year, the title goes to Tame Impala’s “Dracula” — particularly the remix with Blackpink’s Jennie. “Run from the sunlight, Dracula,” they harmonize, in a vocal melody inescapable on TikTok and in the real world.

Past champion: “NUEVAYoL,” Bad Bunny (2025)

Song of the summer for those looking for a club classic: “Chévere (premium_remix),” by Aria Vega and Ryan Castro

A club-ready contender for song of the summer should be easy, breezy and amorous. Such is the case of Aria Vega and Ryan Castro's “Chévere (premium_remix),” where reimagined, romantic reggaeton is perfect for a house party or finding the love of your life. Ideally both.

Past champion: “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé (2022)

Song of the summer for people who know the power of a good bridge: “The Cure,” Olivia Rodrigo

In the lead up to her career-best album, “You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” Olivia Rodrigo released “The Cure.” It marked a giant step forward for the young songwriter, with dreamy guitars, orchestral strings and most impactful of all: its explosive bridge.

Past champion: “Hollaback Girl,” Gwen Stefani (2005)

Song of the summer for people who love music, fashion and film in equal measure: “SS26,” Charli xcx

So long, “BRAT.” The contemporary pop landscape’s preeminent party girl is in for a bummer of a summer. “SS26,” one of the first tracks released from Charli xcx’s forthcoming “Music, Fashion, Film,” is shockingly minimalistic, with little more than distorted guitar riffs and production that sounds like a simple Casio keyboard preset. It’s rock music, as she’s promised — but done her own way.

Past champion: “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Glen Campbell (1975)

Song for people who live like it's summer year-round: “E85,” Don Toliver

“On the highway with my significant lover (I love),” the singer-songwriter-rapper Don Toliver declares with ease in the chorus of “E85.” “High octane, more fuel for your consumption.” If there is an image more primed for the hot summer months than rolling down the freeway on a trip with a loved one, we have yet to see it.

Past champion: “Mi Gente,” J Balvin and Willy William (2017)

Song of the summer for seaside dreamers: “Swim,” BTS

The game-changing K-pop boy band BTS returned after a nearly four-year musical hiatus with “ARIRANG.” The comeback was led by “Swim,” a reserved, alt-pop track that brings a kind of intimacy to their stadium-sized output. The “Swim” here is metaphorical — as is the “dive” in its chorus — of having a crush, but the aquatic language works in conjuring dreamy, poolside imagery, too.

Past champion: “Waterfalls,” TLC (1995)

Song of the summer for the yearners: “Raindance,” Dave ft. Tems

British rapper Dave and Nigerian singer Tems team up for the Afroswing single “Raindance,” a sweet, sexy song about wanting to lock things down. “Hold me close, don’t tell me goodnight / Are you down to get me?” the pair dreamily duet on the second verse. “Tell me when you’re ready, I’m ready.”

Past champion: “Nineteen,” Tegan and Sara (2007)

Song of the summer for the sports crowd: “Dai Dai,” Shakira and Burna Boy

This summer is all about soccer, so, of course, we had to include one of the official songs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup: “Dai Dai.” The Colombian superstar Shakira and Afrobeats icon Burna Boy team up on an energetic, undeniably global pop track. It exists at the intersection of all their strengths: Afrobeats and Latin rhythms, separate, complementary verses and a strong chorus about unity.

Past champion: “The Final Countdown,” Europe (1986)

Song of the summer for those ready to stop feuding and enjoy life again: “Horses & Divorces,” Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert

Look, there’s no shortage of great songs from Kacey Musgraves’ latest album, “Middle of Nowhere.” A case could be made to include “Mexico Honey” or “Dry Spell” here, but what about a song with norteño accordions and slide guitar that doubles as a cheeky punchline to a fight? The capital-c country “Horses & Divorces” brings musicians' feud to an end over a shared love of drinking and Willie Nelson. What could be sweeter?

Past champion: “Girl, so confusing,” Charli xcx and Lorde (2024)

Boafo, a 32-year-old state delegate, received key endorsements from Hoyer, Gov. Wes Moore and other prominent Democrats, along with donations from tech firms and the cryptocurrency industry. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC also spent more than $1 million backing him.

In a nighttime speech to supporters, Boafo gave special thanks to Hoyer, whom he called a mentor and friend.

“Tonight the Democratic voters of the 5th Congressional District decided that it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders,” said Boafo, 32. “And it’s with great humility that I accept that responsibility.”

Also Tuesday in Maryland, rising party star Gov. Wes Moore won the Democratic primary in his bid for reelection to a second term. Republican voters hope to return the state to GOP leadership by picking a candidate they think can unseat him.

The primaries in the left-leaning East Coast state are set to have an outsize impact. In many cases they will determine who is likely to win in heavily partisan districts this fall. Seven of Maryland's eight congressional districts are represented by Democrats, and one by a Republican.

That dynamic and Hoyer’s departure attracted big spending and some familiar names to the most-watched Democratic primaries.

Among them was Harry Dunn, a former police officer who defended the U.S. Capitol from the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. He ran on a platform that included protecting democracy.

Boafo called Dunn a “brother” during his acceptance speech, saying “it takes a special level of courage and partial insanity to run for the Congress of the United States.”

Some races became proxy fights about how Democrats should behave in the current political climate. Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson won a primary challenge from a progressive who criticized his decision to block a midcycle redistricting attempt.

The lead-up to Election Day has had some hiccups. Last month the State Board of Elections had to resend mail-in ballots to some voters in the closed primary after a vendor error caused some to receive a ballot for the wrong party.

President Donald Trump seized on the issue, falsely claiming that Moore illegally sent the ballots to ensure victory for Democrats. The state administrator of elections derided him for spreading misinformation.

Two dozen candidates competed to replace a Democratic fixture

As the longest-serving House Democrat and the longtime party No. 2 in the chamber, Hoyer is nothing short of an institution.

His retirement gave voters in the 5th District a chance to reflect on that leadership, and they ultimately decided they wanted more of the same.

Natasha Greensword, 45, and her husband Rodrick Greensword, 58, both voted for Moore in the gubernatorial primary and for Boafo to be the nominee to succeed Hoyer.

“We know the governor is governed by the pillars on which his culture is built,” and he will work for the people, making moral and humane choices, Natasha Greensword said.

She said Boafo seemed to share the same values as Moore and Hoyer. She added that she thought Hoyer’s endorsement helped as well.

In all, 24 Democratic candidates were on the ballot, such as Dunn and progressive attorney Wala Blegay, proposed change. Both Dunn and Blegay, who are vocally pro-Palestinian, criticized Boafo for getting help from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC and other special interests.

The best-funded candidate in the race was Quincy Bareebe, a home healthcare CEO who funneled more than $3 million of her own money into the primary.

“I just love what she is doing in the community,” said Michelle Green, 59, who voted for Bareebe.

Boafo will face Republican Chris Chaffee, a business owner, in the November general election for the heavily Democratic district.

A freshman in Congress defeats a challenge from her predecessor

Democratic Rep. April McClain Delaney won her primary against former Rep. David Trone, who left his seat representing the sprawling 6th District in 2024 and was now trying to win it back.

The race was contentious — and expensive. Trone, the wealthy founder of Total Wine & More, lent his campaign some $25 million of his own money, while McClain Delaney lent herself over $7 million.

Trone criticized McClain Delaney on immigration. She was the only Maryland Democrat in Congress to vote for the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia student whose killing became an anti-immigrant rallying cry for Republicans.

The GOP still has no obvious heir to Hogan

Maryland used to have a moderately conservative governor in Larry Hogan. In the years since he left office in 2023, Republicans have yet to find a clear successor.

In Tuesday's GOP gubernatorial primary, Dan Cox, an attorney and former state delegate who unsuccessfully ran for governor four years ago, won the nomination.

Cox leaned the furthest right out of the nine candidates in the race. He has a photo of himself with Trump on his law practice’s website, and he pledged to slash taxes and beef up housing affordability programs if elected.

Jason Mangen, a lifelong Republican, said he backed Cox because he was concerned about the state's budget, which has seen shortfalls over the years.

“You look at the economy, and hopefully get a governor who can guide the legislature and get a good budget,” Mangen said. “I think Dan Cox is good on the budget.”

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Swenson reported from New York, and Kruesi from Providence, Rhode Island. Associated Press writer Gary Fields in Bowie, Maryland, contributed.

That's not until Wednesday. Tuesday was a night for the NBA's No. 1 draft pick to party.

“Obviously this night is just a celebration of all the hard work I’ve done in the past, and so now I’m going to celebrate,” Dybantsa said.

So were a record number of one-and-done college stars who followed him, a trio of national champions from Michigan and fans of both New York teams on what sounded like an even more festive NBA draft than usual.

The Wizards started it by selecting Dybantsa, a forward who led the nation in scoring in his one season at BYU. He averaged 25.5 points, highlighted by a 43-point effort that broke BYU's freshman scoring record, and was the first of a record-tying eight straight college freshman taken to begin the draft.

That matched the record set last year. Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 9 was the first non-freshman.

“I think down the road we can continue to do this,” Dybantsa said. “They are comparing us to a certain amount of draft classes. Obviously we have to see how that plays out and how we do in the league, but if we talk it into existence, I think that would be pretty special.”

At 6-foot-9 and 217 pounds, Dybantsa has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant, who happens to be his favorite player. Durant grew up in the Washington area, and Wizards fans can only hope Dybantsa can live up to the comparisons.

They certainly hope he will be better than center Kwame Brown, the pick Washington made in 2001, the first time it had the No. 1 selection after the NBA changed draft formats to eliminate territorial picks in 1966. The Wizards took John Wall in 2010 the other time, and he did turn into an All-Star.

Dybantsa — who was called by his full name, Anicet Dybantsa Jr., in tribute to his father — appeared to say a quick prayer after his name was announced, then went on stage to greet Commissioner Adam Silver and slipped on a black Wizards hat that matched nicely with his black suit.

Dybantsa beat out fellow freshman Darryn Peterson of Kansas, who was taken at the No. 2 pick by Utah. While some thought Peterson had the most talent in the class, the guard missed 11 games during the season because of injuries and illness, potentially creating some questions that Dybantsa didn't have.

“I can’t go back and change anything now,” Peterson said. “Obviously I wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but I went No. 2. So now I’m prepared to go to Utah and get to work.”

Cameron Boozer, the college player of the year in his one season at Duke, was taken at No. 3 by Memphis. Caleb Wilson, another freshman forward from rival North Carolina, went to Chicago with the next pick.

Those players were the expected top four throughout the pre-draft process, though there was certainly a case for Peterson to go first with his promise. Or for Boozer, with his body of work after he put up 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game for Duke, where his father, Carlos, also played before becoming a two-time NBA All-Star.

The uncertainty was expected to begin at No. 5. The Los Angeles Clippers acquired the rights to it after a trade with the Indiana Pacers and used it on Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. The host Brooklyn Nets then went with Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr.

Michigan's men make their mark

Darius Acuff Jr. to Sacramento at No. 7 and Kingston Flemings to Atlanta at No. 8 continued the run of scoring guards before Dallas went back to the bigs — and created a reunion in the process — by taking Morez Johnson Jr. from Michigan. Johnson was congratulated by national champion Michigan teammates Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara, who were also in the green room, and then hugged his old and new coach. Dusty May left the Wolverines to coach the Mavericks on the eve of the draft.

Lendeborg and Mara didn't have to wait long for their turn. The Golden State Warriors took Lendenborg with the No. 11 pick and the Oklahoma City Thunder followed by going for the 7-3 Mara.

“We got our ultimate goal of winning the national championship and we just got drafted together, all lottery picks,” Johnson said. “I’m proud of my brothers, and I’m very excited to see what our future has for us.”

Cheers for the New Yorkers, but not for the Spurs

The draft is always a celebration, when all teams have hope, but the cheers seemed even more frequent than usual. They began when Silver opened his remarks by hailing the NBA champion Knicks and NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, with a number of fans in Barclays Center wearing Knicks jerseys. Nets fans, who endured a miserable season watching the home team in the arena, applauded the selection of Brown, who had a 45-point performance to highlight his season that was cut short by a back injury.

The Nets also acquired the rights to Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson, the No. 28 pick, from Minnesota through a three-team trade agreed to Monday in which the Nets will get Julius Randle from the Timberwolves.

Beyond some brief jeers for Silver that pro sports commissioners often get at the start of their drafts, there weren't any until it was announced that the San Antonio Spurs, who lost to the Knicks in the finals, were on the clock. Loud boos broke out that continued when it was announced that the Spurs took forward Jayden Quaintance, who played in just four games for Kentucky last season because of a knee injury.

From Milwaukee to Mexico

The Milwaukee Bucks, who are losing two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, picked up two rookies. They took Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the No. 10 pick and are acquiring the rights to Tennessee forward Nate Ament, who was taken at No. 13 by Miami but is part of the package the Heat are sending to Milwaukee in the trade for Antetokounmpo that was agreed to Monday.

Karim López became the first Mexican-born player drafted in the first round. The 6-8 forward, who spent the last two seasons playing with the New Zealand Breakers, was taken by Detroit and his rights were acquired by Memphis.

The second round will be held Wednesday night.

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

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1. Washington Wizards — AJ Dybantsa, forward, 6-9, 217, BYU

Scouting report: First-team Associated Press All-American and national scoring leader (25.5) as a sturdy-framed freshman. Pressured defenses by creating his own shot and getting to the line, where he led the country in made free throws (229) and attempts (296). Synergy rated him as “Excellent” as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls (87th percentile, 27% of possessions) and post-ups (94th, 10.9%). Averaged 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Shot 51%. Scored BYU freshman-record 43 points against Utah. Must improve his 3-point shot (33.1%).

2. Utah Jazz — Darryn Peterson, guard, 6-5, 199, Kansas

Scouting report: Scoring playmaker thrives off the dribble, in halfcourt and in transition. Freshman averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists. Shot 38.2% on 3-pointers, hitting six 3s in a win at Oklahoma State. Made 82.6% of free throws, logging six games with at least eight attempts. Biggest questions centered on availability. Dealt with a preseason full-body cramping issue requiring hospitalization, then missed 11 games for injury or illness. Frequently had limited minutes for uncertainty with his day-to-day status.

3. Memphis Grizzlies — Cameron Boozer, forward/center, 6-8, 253, Duke

Scouting report: Fifth freshman named AP men’s national player of the year. Averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds. Shot 55.6%, routinely finishing through contact and physical play. Made 39.1% of 3s. Rated “Excellent” by Synergy against man defense (94th percentile), on post-ups (86th) and spot-up shots (95th). Strong passer (4.1 assists) out of double teams or in initiating offense. Son of former Duke and NBA player Carlos Boozer. Lacks explosive athleticism, relying more on strength and positioning than above-the-rim play.

4. Chicago Bulls — Caleb Wilson, forward, 6-9, 211, North Carolina

Scouting report: Second-team AP All-American as a freshman with explosive athleticism, go-go-go motor, 7-foot wingspan and spotlight-embracing personality. Averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds. Thrived at the rim and in transition. Stood out in marquee wins against Kansas and rival Duke. Needs to add strength and hone his 3-point shot (25.9%). Had a national-leading 66 dunks when he suffered a broken left hand in mid-February, then broke his right thumb in practice when on the verge of returning in March.

5. Los Angeles Clippers (from Indiana) — Keaton Wagler, guard, 6-5, 188, Illinois

Scouting report: Freshman four-star recruit became a second-team AP All-American in Illinois’ first Final Four run since 2005. Can play on or off the ball. Averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Shot 39.7% on 3s, hitting nine 3s in a 46-point outburst against Purdue. Rated “Excellent” by Synergy as the pick-and-roll ballhandler and with his jumper in off-the-dribble and catch-and-shoot opportunities. Lacks elite athleticism. Needs to add strength.

6. Brooklyn Nets — Mikel Brown Jr., guard, 6-5, 180, Louisville

Scouting report: Freshman offers scoring punch with combo-guard size. Averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists. Erupted for 45 points and 10 3-pointers in a blowout of N.C. State to break the Atlantic Coast Conference freshman scoring record set by 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Needs to add strength. Battled back issues that sidelined him for eight midseason games and then resurfaced to sideline him for the last six.

7. Sacramento Kings — Darius Acuff Jr., guard, 6-2, 186, Arkansas

Scouting report: First-team AP All-American with standout offensive skills. Freshman ranked third nationally in scoring (23.5) and 14th in assists (6.4), leading Razorbacks to first Southeastern Conference Tournament title in 26 years. Had program freshman-record 49 points in a double-overtime loss at Alabama. Thrived as the pick-and-roll ballhandler (rated “Excellent” in the 89th percentile by Synergy) and in isolation (rated “Very good” in the 74th percentile). Defense is a question.

8. Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans) — Kingston Flemings, guard, 6-3, 183, Houston

Scouting report: Third-team AP All-American as a freshman with potential to be disruptive defensively. Averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists. Pressured opponents in transition or off the bounce. Had program freshman-record 42 points in a loss to Texas Tech. Posted a nearly 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Ranked in the top six at combine in lane-agility time, shuttle run and three-quarter-court sprint. Needs to add strength and refine shot mechanics.

9. Dallas Mavericks — Morez Johnson Jr., forward/center, 6-9, 251, Michigan

Scouting report: Versatile and physical presence as a sophomore transfer from Illinois, helping Michigan win its first NCAA title since 1989. Averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks with potential to play forward or a small-ball 5-man. Thrived as a cutter, in post-ups and in finishing at the rim. Ranked ninth at the combine with a better than 7-3 wingspan.

10. Milwaukee Bucks — Brayden Burries, guard, 6-4, 215, Arizona

Scouting report: Freshman combo guard offers potential to impact both ends of the court. Averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists for 36-win Final Four team. Shot 49.1% overall, 39.1% on 3-pointers and 80.5% on free throws. Averaged 1.5 steals, including nine games with at least three. Ranked fourth at the combine in standing vertical leap (35 inches).

11. Golden State Warriors — Yaxel Lendeborg, forward, 6-9, 241, Michigan

Scouting report: First-team AP All-American for NCAA champion. Has a strong frame and better than 7-3 wingspan. Shot 37.2% on 3s at career-high volume compared to 34.9% through two seasons at UAB. Showed toughness by gritting through ankle and knee injuries in the Final Four and title game. Older prospect (23) who spent three years in junior college.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Los Angeles Clippers) — Aday Mara, center, 7-3, 260, Michigan

Scouting report: Junior from Spain projects as a defensive force after helping Michigan win the national title. Averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 23.4 minutes. Ranked sixth nationally in blocks (2.6). Shot 66.8% overall. Led all combine players in standing reach (9-9) while ranking second in wingspan (7-6). Must improve at the line (56.4%).

13. Miami Heat (traded to Milwaukee) — Nate Ament, forward, 6-10, 211, Tennessee

Scouting report: Freshman offers intriguing versatility and athleticism as No. 2 scorer (16.7) for Elite Eight team. Illustrated long-term potential while averaging 22.8 points on 45.2% shooting from Jan. 10 to Feb. 20, including 39.1% on 3s. Must fill out his game with spot-up shots accounting for 18.7% of his possessions, according to Synergy. Needs strength to handle physical play.

14. Charlotte Hornets — Hannes Steinbach, forward/center, 6-10, 248, Washington

Scouting report: German freshman averaged 18.5 points and national-best 11.8 rebounds. Had a 24-rebound game against USC and five other games with at least 15 boards. Also had 10 games with at least six offensive rebounds. Shot 57.7% overall. Showed inside-out potential by hitting 18 3-pointers (34.5%). Averaged 1.2 blocks with better than 7-2 wingspan.

15. Chicago Bulls (from Portland) — Dailyn Swain, guard/forward, 6-7, 211, Texas

Scouting report: Junior transfer from Xavier averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Most of his work came as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll scenarios and in transition. Showed active hands by averaging 1.6 steals. Must improve 3-point shooting after shooting 34.4% last year and 29.3% through three seasons.

16. Memphis Grizzlies (from Phoenix via Orlando, traded to Oklahoma City) — Bennett Stirtz, guard, 6-3, 186, Iowa

Scouting report: Senior point guard who climbed from Division II to Drake, then led Iowa to its first Elite Eight since 1987. Averaged 19.8 points, 4.4 assists and 1.4 steals. Synergy rated him as “Excellent” as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll scenarios (91st percentile), working in isolation (84th) and finishing at the rim (90th).

17. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Philadelphia, traded to Detroit) — Ebuka Okorie, guard, 6-1, 186, Stanford

Scouting report: Four-star prospect who became a surprise freshman star. Ranked seventh nationally in scoring (23.2). Posted eight 30-point games, including 40 points in a win against Georgia Tech and 36 in a win against North Carolina. Showed the burst to score in transition and the halfcourt despite being undersized.

18. Charlotte Hornets (from Orlando via Phoenix) — Christian Anderson, guard, 6-1, 180, Texas Tech

Scouting report: Third-team AP All-American as a sophomore. Averaged 18.5 points and ranked fifth nationally in assists (7.4). Projects as a scoring playmaker despite being undersized. Shot 40% on 3-pointers over two seasons. Thrived as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll scenarios (93rd percentile in Synergy) and as a spot-up shooter (90th).

19. Toronto Raptors — Allen Graves, forward, 6-8, 226, Santa Clara

Scouting report: West Coast Conference’s freshman and sixth man of the year for program that reached first NCAA Tournament since 1996. Averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 22.6 minutes. Shot 51.2% overall. Showed range (41.3% on 3s) and defensive potential (0.9 blocks, 1.9 steals).

20. San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta) — Jayden Quaintance, center, 6-9, 253, Kentucky

Scouting report: Physical tools stand out but sophomore’s health is a question. Suffered torn ACL in right knee in February 2025 while playing for Arizona State, then played just four games at Kentucky due to lingering swelling. Ranked fourth at the combine in wingspan (better than 7-5) and has big hands (tied for combine lead with 11-inch width, tied for second with 9.5-inch length).

21. Detroit Pistons (from Minnesota, traded to Memphis) — Karim Lopez, forward, 6-8, 222, New Zealand Breakers (Australia)

Scouting report: Versatile forward with athleticism and a nearly 7-foot wingspan. Native of Mexico. Spent two seasons in Australia’s National Basketball League’s “Next Stars” developmental program that produced lottery picks LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey and Alex Sarr in recent years. Averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds last year. Turned 19 in April.

22. Philadelphia 76ers (from Houston via Oklahoma City) — Labaron Philon Jr., guard, 6-3, 176, Alabama

Scouting report: Third-team AP All-American as a sophomore after averaging 22.0 points and 5.0 assists. Made a leap in shooting efficiency at 50.1% overall (up from 45.2% as a freshman) and 39.9% on 3s (up from 31.5%). Thrived as ballhandler in pick-and-rolls (94th percentile in Synergy) and repeatedly beat man defenses in the halfcourt (90th).

23. Atlanta Hawks (from Cleveland) — Zuby Ejiofor, forward/center, 6-8, 245, St. John’s

Scouting report: Senior offered a physical presence in St. John’s Sweet 16 run, averaging 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. Made 18 of 59 3s (30.5%) for some inside-out range. Has defensive potential with high motor, strong frame and 7-2 wingspan allowing him to tussle in the paint and move his feet to handle switches.

24. New York Knicks — Cameron Carr, guard, 6-5, 184, Baylor

Scouting report: Transferred from Tennessee and blossomed as a redshirt sophomore in a lead role with the Bears. Averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Shot 49.4% overall and 37.4% on 3s. Ranked among combine leaders in standing vertical leap (second at 38 inches) and max vertical leap (third at 42.5 inches).

25. Los Angeles Lakers — Sergio De Larrea, guard, 6-6, 205, Valencia Basket (Spain)

Scouting report: A 20-year-old playmaker with size and range. Posted modest numbers (4.2 points, 2.2 assists in 11.2 minutes) in 31 games of top-level EuroLeague competition, but shot 39.6% from 3-point range and had a 1.8 assist-to-turnover margin. Has a 6-9 wingspan and good passing touch.

26. Denver Nuggets — Tarris Reed Jr., center, 6-10, 260, Michigan

Scouting report: Interior force who powered UConn’s NCAA title-game run. Senior had career-high averages of 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 blocks. Had 31 points and 27 rebounds in first-round NCAA win against Furman as first player since Houston’s Elvin Hayes (1968) with a 30/25 game in March Madness. Has a better than 7-4 wingspan.

27. Boston Celtics — Chris Cenac Jr., forward/center, 6-11, 240, Houston

Scouting report: Freshman and McDonald’s All-American with rangy skills. Started 36 games and led top-10 team in rebounding (7.9). Hit 30 3-pointers. Settled into a complementary role (9.5 points) and had three or fewer baskets in 18 of 37 games. Didn’t get to the line often (58 attempts in 37 games) and shot poorly when he did (62.1%).

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit, traded to Brooklyn) — Joshua Jefferson, forward, 6-8, 246, Iowa State

Scouting report: Second-team AP All-American. Senior playmaker with a strong frame and size. Averaged 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds. Passing is a standout skill (4.8 assists) with his ability to initiate offense. Had four games with at least 10 assists. Posted a nearly 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (from San Antonio via Atlanta) — Alex Karaban, forward, 6-7, 225, UConn

Scouting report: Tested and versatile redshirt senior with range (career 37.4% on 3s) and 6-11 wingspan. Held career averages of 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 blocks. UConn won two NCAA titles and played for a third with him as a full-time starter.

30. Dallas Mavericks (from Oklahoma City via Washington and Philadelphia) — Koa Peat, forward, 6-7, 245, Arizona

Scouting report: Sturdy-framed freshman who averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists for Final Four team. Scored primarily in transition, on post-ups or as the roller in pick-and-rolls. Made seven 3s with a jumper rated as “Below Average” (27th percentile) by Synergy. Tied for fifth at the combine in standing vertical leap (34.5 inches).

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

As high pressure establishes over the area, we will have a bit of a breeze this afternoon. Wind gusts will reach up to 20-25 MPH this afternoon. It will be a great afternoon to get outside once the skies clear around 2 PM.

Futurecast shows the bulk of the rain gone by 12 PM, and any stray showers gone by 2 PM. Clouds will clear rapidly as high pressure establishes over the area, this pattern will last through Thursday before we resume with another active pattern.

Our highs will reach into the 80s and 90s this week. Have a great day!

Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge said gunshots and screams could be heard on a 911 call Monday evening from the Butte County Library's branch in Chico — a city of about 100,000 people about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.

“From the first 911 call to having him in custody was less than four minutes,” Aldridge said, praising officers for stemming the loss of life.

The suspect shot a man at the entrance of the library in the leg and then shot him in the head before firing multiple shots inside and shooting another man in the head, said Sid Patel, special agent in charge in the FBI’s Sacramento office.

“Yesterday’s violent attack was horrific,” Patel said. “The full force of the FBI is assisting this investigation.”

Details emerge on the victims and the arrest

Authorities identified the men who died as 46-year-old Jacob Hull, who his brother said went by the name Cody, and 74-year-old Robert Johnson.

The 7-year-old daughter of Hull's girlfriend fell during the shooting and was taken to the hospital with a minor injury, Benjamin Heneberry, Hull's brother, told The Associated Press.

The suspect fled out the back of the library as officers entered, but additional law enforcement personnel behind the building took the man into custody, Aldridge said during a news conference after the arrest.

Officers recovered a shotgun from the floor of the library and two other guns from the suspect’s car. The weapons were registered to the suspect’s family, the police chief said, without providing any other information.

Heneberry said his brother had just gotten to the library with his girlfriend's daughter and was sitting on a bench just outside when he was shot. He said his girlfriend’s daughter is physically OK, but she saw everything.

“We’re just devastated and shocked," he said, explaining that a fundraiser had been set up for Hull's girlfriend and her daughter. "Nobody would imagine that this would happen to their own brother.”

Heneberry described his brother as a very smart, quiet and low-key man who loved 1990s hip-hop. He was a father figure to his girlfriend's daughter and was supporting them, Heneberry said.

Police surround the library

A video from the scene shows police patrol cars surrounding the one-story brick building and officers pointing their rifles. Another video shows a man face-down on the ground being handcuffed by a police officer who then picks him up and hands him to another officer who walks him away from the building.

Jeannie Lee Schroeder was on a city bus that stopped near the library when she noticed a lot of police. As officers carrying guns marched toward the street, the bus driver started driving away.

"I see a person in a light-colored shirt running toward the street, toward where the bus was at,” Schroeder said. “And then there was an officer behind him, and another officer coming at the side of him, and that’s when they tackled him down.”

Police later determined the suspect acted alone and identified him as Bradley Scott Sayer of Chico. Sayer had recently graduated from Chico High School, Patel said.

He was booked into the Butte County Jail on suspicion of two counts of murder. There was no indication he had any prior relationship with or connection to the victims, police said.

Officials said Tuesday that Sayer's family has retained an attorney, but didn't release the lawyer's name. A search Tuesday of Butte County court records did not show Sayer’s name.

Suspect demonstrated an affinity for Columbine shootings

At the time of the shooting, Sayer was wearing a white T-shirt inscribed with the words “natural selection,” mimicking a T-shirt with the same slogan worn by Eric Harris, one of two shooters in the 1999 Columbine massacre in Colorado, Patel said.

“He had been a fan, and a fan for a long time” of the Columbine shootings on social media, Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said.

Sayer is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday, he said.

Joseph Vasquez had English classes with Sayer at Chico High School. He said Sayer was liked and accepted by most of his peers, but he didn’t seem to have close friends.

“He was very smart. He cared a lot about his grades,” Vasquez said. “He was kind of talkative but very anti-social.”

Vasquez said he and his friends were very surprised about the shooting.

Shooting leads to plans for library security

The shooting in Chico shocked the community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and led authorities to say they will add security personnel at each library location.

“A library should be a place of joy,” said Misty Wright, director of public libraries in Butte County. “Most of all it should be a place that feels safe. Yesterday that safety was shattered.”

Wright said that before the shooting, the libraries were visited by “mobile patrols” and that she wasn’t sure if they are armed.

All Butte County library branches were to be closed Tuesday, officials said.

There have been at least three fatal attacks at libraries in the last nine years.

A man in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to fatally shooting a man in a library and another man in a convenience store in 2023. In 2020, a suspect was sent to a mental health facility after he pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing a library security guard in Spring Valley, New York. A teenager who pleaded guilty to fatally shooting two public library employees in Clovis, New Mexico, in 2017 was also sentenced to life in prison.

___ This story has been updated to correct that two men were killed, not a man and a woman.

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Associated Press writers Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia, Hallie Golden in Seattle and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, also contributed.

The project includes a more than 50,000-square-foot grocery store with a pharmacy drive-thru, situated on nearly six acres at the corner of Route 220 and Glebe Road.

While planning documents do not identify the retailer, discussion during the meeting pointed to a grocery chain many residents have been anticipating.

“I’m not opposed to a Publix,” one Botetourt County resident said.

Board of Supervisors member Tim Snyder, who represents the Amsterdam District, highlighted why the development matters for the area.

“A lot of reasons why having large shopping opportunities and multiple opportunities at that help create a vibrant community,” Snyder said.

The special exception approval clears the way for the project to move forward as county leaders continue reviewing details related to traffic, infrastructure and site development. County leaders say they will continue working through planning and traffic issues as the project advances.

Nori, who spent the past five seasons with the Timberwolves, has interviewed for multiple head coach vacancies, including the Chicago Bulls earlier this month, the New York Knicks last year, and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024.

Nori, 52, was the lead assistant under Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch when the club made the playoffs each season, won five series, and reached the Western Conference finals in 2023 and 2024.

During the Timberwolves' 2024 playoff run, Nori took on a greater role during games while Finch recovered from a knee injury.

“It’s a great opportunity and certainly speaks to all the success that we’ve been able to have here,” Finch said of Nori. “He’s ready for it. He’s elite in his relationship building. I know he’ll fit right in in a situation where it’s really promising. I think it’s going to be a perfect match.”

Nori, who began his NBA career in 1998 as a scout with the Toronto Raptors, has also been an assistant for the Raptors, the Sacramento Kings, the Denver Nuggets, and the Detroit Pistons. His son, Dante, is a minor league player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

"After an extensive search process, it became clear that Micah embodies the qualities we are looking for in the leader of this franchise,” Blazers general manager Joe Cronin said in a statement. “He has been a key contributor to successful organizations and brings a wealth of expertise, a proven ability to develop players and an authenticity that aligns with the culture we are building. We are excited about the future under his direction and look forward to what we can accomplish together.”

Splitter, who was hired last week as head coach of the Chicago Bulls, was promoted from assistant to interim coach when then-head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested in October in a federal takedown of a sprawling gambling operation. Billups has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering.

The Blazers went 42-40 with a five-game loss to NBA finalist San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs, the first postseason appearance and first time they finished with a winning record in five years.

It is the first major hire for the team under the Blazers' new ownership group led by Tom Dundon. The group bought the NBA franchise from the estate of Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft who died in 2018. The NBA’s Board of Governors approved the sale, worth a reported $4.25 billion, in April.

“From my conversations with Tom and Joe, it was evident that there is a strong commitment to building a culture that values accountability, development and team success," Nori said. "This is a team with tremendous talent, and I’m excited to begin working with our players and staff.”

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AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

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

The team will still be required to leave after Friday's match in Seattle, a department spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the Iran Football Federation confirmed that the team will leave its base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, on Wednesday for Seattle.

“This was planned on our end,” Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, told The Associated Press. “We were going to look at how the first two movements went, and if they went smoothly, we would extend the extra day in light of the longer travel time.”

The policy change was first reported by NBC News and comes as officials from both countries negotiate over how to end the war in Iran.

Iran's squad has complained about the travel restrictions levied on the team, and the challenges it has faced since the outbreak of war. Iran in March sought to move its group-stage matches to Mexico, with which it has diplomatic ties. Its request to move its base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana was granted two weeks before the team's arrival. Several team officials and members of the support staff have been barred from traveling into the U.S. with the team.

For the first two matches, near Los Angeles, the team was not permitted to travel until the day before. Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei repeatedly said that restriction disadvantaged the team, especially when it had less than 24 hours on the ground before its noon match Sunday.

“Right now we need recovery more than anything,” Ghalenoei said through an interpreter after the 0-0 draw against Belgium. “The conditions have been extremely hard for us.”

It's not uncommon for teams to travel a day before the match, and it's in line with FIFA regulations, which state that “each team shall travel from its team base camp to the match venue one day before matchday (MD‑1) and in exceptional cases on MD‑2, and shall return to their team base camp after the match (on MD/MD+1).”

But Iran had asked for more time to acclimate to host cities and recover after matches, especially for the 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) trip to Seattle. The team is scheduled to train on Thursday at the University of Washington.

“We don’t ask for much. We just ask for the same procedure as for all the other 47 teams,” Iran captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh said Sunday. “Hopefully we can bring everyone who is involved and help us with us.”

The Iran team has also said it experienced difficulties entering and exiting the U.S. each time it made the 127-mile (204-kilometer) flight between Tijuana and Los Angeles. The typically short trip took five hours the day before its first match against New Zealand, team captain Mehdi Taremi said.

Hours before Sunday's match against Belgium, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told Fox News the Iranians had “tried to get somebody in yesterday” who had direct ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. In a statement, the soccer federation vociferously pushed back, calling the claim “an outright and undeniable lie.”

Iran's players and coaches have mostly steered clear of outright commentary on the war. “We are here for football, not politics,” Ghalenoei said Saturday. But the team hasn't shied from highlighting the victims of a deadly missile strike on an elementary school at the start of the war in the Middle East, likely launched by the U.S.

Players wore gold-colored pins with the number “168” on their jackets when they disembarked in Mexico on June 7, referencing the number of people killed in the attack, mostly young girls. They left a goodbye note in the locker room at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, after their match Sunday, calling for peace “among all nations” and with the hashtags #168 and #minab, the school’s name.

At Iran's last training session Tuesday in Tijuana before departing for Seattle, four small flags had been stuck into the turf, each bearing the number 168.

It's unclear whether Iran's upcoming opponent, Egypt, will also be allowed to arrive in Seattle two days early. After its 3-1 victory against New Zealand in Vancouver Sunday, Egypt asked to fly directly to Seattle. FIFA denied that request, citing a lack of security resources to accommodate the last-minute demand. Egypt returned to its base camp in Spokane, Washington, a 45-minute flight from Seattle.

Egypt's national team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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AP Sports Writer John Marshall contributed reporting and AP video journalist Javier Arciga contributed reporting from Tijuana, Mexico.

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

A Bedford County mental health and substance abuse business is at the center of a neighborhood zoning dispute — and the fight is far from over.

Mainstream Mental Health Services was issued a zoning violation by Bedford County, ordering the business to stop operations. The county opened an inquiry in late March after neighbors raised concerns about the business and its clients. Following a review of zoning records, officials determined the activity on the property conflicted with the area’s agricultural and residential zoning.

But Mainstream pushed back, filing an appeal.

On Tuesday, Bedford County’s Board of Zoning Appeals held a public hearing where concerned parents voiced their opinions. The board voted to allow Mainstream to remain fully operational for 30 days while the appeal works its way through the court system.

According to its website, Mainstream Mental Health Services offers temporary housing, substance abuse counseling and mental health counseling.

Michael Morris, Mainstream Mental Health Services president and CEO, described the nature of the program.

“It’s temporary housing, as soon as we get them clean, a job, and a permanent place to live, they graduate,” Morris said.

The dispute began months ago when a neighbor contacted 10 News with concerns about the business and its clients, alleging that residents had approached his children asking for alcohol. The neighbor also raised concerns about the distance from local law enforcement.

Original:

A zoning dispute over a mental health services business operating in a Bedford neighborhood has escalated to a formal violation — and the property owner is expected to appeal that decision before the Bedford County Board of Supervisors Tuesday evening.

The issue centers on Mainstream Mental Health Services, which has been operating in an area zoned for agricultural and residential use. A local viewer first brought the situation to 10 News’ attention in early March, expressing concern about a so-called camp running in his neighborhood — and alleging that some patrons had approached his children.

Months in the making

The viewer took those concerns directly to the Bedford County Board of Supervisors via email. At the time, 10 News reached out to the board, which indicated it was looking into the matter.

After further investigation, 10 News identified Mainstream Mental Health Services as the organization operating out of the space. 10 News then spoke with Michael Morris, president and CEO of Mainstream Mental Health Services, Inc., about the facility’s purpose.

“It’s temporary housing, as soon as we get them clean, a job, and a permanent place to live, they graduate,” Morris said.

Violation issued, appeal filed

Weeks later, toward the end of March, Bedford County initiated a formal investigation into the operation. The county’s Board of Zoning Appeals subsequently issued a zoning violation to Mainstream Mental Health Services, citing the area’s agricultural and residential zoning designation as incompatible with the business’s operation.

Mainstream Mental Health Services is now appealing that violation. The matter is expected to be front and center at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, which begins at 6 p.m.

10 News will be on the ground at the meeting to report on the latest developments.

It was the 10th time the Senate has tried to stop the war, and the outcome, on a vote of 50-48, was a stunning turnaround from past efforts. While the resolution is largely symbolic, and does not carry the full force of law, it reflects the growing concerns from a number of Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate over both the war and the deal Trump struck with Iran to end it. The House approved the resolution earlier this month.

Trump responded angrily Tuesday night on his Truth Social platform, calling the vote “poorly timed and meaningless” and saying it "provided aid and comfort" to Iran.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said, “Time after time, the vast majority of Senate Republicans sided with Trump and his war instead of the American people.”

Schumer said Americans have paid the price for “Trump's historic blunder in Iran. It'll go down in the history books as one of the worst foreign policy forays America has ever made.”

In the past, as many as four GOP senators have voted for the war powers resolutions, and they did so Tuesday — Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. One Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against.

Trump bashed the four Republicans as losers, saying, “These senators have made my job more difficult.”

On this vote, the absence of two Republicans, including Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who was admitted to the hospital recently for an undisclosed matter, left the GOP without a full majority to halt the effort. Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., also missed the vote.

The vote comes as the Pentagon is seeking $80 billion from Congress mostly for the Iran war as it backfills munitions and stockpiles.

Trump to meet senators as Republicans balk at Iran deal

Trump himself is headed to the Capitol on Wednesday to meet with GOP senators after Vice President JD Vance was overseas working to negotiate with Iran to end its nuclear ambitions — which had been among the stated rationales for the war.

The president is not pleased with the Republicans who have been critical of the deal he struck with Iran, according to one GOP senator granted anonymity to discuss the private dynamics.

The terms of the Iran deal are spelled out in a memorandum of understanding that Trump signed last week, starting a 60-day clock for the sides to reach a broader agreement over ending Iran's nuclear program.

But Republicans have particularly objected to the $300 billion fund to help Iran rebuild, which is far greater than the $1.7 billion then-President Barack Obama refunded the country under his administration's 2015 Iran deal.

"I believe President Trump is getting very poor advice on Iran," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said last week on his podcast after the deal was made public.

Democrats have repeatedly forced Iran votes

Over and again, Democrats have been forcing votes on the Iran war, almost since the U.S. and Israel launched missile strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Nearly each week they're in session, the Senate Democrats have put forward war powers resolutions, but they have failed to amass the majority needed for passage in the narrowly split chamber, where Trump’s Republican Party holds the majority. Trump would almost certainly veto any measure that passed.

The House pushed its own version to passage earlier this month, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in approving the war powers resolution, over the objections of House Speaker Mike Johnson and the GOP leadership.

While the House- and Senate-passed resolution does not go to the president for his signature, passage stands as a powerful, if symbolic, statement from Congress and a rebuke of the administration’s military actions.

Sen. Tim Kaine, the Democrat from Virginia who has led his party’s efforts, said the pause in warfighting, as Trump’s team works to shore up a fragile ceasefire, provides the perfect time for Congress to step back and assess “what should the next chapter be.”

Hegseth seeks $80 billion from Congress for the Iran war

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is on Capitol Hill this week, seeking roughly $80 billion in supplemental funding to shore up defense supplies in the aftermath of the Iran war, which is drawing scrutiny when many Americans are reeling from high gas prices and costs of living.

The Pentagon early on had estimated the war cost $11.3 billion during its first week, and senators said experts put the overall price tag of Operation Epic Fury higher, at some $100 billion.

The Defense Department's funding request is part of a broader beef-up of military money the White House wants as part of its budget request this year.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday, “We should not spend another dime of taxpayer dollars on Operation Epic Failure."

The Trump administration is seeking $1.5 trillion in defense funding this year — a nearly 50% increase — including $350 billion that it wants in a so-called budget reconciliation package. Johnson and GOP leaders are working to pass that package on their own, over the objections of Democrats, much the way they approved Trump's big tax cuts bill last year.

The 2025 tax cuts package also included a sizable increase for the military.

Prosecutors called the crime an act of terrorism and said the eight were linked to the leftist militant group antifa. The defendants' attorneys denied any antifa ties and family members expressed shock and anger over the stiff sentences.

Benjamin Song, the Marine reservist who was convicted of opening fire during the July 4 demonstration outside the Prairieland Detention Center near Dallas, was sentenced to 100 years in prison, the maximum punishment. The seven others sentenced in Fort Worth courtrooms received prison terms ranging from 30 to 70 years.

“I am livid,” said Lydia Koza, whose wife, Autumn Hill, was sentenced to 50 years in prison. “The government wants to take her entire life away because she attended a protest. Nobody died.”

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, one of two judges overseeing the proceedings, said what happened wasn’t a protest but “an assault on democracy.” All but one of the eight defendants sentenced Tuesday were convicted on terrorism charges.

“The need to deter this type of conduct is high,” O’Connor said.

The case drew attention beyond Texas as critics warned it could have wide-reaching impact on protests and First Amendment free-speech rights. The Justice Department called it the first sentencing of “defendants affiliated with” antifa after President Donald Trump last fall signed an executive order designating it as a domestic terrorist organization.

Prosecutors link protesters to antifa

Trump issued the order even though there is no domestic equivalent to the State Department’s list of foreign terror organizations. Antifa is not a single organization but rather an umbrella term for far-left militant groups that confront or resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations.

“The sentences handed down today make clear that Antifa terrorists who attack law enforcement and federal facilities will face swift and uncompromising justice,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement.

Prosecutors told jurors during the trial that the group’s actions — including bringing firearms, first aid kits and wearing body armor — were signals of nefarious intent.

Attorneys for the defendants have said there was no planned ambush and that protesters who brought firearms only did so for their own protection. They argued the gathering was planned as a late-night demonstration with fireworks to show support for immigrants being held at Prairieland before gunshots broke out.

Prosecutors have said Song had yelled, “get to the rifles” and opened fire, striking a police officer who had just pulled up to the center.

Some defendants say they weren't part of the planning

Phillip Hayes, Song’s attorney, rejected characterizations that the protesters were extremists and said his client will appeal the 100-year sentence.

“This is a bunch of kids and young adults who really have a really big heart and really wanted their voice to be heard,” Hayes said. “It was never intended that anybody get hurt. It was never intended that any shots would be fired.”

Prosecutor Frank Gatto urged the judge to impose stiff penalties.

“People with that kind of extremist beliefs need extra time in prison,” Gatto said. “They believe violence is justified.”

Defendants and their family members pleaded for leniency.

Autumn Hill said the gathering “seemed more like a party to me than anything else” and that she and others who participated “didn’t expect or want any violence or destruction of property to occur.”

Hill’s attorney, Cody Cofer, told the judge that there was no evidence she had a gun, nor that she believed in violence to achieve change. He said that after fireworks were set off, she was so conscientious that she made sure to pick up the trash left behind before leaving.

Chris Tolbert, defendant Savanna Batten's attorney, has said that his client didn’t bring a firearm, spray paint or fireworks to the center, nor did she participate in the planning of the demonstration.

Hill and Batten both received 50-year sentences.

Another defendant, Daniel Sanchez Estrada, was not at Prairieland the night of the shooting or involved in the planning, his attorney Christopher Weinbel said. Sanchez Estrada, who is married to another of the defendants, was convicted only on charges of concealing documents.

Weinbel said his client just moved a box of his own belongings of artwork, poetry, journals and zines after the shooting. Nothing in the box was illegal, Weinbel said.

Sanchez Estrada was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Other defendants previously pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists rather than take their case to trial.

Last week, federal prosecutors charged 15 people with impeding the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. They claimed the demonstrators were members of antifa who conspired against the federal government to block arrests and deportations by setting up blockades around government buildings and throwing chunks of ice at federal vehicles, among other actions.

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Marcelo reported from New York. Associated Press journalist Kendria LaFleur contributed.

In a social media post, Trump claimed without supporting evidence that there had been a “350-foot gash” in the paint as the administration faces a self-imposed deadline to fix the botched renovation before the nation's 250th anniversary celebration next week. He has also said, including again on Tuesday, that the federal government would release images to substantiate his claim.

Trump pledged to beautify the century-old Reflecting Pool ahead of the anniversary celebrations, draining its water and having the bottom painted a color he dubbed “American flag blue.” But since the site was restored, its water has been plagued with algae bloom and pieces of the new coating appeared to be peeling off the bottom.

Trump, without evidence, has repeatedly blamed the peeling paint on vandalism.

“It was purposefully and criminally done, and somebody had to work very hard, probably in the dark of night, to create such a condition,” Trump wrote Tuesday, adding that another seven people were cited for allegedly damaging the pool.

The U.S. Park Police and the Interior Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the arrests or Trump's claim of vandalism.

The Associated Press verified that one man was arrested after touching the already-peeling paint. He said he wanted to examine the new coating, touching a still-attached chunk briefly then letting go shortly after a park worker told him to.

A maintenance problem morphs into a law enforcement issue

National Guard members and Park Police have been patrolling the deck around the pool after Trump insisted over the weekend that vandals were responsible for damage to the liner, without providing evidence.

Crews were seen adding fencing near the area late Tuesday. An Interior spokeswoman said the Reflecting Pool “was always set to be fenced off ahead of the 4th of July," noting that one of the launch pads for the fireworks is near the pool.

“With the increase in vandalism by leftist activists, the fencing is going up earlier than originally planned to ensure no more damage is done to this historic site," spokeswoman Katie Martin said in an email. She did not provide evidence of her claim about the political leanings of possible vandals.

Trump said Tuesday that the Interior Department will release images of alleged vandalism at the pool. Pressed by reporters after Air Force One landed in Pennsylvania for a visit to a trucking company, Trump said Interior is “going to share” photos and videos of the alleged vandalism, which remains unverified.

The president had said on Monday that the images existed and the federal government would provide them. No photos were made public as of Tuesday afternoon.

The arrests highlighted what’s expected to be tightened security in the capital ahead of and during the 250th anniversary celebrations, which are set to draw large crowds to the National Mall and other tourist sites.

Trump also said Tuesday that “some of the water” will be drained from the pool “either immediately before or after the Fourth of July, to do the permanent repair.”

It was unclear from his post what the scale, scope or cost of the permanent repair would be.

Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a contractor on the pool project, said it has identified some areas in the Reflecting Pool that require repairs. “These areas are a very small part of the massive 7-acre project, and do not indicate a failure of the liner,” the company said in a statement. The company said it expected to make the repairs to the pool once it is drained, as part of the warranty.

Environmental group wades in after duckling found dead

Adding to the controversy swirling around the pool, an environmental group called on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate after a Mallard duckling carcass was photographed floating in the algae-filled pool, and two other ducks were found dead nearby. The Center for Biological Diversity said Tuesday that the Wildlife Service must enforce the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which protects migratory birds.

“Wasting taxpayer money turning the reflecting pool into a giant duck death trap just in time for America’s 250th birthday party is as Trump as it gets. Cruel, stupid and selfish,” said Tara Zuardo, a senior campaigner at the Arizona-based group.

City Wildlife, a Washington-based rescue and rehabilitation non-profit that also conducts necropsies on birds found in the city, said they could not comment on the cause of the death of the duckling because its carcass “wasn't recovered for examination.”

Renovation project plagued ahead of the 250 celebrations

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

Yet within weeks of Trump declaring the rehabilitation completed in time for Independence Day, the water was plagued by a vivid green algae bloom that clouded the pool’s coating. A piece of liner, about 4 square feet, was observed on Friday, partially floating in the pool. The Associated Press saw additional pieces in the water on Monday.

Workers were seen in recent days pouring hydrogen peroxide into the pool in an attempt to kill the algae. Hydrogen peroxide can act as a paint remover.

Experts say the dark lining can add to algae growth by absorbing more sunlight than lighter surfaces. That raises the surrounding water temperature, allowing algae to thrive.

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Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this story.

Wilson defeated Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, whom Trump backed in the closing days of the primary campaign. The president later said he supported both candidates, hedging his bets in the race after his candidates for governor lost in Iowa and Georgia earlier this month.

Wilson, the son of longtime U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, has served as the state’s top prosecutor since 2011. His victory sets up a November general contest with state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, who won the Democratic nomination outright two weeks ago.

As news spread of Wilson’s win, scattered whoops went up around the downtown Columbia ballroom, where supporters had only begun to fill in for his Election Night party. Later joined on stage by his wife, children and other relatives including his father, the newly minted nominee pledged to be a “transformational governor.”

He also reached out to Evette’s backers, calling them his “kinsmen,” for whom he promised “to fight as hard for you as you fought.”

At her election party, Evette said she was disappointed her run ended in a loss, but she threw her support behind Wilson.

“It’s OK to be disappointed," she said. “Lord knows that I am. But in just a few months, there’s going to be a general election, and the choice in that general election is going to be between conservative principles and a Democratic Party that wants the exact opposite for South Carolina.”

Trump at the center of the campaign

The Republican primary to succeed Gov. Henry McMaster, who is term-limited, largely centered around candidates’ proximity to Trump, with nearly all of the contenders expressing hope of securing his endorsement.

That achievement initially went to Evette, 58, who has served alongside McMaster for two terms, in the primary’s closing days. Long before that, Evette often featured photos and video of herself with the president in campaign ads and other materials. She also hired a campaign team that includes Trump’s longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio.

But as Wilson seemed to gain momentum heading into the runoff, Trump on Friday said he was endorsing both candidates, throwing a curveball to voters looking to the president for guidance.

Wilson, 52, also boasted support from sheriffs and solicitors across the state, law enforcement officials with whom he works often as South Carolina’s top prosecutor.

Immediately following Trump’s double endorsement on Friday, Wilson began boasting about it, too. Moments after Trump posted on social media, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said he was also supporting Wilson. A person familiar with the senator's thinking but not authorized to speak publicly said Scott had been making calls in support of Wilson, helping raise money and lobbying Trump to back him as well.

On Monday, Sen. Ted Cruz, another Wilson backer, came to South Carolina to stump for him.

Other primary candidates who failed to make the runoff, including U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, endorsed Wilson. Although Mace had fiercely feuded with Wilson, he said they had “buried the hatchet.”

Republican runoff was South Carolina primaries’ last major contest

The only runoff debate between Wilson and Evette was heated. Because each was given time to issue a rebuttal whenever their name was mentioned, the debate’s first half-hour swiftly devolved into a ping-ponging, back-and-forth over allegations of mudslinging and taxpayer-funded salary increases. The audience provided a soundtrack of thunderous jeers and hoots.

While Democrats also had multiple candidates running in some primary contests earlier this month, they’re not dealing with runoffs in the top races.

Johnson, seen a rising star among South Carolina Democrats, defeated two other hopefuls to win his party’s gubernatorial nomination outright,

And Charleston physician Annie Andrews also cleared the Democratic field in her challenge to Graham.

Winning statewide in November remains tall order for Democrats

While South Carolina Democrats hope their primary momentum helps propel them to general election wins, they have lots of ground to make up on that front.

McMaster notched double-digit victories in 2018 and 2022, defeating Democrat Joe Cunningham by nearly 18 percentage points. Democrats haven’t won a governor’s race in the state since 1998.

As for U.S. Senate seats, no Democrat has won one of those here in decades either. When he last ran in 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percentage point margin. That contest was the most expensive in state history, and among the country’s most expensive congressional races ever.

The last time a Democrat won any statewide-elected seat in South Carolina was 2006. And in recent history, Republicans have typically taken statewide seats in the state by double-digit margins.

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Collins reported from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

Miller was arrested June 6 in eastern Idaho, according to court records, and pleaded not guilty to possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia the following week.

Miller said in a post on Instagram that he was pulled over after accelerating to pass a vehicle on the highway. His friend had a small amount of cannabis and a cannabis pipe, which Miller said he didn't know about.

“We fully cooperated with the officer,” he said. "I am hopeful the misdemeanor charges will be dropped once the facts are reviewed.”

The court documents don't include any details about the circumstances surrounding Miller's arrest. But in a probable cause statement, Fremont County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Hurt wrote that he found Miller with a white dispensary bag containing 4.1 grams of the psychedelic mushrooms.

Idaho has some of the strictest drug laws in the nation. But Colorado and Oregon have both legalized the use of psilocybin for therapeutic treatments, and the substance has become increasingly popular with some health advocates who believe that microdosing it or using it in therapeutic settings can help ease anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Food and Drug Administration and other federal agencies to speed up research and loosen restrictions on psychedelics, and in response the FDA said it would offer ultra-fast review to three psychedelic drugs being developed to treat mental health conditions.

The 48-year-old Miller took a gambler’s approach to ski racing. His high-risk, high-reward style resulted in six Olympic medals, including gold in the super-combined at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and numerous crashes.

His last major race was at the 2015 world championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado, when a bad wipeout knocked him out of the super-G. He cut a gate too close and hooked his left arm, sending him spiraling out of control. His skis popped off, and he began to somersault down the slope before righting himself. He slowly got up and waited for someone to bring him his skis. Once he clicked back into the skis, he went down the slope and waved to the fans. Miller later underwent surgery to fix a torn right hamstring tendon caused when his ski sliced him.

Miller won 33 World Cup races and a pair of World Cup overall titles. He also captured four gold medals at world championships.

___ Associated Press journalists Pat Graham and Jake Seiner contributed.

Then they selected one of their new coach's players with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round Tuesday night.

“The Michigan Mavs,” forward/center Morez Johnson Jr. said moments after the selection was announced in New York — and less than two hours after Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said he wasn't concerned about the timing of May's hiring as it related to the draft. Ujiri added that of course the club would welcome the new coach's input.

“He’ll be involved because he’s a college coach,” said Ujiri, whose team also had the final pick of the first round at No. 30. “He has interaction with his players. We want to know as much information as we can on these players.”

The Mavericks officially announced the hiring of May a few hours before the draft. Dallas also has the 48th overall pick in the second round Wednesday night.

May is making the jump to the NBA less than three months after leading Michigan to its first NCAA championship since 1989. He had a 64-13 record in two years with the Wolverines, including a 34-3 season that ended with a 69-63 victory over UConn in the national title game.

The Mavericks made their choice to replace Jason Kidd official on the same day they added Johnson in the next step of building around 2025 No. 1 pick and reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, who turns 20 in December.

The 20-year-old Johnson averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds as a sophomore with Michigan after spending his freshman season at Illinois.

“It’s a different ballgame with NIL in college. It’s like a professional league,” said Ujiri, who let Kidd go about two weeks after getting hired by the Mavericks in May. “Many things I think translate in some kind of way. I look at the style of play, big players, how he sees the game. And then I look at the person. Incredible person.”

The 49-year-old May's title with Michigan came three years after he led Florida Atlantic to its only Final Four appearance. The Wolverines won the Big Ten Tournament in his first season after he inherited a team that went 8-24 under Juwan Howard. It was the school’s lowest win total since going 7-20 in 1981-82.

“While we are disappointed to see Dusty leave Michigan, we are deeply grateful to the May family for the lasting impact they have made on our program and our university,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement announcing Mike Boynton as May's interim replacement.

May’s record in his last four college seasons was 124-26, an .827 winning percentage that was third best in all of major college men’s basketball over that span behind Houston’s Kelvin Sampson (.861) and Duke’s Jon Scheyer (.832). His overall college record is 190-82.

“This is one of the most respected franchises in professional sports, with passionate fans, a talented roster, and a clear commitment to building a championship organization,” May said in the news release announcing his hiring.

May spent 21 years in the college ranks after the Indiana native first served as a student manager for the Hoosiers and coach Bob Knight while he was in school there from 1996-2000. Florida, UAB and Murray State were among his stops as an assistant before debuting as a head coach with Florida Atlantic in 2018-19.

“He's somebody who came up in a really tough way, video coordinator, assistant coach, and how he's developed himself,” Ujiri said. “He's worked everywhere. He's coach small teams, big teams.”

Moving on from Kidd was the last part of putting the ill-fated Luka Doncic trade behind the Dallas franchise for good.

Nico Harrison, the engineer of the trade that brought the oft-injured Anthony Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers, was fired as general manager in November after the team started slowly in 2025-26. The Mavericks missed the playoffs for the second year in a row since reaching the NBA Finals and losing to Boston.

Doncic and Kyrie Irving were the key players in that deep playoff run in 2024, two years after Doncic also reached the Western Conference finals with a mostly different supporting cast.

Irving remains on the roster amid lingering questions about his future after missing all of last season. Irving tore the ACL in his left knee in March of last year, a month after the Doncic trade.

Ujiri, who is also the team's alternate governor, hired Mike Schmitz as GM soon after his arrival. Schmitz, a former draft analyst for ESPN, had been the assistant GM in Portland. Now Ujiri and Schmitz have teamed up on the coaching change.

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

Trains were held at stations and would-be travelers stood in long lines at information desks as they tried to figure out how to get to their destinations.

The main national railway operator, Deutsche Bahn, said shortly before 1 a.m. — nearly 2 1/2 hours after it first reported the outage — that the problem had been resolved and service was resuming “step by step.”

The company said there was a nationwide problem with the GSM-R digital communication system, which is used for internal communication on the railway network. It later said that the cause had been identified, but didn't specify what it was.

The Bild newspaper quoted Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla as saying that they "were able to stabilize the situation with an emergency system.”

Deutsche Bahn said during the outage that it was giving taxi and hotel vouchers to passengers and, where possible, making available trains at stations for travelers to sit in. It apologized for the situation.

At Berlin's central station, Reyna Ghoshal and a friend were trying to get back to Munich after a trip to the German capital and saw "unhappy faces” as they arrived at the station.

“The train conductor was very nice, but he was just like, ‘we don’t know,’” said Ghoshal, who is from Atlanta. She said that “we booked a bus for 8 a.m. just in case, but generally we don’t know what’s going on."

In recent years, complaints about train delays and disruption in Germany have become increasingly frequent.

Government-owned Deutsche Bahn has started conducting thorough but disruptive overhauls of major routes after years of underinvestment in a bid to improve its performance.

The German railway system has on rare occasions in the past halted all or most trains, but because of storms rather than for technical reasons.

GSM-R, short for Global System for Mobile Communications–Railway, offers voice and data services needed to operate railways, including communication between train drivers and control centers.

According to the European Union Agency for Railways, it has been introduced across Europe since 2000 as a common standard for railway operations.

For years, the Brown family in Floyd County has survived on a well that produces just 40 gallons of water a day — not enough to run a farm, bathe without a schedule, or run the dishwasher and washing machine at the same time.

That changed Tuesday, when Xylem Inc., the Water Well Trust, and the Chris Long Foundation partnered to drill a new well on the Brown family’s property in Willis.

A burden carried every day

The Browns moved to their Floyd County property with cows, sheep, pigs, and more than 100 birds. They were growing their own food and sustaining their family. The well had other plans.

“We said we can only use the water for us,” Tristan Brown said. “So we have since either sold or butchered all of our animals at this point.”

Inside the house, the family of five developed a system — staggered showers, laundry at midnight, and gallon jugs staged near toilets for when the well ran dry mid-flush.

“It happens in the middle of showers,” Brown said. “It happens when we have church friends over and we’re having dinner and the well runs dry.”

His wife, MerriLynn, said the sleepless nights added up.

“I can’t wait to not have to wake up through the night to start the dishwasher or get the clothes washed,” she said.

Tristan Brown is a Purple Heart recipient. The family also has health concerns that make consistent water access especially critical.

“It’s a huge thing,” Brown said. “It’s a heavy burden on me to know that MerriLynn and our children were having to truly ration this water — which is an unbelievable thought in the United States of America in 2026.”

How four organizations came together

The Water Well Trust, a nonprofit, connects homeowners who lack access to safe water with low-interest loans and other assistance. The Brown family applied, and the trust reached out to Xylem, a water technology company. Xylem then brought in the Chris Long Foundation and its Hometown H2O water initiative.

“The Water Well Trust reached out to Xylem. We reached out to our other corporate partner, which is the Chris Long Foundation,” said Alex Rodriguez, Xylem’s senior market development manager. “That’s why we’re here. That’s how we got on property.”

Elizabeth McClain, program director for the Water Well Trust, said the Brown family stood out.

“With Mr. Brown being a Purple Heart Vet and the health concerns within the family, they just really needed to have access to that clean, safe water to support the entire family,” McClain said.

Crews from Rorrer Well Drilling Inc. drilled the new well and the owner Eric Rorrer was a major donor and contributor to the project.

Rodriguez said the need for projects like this goes far beyond rural communities.

“It’s not a middle of nowhere problem,” he said. “This is something that affects all of America, all of the world, really.”

Millions of Americans lack safe water access

The scale of the problem is larger than most people realize, according to McClain.

“There are over two million people actually documented living without access to safe water,” she said. “But we really believe that the number is closer to eight to nine million Americans. So most likely, it is someone you know that is having problems with water.”

Nancy Hopkins, executive director of the Chris Long Foundation, said private well owners are especially vulnerable — even those who live close to public water systems.

“Folks like the Browns, they don’t live too far from the public water grid,” Hopkins said. “But when you’re on a private well and the well gets contaminated or collapses or starts to have a really low yield, it really affects families day to day. They spend a lot of mental energy, a lot of time rationing water, trying to figure out what is the best use of this scarce resource.”

Hopkins said the project will carry impact beyond the Brown property.

“This project is going to have a deep impact on the Brown family, but I think an even bigger impact on educating folks about the Clean Water Challenge,” she said.

What comes next for the Browns

With a functioning well now in the ground, the Browns are already thinking about what they can do.

MerriLynn Brown wants a garden — something she said she had to give up along with the animals.

“The garden to me is such a sweet place to be, to just watch something go from a seed to a little sprout to a plant that you can harvest and feed your family,” she said. “My grandma loved to garden. To be able to do that again is going to be such a sweet thing — and then to bring the kids into that.”

Tristan Brown said MerriLynn’s health makes the new well personal in another way.

“She has health issues with her back. To be able to soak in that bathtub with some salts and know that we have enough water — and we can still do things throughout the day — those are things I’m excited about, especially for her.”

He said the whole idea still feels surreal.

“It’s kind of crazy that that could be our future, that we don’t have to think about water anymore.”

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The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, said Anthropic had teamed up with U.S. intelligence agencies to conduct tests using the company's Mythos model. It had identified certain vulnerabilities within hours, but that does not mean the model was able to exploit them within that time, the official said.

The official said the testing was done through an Anthropic initiative called Project Glasswing, which brought together tech giants and other companies in hopes of securing the world’s critical software from “severe” fallout that the Mythos model could pose to public safety, national security and the economy.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia had briefly mentioned the testing during a June 11 hearing before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Warner had said, “This tool broke into almost all of our classified systems, not in weeks but in hours.” He attributed the information to the head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, who is Gen. Joshua Rudd.

The NSA declined to comment on the matter in an email. An Anthropic spokesman also declined to comment.

Despite the recent cooperation between Anthropic and U.S. agencies to test for vulnerabilities, tensions between the California company and the Trump administration have been growing. Anthropic has raised concerns over how the U.S. military would use its AI, while the administration has restricted the use of some of Anthropic’s models.

The administration issued a directive earlier this month requiring Anthropic to prevent foreign nationals from using its latest artificial intelligence models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5. Anthropic released Fable widely earlier this month. That model is a limited version of the more advanced Mythos, to which the company has tightly limited access due to cybersecurity fears.

The directive came 10 days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish 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 said.

Anthropic said it disabled the models for all of its customers to comply with the administration's directive. The AI giant said it did not believe the steps taken by the government were warranted by the concern it flagged about a potential security issue.

A group of cybersecurity executives has also asked the Trump administration to lift its directive, saying the move could help U.S. adversaries more than it hurts them. More than 100 cybersecurity experts and leaders from companies including Adobe and Nvidia told the government in a letter that Anthropic’s Mythos models are “quite good” at finding flaws in software and weaponizing exploits — but they are ”not uniquely good at these tasks."

Many of the letter’s signatories said they regularly use other foundation and open-source models for security audits and training. The letter said it is dangerous to take away the best cyber defense capabilities “without a good reason” when America’s adversaries are rapidly advancing.

“We are in agony, and we cannot be at peace. … We love our mom. We'll never stop looking for her,” Guthrie said at the “Today” desk in New York, holding a tissue in her left hand.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, who lived alone, was reported missing from her Tucson-area home on Feb. 1. The FBI released video more than a week later from a camera outside her front door showing a masked stranger. Her blood was found on the porch, but the case remains unsolved.

Some media outlets had previously reported receiving ransom notes in the days after Guthrie’s disappearance but had not disclosed the details while the investigation was at an early stage. Guthrie's family was aware of the notes.

Tucson TV station KOLD said Monday that it had received two notes, one demanding millions in Bitcoin in exchange for Guthrie’s return and another that said she had died. Separately, CNN cited law enforcement sources in reporting on the contents of the notes.

CNN said a note indicated that those who kidnapped Guthrie did not mean to kill her but that she died shortly after her disappearance.

“I don't have any comment on this story. I'm not involved in our coverage,” Savannah Guthrie said Tuesday, referring to NBC News. “But I can't pretend I'm not here. And since I am, I want to just take the opportunity to ask people — really to beg people — to come forward. Somebody knows something.”

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department referred questions about the ransom notes to the FBI, which declined to comment.

Tom Morrissey, a retired chief U.S. marshal in Arizona who isn’t involved in the Guthrie investigation, said details of a ransom note might be publicly released in investigations if authorities think it might help to identify a suspect. But he said specifics, such as whether a victim has died, are often held back simply to protect the investigation because authorities aren’t certain where their inquiry is headed.

“It’s still an open investigation,” Morrissey said. “These things can go into directions you wouldn’t believe to be possible.”

Bob Krygier, who retired as a lieutenant with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in January, said it goes against procedure and common sense for investigators to reveal that a missing person has died until a body has been found or several years have passed since the person disappeared.

“Once you start making statements from the law enforcement side that has speculation, you lose so much credibility,” Krygier said.

Volunteers and search teams scoured the nearby desert terrain filled with cactuses, bushes and boulders in the weeks after Nancy Guthrie vanished. A group recently conducted a search near the Arizona-Mexico border but didn't report finding her.

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings occasionally appeared in social media videos earlier in the saga, urging the public to come forward with tips. She asked people to “raise your prayers with us” and acknowledged that her mother might be in heaven dancing “with our daddy.”

Yvonne “Missy” Woods entered guilty pleas to committing a cybercrime, perjury, attempting to influence a public servant and forgery. Dozens of other counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Woods was set to stand trial later this year. Instead, she'll face between 8 and 16 years in prison when she's sentenced in September.

Woods and her attorneys declined to talk to reporters after Tuesday's hearing.

Authorities accused Woods, who resigned in 2023 after a decades-long career, of altering data to conceal tampering, deleting data that showed she failed to troubleshoot issues within the testing process and not thoroughly documenting tests performed in case records.

The investigation into Woods’ misconduct began in September 2023 after an intern at the bureau discovered missing information in a case that Woods handled in 2018. According to an arrest affidavit, Woods allegedly told investigators at one point that she had changed data to complete cases more quickly.

Problems with the scientist’s work were found in cases involving homicide, sexual assault, robbery and other crimes, according to a law enforcement affidavit. Prosecutors were forced to review hundreds of cases.

At least one murder conviction was overturned as a result of Woods’ misconduct. Michael Clark was released from prison in 2025 after his lawyers argued that DNA evidence in the case was mishandled by Woods, but prosecutors are seeking to retry him.

In at least two cases, both homicides, the defendants received lesser sentences under plea deals than they could have faced if they went to trial because prosecutors were afraid Woods’ involvement could lead to acquittals.

Convictions in other cases also are being challenged in courts across Colorado.

State officials have said that the response to Woods’ actions could end up costing more than $11 million.

The state investigation bureau in a statement issued Tuesday described Woods' actions as intentional criminal fraud and said it didn't reflect the bureau's practices.

“This moment is not about moving on, for CBI it’s about moving forward,” said Armando Saldate, bureau director. “Today’s guilty plea is an important moment of accountability.”

The bureau said it has been making changes and is committed to following best practices used nationwide in forensic science.

The 358-32 vote sends the bill to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it into law Wednesday at the Capitol. The Senate passed the legislation 85-5 on Monday.

The legislation would reduce federal regulations, streamline environmental reviews, speed up the construction process and curb the influence of corporate landlords by limiting their ability to purchase single-family homes. It represents one of the most sweeping efforts in decades to increase the supply of housing and bring down prices, as voter frustration runs high about the cost of living.

Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters of California, who helped negotiate the bill, said the median age of a first-time homebuyer is now 40 and rents have soared some 47% since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our country must do better and today we will," she said.

Dozens of bills were combined to create the final package after months of negotiations, creating a rare moment of bipartisanship in a congressional session that has been plagued by bitter standoffs.

House Financial Services Chairman French Hill, an Arkansas Republican who worked with Waters and the Senate on the bill, said it is the first time in years that Congress has come together to make “measurable, accountable changes” to the nation's housing laws.

The bill will “help build more homes to meet that growing demand and keep the American dream within reach,” he said.

The bill expands financing and protects renters

The legislation on its way to Trump would expand financing, encourage the development of “innovative housing” like modular homes, require new renter protections and enhance programs that aim to end homelessness.

It would also offer funding to local governments that build more housing, including Community Development Block Grant money to places exceeding the median rate of homebuilding. It would provide new dollars for communities to turn abandoned infrastructure into housing, and it offers a framework for communities that want to reform outdated zoning regulations, which often limit larger housing developments.

ln addition, the bill would raise limits on the number of public housing units that can receive financing for renovations and codify a recovery program to help expedite funds to communities rebuilding after disaster.

The legislation does not include a Senate provision that would have required investors to sell newly constructed homes within seven years.

Housing costs are a concern for both parties

Republicans and Democrats have embraced the bill as a way to show they are addressing the nation’s affordability crisis, driven in part by rising home prices due to a shortage of affordable housing. The U.S. housing market has been in a slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows.

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes have been hovering close to a 4-million annual pace going back to 2023 — well short of the 5.2-million annual pace that’s historically been the norm. Sales slowed last year to a 30-year low and have remained sluggish so far this year, declining in January and February versus a year earlier.

The Economic Report of the President in April found a shortage of 10 million homes, while a report this month from the Joint Center For Housing Studies at Harvard University found sales of existing homes were at three-decade lows and inventories were rising due to high home buying costs. “Cost burdens for both renters and owners continue to climb, while assistance remains profoundly underfunded,” the report said.

While the median U.S. monthly rent has been declining for nearly three years, it was still 17.2% higher in May than it was before the pandemic, according to data from Realtor.com.

The legislation drew widespread support in the housing community, both from organizations representing landlords and large property owners as well as groups that advocate for tenants and low-income renters.

It also brought together Republicans and Democrats, many of whom noted the unusual level of bipartisanship ahead of the vote.

“In this polarized and angry Congress, we are actually getting something done," said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn.

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Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

Two of the biggest stars of the World Cup are setting records with history-making goals in a sizzling start that has even the most casual soccer fans in the U.S. taking notice.

Messi has five goals in Argentina's first two matches, setting the record for career World Cup goals with 18. Mbappé has scored four times for France, moving into a tie for second with 16 goals.

“Leo always scores,” Mbappé said. “He’ll always score. If I want to look at what Leo’s doing, I’ll have to do even more.”

They are not alone in hitting the back of the net. Norway's Erling Haaland already has four in his country's first two games at the World Cup since 1998. And Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo broke out with two goals against Uzbekistan on Tuesday to raise his career World Cup total to 10.

But Messi and Mbappé are the maestros making this World Cup their personal symphony. It's one they've been writing since the 2022 final in Qatar, when Messi scored twice and Mbappé three times before Argentina finally won on penalty kicks in a title game for the ages.

There should be plenty of music still to come from both. Argentina and France have already clinched spots in the elimination rounds, and both are among the favorites to win the tournament.

Messi is defying age in a young man's game

Messi has scored most of his World Cup goals at an age when most top scorers would be well past their prime.

He has 12 World Cup goals since he turned 35, and he will turn 39 on Wednesday, three days before Argentina plays its final group-stage match — against Jordan.

Messi, the former Barcelona icon who now plays for Inter Miami of Major League Soccer, still possesses exquisite touch and passing in traffic, and energy and stamina that carry him through an entire match.

His second goal against Austria came late. Messi passed to teammate Julián Álvarez, whose shot was blocked. Messi chased the rebound and slid the shot through two defenders to seal a 2-0 victory.

“We knew that he is on a level of his own, and Lionel Messi showed us today that he’s one of the best, and he is the best,” Austria coach Ralf Rangnick said.

Mbappé chasing Messi with every goal

At 27, Mbappé is in his physical prime with the speed and power to chase Messi's record, not just in this tournament but likely for years to come.

He was just 19 when he led France to the 2018 World Cup title in Russia. With his goal against Croatia, he joined Pelé as the only teenagers to score in a World Cup final.

Mbappé scored four goals in the in the 2018 tournament and has been on a charge ever since. The Real Madrid forward's speed haunts defenders and his power shooting with with both feet can overwhelm a goalkeeper.

He was the Golden Boot winner as the top scorer with eight goals in 2022. His 16 career World Cup goals match Miroslav Klose of Germany, one ahead of Brazil great Ronaldo.

Mbappé scores at a much higher rate than Messi. His 16 goals have come in 16 matches since 2018. Messi has played in 28 matches across six tournaments dating to 2006.

“I’ve always scored goals in the World Cup, so it’s not something I’m thinking about or that I’m worried about," Mbappé said.

Haaland making his mark in World Cup debut

Norway's 6-foot-5 striker could be the biggest threat to Messi and Mbappé as the World Cup's top goal scorer if Norway can stay in the tournament long enough.

The 25-year-old Manchester City star has been one of the top strikers in Europe for several years and scored two goals in each of Norway's two victories.

Norway will meet Mbappé and France on the pitch Friday. Both teams have already advanced to the next round, and the winner of the match wins the group.

“We’re through (to the next round), which is incredible,” Haaland said. “So I couldn’t care too much about that game now. They (France) are probably going to win against us, they’re probably going to win the whole tournament.”

Norway coach Stale Solbakken says Haaland is the player who can push the team deep into the tournament.

“He is is the best striker,” Solbakken said. “He's not playing for France or Argentina. He scores for Norway.”

Mbappé disagreed. Only he didn't point at himself.

“It's clear," Mbappé said. “(Messi) is the best in the world.”

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AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

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

The NFL informed the 22-year-old quarterback on Tuesday that it will not hold a supplemental draft this year, and encouraged him to focus on preparing for possible entry into the league through the regular draft next year.

The league told Sorsby of its decision in a letter that was obtained by The Associated Press.

Sorsby had applied for the supplemental draft after a legal battle with the NCAA, which had declared him ineligible for making thousands of bets on sporting events worth at least $90,000 during his college career. Those included at least 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman there in 2022, though none on the games in which he played for the Hoosiers that season.

The NFL hasn't held a supplemental draft since 2023 and had no plans to do so this year before Sorsby's petition. No player has been selected in the supplemental draft since 2019.

“Your Petition — filed three business days before the deadline, without any supporting information or documentation, and only after abandoning your recent litigation efforts to avoid NCAA sanctions — does not provide a basis for the League to alter those plans," NFL attorney Lawrence P. Ferazani Jr. said in his letter to Sorsby and the 32 NFL teams. "The issues presented by your Petition are too significant, and too closely tied to the League’s core integrity interests, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented.”

Eligibility for either the regular draft or supplemental draft is required for entry into the NFL, per the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its union. A player who is not selected in the draft could then enter the league as a free agent.

“No player shall be eligible to be employed by an NFL Club until he has been eligible for selection in an NFL Draft,” the CBA states in Article 6.

Sorsby is considered a potential Day 2 pick — second or third round — in next year's draft. Teams will have to be convinced he's overcome his gambling problems.

The NFL's letter pointed out that Sorsby's petition didn't address reports that he may have violated state law nor did it “demonstrate accountability for your conduct or indicate whether, or how, you would adhere to the League’s rules and policies governing the integrity of competition."

It concluded: “We encourage you to focus on preparing for possible entry into the NFL through the 2027 NFL Annual Draft.”

The submission deadline for the rarely used supplemental draft was Monday. Sorsby had planned to work out for NFL teams on July 10.

Sorsby, after transferring earlier this year from Cincinnati to Texas Tech, was banished from competition by the NCAA for the gambling activity.

After spending a month in a residential treatment program for a diagnosed addiction that led to thousands of bets, Sorsby sued the NCAA and gained a court-ordered reinstatement that prompted nationwide backlash toward Texas Tech. The controversy led Sorsby to enter this special draft session.

“The sole reasons identified in your Petition for seeking entry into the Supplemental Draft are that you have been ‘declared ineligible’ by the NCAA, have ‘exhausted all of (your) avenues to continue in the NCAA,’ and ‘want to now play in the NFL,’” Ferazani wrote. "The Petition provides no information regarding the basis for, or timing of, the NCAA’s decision. Public sources, however, indicate that in May 2026 the NCAA issued a determination declaring you permanently ineligible from participation in college athletics, based on a sustained pattern of improper gambling activity during your collegiate career at three different universities.”

A person with knowledge of the union's thinking told the AP that the NFL Players Association “has not made any determination on if, how or whether there are legal grounds to act on” the league's decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it is a legal matter.

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

Punishing temperatures extended to the United Kingdom and Spain, where weather agencies issued red alerts — like France — about the risks of extreme heat for tens of millions of people.

The record of 29.8 C (85.6 F) for France’s national thermal indicator — an average of temperatures measured at 30 weather stations — was only the latest in a series of never-before-registered highs heaped on Europe's largest country. The conditions were likely to persist at least until the weekend.

“Further record-breaking temperatures are expected, including some that could surpass all previous records, regardless of the time of year,” the Meteo France weather service said.

France's previous hottest days were recorded during heat waves of August 2003 and July 2019, with an average temperature of 29.4 C (84.9 F).

Temperature records also tumbled at individual weather stations and on consecutive days in some towns as daytime highs climbed well above 40 C (104 F), Meteo France said.

In the French capital, Gin Dujardin said the heat forced him to halt his work fixing roofs, which in Paris often have galvanized zinc coverings.

“It’s very, very hard because the zinc is very hot. The welds don’t hold,” he said. “It’s Dubai temperatures. It’s impossible.”

France has recorded 40 fatalities from drowning in the past week as people seek relief in rivers and other bodies of water, despite authorities' warnings about unsupervised swimming. Most of the drownings involved young people, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said.

Meteo France said the heat wave has reached what it described as a “plateau of severity,” with unrelenting heat, day and night. A growing number of regions will tip into the red again Wednesday as the heat spreads across more than half of the country, including the northernmost tip of France, the weather service said.

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

The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower close early

In a country without widespread air conditioning, schools, public transportation and sporting events have been affected. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower closed in the afternoon instead of late at night, as it usually does. The Louvre museum said it would close two hours earlier than normal from Wednesday through Saturday.

“Although parts of its historic building are naturally resilient, the museum remains vulnerable and is not sufficiently adapted to climate change,” Louvre officials said. “Heat buildup is greatest toward the end of the day and is further intensified by high visitor numbers.”

This heat wave, coming early in the summer, has already been compared to the August 2003 heat wave that roasted France with the highest temperatures in over half a century. It caused an estimated 15,000 deaths, many of them among older people in apartments and retirement homes without air conditioning.

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Over the last four years, more than 200,000 people across Europe died from heat-related causes, and most of those deaths were preventable, the World Health Organization’s Europe office said this month.

The above-average temperatures can cause heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.

Rail systems are strained by high temperatures

Hundreds of British schools planned to close or close early this week because of the heat, while many train services were reduced to avoid heat-related problems on the rail lines.

The Met Office, the U.K. weather agency, issued a heat warning for Wednesday and Thursday, with forecasts suggesting June’s all-time daily temperature record could be broken.

Temperatures of around 37 degrees C (98.6 F) are expected in southern England, with up to 35 C (95 F) in southeast Wales. The peak of the heat wave is now forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, when highs could reach 39 C (102.2 F) in London or southern England.

Conditions are expected to ease by Friday, the Met Office said.

On Tuesday, multiple U.K. train operators, including the express train serving London Gatwick Airport, said they were canceling or reducing services. Railway operators urged people to travel only if "absolutely necessary” on Wednesday and Thursday.

Heat waves could become more frequent and longer

Further south, Spain faced a heat wave across parts of the Iberian Peninsula.

Spain’s national weather service, Aemet, issued red alerts Tuesday for temperatures of 44 C (111 F) in southern Andalusia as well as warnings of thermometers hitting 40 C (104 F) in the normally temperate Cantabria and the Basque Country regions along the country's northern Atlantic coast.

Aemet meteorologist Rubén del Campo said Spain, which has experienced increasingly torrid summers, is only going to get hotter because of climate change as heat waves become more frequent, longer and occur outside the traditional window of July and August.

Of the dozen heat waves Aemet has recorded in June since it started tracking them in 1975, half have occurred since 2015, del Campo said.

Human-driven climate change is heating up the atmosphere, both above Spain and in the surrounding sea waters, he said.

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

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

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Associated Press journalists John Leicester in Paris, Sylvia Hui in London and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain, contributed to this report.

But the Iranians deny it. And in the absence of more details, sanctions experts are flummoxed over exactly how billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian assets would make their way to the American heartland from the escrow accounts where they’ve been locked for years by U.S. sanctions.

A tentative agreement reached last week would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas once passed, and allow Iran to start selling its oil freely again during a 60-day period when the two countries will continue negotiating key issues. The memorandum of understanding also promised to unfreeze Iranian assets.

Trump’s deal has come under fire for failing to address the reasons the president cited for going to war with Iran on Feb. 28, including curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, its missile program and its support for militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

Lashing back at critics Tuesday on his Truth Social media platform, Trump said U.S. farmers would get a payday: The U.S. Treasury Department, he wrote, would release the Iranian assets “into escrow, controlled by the U.S.A., and will be used for the purchase of food and medical supplies, exclusively from the United States, including Corn, Wheat, and Soybeans from our great American farmers. These are things that are desperately needed by Iran.’’

Vance, who spoke about the proposal after high-level talks in Switzerland, and Trump say that any frozen funds and assets held outside of Iran will be used to buy U.S. crops.

But the Iranians deny that's part of the deal. A spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei, said any agricultural purchases would be based on “prices and quality,’’ not terms dictated by Washington.

“It is interesting that the philosophy and goal of the war, which was the destruction of the Iranian civilization and the collapse of Iran, has become enriching American farmers,” Baghaei said.

Iran’s ambassador in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, rejected Vance’s contention that the U.S. and Qatar would dictate how Iran uses unfrozen funds. “Iran is the only country who decides what to do with those assets,” he told reporters.

A U.S. official dismissed the contradiction, asserting that Iranian leaders were speaking to their domestic audience. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

Joseph Glauber, a research fellow emeritus at the International Food Policy Research Institute, said Iran was unlikely to abandon its other trade partners on food.

Iran’s major suppliers include Brazil, India, Turkey, the European Union, Canada, Australia and Argentina, he said. Trump’s demand to buy from the U.S. would “create some hard feelings with some of our competitors.”

Under previous sanctions, the U.S. has required that money foreign countries spend on imports from Iran — such as South Korean purchases of oil and Iraqi purchases of Iranian electricity — be locked in escrow accounts and typically released only if the Treasury approves and if the proceeds go toward “non-sanctionable’’ items such as food and medicine.

On Monday, the U.S. Treasury approved the sale of Iranian oil, petrochemicals and petroleum products through Aug. 21. It did not mention any escrow accounts.

Richard Goldberg of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who coordinated efforts to put diplomatic pressure on Iran in the first Trump administration, said in a post on X that he would welcome “a clarification that Iran is actually restricted to only buying U.S. agricultural products.”

Richard Nephew, senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, said it’s unclear what the new U.S.-Iran agreement actually means for releasing restricted Iranian assets.

Could the U.S. require that the assets be used to buy American farm products?

“Well, we can try!’’ Nephew, who helped design Iran sanctions in the Obama and Biden administrations, said by email. “All you really need to do is to tell a foreign bank that they can move the money but only to a U.S. bank to buy soybeans or whatever."

Banks do not have to comply, he said. If they refuse, the U.S. could sanction them as well.

But it's rare for the U.S. to conduct itself that way, he added, “in part because we don’t usually like to give the impression that we treat national security issues as a cash grab.”

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Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

State officials said they are combating the administration's attacks on their offshore wind industry by sending a notice of their intention to sue to the Department of the Interior on Tuesday. Tuesday’s action is focused on the administration buying back the lease for Golden State Wind, a floating offshore wind project off California’s central coast.

California has made a major commitment to offshore wind because of its potential to generate vast amounts of clean electricity from strong, consistent winds off its coast. Its strategy calls for the state to develop 25 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2045, enough to power roughly 25 million homes and provide about 13% of the state’s electricity supply.

These energy and climate goals are now in jeopardy, and that's why California will fight vigorously, said California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild. He called the administration's strategy of buying back offshore wind leases “a strategic mistake of colossal proportions" that is especially stunning at a time when fossil fuel prices have been spiking due to the Iran war.

“Countries that thrive around the world are those that lean into innovation, into the energy sources of the future,” he said in an interview on Tuesday. “And so to turn away from this, and turn back the clock, and really engage in what I consider to be a war on innovation, is really ill-considered. And I think it’s a decision that’s not just bad for California, it’s bad for the nation.”

Trump administration favors fossil fuels over wind

President Donald Trump has said he’s boosting fossil fuels to unleash America’s affordable and reliable energy, and he frequently talks about his hatred of wind power. The Interior Department started buying back offshore wind leases after federal courts thwarted Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action.

In exchange for reimbursements of lease fees, companies are investing in fossil fuel projects and geothermal energy. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said last week that “under President Trump, companies are shifting investment back toward dependable, secure energy infrastructure that can power our economy and lower utility costs.”

A total of five federal leases off California's coastline have been awarded to energy developers. Two are being canceled through deals with the Interior Department: Golden State Wind and another floating project off California’s central coast by Chicago-based Invenergy. The state says it also issued an administrative investigative subpoena on Tuesday to Invenergy, which accepted a $765 million deal last week to terminate its offshore wind leases.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement that the state won’t stand idly by as the Trump administration “illegally strikes deals to kill offshore wind projects and replace them with more windfalls for his fossil fuel friends.”

Eight offshore wind projects have been stopped so far

The total amount spent on these agreements is nearly $2.6 billion. Under the first deal announced in March, French company TotalEnergies is getting nearly $1 billion — essentially a refund of its two offshore wind leases — if it invests the money in fossil fuels instead. Those leases were off the coasts of North Carolina and New York. New York is leading a lawsuit challenging the TotalEnergies agreement and Democrats in Congress are investigating it.

Golden State Wind and Bluepoint Wind agreed in April to end their leases. Bluepoint Wind was an offshore wind farm in the early stages of development off the coasts of New Jersey and New York.

Golden State Wind is a joint venture by Ocean Winds and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Under its agreement, Golden State Wind can recover about $120 million in lease fees after the same amount is invested in oil and gas assets, infrastructure or projects along the Gulf Coast, Interior said. Michael Brown, CEO of Ocean Winds North America, said in April that the deal provided “clarity” for the company and its investors.

Hochschild and Bonta say that Interior illegally reallocated federal taxpayer dollars to pay Golden State Wind to abandon its offshore wind energy lease and invest an equal amount in out-of-state fossil fuel projects, which will do nothing to support California’s energy economy.

They also say California has invested more than $100 million over the past decade to ready its ports, transmission systems and industries to support offshore wind generation, and those investments may be lost if the Trump administration successfully halts offshore wind development.

California plans to sue in 60 days if the situation isn't rectified.

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

The vaccine was found to be about 55% effective against COVID-19-associated hospitalizations, and reduced COVID-19-related trips to emergency departments and urgent care clinics by 50%, according to the study published Tuesday by JAMA Network Open.

The findings are not particularly surprising: Researchers have repeatedly found that COVID-19 vaccines work. But the paper drew public attention after Trump administration political appointees decided not to run it in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publication.

They argued that the study's design was too vulnerable to false assumptions that could produce flawed results. But many public health researchers maintain it's a reliable design that's been used for decades and offers the best way to understand how well a vaccine is working currently.

“It is critical that we continue to characterize and publish estimates of vaccine effectiveness in populations with changing immunity against evolving viral strains,” wrote Natalie Dean, an Emory University biostatistics expert, in a commentary that accompanied the study's publication Tuesday.

The research originally was scheduled to be published this spring in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the CDC's flagship publication. It had been cleared by the agency's Office of Science but was flagged by acting agency Director Jay Bhattacharya, said Althea Grant-Lenzy, the CDC's chief science officer, in a recent interview.

His decision did not mean the paper would never be published, she said, but rather that the authors had to take time to address his concerns. The authors had the freedom to take the study instead to outside journals, she added.

The study approach, called “test-negative design,” looks at people who were admitted to hospitals or visited emergency rooms with respiratory illnesses. The researchers checked whether patients were vaccinated and then calculated the odds of a positive COVID-19 test among vaccinated patients vs. those who were unvaccinated.

Papers using that methodology have been published — after review by experts in the field — in a number of esteemed journals, including Pediatrics and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Bhattacharya has argued the methodology relies too heavily on assumptions and could produce results that were skewed by factors such as prior infections and how different groups of patients behave.

Proponents of the study design say the methodology is built to address differences related to who seeks care, and prior infection shouldn’t be much of an issue because so many Americans have already been infected by the coronavirus. They say no study design is perfect but that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials haven’t proposed a realistic alternative for getting real-time estimates of how well vaccines are working.

Earlier this month, the CDC held a forum to discuss the pros and cons of such studies. A panel of speakers at the front of a CDC auditorium included Dean and two others who mostly focused on the methodology's strengths.

But the panel also included one critic: Martin Kulldorff, a Swedish-born biostatistician who — along with Bhattacharya — was a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 letter maintaining that pandemic shutdowns were causing irreparable harm.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last year appointed Kulldorff as head of a federal vaccine advisory committee before the biostatistician stepped down to become chief science officer at the HHS planning and evaluation office.

Kulldorff argued that studies with that design can — but shouldn't — include people with different diseases. He also questioned why longer-term studies weren't used to evaluate COVID-19 vaccines.

“We were in a pandemic! That's why!” one person called from the audience.

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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.

The disagreement over nuclear inspections came as Iran’s president met with Pakistani mediators and technical teams from the U.S. and Iran continued talks in Switzerland.

A United Nations agency said Tuesday that a plan was underway to move stranded ships and their thousands of crew members through the strait — a vital passage for global energy supplies that Iran had blocked after the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.

Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghaei, told reporters in Tehran that U.N. inspectors were not scheduled to examine nuclear sites bombed by the U.S. last year, rejecting comments made a day before by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday that if Iran had not agreed to inspections, he would cut off talks with Tehran immediately. But he added there was no rush for those inspections to begin.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has not responded to requests for comment over its possible role. It has been in and out of Iran since Israel’s 12-day war in 2025, but has not been granted access to bombed enrichment sites targeted by the U.S.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though it has highly enriched uranium that could be used to build atomic bombs, should it choose to do so, the IAEA has said.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a deal last week that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium, and waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country while giving each side 60 days to hammer out broader agreements.

Plan to evacuate stranded seafarers through Strait of Hormuz

The plan to evacuate 11,000 crew members stranded on ships is being done in cooperation with Iran, Oman, all other coastal states in the region, the United States and the maritime industry, according to the secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez.

“We have secured the necessary safety guarantees and have thoroughly verified the conditions for safe navigation to support these operations,” he said in a statement.

The organization said moving the ships will be done gradually to avoid any risk of collision.

A shipping insurance executive cheered the development. “That can only be good news for all concerned,” said Marcus Baker, global head of marine, cargo and logistics for Marsh in London.

But the uneasy ceasefire already has been tested by Iran saying it closed the strait again over fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence again broke out in Lebanon Tuesday.

The U.S. has said that negotiators have discussed “mechanisms” to ensure that the strait remains open. Ship traffic is increasing but questions remain about who controls the passageway.

Data and analytics company Kpler confirmed 39 ships crossed through the strait Monday, after about 92 crossings between Friday and Sunday. Prior to the war, roughly 100 ships a day made the journey.

Two U.S. aircraft carriers were continuing to operate in the Middle East, the U.S. military’s Central Command said.

Iran's president makes his first visit to Islamabad since the war started

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday discussed a range of issues, including regional peace and economic cooperation, according to a statement from the presidency in Islamabad.

It was the Iranian president's first visit since the U.S. and Israel launched war on Iran. He said during a news conference after their meeting that there was no mention of Iran’s missile program in the memorandum of understanding signed between the U.S. and Iran.

“If it was not for Iran’s missile capabilities, our country would have been plundered and destroyed,” Pezeshkian said, vowing to “never compromise or negotiate our missile capabilities.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif afterward said he will attend the Tehran funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the war's opening airstrikes.

Iran says negotiations focused on sanctions relief, nuclear issues and more

At the start of a 60-day window to reach a permanent deal to end the war, Iran and the U.S. agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Iran said the talks in Switzerland led to the creation of negotiation groups focused on sanctions relief, nuclear issues, reconstruction, and monitoring, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. The report quoted Kazem Gharibabadi, a deputy foreign minister leading the talks there, as saying the countries also formed a way to discuss ships moving through Hormuz.

In southern Lebanon Tuesday, Israeli soldiers opened fire and killed two people. That followed two days of calm after a ceasefire brokered Saturday. Any renewal of heavy fighting could threaten the broader diplomatic talks, since Iran has demanded that a full truce in Lebanon be part of any comprehensive deal.

Israel occupies part of Lebanon and insists it must be able to attack militants launching attacks into northern Israel.

The Israeli military said troops fired at four Hezbollah members who were riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle and had entered a security zone and failed to stop despite warning shots. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that the two men were killed next to a bulldozer clearing a road.

No Israeli airstrikes or shelling have been reported since Sunday and Hezbollah has not claimed any attacks in what has been the longest halt in the fighting since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war erupted in March.

Netanyahu raises new questions over fragile Lebanon ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his military still has “full freedom of action" in Lebanon to thwart any threats.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a signatory to the U.S.-Iran deal. Netanyahu has vowed to keep his forces in southern Lebanon until threats to Israel are eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to halt attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing.

When asked about Netanyahu’s comments, Trump said “we’re going to take a look at it,” adding that the situation would “get solved.”

The main highway leading south from Beirut was jammed Tuesday with people displaced from southern Lebanon returning to their homes. Among them was Hawraa Nour El-Din, from the village of Khirbet Selm.

“We don’t want the negotiations done by the government,” she said. “We want Iran to negotiate on our behalf, and we are returning victorious, whether everyone likes it or not.”

In Washington, the State Department said a new round of Israel-Lebanon talks began on Tuesday with both political and security issues on the agenda.

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Rising reported from Bangkok and Gambrell from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Abby Sewell in Beirut, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, Josh Boak, Matthew Lee in Washington, Mae Anderson in New York, and Seung Min Kim in Reading, Pennsylvania contributed to this report.

The awards were announced as part of the VHSL’s 2026 Class 3 All-State Girls Soccer Team.

Carnevali claimed Class 3 Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season after leading the Knights’ attack throughout their championship run. The attacking midfielder finished the season with 26 goals and 18 assists while appearing in all 24 matches and serving as a team captain.

After totaling 15 goals and 24 assists a year ago, Carnevali expanded her impact in the attacking third by becoming a more dangerous scoring threat while continuing to create opportunities for teammates. Through three varsity seasons, she has amassed 53 goals and 54 assists.

Carnevali played a key role in Cave Spring’s postseason success and delivered in the biggest moments. She converted one of the Knights’ penalty kicks in the Class 3 state championship match against Western Albemarle, helping Cave Spring secure a 4-3 shootout victory after the teams battled to a scoreless draw through 100 minutes. The title was the first state championship in program history.

A three-time first-team all-district and first-team all-region selection, Carnevali has now earned first-team all-state honors in back-to-back seasons. She also has been named Region 3D Player of the Year twice.

French was recognized after guiding Cave Spring to a 23-0-1 record, an unbeaten season and the first state championship in school history during his first year leading the program.

The Knights capped their title run by defeating Western Albemarle in a rematch of the previous season’s state final. Cave Spring prevailed in penalty kicks after neither team could find a breakthrough during regulation or overtime.

French brought two decades of coaching experience to the Knights. He began his coaching career in England before moving to the United States, where he has worked extensively in club and collegiate soccer. He currently serves as sporting director for Virginia United in Roanoke.

Throughout his coaching career, French has emphasized a player-centered philosophy focused on development, trust and investment in each athlete, a formula that helped produce one of the most successful seasons in Cave Spring girls soccer history.

Cave Spring placed three additional players on the first-team all-state squad. Junior forward Lucy Pietravalle, junior midfielder Myla McDonald and junior defender Abby Tozier each earned first-team honors after helping lead the Knights to an unbeaten 23-0-1 season and the program’s first state championship. Hidden Valley junior defender Brynnigan Raymond also was selected to the first team, while Titans freshman forward Lilah Harding and sophomore midfielder Addison Johnson earned second-team all-state recognition.

The deal was announced on Tuesday by Pitts' agency, Athletes First, in a social media post. The agency said it is the largest three-year deal for a tight end in NFL history.

The agreement with Pitts comes three weeks after the team signed wide receiver Drake London to a four-year, $141 million deal.

Pitts, 25, was the No. 8 overall pick by the Falcons in the 2021 NFL draft. He set a career high with 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns last season. He ranked second among tight ends in receptions and receiving yards.

Pitts’ contract, which includes $36 million in guaranteed salary, was first reported by ESPN. The Falcons have not announced the deal, but still celebrated by posting a video of Pitts on social media.

Pitts' big season included a three-touchdown game in Atlanta's 29-28 win at Tampa Bay on Dec. 11. That win came with Kirk Cousins at quarterback. The Falcons will enter training camp with Tua Tagovailoa expected to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job at quarterback.

Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski says Penix, recovering from knee surgery, is on schedule in his recovery. Penix had not been cleared for team drills in the recent minicamp but was impressive in seven-on-seven drills.

The Falcons signed Tagovailoa, the former Miami Dolphins starter, to a one-year deal in March after releasing Cousins with a post-June 1 designation.

The Falcons used a franchise tag of $15.045 million on Pitts, but now the tight end will play under the new deal in the 2026 season. The $18 million average of Pitts' contract places him third on the list of the NFL's highest paid tight ends, behind San Francisco's George Kittle ($19.1 million) and Arizona's Trey McBride ($19 million).

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

“While this decision is not easy, it is time for me to step aside and allow the next generation of leaders and coaches the opportunity to continue growing and building the program,” Wilson said.

A 1997 William Fleming graduate, Wilson maintained the Lady Colonels’ presence as a perennial contender the past 8 seasons. The program made multiple state tournament appearances including a Class 5 state runner-up finish in the 2024-2025 season.

Throughout his tenure, he became one of the most respected coaches in the Roanoke Valley, known for his commitment to player development, academic achievement and community involvement.

His contributions to William Fleming athletics extend beyond the sidelines. In 2023, Wilson was inducted into the William Fleming Athletic Hall of Fame as a student-athlete, recognizing his accomplishments during his playing days and his lasting impact on the school’s athletic tradition.

Wilson will not be a stranger to the William Fleming community as he steps into role of student support specialist and the assistant athletics director.

The Division I Cabinet unanimously approved the change from the longstanding tenet of college sports that gave athletes five years to complete four seasons of competition with their eligibility clock starting at the time of enrollment, regardless of age.

The move will all but eliminate waivers or redshirt years for extended eligibility except for religious missions, maternity leave or active-duty military service. No longer will extensions be considered for athletes who are injured.

“While previous NCAA rules have served college sports well for a long time, we heard also loud and clear from NCAA members and student-athletes that eligibility rules should be easier to understand,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said.

The NCAA believes the age-based model will make rules easier to administer and help make roster management more predictable for coaches.

“I think this new rule is one of the most sensible things the NCAA has ever done, and it will absolutely eliminate the type of eligibility litigation that’s predominated lately,” said attorney Tom Mars, who represented Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in his successful quest for an additional year of eligibility in a case that went to the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Mars added, “Let me put it in bottom-line language: There’s no way somebody could file an eligibility case based on a medical waiver now with the new rule. Can’t be done. You can file it, I guess, but it will be immediately dismissed.”

The rules, which will become official when the Cabinet adjourns its meetings on Wednesday, are set to take effect this fall. Division I includes more than 350 schools, some 200,000 athletes and, with football and basketball leading the way, is by far the most lucrative of the three in the NCAA.

The five-in-five language also is included in Senate legislation intended to address numerous concerns across college sports and comes after a wave of lawsuits from athletes seeking to extend their college careers and ability to earn money through revenue sharing and name, image and likeness deals. Still to be seen is whether the new rules will withstand legal scrutiny alongside the existing challenges.

Heisman Trophy runner-up and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia remains the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging an NCAA rule counting seasons spent at junior colleges against players’ Division I eligibility time. That case is slated for trial in February.

“I wouldn’t say that the rule change itself will slow lawsuits down,” said Sam Ehrlich, a Boise State assistant professor of legal studies in business and management who tracks litigation against the NCAA.

Ehrlich said athletes very well could continue to petition courts for extended eligibility based on antitrust arguments, but appellate courts recently have delivered wins for the NCAA by overturning preliminary injunctions in several cases.

The new eligibility model will affect all athletes who enroll in 2027-28. Currently enrolled athletes with eligibility after the 2025-26 academic year, and those who are incoming freshmen this fall, can apply the age-based model or continue under previous eligibility rules. It would be advantageous this year for some incoming freshman hockey players to use the traditional model if they are coming from the junior ranks and are 20, as is common in the sport.

For schools with current athletes who may be eligible for hardship waivers or extensions of eligibility under current rules, the D-I Cabinet indicated the deadline to submit requests to the NCAA is July 31. After that date, waivers would no longer be available.

Ryan Downton, the attorney for Pavia in his case against the NCAA that won him a sixth year of eligibility last season, said he was happy to see athletes allowed five seasons of competition. But he said it was likely that high school class of 2022 athletes who are now cut off from further competition will go to court.

“These athletes are still within their five-year eligibility window and spent their entire college careers competing against fifth- and sixth-year players due to the COVID waiver,” Downton wrote in an email to The Associated Press. "We hope the courts will correct the unfairness of the NCAA’s ruling and allow class of 2022 players to play their fifth season in 2026-27.”

Ramogi Huma, executive director of the National College Players Association, wrote in a text to the AP that he had not seen the final language that was adopted but that the rule's “general structure that has been discussed is within reason.”

“But it's important for athletes to have an opportunity to seek hardship waivers,” he wrote.

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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

It inspired her to bring those health care facilities to the Roanoke Valley, which helped bring Friendship Richfield Living to Salem.

Today, Friendship honored Harris with a plaque unveiling, making sure her legacy is never forgotten.

Kim Bratic - the Executive Director of Advancement at Friendship Richfield Living - says that even though the dedication is to Harris, it also honors all women across healthcare.

“We have been there at every angle of health care, and a lot of times that’s overlooked, and recognizing that everything that Jane Morgan Harris stood for was really about taking care of people regardless of their ability to pay for care,” Bratic said. “Back in the day, people actually traded apple butter and eggs for that care. That’s a legacy that friendship still embraces today.”

Today was also the day that the garden was dedicated in her name. The Jane Morgan Harris Garden has dozens - if not hundreds - of day lilies.

Shirley Jarusek - Director of Landscape Operations at Friendship Richfield Living - says she spent nearly five years getting the garden to the perfect condition.

She says the term day lily comes from a Latin term Hemerocallis, or beauty for a day. They only stay in full bloom for a day, but because they bloom in different stages, visitors can see different flowers every week.

Part of Jarusek’s inspiration behind the garden was ensuring that Harris’s name wasn’t lost to time.

“There was a chapel here with her name on it, but during renovations, of course, it was removed, so I felt her name had would get lost and I was not going to have any part of that,” Jarusek said.

Among those charged is a nurse practitioner accused in Texas of billing Medicare for medically unnecessary wound-care procedures and using the proceeds for fancy jewelry and luxury cars; a mental health company owner who prosecutors say targeted the homeless by billing for crisis stabilization services they did not receive; and a hospice owner alleged to have paid kickbacks to a funeral home employee for information about deceased Medicare beneficiaries.

A heart doctor, meanwhile, is charged in Florida in an $89 million healthcare fraud scheme, accused of billing insurers for medically unnecessary cardiovascular screening tests for college student-athletes and then rubber-stamping the results as normal without personally reviewing them.

The doctor, Jason Finkelstein, 53, faces charges of healthcare fraud and conspiracy in what prosecutors describe as a yearslong scheme that preyed on the fears of athletes that they could die on playing fields or courts of sudden cardiac arrest. Athletes with no preexisting conditions who were concerned about being cleared to compete were administered tests they did not need and, in one case, a patient whose results were falsely certified as normal later died after his significant heart problems were undetected, the indictment says.

Healthcare fraud has been a long-running Justice Department priority and news conferences announcing roundups and crackdowns have been common occurrences across the years. The Trump administration has made a point of emphasizing enforcement over the last year, including through the appointment of a new assistant attorney general, Colin McDonald, to help oversee healthcare fraud prosecutions at a Justice Department that operates multiple specialized task forces.

“Today’s cases allege more than the theft of taxpayer dollars. Many allege the theft of human dignity,” McDonald said at a news conference announcing this year's crackdown, which covers cases charged or unsealed since June 8. “Our sick, needy and elderly placing their faith in the gift of medicine were neglected, ignored and used for personal profit,”

The department says Finkelstein’s case, with allegations not only of unrendered services but also poor medical performance that put patients at risk, represents the type of sophisticated scheme prosecutors are striving to disrupt.

A lawyer for Finkelstein, a Texas-based doctor who pleaded not guilty during a court appearance in Florida on Monday, did not return messages seeking comment.

The alleged fraud ran between 2019 and the end of last year and, prosecutors say, involved Finkelstein and a pair of unidentified co-conspirators at a Florida-based cardiovascular testing and treatment practice where he served as medical director

Officials say the scheme had multiple components, with Finkelstein and his company using what the indictment says were deceptive marketing tactics to encourage and offer free heart screens for students who did not need them and then certifying the results as normal without any review.

The indictment quotes Finkelstein as telling an unnamed co-conspirator with whom he worked that “(t)hese kids could be high risk ...(o)ne of them drops dead on a field, they’re coming after both of us.”

Finkelstein's co-conspirators blasted out emails to athletic trainers at colleges and universities stating that the tests being offered could identify any life-threatening condition that could prevent the students from playing, and also offered kickbacks and other inducements to school officials to refer potential patients for testing, according to the indictment.

Insurance companies do not cover blanket cardiovascular testing but instead require a prior finding of a medical necessity. To avert that roadblock, prosecutors say, Finkelstein submitted to insurers phony diagnoses of conditions, such as elevated blood pressure and hypertension, that the athletes did not actually have.

His company relied on sonographers who lacked the requisite credentials to travel to college campuses to perform the tests, and because Finkelstein was licensed in the 48 contiguous states, he and his company were able to submit claims for patients across the country, the indictment says.

At the same time, prosecutors say, Finkelstein would certify cardiac test results as being normal without actually reviewing them.

In one instance in 2024, according to the indictment, he signed off on approximately 63 test result images of one patient just 11 seconds after accessing them. The test results actually revealed a significantly enlarged heart and the teenage patient later died on the basketball court, officials said.

“There is no way they could miss that, except they didn’t care,” said Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon by training and head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “This is not a diagnostic company. It’s a predatory scheme dressed up in medical clothing and we’re going to treat it as such.”

“Damn, New York, we really did it,” Brunson, the finals MVP, said at a celebration at City Hall. “Somehow, someway, I knew we were going to find a way to get this done.”

Moments later, Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented keys to the city to the Knicks' players, coaches, owners and staff. Wearing a team jersey under his suit jacket, Mamdani said he and other fans “waited because we knew deep down in our sick, suffering hearts” the Knicks would someday win.

Blue and orange confetti swirled through the air during the parade. Massive cheers of “Let’s go, Knicks!” and “Knicks in five!” kept erupting.

And OG Anunoby, who scored the go-ahead basket in Game 4 of the finals on a tip-in with 1.2 seconds left, left his parade float to interact with fans, holding the NBA Cup in-season championship trophy in one hand and a bottle of Patron tequila in the other.

Director Spike Lee, perhaps the team’s most iconic fan, was on a float with Brunson, savoring the moment. “I’ve never been to a parade — ever — and I’m glad it’s this one,” Lee said.

The MVP’s mom, Sandra Brunson, wore a shirt with photos of Jalen and husband Rick, who played for the Knicks and is an assistant on coach Mike Brown's staff. She echoed her son’s words, saying, “It was all worth it.”

Karl-Anthony Towns hoisted the Eastern Conference championship trophy and a cigar on top of a parade bus while Mamdani danced. Later, Towns approached a group of kids with the NBA trophy to let them get their hands on it, bringing joyful screams.

Knicks fans turn out in force

Several blocks from the parade route, fans stood shoulder to shoulder — sometimes on each other’s shoulders — or climbed traffic lights and sanitation trucks. Far away on the Brooklyn Bridge, people gathered just to hear the loudspeakers.

“I had to be here today,” said Shareefa Wallace, 34, who got up at 3 a.m. to make her way from suburban Long Island. She grew up in the city going to Knicks games, and she sported the souvenir jersey of a legend from that era, Patrick Ewing.

Owner James Dolan thanked fans for waiting more than a half-century. Brown encouraged fans to keep their energy going “because this championship is about you guys.”

‘The New York vibe’

Nearby bars and delis filled with fans, some wishing they’d arrived at dawn. But many seemed at peace with only experiencing the parade from a distance.

“We just want to be with the New York energy and the New York vibe,” said Jean Strong, who came to the parade from Harlem with his nephew and sister.

Terrell Emerson, a chef who grew up in Queens, said he drove from Maryland with his daughter Madison — named in honor of the Knicks' home arena, Madison Square Garden.

Beaming, Madison held a handwritten sign announcing she’d skipped her fifth-grade graduation to be there.

Stars and Knicks legends

Knicks great Walt “Clyde” Frazier — a member of the ’70s champion teams — led the parade in a stylish convertible, wearing his NBA title rings. Frazier had late teammates and coaches on his mind.

“They would be amazed at what has happened to the Knicks and how they’ve really captivated the city this year,” Frazier said. “This has exceeded any expectations I ever thought that we’d have.”

Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Jon Stewart, Mariska Hargitay, Tracy Morgan and other celebrities joined the party, while Knicks play-by-play announcer Mike Breen emceed the City Hall ceremony.

Alicia Keys performed her 2009 hit “Empire State of Mind” and a portion of the Billy Joel classic, “New York State of Mind.”

A parade decades in the making

The mere fact that the parade is happening is historic in itself. Although the Knicks won the championship twice in the 1970s, the city didn’t host a parade for them either time. Then-Mayor John Lindsay had cut down on ticker-tape extravaganzas for financial and other reasons. Instead, he held a 1970 reception at the mayoral mansion and a jam-packed ceremony in 1973 outside City Hall.

This time, the city went all out. A police officer could be seen holding a sign reading, “This is really happening.”

And a massive security operation

Officials said 10,000 police officers were deployed to secure the event, which follows ebullient but sometimes chaotic street celebrations and some violence during the Knicks' title run, including a five-game final against San Antonio.

Police said 10 people in the area around the parade were arrested and three others were issued summonses, on charges ranging from disorderly conduct to felony assault. The Fire Department said it took 30 people to hospitals and treated 31 others at the scene for ailments that included heat-related emergencies, asthma and minor injuries.

Before the parade, a small group of people were crushed against a barrier near Fulton Street, a key subway hub, pinned between a swelling crowd and a group of police officers shoving the barrier.

Some 650 sanitation workers were assigned to clean up what could be tens of thousands of pounds (kilograms) of debris, if recent history is any guide.

Why does New York throw ticker-tape parades?

Ticker-tape parades derive their name from the narrow strips of paper used by telegraph-era “stock ticker” machines. New York brokerage firm workers tossed the paper from office windows during parades in the late 19th century, adding a swirling spectacle.

Over the years, especially up to the mid-1960s, the city rolled out ticker-tape parades for visiting foreign leaders, historic anniversaries and feats in aviation, war, sports, music, space travel and more.

The Knicks' parade was the 210th, coming after a bash for the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2024.

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Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz and Julie Walker in New York and AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney in Southampton, New York, contributed.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sanctions target five Cuban entities, including three linked to Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., a business conglomerate run by Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces. Best known as GAESA, it is believed to command nearly 40% of Cuba's gross domestic product. As of early 2024, it held $14.5 billion in liquid reserves.

“The situation in Cuba is devolving as the island’s corrupt, brutal and anti-American Communist regime continues to prioritize its own total control over the freedom, opportunity and basic well-being of the Cuban people,” Rubio wrote on X.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, accused “regime elites” of using GAESA to “steal the island’s few resources, diverting them for repression, anti-American subversion and spying instead of schools, power plants, and basic necessities for the Cuban people.”

Bruno Rodríguez, Cuba's foreign affairs minister, rejected the sanctions, calling Rubio “dishonest and mendacious.”

“Cuba has proven stronger, more capable, and more effective than he anticipated in the face of the ruthless aggression and collective punishment inflicted upon its people and their living conditions," he wrote on X. “What this individual is promoting from the world’s greatest power is a crime.”

Cuba’s U.N. Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán accused Rubio of directing “a chorus of lies” featuring Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a Republican.

“No government, no rational person — and certainly not the people of Cuba who suffer from the economic impact of the U.S. economic war — can believe that the intensification of the blockade, the energy siege, and the rest of the most recent sanctions are aimed at supporting the Cuban people,” he said in a statement.

Anyone who provides services to the targeted Cuban entities risks being sanctioned and cut off from the U.S. financial system.

“By designating specific entities, they’re making it clear to foreign investors: ‘If your business in Cuba touches any of these folks, you risk being banned,’” said Michael Bustamante, a professor and chair in Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami.

“For most of these companies, it’s a bridge too far,” he said of the impact of the new sanctions.

The 5 entities sanctioned are key to Cuba's economy

Almacenes Universales S.A., or AUSA, is among the entities sanctioned. As the government’s main logistics and warehousing company, it holds up Cuba's export and import system and is the main logistics operator at the port of Mariel, west of Havana. It’s also the main storage company used by the state, Cuba’s private sector and foreign investor partners.

Last week, Cuba announced a series of economic reforms, including allowing the private sector to bypass the state when importing goods. But Bustamante said he doesn’t believe that measure is operational yet.

If people or companies avoid doing business with the storage entities, he said, that could disrupt the flow of goods and lead to humanitarian consequences.

Also sanctioned was Rafin S.A., which Bustamante described as a “very opaque” company that he believes operates as the corporate financial arm within GAESA. He said it’s not a bank but holds capital from the government and GAESA and may be a player in financial deals.

“That would also seemingly throw more cold water on the foreign investors that are already there,” Bustamante said.

The third GAESA-related entity that was sanctioned is Banco Financiero Internacional S.A., a commercial bank that Bustamante said serves as a key institution for foreign investors. “If you don’t have a bank where you can go as a foreign investor, it makes your operations logistically quite difficult, to put it mildly.”

Max Meizlish, a former U.S. Treasury sanctions enforcement officer, said the bank was targeted because it's “a key nexus” for GAESA-related funds: "This is significant.”

Also sanctioned were Geominera S.A., a state-owned mining company, and Empresa Siderúrgica Jose Martí, which the U.S. described as Cuba’s largest raw steel producer.

The final sanction was slapped against Annalie Lilliam Rueda Cardero, daughter-in-law of former President Raúl Castro.

Sanctions imposed days after sweeping economic reforms

The sanctions are the latest in a recent string that have targeted GAESA itself and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.

“It’s very, very hard to suss out what’s going on here,” Bustamante said. “Is this setting the table for the great sale of Cuba state assets to the highest bidder or the lowest bidder?...Is this part of the recipe of a hostile takeover?”

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump keeps pressuring for a change in Cuba’s political and economic model, accusing the island of representing a threat to the U.S. because of its ties to U.S. adversaries. The Cuban government has repeatedly denied it’s a threat.

Meanwhile, Cuba unveiled economic reforms last week that Bustamante described as “potentially the most significant liberalization of the Cuban economy in 60 years," though he said questions and doubts remain.

On Tuesday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said the reforms “are modest, long overdue and ultimately superficial smoke signals from the Cuban regime. This is part of the dictatorship’s handbook: announce a cycle of supposed reforms to insinuate a desire for change, then quickly roll back any changes the moment the regime’s total control is at all threatened.”

“The U.S. administration is going to continue applying pressure on the regime until the regime is a different beast entirely,” said Meizlish, a research fellow with the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Cuba is already struggling with severe blackouts, food and water shortages and a crumbling healthcare system stemming in part from a U.S. energy blockade. In late January, Trump threatened tariffs against any country that sells or provides oil to the island, which depended heavily on oil shipments from Venezuela that were halted after the U.S. attacked the South American country.

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Associated Press reporters Matthew Lee in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.

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

The federal government, which was sued by Michigan and a Detroit suburb, informed a judge Monday that a warehouse purchased in Romulus will be sold. Plans also are unraveling in Social Circle, Georgia, and the El Paso suburb of Socorro, local officials said.

The three cities are among 11 where the federal government spent a combined $1.074 billion on warehouses.

The New York Times first reported last week that federal immigration officials now plan to get rid of seven of the 11 warehouses — either giving them to other federal agencies or selling them outright.

DHS didn't confirm the reports but said in a statement that it is "moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners.”

Pushback to warehouse purchases was immediate

“Wildly foolhardy" is how Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former ICE official under the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations described the plans to convert the buildings into immigrant detention.

One issue was that Noem’s purchases were largely carried out of public view and angered communities that were caught by surprise. Some only learned about ICE’s ambitions after the agency bought or leased space for detainees.

After Noem was fired, her replacement, Markwayne Mullin, quickly paused the purchase of new warehouses.

Objections came from Republicans and Democrats alike

Some were opposed on moral grounds to ICE’s presence in their neighborhoods, while others questioned whether the facilities would be a drain on local resources, such as sewer and water systems.

Seven federal lawsuits were filed, and regulatory roadblocks created hassles elsewhere.

Meanwhile, questions about how much DHS paid for some warehouses triggered an internal audit. The agency shelled out double what the New Jersey warehouse was valued at in tax records and nearly five times more than the assessed value of the Social Circle warehouse.

Trickler-McNulty, the former ICE official, said ICE does have a few facilities that it owns that it inherited from its predecessor agency, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, but generally ICE has contracted out its detention needs.

“Facilities over 2,000 people just break down. It’s very hard to run a very big facility, to keep it staffed, to keep all of it moving,” she said.

Former head of plumbing business takes over for Noem

Mullin, who took over and expanded his family’s plumbing business before representing Oklahoma in the U.S House and Senate, acknowledged there had been issues at his confirmation hearing.

He noted that most municipalities don’t have the capacity in their infrastructure for waste and water.

Indeed the water issues were such a challenge that a federal lawsuit filed over the Salt Lake City warehouse, the costliest purchased at $145.4 million, said ICE officials told the mayor that they might need to truck water and sewage from the facility as an “interim solution.”

Plans begin to unravel

The New York Times story, which cited internal documents that the newspaper obtained, said the Salt Lake City warehouse is among those that federal immigration officials plans to hand off or sell. Also on the list is the Romulus warehouse, as well as one in New Jersey and two each in Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said it would have been an “abomination" if the 249,000-square-foot Romulus warehouse was transformed into immigrant detention, as was planned when it was purchased for $34.7 million,

“The ICE warehouse proposal was every bit as ill-conceived as it was cruel and unnecessary, and I am relieved that this chapter is coming to a close,” Nessel, a Democrat, said.

Social Circle, Georgia, announced last week in a statement that it has received notification from U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, a Republican, that the Department of Homeland Security is no longer pursuing an ICE detention facility there.

Meanwhile, acting ICE Director David Venturella told officials in the El Paso area during a visit there earlier this month that the agency has changed its plans for three warehouses it purchased in nearby Socorro for $122 million, said Rep. Veronica Escobar, who was present for the visit.

Escobar, a Democrat who represents El Paso, said during a news conference that ICE no longer plans to detain up to 8,500 immigrants in the facilities as originally envisioned, and instead will convert the property into an ICE campus, she said. The site will include an unspecified smaller number of detainees but also ICE offices and training space, she said.

Frustrations persist as communities seek details

However, many of the communities remained frustrated, as they struggled to get information about possible sales.

In Pennsylvania, state and local officials said Tuesday that they hadn’t received any new information from DHS about two warehouses bought earlier this year by the department. Both are being held up by the state’s denial of permits over concerns that drinking water and sewer service are inadequate to handle thousands of inhabitants.

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, whose district includes both warehouses, said he met Friday with DHS personnel, but that the agency hadn’t made a decision whether to use them as detention centers or sell them.

In Georgia, the city manager in Oakwood, said Tuesday he is talking to his state congressional delegation, trying to confirm rumors that a warehouse there will be sold. “I have not heard anything yet,” B.R. White said.

Work appears to continue on other warehouses

In Maryland, where a judge extended a stoppage on transforming a sprawling warehouse into a processing facility for immigrants, ICE is currently collecting public comments about the environmental impacts of the facility. And an announcement earlier this month disclosed more details on plans for the facility, including six secure recreation yards.

Patrick Dattilio, the founder of Hagerstown Rapid Response, which formed in opposition to housing ICE detainees in the warehouse, said there has been little communication outside of the lawsuit. But he remains committed to keeping it from opening.

“It’s a big warehouse," Dattilio said. “It’s not meant for people.”

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Associated Press writers Marc Levy and Ed White contributed to this report.

The Supreme Court overturned Richard Glossip's conviction in 2025, and a state judge released the man on bond last month.

His attorneys had asked the same judge to consider whether there is enough evidence to retry him, but after a hearing Tuesday, the judge ruled that a new trial would start Sept. 28.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond had pledged to retry Glossip for first-degree murder, but is not pursuing the death penalty again.

“We are pleased with the ruling,” a spokesperson, Leslie Berger, said in an email.

Glossip's attorney, Don Knight, declined to comment.

Glossip had been sentenced to death for the January 1997 killing in Oklahoma City of motel owner Barry Van Treese, his former boss. Van Treese was beaten with a baseball bat in what prosecutors have alleged was a murder-for-hire scheme.

Prosecutors accused Glossip of setting up Van Treese's murder, and a co-defendant, Justin Sneed, agreed to testify against Glossip to avoid the death penalty himself. Sneed was the only witness linking Glossip directly to the crime.

But the Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors allowed Sneed to give testimony about his mental health history that they knew was false, and said it violated Glossip's constitutional right to a fair trial. Drummond agreed that Glossip should get a new trial.

Glossip has maintained his innocence and has drawn support from Kim Kardashian and other prominent figures. Van Treese’s family had asked the Supreme Court to leave Glossip’s conviction and sentence intact.

During Glossip's time on death row, Oklahoma courts set nine different execution dates for him. He came so close to being put to death that he ate three separate last meals.

Each time, he was spared because of questions about Oklahoma's planned procedures for lethal injection. In 2015, he was even held in a cell next to Oklahoma’s execution chamber, waiting to be strapped to a gurney and die by lethal injection, when the state's governor put executions on hold to review its execution protocols.

The Roanoke County fire department still has not reported a cause for the fire that killed at least 59 cats. Regardless of the cause, the danger was still the same for anything living in the home.

“Typically, we call it an IDLH environment, meaning that it’s immediately dangerous to life and health. Just because of the products of combustion, the toxic gases produced as a byproduct of the fire itself is not a survivable environment for any living being, to where with a few gulps of that air, you would probably end up having those symptoms of smoke inhalation and eventual death, unfortunately, within minutes,” said Laura Schneider, public information officer for Roanoke County Fire and Rescue.

That was the situation when a reported 59 cats died in a house in Vinton over the weekend. Fire crews responded and had the fire out in about 10 minutes, but for the animals, it was already too late.

“So, you add the high stress, you add the flames, the smoke, the toxic gases, things that will easily kill them. It’s really hard for that many animals to escape a home in a house fire,” Schneider said.

The reported number of cat deaths may have been higher than what was reported.

“So, they say 59, that was in the original press release, but there was at least 59. So the official count was 59, but they do believe there may have been more that was not counted during the investigation, which is still ongoing,” she said.

Schneider says fires like this one double in size every 30 seconds. Crews kept the flames from flashing over and creating a fireball that could have engulfed the building – but for the cats, it wasn’t enough. A fact not lost on the firefighting crew.

“It’s not easy for any firefighter, any person on our staff, to witness the deaths of so many animals, especially when they were all living in one house. It’s just really hard, especially just seeing them in pain, it’s not really an easy thing for us to see,” Schneider said.

ORIGINAL STORY

A house fire in Vinton killed dozens of cats and sent one resident to the hospital early Sunday morning, according to the Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department.

Crews were called to the 200 block of Gunn Avenue just before 5 a.m. after reports of a residential structure fire. Firefighters knocked down the heavy blaze in about 10 minutes, but not before the fire killed 59 cats. One cat and one dog survived. Two residents were displaced — one of whom was taken to the hospital.

Neighbor Allen Dawes said he was woken up by the commotion outside his home.

“We saw that there was smoke coming out, lights were going off, we woke up to all the fire truck and ambulance going off in our yard and all around here. Walked outside to see what the commotion was, saw smoke coming out of the house, saw one of the neighbors standing there with an ambulance.”

Investigators estimate the fire caused approximately $100,000 in damage to the structure. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Animal welfare experts cite fire risks, capacity for care

The large number of animals inside the home prompted local animal welfare advocates to speak out about the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Lisa O’Neill, director of Angels of Assisi, said homes with many animals carry specific fire risks that owners may overlook.

“All those cats in one home, they’re bound to knock something over. I would imagine that there’s a lot of laundry involved so you’ve got to really be conscientious of lint filters, a lot of pet hair in the house can go into those intake ducts and be a fire hazard.”

Julie Rickmond, communications director for the Roanoke Valley SPCA, said responsible pet ownership comes down to more than just space.

“When it comes down to animals and pet ownership, it really comes down to capacity for care and that’s the amount of animals that we can kind of put on a space. But we need to make sure that we’re also taking care of their mental well-being, their physical well-being, that all needs are met.”

Experts recommend pet owners consider local regulations, available space, financial resources and their ability to provide long-term care before bringing additional animals into their homes.

A petition filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia accuses Saeed Abedini, an Iranian-born U.S. citizen living in Turkey at the time, of wrongfully taking his daughter from her mother and bringing her to Lynchburg without permission.

The case was filed by Aragh, who alleges her daughter was taken from Turkey in January 2025 after she allowed the child to travel with Abedini to visit family in Istanbul.

Aragh’s attorneys, Devon Slovensky and Emily Rowe Sitzler, say the child has been separated from her mother for nearly 18 months.

“This has been heartbreaking for any mother to be separated from her child for a year and a half,” Slovensky said. “The child is now five and she hasn’t been able to hug her child in almost 18 months.”

According to Aragh’s attorneys, Abedini did not return the child to Turkey after the trip, leading Aragh to pursue legal action through the federal court system.

“The child has not voluntarily returned after a request to voluntarily return the child,” Slovensky said. “The next step is to take the case to federal court, and that is why we are in court.”

Abdini is an Iranian-born pastor who was jailed in Iran back in 2012 after being convicted by an Iranian court for “undermining national security” after trying to establish home-based Cristian churches in Iran during the early 2000s.

Abedini was freed from prison and returned to the U.S. in 2016.

The case is being handled under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international treaty designed to address cases where children are taken across international borders during custody disputes.

“The Hague Convention works in the same way that states recognize each other’s custody orders,” Slovensky said.

Both the United States and Turkey are parties to the treaty, which allows parents to ask courts in participating countries to help facilitate the return of children in certain custody disputes.

Aragh remains in Turkey, where her attorneys say she has refugee status. They say she has had limited phone and video contact with her daughter but has not been able to see her in person.

“My client has had limited Zoom and phone call contact, but she’s not been able to hold her daughter,” Slovensky said. “She’s not been able to talk to her daughter in a way that she feels is private and secure.”

Aragh’s attorneys say the federal petition is one of the few options available that could allow her to reunite with her daughter in a timely manner.

They say Hague Convention cases are typically handled quickly, with decisions often being made within weeks after a petition is filed.

“Once the petition has been filed, then usually most of the time a decision is made by the U.S. District Court within six weeks,” Rowe Sitzler said.

Ten News reached out to Abedini for comment but did not receive a response.

“I’m back,” he said directly into the television camera. “I’m back.”

Ronaldo became the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments by getting two goals in Portugal’s 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, quieting critics after his forgettable performance in the team's 1-1 draw with Congo in the opener.

Even though criticism isn't anything new to the 41-year-old superstar, he admitted that the intense negativity directed toward him this week was difficult.

“But it’s always like that,” he said in Portuguese. “It doesn’t matter, because it’s been 23 years on the job and when things go well, ’Cristiano is good,' when things go bad, ‘Cristiano is a retired player, is old.' It will always be like that. But we responded well today, me and my teammates, which is what we wanted.”

Ronaldo made history in the sixth minute when João Cancelo crossed the ball to him and he shot with his right foot to make it 1-0. He ran toward the bench and celebrated with his teammates.

He added another in the 39th minute when he got a pass from Bruno Fernandes and scored with his right foot just inside the near post to make it 3-0.

“As a defender you need to be ready and you need to be close to him in the box,” said Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, a standout defender in his playing days who led Italy to the 2006 World Cup title. “If you give him one centimeter in the box you are dead.”

Ronaldo was named man of the match for his performance, the latest of many in his incredible career.

Portugal coach Roberto Martínez raved about the professionalism and poise Ronaldo showed this week amid calls from outsiders to bench him.

“He's a human being," Martínez said. “He's allowed to have emotions. He's allowed to have feelings. What is impressive with him is the answer. Whatever he feels, the answer is to get back on the training ground and practice and work and demand from himself. That professionalism is what's (led) to the longevity.”

The goals on Tuesday make him the second-oldest player to score at a World Cup behind Cameroon forward Roger Milla, who was 42 when he scored at the 1994 tournament in the United States.

Ronaldo and Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the only men in history to play in six World Cup tournaments this year. Ronaldo’s scoring streak started in his debut in 2006 and he also netted goals in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

While he shares the record for most tournaments with Messi, he stands alone in scoring a goal in each edition after Messi failed to score at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Ronaldo’s two strikes against Uzbekistan gave him 10 career goals in the tournament. Messi has 18 after a hat trick in Argentina's opener against Algeria and two more goals Monday against Austria that made him the all-time leading scorer in tournament history.

Ronaldo's latest performance extended his record by giving him 145 international goals, and his 10 career goals in the World Cup moved him past Eusébio's nine to make him Portugal's all-time scoring leader at the tournament.

Tuesday's game was the 230th of Ronaldo’s international career, which is the most in history.

This is likely to be the final World Cup for Ronaldo, who won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 and the Champions League five times with Manchester United and Real Madrid.

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

A giant tribute to Messi

A 26-meter-tall (85-foot) figure of Messi made of 70 tons of steel and iron towers over the outskirts of Cutral Co, a remote southern town in Patagonia. The player is kneeling, with the World Cup trophy he won in 2022 between his legs and one arm raised, as if greeting motorists traveling along Route 22.

Even the strong Patagonian wind cannot topple this tribute, inaugurated on June 16 during Argentina’s World Cup debut, when the team once again dazzled under Messi, who sealed the victory over Algeria after scoring three goals.

Local authorities and the sculptor who designed it say it is the largest monument ever dedicated to the team captain, who turns 39 on Wednesday.

“He is Argentina’s natural ambassador. For me, it was very important, not only as an artist but as an Argentine,” Aldo Beroisa, 61, told The Associated Press.

The sculptor has designed giant dinosaurs and monuments to his country’s independence heroes in Cutral Co, an oil-producing town that has never attracted nearly as much attention as other Patagonian communities surrounded by picturesque lakes and mountains.

Now, the town is filling up with admirers who want to see the statue of the soccer player who has scored 18 goals since making his World Cup debut in 2006. He achieved the record as the tournament’s top scorer this week, after netting both goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria.

The statue, which took 18 months to complete, depicts Messi falling to his knees on the grass at Lusail Stadium in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup final after Gonzalo Montiel sealed Argentina’s 4-2 shootout victory over France and crowned the country world champion.

The statue also depicts the captain clutching Argentina’s jersey with one hand and pointing to the sky with his index finger, as he often does when he scores a goal, in tribute to his late grandmother.

A mural made by fans

There are many murals of Messi around the world. However, the one painted in the Buenos Aires suburb of Berazategui stands out: The player’s smiling face is surrounded by the names of hundreds of his admirers.

The mural, which is about six meters wide and 5.5 meters high (20 by 18 feet), caught Messi's attention.

“Crazy ... thank you very much to all of you, to the people who supported it, who came by, and who keep coming by,” Messi said in a video sent to the creators.

Creator Leonel García, 32, is gracious when he talks about the making of the mural.

“This is a mural that I didn’t make by myself. Beyond the fact that I painted it, it was made by more than 1,300 people,” said García, recalling those who traveled to Berazategui from different towns to write down their names in the mural.

The mural was painted in 18 days. García collaborated with Federico Merodo, the owner of the parking lot where the wall that served as the canvas was built.

The hyperrealistic portrait posed a huge challenge, given that it depicts one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. The image is inspired by a gesture Messi made during a friendly match after Argentina’s triumph in Qatar, when he appeared relaxed and seemed to be enjoying the game.

“Messi brings joy to the country. The times we’re living through in Argentina may not be very good for some people, but Messi unites everyone ... and the mural does that too, because people from everywhere come together here, from every social class and every political sector,” García said.

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

Bettman said the Board of Governors executive committee endorsed a term sheet agreed to with the Friedkins over the next six months. The total investment required between an expansion fee and the cost to build a new arena in one of those cities would amount to $3.5 billion, according to Bettman, who said discussions over the past two years largely revolved around Houston before Austin joined the conversation.

“That’s part of the process is to determine what would be best, both for the league and for Dan Friedkin and family,” Bettman said. "Both cities will require a new arena. It may be more feasible in one place than the other. And as we dig a little deeper and do the due diligence, we’ll figure out which makes the most sense.”

Friedkin is chairman and CEO of the Friedkin Group with a net worth of $6.4 billion, according to Forbes. The Houston-based consortium has investments in the automotive industry, entertainment, hospitality and sports, including stakes in European soccer clubs Everton and AS Roma.

No board vote was taken. That would only come if the sides involved move forward with an agreement.

While there is no guarantee the NHL adds a 33rd team, the move is a first step toward becoming the largest professional sports league in North America, surpassing the NFL. Bettman has said officials were listening to expressions of interest from prospective owners in places like Houston and Atlanta but until now not yet engaged in a formal path toward expansion.

“There was an update on Atlanta, there was an update on Arizona and there was an update on South Texas," Bettman said. "But neither Arizona nor Atlanta are quite as far along in the process as the Friedkin opportunities.”

Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson, who is on the executive committee, called it an important decision and said, “It’s just an exploration at this stage.”

In a statement released through Pursuit Sports, the Friedkin family said it had reached an agreement with the NHL for exclusive rights to a franchise in South Texas with a focus on Houston and Austin. It said it would be methodical in assessing the best option.

“Each city brings unique attributes that would make a new team a huge success — both have the infrastructure, passionate fan bases and economic strength needed to support a championship-caliber franchise for years to come," the family said. “We have wanted for some time to bring an NHL team to Texas, and we are excited that the process has now begun."

The league last expanded to 32 teams with the Seattle Kraken beginning play in 2021 after the Vegas Golden Knights started in the 2017-18 season. Before that, there had been 30 teams since 2000, when Columbus and Minnesota entered.

The recent success stories, combined with booming franchise values across sports, spurred talk of expansion in hockey circles, especially because expansion fees could exceed $1 billion. Seattle paid $650 million and Las Vegas $500 million.

From Florida to Texas to California and places in between, the NHL has enjoyed strong popularity across the Sun Belt and non-traditional hockey markets over the past four decades. Teams were added in South Florida and Tampa in Florida, San Jose and Anaheim in California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Las Vegas, while relocations put teams in Dallas, Raleigh, North Carolina, Denver and elsewhere.

Teams in those places have won the Stanley Cup the past seven years in a row and 13 times dating to Colorado's championship run in 1995-96.

Board approves Penguins sale

Bettman said the board had approved the sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins from Fenway Sports Group to the Hoffmann family. The deal, reached a year ago, is worth $1.7 billion to $1.75 billion.

“It’s nice that the Hoffmanns got a good deal, and it’s nice that Fenway in five years doubled its investment,” Bettman said. "I still think it’s low, but that’s OK.”

In a statement released by the team, incoming NHL governor Geoff Hoffmann called it a defining moment for his family.

“The Penguins represent everything Hoffmann Family of Companies stands for: community, excellence and long-term thinking,” Hoffman said. "We look forward to building on the team’s success by providing support and resources to both (general manager) Kyle Dubas and the hockey operations team, as well as the established leadership group on the business side. We’re proud to represent this storied franchise and are eager to become an active, invested part of the Pittsburgh community.”

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

The training, led by Carilion and the American Heart Association, is part of a broader effort to raise awareness about heart disease and prepare contestants to be leaders both on and off the stage.

According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 people experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year in the U.S. Immediate CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival.

Miss Virginia’s Teen Aryana Guest said the training is especially important for women and young girls.

“It’s a vital thing that we all need to learn, especially as women, because it is the leading cause of death amongst women throughout the nation. And so with us, especially young girls, being able to learn how to perform hands-only CPR, we’re able to save more lives no matter the circumstance or situation.”

Competition week continues through Saturday, when new Miss Virginia and Miss Virginia’s Teen titleholders will be crowned.

A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit threw out a lower court decision that temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s expanded use of expedited removal. The ruling was a big victory for the Republican administration, which views the expansion of so-called expedited removal as a key tool for carrying out its mass deportation policy.

Expedited removal — quick deportation without a chance to appear before a judge — has previously been applied to migrants arriving by sea or caught at or near the border shortly after crossing.

In January, Trump expanded its use to undocumented migrants all over the United States. Immigration agents began whisking migrants away from courthouses where they had gone for immigration proceedings and then removing them from the country within days.

“The Trump administration’s push for fast-track deportations will subject people to an unfair and error-prone system,” Anand Balakrishnan, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said in a statement.

Balakrishnan represented plaintiffs in arguments before the appellate panel and said its ruling “undermines the fundamental principle that people receive due process when the government seeks to deport them.”

DC Circuit Judge Justin R. Walker, one of the judges on the panel, said the plaintiffs had not shown the expanded use of expedited removal violated due process rights. Immigrants received notice of removal proceedings and were given a chance to respond, he wrote in his opinion.

Walker and the second judge in the majority, Neomi Rao, were appointed by Trump. The third judge on the panel was appointed by President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

Walker said there was no requirement that the administration inform immigrants that they can avoid expedited removal if they can show they have been in the United States for more than two years.

"The constitutional requirement is notice of the action the government is taking and the grounds for it, plus an opportunity to respond," he wrote, adding that the plaintiffs' “contrary reasoning would require immigration officers to provide what amounts to legal advice.”

Walker and Rao vacated an order by U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb that put the expanded use of expedited removal on hold. Cobb, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, a Democrat, ruled in August that the administration had not developed procedures to ensure migrants were not wrongly deported under the expedited process.

The plaintiffs had put forward “substantial evidence" that the expedited removal process, on the contrary, carried a high risk of error when applied more broadly, Cobb said. The ruling cited examples of people who had lived in the U.S. for far longer than two years but were still ordered to be removed in expedited proceedings.

In his opinion, Walker acknowledged evidence of such errors, but said they resulted from “individual officers’ failure to follow the law — not defects in the written directives under review or the procedures they incorporate.”

The Trump administration has argued that its expansion of expedited removal includes protections to prevent arbitrary removal. In a court filing in October, Justice Department attorneys said Cobb's ruling was an “egregious error” that was depriving the administration of an “essential tool to combat the unprecedented surge of illegal immigration over the past few years” and efficiently deport potentially millions of people.

Babcock is now in charge of trying to get Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl a Stanley Cup championship after two of the best hockey players in the league have fallen short over the past decade.

“He’s bringing experience and accountability," Oilers CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson said at the league’s Board of Governors meeting. “That’s what we wanted on the organizational management side, and that’s what our players wanted — our leadership group — so it all aligned.”

There have been complaints from former players about Babcock's approach, including allegations of bullying. McDavid, Draisaitl and teammate Zach Hyman were consulted by management prior to bringing in Babcock, according to Jackson, who represented McDavid before joining the Oilers in 2023.

“I think it was very important that Connor and Leon and Zach were involved and made their opinion known," Jackson said. “They’ve been in Edmonton a long time, have gone through some heartbreak together. They’ve earned the right to have a voice, and we sought that and we decided. Players don’t make the ultimate decision, but I think it’s more important to be collaborative with them about communication.”

The 63-year-old Babcock has not coached a game in the league since being fired by Toronto 23 games into the 2019-20 season.

Babcock has championship experience from coaching Detroit to the Cup in 2008. He made two other trips to the final, with Anaheim in ‘03 and when the Red Wings went again in ’09 and lost to Pittsburgh. He also guided Canada to back-to-back Olympic goal medals in 2010 and '14.

Babcock also brings baggage.

He stepped away from the Blue Jackets before training camp in September 2023 after taking the job on July 1. At the time, Babcock’s requests for personal photos from players in an attempt to get to know them drew criticism as an invasion of privacy.

When word emerged that Edmonton was interested in hiring Babcock, the NHL Players' Association asked the league to review what happened three years ago. The NHL said it found nothing to prevent him from being employed by a team, and Commissioner Gary Bettman echoed that sentiment after the hire became official.

“Based on our investigation, we concluded there was no basis upon which he should be prohibited from coaching," Bettman said. "His ability to coach depended on an NHL team wanting to have him coach — and that’s what Edmonton did.”

Bettman said league officials looked into what was alleged to have happened with the Blue Jackets and drew conclusions as to whether they should disqualify someone from employment.

“We do — and Mr. Babcock knows it because I spoke to him — expect a certain level of decorum and conduct among all NHL personnel, especially head coaches,” Bettman said.

A report surfaced after the Maple Leafs fired Babcock that he had asked star Mitch Marner to share his ranking of teammates from hardest- to least-hardest working and then shared that with the rest of the group. Former Red Wings player Johan Franzen told a Swedish outlet that Babcock was the worst person he had ever met and said at one point he was terrified to go to the rink.

Retired defenseman Mike Commodore, who played for Babcock briefly in 2011 in Detroit, spoke out this spring.

“I don’t want to hear another word about how important mental health is for us when you literally just paved the way, cleared the way for Mike Babcock to get another opportunity in the NHL and put him in another position of power where he can abuse people,” Commodore said on the “Clearing the Crease” podcast.

Daniel Winnik, who played for Babcock in 2015-16 with the Leafs, last week called him “the only guy that's ever made me hate hockey.”

“I just hated coming to the rink,” Winnik said on TSN 1050 radio in Toronto. "He's just a bully."

Asked how the Oilers remained on track to hire Babcock given the criticism, Jackson said they “didn't look at social media.”

“We just sort of did our thing,” Jackson said. "Lots of people have lots of opinions, and that’s part of our business and the fans have their opinion. We knew what we needed to do to get the coach we wanted, so we just kept sort of moving forward with our diligence and got to a point where we were comfortable.”

Kris Knoblauch, who coached Edmonton to consecutive trips to the Cup final in 2024 and ’25, was fired May 14. That decision was announced after news leaked that the Oilers had been denied permission by division rival Vegas to interview 2023 Cup-winning coach Bruce Cassidy, whom the Golden Knights fired on March 30 with eight games left in the regular season. Cassidy remains under contract for one more year.

The Oilers instead turned to Babcock, whose 700 regular season and 90 playoff victories rank 12th and 10th, respectively, in NHL history.

D.J. Smith, who was most recently the interim replacement in Los Angeles after Jim Hiller was fired and ran the bench in Ottawa from 2019-23, was named an associate coach. Smith was an assistant under Babcock in Toronto.

___

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

The trip to Macungie, in the Allentown suburbs, came as Trump works to put the conflict — and the higher gasoline prices it caused — in the rearview mirror as the November midterm elections draw closer.

Trump had a private tour of the facility, but his speech often felt more like a reelection rally from two years ago than an effort to promote his second-term accomplishments.

The president listed longstanding political grievances, and made only passing mentions of promoting Republicans ahead of Election Day — while spending more time bragging about the UFC fight he staged on the White House lawn in honor of his own 80th birthday than he did the economy.

At one point, Trump even called UFC fighters Bo Nickal and Anthony Cassar to the stage and mused about whether he could beat either one of them in a wrestling match if he were to “work out for the next couple of months.”

It was Trump's fifth second-term visit to Pennsylvania, a state whose support in 2016 and 2024 helped him to win the White House. The truck factory is in a district where incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie faces Democratic challenger Bob Brooks in November.

“For more than 100 years, this legendary company has been making trucks right here in eastern Pennsylvania," Trump said, “building the heavy duty machinery that keeps our economy rolling, our factories moving, and our industries roaring all across the nation.”

His visit coincided with rising prices that could color the verdict voters render on Trump's stewardship in the fall. About one-third of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s approach to the economy, according to a June Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. That’s in line with last month for Trump on the issue.

The Iran war, which began Feb. 28, has also been a politically difficult issue for the president. Most Americans continued to disapprove of his handling of Iran, according to the June AP-NORC poll, which was being fielded as Trump announced a tentative deal with Iran and concluded just before the interim agreement was signed last week. It found that 65% of U.S. adults disapprove of how the president is handling issues with Iran, unchanged from May.

Still, while most Democrats and independents view Trump’s actions negatively, only about 3 in 10 Republicans are unhappy.

This is the kind of district that matters in November elections

Trump addressed a cheering crowd from a stage erected on the factory floor, flanked by two red, white and blue trucks and rows of workers in fluorescent safety vests under a large “American Workers First” banner.

It's the kind of district that may prove pivotal to Republicans holding narrow control of the House, where a loss could hobble the president's final two years in office.

Mackenzie, a freshman lawmaker, is looking to hold on to a district Democrats have targeted to flip. Brooks, president of the state firefighters' union, has support from Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who's also seeking reelection this year.

Trump urged the crowd to support Mackenzie, saying of his trip, “I’m not doing this for my health.” But he devoted more energy to issues like the U.S.-Mexico border, opposing transgender rights and decrying “Marxist” judges, while also referencing his administration's efforts to lower prescription drug prices.

“We gotta win the midterms,” Trump said, in one of the few references he made to the midterms. Later, however, he suggested it wasn’t actually a “political season,” perhaps because he himself won’t be on the ballot in November.

On Iran, Trump suggested that the country would be smart and keep negotiating during the ceasefire. “Otherwise we’ll have to finish the job, which will take about, maybe less than a week," he said.

An odd moment came when the president offered, “The ideology of the Muslims is slightly different than the ideology of the Catholics. We have the Catholics and the Muslims slightly different." He didn't elaborate.

Biden came to the same plant previously

Trump's predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, visited the same Mack Trucks facility in 2021 to highlight regulations aimed at promoting manufacturing jobs. Manufacturing employment peaked in 1979 at nearly 19.6 million jobs. It trended downward after the 2001 recession and the 2007-09 Great Recession. The figure now stands at 12.6 million as of May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In 2025, the truck facility got hit by market uncertainty, including sweeping tariffs that Trump's administration imposed, and about 170 people were laid off, according to Mack spokesperson Kimberly Pupillo. She added that by the end of last year, almost 150 people were recalled to work and anyone laid off last year was given the chance to return.

There are about 2,800 workers at Mack, Pupillo said.

At a pizzeria down the road from the truck facility, workers and diners said they'd heard about the president’s visit and recalled Biden’s trip to the plant.

George Carver, a retired elementary school principal, said he wasn’t a fan of Trump’s: “I’m looking for a president who’ll clean up this mess,” he said, meaning improve the economy and better handle the war in Iran and immigration.

“I’m looking for someone who’s gonna tell the truth — that could be a Democrat or Republican,” Carver said.

Trump's visit underscores Pennsylvania's status as a crucial swing state.

Trump made a trip to Mount Pocono in December to road test messages that he's addressing affordability; in July 2025, he was in Pittsburgh to tout tens of billions of dollars of recent energy and technology investments in the state; in June 2025, he was in West Mifflin to tell steelworkers he was doubling the tariff on steel imports to protect the industry; and in March 2025 he attended the NCAA wrestling championship in Philadelphia.

Denise Green, a retired software trainer, was among a handful of people protesting the visit outside a McDonald’s across the street from the plant.

Green said she was a former Republican who became a Democrat in 2007 because her original party backed policies where “all the money" was going to the rich.

Green said her key issue was Social Security funding, which she said she’ll need but is worried could run out.

“It’s outrageous,” she said.

Also known as Caramelo, candy in English, Chávez is arguably as well-known in Mexico as the members of the national team.

He says the game last Thursday in Guadalajara was his 543rd match watching “El Tri,” which he has followed around the world since Mexico last hosted the World Cup in 1986.

Now at his 11the World Cup, Chávez is flanked by his 21-year-old son, also called Héctor Chávez, and known as Caramelo Jr. Both wear oversized sombreros with their nicknames written in all caps, making them hard to miss at stadiums.

“Mexico has one of the best fan bases in the world, one that travels the most to matches, and one of the most colorful ones in the world, with tradition, identity and pride,” the 64-year-old Chávez told The Associated Press. “I’m very fortunate to be here, with my son by my side in his fifth World Cup, to keep supporting the national team with everything we’ve got.”

Chávez has become a familiar sight in every stadium where the team plays in Mexico and around the world, including friendlies. He said the first national team match he attended was on Feb. 19, 1986, when Mexico faced the Soviet Union in the country’s capital. His first World Cup match was that same year, on June 3 against Belgium.

Despite being at another World Cup at home, Chávez said he struggled to make it to the games this time.

“This has been the most expensive World Cup in history, some of my friends who usually accompany me couldn’t come,” he said. “I had to break the piggy bank, and we are here with the support of our family, because without this support it wouldn’t be possible. The truth is that we’ve worked hard to be here, but finally we made it and we will keep following the national team to the end.”

Caramelo is popular but also has his critics

Despite his popularity, Chávez is not universally loved in Mexico. Critics say he’s getting too much attention and question whether he’s promoting himself or the national team. He’s annoyed some fans by throwing his hat onto the field, including at the game between Colombia and Uzbekistan in Mexico City last week.

“Well, they say that if they are criticizing you, it's because you are doing something good. We try not to pay too much attention to it. We preferer to hold on to the great support that the fans have shown us in person,” the younger Héctor Chávez said.

Many teams have superfans who attract headlines at World Cups. Spain had Manuel Cáceres, known as “Manolo el del bombo” or “Manolo the bass drummer,” who followed the Spanish national team since the 1982 World Cup. He died last year. Brazil’s Clóvis Acosta Fernandes, known as the “Gaúcho Da Copa,” died in 2015.

Congo has Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who gained fame during the Africa Cup of Nations for posing as a statue of Congo’s assassinated independence hero Patrice Lumumba. He missed the team’s first game at this year’s World Cup but was expected to make it to Tuesday’s match against Colombia.

Chávez worried that die-hard fans are being priced out of the World Cup, affecting the atmosphere in stadiums.

“I miss the hardcore fans who follow their teams, who chant and cheer during the whole 90 minutes. Did you notice that they couldn’t even get the wave to work again?" he said after Mexico's match against South Korea on June 18. “And why is that? It’s because we don’t have these fans. And why don’t we have these fans? It’s because they can’t afford these expensive tickets.”

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

The S&P fell 1.4%. The benchmark index is coming off 11 weekly gains out of the last 12, led largely by technology stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is less influenced by tech stocks, gave up an early gain and closed just 0.1% lower. The Nasdaq composite fell 2.2%.

Markets throughout Asia fell. South Korea's Kospi index, a big winner in the AI boom, sank 10%. Stocks in Europe also fell.

The selling largely targeted companies that have seen their values surge amid the frenzy over artificial intelligence technology. Their pricey stock values give them more influence over the broader market’s direction. On Tuesday, more stocks gained ground within the S&P 500 than fell, but tech companies overpowered gains elsewhere.

Micron Technology slumped 13.2% and Nvidia fell 4.1%. Samsung Electronics slumped 12.3% in South Korea.

SpaceX wavered in early trading then closed 1% higher. The space exploration and artificial intelligence company had a soaring market debut less than two weeks ago. The company plans to raise money through a bond offering, partly to fund AI development.

The growing likelihood of interest rate hikes later this year has helped deflate the massive run-up in AI-related stocks in recent days as traders worry that the higher rates could hamper economic growth.

Those Big Tech gains have been significant, sending major indexes on record-setting runs throughout 2026. Within the S&P 500, the tech sector alone is up 25.5% just over the last three months and 16.6% for the year. In Asia, South Korea's Kospi has nearly doubled so far in 2026, even after Tuesday's plunge.

Analysts have been warning that high-flying technology stocks could be due for a downturn.

“Viewed through this lens, a period of consolidation is reasonable, in our view, after such a sharp move higher,” wrote Brock Weimer, investment strategy analyst at Edward Jones, in a research note.

Many technology companies have been spending heavily on AI technology. The potential for higher interest rates can stifle future spending and hurt prices for investments. The Federal Reserve has signaled that it could raise interest rates at least once before the end of the year. Wall Street sees an 85% chance that the central bank will raise its benchmark interest rate this year, according to date from CME Group. That's compared to 60% a week earlier.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.50% from 4.51% late Monday. The yield on the 2-year Treasury fell to 4.20% from 4.24% late Monday. Bond yields remain high, though, amid worries about inflation.

Inflation has been heating up throughout the year. The impact from tariffs helped halt and reverse what had been an easing of inflation growth. The U.S. war with Iran quickly pushed energy prices higher, including gas prices. Higher energy costs have also made shipping more expensive for a wide range of goods, and that has been weighing on businesses and households. A report due Thursday with an inflation measure that is preferred by the Fed is expected to show that inflation rose to 4.1%, in May.

Oil prices have eased amid negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to end their war. The price for a barrel of U.S. crude for August delivery fell 0.9% to settle at $73.21. The September delivery price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 0.9% to settle at $76.80. Prices are still above levels of roughly $70 per barrel before the war began.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 107.33 points to 7,365.46, while the Nasdaq dropped 579.56 points to 25,587.04. The Dow lost 45.87 points to close at 51,666.84.

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AP Senior Producer Mayuko Ono in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Proponents of artificial intelligence see it as the next great revolution for the global economy. The revolution won't come cheap. Just four companies — Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms and Microsoft — plan to spend up to $720 billion this year, primarily on AI data centers.

This week, investors are looking at the huge sums being spent and questioning whether AI can produce the profits and productivity necessary to make all the investment worth it. Critics have been talking about the possibility of a bubble in AI investment. On Monday, Amazon and Alphabet fell about 5%.

On Tuesday, several companies that make the chips needed for the data center buildup — Nvidia, Micron Technology, Broadcom and Lam Research — led the market lower.

At first, Microsoft, Alphabet and other so-called hyperscalers turned to cash on hand to fund the AI expansion. But they're increasingly relying on the markets to raise cash.

AI buildout needs cash

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, said earlier this month that it’s raising $80 billion in cash to help pay for its investments by selling shares of its stock. Overall, Alphabet is planning to spend as much as $190 billion this year — 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.”

In March, Amazon sold $54 billion of bonds in the U.S. and Europe as it plans to spend around $200 billion this year on AI investments.

Elon Musk's rocket maker SpaceX was on a three-day skid heading into Tuesday. It regained some lost ground, but ended trading slightly below the closing price on its first day of trading on June 12. Musk acknowledges that SpaceX will have to spend heavily to fulfill its plans of sending AI data centers into space, and the company has announced that part of an upcoming bond offering will fund its AI buildout.

High-priced chip companies

Chip companies have benefitted as the demand for memory chips and processing power for AI data centers and other projects has led to a supply shortage and a surge in prices. Investors have bid up the share prices of these companies now in anticipation of big profits down the road. By one measure, which compares a company's stock price to its earnings per share, these companies might look expensive.

Marvell Technologies lost money for five straight years before turning a profit of $2.7 billion in the fiscal year ended in January, thanks to gains in its data center business. The stock has more than tripled so far this year and its price-to-earnings ratio has gone from about 30 at the start of 2026 to near 100.

Some data storage companies have seen even more eye-popping gains. Sandisk shares have soared more than 700% year to date and its P/E ratio stands at 68. Whether Sandisk shares are overvalued will depend on whether it meets Wall Street’s lofty expectations for the next 12 months -- earnings per share of $188.05 per share compared with $29.16 per share for the 12 months ended March 31. When the current stock price is compared to the forecast, the price-to-earnings ratio falls to around 11.

The current price-to-earnings ratio for the S&P 500 is around 25.

On Tuesday, investors unloaded at least some of their holdings in these stocks. Sandisk sank 13.6%, while Marvell lost 9.4%.

The sell-off also took a bite out of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, that invest heavily in tech stocks. The Invesco QQQ Trust Series ETF was down 3.3%, while iShares Semiconductor ETF slumped 7.9%.

Pocketing some gains

While some investors may have doubts that companies going full throttle on AI infrastructure spending will ultimately be able to generate profits to justify their investment, it's likely some of the selling this week may be investors pausing to pocket some of their gains after the stock market’s recent string of all-time highs.

“With no clear catalyst driving the move lower, we believe today’s pullback likely reflects profit-taking following a strong rally from the March lows,” said Brock Weimer, an investments strategy analyst at Edward Jones.

Big Tech gains have powered major stock indexes on record-setting runs this year. Within the S&P 500, the tech sector alone is up nearly 27% just over the last three months and roughly 17% for the year. In Asia, South Korea’s Kospi has nearly doubled so far in 2026.

Heavy selling on Tuesday triggered a halt in trading in the Kospi, which set the stage for the wave of tech stock selling when trading opened in U.S. markets, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote in a research note Tuesday.

Overall AI enterprise demand in Asia is “showing no cracks in the armor, which continue to make us very bullish on owning the tech AI winners over the coming year,” he added.

Still, tech companies’ race to invest in the expansion of AI infrastructure could ultimately be sowing the seeds of future oversupply, according to Philip Straehl, chief investment officer at Morningstar Wealth.

“Periods of elevated capital investment have historically not translated into strong outcomes for investors, leaving us cautious on the outlook,” Straehl wrote in a report last week.

He expects that the rapid expansion of AI computing power will weigh on pricing, hurting companies’ returns and eventually result in a pullback in investing. Semiconductor companies are “particularly exposed to this dynamic,” Straehl wrote.

Monday's ruling scuttles restrictions now in place or planned for the federally funded and state-run Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in 23 states. President Donald Trump's administration has not said whether it will appeal to a higher court.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who sits in Washington and was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama, said in her opinion that the ruling was because the federal government did not follow its own definition of “food.” She said it wasn't a comment on whether the restrictions are a good idea.

“The federal defendants and the states may have a genuine desire to improve the health of SNAP households by encouraging healthy choices at the store, and they can take lawful steps to meet those goals,” she wrote. “But what they cannot do is violate the law and their own regulations along the way.”

The restrictions are part of the Make America Healthy Again campaign

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have encouraged states to limit what the food aid can be used to buy as part of the “Make America Healthy Again” campaign.

They reason that soda and candy fuel obesity, diabetes and chronic disease epidemics — and taking them off the menu would encourage healthier food choices.

The Agriculture Department has given 23 states so far permission to implement restrictions. Some have been implemented already, while others are queued to take effect in the coming months and years.

At least one state that was set to limit soda and candy purchases changed course earlier this year. Colorado's human services board voted against implementing the ban after a March hearing in which SNAP beneficiaries and advocates said people would face stigmas if they mistakenly tried to use the benefits on prohibited items. They also said the rules were confusing because they would have allowed buying drinks with at least 50% fruit or vegetable juice, but not those with less.

While the goals are similar, the exact rules vary by state. Some wanted to ban both sugary drinks and candy, while others only sought to ban sugary beverages.

A legal challenge to the candy and soda ban — which includes items such as sports drinks in some states — was filed by SNAP beneficiaries in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Judge says government ignored a definition of food

Jackson said the main legal misstep in restricting what SNAP benefits could buy came because it ran contrary to Congress's definition of “food.”

Under the law, SNAP benefits — formerly known as food stamps — can be used for “any food or food product for home consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco, hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption.”

The government can waive requirements, but limiting use of the benefits to improve nutrition isn't listed as a reason to do so. Yet when states asked the Agriculture Department to let them restrict purchases, their requests included using alternate definitions of “food.”

This may not be the final word

Rollins suggested on social media Tuesday that the administration would “keep fighting to Make America Health Again,” though she did not say directly whether there would be an appeal. Rollins said “an activist judge just blocked our commonsense restriction on using SNAP benefits for soda and junk.”

The case is among scores of challenges to Trump administration policies that hinge on whether the administration has the authority to change policies without congressional approval.

While it's a big program helping nearly 39 million Americans — about 1 in 9 — buy groceries, SNAP is normally relatively low-profile. That's been different since Trump returned to office last year.

Under his big tax and policy law signed last year, more recipients are subject to work requirements and states are being required to pay a larger share of administrative costs — and could be on the hook for benefit costs if their error rates are too high.

During a government shutdown last year, courts blocked the administration from cutting off benefits. Meanwhile, Rollins has said that there's rampant fraud in the program.