Discussion

At 1000 AM CDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Bertha was located near latitude 29.3 North, longitude 86.3 West. Bertha is moving toward the north-northwest near 3 mph (6 km/h) but is expected to turn toward the west-northwest and west later today and tonight. Then, a continued westward motion is forecast through the middle of the week. On the forecast track, Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days.

Data from the Air Force Hurricane Hunters indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected today, followed by gradual weakening through the middle of this week.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles (150 km) from the center. NOAA buoy 42039 south-southeast of Pensacola recently reported sustained winds of 49 mph (79 km/h) and a gust of 54 mph (86 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure based on aircraft data is 995 mb (29.39 inches).

Watches and Warnings

CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

The Tropical Storm Watch has been upgraded to a Tropical Storm Warning from the Florida/Alabama border eastward to the Bay/Gulf County Line.

The Tropical Storm Warning has been extended westward to the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish Line.

The Tropical Storm Watch has been extended westward from Morgan City, Louisiana, to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line.

The Storm Surge Watch has been discontinued along the northern Gulf Coast. A Coastal Flood Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for portions of the southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi coastline.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for, * Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida to the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish Line in Louisiana

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for, * West of the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish Line to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line * Metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case in the next 24 to 48 hours.

For storm information specific to your area, including other coastal and inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

Land Hazards

Key messages for Tropical Storm Bertha can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT2 and WMO header WTNT42 KNHC.

WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area along the northern Gulf coast by late today into Wednesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in Louisiana by Wednesday.

STORM SURGE: The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the immediate coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide,

Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA to MS/AL Border, 2-4 ft Indian Pass, FL to Aucilla River, FL, 1-3 ft MS/AL Border to AL/FL Border, 1-3 ft Lake Pontchartrain, 1-3 ft Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA, 1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation, please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?peakSurge.

RAINFALL: Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals around 6 inches through Thursday along the central Gulf Coast from western Florida into southern Louisiana. This rainfall may produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas.

For a complete depiction of forecast rainfall associated with Bertha, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?rainqpf and the Flash Flood Risk graphic at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ero.

SURF: Swells generated by Bertha are affecting portions of Florida and will spread westward along the northern Gulf Coast during the week. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?ripCurrents

Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton will receive a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and will be promoted to staff sergeant. The Army said it was investigating the circumstances of his death Sunday at an air base in Irbil.

He leaves behind a 6-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter, his mother said.

“I will never recover from this,” his wife, Mia Gonzalez-Swinton, posted Monday on Facebook. “We had so many plans for when you got back, I’m sick to my stomach.” She said she was notified Sunday that he had been killed.

Two U.S. Army soldiers were also killed in Jordan last week while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. They were the first U.S. troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war.

His wife and kids were the center of his world, his mother, Christel Swinton Andujar, told The Associated Press.

“His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, the laughter he shared, the strength he gave others, and the unconditional love he poured into his family,” she said via text message. “He will forever be missed, forever honored, and forever our hero.”

Swinton enlisted in the Army in 2017 and was assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

He lived in Spring Lake, a popular off-base location for Fort Bragg families, according to pubic records. The military gave his hometown as Fayetteville, another nearby community.

“Sgt. Swinton was an experienced noncommissioned officer who took great pride in his work and the people around him,” said Brig. Gen. John L. Dawber, commanding general of the Army Air and Missile Defense Command. “He answered the call to duty with courage, honor, and selfless dedication.”

Renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran is now in its 10th day, with both sides launching barrages of strikes. Iran has attacked U.S. allies in the region, and American soldiers are stationed across the Middle East.

The Defense Department identified the soldiers killed in Jordan as 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. They were also with Army Air and Missile Defense Command units.

A third service member was reported missing after the attack. U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said “unidentified remains” have been found and were being examined.

Iranian authorities say U.S. strikes in just the past three weeks have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500 others.

Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people. Workers on ships, as well as foreign workers and others in Gulf nations, Israel and Lebanon have also died in the conflict.

The U.S. State Department said in a new warning to Americans that “Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world.”

U.S. President Donald Trump has said the war is necessary to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Trump, a Republican, now faces political pressure to bring the war to a close and avoid the kind of prolonged Middle East conflict he had campaigned against. The escalation has pushed oil prices higher in recent weeks.

Swinton Andujar said her son was the kind of person who could light up a room with his humor and contagious laugh.

“Michael had a remarkable ability to excel at whatever he set his mind to,” she said. “He knew when it was time to laugh and when it was time to be serious. Whether serving his country, supporting his family, or helping a friend, he gave his whole heart and expected nothing in return.”

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This story was corrected to show Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton died Sunday, not Saturday, as earlier reported by the military.

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Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t made an announcement. ESPN first reported the deal, which said it is worth $51.3 million with $35 million guaranteed.

Brooks was an All-Pro selection for the first time in his career last season after leading the NFL with 183 tackles, including 99 solo tackles. He was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season that saw general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel fired.

New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan has said the Dolphins wanted to keep Brooks long term.

Brooks, a 2020 first-round pick by Seattle, signed with Miami in free agency ahead of the 2024 season and has become a leader in the locker room. He has 326 tackles and 6 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons.

Including Brooks, the Dolphins have signed three core players as they begin their rebuild.

Miami signed star running back De'Von Achane to a four-year, $64 million extension in March and gave veteran center Aaron Brewer a three-year deal worth $52.5 million in June.

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

The Federal Trade Commission says just 4% of eligible consumers actually file claims.

One reason? Fear of getting scammed. After all, it sounds great until you start wondering, is this legit?

And it’s a question you should definitely be asking because real class action settlements do exist, but so do scams designed to look like them.

Watch The Morning Show at 6 a.m. Wednesday to learn how to spot a fake class action settlement message and what to do if you get a real one.

Rick Ross posted on Facebook that “we lost a legendary figure in Florida today.”

Ross, a rapper and music executive, credited Bigga Rankin for his support early in Ross’ career. He “embraced me from day one,” Ross wrote.

Jacksonville entertainer Lil Duval said it was significant if Bigga said your name on the microphone.

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Jacksonville rapper Young Cash made multiple posts about Bigga’s passing and reflected on a recent conversation he had with him.

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A post shared by Young Ca$h (@youngcash)

DJ Dr. Doom thanked Bigga for their long friendship and for giving him his guidance.

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A post shared by Djdrdoom Ddp (@djdrdoomddp)

Back in March, Bigga held a concert in Jacksonville to celebrate his 30 years in the music industry, featuring artists like Kodak Black and YFN Lucci, who reposted the video of Bigga introducing him at the concert.

Bigga Rankin, born Billy Plummer, was widely regarded as a godfather of Southern hip-hop and had spent more than three decades in the music business, launching and promoting Southern rap stars like Ross and T.I.

He also helped promote and amplify the careers of Southern rappers including Plies, Jeezy, Yo Gotti, B.o.B. and Gucci Mane, and opened the Cool Runnings nightclub in Jacksonville in 1990.

😢I Don’t Know Where To Start But I Can Say God Thank U For Given Us “Bigga Rankin”. U Stepped In At A Time Florida & The Entire Industry Really Needed U. A True Pioneer In Every Sense! “36 Ounces” Is Where It All Started For Me & U Helped Change My Life. God Only Made 1 Of U!🕊️

— Plies (@plies) July 20, 2026

Rapper, songwriter and actor 2 Chainz shared his history with Bigga Rankin in a social media post (includes explicit content), describing how he was first introduced to the Jacksonville DJ, and how they were “locked in ever since.”

“RIP OG,” wrote 2 Chainz.

Torence Hatch, better known by his rapper stage name Boosie, also credited Bigga Rankin for helping launch his career, calling the beloved longtime community advocate “just a legend.”

In an interview with News4JAX, Plummer reflected on his 30-year career, his Jacksonville roots and his role as A&R at Think It’s a Game Records and vice president of the Hittmenn DJs.

RELATED: ‘Life is music’: Legendary DJ Bigga Rankin talks 30 years in the music industry, Jacksonville roots, what drives him

“I’m always helping people...my mama always told me to give without expecting nothing back...I feel like I was real because I’m always giving,” Plummer said.

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A post shared by Think It's A Game Records™ (@thinkitsagame)

Plummer also produced the local Diamond Awards for many years and frequently spoke about mentoring younger artists and giving back to his community.

He said that he planned to scale back touring and focus more on family and charitable work, including back-to-school drives. He had publicly discussed recent health struggles, saying he had battled COVID-19 and later lost a kidney, requiring dialysis.

The statement from Plummer’s said funeral arrangements and plans for a celebration of life will be shared when they are available.

Bigga Rankin is also fondly remembered as a community force in the Jacksonville area.

Jacksonville City Council Member Rahman Johnson released the following statement on the passing of Bigga Rankin:

“This morning, during the Mayor’s budget address, I learned that my friend Bigga Rankin had passed away. Jacksonville has lost more than a music icon—we have lost one of the architects of our culture.

This loss is deeply personal for me. Long before I became a member of the Jacksonville City Council, I was a young on-air personality at Hot 101.5. Bigga Rankin was one of the first people to believe in me. He trusted me to host his live remotes from Cool Runnings on Florida Avenue and later at Club Carousel. Like so many others, I am part of his legacy because he invested in me before the world knew my name.

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of sponsoring a Jacksonville City Council Resolution honoring Bigga’s extraordinary life, his service to our community, and the nearly forty-year legacy of Cool Runnings DJs. The resolution passed unanimously in April, and I was looking forward to presenting it to him on August 8th for his birthday.

The blessing inside today’s heartbreak is that Bigga knew. We talked throughout the process. He knew his city paused to honor him. He knew we recognized what he had built. He knew we were grateful.

Too often, our loudest praise comes after life is silenced. Bigga heard ours while he was still here.

He came to us from Jamaica, but he became a son of Jacksonville. He helped to shape the sound of Southern hip-hop and this city. His legacy lives in every artist he believed in, every career he helped launch, every young person he encouraged, and every life he touched.

We didn’t simply lose an icon today. We lost part of Jacksonville’s heartbeat. I will forever remember my friend. May he rest in power.”

Plummer’s family said it will continue the Back to School Community Day organized by the K.I.N.G. Foundation on Aug. 8 at A. Philip Randolph Park in Jacksonville and will include free backpacks, food and activities.

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict that is seeking to rejuvenate diplomacy, but it was unclear what new arrangement might be reached to end the war. Speaking from the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald Trump gave a dim view on possible talks, saying the U.S. had “no interest in meeting.”

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled, and as the fight for control over the waterway intensifies, both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure in the region relied on by millions of people.

A barrage of U.S. strikes hasn’t compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait, through which about one-fifth of the world's crude oil and natural gas was shipped before the war. The U.S. continued its airstrikes on the Islamic Republic early Tuesday, and Iran attacked a tanker in the strait, forcing the crew to abandon the ship.

Iran also kept up attacks against U.S. allies in the region. Sirens in Bahrain and Kuwait warned residents on Tuesday afternoon of incoming projectiles.

In the Red Sea, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have opened a new front against Saudi Arabia by declaring a naval blockade of the kingdom, threatening the flow of global oil supplies and trade. With the Strait of Hormuz blocked up, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil out to market.

A news agency in Yemen that is run by the Houthis, SABA, said Tuesday that six ships in the Red Sea were forced to reroute after they received warnings from the rebel group. The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the claim.

Three Houthi officials said the group warned international shipping companies on Monday to avoid transiting in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they weren't authorized to speak to journalists.

The escalation has pushed oil prices higher. Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday at about $91 a barrel and regular gasoline in the U.S. climbed to an average of $4 a gallon.

With U.S. midterm elections approaching in the fall, polls have pointed to the unpopularity of the war among Americans, who have felt the pain of pricier gas and seen new casualties in a conflict that weeks ago seemed to be winding down.

Trump says U.S. has ‘no interest’ in Iran talks

Momeni met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations. Momeni later met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a statement, Sharif expressed deep concern over the recent escalation between the U.S. and Iran, and he urged all sides to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could further destabilize the region.

Pakistan’s political leadership and Munir, who serves as both the chief of army staff and defense forces, played a key role in brokering last month’s interim agreement between the United States and Iran. Islamabad has been working to persuade both sides to return to the negotiating table to resolve outstanding issues under the June memorandum of understanding.

Trump told reporters that Iranian officials "want to desperately meet. And until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest in meeting.” He said the U.S. would soon target the area near Pickaxe Mountain — a fortified underground site near one of Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment facilities.

A deep level of mistrust persists on both sides. Iran came under a surprise attack in June 2025 and again in February while it was engaging in nuclear negotiations with the U.S. The interim deal unraveled when Iran resumed attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which was supposed to be reopened under the agreement.

US strikes come as ships attacked

The U.S. military’s Central Command said Tuesday it targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems.” It released more footage of bombings that targeted sites in Iran.

“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” the command said.

Iranian state media reported that explosions were heard in Fars, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchistan provinces.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed the attack, as well as two other attacks on ships Monday in the waterway.

The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control.

Iran strikes US allies around the region

Tehran also hit U.S.-allied countries throughout the Middle East.

Jordan's military said Tuesday that Iran targeted it with five drones and three missiles, all of which were shot down. Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens Tuesday afternoon as another Iranian barrage targeted the island kingdom, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The Kuwaiti government said Iran had struck desalination and power plants for a fourth straight day on Monday night. Authorities said the attacks sparked fires and caused damage.

Some 90% of Kuwait’s drinking water comes from desalination, making the attacks a matter of life and death for the tiny nation.

U.S. strikes have been hitting electrical equipment in Iran as well, and Iranian officials also have said Americans targeted water facilities.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Fatma Khaled in Cairo, and Collin Binkley in Washington, contributed.

Burnham told his top team that he would lead a “cost-of-living government” focused on easing the economic burden felt by millions of people.

“We need to think every day, what can we do just to take that little bit of pressure off people’s shoulders, to give them that little extra sense that help is coming, so they can have that bit of hope that things are getting better,” Burnham said.

He made a small down payment on that pledge by announcing a tax cut on domestic electricity bills that will save the average household about 45 pounds ($60) a year. The cut will take effect Oct. 1, Burnham said, with the funding coming from scrapping a plan for digital ID cards announced by Starmer.

The former mayor of Greater Manchester entered Downing Street on Monday after replacing Starmer as leader of the governing Labour Party, becoming Britain’s seventh prime minister since 2016. Starmer resigned just two years after winning a landslide election victory, forced out by his party after missteps and U-turns.

In his first speech as prime minister, Burnham pledged to ease the cost of living, decentralize political power, revitalize industry and end street sleeping by homeless people — a tall order, especially given Britain's sluggish economic growth in recent years.

Burnham acknowledged at the Cabinet meeting that the government would have to make difficult financial decisions and “take a really hard look at what our priorities are.”

Starmer loyalists removed from office

After taking office Monday, Burnham set about remaking the government.

Starmer’s finance minister, Rachel Reeves, was ousted, replaced by John Healey, a former defense secretary who resigned in June and accused the Treasury of failing to spend enough on the military at a time of rising threats. In an interview after he quit, Healey called the Treasury “a dead hand on dynamic government” and “in denial.”

Healey has said defense spending, due to be 2.6% of GDP next year, should rise to 3% by 2030. Now he will have to find the money.

Wes Streeting, whose resignation as health secretary in May helped topple Starmer, took over the defense portfolio.

Other key Cabinet appointees include Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who has an expanded brief that includes innovation and science.

Louise Haigh, a key Burnham ally who helped engineer his rise to the top, was named First Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, effectively the deputy prime minister.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has overseen contentious rules designed to reduce immigration, kept her job.

Burnham has huge support from the party that is desperate for a new leader to reverse its decline in popularity under Starmer. But there is some grumbling after Burnham removed several of Starmer’s senior ministers including ex-Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, former Business Secretary Peter Kyle and Starmer’s chief secretary, Darren Jones.

Foreign policy challenges lie ahead

Burnham has little experience of foreign policy and faces a stack of challenges including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and managing relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, who first warmed to Starmer before souring on him.

Burnham’s office said he had an “extremely warm” conversation with Trump in one of his first calls as prime minister and “underlined his commitment to defense and security.” Trump posted on social media that the men had “a very good conversation” and would be “meeting in the not too distant future for topics of mutual interest.”

The prime minister also spoke to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and leaders of the European Union and NATO.

Burnham told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that putting former defense chief Healey in charge of the nation’s finances “was a signal of his intent.”

In a reminder of the growing international tensions Britain faces, a Russian warship carried out a live-fire weapons exercise in the English Channel on Monday, the day Burnham took office.

The Ministry of Defense said the frigate Neustrashimy was being shadowed by the Royal Navy when it conducted the exercise in international waters about 46 miles (74 kilometers) south of the southwest England port city of Plymouth. It said the navy “continues to track the vessel’s activity closely and stands ready to protect U.K. national security.”

Streeting, the new defense secretary, said the Russian ship's actions were “performative and irresponsible.”

“Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this government and this prime minister, our resolve to stand against Russian aggression in Ukraine but also Russian aggression against all of our allies,” he said at a news conference.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian warships always acted “in strict accordance” with international and maritime law.

Asked whether the Russian government felt relations with the U.K. would improve under the new prime minister, Peskov said it had “no such hopes.”

You can imagine their fingers pressing a tight crease around the pot’s simple rim and smoothing its dull grey surface, leaving it free of any adornment.

We may never know exactly what the pot held or how many hands it passed through before it was excavated, still fully intact, by students at the University of Florida earlier this year.

“It’s very unique. Typically, we find things that were broken and discarded,” said Gifford Waters, collections manager for historical archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. “You don’t leave things behind that you can still use, so why was this purposefully put into a pit?”

Besides his work on collections from shipwreck sites, where it is common to find complete materials, it is the first time in his career that Waters has worked alongside a crew that unearthed a fully intact pottery vessel.

Even when whole pottery is discarded, the pressure of being underground for centuries or the shifting of earth due to development and agriculture often break the vessel long before archaeologists get to it.

The students who found the pot were enrolled in a field course that Waters instructs alongside his colleague Charles Cobb, curator of historical archaeology at the museum.

Every Friday during the spring semester, students learn the fundamental skills of archaeology fieldwork while studying the centuries-old site of Mission San Francisco de Potano, located in northwest Gainesville.

Today, the shady patch of woods where the mission once stood is dotted by 1-by-1 meter (approximately 3-by-3 foot) excavation units where students trowel away soil in search of artifacts. Crisscrossing trails form in the understory as they traipse among these plots that mark the remains of a 17th-century kitchen, friar’s residence and surrounding Potano village.

In 1585, the Potano, a group of the Timucua people in North Florida, moved to the area after Spanish forces pushed them from their home, likely located between present-day Payne’s Prairie and Orange Lake.

In 1606, the Spanish government sent a friar to the Potano village to establish a mission, one of the first of more than 100 Catholic missions that would be established over the following century to help prop up Spanish rule in Florida. Mission San Francisco de Potano was eventually abandoned in 1706, and its evidence faded away, until artifacts began to turn up in the 1950s.

At its peak, the large village would have been home to a few hundred Potano people, with only a single European living at the mission as friar. So, it is unsurprising that the vast majority of the over 7,000 artifacts collected from the site since 2006 are pieces of Native American pottery. Over the years, archaeologists and students have also unearthed glass beads; stone tools; nails; and animal bones left over from meals of turtle, freshwater fish and turkey.

“What tells us the most is not just the artifacts but the evidence of activities. Knowing that we have a bunch of pieces of bone at the site is great, but the fact we know that nearly all of them came from one spot tells us it was a cooking area and trash pit,” Waters said. “It’s not just artifacts themselves but where they were on the site, how they were distributed and what they were associated with that tells the story.”

This context matters in archaeology, which is why, even after the small pot itself failed to yield many clues, it still becomes part of the broader story emerging from the site. It was found within a Spanish-made structure, although determining what the structure was used for will require more digging. Records show that a small garrison of soldiers was sent to the site after British raids on missions intensified during the early 1700s. It is possible that the structure even served as a barrack, a theory supported by the rear sight of a gun and the side plate of a musket uncovered nearby.

Based on the pot’s depth and location at the site, it was likely crafted during the century-long span of the mission. But the style of the vessel is not one the archaeologists are familiar with, and exactly what the pot was used for remains a mystery.

With cookware, archaeologists often find a coating of burned food and charcoal clinging to the interior of the artifacts. The lack of that charcoal residue suggests that this pot wasn’t placed over the fire for cooking itself. However, it might have still been used during mealtimes. The faint scorch marks may be the result of the firing process during its creation, or they could have formed by placing the pot near the fire to heat up individual portions of food.

Shortly after finding the small pot, students also unearthed broken pieces of a much larger and very different piece of pottery. Unlike the smooth pot, this one had a rough surface and a composition that doesn’t appear to follow local pottery traditions. Archaeologists suspect it may have arrived by trade with communities in St. Augustine or present-day Jacksonville, or perhaps it was brought along with a new resident with traditions of their own. People, goods and ideas all flowed through the village, leaving their mark on the artifacts buried beneath the earth.

“During the later years of this mission, folks from different parts of Florida and Native Americans from different areas moved into and around the site. It’s really neat to see these differences and connections in the artifacts,” Waters said. “It shows both the persistence and change of traditions over time.”

Messi's private jet landed near his hometown of Rosario from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at 6:27 a.m. Although many fans were waiting with signs and flags, he did not make a public appearance.

“The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal,” he posted on his Instagram account. “I cherish all the good moments, memories that will last forever—and the support of an entire nation which, combined with this group’s hard work and effort, propelled us once again into the ranks of the world’s best.”

Supporters only caught a brief glimpse of the SUV that met Messi on the tarmac to transport him and his family to the private neighborhood of Funes, roughly 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of Buenos Aires.

The Argentina captain reportedly traveled with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their three children, all of whom had accompanied him throughout the tournament in North America. Waiting for him in Rosario was his 68-year-old father, Jorge, whose ongoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness had been disclosed by the family during the World Cup.

Fans had gathered at the airport as early as 3:30 a.m. hoping to catch a sight of the star. Among them were two young girls in Albiceleste jerseys holding welcome signs, one of which read: “Messi: You’re a legend. Thank you for bringing joy to our hearts. A whole country loves you!”

Messi is expected to rejoin Inter Miami in late July or early August for the ongoing MLS season

Fifteen members of Argentina’s 26-player World Cup roster, led by head coach Lionel Scaloni, landed at Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza Airport on Monday on a chartered flight.

The squad’s arrival follows Sunday’s 1–0 extra-time loss to Spain in the World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, decided by a Ferran Torres goal.

“It is hard to fully appreciate our achievement right now, but this group reached two consecutive World Cup finals. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for every greeting and message,” Messi added. “I also want to congratulate Spain on winning the championship.”

The match marked Messi’s third World Cup final appearance following 2014 and 2022. He ended the tournament as the runner-up for the Golden Boot with eight goals, two behind France's Kylian Mbappé.

Mbappé tops the all-time World Cup goalscoring chart with 22, one more than Messi.

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

The testimony from Anthea M. Hartig came as President Donald Trump has engaged in a broad national effort to reshape the stories of America told by cultural institutions controlled or influenced by the federal government and, in particular, to purge diversity, equity and inclusion elements from those narratives. Many historians are alarmed by the revisionism.

“As we continue to fact check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum,” Hartig told a House Oversight subcommittee. “There is always room for improvement. But I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming.”

Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of American independence, the White House Domestic Policy Council released a report on July Fourth arguing that the museum, a centerpiece of the sprawling Smithsonian complex on the National Mall, doesn't tell history “in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.” The report reflects a broader effort by Trump and his supporters to use the power of the federal government to reshape the way the nation's history is told, often de-emphasizing the role of slavery and racism along with stories about LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities.

Republicans on the panel reiterated some of those concerns on Tuesday.

“In the museum’s current telling, history is just an ongoing power struggle between oppressors and the oppressed,” said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. “The report makes clear that the museum’s woke exhibits and materials reflect a broader vision held by the museum leadership.”

Hartig, the first woman to serve as director of the National Museum of American History, said the institution “does not take sides in America's political debates.” She described the museum's presentation of the nation's story as an evolution intended to add voices, not erase history as detractors sometimes argue.

“When historians talk about reframing a traditional narrative, we don’t mean erasing it,” she said. “We mean adding the evidence, the voices, the objects, that earlier tellings left out, so that more Americans can see themselves reflected in the national story.”

The White House report argued that the museum “has refused to celebrate the Nation and its history.”

“It has not created any exhibit dedicated to presenting a general narrative of American history or telling the story of any of our Founding Fathers, the Second Continental Congress, the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolutionary War, or the achievement of independence and the establishment of the constitutional rule of law,” the report said.

But the museum opened an exhibit in May dubbed “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness” that displays 250 objects throughout the building to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. The artifacts include the desk used by Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence, a Revolutionary War-era gunboat and the Star Spangled Banner.

Some Republicans on the panel on Tuesday acknowledged that the museum displays important material related to the anniversary but argued it was challenging to navigate. Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, said he expected references to the Declaration of Independence to be more prominent during a recent visit.

“I'm not saying it's not there, but it's hard to find,” he said.

Hartig faced particular scrutiny from Republicans over an exhibit entitled “Girlhood (It's Complicated),” which included a diary from a 13-year old exploring issues including gender identity. The museum director said the exhibit, which ran from 2020 through 2023, included a label making clear it was not designed for children.

Hartig's future as the museum's director hung over the hearing. Trump last year said he was firing the longtime leader of the National Portrait Gallery, another Smithsonian museum that, like the National Museum of American History, operates independently of the executive branch. The National Portrait Gallery's director, Kim Sajet, nonetheless stepped down from the museum in the face of the White House pressure.

At one point, Burchett asked Hartig why she should continue in her job. She responded simply that overseeing the museum is “the honor of my career.”

Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a memo to employees Tuesday morning, obtained by The Associated Press, that most moves are the result of ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network and other league digital assets last year.

The deal was announced last August and also included NFL Fantasy and the rights to distribute the RedZone channel to cable and satellite operators. In return, the NFL got a 10% equity stake in ESPN.

It was approved by government regulators in January. NFL Network employees became part of ESPN on April 1.

“Over the past several months, we’ve made significant progress integrating the NFL assets that we acquired into ESPN,” Pitaro wrote in the memo. “Throughout this process, we have taken the time to carefully evaluate our collective teams, resources and organizational structure to best position us for the future. As a result, we had to make some difficult decisions about job impacts that we will be communicating today.

“While most of the job impacts are tied to the acquisition, we will also notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted. We are committed to treating employees with compassion and respect and to providing support as they navigate this transition.”

While most of the layoffs affect production and behind-the-scenes personnel, some on-air talent were affected. Ryan Clark, who joined ESPN in 2015 as an NFL analyst, learned of his layoff while on “NFL Live” on Monday. A person familiar with the situation said Clark was originally going to be told Tuesday morning before reports leaked about the decision.

Clark was told by company executives rather than hear about it elsewhere. He did not finish his appearance on the show.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not at liberty to discuss personnel decisions.

Clark took to social media on Tuesday to address the layoffs. He also shared a video of himself working out.

“Sending prayers and love to all those laid off today by ESPN. So many of you have poured your life into that company, & I know how you’re feeling right now,” Clark wrote on X. “My hope is as this door closes another opens for you all. God bless!”

Other notable names include Karl Ravech, who had been with ESPN since 1993 and had been an integral part of its baseball coverage. Ravech was the voice of “Sunday Night Baseball” from 2022-25 before the package moved to NBC this season. He did call Monday night’s game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies.

Tom Pelissero, who had been with NFL Network since 2017, is also part of the cuts. ESPN had recently signed NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter to extensions.

The ESPN cutbacks are also part of other reductions that are taking place throughout the Walt Disney Company this week.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The S&P 500 climbed 0.9%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 501 points, or 1%, as of 12:32 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.3% higher.

AI stocks once again were at the center of the action, and they rose for a second straight day after tumbling the week before.

After rocketing higher because of the boom in investment in AI chips and data centers, they’ve come under pressure in recent weeks on worries that they shot too high. Concerns are also weighing that investment in AI may fall off if it doesn’t produce as much profit and productivity as hoped.

Micron Technology jumped 11.9% and added to its 1.9% gain from the day before, coming off its 13.3% drop from last week. Nvidia added 0.9%, and they were two of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500.

The gains came despite more climbs for oil prices, and Brent crude oil topped $90 per barrel because of continued attacks between the United States and Iran. It rose 2% to $91.03 and briefly got near $92 for the first time in more than five weeks. That's up from less than $72 early this month, which is roughly where it was before the war with Iran.

Rising oil prices are threatening a reacceleration of inflation, just as increases for prices were slowing more than economists expected. That in turn could push the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates to keep a lid on inflation, which would slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.63% from 4.60% late Monday and from just 3.97% before the war with Iran began.

On Wall Street, several stronger-than-expected profit reports from big U.S. companies helped stocks to strengthen despite the added pressure.

3M climbed 9% after topping analysts’ expectations for both profit and revenue in the latest quarter. It also raised its forecast for profit over the full year of 2026.

Hasbro rallied 7.4% after the toy maker said its Magic: The Gathering game topped $500 million in revenue for a quarter for the first time. It also raised its revenue forecast for the year.

General Motors cruised 4.9% higher after the automaker's profit and revenue for the latest quarter beat analysts' expectations and CEO Mary Barra said demand in North America remains strong.

They helped offset a drop for Danaher, which slid 13.3% even though it likewise topped analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue. Analysts pointed to its forecast for an underlying measure of revenue growth for the summer, which was weaker than Wall Street expected.

Homebuilder D.R. Horton slipped 0.2% despite also topping profit and revenue expectations for the latest quarter. Executive Chairman David Auld said it's still feeling the effects of affordability concerns in the housing market and caution among potential home buyers.

Mortgage rates have already climbed to their highest level in nearly a year because of higher Treasury yields in the bond market. That could force D.R. Horton to offer more incentives to homebuyers in the current quarter, which would cut into its profits.

Companies broadly are under pressure to deliver strong growth in profit and revenue because of how high their stock prices have shot. Indexes are near their records, even with the recent shakiness for AI stocks.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose modestly in Europe. The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 added 0.6% as new Prime Minister Andy Burnham hosted his first Cabinet meeting.

In Asia, stocks swung more. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 3.6% on strong gains for its two dominant stocks. Both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have been big beneficiaries of the AI boom, and the Kospi has soared 60% so far this year even with its 20% drop for July so far.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 climbed 3.3% after returning from Monday’s holiday, while indexes rose 1.8% in Shanghai and edged down by less than 0.1% in Hong Kong.

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AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

While the Trump administration says it is open to diplomacy, Iran so far has refused to loosen its grip over the crucial oil shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. It is raising questions about the strategy for the conflict's next phase. The intensifying attacks have collapsed an interim ceasefire deal, killed more American troops and sent U.S. gasoline prices back up, posing more problems for Republicans hoping to get reelected.

The Latest:

Trump says US will strike Pickaxe Mountain ‘very soon’

Discussing plans to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Trump said the United States will soon target the area near Pickaxe Mountain — a fortified underground site near one of Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment facilities.

“We’ll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday.

The president made the comment after being asked whether he believes Iran has moved nuclear centrifuges to the site. He said it “doesn’t mean anything” unless Iran has uranium to enrich.

“We follow the material,” he said. “That’s where the action is.”

Trump says he’ll pay his respects to fallen service members at Dover

The president is expected to attend the dignified transfer on Wednesday. It’s a ritual considered to be one of the most somber duties of the commander-in-chief.

“I’ll be going to Dover for something that I feel is — it’s a great honor for me to do it,” Trump told reporters.

Two soldiers killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan will be returned during the dignified transfer, according to an administration official speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The remains of another soldier killed in Iraq during a detonation of an Iranian drone will also be returned, the official said, as well as a fourth service member whose remains have not yet been identified but who is believed to be a soldier missing after the Jordan attacks.

—- Collin Binkley

Biden disagrees with the decision to expose his private discussions

Biden spokesperson T.J. Ducklo said the former president disagrees with the ruling but “respects the courts and the vital role an independent judiciary plays in a healthy democracy.”

“President Biden’s conversations for a book a decade ago that discussed his late son are private, and were provided to the Department of Justice on the express condition they stay that way,” Ducklo said in a statement. “Reversing course and making them public is just the latest example of this administration weaponizing the (Justice Department) for political retribution.”

Trump says US will ‘take care of business’ if Houthis impose blockade

Asked about his level of concern about a blockade of the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, Trump suggested it wasn’t an immediate problem.

“So far, it hasn’t happened,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I think that if there is something like that, we’ll just have to take care of business.”

The Houthi-run SABA news agency said six ships were forced to reroute on Tuesday after being warned by the rebels, a day after they announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.

But Trump said “we’ve had no problem with the Houthis” recently, and “they’ve had no problem with us for a long period of time, including during this conflict.”

Vance is in the Oval Office for Lebanon meeting days after son’s birth

Vice President JD Vance sat with other top administration officials for Trump’s meeting with Aoun.

Vance’s wife, second lady Usha Vance, gave birth on Sunday to the couple’s fourth child.

Alec Neel Vance is the first baby born to a sitting vice president in more than 150 years.

Trump says he’s looking at a tariff on Canada over wildfires

Days of smoke from wildfires in Canada drifting into the United States contributed to poor air quality in cities from Detroit to Washington, D.C.

“They’re not managing their forests properly. And the wind has a tendency to blow right over New York City,” said Trump, once a longtime resident of the city. “Michigan was really affected,” he added.

Asked about the issue during an Oval Office appearance with the president of Lebanon, Trump said Canada seems unable to manage the problem.

Trump says US has ‘no interest’ in Iran talks for now

Speaking in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump gave a dim view on possible talks with Iran to end the war.

“I will tell you, they want to desperately meet. And until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest in meeting,” Trump told reporters.

He said that in dialogue behind the scenes, Iranian officials have said “they want to meet desperately to try and end it, because they’re getting decimated.”

Iran and the U.S. have escalated attacks recently as their interim deal to end the war falls apart.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels say their Red Sea blockade is working

The rebels have opened a new front against Saudi Arabia by declaring a naval blockade of the kingdom, threatening the flow of global oil supplies and trade through the Red Sea.

With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil to market.

Six ships in the Red Sea were forced to reroute on Tuesday after they received warnings from the rebels, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency.

Separately, three Houthi officials told The Associated Press that the rebel group warned international shipping companies on Monday to avoid transiting in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

— By Jon Gambrell and Munir Ahmed

Report says Trump administration has harmed global efforts to prevent and treat HIV

The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, is credited with saving at least 26 million lives since its inception in 2003. But it’s been impaired by the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and cuts to thousands of global health grants.

These disruptions to the global AIDS relief program have forced organizations to close clinics, lay off staff and cut services, seriously impeding efforts to prevent and treat the disease in dozens of countries, according to a report released Tuesday by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.

Other research, published in the journal Nature Health in June, found a 10% decline in antiretroviral treatment — nearly two million fewer people living with HIV — getting the life-saving treatment through PEPFAR.

▶ Read more

Trump administration pushes ahead with plans to reopen US embassy in Libya

The State Department has informed Congress that it plans to move ahead with the potential re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Libya. It’s proposing to allocate nearly $41 million to restore America’s formal diplomatic presence in the North African nation.

The effort comes amid new warnings of Iranian-related attacks against U.S. facilities and interests around the world, particularly in the Middle East.

The department told lawmakers that the money would cover “a range of security-related activities associated with plans for the potential phased resumption of embassy operations in Libya.” The embassy in Tripoli was shuttered in July 2014.

The Trump administration reopened the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela following the ouster of former President Nicolas Maduro in January and is also seeking to reopen the closed embassy in Damascus, Syria.

AI stocks keep rising, even as Brent oil’s price tops $90

More gains for makers of computer chips and other winners of the artificial-intelligence boom are carrying Wall Street higher on Tuesday after tumbling the week before.

After rocketing higher because of the boom in investment in AI chips and data centers, they’ve come under pressure in recent weeks on worries that they shot too high. Concerns are also weighing that AI investments may fall off if they don’t produce as much profit and productivity as promised.

The gains came despite more climbs for oil prices, and Brent crude oil topped $90 per barrel because of continued attacks between the United States and Iran. It rose 2.2% to $91.17, up from less than $72 early this month.

The oil price hikes threaten a reacceleration of inflation, just as it was slowing more than economists expected. That in turn could push the Federal Reserve and other central banks to raise interest rates, which would slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

▶ Read more

Rubio will meet with Chinese counterpart in Manila

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday in Manila, the State Department said.

The top diplomats from the world’s two largest economies are attending annual talks of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this week in the Philippine capital.

The ASEAN summit comes amid unfolding crises led by renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran as well as a violent skirmish in the disputed South China Sea.

The Rubio-Wang meeting could help set up the next sitdown between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Rubio said ahead of the summit that he expects Xi to visit the U.S. in September and that “it’s incumbent on powerful, important countries like ours to continue to talk and have a relationship.”

Secret Service agent injured at White House correspondents’ dinner will be honored at make-up event

Secret Service Police Officer Victor Gonzales will be given a special award for exceptional service at a rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, the association said Tuesday.

Gonzales was at a security checkpoint during the April dinner when it was interrupted by a gunman who prosecutors say was trying to assassinate Trump. The Secret Service said Gonzales was struck in his protective vest as he engaged the gunman, who was tackled outside the ballroom.

“His swift and decisive actions assisted in deterring the gunman from proceeding any further,” the Secret Service said.

A make-up event being held Friday at the Waldorf Astoria hotel at Trump’s encouragement will also honor Washington Hilton hotel staff who helped guests in the aftermath.

Soldier’s widow says she’ll ‘never recover’

Swinton’s wife, Mia Gonzalez-Swinton, posted on social media that she was informed of his death on Sunday. The couple have a young daughter.

“I will never recover from this, you should be home. We had so many plans for when you got back, I’m sick to my stomach,” she wrote in a Facebook post Monday.

US military identifies soldier killed while disarming a drone in Iraq

The military said it was investigating the death of Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton of Fayetteville, North Carolina, during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone on Sunday at an air base in Irbil.

Swinton, 30, will get a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and be promoted to staff sergeant, the military said in a statement.

He enlisted in the Army in 2017, and was assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, out of Fort Bragg.

Two U.S. Army soldiers were killed in Jordan on Friday while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. They were the first U.S. troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war.

Seeking calm for his country, Lebanon’s president will meet with Trump at the White House

The landmark meeting between Joseph Aoun and Trump comes as Lebanon and Israel continue to hold rare direct talks mediated by Washington in a bid to bring about long-term calm in Lebanon after months of war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group.

Lebanon hopes the talks will lead to Israeli troops withdrawing from large swaths of southern Lebanon, and for the Lebanese military to receive support to assert full control in areas where Hezbollah militants had held sway.

Lebanon and Israel announced a “framework agreement” on June 26, setting a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon as well as the disarmament of Hezbollah.

Aoun is scheduled to arrive at the White House at 11 a.m.

Trump’s Justice seeking phone records of reporters’ mother and spouses

Subpoenas for phone records of New York Times reporters now include the mother of one journalist and the spouses of two others as the Justice Department seeks to unmask the confidential sources of reporters who wrote about Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet.

The Times’ lawyers have moved to quash the subpoenas, noting that the mother in question is a mental health professional with confidential client relationships and that one of the two spouses is the general counsel of a law firm.

The Justice Department has previously said that the reporters are not the targets of the investigation and asserted in a new legal filing Tuesday that it had followed its own protocols in issuing the subpoenas.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday.

Appeals court rejects Biden’s bid to withhold recordings and transcripts of ghostwriter interviews

The appellate panel’s 2-1 ruling late Monday found “substantial” public interest in disclosing what former President Joe Biden wants to keep under wraps. Redactions to the recordings would help protect Biden’s privacy, the majority noted.

The judges suspended their decision until Aug. 3 to allow more time for Biden to consider another appeal.

Mark Zwonitzer, who worked with Biden on his two memoirs, interviewed the Democrat at his home in 2016 and 2017, before his presidency. Biden’s lawyers say the conversations were candid, personal and intended to remain private.

The recordings were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents from his time as a senator from Delaware and as vice president. Republicans demanded the material after Hur declined to file charges against the then-president.

Civilian infrastructure now targeted by both the US and Iran

Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people.

Kuwait’s Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry said Tehran struck desalination and power plants for a fourth straight day on Monday night, causing fires and damage. Some 90% of Kuwait’s drinking water comes from desalination, making the attacks a matter of life and death for the tiny nation.

U.S. strikes have been hitting electrical equipment in Iran as well, and Iranian officials also have said Americans targeted water facilities.

US command says its broad strikes are in response to Iran’s attacks on shipping

The U.S. military’s Central Command said Tuesday it targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems.” It released more footage of bombings that targeted sites in Iran.

“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” the command said.

Iranian state media reported that explosions were heard in across six different provinces.

Tanker attacks expand, forcing crew to abandon ship

Traffic through the strait has slowed to a crawl during the latest violence. Lloyd’s List Intelligence said only three ships transited the strait on Sunday.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed the attack, as well as two other attacks on ships Monday in the waterway.

The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control. The UKMTO separately reported Tuesday that another previously unknown attack on a ship took place early the previous day.

Iranian official meets mediators in Pakistan as attacks rage

An Iranian official began meetings Tuesday with mediators in Pakistan as diplomats sought to salvage the collapsed interim deal between Iran and the United States, even as both countries continued to launch attacks for a 10th day of renewed fighting.

The visit by Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni comes as Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days to resuscitate the deal. However, it remains unclear just what new arrangement could be reached to end the fighting.

Momeni met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations. Momeni later met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan’s political leadership and Munir, who serves as both the chief of army staff and defense forces, have worked to persuade the United States and Iran back to resume negotiations.

— By Munir Ahmed

The limits of intensifying attacks emerge as US and Iran dig in

The U.S. and Iran are back to bombing every day in a bid to control the Strait of Hormuz. And neither is backing down, showing the limitations of President Donald Trump’s reliance on escalating airstrikes to bend Tehran to his will.

While the Trump administration says it is open to diplomacy, Iran so far has refused to loosen its grip over the crucial oil shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. It is raising questions about the strategy for the next phase of the conflict as intensifying attacks have collapsed an interim ceasefire deal, left additional American troops dead and sent U.S. gasoline prices back up — posing new problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.

Even with glimmers of hope for talks, the sides could be headed back to all-out war, with Trump warning that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward, “they will pay for that killing many times over.”

The center, in charge of combating abuse in Olympic sports, has long published what it calls its Centralized Disciplinary Database. But without publicizing who lands on the list, people had to access the database and know who they were looking for to learn about banned and restricted people in their orbit.

Now, the center will share weekly updates about people added to the list; the updates will include cases taken to arbitration that have reached a decision.

"Knowledge is power and maintaining safe sport environments improves when information is as accessible as possible,” said the center's CEO, Benita Fitzgerald Mosley. “By sharing weekly news updates of individuals who have been added to the Centralized Disciplinary Database, we hope to improve safeguarding through increased public awareness.”

Among those who receive the center's correspondence are national governing bodies, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and media, making the news of someone's listing on the database more likely to be seen.

Publicizing offenders is a core principle in anti-doping. Public announcements of people who get caught doping is considered a deterrent to drug use and the practice is part of the world drug-fighting rulebook.

In the SafeSport Center’s news release announcing the change, it said people listed on the database are currently restricted or banned from participating in Olympic or Paralympic sports — a penalty that encompasses elite level down to the grassroots. The center said the database is a snapshot in time — i.e., someone on the list could come off of it — and that the center's process is neither a criminal nor civil legal proceeding.

___

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

CVS announced Tuesday that common prescription medications for dogs and cats are now available at its approximately 9,000 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide.

Pet owners can turn to CVS to fill prescriptions for select pet-only medications, including antibiotics, allergy, flea and tick control, insulin, and pain relievers.

To learn more about pet medication dispensing at CVS Pharmacy, including which pet medications are currently available, visit https://www.cvs.com/content/pharmacy/pet-meds.

CVS said pet prescriptions are eligible for many of the same pharmacy services as their owners’, including automatic refills and prescription syncing, helping simplify ongoing care. Select medications may also be available for delivery.

“We’re proud to be a trusted partner in our patients’ health care journeys,” said Sid Tenneti, Senior Vice President and Interim President, Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness, CVS Health. “With the addition of pet medication dispensing, CVS Pharmacy can now serve every member of the family. Combined with our convenient locations, extended hours, and broad range of health and wellness products, we offer a true one-stop destination for care.”

How it works

Pet owners who would like to fill their pet’s medication at CVS Pharmacy can present a written prescription or ask their veterinarian to contact the pharmacy directly.

Once CVS Pharmacy receives the prescription, the pet owner can choose to pick it up in-store or opt to have it delivered, if eligible.

Pet owners can add their pets to their CVS.com profile and manage eligible pet prescriptions through the CVS Health app.

Additional enhancements to help make the new service even more convenient for pet owners and veterinarians, including electronic prescription capabilities, will be added in the coming months, CVS said.

U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs and David Schweikert, who represent neighboring districts in metro Phoenix, offer a clash of styles in the race to take on Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, considered the most endangered Democratic governor in the country this election cycle.

With President Donald Trump's endorsement and support from the grassroots turnout machine of the conservative group Turning Point Action, Biggs says he can unite the party going into a general election.

Schweikert says his low-key, pro-business, fiscal conservatism can win back voters turned off by a string of Trump loyalists like Kari Lake, the Republican nominee for governor four years ago.

Both parties have hotly contested primaries to replace Schweikert in the highly competitive 1st Congressional District.

Republicans also are picking nominees for secretary of state and attorney general, key posts with power over elections in a state that was pivotal for Trump's efforts to overturn his loss in 2020.

Biggs and Schweikert responded differently to Trump's GOP takeover

Biggs built a national profile as chair of the House Freedom Caucus from 2019 to 2022 and as a staunch defender of Trump. He assisted the president’s attempt to block the certification of his loss in the 2020 election, voting against accepting Electoral College votes from Arizona and other battleground states after the Jan. 6 riot.

He has always represented safe Republican seats and is a veteran of factional brawls within the GOP. Before going to Congress, he nearly lost his post as state Senate president during a confrontation with then-Gov. Jan Brewer, also a Republican, over her push to expand Medicaid.

Schweikert has walked a tightrope with Trump, carefully keeping his distance without antagonizing him. That has helped him win a string of tough races in a competitive House district — a track record he says will help him win over swing voters and beat Hobbs — but has left him isolated from Trump's “Make America Great Again” base.

Democrats have focused their attacks on Biggs, whom they plan to portray as an extremist focused on helping Trump and not Arizonans.

Primaries will set the field for a top House battleground

Schweikert’s 1st District is a top battleground in the fight for a congressional majority. Anchored in Scottsdale, it is home to many of the white, highly educated and affluent voters who have soured on the GOP under Trump.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee controversially threw its support behind Marlene Galán-Woods, a former television news anchor who used to be a Republican. Her late husband, Grant Woods, was the Republican attorney general in the 1990s and later became a vocal Trump critic.

Galán-Woods’ chief opponent, Amish Shah, is an emergency medicine doctor and former state legislator who was the nominee in 2024 but lost narrowly to Schweikert.

On the Republican side, former Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feeley has Trump’s endorsement. But he has been dogged by criticism for living outside the district — he resides in Biggs’ district and originally was running there until Trump endorsed a rival in that contest.

Feeley faces Joseph Chaplik, a former state legislator popular with many of the GOP’s grassroots activists, and businessperson John Trobough.

In Tucson, retired Marine drill instructor JoAnna Mendoza is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination to challenge second-term Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who also has no primary opponent. The seat is perennially competitive in general elections and is a top pickup target for Democrats in November.

Meanwhile, the GOP primary for the safe Republican seat Biggs is vacating has turned salacious: Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who is endorsed by Trump, came under scrutiny for alleged sexual misconduct and abuse of power.

The county attorney cleared him of criminal wrongdoing, and Trump reiterated his endorsement this month. Lamb dismissed the allegations as “slander and lies.”

He faces Daniel Keenan, who owns a construction company.

“It’s been a very badly treated place and country and we’re going to have it properly treated and treated with the respect it deserves,” Trump told Aoun during a meeting which wrapped up the Lebanese leader's four-day visit to Washington. “We’re gonna help it a lot," he said, without giving concrete details.

The U.S. has pushed for peace in Lebanon but been increasingly distracted by a new round of escalation with the war in Iran, which has destabilized much of the Middle East. On Wednesday, Trump said he had little interest in talks with Iran's leader to end the war — at least for now.

Lebanon and Israel have held rare direct talks mediated by Washington. Aoun's White House visit was the first by a Lebanese president since 2009.

Lebanon hopes the talks result in Israeli troops withdrawing from large swaths of southern Lebanon that they currently occupy, and the Lebanese military receiving support to assert full control in areas where Hezbollah militants had held sway.

Trump said of Israel’s army fully withdrawing from Lebanon, “They’re in the process of doing that. They’re in the process of redeploying” but didn't elaborate.

Aoun told Trump, “Your vision is peace,” calling it Trump's “legacy.”

The U.S. president responded by joking, “I do agree with that" and said Aoun was handsome and “knows how to get to me,” adding, ““Now he can have anything.”

Framework agreement is being tested

Lebanon and Israel announced a “framework agreement” on June 26, setting a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw and for the disarmament of Hezbollah, which for decades had a strong presence in southern Lebanon.

It also lays out steps toward an eventual peace agreement between the countries, which have never held formal diplomatic ties and have been nominally in a state of war for nearly 80 years after Israel’s establishment.

Trump noted Tuesday of Lebanon, “There’s a Hezbollah problem” and suggested that he personally could speak with Hezbollah if Aoun wanted him to. He also floated the idea of having Syria intervene to fight Hezbollah — though didn't fully commit to that.

Such a concept would be highly unpopular in Lebanon and potentially embarrass Aoun.

Meanwhile, the State Department announced Monday that operations in three villages deemed part of a “pilot zone” had begun, without giving details. Two of the villages, Froun and Srifa, are not under Israeli military control and the Lebanese army is present, while Israeli forces are in part of Zawtar al-Gharbieh.

The Lebanese army in a statement said it was preparing for Israel to withdraw from Zawtar al-Gharbieh and that it had begun deploying troops Tuesday. The Israeli military said it “will adjust its force posture in one of the pilot areas in order to enable the Lebanese Armed Forces to carry out their mission,” without specifying the location.

The Lebanese military later said Israeli troops fired near that area in Zawtar al-Gharbieh, without giving details, and warned it could delay deployment.

An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in accordance with military guidelines, said the withdrawal had not yet begun.

Village mayor waits for safety to be confirmed

Abed Ezzeldine, mayor of Zawtar al-Gharbieh, said they were waiting for the Lebanese military to say whether it's safe for residents to check on their homes after they fully deploy and patrol the area. He was concerned about safety, given that the Israeli military is still present in a village next door, while Israeli strikes continue nearby.

“The villages are intertwined, so we don’t feel safe because the Israelis are present there, they’re on our borders and are not very far from us,” Ezzeldine told The Associated Press, who said Zawtar al-Gharbieh is uninhabitable.

“Once the army gives us permission to enter Zawtar al-Gharbieh, we as civilians will go in, but only to check it out and see how things are and then we will leave,” he said. "We can’t stay because the infrastructure is completely damaged and houses have been leveled. They (the Israelis) have bulldozed the roads.”

The Lebanese military last week increased its presence in some of the areas expected to be included in the pilot zone, including the three villages, with troops patrolling and setting up checkpoints.

Rubio says US will support the framework agreement

Aoun on Sunday met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Washington will continue to endorse the Lebanese agreement and support its full implementation. Rubio described the meeting as “very positive” and warned that Lebanon will “never be fully at peace” as long as the Hezbollah issue is not resolved.

“How do you replace Hezbollah? You defeat and replace them with a government that is strong enough to be the sole force of arms in the country,” Rubio said.

Skeptics in Lebanon fear that a military confrontation with Hezbollah could lead to a civil war.

Government officials have urged investment in the country's battered infrastructure to empower the weakened state, which Rubio echoed.

“This is not just about military stuff," he said. "This is about how can we attract more U.S. and international investment into Lebanon.”

Israel plans on a long-term presence

Israeli officials, meanwhile, have said they plan to keep military forces long-term in a “security zone” in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has dismissed the U.S.-brokered direct talks and instead backed Washington’s talks with its key ally and patron Iran to end their war, which includes ending the war in Lebanon as a condition.

Lebanon’s government came to power on a reformist platform in early 2025, vowing to disarm all non-state groups including Hezbollah. It blames Hezbollah for dragging the country into another war with Israel in March, when the militant group fired several rockets toward northern Israel two days after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

Beirut's leadership, however, has condemned Israel’s subsequent ground invasion and massive aerial campaign in the country, which has killed over 4,000 people and displaced 1.2 million others.

While grappling with stark political opposition from Hezbollah and allies within the deeply divided country, Lebanon's leadership insists that Israeli withdrawal and international financial support for Lebanon’s cash-strapped army is crucial for a sustainable security solution.

___

Chehayeb reported from Beruit. Associated Press writer Giovanna Dell'Orto in Jerusalem contributed.

RELATED | Charging documents reveal ‘secret envelope stuffing’ operation behind fake St. Johns County voter guide | Fake voter guides, fraud charges could cloud St. Johns County election | St. Johns County commissioner calls for 2 sitting commissioners accused in fake voter guide scheme to step down

Five people now face criminal charges in connection with the scheme, including District 2 Commissioner Sarah Arnold and District 1 Commissioner Christian Whitehurst.

Arnold and Whitehurst were not in the building to face their constituents on Tuesday, and instead attended the meeting by phone.

“Actions have taken place that have fractured the public’s faith, and as long as it remains broken, votes will be clouded by suspicion,” a resident said. “The honorable thing to do in a position like this is to step down.”

He said that they should let the legal process play out as private citizens and not elected officials.

“People respect a sincere redemption story and that begins with accountability,” he said.

Another resident wanted to know if Arnold and Whitehurst could still vote on decisions while they are under investigation.

“I really am looking to regain trust in the board...They’re going to be able to vote on decisions while they could be charged on Aug. 3 and then what happens with these votes,” she asked.

On July 7, County Commission Vice Chair Ann Taylor called on her colleagues to resign immediately after the State Attorney’s Office charged five Republicans in a fake voter guide scheme tied to the 2024 election.

All five face misdemeanor charges for conspiracy and producing an unauthorized voter guide. Campaign manager Briana Jordan faces an additional third-degree felony charge for tampering with physical evidence — the only defendant facing a felony. Jordan was recently arrested.

According to charging documents, an alleged “secret envelope stuffing” operation took place at a rented home that was used as a campaign headquarters. The document said people working under Jordan’s direction placed fraudulent guides into envelopes. The envelopes had no return addresses and used postage stamps.

The guide falsely showed certain candidates were endorsed by the local Republican Party, according to investigators.

“If there is any truth to these allegations, for the integrity of St. Johns County, they need to step down immediately so our residents can have a board they can trust,” Taylor said.

St. Johns County GOP Chair Denver Cook helped alert investigators to the scheme.

“Election integrity isn’t only about election fraud and voter ballots,” Cook said. “It’s all about the people and the way they act and trying to steal the voice of the people.”

Cook also released the following statement on behalf of the St. Johns County GOP earlier this month.

The details outlined in the state’s sworn affidavit reveal a shocking, calculated criminal conspiracy designed to subvert the democratic process and hijack the official, trusted voice of the St. Johns County Republican Party.  As the primary complainant in this investigation, the St. Johns County REC is vindicated by the formal charges of criminal conspiracy, unauthorized voter guides, and tampering with physical evidence. The evidence demonstrates that this was not a campaign misunderstanding. It was a mass-scale decep on involving tens of thousands of dollars, tens of thousands of fraudulent mailers, and a deliberate attempt to overwrite the official, democratic votes of our local REC membership. 

The affidavit lays bare a coordinated effort to hide this illicit operation from the public by shipping mailers out of neighboring counties, intentionally withholding statutorily required disclosures, and ultimately burning evidence in a backyard grill when the local news exposed the fraud. 

No one is above the law. The weaponization of our official party logo and name to manipulate ‘super voters’ on the eve of early voting is an affront to every volunteer who serves our party and every citizen who casts a ballot. 

To be absolutely clear, the St. Johns County Republican Party has issued no endorsements for this current primary cycle. Our absolute focus right now is on ge ng the vote out for this primary, ensuring total transparency, and delivering a clean, fair ballot for the voters of St. Johns County. Because this matter is now a live criminal prosecu on, the St. Johns County GOP will let the State A orney’s evidence speak for itself in a court of law. We will con nue to fight to ensure the voices of our voters are never compromised by deceptive schemes.

St. Johns County GOP Chair Denver Cook

State lawmaker was a target of the scheme

State Rep. Kim Kendall, who represents St. Johns County and won her 2024 race, said her image was removed from the fake voter guide — making her one of its targets.

“To start hearing from people that they had received this fake voter guide was just a big gut punch that’s really hard to explain unless you’ve been in that situation,” Kendall said. “And then to start seeing people going to polls with fake voter guide in hand and try to explain them they had the wrong one.”

Accused respond through attorneys

Attorneys representing Whitehurst, Arnold and former St. Augustine Beach Mayor and current commissioner Dylan Rumrell released a joint statement following the charges.

“These allegations have lingered for nearly two years in the hands of various government agencies,” the statement read. “With formal charges now filed, County Commissioner Arnold, County Commissioner Whitehurst and St. Augustine Beach City Commissioner Rumrell look forward to the conclusion of this matter and will have no further comments at this time.”

Jonathan Shahaad Ruff, aka “Slaughter,” 30, of Glynn County, Georgia, has been indicted for five counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

His co-defendant, Darnell Lamar Pickens, 30, of Glynn County, has also been indicted for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The indictment alleges that Ruff distributed methamphetamine in June and July of 2025 in Glynn County. The indictment further alleges that Ruff and Pickens distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in August 2025 in Glynn County.

Pickens is also alleged to have possessed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in January 2026 in addition to being found in possession of a firearm.

Under federal law, it is prohibited for previously convicted felons to possess firearms or ammunition.

Both defendants face statutory penalties of 10 years to life in prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. If convicted, Pickens is also subject to a minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. A conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon may result in up to 15 years in prison, and each offense may also be accompanied by significant financial penalties and a minimum of 3 to 5 years of supervised release.

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Joshua Kerry, 28, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London over the killing that shocked the public and the political establishment.

Widdecombe, 78, was eating around noon on July 8 when Kerry drove to her house in an isolated southwest England village, prosecutor Kashif Malik said. Kerry walked through the front door and beat her with a hammer, took her wallet and was gone two minutes after the attack began.

Blunt force injury to the head was listed as the provisional cause of death.

Kerry was charged Monday while in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder and acts of terror. Police are investigating his motive, including a potential political or terrorist connection, prosecutors said.

Kerry, who wore a gray sweatsuit, spoke only to confirm his identity and did not enter a plea. He was ordered held in custody and is scheduled to appear in the Central Criminal Court on Oct. 9.

Widdecombe, a former member of Parliament and government minister, was a prominent political voice known for her blunt-spoken, socially conservative views opposing abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights.

When she failed to appear for a scheduled interview on July 8, TV producers called her assistant, who contacted her gardener, prosecutors said. He found Widdecombe lying face down on her kitchen floor the next day.

Kerry was arrested July 11 in South Yorkshire, a northern England county where he lived, more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Widdecombe's home in the village of Haytor, on the edge of Dartmoor National Park.

Widdecombe was a MP in the House of Commons from 1987 to 2010, serving as a prisons minister in Prime Minister John Major’s 1990s Conservative government.

She found fame after leaving Parliament as a contestant on the reality television shows “Strictly Come Dancing” and “Celebrity Big Brother.”

She later joined the Brexit Party, briefly serving as a member of the European Parliament before Britain left the European Union in 2020. Most recently, she joined the anti-immigration Reform UK, often appearing in the media as the party's immigration and justice spokesperson.

Widdecombe's killing has renewed concerns over the security for politicians, which had been tightened in the past decade after the murders of two prominent MPs. Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, and Conservative David Amess was stabbed in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the Islamic State group.

The agency said 144 people were dead or missing after two incidents between July 14 and 18. It said 387 people were rescued.

Mauritania’s coast guard has said 122 people went missing off the coast near the capital, Nouakchott. It said the boat carrying 160 people from Gambia toward the Canary Islands ran out of fuel and was stranded at sea for 25 days.

In a separate incident, the coast guard said it rescued 179 people who had boarded a boat from Senegal on Saturday.

The difference in the numbers given was not immediately clear.

Mauritania's waters have become a major route for people from sub-Saharan Africa seeking a better life in Europe as economic opportunities remain scarce at home.

The route toward the Canary Islands is “one of the world’s deadliest” with long distances and unseaworthy and overcrowded boats, the U.N. agency said in a statement.

Rescue teams with oxygen gear raced to find survivors Tuesday as toxic levels of gas were detected at the disaster site in Samardung village near the Chinese border.

The blast had ripped through the tunnel Monday while 21 laborers were inside working on the 500-megawatt Teesta hydroelectric project, officials said. Two of them managed to escape. Six power utility officials later entered the tunnel to help in the rescue, but became trapped themselves, officials said.

The explosion was believed triggered by a buildup of methane, said State Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, who visited the site Tuesday. Survivors told authorities they heard a loud explosion before debris came crashing through the tunnel, civil official Anupama Tamling said.

Officials had recovered 12 bodies on Tuesday while rescuers from the National Disaster Response Force, or NDRF, raced to reach the 13 people believed to be still trapped.

“We found toxic gases such as methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide inside the tunnel,” NDRF official Nitin Kumar said at the scene.

The conditions late Tuesday were so dangerous that, although equipped with oxygen gear, the rescuers could enter the disaster site only for shifts of about 15 minutes at a time, officials said.

Construction accidents are not uncommon in India, where rapid infrastructure growth often collides with fragile geology, construction lapses, extreme weather and safety standards.

In the Himalayan region, fragile mountains, seismic activity and unpredictable underground conditions make tunnel projects especially risky. An explosion inside a coal mine in neighboring Meghalaya state in February killed at least 18 workers. In 2023, a tunnel section in northern Uttarakhand state collapsed, trapping 41 workers for 17 days before they were rescued.

Experts say the Teesta River basin, where the hydropower project is being built, lies in a seismically active region marked by young, fragile rock formations riddled with fractures and underground pockets that can trap ancient gases.

Dr. Devesh Walia, a geology professor at North-Eastern Hill University in Meghalaya, said the area contains relatively young rock formations, some associated with coal-bearing strata.

“It is quite possible that methane along with other gases accumulated underground and may have triggered an explosion,” he said.

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It depends upon who you ask within a Democratic Party that is undeniably locked in a tug-of-war between emboldened progressives demanding radical change and the party's pragmatic establishment.

Progressives expect their newest candidate in Maine, former state lawmaker Troy Jackson, will clinch the Democratic nomination Saturday to replace Graham Platner on the November ballot, giving the party a chance to recover from Platner's downfall earlier this month. Next up will be August Senate primaries in Michigan and Minnesota — contests that put the intraparty divide on clear display less than four months before the midterms are decided. All three states will be important in the fight for Senate control, raising the stakes over who Democrats should nominate.

“We’re seeing the pendulum shift from right to left. That’s ultimately what this midterm election is about,” said Joseph Geevarghese, who leads Our Revolution, the progressive organization founded by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders a decade ago. “We're in a transitional moment in national politics.”

On the other side of the same party, establishment leaders, including the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate, believe that the progressive movement's momentum this summer will ultimately hurt the party's chances in the general election this fall. Democrats are in position to win control of at least one chamber in Congress given President Donald Trump's low approval ratings, the unpopular war in Iran and surging costs.

Count Matt Bennett, co-founder of the centrist Democratic group Third Way, as those fighting to stop his party's ascendant progressive wing from undermining their midterm chances.

“It is an enormous mistake and an enormous risk for them to be engaged in an effort to push the party to the left,” Bennett said. Sanders' brand of far-left politics, he added, “is not what America is asking for.”

Voters will ultimately decide who is right this fall — and the results could shape policy and politics inside the Democratic Party for years to come.

In the meantime, as establishment Democrats worry from Washington, Sanders and his allies like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are barnstorming through key swing states to harness the energy of the party's grassroots.

Republican officials were watching with glee.

“Socialists have gone from a sideshow in the Democrat Party to the main event," said Bernadette Breslin, spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Sanders rallied for progressives in Michigan and Minnesota

On Monday night in Minneapolis, Sanders railed against billionaires and corporations as he campaigned for Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota's lieutenant governor who has aligned herself with his populist movement in Minnesota's contentious primary for U.S. Senate.

“When you stand up to these billionaires, as you will, and when you defeat them, you will bring hope and inspiration to people all across our country and in fact, all over the world,” Sanders said.

Flanagan faces U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, who is backed by much of the party's establishment in a race that has brought in millions of dollars from super PACS and other independent groups backing both candidates.

“I want you to know that we have an opportunity to change the way that Washington works,” Flanagan said.

When they were done, Sanders, Flanagan, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and retiring Sen. Tina Smith locked arms as John Lennon's “Power to the People” thundered from the speakers.

The scene was similar a day earlier in Michigan, where Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives campaigned with Abdul El-Sayed, whom many centrist Democrats worry is too far left for a must-win seat for Democrats in a battleground state.

The progressive movement has also seen setbacks

Dozens of progressive candidates up and down the ballot aligned with Sanders, including more than 30 backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, have won Democratic nomination contests in recent weeks — in some cases defeating sitting members of Congress.

There have been setbacks, however, none more painful for the progressive movement than Platner's implosion in Maine.

Platner, a Sanders acolyte and political newcomer who dominated Maine's sitting governor in the Democratic Senate primary, was forced to drop out barely a week ago after a sexual assault allegation emerged from his former girlfriend. Platner has denied the accusation, which many allies deemed credible.

Geevarghese described the situation as “a bump in the road” that would not cause any lasting damage for the broader progressive movement.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a 2028 presidential prospect aligned with the progressive wing, acknowledged that he made a mistake by supporting Platner when so little was known about his background.

“It’s an important lesson of being more aware of the red flags of candidates,” Khanna said, while insisting that the progressive movement “is so much bigger than any individual.”

“Despite a very flawed candidate, the platform of Medicare for all and no foreign wars and taxing billionaire wealth was so strong that he did well,” Khanna said of Platner. “No one candidate is a test for the progressive movement.”

But the fallout from Platner’s campaign renewed a long-running debate among Democratic establishment figures over whether the party’s progressive wing is hurting its chances of winning competitive general election races.

The divide has been especially apparent in the Senate, where some rank-and-file senators have backed progressive candidates at odds with Schumer and other party leaders. Platner’s collapse sparked behind-the-scenes finger pointing and prompted some establishment figures to more actively step into other competitive primaries.

In Michigan, for example, Sen. Gary Peters endorsed Haley Stevens last week after previously saying he wouldn’t get involved.

“We do want to have candidates who are fully vetted running in these high-profile races,” Peters said.

Bennett, of Third Way, says that it's all about winning in November. That's not to say he thinks it's impossible for Democrats to win with a nominee like El-Sayed on the ballot.

“In this cycle, with the war raging again, anyone might be able to beat a Republican in a place like Michigan,” he said. “But it sure as hell is going to be harder.”

___

Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Washington and Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix contributed.

The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, is credited with saving at least 26 million lives since its inception in 2003. But last year, it was impaired by the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and cuts to thousands of global health grants.

“The disruptions were very widespread,” with services for young women, orphans and children impacted, said Elise Lankiewicz, policy associate for the nonprofit amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, which released the report.

Researchers contacted groups that got PEPFAR funding to deliver HIV services last year. Nearly a quarter — 166 groups from 46 countries — responded to an electronic survey conducted between last November and April, providing information on their funding, staff and services.

The survey didn’t reach all PEPFAR groups and certain types of organizations — like those that were most severely disrupted or still receiving U.S. funding — may have been less likely to respond. That could result in an underestimate or an overestimate of disruptions, depending on which organizations were missed. Nevertheless, the findings are a window into the struggles that some groups faced last year.

Some key findings were:

—Most organizations had at least one award terminated or payment delayed last year. Terminations led to the closure of more than 1,700 clinics, drop-in centers and other service delivery sites, and to the loss of more than 16,000 full-time staff members.

—Even though the U.S. government directed services providing HIV treatment, testing, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission to continue, a majority of partners still reported a disruption to those services.

—Cuts were concentrated on services for populations most impacted by HIV. Most organizations previously serving groups such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, and people who inject drugs reported permanently ending a service for these groups. Even among organizations that didn’t lose funding, some reported stopping a service for one of these key populations to comply with U.S. policy.

—HIV prevention has been sharply reduced, with many organizations stopping condom programs or services offering what's called PrEP, preventive medicines to guard against sexually transmitted HIV. From fiscal years 2024 to 2025, prevention spending fell 51%, according to PEPFAR expenditure data.

—Locally-based partners were much more likely than international organizations to have an award terminated and to close service delivery sites. Funding disruptions also destabilized interconnected HIV service systems.

“Taken together, these results describe widespread degradation of the infrastructure built to deliver HIV services worldwide, with the deepest damage falling on the populations and partners most essential to controlling the epidemic,” the report says.

The survey doesn’t provide data at the country level, but amfAR officials point out that the majority of responses came from African countries.

When asked about the report, a State Department spokesperson said in an email that the Trump administration has “strengthened PEPFAR through clear, strategic direction.”

“As a result, the number of children testing positive and on treatment for HIV has continued to decline,” the spokesperson said.

In April, the U.S. State Department released PEPFAR data for one quarter in 2025: July through September. Officials said PEPFAR-supported programs provided standard HIV treatment for 20.6 million people in more than 50 countries, which they said is stable from the same reporting period in 2024. They also said PEPFAR started 103,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women on PrEP, up from 43,000 the previous year.

The data from that quarter “demonstrates the resilience and strength of the program,” the spokesperson said.

But researchers from amfAR and the International AIDS Society combined that quarter's data with another data release that included all four quarters and found substantial disruptions across PEPFAR services.

Other research, published in the journal Nature Health in June, specifically examined treatment globally using PEPFAR data. It found that nearly two million fewer people living with HIV were receiving PEPFAR-supported antiretroviral treatment in fiscal year 2025 as compared with the previous fiscal year — about a 10% decline.

“That does raise really important questions about program stability," said Ramona Godbole, an author of that study who wasn’t involved in the latest report.

AmfAR's report made numerous recommendations to help restore care. It said the U.S. government and PEPFAR leaders should reinstate support for all HIV services, not just treatment. It also called on other national governments to spend more on HIV services and contract with nongovernmental organizations, including those led by people in key vulnerable populations.

But Jennifer Sherwood, amfAR’s director of research and public policy, said even if money is put back into the system, it will take time to get the services up and running and regain the trust of communities.

“And unfortunately, with HIV and infectious disease, each day is deadly,” she said. “Each day that we don’t have those systems in place, you see new infections.”

___

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.

In the meantime, Florida is holding its annual back-to-school sales tax “holiday” from now through Aug. 20.

RELATED: Florida’s back-to-school tax ‘holiday’ begins Monday: Here’s how you can save

And community groups and local governments across the area are hosting back-to-school bashes, giveaways and more.

We’ve compiled a county-by-county list of events around Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.

NOTE: Want to see your event added? Email the name, a brief description, and the time, date and location to ffrazier@wjxt.com.

Alachua County

• Alachua Police Department Back 2 School Giveaway: backpacks/supplies giveaway, 9 a.m.–noon, Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 — Legacy Park Multipurpose Center, 15400 Peggy Rd., Alachua, FL 32615.
• Alachua Back to School Event (Better Together + SWAG Family Resource Center): supplies/resources, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 — SWAG Family Resource Center, 807 SW 64th Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32607.

Clay County

• Bless the Backpacks: Toos for Tomorrow (Clay County Salvation Army): Ticket required for backpacks/school supplies. Call 904-276-6677 to register. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, July 24. The Salvation Army, 2795 CR 220, Middleburg, FL, 32068.
• Clay County Back to School Bash (Thrasher-Horne Center): supplies/resources bash, 9–11 a.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — Thrasher-Horne Center, 283 College Dr., Orange Park, FL 32065.

• American Legion Post 250 Back to School Supply Giveaway: supply giveaway, 11 a.m.–noon, Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 — 2608 Black Creek Dr., Middleburg, FL 32068.
• Back to School Health and Wellness Event (Clay County Health Dept.): back-to-school health/wellness, 8 a.m.–2 p.m., Mon. Aug. 3–Fri. Aug. 7, 2026 — 1845 Town Center Blvd., Building 600, Fleming Island, FL 32003.
• American Academy of Cosmetology Back to School Bash: bash w/ free haircuts (per listing), 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Fri. Aug. 7, 2026 — 1330 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, FL.

Duval County

• Ready, Set, Learn: Back-to-School Supplies Giveaway (Wealth Empowerment initiative): supplies giveaway, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Fri. July 24, 2026 — Jacksonville Public Library (Main), 303 N. Laura St., Jacksonville, FL 32202.

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• SERTOMA Free Hearing Screenings (Back-to-School Health): hearing screenings, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — 7535 Fort Caroline Hills Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32277.
• Ascension St. Vincent’s Emergency Care – Arlington Back-to-School Community Event: community back-to-school event, 10 a.m.–noon, Sat. July 25, 2026 — 9820 Hutchinson Park Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32225.
• Military Back-to-School Bash (First Coast YMCA): Children of active-duty service members, veterans and their families will receive free backpacks filled with school supplies and enjoy family-friendly activities. 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, July 25.
• • Brooks Family YMCA
  • Dye Clay Family YMCA
  • Williams Family YMCA
  • Winston Family YMCA
  • YMCA at Baptist North
  • YMCA at Flagler Health+ Village
  • YMCA at Wildlight
  • VyStar Credit Union – Neptune Beach

• Back-to-School Giveaway and Registration (Creating Executive Opportunities Foundation): free backpacks/supplies, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — Sk8City Jacksonville, 9244 Arlington Expy, Jacksonville, FL 32225.
• Back to School Bash (Sulzbacher Village): 500 free backpacks filled with school supplies, family activities, and access to pediatric health services for local students. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at Sulzbacher Village, 5455 Springfield Blvd. (44^th & Pearl), Jacksonville, FL 32208.

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• Back 2 School give-a-way (Motorcycle Clubs Community): Music, food, face painting, fun and raffles. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2, A. Philip Randolph Heritage Park, 1096 A Philip Randolph Blvd., Jacksonville, FL, 32206
• Back 2 School Community Day (New Life International): 500 backpacks filled with supplies, vendors, resources, Haircuts, quick braids and more; free vaccination, physicals and an EKG for sports clearance (Pre-registration for health services required). 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 2, 6429 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville, FL, 32211

• Back to School Giveaway Festival (DJ Squally & Rai): Vendors, games, prizes, food trucks, music, supplies. 1 p.m. until supplies are gone, Saturday, Aug. 8, 555 West 25th St., Jacksonville, FL 32206

Flagler County

• Boots & Backpacks Community Roundup (Remembering Heroes): school supply giveaway, Noon–5 p.m., Sat. Aug. 8, 2026 — 2K Ranch, 6067 Tangerine Ave., Bunnell, FL 32110.

Nassau County

• Bounce Back to School Event: supplies + health screenings/resources, 9 a.m.–noon, Sat. July 25, 2026 — Peck Center Gymnasium, Fernandina Beach, FL.
• Back to School Giveaway: backpacks/clothing/haircuts + screenings/physicals (while supplies last), 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 — Hilliard First Assembly, Hilliard, FL.

Putnam County

• Palatka Police Athletic League (PAL) – Back to School Bash: free distribution (shoes + backpacks + school supplies + clothing mentioned), 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — Calvary Family Life Center, 1414 Bronson St., Palatka, FL.
• Interlachen Back to School Bash: community back-to-school bash (supplies + family activities), 10 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 — 155 CR 315 N, Interlachen, FL 32148.

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St. Johns County

• SEA Community Help Resource Center, Inc – Back 2 School Bash: backpacks/supplies + food/music (per flyer), 10 a.m.–(end time not listed), Fri. July 24, 2026 — 6284 Armstrong Rd., Elkton, FL 32033.

• OFFSITE: Community Focus Back to School Event (10th Annual Back to School Festival): resource fair + back-to-school physicals (UF Health St. Johns) + immunizations (FL Dept. of Health) + supplies giveaway (per listing), 9–11 a.m., Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 — W.E. Harris Community Center (Gym), 400 E Harris St., Hastings, FL 32145.

Union County

• Community Back to School Bash (Union County Impact Initiative): community back-to-school bash, 9 a.m.–11:30 a.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — Lake Butler Middle School, 150 SW 6th St., Lake Butler, FL 32054.

GEORGIA

Brantley County

• Brantley County Health Department – Back-to-School Clinic: immunizations + screenings (hearing/vision/dental), 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Thu. July 30, 2026 — Brantley County Health Department, 173 Florida Ave., Nahunta, GA 31553.

Camden County

• Park Praise & Back-to-School Drive 2026 (Divine Overflow Ministries International): giveaways/supplies drive, Noon–5 p.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — 656 Gross Rd., Kingsland, GA 31548.

Charlton County

• Charlton County Health Department – Back-to-School Services (walk-in): immunizations + screenings (hearing/vision/dental) during normal hours, now through Aug. 10, 2026 — Charlton County Health Department, 2587 Third St., Folkston, GA 31537.

Glynn County

• Glynn County Health Department – Back-to-School Vaccination & Screening Services (walk-in): walk-in back-to-school vaccinations and screenings, now through Aug 10, 2026 — Glynn County Health Department, 2747 Fourth St., Brunswick, GA.

Pierce County

• Pierce County Health Department – Back-to-School Clinic: immunizations + screenings (hearing/vision/dental), 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Mon. Aug. 3, 2026 — Pierce County Health Department, 715 Ware St., Blackshear, GA 31516.
• Pierce County Health Department – Back-to-School Clinic: immunizations + screenings (hearing/vision/dental), 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Tue. Aug. 4, 2026 — Pierce County Health Department, 715 Ware St., Blackshear, GA 31516.

Ware County

• B-stro on the Bypass – Annual Back to School Giveaway: school supply giveaway + food, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat. Aug. 8, 2026 — 502 Reynolds St., Waycross, GA 31501.

But behavioral scientists say the increasing flood of choices — whether it comes to shopping, social lives or relationships — is doing the opposite.

The idea that more choice is better is baked into Western culture, but research shows that having more options can make people anxious, indecisive and, paradoxically, less happy with what they pick, said Barry Schwartz, an emeritus psychology professor at Swarthmore College and author of “The Paradox of Choice.”

“There have been hundreds of studies showing that there can be too much of a good thing,” Schwartz said.

To minimize the mental noise, he said, limit the number of choices you make, and your brain will thank you for it.

More is often more confusing

Schwartz offered several examples of cases where more options left people worse off.

In the case of Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, people in states with more choices were less likely to choose any of them, he said. The same goes for 401(k) investments. The more options a company had, the less likely employees were to sign up, even when the employer offered matching money.

Less consequential choices are no different. Schwartz pointed to one often-cited study that showed shoppers at a gourmet grocery store bought more jars of artisanal jam when they were presented with six flavors rather than with a wider array of 24. In a follow-up study, students were more likely to complete an extra-credit assignment when they were given six topics to choose from instead of 30.

Schwartz’s research expanded on those findings to learn the emotional responses to this phenomenon.

“Instead of being liberated by all this choice, you’re paralyzed,” he said. “You can do anything, and you can’t figure out which of those many things to do.”

People also often end up making worse decisions since more options suggest more potentially bad outcomes, he said. And once someone finally decides from all the possibilities, they may be less satisfied with even a good choice because they fear there was a better alternative.

Schwartz said the satisfaction problem is especially acute for people whose aim is to get the best, whom psychologists call maximizers.

“People who are maximizers especially suffer from the proliferation of options,” he said. “Only the best will do.”

The tendency isn’t true for all people in all situations, Schwartz noted. Car buffs will gladly dive into the details of nearly unlimited choice when buying a new one.

“But you don’t feel that way when it comes to buying jam,” he said.

The brain doesn't like making decisions

Daniel Willingham, a psychology professor and neuroscience researcher at the University of Virginia, said the phenomenon occurs because the brain is designed to save people from having to think.

Problem-solving requires more energy than relying on memory, a fact that has roots in evolutionary survival mode, Willingham said. When faced with a goal, whether it be an immediate need like responding to a threat or something longer term like finding shelter, the mind first searches for what’s worked before. The problem-solving part of the brain only kicks in afterward.

“Another way to put it is that if you’re thinking, things are not going well,” he said.

That explains why sometimes people move through parts of their day on autopilot, he said. Throughout the day, people are confronted with hundreds of situations where they could do something different, but they almost always take the same route to work.

Schwartz said the proliferation of choices also has become tangled with identity in the social media age, where everyone can easily compare their choices to others.

“When all you’ve got to choose from is Lee’s and Levi’s, nobody expects the jeans they buy to fit perfectly,” he said. “When there are 2,000 options, well, now, dammit, you do expect your jeans to fit perfectly.”

Limit your choices and move on

David Epstein said that after researching his book, “Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better,” he began to shift away from his maximalist tendencies. Now, he limits his opportunities for making choices, such as when he bought 10 of the same well-fitting T-shirts in different colors.

He was following the example of Herbert Simon, a psychologist and 1978 Nobel laureate in economics, who had three sets of clothes and ate nearly the same thing every day. Simon introduced the term “satisficing,” a combination of satisfying and sufficing that means setting good-enough criteria for decisions and moving on.

Epstein sets satisficing rules for himself when shopping online by first focusing on the purpose of the purchase.

“When I find one that does that, I’m buying it, instead of reading all the reviews and getting sucked into, ‘Well, this one has all these other features.’”

Willingham and Schwartz suggested farming out some decisions. If you’re looking for a new phone, find a friend who is happy with theirs and buy that one.

For larger decisions like financial planning, you’ll be happier if you rely on someone else’s professional expertise, Willingham said.

“If you’re thinking, ‘Well, I’m a clever guy, I can figure that out,’ I think 9 times out of 10, you’re fooling yourself,” he said.

Schwartz acknowledged that for people who have trouble making decisions, changing is difficult. But it’s worth it.

“What happens over time is you find it easier to make decisions, you end up more satisfied with the decisions you make, and all of a sudden, you’ve got an extra two hours in every day,” he said.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Albert Stumm writes about wellness, food and travel. Find his work at https://www.albertstumm.com

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This story was first published on Jul. 18, 2026. It was updated on Jul. 21, 2026 to correct the name of Swarthmore College. It is not Swarthmore University.

A divided three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit suspended its decision until Aug. 3 to allow more time for Biden to consider another appeal.

The panel's 2-1 ruling late Monday found there is a “substantial” public interest in disclosing the material that Biden wants to keep under wraps. Redactions to the recordings would help protect Biden's privacy, the majority noted.

“We conclude that any remaining incursion on personal privacy from disclosure of the now-redacted materials likely does not outweigh the public interest in disclosure,” the ruling says.

Judge Florence Pan, who was nominated by Biden, a Democrat, wrote a dissenting opinion in which she said Biden has shown a “substantial privacy interest” in keeping the material hidden.

“The conversations at issue took place in Biden’s home, and the recordings of them were obtained by the government in the course of a criminal investigation that did not lead to an indictment,” she wrote.

The appeal also was heard by D.C. Circuit Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan and Judge Gregory Katsas. Srinivasan was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat who chose Biden as his vice president. Katsas was nominated by President Donald Trump, a Republican who as president lost to Biden in 2020 but was elected again to the White House in 2024.

Mark Zwonitzer, who worked with Biden on two memoirs, 2007’s “Promises to Keep” and 2017's “Promise Me, Dad,” interviewed him at his home in 2016 and 2017. Biden’s lawyers say the conversations were candid, personal and intended to remain private.

Biden spokesperson T.J. Ducklo said the former president disagrees with the ruling but “respects the courts and the vital role an independent judiciary plays in a healthy democracy.”

“President Biden’s conversations for a book a decade ago that discussed his late son are private, and were provided to the Department of Justice on the express condition they stay that way,” Ducklo said in a statement. “Reversing course and making them public is just the latest example of this administration weaponizing the (Justice Department) for political retribution.”

The recordings were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents from his time as a senator from Delaware and as Obama's vice president. Republicans in Congress demanded the material after Hur declined to file charges against the then-president.

Biden sued and sought an injunction to prevent the Justice Department under Trump from releasing the recordings to Congress and the conservative Heritage Foundation. The department previously argued that the recordings were exempt from disclosure under public records law.

Biden appealed after U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was nominated by Trump, ruled in June that the public interest in the material outweighed whatever privacy rights Biden had.

Pan noted that the majority is effectively ruling in favor of immediately disclosing the material by denying Biden's request for an injunction pending appeal.

“That, of course, will moot this case,” she wrote.

To do this, researchers said they looked at indicators like depression rates, leisure time, and even income growth, according to a report from our sister station in Orlando, WKMG.

“Research shows that having more money only increases your happiness until you’re making at least $75,000 per year - anything more you earn likely won’t have an impact.

Therefore, when deciding where to live to maximize your happiness, you’ll want to pick a city that offers more than just a decent average income.

The ideal city provides conditions that foster good mental and physical health, like reasonable work hours, short commutes, good weather, and caring neighbors."

WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo

During WalletHub’s latest state-by-state happiness ranking, researchers found that Florida ranked No. 14 when compared to the rest of the nation.

However, when looking at its major metros, Florida lagged a bit more. The highest-ranked city on this list is Cape Coral, all the way down at No. 41.

Cities like Tallahassee and Hialeah also performed poorly, coming in at No. 100 and No. 101, respectively.

But the lowest-ranked city on this year’s list is Jacksonville, which comes in all the way down at No. 125.

Jacksonville struggled particularly in terms of emotional/physical well-being, income, and employment factors. That said, it performed a bit better when it came to community and environment.

Meanwhile, the full happiness ranking of Florida cities is as follows:

Also, a look at the top affordability concerns and analyzing support or opposition to AI and Data Centers.

All topics in the latest UNF Public Opinion Research Poll.

Sean Freeder, faculty director for the poll, joined us on The Morning Show with a look at your take on these key issues.

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the center of Tropical Storm Bertha was about 70 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Florida.

Maximum sustained winds are now 60 mph with higher gusts, and the minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 997 mb.

The system is creeping northwest at 3 mph.

A slow northwestward to west-northwestward motion is expected today, followed by a turn westward by the middle part of this week. On the forecast track, Bertha will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days.

Some slight strengthening is possible later today, followed by gradual weakening through the middle of this week. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for

• Bay/Gulf County Line in Florida to the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish

Line in Louisiana

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for

• West of the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish Line to the

Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line

• Metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas

The Storm Surge Watch has been discontinued along the northern Gulf Coast. A Coastal Flood Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for portions of the southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi coastline.

Aside from isolated showers and storms early this week due to the wind flow around the system pushing tropical moisture over us, additional impacts are not expected for our area.

This is due to the system’s westerly movement, which will keep the highest rainfall totals across the Panhandle and northern Gulf Coast.

That’s why Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety teamed up to identify the safest used cars for teen drivers at different prices.

It’s a combination of inexperience, immaturity, social pressures, and potential distractions.

There are lots of reasons teens are risky drivers. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for ages 15-24.

Because young drivers are at such high risk, parents should buy a car with as much safety as the budget allows.

Also, a teen driver’s first vehicle should not be too small, not too big, and definitely not too fast.

CONSUMER REPORTS: Best used cars under $20,000 for teens

Consumer Reports and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analyzed makes and models to find safe and budget-friendly car options.

They identified 74 used cars under $20,000 that have performance and features designed to keep young drivers out of a crash, but that also have high levels of crash protection if the worst does occur.

On the list: popular picks like the Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Tucson.

For teen drivers, features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and blind spot warning can provide an extra layer of protection when experience is still developing.

And along with safety features, nothing replaces good driving habits.

Finding the right car is only half the battle. Adding a teen driver to your insurance policy will likely raise your insurance bill.

But it’s usually cheaper to keep them on your policy than to buy a separate one. Shopping around for family coverage could save you hundreds because the best rates often go to new customers.

Mayor Donna Deegan’s proposed budget, coming in at just over $2 billion, puts millions of dollars toward addressing those everyday concerns, including nearly $36 million for roadway resurfacing, nearly $12 million for new sidewalks and sidewalk repairs, and $25 million for stormwater drainage projects.

“Infrastructure is not abstract. It is daily life,” Deegan said during her budget presentation. “It is the road you drive to work. The sidewalk your child uses to get to school. The drainage system that protects your home in a storm.”

Road conditions are one of the biggest focuses of the proposed infrastructure spending.

Deegan said the city has made progress on resurfacing roads but acknowledged residents continue to ask for more improvements.

“In every town hall, every interview, and even in chats along my morning run, I hear the need to do more to make our roads smoother,“ Deegan said. The proposed budget would increase funding for resurfacing. “That’s why we are bumping the road resurfacing budget up to $36 million to increase road resurfacing across the entire city.”

Deegan said that’s why she is proposing to bump up the road resurfacing budget to increase road resurfacing across the entire city.

For drivers, the condition of local roads is something they notice every day.

“Even some of these roads right here in this neighborhood in the back are pretty rough. There is a street right over here you go down, and the asphalt is all crumbling up. It’s old; it’s just rough in there,” resident Telli Torgon said.

The proposed budget also includes nearly $12 million to build new sidewalks and repair existing ones.

Deegan said sidewalks play an important role in keeping people safe while moving through their communities.

“Every child who walks to school or a bus stop, every family who takes the dog out for a walk, all know that good sidewalks are essential for a safe city,” Deegan said.

The investment comes as pedestrian safety remains a concern across Jacksonville.

RELATED | City responds to safety concerns after 3 pedestrians killed in 1 week

News4JAX has reported several deadly crashes involving pedestrians this year, including three fatal crashes in just one week last month.

Residents say damaged sidewalks can create challenges for people walking through their neighborhoods.

“It’s an annoyance. It’s an annoyance, I would say. I don’t really get scared, but I’m thinking ‘ew man I wish this was fixed,” Trogon said. “I’ve seen people trip and go face down before. I’ve seen it happen and it’s not a pretty sight.”

Infrastructure concerns in Jacksonville go beyond roads and sidewalks.

The proposed budget also includes $25 million for stormwater drainage projects, which Deegan says would help reduce flood risks.

News4JAX has previously spoken with San Marco residents about flooding concerns after heavy rain.

Deegan said those types of infrastructure investments are necessary as Jacksonville continues to grow.

“These are not luxuries. They are the bones of the city. If they are weak, everything else costs more. If they are strong, everything else becomes possible,” the mayor said.

The proposed budget now heads to the Jacksonville City Council, where members will spend the next several weeks reviewing the plan and making changes before a final vote later this year.

President Donald Trump’s newly released financial disclosure puts that question front and center, and the answers aren’t simple.

Numbers that stopped people in their tracks

Think about that number for a moment: $2.2 billion. In a single year. While serving as president of the United States.

Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure, made public this week, lays it all out — and the sheer scale of it has historians, ethics lawyers and journalists doing double-takes. Roughly $1.4 billion of that total is tied to cryptocurrency ventures, according to reporting from The New York Times, the BBC and other outlets.

That’s not a minor footnote. That’s the kind of number that makes people stop and ask how — and whether the rules we have are anywhere close to sufficient.

“There’s just no precedent for this,” presidential historian Barbara Perry told the Miller Center.

That’s not a talking point from a political opponent. That’s a historian — someone whose entire career is devoted to putting presidents in context — saying flatly that nothing in the American record comes close.

So where did the money come from?

Two names keep coming up in the reporting: a Trump-branded meme coin launched around the time of his inauguration, and World Liberty Financial — known as WLFI — a stablecoin and token business co-founded by Trump family members and partners.

Eric Lipton has spent years covering the intersection of money and power for The New York Times. His reporting on this disclosure traces large portions of the gains to early meme coin buyers and a WLFI sale to an Abu Dhabi investor — meaning a significant slice of a sitting president’s earnings came from abroad.

That’s not just a lot of money. That’s a sitting U.S. president and his family generating billions — in part from foreign investment — in industries that his own administration has the power to regulate.

But crypto is just the top layer

Cryptocurrency dominates the headlines here but pull back and the picture gets even more complicated. The disclosure also notes settlement payments, licensing deals and arrangements tied to foreign partners, along with gifts reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Then there’s a high-profile pardon issued to a cryptocurrency executive and legislation critics describe as friendly to the stablecoin industry. Taken together, it’s a pattern that raises a pointed question: Are these policy decisions — or business decisions?

The White House response: ‘No conflicts, period’

The administration did not mince words when questions started rolling in.

“Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged — or will ever engage — in conflicts of interest,” deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement.

It’s a firm denial. But it hasn’t quieted the critics — and some of those critics know this territory better than almost anyone.

Ethics lawyers aren’t buying it

Richard Painter isn’t a pundit or a partisan. He’s a former White House ethics lawyer — someone who once sat inside the building and counseled administrations on exactly these kinds of questions. He knows what a conflict of interest looks like from the inside.

His take, delivered to the BBC, was as direct as it gets.

“Of course it’s a conflict of interest,” Painter said.

When someone with that résumé uses the phrase “of course” — as if the answer couldn’t be more obvious — that’s worth paying attention to.

Defenders say: It’s private business

To be fair, the administration and its supporters have an answer for all of this. The argument goes that Trump’s income flows through private investments and professional managers — structures designed to keep presidential decision-making separate from personal financial interests.

It’s a reasonable framework — on paper. The question reporters and ethics watchdogs keep pressing is whether the scale and the specific industries involved make that separation credible in practice.

Why this matters

Here’s the part that goes beyond political score-settling, and it matters regardless of where you stand: When a sitting president and his family profit heavily from industries that federal policy directly shapes — crypto regulation, foreign investment rules, pardons — the public has a legitimate interest in knowing whether those decisions are being made in the national interest or something else entirely.

That’s not a partisan question. It’s a democratic one — and it belongs to all of us.

Among the issues now being debated by legal scholars, journalists and policy experts: Does current law actually prevent a president from having these kinds of financial entanglements? How much did the presidential platform itself inflate the value of these ventures? And what would meaningful reform even look like — without turning ethics oversight into a political weapon?

Those questions don’t have easy answers. But they’re the right ones to be asking.

Key takeaways

• Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure reports more than $2.2 billion in income — a scale historians call unprecedented.
• Roughly $1.4 billion is tied to cryptocurrency, including a meme coin and WLFI.
• A WLFI investment involved a buyer linked to the United Arab Emirates.
• The White House denies any conflicts of interest; ethics experts and critics sharply disagree.
• The disclosure raises broader questions about whether existing rules are equipped to handle a presidency of this financial complexity.

Our discussion

Matt Corrigan, a political analyst from Jacksonville University, joins me on this week’s Politics & Power to discuss the ethics questions raised about policy and profit colliding after Trump’s financial disclosures.

Watch live at 9 p.m. Tuesday on News4JAX+ or catch up any time on demand at News4JAX.com, News4JAX+ or our YouTube channel.

The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met behind closed doors in Manila before issuing a joint statement calling for an immediate halt to fighting in the Middle East and the full and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for energy shipments.

“We expressed serious concern over the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East, particularly the renewed hostilities involving the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the ASEAN ministers said.

The ministers said they reaffirmed the obligations of states to peacefully resolve their differences and respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Southeast Asia, a bustling region of more than 680 million people, relies heavily on Middle East oil and gas and was severely hit by the global supply and price shocks sparked by the Iran war. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency in March to ensure the availability of fuel, food and other basic goods and prevent hoarding and profiteering.

Rubio to meet his Chinese counterpart

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Manila on Tuesday morning for an annual meeting with his ASEAN counterparts on Wednesday, where the Middle East crisis will be high on the agenda along with other security and economic issues.

Rubio plans to join regional security talks called the ASEAN Regional Forum, which also will include the European Union, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Rubio will meet Wang on the sidelines on Wednesday, the State Department said. It will be the highest-level contact between the U.S. and China since President Donald Trump flew to flew to Beijing in May for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping that focused on the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, trade and the status of Taiwan, among other issues.

Rubio, Wang and Lavrov will attend a final forum Thursday called the East Asia Summit, where 18 Western and Asian countries, including the 11-nation ASEAN, will tackle geopolitical, economic and security concerns.

Tensions have grown in the South China Sea

ASEAN ministers were scheduled to meet Wang on Wednesday with an agenda that includes a discussion on the status of negotiations between China and the regional bloc on a proposed pact called a “code of conduct,” which aims to prevent territorial disputes in the South China Sea from spiraling out of control.

A new clash in the disputed waters underscored the urgency of the proposed nonaggression pact, which has been negotiated by the two sides for about two decades. They aim to conclude talks within the year.

The Philippine military accused China’s coast guard of injuring a Filipino sailor during an altercation Monday in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

Chinese coast guard personnel aboard a motorboat repeatedly struck the sailor on the head with a wooden baton, injuring him and damaging his smaller vessel, the Philippine military said.

Philippine officials condemned the Chinese coast guard, which blamed the Filipinos for starting the high seas confrontation. Marcos called the Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan for a meeting Tuesday afternoon, his spokesperson said without providing details.

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry said the Philippine ambassador was summoned on Tuesday to protest his country’s actions in the confrontation.

___

Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in Manila, Philippines, and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.

District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín said in a Monday ruling that the class-action settlement provides “meaningful relief” to affected authors and publishers.

About 91% of the more than 482,000 books covered by the ruling have been claimed by authors or publishers who are now due payment.

Plaintiff attorney Justin Nelson said in a statement that the settlement was "the largest known copyright recovery in history. We look forward to making distributions to the Class as promptly as possible.”

U.S. District Judge William Alsup issued the preliminary approval in San Francisco federal court last September and has since retired. Alsup had dealt the case a mixed ruling last summer, finding that training AI chatbots on copyrighted books wasn’t illegal but that Anthropic wrongfully acquired millions of books through pirate websites.

Bestselling thriller novelist Andrea Bartz first brought the suit with two other authors in 2024.

The storm was about 110 miles (177 kilometers) south of Panama City, Florida, and 170 miles (274 kilometers) southeast of Mobile, Alabama, and moving northwest at 5 mph (8 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph), the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Tuesday morning.

The wind speed increased by 10 mph (16 kph) since Bertha formed Monday night. A tropical storm warning, meaning the conditions are expected within the warning area within 36 hours, was in effect early Tuesday from the Florida and Alabama border to the Jefferson and Plaquemines parish line in Louisiana.

A storm surge watch, indicating rising, possible life-threatening water moving inland from the coast within 48 hours, was issued from the Alabama and Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi River, the hurricane center reported.

Bertha is expected to stay near or along the Gulf Coast

Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season after Tropical Storm Arthur brought heavy rainfall to the southeastern U.S. in June.

The storm was expected to stay near or along the northern Gulf Coast this week, dropping heavy rain on coastal areas of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana while pushing west toward Texas.

Potentially life-threatening storm surges of up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) are possible in portions of Louisiana, Alabama and Florida, the hurricane center said, warning Bertha could spin off an isolated tornado or two over the Florida Big Bend region.

Areas of flash flooding also will be possible through Friday along the coast from western Florida to middle Texas, forecasters said, adding that rainfall could total 3 to 5 inches (7 to 12 centimeters) along the Louisiana coastline, with higher amounts in some scattered areas.

Red flags on the beach at Orange Beach, Alabama, cautioned swimmers about high surf and currents. In Escambia County, Florida, emergency officials offered sand for people living in flood-prone areas to use for sandbags.

Hurricane Fausto churns in the Pacific

In the eastern Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Fausto churned far from Mexico’s Baja California peninsula and posed no threat to land, the hurricane center said.

Fausto gained hurricane status Monday night. It was about 740 miles (1,191 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, had top sustained winds of 80 mph (129 kph) and was moving northwest at 12 mph (19 kph).

The storm was expected to strengthen Tuesday and Wednesday. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect, though ocean swells generated by the storm could cause life-threatening surf and rip tide conditions on the Baja California coast, the center said.

McNulty, a teammate of overall race leader Tadej Pogačar, was confronted by an angry motorist who overtook him on his way to the start of stage 16, Mauro Gianetti, the CEO of UAE Emirates XRG, told broadcaster Eurosport.

Gianetti said the driver of the car was furious and that he stopped his vehicle after overtaking McNulty, who then collided with the vehicle.

“Nothing so big, but it was not nice,” said Gianetti, who said the driver was a member of the public and not affiliated with the race.

McNulty was unhurt and scheduled to race later Tuesday.

Pogačar had a commanding 5-minute lead over Remco Evenepoel before Tuesday’s technical 26.1-kilometer time trial beside Lake Geneva on the boarder with Switzerland.

Evenepoel won stage 15 on Sunday when Pogačar’s main rival Jonas Vingegaard crashed out.

The race ends July 26 in Paris.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The event takes place Thursday, July 23, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at Myrtle Avenue Brewing in Jacksonville, celebrating local food, creativity, and the power of small business collaboration.

Viewers can purchase tickets and learn more at www.summasalts.com or by following @summasalts on Instagram

The incidents delayed play for 15 minutes last Thursday when CSKA won 2-1 at Derry City in the first qualifying round of the Europa League.

UEFA’s urgent disciplinary ruling prohibits the Bulgarian club selling tickets for one away game for “throwing of objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances.” CSKA plays Thursday against Qarabag in Azerbaijan.

On the charge of “racist and/or discriminatory behavior” for the Nazi salutes, UEFA imposed a further one-game ban on ticket sales suspended for two years of probation.

Video clips on social media showed a CSKA fan making Nazi salutes when Derry fans raised a banner with an anti-fascist slogan.

CSKA fans advanced across a neutral area of the stadium to confront a line of security guards while Derry fans backed away. Some home fans including children got on the playing area to move toward a safer part of the stadium.

UEFA said a CSKA official was fined 5,000 euros ($5,700) for “violating the basic rules of decent conduct” and the club must pay Derry City for damage to the stadium.

The League of Ireland club was fined 20,000 euros ($22,800) for fan disorder including an “effective invasion of the field of play by its supporters.”

Derry City lost 5-3 on aggregate score and dropped down to the third-tier Conference League qualifying rounds. It faces Rijeka in Croatia on Thursday and hosts the second leg next week.

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

Cracker Barrel said it sold Maple Street to Biscuit Belly, which describes itself as a “gourmet biscuit sandwich concept” and said it will convert the Maple Street sites to its brand.

Maple Street had 51 restaurants after closing 19 locations since the spring of 2025.

Cracker Barrel said Biscuit Belly is acquiring the assets of 35 Maple Street restaurant, and the remaining 16 will be closed.

Maple Street was founded in 2012 with a restaurant in Jacksonville’s San Marco neighborhood and grew to 33 locations when the company, then headquartered in Orange Park, was acquired by Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel for $36 million in October 2019.

Click here to read the full story on the Jacksonville Daily Record website.

The push by the Republican president's administration to compel the identity of sources in the form of additional subpoenas comes at a time when the executive branch's relationship with the press is increasingly contentious. The efforts, described in a letter-motion filed by the Times over the weekend, were more expansive than previously known, the newspaper noted, and also covered a time frame that exceeded the news articles in question.

“Two of the subpoenas seek records beginning on January 1, 2026, long before the events that are purportedly the basis for the Department’s investigation,” lawyers for the Times wrote in the letter. “That timeframe strongly suggests that the Department is using this investigation not to focus on any purported concerns arising from the July 8 and 9 articles, but instead to forage for information about the Journalists’ source relationships more broadly.”

Government has said reporters aren't the target

The phone records subpoenas are on top of grand jury subpoenas served July 10 on three journalists that sought to compel testimony from the reporters about the identify of their sources. The Times has separately challenged those grand jury subpoenas and U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday. The judge has also frozen enforcement of the phone records subpoenas pending a ruling on the newspaper's motion to quash those.

Lawyers for the newspaper noted that some of the phone records subpoenas were issued on the same day as the grand jury ones, an additional one was issued on July 14 and another was issued on July 16 — after the Times had already moved to quash the grand jury subpoenas.

In arguing for the phone records subpoenas to be spiked, the Times said the government had acted in “bad faith” and had ignored its own protocols by not giving the journalists advance notice that records were being sought and by demanding the information “without first conducting any serious investigation.”

The newspaper’s lawyers said the additional subpoenas call “into question the accuracy” of testimony given last week by Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, where the grand jury subpoenas were issued. At his confirmation hearing to be the Trump administration's director of national intelligence, Clayton said that “we followed the protocols” and that the government had taken “the least intrusive possible” steps possible.

The Justice Department has justified the grand jury subpoenas by saying that “reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.”

The additional subpoenas included a request for phone records of one reporter's mother and two of the journalists' spouses. The motion noted that the mother in question is a mental health professional with confidential client relationships and that one of the two spouses is the general counsel of a law firm.

"The disclosure of additional subpoenas for confidential newsgathering information of the Journalists is deeply concerning, revealing yet another instance of the alarming pattern of conduct detailed in the Motion to Quash,” the news organization’s lawyers wrote.

“These actions demonstrate abuse of the grand jury process, continued bad faith attacks on the Journalists, violations of the Department’s own internal regulations and disregard for the law in this Circuit intended to protect critical First Amendment interests," the motion stated.

In a response posted Tuesday morning, the Justice Department said that it had complied with its own regulations in issuing the subpoenas and that it had taken investigative steps before seeking them. The department said it was authorized to delay disclosure of the subpoenas but had decided to alert lawyers for the journalists to give them an opportunity to challenge.

“Any subpoenas served for a phone number not used by one of the movants was a result of information in a law enforcement database indicating that the phone number was associated with the movant,” lawyers for the department said, “If the Government determines that these phone numbers were not used by the movants, the Government will not pursue the corresponding subpoena(s).”

It's part of an ongoing legal challenge

The grand jury subpoenas, delivered to reporters at their homes, marked a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s crackdown on media leaks that free press advocates swiftly condemned as a government effort to intimidate news organizations. It followed an FBI search earlier this year of a Washington Post reporter’s home and the seizure of her electronic devices.

The new jet in question, a present from Qatar that Trump’s administration spent $400 million to retrofit and upgrade, recently entered service. But Trump used an older model Air Force One jet to leave a NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month.

The Times, citing anonymous sources, reported that the switch had come at the urging of the Secret Service and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older Air Force One aircraft, including antimissile capabilities. On social media, Trump denied security concerns.

Trump's administration has clashed with the press, from newspapers to TV networks to the Voice of America, on multiple fronts since he returned to office last year. The methods include lawsuits, administrative actions and public threats.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the press' ability to operate free of governmental restrictions.

The Associated Press is currently battling the Trump administration in court over the White House's decision last year to bar AP journalists from the president's press pool after the news organization refused to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” as Trump demanded. AP style is to acknowledge the president's renaming but retain the term “Gulf of Mexico" because parts of it lie outside U.S. jurisdiction.

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According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Americans owe about $1.25 trillion in credit card debt, while total household debt has climbed to a record $18.8 trillion.

Credit card delinquency rates also remain elevated, a sign that many families are struggling to keep up with payments.

For Shanika Hampton, the debt started after an unexpected layoff.

“I was making the minimum payments, but with credit card debt and interest, the minimum payment isn’t really much, especially if you’re still using the card,” Hampton said. “You’re accumulating that interest.”

She compared the experience to trying to stay afloat while constantly falling behind.

Hampton said she wasn’t using credit cards for luxury purchases. Instead, she relied on them to cover necessities after losing her job.

“I was buying necessities, like real deal emergencies,” she said. “It started out small. Maybe a $25 grocery order. But once you realize you’ve really fallen behind, you end up using credit cards for real emergencies… groceries, gas, even bigger purchases.”

Today, Hampton has paid off about $9,000 in credit card debt over the past year and a half with the help of nonprofit credit counseling agency Money Management International. The agency consolidated her debt into one monthly payment and negotiated lower interest rates with her creditors.

She still has about $5,000 left to pay.

“They’ll negotiate the interest rates down, and they also negotiate a monthly payment that is doable,” Hampton said.

Certified financial planner George Pakounis with Burns Estate Planning and Wealth Advisors said inflation is only part of the reason Americans are falling deeper into debt.

“We live in a FOMO, fear of missing out, society,” Pakounis said. “Credit cards bridge that gap of, ‘If I can’t do it, what can it allow me to do?’”

He said the convenience of credit cards has also made consumers less aware of how much they’re spending.

“We’re not as conscious of how we buy things anymore,” he said.

Pakounis said while rising grocery prices and other living expenses are forcing some families to rely on credit cards, using them to make ends meet is only a temporary fix.

“Supplementing with a credit card is still a Band-Aid,” he said. “I think it comes down to priorities. What is more important? Is it more important that I have this Netflix subscription or the bread that I want? I’m not saying that’s a fair choice, but those are the decisions many families are facing.”

Instead of focusing only on making larger payments, Pakounis said consumers should first understand exactly where their money is going.

“The issue is those minimums will keep you in debt potentially forever if you don’t pay attention to it,” he said. “Take a step back. Look at where your money’s going. Look at how much you’re spending so you can create a strategy for paying it off.”

He recommends three steps for anyone trying to eliminate credit card debt:

• Track every dollar you spend.
• Create a payoff plan, whether that’s paying off the highest-interest balance first or starting with the smallest balance to build momentum.
• Once you’re out of debt, stick with those same spending habits to avoid falling back into the cycle.

Pakounis also said people shouldn’t ignore savings altogether. If someone has an extra $500 each month, he recommends putting most of it toward high-interest credit card debt while setting aside a small emergency fund.

“Maybe put $300 or $400 toward the debt and save $100,” he said. “That way, when the next emergency comes up, you don’t have to put it right back on the credit card.”

Financial counselors say people who are overwhelmed by debt should seek help sooner rather than later.

Many nonprofit credit counseling agencies offer free or low-cost budgeting assistance, debt management plans and creditor negotiations that can help borrowers lower interest rates and consolidate payments before their debt spirals further out of control.

According to a report from our news partner, the Florida Trib, the Florida-born movement benefitted from the influence of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was eager to politicize the state’s nonpartisan school board elections and shared similar views with the organization on pandemic-era school closures and culture war issues.

Moms for Liberty changed the political makeup of school boards across the state of Florida through a commitment to endorsing school board candidates.

At its height, the organization threw its financial weight behind favored candidates and successfully shifted the political balance sharply rightward on a number of school boards, including Duval County, one of the largest school districts in the state.

Five out of seven school board members received financial support or public endorsements from Moms for Liberty during the 2022 and 2024 elections in Duval County.

Today, Moms for Liberty Florida has not made any contributions to local school board candidates across Florida and is poised to be just a minor player this cycle, according to campaign finance records, interviews with former local members and experts on culture war movements and a survey of public social media pages for local chapters, some of which are now defunct.

Moms for Liberty’s influence has been on a long decline in its home state as the organization faced a wave of resignations, chapter dissolutions and scandals among Moms for Liberty leadership.

The national umbrella organization said it’s not taking its eye off local races, despite the slowdown in political activity.

“School boards are ground zero in the fight for parental rights. That’s why Moms for Liberty endorses candidates who are committed to transparency, academic excellence, and putting parents back in charge of their children’s education,” said CEO and Co-founder of Moms for Liberty Tina Descovich in a statement to The Florida Trib.

In Descovich’s home county, Brevard, Moms for Liberty has only made endorsements without any financial backing for three candidates: District 1 candidate Megan Wright, District 2 candidate Gene Trent and District 5 candidate Tammy Dennis.

Contributions from Moms Liberty falter across Florida

In 2022, at the height of its influence, Moms for Liberty Florida, the committee associated with political activity conducted in the state, made 54 financial endorsements to Florida school board candidates totaling to $13,500, according to state campaign finance records.

Of those candidates, 32 candidates, or roughly 60% of those financially backed by Moms for Liberty won their seats on the school board.

Two years later, that total dwindled down to a little over $2,000 for eight campaigns. Only three candidates won their elections.

And former Moms for Liberty member and cofounder of the now dissolved Indian River County Chapter Jennifer Pippin says that Floridians should not expect any support for school board candidates in this year’s election from the organization.

“For the last election cycle, we endorsed two Moms for Liberty candidates, and we got nothing from the national [organization]. We got zero help. They didn’t even post our endorsements on the national page as they did in prior years. Moms for Liberty did not help us get our candidates across the line,” Pippin said.

Local members saw that the vision for Moms for Liberty inching closer towards the White House and farther from where they got their start in school board elections by 2024. By early 2026, Moms for Liberty disbanded its Florida Legislative Committee, a convening of chapter chairs across the state to discuss policy, school board elections and continued grassroots efforts.

Abandoning local efforts for national backing

Experts say this shift towards national level politics indicates a desire to grasp at any influence that remains.

“Now that it’s clear that they can’t just swing school board votes, I think what they’re doing is becoming another Washington culture war player. Where instead of actually influencing what happens in school board A or B, what [they’re] doing…is trying to shift discourse in some sort of subtle and often unmeasurable way towards [their] point of view,” said Jonathan Zimmerman, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studies the history of culture wars in education.

By these standards, Moms for Liberty partially accomplished what they set out to do. Five years later, Florida school boards are still inundated with requests to ban books.

Yet, as Moms for Liberty took on rhetoric and various culture war issues closely aligned with President Donald Trump and DeSantis, support declined among parents who sought out to make change on a local level through school board leadership.

“Certainly the pandemic and that whole online education that many students in the country experienced has brought more attention to curriculum, and I think that’s not necessarily a bad thing…The focus on the most divisive points makes it harder for parents and community members to have thoughtful and important and generative conversations about what you know education should look like in the community. And, I partially think that’s by design,” said Deana Rohlinger, a Florida State University professor who researches online social movements.

While local backing from Florida moms diminishes, so does the push for culture war issues. The prevalence and effectiveness of Moms for Liberty in relation to school board elections has been short-lived because the nature of culture war issues is cyclical, experts say.

“In general, you have activists that respond to whatever is the hot button education issue of the day, and then you get a burst of activity and interest. Then that quickly fades as people lose interest and focus on other stuff…It’s mostly focused on adult culture war issues, not necessarily at the academic things that probably matter most and what schools are mostly about,” Vladimir Kogan, Ohio State University professor who studies state and local government across the United States.

And with every movement comes backlash.

Many candidates backed by Moms for Liberty in 2022 lost their races or chose not to run again in 2024 and 2026. Liberal groups like Red Wine & Blue gained momentum in opposition to Moms for Liberty.

In 2022, Moms for Liberty supported DeSantis’s HB7 “Stop W.O.K.E.” Act and HB 1557 “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Those bills respectively barred public educators from explaining historical events such as the enslavement period in a way that makes some children feel “shamed because of their race” and prohibited the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools.

However, the U.S. Court of Appeals struck down the higher education provision of the Stop W.O.K.E. Act in early July.

Moms for Liberty’s declining influence across the state can be partly attributed to a demographic reality it has struggled to reckon with: 89% of Florida families continue to enroll their children in public schools according to the Florida School Board Association. Attacking those schools — and the school board members, teachers and staff who run them — means alienating institutions that have served as pillars of their local communities for decades.

“On the whole, Americans are satisfied with their schools…The voters will tell you that there are problems with education but when you ask about their own schools, that is the ones they patronize, most people are broadly supportive of them and willing to tax themselves for them,” Zimmerman said.

Trinity Webster-Bass covers education for The Florida Trib. You can reach her at trinity.webster-bass@floridatrib.org.

The movement, now attracting professionals and families beyond students, represents a rare public challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s government, reviving criticism over its handling of dissent and use of force to respond to protests.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and dozens of his Congress party lawmakers showed their support Tuesday with a sit-in outside Modi’s residence before police forcibly removed them in a dramatic escalation.

Footage showed Gandhi, who had urged “every patriotic Indian who believes that our students should get justice” to join, resisting. Government minister Jitendra Singh said Gandhi was told the location was not “suitable for a sit-in."

Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters remained camped at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site, under heavy police presence, saying they would stay until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns over alleged failures in India’s examination system.

“We are going to continue our protest,” said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, which emerged just two months ago as a satirical protest after a Supreme Court judge described India's youth as “cockroaches” but quickly evolved.

It gained momentum over the weekend after prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose three-week hunger strike became a symbol of the protests, was forcibly taken to a hospital by police.

Video of police beating protesters and dragging them away spread on social media, fueling public outrage. Footage showed young protesters crying and pleading with officers not to hit them, while others stood their ground and endured blows.

Delhi Police said nearly 180 people were injured, including 118 security personnel and 60 protesters.

Sona Bisht, a 20-year-old student who was part of the protest, said the confrontation strengthened her resolve.

“If the government thinks that doing this with Gen Z, they can stop us, then that won’t happen. We are here talking about education, talking about securing our future. And till the time our demands are not met, we will not move from here,” she said.

After nearly a month of silence, the government made its first apparent move to engage with the protesters Monday, when a senior minister held talks with movement representatives. The outreach failed to ease tensions.

Movement leaders said they wanted action rather than assurances, including Pradhan’s resignation, examination reforms and compensation for families of students who died by suicide after alleged exam irregularities.

Dipke accused authorities of breaking their word, saying police resorted to a baton charge after protesters were invited for talks.

Rights group Amnesty International said in a statement late Monday that the police action showed “how peaceful dissent is being suppressed in India," noting that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly is recognized under the Indian constitution.

More people have joined the movement after seeing the confrontation.

Rabina Kashyap, a 26-year-old working professional, said she joined the protest on Tuesday.

“I have nothing to do with this protest," she said. “But this is India, this is my country, and these are my people. So I will stand by them.”

___

Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal contributed to this report.

The Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said Tuesday that 80 people also were injured when floods struck the eastern province of Nuristan on Monday, causing an undetermined number of buildings to collapse. The provincial capital city of Parun was among the areas affected, authorities said.

Video footage from Parun showed scenes of utter devastation, with piles of mud, rocks and rubble where buildings used to be. Bulldozers helped clear mud and smashed concrete while local residents used shovels to dig away at piles of earth.

“The flood came through here. We saw bodies being swept away in the floodwaters with our own eyes," said Parun resident Zubair Ahmad, who said homes and shops were destroyed. “The flooding caused extensive damage and heavy losses for the local people.”

Forecasters predicted more extreme weather, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds accompanied by sand and flash floods in 10 of the country's 34 provinces, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation’s meteorology department said Monday evening. The ministry warned residents to avoid riverbanks and other areas at risk of flooding.

Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with snow and heavy rain that trigger flash floods, often killing dozens, or even hundreds, of people at a time. In 2024, more than 300 people died in springtime flash floods. Earlier this year, at least 110 people were killed by widespread flooding and landslides in several parts of the country.

Decades of conflict, along with poor infrastructure, a struggling economy, deforestation and the intensifying effects of climate change, have amplified the impact of such disasters, particularly in remote areas where many homes are built of mud and offer limited protection against sudden deluges or heavy snowfall.

Troopers said the man was standing on CR 329 near the white painted edge of the highway, about a mile north of CR 320, and was using a chainsaw to cut a tree that was down in the roadway.

A 76-year-old woman headed south on CR 329 around 4:20 p.m. hit both the tree and the man with the chainsaw. The man died at the scene, FHP said.

The woman was wearing a seat belt and suffered minor injuries, according to the report.

FHP said troopers are still investigating the crash.

Social media is full of cleaning hacks that rely on dish soap, and Consumer Reports put several of them to the test to see which ones actually work.

One simple use is cleaning makeup brushes. Consumer Reports recommends mixing one part olive oil with two parts dish soap to help remove makeup residue while conditioning the bristles.

CONSUMER REPORTS: 6 Unexpected Ways to Use Dish Soap in Your Home | 6 Best Dish Soaps, Tested by Our Experts

If you’ve stained your hands while coloring your hair, a mixture of dish soap and baking soda can also help scrub away hair dye.

Consumer Reports found that dish soap is surprisingly effective for cleaning stainless steel. With a little scrubbing, it cuts through grease and grime while restoring shine. Just be sure to buff the surface afterward with a dry cloth to remove any streaks.

CR also tested a homemade shower cleaner made from equal parts dish soap and white vinegar. While it removed soap scum and grime, it didn’t perform as well as the highest-rated commercial shower cleaners and required extra rinsing because of the heavy suds.

Dish soap can even help with a few household maintenance chores. A small amount applied to door hinge pins may quiet squeaks, and pouring dish soap followed by hot water down a drain may help break up minor grease clogs.

But Consumer Reports says dish soap has its limits.

Never use dish soap in a dishwasher or washing machine. The excess suds can overflow, potentially causing leaks, water damage, or residue inside the appliance.

While dish soap can work as a last-minute spot treatment for stains, Consumer Reports laundry experts recommend using laundry detergent instead. Laundry detergents are specifically formulated to clean fabrics while protecting fibers, colors, and finishes. Dish soap can leave clothes feeling stiff and may be too harsh for delicate fabrics.

Consumer Reports also advises against using dish soap on marble countertops or to wash your car, since it can strip away protective wax from automotive finishes.

And despite some online claims, dish soap should not be used on your face, hair, or pets. It can remove natural oils from skin and animal coats, leaving them dry and irritated, and can be difficult to rinse away completely.

One final tip: if your windows tend to fog up with condensation, Consumer Reports says a thin layer of diluted dish soap may help reduce moisture buildup. It’s the same trick many scuba divers use to help keep their masks from fogging underwater.

With a few smart uses—and a few important exceptions—dish soap can be one of the most versatile cleaners in your home.

The average Gen Z credit card balance is about $3,500. For Millennials, it’s nearly $7,000.

At the same time, nearly half of Gen Z admits they don’t fully understand how credit scores work. That can be costly because one bad money move can get expensive fast.

That simple swipe can follow you into some of life’s biggest purchases.

“It matters a lot because this is what you’re going to set yourself up potentially for your first mortgage, for your first house, getting your first car,” said Zach Keister, a financial planner.

Landlords may check your credit. Insurers may look at it. Some employers may too.

Payment history makes up 35% of your FICO score, and a late payment can stick to your credit report for up to seven years.

Some things to watch out for now: Try not to use buy now pay later offers. Users are more likely to overspend.

Another mistake? Maxing out your card. Experts say using too much of your available credit, even if you pay on time, can still hurt your score.

“It will absolutely wreck your credit score,” said Keister.

And while social media is full of “credit hacks,” experts say many of them just shift the problem. Like moving old debt to a new zero-percent card without paying it down.

The good news: Building good credit doesn’t require perfection.

It requires smart habits:

• Pay on time
• Keep balances low
• Don’t open more credit than you can handle
• Check your credit report for errors

FTC research found 1 in 5 consumers had an error on at least one credit report.

“Priority should be figuring out a baseline budget,” said Keister.

Because the money decisions you make in your 20s can shape your options for decades.

And no, you do not need a perfect 850. In fact, only 1% to 2% of Americans have one.

What you need is consistency. Financial experts say the best time to learn about credit is before you need it. Free credit reports are available through annualcreditreport.com.

And if you’re a parent, experts say start those money conversations early. Because learning about debt at 16 is a lot cheaper than learning about it at 26.

It may feel that way on a hot day, but for some people, that’s actually the case.

“It’s relatively uncommon, but you can be allergic to the sun. It’s generally referred to as a photosensitivity or a sun allergy, and it basically happens when the immune system overreacts to ultraviolet rays,” explained Dr. Shilpi Khetarpal, a dermatologist for Cleveland Clinic.

According to Khetarpal, people with a sun allergy usually develop a rash after being in the sun.

The rash typically shows up on parts of the skin that get direct sunlight.

Unlike a sunburn, this allergic reaction can show up after just a few minutes in the sun and happens regularly.

While rare, Khetarpal said you can develop a sun allergy at any age.

So, what should you do if you think you have one?

“If you’re repeatedly having symptoms that are uncomfortable or cover large areas of your skin, absolutely see a board-certified dermatologist for proper diagnosis and treatment,” Khetarpal said.

In general, Khetarpal recommends everyone wear sunscreen, use sun-protective clothing and avoid the sun in the midday hours when it’s strongest.

Lesotho's high elevation and mountainous terrain combine to make it the coldest country on the continent, with temperatures in the highlands typically plunging to minus 8 degrees Celsius (about 18 degrees Fahrenheit) between June and August.

The Afriski Mountain Resort, some 3,200 meters (10,499 feet) above sea level, nestled in the northern Maluti Mountains, is Lesotho's single fully operational ski resort — and the only one in sub-Saharan Africa.

The majestic snow-covered landscape is ideal for skiing, and both seasoned and new visitors enjoy the slopes that are spread over 17 hectares (42 acres) surrounding the resort — about the size of 24 standard soccer pitches. The resort opened 25 years ago, a short bus or car ride from the nearest major town of Butha-Buthe, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away.

Last year, tourism contributed about 7% to Lesotho's annual GDP of some $2.6 billion. For its part, Afriski provides a chunk of needed cash in a country cited by the World Bank as one of the poorest in the world — and its artificial snow machines ensure it stays open throughout the Southern Hemisphere’s winter.

Thousands come to a country Trump says no one's heard of

U.S. President Donald Trump may have joked in 2025 about Lesotho being a country that “nobody has ever heard of” but just a year earlier, the kingdom, bordered on all sides by South Africa and with a population of 2.3 million, celebrated 200 years of the founding of the Basotho nation and 58 years of independence from British rule.

Located in its entirety at and over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level, Lesotho sees a lot of snow — and skiing is growing in popularity here from a rare sport previously mainly associated with North America and the European Alps.

Most people drive into Lesotho from neighboring South Africa but international visitors can also fly in to the airport in Maseru, the country's capital.

Afriski's CEO, Theo Ferreira, says almost 70% of the visitors come from South Africa; the rest are mostly from Lesotho or elsewhere in southern Africa. The resort now has 227 full-time and seasonal employees, nearly all Lesotho nationals, with about 30 South Africans, working mainly as skiing instructors, he said.

While the resort has rooms for 420 overnight guests, the nearby Butha-Buthe and Mohlokong towns can offer extra accommodations in peak season. The busiest day so far this year saw over 1,400 visitors while in 2025, the record was over 1,600 day visitors and those staying overnight or longer, Ferreira said.

Because unreliable weather patterns can make natural snow scarce, the resort relies on artificial snow to make skiing possible all winter long.

Lesotho's snow may not be how you imagine Africa

The resort has played role in helping ski tourism emerge as another attraction in southern Africa, known for its wildlife and scenic coastlines along the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

For many visitors, Afriski is where they had their first ski lessons, braving falls and dusting themselves off before having another try, and another — until making that first, full glide down without falling.

Janco Smits, a student from Cape Town, South Africa, describes it as "an amazing slope to learn on.”

“At the start it was a little discouraging because you fall, and you fall hard,” he said. “But the people here, they gave me one lesson and after an hour, honestly, I felt confident.”

“When you think of the African continent, you don't think of snow. You think about ... the sun and the Sahara (Desert),” said Thato Ramaphoko, a first-timer at the resort from Pretoria, South Africa’s capital. "But that you can actually go to all that and also come here and it also snows at the same time, it is just mind-blowing, so I just had to see it for myself."

Visitors at Afriski can also sample a taste of Lesotho in the form of traditional sausage rolls and Maluti Lager, the country's proudly home-brewed beer.

As for a souvenir to take home, try the colorful Basotho blanket, which comes in vibrant colors and patterns that also pop up in local garments and are creatively integrated into various skiing jackets and gear.

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This story has been edited to correct the spelling of Janco Smits's name.

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For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

Pull into the small town of Luverne and the figure — a nearly 66-foot (20-meter) tall nutcracker, decked out like Uncle Sam — comes into full view.

Luverne, which thanks to a local collector claims to have more of the decorative figurines than people, now boasts the world's tallest nutcracker too. And yes, the star-spangled behemoth has a working jaw.

Outside a quirky rock shop in the town's center, hundreds of people gathered for a weekend ribbon cutting where the nutcracker's name and exact height were revealed to a crowd that was later served red, white and blue cookies and slushies.

“Please welcome our newest Luverne resident, Verne the Patriot,” Katie Walgrave announced to cheers.

It stands 65 feet and 7 1/2 inches tall, with the pedestal pushing Verne an additional 9 feet (2.7 meters) over the surrounding prairie, according to Walgrave. That's almost twice the height of a 33-foot (10-meter) tall nutcracker in Neuhausen, Germany, that Guinness World Records currently has ranked as the largest.

Walgrave, who runs the rock shop called Those Blasted Things with her family, said that since the nutcracker was completed in mid-June, customers have quadrupled. Other local businesses have reported more traffic too.

“Our goal is to have something that’s different and that you won’t see anywhere else. And so that’s what we have here,” she said.

Given the association between nutcrackers and Tchaikovsky's namesake holiday ballet, the July unveiling seemed a bit out of season. But nutcrackers are a year-round obsession in Luverne, which also hosts a “Nutcracker Fest” every summer.

It all traces back to Betty Mann, 96, and a trip that she made to a Cracker Barrel in January 2001 after her daughter and husband had recently died.

“I said to my daughter-in-law, ‘I had a hard Christmas and I’ve always wanted a wooden nutcracker. I’m buying myself a belated Christmas present,’” she recalled.

She got her first in the Cracker Barrel’s gift shop. She kept buying them, and Mann's collection eventually ballooned to more than 2,500 nutcrackers. In 2016, she donated them to the town’s historical society, where she was president, hoping to draw more visitors to its museum.

Others also started donating and today, Luverne’s 7,554 nutcrackers outnumber its roughly 5,000 residents. No two are the same.

A few years ago, when the city brought in a tourism expert to figure out how to lure more visitors, he concluded “we’re crazy if we don’t utilize the nutcracker collection,” Mayor Patrick Baustian said.

A city committee came up with the idea of building the world's tallest nutcracker, and so Verne was conceived. It was timed perfectly to arrive as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.

The nutcracker was several years in the making, with the pieces crafted in Utah and assembled in Luverne. The head and hat had to be lifted on with a crane three weeks ago, completing the structure.

It cost around $600,000, and was funded by donations and grants, Walgrave said.

John Hawkinson of Lakeville, Minnesota, surprised his wife, Francine, with a trip to Luverne (nearly 200 miles, or 321 kilometers, away) after a house fire last month destroyed her collection of nearly 300 nutcrackers. Many represented times from their life together — a nutcracker resembling a sailor for John’s time in the Navy, and matching bride and groom nutcrackers for their marriage.

“Betty started her collection as a way of dealing with grief,” John Hawkinson said Saturday. “We came down here out of loss as well. … I thought that was kind of a full circle moment.”

Luverne is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and about 200 miles (322 kilometers) from Minneapolis. One of its other claims to fame is being a setting for the second season of the TV show “Fargo.”

In an alliance that takes immediate effect through 2029, the PGA Tour and European tour will partner with the Asian Tour to help provide commercial and playing opportunities and establish a path for Asian Tour members to join European circuits.

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour -- as it is known commercially -- have a separate alliance that has yet to be renewed, which includes 10 top European tour players earning PGA Tour cards. Officials from both tours met at the British Open. The alliance with the Asian Tour, along with the PGA Tour's involvement with the Australian Open, is seen as progress on a new deal.

The announcement was a blow to LIV Golf, which has had a relationship with the Asian Tour since before the rival league launched in 2022.

LIV invested $300 million in the Asian Tour to create the “International Series” with purses of up to $2 million. They have been won by LIV players such as Peter Uihlein, Carlos Ortiz and David Puig.

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, the financial muscle behind LIV Golf, has said it will no longer fund the league after this season. Scott O’Neil, the CEO of LIV Golf, has been trying to find investors to keep the league alive for 2027 and beyond.

The European tour had an alliance with the Asian Tour from 2016 until 2021. It stopped co-sanctioning Asian Tour events in 2022.

Now that’s back in play under the alliance that is expected to have at least two co-sanctioned Asian Tour events each of the next three years. Other details, such as Asian Tour players having access to European and Challenge Tour events, are still being worked out.

“We feel the time is now right to collaborate with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour to enhance the Asian Tour for our members, fans and partners,” said Cho Minn Thant, commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour. “Bringing the three tours together under one partnership will increase the bandwidth of the professional game in Asia.

“Not only will co-sanctioning events see our members competing regularly on the global stage, but we are excited to welcome players from the other Tours to our pinnacle events.”

The announcement comes one day after reports that Canadian-based Mobii Systems Group has sued LIV Golf in U.S. District Court in Miami, alleging LIV has not paid $925,100 in fees to the company that supplies the league’s “Any Shot, Any Time” technology during the LIV broadcasts.

Mobii Systems also claims $209,531 in lost revenue for the remaining six events in 2026.

ESPN reported that Nick Connor, LIV Golf’s senior vice president of technology, wrote in a May 25 email to Mobii Systems that LIV would no longer use the technology after the South Korea event that ended May 31 or the remaining events on the schedule as it evaluates its business model.

The PGA Tour recently announced a commercial partnership with the European tour involving the Australian Open as golf makes a push to recognize more national opens. The Masters this year added to its invitation criteria the winners of six national opens.

Christian Hardy, the senior vice president of international for the PGA Tour, said the three-tour alliance was an example of collaboration by tours “with a shared vision for the future of professional golf.”

“Through our strategic alliance with the DP World Tour, we have worked to build a more connected global golf ecosystem, and we are excited to welcome the Asian Tour into that effort,” Hardy said. “Together, we are creating new opportunities for players, enhancing key national opens around the world and continuing to evolve and strengthen pathways to identify and develop the next generation of elite talent.”

___

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

The assailant, identified only as a 60-year-old Greek man, attacked a Greek American couple with a knife on a pedestrian street near an entrance to the archaeological site and near the entrance to the Acropolis Museum, which lies at the foot of the Acropolis hill.

The 53-year-old male victim suffered a serious wound to his arm which required a tourniquet to be applied, while the 48-year-old woman was more lightly wounded in the leg, police said. Both were transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Neither of their injuries was reported to be life-threatening.

The attacker was detained at the scene and was to appear in court before a prosecutor later Tuesday to be formally charged, police said. Authorities did not provide further details on his identity, in line with Greek law regarding the identification of suspects. The motivation for the attack was not immediately clear, but police said the assailant appeared to have been suffering from psychological problems.

The incident did not lead to any closure to the sites, which continued operating as usual. Greek media reported that the assailant had allegedly been randomly threatening passersby with a knife, and that police had been alerted by a member of the public.

The attack occurred shortly after 8 a.m. local time, just as the ancient site opened. Early morning visits to the Acropolis are popular as they avoid the intense midday summer heat on the exposed hill, where there is little shade. Greece is currently experiencing its first heat wave of the summer, with temperatures forecast to reach 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in Athens and 41 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit) in some parts of the country.

Violent street attacks are rare in Greece. In April, authorities arrested an 89-year-old man who allegedly opened fire with a shotgun in a social security office and a courthouse in central Athens, wounding at least four people, reportedly over social security grievances.

The Acropolis hill in Athens hosts the nearly 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple as well as other monuments, and attracts millions of tourists. Last year, about 4.6 million people visited the site.

TIPS Explained

TIPS are bonds issued by the US Treasury with maturities of five, 10, or 30 years. They pay a fixed rate of interest every six months, but the amount varies based on changes in the principal value.

Every six months, the Treasury updates the principal to reflect changes in the  Consumer Price Index. If inflation goes up, the principal value increases.

Investors holding TIPS to maturity will receive either the adjusted principal amount or the original principal amount, whichever is greater.

What are the advantages and risks of investing in TIPS?

TIPS have indeed outpaced inflation over longer periods. Bonds in most maturity ranges have also outperformed other investment-grade bonds.

But volatility has been higher, as well.

Over the trailing 20-year period through May 31, TIPS with maturities of 10 years or more have been nearly twice as volatile as those with maturities of five to 10 years, but returns have also been lower.

The main reason?

TIPS can be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates. Like other bonds, their principal value declines during periods of rising interest rates, and that may or may not be offset by adjustments for  higher inflation  at the same time. Interest rate risk can be particularly pronounced for TIPS because issuance has historically been weighted more toward longer-term bonds; as a result, most TIPS benchmarks have relatively long durations.

On the extreme end, TIPS with maturities of 10 years and more have lost as much as 41% of their value during interest rate spikes.

When interest rates spiked during the 2013 taper tantrum, TIPS lost significantly more than other investment-grade bonds. And their limited liquidity was a major liability during the global financial crisis in September and October 2008, when TIPS lost nearly 12% of their value.

How to invest in TIPS

Investors have several options for investing in TIPS.

First is purchasing an individual bond through TreasuryDirect or a brokerage account.

Constructing a  TIPS ladder, which is a series of bonds with staggered maturity dates, is another option. Investors seeking a steady stream of income during retirement, for example, could purchase 30 separate sets of TIPS with maturity dates ranging from one year to 30 years from now. Coupons from the bond portfolio and cash flows from maturing bonds can be used to cover each year’s living expenses.

TIPS funds are a bit more straightforward because they don’t require purchasing individual bonds, although they also lack the cash flow-matching properties of a ladder.

In addition, iShares now offers a series of target-maturity TIPS ETFs with maturity dates up to 2036.

How long should I hold my investments in TIPS?

If you’re investing in a TIPS fund, I recommend using one with a short- or intermediate-term maturity and holding it for at least two to six years, as outlined in Morningstar’s  Role in Portfolio Framework.

For individual bonds, you’ll want to match up the timing of when you’ll need the proceeds with the maturity date of the bond. Although the principal value will still fluctuate, interest rate risk is a nonissue if you hold the bond to maturity.

How much of my portfolio should be in TIPS?

If you’re a younger investor, you may not need any exposure to TIPS. Human capital—or the present value of all the earnings you’re going to generate during your lifetime—is likely your largest asset. Because wages normally increase over time to keep up with inflation, this human capital provides a built-in hedge against higher prices for goods and services. Also, your investment portfolio is probably  heavily weighted toward stocks, which are one of the best ways to offset long-term inflation risk.

Investors approaching retirement or already in retirement have a greater need for an inflation hedge to protect their fixed-income holdings. Based on Morningstar’s Lifetime Allocation Indexes, it’s reasonable to allocate 20% to 40% of a portfolio’s fixed-income assets to TIPS.

Individuals who construct a ladder of these bonds to support spending during retirement may be able to allocate a higher percentage of their portfolio to TIPS, but this strategy is designed to be self-liquidating. In other words, a 30-year TIPS ladder will end up with a portfolio balance of zero by the end of year 30. That means retirees concerned about longevity risk or who want to leave money behind for heirs will want to keep some assets invested outside the TIPS ladder to fund those goals.

It’s also important to note that both interest payments and increases in the principal value for TIPS are subject to ordinary income tax. As a result, TIPS are best held in a tax-sheltered account, such as an IRA.

Finally, TIPS aren’t always a compelling portfolio addition. At times, they’ve had negative real yields, which would lead to a loss of spending power over time despite the inflation adjustment.

_____

This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more personal finance content, go to https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance.

Amy C. Arnott, CFA, is a portfolio strategist for Morningstar and co-host of The Long View podcast.

Related Links

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https://www.morningstar.com/portfolios/how-use-small-cap-stocks-your-portfolio

6 Investment Lessons from Will Danoff and Fidelity Contrafund

https://www.morningstar.com/funds/6-investment-lessons-will-danoff-fidelity-contrafund

The Portfolio That Has Been Beating the Classic 60/40, and Why It Matters for You

https://www.morningstar.com/podcasts/investing-insights/portfolio-that-has-been-beating-classic-6040-why-it-matters-you-2

The report, titled “Top 25 High-Frequency Crash Locations — Citywide 2025,” lists intersections ranked by total crash count. The data was published Jan. 27, 2026.

• Main Street N and State Street W topped the list by a wide margin, recording 483 crashes — nearly 150 more than the second-ranked location.
• State Street E and Liberty Street came in at fourth place with 208 crashes.
• Union Street W and N Davis Street took seventh place at 193 crashes.
• Blanding Boulevard and Argyle Forest Boulevard logged 337 crashes, making the busy westside corridor one of the most hazardous stretches in the city.
• 103rd Street and Firestone Road and Cassat Avenue and Lenox Avenue, both logged 185 crashes putting them at ninth place.
• University Boulevard W and Phillips Highway ranked third overall with 221 crashes.
• Baymeadows Road and Southside Boulevard recorded 196 crashes to claim the fifth spot.
• tied for eighth, recording 185 crashes each.
• Dunn Avenue and Regency Drive came in sixth with 194 crashes.
• 103rd Street and Blanding Boulevard tied for eighth with 185 crashes
• I-95 and Max Leggett Parkway tied for ninth place with 185 crashes.

The Sheriff’s Office data does not specify crash severity, meaning the totals include minor fender-benders alongside more serious collisions.

More than 23 kilometers (14 miles) have been constructed in recent months, running through Palestinian communities demolished by the military. That is equivalent to more than half the length of the coastal strip, which is some 40 kilometers (25 miles) long and 11 kilometers (7 miles) wide, and home to over 2 million Palestinians.

When presented with the satellite images, Israel’s military confirmed to The Associated Press it has built a physical barrier in the area of the so-called yellow line, the boundary to which Israeli troops withdrew under the October ceasefire deal with Hamas. The line was envisioned in the U.S.-backed agreement as a temporary division of the territory pending a fuller Israeli withdrawal.

But as the truce stagnates, it appears Israel is digging in, heightening Palestinian fears that the line is morphing into a border. Neither U.S. Central Command, which is tasked with monitoring the ceasefire, nor the Board of Peace, the body led by U.S. President Donald Trump meant to eventually oversee Gaza, would comment on the barrier.

Along with the barrier, the military told AP it has developed a “security zone” around the line, equipped with intelligence and technological assets. It declined to give details on the route of the barrier when asked how far it would be extended. It said the barrier aimed to prevent infiltration and protect Israeli troops and Israeli communities near Gaza.

Construction of the barrier is proceeding rapidly

Since the ceasefire deal took hold, Palestinians in Gaza have feared Israel would not return the area of Gaza it controls. But few appear to be aware of the berms now being built around them — because of the danger of even approaching that area.

A portion of the berm network in southern Gaza was extended by more than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in two weeks this month, according to the satellite images provided by Planet Labs PBC.

The berm was about 500 meters (0.3 miles) long on July 1. By July 15, it was about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles), splicing the Israel-controlled ruins of the city of Rafah from Muwasi, site of some of the largest Palestinian tent camps.

If construction continues in its current direction, it will join up with the longest stretch of the barrier, which runs nearly unbroken for around 17 kilometers (10 miles) from the southern city of Khan Younis to near Gaza City, in the north.

Construction began on that stretch in February, and it appears work to extend it further south is continuing, according to the satellite images. More than a kilometer (0.6 miles) was added between June 21 and July 7, running close to an Israeli military base built on the ruins of the town of Bani Suheila, near Khan Younis.

In the far north of Gaza, several unconnected stretches of berms run just outside the largely leveled town of Beit Lahia.

The height of the berms in each place remains unclear. In some places, the barriers appear to run outside the yellow line.

Israel has mostly destroyed and depopulated the half of Gaza it controls

Gaza’s population has been crowded into the coastal area west of the yellow line, most living in squalid tent camps and dependent on aid.

On the other side of the line, satellite imagery shows that Israeli forces have leveled the vast majority of buildings using bulldozers and explosives, virtually erasing several towns and Rafah, once home to more than a quarter million people.

They have carved new road networks and erected new bases on the ruins of Palestinian towns. Agricultural land has also been destroyed. The Israeli military says it is demolishing infrastructure used by Hamas.

The yellow line was never precisely defined, whether in the ceasefire deal or by Israeli or U.S. officials, and it has been inconsistently marked on the ground. The military told AP it is working to clearly mark the route of the yellow line to “reduce friction and prevent harm to uninvolved individuals.”

Israeli forces have killed Palestinians who came close to the line or crossed it. The Israeli military says it fires on those believed to be militants threatening its troops. But those killed have included children and other civilians seemingly unaware of the line. Some soldiers have said they don’t always know who they are firing on and have orders to kill anyone crossing the boundary.

Israeli strikes have killed hundreds of Palestinians since the ceasefire

Israeli forces have killed more than 1,100 Palestinians since the ceasefire began, most in airstrikes and drone strikes around Gaza. Militant attacks have killed five Israeli soldiers in the same period.

Early on Tuesday, an Israeli strike in Gaza City killed Firas al-Masri, his wife and their four children, ages 6 to 13, according to Shifa Hospital. Israel's military only said that they conducted a strike on Hamas militants in the area at that time.

Firas' brother, Ahmad al-Masri, lives nearby and said he heard the children's voices at the moment of the blast.

“They were calling out to me, ‘Uncle! Uncle!’” he said. “But the fire was raging, and we couldn’t do anything.”

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel is eventually supposed to withdraw its troops further to the very edges of Gaza, to be replaced by an international security force. But implementation of the deal has been stalled for months.

A former U.N. diplomat now in charge of coordinating the ceasefire has blamed Hamas’ failure to disarm. Sporadic talks to reach a formula for decommissioning its weapons appear to have made little progress, and Hamas accuses Israel in turn of violating the ceasefire.

The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage. Israel responded with a punishing military offensive that has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ministry, which was part of the recently dissolved Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up around half of all fatalities.

___

Frankel reported from Jerusalem.

Atlantic Coast

Aug. 14, Atlantic Coast at Beachside

Aug. 21, Fleming Island at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Mandarin at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Atlantic Coast at Orange Park

Sept. 11, Sandalwood at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, First Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Union County at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Atlantic Coast at Creekside

Oct. 16, Atlantic Coast at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 23, Flagler Palm Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Atlantic Coast at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Baker County

Aug. 14, Dunnellon at Baker County

Aug. 21, Baker County at Clay

Aug. 28, Bradford at Baker County

Sept. 4, Baldwin at Baker County

Sept. 11, Baker County at Yulee

Sept. 18, Baker County at Palatka

Sept. 25, Baker County at Godby

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Baker County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Fort White at Baker County

Oct. 23, Wakulla at Baker County

Oct. 30, Baker County at Ocala West Port

Note: Home games played off campus at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Baldwin

Aug. 14, Baldwin at Middleburg

Aug. 21, Yulee at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Baldwin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Baldwin at Baker County

Sept. 11, Impact Christian at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Baldwin at Bolles

Oct. 2, Parker at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Jackson at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Englewood at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Baldwin at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Baldwin at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Bartram Trail

Aug. 14, Flagler Palm Coast at Bartram Trail

Aug. 21, Tocoi Creek at Bartram Trail

Aug. 28, Bartram Trail at Middleburg

Sept. 4, Bishop Kenny at Bartram Trail

Sept. 11, Bartram Trail at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Bartram Trail at Creekside

Sept. 25, Ponte Vedra at Bartram Trail

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Bartram Trail at Beachside

Oct. 16, Nease at Bartram Trail

Oct. 23, Bartram Trail at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Land O’ Lakes at Bartram Trail

Beachside

Aug. 14, Atlantic Coast at Beachside

Aug. 21, Beachside at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, OFF

Sept. 4, Beachside at Tocoi Creek

Sept. 11, Ponte Vedra at Beachside

Sept. 17 (Thursday), Beachside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 24 (Thursday), Beachside at Nease

Oct. 1 (Thursday), Beachside at Port St. Lucie Legacy

Oct. 9, Bartram Trail at Beachside

Oct. 16, Mandarin at Beachside

Oct. 23, Beachside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Westside at Beachside

Bishop Kenny

Aug. 14, Clay at Bishop Kenny

Aug. 21, Bishop Kenny at NFEI

Aug. 28, Ponte Vedra at Bishop Kenny

Sept. 4, Bishop Kenny at Bartram Trail

Sept. 11, Bishop Kenny at Bolles

Sept. 18, Bishop Kenny at Merritt Island

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Menendez at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 9, Raines at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 16, Zarephath at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 23, Bishop Kenny at Parker

Oct. 30, Fleming Island at Bishop Kenny

Bishop Snyder

Aug. 14, Bishop Snyder at Port Orange Atlantic

Aug. 21, Englewood at Bishop Snyder

Aug. 28, Bishop Snyder at Oak Hall

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Brookwood at Bishop Snyder

Sept. 18, Stanton at Bishop Snyder

Sept. 25, St. Joseph at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 2, Lake Highland Prep at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 8 (Thursday), Bishop Snyder at Faith Christian

Oct. 16, Old Plank Christian at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 23, Bishop Snyder at Seven Rivers Christian

Oct. 30, TBA SSAA playoffs

Bolles

Aug. 14, Camden County at Bolles

Aug. 21, Columbia at Bolles

Aug. 28, Bolles at Archbishop McCarthy

Sept. 4, Bolles at University Christian

Sept. 11, Bishop Kenny at Bolles

Sept. 18, Oakleaf at Bolles

Sept. 25, Baldwin at Bolles

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, KIPP Bold City at Bolles

Oct. 16, Bolles at Trinity Christian

Oct. 23, Bolles at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Buchholz at Bolles

Bradford

Aug. 14, Menendez at Bradford

Aug. 21, West Port at Bradford

Aug. 28, Bradford at Baker County

Sept. 4, Zarephath Academy at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Trinity Catholic at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Bradford at Tocoi Creek

Sept. 25, Bradford at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Bradford at Gainesville Eastside

Oct. 9, Bradford at Newberry, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, University Christian at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Ed White at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, OFF

Christ’s Church Academy

Aug. 14, Christ’s Church Academy at St. Joseph

Aug. 21, First Coast Christian at Christ’s Church Academy

Aug. 28, Paxon at Christ’s Church Academy

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Christ’s Church Academy at Duval Charter

Sept. 17, Young Kids in Motion at Christ’s Church Academy

Sept. 25, McKinney Christian (Texas) at Christ’s Church Academy

Oct. 2, Christ’s Church Academy at Oak Hall

Oct. 8 (Thursday), Harvest Community at Christ’s Church Academy

Oct. 16, Christ’s Church Academy at True Institute

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Clay

Aug. 14, Clay at Bishop Kenny

Aug. 21, Baker County at Clay

Aug. 28, Matanzas at Clay

Sept. 4, Clay at Palatka

Sept. 11, Orange Park at Clay

Sept. 18, Clay at Fernandina Beach

Sept. 24 (Thursday), Clay at St. Augustine

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Clay at Fleming Island

Oct. 16, Ridgeview at Clay

Oct. 23, Middleburg at Clay

Oct. 30, Clay at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Columbia

Aug. 14, Columbia at Oakleaf

Aug. 21, Columbia at Bolles

Aug. 28, Lakewood at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Madison County at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Columbia at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Columbia at Trinity Christian

Sept. 25, Riverside at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Columbia at Manatee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Columbia at Ed White

Oct. 23, Yulee at Columbia

Oct. 30, Suwannee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Cornerstone Classical

Aug. 14, OFF

Aug. 21, Cornerstone Classical at Bishop McLaughlin, 6 p.m.

Aug. 28, Bronson at Cornerstone Classical

Sept. 4, Harvest Community at Cornerstone Classical

Sept. 11, Cornerstone Classical at Seven Rivers Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Old Plank Christian at Cornerstone Classical

Sept. 25, Cornerstone Classical at Aucilla Christian

Oct. 2, Atlantic at Cornerstone Classical

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Cornerstone Classical at Duval Charter

Oct. 23, Hilliard at Cornerstone Classical

Oct. 30, TBA

Creekside

Aug. 14, Creekside at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Creekside at Nease

Aug. 28, Fleming Island at Creekside

Sept. 4, Creekside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Tocoi Creek at Creekside

Sept. 18, Bartram Trail at Creekside

Sept. 25, Creekside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Atlantic Coast at Creekside

Oct. 16, Creekside at Flagler Palm Coast

Oct. 23, First Coast at Creekside

Oct. 30, Creekside at Ponte Vedra

Duval Charter

Aug. 14, Stanton at Duval Charter

Aug. 21, Duval Charter at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 27, Duval Charter at Harvest Community

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Christ’s Church at Duval Charter

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Episcopal at Duval Charter

Oct. 2, Duval Charter at Halifax Academy

Oct. 8 (Thursday), Joshua Christian at Duval Charter

Oct. 16, Cornerstone Classical at Duval Charter

Oct. 23, Duval Charter at First Coast Christian

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Eagle’s View

Aug. 14, Eagle’s View at Old Plank Christian

Aug. 21, Eagle’s View at Branford, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Eagle’s View at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Providence at Eagle’s View

Sept. 11, First Coast Christian at Eagle’s View

Sept. 18, Eagle’s View at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Bell at Eagle’s View

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Eagle’s View at Keswick Christian

Oct. 15 (Thursday), Episcopal at Eagle’s View

Oct. 23, Halifax Academy at Eagle’s View

Oct. 30, TBA SSAA playoffs

Note: Home games played at Normandy Athletic Association

Ed White

Aug. 14, Ed White at Nease

Aug. 21, Trinity Christian at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, OFF

Sept. 4, Raines at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Ed White at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Ed White at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Yulee at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Ed White at Oakleaf

Oct. 9, Ed White at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Columbia at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Ed White at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Baldwin at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Englewood

Aug. 14, Westside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Englewood at Bishop Snyder

Aug. 28, Episcopal at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Englewood at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 17 (Thursday), Beachside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Englewood at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Englewood at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Paxon and Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Englewood at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Young Kids in Motion at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Ridgeview at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal

Aug. 14, Westminster Academy at Episcopal

Aug. 21, Episcopal at Providence

Aug. 28, Episcopal at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Episcopal at KIPP Bold City

Sept. 11, Westside at Episcopal

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Episcopal at Duval Charter

Oct. 2, NFEI at Episcopal

Oct. 9, Wolfson at Episcopal

Oct. 15 (Thursday), Episcopal at Eagle’s View

Oct. 23, Fernandina Beach at Episcopal

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Fernandina Beach

Aug. 14, Fernandina Beach at Keystone Heights

Aug. 21, Leon at Fernandina Beach

Aug. 28, Fernandina Beach at NFEI

Sept. 4, Fernandina Beach at Yulee

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Clay at Fernandina Beach

Sept. 25, West Nassau at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 2, Fernandina Beach at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Union County at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 16, Providence at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 23, Fernandina Beach at Episcopal

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

First Coast

Aug. 14, Raines at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, First Coast at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Yulee at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Riverside at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, First Coast at Flagler Palm Coast

Sept. 18, Fletcher at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, First Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Tocoi Creek at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, First Coast at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, First Coast at Creekside

Oct. 30, Oakleaf at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

First Coast Christian

Aug. 14, First Coast Christian at Harvest Community

Aug. 21, First Coast Christian at Christ’s Church Academy

Aug. 28, First Coast Christian at Hilliard

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, First Coast Christian at Eagle’s View

Sept. 18, Union County at First Coast Christian

Sept. 25, Stanton at First Coast Christian

Oct. 2, Gainesville P.K. Yonge at First Coast Christian

Oct. 9, First Coast Christian at Port Orange Atlantic

Oct. 16, First Coast Christian at Joshua Christian

Oct. 23, Duval Charter at First Coast Christian

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Flagler Palm Coast

Aug. 14, Flagler Palm Coast at Bartram Trail

Aug. 21, Matanzas at Flagler Palm Coast

Aug. 28, Riverside at Flagler Palm Coast

Sept. 4, Flagler Palm Coast at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, First Coast at Flagler Palm Coast

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 24, Flagler Palm Coast at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 2, Flagler Palm Coast at Orange City University

Oct. 9, Sandalwood at Flagler Palm Coast

Oct. 16, Creekside at Flagler Palm Coast

Oct. 23, Flagler Palm Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Orange Park at Flagler Palm Coast

Fleming Island

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, Fleming Island at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Fleming Island at Creekside

Sept. 4, Oakleaf at Fleming Island

Sept. 11, Ridgeview at Fleming Island

Sept. 18, Ponte Vedra at Fleming Island

Sept. 25, Fleming Island at Orange Park

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Clay at Fleming Island

Oct. 16, Middleburg at Fleming Island

Oct. 23, Fleming Island at St. Augustine

Oct. 30, Fleming Island at Bishop Kenny

Fletcher

Aug. 14, Fletcher at Yulee

Aug. 21, Fletcher at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Plant City at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Creekside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Bartram Trail at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Fletcher at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Fletcher at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Nease at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Fletcher at Ponte Vedra

Oct. 23, Beachside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Atlantic Coast at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Fort White

Aug. 14, Fort White at Providence, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Eastside at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Fort White at Chiefland, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Fort White at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Santa Fe at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Taylor County at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Mayo Lafayette at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Fort White at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Fort White at Baker County

Oct. 23, Hamilton County at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Fort White at Palatka

Harvest Community

Aug. 14, First Coast Christian at Harvest Community

Aug. 21, Harvest Community at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 27 (Thursday), Duval Charter at Harvest Community

Sept. 4, Harvest Community at Cornerstone Classical

Sept. 11, Bell at Harvest Community

Sept. 18, Harvest Community at Bronson

Sept. 25, Halifax Academy at Harvest Community

Oct. 1 (Thursday), Trinity Prep at Harvest Community

Oct. 8 (Thursday), Harvest Community at Christ’s Church Academy

Oct. 16, Harvest Community at Taylor Pierson

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, TBA SSAA playoffs

Hilliard

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, Hilliard at All Saints Academy

Aug. 28, First Coast Christian at Hilliard

Sept. 4, Keystone Heights at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Hilliard at St. Joseph

Sept. 25, Scintilla Charter at Hilliard

Oct. 2, Old Plank Christian at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Aucilla Christian at Hilliard

Oct. 16, Hilliard at Dixie County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Hilliard at Cornerstone Classical

Oct. 30, Hilliard at Taylor Pierson, 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian

Aug. 14, Impact Christian at Taylor County

Aug. 21, Impact Christian at Chiles

Aug. 29 (Saturday), Halifax Academy at Impact Christian

Sept. 4, Trenton at Impact Christian

Sept. 11, Impact Christian at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Providence at Impact Christian

Sept. 25, Impact Christian at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Gadsden County at Impact Christian

Oct. 9, Impact Christian at Hamilton County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Impact Christian at Menendez

Oct. 23, Impact Christian at Trinity Christian

Oct. 30, OFF

Note: Home games played at Fort Family Regional Park.

Interlachen

Aug. 14, Interlachen at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Keystone Heights at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Bell at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Interlachen at Crescent City, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Bronson at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Interlachen at Citrus, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Lake Weir at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, P.K. Yonge at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Interlachen at Wildwood

Oct. 23, Interlachen at Atlantic

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Jackson

Aug. 14, Jackson at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Jackson at Orange Park

Aug. 28, Ribault at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Jackson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Jackson at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, KIPP Bold City at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Fernandina Beach at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Jackson at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Jackson at West Nassau, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Bolles at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Clay at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Keystone Heights

Aug. 14, Fernandina Beach at Keystone Heights

Aug. 21, Keystone Heights at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, P.K. Yonge at Keystone Heights

Sept. 4, Keystone Heights at Hilliard

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Keystone Heights at Bell

Sept. 25, Atlantic at Keystone Heights

Oct. 2, Keystone Heights at Crescent City

Oct. 9, Dixie County at Keystone Heights

Oct. 16, Keystone Heights at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, West Nassau at Keystone Heights

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

KIPP Bold City

Aug. 14, Sandalwood at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Beachside at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, KIPP Bold City at West Nassau

Sept. 4, Episcopal at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Wolfson at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, KIPP Bold City at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, KIPP Bold City at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, KIPP Bold City at Bolles

Oct. 16, KIPP Bold City at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Baldwin at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Sunlake at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Mandarin

Aug. 14, Creekside at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Mandarin at McArthur (Broward County Showcase)

Aug. 28, Mandarin at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Mandarin at Nease

Sept. 18, Mandarin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Fletcher at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Lake Mary at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Mandarin at Ponte Vedra

Oct. 16, Mandarin at Beachside

Oct. 23, Bartram Trail at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, St. Augustine at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Matanzas

Aug. 14, Daytona Beach Seabreeze at Matanzas

Aug. 21, Matanzas at Flagler Palm Coast

Aug. 28, Matanzas at Clay

Sept. 4, Deltona at Matanzas

Sept. 11, Matanzas at Ocala Forest

Sept. 18, Menendez at Matanzas

Sept. 25, Pine Ridge at Matanzas

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Gainesville Buchholz at Matanzas

Oct. 16, Matanzas at Oakleaf

Oct. 23, West Port at Matanzas

Oct. 30, Matanzas at Palm Bay

Menendez

Aug. 14, Menendez at Bradford

Aug. 21, Menendez at Middleburg

Aug. 28, Menendez at Ridgeview

Sept. 4, St. Augustine at Menendez

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Menendez at Matanzas

Sept. 25, Menendez at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Menendez at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 9, Menendez at Palatka

Oct. 16, Impact Christian at Menendez

Oct. 23, Westside at Menendez

Oct. 30, Tocoi Creek at Menendez

Middleburg

Aug. 14, Baldwin at Middleburg

Aug. 21, Menendez at Middleburg

Aug. 28, Bartram Trail at Middleburg

Sept. 4, Middleburg at North Marion

Sept. 11, St. Augustine at Middleburg

Sept. 18, Newberry at Middleburg

Sept. 25, Middleburg at Ridgeview

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Orange Park at Middleburg

Oct. 16, Middleburg at Fleming Island

Oct. 23, Middleburg at Clay

Oct. 30, Middleburg at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Nease

Aug. 14, Ed White at Nease

Aug. 21, Creekside at Nease

Aug. 28, Nease at St. Augustine

Sept. 4, Daytona Beach Mainland at Nease

Sept. 11, Mandarin at Nease

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 24, Beachside at Nease

Oct. 2, Riverside at Nease

Oct. 9, Nease at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Nease at Bartram Trail

Oct. 23, Ponte Vedra at Nease

Oct. 30, Nease at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

NFEI

Aug. 14, NFEI at Father Lopez

Aug. 21, Bishop Kenny at NFEI

Aug. 28, Fernandina Beach at NFEI

Sept. 4, Bluffton at NFEI

Sept. 11, NFEI at Providence

Sept. 18, NFEI at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Trinity Christian at NFEI

Oct. 2, NFEI at Episcopal

Oct. 9, Wilder Sports Academy

Oct. 16, Taylor County at NFEI

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, TBA

Oakleaf

Aug. 14, Columbia at Oakleaf

Aug. 21, Raines at Oakleaf

Aug. 28, Orange Park at Oakleaf

Sept. 4, Oakleaf at Fleming Island

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Oakleaf at Bolles

Sept. 25, West Port at Oakleaf

Oct. 2, Ed White at Oakleaf

Oct. 9, Oakleaf at Ocala Forest

Oct. 16, Matanzas at Oakleaf

Oct. 23, Oakleaf at Buchholz

Oct. 30, Oakleaf at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Old Plank Christian Academy

Aug. 14, Eagle’s View at Old Plank Christian

Aug. 21, Duval Charter at Old Plank, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, OFF

Sept. 4, Christ’s Church Academy at Old Plank, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, St. Joseph at Old Plank

Sept. 18, Old Plank at Cornerstone Classical

Sept. 25, Seven Rivers Christian at Old Plank, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Old Plank at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Oak Hall at Old Plank

Oct. 16, Old Plank at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 23, Bronson at Old Plank

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Orange Park

Aug. 13, Tocoi Creek at Orange Park

Aug. 21, Jackson at Orange Park

Aug. 28, Orange Park at Oakleaf

Sept. 4, Atlantic Coast at Orange Park

Sept. 11, Orange Park at Clay

Sept. 18, Parker at Orange Park

Sept. 25, Fleming Island at Orange Park

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Orange Park at Middleburg

Oct. 16, Orange Park at St. Augustine

Oct. 22 (Thursday), Ridgeview at Orange Park

Oct. 30, Orange Park at Flagler Palm Coast

Palatka

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, St. Augustine at Palatka

Aug. 28, Palatka at Union County

Sept. 4, Clay at Palatka

Sept. 11, Palatka at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Baker County at Palatka

Sept. 25, Westside at Palatka

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Palatka at Menendez

Oct. 16, Palatka at Newberry

Oct. 23, Palatka at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Fort White at Palatka

Parker

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, Parker at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Sandalwood at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Flagler Palm Coast at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Raines at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Parker at Orange Park

Sept. 25, Parker at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Baldwin at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Wolfson at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Bishop Kenny at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Middleburg at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Paxon

Aug. 14, West Nassau at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Paxon at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Paxon at Christ’s Church Academy

Sept. 4, Paxon at Williston, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Stanton at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Jackson at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Paxon at Ridgeview

Oct. 9, Paxon at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Keystone Heights at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Union County at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Ponte Vedra

Aug. 14, St. Augustine at Ponte Vedra

Aug. 21, University Christian at Ponte Vedra

Aug. 28, Ponte Vedra at Bishop Kenny

Sept. 4, Merritt Island at Ponte Vedra

Sept. 11, Ponte Vedra at Beachside

Sept. 18, Ponte Vedra at Fleming Island

Sept. 25, Ponte Vedra at Bartram Trail

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Mandarin at Ponte Vedra

Oct. 16, Fletcher at Ponte Vedra

Oct. 23, Ponte Vedra at Nease

Oct. 30, Creekside at Ponte Vedra

Providence

Aug. 14, Fort White at Providence, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Episcopal at Providence

Aug. 28, Providence at Umatilla

Sept. 4, Providence at Eagle’s View

Sept. 11, NFEI at Providence

Sept. 18, Providence at Impact Christian

Sept. 25, Providence at Seffner Christian

Oct. 2, West Nassau at Providence

Oct. 9, Foundation Academy at Providence

Oct. 16, Providence at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, Halifax Academy at Providence

Raines

Aug. 14, Raines at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Raines at Oakleaf

Aug. 28, Baldwin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Raines at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Raines at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Mandarin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Venice at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Raines at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 16, Riverside at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Raines at Cocoa

Oct. 31 (Saturday), Ribault at Raines, 2 p.m.

Ribault

Aug. 13 (Thursday), Ribault at Rickards

Aug. 21, First Coast at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Ribault at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Columbia at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Ribault at Ridgeview

Sept. 25, Englewood at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, KIPP Bold City at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Ed White at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Ribault at Yulee

Oct. 23, Ribault at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 31 (Saturday), Ribault at Raines, 2 p.m.

Ridgeview

Aug. 13 (Thursday), Ridgeview at Gainesville, 6 p.m.

Aug. 21, Westside at Ridgeview

Aug. 28, Menendez at Ridgeview

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Ridgeview at Fleming Island

Sept. 18, Ribault at Ridgeview

Sept. 25, Middleburg at Ridgeview

Oct. 2, Paxon at Ridgeview

Oct. 9, St. Augustine at Ridgeview

Oct. 16, Ridgeview at Clay

Oct. 22 (Thursday), Ridgeview at Orange Park

Oct. 30, Ridgeview at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Riverside

Aug. 14, Jackson at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Parker at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Riverside at Flagler Palm Coast

Sept. 4, Riverside at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Ed White at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Riverside at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Riverside at Nease

Oct. 9, Yulee at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Riverside at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Ribault at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Trinity Christian at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Sandalwood

Aug. 14, Sandalwood at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Fletcher at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Sandalwood at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, TBA

Sept. 11, Sandalwood at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Westside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Creekside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Sandalwood at Flagler Palm Coast

Oct. 16, First Coast at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Sandalwood at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 30, Nease at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine

Aug. 14, St. Augustine at Ponte Vedra

Aug. 21, St. Augustine at Palatka

Aug. 28, Nease at St. Augustine

Sept. 4, St. Augustine at Menendez

Sept. 11, St. Augustine at Middleburg

Sept. 18, Orlando Evans at St. Augustine

Sept. 24 (Thursday), Clay at St. Augustine

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, St. Augustine at Ridgeview

Oct. 16, Orange Park at St. Augustine

Oct. 23, Fleming Island at St. Augustine

Oct. 30, St. Augustine at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

St. Joseph

Aug. 14, Christ’s Church Academy at St. Joseph

Aug. 21, OFF

Aug. 28, Geneva at St. Joseph

Sept. 3 (Thursday), Young Kids in Motion at St. Joseph

Sept. 11, St. Joseph at Old Plank Christian

Sept. 18, Hilliard at St. Joseph

Sept. 25, St. Joseph at Bishop Snyder

Oct. 2, Branford at St. Joseph

Oct. 9, St. Joseph at West Oaks Academy

Oct. 16, St. Joseph at Oak Hall

Oct. 23, St. Joseph at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal

TBA, Sunshine State Athletic Association playoffs

Stanton

Aug. 14, Stanton at Duval Charter

Aug. 21, Harvest Community at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Eagle’s View at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Englewood at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Stanton at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Stanton at Bishop Snyder

Sept. 25, Stanton at First Coast Christian

Oct. 2, Wolfson at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Stanton at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, KIPP Bold City at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 30, TBA SSAA playoffs

Suwannee

Aug. 14, Madison County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Suwannee at Crystal River

Aug. 28, Lafayette at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Gainesville at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Palatka at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Hamilton County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Suwannee at Wakulla

Oct. 2, Zarephath Academy at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Baker County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, OFF

Oct. 23, Suwannee at Godby

Oct. 30, Suwannee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek

Aug. 13 (Thursday), Tocoi Creek at Orange Park

Aug. 21, Tocoi Creek at Bartram Trail

Aug. 28, Tocoi Creek at Daytona Beach Seabreeze

Sept. 4, Beachside at Tocoi Creek

Sept. 11, Tocoi Creek at Creekside

Sept. 18, Bradford at Tocoi Creek

Sept. 24 (Thursday), Flagler Palm Coast at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Tocoi Creek at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Atlantic Coast at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 23, Sandalwood at Tocoi Creek

Oct. 30, Tocoi Creek at Menendez

Trinity Christian

Aug. 14, TBA

Aug. 21, Trinity Christian at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, University Christian at Trinity Christian

Sept. 4, Trinity Christian at Tallahassee Lincoln

Sept. 11, American Heritage at Trinity Christian

Sept. 18, Columbia at Trinity Christian

Sept. 25, Trinity Christian at NFEI

Oct. 2, Trinity Christian at Carrollwood Day

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Bolles at Trinity Christian

Oct. 23, Impact Christian at Trinity Christian

Oct. 30, Trinity Christian at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Union County

Aug. 14, Lafayette at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Union County at Rutherford, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Palatka at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Fort White at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Union County at First Coast Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Parker at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Union County at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Union County at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 16, Father Lopez at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Union County at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

University Christian

Aug. 14, University Christian at Trinity Catholic

Aug. 21, University Christian at Ponte Vedra

Aug. 28, University Christian at Trinity Christian

Sept. 4, Lecanto at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, University Christian at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, NFEI at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Impact Christian at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Florida High at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, University Christian at Williston

Oct. 16, University Christian at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, OFF

Oct. 29 (Thursday), University Christian at Calvary Christian

West Nassau

Aug. 14, West Nassau at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Charlton County at West Nassau

Aug. 28, KIPP Bold City at West Nassau

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, West Nassau at Bayside

Sept. 18, Yulee at West Nassau

Sept. 25, West Nassau at Fernandina Beach

Oct. 2, West Nassau at Providence

Oct. 10, West Deptford (NJ) at West Nassau

Oct. 16, Jackson at West Nassau

Oct. 23, West Nassau at Keystone Heights

Oct. 30, TBA, SSAA playoffs

Westside

Aug. 14, Westside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Westside at Ridgeview

Aug. 28, Wolfson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Jackson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Westside at Episcopal

Sept. 18, Westside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Westside at Palatka

Oct. 2, Englewood at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Stanton at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, OFF

Oct. 23, Westside at Menendez

Oct. 30, Westside at Beachside

Wolfson

Aug. 14, Hamilton County at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Paxon at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Wolfson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Impact Christian at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Wolfson at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Eagle’s View at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Menendez at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Wolfson at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Wolfson at Episcopal

Oct. 16, Wolfson at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Palatka at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, OFF

Yulee

Aug. 14, Fletcher at Yulee

Aug. 21, Yulee at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Yulee at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Fernandina Beach at Yulee

Sept. 11, Baker County at Yulee

Sept. 18, Yulee at West Nassau

Sept. 25, Yulee at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Yulee at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Ribault at Yulee

Oct. 23, Yulee at Columbia

Oct. 30, Zarephath Academy at Yulee

Zarephath Academy

Aug. 14, OFF

Aug. 21, Zarephath Academy at IMG Academy White

Aug. 28, Zarephath Academy at Santa Fe

Sept. 4, Zarephath Academy at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Zarephath Academy at Dixie County

Sept. 18, OFF

Sept. 25, Zarephath Academy at West Oaks

Oct. 2, Zarephath Academy at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Zarephath Academy at Bishop Kenny

Oct. 23, Zarephath Academy at Umatilla

Oct. 30, Zarephath Academy at Yulee

Note: Home games, if any, played at Ray Greene Park 2149 Leonid Road

High temperatures will climb into the mid-90s, but the humidity will make it feel closer to 105 degrees at times, so be sure to stay hydrated and limit strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day.

By mid to late afternoon, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop, with a few storms capable of producing heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and gusty winds before tapering off this evening.

Overnight, skies will gradually clear with warm and muggy conditions continuing, as temperatures settle into the mid-70s.

Have a great day, and remember to keep an eye on the radar if you have outdoor plans later today.

The report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime outlines how transnational crime that used to be concentrated in Southeast Asia has expanded to other regions, while global criminal groups are increasingly engaging in drug, human and wildlife trafficking in Asia.

Criminals are using new technologies to launder money through global financial systems and using artificial intelligence to steal from victims worldwide, said the report, released Tuesday.

Children are increasingly at risk

One key finding of the report is the threat to children both from AI and from online gaming, as hundreds of scam compounds scattered across Southeast Asia provide venues for sex trafficking and selling of child sexual abuse content.

“There is a huge jump in AI-generated child sexual images ... communicated through encrypted communications platforms,” said Inshik Sim, UNODC researcher and coordinator for the report, told reporters at a briefing at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand.

East Asian crime syndicates are running businesses that use malware, generative AI and deepfakes for sexual extortion and exploitation in a trend that increases risks of in-person abuse as well as livestreamed abuse and grooming of victims. Apart from outright trafficking for the sex industry, victims can be sold into domestic servitude, forced begging and forced labor, among other forms of exploitation, the report says.

Social media and online gaming and gambling also pose dangers for children, the report notes, citing surveys showing that hundreds of children and teens across Southeast Asia are engaged in online gambling, some to the extent of addiction.

Trafficking in drugs, guns tobacco and wildlife is expanding

The report estimates the combined annual sales of illicit drugs in Southeast Asia and nearby countries at up to $109 billion, with seizures of illegal shipments soaring. That includes methamphetamines, heroin and ketamine.

It points to the Sulu-Celebes maritime “triangle” between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines as an increasingly important corridor for shipments of cocaine from Latin America to Asia, with illicit cargoes sometimes embedded in legitimate shipments such as Chinese tea.

The area is also often used for smuggling of wildlife and small arms, the report says.

Meanwhile, Thailand and Vietnam increasingly are the source of cannabis sent to Japan, where it is illegal, and to Europe, it says.

Earlier this year, authorities in Malaysia's Sabah seized more than 3 tons of methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy in the largest such seizure for Sabah so far.

Money laundering and other tools keep criminals in business

The report outlines how cross border financial and technology networks are supporting what it calls a “criminal service infrastructure” that facilitates global organized crime.

The tools used include cryptocurrency, encrypted and private communications platforms and generative AI to create convincing phishing content, deploy real-time deepfake videos and voice calls. Using AI-powered translations, they can target victims across many languages at the same time, the report says.

Satellite communications also enable scam compounds to operate in places that are remote or subject to close surveillance.

To counter this growing criminal ecosystem, authorities need a coordinated, cross-border strategy that integrates enforcement across data, communications and financial systems, and online services and marketplaces, the report said.

Crackdowns drive scam centers offshore and underground

As authorities in Thailand, China and elsewhere have raided industrial-sized scam centers mostly located in border regions of Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, criminals have responded by shifting to other parts of the world or operating on a smaller scale.

“They were destroyed, but none of the operations stopped,” said Seong Jae Shin, an analyst and counter-terrorism office at the UNODC.

Scam centers moved to villas and other properties, he said, going underground.

“It's much harder for the Cambodian authorities to crack down now,” he said.

Prosecutors have said the evidence will show that 21-year-old D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, brought Celeste Rivas Hernandez to the Hollywood Hills house he was renting, stabbed her multiple times then cut apart her body in his garage using chain saws.

The preliminary hearing in Los Angeles is expected to last about four days and will look much like an abbreviated trial. There is no jury. Judge Charlaine Olmedo will decide whether the prosecution offered enough evidence to demonstrate probable cause to proceed to trial.

The hearing will resemble a mini trial

It will be the first public presentation of evidence against Burke, who was arrested in April and pleaded not guilty to murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. His attorney, Blair Berk, has said Burke is not responsible for Rivas Hernandez's death.

The defendant, who has been held without bail in a jail near the courthouse since his arrest, will appear in court in his jail clothes, after the judge rejected a request that he be able to wear a suit as is usually allowed at a jury trial. No cameras will be allowed in the courtroom.

Soon after his arrest, prosecutors filed a memo, which the defense unsuccessfully tried to have sealed, outlining what their evidence would show at this hearing.

The defendant and the victim had known each other several years

The filing said Burke met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11, began sexually abusing her when she was 13 and he was 18, and killed her when she threatened to report him.

She was reported missing multiple times in the years before her death, and prosecutors said they have evidence she was with Burke for long stretches, including a trip to Texas where she met his family. Detectives had contacted him about her, but authorities say he lied and said he had only met her once and didn't know she was a minor. Prosecutors said they have sexual text messages and photos the two exchanged.

A court filing said he sent a car to pick her up on the night of April 23, 2025, from her hometown of Lake Elsinore, California, some 80 miles (129 km) outside of Los Angeles. The two exchanged messages until she arrived at his Hollywood home, after which her phone went dead.

“Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened, very soon after her arrival at his home, defendant stabbed the victim to death multiple times and stood by while she bled out,” the document said.

Prosecutors say they have evidence linking Burke to girl's death

Prosecutors said they have records showing Burke ordered chain saws and wading pools that he used to dismember her body in his garage, and that her DNA was found there on blood stains discovered when police served a search warrant.

They said he then drove around for months with the body in the trunk. About four months after her death, her decomposing body was found in the Tesla registered to Burke that had been towed from the Hollywood Hills in September.

Prosecutors said the car was parked around the corner from his house, and surveillance video will show he was the last person to drive it.

It's not entirely clear why it took seven more months to arrest Burke — though uncooperative witnesses had to be subpoenaed and the final autopsy report showing she was stabbed was not released until December.

The defense has not publicly provided its version of events.

Preliminary hearings like this one serve a similar function to that of grand jury proceedings. Prosecutors generally present only as much evidence as they think they need to, and witnesses are kept to a minimum — mostly police and other investigators. For defense attorneys, it can provide ways to explore potential weaknesses in witness testimony that they can exploit at a trial.

D4vd had budding music career

D4vd began making music for YouTube videos he created of the video game Fortnite when he was a teenager.

The songs he wrote and recorded on his phone were a blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. The music made him a phenomenon on TikTok, Instagram, Soundcloud and Spotify, where his top songs, including his 2022 breakthrough “Romantic Homicide,” have more than a billion plays. In 2023, he released two EPs and opened for SZA on tour.

He performed at last year's Coachella music festival just a few weeks before prosecutors said Rivas Hernandez was killed, and his album was released. Five months later, he was on tour promoting it when the body was discovered.

The U.N. food security report, released Tuesday, found global hunger has eased modestly in recent years, but projected more than 500 million people could still face chronic hunger by 2030. Africa is expected to bear the largest share of that burden.

In an interview with The Associated Press on July 10, IFAD President Alvaro Lario said geopolitical tensions and potential disruptions to shipping and energy supplies, including uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war, could leave an additional 9-18 million people facing hunger if the shocks persist.

“We are in a current era where we have the highest number of conflicts and are still increasing,” Lario said. “Whenever there is a conflict, also hunger, displacement, refugees increase.”

Conflict fuels food insecurity

Conflict remains one of the biggest obstacles to reducing hunger worldwide, Lario added.

Wars and geopolitical tensions can disrupt shipping, energy supplies and agricultural inputs, increasing costs across food systems already strained by inflation. Lario stressed that hunger and conflict often reinforce one another, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without greater stability.

Higher energy prices are already affecting fertilizers and agricultural production, he said. The impact is especially significant for small-scale farmers, many of whom rely on diesel fuel to pump water, harvest crops and transport goods to market.

Rising fuel costs increase production expenses and can feed directly into higher food prices.

Climate shocks add pressure

The new report identifies affordability as one of the world’s biggest food security challenges. While food production continues to grow, roughly a third of the global population still can't afford a healthy diet. In low-income countries, that figure rises to about 77%, according to Lario.

“The biggest challenge is no longer simply producing enough food, but making healthy diets affordable,” he said.

Climate change is adding further pressure to food systems and rural livelihoods.

Lario noted that floods, prolonged droughts and extreme heat are increasingly disrupting agriculture around the world and have become a common reality for many communities.

Governments should focus on resilience and adaptation before disasters strike, rather than relying solely on emergency responses afterward, he said.

“This is just becoming the new normal,” Lario said. “We are seeing floods in many countries. We’re still seeing droughts that have been expanding for four or five years.”

The fund is increasing investments in climate-adaptation programs aimed at helping rural communities withstand floods, droughts and extreme heat, he said, arguing that support is urgently needed for the millions of small farmers who produce much of the world’s food.

Africa emerges as the epicenter

The report highlights Africa as the world’s most pressing food-security challenge. For the first time, the continent has overtaken Asia as the region with the largest number of hungry people, and nearly 60% of the world’s chronically undernourished people could live there by 2030.

Lario attributed the shift partly to rapid population growth and slower economic gains than in parts of Asia, and he called for greater investment in agriculture, infrastructure and food systems.

African countries currently import nearly $100 billion worth of food each year, he said, underscoring the need for stronger local production, storage, distribution and regional trade networks.

Conflicts, energy-market disruptions and climate extremes threaten to derail progress unless governments invest in more resilient food systems, Lario said.

Engelbert, the second-longest tenured WNBA president or commissioner, helped negotiate a transformative collective bargaining agreement this past spring that gives the WNBA its first core of million-dollar player salaries.

“There’s not a lot of jobs where you can make over 30-plus millionaires instantly, right?” Engelbert said in a phone interview with The Associated Press heading into this weekend's WNBA All-Star festivities in Chicago. “It just doesn’t exist in most companies, except if you’re like a stock-option company, and your stock does really well. Most of them are under the age of 30 and there are more to come.”

Even with the financial gains, the WNBA’s growth has come amid a strained partnership between the commissioner and players. Engelbert has been criticized for how she has handled various situations, including for being out of touch or not doing enough to help combat social media vitriol.

Engelbert will meet with the executive committee of the players’ union on Tuesday to discuss the recent uptick in online hatred and threats directed toward players.

New York Liberty All-Star Breanna Stewart, vice president of the WNBA players' union executive committee, said there is a respect for Engelbert among the players, just not much of a relationship.

Her Liberty teammate, Sabrina Ionescu, said she talks more to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver than Engelbert.

WNBA business is booming

While the commissioner continues to try and strengthen her relationship with players, the business of the WNBA has thrived.

Engelbert was involved in talks that led to a record media rights deal worth over $3 billion. The league has had record ratings, attendance and team valuations, and will expand to a record 18 teams by 2030.

“We’ve been in hypergrowth mode now for two or three years and companies, if you look back in time, you are not in hypergrowth mode forever,” Engelbert said. “We’re preparing ourselves now for the next version of ourselves, which probably isn’t as hypergrowth.”

From a business standpoint, though, the league has grown, including navigating the coronavirus pandemic that could have crippled the WNBA.

“Give Cathy credit, as she advocated for the season,” Seattle Storm owner Ginny Gilder said. "We had no idea what was going to happen. People had to make decisions. Cathy pushed the Board of Governors to not only have a shortened season, but to fully pay the players. Don’t bicker. We were going to figure out the finances.”

Expansion fees have gone up five-fold over the past few seasons. Golden State paid $50 million to join the league and Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia — all joining the league over the next four years — each paid $250 million.

“Look at the financial side in such a short period of time — Cathy with all the work she did and the staff she hired deserves a tremendous amount of credit for that,” Gilder said. “If you look around the league from 2015 to 2020 to now, you know it is a completely new day.”

Valuations of teams were around $5-10 million a decade ago and now the average is around $460 million, Engelbert said.

“When you’re CEO, when you’re commissioner, you’re going to have good days and bad days. But if you just looked at the overall scorecard, you’d have to say we’re doing great,” Washington Mystics owner Ted Leonsis said.

More endorsements for WNBA players

It's nearly impossible to turn on a major sporting event over the past few years without seeing a WNBA player featured in a commercial. From Gatorade to State Farm, Nike and CarMax, product ads feature some of the league's top newsmakers, including Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu.

Engelbert said when Clark was drafted, it created a "domino effect, because they started seeing the value of putting players in their ads and then separately endorsing the players. I’m really proud of that because when I came to the league, absent a few sneakers ads, I don’t remember any players in spots. Maybe there were a few.”

The commissioner has seen the trend continue with younger players coming into the league, including Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles.

“Everybody sees the W is here to stay,” the commissioner said.

The commissioner's future and what's next for the WNBA

Engelbert deflected questions about her future other than to say she's turning 62 this year and that was the mandatory retirement age at her old job at Deloitte, where she was the president.

“I haven’t given it a ton of thought. We’ll think about it,” Engelbert said of how long she will stay in her current role, adding she is "focused on the whack-a-mole that is our season. I always tell people don’t focus on me, focus on the rest of my team.

"You always want to leave an organization better than you found it. Internally we’re proud of the team we’ve built.”

Silver said in Las Vegas that he supports what Engelbert is doing.

“I think Cathy continues to do a strong job building that league,” the NBA commissioner said. “We’ll have ongoing discussions about what the future looks like.”

With media rights stable for the next decade as well as labor peace achieved and expansion finished for the immediate future, Engelbert said her list of priorities includes a look at officiating, with WNBA referees finding themselves at the center of questions from frustrated players, coaches and fans. She also wants to help teams with lower attendance improve those numbers, and expand the league's international footprint.

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

The next World Cup, the women's edition, is set for next summer in Brazil. Just as Spain won the men's trophy in the recently concluded tournament, that nation's women were the champions three years ago.

Currently the top-ranked women's team in the world, Spain topped England 1-0 in the 2023 Women's World Cup final in Sydney. That squad was loaded with talent, including Ballon d'Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas, as well as young star Salma Paralluelo.

In a television interview following the men's final, Spain star Rodri paid Bonmati the ultimate compliment: “I'm trying to see if I can get to her level.”

The memories of 2023 aren't so sweet for the United States, which was knocked out of the tournament in the round of 16 by Sweden. Still, the U.S. has won four World Cup titles and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world.

The United States will host Spain twice in October, serving as a tuneup for CONCACAF qualifying to start in late November in Texas. The friendly matches against Spain could provide a glimpse of what both teams might look like next summer.

“We know Spain is an amazing team, and I think we’re just really looking forward to having this prep. Especially before qualifying,” said U.S. midfielder Lily Yohannes. “And yeah, I think it will be a really great opportunity for us. Playing these players, I played against them in the Champions League, and I know how great they are.”

The road to Brazil

Qualification for the World Cup is well under way, with 14 teams already securing berths. Brazil, which has an automatic spot as host, has never won the women’s tournament.

“Some time ago the opportunities for men and women were not equal. But that’s changing. This World Cup has tremendous potential to make that change truly happen,” said former Brazil defender Aline Pellegrino, now executive director of legacy and stakeholder affairs for Women’s World Cup in Brazil. “So there’s a great deal of excitement and expectation that we’ll have the best possible atmosphere in our stadiums, just as we recently saw in the two matches between the Brazilian national team and the United States. FIFA, together with the federal government and the host cities, have been working very hard to ensure that we’ll have full stadiums and that everything runs as efficiently as possible.”

The biggest question around the Brazilians is the status of veteran captain Marta, the nation's all-time leading scorer with 122 goals. Marta retired from international play following Brazil's 1-0 loss to the United States in the gold-medal match at the Paris Olympics, but returned the next year for the Copa America Femenina. She will be 41 when her nation hosts the World Cup.

The United States visited Brazil for a pair of matches in June, falling 2-1 in Sao Paulo before a 1-0 victory in Fortaleza. U.S. coach Emma Hayes said the team needed to embrace those “moments of chaos” in a hostile environment.

Who's in so far?

Australia, the Philippines, Japan, North Korea, China, South Korea, Argentina, Colombia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Spain and Denmark are among the nations that have qualified. Germany, the 2003 and 2011 world champions, are ranked No. 3 globally.

Brazil previously hosted both the men's World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. All eight cities that will host women’s matches next year also hosted men’s games in 2014: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Recife and Salvador.

Next year's tournament will be the last with 32 teams before jumping up to 48 teams like the men’s tournament. The 2031 Women's World Cup is expected to be hosted by the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica. The formal decision will likely be announced in November.

___

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

But in retrospect, a lot of things went right.

The United States, Canada and Mexico spent nearly six weeks hosting soccer's biggest showcase and — at least for the most part — the action stayed on the field.

Star players like Argentina's Lionel Messi, France's Kylian Mbappé and Norway's Erling Haaland became household names across North America, television ratings remained high in the U.S. even after the Americans were eliminated and despite high ticket prices, most games featured packed stadiums.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave effusive praise to the host countries on Sunday after Spain won the final by beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time.

Attendance was good, so were ratings

Fox broadcast all 104 games in English on its platforms and American viewership remained strong even after the U.S. was eliminated by Belgium in the round of 16.

Spanish broadcasts on Telemundo were also a popular option — even for non-native speakers.

Fox hasn't yet released its viewership numbers for Sunday's final, but Telemundo's preliminary numbers show the Spain-Argentina matchup had a total audience of 22.6 million, putting it on track to become the most-watched World Cup final in Spanish-language media history.

The US-Belgium game on July 6 was watched by more than 45 million, including 33.1 million on Fox and 12 million on Telemundo.

And despite a few early hiccups, stadium attendance was strong throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

“We have had a record number of spectators in the stadiums, almost 7 million," Infantino said. "We will have had, I mean the official figures will come out soon, but probably over 6 billion people watching it from home."

The weather cooperated — usually

Fans and players from other countries found out what Americans, Canadians and Mexicans have known for a long time — it can get pretty hot here in the summer. Climate change isn't helping matters.

But Mother Nature could have been a lot meaner than she decided to be.

Even so, there were a handful of games that featured particularly hot and muggy conditions. The best example was a knockout-round game between Paraguay and France on July 4 in Philadelphia when temperatures hovered around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius).

The World Cup final on Sunday also dodged a potential problem when smoke from Canadian wildfires that wrapped the Northeast in haze mostly cleared from the New Jersey area just in time thanks to some well-timed thunderstorms.

Size doesn't matter

This year's 48-team World Cup field was the biggest in the tournament's history and many thought it would water down the competition.

That wasn't the case.

Cape Verde held eventual champion Spain to a draw in its opening game, advanced to the round of 32 and gave Argentina a scare before losing 3-2 in extra time in a World Cup classic. Congo also advanced beyond the group stage and pushed England before eventually losing, while Curaçao was still in with a chance of making the knockouts going into its final group match.

After those Cinderella stories, fans eventually got to enjoy semifinal games full of heavyweights. England, Argentina, Spain and France were the top four in the world rankings.

Politics can't be ignored

The World Cup is famously a petri dish for political conflict, and this year's version provided its share of strife.

Iran's participation in the tournament amid the war in the Middle East was a particularly thorny issue and the team had to move its base camp from Arizona to Mexico. The Iranians' participation was overshadowed by travel complaints and visa issues, with the U.S. refusing visas to several members of Iran’s delegation.

U.S. President Donald Trump's relationship with Infantino was scrutinized after American striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban for a red card was suspended ahead of the team’s round of 16 game against Belgium.

Travel restrictions for a series of countries prevented some fans from traveling to the U.S., but there were no reports of the aggressive immigration enforcement that some human rights groups had feared could take place around World Cup stadiums.

Infantino brushed aside most of the controversies, instead focusing on the positives. While the FIFA president has a vested interest in painting a rosy picture of this year's World Cup, there's little doubt the tournament was a hit from a soccer perspective.

“I think we have to invent a new vocabulary, new words to define the success of this World Cup,” Infantino said.

___

AP Soccer Writer James Robson and AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy contributed to this story.

___

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

Brunswick

Aug. 21, Camden County at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Brunswick at Groves, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 5, OFF

Sept. 11, Grayson at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Brunswick at Grovetown, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Greenbrier at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Brunswick at Bradwell, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Glynn Academy vs. Brunswick, 7:40 p.m.

Oct. 23, Brunswick at South Effingham, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Effingham at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 6, Brunswick at Lakeside, 7:30 p.m.

Camden County

Aug. 14, Camden County at Bolles

Aug. 21, Camden County at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Glynn Academy at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Camden County at Benedictine, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Godby at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Ed White at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, West Broward at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, OFF

Oct. 9, Camden County at Lowndes, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Richmond Hill at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Camden County at Valdosta, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Colquitt County at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 6, OFF

Charlton County

Aug. 21, Charlton County at West Nassau

Aug. 28, Charlton County at McIntosh County Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Charlton County at Berrien, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Frederica Academy at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Early County at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Lanier County at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Charlton County at Atkinson County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, OFF

Oct. 23, Mitchell County at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Charlton County at Clinch County, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 6, Charlton County at Irwin County, 7:30 p.m.

Frederica Academy

Aug. 14, Bethesda Academy at Frederica Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 21, Frederica Academy at Pinewood Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Deerfield-Windsor at Frederica Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 3 (Thursday), Frederica Academy at Valwood, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, Frederica Academy at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, First Presbyterian Day at Frederica Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, OFF

Oct. 2, Frederica Academy at Stratford Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, St. Andrew’s at Frederica Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, Frederica Academy at Savannah Country Day, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Frederica Academy at Bulloch Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, OFF

Glynn Academy

Aug. 20, Calvary Day at Glynn Academy, 7 p.m.

Aug. 28, Glynn Academy at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, Savannah Christian at Glynn Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 11, OFF

Sept. 18, Bradwell Institute at Glynn Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Glynn Academy at Lakeside, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Effingham County at Glynn Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, OFF

Oct. 16, Glynn Academy at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 23, Glynn Academy at Greenbrier, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Glynn Academy at South Effingham, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 6, Grovetown at Glynn Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Pierce County

Aug. 21, Pierce County at Coosa Christian, Alabama

Aug. 28, Pierce County at Brooks County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Swainsboro at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Johnson at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Pierce County at Toombs County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Beach at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Tattnall County at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, OFF

Oct. 23, Pierce County at Brantley County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Islands at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 6, Pierce County at Appling County, 7:30 p.m.

Ware County

Aug. 21, Ware County at Bainbridge, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28, Ware County at Coffee, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 4, OFF

Sept. 11, Richmond Hill at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18, Groves at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25, Ware County at Statesboro, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 2, Richmond Academy at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 9, Ware County at Evans, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 16, OFF

Oct. 23, Jenkins at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 30, Ware County at Wayne County, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 6, Benedictine at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Week 0

Thursday, Aug. 13

Ribault at Rickards

Ridgeview at Gainesville, 6 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at Orange Park

Friday, Aug. 14

Atlantic Coast at Beachside

Baldwin at Middleburg

Bishop Snyder at Port Orange Atlantic

Camden County at Bolles

Christ’s Church Academy at St. Joseph

Clay at Bishop Kenny

Columbia at Oakleaf

Creekside at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Daytona Beach Seabreeze at Matanzas

Dunnellon at Baker County

Eagle’s View at Old Plank Christian

Ed White at Nease

Fernandina Beach at Keystone Heights

First Coast Christian at Harvest Community

Flagler Palm Coast at Bartram Trail

Fletcher at Yulee

Fort White at Providence, 6:30 p.m.

Hamilton County at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Impact Christian at Taylor County

Interlachen at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.

Jackson at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Lafayette at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Madison County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Menendez at Bradford

NFEI at Father Lopez

Raines at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine at Ponte Vedra

Sandalwood at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Stanton at Duval Charter

University Christian at Trinity Catholic

West Nassau at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Westminster Academy at Episcopal

Westside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

OFF: Zarephath Academy

TBA: Fleming Island, Hilliard, Cornerstone Classical, Trinity Christian.

Week 1

Friday, Aug. 21

Baker County at Clay

Beachside at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Bishop Kenny at NFEI

Charlton County at West Nassau

Columbia at Bolles

Cornerstone Classical at Bishop McLaughlin, 6 p.m.

Creekside at Nease

Duval Charter at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Eagle’s View at Branford, 7:30 p.m.

Eastside at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Englewood at Bishop Snyder

Episcopal at Providence

First Coast at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

First Coast Christian at Christ’s Church Academy

Fleming Island at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Fletcher at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Harvest Community at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Hilliard at All Saints Academy

Impact Christian at Chiles

Jackson at Orange Park

Keystone Heights at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Leon at Fernandina Beach

Mandarin at McArthur (Broward County Showcase)

Matanzas at Flagler Palm Coast

Menendez at Middleburg

Parker at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Paxon at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Raines at Oakleaf

St. Augustine at Palatka

Suwannee at Crystal River

Tocoi Creek at Bartram Trail

Trinity Christian at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Union County at Rutherford, 7:30 p.m.

University Christian at Ponte Vedra

West Port at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Westside at Ridgeview

Young Kids in Motion at Joshua Christian

Yulee at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at IMG Academy White

OFF: St. Joseph.

Week 2

Thursday, Aug. 27

Duval Charter at Harvest Community

Friday, Aug. 28

Baldwin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Bartram Trail at Middleburg

Bell at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Bishop Snyder at Oak Hall

Bolles at Archbishop McCarthy

Bradford at Baker County

Bronson at Cornerstone Classical

Eagle’s View at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at NFEI

First Coast Christian at Hilliard

Fleming Island at Creekside

Fort White at Chiefland, 7:30 p.m.

Geneva at St. Joseph

KIPP Bold City at West Nassau

Lafayette at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Lakewood at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Mandarin at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Matanzas at Clay

Menendez at Ridgeview

Nease at St. Augustine

Orange Park at Oakleaf

Palatka at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Paxon at Christ’s Church Academy

P.K. Yonge at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.

Plant City at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Ponte Vedra at Bishop Kenny

Providence at Umatilla

Ribault at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Riverside at Flagler Palm Coast

Sandalwood at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at Daytona Beach Seabreeze

True Institute at Joshua Christian

University Christian at Trinity Christian

Wolfson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Yulee at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at Santa Fe

Saturday, Aug. 29

Halifax Academy at Impact Christian

OFF: Beachside, Old Plank Christian, White.

Week 3

Thursday, Sept. 3

Young Kids in Motion at St. Joseph

Friday, Sept. 4

Atlantic Coast at Orange Park

Baldwin at Baker County

Beachside at Tocoi Creek

Bishop Kenny at Bartram Trail

Bluffton at NFEI

Christ’s Church Academy at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Clay at Palatka

Creekside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Daytona Beach Mainland at Nease

Deltona at Matanzas

Englewood at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at Yulee

Flagler Palm Coast at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Gainesville at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Harvest Community at Cornerstone Classical

Impact Christian at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Interlachen at Crescent City, 7:30 p.m.

Jackson at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Keystone Heights at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Lecanto at University Christian

Madison County at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Merritt Island at Ponte Vedra

Middleburg at North Marion

Oakleaf at Fleming Island

Paxon at Williston, 7:30 p.m.

Providence at Eagle’s View

Raines at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Riverside at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine at Menendez

Trenton at Impact Christian

Trinity Christian at Tallahassee Lincoln

True Institute at Joshua Christian

Zarephath Academy at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Bishop Snyder, Bolles, Christ’s Church Academy, Duval Charter, First Coast Christian, Fort White, Mandarin, Ribault, Ridgeview, Union County, West Nassau.

TBA: Sandalwood.

Week 4

Friday, Sept. 11

American Heritage Plantation at Trinity Christian

Baker County at Yulee

Bartram Trail at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Bell at Harvest Community

Bishop Kenny at Bolles

Bronson at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Brookwood at Bishop Snyder

Christ’s Church at Duval Charter

Columbia at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Cornerstone Classical at Seven Rivers Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Ed White at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

First Coast at Flagler Palm Coast

First Coast Christian at Eagle’s View

Fort White at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Mandarin at Nease

Matanzas at Ocala Forest

NFEI at Providence

Orange Park at Clay

Palatka at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Ponte Vedra at Beachside

Raines at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Ridgeview at Fleming Island

St. Augustine at Middleburg

St. Joseph at Old Plank Christian

Sandalwood at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Stanton at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at Creekside

Trinity Catholic at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

University Christian at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

West Nassau at Bayside

Westside at Episcopal

Wolfson at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Young Kids in Motion at West Oaks Academy, 6 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at Dixie County

OFF: Englewood, Fernandina Beach, Hilliard, Jackson, Keystone Heights, Menendez, Oakleaf.

Week 5

Thursday, Sept. 17

Beachside at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Young Kids in Motion at Christ’s Church Academy

Friday, Sept. 18

Baker County at Palatka

Bartram Trail at Creekside

Bishop Kenny at Merritt Island

Bradford at Tocoi Creek

Clay at Fernandina Beach

Columbia at Trinity Christian

Crescent City at Orangewood Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Eagle’s View at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Ed White at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Fletcher at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Hamilton County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Harvest Community at Bronson

Hilliard at St. Joseph

Interlachen at Citrus, 7:30 p.m.

Jackson at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Joshua Christian at Cottondale

Keystone Heights at Bell, 7:30 p.m.

Mandarin at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

Menendez at Matanzas

Newberry at Middleburg

NFEI at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Oakleaf at Bolles

Old Plank Christian at Cornerstone Classical

Orlando Evans at St. Augustine

Parker at Orange Park

Ponte Vedra at Fleming Island

Providence at Impact Christian

Ribault at Ridgeview

Santa Fe at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Stanton at Bishop Snyder

Union County at First Coast Christian

Westside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Yulee at West Nassau

OFF: Atlantic Coast, Duval Charter, Episcopal, Flagler Palm Coast, KIPP Bold City, Nease, Zaraphath Academy.

Week 6

Thursday, Sept. 24

Beachside at Nease

Clay at St. Augustine

Flagler Palm Coast at Tocoi Creek

Friday, Sept. 25

Atlantic at Keystone Heights

Baker County at Godby

Baldwin at Bolles

Bell at Eagle’s View

Bradford at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Bronson at Joshua Christian

Cornerstone Classical at Aucilla Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Creekside at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Crescent City at Branford, 7:30 p.m.

Englewood at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal at Duval Charter

First Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Fleming Island at Orange Park

Fletcher at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Halifax Academy at Harvest Community

Impact Christian at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

KIPP Bold City at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

McKinney Christian (Texas) at Christ’s Church Academy

Menendez at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Middleburg at Ridgeview

Parker at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

Pine Ridge at Matanzas

Ponte Vedra at Bartram Trail

Providence at Seffner Christian

Riverside at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Scintilla Charter at Hilliard

Seven Rivers at Old Plank Christian, 7:30 p.m.

St. Joseph at Bishop Snyder

Stanton at First Coast Christian

Suwannee at Wakulla

Taylor County at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Trinity Christian at NFEI

West Nassau at Fernandina Beach

West Port at Oakleaf

Westside at Palatka

Young Kids in Motion at Jefferson County

Yulee at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at West Oaks

OFF: Bishop Kenny, Interlachen, Paxon, Raines.

Week 7

Thursday, Oct. 1

Beachside at Port St. Lucie Legacy

Trinity Prep at Harvest Community

Friday, Oct. 2

Atlantic at Cornerstone Classical

Bradford at Gainesville Eastside, 7:30 p.m.

Branford at St. Joseph

Christ’s Church Academy at Oak Hall

Columbia at Manatee, 7:30 p.m.

Duval Charter at Halifax Academy

Ed White at Oakleaf

Englewood at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Flagler Palm Coast at Orange City University

Florida High at University Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Gadsden County at Impact Christian

Gainesville P.K. Yonge at First Coast Christian

Keystone Heights at Crescent City, 7:30 p.m.

KIPP Bold City at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

Lake Highland Prep at Bishop Snyder

Lake Mary at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Lake Weir at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Mayo Lafayette at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Menendez at Bishop Kenny

NFEI at Episcopal

Old Plank Christian at Hilliard, 7:30 p.m.

Parker at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Paxon at Ridgeview

Riverside at Nease

Trinity Christian at Carrollwood Day

Union County at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Venice at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

West Nassau at Providence

Wolfson at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Baker County, Bartram Trail, Bolles, Clay, Creekside, Eagle’s View, First Coast, Fleming Island, Fletcher, Matanzas, Middleburg, Orange Park, Palatka, Ponte Vedra, Sandalwood, St. Augustine, Tocoi Creek, Union County, Yulee.

Week 8

Thursday, Oct. 8

Bishop Snyder at Faith Christian

Harvest Community at Christ’s Church Academy

Joshua Christian at Duval Charter

Friday, Oct. 9

Atlantic Coast at Creekside

Aucilla Christian at Hilliard

Baker County at Suwannee, 7:30 p.m.

Bartram Trail at Beachside

Bradford at Newberry, 7:30 p.m.

Clay at Fleming Island

Dixie County at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.

Eagle’s View at Keswick Christian

Ed White at Ribault, 6:30 p.m.

First Coast Christian at Port Orange Atlantic

Fort White at Madison County, 7:30 p.m.

Foundation Academy at Providence

Gainesville Buchholz at Matanzas

Halifax Academy at Crescent City, 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian at Hamilton County, 7:30 p.m.

Jackson at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

KIPP Bold City at Bolles

Mandarin at Ponte Vedra

Menendez at Palatka

Nease at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Oak Hall at Old Plank Christian

Oakleaf at Ocala Forest

Orange Park at Middleburg

Palatka at Menendez

Paxon and Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

P.K. Yonge at Interlachen, 7:30 p.m.

Raines at Bishop Kenny

St. Augustine at Ridgeview

St. Joseph at West Oaks Academy

Sandalwood at Flagler Palm Coast

Stanton at Westside, 6:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Union County at Fernandina Beach

University Christian at Williston

Wolfson at Episcopal

Yulee at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 10

West Deptford (NJ) at West Nassau

OFF: Columbia, Cornerstone Classical, Parker, Trinity Christian, Zarephath Academy.

Week 9

Thursday, Oct. 15

Episcopal at Eagle’s View

Friday, Oct. 16

Atlantic Coast at Tocoi Creek

Bolles at Trinity Christian

Christ’s Church Academy at True Institute

Columbia at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Cornerstone Classical at Duval Charter

Creekside at Flagler Palm Coast

Englewood at Baldwin, 6:30 p.m.

Father Lopez at Union County, 7:30 p.m.

First Coast Christian at Joshua Christian

First Coast at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Fletcher at Ponte Vedra

Fort White at Baker County

Harvest Community at Taylor Pierson

Hilliard at Dixie County, 7:30 p.m.

Impact Christian at Menendez

Interlachen at Wildwood

Jackson at West Nassau

Keystone Heights at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

KIPP Bold City at Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Mandarin at Beachside

Matanzas at Oakleaf

Middleburg at Fleming Island

Nease at Bartram Trail

Old Plank Christian at Bishop Snyder

Orange Park at St. Augustine

Palatka at Newberry

Providence at Fernandina Beach

Ribault at Yulee

Ridgeview at Clay

Riverside at Raines, 6:30 p.m.

St. Joseph at Oak Hall

Taylor County at NFEI

Umatilla at Crescent City

University Christian at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Wolfson at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Zarephath at Bishop Kenny

OFF: Suwannee, Westside

Week 10

Thursday, Oct. 22

Ridgeview at Orange Park

Friday, Oct. 23

Baldwin at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Bartram Trail at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Beachside at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Bishop Kenny at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Bishop Snyder at Seven Rivers Christian

Bolles at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Bronson at Old Plank Christian

Crescent City at Trenton, 7:30 p.m.

Duval Charter at First Coast Christian

Ed White at Bradford, 7:30 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at Episcopal

First Coast at Creekside

Flagler Palm Coast at Atlantic Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Fleming Island at St. Augustine

Halifax Academy at Eagle’s View

Hamilton County at Fort White, 7:30 p.m.

Hilliard at Cornerstone Classical

Impact Christian at Trinity Christian

Interlachen at Atlantic

Middleburg at Clay

Oakleaf at Buchholz

Palatka at Wolfson, 6:30 p.m.

Ponte Vedra at Nease

Raines at Cocoa

Ribault at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

St. Joseph at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal

Sandalwood at Tocoi Creek

Suwannee at Godby

Union County at Paxon, 6:30 p.m.

Wakulla at Baker County

West Nassau at Keystone Heights, 7:30 p.m.

West Port at Matanzas

Westside at Menendez

Young Kids in Motion at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

Yulee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Zarephath Academy at Umatilla

OFF: Christ’s Church Academy, Harvest, Providence, Stanton, University Christian.

Week 11

Thursday, Oct. 29

University Christian at Calvary Christian

Friday, Oct. 30

Atlantic Coast at Fletcher, 6:30 p.m.

Baker County at West Port

Baldwin at Ed White, 6:30 p.m.

Belleview at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Buchholz at Bolles

Clay at Jackson, 6:30 p.m.

Creekside at Ponte Vedra

Fleming Island at Bishop Kenny

Fort White at Palatka

Halifax Academy at Providence

Hilliard at Taylor Pierson, 7:30 p.m.

Land O’ Lakes at Bartram Trail

Matanzas at Palm Bay

Middleburg at Parker, 6:30 p.m.

Nease at Sandalwood, 6:30 p.m.

Oakleaf at First Coast, 6:30 p.m.

Orange Park at Flagler Palm Coast

Ridgeview at Englewood, 6:30 p.m.

St. Augustine at Mandarin, 6:30 p.m.

Sunlake at KIPP Bold City, 6:30 p.m.

Suwannee at Columbia, 7:30 p.m.

Tocoi Creek at Menendez

Trinity Christian at Riverside, 6:30 p.m.

Westside at Beachside

Zarephath Academy at Yulee

Saturday, Oct. 31

Ribault at Raines, 2 p.m.

OFF: Bradford, Impact Christian, Wolfson

TBA: Cornerstone Classical

TBA, SSAC playoffs: Bishop Snyder, Christ’s Church Academy, Duval Charter, Eagle’s View, Episcopal, Fernandina Beach, First Coast Christian, Harvest, Interlachen, Keystone Heights, Old Plank Christian, Paxon, St. Joseph, Stanton, Union County, West Nassau.

He was stopped about 8:54 a.m. after a deputy conducting traffic enforcement recorded his speed with radar, the report says.

The deputy activated emergency lights, made a U-turn and conducted a traffic stop. Leese was then taken to Clay County Jail, the report said.

He was issued a criminal citation for excessive speed.

Georgia weekly schedules

Week 0

Friday, Aug. 14

Bethesda Academy at Frederica Academy

Camden County at Bolles

Week 1

Thursday, Aug. 20

Calvary Day at Glynn Academy, 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 21

Camden County at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Charlton County at West Nassau

Frederica Academy at Pinewood Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Pierce County at Coosa Christian, Alabama

Ware County at Bainbridge, 7:30 p.m.

Week 2

Friday, Aug. 28

Brunswick at Groves, 7:30 p.m.

Charlton County at McIntosh County Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Deerfield-Windsor at Frederica Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Glynn Academy at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Pierce County at Brooks County, 7:30 p.m.

Ware County at Coffee, 7:30 p.m.

Week 3

Thursday, Sept. 3

Frederica Academy at Valwood, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 4

Camden County at Benedictine, 7:30 p.m.

Charlton County at Berrien, 7:30 p.m.

Savannah Christian at Glynn Academy, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Brunswick, Pierce County, Ware County

Week 4

Friday, Sept. 11

Frederica Academy at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

Godby at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Grayson at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Richmond Hill at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Swainsboro at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Glynn Academy.

Week 5

Friday, Sept. 18

Bradwell Institute at Glynn Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Brunswick at Grovetown, 7:30 p.m.

Ed White at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Early County at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

First Presbyterian Day at Frederica Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Groves at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Johnson at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Week 6

Friday, Sept. 25

Glynn Academy at Lakeside, 7:30 p.m.

Greenbrier at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Pierce County at Toombs County, 7:30 p.m.

Ware County at Statesboro, 7:30 p.m.

West Broward at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Charlton County, Frederica Academy.

Week 7

Friday, Oct. 2

Beach at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Brunswick at Bradwell, 7:30 p.m.

Effingham County at Glynn Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Frederica Academy at Stratford Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Lanier County at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

Richmond Academy at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Camden County.

Week 8

Friday, Oct. 9

Camden County at Lowndes, 7:30 p.m.

Charlton County at Atkinson County, 7:30 p.m.

St. Andrew’s at Frederica Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Tattnall County at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Ware County at Evans, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Brunswick, Glynn Academy.

Week 9

Friday, Oct. 16

Frederica Academy at Savannah Country Day, 7:30 p.m.

Glynn Academy vs. Brunswick, 7:40 p.m.

Richmond Hill at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Charlton County, Pierce County, Ware County.

Week 10

Friday, Oct. 23

Brunswick at South Effingham, 7:30 p.m.

Camden County at Valdosta, 7:30 p.m.

Frederica Academy at Bulloch Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Glynn Academy at Greenbrier, 7:30 p.m.

Jenkins at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Mitchell County at Charlton County, 7:30 p.m.

Pierce County at Brantley County, 7:30 p.m.

Week 11

Friday, Oct. 30

Charlton County at Clinch County, 7:30 p.m.

Colquitt County at Camden County, 7:30 p.m.

Effingham at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.

Glynn Academy at South Effingham, 7:30 p.m.

Islands at Pierce County, 7:30 p.m.

Ware County at Wayne County, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Frederica Academy.

Week 12

Friday, Nov. 6

Benedictine at Ware County, 7:30 p.m.

Brunswick at Lakeside, 7:30 p.m.

Charlton County at Irwin County, 7:30 p.m.

Grovetown at Glynn Academy, 7:30 p.m.

Pierce County at Appling County, 7:30 p.m.

OFF: Camden County, Glynn Academy.

The first example of that came Monday night.

Misiorowski worked just four innings in an 8-3 victory over the New York Mets that marked his first appearance since pitching seven innings in a July 7 victory at St. Louis. The Brewers scratched Misiorowski from a scheduled July 12 start in Pittsburgh due to arm fatigue, and he didn’t pitch in the All-Star Game last week despite getting selected to the team for a second straight year.

“I think we take that as kind of a reset,” Murphy said before the game. “Now I think we have to build him back up and make sure that we are mindful of it.”

Misiorowski struck out six Monday while allowing one unearned run, four hits and a walk. Twenty-six of his 65 pitches went at least 100 mph, and he topped out at 104 mph on a first-inning fastball to Juan Soto. He reached 102 mph on 12 pitches, though all but one of them came in the first inning.

Murphy noted after the game that limiting Misiorowski to four innings wasn’t simply a matter of being careful with the flamethrowing right-hander. He said it was more a matter of “just being mindful of when a guy’s not right.”

“We would have probably let him go further if his delivery and his legs felt great,” Murphy said. “I think he was a little bit out of it. The long layoff kind of affected his delivery and everything else. I think it was important to notice that and get him out of there then. The velo dropped. He couldn’t find the rhythm on his heater and went to off-speed stuff.”

Misiorowski acknowledged that it felt a little more difficult than usual pitching Monday after such a long layoff.

“Of course,” Misiorowski said. “I felt like I wasn’t in my legs as well as I should have been, but I felt halfway decent. Good enough.”

The Brewers have reason to be careful with their star as he makes his way through his first full season in the big leagues.

Misiorowski already has pitched 115 innings this season. He worked 141 1/3 innings last year, including his regular-season totals in the majors and minors plus his 12 postseason innings during Milwaukee’s run to the NL Championship Series.

The Brewers (63-37) have the best record in the major leagues and lead the Chicago Cubs by seven games in the NL Central. Misiorowski has been baseball’s best pitcher, and the Brewers’ chances of making a deep postseason run likely depend on him staying healthy and effective.

Misiorowski hasn’t allowed an earned run in eight of his last 13 starts, and he owns a 9-2 record and 0.87 ERA during that stretch. He has a 1.57 ERA and 173 strikeouts this season to lead the majors in both categories.

The 24-year-old said after Monday’s game that he’s hopeful he can go longer in his next start and can ramp his way back up quickly after this recent time off. Misiorowski had spent the offseason preparing for the greater workload he expected to encounter this year.

“The offseason last year, we focused on legs and doing all that stuff to get myself ready for this track of the year,” Misiorowski said. “I feel good where I’m at. Ready to go.”

___

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

The 10 consecutive nights of U.S. airstrikes haven't compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait, through which about a fifth of all crude oil and natural gas traded once passed in peacetime.

Even as the U.S. and Iran inch closer to all-out war again, Iran’s interior minister traveled to Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, for talks. However, it remains unclear just what new deal could be reached to end the fighting.

The interim deal signed last month that was meant to end the fighting has crumbled. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. And as fighting intensifies, both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people.

“Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world,” the U.S. State Department said in a new warning to Americans.

The escalation has pushed oil prices higher in recent weeks. Benchmark Brent crude traded Tuesday above $88 a barrel and regular gasoline in the U.S. climbed to an average of $4 a gallon, keeping pressure on Americans’ wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military identified two soldiers who were killed in Jordan in attacks that left a third person missing. Separately, the military confirmed another death in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday to warn that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!"

Trump was planning to attend a ceremony on Tuesday evening at Dover Air Force Base, where at least one service member's remains were due to arrive.

US strikes come as ships attacked

The U.S. military’s Central Command said Tuesday it targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems.” It released more footage of bombings that targeted sites in Iran.

“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait," the command said.

However, traffic through the strait has slowed to crawl with the latest violence. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed the attack, as well as two other attacks on ships Monday in the waterway.

The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control.

Tehran also hit U.S.-allied countries throughout the Middle East.

Kuwait said its air defenses fired at an incoming barrage, and Jordan’s armed forces said Monday evening they had shot down three Iranian missiles, adding that there had been no material damage or casualties. Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry condemned Iranian drone strikes targeting the country’s air traffic systems, saying they endanger travel for civilians.

Nearly 100 US injuries since early July

The Pentagon’s chief spokesman said nearly 100 U.S. service members have been injured since the U.S. restarted strikes on July 7, and 96% of them have returned to duty.

“The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions,” Sean Parnell posted Monday on X in response to a New York Times report that the Pentagon has withheld information about troop injuries from Iranian strikes. He denied that the Pentagon was hiding data about injuries.

However, the Defense Casualty Analysis System, the military’s clearinghouse for reporting deaths and injuries in conflict, has not been updated as of Monday night with the latest attacks.

Yemen rebels threaten attacks on other Mideast waterway

Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Monday. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, said they would block shipping between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden by targeting the Bab el-Mandeb, a maritime chokepoint like the Strait of Hormuz, in response to an attack on Sanaa International Airport last week that they blamed on Saudi Arabia.

With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil out to market. The Houthis earlier demonstrated their ability to disrupt shipping there when they targeted ships for months over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with over 100 vessels attacked.

Saudi Arabia's military said it would keep the waterway open.

“All Houthi threats against transiting vessels will be dealt with swiftly and firmly, as such threats are a blatant violation of international law and fall under acts of maritime piracy,” said Maj. Gen, Turki al-Malki, a Saudi military spokesman.

A glimmer of hope for diplomacy

Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days to resuscitate the interim deal.

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday for two days of talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others.

On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. is still open to negotiating with Iran but that “it has to be real.”

“If the door opens to diplomacy — if the guys that want to do something productive for Iran win and take control of that system, or take control of the negotiations — that’ll be a very positive development,” Rubio said. “That’s not where we are tonight, unfortunately.”

Iranian authorities on Sunday said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest rounds of U.S. strikes. Since the war began on Feb. 28, 17 U.S. service members have been killed.

___

Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix, Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

Both benches and bullpens emptied after Caballero bounced into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. Santana got angry following the play, gesturing and shouting a few times at Caballero on the field.

“Just don’t (take) that long (at) home plate and that’s it,” Santana said when asked what he said to Caballero.

The right-hander was restrained by teammates Rafael Flores and Bryan Reynolds before order was restored after a few minutes without any punches or ejections.

“Dennis just got frustrated by something,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said. “Thankfully it didn’t end up being a big deal.”

Since the pitch clock was implemented in 2023, hitters are required to be in the batter’s box and facing the pitcher with eight seconds remaining on the clock. Caballero was trying to wait until the last second available during his at-bat, which lasted three pitches.

“I just grounded into a double play, turning my back to the coach at first base to give my guards to him, and he was chirping at me,” Caballero said. "I was a little bit surprised about it.”

Caballero had two hits, including a two-run double, before his at-bat against Santana, who has a 6.05 ERA in 44 appearances and gave up a game-ending two-run homer to Cleveland rookie Travis Bazzana on Saturday.

“At this point, he’s lucky he doesn’t get a ball right away because at this point, it’s been four years with the same rules, which we all should know about the rules,” Caballero said. “The whole league should know who I am, what I do (in) the box, and they should be aware of it. For you to get mad at something that the league’s implementing — you shouldn’t be mad at me, you should be mad at someone else.”

During New York’s 8-3 win in Toronto on June 14, Caballero was issued a warning for intentionally delaying an at-bat. He was warned by plate umpire Stephen Jaschinski that he would get an automatic strike called if it happened again, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke to Major League Baseball officials about it the following day.

“I know he does it every pitch. It’s his thing,” Reynolds said.

Caballero’s deliberate style in the batter’s box has periodically irked opponents, including the Yankees, who acquired him from Tampa Bay on July 31 last year.

As a rookie with the Seattle Mariners in June 2023, Caballero annoyed Yankees ace Gerrit Cole so much the right-hander threw a 97 mph fastball to him that landed high up on the backstop.

Cole’s pitch was in response to Caballero stepping out repeatedly during his first two plate appearances until the pitch clock was down to the eight-second requirement to be in the batter’s box and alert.

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

The expansion, first announced in April through an agreement between the Multi-State Lottery Association in the U.S. and Allwyn UK, will mark the first time a lottery outside the U.S. contributes to the Powerball jackpot. The expansion will allow U.K. players to play for much larger jackpots than are now available at lotteries in the country and Europe.

Wednesday night’s drawing will be the first Powerball drawing open to players in the U.K.

The largest Powerball payout was just over $2 billion (about 1.5 billion pounds) from a ticket bought in 2022 in California. EuroMillions, a lottery offered across nine European countries and also operated in the U.K. by Allwyn, awarded the maximum 250 million euros (about $285 million) to players from France, Ireland and Austria over the course of 2025.

The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are a minuscule 1 in 292.2 million. Those odds will be the same for U.S. and U.K. players, lottery officials say.

U.S. lottery officials say the expanded player base will allow Powerball jackpots to grow more quickly, likely increasing sales as more people are drawn to larger grand prizes.

Powerball tickets cost $2.

Tickets purchased in the U.K. will only go toward the Powerball jackpot — not lower-tier prizes. Players in the U.K. will have a different lower-tier prize structure.

The estimated jackpot amounts in each country will differ due to currency conversion rates and because the U.S. advertises prize amounts pretax, unlike in the U.K.

U.K. Powerball jackpots will also be paid over 30 years, whereas in the U.S. jackpot winners have a choice between taking their winnings spread over years through an annuity or in cash — nearly all winners opt for cash.

Powerball is played in 45 U.S. states, and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In the game, players choose five white-ball numbers from 1 to 69 and one red Powerball number from 1 to 26. Drawings will continue to be held Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

While the Trump administration says it is open to diplomacy, Iran so far has refused to loosen its grip over the crucial oil shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. It is raising questions about the strategy for the next phase of the conflict as intensifying attacks have collapsed an interim ceasefire deal, left additional American troops dead and sent U.S. gasoline prices back up — posing new problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.

Even with glimmers of hope for talks, the sides could be headed back to all-out war, with Trump warning that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward, “they will pay for that killing many times over.”

The renewed escalations reflect "a fundamental misreading of the Iranian psyche and a lack of learning” from previous fighting, said Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“I think it’s driven by a calculus on either side that they can double down on military escalation as a way of breaking the impasse and getting the other side to relent,” Yacoubian said. “The danger, of course, is that the more escalatory it becomes, the harder it will be to seize any potential opening back to diplomacy.”

The Trump administration says the door to diplomacy is open

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is still open to negotiating, telling reporters Sunday night that Iran continues "to send signals that they want to talk, that they want to negotiate, but their behavior is what we’re responding to. And their behavior is they’re launching missiles and drones at ships” in the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's oil normally passes.

“The United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution, and we’ve tried multiple times with Iran, and we’ll continue to try," he said. "If that door opens, we’ll be happy to see it open.”

Trump is focused on making Iran pay for the recent deaths of U.S. troops, violations of the interim deal reached last month and attacks on ships in the strait, according to a U.S. official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official said that military strikes on Iran would continue until Trump decides otherwise, but that talks between the countries also would go on.

For some outside observers, the administration appears to be struggling to find an off-ramp, both militarily and diplomatically.

“This administration currently is flustered,” said Alan Eyre, a former U.S. diplomat once involved in past nuclear negotiations with Tehran and now a fellow at the Middle East Institute. “It really doesn’t have a coherent and consistent strategy as to how to extricate itself from this quagmire.”

There are some limitations to Trump's air war

The U.S. military can only accomplish so much as it ramps up attacks on Iran, experts say.

The conflict has demonstrated the limits of relying solely on air power, said Christopher Preble, a scholar at the Stimson Center think tank focused on U.S. foreign policy. But he noted that sending in ground troops would be unpopular with many Americans and members of Congress.

“It seems that President Trump certainly has the capability to continue to bomb, and Iran will have the capability to continue to keep the strait closed — or closed well enough,” Preble said.

David Schenker, a former official in the first Trump administration who is now a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the renewed strikes on Iranian infrastructure are a repeat of attacks during the early weeks of the war. And those did not result in Iran’s capitulation.

“The U.S. hit 13,000 targets in the first 6 weeks of the war, and this didn’t sway Iran to take a knee,” he said.

Retired Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, said previous wars such as Vietnam showed the limitations of air power alone.

“Generally, you have to couple air power with ground operations, sometimes naval operations as well, and certainly space today,” he said.

When launching the war on Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel struck many fixed targets identified before the conflict began. But Iran had a long time to prepare for the attacks by concealing and dispersing weapons.

“So the easy targets are pretty much gone,” Kendall said. “They can hide ballistic missiles and cruise missiles and small air vehicles pretty easily. So it’s a very hard job to try to suppress that kind of a threat over a period of time. And that’s why they’re still able to attack not just ships in the Straits, but also our bases in the region and so on.”

Diplomacy has struggled with a lack of trust between the US and Iran

A diplomatic solution also could prove elusive.

Eyre, of the Middle East Institute, said the Trump administration has shown no preference for “actual diplomacy,” relying instead on close advisers with little international relations experience while outsourcing some of the work to mediators such as Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt.

“We’ve got a tough road ahead of us, but it theoretically could be done,” Eyre said of potential negotiations to end the conflict. “Unfortunately, there is so little mutual confidence in the other side. There’s so little bilateral trust between the U.S. and Iran that it makes everything so much harder.”

Both Schenker and Yacoubian said recent comments from Trump, Rubio and their Iranian counterparts reflect some openness to diplomacy.

Yacoubian pointed to the “measured” response from Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the recent killing of U.S. service members in Jordan, indicating a possibility for an off-ramp. Iran’s release last week of an Iranian-American woman who had not been allowed to leave the country also showed a sign of goodwill from Tehran, she said.

But these small, positive signals could quickly become moot if the decision by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels Monday to announce a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia expands to a complete shutdown of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

That, Yacoubian says, could constitute “a perfect storm of disruption” for the already precarious global economy.

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Amiri reported from New York. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

Meanwhile, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Fausto formed far from Mexico's Baja California peninsula and posed no threat to land Monday night.

The center of Bertha was located about 140 miles (225 km) south of Panama City, Florida, in the northern Gulf. Maximum sustained winds were around 40 mph (65 kph) and some additional strengthening is expected as the storm approaches land, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

The slow-moving storm drifted for hours on Monday, but is expected to stay near or along the northern Gulf Coast early this week, unleashing heavy rain on coastal areas of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana as it pushes west toward Texas.

Bertha is the second tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Tropical Storm Arthur last month brought heavy rainfall to the southeastern United States.

The storm was nearly stationary by Monday night, but it was expected to make a west-northwestward or westward turn toward the coast over the next few days, according to the hurricane center.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for a wide area from the Alabama-Florida border westward to southeastern Louisiana at the Jefferson and Plaquemines parish line. A storm surge watch also has been posted from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Florida border on the Gulf Coast.

Potentially life-threatening storm surges of up to four feet (1.2 meters) could occur in portions of the Louisiana, Alabama and Florida, the hurricane center said, warning Bertha could spin off an isolated tornado or two over the Florida Big Bend region in the week.

Areas of flash flooding will also be possible through Friday along the coast from western Florida to middle Texas, forecasters said. They added that rainfall could total 3 to 5 inches (7 to 12 centimeters) along the Louisiana coastline with higher amounts in some scattered areas.

Red flags were flying on the beach at Orange Beach, Alabama, cautioning swimmers about high surf and currents. In Escambia County, Florida, emergency officials offered sand for people living in flood-prone areas to use for sandbags.

Fausto gained hurricane status Monday night and was about 745 miles (1,200 km) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, forecasters said.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Fausto had top sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and was moving to the west-northwest at 9 mph 15 (kph).

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect though ocean swells generated by the storm could pummel the Baja California coast and cause life-threatening surf and rip tide conditions, the center said.

On Tuesday night, the Red Sox can match that mark set by the 1946 club.

Caleb Durbin hit a tiebreaking homer over the Green Monster with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Red Sox extended the second-longest winning streak in club history to 14 games, beating Baltimore 6-5 on Monday night to snap the Orioles’ season-best win streak at seven.

“I’m trying not to, but I want it,” Durbin said about the possibility of tying the club record. “I can’t speak for anyone else. We really haven’t talked about it, but I want to make history here.”

Durbin, who had a miserable start to the season after being picked up in an offseason trade with Milwaukee, connected on a 1-0 cutter from Tyler Wells, setting off a celebration by his teammates in front of Boston’s dugout.

“It would mean a lot, for sure,” first baseman Willson Contreras said. “We are trying to play the same way every day. … If it happens, that would be great for us. We can celebrate that. If it doesn’t happen, you have to keep going.”

Boston was 37-48 when the streak began and is now in position for a wild-card playoff berth.

The Red Sox overcame three deficits on Monday.

“I can’t imagine it being more electric than tonight,” Durbin said. “It might be. Tonight was awesome, though.”

What was he thinking as he rounded the bases, heading toward a handful of players who were jumping up and down in front of the dugout?

“There’s not a lot of times that you black out -- as they say,’’ he said. “I think that was one of the moments where I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t tell you what I looked like running around the bases.”

Contreras was one of the first players to jump over the railing onto the field after Durbin’s shot.

“I felt like (the) playoffs, going to the World Series, to be honest,” he said. “Hopefully it happens. We’re on the way, but there’s a lot of season left, a lot of games to be played.”

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

The Tates appeared in federal court Monday for the first time since their arrest on Saturday and are being held in federal detention. In the coming weeks, a U.S. district judge will consider whether they meet the conditions for extradition. U.S. Magistrate Lauren Louis set another hearing for July 27.

In court documents unsealed Monday, U.S. prosecutors described allegations from the United Kingdom against the brothers involving three victims. One woman accused Tristan Tate of rape and assault during a long-term relationship with him beginning in 2012, including when she was unconscious, reporting him to U.K. authorities multiple times. Two other women, one who met Andrew Tate through a webcam business and another through a dating app, also accused him of rape and assault in 2014 and 2015.

The brothers, through their social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny, are among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities.

Normally photographed in tailored suits and fitted shirts, they wore tan jail uniforms and handcuffs during Monday's brief hearing. Neither brother said a word.

Their attorney, Joseph McBride, insisted they should remain in the U.S.

“We are of course objecting to extradition because Andrew and Tristan are innocent," McBride said after the hearing. “They’ve never done nothing wrong. They shouldn’t be extradited for crimes they did not commit.”

The brothers were surprised when they were arrested, McBride said, adding that the attempt to have them extradited was politically motivated. “There’s no question about it,” he told reporters.

He suggested the Tates' case “had a lot to do with” former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's decision to step down, without providing any details, and said it was no coincidence that the brothers were arrested after meeting “friends in Washington, D.C.”

“We went to see our Congress people in D.C. and now we’re getting arrested. This feels political,” McBride said. He didn't specify who the pair met with or what was discussed.

On Sunday, McBride said he was confident the extradition request would be denied.

Prosecutors in Britain said the new charges relate to four new victims and were brought after authorities received evidence from Bedfordshire Police in southeastern England. The allegations, spanning 2010 to 2017, include rape, assault, trafficking and offenses relating to “indecent images of a child and extreme pornography.”

McBride said none of the latest accusers have been identified, adding “we'd like to know who’s accused Andrew and Tristan of what.”

The brothers are already charged with rape, bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain relating to three other alleged victims in the U.K. between 2012 and 2015.

Their lawyer said in a statement Saturday that he believed the arrests were “greenlighted by a low-level functionary” at the Justice Department without input from leadership. The Justice Department told The Associated Press that the arrests were approved by leadership of its Criminal Division.

The new allegations are the latest in a long-running international legal saga involving the Tates that has spanned the U.S., Britain and Romania. The brothers have repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

The dual U.S. and British citizens moved to Romania in 2016. They were arrested there in 2022, accused of participating in schemes to lure women for sexual exploitation. They denied those allegations and the Romanian case hasn't gone forward because of legal and procedural problems.

Last year, they were allowed to leave Romania and flew to Florida.

The former professional kickboxers have millions of followers on social media and are vocal supporters of President Donald Trump.

Andrew Tate, 39, first became known a decade ago when he was a contestant on the U.K. reality television show “Big Brother.” He was booted from the show when a video appeared to show him assaulting a woman.

He has amassed over 10 million followers on X but has been banned from other platforms for violating hate speech guidelines, including YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. He has made widely condemned comments, such as saying women who are sexually assaulted should bear some responsibility for the attacks and sharing graphic descriptions of how he might attack women.

The Tate brothers have consistently denied allegations of abuse and human trafficking, claiming their violent and misogynistic statements have been taken out of context or were intended as jokes.

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Associated Press reporters Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.

They finally got it Monday night.

The Guardians hit seven home runs in a 13-4 victory over Minnesota Twins, one short of the franchise record and matching the record for a home game.

It was an unlikely power surge for the Guardians, who came into the game tied with Tampa Bay for the third-fewest homers in the majors with 94.

“A really fun night,” Vogt said. “The coolest feeling in the world is hitting a home run in the big leagues. So to see our guys keep doing it, obviously we’re getting good pitches to hit and we’re not missing them. I think that’s more telling than anything.”

Five of the longballs were by players who came into the game batting under .200. Petey Halpin and Rhys Hoskins each went deep twice and Patrick Bailey's shot in the seventh made it the sixth game in the franchise’s 125 seasons with at least seven homers. Cleveland hit eight home runs at Milwaukee on April 25, 1997, and at Seattle on July 16, 2004.

“We’ve been talking a lot about how both good and bad things are so contagious in this game and we feed off that as a team,” said Hoskins, who came into the game batting .177.

It was the first time two Cleveland players homered at least twice in a game since José Ramírez and Carlos Santana did it in 2019 against the Yankees.

Brayan Rocchio and Travis Bazzana also went deep for Cleveland, which also homered seven times at home on April 30, 2013 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

It’s the fourth time this season a major league team has hit at least seven homers. The Chicago Cubs had eight in their 23-3 win over the San Diego Padres on July 1.

Twins starter Joe Ryan became the 11th starting pitcher in major league history to give up six homers in a game. It was also a franchise record for homers allowed. Ryan, who pitched in his second All-Star Game last week, left too many of his 78 pitches over the middle of the plate as the Guardians took advantage of an off night by the right-hander.

“It’s a tough one, right, because I’m the one that’s wearing it. It’s definitely all on me,” said Ryan, who allowed eight runs and a career-high 10 hits in four innings, raising his ERA from 2.85 to 3.38. “It’s definitely frustrating and not the way you want to start a series against this team. They beat me to the spot more times than I got them.”

Vogt was happiest for Halpin, who hit his first two major league homers with drives to right-center in the second and fourth innings.

“It feels incredible. I think that my role and what I try to do is get on base for the guys that do hit home runs. And today I was able to connect on a couple of them,” Halpin said.

Halpin's homer in the fourth extended Cleveland's lead to 8-2. According to Sportradar, it was the first time since 1974 — when innings data started to be tracked — that Cleveland had six homers in the first four innings. It had five on July 22, 1994, against the Chicago White Sox and on Aug. 15, 2019, at the New York Yankees.

It was the 24th time that has happened in the majors during that span. The last was by the New York Yankees on Aug. 27, 2025, against the Washington Nationals.

Rocchio hit a two-run homer to right in the first. Two pitches later, Hoskins followed with a drive down the line in left to make it 3-0. It was the second time this season that Rocchio and Hoskins have gone back to back. They also did it against the Twins on July 8.

Bailey led off the seventh with a solo shot to center off Woo-Suk Go. The Guardians also had three other balls that went off the wall for doubles.

“I think it was just a great commitment on our part to really not be sold out, but be really confident about what we’re trying to do with the fastball,” Hoskins said. “I also think it gives you some conviction on which ones are balls. And I think we just did a really good job of that today. Ready to hit on the ones that weren’t up. And I think a lot of those are the ones that we did damage on, those are the pitches that you can’t miss against a guy like that and we just didn’t do that tonight.”

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

As of 11 p.m. Monday, the center of Tropical Storm Bertha was about 140 miles southeast of Panama City, Florida.

Surface observations and data from the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters indicate that maximum sustained winds neared 40 mph with higher gusts.

The minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 999 mb.

Tropical Storm Bertha is now stationary.

A slow northwestward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a turn toward the west-northwest or west. On the forecast track, the depression will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days.

The system could bring tropical storm conditions to portions of the Florida Panhandle, where a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the coasts of Mississippi and Louisiana from the Mississippi/Alabama border to the Jefferson/Plaquemines parish border.

Aside from isolated showers and storms early this week due to the wind flow around the system pushing tropical moisture over us, additional impacts are not expected for our area.

This is due to the system’s westerly movement, which will keep the highest rainfall totals across the Panhandle and northern Gulf Coast.

A Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said in a video statement that the maritime ban against Saudi Arabia will be effective immediately, describing it as an “equation of ‘an eye for an eye.’”

There were few details on how the embargo might work, but the deputy head of the Houthi media office, Nasruddin Amer, said on X that the Bab al-Mandeb strait will be closed to the Saudis in response to what he called the kingdom's "unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years.”

Bab el-Mandeb, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is the gateway to the Red Sea through which around 12% of the world's trade usually passes. A fourth of global container trade transits through the 32-kilometer (20-mile)-wide strait to and from the Suez Canal.

The Houthis earlier demonstrated their ability to disrupt shipping there when they targeted ships for months over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with over 100 vessels attacked. It is unclear whether the Houthis will resume that level of attack against neighboring Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia’s military said it would keep the waterway open.

“All Houthi threats against transiting vessels will be dealt with swiftly and firmly, as such threats are a blatant violation of international law and fall under acts of maritime piracy,” said Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a Saudi military spokesperson.

Iran war limits shipping routes

The kingdom already faced pressure as it uses its East-West Pipeline to the Red Sea as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which remains in the grip that Iran imposed shortly after the U.S. and Israel attacked it on Feb. 28.

The Saudis have been sending millions of barrels of crude oil a day through the pipeline. Now, about 2.5 million barrels of oil per day could be at risk, Texas-based Rystad Energy wrote Monday.

Saudi Arabia leads a coalition against the Houthis and imposed an air and sea blockade on Yemen in 2015. Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen and forced the government into exile. A truce was reached in 2022.

Exchange of fire escalates tensions

That truce has been threatened in recent days after the Houthis said the Saudis struck the Sanaa airport in an attempt to affect a flight carrying Houthi leaders back from Iran, where they attended the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The plane landed safely at another airport.

The Houthis then launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport in the most significant confrontation in years.

By allowing a direct international flight to land without the approval of the Saudi-led coalition, the Houthis sought to establish a new reality in which they could independently make decisions over Yemen’s airspace, experts told the AP.

“We affirm the right of our great people to respond to the blockade with a blockade,” Saree emphasized on Monday, adding that Houthis are prepared to confront “any foolish act committed by the reckless Saudi enemy ... with a comprehensive and decisive escalation."

Houthi-run Al Masirah TV broadcast footage of hundreds of supporters gathering in the city of Ibb, south of Sanaa, to back the embargo against Saudi Arabia. Similar rallies were held in the governorates of Saada, Marib, Hajjah and Taiz.

Iranian weapons supplies dwindle

The Houthis are a crucial part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which also includes militant groups in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

The rebels have had a large stockpile of drones, but several Houthi members previously told the AP that the stockpile is running low after its attacks during the Israel-Hamas war. The Iran war has further impeded the flow of weapons, said the members, who at the time spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media.

The U.S. and Israel responded to the Houthis' earlier attacks on shipping with a punishing air campaign across Houthi-held areas in Yemen until a deal that saw the rebels stop their assaults.

Disrupting transit through the Bab al-Mandeb forces shipping firms to route vessels around the Cape of Good Hope off South Africa, significantly increasing costs. The U.S. government in the past has said going around the cape would add about 2,700 miles (4,345 kilometers) to the journey from Saudi Arabia to the U.S.

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Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.

The Defense Department said in a statement that Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, were killed in Jordan in Friday’s attacks.

Feehan, a first lieutenant, will be posthumously promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Badge. The Army did not provide details about his commendations. He was assigned out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

Feehan was just weeks away from getting a Master of Business Administration from Southern Utah University, according to the school. The university will award his degree posthumously.

“Our hearts are with his family, fellow service members, classmates, and all who knew and loved Tyler as we mourn this profound loss together,” Mindy Benson, the university's president, said in a statement.

Gonzales was a private with the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany. She graduated last year from Hebron High School in Carrollton, near Dallas, school officials said.

“She gave her life in that service, and our district is heartbroken by her loss,” the Lewisville Independent School District said in a statement. “Her decision to serve after graduation speaks volumes of her character.”

The military said Gonzales died on Friday and Feehan died the following day. It did not provide details.

A third service member was reported missing in the attacks that killed Feehan and Gonzales. U.S. Central Command said Sunday that “unidentified remains” have been found and were being examined.

The US military says 17 service members have been killed in the war with Iran

The deaths reflect the complicated reality that American soldiers don’t need to be on the ground in Iran for there to be lethal risks in a conflict that involves drones, missiles and airplanes. American forces are arrayed across the Middle East, making other nations targets of Iran and its allies as the fighting has escalated after a breakdown in peace talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said the war is necessary to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Trump, a Republican, now faces political pressure to bring the war to a close and avoid the kind of prolonged Middle East conflict he had campaigned against.

Drones and missiles are claiming lives on both sides

An American service member was also killed in northern Iraq on Saturday during a “controlled detonation” of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, U.S. Central Command said Sunday. A second service member was wounded and was receiving medical treatment for a minor injury.

The military said it was withholding additional information until 24 hours after families had been notified.

Iranian authorities said U.S. strikes in just the past three weeks have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500 others, including eight killed in a strike on a bridge Friday.

Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people. Workers on ships, as well as foreign workers and others in Gulf nations, Israel and Lebanon have also died in the conflict.

The first US military fatalities came soon after the war started

Shortly after the U.S. and Israel began the war on Feb. 28, an Iranian drone strike at a civilian port in Kuwait killed six American soldiers. The soldiers were part of a supply and logistics unit based in Iowa who were working at a shipping container-style building that had no defenses.

A seventh soldier died more than a week after being wounded during a March 1 attack by Iran on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Later in March, six service members were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting U.S. military operations against Iran crashed in Iraq. The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft took place, according to U.S. Central Command.

Last week, the U.S. military said a Navy pilot died in a helicopter crash in the Arabian Sea. The Navy initially described the July 1 crash as an emergency landing and said there was “no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action.” The remaining three sailors aboard the helicopter were rescued.

The proposal lists the city’s general fund at just over $2 billion, an increase of about 1.1% from the prior year, according to the city’s budget highlights. Deegan emphasized the city is not drawing from reserves for the second year in a row and said the growth is tied to commitments already made to first responders.

“The only reason for that rise is because we made a promise to do right by our first responders three years ago and we will continue to keep that promise,” Deegan said.

In the budget highlights, public safety accounts for 53% of the general fund — more than $1.07 billion. That includes $673,613,389 for JSO and $400,130,519 for Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.

“Public safety remains the most important responsibility we have,” she said.

After the budget was unveiled, Sheriff T.K. Waters told News4JAX the JSO figure was in line with what he expected, while stressing the department needs to be careful with taxpayer dollars.

“We want to be very careful how we spend the dollars,” Waters said.

Waters said much of the increase is tied to staffing costs.

“80% of this budget is for our salary and our benefits,” he said, noting some increases are driven by contractual obligations.

JSO also shared a breakdown of its spending with News4JAX that reflects that point: 80.04% of the sheriff’s budget goes to salaries and benefits, with smaller portions allocated to interlocal service charges (7.19%), professional and contractual services (6.6%), other operating supplies (5.29%) and insurance (0.88%).

Waters said the proposed funding is aimed at maintaining current operations and keeping up with technology needs — not a major staffing expansion.

“I didn’t ask for new officers… that stuff’s expensive,” Waters said. “Technology is constantly increasing and our ability to keep up is very, very important.”

The proposal now heads into weeks of council review. City Council Finance Chair Will Lahnen said the process begins with council auditors checking details and funding sources, before lawmakers start longer hearings.

Lahnen said he was encouraged by the public safety priorities in the mayor’s proposal.

“It looks to me like government is growing in the right areas,” he said, adding he was “glad to see public safety fully funded.”

But both Lahnen and Deegan pointed to uncertainty ahead, with a statewide property tax amendment headed to voters in November. Deegan warned that if revenue drops significantly, city spending choices could get tougher.

“Everything is going to be affected,” Deegan said. “When you have to cut a third of your budget, pretty much a third of everything is under scrutiny for going.”

Lahnen said that means the Finance Committee may need to prepare for a loss in revenue.

“There’s going to be some items that we’re going to say ‘Hey. Let’s come back and revisit this after November to see if it’s still feasible.’ If we’re going to start gearing up for what’s going to be a 200 million less the next year and then 100 million more or less in the following year.”

Budget hearings are expected to begin in August, with a final council vote set for the end of September.

Simmons was a local pediatrician for decades. He is remembered as a “gentle-man”, “polite” and “always caring”.

Sarah L. Carter’s Funeral Home Northside will preside over his funeral services.

Scheduled Services

Viewing:

July 24, 2026

5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

The Bethel Church

215 Bethel Baptist Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202

Celebration of Life:

Saturday, July 25, 2026

10:00 AM

The Bethel Church

215 Bethel Baptist Street

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Interment Following Service:

Saturday, July 25, 2026

Evergreen Cemetery

4535 North Main Street

Jacksonville, FL 32206

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the groups argued at the park, some left and then returned, and someone fired a gun. The boy was struck in the leg; police said the shooter, believed to be a young man in his late teens, ran from the scene.

The park was recently renovated to give children a safe place to play, but neighbors and community leaders said Sunday’s violence raises questions about how young people are getting access to guns and what it will take to keep parks safe.

“It was late night. It was a whole bunch of group of kids behind my business,” William Davis said, who owns a business across the street from the park. “They went fighting each other for about 20 minutes. It was like, about 40 kids.”

Davis said he and an associate usually try to intervene, but they held back when someone reached for a gun.

“Then probably about five minutes later, they [started] shooting.”

Davis said he has asked city officials for more nighttime patrols and better security but has seen little change.

“They come in the daytime, but at nighttime it’s nothing,” he said. “So it’s like a recipe for disaster.” He also urged better lighting: “If we can get some lights over there, it’d be better because when I say everybody around here knows each other, but we can’t run into a situation where we can’t see it.”

District Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman said one act of violence should not define the park or the neighborhood.

“I’m glad the young man is going to be alright. But that child who had that gun needs to be punished. You don’t shoot at somebody and think you’re going to get away with it,” she said. “I think we have everything that a park should have and more, and we’re looking forward to the kids still coming to this park and enjoying themselves.”

News4JAX visited the area and spoke with neighbors calling for changes as investigators continue their search for the shooter. Anyone with information is urged to call JSO or Crime Stoppers.

Varsity 4 top 25 player countdown

20. Julius LaRosa III

Position/school: DL/ University Christian.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-2, 260.

Recruiting: Committed to NC State.

Why here’s here: A multiyear force on the defensive line for the Christians, he’s got 24 career sacks and 43.5 tackles for loss. Recovered two fumbles and blocked a punt last year. Had 59 tackles last season and is up to 171 for his career. A consensus three-star recruit by the four major recruiting services and a top 140 player in Florida by those outlets.

21. Kindrid Outland

Position/school: DL/Mandarin.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-2, 270.

Recruiting: Committed to USF.

Why here’s here: He was all over the field last year for the Mustangs, earning a second-team All-News4JAX selection after racking up 62 tackles, 21 for loss, and 5.5 sacks. A three-star recruit by 247 Sports and Rivals/On3, Outland has serious muscle and pocket-busting interior presence.

22. Kyree Wilson

Position/school: ATH/University Christian.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 6-0, 190.

Recruiting: Committed to Toledo.

Why he’s here: Wilson has thrived as the No. 1 player at a small school (Christ’s Church) where he racked up 3,019 rushing yards and 32 TDs and added 74 combined tackles during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Wilson, a Rivals three-star prospect, spent his junior year at Mandarin in a two-back system and absolutely scorched teams when given the opportunity (9.1 yards per carry). He’s got 3,807 career rushing yards and 38 rushing TDs, and could join the exclusive 5,000-yard rushing club with a strong season. Factor in his work on defense in the secondary and he’s going to put up numbers all over the field for the Christians.

23. Kash Kolbow

Position/school: S/WR/Nease.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 6-1, 180.

Recruiting: Committed to UCF.

Why he’s here: He was a little bit of a do-it-all player on Nease’s defense in 2025. Kolbow had 68 total tackles and a couple of interceptions. He was sticky in coverage (23 passes defensed) and forced two fumbles. With as big graduation losses as the Panthers had on defense, Kolbow’s production is no doubt bound to keep ticking up.

24. King Boylston

Position/school: QB/Ed White.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-1, 195.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why he’s here: Boylston isn’t rated by any of the major recruiting services, but he’s a player who should see his stock rise over the course of the year. He accounted for 38 TDs last season, passing for 25 and scampering for 13 more. Boylston passed for 2,091 yards and rushed for 712 more to help lead the Commanders to the mantle as the highest-scoring regular season team in state history.

25. Noah Ash

Position/school: Kicker, Ponte Vedra.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 5-11, 190.

Recruiting: Committed to Auburn.

Why he’s here: A placekicker among the area’s top players? You got that right. Ash is the area’s best player at his position, and one of the top recruits in the nation. He booted 11 field goals for the state semifinalist Sharks last year and had 74 touchbacks in 85 chances. Depending on the recruiting outlet, Ash ranks between fourth (247 Sports Composite) to sixth (Rivals/On3).

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A car wreck and other bills piled up, and over time, she says she found herself falling backward even with “good intentions.”

At the same time, new local research shows financial stress is widespread. A VyStar Credit Union analysis on financial stability in Jacksonville found that 40% of people said finances are their top life stressor—far ahead of job issues, politics, or health.

Read the entire VyStar analysis below:

VyStar financial educator Marc Streebel says a warning sign of “unmanageable debt” is when you’re only making minimum payments—or missing payments on multiple accounts.

The first step: A simple budget

Streebel says it often starts with writing down what’s coming in, versus what’s going out.

If your expenses are close to—or higher than—your income, he says that’s a long-term problem.

‘Pay yourself first’

Streebel also encourages people to build savings even while paying down debt. He says starting small is still a win.

Cavanaugh says that mindset helped her.

She started looking for small, realistic ways to save—like skipping lunch out and putting that money into savings instead.

She says those “little wins” helped her build her first few hundred dollars.

A four-step framework Streebel recommends:

1. Start an emergency fund (even a goal of $1,000 to begin).
2. List your debts and begin paying them down while still saving.
3. Grow savings to 3–6 months of expenses for emergencies or job loss.
4. Keep saving for retirement along the way (401(k) through your job, or an IRA).

Cavanaugh says she’s still working on it—but her progress has been real: From $17,000 in debt, down to less than $6,000 so far.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office also confirmed that it assisted another agency in that area.

News4Jax records show this is the same house neighbors in the area describe as a nuisance home that has drawn repeated visits from law enforcement over the last couple of years.

“I’m not seeing any signs McDonald’s or Burger King is here. It look like a drive-thru is here, you know?” said Vasily, a property owner on Jefferson Road.

Vasily shared this picture of the fire with News4JAX. He said he came over Monday afternoon to make sure his property wasn’t affected by the fire from the nearby home.

“It’s in the back of property fire. It something like a big shed is up there, catch fire,” Vasily said. “You’re like, and I’m wondering, make sure my property not catch fire.”

Another neighbor, Allen Schiessl, told News4JAX he witnessed the city of Jacksonville putting an orange sticker on the home today to officially condemn it.

“The grandson of the lady who passed, who lived there. And they were shocked. They said they saw the report that y’all did and that got action,” Schiessel said. “They called the city, the city condemned it. Anyone on there is trespassing and just dial 911, that’s what she told me.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Schiessl says he hopes the home being condemned will help keep the issues they’ve dealt with at bay.

“I can’t tell you how many cars have stopped since they put that orange tag on the door condemned. I bet there’s been over 50 cars stopped since this morning just to look,” Schiessel said. “We’re so relieved. It’s not been very fun for anyone.”

News4JAX reached out to the city to confirm that officials condemned the home and what led to it being condemned.

Wind and damage reports are coming in from northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were reported across the area. There are multiple reports of tree and powerline damage in Clay and Duval counties in NE FL, as well as Ware and Pierce counties in SE GA.

The summer heat continues with less storm coverage through Friday. Isolated activity will be possible as the sea breezes collide.

Rain chances increase this weekend as the southwest flow continues.

Tonight: Scattered showers with thunderstorms through around 11 p.m.

Tuesday: Breezy and hot with isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mainly dry with reduced storm coverage, 20-30 percent. Morning lows in the 70s to low 80s. Afternoon highs in the low to mid 90s inland, upper 80s to low 90s along the beaches. Wind: S 10-20 mph. Rain chance, 20-40 percent.

Wednesday - Friday: The summer pattern continues with hot and humid days and isolated afternoon showers and storms. Lows in the 70s to low 80s. Highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s.

Looking ahead: Scattered showers with thunderstorms return this weekend.

Tropics: Monitoring Tropical Depression #2. www.news4jax.com/weather/2026/07/20/tropical-depression-two-threatens-gulf-coast-early-this-week/

Sunrise: 6:38 p.m.

Sunset: 8:28 p.m.

U.S. Housing Secretary Scott Turner said that nine years after the U.S. territory received $1.9 billion in disaster recovery funding, it has spent only $570 million, less than a third of the funds.

He noted that a HUD investigation found “widespread financial mismanagement, inadequate fraud controls, false certifications and improper payments.” The investigation is ongoing.

“This failure has, to date, deprived Virgin Islanders of roughly $1.3 billion worth of assistance that Congress intended them to have,” stated a July 20 letter that HUD sent to the head of the U.S. Virgin Island’s Housing Finance Authority.

The director for the U.S. territory’s housing authority and its spokesperson did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The authority has the right to appeal the suspension by requesting a hearing.

In a post on X, Turner accused officials with the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Housing Finance Authority of prioritizing “kickbacks over helping families recover from disasters.”

The U.S. Virgin Islands was struck by Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm, in September 2017. Roughly two weeks later, Hurricane Maria, also a Category 5 storm, struck St. Croix. The U.S. territory is still struggling to recover from the storms.

In a July 20 letter to the head of the U.S. Virgin Islands' housing authority, HUD said that its “record demonstrates that it is an abysmal steward of taxpayer funds.”

The investigation so far has found that the U.S. Virgin Islands’ housing authority has completed only two of 95 planned single-family rental rehabilitation projects and zero of 329 single and multifamily housing projects.

In addition, the authority had spent only 2% of its electrical grid recovery funding as of May, the investigation found.

Meanwhile, the Virgin Islands housing authority has spent more than half the grant funds slated for administrative costs, according to the letter.

The authority also is accused of seeking $6.2 million in disaster-related funds that the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency had already paid.

The U.S. government also noted that the authority’s former chief operating officer who oversaw disaster recovery programs is in federal prison after being convicted on charges including fraud and money laundering.

Turner wrote on X that the former chief operating officer inflated a lumber contract meant to rebuild hurricane-damaged homes from $3 million to $4.5 million and took a $107,000 kickback “and let the lumber rot in the sun, rendering it useless — a waste of taxpayer funds.”

In February, the executive director of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ housing authority resigned as local legislators questioned why some $4.2 million remained idle as a September deadline to use the funds looms.

At the time, Sen. Kurt Vialet accused the former director of “just sitting there with a smug look.”

“The Housing Finance Authority is not building. You can’t be upset at senators being frustrated,” Vialet was quoted as saying by the St. Thomas Source, a local news site.

___

This version has corrected that the U.S. government says the territory spent $570 million, not $570,000, of the disaster funding that was sent.

The general fund budget is $2,026,502,015, a 1.1% increase from the prior year, or $22,583,868. For the second year in a row, the proposal does not draw from reserves, city documents show.

“The only reason for the rise is because we made a promise to do right by our first responders three years ago and we continue to keep that promise,” Deegan said in her budget address. She also said every spending decision is aimed at “making Jacksonville more affordable” and delivering measurable returns for taxpayers.

Key figures and priorities

• General fund: $2,026,502,015.
• Public safety allocation: $1,073,743,908 (about 53% of the general fund). That includes $673,613,389 for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and $400,130,519 for Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.
• Budget growth: 1.1% over last year (+$22.6 million).
• No reserve draw and no increase in non-public-safety city staffing.
• People investments: $148,271,055.
• Other expenses (including interlocal agreements, pension obligations and debt service): $502,886,873.
• FY26-27 Capital Improvement Plan: $586,110,854; five-year CIP: $1,227,913,805.

Infrastructure and capital projects

The budget increases funding for street and drainage work and other long‑deferred projects. Notable capital allocations include:

• Road resurfacing: $35,947,180 (a $13.2 million increase).
• Septic tank phaseout: $25,000,000 (a $16 million increase).
• Stormwater and drainage projects: $25,000,000.
• New and repaired sidewalks: $12,000,000.
• Museum of Science and History improvements: $27,000,000.
• Riverfront Plaza: $25,000,000.
• UF Health capital improvements: $24,000,000.

Deegan said the city has paved more miles in the last three years than in any comparable period over the last decade and argued the upgrades are necessary to avoid higher costs later from deferred maintenance.

Public safety and prevention

Public safety remains the top spending priority. The mayor’s proposal continues multi-year investments in pay and pensions for police and fire personnel and funds equipment, training and technology, she said. Deegan touted gains in recruitment and retention and credited local officials with reductions in homicides and gang activity.

The budget also preserves and expands prevention and community programs, including juvenile diversion, crisis response and outreach teams. Deegan emphasized that prevention — from after-school programs to mental health crisis intervention — reduces more costly emergency responses down the line.

Health, housing and social services

The proposal includes $56 million for UF Health indigent care and $7.7 million for direct health services. Housing and homelessness programs receive continued local support, with $6.3 million allocated for affordable housing initiatives and $4.7 million for homelessness programs.

Deegan noted the budget increases funding for programs shown to produce returns — for example, a city auditor’s review that the Healthlink Jax program produced nearly a five‑to‑one savings.

Fiscal health and ratings

City officials cited strong credit ratings and outside reviews to underscore fiscal discipline. Fitch upgraded Jacksonville two notches to double-A-plus last year; S&P Global and KBRA reaffirmed double-A ratings. The Government Finance Officers Association recognized the budget’s quality, officials said, and the mayor argued higher credit ratings lower borrowing costs for taxpayers.

Revenue

The budget relies on growth in property tax revenue, which is projected to increase about 6% because of rising values and new properties. But if the property tax cut proposal is passed by voters this November, Deegan said everything would be affected.

“Our job here over the next little while is to simply make people aware of the fact that when you have to cut a third of your budget, pretty much a third of everything is under scrutiny so we’re hopeful that we can continue to move the city forward in the ways that we outline today. And I think that’s what most people in the city want,” Deegan said.

Major revenue items listed in budget materials include:

• Property taxes: $1,291,662,837.
• JEA contribution: $151,481,319.
• State-shared revenue: $225,952,033.
• Utility service tax: $122,854,579.
• All other revenue: $234,551,247.

Next steps

Deegan said the budget reflects partnership with City Council and noted the administration is honoring a council request for a $10 million allocation for strategic planning priorities. The proposal will move through council hearings and committee review in the coming weeks before final adoption.

“Your money will build a safer, healthier and more affordable Jacksonville,” Deegan said. “That is the city you have earned. That is the city we will deliver.”

Deegan also announced that she will be hosting town hall meetings beginning Aug. 5 so residents can give their input.

• Aug. 5 — Jean Ribault High School, 3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville
• Aug. 13 — Julia Landon College Preparatory & Leadership Development School, 1819 Thacker Avenue
• Aug. 19 — Duncan U. Fletcher High School, 700 Seagate Ave., Neptune Beach
• Aug. 27 — Mandarin High School, 4831 Greenland Rd.
• Sept. 1 — Ortega Elementary School, 4010 Baltic St.
• Sept. 8 — Terry Parker High School, 7301 Parker School Rd.
• Sept. 15 — First Coast High School, 590 Duval Station Rd.
• Sept. 21 — Edward H. White High School, 1700 Old Middleburg Rd. N.

The move could unleash a new wave of economic chaos, with risks of higher inflation and further fraying of relations between two nations that had been closely woven together before Trump's return to the White House. The administration official previewing the action said that Canada was one of the only nations other than China that retaliated against Trump's previous tariffs and must be held accountable.

The official insisted on anonymity on a call with reporters to preview the president's actions and said that Trump signed three proclamations to launch the tariffs under Section 338 of the 1930 Trade Act. Several Democratic lawmakers last year proposed repealing the section because they said Trump could use it to destabilize the economy.

The new 50% tariffs would exclude energy products, potash, fish and critical minerals, but they would include goods that had previously been protected from import taxes by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. That 2020 trade pact was not renewed by the U.S., triggering a new set of negotiations that could run until 2036.

The White House said in a fact sheet that the tariffs would go into effect in 30 days, meaning there is time for negotiations as Trump has not always followed through on his announced tax hikes on imports.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement that his government believes in the “benefits of free and fair trade,” having signed “more than 20 new economic and security partnerships." He said Canada is prepared to negotiate with the Trump administration.

“This trade dispute has raised costs for families, particularly in the U.S.,” Carney said. “Canada stands ready to engage intensively to address outstanding issues with the U.S. to the mutual benefit of our citizens.”

Canada faces the risk of a broader trade war

Still, the tariffs could escalate into a wider trade war as Canada seeks to defend its economy. Ontario Premier Doug Ford saw a possible showdown ahead.

“If these tariffs proceed, Canada should respond tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar,” Ford posted on social media.

Candace Laing, CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said the Trump administration's moves were “regrettable” but the two countries need to use the 30-day window before the tariffs start "to make meaningful progress in advancing formal talks.”

Chris Swonger, CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, also called for a deal: "We encourage policymakers on both sides of the border to pursue a negotiated solution that restores market access for U.S. spirits and avoids further harm to the U.S. hospitality sector.”

But the use of a Great Depression-era law to impose the tariffs broadens some of the risks, as those tariffs could be applied to other U.S. trading partners, not just Canada, and inject “massive uncertainty” into the global economy, said Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

“We crossed the Rubicon,” Lincicome said. “The invocation of 338 is the nuclear option for Trump tariffs.”

Tariffs are also a political challenge for Trump

The new tariffs carry serious political and economic risks for Trump ahead of the November midterm elections for control of Congress. His “Liberation Day” tariffs last year in April provoked a financial market meltdown over concerns about inflation and a recession, prompting him to walk back the rates for a period of negotiation.

The Supreme Court ruled this February that Trump had lacked the legal authority to impose the tariffs by declaring an economic emergency, causing the administration to find alternative ways to raise import taxes based on a series of legal authorities.

Tariffs are taxes on imports, which companies can then pass along to consumers in the form of higher prices. The president maintains that the costs created by tariffs will cause manufacturing to relocate to the U.S., though there is little evidence of that in the economic data.

“These new taxes will raise prices on American families and likely lead to retaliation against the very industries Trump purportedly wants to protect,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., who is chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The latest import taxes could worsen Trump's weak ratings on the economy. He promised voters when running for the presidency that he would bring prices down, but the annual inflation rate has risen since he became president because the tariffs and the war in Iran are pushing up oil prices.

Trump has repeatedly targeted Canada on trade issues

The Trump administration official said the president had also requested that his aides look into additional tariffs on Canada because its wildfires hurt air quality in the U.S. He had publicly threatened to do so in social media posts.

At the World Cup final on Sunday, Trump watched the game with Carney. The Trump administration official said their time together at the game was not a working visit to discuss trade and tariffs.

Trump claims in the proclamations that Canada discriminates against American autos, alcohol and cheese relative to other nations, but his argument rests in large part on retaliatory actions taken by Canada after the U.S. president imposed tariffs on Canada under the pretext that it should do more to stop fentanyl smuggling.

Trump noted in his autos proclamation that Canada maintained, starting in April 2025, a 25% tariff on the imports of U.S. motor vehicles that did not qualify for preferential treatment under the USMCA.

The White House said that, regarding alcohol, all but two Canadian provinces and territories halted the purchase and retailing of American alcoholic beverages beginning last year, which was also a response to Trump's tariffs and taunts of making Canada the 51st state.

But Trump has long objected to Canada's treatment of U.S. cheese, saying in his proclamation that Canada discriminates against the U.S. compared to Europe on dairy products.

Trump and Carney have had a frosty relationship, with Carney, a former central banker, who pledged to go “elbows up” for Canada during his election campaign last year.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, Carney called out Trump — without naming him — by saying that the “most powerful” countries are using the economy to coerce less powerful nations.

Trump responded at the time by saying: “Canada lives because of the United States."

___

Associated Press writer Jim Morris contributed from Vancouver, British Columbia.

This story originally published at GatorsBreakdown.com

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RELATED: Deegan proposes $2.03B budget preserving reserves, prioritizing roads and public safety

The balanced proposal includes a $2,026,502,015 general fund and a $586,110,854 capital improvement plan. City officials say the plan requires no draw from reserves for the second year in a row and increases spending on public safety, roads, stormwater, sidewalks and housing, among other priorities.

“Jacksonville is a city on the rise, and our proposed budget continues that momentum,” Deegan said in remarks included with a city press release. “Every spending decision we make is geared to deliver a positive return for our citizens and make Jacksonville more affordable.”

Town hall schedule (all events run 6 to 7:30 p.m.)

• Aug. 5 — Jean Ribault High School, 3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville
• Aug. 13 — Julia Landon College Preparatory & Leadership Development School, 1819 Thacker Avenue
• Aug. 19 — Duncan U. Fletcher High School, 700 Seagate Ave., Neptune Beach
• Aug. 27 — Mandarin High School, 4831 Greenland Rd.
• Sept. 1 — Ortega Elementary School, 4010 Baltic St.
• Sept. 8 — Terry Parker High School, 7301 Parker School Rd.
• Sept. 15 — First Coast High School, 590 Duval Station Rd.
• Sept. 21 — Edward H. White High School, 1700 Old Middleburg Rd. N.

The mayor’s office says the town halls are intended to “continue the conversation with citizens” about the budget and how it will fund public safety, infrastructure, health and housing programs. The proposal allocates roughly $1.07 billion for public safety — about 53% of the general fund — and boosts road resurfacing and a septic-tank phaseout program, among other capital projects.

City documents and local coverage note the budget grows about 1.1% from the prior year, preserves reserve funds and relies in part on expected property tax revenue increases. The proposal now will go through City Council hearings and committee review before a final vote.

Gang leaders in the troubled Caribbean country are prolific users of social media and have celebrated killings, issued threats and posted musings on various sites. Younger gang members also post music videos and wave cash they've earned in an effort to recruit children in the impoverished nation.

Mike Waltz, who recently visited Haiti, called the practice “incredibly disturbing” and warned the U.S. would “shut that down” in the near future. He didn’t provide further details while speaking at a U.N. Security Council meeting in New York.

He spoke as the U.S. prepares this week to strip the temporary protected status of some 350,000 Haitians who live in the United States, exposing them to deportation, a move largely criticized by lawyers and human rights experts.

Efforts to crack down on the gangs' use of social media are not new. In 2023, YouTube banned Johnson André, considered Haiti's most powerful gang leader and also known as Izo, following heavy criticism after he received an award for surpassing more than 100,000 subscribers.

The U.S. envoy also called on countries with aircraft capacity to help with the deployment of foreign troops joining the latest U.N.-backed mission in Haiti to fight gangs, including Sri Lanka and Ivory Coast. He said sea lifts take too long and that Haitians need help now.

Gang violence surges as Haitians in US brace for deportation

Gang violence has displaced a record almost 1.5 million people across Haiti, where more than half of the country's nearly 12 million inhabitants need humanitarian aid.

More than 2,300 people have been killed and more than 1,100 injured since January, according to the U.N. Earlier this year, clashes in the Cite Soleil slum in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, led to 542 killings and 355 injuries. In addition, at least 176 women and girls were raped, the U.N. found.

Waltz shared how gangs recently surrounded an armored vehicle that got stuck in a ditch and lit a fire underneath, forcing Haitian police officers to flee.

“They were flayed alive on the streets,” Waltz said, adding that their bodies were pinned to the side of the vehicle to send a message.

“I want everyone to understand the fight ahead,” he added.

Waltz noted that Haiti needs equipment including heavy bulldozers to clear streets and gang-controlled checkpoints, adding that armed men have taken over roads, ports, hospitals, prisons and other state infrastructure.

“Haiti’s just a few hundred miles from Florida,” he said. “In that regard, it’s a critical interest to the United States.”

Gangs control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince, and about half of gang members are children, according to the U.N. Poverty and hunger are deepening.

“The situation of children in Haiti is among the most alarming anywhere in the world,” said Vanessa Frazier, the U.N.’s special representative for children and armed conflict. “Children are being killed, maimed, abducted, recruited and used by armed gangs, displaced from their homes, denied access to education and deprived of basic protection and legal identity.”

Jack Christofides, special representative of the U.N.-backed gang suppression force operating in Haiti, said it has established its headquarters, deployed its first forward operating base and recently began cracking down on gang infrastructure.

“The political and humanitarian environment nevertheless remains extremely challenging,” he said. “Armed gangs are likely to adapt their tactics to stay in control.”

Haiti is under pressure to hold elections

The international community has been pressuring Haiti to hold general elections, which would be the first in more than a decade.

While the country is led by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who was appointed, it hasn’t had a president since President Jovenel Moïse was killed at his private residence in July 2021. Gang violence has surged since then.

Seven of Haiti’s 10 provinces are ready for electoral activities, while the gang suppression force is vital to restoring security in the remaining three, said Raina Forbin, Haiti’s foreign affairs minister.

The three provinces include Port-au-Prince, and overall they account for more than half of all voters, noted Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative for Haiti. He noted the displacement caused by gang violence and said the voter registration that began on Monday “will give us a new reality of where the voters are currently.”

Forbin said that by year’s end, an additional 4,000 officers are expected to join Haiti’s National Police, which remains understaffed and underfunded. Meanwhile, an additional 1,500 recruits are expected to join Haiti’s revived Armed Forces.

The group had gathered Sunday along the Scioto River in the Columbus suburb of Powell when one of them went into the river for a swim. “That’s when the tragedy started to occur,” Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said at a news conference. He said others who jumped in to help also began struggling.

A motorist called 911 after spotting a frightened child with the group who was running along a nearby road to seek help, Balzer said.

Rescue crews searching the water later Sunday found two women who were pronounced dead at a hospital, Balzer said. The bodies of three men were found in the river on Monday, said Tracy Whited, a spokesperson for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities did not say exactly where the victims were found.

The river was running high and fast on Sunday, according to data from a U.S. Geological Survey water gauge at the nearby dam. The data shows the water was flowing at a rate of about 350 cubic feet (10 cubic meters) per second on Sunday — more than a fourfold increase over a three-day span, and more than double the average rate.

The tragedy occurred two days after five people were killed in southern Utah after a flash flood swept through scenic red rock canyons during a hiking excursion.

The Ohio sheriff said the child who ran for help, prompting the 911 call, has been placed in the care of family services along with another child under the age of 10. Authorities were working on notifying relatives of the victims, he said.

Balzer said people who gather near water must be aware of the conditions and take precautions.

“Know your skill level before you get in the water. Are you a confident swimmer?” Balzer said. “Make sure you have other people around in case something goes wrong to notify someone.”

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This story has been updated to correct that it is the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, not the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department.

Messi, whom many consider soccer's greatest player, was photographed holding Yamal, then an infant and now a 19-year-old rising star. The two met in Sunday's final, with Yamal and Spain defeating Messi and Argentina 1-0.

That game was a potential changing of the guard with the 39-year-old Messi perhaps playing in his final World Cup.

Playing for Barcelona at the time of the initial meeting with Yamal, Messi took part in a fundraising drive for UNICEF and wound up holding the player who could be the future face of the sport. Yamal has followed in Messi's footsteps by becoming Barcelona's standout player.

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As of 7 p.m. Monday, the roadway had cleared.