Sage is the epitome of a good dog. She came to the rescue just last week and has integrated into the chaos without issue. She was scared and unsure at first, but she quickly adapted to the schedule, the people, and is better every day with the dogs. She isn’t like the dogs we normally take in that are in rough shape, but has been well cared for and very loved.

Sage came to South Georgia Equine Rescue (SGER) house-trained, crate-trained, and leash-trained, plus does well in the car. She doesn’t seem to have the normal shepherd energy (5/10 energy), but does have the one-person loyalty. We think she would do best as the only pet in the house, or as she adjusts to the rescue, she may learn to love other animals, and not just tolerate them.

www.equineremedy.com/adopt-a-friend

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Capt. Robert Lentz has spent years identifying derelict vessels on the St. Johns River and other state waters.

On a recent trip through the Arlington area of Jacksonville, he and a News4JAX crew spotted several in quick succession.

“This vessel has fallen into a derelict vessel category,” Lentz said, pointing to one of the boats.

What makes a boat ‘derelict’?

Under Florida law, a vessel is classified as derelict if it is sinking or run aground, stripped or junked, or if two of its three core systems — steering, propulsion, or hull integrity — are broken or non-functional.

Once FWC agents identify a derelict vessel, they attach a bright red sticker and begin the process of tracking down the legal owner. That process alone can stretch on for months — or longer.

“The longest I’ve heard of is years,” Lentz said. “It can take years.”

Boaters fed up with the wait

At the San Juan boat ramp on Jacksonville’s Westside, fisherman Joe Turner said an abandoned vessel had been sitting there for more than two years, blocking access.

“It makes me mad, because I can’t get over to my fishing spot,” Turner said.

A second boat at the same ramp, which Turner and fellow fisherman Scott Miller said had been there since January, was leaking oil into the water.

“It’s hideous, hideous looking just sitting there,” Miller said. “I mean, you’d think after a year or so they would do something.”

Miller added: “I mean it’s just kind of sad that it’s still there. They say they want to clean up Jacksonville, but they sure ain’t been down here from what I see.”

The tab for taxpayers

By law, FWC must locate the legal owner of a derelict vessel before removing it, and that owner is responsible for paying removal costs. When owners refuse, cannot be found, or cannot pay, the state covers the bill.

Florida removes about 400 derelict vessels from its waterways each year at a cost of approximately $6 million-$7 million. During major hurricane seasons, that figure spikes dramatically. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, the state recovered and disposed of 1,000 boats at a cost of $52 million.

Removal costs cover retrieving the vessel, towing it, breaking it apart, and disposing of it in a landfill. Additional funds flow to local jurisdictions to assist with removal — but officials say the money and the pace of cleanup are not keeping up with the problem.

Criminal charges

Lentz said FWC does have legal recourse against owners who abandon their vessels.

“It is a crime to leave your boat on the waters of the state in a derelict vessel condition,” he said. “They can be arrested and ordered to pay restitution.”

FWC offers a voluntary turn-in program, where the state will dispose of a boat for free if it is at risk of becoming derelict and if you have clear title to it. To learn more about the other requirements, go to https://myfwc.com/boating/waterway/vtip/  

Climate United Fund and other nonprofits won’t have access to their funds immediately as the decision will be put on hold for several days giving the Environmental Protection Agency time to ask the Supreme Court to step in.

The judgement by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is a loss for the Trump administration in one of its earliest efforts to dismantle President Joe Biden’s campaign to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gases. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, commonly referred to as a “green bank,” is a $20 billion congressionally authorized program that provided money to nonprofits that would then make loans and invest in small energy projects, energy-efficient buildings and transportation.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin accused Climate United Fund and other nonprofits picked to run the green bank of mismanagement and potential fraud. He froze billions that had been placed in a Citibank account for the program and then terminated their grants. The groups disputed any wrongdoing and sued, arguing the Trump administration broke the law and violated the Constitution by not spending money authorized by Congress.

“Despite efforts to harm the awardees with false allegations and misinformation, there remains no legal basis for terminating our grant award and clawing back funds that were already disbursed in our bank accounts,” Climate United said in a statement.

In September, a divided three-judge panel of the same appeals court overturned a lower court and said the Trump administration had broad power to cancel grants without having to face charges of illegality in federal court.

The full appeals court agreed to revisit that decision, a rare occurrence reserved for the most important cases.

Zeldin early last year told Fox News that he suspected the green bank “was a clear-cut case of waste and abuse” that “in my opinion, is criminal.”

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan last year said that when the federal government was asked for evidence of fraud, the agency didn’t provide it and shifted its position to more general concerns about the level of EPA oversight over the program. Chutkan ruled the government can’t violate the law and terminate the contracts and that the groups should have access to some of their frozen money. That order was put on hold during appeal.

A lawyer for the nonprofits argued at the time that the agency had already allocated the money by putting it in the Citibank account for the program’s use.

The agency argued the nonprofits are making constitutional and statutory arguments that don’t apply in a simple contract fight, and that the matter should be heard by a different court that can only award a lump sum — not force the government to keep the grants in place. Federal officials argue there is no law or provision in the Constitution that compels the EPA to make these grants to these groups.

The green bank was created by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, a Biden administration priority that boosted clean energy and climate-friendly projects. President Trump’s tax and spending bill last year, however, repealed part of the law that established the bank and rescinded money that hadn’t already been obligated to its recipients. That added a layer of complication to the legal case.

Six of 10 judges agreed with a lower court judge that the Trump EPA likely violated the 2022 law when it terminated the grants and tried to claw back funds based on a policy disagreement.

However, one of the six judges that agreed the grant terminations were improper said Trump's bill complicated whether the clean energy groups could access funds going forward.

The remaining four judges broadly disagreed with the majority and sided with the EPA, saying that after Trump's tax and spend bill, the agency likely would have authority to end the grants.

The EPA did not immediately provide comment.

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The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

“We must act now to stem the rise in child deaths, which this crisis is provoking,” John Aylieff, WFP’s country director in Afghanistan, said in a statement, adding that “it is already too late for too many."

Afghanistan continues to recover from decades of conflict and upheaval, including the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces in 2021 as the Taliban took power.

Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office in Afghanistan, said nutrition specialists report that “wasting among children has worsened this year in over three-quarters of the country." Children suffering from a condition known as wasting are acutely malnourished, become very thin for their height, and need immediate therapeutic feeding.

But “too many children arrive at health facilities severely malnourished” while others never make it, Cherevko told reporters at U.N. headquarters by video from Afghanistan, where she has traveled across the country in recent months and weeks.

WFP said 142 health centers closed in 2025 because of aid reductions and more than 13,000 children lost access to nutrition treatment. It did not mention any specific donor, such as the United States, where the Trump administration has made sweeping cuts in foreign aid.

Nearly 3.7 million Afghan children are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, along with 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women, according to WFP.

The agency said 12 Afghan provinces have reached critical levels of acute child malnutrition, a record number. It cited a combination of conflict, unemployment, rising food prices, disease outbreaks, poor water and sanitation and reduced humanitarian funding.

The Iran war and other fighting ha delayed deliveries

WFP said supply shortages linked to conflict in the Middle East and the nine-month closure of Pakistan’s border because of fighting between the neighbors have disrupted deliveries of nutrition products, leaving nearly one million malnourished women and children without essential nutrition services for five months.

From August through October, WFP said food distributions aimed at preventing famine in the worst-hit areas are being suspended due to lack of funding, even though the annual peak season for malnutrition is between July and October.

It said it urgently needs $540 million over the next six months.

WFP previously described cuts as ‘devastating’

Humanitarian groups in Afghanistan are grappling with steep funding cuts. In February, Aylieff told The Associated Press that cuts had been “devastating” and were forcing the agency to turn away three out of four acutely malnourished children.

Funding for food assistance has dropped sharply — by about 59% since 2022 — even as needs have surged, according to a recent WFP report.

In June, the U.S. pledged $800 million to WFP, which said it will help more than 38 million people in at least 37 countries.

Cherevko of the U.N. humanitarian office said the larger $1.71 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan is just over 26% funded, which is “alarming,” especially since malnutrition and other indicators are worsening.

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Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report from the United Nations.

A news release from Teamsters Local 512 said a group of 275 Durham School Services school bus workers represented by the union in Jacksonville have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if the company doesn’t “negotiate a fair collective bargaining agreement.”

The release did not indicate the deadline for contract negotiations, but students in Duval County return to class on Monday, Aug. 10.

“Our members have spoken with one voice,” said Rebecca Cardona, President of Local 512. “This vote sends a clear message that our members will not stand by while the company attempts to strip away the wages, benefits, and workplace protections that generations of workers fought to achieve. Our members deserve respect, and they deserve a contract that recognizes the vital work they perform each and every day.”

The union said it has been negotiating with Durham for weeks, but claims that the company “has proposed sweeping concessions that would undermine the rights, protections, and standards established through decades of collective bargaining.”

The statement from the Teamsters is surprising and a bit perplexing, given that good-faith negotiations have been ongoing since late June, including today, with progress being made.

The company remains committed to reaching a fair resolution and is working diligently to avoid any disruption to service. Meetings with the Teamsters will continue in order to resolve outstanding issues ahead of the start of school.

Durham spokesperson

“This company has had every chance to do the right thing and recognize our hard work,” said Katina Stewart, a 19-year bus driver and member of Local 512. “We love our jobs and take pride in safely getting Jacksonville’s students where they need to go every day. We do work this community depends on, and our contract should reflect that.”

Local 512 said it is preparing to take Durham to court over “unfair labor practices” under the National Labor Relations Act.

Ashley Garibay was on a team tapped to train new employees, away from where she lived in Stockton, California. Her family said she loved her work and called her an “amazing, beautiful soul who loved living life.”

“She was adventurous, outgoing, smart and driven, never letting obstacles get in her way," her family said in a statement Tuesday. “She lit up a room with her bright smile and a laugh that was contagious.”

Police have not yet said what led the gunman, identified by police as 24-year-old Chad Williams, to open fire Saturday afternoon at the Twin Falls restaurant. The attack ended when Williams shot and killed himself. Police said they are confident Williams acted alone.

Twin Falls police Lt. Steven Gassert said Tuesday that he expected more details to be released later in the day. He didn’t elaborate further.

A candlelight vigil was planned Tuesday night at Twin Falls City Park, and police have opened a center where those who were affected by the shooting could get support and request or collect personal items left at the scene. Flags in the city will be at half-staff until next week.

The In-N-Out location opened in late July as part of the California chain's Idaho expansion. Garibay got her first job at one of the restaurants, and she dreamed of one day managing one of the stores, her family said. She worked in Stockton and joined the traveling team in 2023, said family spokesperson Kristin Cole.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene in and around the Idaho restaurant as shots were fired. One customer told the AP she and her daughters were waiting inside when she heard shots from the kitchen and an employee told her to get down. Another woman and her mother were waiting in the drive-thru line when they saw people running across the road and workers bolting out of the restaurant as a man directing traffic told them there was a shooter.

A man who was at a stoplight near the restaurant described seeing a person with an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru and a man with a pistol start firing toward the suspect.

During the attack, an off-duty state trooper and a civilian fired on Williams, diverting him from the restaurant, police have said. Police haven't released the identities of any of the victims, but family and friends identified Garibay and Christopher Claunch as among those killed.

One of Claunch's friends, Garren Taylor, said Claunch completed a rehab program for alcohol abuse at Renaissance Ranch Recovery Center in Rupert, Idaho, a couple of years ago and was immediately hired there. Taylor said Claunch, known to those close to him as “Toph,” dedicated his life to helping others get sober.

“He helped hundreds of people,” Taylor said Monday. “He was just a gift to anyone he came in contact with. It wasn’t about the paycheck. His attitude was: ‘I get to help someone today.’ ”

Steven Pixley was among those injured. He was riding his motorcycle near the In-N-Out when he heard a pop and his left hand dropped, his cousin Shane Klaas said Tuesday.

A bullet went into his arm above his elbow and exited right below it, Klaas said. Klaas said the shooting left Pixley without use of three of his fingers, and doctors are waiting for the swelling to go down so they can do surgery.

“His attitude is wonderful, which is a big part of getting through this,” Klaas said. “He’s laughing, he’s joking.”

Klaas said Pixley recently moved to Twin Falls, found a job and was trying to get his life together.

“He had everything in front of him,” Klaas said. “And then this just, I mean, this is just senseless.”

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Associated Press writer Jamie Stengle contributed to this report.

It took firefighters nearly a month to extinguish the blaze, which scorched 22 square miles (57 square kilometers). The Eaton fire burned at the same time as the wind-whipped Palisades fire. An AP analysis at the time showed both blazes torched more urban area than any California fire in decades.

The Eaton fire was caused by electrical arcing on the utility’s out-of-service tower atop a ridge covered with dry fuel, the agency said in a statement. When bare, uninsulated wires touch or come close together it can cause arcing, which is when electricity jumps through the air, producing sparks.

The report said SoCal Edison was responsible for maintaining and operating its electrical lines and equipment “in a manner that would minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire posed by them.”

The utility indicated previously its equipment may be involved. In early reports to the California Public Utility Commission, SoCal Edison said it detected a “fault” on one of its transmission lines around the time that the Eaton fire started.

Kathleen Dunleavy, a spokesperson for SoCal Edison, said the utility is reviewing the report.

“We have taken our potential role in the start of this fire seriously from the very beginning,” Dunleavy said. She said SCE previously acknowledged “it was likely our equipment was associated with the ignition of the Eaton Fire.”

Utilities have been blamed for many of California’s most destructive fires in recent years.

SoCal Edison, which provides electric service to about 15 million people in California, has paid out hefty sums over the years due to its equipment sparking fires, including $2.2 billion to settle insurance claims from the deadly, destructive Woolsey wildfire in 2018.

The utility is facing hundreds of lawsuits from fire victims, insurers and government entities related to the Eaton fire. The U.S. Department of Justice has also sued the company over damage to National Forest land, and has asked for more than $40 million in damages to the federal, state and local governments.

The Los Angeles County Arson Fire Investigation Unit jointly conducted the investigation with California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or Cal Fire. The blaze was sparked during extreme weather conditions that included high temperatures, low humidity and powerful winds. Two “electrical arcing events” occurred in quick succession, causing an unknown burning material to fall from the tower to the ground below, according to the report.

The report cites interviews with several residents who saw the fire in its early stages on Jan. 7, some who said it occurred below power lines. One witness who noticed flames under an electrical tower said “he observed an arc while watching the fire; he described it as a blue light,” the report said. The witness began taking photos around 6:25 p.m., then watched as the blaze spread rapidly amid heavy winds.

Another Pasadena resident told investigators she was doing dishes with her daughter when she observed a circle of orange sparks that turned into flames. “The circle of fire was located at the base of the transmission towers,” the report said.

Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said “while the cause has been determined, our focus remains on assisting our residents to rebuild their homes and livelihoods, and ensuring lessons learned drive meaningful and impactful change in memory of the 19 lives lost.”

The Palisades Fire was the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles to date and among the five worst in California’s history. That fire killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,800 homes and buildings in Pacific Palisades. The fire ripped through hillside neighborhoods, destroying mansions with spectacular ocean views.

The man accused of sparking the Palisades Fire will be tried again this fall after his first federal arson case ended in a mistrial in June. Prosecutors said Jonathan Rinderknecht used a barbecue lighter on Jan. 1, 2025 to spark a blaze that burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up Jan. 7.

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Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California.

A Ponte Vedra Beach estate recently sold for $20 million, but former owner Rick Sontag isn’t taking home a penny.

Every dollar from the sale is going toward brain tumor research, a cause rooted in one of the most painful chapters of his life.

“It was a no-brainer for me. I mean, what am I going to do with more cash in my pocket when I have a foundation that can use that and help build the resources,” Sontag said.

Sontag spent years building a life in the sprawling oceanfront estate and even longer fighting to save the person he built it with, his wife Susan.

“We started building the house around 1990. Together, we designed it together, we built it together and it was our joint project. We were going to move into our family home. Then in June of 1994, my wife had a stroke and subsequently was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. So that was our welcome home, that new home,” Sontag said.

Doctors gave Susan a life expectancy of about three years.

“That’s what I was told. And I got her into a clinical trial over here at Mayo Clinic. Miraculously wound up living 28. Believe it or not, it was a total miracle,” he said.

After selling his Jacksonville-based aerospace company, Unison, to GE in 2002, Rick and Susan used their success to create The Sontag Foundation.

What started as a personal mission has grown into one of North America’s largest private funders of brain tumor research.

“Since 2014, we are proud to say we have helped over 6,000 patients around the United States find their way to treatment,” Sontag said.

The foundation has invested millions in scientific research while helping patients and caregivers connect with specialists, clinical trials and support through the Brain Tumor Network.

Rick continued researching treatments and helping Susan navigate experimental therapies before her passing in 2022.

“She came out with paper wrapped and in it was this big portrait. It was a portrait of her. She said I want you to remember me, the way I was,” he recalled.

Now the home where their story began is helping write its next chapter.

Instead of benefiting from one of Northeast Florida’s most valuable properties, Sontag turned it into a multi-million-dollar gift, one that will help researchers search for better treatments and hopefully one day, a cure.

Jack & Michelle Floyd with ONE Sotheby’s International Realty represented both sides of the transaction.

For Sontag, the sale isn’t the end of a chapter.

It’s a way to ensure that the home he shared with Susan continues supporting the cause they built together.

To learn more about The Sontag Foundation and the Brain Tumor Network, click here.

Trump, meanwhile, is making a rare visit to California and Nevada on Tuesday and Wednesday to shore up support for Republicans in the November midterm elections. The president has so far struggled to connect with voters on the economy, as elevated inflation and feelings of uncertainty overshadow the stock market gains he often highlights, alongside a low national unemployment rate.

Here is the latest:

Wall Street rallies to records, pushing S&P 500 up 1.8%, as profits pile up and oil prices ease

The U.S. stock market rallied to records as companies kept piling up profits and oil prices eased. The S&P 500 shot up 1.8% Tuesday, and the main measure of Wall Street’s health topped its prior all-time high set in June.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.7% to its own record set the day before, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 2.6%. Palantir Technologies and Caterpillar helped lead the way after becoming the latest companies to deliver stronger profits for the spring than expected. Brent crude fell below $80 per barrel, which helped Treasury yields ease in the bond market.

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Guard deployment to Washington into 2029 will cost roughly $1.4B, estimate shows

The extension of the National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C. until January 2029 will cost roughly $1.4 billion, according to a Defense Department estimate provided to Congress.

The figure offers a glimpse of how much taxpayer money will be spent on a deployment that has been criticized by local officials as an infringement of their city’s autonomy and by Democrats who say it has militarized the streets of nation’s capital at the public’s expense.

The cost estimate is for fiscal years 2027-2029 and came in response to questions from Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and was provided to The Associated Press.

The deployment began last summer, when President Donald Trump issued an emergency order that launched a law enforcement surge in the city which the administration says was meant to fight crime. Hundreds of armed Guard troops have been deployed to city streets, supporting arrest operations but also helping with snow removal and carrying out beautification projects.

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Trump’s arch could harm the integrity of many of Washington’s historical sites, report says

A divided federal appeals court on Tuesday said the Trump administration improperly terminated a multi-billion program to boost clean energy projects, handing a win to a coalition of nonprofits picked to run the Biden-era effort.

Climate United Fund and other nonprofits won’t have access to their funds immediately as the decision will be put on hold for several days giving the Environmental Protection Agency time to ask the Supreme Court to step in.

The split ruling by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is a loss for the Trump administration in one of its earliest efforts to dismantle President Joe Biden’s campaign to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gases. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, commonly referred to as a “green bank,” is a congressionally authorized program that provided money to nonprofits that would then make loans and invest in small energy projects, energy-efficient buildings and transportation.

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Divided federal appeals court says Trump administration was wrong to terminate climate program

A divided federal appeals court on Tuesday said the Trump administration improperly terminated a multi-billion program to boost clean energy projects, handing a win to a coalition of nonprofits picked to run the Biden-era effort.

Climate United Fund and other nonprofits won’t have access to their funds immediately as the decision will be put on hold for several days giving the Environmental Protection Agency time to ask the Supreme Court to step in.

The split ruling by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is a loss for the Trump administration in one of its earliest efforts to dismantle President Joe Biden’s campaign to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gases. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, commonly referred to as a “green bank,” is a congressionally authorized program that provided money to nonprofits that would then make loans and invest in small energy projects, energy-efficient buildings and transportation.

▶ Read more

Housing prices are a big issue in Nevada

In Nevada, where Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo faces Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford in one of the nation’s most competitive governor’s races, Democrats are putting up billboard signs blaming Trump and Lombardo for the shortage of affordable housing, exploding energy demand from data centers and federal cuts to key state programs.

Trump has tried to sell voters on his income tax cuts and claims of a manufacturing renaissance. But interest rates are high, gasoline costs more because of the Iran war, tariffs are still reshaping the economy and even the White House acknowledges a national shortage of housing.

Staying on message could be difficult for Trump, who called his own housing bill a “yawn.” Past speeches advertised by the White House as being about the economy gave way to Trumpian weaves about his political enemies and capital construction projects.

Democrats complain about Blanche’s dealmaking for Trump

Democrats say Blanche’s order doesn’t go far enough to prevent the Trump administration from claiming more immunity from tax audits or compensating Trump allies — including people who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — through a previously established process that allows damage claims for government wrongdoing.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Senate Justice Committee, said Blanche’s promises are virtually unenforceable. The fund “can easily be revived with a new order from the Department of Justice 15 minutes after Mr. Blanche is confirmed as attorney general,” Durbin said.

Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general clears critical hurdle after deal with GOP holdouts

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines in support of the nomination of President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, who has aggressively pushed the Republican administration’s priorities since taking over from Pam Bondi in April.

The vote followed a deal struck late Sunday between Blanche and two Republican senators who had been threatening to block his confirmation over the settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service regarding the president’s leaked tax returns.

Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina had said they were withholding their support unless the Justice Department confirmed in writing that it was not moving forward with a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies who believe they were prosecuted for political purposes, which the administration had announced as part of the settlement.

Blanche issued an order Sunday evening confirming “beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund.”

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Attacks continue in Gulf region despite talks

A cargo ship reported being “hit by an unknown projectile” early Tuesday in the Strait of Hormuz , the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said, without providing further information on the ship. It suffered damage, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey, which did not elaborate.

Yemen’s Houthis, meanwhile, fired at an airport in Saudi Arabia. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Iranian-backed rebels, said a drone hit a “sensitive target” at the airport in the southwestern city of Najran, without providing evidence.

Saree said the attack was in response to what he described as Saudi breaching of Yemen’s airspace over the provinces of Saada and Hajjah. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis recently announced a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that leads to the Red Sea.

Qatar mediating talks between US and Iran

Despite conflicting claims, mediation efforts have been underway between the U.S. and Iran to wind down the war, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said Tuesday.

“We’re looking into a diplomatic solution,” he said during a briefing, without elaborating.

Comedian Jenny Yang uplifts immigrants, one grocery store at a time

Standup comic Jenny Yang is spending her summer turning cultural grocery stores into comedy clubs for a night in a response to Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The Good Egg Immigrant Grocery Store Standup Comedy Tour is using the unusual venues in immigrant enclaves and pairing with nonprofits to raise funds for Asian, Latino and Black communities. It’s grown to 20 performances and a possible comedy special on TV.

For one show in Minneapolis, the manager of a supermarket down the block from where an ICE agent fatally shot Alex Pretti fit 150 chairs near the checkout lanes so people could see her show.

Comedians are divided on whether stand-up should stand down on politics, but Yang says “I believe in punching up, not down.”

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Rubio says progress made in Iran, Oman talks and deal on Strait of Hormuz could happen ‘very shortly’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that there has been progress made in talks between Iran and Oman on the status of the critical Strait of Hormuz waterway.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the vice president of Paraguay at the State Department on Tuesday, Rubio said that “suffice it to say, there’s been progress made in those talks, but not finality yet. We’re hoping that will happen very shortly.”

Rubio said ships continue to transit the strait but the U.S. would like to see more commercial traffic.

US job market continues to show strength despite bumpy economy

U.S. job openings fell slightly in June, but the labor market continued to show resilience to the Iran war’s economic shocks.

The Labor Department said employers posted 7.36 million vacancies, down from 7.54 million in May, in line with economists’ expectations. Layoffs were little-changed at 1.8 million, and the number of people quitting jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects — rose slightly.

So far this year, companies, government agencies and nonprofits have added an average 92,000 jobs a month. That would have been mediocre in years past, but Trump’s immigration crackdown and Baby Boomer retirements mean fewer people are competing for work, so the economy doesn’t need as many new jobs to keep unemployment from rising. In fact, some economists believe the “break-even″ rate could be nearly as low as zero jobs.

Trump administration to close five smaller US embassies, consulates and other posts while opening others

The Trump administration has informed Congress that it intends to close five smaller U.S. embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions even as it steams ahead with plans to re-open shuttered posts in Libya and Syria and has re-opened the long-closed embassy in Venezuela.

In separate notices sent late last week to lawmakers, the State Department said it would close the U.S. embassy in the Caribbean island of Grenada, the consulates in Nagoya, Japan and Medan, Indonesia, the American Presence Post in Winnipeg, Canada and an embassy branch office in Douala, Cameroon.

The closures are expected to save the government roughly $4.4 million per year, according to the notices, which were obtained by The Associated Press.

Markets move, again, on Trump comments

Trump said he’s not happy with energy company profits, though it was the war he launched that enabled their windfalls.

Shares of ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips and Chevron all fell around 1% before the bell. Brent crude, the international standard, lost $1.87 to $81.90 a barrel.

Also possibly helping to push oil prices lower was comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said Tuesday in an interview on CNBC that “we are in talks with the Iranians.” Bessent added, “There is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict.”

Big oil reports bigger profits in Iran war windfall

Exxon Mobil on Friday reported that its second quarter profits doubled to $14.53 billion, while Chevron nearly quadrupled its profits to $12.07 billion.

Foreign oil companies are also posting massive increases in profits: Saudi Aramco on Tuesday reported a 44% year-on-year increase in second-quarter net profit to $32.69 billion, driven by higher prices for crude oil, refined products and chemicals. And London-based BP reported its profits more than doubled to $3.9 billion.

US markets poised to open with gains and oil prices slide again as Trump bashes Big Oil

Wall Street was poised to open higher and oil prices flipped to significant losses Tuesday after Trump criticized oil companies for using the Iran conflict to amass excessive profits.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.2%, while S&P 500 futures rose 0.3%. Nasdaq futures jumped 1.1%. Oil prices slid close to 3% early Tuesday after Trump bashed big oil companies.

“They made too much money, too much money,” Trump said on Monday. “They ought to give some of that back to the public, and they better cut the retail price.”

FIFA executives distance themselves from Infantino’s World Cup plan

Two senior FIFA executives — coaching great Arsène Wenger and CEO-like secretary general Mattias Grafström — distanced themselves Tuesday from their boss Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors through a money-making subsidiary to be launched by Joshua Kushner, whose brother Jared Kushner is a son-in-law of Trump.

Wenger said in a statement he knew nothing of the $20 billion plan and that it was “absolutely necessary” to drop the proposal, and Grafström sent an email to all FIFA staff — seen by The Associated Press — calling the last week a “sad and reproachable series of events.” He also said it created “turmoil which is difficult to comprehend and accept.”

Neither directly named their boss nor offered support for Infantino, who has not commented in public on the schism in soccer since a FIFA statement Saturday announcing the proposal had been dropped.

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What to watch as primary voters choose nominees

Michigan is testing the direction of the Democratic Party, as voters choose between a progressive standard-bearer and an establishment-backed candidate for the U.S. Senate. Abdul El-Sayed, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, is up against four-term Rep. Haley Stevens, supported by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

Democratic and Republican voters in Michigan are also choosing nominees to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

In Kansas, Missouri, Virginia and Washington state, voters are settling a host of races, including a key rematch between Democrats in a Missouri House contest. Virginia Democrats who lost a court battle over trying to redraw districts to their advantage are picking candidates they hope can defeat Republicans in the fall.

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Trump and Newsom, mocking and taunting

As Trump flies to California he’ll likely throw barbs at the governor, eyed as a likely candidate for the next Democratic presidential nomination.

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said the president plans to “draw a sharp contrast between his commonsense agenda and the radical policies of Democrats like Gavin Newsom.”

Trump routinely mocks Newsom using a derogatory nickname. Newsom taunts the president in turn.

The Democrat wrote on social media on Monday that California is raising its minimum wage next year to $17.40 an hour, more than double the federal minimum. “Donald Trump and the GOP are still defending a $7.25 minimum wage while workers scrape by. Pitiful,” Newsom wrote.

The economy is on Trump’s agenda in California and Nevada

Trump ’s rare visit to California and Nevada is meant to draw contrasts with Democrats on the economy, border security and crime in support of Republicans in November elections that will determine whether party control of Congress.

But he’s struggled to connect with voters on the economy as elevated inflation and feelings of uncertainty have overshadowed the stock market gains he often talks about, along with a low national unemployment rate.

Trump is headlining a Republican National Committee fundraising dinner at a golf club his family owns in the Los Angeles suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Trump will discuss the economy at Red Rock casino in Las Vegas.

Only 32% of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy in an AP-NORC poll conducted in late July, while 69% characterized the state of the economy as “poor.”

25 states sue over Trump’s new tariffs, calling them ‘pretext’ to replace his old ones

Twenty-five states sued the Trump administration Monday over its latest tariffs, calling them a pretext for replacing import taxes the Supreme Court struck down in February.

The United States last month imposed double-digit tariffs on 59 countries and the European Union, charging that they had not done enough to crack down on imports produced by forced labor. The new tariffs took effect just as the clock ran out on temporary tariffs President Donald Trump had turned to after the Supreme Court defeat.

“After losing at the Supreme Court, the administration is once again trying to illegally raise taxes on families and businesses with a new round of tariffs,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Joining New York in the lawsuit announced Monday are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

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Trump accounts were closed in 2021 due to concerns over possible money laundering, Capital One says

Bank accounts held by Trump were closed by Capital One in 2021 after it flagged financial activity that had characteristics of money laundering, the bank disclosed in a court filing over the weekend.

The court filing is tied to a lawsuit filed against Capital One by one of Trump’s financial holding companies shortly after he was sworn into office a second time. Trump alleges that Capital One illegally closed his accounts for political reasons, following the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol.

Capital One wants the lawsuit dismissed.

“The closures were the result of months of analysis and a careful review by Capital One’s AML team in accordance with bank policies and regulatory guidance,” the bank said in the court filing. The term “AML” is an abbreviation for anti-money laundering.

Trump has sued Capital One, as well as JPMorgan Chase, for allegedly debanking him after he left office in 2021. Debanking occurs when banks shut down customer accounts because they believe they pose financial, legal or reputational risks to the banks.

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The man, Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, was hospitalized Saturday after suffering a “medical emergency” while being held at Delaney Hall in Newark, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He died the same day.

His official cause of death will be released following further medical examination, according to ICE, which has listed his age as 41. Relatives said he was 39.

At a news conference Tuesday, distraught family members said Lopez-Cornejo had complained he was not getting regular access to his medications, which he took for diabetes, high blood pressure and seizures. His mother, Maria Cornejo, said he called the day before his death to tell her he had spoken to a doctor early Friday and had lost feeling in half his face and arm.

“My son needed medical attention, and he didn’t receive it,” Cornejo said in Spanish. “He was a good father. A good son. A hardworking man. He didn’t harm anyone.”

Through tears, his 12-year-old daughter, Ashley Lopez, said the family knew his health had worsened in detention. “All of us were worried about him,” she said.

In their statement, ICE said Lopez-Cornejo “received proper medical care and was seen by medical professionals” while in custody. He had been held at the facility since his arrest June 18, according to the agency, which accused him of entering the country illegally.

In all, at least 56 people have died in ICE custody during Trump’s second term. Hundreds of detainees across the U.S. have brought lawsuits accusing immigrant detention facilities of failing to provide proper medical care.

In recent months, Delaney Hall has been the site of fierce protests by immigration advocates, with demonstrators at times attempting to block vehicles from entering or leaving the facility. Earlier this year, some detainees launched a hunger strike over the conditions, according to Cosecha, an immigrant advocacy group.

The facility is owned by Geo Group, a private prison contractor that operates multiple detention centers across the country. The contractor did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

After Lopez-Cornejo's death, Democratic politicians and civil rights groups renewed their calls to shutter the 1,000-bed facility.

“This is not the first death of a detainee at Delaney Hall, and absent decisive action, it will not be the last,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said in a statement. “I have visited the facility myself and witnessed these conditions firsthand, so I say this plainly: Delaney Hall must be closed immediately and permanently.”

In December, Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian national, died after collapsing at the jail in what a medical examiner ruled was due to a blood clot blocking an artery in his lungs.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat who has routinely visited Delaney Hall, told reporters another person detained by ICE died in July after they suffered a seizure while they were being processed at the facility. Menendez said ICE granted the individual a “discretionary release” from custody after they were taken to a hospital and lost consciousness, and the person died shortly afterward.

Menendez did not identify the individual. ICE didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry about the case.

Menendez said ICE did not report the death, in line with a policy change announced earlier this year in which the agency no longer reports deaths that occur within 30 days of someone’s release from custody.

ICE has also not publicly recognized the July 24 death of 29-year-old Priciliano Trejo in Georgia, which came nine days after the agency released him from custody while he was hospitalized in a coma, according to a coalition of advocacy groups in the state. The agency has not responded to inquiries about Trejo’s death.

On Tuesday, Lopez-Cornejo’s brother, Danilo Lopez, called for the release of all medically vulnerable detainees, adding that the family would seek an independent state investigation into the “health crisis” at Delaney Hall.

In a statement, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, said her administration’s inspection efforts “continue to face obstruction.”

“Every effort to block oversight raises serious questions about what is happening inside Delaney Hall and what those operating the facility are trying to hide,” she added.

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Associated Press journalists Ryan Foley in Iowa City, Iowa, and Joseph Frederick, in Highland Park, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

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

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. stock market is rushing toward records on Tuesday as profits keep piling up for companies and as oil prices ease.

The S&P 500 shot up 1.9% and is on track to clear its all-time high set a couple months ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1,009 points, or 1.9%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite was 2.6% higher, as of 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Despite worries about high inflation, the war in Iran and a possible bubble in stock prices because of euphoria around the boom in artificial-intelligence technology, Wall Street is nearing its latest apex in large part because profits are soaring for companies. Stock prices tend to follow the path of corporate earnings over the long term.

Palantir Technologies helped lead the way and soared 29.5% after CEO Alex Karp said its overall revenue leaped 93% in what he called an “otherworldly” quarter. Besides reporting a stronger profit for the spring than analysts expected, the AI company also raised its revenue forecast for the full year of 2026.

Caterpillar climbed 6.6% after the heavy-equipment maker likewise reported stronger profit and revenue than analysts expected. It was the first time Caterpillar made more than $20 billion in sales and revenue in a quarter, and CEO Joe Creed said it’s seeing strong order rates and a growing backlog across its main businesses.

Caterpillar is also benefiting from the AI boom through increased orders for turbines used to power data centers, among other things.

They’re the latest companies to deliver even better profits for the latest quarter than investors expected, following strong results from Amazon, Microsoft and others. Coming into this week, companies in the S&P 500 index were on track to deliver growth of nearly 50% in earnings per share for the spring from a year earlier, according to FactSet.

That would be the biggest such jump since 2021, when the economy was roaring back to life after cratering in the COVID-19 pandemic. With corporate profits up so much, while stock prices are still roughly where they were two months ago, stocks don't look as expensive as they did before, according to Phil Segner, a co-portfolio manager at the Leuthold Group.

Also helping stocks on Tuesday was another drop for oil prices.

Brent crude, the international standard, sank 5.4% to $79.25 per barrel as hope once again took over from fear in the oil market. It had swung sharply between $72 and $102 through July on uncertainty about when the war with Iran would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again to deliver crude around the world.

It’s jerked up and down many times as uncertainty built, receded and then built again, not only week to week but also hour to hour. Analysts warned more swings could still be ahead, but the latest drop in oil prices nevertheless helped to ease Wall Street's worries about inflation. That in turn pulled down yields in the bond market, which relaxes pressure on the overall economy and on prices for stocks and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.63% from 4.70% Monday and from 4.75% at the end of last week. That’s a notable move for the bond market, though it remains well above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran.

Higher yields make it more expensive for all kinds of Americans to borrow money, from homebuyers looking for a mortgage to big companies looking to build AI data centers.

Reports on the U.S. economy, meanwhile, showed it remains resilient even though inflation remains worse than anyone would like. One said U.S. employers were advertising nearly 7.4 million job openings at the end of June, a slight slowdown from May's level but close to economists' expectations.

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

South Korea’s Kospi had a more significant move and rose 1.6%. Seoul has been home to some of the world’s sharpest swings recently because its stock market is dominated by two companies swept up in AI mania, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. The Kospi had dropped 5.1% and soared 17.9% in the prior two days.

Stocks of computer chip companies also strengthened on Wall Street, where gains of 2.9% for Nvidia, 7.5% for Broadcom and 8.1% for Micron Technology were some of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500.

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

So Elias was asked point blank why fans should believe he's the man to guide the team to future success.

“While the last couple of years have really felt like a step back, and have been a step back from where this team was in 2023 and 2024, we have so many good players in this organization,” he said. "We have so many things going for us in this organization in terms of the strength and the infrastructure, the business side of the operation, the ownership, the facilities. We now have a top farm system, and we have a great roster with a lot of really good players that are signed up for many years. And we have a lot of things going for us right now.”

Monday's trade may work out for the Orioles in the long run. They acquired three of Boston's top five prospects according to MLB Pipeline. Fans generally understand the logic of dealing a player who might become a free agent in the next year or two. But what makes this trade harder to stomach is the year and a half of failure that led up to it.

In 2023, the Orioles won 101 games. Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson were franchise cornerstones, and there were several more top prospects on the way. Even then, there were concerns Baltimore would have a hard time keeping those two stars — but the assumption was there would be a lot more winning before days like Monday. Instead, the Orioles are in danger of missing the playoffs for a second straight season.

“The last couple seasons have not gone to plan. There have been shortcomings, and ultimately those are my responsibility," Elias said. "But this is a very hard game, we cannot succeed all the time, and we must keep going when things aren't going our way.”

Elias did not sound Monday like a man whose job was in jeopardy. The Orioles were 54-58 but just 2 1/2 games out of the last wild card in the American League. If Elias felt he needed to produce a playoff team this year, he could have kept Rutschman and even added help.

There were reasons to trade him, though. Baltimore has catcher Samuel Basallo, who is signed long term and is seven years younger than Rutschman. This type of deal — using a surplus at a key position to acquire help elsewhere — is something the Orioles could perhaps have used more of a few years ago, when they had a wealth of hitting in the majors and minors but needed pitching.

Baltimore acquired just one major leaguer — catcher Carlos Narváez — for Rutschman. Once again, the Orioles have to sell their fans on minor league prospects. The last collection of young talent hasn't totally delivered on its promise. Rutschman had a down year in 2025, and Henderson is having one this year. Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser and Coby Mayo have all had struggles at the plate. Pitcher Grayson Rodriguez couldn't stay healthy and was ultimately traded for what turned out to be four months of outfielder Taylor Ward. (Ward, a pending free agent, was also dealt away Monday.)

Baltimore hasn't won a pennant since 1983. The franchise that became famous for the Oriole Way has been largely mediocre since then — an issue that long preceded Elias. When he arrived in November 2018, a rebuild was already underway after the team lost 115 games that year.

“We had a lot of work to do around the org. We did it, and for a period of time there — we won a hundred games in 2023 — we had a consensus farm system and a core that looked like it was in a tremendous spot, in a really historically strong spot," Elias said. “I think to some degree I personally, looking back, got caught up in a narrative about a rebuild. Baseball's very humbling, and it doesn't go linearly, and things shifted and changed, and we had a lot of bad luck on the injury front. We had a lot of injuries, and we had regression and things that changed course.”

It's possible Baltimore's fortune will swing back in a positive direction. The injury luck could improve, and maybe someone like Holliday grows into a star. Or the next generation of prospects might have more staying power. Even so, Elias will have to prove he's as good at buying as he seems to be at selling — and that acquiring all this young talent can lead to more than just a fleeting two-year stretch as a contender.

“We're in a really good spot with the health of the org, the talent that's in the org, the players, the system that we have," Elias said. "We need to get better, we need to continue to adjust and evolve. Our competition is very, very stiff, but I like where we're at. The way that we've gotten here has felt different because of the last couple of years and how we've tapered down the last couple years from where our record was in 2023 and 2024. But the future is strong and I think it starts right now.”

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

Miller, a senior adviser to Trump during his first presidency, faced a Wednesday deadline to decide whether to stay in his race for reelection, with Republicans nervous that the allegations surrounding the second-term congressman could cost them a seat as they try to hang on to their House majority in this year's midterms.

Leaders of the ethics committee said in their statement that the committee was reviewing whether Miller “may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use.” Earlier in the day, Miller said he had requested his own investigation into the allegations made by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. It was not clear whether his request or another one prompted the committee to investigate.

Trump spoke with Miller on Monday and advised that his candidacy “doesn’t look good,” according to a source familiar with the conversation who was granted anonymity to discuss a private conversation. Trump’s conversation with Miller was first reported by Axios.

But Miller, in announcing his plans on the social platform X to request an ethics probe, said, “I have nothing to hide" and that he was seeking “to clear my name.”

The former Trump aide whom the president endorsed in May is facing a flurry of legal filings by his ex-wife, who is the Republican senator's daughter, and an ex-girlfriend.

Sen. Moreno, who until Sunday had remained quiet about the allegations at his daughter's request, on Tuesday described the impact on his daughter, granddaughter and wider family as “truly the seventh level of hell."

“This has been brutal beyond comprehension," he told reporters at the Capitol. "And if there's any minimum standard for being a public official, as I said, he fails to meet that minimum, basic standard.”

Asked about the election implications of the allegations for Republicans, Moreno told reporters, “I don't care about the politics at all.”

Moreno expressed concern for his granddaughter and told reporters that he traveled Sunday to a suburban Cleveland police station, where Miller was dropping off their daughter. Miller and his ex-wife share custody of the 2-year-old.

Miller had previewed his intention to stay in the race over the weekend when he livestreamed a video defending himself on X and posting a cache of documents related to his divorce and custody cases.

“I’m not dropping out of this race and I’ll win in November,” he said on the platform.

Sen. Moreno said the video prompted him to break his silence and call for Miller to no longer hold public office.

Trump declined to say publicly on Monday whether Miller should exit the race, noting that the accusations against him were “allegations.”

“I know Max. He's a good person. I mean, I always thought he was a very good person. And I'm going to let the families figure that out,” Trump told reporters when asked about Miller during an Oval Office event.

Arbaeen is held 40 days after Ashoura, which commemorates the killing of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and members of his family, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D.

Karbala Gov. Nasseif Jassim al-Khattabi said Tuesday that more than 22 million people entered the city during the pilgrimage, including about 5 million non-Iraqi visitors as well as Iraqis from different regions of the country.

The event is considered one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings.

Among the highest-profile foreign visitors was Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who arrived in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Monday and continued on to Karbala to take part in the pilgrimage.

Araghchi's presence was a reminder of the delicate balancing act that Iraq — which has close ties to both Washington and Tehran — has carried out since the beginning of the war. Iraq has found itself in the crosshairs of both sides and has sought to avoid getting pulled further into the conflict.

As usual, Iranian pilgrims arrived in large numbers, but some observers said the number of pilgrims from other countries had shrunk.

Aqeel al-Rubaie, 45, a pilgrim from Baghdad who was on his way to Karbala, said Iranian flags were particularly visible along the Najaf-Karbala road, while there were fewer flags than usual from European, Arab and other Islamic countries.

He attributed this to “the war and the events unfolding across the region, which have affected the number of Arab and foreign pilgrims."

Another pilgrim from Baghdad, Hassan al-Sarai, 35, said, “I hardly saw any flags other than Iranian ones, which were clearly visible along the road as well as inside and around the city of Karbala."

Volunteer processions providing food, water, medical care and other services lined the roads leading to Karbala from across Iraq.

The pilgrimage is taking place this year as Iraq faces difficult economic conditions following the war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted Iraqi oil exports. More than 90% of Iraqi state revenues come from oil exports, making the country’s economy highly vulnerable to any interruption in crude shipments.

It also comes as Baghdad is wrestling with a difficult task it has set for itself: disarming the country's network of militias, many of them Iran-backed.

One of the most powerful Iran-backed militias, Kataib Hezbollah, said in a statement marking the occasion of Arbaeen that it rejects calls to disarm and remains committed to retaining what it described as the “weapons of the resistance."

Meanwhile in Iran, many observant Shiites unable to make the pilgrimage to Karbala held their own observances, which sometimes took on a political tone.

In the capital, Tehran, black-clad mourners rallied along a nearly 20-kilometer (12-mile) route to a Shiite holy shrine in the south of the city from a starting point in the central part of the city.

The mourners chanted slogans seeking retaliation for the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in strikes by the U.S. and Israel, while some demonstrators trampled on U.S. and Israeli flags.

State media said similar rallies were held in other Iranian cities and towns.

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Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran contributed.

Aaron F. Farinacci, of Spokane, was arrested Monday and booked on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, the biggest of three blazes that have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. According to court records, he denied setting the fire. His bond was set at $1 million and he was due in court later Tuesday.

Authorities haven't said what caused the other two fires burning around Spokane. No deaths have been reported.

Farinacci, 37, served about a decade in prison after killing his father in Arizona in 2010. Last year, authorities questioned him about two fire-related cases in Spokane, according to a probable cause statement filed in Spokane County Superior Court.

One involved several “bus-sized” fires in an area near Farinacci's apartment in July 2025, police records in that case say. The other involved a wildfire in a state park that prompted evacuation notices the following month. In neither case was he arrested.

A tip leads to an arrest

On Saturday, a 64-year-old man who lives in a rural neighborhood northwest of Spokane was driving with his grandson when he saw a man standing along some railroad tracks and looking toward nearby trees, sheriff's detective Michael Drapeau wrote in the probable cause statement. About 10 minutes later, as they were returning home, the man was still there, this time bending over as he faced the tree line. He stood up and acted “nervous” as the vehicle passed, the man told police.

Soon after they returned home, the man's daughter noticed smoke rising from the area and called 911. The man drove back there and gave a police officer a description of the man he had seen — bald, white, wearing a green shirt and carrying a backpack.

A responding sheriff's deputy saw a man matching that description walking more than one mile (1.6 kilometers) away and detained him. Another deputy also responded, and the man who reported the tip showed up to identify the person in custody — Farinacci — as the one he had seen in the area of the fire, the document states.

Farinacci had a backpack and a fanny pack, in which he had a pack of cigarettes, waterproof matches and a butane lighter, it says. He told the deputies he didn't start the fire and he denied having been in the area where it started. He was wearing a green T-shirt that read, “who needs luck I have charm,” the detective wrote.

The deputies were unaware of Farinacci's prior fire-related contacts and the cause of the Old Trails Fire hadn't been determined yet, so they released him to continue working on evacuation efforts, Drapeau wrote.

But the following day, a wildland fire investigator for the state determined that the fire had started in the same area where Farinacci had been seen, the document says. The investigator ruled out other possible causes, including sparks from electric wires or passing trains, and police arrested Farinacci on Monday.

“As it happens in so many critical cases, it was citizens who were paying attention to their surroundings, being aware and willing to step up and say something that led to the relatively quick apprehension of Mr. Farinacci,” Sheriff John Nowels told reporters Monday.

Farinacci remained jailed ahead of Tuesday’s hearing. The Spokane County Public Defender’s office will represent him during the appearance, and a lawyer will be assigned to him afterward if it’s determined he needs one, said its director, Colin Charbonneau. In an effort to get comment from Farinacci’s family, The Associated Press sent a message to a possible social media account for a brother.

Police contacted him about earlier fires

A detective investigating the Old Trails Fire ran a criminal history check on Farinacci and found that he had been contacted by law enforcement twice before during fire investigations.

Spokane police responded to reports of several fires on July 8, 2025, near Farinacci’s apartment. The area near the Spokane River involved several “bus-sized” fires and prompted a significant emergency response, according to a police record.

The Washington State Patrol made contact with Farinacci the following month while pursuing a suspect in a wildfire at Riverside State Park. They found him on a park bench, “seemingly out of breath from possibly running.” They took photos of him. He was wearing a green T-shirt just like the one he was seen wearing on Saturday, the document says.

Convicted of manslaughter

Farinacci, then age 21, shot and killed his father in Mesa, Arizona, during a 2010 argument about washing dishes, police said. Farinacci also shot himself but survived.

He was charged with murder but pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault, records show.

A judge in 2011 found that Farinacci was mentally fit to assist in his own defense, though defense lawyer Jose Colon continued to raise questions about his mental health and noted that he had been hospitalized multiple times for psychiatric treatment, court records show.

In a letter to the judge, Beth Farinacci, who had married Farinacci's father, said second-degree murder, not manslaughter, would have been a more appropriate way to resolve the case. But she went along with the plea deal because she believed a trial wouldn’t be beneficial to her family.

“Manslaughter is for when someone accidentally kills another person. It is not for someone who intentionally points a loaded gun at their father and shots him in his face and back,” Beth Farinacci wrote.

Farinacci was released from probation in Arizona in early 2024. A probation officer said Farinacci maintained a stable residence with his girlfriend and her family in the previous year, but also noted he hadn’t completed a mental health evaluation or domestic violence treatment.

Residents return to destroyed homes

The fires were among dozens across the Western U.S. that have stretched the ability of federal, state and local agencies to fight them. More than 1,000 firefighters, many from outside of Washington state, were in the Spokane area Tuesday, and that number was expected to rise.

Winds died down Monday and Tuesday, aiding the efforts of firefighters, but the weather was expected to get hotter by Wednesday.

In one neighborhood, blackened vehicles, a boat twisted by the heat and melted plastic recycling bins remained. Across the street, lawns were still green and houses were spared, as residents continued to run hoses or sprinklers to water their properties.

Some residents who had to flee blazes over the weekend returned to find homes that had been burned to the ground. In some cases, only chimneys were left standing.

“There’s nothing to save,” Miriam Sim, 76, said as she and her husband, Daniel Sim, surveyed the ruins of the home where they had lived since 2005.

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Johnson and Bellisle reported from Seattle. Associated Press writers Ed White in Detroit; Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.

Several fires that burned through mountain communities and coastal areas west of the Greek capital were brought under control overnight. Planes and helicopters dumped water inside the contained perimeters through the morning, dousing hot spots while the winds stayed calm.

“There is a huge fire load in the area and the risk goes up as the day progresses,” said Costas Tsingas, head of the Greek Firefighters Association. “The goal is for the day to end better than it started.”

Fires started through negligence prompt wave of arrests

Burning for a fifth day, the blaze outside Athens prompted the evacuation of more than 1,000 people and was blamed on a faulty power line from a wind farm in the area.

Restrictions and park closures are imposed locally according to fire‑risk levels. Authorities say 33 people were arrested between June 29 and Aug. 2 for starting fires, including 30 through negligence and three on suspicion of arson. Most of the negligence cases involved farm work carried out despite local bans, including prohibited welding.

On Tuesday, crews were working against the clock: Winds typically pick up in the afternoon, a coastal phenomenon common across the Mediterranean in summer as land heats faster than the sea and draws in stronger breezes.

The army deployed tracked earth movers to carve fire breaks across the scorched hillsides, while specialist units pushed into forest areas on foot to extinguish smoldering embers before they could reignite.

More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from around the seaside resort of Porto Germeno and other areas west of the capital, including more than 250 rescued by boats from beaches in the area.

Wildfires in France expose ammunition

Prolonged heat waves across Europe this summer have left France tinder-dry, fueling blazes that this week exposed long-buried ammunition in a forested area.

The massive wildfire outside the southwestern city of Bordeaux, which has scorched about 420 square kilometers (162 square miles), uncovered what is believed to be World War II-era ammunition.

Demining experts have found more than 400 shells and other munitions in recent days at Le Porge, the hardest-hit town, where 183 homes were destroyed. Residents described hearing explosions believed to be blasts from the old shells, authorities said.

The fire remained contained and thousands of evacuees were allowed to return Monday. More than 224,000 people fled in France’s largest civilian evacuation outside wartime.

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Corbet reported from Paris.

The figure offers a glimpse of how much taxpayer money will be spent on a deployment that has been criticized by local officials as an infringement of their city's autonomy and by Democrats who say it has militarized the streets of nation's capital at the public's expense.

The cost estimate is for fiscal years 2027-2029 and came in response to questions from Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and was provided to The Associated Press.

The deployment began last summer, when President Donald Trump issued an emergency order that launched a law enforcement surge in the city which the administration says was meant to fight crime. Hundreds of armed Guard troops have been deployed to city streets, supporting arrest operations but also helping with snow removal and carrying out beautification projects. This summer, as the city marked the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, their numbers surged to about 5,000.

The Defense Department said in its estimate the cost assumes there will be an average of 2,500 National Guard members in Washington through January 2029.

"While American families are getting flattened by skyrocketing costs, Donald Trump is spending $1.4 billion to keep troops on the streets in Washington for years on end," Warren said in an emailed statement. "The National Guard are not pawns and taxpayer dollars are not a piggy bank for Trump’s political stunts.”

The cost was first reported by The Washington Post.

The Pentagon said last month the Guard mission will continue until Jan. 20, 2029, “or until terminated by the President.” The deployment was set to expire at the end of this year after previously being extended.

While the use of National Guard members has been restricted by courts elsewhere, their presence continues in large numbers in D.C. where the president is the direct commander of the D.C. Guard.

What's not clear is whether the governors will extend their state units for more than two years. As of late July there were 4,600 military personnel from D.C. and 23 states and territories still in the city, some sent to help with security and other functions as part of events around July 4th.

One state, Georgia, had roughly 800 personnel here, more than the D.C. National Guard. Maj. R. Dustin Cole, spokesperson for the Georgia Air National Guard, said in an email the increased number is temporary. He stopped short of saying how many Georgia troops might be pulled away, and when.

Col. Joel Lynch of the Arkansas National Guard said about half of the state’s 238 soldiers in D.C. will return home the end of this month and 123 are projected to return near the end of October.

Hawaii said it will bring home its 27 members later this month after the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. Louisiana will have about 150 Guard members in the city through January 2027.

Don and Donna Powell, residents of the city who split time between Washington and Texas, said the money being spent on the National Guard could be used for other necessities.

“They’re everywhere. They’re just hiding wherever it’s shady,” said Donna Powell, while attending a FreeDC protest Monday against the continued surge. The money being spent for them “could be spent on healthcare and food for families that need it and instead we’re wasting our money.”

She recently welcomed two rescued beagles named Milo and Josie into her home.

But the road that brought them to her door is part of a story that captured national and international attention.

Ridglan Farms is a breeding and biomedical research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. The facility bred beagles for use in laboratory research, selling them to labs for product and medical testing.

For the dogs living inside, life looked nothing like what most people picture when they think of a family pet.

Many of the beagles had never touched grass, seen sunlight or known a home outside of the facility’s walls.

In March, scenes of activists carrying 23 dogs out of Ridglan Farms went viral following a successful raid of the facility.

Activists continued holding rallies where they were met with tear gas and rubber bullets. Many were arrested and taken to jail.

But their efforts paid off.

The Center for a Humane Economy and Big Dog Ranch Rescue stepped in, negotiating directly with the facility’s owners to purchase around 1,500 dogs.

From there, the beagles were distributed to rescue organizations across the country.

Twenty of those beagles made their way to Alaqua Animal Refuge in Florida’s Panhandle and many others went to Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee Groves, Florida.

That is where Sapp found Milo and Josie.

For Sapp, the decision to adopt was personal in more ways than one.

As a scientist, she spent years working in and around laboratories, hearing dogs behind closed doors and feeling a deep sadness for the lives they were living.

“I have never conducted experiments on animals personally, but just knowing it was happening in some of the facilities where I was working affected me deeply. I never forgot those dogs,” she wrote to News4JAX.

When she learned beagles from Ridglan Farms were being rescued and desperately needed homes, she didn’t hesitate.

“Their transition to life outside of a laboratory environment has been both heartbreaking and incredibly beautiful. They are learning what it means to be dogs- to play, explore, receive affection, and experience the ordinary joys of having a safe home,” Sapp said.

She said she also wants to recognize the people who made it all possible.

Sapp said the brave rescuers who worked tirelessly to save these dogs deserve recognition and that without their efforts, dogs like Milo and Josie would never have had the chance to become beloved members of a family.

In the end, the effort to save these dogs was bigger than anyone imagined.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue secured the release of all 2,110 beagles from Ridglan Farms, permanently shutting down the facility and giving every single dog a chance at a new life.

If Milo and Josie’s story has you thinking about opening your own door, Big Dog Ranch Rescue still has beagles available for adoption. For more information click here.

Helicopters were on standby but unable to fly by noon for the ongoing search and recovery operation on Broad Peak, the regional government said in a statement Tuesday.

The climbers from Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, China, Britain and the United States were swept away by the avalanche Thursday in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, which the Alpine Club of Pakistan called one of the country's deadliest mountaineering disasters.

Ground teams located the remains of eight climbers and at least three bodies were brought down the mountain on Saturday, officials said.

Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born former British Army soldier widely known as Nims Dai, was among the climbers killed in the avalanche while attempting to scale the peak. His expedition company said Saturday that the world had lost one of mountaineering’s greats.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday expressed condolences to the families of those killed, saying he was deeply saddened by the tragedy.

“My heartfelt condolences go to the bereaved families and to the governments and people of China, Nepal, Oman, the United Kingdom and the United States,” Dar said in a post on X.

Dar also offered condolences to the family of Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi, saying his courage and passion for the mountains would be remembered with pride.

“The determination and pursuit of excellence shown by all those who perished embodied the true spirit of mountaineering and will continue to inspire generations,” Dar said.

Dar praised the “tireless efforts of our rescue and recovery teams” and said Pakistan remained committed to the ongoing search and recovery operation in close coordination with the Nepal, Oman, U.K. and U.S. embassies.

Mountaineering accidents are common in northern Pakistan because of avalanches, falling ice and rock, extreme altitude and rapidly changing weather. A Chinese mountaineer died last year after being struck by falling rocks while descending K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, in northern Pakistan.

Bodies of foreign climbers who die attempting to summit mountains in Pakistan are typically recovered at the request of their families and governments. If the family declines a rescue, the remains are left at the spot where the climber died.

___

Khan reported from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Netanyahu's remarks cast more doubt on the deal to disarm Hamas, which was seen as a potential breakthrough for ending the war. It also marked a rare public display of friction with the Trump administration.

The agreement called for Hamas to begin disarming and for Israel to halt its strikes and begin withdrawing from the roughly 60% of Gaza it currently controls. It was based on an October ceasefire agreement that ended major military operations and brought about the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza but has stalled on other fronts.

Netanyahu, who faces a tough battle for reelection in October, reiterated his stance that disarmament should come first. He said Israeli forces would continue to “do whatever is necessary to protect themselves, our territory, and our citizens.”

The Trump administration “sent us a draft. We did not agree. It is not our draft. We sent our comments. … This is our position,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on social media.

Mass funeral held for dozens killed in 2023 strike

Earlier on Tuesday, Palestinians gathered for a mass funeral of more than 100 bodies finally recovered from a deadly Israeli strike in Gaza in 2023. More than 300 people were killed on Nov. 22, 2023, weeks into the war with Hamas, when warplanes flattened a residential block in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood.

Around 40 bodies were recovered soon afterward in a frantic scramble of rough tools and bare hands, but most were buried deep beneath the rubble. Reports of the high number of victims in one of the war's deadliest attacks took days to reach the public in the chaos just before its first ceasefire.

Over the weekend, first responders dug through the destroyed buildings and recovered remains of 112 victims, including 40 children, according to the Civil Defense, a rescue agency operating under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.

It said 157 bodies still have not been found.

“The only crime of these martyrs was that they remained steadfast and resilient in their homes, believing that these homes would protect them,” one relative, Taysir al-Hassayna, told The Associated Press following the funeral prayers.

For the missing, it's “as if their bodies had evaporated without a trace.”

The current ceasefire has allowed recovery of remains

Only now are some bodies of people killed in the war's ferocious early months slowly being recovered, as the fragile ceasefire allows such efforts to push ahead in parts of devastated Gaza.

Those discoveries have contributed to the war's rising toll. The Hamas-led militant attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 73,377 Palestinians, including since the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.

At least 7,400 people have been reported by relatives to still be under the rubble, Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the ministry's records department, told the AP. The true number is likely thousands higher because in some cases entire families were killed in a single bombing, leaving no one to report the missing, al-Waheidi has said.

The people mourned on Tuesday were from a residential block belonging to the Hassayna and Abu Sharia clan, and many were related. AP has identified at least 60 families across Gaza who lost 25 or more family members during the first three months of war.

On Tuesday, the remains of the victims, wrapped in Palestinian flags, were laid in rows on the ground. Many were marked with photos, and flower petals were scattered around all. Hundreds of people surrounded the bodies for funeral prayers, some standing on the rubble.

Following the prayers, people carried the bodies on stretchers along a narrow street lined by destroyed buildings and buried them in a nearby cemetery.

Deadly strikes continue and rebuilding is on hold

At least 1,252 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants but says women and children make up most of the dead.

Israel says its strikes are against militants who endanger its soldiers, took part in the Oct. 7 attack or carry out other violations. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.

The U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement last October called for Hamas to be disarmed and for Israel to withdraw. An International Stabilization Force was to be deployed, and an independent Palestinian administration was to oversee governance and reconstruction.

Israel says everything hinges on Hamas giving up its weapons, while Hamas says Israel must end its strikes and begin withdrawing from the territory. Each side accuses the other of violating the truce.

Gaza remains largely shattered. Most of its 2 million Palestinians are displaced, many living in tent camps where poor conditions and overcrowding have led to rodent infestations and outbreaks of infectious diseases such as chickenpox.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser contributed from Ankara, Turkey.

On Tuesday, lawmakers in the Democratic-dominated House approved putting an amendment on the ballot to allow the change. The Senate was expected to vote on it later in the day. Sending it to voters requires three-fifths approval of both legislative chambers, who met in a special session to consider the change.

In a state where Democrats now occupy seven of the eight House seats, Republicans are calling the effort a blatant power grab.

In debate in the House on Tuesday, Republican Delegate Kevin Hornberger told his colleagues: “Just because we can go ultra-partisan doesn't mean we should go ultra-partisan.” Other Republicans said constituents weren't behind it and one Democratic lawmaker worried that the change could cost rural parts of the state federal resources if they're put in the same districts with suburban areas. The measure still passed 96-38.

If the amendment is ultimately approved, it would be part of a rapid reconfiguration of congressional district lines that began last year when President Donald Trump urged Republican-controlled states to adjust their maps to help the party in the 2026 midterm elections. Normally, redistricting happens just once a decade after new Census data is released.

Eight states — Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas — have redrawn maps to help Republicans, who could pick up as many as 16 seats due to the redistricting. New maps in California and Utah could give Democrats an advantage in six races.

Maryland moved more slowly because Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson blocked an earlier initiative aimed at putting new maps in place for this year. He was worried that the state Supreme Court, with most of its members appointed by a Republican former governor, could backfire — especially because a judge in 2022 rejected a new map that could have boosted the Democrats.

Ferguson said his view changed after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act in April, giving Republicans grounds for reconfiguring districts with large minority populations in Southern states.

The question that could go to voters is designed to make it hard for the court to reject redistricting. It would make it clear that the parameters the judge cited — including that districts be compact in form and have regard given to “natural boundaries” — apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones.

That would allow congressional districts to cross the Chesapeake Bay. Currently, the only district on the rural Eastern Shore east of the Bay is also the only one represented by a Republican, Rep. Andy Harris, the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

Although there have been similar contests around the country, this one will hold extra weight because Michigan is a key state in presidential races. Abdul El-Sayed, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, is up against four-term Rep. Haley Stevens, supported by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

Democratic and Republican voters in Michigan are also deciding on their parties’ nominees to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

In Kansas, Missouri, Virginia and Washington state, voters are settling primaries in a host of races, including a key rematch between Democrats in a Missouri House contest. Also in play is whether Democrats, who tried to redraw districts in Virginia to their advantage but were rebuffed by the state supreme court, can pick candidates who can defeat Republicans in the fall.

Here is a look at the Latest:

Missouri ballot measure seeks to axe the income tax in favor of more sales taxes

The Missouri measure marks the first time since the modern income tax began over a century ago that a U.S. state legislature has asked voters whether to eliminate the tax.

Amendment 5 would direct the legislature to phase out the individual income tax as state revenue grows. To spur that along, it also allows lawmakers to expand the sales tax to “any goods and services.” It gives them five years to decide which sales to tax without needing further voter approval.

Alaska is the only state so far to impose a general individual income tax and then repeal it, doing so in 1980 by a legislative vote.

Massachusetts voters rejected income tax eliminations in 2008 and 2002 that were initiated by citizens, not lawmakers.

Another Virginia voter says she’d ‘never’ vote for a Democrat

Republican voter Chris Weymouth, 85, cast a ballot in a Richmond suburb for Bert Mizusawa in the Republican Senate primary. The winner of that three-way race will face a stiff general election challenge from Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the longtime, well-funded incumbent.

Weymouth, who said Democrats have moved so far left she would “never” consider voting for one, said Mizusawa — a decorated Army veteran — won her support in the primary because she believed he would put America first, support the Constitution and protect America’s freedoms. Her faith also guided her vote, she said.

One Virginia voter wants someone ‘gung ho’ on supporting progressive issues

Devin Garcia, 30, voted in suburban Richmond for Salaam Bhatti, a public interest lawyer running for the Democratic nomination in Virginia’s 1st Congressional District. The winner of the seven-way nomination contest will face longtime Republican incumbent Rob Wittman. The 1st district leans red, but Democrats are hopeful they can flip it.

Garcia backed Bhatti over more centrist candidates in the race, including establishment favorite Shannon Taylor, wanting someone “gung ho” about supporting progressive politics, including diversity initiatives, abortion access and affordable health care.

“I do think that we need more bold people that are going to take a real stand. The Trump administration isn’t fighting fair, and I think caught the Democrats on the back foot,” Garcia said.

Stevens voter wants to see bipartisan work, says AIPAC questions have overshadowed primary race

Birmingham resident Nessa Fuller, 51, said she voted for Stevens because she will “fight to get the right things done, and she’ll work with other people.”

Fuller, who wore a Haley Stevens T-shirt outside her polling place, said she has progressive values but no longer identifies with the term as it has swung too far left. Rhetoric within the progressive wing that Fuller describes as antisemitic has overshadowed what she supports, she said, including in El-Sayed’s campaign.

“Here’s the deal with Abdul, I think, in the Jewish community. The question is, do you vote for your values? Do you take Israel out of the equation and say, these are social justice issues that we agree with, and I’m going to vote for you?” Fuller, who is Jewish, said. “I don’t think one issue should crowd out everything else. So it’s a conundrum.”

While Fuller agrees with some elements of El-Sayed’s campaign and said she would vote for him in November if he wins the primary, she isn’t sure all Democratic voters will do the same.

Missouri Republicans are picking a candidate in a congressional district reshaped at Trump’s request

A six-way Republican primary will settle who will try to unseat Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver in a dramatically reshaped district.

Missouri was the second Republican state, after Texas, to respond to Trump’s call last year to redraw congressional districts to the GOP’s advantage ahead of the midterms. The revamped map stretches Cleaver’s Kansas City district eastward into rural central Missouri to give the new 5th District a Republican tilt.

The GOP race features state Sen. Rick Brattin, a Marine veteran and founding member of the conservative Missouri Freedom Caucus. Brattin and fellow primary contestant Taylor Burks both ran unsuccessfully in 2022 for an open seat in Missouri’s 4th District.

Burks is a Navy officer who once served as a local election official in the University of Missouri’s home of Boone County.

Cleaver is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Abdul El-Sayed dances to Michigan Democratic Senate primary finish line

El-Sayed stopped by Detroit’s Eastern Market to talk to voters, going at one point to dance with a group of ladies in a Zumba class at the market.

“That’s generally how we operate,” El-Sayed told AP about the joyful tone to end his campaign. “The hope here is we build a world where people are free to actually fully enjoy their lives.”

Michigan lawmaker wants Detroit to have a Black representative in Congress again

Rep. Shri Thanedar is trying to fend off a primary challenge from state Rep. Donavan McKinney in a heavily Democratic district representing Detroit.

Thanedar first won election in 2022, marking the first time since the early 1950s that Detroit had no Black representation in Congress.

McKinney wants to change that. He’s trying to win office in the 13th District, which includes most of Detroit and other parts of Wayne County.

Thanedar was born in Indian. Since 2022, Democrat Rashida Tlaib, who is Palestinian American, has represented the 12th Congressional District, which also includes other parts of Detroit.

McKinney, who is Black, first was elected in 2022 to Michigan’s state House. He has been endorsed by influential progressive U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and several Detroit-area state lawmakers.

Wildfires disrupt primary voting in eastern Washington

The elections office in Spokane County, where wildfires have forced thousands to evacuate and destroyed hundreds of structures, says some voters are reporting that they had left their ballots behind when their homes were evacuated.

The secretary of state’s office says any voter who needs a replacement ballot should print one off the state’s website or go to a county elections office to receive one. Election officials say they have two centers open in Spokane County to help affected voters.

“We are here to assist them and ensure they can cast a ballot,” Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton said in an online post. “This is one small aspect of normalcy we can offer in what is otherwise a traumatic and overwhelming situation.”

The state’s most closely watched primary, in the 3rd Congressional District, was far south of the major wildfires.

Washington conducts its elections almost entirely with mail ballots.

Stevens casts her ballot, says she will focus on local priorities

U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens cast her ballot Tuesday afternoon at a public library in her hometown of Birmingham, Michigan, amid a slow trickle of voters.

“We’re getting everybody all excited and we’re ready for tomorrow,” she said. “I think we’re seeing a lot of great turnout.”

While speaking to the press, she positioned herself as someone who will focus on local priorities.

“Our voices often times get drowned out. They get drowned out by podcasts. They get drowned out by, you know, Twitch streamers. They get drowned out by other national priorities,” she said.

Democrats expect to hold Warner’s Senate seat

Both parties are focused on the open U.S. Senate race to the south, in North Carolina, but Virginia is not expected to be a battleground this year.

Democrats are confident that Sen. Mark Warner, a moderate who was first elected in 2008, will win reelection in November, and independent analysts rate the seat as safely blue. Voters will be deciding among three Republicans who hope to take on Warner in the fall.

The GOP contenders are: Kim Farington, an accountant who has touted her work over decades in the federal government; Bert Mizusawa, a decorated retired Army major general; and David Williams, a Marine Corps reservist.

Warner, who does not have a primary challenger, is a well-known former governor who currently serves as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He will have a massive cash advantage and name recognition in a state where Trump has proven deeply unpopular.

Michigan voter says El-Sayed will not ‘curl up and fall down’

Tony Williams voted Tuesday in Southfield, Michigan, for Abdul El-Sayed and likes what he brings as a candidate while supporting the Democrat’s stance on abolishing ICE, keeping personal healthcare choices out of the hands of politicians, and pushing Medicare for all.

“He will not curl up and fall down,” said Williams, a 68-year-old retired retail employee.

Williams described the Trump administration as “a dictatorship,” adding that an El-Sayed victory can help Democrats regain control of the Senate and put a rein on Trump.

“You have judges scared of (Trump). He’s in trouble for different things and nobody’s pressing the issue,” Williams said.

House retirement creates a crowded Washington primary

Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse’s retirement created a frenzy of interest to replace him.

Eleven candidates will be on the ballot for the 4th Congressional District, a Republican stronghold in Washington’s agricultural center, including Yakima and the Tri-Cities. Six are Republicans, one is a Democrat, and the other four are from minor parties or unaffiliated.

The GOP dominates the district, so the primary could prove decisive if the top-two structure creates a traditional Republican vs. Democrat matchup in November.

Newhouse is one of two remaining House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump. The other is Rep. David Valadao of California, whose district is a top pickup target for Democrats.

Michigan Democratic voter supports El-Sayed, messaging by progressives

Madison Francis voted Tuesday in Southfield, Michigan, for Abdul El-Sayed saying she especially supports his views on things like inclusion.

“Just having somebody that sees everybody and wants the best for everybody,” said Francis, a 19-year-old student at Michigan State University. “I feel like the world is very divided, right now.”

Francis also believes that if El-Sayed wins Tuesday’s Democratic primary over U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, Michigan voters are open-minded enough to elect him over Republican Mike Rogers in the November general election.

She said the United States is being run by “some interesting Republicans,” and that the Democratic party should focus on unity before the nation spirals “further out of control.”

Young voters also are having a hard time hearing what traditional Democrats are saying and that messaging by progressives appear more fluid.

“I think they’re taking more of a progressive and proactive stance,” she said of young voters. “Both the Republicans and Democrats can sometimes (come across as) being too rigid on their stances.”

Missouri voters weigh the nation’s most difficult standard for constitutional amendments

Proposed Amendment 4 would require future constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition to pass by a majority in each of the state’s congressional districts instead of a simple statewide majority. No other state has a standard that high.

The Republican-led legislature referred the measure to the ballot after voters in recent years narrowly passed several controversial amendments proposed through citizen initiatives. Those measures enshrined abortion rights into the state constitution, legalized recreational marijuana, allowed sports betting and expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income adults.

None of those measures would have passed under a requirement for amendments to win approval in all congressional districts.

Under Amendment 4, the higher standard would apply only to citizen-initiated amendments — not ones placed on the ballot by the legislature.

A Stevens voter says he’ll vote Republican in the general if El-Sayed wins the Democratic nomination

David Salama, 48, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, voted Tuesday for U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Corey Williams)

David Salama says he typically votes as an independent, but the U.S. Senate race between U.S. Rep. Stevens and El-Sayed prompted him to vote Tuesday in Michigan’s Democratic primary.

He voted for Stevens. “Haley is somebody who has experience legislating and because she understands the fight of good versus evil, that is extremely important about what’s going on in this world,” said Salama, 48, an anesthesiologist from West Bloomfield.

“I would vote for Haley in November if she were to win today, but if Abdul wins today, I will vote for Mike Rogers in November,” he said, noting, “In the extremes lie trouble.”

Michigan business where Stevens held an event says it doesn’t endorse her

The Democratic Senate hopeful held a campaign event at Pux Cider Taphouse in Grand Rapids on Monday night.

In an Instagram post, representatives of the business said later Monday that the event was booked as a private gathering for Democratic women and that Pux was “never advised” it was connected to Stevens.

“We are heartbroken,” they wrote, adding they “have advocated and continue to call for a free Palestine. We DO NOT endorse Haley Stevens.”

The congresswoman’s campaign has received roughly $30 million in support from AIPAC, which backs pro-Israel candidates. Pux said it will donate proceeds from the event to the Grand Rapids Pride Center.

Trump endorsed a top Kansas lawmaker for governor, but the GOP field is crowded

State Senate President Ty Masterson has faced repeated attacks ahead of Tuesday’s primary election from one of his rivals, Kansas City businessman Philip Sarnecki. Other candidates in the race include Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt.

Kansas doesn’t have runoff elections, so a candidate can become the GOP nominee with a relatively small percentage of the vote, and Trump’s endorsement of Masterson in May didn’t clear the field.

Three Democrats from the Kansas City area are running for their party’s nomination. They are state Sens. Ethan Corson and Cindy Holscher, and Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog.

Incumbent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited.

‘I think the nation is ready for someone who wants to take some more action’

Kenneth Woodside identifies as an independent, proudly stating “I vote policies, not people.”

On Tuesday, the 87-year-old from West Bloomfield, Michigan, cast his ballot in the state’s Democratic primary for El-Sayed over U.S. Rep. Stevens.

“I think we need someone in there who is more progressive,” Woodside said. “We gotta do something to reverse where we are, right now ... get it a little more to the other side to try and do some things that are going to be more focused on the people rather than just on the wealthy and businesses.”

Woodside said he has faith that El-Sayed could defeat former Republican Rep. Rogers in the November general election.

“I think the nation is ready for someone who wants to take some more action rather than on the road we are now, which is on the road to an oligarchy and authoritarianism,” he said.

Woodside also believes change needs to come to the nation’s Democratic establishment and that he’s not sure voters are listening to its leaders.

“I think they’re listening to what they need and they’re looking for the leaders to say ‘what are your needs and how can I respond to them’ as opposed to going down the road of being sort of this moderate, middle-of-the-road and afraid to take some steps that are more progressive, more union related.”

El-Sayed volunteer says campaign’s momentum reflects broader discontent with Democrats

Katie Brink, 29, said Monday that Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign has resonated across racial and generational lines with “people who feel like they’ve really been shut out by the system.”

“When I’m out knocking doors and volunteering, the people I’m interacting with are not the kind of demographics that you would think an Abdul voter would look like,” Brink said during El-Sayed’s final campaign event in Detroit. “His message is resonating with all of the diverse people of Detroit.”

Brink, who has volunteered for El-Sayed since February, said she had grown tired of the Democratic Party’s status quo but was inspired by his message to dedicate her time to the race.

“Seeing movements in other places in the country where real people knocking on doors and talking to voters can actually, like, make a positive change, I felt like helping him was the best thing I could do with my time right now,” she said.

Washington’s primary lacks a marquee race

Washington state has a primary tonight, but without a Senate contest or a race for governor, it lacks a marquee race to drive enthusiasm.

But the primary will set up a general election matchup in one of the nation’s top U.S. House battlegrounds — Southwest Washington’s 3rd District, represented by moderate Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Gluesenkamp Perez has faced opposition from the left, but progressive challenger Brent Hennrich has struggled to gain traction.

In the 4th District, a crowded field of candidates is looking to replace retiring Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse. The district is safely Republican and is likely to stay in GOP hands regardless of tonight’s results.

It could take some time for the results to be finalized. Washington conducts elections entirely by mail and will count ballots postmarked on Election Day.

Washington was the first state to adopt a top-two nonpartisan primary, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election in November, even if they’re from the same party.

California later adapted the system, which was meant to give independents more of a political voice.

What’s next for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer?

That’s still not clear.

Whitmer won two gubernatorial elections decisively in a state that swung between parties in presidential elections, voting for Republican President Donald Trump in 2016, Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump again in 2024.

Now, the Democrat is term-limited and can’t run again.

Whitmer has been cagey about her plans after her term ends, though she’s often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate.

“Never say never,” she told reporters in May about a 2028 bid.

These Michigan districts could decide which party controls the House

Republicans control the U.S. House by a slim margin, and three of Michigan’s races are among the most competitive in the country.

1. Congressional District 4’s incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga is running for reelection after Trump recommended he keep his seat rather than run for U.S. Senate. He has one primary challenger, and there are two Democratic primary candidates on the ballot: Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann and election newcomer Diop Harris II.

2. In Congressional District 7, incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, who flipped the seat in 2024, has no primary challengers. Barrett will face one of three Democrats in November. They are former U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink, community organizer William Lawrence and former Navy Seal Matt Maasdam .

3. Republican U.S. Rep. John James left his Congressional District 10 seat open to run for governor. In the GOP primary, Trump endorsed Mike Bouchard against Steffan Demetropoulos and Justin Kirk. The Democratic primary is between former state House Rep. Tim Greimel, former prosecutor Christina Hines and former Commerce Department attorney Eric Chung.

Two Virginia Democrats seek a return to Congress

Two former Democratic members of Congress are among those on Virginia’s primary ballot.

In the battleground 2nd Congressional District, centered in Virginia Beach, Elaine Luria is seen as the favorite in a four-way Democratic primary. A win would set up a general election rematch between Luria, a retired Navy commander, and Jen Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot who ousted her in 2022. Kiggans doesn’t face a primary challenge.

The general election contest in the 2nd District will likely be among the most expensive and hotly contested in the country and will help determine control of the House in the fall.

In central Virginia’s 5th District, former congressman and diplomat Tom Perriello is seen as the favorite in a three-way Democratic primary. There’s also a nominating contest on the GOP side, where incumbent Rep. John McGuire has a large fundraising advantage over his challenger, Melanie Lucero.

The demographics of the district would give the Republican a big edge. Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger lost it by more than seven points last year. But Perriello has flipped a red district before. He narrowly beat a longtime incumbent in the 5th District in 2008, before being ousted himself amid the Tea Party wave two years later.

Republicans in Missouri are voting for a potential successor to retiring US Rep. Sam Graves

Graves has represented rural northern Missouri for a quarter century and currently serves as chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He set off a political scramble when he announced in late March that he wasn’t seeking reelection.

Graves has endorsed conservative talk radio host Chris Stigall, who once worked for him.

The five-person Republican field in the 6th Congressional District also features Kansas City Council member Nathan Willett, who has the endorsement of the Missouri Farm Bureau’s influential political committee.

The 6th District is heavily Republican. A recent redistricting added more northern Kansas City neighborhoods to the sprawling rural district.

Virginia’s primary follows a campaign season upended by redistricting

Virginia’s primary election typically takes place in June. But that’s not the case this year. It was pushed back to Tuesday to account for Democrats’ failed redistricting initiative.

After President Donald Trump pushed Republicans in other states to redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterms to give their party an edge, Virginia Democrats were among those who responded in kind.

They redrew the state’s congressional maps, aiming to oust four GOP incumbents and leave just one of Virginia’s 11 districts winnable for Republicans. Then they put the matter before voters in a constitutional amendment.

Voters narrowly approved it, but the amendment was ultimately invalidated by the state Supreme Court and the new districts along with it. That sent candidates scrambling. Many ended their campaigns, while others moved to new districts.

Voters will cast ballots today in districts that have been in place since 2021. Democrats will be picking their nominees in districts that could help determine control of the House in the general election.

A Methodist megachurch pastor tops a big Democratic field in the Senate race in Kansas

The Rev. Adam Hamilton grew the Church of the Resurrection he started in the Kansas City area about 35 years ago from a small congregation that met in the chapel of a funeral home into one with nine campuses and 22,000 members.

His profile among mainline Protestants helped him raise about $4.2 million for his Senate campaign since launching it at the end of April, three times as much as the other 10 Democratic candidates combined. That’s also a little more than the $4 million incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall has raised since the beginning of last year.

But Marshall didn’t start last year from zero and headed toward the fall campaign with $5.7 million in cash, while Hamilton had less than $2 million left ahead of Tuesday’s primaries.

Also — no Republican has lost a U.S. Senate race in Kansas since 1932.

How it started

The owner first learned something was wrong Aug. 1, when a neighbor called to say multiple people were inside his property on Westmar Road. The owner was out of the city at the time and couldn’t respond when officers made an initial visit to the home.

Later that night, the owner spotted people still inside the residence and contacted police again around 11:50 p.m. He told officers no one should have been in the home — the last tenant had been formally evicted June 23, and he provided documentation to confirm it.

The owner believed the suspects entered through a broken window near the front door that led to the kitchen. He told officers he had previously seen broken glass in that area — and it was gone when he arrived.

Officers move in

According to arrest reports, officers responded just after midnight and began positioning themselves around the home. At least one officer spotted people inside a rear bedroom and observed one person attempt to escape through a side window.

Using a public address system mounted on a patrol vehicle — along with a police siren — officers instructed those inside to exit with their hands up. The owner handed over keys so officers could make entry after those inside did not comply.

When officers entered, they found all five occupants gathered in a central room near the front door. The K9 Unit and Drone Unit also responded to the scene.

The arrests

Five people were taken into custody, handcuffed, searched and placed in marked patrol vehicles. All were booked into the Duval County Jail in the early morning hours of Aug. 2.

The five faced a combination of the following charges:

• Trespass in a structure or conveyance (unoccupied), a second-degree misdemeanor
• Resisting an officer without violence, a first-degree misdemeanor
• Giving a false name or identification to law enforcement, a first-degree misdemeanor (one suspect)

One suspect was identified using a fingerprint scanner after allegedly providing a false name to officers. Another had alcohol noted as a factor in their arrest report.

News4JAX is not naming the suspects because they are facing misdemeanor charges.

Florida law

More than two years ago, the News4JAX I-TEAM exposed a loophole in a law that allowed two women to live rent-free in a home in the Hogan’s Creek neighborhood for weeks, while the property owner wasn’t allowed inside.

The defendant had claimed she was a victim of a rental scam, which was the same thing she had claimed at a nearby property where she had been recently evicted. They were allowed to stay in the house rent-free for weeks as the case moved through the civil court system.

[RELATED: Jacksonville squatters finally evicted from home after 40 days leave behind $15K in damage, owners say]

After the investigation, the Florida state legislature unanimously passed a new state law that now allows law enforcement to immediately get involved in removing people living in a home without the owner’s permission. Under this law, officers may be called to help remove squatters if they unlawfully entered and remained on the property after the owner asked them to leave.

Now under the law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, police can remove people immediately from a property if they do not have a lease or refuse to leave.

Here are the conditions that have to be met before an officer can intervene:

• The requesting person is the property owner or authorized agent of the property owner.
• The real property that is being occupied includes a residential dwelling.
• An unauthorized person or persons have unlawfully entered and remain or continue to reside on the property owner’s property.
• The real property was not open to members of the public at the time the unauthorized person or persons entered.
• The property owner has directed the unauthorized person to leave the property.
• The unauthorized person or persons are not current or former tenants pursuant to a written or oral rental agreement authorized by the property owner.
• The unauthorized person or persons are not immediate family members of the property owner.
• There is no pending litigation related to the real property between the property owner and any known unauthorized person.

The study reviewed existing speeds and recommended new limits; maps showing the current and proposed speed limits accompany the announcement. FDOT said the changes are intended to make speed transitions along the corridor more consistent for drivers.

Installation of new speed‑limit signage is scheduled for this month, weather and unforeseen circumstances permitting, the agency said.

The Buckeyes received 38 of the 72 first-place votes and were well ahead of the Ducks, who got six first-place votes.

No. 3 Georgia received seven first-place votes, No. 4 Texas got two and No. 5 Notre Dame five.

Defending national champion Indiana was No. 6 with 14 first-place votes and was followed by Miami, the team it beat in the College Football Playoff championship game. Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Mississippi rounded out the top 10.

Texas Tech, at No. 12, was the highest-ranked of four Big 12 teams in the poll. The SEC, with nine, had the most ranked teams.

No teams from a Group of Six conference were in the Top 25.

Ohio State went 12-0 in the 2025 regular season before losing to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game and to Miami in the first round of the CFP. The Buckeyes return a Heisman Trophy finalist in quarterback Julian Sayin, one of the nation's top receivers in Jeremiah Smith and an experienced offensive line.

The Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll will be released at noon Eastern on Aug. 17.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Gabe Lustman, a musician and social media influencer who travels around the country producing food-review videos, spoke with News4JAX about the allegations and the backlash he has received online.

“I did not steal from anybody,” Lustman said.

Lustman said he began visiting Jacksonville as part of his music career and eventually started combining his music promotion with food reviews. He said he uses his song “What’s the Move” in his social media videos and has worked with hundreds of restaurants in recent months.

Lustman said his approach involves contacting large numbers of businesses in a city and offering to create promotional content.

“I would go and message two or three hundred businesses in any given city that I would go to with my script,” he said.

Several Jacksonville-area businesses say they paid Lustman hundreds of dollars for food reviews they expected would bring new customers and followers, but say they saw little to no return on their investment.

One Jacksonville restaurant owner, Sean Daily of Cornbread Bae, has accused Lustman of taking $350 from him without delivering a food review. Lustman denies the allegation and said he never went to the restaurant, never spoke with the owner and never took his money.

Daily said Lustman first contacted him through Instagram in July, then followed up by phone to schedule a time to come to his restaurant.

“He came by, I gave him the $350,” Daily said. “He said, ‘Oh, no problem,’ and right back and he went to his car to get camera equipment and hauled.”

Daily said the $350 was significant for his small business.

“It may have overdrafted my account so that I could get my stock for the next week,” he said. “So, you know what I mean, $350 was rather impactful at that time.”

Daily said he did not pursue Lustman for the money after the alleged incident.

“I pretty much just let it go,” he said. “I’m not trying to turn my feelings into felonies.”

Daily said he later learned other businesses were raising similar concerns about Lustman after Jacksonville restaurant reviewers started contacting him.

Daily said Lustman later contacted him and accused him of lying about the $350 allegation.

Other businesses say they paid for promotion but saw little return

Other businesses say their experience was different but still disappointing. They said Lustman did create and post a food review after they paid him, but they did not see the business or follower growth they expected.

At Acai-licious, owners David Nouman and Janelle Al-Fakouri said Lustman contacted the business through Instagram offering promotional packages ranging from $350 to $500.

“He said, ‘We have packages for 350 to 500 and it’s gonna give you about 100 to 200K views and followers and stuff like that,’” Al-Fakouri said.

The owners agreed to work with him and said Lustman came to their store, ate part of an acai bowl and recorded a video.

But they said the visit was brief.

“He actually had one bite, made a quick video, left the bowl here, and he ran off, basically,” Nouman said.

When the video was posted, the owners said they initially believed the number of views could translate into new customers.

They said the post received about 126,000 views quickly. But they said the views did not translate into business.

“We thought it would be a big hit,” Nouman said. “Seeing 126,000 views right off the bat, you think, could bring you business, but it didn’t even bring us, not even a single customer.”

The owners said they did not believe they received the return they expected after paying hundreds of dollars.

“If you’re paying about $350 to $500, you expect to make and bring in maybe at least 20 to 30 customers,” Nouman said.

The owners also questioned the makeup of Lustman’s online audience, saying they did not see Jacksonville customers engaging with the post.

They suggested some of the views or followers could have come through paid advertising or accounts outside the Jacksonville market.

Lustman denies the allegations

Lustman acknowledged that he uses paid advertising to promote his social media accounts. He said he runs ads in different markets, including internationally, because he is also a musician.

“I run international ads because I’m an international artist,” Lustman said.

He denied buying fake followers or engagement.

Lustman also acknowledged that he has previously told businesses that their videos could receive as many as one million views. He said he runs advertising campaigns in different markets to help generate views.

He said he considers what he sells a marketing service and pointed to his overall social media view count as evidence of his reach.

“I do tell people that I’ve got 17 million views in the last 30 days, which is true,” Lustman said.

The Acai-licious owners said they eventually lost access to the original post after Lustman blocked them. They provided screenshots showing the post was no longer available on his profile and said Lustman sent them the video directly after it was posted.

Lustman disputes that account.

He told News4JAX the Acai-licious video was still online and said he blocked one of the owners after receiving what he described as an offensive direct message.

“I blocked about 2,000 people in Jacksonville for the hate comments and stuff too,” Lustman said.

Lustman said the allegations have cost him business and damaged his reputation. He said restaurants have canceled bookings and other businesses have distanced themselves from him after the allegations spread online.

“I’ve literally lost thousands of dollars in business from other restaurants canceling,” he said.

The dispute with Cornbread Bae is more serious.

“I never talked to him. I never went to his restaurant. I never took money from him,” Lustman said.

He said he does not use professional camera equipment and instead records his food reviews on his phone. He also said he does not typically collect payment before completing a review.

“I never collect money up front,” Lustman said.

Lustman challenged the restaurant owner to provide phone records or other evidence showing he called or visited the business.

He provided screenshots and other records that he believes support his version of events.

“I just want to clear my name,” Lustman said.

For the owners of Acai-licious, the experience has left them warning other small businesses to be cautious before paying an influencer for promotion.

They said businesses should examine an influencer’s actual engagement and ask for documentation showing where their followers and views are coming from.

“I would ask for screenshots of the actual numbers,” Nouman said.

The owners said they have worked with other influencers, often exchanging free food for a review, and said they have also paid influencers in some cases.

They said the difference is whether the promotion ultimately delivers value for the business.

“If the video goes viral, it’s worth the investment,” Nouman said.

The allegations against Lustman have not been established as fact. Lustman denies stealing money from Cornbread Bae and denies scamming Acai-licious or other businesses.

The owner of Cornbread Bae has not filed a police report which News4JAX confirmed with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

He said he wants the opportunity to continue working with Jacksonville businesses.

“I got nothing but love for you guys,” Lustman said. “I would like to come back and work again with the city and help out the community and do business with the business owners.”

In a brief statement, Chipotle maintained that the “health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority” — and that it was aware of authorities investigating the source of a salmonella outbreak impacting several food service retailers.

The company added that it had pulled the jalapeños out of an abundance of caution and “replaced them with product from different growers.” It did not specify how many of its restaurants were impacted, or where the previous peppers had come from.

The Minnesota Department of Health on Tuesday confirmed that it was investigating a salmonella outbreak tied to several Mexican-style, quick-service restaurants — with jalapeños as the suspected source. Officials identified 110 cases in the state. Chipotle made up the majority of those where they were able to reach impacted consumers for an interview — who ate at the chain between mid-June and mid-July — but not all.

“Based on all the evidence so far, the food that made people sick was served at other restaurants as well,” Carlota Medus, senior epidemiologist supervisor in the MDH's Health Foodborne Diseases Unit, said in a statement.

Medus added that Chipotle had been cooperative over the course of the investigation — and that given the measures the company had put in place, his department was not concerned about the chain at this time. Still, he said that it was “too soon for us to know if the outbreak is ongoing” and that it's possible contaminated food is being served elsewhere.

Minnesota's Health Department noted that other states are contributing to the investigation, without elaborating further. And on the federal level, MDH added that the Food and Drug Administration is conducting the traceback probe, covering but not limited to jalapeños.

The FDA did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for further information Tuesday.

Shares of California-based Chipotle Mexican Grill plunged more than 9% in afternoon trading.

Deputies said they first saw a white BMW SUV about 8:30 a.m. as it merged onto I‑295 south near N. Main Street. Using a directional radar unit, an officer recorded the vehicle at 117 mph in the 65 mph zone near the Duval Road exit; a closer radar reading and pacing confirmed speeds of about 112 mph, the agency said.

The vehicle changed lanes repeatedly while passing other traffic, then steered onto the Lem Turner Road exit and stopped, the report states. The driver was taken into custody at about 8:40 a.m.

He was charged with operating a motor vehicle at 100 mph or more, a second‑degree misdemeanor under Florida law, and with neglect of a child without great bodily harm, a third‑degree felony, the sheriff’s office said.

The 2024 white BMW X2 was retrieved from the scene by a third party, and an officer transported the arrestee to the Pretrial Detention Facility for booking.

A copy of the arrest report was routed to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

The emerging agreement calls for ships to enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, two regional officials told The Associated Press.

Any deal, though, appears contingent on the United States lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports. The Trump administration has previously ruled out any deal that would give Iran control over the strait.

Elsewhere, a mass funeral was held in Gaza City for more than 100 people killed in an Israeli strike early in the conflict. A memorial service was also held in Beirut, for victims of a 2020 port explosion, and Yemen’s Houthis claimed they fired at a Saudi Arabian airport.

Here is a look at the most important developments in the Middle East on Tuesday:

US officials suggest strait deal imminent

Senior U.S. officials struck an optimistic tone on Tuesday, suggesting a deal to reopen the strait could be reached soon.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed there has been progress made in talks between Iran and Oman, “but not finality yet.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that “there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict.”

The Strait of Hormuz is the crucial waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed before the war. It has been effectively shut by Iran’s attacks on shipping since the start of the war in February.

Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said he also spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday as the Arab country tries to broker a resolution to the war.

Al Thani’s office said in a statement that on the phone call, the two discussed ways to bridge the divide “in a way that enhances the prospects of reaching a sustainable diplomatic settlement to the crisis.”

Ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz and in Red Sea

A cargo ship reported being “hit by an unknown projectile” while traversing the Strait of Hormuz, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center.

The center said the reported strike damaged the vessel at around 2 a.m. local time while it was about 37 kilometers (23 miles) northeast of Al Khasab, a port city in Oman.

It's unclear what flag the ship was sailing under or whether it was carrying cargo, but the British maritime security firm Ambrey said the ship sustained damage.

On the Red Sea, meanwhile, an Indian-flagged commercial ship sank off Yemen after being struck by an explosive-laden boat, Yemeni and Indian authorities said.

Yemen’s coast guard rescued the crew, which included 13 Indians and a Yemeni.

India’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, though no one immediately claimed responsibility. Iran-backed Houthi militants have repeatedly struck ships traversing the Red Sea near Yemen.

Gaza residents killed in 2023 airstrike laid to rest

Hundreds of people gathered Tuesday as bodies wrapped in Palestinian flags were laid in rows near flattened buildings in Gaza City.

The 112 victims were then carried off on stretchers through a narrow street, destined for burial in a nearby cemetery. They were among more than 300 killed during an attack on Nov. 22, 2023, in the city’s Sabra neighborhood.

First responders recovered the bodies, including 40 children and 30 women, over the weekend, according to the Civil Defense, a rescue agency operated under Gaza’s Hamas-run Interior Ministry.

The Gaza war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has since killed 73,375 people, including civilians and combatants, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Around 7,400 people are still missing and presumed buried under the rubble from the war, according to Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Gaza Health Ministry’s records department.

Israel discusses withdrawal from Lebanon

Israeli and Lebanese officials met in Rome on Tuesday to continue talks on implementing a U.S.-mediated deal to drawdown the Israeli military from southern Lebanon and disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

A diplomat familiar with the negotiations said Lebanon had asked for the next “pilot zone” — where Israeli forces would withdraw and the Lebanese army would take control — to be either in the town of Khiam or Bint Jbeil. Both areas saw heavy fighting in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war and are currently occupied by Israeli forces.

But U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa suggested ahead of the three-day talks that no new pilot zones would be immediately implemented, saying that “moving too quickly risks jeopardizing the very civilians this process is meant to protect.”

Implementation of the June 26 agreement began last month with an initial pilot zone in an area that wasn’t occupied by Israeli forces but had previously sustained Israeli fire.

Yemen’s Houthis fire at airport in Saudi Arabia

In Yemen, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, said a drone hit a “sensitive target” at the airport in the southwestern city of Najran, without providing evidence.

He said the attack was in response to what he described as Saudi breaching of Yemen’s airspace over the provinces of Saada and Hajjah. There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis recently announced a blockade on Saudi-linked shipping passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that leads to the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia led an international coalition and imposed an air and sea blockade against the rebels after they seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen in a civil war that began in 2014. Major fighting ended in a truce in 2022.

Memorial marks Beirut port explosion anniversary

Families of the more than 200 people killed in the massive explosion at the port in Beirut in 2020 gathered at the blast site to mark six years since tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate exploded, devastating large parts of the Lebanese capital.

No one has been convicted in a long-stalled judicial investigation into the incident, but some families expressed renewed hope after government officials promised indictments would be issued by the end of the year.

The tragedy has been overshadowed by recent events, including two wars between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group and an Israeli military occupation of much of the country’s south.

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Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Abby Sewell in Beirut, Lebanon, Maria Grazia Murru in Rome, Matthew Lee in Washington and Philip Marcelo in New York contributed to this report.

Isolated sea breeze showers and storms are developing along the Gulf Coast breeze. These will continue through around 8 p.m. As the southwesterly flow continues, showers remain possible through around 10 p.m.

Isolated showers and thunderstorms, driven by the Gulf breeze, will continue through Thursday. The Atlantic breeze returns Friday through the weekend with increasing coverage of showers and storms.

Temperatures will hover around our seasonal averages with 70s in the morning and upper 80s to low 90s for the beaches and inland areas.

Tonight: Isolated showers and storms through around 8 p.m.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy skies will become mostly cloudy as the Gulf breeze moves by. The breeze may spark a few showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon, 30-40 percent for NE FL, 20 percent for SE GA. Lows in the 70s. Afternoon highs in the low 90s inland, upper 80s to low 90s along the beaches. Wind: SW/SE 5-15 mph.

Thursday - Sunday: The pattern continues with building afternoon clouds and rounds of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the 70s. Afternoon highs in the low 90s inland, upper 80s to low 90s along the beaches. The wind will remain from the southwest through Thursday then switch to a southeasterly flow through the weekend.

Tropics: It’s early August and the tropics are quiet. www.news4jax.com/weather/2026/08/04/tracking-the-tropics-saharan-dust-and-wind-shear-limit-early-tropical-formation-in-2026-hurricane-season/

Sunrise: 6:47 p.m.

Sunset: 8:18 p.m.

But Dane County Circuit Judge Everett Mitchell stopped short of ordering electronic voting, setting up a trial on that issue later. It almost certainly will not be resolved before the November election.

Disability Rights Wisconsin, the League of Women Voters and four disabled voters brought the lawsuit in 2024. They argued that the lack of an electronic absentee voting option violated their right to independence and privacy and the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Mitchell issued a temporary injunction in 2024, saying that disabled voters should have the option to vote electronically. But an appeals court reversed that ruling, sending it back to the lower court, saying it was wrong to issue a temporary injunction that would have changed and “significantly disrupted the status quo.”

The Republican-controlled Legislature is fighting the lawsuit.

Mitchell ruled on Tuesday that the state's absentee ballot program, which requires voters to complete and return a ballot on paper, denies disabled people “the equal opportunity to vote absentee privately and independently.”

The judge declined to order elections officials to offer electronic ballots to qualified disabled voters, saying the parties still disputed whether that was a reasonable remedy. The judge noted that those included the difficulty of instituting such a program and the risks involved.

Under his previous ruling, made before more facts in the case were presented, Mitchell said that voters who self-certify that they can’t read or mark a paper ballot without help would be eligible to request an electronic ballot.

Absentee ballots are currently emailed to military and overseas voters from Wisconsin.

Neither those who brought the lawsuit nor the Wisconsin Elections Commission had any estimates of how many disabled voters would request absentee ballots electronically.

Spokespeople for the elections commission and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, which represented the commission, did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

A hearing on the case is set for Aug. 12, where a potential trial date could be set.

This comes nearly 2 weeks after District 2 Commissioner Sarah Arnold and District 1 Commissioner Christian Whitehurst attended the meeting by phone and refused to step down despite requests from multiple St. Johns County residents.

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

In that same meeting, the commissioners approved a vote of no confidence for Arnold and Whitehurst. The board also formally requested that Gov. Ron DeSantis suspend them. DeSantis appointed Arnold to her seat back in 2021.

GOP party chair for St. Johns County, Denver Cook, was the one who tipped off police to start the investigation. He was also the first person to give public comment and continued calling for their resignation.

“The majority of this very bench voted no confidence and asked for their suspension, yet these individuals are sitting here today, unlike two weeks ago, refusing to resign,” Cook said. “The reason: pride. It is an arrogant pride. They think they are above the rules and above accountability.”

Sherry Badger, another resident, asked about the enforcement of Florida’s Sunshine Law.

“They were criminally charged. Where is the Sunshine Law? There’s a lot more deeper stuff going on in this county that needs to be exposed,” she said.

Whitehurst told News4JAX Tuesday that he couldn’t comment on the allegations and that he will not be resigning. We also tried to catch up with Arnold, but she walked away.

Vice Chair Ann Taylor called on them to resign again during the meeting.

“I thought it was very disrespectful that they couldn’t even answer the question. They just sat there, dead silent,” Taylor said.

News4JAX counted that the word resign came up 25 times during Tuesday’s meeting.

One of those times was Whitehurst not saying he would resign, but actually asking Chair Clay Murphy to resign from the canvassing board after claiming he inappropriately backed a candidate in a Facebook post.

“I appreciate him bringing that up. I did resign from the canvassing board last year because I supported a Republican for office. So he’s absolutely right, and he’s justified in asking the question. I don’t feel like that applies to this election,” Murphy said.

News4JAX called Arnold for comment and was sent to voicemail.

Residents, many dressed in red had similar things to say to the accused commissioners.

“They’ve claimed that, we are for the people, why are they still here? They should be takin’ responsibility for what they’ve done,” Charlie Hunt said.

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

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.

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.”

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.”

Whitehurst and Arnold pleaded not guilty to their misdemeanor charges on Monday.

The Republican president has struggled to connect with voters on the economy as elevated inflation and Americans' feelings of uncertainty have overshadowed the stock market gains he often cites along with a low national unemployment rate.

Trump was headed to the Los Angeles area on Tuesday to speak at a fundraising dinner for the Republican National Committee at a golf club his family owns in the suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes. On Wednesday, Trump will discuss the economy during an event at Red Rock casino in Las Vegas.

Only 32% of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy in an AP-NORC poll conducted in late July. In the same poll, most Americans, 69%, characterized the state of the economy as “poor,” and many said the cost of everyday essentials like groceries and gas was a “major” source of stress in their lives.

Trump’s overall approval rating is at 33%, slightly below where he stood at this point in his first term.

Trump is likely to take aim at Democratic Gov. Newsom

During the trip, Trump is likely to throw barbs at California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat eyed as a likely candidate for his party’s presidential nomination in 2028. Newsom has become one of the president’s highest-profile opponents.

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said the president plans to “draw a sharp contrast between his commonsense agenda and the radical policies of Democrats like Gavin Newsom," touting his own efforts to cut taxes, reduce fraud in government programs, and crack down on immigration and crime.

California was one of Trump's first domestic stops after returning to office in January 2025. He surveyed the aftermath of wildfires that had wiped out whole neighborhoods of Los Angeles County, left thousands of people homeless and killed more than two dozen.

Newsom greeted Trump at the airport on that trip, and they chatted amiably and gestured toward cooperation despite a bitter history. But the comity did not last. Six months later, Newsom argued in a speech that “democracy is under assault” by Trump after the president sent National Guard troops and U.S. Marines into Los Angeles without Newsom's consent. This came after protests following a series of immigration raids by federal authorities.

Trump routinely mocks Newsom and refers to the governor using a derogatory nickname, while Newsom taunts the president with frequent social media posts.

The Democrat's press office on Tuesday put out a statement saying that Trump was traveling to California not to help survivors of the wildfires but to raise money and attack the state with lies.

“More than anything, we’d like the President to keep the promise he made on January 24, 2025: to 'take care of Los Angeles,'" Newsom said. “18 months later, survivors are still waiting. And while you’re here, Mr. President, welcome to the world’s fourth-largest economy — growing faster than Texas and Florida combined. Enjoy your stay.”

“Trump treats California like his personal political punching bag—right up until he needs someone to write a check,” California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks said in a statement. “He may hit up a few billionaire donors who bankroll his political operation, but the people of California have already made it clear: they want nothing to do with his chaos and corruption.”

Housing prices are a big issue at Trump's second stop: Nevada

Nevada, where Trump will be on Wednesday, is led by a Republican governor, Joe Lombardo, who faces Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford in a battle for reelection in November. The contest is considered one of the most competitive governor’s races in the country.

The Nevada State Democratic Party is putting up billboard signs about Trump’s visit that tie him to Lombardo and higher costs. The state is grappling with a shortage of affordable housing, exploding energy demand from artificial intelligence data centers and federal cuts to key state programs.

Trump has tried for several months to sell voters on his income tax cuts and claims of a manufacturing renaissance. But interest rates are high, a gallon of gasoline costs more because of the Iran war, tariffs are still reshaping the economy and, by the White House’s own estimates, there is a national shortage of housing.

The president called his own housing bill a “yawn,” and past speeches advertised by the White House as being about the economy, including one he delivered at a General Motors facility in Michigan last week, gave way to Trumpian weaves about his political enemies and construction projects in the nation's capital.

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Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Michelle L. Price in Washington, Michael R. Blood in Las Vegas and Jessica Hill in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

Robinson reposted the NFL's Instagram post detailing the extension on Tuesday morning, writing “God this is for you! Blessings. Love this team and this city!”

The extension is worth up to $75 million with incentives, with $51 million guaranteed, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms weren’t announced.

The base value of $66.75 million gives Robinson a $22.25 million average per year that makes him the league's top-paid running back. Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley's average is $20.6 million.

“Obviously very excited for him, excited for us,” Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday.

NFL Network and ESPN first reported the extension.

The deal with Robinson continues the Falcons' trend of locking up foundation players on their offense.

On Saturday, the Falcons announced signing left guard Matthew Bergeron to a four-year contract extension. The team gave new contracts to wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts in the offseason.

“It’s all guys that we believe in, all guys that fit who we are,” Stefanski said.

The new deal comes after Robinson spent the first week of training camp, including Monday's first day in pads, as a spectator. He attended the practices but did not participate in an apparent contract “hold-in."

“I just knew throughout this whole process that it would be a process and I felt good about where we were,” Stefanski said. “I think everybody understands how we feel about Bijan the person and Bijan the player.”

Robinson joined practice on Tuesday as Stefanski and the Falcons no longer have to worry about their star running back's status for the season.

“It means obviously as a coach, you want to get your guys ready for the football season and it allows us to get Bijan ready,” Stefanski said. “And he’s eager, beyond eager, to get out here. So on that note, we’ll slowly get him back in there. ... We’ll have a plan here for the next week to ramp him up.”

A panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers ranked Robinson the league's top running back in a preseason survey.

Robinson led the NFL with 2,298 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 TDs last season.

Robinson has been the focus of Atlanta's productive ground game since he was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He flourished as a dual-threat back last season, finishing fourth in the league with 1,478 rushing yards while adding 820 receiving yards.

Steven Jackson in 2006 is the only other player ever with at least 1,400 rushing yards and 800 receiving yards in the same season.

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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP Sports Writer Maura Carey contributed to this report.

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

SpaceX shares are down by nearly half from their June peak as investors worry Musk may have oversold them on its future prospects. They're also bracing for volatile trading as some company insiders get the opportunity to sell shares after the expiration of what's known as a lockup provision later in the week.

The shares jumped 19% on their first day of trading, making Musk the first-ever trillionaire. The subsequent drop in SpaceX, as well as a decline in the shares of Musk's electric vehicle company Tesla, have knocked his wealth down to $726 billion, according to Forbes.

Part visionary, part salesman, Musk is likely to be asked about when he expects to finish testing SpaceX's giant Starship rockets that NASA hopes to use to put astronauts on the moon again, his plans for its satellite network and the prospects of putting football-field sized data centers in orbit.

Given rumors of SpaceX possibly merging with Musk's Tesla car company, he may also face questions about that tie-up but that is likely to yield few details. Neither company has confirmed plans for a combination and Musk has parried questions before by noting securities regulations bar him from discussing the issue.

SpaceX is losing money fast, with net losses for its first half this year expected to exceed more than the $5 billion in losses for all of last year. Some analysts have penciled in a strong rebound for the rest of the year that will return it to profitability.

For the second quarter ended June 30, SpaceX is expected to report a net loss of $1.9 billion, or 23 cents a share, according to a FactSet survey of analysts.

SpaceX insiders were barred from selling in the public offering in June but that prohibition begins to ease on Thursday when more than 900 million shares are released for trading, more than doubling the amount currently available for trading. The lockup release is the first of several tranches of stock that will be freed to trade over the next several months.

The prospect of more supply has weighed on the shares, which closed Monday at $114.46, down from both the peak of $225 in June and also the IPO price of $135. On Tuesday, though, investors turned more optimistic, pushing the stock up 8% to $123.65 in late afternoon trading.

The Starship rocket successfully deployed satellites in space during a test late last month. Future tests could include trying to use giant arms at its Starbase launching site in Texas to grab the spacecraft and its booster upon their hovering return to earth.

SpaceX's satellite communication business, Starlink, is a big cash generator for the company with contracts around the world. The company also runs a money-losing AI business, known for its Grok tool, as well as the social media platform X, the renamed Twitter.

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An earlier version of this story erroneously reported that 900,000 shares will be released for trading later this week. It should have said more than 900 million.

More coverage

Sights and sounds from Tuesday’s practice

Full interview: LB Jalen McLeod on return from injury

Full interview: LB Ventrell Miller on feeling healthy, battling for starting spot

QB tracker:

• Trevor Lawrence: 3 for 12, TD (Brian Thomas Jr.), INT (Antonio Johnson), Sacked five times (Travon Walker, Zach Durfee, BJ Green, Jourdan Lewis, Dennis Gardeck).
• Nick Mullens: 6 for 14, TD (CJ Williams), 2 INTs (Jarrian Jones and Eric Murray).
• Carter Bradley: 1 for 4.
• Joey Aguilar: 1 for 2.

RB tracker:

• Bhayshul Tuten: Four carries, all with Lawrence
• LeQuint Allen: Five carries, all with Lawrence.
• Ameer Abdullah: Four carries, all with Nick Mullens.
• DeeJay Dallas: Two carries, both with Mullens
• J’Mari Taylor: Six carries. Two with Mullens. Four with Carter Bradley. One with Joey Aguilar.

Kicker tracker:

• Cam Little: 4 for 4

Notebook

• Arik Armstead had a veterans day off.
• Chris Rodriguez had a planned day off.
• Defense won the day. Hands down. Rough day for the offense!
• CJ Williams had the play of the day. He made a diving catch in the end zone and dragged the toes. Another day and another great play from Williams. I’m sure I have said it before, but I’ll say it again: I think the Jags have two good rookie receivers.
• BJ Green had some nice wins in 1-on-1s. He beat Walker Little with a lethal spin move. Green has gotten a ton of reps and has made some big plays. He had a sack on Trevor Lawrence and made a big run stop. Green is looking more and more like he is Edge 3.
• Jonah Monheim looked good in the 1-on-1s. He held his own against Matt Dickerson and Travon Walker.
• Ruke Orhorhoro has looked like a real force on the D line. He has been consistently applying pressure day in and day out.
• There is always a UDFA that seems to come out of nowhere. Could this year’s guy be T.J. Bollers? TJ has maximized his reps and shown a knack for getting after the QB. Might be a guy to keep a close eye on.

The sudden arrival of 72,000 migrants on Thursday and Friday sparked a humanitarian crisis in Ceuta and reignited the immigration debate in the 27-nation bloc, though most of the migrants soon went back. More than 80 migrants died, including some who drowned or were trampled in a stampede to cross a breakwater barrier, according to Spanish and Moroccan authorities.

Open letters from 22 EU leaders, and a quick retort from Sanchez, have exposed a roiling debate inside the EU pitting migration hawks against the progressive Spanish leader who has challenged consensus within the bloc on migration as well as NATO spending, Gaza and Israel.

Sanchez's government has dismissed the attacks as politically motivated, saying most of the migrants were pushed back from Ceuta within hours in “close coordination with the Moroccan authorities and with very little support from other European states.”

While ministers seemed to rally back around Sanchez after meeting Tuesday, Europe displayed a deeply damaging disunity in the aftermath of Ceuta as it faces security threats from Moscow, instability with Washington and economic tension with Beijing, said Alicia García-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific and Middle East for the financial firm Natixis.

“Europe has shown weakness again,” she said. “Massive weakness.”

Sanchez defends court ruling blamed by Morocco and EU leaders

EU leaders quickly pounced on Sanchez once videos from Ceuta went viral. Many blamed the incident on his government's progressive policies and publicly rallied for new border checks at sea, air and land ports of entry.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni issued the most blunt criticism of Sanchez, as well as announcing that Italy would enforce air and sea border controls with Spain.

Yet Ceuta’s remote geographical position meant “there was almost zero risk that people (would) really arrive in Spain and then move on to Italy,” said analyst Matteo Villa at the Italian Institute for Political Studies in Milan. He said that just 2% of migrants arriving in Europe make it to Italy.

Nando Sigona, a professor at the University of Birmingham, said that Meloni detested a move Sanchez presided over in July to potentially grant legal status to as many as 1 million immigrants living in the country without permission, and is eager to portray his approach as a failure.

Sanchez fired back in an online post that called Meloni’s position on Ceuta “contrary to European law, humanitarian law, and the principles of solidarity that bind us together.” He said that Italy has allowed in twice the number of migrants as Spain since 2021, with Spain receiving 234,000 to Italy’s 478,000.

But the criticism was EU-wide, with Meloni signing a joint letter with 21 other leaders from Finland to Malta that pointed to a July Spanish court ruling as the “trigger” for “this attack on our migration and asylum system.”

Spain’s Supreme Court had ruled that migrants arriving by sea could not be summarily deported without due process — unlike those who cross by land or climb Ceuta’s border fence — because they had not crossed a physical barrier.

Sanchez said that the ruling had been intentionally misconstrued by migrant smugglers to persuade thousands of people to swim around the border fence.

The Socialist leader replied in his own letter by recalling that Spain had taken in migrants who arrived at eastern European nations from Belarus in 2021 and at the southern Italian island of Lampedusa in 2023.

Morocco's government views the situation as a predictable result of the court ruling, said a high-ranking diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a highly sensitive issue.

He said it “sent a clear message to migrants: ‘Come. If you arrive, you’ll be protected.’ That outcome should have been anticipated by Ceuta’s authorities.”

Blame has been pointed the other way, however, with Spain’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles on Monday demanding Rabat investigate the local failure to stop tens of thousands of migrants from leaving the kingdom.

Gil Arias, who served as deputy executive director of the EU’s border agency Frontex from 2006-2016 and also worked for Spain’s interior and migration ministries, said he has “absolutely no doubt” Morocco not only knew of, but was likely directly or indirectly complicit in the Ceuta crisis.

“This doesn’t happen simply due to a passive attitude or omission from Morocco,” Arias, who retired in 2020, told The Associated Press. “There was an invitation or it was encouraged.”

The Moroccan diplomat rejected using force to tackle the migration phenomenon.

“We are not Europe’s police.”

Policies keep changing to meet influx migration patterns

Many right-wing politicians have won elections across the EU by promising to crack down on migration — and they claim to have done so with the European Migration and Asylum Pact that grants capitals greater abilities to surveil, detain and deport migrants to so-called “safe countries” like Morocco or “return hubs” outside the bloc.

Data from Frontex shows migration to the EU peaked in 2015 with 1.8 million people, the majority of whom crossed via the Balkans or the eastern Mediterranean. Since then numbers have dramatically fallen: In the first half of 2026, crossings fell by 37% to around 49,000 people.

“Fewer boats are setting out towards Europe, and that is the result of sustained cooperation with our partners in the region,” said Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens.

But Ceuta shows there's still an underlying migration problem that the EU has not tackled, said Michele LeVoy, director of the Brussels-based Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants.

“On Ceuta, political games are being played over the lives of people on both sides of the border,” she said.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the crisis has exposed a need in the EU to develop an emergency mechanism when “migration is weaponized,” he wrote in a Tuesday op-ed in Politico that attempted to make peace between European politicians.

“The deliberate instrumentalization of migration by state and nonstate actors seeking to test Europe’s resilience, undermine its cohesion and extract political concessions” requires new legal and operational tools to “defend its external borders, deter those who seek to exploit its openness and respond to this new reality firmly, lawfully and collectively,” Mitsotakis wrote.

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Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain, and Barry from Milan. Associated Press writers Renata Brito in Barcelona, Akram Oubachir in Fnideq, Morocco, and Derek Gatopoulos in Athens contributed to this report.

As of 12:30 p.m., two left lanes were blocked.

By 2 p.m., one left lane was blocked.

All lanes have since reopened.

As of Tuesday, 3,802 cases had been recorded, with 1,707 deaths, the latest government update showed.

It was not clear when the outbreak will reach its peak, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said Tuesday during his second visit to the town of Bunia, located near the epicenter of the outbreak in Ituri province.

Kaseya pointed out that some 60-70% of the new cases were recorded from spreading within a community, not from contact tracing — a method that traces those who have been in contact with a confirmed case.

“Contact tracing is not working,” said Kaseya, “we don’t like the trajectory of this outbreak, and it’s already the second largest outbreak (ever) in the world.”

The director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was expected to arrive in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, later on Tuesday and would visit Bunia later this week.

The outbreak, declared on May 15, has been linked to the Bundibugyo virus for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. Delays in contact tracing, difficulties accessing affected areas, mistrust from communities, and violence by armed groups and some residents have hampered the response, the Africa CDC has said.

Two clinical trials for post-exposure prophylaxis drugs are ongoing in Ituri province as well as two separate vaccine trials in the United Kingdom and Canada.

The outbreak is mostly concentrated in eastern Congo’s remote Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 90% of cases, but cases have also been confirmed in five other provinces, including in one of the country’s largest cities, Kisangani.

Neighboring Uganda declared itself free of Ebola following the discharge of the country’s last patient in mid-June.

A key challenge is that patient zero has yet to be identified in the outbreak while displacement from armed conflict and illegal mining in the region have made it difficult to trace thousands who have come in contact with infected individuals.

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that it was monitoring over 17,000 potential contacts, with nearly 80% of them being seen daily.

Mohamed Janabi, WHO's regional director for Africa, told reporters on Tuesday that the U.N. health agency is now testing over 2,000 samples a day, up from 20 previously.

On Monday, healthcare workers in the hard-hit town of Mongbwalu issued an ultimatum over unpaid wages saying that “if nothing is done within 24 hours, we will escalate our action.”

Previously, healthcare workers in Bunia went on strike over a lack of pay and dangerous working conditions. The WHO says more than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the beginning of the outbreak.

The latest outbreak has killed people at a quicker rate than any previous outbreak, including in 2014-2016 when 28,000 cases were reported, of which over 11,000 people died. That outbreak took about eight months to reach 1,000 deaths.

The response is also hampered by a funding gap, attacks on health centers, an ongoing conflict in eastern Congo and mistrust among local communities.

Enrollment in a highly anticipated study of two possible Ebola treatments recently started in Ituri.

Many of Washington's monuments, buildings and sites have been carefully planned over decades to reflect significant moments in the nation's history and evoke symbolism in being connected by sightline to other sites.

The proposed towering gilded arch, which last month received initial approval from a key federal commission, would impact the “integrity” of dozens of those historical properties because it would change “character-defining visual and spatial relationships” between them.

The NPS report, published recently, said the immediate project area is located within the Memorial Avenue Corridor cultural landscape, “a nationally significant historic designed landscape extending between the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.”

One of the most obvious elements the report cited is that the arch would break alignment between the Lincoln Memorial, Memorial Bridge and Arlington House that was formerly Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s home.

“The bridge alignment and associated ceremonial landscape were intended to physically and symbolically unite North and South through a coordinated monumental composition extending across the Potomac River,” the report said.

The Lincoln Memorial Arlington House connection was one of dozens of historic sites and structures listed as being impacted directly by the proposed structure. It added that the National Mall, the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument and grounds and Lady Bird Johnson Park would also be directly affected.

The report puts a snag in a project that has sailed through several steps of the approval process in front of planning bodies stocked with Trump appointees and allies.

The White House said in an email that it would follow all legal requirements in constructing the arch.

The proposed arch is one of several projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave his lasting imprint on Washington. With the potential to change the city’s sightline, it has already sparked opposition, including through a lawsuit filed by a group of veterans and a historian.

The arch design, proposed by Trump, has already received early approval from the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. The commissioners were all appointed by Trump. The National Capital Area Planning Commission approved the site and preliminary plans at its July meeting. The commission is expected to take up the matter again at its September meeting.

“The Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world,” said White House spokesman Davis Ingle in an emailed response for comment. “It will enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250 year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today.”

The arch is one of several projects Trump has proposed that is involved in litigation. The plaintiffs, three veterans and a historian, have challenged its construction saying it requires Congressional approval.

“Our claim is essentially that none of this has any authorization to be happening in the first place,” said Nicolas Sansone, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group representing the plaintiffs. Authorization of the construction of a monument “in the core of Washington, D.C., on National Park Service land” requires an act of Congress, he said.

The National Park Service assessment confirms what the plaintiffs have said the construction will do to the symbolic and solemn area, he added.

“I think its very significant that the National Park Service itself understands that this is the effect that it's going to have,” Sansone said.

And many of the bikes children are riding aren’t legally classified as e-bikes at all.

A bike without pedals is treated like a motorcycle under Florida law. That means it must meet vehicle requirements, carry proper registration, have lights and plates — and the rider would need a motorcycle endorsement.

That applies even if a parent purchased the bike for their child.

St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Michael Ettel says he sees young children on e-motos “all the time.”

He’s personally stopped riders as young as 10 years old, including one he said was riding a mini motorcycle going 37-40 mph on State Road 16.

Ettel said he talked to the child’s family.

“I called their parents, had their parents come pick it up, and I dropped them off at the house. Gave them some educational material,” he said, adding that the conversation was a warning.

Sgt. Justin Cash made clear that while criminal charges aren’t the goal, they remain a real possibility.

“The sheriff’s office doesn’t want to put criminal charges on kids who are 10, 11, 12 years old. You know, our main concern is safety across the board. But we also have to reiterate to the parents, to the kids, and everybody that’s out there: if they are illegal, you can receive criminal citations,” Cash said.

Even legal e-bikes come with rules.

Florida classifies e-bikes from Class 1 through Class 3, with Class 3 capable of reaching speeds of 28 mph. Segways and similar devices fall under related classifications.

Across all classes, Florida law requires helmets for riders 16 and under. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has a pamphlet outlining all e-bike classifications and the safe, legal speeds allowed for each.

The numbers tell a troubling story.

Last year, the Sheriff’s Office ramped up enforcement and recorded 451 encounters — between citations and warnings. This year, that number is already at 355, about halfway through the year.

Calls for service related to e-bikes are also up, with more than 1,900 logged so far this year compared to 2,200 for all of last year.

Hospital data from Wolfson Children’s Hospital is even more alarming. The hospital treated just three e-bike-related injuries in 2022, a number that climbed to 115 in 2025 and has already reached 97 so far this year.

The dangers aren’t theoretical. Already this year, a child died outside Patriot Oaks Academy while riding a dirt bike. Other children have been airlifted following e-bike crashes.

Ettel’s message to parents is simple.

“Our biggest thing is just making sure that you are being safe, you’re wearing a helmet, you’re properly equipped, and you’re following the rules of the road,” Ettel said.

As thousands of students prepare to return to school in less than a week, the Sheriff’s Office is urging families to have that conversation now — before a child gets hurt.

There were no evacuations, and the scene is now clear.

The FBI said it doesn’t have any other details at this time.

Eugenie, the younger daughter of the former Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and husband, Jack Brooksbank, announced the birth of the 6-pound, 9-ounce (3 kilograms), girl delivered Monday in Lisbon, Portugal.

The girl was not named yet. The couple has two sons August, 5, and Ernest, 3.

Eugenie is the niece of King Charles III, the older brother of the former prince now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

“Their majesties the King and Queen and other members of the royal family were delighted to be informed of the news,” the palace said.

The country’s disaster management agency said 659 people were evacuated from eight villages in the danger area and are being housed in nearby shelters. The eruption started on Monday morning, with videos showing clouds of gas and ash above the volcano as lava and pyroclastic flows roll down.

Claudinne Ogaldes, executive secretary of the Guatemalan disaster management agency, or CONRED, said that about 10 more communities are expected to be evacuated throughout the day.

Among those evacuated were around 250 people from El Porvenir and the hamlet of Las Lajitas, CONRED said and also warned of ash spreading to nearby towns.

A major highway that passes close to the volcano, National Route 14, was closed. The Education Ministry suspended classes in nearby towns.

During a previous eruption of the volcano in June 2018, hundreds of people were killed and a whole village was destroyed — with as many as 1.7 million people impacted by the event, according to authorities. Another eruption in June last year spurred preventive evacuations.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the terms hadn't been announced. The agreement, which includes $108 million guaranteed, is a sizable commitment to Flowers, who is coming off a season in which he caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns. Baltimore drafted him in the first round in 2023, and the shifty 5-foot-9 receiver immediately became a factor with his quickness. He's now posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a top target for quarterback Lamar Jackson.

“Great day for the Ravens. Shoutout to Zay Flowers,” Baltimore coach Jesse Minter said. “Nothing better as a coach than to see those guys get what they deserve. Really happy for Zay and excited for him. I can't wait to see him thrive in our offense.”

The Ravens drafted a receiver in the first round three times from 2019 through 2023. They haven't done it again since taking Flowers. He's missed only one regular-season game in three seasons, although he was unavailable for the 2024 playoffs.

Flowers became the fastest player in Ravens history (21 games) to reach 100 receptions and the first Raven with multiple 1,000-yard seasons in the first three years of his career. He ranked 11th in the NFL in receptions in 2025 and seventh in yards receiving. That was despite an underwhelming, injury-plagued season from Jackson — and Baltimore's willingness to run the ball with Derrick Henry.

Flowers was asked last week about his contract situation as he entered his fourth season.

“Honestly, I am just working right now. I am trying to get better. I leave that to my agents,” he said. "Right now, I am trying to learn this offense, get closer to my teammates and my coaches, and just keep getting right for the season.”

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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.

In separate notices sent late last week to lawmakers, the State Department said it would close the U.S. Embassy in the Caribbean island of Grenada; the consulates in Nagoya, Japan, and Medan, Indonesia; the American Presence Post in Winnipeg, Canada; and an embassy branch office in Douala, Cameroon.

The closures by the Republican administration are expected to save the government roughly $4.4 million per year, according to the notices obtained by The Associated Press. But the missions to be closed employ very few people compared with others.

The embassy in St. George’s, Grenada, and the consulate in Nagoya have only one American staffer and five local employees each. The consulate in Medan has four direct-hire U.S. staffers and 47 local employees. The Winnipeg post has only two local staffers, and the embassy office in Douala has only 14 local staffers.

The State Department announced plans earlier this year to permanently close the U.S. consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, which was the closest diplomatic mission to Afghanistan since American troops withdrew in 2021.

The steps come as the department moves to streamline its operations at home and abroad, while investing millions of dollars into reopening the U.S. embassies in Caracas, Venezuela; Damascus, Syria; and Tripoli, Libya, to restore America’s formal diplomatic presence following the ouster of long-ruling autocrats in those countries.

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This story has been corrected to show the Pakistani city’s name is Peshawar, not Peshwar.

Under the emerging agreement, ships would enter the Persian Gulf through an Iranian-controlled route and exit through a route controlled by Oman, with service fees charged for providing security and preserving the maritime environment, two regional officials told The Associated Press.

They said negotiations are still underway and that the final agreement could take a different form, with any deal linked to lifting the U.S. blockade on Iran’s ports. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations unfolding behind closed doors.

Any agreement formalizing Iran’s control of the strait would mark a significant strategic victory for Tehran. For that reason, the U.S. could seek to block the deal by refusing to lift the blockade. The strait was an open international waterway before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28.

A U.S. official familiar with the negotiations said that any “temporary” routes established through the strait would not involve approvals by Iran or charges. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. remains committed to returning to the status quo in which “no party controls the lanes or the ability to transit through them.”

U.S. President Donald Trump is under mounting pressure to end an unpopular war that has driven up gas prices ahead of midterm elections and drawn down U.S. supplies of some munitions. In recent days, he has again whipsawed between threatening massive strikes and voicing support for diplomatic efforts.

In an exchange with reporters on Monday, Trump reiterated his public stance that he’s opposed to tolling in the strait. “I’m not going to let them charge,” Trump said. “Anybody’s going to charge, we’ll charge.”

US and Iranian officials confirm progress without giving details

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the bilateral talks with Oman are focused on “establishing safe inbound and outbound shipping lanes,” routes that “uphold sovereign rights while also addressing the national security considerations of both Iran and Oman.”

“The final results of these negotiations will be announced once concluded,” he added, in remarks carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to reporters at the State Department, said “there’s been progress made in those talks, but not finality yet. We’re hoping that will happen very shortly.”

Rubio has previously ruled out any deal that would give Iran control over the strait, saying last month that it would create a “very dangerous precedent” for other parts of the world.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that “there is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalized position in this conflict.”

Asked whether there would be tolls for movement through the strait, Bessent said: “I think it would be freedom of movement.”

The potential agreement between Iran and Oman was first reported by The New York Times.

Trump says this is Iran's 'last chance'

A fifth of the world's traded oil and gas transited the waterway before the war. Iranian attacks on ships have largely shut it down, causing a spike in the price of fuel, fertilizer and other goods, and rattling economies far beyond the Middle East.

Trump said Monday that the U.S. was in talks with Iran, saying it was Tehran's “last chance” to reach a deal and avoid another U.S. military escalation.

“The first phase is the opening of the straits. The second phase will be the denuclearization,” Trump said. “And that will take a little while.”

Iran has denied it is negotiating with the U.S., saying the talks are only with Oman.

The two sides reached an interim agreement in June to reopen the strait and launch 60 days of talks aimed at ending the war and resolving the longstanding dispute over Iran's nuclear program. That agreement collapsed over escalating hostilities focused on the strait, and the deadline is around two weeks away.

Cargo ship reports strike in Strait of Hormuz

Meanwhile, a cargo ship reported being “hit by an unknown projectile” in the strait off the coast of Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said, without providing further information on the ship, including what flag it was sailing under or whether it was carrying cargo.

The ship sustained damage, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey, which did not elaborate.

In recent weeks, Iran had repeatedly attacked ships using a route running close to Oman that is overseen by the U.S. military and intended to bypass Tehran's control.

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Madhani and Lee reported from Washington.

It had to have its own identity and not be related to the Cavaliers. It needed to tie into Lake Erie. And fans wanted something progressive.

The Cleveland Sirens think they accomplished all three Tuesday when they introduced the name and branding during an event at Rocket Arena on Tuesday.

The WNBA's 16th team will begin play in 2028. Cleveland was home to one of the league's original franchises when the WNBA started in 1997, but the Rockers folded in 2003 when owner Gordon Gund could not find a new buyer.

Dan Gilbert's Rock Entertainment Group, which has owned the Cavaliers since 2005, paid a $250 million expansion fee for Cleveland's return to the WNBA.

Janice Braxton, who played for the Rockers for three seasons (1997-99), narrated a video introducing the name and the theme of “Hear the Call.”

Braxton, along with other former Rockers' players, were also at Tuesday's event.

“We were at dinner with them last night and we gave them a sneak peak of the video. And they were overwhelming in their support and clapped several different times,” said Allison Howard, the Sirens president of business operations.

The logo features a Siren underneath the name. The “S” in the wordmark also conceals “CLE”. The two shades of blue take inspiration from Lake Erie and the Rockers logo.

“We really wanted something that people could rally behind a real character. And we’re really excited about that,” said Grant Gilbert, Rock Entertainment Group's VP of business and basketball operations. “I think the other aspect of the siren name and brand that was really considered and that we get very excited about is how authentically it extends just beyond the name and branded logos itself. The potential of the name is endless.”

Over the past year, Cleveland has had 9,000 deposits for season tickets. Howard expects that to increase now that the name has been announced.

“This team can exist very much on the independent side of the Cavaliers. And that’s also what we are seeing right now. The demographic is totally different,” Howard said. “They eat different food, they drink different drinks, they get here earlier, they purchase merchandise differently, and they come from all over the state and even outside of the state.”

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

At about 7:33 p.m. July 31, officers responded to a reckless-driver complaint near Education Way and North State Street after the motorists said a white Hyundai Tucson was swerving between lanes, according to a Bunnell police news release.

As the drivers passed the Tucson near Education Way, they told officers the driver pointed a handgun at them. Fearing for their safety, they drove to a safe location and called 911.

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies later located the Tucson on U.S. 1 near Old Dixie Highway and identified Walker as the driver.

Bunnell officers took the two victims separately to the vehicle for independent show-up identifications. Both victims positively identified Walker and the vehicle, the release said.

Walker was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, a third-degree felony under Florida law. He was taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on $25,000 bond.

While deputies were securing the Hyundai, they saw several firearm magazines in plain view in the center-console cupholder. Bunnell officers impounded the vehicle pending a search warrant. On Aug. 3, detectives obtained and executed a warrant for the vehicle and recovered a Taurus 9mm handgun and three loaded magazines, which were submitted into evidence, the release said.

Public records show Walker faced a similar road-rage investigation in May 2023, when two motorists reported he pointed a handgun near Palm Coast Parkway and Interstate 95. According to the charging affidavit in that case, Walker acknowledged displaying a firearm and deputies recovered a loaded SCCY 9mm handgun. He entered a no-contest plea to aggravated assault with a firearm Feb. 27, 2024, as part of a pretrial intervention program; after he completed the program, the state ended the prosecution without a conviction on Feb. 26, 2026.

“A disagreement on the road never justifies pointing or displaying a firearm,” Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon said. “When someone turns a traffic dispute into an armed confrontation, they gamble with their life and the lives of innocent people. Our officers and detectives, working alongside the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, moved quickly, protected the victims, secured critical evidence, and made the arrest. Bunnell will not tolerate armed intimidation on our roadways.”

Prince Ali said the Jordanian federation he leads still has not been paid money due for reaching the final of the FIFA Arab Cup played last December in Qatar.

In a social media post, Prince Ali said that during the World Cup — where Jordan made its debut in June — he was told if he endorsed FIFA President Gianni Infantino “it would go a long way to helping our FA out.”

Infantino is under pressure to save his 11-year presidency amid a fierce backlash from global soccer leaders about his now-failed plan to sell a stake in future World Cup profits to investors led by Joshua Kushner.

“We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values. We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now,” said Prince Ali, who placed third in a five-candidate FIFA presidential contest when Infantino was first elected in February 2016.

“But the whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that,” the Jordanian royal wrote Tuesday.

FIFA Arab Cup money not paid

The 2025 FIFA Arab Cup that Jordan lost in the title match against Morocco was set to pay $4.2 million to the beaten finalist, Jordanian media reported last year.

“The money our team should receive for having reached the final has not been delivered yet,” Prince Ali wrote, “while at the same time FIFA brags about how many billions they have in reserve.”

“It is clear the problem really is with leadership. For months, FIFA has been refusing to help us on any of these or other matters,” he said.

FIFA was approached for comment about the claims.

Prince Ali’s FIFA history

Prince Ali was elected by Asian soccer to serve on FIFA's ruling executive committee from 2011-15, and stood against then-president Sepp Blatter in a May 2015 election. That vote to re-elect Blatter was held in the shadow of raids at Zurich hotels two days earlier to arrest soccer officials as part of investigations by U.S. and Swiss federal agencies.

Infantino had seemed a lock to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth and final term leading FIFA through 2031 when he left New York two weeks after the World Cup final.

Fallout from his secretive private equity plan revealed one week ago has rocked soccer politics with Infantino’s former colleagues at European soccer body UEFA now looking for a rival candidate. The proposal underwritten by Kushner's Thrive Eternal fund would have paid $20 million each to Jordan and all other FIFA members had they accepted by a Sept. 19 deadline

UEFA also is threatening a boycott of FIFA games, events and meetings, while the leadership of the North American soccer body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, of which Jordan is a member, also have spoken out against Infantino.

FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for candidates to declare for the election by 211 member federations on March 18 in Rabat, Morocco.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and AP World Cup coverage

Broskie sat down with The Morning Show to walk families through what to expect on the first day and beyond — from staffing and transportation to safety and a new parent communication app.

Staffing, bus drivers

With roughly 5,000 employees, the district is heading into the school year with approximately 35 teacher openings — a number Broskie described as within normal range.

On the transportation side, Clay County has just six bus driver vacancies — a figure that stands out favorably against a difficult national and statewide hiring environment.

“There’s a nationwide shortage, and certainly a shortage in Florida, so we do pretty well there,” Broskie said. “It’s a very challenging environment — people with a CDL can do a lot of jobs.”

First-day expectations

Broskie said families should expect the typical first-week adjustment period, noting that traffic and logistics tend to smooth out after the opening two weeks of school.

“You have 40,000 families all on the road at the same time,” he said. “The bumps are usually everybody’s settling in. The first two weeks there’s this settling-in period as families find out their travel plans and what they’re doing and everybody kind of settles in.”

Now in his 38th year in education, Broskie said the two-week adjustment window seems to be consistent across school systems.

Transportation registration, bus prep

For families who missed the district’s extended bus registration deadline, Broskie said it is not too late to sign up.

Families who used transportation the previous year are automatically expected to continue.

“If you had transportation last year, we’re anticipating that you’re gonna be on the bus this year,” he said.

Broskie also noted that yellow buses spotted on roads before Aug. 11 are simply drivers completing training runs — not an early start to the school year.

New parent app: One Clay Focus

Clay County is rolling out a new app, OneClay Focus, replacing the previous Parent View platform. The app gives parents access to student grades, schedules and other academic data.

“This will be very similar to Parent View last year,” Broskie said. “It’s where you’re gonna find grades on your students, their schedules, all of the data related to your students. If you haven’t done so, please do so.”

You can find a link to download the app for Android and iOS here.

Families can also visit oneclay.net/backtoschool for answers to common back-to-school questions.

The district will continue using App2G as its primary mass communication tool, unchanged from the prior school year.

School safety

Broskie said Clay County’s safety posture remains strong heading into the new year, anchored by a partnership with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

“We have guardians as well as officers in all of our schools,” he said, adding that physical safeguards such as single-entry access points are also in place. “There’s always a culture of if you see something, say something when it comes to safety.”

A message for families

Broskie encouraged parents to talk with their children about the first days of school, acknowledging that nerves are a natural part of the transition.

“Nothing as superintendent is more exciting than when you see the smile on a young person’s face when they show up for the first day of school — it’s one of the reasons why I do what I do,” he said. “It’s totally normal for a young one to be nervous about going back to school.”

He said many students, however, are eager to reconnect with friends and return to their routines.

“I see students get out of cars on that first day and barely look back and wave at their parents — they’re so glad to get back,” Broskie said.

Bieniemy's son, Elijah Bieniemy, has been arrested in connection with the shooting of his mother, Mia. He has been charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling, but court appearances for the 27-year-old Bieniemy have been delayed pending a mental health evaluation.

Mia Bieniemy's condition has been improving, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week.

"It was great to hear from him just from a personal standpoint. You were just so devastated for him,” Chiefs pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier, who has assumed many of Bieniemy's duties, said Tuesday. “He has been reaching out more and more lately for the football stuff and that's brought a sense of normalcy to our team, hearing from him and his thoughts on football.”

Bieniemy returned to the Chiefs earlier this year, after leaving to serve as offensive coordinator with the Commanders and spending a season apiece with UCLA and the Chicago Bears. He replaced Matt Nagy, who is now the offensive coordinator with the Giants.

The reason the Chiefs were eager to get Bieniemy back in the building was twofold: He has an intimate knowledge of the Kansas City offense, having helped the franchise reach three Super Bowls and win two, and he carries along a certain no-nonsense attitude that the Chiefs desperately needed after slipping to a disappointing 6-11 finish last season.

“We'll hold it down and when (Bieniemy) gets back, we'll be ready to have that intensity and energy. That's what I love most about him,” said Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III, the reigning Super Bowl MVP and one of their big free-agent acquisitions.

“You can't take a play off,” Walker said, “because he's going to say something to you about it.”

Bleymaier, who is widely considered a rising star in the coaching profession, has a much quieter personality. But he joked Tuesday that he had lost his voice during practice, so perhaps some of Bieniemy's vocal traits have worn off on him.

“The guys want to be held accountable. They want someone to remind them what to do and not let anything slide,” Bleymaier said. “That's the role of the coordinator and that's the role of whoever is put in that position, to constantly uphold that standard.”

In other news Tuesday, the Chiefs continued with their second padded practice of camp at Missouri Western, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes once again worked out in full after undergoing surgery less than eight months ago to repair torn knee ligaments.

Mahomes has been wearing a brace on the left knee, but otherwise it's been hard to notice anything different about him.

“You hate to say that anything Patrick does surprises you,” Bleymaier said, “because he's always pushing the limits of what he can do with the football, and the recovery timetable from just the injuries that he's had. But physically, I haven't seen anything with the knee out on the field that would show any setbacks. Just nonexistent, any sort of knee issues, which has been incredible.”

Notes: Undrafted rookie RT Kahlil Benson continued to get first-team reps on Tuesday. He's been one of the biggest surprises of camp. ... WRs Cyrus Allen (bruised shin) and Xavier Worthy (sore shoulder) did not practice. DL Ashton Gillotte (hamstring strain) also sat out the workout. ... First-round pick CB Mansoor Delane (shoulder) continued to practice in a yellow no-contact jersey.

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

How does this compare to the average, and what does the forecast show for the rest of the season?

In terms of the average named systems in the Atlantic, we typically see our third named system on Aug. 3.

A lack of tropical activity is common before August. In fact, roughly 85% to 90% of our tropical activity occurs after July.

What about hurricanes?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), based on a 30-year climate period from 1991 to 2020, the first hurricane typically forms in early August, and the first major hurricane (category 3 or higher) forms in early September in the Atlantic Ocean.

Unlike earlier in the season, when most of our tropical activity develops closer to the United States, our eyes turn to Africa and the surrounding areas.

Saharan dust has been prominent in those regions, which is why disturbances have had a hard time developing. The higher concentration of dust takes moisture out of the atmosphere, which is not what you want to see if you’re looking for tropical development.

Wind shear has also been high, which tends to limit how strong a disturbance can be.

Tropical development is not expected over the next week. These areas will continue to be monitored as we head through the rest of the month.

The peak of hurricane season is early September. This is statistically when the Atlantic basin sees the highest number of systems.

We will continue to monitor as we approach the peak of hurricane season.

Six of Europe’s largest oil companies posted combined first-quarter profits of $22 billion, more than 40% higher than last year. Profits at BP, based in London, more than doubled to $3.9 billion in the second quarter, the company said Tuesday.

And Saudi Aramco reported a 44% year-on-year increase in second-quarter net profit that reached $32.69 billion, driven by higher crude oil, refined products and chemicals prices.

The supercharged performances from big oil in Europe and the Middle East follow reports of enormous profits from the largest U.S. oil drillers last week.

As the conflict has dragged on, high oil prices have driven up the cost of gasoline, jet fuel and diesel, which has led to higher shipping costs. In the West, filling up the car or buying a plane ticket is costing consumers more. But the situation in parts of Asia are more dire because the region depends more heavily on fuel exported through the Strait of Hormuz. Fuel supplies have run low in some countries, leading to rationing and sporadic closures of schools and government offices.

Despite oil prices falling to their lowest level in three weeks Tuesday, big U.S. energy companies drew the ire of President Donald Trump, who criticized them this week for their outsized profits.

Trump said he’s not happy with Chevron and Exxon Mobil, though energy prices skyrocketed only after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February, and the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed off to tanker traffic.

About 20% of the world’s oil typically flows through the strait.

“They made too much money, too much money,” Trump said Monday. “They ought to give some of that back to the public, and they better cut the retail price.”

Exxon Mobil on Friday reported that its second quarter profits doubled to $14.5 billion, boosted by record diesel production. The oil giant, based in Spring, Texas, brought in $116 billion in revenue, up 42%.

Chevron, based in Houston, nearly quadrupled its profits to $12 billion and revenue jumped 56% to more than $70 billion.

On Tuesday, the price of U.S. crude oil fell 5.4%, or $4.36, to $75.98 per barrel. The sharp decline followed comments by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told CNBC that the U.S. and Iran “may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the Strait.”

Oil prices for U.S. crude are down from around $92 a barrel in late July, but still more than 13% higher than when the conflict with Iran started.

Brent crude, the international standard, fell 4.9% to $83.87 per barrel.

A resolution to the Iran conflict, which has lasted more than five months, could give oil shippers the ability to send vessels out of the Persian Gulf, where tankers of oil and other products have been trapped during the fighting.

Shares of major oil companies are up by around 20% to 30% this year, easily outpacing the 13% gains on the S&P 500.

There were no regrets.

“I'm betting on myself,” Horschel said at the Sony Open.

He has reached the end of the regular season at No. 176 in the world, which isn't nearly as troubling as being No. 107 in the FedEx Cup in a year when his full exempt status is set to expire.

It's a reminder how golf offers no guarantees — meritocracy works both ways — and Horschel has plenty of company at the Wyndham Championship, the final regular-season event that determines the top 70 who advance to the postseason and are assured a full card for 2027.

On the outside looking in

Jason Day, who 10 years ago was No. 1 in the world and looked unbeatable at times, is at No. 75 in the FedEx Cup. He started the year with a runner-up finish behind Scottie Scheffler at The American Express but has had only one other top 10 this season.

Particularly glaring another 11 spots down the standings at No. 86 is five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, who was all the talk back in January when he became the first player who bolted from LIV Golf (at just the right time as it turns out) to rejoin the PGA Tour.

Koepka had been gone nearly four years, long enough to not fully understand how the points system worked. His immediate goal was to get into the $20 million signature events — one of the conditions of his return was being ineligible for sponsor exemptions to those tournaments. He didn't make it into any of them.

And right when he was in position to contend — two shots out of the lead going into the weekend of the Canadian Open — he had a freak injury in his hand that one round later forced him to withdraw.

Now he has one tournament left to reach the postseason. He needs at least a fourth-place finish at the Wyndham Championship, a tall task considering he has only one top 10 this year. At least he is secure for two more years from winning the PGA Championship at Oak Hill in 2023.

The year in which no one has stood out

But it's been a strange year for so many players accustomed to smoother waters.

Who would have predicted before the first tee shot of 2026 that Chris Gotterup would have more wins than Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy combined?

No one will — or should — be concerned with Scheffler. He won his season opener in the California desert, and nothing else. He also has five runner-up finishes and five other finishes in the top 4. Four of those runner-up finishes paid out more than his lone victory.

The margins are thin in golf, even for the No. 1 player in the world.

McIlroy isn't the least bit stressed that his one title this year was a repeat at Augusta National. Yes, he would love to win another FedEx Cup title. Odds are it would be sweeter to get another Race to Dubai title in Europe, especially at the expense of Patrick Reed.

No winners from the top 10 in the world in three months

Cameron Young is the defending champion at the Wyndham Championship. And to think it was only a year ago when Young had never won on the PGA Tour. Since then, he was a lone bright spot for the Americans in his Ryder Cup debut, he won The Players Championship and a signature event at Doral, and he had at least a share of the Sunday lead at two majors without bagging one.

But there's something else about Young and this odd season.

He won the Cadillac Championship when he was No. 4 in the world. That was May 3, and no from the top 10 has won a PGA Tour event since then. It's not getting any easier out there, if it ever was.

Half of the PGA Tour members among the top 30 in the world ranking have yet to win this year.

The world ranking of the other three major champions sounds like numbers drawn in Bingo — 44 (Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship), 34 (Wyndham Clark at the U.S. Open) and 56 (Ryan Fox at the British Open).

It was the first time three major champions in one year were outside the top 30 since 2009 delivered Angel Cabrera (69), Lucas Glover (71), Stewart Cink (33) and Y.E. Yang (110).

Brian Rolapp mentioned three guiding principles when he was introduced as CEO at the Tour Championship last year. First on his list was parity, and he probably didn't know how right he was when he said, “The PGA Tour has incredible, competitive parity and balance among its players.”

“Everybody wants to go into an event not knowing who's going to win,” Rolapp said.

Show of hands who had Rai winning the PGA Championship against the strongest field in the majors. Or Gary Woodland winning the Houston Open just over two years after returning from brain surgery, one of the most emotional wins of this crazy season.

Four weeks remain before the FedEx Cup is decided, and perhaps it will all make sense in the end. It starts with the Wyndham Championship, the tournament most players would love to skip because it means they're locked into a good spot for the postseason.

Horschel would need at least a two-way tie for second to have a mathematical chance of making it to the FedEx Cup playoffs. The way this year has gone, don't bet against it.

Young might have summed it up best on Tuesday when he shared advice for himself and anyone else in this game: “Nothing is given and nothing is impossible.”

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On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

According to a report from News4JAX sister station WKMG in Orlando, the judge is ordering the Florida attorney general to rewrite the ballot measure, which he says is full of “political taglines” that do more to make the amendment appealing for voters than actually tell them what the amendment will do.

Attorney General James Uthmeier has to submit the revised ballot language to the Florida Department of State within 10 days.

Anyone challenging the new ballot language has 10 days to do so once it’s submitted to the Dept. of State.

At least 60% of voters must approve the amendment on the November ballot for it to pass.

What is the amendment?

A group called Save Our Voters From Misleading Ballot Language sued the state over the amendment passed by the Florida Legislature earlier this year.

That amendment, titled “Save Our Homes From Excessive Property Taxes,” would expand the homestead exemption to $150,000 starting in 2027, and to $250,000 beginning in 2028.

It also reduced the cap on increasing the tax assessment on non-homesteaded properties to 5% per year, and limits how local governments can use tax revenue to “core services,” which include: public safety (law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services), public schools, infrastructure (road and bridge construction and maintenance and stormwater control), natural resource projects (like flood control measures), fund county administration officers, and meet obligations for local government employees’ retirement benefits.

You can read the full ballot language HERE.

What the judge says

In his ruling, Judge David Frank said he can’t strike the amendment from the ballot, and he is not assessing the merit or wisdom of the amendment. His job is simply to determine whether the ballot title and summary “pass muster under longstanding Florida law that demands fairness and accuracy in its description before placement on the ballot.”

“They fail both prerequisites and must be rewritten,” the judge added.

Frank ruled the ballot title and summary are full of “political taglines” that give reasons for voters to say yes to the amendment, but that is not the purpose of the title and summary. The purpose is to explain what the amendment does, not advocate for its adoption.

In one example, Frank writes, “The summary states that the amendment is ‘Ensuring funding for core services’ because it ‘requires local governments to use remaining property taxes solely for core public needs.’ Yet the proposed amendment does not ‘ensure’ funding for police, fire protection, schools, infrastructure, or any other ‘core’ public service, nor does it create any new restrictions on how property tax revenues may be expended. In fact, by substantially reducing the local property tax base, the proposed amendment is likely to decrease the revenues available to local governments to fund core services. The amendment cannot fairly or accurately be described as ‘ensuring funding.’”

Frank also says the ballot summary claims the amendment will ultimately lead to the full elimination of non-school property taxes on homestead property. Except the amendment does not require “full elimination.”

“Rather, it would require the Legislature to establish procedures through which local governments may choose to grant additional exemptions in the future ‘up to’ the full assessed valuation,” Frank writes.

Frank also points out that the ballot summary omits the fact that the amendment proposes “major change[s] in the function of government” by giving the Legislature the right to control ad valorem tax spending, thus changing the home rule powers local governments currently enjoy under Florida’s constitution.

Read the full ruling here.

Property taxes in Florida

Florida’s property tax system is a multi-level system that includes homesteaded and non-homesteaded properties.

Homesteaded properties are primary homes that get a special exemption. Annual tax assessments are also capped at 3% each year, which means people who have owned their homes a long time are more likely to enjoy lower property taxes than newer neighbors across the street.

“So, for example, if you live in your home for 10 years, you bought it for $100,000, you then live in it for the 10 years, and it’s worth $300,000,” Orange County Property Appraiser Amy Mercado told WKMG in an interview earlier this year.

“The savings between your market and your assessed value for those 10 years, you have the opportunity to take with you,” Mercado said. “The person that buys your home doesn’t pay the (tax) rate that you’re paying. You may be at $1,000… a year in taxes because of the years you’ve been in it. You bought it at $100,000, and it slowly progressed. That person is going to pay on the $300,000 mark because it resets as soon as you sell.”

Non-homesteaded properties include any primary homeowner who has not filed for a homestead exemption, along with vacation homes, rental properties, and business properties.

According to the Florida Association of Counties, 55 of 67 counties have lowered or maintained their operating millage rates since 2020. Millage rates are the tax rates used to calculate local property taxes.

However, Florida TaxWatch says property tax levies have risen 108.1% from 2014 to 2024, while population and inflation rose 54.9%.

How is that possible?

Because property values have exploded, particularly in the last six years, and property values are a key factor in determining property tax bills.

Local government concerns

The most vocal critics of the property tax amendment are county and city governments, particularly in communities that do not have a diverse property tax base.

In a report by the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, local governments would lose nearly $5 billion in revenue the first year, and nearly $12 billion in the fifth year.

The Florida Association of Counties offers a breakdown HERE of the data by county.

Clay and Baker would be the hardest hit Northeast Florida counties. Clay would lose more than 33% of its property tax revenues in year two if the amendment passes, while Baker would lose over 32%

Duval County and St. Johns counties would both lose 20.71%; Nassau County would lose 19.47% and Flagler County would lose 26.28%.

The area’s more rural counties would be affected similarly:

• Alachua: 20.16%
• Bradford: 23.24%
• Columbia: 25.45%
• Putnam: 22.08%
• Union: 22.91%

Cities also stand to lose because a greater portion of their tax rolls rely on ad valorem taxes. The Florida League of Cities also points out that its governments already, on average, spend more on public safety than they take in from property taxes.

On Monday, the Florida Sheriffs Association became the latest public safety group to speak out against the amendment, joining the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police, Florida Professional Firefighters, and the Florida Fire Chiefs Association.

The amendment “potentially allows Tallahassee to control your local budgets, creates longer law enforcement times, limits communities’ abilities to provide road repairs and stormwater removal – these are a few of the things voters need to be aware of,” the FSA statement reads.

While it may seem like the planet is baking through a record-shattering summer from hell, it's not quite in record territory. Yet.

So far this is only the third-hottest year, behind 2024 and 2025, climate statistics show. But give 2026 time. Because of a one-two punch of accelerated human-caused global warming and a supersized El Nino, there's an increasing chance that by the end of the year, 2026 could eke out the crown for the hottest year on record, eclipsing 2024 — or at least come close, scientists said.

Even if this year sets the record, it won't last long. Although scientists disagree on whether 2026 will be the hottest year on record, they agree on it being a near lock that 2027 will beat out any modern year for heat, maybe by a great deal.

With wars around the globe in the last few years people didn't pay much attention to climate change "because the world was on fire in different ways. The world is now on fire again with climate change in a way that’s increasingly difficult to ignore,” said climate scientist Zeke Hausfather of Berkeley Earth. “It's going to keep getting worse.''

Increasing odds for a record hot year

Hausfather calculated there's a 35% chance that 2026 will pass 2024 as the hottest year on record. But Hausfather keeps increasing those odds nearly every month — up from only 7% in March.

Former top NASA climate scientist James Hansen, often called the godfather of climate science for 40 years of accurate long-term warnings, predicted that 2026 will edge out 2024 at the end of the year.

The world's daily sea surface temperature tied 2024 starting in May and since June it's been record hot nearly every day. With oceans more than 70% of the globe's surface, there's generally a month-and-a-half lag between heat showing up in oceans and then being reflected in the global average temperature, Hansen said. So it's about time that the entire globe starts shattering records, he said. About 82% of the world's ocean surface is overheated with marine heat waves this year, according to Europe's Copernicus climate service.

About a month ago the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast that there was a 66% chance that 2026 would be the fourth hottest and only a 0.1% chance it would be No.1 for warmth by year's end. NOAA monitoring chief Russell Vose said those odds will be rising when NOAA finishes its analysis from July.

Hausfather said what's changing outlooks is the increasingly strong forecasts for a “mind-numbing” record-setting El Nino.

El Nino is a natural temporary warming of parts of the equatorial Pacific that heats up the globe's average temperature and warps weather extremes across the planet. Most forecasts have El Nino becoming the strongest in history. El Ninos always release pent-up heat in the ocean, but because of greenhouse gases trapping heat and 90% of it going into the world's seas, there's more heat to release, said Zachary Labe, a climate scientist at Climate Central, a science and communications nonprofit.

The amount of heat in the world's oceans — a marker of human-caused climate change — keeps setting new record highs, Labe said.

This summer's heat is human caused, not from El Nino

Climate scientists said what we've seen this summer can't be blamed on El Nino because its impacts really don't kick in for a few more months. The fires, heat and extremes that have dominated the summer of 2026 are what scientists have long been warning about from the burning of coal, oil and gas.

“The driver of the record warmth is climate change in the background. And it’s a much larger — much, much larger — contribution than El Nino, which is just a tenth to two-tenths of a degree on top of that long-term trend,” Labe said.

That warming is accelerating, Hansen said.

That's because traditional industrial pollution that creates soot and smog — which cool the planet and mask greenhouse gas-triggered warming — is decreasing, Hansen said. Also, it looks as if the climate might be reacting to greenhouse gases stronger than scientists anticipated, he said.

Heat waves keep hitting

This summer’s heat waves have hit hard in places where people aren’t used to triple-digit heat, unlike in the tropics, climate scientists said. And they've been especially noticeable at night, making it hard for people to sleep, which impairs their health and their ability to be productive at work, said Samantha Burgess, global strategic lead at Copernicus climate service.

She pointed to Europe, where there was an “exceptional” heat wave in May, another in June, two in July and another one going on now in France and Spain.

“European heat waves are not in isolation. So there’s also been shocking heat waves in North America. There’s been shockingly hot conditions in South America as well. There’s been devastating heat waves in India,” Burgess said. “There’s always heat waves somewhere in the world sometime, but what is very unusual for Europe for this particular year is the frequency and extent of the heat waves.”

Princeton University climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer said this is what scientists have long been warning about.

"These are vivid pictures of not just the future, which is what we used to say, but on the whole of what climate change is doing. There’s no question that climate change has increased the risk of wildfires. There’s no question that the climate change increased the probability of really hot, nasty, even unprecedented summers around the world.”

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

Russia has relentlessly pounded civilian areas of Ukraine, even though Moscow insists its forces target only military facilities.

Since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion over four years ago, Ukraine has developed long-range drones that can strike deep inside Russia. In the past year, its forces have battered oil facilities, major storage depots and other key infrastructure.

More than 16,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the war began, the United Nations said last month in its most recent casualty report, with the vast majority occurring in areas under the Ukrainian government’s control. Casualties have risen steadily each year.

The U.N. children’s agency on Tuesday urged both countries to uphold international humanitarian law requiring the protection of children, citing recent deaths in Russia's Belgorod and Krasnodar regions, as well as in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions.

“Attacks that kill and injure children must stop,” UNICEF said in a statement.

Meanwhile, escalating attacks on shipping in the Black Sea by both sides has reawakened fears that global food security could be put at risk.

Russia is accused of using a drone to attack a street vendor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video on social media that he said showed a Russian drone hunting a man selling vegetables from a street stall in the southern city of Kherson.

The video shows the man trying to flee the drone as it circles his vehicle, follows him and ultimately strikes the car where he was trying to hide. He suffered wounds to his back, legs and arms, according to an interview he gave to the Kherson regional military administration.

Russia's Defense Ministry did not immediately reply to an Associated Press request for comment.

Drone attacks on civilians have surged since the war began, with 967 people killed, including 10 children, and nearly 7,000 people injured, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office said Tuesday.

Russian drone operators track and strike civilians going about daily activities, according to previous AP reporting. A U.N. commission concluded in October 2025 that such attacks amounted to crimes against humanity.

“The world must see this,” Zelenskyy said. “It must see every piece of evidence that Russia has gone mad and that its soldiers take pleasure in killing and abusing civilians.”

Russia says a Ukrainian drone killed 7 on Black Sea coast

The death toll from a drone strike Monday in the Russian Black Sea resort of Arkhipo-Osipovka rose to seven, including four children, regional authorities said.

On Tuesday, Krasnodar regional authorities updated the number of wounded to 58, with 21 hospitalized.

Video circulating online showed a drone slamming into a crowded beach with what sounded like gunfire in the background. Ukraine has not commented on the strike.

Ukrainian drones strike near Moscow and St. Petersburg

A Ukrainian drone attack Tuesday in the region around Moscow killed five people and wounded 10 others, said Gov. Andrei Vorobyov. Most of the damage occurred in the Chekhov municipal district, where several fires erupted at the Novoselki industrial zone, he said.

In the latest in a series of attacks on Russia’s biggest online retailer Wildberries, the company said its warehouse in the Leningrad region, adjacent to St. Petersburg, was on fire.

In the village of Emmaus, located between Moscow and St. Petersburg, drone debris partially damaged a wall of a Wildberries warehouse, regional Gov. Vitaly Korolyov said.

In the past 18 days, Ukrainian drones have targeted 15 Wildberries warehouses, 13 of which caught fire, said Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces. Ukrainian officials say the company provides goods that can be used by the military. Kyiv is also keen to unsettle the Russian public with high-profile attacks.

Russia hits Ukrainian ports and shipping

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces on Monday night struck “Ukrainian ports, vessels and port infrastructure” used by Kyiv’s army.

In the port of Chornomorsk, in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region, Russia said it hit an automobile components plant and a port terminal, where the military vehicles were being repaired and ammunition and fuel were being stored.

In the southern port of Mykolaiv, a bulk carrier with military cargo was damaged, while in Pivdennyi, another Ukrainian port, a vessel unloading military cargo was hit, according to the Russian statement.

The ministry also said two bulk carriers hauling weapons and military equipment were damaged at sea, south of Odesa.

Turkey on Tuesday repeated its appeal for both countries to ensure safe passage in the Black Sea after two Turkish-owned ships were attacked by drones after leaving the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement expressed concerns that the war is increasingly spreading across the Black Sea, threatening merchant shipping, and warned such incidents could have broader consequences, including for the global food supply, as important shipments of grain, fertilizer and other key products move through those waters.

Ukraine reports more Russian glide bomb attack

s

Russian attacks on Mykolaiv, including its port, killed an 89-year-old woman and wounded seven other people aged between 2 and 83, Ukrainian regional officials said.

The Russian strike on civilian infrastructure in southern Odesa region destroyed a private home and wounded two people, according to Oleh Kiper, head of the regional military administration.

In Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, six Russian glide bombs killed two girls aged 5 and 10 and an elderly woman, said Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy regional military administration.

Russian forces also struck Kharkiv and 18 towns and villages across the northern region in the previous 24 hours, killing one person and injuring seven, including an 8-year-old, said Oleh Syniehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional military administration.

Strikes in Balakliia, also in the Kharkiv region, damaged an apartment building, a library, three stores and more than 10 houses, wounding two women, local authorities said.

Two glide bombs struck Kramatorsk in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, injuring 24 people, local officials said. Kramatorsk sits at the northern end of Ukraine’s Fortress Belt, where Western analysts say Russia is making a renewed effort to break through after four years of attrition.

Vadym Filashkin, head of the regional military administration, urged people still living near the front to evacuate, saying authorities would help with transportation, housing and other support.

——

Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.

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

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines in support of the nomination of President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, who has aggressively pushed the Republican administration’s priorities since taking over from Pam Bondi in April.

The vote followed a deal struck late Sunday between Blanche and two Republican senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — who had been threatening to block his confirmation over the settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service regarding the president’s leaked tax returns.

The full Senate could vote later this week on Blanche’s nomination. If all Democrats oppose him, Blanche can only afford to lose two Republican votes if Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who was hospitalized after a fall, does not return before then.

Cornyn and Tillis backed Blanche's nomination after the Justice Department confirmed in writing that it wasn't moving forward with a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies who believe they were prosecuted for political purposes, which the administration announced as part of the settlement.

After days of negotiations, Blanche issued an order Sunday evening confirming “beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund.”

Democrats complain about the fund

Democrats say Blanche’s order doesn’t go far enough to prevent the Trump administration from reviving the fund after the acting attorney general’s confirmation and have called for legislation to permanently bar it.

The order also doesn’t stop the administration from compensating Trump allies — including people who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — through a previously established process that allows people to file claims for damages if they believed they were wronged by the government.

The fund “can easily be revived with a new order from the Department of Justice 15 minutes after Mr. Blanche is confirmed as attorney general,” said Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee.

Cornyn and Tillis had also pressed for clarification on a separate part of the settlement that would grant Trump and members of his family immunity from tax audits.

Under the deal, the Justice Department clarified in writing that the tax audit immunity agreement applies only to claims open at the time of the settlement and does not protect Trump from examination of future tax filings. It also makes clear that only the parties that brought the lawsuit — Trump, two of his sons, and the Trump Organization — are covered by the tax agreement.

Cornyn said his reasons for backing Blanche go beyond the deal struck Sunday, adding that he believes the Justice Department needs a “stabilizing force" at the helm.

“The Department of Justice does not need a temporary, unconfirmed nominee as our nation’s top law enforcement official. Trump needs someone in this role, as well, with a strong legal mind," Cornyn said.

Blanche's independence has been called into question

Blanche has faced intense scrutiny regarding his ability to maintain independence from the White House, the Justice Department’s pursuit of the president’s political foes and the agency’s handling of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation.

But it was the settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS that threatened to derail Blanche's nomination, forcing a delay in the committee vote last week amid pressure from the two Republican senators, who are not returning to Capitol Hill after their terms end in January.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, who chairs the committee, said Tillis and Cornyn’s demands were “common sense.” Grassley said the senators’ concerns about the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and the IRS settlement were shared by many other lawmakers, including himself.

“I’m grateful that they as well as Mr. Blanche and the White House worked in good faith to solve them, formally rescinding the fund, clarifying the scope of the release of claims has put this issue to bed once and for all," Grassley said.

Trump’s lawsuit has been sharply criticized because of the highly unusual way it was handled, with the president challenging an agency overseen by the executive branch he leads. A judge last month slammed the case as an improper exercise in self-dealing and referred one of Trump’s attorneys who filed it for potential disciplinary action.

Blanche was an important figure for Trump's defense

Blanche, a former federal prosecutor and key member of Trump’s defense team as the Republican battled four indictments, arrived at the Justice Department last year as deputy attorney general. He was elevated to acting attorney general following Bondi’s failure to meet Trump’s demands to successfully prosecute his perceived political opponents.

While Blanche insisted he wasn’t auditioning for the permanent post, he moved swiftly to accelerate investigations into Trump foes and advance other White House priorities, drawing condemnation from critics who say he has not shed his title as Trump’s personal lawyer.

Shortly after Blanche took the top post, the Justice Department moved to indict longtime Trump adversary James Comey, the former FBI director, on charges of threatening the 47th president by posting a social media photograph of seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47.”

Comey’s lawyers have accused the Justice Department of misleading judges, submitting documents containing false statements and withholding key facts to bring what the defense described as a politically motivated prosecution.

Blanche separately appointed Joseph diGenova, a former Justice Department prosecutor from the Reagan administration, to oversee a Florida-based investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired over the last decade to undermine Trump.

The 30-team league that Graber grew during his 27-year tenure now looks to Berg to capitalize on the success of the World Cup this past summer and guide the transition to a new international schedule next year.

“I think one of the reasons that I raised my hand is I feel like I have the enthusiasm and the passion to hopefully have other people, in some cases, see it through my eyes and understand where we’re going and where it can go and what what it can be," Berg told The Associated Press. ”I’m very proud of where we already are. I think we’ve come a very, very long way."

Berg, a co-owner of LAFC, will formally take over as commissioner at the start of next year. Garber, who has served as the league’s commissioner since 1999, will help guide the transition before moving into a new role as chairman.

Garber said the ideal candidate would unite the entire MLS ecosystem around a shared vision. And he believes the league will have that under Berg, who will become just the third commissioner in the history of the league.

“I think he’s convinced the ownership through a very comprehensive process that he has what it takes to do the two most important things, which is to create that vision, and then to get the owners to unite around it,” Garber said. “That requires great relationships. It requires the capability to put the plan together and do the work. ... He (Berg) is super smart. He doesn’t lead with ego. He leads with understanding perspectives, and I think that’s a super important part of being the commissioner.”

The 60-year-old Berg, who has served as co-chair of the MLS sporting and competition committee, will divest his ownership interest in LAFC. He was formally introduced as the incoming commissioner on Tuesday at the league's New York headquarters, a day after he received the required two-thirds of the votes from the owners.

“First of all, he loves soccer, and I think next to his family, soccer is the most important thing in his life. Second of all, he knows the league really well. We have 30 great owners, and all of them are very involved in the league. But Larry is, I think it’s safe to say, has been over the last five years the most involved owner,” Columbus Crew owner Jimmy Haslam said. “He understands what we do well, where we have opportunity. I think he has a great relationship with all the owners. Going through this process certainly enhanced that.”

Berg previously held ownership stakes in Italian club AS Roma, as well as English league team Swansea. Under Berg’s ownership, LAFC won the MLS Cup in 2022, and the Supporters’ Shield in 2019.

Under Garber's watch, the league has expanded from 12 to 30 teams. He introduced the league’s marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing, encouraged the construction of soccer-specific stadiums and spurred the growth of an academy system to develop players in the United States.

Five clubs, Inter Miami, the home of Lionel Messi, LAFC, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United and NYCFC are valued at more than $1 billion, according to Forbes.

At the start, Berg will oversee the league's shift to a new calendar, with the season running from on a summer to spring schedule to more align with its international counterparts. Currently the league plays a late winter to late fall schedule.

Following the conclusion of the current season, MLS will play a shortened 14-game “sprint season” in early 2027 before the league switches to its new schedule, kicking off in July with the league championship to be played in May 2028.

Berg will also be charged with negotiating a new media rights deal. The current contract with Apple TV ends in 2029. The league is also looking at changes to roster rules.

“This has been a passion my whole life. This sport and some of the great joys of my life have been involved in the LAFC and involved with the sporting competition committee," Berg said. ”I have a lot of ideas. I feel like we’re at a point where a tremendous amount of success has been achieved with the games and the live gameday entertainment experience, etc. But as the World Cup showed, you can be incredibly happy and very successful, but somehow there’s always more. You want to get to that next step."

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

Actors Steve Coogan and Chris O’Dowd and musicians including Bono, Hozier, Declan O’Rourke and Imelda May were in the congregation alongside friends, family and fans who had queued for hours outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

A large crowd watched on big screens outside as pallbearers carried a wicker coffin topped with flowers into the cathedral.

William Morton, the dean of the cathedral, said: “Glen’s remarkable gifts and outstanding talent, which touched so many hearts, took him from the streets of Dublin to audiences across the globe.”

The funeral service was interwoven with music, including a performance by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, who sang Hansard’s “The Song of Good Hope” alongside Hansard’s longstanding musical partner Markéta Irglová.

U2's Bono said of Hansard: “Everyone who met him, they just remembered the day they met him.”

Bono held up his phone to play a message he'd received from singer and poet Patti Smith performing “a lullaby for Glen’s family and friends,” before reciting lyrics to U2’s “Beautiful Day.”

Hansard was killed in a single-vehicle crash on the outskirts of Dublin on July 29, hours after taking part in a trad music session at a pub.

His widow, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, who thanked the police officers who came to his aid, read a poem she had written for him early in their relationship.

She said the couple's 3-year-old son was too young to attend or understand the funeral, but “the bright spirit he inherited from his father is with us.”

Hansard was the longtime front man of Irish rock band The Frames and played a member of a Dublin soul band in the hit 1991 movie “The Commitments.” He won an Oscar in 2008 for the song “Falling Slowly” from the movie “Once,” in which he co-starred with Irglová. A stage adaptation won eight Tony Awards in 2012.

Hansard also was half of rock duo The Swell Season with Irglová and released solo albums including “Didn’t He Ramble,” which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Folk Album in 2016.

For many years he led a Christmas Eve busk outside Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre, where members of the public gathered to see famous Irish musicians perform in aid of a homelessness charity.

Tributes have been paid by fellow musicians. Bruce Springsteen said on Instagram he was “heartbroken” at the loss of “a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man.”

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Jimmy Anderson

Occupation: Owner of Anderson Quality Roofing LLC

Age: 62

Family: I am married and blessed with six children and nine grandchildren.

Education: Certified County Commissioner (CCC)

Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) Certification

County Commissioner Ethics Training

Baker County High School Graduate

Certified Building Contractor

Certified Roofing Contractor

Current & Former President, Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC)

Chairman, Transportation Disadvantaged Advisory Board (TDA)

County Liaison, Council on Aging (COA)

County Liaison, Baker County Corrections Management Corporation (BCCMC)

County Liaison, Small County Coalition

Recipient, Small County Coalition Award for Policy Leadership

Recipient, Florida Association of Counties (FAC) Award for Policy Leadership

Political experience: I have served as a Baker County Commissioner in District 2 since 2010.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

My top three goals as a commissioner are to protect our hometown values, use taxpayer dollars responsibly, and ensure Baker County remains a place where families can thrive for generations to come.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

As County Commissioner for District 2, I have worked tirelessly to protect the values, traditions, and quality of life that make Baker County a great place to call home.

Guided by my Christian faith and commitment to servant leadership, I believe elected officials should be accountable and focused on delivering results for the people they serve. Throughout my time in office, I have helped secure significant investments in infrastructure, public safety, economic development, recreation, and community improvement projects that benefit residents across Baker County.

In addition to my public service, I have built a successful career in the construction industry and bring practical, real-world experience to local government. My background as a contractor, combined with my leadership roles at the local, regional, and state levels, has allowed me to advocate effectively for Baker County and help bring valuable resources back to our community.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I hope to be remembered as a commissioner who worked to preserve what makes our community special while building a strong future for the next generation.

Campaign website: N/A

Campaign social media: Facebook

Ricky Horne

Occupation: Partner in Industrial Svc Co and MFG facility

Age: 59

Family: Wife

Four Children

Six Grandchildren

Education: High School Graduate

USAF

Political experience: None

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Smart Growth for the county-more insight and review process before approving.

Transparency- making the board more approachable/friendly for people who want to have their voices heard on county matters

Protecting our rural way of life-trying to fix the infrastructure we have now and being proactive for the future rather than reactive

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I will be honest and straight forward. You might not like what you hear, but you always hear the truth.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

As a man of his word

Not a yes man, but one that was for the people of the county

Campaign website: rickyhorne.4commissioner.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Stingers are injuries that impact the nerves in the upper arm, neck or shoulder and often give a player a burning sensation in his arms and hands. Most stingers resolve quickly, but some symptoms can last weeks or months.

“We’re going to evaluate him more over the next day or so and just make sure that he is in the right spot,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “We have a nice little window here to get him turned around.”

Canales said Legette does not have a concussion.

Legette will not play in the Panthers’ preseason opener on Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals in Canton, Ohio.

Legette came crashing down after high-pointing a catch in the left corner of the end zone and landed hard and stayed down. Trainers rushed to his side and Legette was later seen wiggling his fingers in the air before boarding a cart.

Players shook Legette's right hand before he was taken into the locker room.

The Panthers have already lost wide receiver Chris Brazzell, their third-round pick from Tennessee, for the season to a torn LCL injury. Legette and Brazell were expected to battle for the team’s No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Jalen Coker and last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan.

Legette had 35 catches for 363 yards and three TDs last season and lost his job late in the year to Coker.

Canales said despite the demotion he has been impressed with how Legette has responded in training camp.

“He’s been the same person since he got here,” Canales said. “He’s a tireless worker. He cares. It matters to him. He takes coaching well. He’s a very humble guy. He wants to work at the things he needs to improve on."

Canales added that "the longer he’s with us, the less it’s about the concepts and the more it’s about just the details and fine techniques of playing the wide receiver position.”

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

While on stage at Chicago’s United Center, Grande told her fans that “things can get a little blown out of proportion,” and that her decision to take a break from public life was one she had "quietly made a long time ago,” rather than a “reactive or impulsive thing.”

Reading from her phone, she continued: “It was a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place. And I want you to know that many things can be true at the same time.”

On Sunday, producers for a London production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George” announced that Grande had withdrawn from her role in the musical, set to debut at the Barbican theater in 2027.

Grande’s recent breakup from “Wicked” co-star Ethan Slater, the ongoing tour and last week’s release of the album “Petal” has fueled rampant speculation online about her health and appearance. She has previously expressed discomfort with public discourse around her weight, stating in a 2023 TikTok video, “I think we should be gentler and less comfortable commenting on people’s bodies, no matter what.”

A representative for Grande told People magazine that the 33-year-old singer “will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour.”

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” the statement said.

A representative for Grande did not offer further comment to The Associated Press.

Continuing her remarks from the stage Monday, Grande said she knows fans are worried that “negativity was ruining things” for her, but said the opposite is true.

"Multiple things can be true at the same time: boundaries need to be set, human beings can need a break sometimes, and also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional and creative life,” she told her fans, who erupted in cheers.

The “Eternal Sunshine” tour is scheduled to conclude on Sept. 1 in London, after a 10-night residency at the famed O2 Arena.

Japan has bolstered its military capability and spending in recent years and has started deploying long-range cruise missiles as a deterrent to China's military activity.

The 598-page defense paper adopted by the Cabinet on Tuesday reiterated that China is Japan’s biggest strategic challenge. Japan is alarmed by the growing presence and frequency of Chinese warships in the Pacific Ocean.

The annual white paper outlines Japan’s military activity and priorities and analysis of military trends in specific countries. As Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government needs public support for further military buildup and spending and to attract service members, the report has features to appeal to readers including a cartoon on the cover and links to video clips in Japanese, English and Chinese.

Combat drones for new warfare

Inspired by the use of drones by Ukraine, Japan considers it is essential to adapt to “new ways of warfare,” the paper said.

With many countries racing to develop combat drones, Japan's government prioritizes development of its own for a coastal defense, in combination with long-range missiles.

“Speed is key,” Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said in early July.

The Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency recently selected four drone makers out of 38 applicants for a rapid development program and that they will advance to testing by Japan's navy in early August before a final selection.

A number of companies are developing similar drones. Toshiba announced Friday plans to jointly develop combat drones with startup Pro Drone.

Uncrewed weapons could help Japan make up for its decreasing number of service members in a country with a shrinking population.

Experts say developing fully homemade drones while Japan’s commercial drone market is dominated by Chinese imports would be a challenge.

Alarmed by China’s activity in the Pacific, Russia and North Korea

Japan has strengthened its military forces on southwestern islands in recent years and has started deploying long-range cruise missiles, as it worries about a conflict in Taiwan, which China claims as its territory.

The paper noted the growing presence of Chinese warships and frequency of their activity in the Pacific as a major concern. The Defense Ministry has established a unit dedicated to studying Japan’s Pacific strategy and strengthening its defense against China.

China has consistently increased its military spending without transparency and strengthened nuclear and missile capability extensively and rapidly, the defense paper said.

It noted that last December, during Chinese aircraft carrier drills near southwestern Japan, Chinese aircraft locked their radars on Japanese planes — which is considered a possible preparation for firing missiles.

Two Chinese aircraft carriers were spotted last June near the southern Japanese island of Iwo Jima for the first time. This triggered Tokyo's worries about Beijing’s rapidly expanding military activity far beyond its borders and in disputed areas in the East China Sea.

Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have escalated since Takaichi said in November that Chinese military action against Taiwan could justify Japan’s use of force.

China on Tuesday rejected sections of Japan’s annual defense white paper concerning the Chinese military, calling the document “rife with false narratives” and accusing Japan of using it as “an excuse to ease restrictions on its military buildup.”

“It is a classic case of the thief crying ‘stop thief’ — a pretext to unshackle its own military,” said Chen Xi, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense.

China’s growing joint military operation with Russia around Japan, including joint bomber flights and warship operations, is also “a grave national security concern,” the paper said.

It says North Korea’s rapid development of missiles, including hypersonic arsenals, is an “increasingly serious and pressing threat” and that the North’s growing military ties with Russia and its backing for Moscow's war in Ukraine are a grave concern.

Bolstering defense industry, weapons sale

Strengthening arms production and technology is essential to Japan's military power, the paper said. The government has been expanding funding for startups and scientific research.

In a country that had maintained a pacifist pledge since the end of World War II, many established companies avoid ties to lethal weapons, but a growing number of startups are showing interest in converting dual-use technology for military use, officials say.

Japan’s recent scrapping of lethal weapons export ban could also help strengthen the country's underdeveloped defense industry.

Weapons technology transfer and joint development and production strengthens both the Japanese defense industry base and Japan's ties with its defense partners, said Koizumi, whose travels to other countries have involved arms sales.

Japan recently made major deals, including the joint development and transfer of 11 upgraded Mogami-class frigates to Australia. It is discussing a similar deal with New Zealand and has struck a deal to sell retired destroyers to the Philippines.

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote in their own words.

Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Blake Iverson

Occupation: Owner of Hometown Electrical

Age: 42

Family: I am married to Christi, and we have three children.

Education: State Registered Electrical Contractor

Master Electrician

Certified Thermographer

Graduate of the Jacksonville Electrical Apprenticeship Program

Baker County High School Graduate

Political experience: Current County Commissioner for District 4

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

Several topics have emerged as key areas of discussion during this election. These include government accountability, transparency in government operations, and the efficiency of county services.

I believe public service begins with listening. It means treating people with kindness, even when we disagree. It means studying the issues, asking questions, praying for wisdom, and making decisions based on what is best for the whole county.

It also means being present. You deserve a commissioner who will answer the phone, return your call, listen to your concerns, and stay with a problem until the work is done.

You also deserve a county government that is open and accountable to the people it serves. I will be honest about where I stand, explain the reasons behind my decisions, and make sure you know how and why your county government is acting on your behalf. Transparency builds trust, and I will always work to earn and keep that trust.

That is the kind of commissioner I have worked to be, and it is the kind of commissioner I will continue to be.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

I bring something that cannot be measured by titles alone. I bring real-world, practical experience.

I have spent my career building a local business, managing employees and budgets, meeting payroll, serving customers, and making difficult decisions with real consequences. I know what it means to be responsible for the well-being of other families. I know that when a problem arises, you cannot simply talk about it, you have to find a solution.

That experience has taught me to plan ahead, use common sense, take responsibility, and follow through on what I say I will do.

Those are the same lessons I bring to the Board of County Commissioners.

Baker County is growing, and growth will bring both opportunities and challenges. We cannot wait until those challenges are here before we begin preparing for them. We must be thoughtful and intentional now.

I will work to prepare for growth while protecting our land, our natural resources, our taxpayers, and the hometown values that make Baker County a special place to call home.

I will approach each decision with an open mind. I will listen before I speak. I will study the facts before I vote. I will never claim to have every answer, but I will always be willing to do the work necessary to find the best answer.

My goal is not to build a political career or add another title to my name. My goal is to serve.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

As a county commissioner, I want our children to have opportunities here. I want our local businesses to succeed. I want our families to feel heard, and I want the people of Baker County to know their county government is working for them.

I will bring determination to the job. I will bring common sense. I will bring practical experience.

Most importantly, I want to be remembered as someone who has a servant’s heart and a sincere love for the people and the place I call home.

Campaign website: N/A

Campaign social media: Facebook

CJ Thompson

Occupation: Chief Operating Officer, Majority Strategies

Age: 44

Family: My wife, Jessica, and I live in Glen St. Mary with our two daughters, Kendall and Reagan.

Education: Baker County High School graduate.

Florida State University, Bachelor of Science in Finance.

Florida State University, Master of Business Administration.

Political experience: My background is in local government and public-sector leadership. I previously served as Chair of the Baker County Land Planning Agency, where I gained direct experience with land use, zoning, development, and growth-management issues before they reached the County Commission. I was later appointed County Manager for Baker County, where I managed county departments, public services, contracts, and long-term planning while working directly with commissioners, staff, and the public to deliver results.

I also served as Director of Intragovernmental Services for the City of Jacksonville, overseeing major public operations including information technology, procurement, fleet management, and 630-CITY.

That experience gives me a practical understanding of how local government works and how decisions made by elected officials affect residents, services, and taxpayers.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

The top three issues are accountability in how taxpayer dollars are spent, roads and infrastructure, and responsible growth management.

First, county government must be transparent and accountable with public dollars. When millions in fund balances go untracked for years, that is not just an accounting problem. It is a failure of oversight. Taxpayers deserve to know how decisions are made, how money is spent, and whether they are getting value for their tax dollars. I will bring the experience and discipline needed to help restore that standard.

Second, Baker County residents have spoken clearly: roads need attention, and county government needs to respond with a real plan and real results. Roads, drainage, and infrastructure are basic services people depend on every day. That means disciplined budgeting, a transparent project list, and a long-term commitment to actually follow through.

Third, growth must be managed responsibly. Baker County can grow without losing the rural character that makes this community home, but that requires planning ahead rather than reacting to growth after it arrives. We need a strategic growth plan that aligns future development with infrastructure capacity, transportation needs, and long-term community goals. Growth should be directed to areas where roads, utilities, and public services can support it, while protecting agricultural and rural areas that define Baker County’s character. New development should pay its fair share and not create additional burdens for existing taxpayers.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

My background in local government gives me a practical understanding of what county commissioners actually do, and what they do not do. Commissioners set policy, approve budgets, establish priorities, and provide oversight. They do not run the county’s day-to-day operations. Understanding that distinction matters because effective leadership requires both accountability and respect for the proper role of the office.

County commissioners make decisions that affect roads, infrastructure, growth, public safety, county employees, and taxpayer dollars. My experience gives me a practical understanding of how those decisions move from an agenda item to actual results for the people of Baker County.

I believe voters deserve a commissioner who understands the role, respects its limits, and knows how to turn priorities into results.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

I would hope Baker County residents feel their county government worked better for them, communicated more clearly with them, and was more accountable to them. That means making meaningful progress on roads and infrastructure, strengthening accountability in county government, and putting a strategic growth plan in place so growth is managed responsibly rather than reactively.

I would also hope people remember that I listened, treated people fairly, respected the role of the office, and made decisions based on what I believed was best for Baker County.

Campaign website: cjthompson.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

The attack Saturday at a new In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls ended when the gunman, identified by police as 24-year-old Chad Williams, shot and killed himself. On Monday, police were still trying to determine why Williams carried out the attack, which happened early in the afternoon in a busy shopping plaza in the southern Idaho city.

Many details about Williams' life were still unknown Monday, but an initial search of court records in Idaho and Arizona, where he used to live, didn't show any criminal cases matching his name and birth date.

Man who knew gunman says he was ‘pretty chill’

Elijah Moseley, who lived across the hall from Williams in a College of Southern Idaho dorm a few years ago, described him as “an introvert” and “a pretty chill guy.”

“I was never scared or weirded out by him,” he said.

Moseley said he considered Williams a relatively close friend, though they lost touch a couple of years ago.

“I’m shocked by this and sick to my stomach about this,” he said.

Detectives are confident that Williams acted alone, Police Chief Matthew Hicks said Sunday, noting that Williams’ family is cooperating fully with the investigation.

Two of the wounded victims were treated at a hospital and released, three were listed as stable, and two others were in critical condition, police said Sunday.

During the attack, an off-duty state trooper and a civilian fired on Williams and diverted him from the restaurant, the chief said. Police haven't disclosed their names or those of the victims, but some victims have been identified by friends and relatives. Twin Falls spokesperson Josh Palmer said Monday that police were still trying to identify next of kin.

A vigil is planned for Tuesday evening at Twin Falls City Park, Palmer said.

In-N-Out employee among those killed

The attack happened at an In-N-Out that opened late last month as part of the California chain’s Idaho expansion, and an employee at the burger joint was among those killed, the fast-food chain’s owner, Lynsi Snyder, said in a statement. She didn't identify the worker.

Kimberley Castaneda confirmed to The Associated Press that her brother, Christopher Claunch, was among those killed, but she declined to discuss him further.

Garren Taylor, one of Claunch's friends, said that two years ago, Claunch completed a rehab program for alcohol abuse at Renaissance Ranch Recovery Center in Rupert, Idaho, and was immediately hired there. Taylor said Claunch, known to those close to him as “Toph,” had since then dedicated his life to helping others get sober.

“He helped hundreds of people,” Taylor recalled Monday. “He was just a gift to anyone he came in contact with. It wasn’t about the paycheck, his attitude was: ‘I get to help someone today.’”

Renaissance Ranch declined to comment Monday.

Wounded man moved closer to gunfire to help

In a Facebook post, Marcus Scott James said his son Austin “A.J.” Scott James was critically wounded in the attack and faces a long recovery. He said his son was shot after he moved “toward the danger” when he heard gunfire in an effort to protect others.

“We are incredibly thankful that God spared his life and that his wife and friend were there to provide immediate care until he could get to the hospital," he wrote.

Marcus James said in a message to the AP on Monday that his son used to work as a law enforcement officer for the Twin Falls police and the Idaho State Police. He declined to comment further on his son’s actions, saying it is his son's story to tell.

Terry Dudley, a driver for North Star Taxi, was shot as he was charging one of the company’s Teslas in a parking lot next to the In-N-Out Burger, said James Palmer, who owns the taxi service and is Dudley’s friend.

Palmer said Dudley called him to tell him he was shot after he couldn’t get through to 911. He said Dudley was flown to a hospital in Boise and remained there Monday with serious injuries, he said.

“It’s a lot, man,” Palmer said. “It’s daunting, to say the least, to even try to gather the scope of all this. It’s been absolute chaos."

He said Dudley was “kind of like my right hand.”

Gunman left local college before graduating

Williams attended the College of Southern Idaho from August 2022 and December 2023, according to the school's president, L. Dean Fisher. He didn’t graduate or earn a certificate from the school, which has about 10,000 students.

Williams served in the student senate but was unanimously impeached by his fellow senators in February 2023. Moseley, who served as the senate pro-tempore at the time, said Williams was ousted because he wasn't very active or engaged in student government.

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Associated Press reporters Christopher Weber and Jamie Stengle contributed to this report.

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This story was first published on Aug. 3, 2026. It was updated on Aug. 4, 2026, to include the last names of victim Austin Scott James and his father, Marcus Scott James.

Fernandez was back in court with his attorneys on Tuesday as Judge London Kite finalized the wording of the juror questionnaire that will help narrow the jury pool.

Kite also ruled on two final motions from the defense, agreeing that testimony from a pair of prosecution witnesses should be blocked.

One witness was expected to testify to conversations she overheard between Fernandez and his now-estranged wife, Shanna Gardner, and the other was expected to testify about a conversation between Gardner and Fernandez that was repeated to the witness.

Kite ruled that both fall under marital privilege, and that Fernandez had a right to expect those conversations to remain private. But she also said the state can bring up the issue again if it can pinpoint elements of the testimony that don’t fall under marital privilege.

As part of the preparation for trial, Kite ordered that the seated jurors’ names be kept anonymous until 60 days after the trial, which is typical in high-profile cases.

Fernandez’s defense attorneys withdrew a motion on Friday related to cellphone records that might be presented as evidence during the trial.

Last week, Kite granted a motion from prosecutors to limit what Fernandez’s attorneys can ask criminal informants charged with crimes who will testify for the state. The state also provided, as requested, a list of witnesses who discussed the possibility of immunity in exchange for testifying, but said no witness was granted immunity.

RELATED | ‘A lot of decisions could be made’: Attorney weighs in on new evidence in Bridegan murder case

Jury selection for Fernandez will begin on Monday.

Fernandez, who is accused of hiring a gunman to murder Bridegan, his wife’s ex-husband, in a case that has garnered national attention, will now be tried only on first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony.

Prosecutors announced during a hearing last week that the other two charges Fernandez had been indicted on -- conspiracy to commit murder and child abuse -- had been dropped.

NEW INFORMATION: Prosecutor drops bombshell in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case: Accused gunman was not alone on night of shooting | RELATED: Defense attorneys for Mario Fernandez briefly discussed plea deal with state in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case

Fernandez is accused, along with Gardner, of hiring Henry Tenon, a former tenant of Fernandez, to fatally shoot Bridegan, a 33-year-old father of four, in February 2022 in Jacksonville Beach.

Gardner, Fernandez and Tenon are all under indictment for first-degree murder and other charges and have each pleaded not guilty.

Gardner also appeared in court on Friday for a pre-trial hearing to address issues as her trial date looms after Fernandez.

After initially planning to try Gardner and Fernandez at the same time, defense attorneys and state prosecutors have since agreed that they should face separate trials, with two separate jury selection periods.

Fernandez will go on trial first, with jury selection slated for Aug. 10-14, and his trial scheduled for Aug. 17-28.

Gardner will go on trial after Fernandez, with jury selection from Aug. 31-Sept. 4, and the trial from Sept. 8-25.

Tenon, who is also expected in court on Monday, will go on trial in March.

In 2023, Tenon pleaded guilty and admitted to being the gunman who killed Bridegan, but he has since backtracked, and a judge granted his motion to withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial.

Prosecution bombshell

While arguing a motion on Friday, Assistant State Attorney Alan Mizrahi revealed information about the case that was new to the public.

Speaking for the prosecution, Mizrahi said the state has evidence that multiple people were involved in the ambush shooting that killed Bridegan in February 2022 in Jacksonville Beach.

Previously, the state had only said that Henry Tenon, the alleged hired gunman, was at the scene and fired the fatal shots after leaving a tire in the road to force Bridegan to get out of his SUV.

Now, the state has indicated that Tenon was not alone at the shooting scene.

“When the victim was killed, there is a person that fled on foot and a person that fled in a vehicle. We know that Henry Tenon left his DNA behind on that tire. And we know that Henry Tenon was not driving the pick-up truck that fled the scene,” Mizrahi said, arguing that this was proof of a deeper conspiracy in the case.

It’s unclear if the state is implying that Fernandez was driving the truck that night or if it was someone else.

During Friday’s hearing, Mizrahi pointed to the landlord-tenant relationship between Fernandez and Tenon as evidence that the two were connected, but said the state also has evidence of communications between the two in the days, weeks and “on the day of the particular crime.”

Timeline: How we got here

More than four years ago, Jared Bridegan dropped his then-9-year-old twin children off at the home of his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, after a “date night” with their dad.

He left Gardner’s Jacksonville Beach home on Feb. 16, 2022, with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, strapped in her car seat in the back of his dark-colored SUV. They were headed back to St. Augustine.

But the 33-year-old Microsoft employee never made it home.

Following his normal route through the Sanctuary neighborhood, Bridegan suddenly had to stop in the area of Jacksonville Drive, America Avenue and Sanctuary Boulevard.

A tire was in the road.

When Bridegan stepped out of his SUV, he was ambushed by gunfire. At least one bullet missed Bexley by mere inches in her car seat.

RELATED | Murder-for-hire plot included practice run along Jared Bridegan’s normal route home: prosecutors

Bridegan was left lying in the street next to the SUV with the door wide open, and the shooter seemed to melt into the shadows just as quickly as he had launched his ambush attack.

None of the 911 callers that night mentioned seeing a shooter or a vehicle leaving the scene.

The state has since said that the shooter ran off on foot and someone else drove away from the scene in a pick-up truck.

Prosecutors also said they have Tenon’s DNA on the tire that was left in the road.

LISTEN: Press play below to hear 911 calls from night of Jared Bridegan’s murder (WARNING: May include graphic content)

Eventually, detectives tracked down the man they say pulled the trigger.

Investigators say that it was all part of a murder-for-hire plot set in motion by Gardner and her second husband, Mario Fernandez. It was a conspiracy that began in November of 2021, according to court documents.

Interactive Timeline

Alleged murder-for-hire scheme

According to detectives, Gardner was tired of sharing custody of her twin children with Bridegan.

Fernandez, she knew, could “take care of him” because of his military background, Gardner told a friend. At least that’s what the friend told investigators as she detailed the strained marriage between Gardner and Fernandez and the contentious ongoing custody battle between Gardner and Bridegan.

RELATED: A friend of Shanna Gardner said she could help in Jared Bridegan’s murder case. Here’s what she told investigators | How investigators say they untangled conspiracy to kill Jared Bridegan

Investigators say that’s exactly what Fernandez did, hiring Henry Tenon, a tenant at one of his properties, to kill Bridegan.

In his initial interview with police in July 2022, Tenon told investigators that he had been renting a home from Fernandez in Jacksonville’s Biltmore neighborhood for several years.

Tenon’s original court records said he became involved in the conspiracy on Jan. 4, 2022 -- just over a month before Bridegan was killed.

Investigators said when Tenon was arrested on an unrelated felony driving charge in August 2022, they questioned him about Bridegan’s murder and a Ford F-150 truck they had been searching for since the shooting.

RELATED | Follow the money: Checks written to Jared Bridegan’s admitted killer connect him to 2 accused in ‘murder-for-hire plot’ | Jared Bridegan’s wife files wrongful death lawsuit against 3 accused in his murder

Tenon was later arrested in Bridegan’s murder, and investigators said the single link between Tenon and Bridegan was Fernandez.

Again, Tenon initially pleaded guilty, but has since withdrawn his guilty plea.

He is now under indictment for some of the same charges as Gardner and Fernandez.

Gardner is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse.

Tenon is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse, possession of a firearm by a felon and accessory after the fact.

State prosecutors initially said they would be seeking the death penalty against Gardner and Fernandez if they were convicted, but they have since taken the death penalty off the table, with the support of Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten, and his family.

President Donald Trump’s second term has been defined by sweeping unilateral action abroad and relentless intraparty battles at home.

His campaign-style purge of dissent and renewed claims about the 2020 election have become the floor of Republican messaging — even as just 37% of Americans approve of his job performance, according to AP-NORC polling.

Veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz put it plainly.

“There is a sense of chaos and confusion,” Luntz said.

That chaos doesn’t stop at the Republican Party’s door.

Democrats are watching high-profile candidates collapse in competitive races — through scandal, outside spending wars and ideological fault lines that outside money has made impossible to paper over.

The truth is, nobody’s midterm plan survived contact with 2026.

Republicans arrived at the cycle with a simple argument: the border was tighter, the economy was recovering, and voters would reward results.

Democrats bet that anti-Trump energy would be enough to drive turnout and flip chambers.

Three months from Election Day, both strategies are in pieces — and both parties are improvising.

Trump’s escalating conflict with Iran has pushed gas prices higher and rattled global oil markets, pulling economic anxiety back into the headlines just as Republicans hoped to close that chapter.

Meanwhile, a wave of primary scandals — in Wisconsin, Maine and Michigan — has forced both parties into damage control at exactly the moment they should be building momentum.

The midterm map isn’t broken. It’s just nothing like how anyone drew it up.

Scandal reshapes battlegrounds

Three states that were supposed to be competitive-but-manageable have become something else entirely: unpredictable.

In Wisconsin, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez’s exit following a campaign finance flap immediately reshuffled the Democratic primary, boosting state Rep. Francesca Hong’s standing in a race that was already drawing national attention.

In Maine, nominee Graham Platner’s withdrawal — amid sexual assault allegations and troubling past social media posts — didn’t just upend one race. It raised a harder question: How does a major party miss something that serious during vetting?

Michigan was a different kind of mess. Abdul El-Sayed’s primary campaign became the target of nearly $30 million in outside spending from AIPAC-affiliated groups backing incumbent Rep. Haley Stevens. That’s not a campaign finance footnote — that’s a redefinition of what a Democratic primary looks like in 2026.

Democratic pollster Celinda Lake watched all of it unfold and didn’t pull her punches.

“There is something in the air that has made these candidates incredibly reckless,” Lake said.

Trump’s Iran gambit

Republicans had a plan for the economy. Iran wasn’t in it.

Trump’s escalation with Iran has driven up global oil concerns and pushed gas prices higher — a tangible, fill-up-the-tank reminder that foreign policy and kitchen-table economics are rarely as separate as campaigns pretend.

For suburban voters who swung toward Republicans in 2024 on pocketbook concerns, that’s a hard number to talk around.

It also puts Republican candidates in competitive districts in an uncomfortable spot: defend the president’s foreign policy and risk alienating moderates or create distance from Trump and risk the base. Neither option is clean.

Adding to the pressure, Trump’s influence over Senate primaries — including his role in pushing out Sen. John Cornyn of Texas — has forced the GOP to spend resources defending seats that, in any other cycle, would have been banked and forgotten.

Democrats: Ahead in polls, divided on message

The numbers look decent for Democrats. The picture underneath them is more complicated.

New Pew Research Center polling conducted July 6–12, shows Democrats ahead on the generic congressional ballot, 43% to 37%, with higher voter engagement heading into the fall. In a normal cycle, that would be a strong position to be in.

But voters are essentially deadlocked on which party handles the economy better — 37% say Democrats, 36% say Republicans. That one-point gap is not a lead. It’s a warning.

The moderate-progressive divide is real, it’s loud, and the Michigan primary made it louder.

When AIPAC-aligned money mobilizes at that scale inside a Democratic primary, it doesn’t just pick a winner — it signals to every future progressive candidate exactly what kind of opposition is waiting.

Whether that chills the field or hardens it is one of the more consequential open questions of this cycle.

Outside money: The new party infrastructure

Here’s what the Michigan numbers mean: outside groups are no longer playing a supporting role in Democratic primaries. They’re writing the script.

Nearly $30 million spent in a single primary race isn’t an anomaly. It’s a preview.

Well-funded interest groups — on both sides of the aisle — are filling the vacuum left by weakened party committees and fractured ideological coalitions. In some races, they’re more organized, better funded and more strategically disciplined than the parties themselves.

The question heading into November isn’t just whether the candidates who survived those spending wars are electable. It’s whether the coalitions that got them through the primary bear any resemblance to the ones they’ll need in a general election.

What November looks like from here

So which party has the better hand to play? Honestly, neither has it locked up — and both know it.

Democrats hold an early engagement edge, but engagement advantages measured in July don’t always survive the long haul to October absentee voting and November turnout.

Candidate quality — now a genuine wild card in Wisconsin, Maine and Michigan — will matter enormously in states where margins are likely to be measured in the thousands.

For Republicans, the Senate path runs straight through primaries Trump shaped, in states where general electorates are measurably more moderate than the base that chose those nominees.

That’s a gap candidates will have to close on their own, without much help from a national party that is still managing its own internal contradictions.

For Democrats, the challenge is simpler to describe and harder to solve: bridge a moderate-progressive divide that outside money has made more visible than ever, and give swing voters a reason to believe the party has an economic argument — not just an anti-Trump argument — worth showing up for.

Three months is enough time to recover. It’s also enough time to finish falling apart. Both parties are in a race to figure out which one applies to them.

Key takeaways

• Scandals and late withdrawals in Wisconsin, Maine and Michigan have turned expected battlegrounds into genuine toss-ups.
• Trump’s Iran escalation handed Democrats an unexpected economic opening — and handed Republicans an unexpected headache.
• Democrats lead on the generic ballot but are statistically tied with Republicans on economic leadership, per Pew (July 6–12).
• Outside groups, particularly AIPAC-affiliated organizations, are functioning as de facto party infrastructure in key Democratic primaries.
• Candidate quality and coalition-building — not just national trends — will likely decide control of Congress.

Our conversation

News4JAX Political Analyst Rick Mullaney, director of Jacksonville University’s Haskell Public Policy Institute, joins me on this week’s episode of “Politics & Power” to discuss:

• Midterm game plans vs. current messes
• Voter reactions to Iran conflict and gas prices
• Candidate vetting and party discipline
• The role of outside money (AIPAC, PACs) in primaries
• November scenarios if fragile nominees prevail or fall

Catch our encore presentation at 9 p.m. Tuesday on News4JAX+. You can also catch up any time on demand on News4JAX+, News4JAX.com or our YouTube channel.

Serena and Venus Williams are set to take part in the Cincinnati Open, which begins next week. Organizers announced Monday they had received a wild-card entry into the doubles field.

They last played a doubles match together at the 2022 U.S. Open. It is their first time teaming up in the hard-court tune-up tournament in Mason, Ohio.

The Williams sisters received a wild-card entry to play doubles at Wimbledon, but an injury to Serena prevented that from happening. They have won 14 major titles and three Olympic gold medals in doubles play.

Venus Williams, 46, is set to play mixed doubles at the U.S. Open later this month in New York alongside Alexander Bublik. She and her younger sister playing at Cincinnati is the latest step in Serena’s comeback at age 44 after losing at Wimbledon in her first singles match in nearly four years.

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

Students outside Waynesville Primary School seemed eager to get back to their classrooms and friends.

One teacher told us that the day is about more than academics for these kids. It’s about creating their new normal after the fire burned thousands of acres of land and closed schools in the county for a number of days, while emergency crews worked to contain the blaze.

The school district serves over 3,000 students, and more than 100 of them were displaced during the fire, according to the superintendent, Dr. Walker Todd.

RELATED | ‘Brantley Strong’: Students, new superintendent look ahead after Highway 82 wildfire

Waynesville Primary teacher Tina Gibson said she also had to evacuate her home and stay with a friend for a few weeks.

“I’m really excited because a bunch of them are just now getting homes, and so starting the new school year in a new home will help them feel more stable and more ready to learn,” Gibson said. “Just being back and seeing their faces being back to the normalcy.”

We asked Todd what his message was to families going into the new school year.

“The message is more so for the parents, community, and the students. Thank you for trusting us with your kids, first and foremost, to our parents. We’re gonna do everything we can do to make sure they’re healthy, to make sure they’re successful. To the students, our teachers are excited; they’re ready to see you. And we’re ready to just do a great school year,” Todd said.

Todd is also starting his first year as superintendent of Brantley County.

The nominee will face former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running unopposed after narrowly losing a Senate race in 2024.

Democrats endured a bitter and expensive campaign that became a proxy battle between the party’s establishment and progressive wings. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer backed Stevens, while Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez supported El-Sayed.

Stevens is a four-term congresswoman from the outskirts of Detroit who has focused on manufacturing and the economy in a campaign she called a “love letter to Michigan.” She stresses her past victories in tough races, saying she is best positioned to beat Rogers.

Asked Sunday about the race being a battle for two Democratic visions, Stevens replied: “It's a Michigan moment for me, baby.”

Stevens benefited from tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, including the largest investment in a race ever from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports pro-Israel candidates.

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, is seeking a political comeback after losing the 2018 gubernatorial primary to now-Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. He campaigned on Medicare for All, campaign finance reform and ending military aid to Israel.

“We’re in a situation right now where the rich keep getting hyper-rich on the backs of figuring out how to monetize everyday people,” El-Sayed told AP during a Sunday afternoon march, as his supporters chanted behind him, “Money out of politics! Money in your pockets!”

Voters are also choosing nominees in competitive House races and for governor. The GOP gubernatorial primary features U.S. Rep. John James, who is backed by President Donald Trump, and businessman Perry Johnson, who has spent millions of his personal fortune. For Democrats, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is the overwhelming favorite over Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

Michigan is a must-win Senate race for Democrats

Michigan's Senate seat is open because Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring. Hopes for a relatively orderly primary to replace him disappeared when Stevens, El-Sayed and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow all entered the race. McMorrow suspended her campaign in July.

Stevens won election to Congress in 2018 after serving as chief of staff to President Barack Obama’s auto task force, which helped oversee the federal rescue of General Motors and Chrysler. Her campaign and allied groups have repeatedly highlighted that experience, including advertisements featuring Obama calling her “a critical part of my team.”

Backed by Sanders from the outset, El-Sayed cast himself as the anti-establishment candidate and aimed to join the ranks of newcomers winning races this year across the country — sometimes unseating incumbents backed by party leaders, in places like New York and Denver.

He argued that Democrats need to reject corporate influence and embrace a more progressive agenda. In addition to Medicare for All, his campaign centered on lowering prescription drug costs and banning corporate PAC money.

Kenneth Woodside, 87, of West Bloomfield, said he voted Tuesday for El-Sayed over Stevens because he wants someone in office who is "more focused on the people rather than just on the wealthy and businesses.”

Woodside said he has faith that El-Sayed can defeat Rogers.

“I think the nation is ready for someone who wants to take some more action rather than on the road we are now, which is on the road to an oligarchy and authoritarianism,” he said.

Outside influences have spent millions on the Senate race

National groups poured unprecedented sums into the race, making it one of the country’s biggest tests of outside spending.

Groups backing Stevens spent more than $50 million, led by more than $30 million from AIPAC and its affiliates.

The spending thrust Israel policy into the center of the race even though the ads never mentioned it. While El-Sayed called for ending military aid to Israel, Stevens maintained strong support for the relationship.

Israel has become a contentious issue within the Democratic Party amid a war in Gaza that killed more than 73,000 Palestinians in its retaliatory offensive after about 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages were taken in attacks by the militant group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

The race also became a proxy fight over the direction of the party. In addition to Schumer, more establishment-aligned senators, such as Peters, backed Stevens, while progressives such as Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Elizabeth Warren lined up behind El-Sayed.

Voters also will decide governor and U.S. House matchups

Trump traveled to Michigan on July 27 and gave a speech at a General Motors plant, at one point calling the gubernatorial hopeful James and several other Republican politicians, including Rogers, onstage. James, a second-term congressman, previously ran twice unsuccessfully for Senate.

The primary turned uglier than Republicans hoped, with Johnson spending big sums of money on ads targeting James. Johnson ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2022 and also launched a long-shot presidential bid in 2024.

In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, much of the party including lawmakers and outside groups, such as the United Auto Workers union, coalesced behind Benson.

Meanwhile there are several competitive House races this year that will help decide whether Republicans hold their slim majority or Democrats reclaim the chamber.

In the 4th District, which stretches along Lake Michigan, Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann and election newcomer Diop Harris II are vying to become the nominee to try to oust GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga.

In the 7th District, former U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink, community organizer William Lawrence and former Navy Seal Matt Maasdam are seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in the seat representing the Lansing area.

James' decision to run for governor left open his seat in the 10th District, which includes a portion of Oakland County and stretches across conservative communities in Macomb County. In the GOP primary, Trump endorsed Michael Bouchard against Steffan Demetropoulos and Justin Kirk. The Democratic primary features former state House Rep. Tim Greimel, former prosecutor Christina Hines and former Commerce Department attorney Eric Chung.

And in a heavily Democratic district representing Detroit, Rep. Shri Thanedar looks to fend off a primary challenge from state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who argued that the city should once again have a Black representative in Congress. After Thanedar won election in 2022, Detroit had no Black representation in Congress for the first time since the early 1950s.

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Associated Press reporter Corey Williams contributed from West Bloomfield, Michigan.

The friendlies include games against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in U.S. cities that didn’t host World Cup action this summer.

The Americans will face Peru on Sept. 26 at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Three days later, they will host Chile at Energizer Park in St. Louis. The US-Mexico rivalry resumes Oct. 3 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. And the finale against Canada follows three days later at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota.

All four matches will be broadcast on TNT, HBO Max, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.

The games come on the heels of the U.S. team’s run to the round of 16 at the World Cup. They also will serve as the first action since U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino agreed to a new deal that puts him under contract through 2030.

“We are so excited to start this new phase of our journey with matches in front of our home fans,” Pochettino said in a statement. “Their amazing energy during the summer has set the standard.

“Our objective is always to play the best opponents possible, and these matches provide a variety of experiences for this group of players as we begin this new chapter of the U.S Men’s National Team.”

The 2030 World Cup will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

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

Same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, edged up 0.8% in the U.S. That’s a sharp slowdown from the 2.5% increase a year ago, when the company had a big win with a meal tied to “A Minecraft Movie.” Global same-store sales rose 1.3%.

CEO Chris Kempczinski said during the company's earnings call on Tuesday that the U.S. performance was partly hurt by inconsistent execution across its restaurants and marketing programs that didn't meet expectations.

“We don’t have a strategy problem," he said. "We simply didn’t execute at the level we needed to in the second quarter.”

Another issue was a pullback on the number of digital offers that customers received, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said. Without those offers, customers either bought less, or didn't buy at all. McDonald’s plans to address this by launching more digital offers nationally, starting next week. The company is also looking to send more personalized offers to its most loyal users, he added.

McDonald's, like many restaurant chains, is dealing with American consumers that are keeping a close eye on their wallets. The company warned in May that high gas prices and consumer anxiety over the U.S. conflict with Iran could dent its sales. The U.S. average for regular gasoline reached its most recent peak on May 21 at $4.56 per gallon, according to AAA.

McDonald's has jostled its menu and tried to lure some cost-conscious customers to its restaurants through value meals and other specials. These items can be particularly important for low-income customers, who are hit hard by rising costs. In April, the chain introduced a simplified McValue menu, which has 10 items that cost $3 or less.

Kempczinski said that about a year ago, McDonald's got a bit off target on value, and that its base menu pricing began running higher than its competitors in many places. The company has since worked to bring its prices below or closer to competitors on items ranging from burgers to drinks.

For the three months ended June 30, the Chicago burger chain earned $2.36 billion, or $3.32 per share. A year earlier it earned $2.25 billion, or $3.14 per share.

Excluding one time charges and benefits, earnings were $3.38 per share, beating the $3.32 per share analysts polled by FactSet expected.

Revenue climbed to $7.1 billion from $6.84 billion in the prior-year period, but came a bit short of Wall Street's estimate of $7.13 billion.

McDonald's also announced Tuesday that Skye Anderson will be president of McDonald's USA.

Company shares rose less than 2% Tuesday.

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AP reporter Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report.

A legal brief by the FBI Agents Association is one of five filed by outside parties in the last week in support of the agents, who were terminated as part of a broader personnel purge by FBI Director Kash Patel that has targeted employees who investigated Trump or are perceived as being against the administration's interest.

Taken together, the filings, including from former FBI and Justice Department alumni, underscore a concerted and bipartisan pushback to the waves of terminations that have roiled the FBI in the last year and a half as Patel has sought to remake the bureau in his own image.

The briefs argue that the firings were illegal because the agents were denied due process and punished for perceived political affiliation, and say the terminations contradict decades of expectations that the bureau's “apolitical, professional career corps of agents” can work on sensitive cases without putting their careers at risk.

“The Bureau simply cannot function if individual Special Agents must choose whether to accept a lawful assignment that could later get them fired, or alternatively to reject it and become subject to firing for insubordination. FBI Special Agents have long understood that they are subject to assignment and reassignment at any time based on the needs of the Bureau,” the agents association, which serves nearly 12,000 members, wrote in its brief.

A brief filed by former senior Justice Department officials says the firings have undermined a “half-century of independence as a guiding principle.”

“Putting aside the resulting violation of Plaintiffs' rights, the inevitable impact of this ‘purge’ will be to chill the independence of remaining and future career agents, attorneys, analysts, and other staff at the FBI, DOJ and other law enforcement agencies who must now act with the understanding that their investigative and law enforcement judgments can, for the first time in their careers, be assessed through a partisan political lens,” the brief states.

The three agents — Michelle Ball, Jamie Garman and Blaire Toleman — said in a federal lawsuit filed in March that they were fired in a “retribution campaign” targeting them for their work on the investigation into Trump. The agents performed “exemplary and unblemished” service in the FBI and expected to spend the remainder of their careers at the bureau but were abruptly fired without cause and without being given a chance to respond, the lawsuit says.

The investigation the agents worked on culminated in an indictment from special counsel Jack Smith that accused Trump of scheming to overturn the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

Smith ultimately abandoned that case, along with a separate one accusing Trump of illegally retaining classified records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, after Trump won back the White House in 2024, citing Justice Department legal opinions that prohibit the federal indictments of sitting presidents.

Patel and Pam Bondi, who was the attorney general at the time, have said the fired agents and prosecutors who worked on Smith’s team were responsible for weaponizing federal law enforcement, a claim that was also asserted in their termination letters but that the plaintiffs call defamatory and baseless.

The filings are known in the law as amici, or friend-of-the-court, briefs. They are sometimes submitted by outside parties in lawsuits to help stress particular arguments or inform a judge's thinking.

Other groups who submitted briefs include a collection of First Amendment Scholars, a group called Lawyers for the Rule of Law, and Justice Connection, a network of department alumni that warned in its filing that a “politicized” FBI could turn against citizens because of their speech, association or perceived disloyalty.

“The Constitution,” the filing said, “is designed to prevent precisely this kind of abuse.”

Employers posted 7.36 million vacancies in June, down from 7.54 million in May, the Labor Department said Tuesday. The numbers were in line with economist expectations. Openings rose by 97,000 at warehouse, transportation and utility companies and 39,000 at federal government agencies. Openings dropped at wholesalers and manufacturers of nondurable goods.

Layoffs were little-changed at 1.8 million, and the number of people quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects — rose slightly.

The gross number of people hired — before subtracting those who quit or lost their jobs — rose slightly 5.3 million. But hiring is weaker than it was in the jobs boom that followed pandemic lockdowns. Then, gross monthly hiring often topped 6 million.

Still, the U.S. job market has remained sturdy despite a surge in energy prices caused by the conflict in Iran, rebounding from a 2025 slump. Before the war in Iran, roughly 15 million barrels of Persian Gulf oil were shipped each day through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait borders Iran, which has fired on ships attempting to transit the passage.

So far this year, companies, government agencies and nonprofits have added an average 92,000 jobs a month. That is up from fewer than 10,000 a month last year — fewest outside a recession since 2002 — as employers held off on hiring because of high interest rates and uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s unpredictable economic policies.

When the Labor Department releases its jobs report for July on Friday, it is expected to show job gains of 100,000, up from 57,000 in June. The unemployment rate is expected to have remained at a low 4.2%, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.

In years past, 100,000 new jobs a month would have been mediocre. But Trump’s immigration crackdown and the ongoing retirements of baby boomers mean that fewer people are competing for work. So the economy doesn’t need as many new jobs as it once did to keep the unemployment rate from rising. In fact, some economists believe the “break-even″ rate could be nearly as low as zero jobs.

But an estimated 1,000 minors — among the most vulnerable of those who crossed the border — remain in Ceuta, staying without their families in a foreign land.

One 17-year-old girl told The Associated Press how she watched her 8-year-old brother drown as migrants made a chaotic crossing around a breakwater and a subsequent stampede on the rocky shore to avoid the border fence last Thursday at the peak of the migration surge. She was separated from her mother and has been begging on the streets of Ceuta since. The AP is withholding her identity because she is a minor in a vulnerable situation.

“I saw people stepping on the dead,” she said through a translator since she doesn’t speak Spanish. “Now we are children begging on the street.”

Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska on Tuesday gave a fresh estimate of the migrants who pushed into Ceuta last week, saying a total of around 72,000 crossed over. Of those, he said, 70,000 had returned. Local official Alejandro Ramírez, however, said that it was impossible to know the exact number, which he estimated to be closer to 3,000-5,000 remaining in the city.

The Spanish minister also increased the death toll to 75 people who perished mostly in the water, during the crossing. Morocco reported 11 deaths which are not included in the Spanish total, the Spanish interior ministry said.

Spanish authorities said many of the migrants went back voluntarily after they saw that there was little chance to reach mainland Europe, or that the tiny enclave of 84,000 people was unable or unwilling to accommodate them. Spanish security forces have rounded up others, placing them on trucks and taking them back to the border, but by law, they're not supposed to do that with unaccompanied minors.

Like many migrants, the teenage girl from Tangier came to Ceuta, perched on the north African coast, driven by a viral social media onslaught to try a mad dash to Spain seeking better opportunities. She said some locals gave her food and some clothing, with one woman taking her into her home so she could bathe. She then went to a center for youths run by the government for some help, but found it was full.

Anguish among parents looking for children

The inverse drama was seen in Fnideq on the Moroccan side of the border where parents were hoping to see their children come home.

Ibtissam Chari has been waiting for signs of life from her son, called Rayan. He left Morocco with a group of friends last week. She knows he made it across because he was able to get word to her that he made it to Ceuta. But since then, she hadn't heard from him.

“Every day, we come here in the hope to have any news but there is none,” she said. “Some of his friends from the same neighborhood came back home, which is good news. I heard that many people died. May God protect us.”

Minors must be cared for under Spanish law

Spanish law says that adult migrants can apply for asylum. If rejected, they will face expulsion procedures. The bar is normally very high for Moroccans to be granted humanitarian protection.

Migrant minors who are unaccompanied by adults, however, are supposed to be granted protection and taken care of by Spanish authorities.

An AP journalist witnessed Monday how Spanish soldiers escorted an unaccompanied Moroccan boy who was crying and begging not to be sent back to Morocco. A few meters before reaching the border, and due to pressure from local residents who insisted he was a minor, as well as the presence of the media, a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish Army stopped the repatriation and transferred the boy to the Spanish Civil Guard.

AP journalists, however, witnessed Spanish security forces ushering other young migrants toward the border.

Spain’s government announced Tuesday that it has earmarked 25 million euros ($28.8 million) to be spent on assisting the minors in Ceuta.

Spain's Civil Guard also said Tuesday that it was opening an office for missing persons at the customs house on the border, as well as providing an email address for people to write to with missing persons reports. An AP reporter was unable to arrive at the customs house on the Moroccan side on Tuesday without a European passport or visa.

“In Spain, the fundamental rights of minors as vulnerable individuals are respected, as are those of adults,” Grande-Marlaska told reporters in Madrid Tuesday.

Food is main concern for those migrants still in Ceuta

Among the adult migrants who remain in Ceuta are significant numbers of people from other countries, including Sudanese fleeing their war-torn country, Palestinians from Gaza and Afghans, as well as people from several African nations.

Food is scarce among the migrants, according to reporting by AP journalists. Authorities organized food distribution among the remaining migrants late on Monday.

Ahmed Chenaf, a 25-year-old Moroccan man, told of the poor conditions he experienced in Ceuta before returning. He said he didn’t eat for two days.

“To those thinking of trying to reach Ceuta: you will suffer. All the grocery stores (were) closed. There is no food, and no one wanted to sell us anything,” he said.

The city’s migrant center with a capacity for 600 people is completely full. Many migrants sleep or rest on the beach or hills surrounding the speck of Spain. In the hazy distance, mainland Europe, their ultimate goal, lies across the sea.

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Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain. Associated Press writer Akram Oubachir and video journalist Majd Semlali contributed from Fnideq, Morocco.

Although there have been similar contests around the country, this one will hold extra weight because Michigan is a key state in presidential races. Abdul El-Sayed, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, is up against four-term Rep. Haley Stevens, supported by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

Democratic and Republican voters in Michigan are also deciding on their parties’ nominees to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

In Kansas, Missouri, Virginia and Washington state, voters are settling primaries in a host of races, including a key rematch between Democrats in a Missouri House contest. Also in play is whether Democrats, who tried to redraw districts in Virginia to their advantage but were rebuffed by the state supreme court, can pick candidates who can defeat Republicans in the fall.

Test time for Democrats in Michigan's Senate race

The choice between El-Sayed and Stevens has become a focal point for Democrats this year, and the race has become bitter. Whoever wins will need to bring splintered factions back into the fold to beat Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman.

The seat is open because Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring, and Democrats are under pressure to defend it to preserve their chance of winning control of the chamber.

Another dynamic at play has been the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC and its affiliated groups, which have spent nearly $30 million supporting Stevens.

The issue has become a lightning rod in Democratic politics since the Gaza war has split the party over U.S. backing of Israel. AIPAC backs candidates who support strengthening U.S.-Israeli relations. It's a significant issue in Michigan, which is home to the country's largest Arab American population.

El-Sayed cast the spending as a question of whether grassroots organizing can overcome millions in outside contributions.

That tension was also at play in 2024 when Democratic activists pressured now-Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin to take a harder line on Israel’s war in Gaza. Slotkin, who is Jewish, had already distanced herself from AIPAC earlier. She ultimately defeated Rogers by fewer than 20,000 votes.

Rogers is running for Senate again this year, and is unopposed in the GOP primary.

Will Trump's endorsement overpower self-funded candidate for governor?

Republican voters will decide on their nominee for Michigan governor on Tuesday as well. President Donald Trump has endorsed Rep. John James.

The president's backing typically carries significant weight in Republican politics, but there could be a complicating factor. Businessman Perry Johnson has loaned his campaign more than $30 million, according to Michigan campaign finance records.

A similar dynamic played out this year in Georgia's race for governor, where Rick Jackson spent $100 million, largely of his own money, to overcome the Trump-backed Burt Jones in a runoff.

On the Democratic side, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson faces Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

Virginia Democrats aim to overcome redistricting disappointment

Virginia has been one of Democrats’ greatest regrets this year after the state’s supreme court overturned a voter-approved referendum to redraw its House map to create four new winnable seats for the party.

The measure’s failure left Republicans with a clear national lead in winnable House seats in the partisan footrace triggered by Trump’s unusual mid-decade redistricting push.

Democrats are hoping to whittle away at that lead the old-fashioned way — by winning elections. The first step is Tuesday’s primary, where the party will be watching races in three of the state’s 11 districts to see whether the candidates its strategists see as most competitive can win the nomination.

Two of those candidates are former House members. Elaine Luria, a former Naval commander, is seeking to return to her Virginia Beach-centered swing seat, which she narrowly lost in 2022 to Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans. Luria faces three other Democrats, none with a history of holding elected office, in the primary.

Former Rep. Tom Perriello is running for his old central Virginia seat in the state’s 5th congressional district. The district has swung even further to the right since Perriello briefly represented the region following President Barack Obama’s 2008 election.

Perriello ran this year hoping a remap would make it friendlier to Democrats but says he’ll still compete and hope to flip it in November. He faces political commentator Robert Tracinski and physician Suzanne Krzyzanowski.

Many Democratic strategists see Shannon Taylor, the longtime Henrico County commonwealth’s attorney, as their best bet out of the seven candidates competing for the party’s nomination in the state’s 1st congressional district, a swing seat held by Republican Rep. Rob Wittman.

Last time the progressive lost in Missouri. Who'll emerge in the rematch?

All eyes have been on Michigan, but there's another matchup between Democrats' centrist and leftist wings playing out in a safely blue House seat in the St. Louis area.

Two years ago, prosecutor Wesley Bell ousted firebrand leftist Rep. Cori Bush in the Democratic primary for the district that includes Ferguson, the city where a police killing of a Black teenager helped set off 2014’s Black Lives Matter protests.

Now Bush is back, challenging Bell and arguing voters can take revenge against AIPAC for targeting her in the previous cycle.

Strasbourg said Tuesday it signed the 23-year-old Reyna on a five-year deal from Borussia Mönchengladbach. The transfer fee was reported to be 3 million euros ($3.5 million).

Reyna played in all five U.S. games at the World Cup, and scored a signature goal to cap the opening 4-1 win against Paraguay.

He had a quiet debut season with Gladbach, scoring just once in 20 games, after several seasons at Borussia Dortmund.

Strasbourg, which is in a shared ownership group with Chelsea, placed eighth in Ligue 1 last season and did not qualify for any European competition.

Reyna will play for new coach Hugo Oliveira, a long-time former assistant to Marco Silva who left Fulham to join Benfica.

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

After many shares and comments, thousands of Moroccans became convinced that Europe was suddenly within reach.

Within hours, young people began heading toward the border with the Spanish territory of Ceuta in North Africa. Packed buses rolled into the neighboring Moroccan city of Fnideq. Regional trains filled up. Taxis did too.

By the time authorities reacted, some 72,000 people had reached Ceuta in just a few days, the largest migration surge between Morocco and Spain in years. More than 80 migrants died on both sides of the border, including some who drowned and others who were killed in a stampede, authorities said.

Nearly all of the surviving migrants soon returned, but the fallout from last week’s events will linger.

Rumors started online

In the northern Moroccan city of Larache, about 93 miles (150 kilometers) from Ceuta, three friends watched a video posted by an Instagram account called Haraga Ceuta claiming the border would be open. Haraga refers in Moroccan dialect to young migrants who destroy their identification papers and try crossing illegally into Europe.

The post convinced Anas Amrani, Yahya Harak and Ismail Atik that it was worth risking the journey.

For migrants hoping to reach Spanish territory, the most common route begins in Fnideq, where many attempt the roughly 3-mile (5-kilometer) swim around the border breakwater. Others leave from the nearby village of Belyounech.

One TikTok video mapped the exact route swimmers should follow.

On Facebook groups such as Fnideq Bab Sebta, users shared screenshots from vessel-tracking platforms to identify moments when coast guard patrols appeared lighter. Some sought advice on using inflatable boats. Others advertised wetsuits for sale.

“I saw online that the border was open, and I decided to go,” said 17-year-old Omar Danbor from Fnideq, walking back exhausted along the coast.

It's unclear who was behind the claims that the border was open or who operated many of the social media accounts, several of which were deleted soon after the crossings. The Associated Press contacted several accounts but received no response.

The surge to Ceuta touched a political nerve in Europe, and the European Union is investigating what happened. The EU's migration commissioner expressed concern Tuesday about online disinformation but didn’t identify a specific culprit.

Chaos unfolded at the breakwater

As migrants reached the shores of Ceuta, mass chaos erupted at a narrow concrete breakwater where many tried to climb onto land.

According to multiple migrants interviewed by AP, people rushed to scramble over the slick rocks at the same time, pushing and climbing over one another. Several said they saw people knocked back into the water and forced beneath others, leaving them unable to resurface as migrants sought to reach land.

“I stepped on the face of a dead man while I was climbing out. I hope God forgives me and all those whose bodies were found,” said Lahcen Kalouch, a Moroccan migrant who reached Ceuta before returning home distraught.

At least 72 people died on the Spanish side of the border. Another 11 died on the Moroccan side.

Tens of thousands of migrants have since returned to Morocco, either after being expelled or leaving by choice because of a lack of shelter, food and water in Ceuta.

Some misinterpreted Spain’s new migration measures

Some migrants misunderstood recent legal developments in Spain, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s immigration regularization measures and a court ruling limiting authorities’ ability to immediately return migrants who swim into Ceuta.

Sánchez’s recent efforts to regularize migration were meant only for people already living in Spain prior to Jan. 1, the majority of whom hail from Latin America and entered Spain legally but overstayed their visas. But some in Morocco misinterpreted his policy, believing they would be allowed to stay. That belief spread online.

“Pedro Sánchez is a liar. He told us if we came, we would get jobs and papers, but they sent us back,” said Adam Assil, a migrant from Casablanca, even though Sánchez never made such a promise.

While attempts to reach Ceuta are common, migration activists said this episode was different because of the way rumors snowballed online, encouraging thousands of people to head toward the territory at the same time instead of in smaller, scattered groups.

Failures happened on both sides of the border

Moroccan authorities said the migration wave was not spontaneous. The Interior Ministry blamed the “exploitation of the digital sphere” and “the spread of misinformation.” Officials offered no evidence but said an investigation had been opened. Spain’s government made similar statements.

Ceuta officials said they had warned the Spanish government of a surge in arrivals before the massive crush on Thursday. The Spanish Interior Ministry said Monday that it had not received “any report or warning regarding the mass arrival of people in Ceuta,” and it praised cooperation with the Moroccan authorities in sending most of the migrants back.

“Nobody addressed how these individuals managed to breach the border," said Mustapha Azaitraoui, a Moroccan geographer specializing in migration dynamics. “If a large group of people can cross the border under these circumstances, it suggests a broader security issue that has yet to be acknowledged publicly.”

Migrants reject government claims of smuggling

Both Morocco and Spain blamed the Ceuta crisis on human smugglers and trafficking networks, saying organized criminal groups encouraged the mass crossings.

But returning Moroccan migrants interviewed by AP largely rejected that explanation.

“No one smuggled me there. I wanted to go of my own free will, but that country is not worth all this sacrifice,” Kalouch said.

“There are no mafias. The border was open, and I crossed. But now I regret it,” said Danbor, his clothes still wet after making the journey back.

The Spanish Interior Ministry said investigations into smuggling networks are ongoing and noted that Spain and Morocco have carried out joint operations against trafficking groups. The Moroccan Interior Ministry did not respond to questions about smuggling networks.

Several politicians and experts have suggested it would be impossible for so many to cross without Moroccan complicity. A high-ranking Moroccan diplomat appeared to push back against that.

“It would be reductive to say that Morocco should have used force to stop the migrants,” said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue is highly sensitive in Morocco. “We are not Europe’s police.”

The lack of jobs is a key factor

Morocco’s economy is projected to grow by 4.5% this year, boasting major factories, advanced ports and ambitions to become a regional hub for the car industry.

Yet for many young Moroccans, that transformation has not translated into stable work. Youth unemployment remains high, with 37% of people ages 15 to 24 out of work. Among university graduates, unemployment stands at nearly 20%. The dream of migration is often reinforced by stories of relatives who left and returned with cars, new clothes and foreign currency.

One of those who breached the border was a 16-year-old who grew up a few dozen miles from Ceuta. Europe had always seemed a dream close enough to see, yet impossibly far.

So when he saw a post on Facebook suggesting the border was open and thousands were making it across, he joined the rush.

Days later, he was back in Morocco, crying as he asked strangers for money for a taxi home.

“They fired tear gas at me and beat me with batons. There’s nothing for me there,” said the teen, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being stigmatized following his failed border crossing attempt.

“I just wanted to provide for my mom,” he said, wiping his tears.

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Associated Press journalists Bernat Armangue in Ceuta, Spain; Joseph Wilson and Renata Brito in Barcelona, Spain; Houda Benalla in Rabat, Morocco; and Sam McNeil in Brussels contributed.

DiCaprio's Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund are leading the Phoenix Species Project, the groups announced Tuesday. They call it the largest single fund in history dedicated exclusively to recovering critically endangered species.

DiCaprio has for years been developing the idea of a major concerted effort to help species whose habitats and future existence are threatened by climate change.

In 2021, he and Re:wild co-founder Wes Sechrest, a biologist who serves as the organization's CEO, met with the Amazon-founding mega billionaire Bezos and his wife, former TV news reporter and host Lauren Sánchez Bezos. He serves as chair and she as vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund.

The meeting led to a series of conversations with local governments, environmental groups and Indigenous people on how best to reverse the decline of their most vulnerable species. Those conversations eventually led to the Phoenix Species Project.

Animals the initiative is seeking to sustain include:

- The golden-crowned sifaka, a lemur from Madagascar

- The Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander, a lungless tree-dweller that lives only in a small canyon in North Carolina.

- The Visayan warty pig, endemic to islands in the Philippines.

- Mexico's Cozumel harvest mouse, which lives only on an island off the Yucatán Peninsula.

- The pink land iguana, found only on Wolf Volcano in the Galápagos Islands.

- The Malayan pangolin, also known as the Sunda pangolin, native to Southeast Asia.

- Tanzania's pancake tortoise, named for its flat, flexible shell.

- The starry night harlequin toad, known and named for its black-and-white evening sky appearance, found only in the mountains of Colombia.

- Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, a monotreme, or mammal that lays eggs, from New Guinea named in honor of the 100-year-old naturalist and narrator-of-nature David Attenborough.

The project’s goals include giving long-term sustenance to successful but fleeting smaller efforts.

“We’ve protected the golden-crowned sifaka for years on a budget that would never match what this species deserves, but letting it go extinct was never an option,” Tiana Andriamanana, executive director of Association Fanamby, one of the groups getting a grant from the initiative, said in a statement. “This funding, this global platform and technical support change what is possible.”

The government says the company, which manages affiliated provider groups in Florida, Alabama and Colorado, pushed coders and doctors to add diagnosis codes for conditions in Hierarchical Condition Category 55 (drug and alcohol dependence) and HCC 59 (major depressive, bipolar and paranoid disorders) from 2020 to 2023.

Prosecutors allege many of those codes weren’t clinically valid, weren’t supported by medical records and weren’t part of the patients’ care.

The DOJ said Complete Health had contracts that let it receive a share of the money Medicare Advantage plans got from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. That “risk-sharing” setup gave the company a financial incentive to increase patients’ risk scores — and the payments tied to them — by adding diagnosis codes.

Here’s how Medicare Advantage payments work in plain terms: private plans get a fixed monthly amount for each enrollee, but that payment is adjusted based on a risk model that uses diagnoses reported by providers. Sicker patients typically generate higher payments. The government says the added codes raised risk scores and led to bigger payments, some of which were passed on to Complete Health.

U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said the settlement shows the office remains focused on health care fraud enforcement.

“This settlement sends a strong message to our district, its residents, and medical providers doing business here, that our focus on this vital practice area has not wavered,” he said.

Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said the agreement reflects the department’s commitment to protect taxpayer money and ensure Medicare payments are based on accurate information. A senior official at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General added that companies that improperly boost profits by reporting bogus conditions will be held responsible.

The settlement resolves a whistleblower suit brought under the False Claims Act by a former risk-adjustment official at VIVA Health. Under that qui tam provision, a private party can sue on behalf of the government and receive a portion of any recovery.

The suit is captioned United States ex rel. Karen Bowers v. Complete Health Partners, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 3:22-cv-463 (M.D. Fla.). Karen Bowers will receive about $2,467,500 as her share of the federal recovery, the Justice Department said.

“The decision to diagnose a patient with a medical condition should never be influenced by the provider’s own financial interests,” said Edward Arens, a partner and whistleblower attorney with Phillips & Cohen LLP.  “This settlement reinforces that diagnoses should be based on medicine, not money. We alleged that Complete Health’s improper diagnoses cost Medicare millions of dollars. “The government has made risk adjustment fraud a top priority and demonstrated that commitment by taking swift action to investigate our client’s allegations.”

Bernier sat down with The Morning Show and answered our questions about the upcoming school year, including responding to community concerns and outlining what families can expect in the new school year.

Cafeteria safety, OIG findings

The OIG report, which cited electrical and other safety concerns in DCPS food service facilities modified since 2021, drew significant attention from parents and community members.

Bernier said the timing of the issues is critical context.

“A lot of what the OIG was looking into was past practice prior to my arrival,” said Bernier, who took over as superintendent in 2024. “We’ve done the engineering; we’ve done the safety sweeps; we responded to the OIG. We missed a report that came in in the middle of the summer while a number of people were on vacation. No excuses.”

Bernier said the district engaged directly with the OIG and that its responses to the findings were accepted.

“The kitchens that serve our students are safe places for our workers and a safe place for our children,” he said.

Administrator pay vs. teacher pay

Community members and parents have raised concerns that Duval County ranks third in Florida for administrative pay, while teacher salaries remain comparatively lower.

Bernier acknowledged the disparity and pointed to steps already taken to address it.

“Over the last two years we’ve cut 12% each year from the central office,” he said. “Those include administrator positions. I removed in the last two years two cabinet positions which are amongst the highest paid, and we will continue to always look for savings to make sure we transfer that money to our teachers.”

Bernier said teachers are set to receive additional compensation this year, pending ratification of a tentative agreement. He also pointed to an upcoming millage renewal as a key factor in keeping teacher salaries competitive with surrounding districts.

“If the community steps up again this year and renews the millage they already have, our teacher salaries will remain and get as competitive as our surrounding districts,” he said.

Back-to-school preparation, transportation

With 900 buses moving approximately 30,000 students daily, Bernier urged families to prepare for first-day logistics and set realistic expectations.

“Our buses don’t get an easy pass, they don’t go to their own special lane,” he said. “If you’re stuck in traffic, they’re stuck in traffic too.”

The district has added GPS tracking and a parent hotline so families can monitor bus locations in real time.

Bernier said the district’s transportation system is in better shape than last year and encouraged patience during the first week.

Teacher vacancies

DCPS is heading into the new school year with roughly 200 teacher vacancies, a significant improvement from the previous year.

Bernier said an additional 100 hires are still being finalized and that the number could drop further before Monday.

The district has a staffing partnership with ESS, a substitute services provider, to ensure classroom coverage in the event of vacancies or teacher absences.

School safety, weapons detection

DCPS is expanding weapons detection systems into elementary schools this fall.

Bernier said the first nine schools will come online during the fall semester, with additional schools to follow throughout the year.

“It’s not so much that we’re thinking elementary school students are carrying weapons to school,” he said. “It’s about ensuring their safety as an adult comes onto the campus as well.”

Bernier also encouraged parents who legally carry firearms to leave them secured away from campus, noting that weapons detection systems will be in place.

The district also added a fifth K9 through a safe schools grant.

Ortega Elementary closure

The school board is expected to vote Tuesday night on closing Ortega Elementary School.

Bernier said the decision should not come as a surprise to the school’s community, noting that conversations about the school’s future began roughly a year ago when a new principal was placed there.

“This school building will remain open until the fall of 2028,” he said. “I want our parents to know that they’re stable and in a great environment.”

District achievement, parent involvement

Bernier said Duval County earned an A district designation for the second consecutive year and stressed that maintaining that standing requires community participation.

“That A means all, it means our parents, it means our community, our partners, all combining together to support our students toward academic achievement,” he said. “School systems can’t do it by themselves.”

He encouraged families to prioritize attendance, starting with the very first day of school.

“Every day that we’re in session, it’s really important for a student to be there,” Bernier said.

U.S. military personnel detained the four male and four female students after they allegedly entered Osan Air Base near the capital Seoul. They were later transferred to the custody of South Korean authorities, police said.

The students were being investigated under a law protecting military installations in South Korea, according to police, who said they all had invoked their right to remain silent during questioning.

Police said the students shouted slogans at the site including, “Let’s smash U.S. 7th Air Force.”

A U.S. military statement said the group attempted to unlawfully enter the base through the main gate and that “unauthorized attempts to access a U.S. military installation are taken extremely seriously.”

The incident will be addressed in accordance with applicable U.S. and South Korean laws and procedures, the military said.

The Korean Progressive University Student Union said in a statement on Facebook that those detained were members who were trying to protest what it called the U.S. military's opposition to a South Korean semiconductor cluster project.

South Korean police declined to comment on the group's statement, which was not addressed by the U.S. military.

Yonhap news agency reported the U.S. said it has important interests in a military airport set to be relocated over the semiconductor project.

There are about 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to help deter potential aggression from North Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

Surveys have steadfastly shown a majority of South Koreans support the U.S.-South Korean military alliance, but the U.S. presence and its role in South Korea's turbulent modern history also have been long-running sources of anti-U.S. sentiment among many in South Korea.

South Korean police arrested four students in 2019 who broke into the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Seoul while protesting the Trump administration’s demands for the country to pay more to help cover the costs of U.S. troops there.

Under Florida law, the Second Chance Act, all rising ninth graders who intend to play a sport in school are required to have an ECG screening of their heart starting this school year.

The test can detect undiagnosed heart conditions that can cause sudden cardiac arrest.

Ashlen’s twin sister, Skyler, will be playing softball at Bartram and was required to take the test to play. Their mother took both girls to an event offered by Who We Play For, which offers free ECG screenings to Florida students.

“She asked me, ‘Why do I have to do it?’” explained Ashlen’s mom, Andrea Byrd. “I felt kind of a nudge in my side, like, ‘Let’s just do it, just in case.’”

She credits that “nudge,” a feeling in her gut, as a decision that saved her daughter’s life. Days after her daughters underwent the heart screening, her phone rang.

Ashlen’s ECG test revealed she had an undiagnosed heart condition known as Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which can cause the heart to beat out of rhythm and trigger sudden cardiac arrest.

“Fourteen years of living a healthy life, of undergoing normal physicals, participating in activities, going to overnight camp, running, swimming, playing with friends like nothing was wrong,” she explained about her seemingly perfectly healthy teenagers. “And suddenly we were facing potentially a life-threatening condition.”

Ashlen required heart surgery, a terrifying reality for the 14-year-old.

“I was just worried that something bad was going to happen during the procedure,” she said.

Doctors performed an ablation on her heart, which prevents it from skipping out of its normal rhythm.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is not as rare in young people as you might think. It is the leading cause of death on school campuses.

According to Who We Play For, an organization created to eliminate preventable SCA in young people, 96% of standard youth wellness checkups miss deadly heart conditions.

An ECG, which is a painless screening of the heart, is considered the most effective tool to identify youth at risk for SCA, yet the test is not part of a standard wellness visit performed at a pediatrician’s office.

There are often no symptoms; in fact, according to Who We Play For, sudden cardiac arrest is the first symptom for 80% of those who collapse, and 1 in 300 youth has a detectable and potentially life- threatening heart condition that has not been diagnosed.

Who We Play For was created by friends of Rafe Maccarone, who died in 2007 after collapsing on the field warming up for soccer practice at his school in Cocoa Beach.

After his death, doctors discovered he had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, even though his family says he had no symptoms until he collapsed.

Who We Play For has worked for years with state legislators to require ECG tests of student-athletes.

The Second Chance Act is named in honor of Chance Gainer, who collapsed and died of sudden cardiac arrest during a football game in Port St. Joe in 2024.

Ashlen Tarzwell can now find comfort knowing her heart condition has been corrected.

“I can finally be a child again,” she said, “because of that ECG, I’m still alive to this day.”

Her mother’s message now to any parent who will listen: Get your child screened because “you just never truly know.”

You can find an ECG screening event near you by clicking here.

Wenger said in a statement he knew nothing of the $20 billion plan and that it was “absolutely necessary” to drop the proposal, and Grafström sent an email to all FIFA staff — seen by The Associated Press — calling the last week a “sad and reproachable series of events.” He also said it created “turmoil which is difficult to comprehend and accept.”

Neither directly named Infantino or offered support for the now-embattled president.

The comments by Wenger and Grafström had echoes of the direct criticism from FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, who said Friday that staff had been “deceived” by Infantino's private equity plan, which provoked a furor in global soccer. Lamour called it the "project of one person” and said FIFA staff “deserve better than contempt and intimidation.”

The three executives are respected and trusted figures among the 211 FIFA member federations who now hold sway over Infantino's grip on a presidency that looked unshakeable after the World Cup ended barely two weeks ago.

UEFA legal threat to FIFA

Wenger, Grafström and Lamour also were named in a letter from UEFA’s lawyers to Infantino among 18 executives whose data and communications should be retained as potential evidence.

“You do not need to worry,” Grafström wrote Tuesday to the hundreds of FIFA staff based mostly in Zurich and Coral Gables, Florida. “I assure you that you as members of the administration, you will be defended and safeguarded from the political context we currently experience.”

Wenger, who was hired by Infantino in 2019 and is FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, said he was “not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports.”

Infantino withdrew his $20 billion proposal early Saturday after a furious backlash by global soccer officials, including European body UEFA warning of a boycott of all FIFA games and events.

The plan would have created a subsidiary — known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) — to run the money-making parts of the not-for-profit soccer body’s work: organizing tournaments like the World Cup, selling broadcasting and sponsorship rights, tickets and hospitality.

It proposed raising $4.2 billion from investors by selling stakes amounting to about 20% in FFE, based on an equity valuation of $20 billion. The “anchor investor” would have been Thrive Eternal, launched by Joshua Kushner, whose brother Jared Kushner is a son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity,” Wenger wrote.

Cash offers to FIFA members

FIFA’s 211 member federations — already effective owners of the governing body as a nonprofit association under Swiss law — were offered $20 million each. The deadline to accept was Sept. 19.

They also were promised a doubling of their FIFA funding for the four years through 2030 to $20 million instead of the previously announced $10 million.

Infantino shared details of the project to FIFA management just one week after the July 19 final of the financially successful World Cup in North America that drove FIFA's revenues to $15 billion for the 2023-26 commercial cycle — almost double the income tied to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Grafström, a long-time loyal aide to Infantino since their work together at UEFA, urged FIFA staff to “all continue being proud and happy” about the first 48-team World Cup.

“A sad and reproachable series of events — which were thankfully concluded with the FFE project permanently abandoned — for as much as we feel dismayed by them, should not overshadow this reality,” he wrote.

Infantino's ties to Trump

The World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico was judged a success on the field, though it had unprecedented issues linked to Infantino's close ally Trump, who received a specially created FIFA Peace Prize at the tournament draw in December.

During the tournament, Iran's team could not stay in the U.S. where it played three games, a Somali referee picked by FIFA was refused entry, and U.S. forward Folarin Balogun was allowed to play against Belgium despite a red card in his previous game.

“We have all been thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept, but, as secretary general, I urge you to remain focused on what has always united us,” Grafström wrote. “I will continue to support our teams, our work and our mission every hour of every day for as long as my work is valued by those we serve.”

Waiting to hear from Infantino

Infantino has not commented in public on the schism in soccer since a FIFA statement early Saturday announcing that the proposal had been dropped. His official Instagram account has posted letters of support from several member federations, including 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Infantino has been president of FIFA for more than 10 years and had seemed sure to be re-elected unopposed next March in Morocco. FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for challengers to come forward, with Sweden's soccer leader saying Monday that UEFA is seeking a rival candidate.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and AP World Cup coverage

Scenery selected by artificial intelligence sparked boos at the 150th anniversary performance of Wagner’s Ring Cycle from an audience frustrated that software could integrate images but not drama.

Called “10010110” — the number 150 in written in binary — the staging is subtitled “From Myth to Code" and was intended to portray the history of “Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung)," a series of four operas about the destruction of gods by humans, giants and dwarfs. It was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the full cycle's premiere from Aug. 13-17, 1876, at the Festspielhaus theater built to Wagner's specifications atop a Bavarian hill.

Curator Marcus Lobbes developed the concept with Nils Corte and dramaturge Andri Hardmeier, feeding computers about 1,000 images culled from the 15 prior Bayreuth Ring productions. They did not intend to produce a cohesive drama and suggested minimal blocking.

“We always communicated that it’s an experiment, it’s not stage-directed,” Lobbes said.

Disgruntled by 19th century standards, Wagner demanded his own theater of innovation. Bayreuth's 239th Ring Cycle was an encyclopedia of interpretations rather than a new one.

The audience also responded with a 17-minute ovation

Singers stood between two 20-by-60 meter (33-by-66 foot) screens, often not moving, for 14 1/2 hours over four nights. About a dozen AI models were combined and Stable Diffusion was used to start each act with 1876 scenery designed by Gotthold Brückner and Max Brückner from sketches by Josef Hoffmann, then select images based on text and music.

After Saturday night's concluding “Götterdämmerung,” conductor Christian Thielemann and the cast were greeted with a 17-minute ovation that wrapped around 30 seconds of boos and whistles when the production team joined for their bows.

Many Bayreuth productions are initially jeered, such as Patrice Chéreau's centennial staging in 1976 that moved the action to the Industrial Revolution, then cheered years later. That production's final appearance in 1980 ignited a 45-minute ovation.

“I know the ritual,” said Lobbes, director of the Academy for Theatre and Digitality in Dortmund.

He was approached in February 2023 to stage an AI Ring for the sesquicentennial by Katharina Wagner, a great-granddaughter of the composer and current festival director.

Wagner composed the Ring over 26 years. Coders divided it into about 250 scenes of two to six minutes and loaded images from past performances and topical moments to a pair of custom-built Tower PCs with NVIDIA RTX 5090 graphics cards.

Singers led by Michael Volle (Wotan), Camilla Nylund (Brünnhilde) and Klaus Florian Vogt (Siegfried) wore birdlike costumes of wire mesh with black backing and laser voile designed by Pia Maria Mackert, Lobbes' wife. The outfits shimmered in brilliant colors depending on the lighting, with gold and red most prominent.

As the narrative moved forward, so did AI's projections.

An image of Theodor Herzl, a key figure in modern Zionism, appeared in “Das Rheingold,” and one of Adolf Hitler in “Die Walküre." A sign that read: “Sorry, no gas today“ flashed in ”Siegfried" as the timeline reached the 1973 oil crisis and Brünnhilde awakened to sing "Heil dir, Sonne! Heil dir, Licht! (Hail to you, Sun! Hail to you, Light!)”

“Every year of the 150 years, we have an answer from artificial intelligence what she thinks that the audience of Bayreuth would have said is the main political topic of this year or this summer,” Hardmeier said.

Many of the images provoked director name-checking in viewers' minds — Was this from Wieland Wagner in 1951? From Frank Castorf in 2013? From Valentin Schwarz in 2020?

At other times, AI picked forms that shifted like a giant Etch A Sketch into images evoking works by Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning.

Original plans for 2026 envisioned performances of the final 10 of Wagner’s 13 operas plus the Festspielhaus debut of the composer’s third, “Rienzi,” until now deemed not worthy of inclusion. The AI Ring was to be presented once to coincide approximately with the original premiere dates, but budget cuts two years ago caused four operas to be scrapped and replaced by two additional Rings, the first from July 27 to Aug. 1.

Singers were together for just one nine-hour rehearsal over a four-day period in which the directing team worked with cast members in small groups.

“I would wish that with a certain openness people will find some interesting correlations and will see things that maybe others don't see,” Hardmeier said. “I hope that people go out with a very fruitful irritation — not irritation in the sense of ‘What was this about’ but more sort of, ‘Hey, interesting.’"

Beethoven's 9th starts festival

Thielemann conducted Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to open the festival. Wagner led the work at the downtown Margravial Opera House after the Bayreuth cornerstone ceremony in 1872 and it has been repeated on special occasions, such as the 1951 resumption after World War II.

A speech the following day by Michel Friedman titled “Silenced Voices” addressed Wagner's antisemitism and his family's support of Hitler and the Nazi party.

‘Rienzi’ a success in Bayreuth Festspielhaus premiere

A striking staging with Alexandra Szemerédy and Magdolna Parditka, updated to post-modern dystopian times, was greeted with extended applause when it opened on July 26 in the first of nine performances through Aug. 26.

Tenor Andreas Schager gave the title role charisma and vocal beauty, telling the story of 14th century Italian populist Cola di Rienzo.

Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann made a convincing case for an unwieldy composition whose autographed score was given by Wagner's daughter-in-law, Winifried, to Hitler and lost in the destruction that ended World War II.

The ballet became a hilarious parody of Wagnerian cliches as a cartwheeling child wearing sneakers with rainbow lights and dressed in gold, resembling statues of the composer, presided in front of a faux Bayreuth proscenium. A procession of characters, some in winged helmets, performed silent camp references to Wagner's renowned roles.

News4JAX reviewed the numbers and visited three locations that repeatedly showed up in the reports to explain what drivers are doing wrong — and what the law actually requires.

One road topped the list: The 8800 block of Beaver Street, where bus cameras recorded 117 stop-arm violations in May and June.

Beaver Street is a multi-lane roadway with painted turning lanes in the middle, and that appears to be where drivers get confused.

A painted section in the center of the road does not automatically mean drivers traveling in the opposite direction can keep going.

If a school bus is stopped with its stop arm out on a multi-lane road without a paved, (raised), median, traffic in both directions must come to a complete stop.

Just a few miles away, another repeat location appeared in both months’ reports: The 1100 block of Lane Avenue, where cameras recorded 54 violations.

It’s the same type of roadway as Beaver Street — and the rule is the same. If there is no divided highway median separating you from the school bus, you’re required to stop whether you’re traveling in the same direction or coming from the opposite direction.

A third hotspot was the 3200 block of Sans Pareil, another location that showed repeat violations in May and June.

What’s different there is the roadway setup: it’s a divided highway. On a divided highway, drivers traveling in the opposite direction can proceed with caution because there is a paved median separating them from the stopped school bus.

But drivers traveling in the same direction as the bus must still stop behind it. That means all of the violations at Sans Pareil involved drivers passing the bus while traveling in the same direction.

Here’s the simplest way to remember it: If you’re on a road without a raised median separating direction of travel, you must stop for a school bus with its stop arm out — no matter which direction you’re going. This is the same rule for two-lane roads.

If you’re on a divided highway with a raised median, you must stop if you’re traveling the same direction as the bus, but you may proceed with caution if you’re traveling the opposite direction on the other side of the median. This goes for when a paved median is present but also when an unpaved median is over 5 feet wide.

Here are those rules in a diagram (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles):

Starting Aug. 10, if you’re caught illegally passing a Duval County school bus, you’ll face a $225 fine.

It's good to be prepared, but kids who walk to school or participate in extracurricular activities may be lugging more than their bodies can handle. Lockers and classroom storage aren’t available everywhere — and a child carrying too much weight might not be ready to learn.

As families begin back-to-school shopping, here's how to know if your child's backpack is too heavy, and how to lighten their load.

How heavy is too heavy?

The modern school backpack has evolved, but it hasn’t necessarily gotten lighter. Whether students have textbooks, digital devices or both, they often are accompanied by notebooks, water bottles, lunch containers, workout clothes and more. Individually, those items may not seem heavy, but together they can add unnecessary strain to children's bodies.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, signs a backpack may be too heavy include a child leaning forward to support its weight or having difficulty walking. Straps should not dig into shoulders.

Don't wait for a child to express discomfort or pain to lighten the load, experts say.

Dr. Sadika Kendi, a physician who chairs the academy’s injury-prevention efforts, says back injuries are uncommon but possible, particularly if a child falls while carrying a heavy backpack.

“It’s worse if, for example, they trip and fall and they have a huge, heavy backpack on their back. Then that’s just more weight that could increase the severity of an injury,” she said.

Although 10% to 15% of a child’s body weight is often cited as a backpack guideline, there isn’t enough evidence to establish a one-size-fits-all approach, Kendi said. Because children vary in size, strength, physical development and daily routines, caregivers should consider their child’s individual needs and, in general, keep backpacks as light as possible.

Teachers say leave this stuff at home

After families receive back-to-school checklists for classroom materials, they should take an audit of what a child really must carry every day.

Samantha Ness, a history teacher in Phoenix, said parents should focus on making sure children have basic supplies rather than getting caught up in trendy, decorative or expensive items. Her students have access to classroom textbooks but are still expected to carry a laptop and charger each day. As technology becomes more central to schoolwork, some students have stopped bringing paper, she said. They rely instead on their devices, which can also become distractions.

“When considering the things going into their backpacks, how is it going to help them be successful in the classroom?” said Ness, who has been teaching for about 10 years.

In Fairfax County, Virginia, the school district is bringing back math textbooks after a backlash against technology. That was a win for the group Fairfax County Parents for Intentional Technology, but it also means hard decisions about weight in backpacks.

Parents should think carefully about whether a child really needs to carry both books and a laptop every day, said mom Alix Fetch, a spokesperson for the parents group. Some elementary schools don’t require students to take computers home, while others allow parents to opt out, she said. Block scheduling can also mean older students don’t need every textbook every day.

Fetch said her 7-year-old typically carries lunch, a water bottle and occasionally a folder with homework or notes from the teacher. Even that can feel burdensome, she said, particularly when students move between classrooms for activities such as art or music. And the inside of the bag can still be messy.

“Kids are still kids. There’s food in their backpack and water, and they’re scrunching up papers,” Fetch said.

As students get older, Ness said, backpacks can become more personal storage than school storage, carrying items such as makeup, nail polish and hair dryers.

“They’re using their backpacks more as purses and like storage than they are actually using them for school,” she said.

How to carry the load safely

Experts recommend choosing a backpack that fits the child and has two broad, padded shoulder straps, a padded back, compartments to distribute weight and a waist or chest strap to redistribute the load. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends teaching children to pick up and carry backpacks safely, including bending at the knees rather than the waist when lifting heavier bags to avoid strain.

Backpacks with wheels can be helpful, especially for children with injuries, but experts say they may be problematic in schools with stairs or crowded walkways, where they can pose a tripping hazard.

Children should remove their backpacks before riding in a moving vehicle, Kendi said, because wearing one can interfere with how a seat belt works during a crash or sudden stop. Instead, place the backpack beside the child, even if leaving it on seems more convenient during drop-off.

“Don’t wear it in a car or any form of transportation while that car is moving,” Kendi said. “It’s just incredibly dangerous.”

Regularly cleaning out backpacks can also help reduce unnecessary weight and keep track of notes, permission slips and assignments. Some teachers recommend doing it weekly to catch missing work, spills from leaky water bottles and accumulating crumbs.

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

The Japanese automaker, which makes the Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, recorded a 1.48 trillion yen ($9.4 billion) net profit in the April-June period, up from 841 billion yen the same quarter the previous year.

Quarterly sales rose 10% year on year to 13.5 trillion yen ($85 billion).

A cheap yen raises the value of overseas earnings for Japan’s giant exporters like Toyota Motor Corp. The U.S. dollar was trading at about 145 yen during the fiscal first quarter in 2025, but at about 160 yen for the same period this year.

The dollar is now trading at about 158 yen because of a joint U.S.-Japan market intervention, which came last week, or in the fiscal second quarter.

The favorable currency effect added 345 billion yen ($2.2 billion) to Toyota’s quarterly operating profit in the April-June period.

The automaker is figuring the yen at 160 to the dollar for the full fiscal year.

Chief Officer Takanori Azuma said Toyota sold fewer vehicles globally for the quarter just ended at 2.39 million, compared with 2.41 million vehicles a year ago.

But the automaker expects to sell more vehicles for the full fiscal year at 9.7 million vehicles, compared with 9.595 million the previous fiscal year.

Azuma said demand remains strong for Toyota hybrids in various global markets, including the U.S., where the Camry mid-size sedan and RAV4 compact sport utility vehicle are selling briskly.

Toyota plans to boost hybrid and hybrid battery production through 2030, said Azuma, adding that it will bring down costs. Toyota’s electric vehicle sales are also going strong, he said.

Among the popular models in India were the Urban Cruiser and Innova Hycross, while the Yaris remained a strong seller in Thailand and Europe.

The recent political instability in the Middle East has weighed on Japanese automakers, which rely heavily on the now effectively closed Strait of Hormuz for shipping. Toyota said it was working on tackling such challenges, including finding alternative routes.

Another potential negative impact was the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Kumamoto in southwestern Japan, which hit July 28.

Toyota's manufacturing facilities in the Kyushu region, where Kumamoto is located, halted production, but are readying to resume production later this week. Its Tahara plant in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, also halted production, partly because of the quake. Since a summer break is upcoming, unrelated to the disaster, production will be down there through the end of the month.

Toyota is projecting a 3.25 trillion yen ($20.6 billion) profit for the full fiscal year through March 2027, not as good as the 3.85 trillion yen ($24 billion) profit racked up the previous fiscal year.

Annual sales are forecast at 54 trillion yen ($342 billion), better than the 50.7 trillion yen for the previous fiscal year that ended in March.

Toyota shares fell nearly 2% in Tokyo trading after earnings results were announced.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@yurikageyama

Incident reports released by the sheriff’s office identified the suspect as Uyleses Servin and the victims as Cecilia, 47, and Miguel Servin, 51. The reports say the violence began during an argument between Uyleses Servin and his father, when he “withdrew a black semi-automatic handgun from his waist and shot at his father.”

The report says Uyleses Servin also shot at his mother as she and his father ran. According to witnesses quoted in the report, they heard the mother tell Uyleses Servin, “Don’t do it,” before he fired a shot that struck her in the head. The report added that Uyleses Servin’s sister and uncle feared for their lives.

Authorities also say a 2-year-old child was involved. The report said Uyleses Servin picked up the child and exited the home; when confronted by law enforcement, he was holding the child while still holding the handgun.

A bullet hole was visible near the front door of the home, neighbors and News4JAX observed.

Neighbors described frequent disturbances at the property and said many people and children were often at the house.

“It would get so rough, I would come in the house because I didn’t want to hear them crying,” neighbor Henrietta Browning said.

Her husband, Gary Browning, said he was not surprised by the violence. Neighbors estimated more than a dozen people lived or stayed there at times, though Putnam County deputies said they could not comment on residency as the matter remains under investigation.

News4JAX went to the home on Monday, and no one was home as detectives continued to examine the property and piece together the events of the shooting.

The sheriff’s office said the case remains under investigation.

The usual early August weather settles in across Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia for the rest of the week.

Expect a mix of sunshine and building clouds each day, with scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developing during the afternoon and evening hours as the sea breeze pushes inland.

High temperatures will remain seasonably hot in the upper 80s to lower 90s, with heat index values reaching around 100 degrees before storms develop.

While widespread severe weather is not expected, a few stronger storms will be capable of producing frequent lightning, gusty winds, torrential downpours, and isolated flooding, especially where storms repeatedly track over the same areas.

Rain chances generally range from 40 to 60 percent each day, with this weekend currently appearing to have the greatest coverage of storms.

Make it a good Tuesday!

Stay dry and cool.

Decision 1: How much to withdraw each year in retirement

It’s impossible to say at the outset of retirement what the “right” withdrawal rate is. You don’t know what the major asset classes will return or how high (or low) inflation will run during your retirement. Nor do you know how long you’ll live.

But you have to use something, and this is where the disagreements come in. A 4% starting withdrawal rate, with annual inflation adjustments to that initial dollar amount thereafter, is often cited as a “safe” withdrawal system for new retirees.  Research we conducted at the end of 2021 suggested that a 3.3% withdrawal rate was a safe starting point for new retirees with balanced portfolios over a 30-year horizon. When we revisited the research  in late 2022, our safe starting withdrawal percentage was 3.8%.  By late 2023, that number had popped up to the classic 4%, thanks to rising fixed-income yields and moderating inflation.  At the end of 2024, it was 3.7%, and  3.9% at the end of 2025. Further complicating matters is that retirees don’t spend the same amount, adjusted for inflation, year after year.

There’s a comforting consensus in a few key areas.

1. Vary your withdrawal rate based on your time horizon. Older retirees with shorter life expectancies can reasonably take higher withdrawals than younger retirees with 25 or 30 years.

2. Be flexible. Taking less when the portfolio is down leaves more of the portfolio in place to recover when the market eventually does. We explored several variable withdrawal-rate strategies , and the pros, cons, and logistics of each, in our retirement income research .

3. Maximize nonportfolio income. Examples: Social Security, a pension, an annuity, rental income, and so on. Enlarging nonportfolio income with strategies like delaying Social Security can help enhance lifetime spending and alleviate demands on the portfolio.

Decision 2: Whether to buy long-term-care insurance

According to a 2019 study, about half of people turning 65 will need some type of paid long-term care. But paying for it can be financially devastating. What’s up for debate is whether and how to protect yourself.

The long-term-care insurance market is deeply troubled today. While  recent interest rate hikes have improved the economics of the long-term-care insurance industry, premiums have increased and several insurers have gotten out of the business.

That’s why purchasing pure long-term-care insurance is by no means a no-brainer. Hybrid products offer a long-term-care rider bolted onto a life insurance policy or annuity, but they’re complicated and often purchased with a lump sum.

Take a hard look at your retirement portfolio to decide whether your assets are sufficient to self-fund, you’re likely to qualify for Medicaid, or you fall somewhere in between. From there, you can create a long-term-care action plan.

Decision 3: Whether to buy an annuity

Academic researchers have long championed simple income annuities for retirement, arguing they provide longevity risk protection and a higher payout than would be available from fixed-rate investment products like bond funds. Annuities have been getting even more attention as  payouts tend to get better during a period of rising interest rates.

But annuity types vary widely, from single-premium immediate annuities to more complicated products that provide equity exposure, guaranteed minimum living benefits, and death benefits.

Research has demonstrated that the  peace of mind  that accompanies the purchase of a basic annuity is greater than would be associated with holding the same amount in investment assets. Yet the annuity products that retirement researchers generally like best—the plain-vanilla immediate and deferred-income annuities—have struggled in the sales department. Investors may be reluctant to part with the capital to purchase them, and advisers may not have a strong motive to recommend them.

While there’s no consensus on whether annuities are a must-have or which types to buy, there’s little doubt that the lifetime income they offer is in short supply. That’s especially true given that only about a fourth of baby boomers retiring today have pensions, and that number trends down for the generations behind them.

The starting point when  thinking about lifetime income isn’t an annuity. It’s Social Security, which is basically an annuity backed by the U.S. government. Only after maximizing lifetime income through Social Security should an annuity come into play.

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This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more retirement content, go to https://www.morningstar.com/retirement.

Christine Benz  is director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar and co-host of The Long View podcast. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Improving Your Finances.

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They were among several rookies that made major impacts in 2025, including Seattle's versatile defender Nick Emmanwori, who helped elevate a defense that led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title, top-10 pick tackles Armand Membou and Kelvin Banks, and pass catchers Tyler Warren and Emeka Ebuka.

But failing to become a star in year one doesn't mean a draft pick was wasted.

Here's a look at some players who showed promise as rookies in 2025 who now have a chance to break out and become stars in their second seasons in the NFL:

Arizona DT Walter Nolen

Nolen never really got started as a rookie, missing the start of the season with a calf injury and then getting shut down early with a knee injury. Nolen had flashes in his limited time in six games that showed why the Cardinals drafted him 16th overall. He had two sacks and 15 pressures in just 99 pass rush opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus, and also returned a fumble for a TD. If he can have close to that kind of production in more extensive time, he could quickly become one of the top pass rushing defensive tackles in the game.

Los Angeles Chargers RB Omarion Hampton

Hampton rushed for 545 yards in nine games behind an injury-riddled offensive line after being drafted 22nd overall. With tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater expected back from injuries and Hampton healthy after dealing with ankle injuries, he is position for a big season in new coordinator Mike McDaniel's offense. McDaniel has a history of creating big plays for speedy players such as Hampton, who had 15 carries for at least 15 yards in limited action last season.

Chicago WR Luther Burden

Coach Ben Johnson said early in the offseason that he was “ buying Luther Burden stock.” There's a good reason to do so. The second-round pick put up solid numbers as a rookie with 47 catches for 652 yards and two TDs in the regular season. But he had some big performances late in the season that showed he has the potential to do even more, highlighted by his eight catches for 138 yards and a TD in a Week 17 game against San Francisco. Burden averaged 2.69 yards per route run during the regular season, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking third in the league among wide receivers.

Dallas DE Donovan Ezeiruaku

After trading away Micah Parsons before the start of last season, the Cowboys were lacking on the defensive line. That put added pressure on Ezeiruaku to perform at a high level immediately as a second-round pick. He was strong against the run but had only two sacks and 36 pressures as a rookie, according to PFF. With better talent around him, with Quinnen Williams there all season on the inside and Rashan Gary and rookie Malachi Lawrence helping on the outside, Ezeiruaku is in position to be an even more effective pass rusher in year two.

San Francisco DB Upton Stout

The 49ers used their first picks last season on defense with much of the focus on big bodies on the defensive line. But the smallest player showed some of the most promise, with 5-foot-9 cornerback Upton Stout flashing as a third rounder. He excelled in the slot last season and could be in position to make even splashier plays with a year of experience under his belt after having four tackles for loss, two QB hits, five passes defensed, a forced fumble and a sack last season.

Kansas City CB Nohl Williams

The Chiefs traded Trent McDuffie and lost Jaylen Watson in free agency in the offseason and are planning to go young at cornerback with No. 6 pick Mansoor Delane and Williams, a third-rounder last season, as the potential starters. Williams played just less than half of the defensive snaps as a rookie but had a strong finish to the season in coverage in a sign of potential bigger things to come this season.

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

Speaking for the prosecution, Mizrahi said the state has evidence that multiple people were involved in the ambush shooting that killed Bridegan in February 2022 in Jacksonville Beach.

Previously, the state had only said that Henry Tenon, the alleged hired gunman, was at the scene and fired the fatal shots after leaving a tire in the road to force Bridegan to get out of his SUV.

RELATED | Judge to decide final motions from Fernandez defense ahead of first trial in Bridegan murder-for-hire case

Now, the state has indicated that Tenon was not alone at the shooting scene.

“When the victim was killed, there is a person that fled on foot and a person that fled in a vehicle. We know that Henry Tenon left his DNA behind on that tire. And we know that Henry Tenon was not driving the pick-up truck that fled the scene,” Mizrahi said, arguing that this was proof of a deeper conspiracy in the case.

It’s unclear if the state is implying that Fernandez was driving the truck that night or if it was someone else.

Fernandez is accused of hiring Tenon to murder Bridegan, his wife’s ex-husband, because of ongoing custody disputes between the divorced couple over their twin children.

Fernandez’s now estranged wife, Shanna Gardner, is also charged in the case, along with Fernandez and Tenon.

All three are under indictment for first-degree murder and other charges and have each pleaded not guilty.

During Friday’s hearing, Mizrahi again pointed to the landlord-tenant relationship between Fernandez and Tenon as evidence that the two were connected, but said the state also has evidence of communications between the two in the days, weeks and “on the day of the particular crime.”

Finalizing motions

The bombshell revelation about the case came as Fernandez prepares for the beginning of jury selection in just over a week.

Judge London Kite is expected to decide soon on some final motions from his defense attorneys and from the prosecution.

Fernandez will now be tried only on first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony in the slaying of the 33-year-old father of four.

Prosecutors announced during a hearing earlier this week that the other two charges Fernandez had been indicted on -- conspiracy to commit murder and child abuse -- had been dropped.

RELATED: Defense attorneys for Mario Fernandez briefly discussed plea deal with state in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case

Jury selection for Fernandez, the first of three defendants to face trial in the case, will begin on Aug. 10.

Gardner also appeared in court on Friday for a pre-trial hearing to address issues as her trial date looms after Fernandez.

After initially planning to try Gardner and Fernandez at the same time, defense attorneys and state prosecutors have since agreed that they should face separate trials, with two separate jury selection periods.

Fernandez will go on trial first, with jury selection slated for Aug. 10-14, and his trial scheduled for Aug. 17-28.

Gardner will go on trial after Fernandez, with jury selection from Aug. 31-Sept. 4, and the trial from Sept. 8-25.

Tenon, who is also expected in court on Monday, will go on trial in March.

In 2023, Tenon pleaded guilty and admitted to being the gunman who killed Bridegan, but he has since backtracked, and a judge granted his motion to withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial.

Timeline: How we got here

More than four years ago, Jared Bridegan dropped his then-9-year-old twin children off at the home of his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, after a “date night” with their dad.

He left Gardner’s Jacksonville Beach home on Feb. 16, 2022, with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, strapped in her car seat in the back of his dark-colored SUV. They were headed back to St. Augustine.

But the 33-year-old Microsoft employee never made it home.

Following his normal route through the Sanctuary neighborhood, Bridegan suddenly had to stop in the area of Jacksonville Drive, America Avenue and Sanctuary Boulevard.

A tire was in the road.

When Bridegan stepped out of his SUV, he was ambushed by gunfire. At least one bullet missed Bexley by mere inches in her car seat.

RELATED | Murder-for-hire plot included practice run along Jared Bridegan’s normal route home: prosecutors

Bridegan was left lying in the street next to the SUV with the door wide open, and the shooter seemed to melt into the shadows just as quickly as he had launched his ambush attack.

None of the 911 callers that night mentioned seeing a shooter or a vehicle leaving the scene.

The state has since said that the shooter ran off on foot and someone else drove away from the scene in a pick-up truck.

LISTEN: Press play below to hear 911 calls from night of Jared Bridegan’s murder (WARNING: May include graphic content)

Eventually, detectives tracked down the man they say pulled the trigger.

Investigators say that it was all part of a murder-for-hire plot set in motion by Gardner and her second husband, Fernandez. It was a conspiracy that began in November of 2021, according to court documents.

Interactive Timeline

Alleged murder-for-hire scheme

According to detectives, Gardner was tired of sharing custody of her twin children with Bridegan.

Fernandez, she knew, could “take care of him” because of his military background, Gardner told a friend. At least that’s what the friend told investigators as she detailed the strained marriage between Gardner and Fernandez and the contentious ongoing custody battle between Gardner and Bridegan.

RELATED: A friend of Shanna Gardner said she could help in Jared Bridegan’s murder case. Here’s what she told investigators | How investigators say they untangled conspiracy to kill Jared Bridegan

Investigators say that’s exactly what Fernandez did, hiring Henry Tenon, a tenant at one of his properties, to kill Bridegan.

In his initial interview with police in July 2022, Tenon told investigators that he had been renting a home from Fernandez in Jacksonville’s Biltmore neighborhood for several years.

Tenon’s original court records said he became involved in the conspiracy on Jan. 4, 2022 -- just over a month before Bridegan was killed.

Investigators said when Tenon was arrested on an unrelated felony driving charge in August 2022, they questioned him about Bridegan’s murder and a Ford F-150 truck they had been searching for since the shooting.

RELATED | Follow the money: Checks written to Jared Bridegan’s admitted killer connect him to 2 accused in ‘murder-for-hire plot’ | Jared Bridegan’s wife files wrongful death lawsuit against 3 accused in his murder

Tenon was later arrested in Bridegan’s murder, and investigators said the single link between Tenon and Bridegan was Fernandez.

Again, Tenon initially pleaded guilty, but has since withdrawn his guilty plea.

He is now under indictment for some of the same charges as Gardner and Fernandez.

Gardner is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse.

Tenon is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse, possession of a firearm by a felon and accessory after the fact.

State prosecutors initially said they would be seeking the death penalty against Gardner and Fernandez if they were convicted, but they have since taken the death penalty off the table, with the support of Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten, and his family.

Those decisions were put on hold until Tuesday. Kite did, however, grant the state’s motion to limit what defense attorneys could ask criminal informants charged with crimes who will testify for the prosecution.

Fernandez, who is accused of hiring a gunman to murder Bridegan, his wife’s ex-husband, in a case that has garnered national attention, will now be tried only on first-degree murder and solicitation to commit a capital felony.

Prosecutors announced during a hearing earlier this week that the other two charges Fernandez had been indicted on -- conspiracy to commit murder and child abuse -- had been dropped.

NEW INFORMATION: Prosecutor drops bombshell in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case: Accused gunman was not alone on night of shooting

In what was expected to be his final pre-trial hearing, Fernandez and his attorneys asked Judge Kite to block testimony from a potential witness about a conversation she allegedly overheard between Fernandez and his now-estranged wife, Shanna Gardner.

They argue the testimony might be protected by legal privilege and hearsay rules.

Fernandez’s defense is also asking the state to provide more information about potential witnesses, including who might have received immunity, benefits or other considerations in exchange for agreeing to testify.

Jury selection for Fernandez, the first of three defendants to face trial in the case, will begin on Aug. 10.

RELATED: Defense attorneys for Mario Fernandez briefly discussed plea deal with state in Jared Bridegan murder-for-hire case

Fernandez is accused, along with Gardner, of hiring Henry Tenon, a former tenant of Fernandez, to fatally shoot Bridegan, a 33-year-old father of four, in February 2022 in Jacksonville Beach.

Gardner, Fernandez and Tenon are all under indictment for first-degree murder and other charges and have each pleaded not guilty.

Gardner also appeared in court on Friday for a pre-trial hearing to address issues as her trial date looms after Fernandez.

After initially planning to try Gardner and Fernandez at the same time, defense attorneys and state prosecutors have since agreed that they should face separate trials, with two separate jury selection periods.

Fernandez will go on trial first, with jury selection slated for Aug. 10-14, and his trial scheduled for Aug. 17-28.

Gardner will go on trial after Fernandez, with jury selection from Aug. 31-Sept. 4, and the trial from Sept. 8-25.

Tenon, who is also expected in court on Monday, will go on trial in March.

In 2023, Tenon pleaded guilty and admitted to being the gunman who killed Bridegan, but he has since backtracked, and a judge granted his motion to withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial.

Timeline: How we got here

More than four years ago, Jared Bridegan dropped his then-9-year-old twin children off at the home of his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, after a “date night” with their dad.

He left Gardner’s Jacksonville Beach home on Feb. 16, 2022, with his 2-year-old daughter, Bexley, strapped in her car seat in the back of his dark-colored SUV. They were headed back to St. Augustine.

But the 33-year-old Microsoft employee never made it home.

Following his normal route through the Sanctuary neighborhood, Bridegan suddenly had to stop in the area of Jacksonville Drive, America Avenue and Sanctuary Boulevard.

A tire was in the road.

When Bridegan stepped out of his SUV, he was ambushed by gunfire. At least one bullet missed Bexley by mere inches in her car seat.

RELATED | Murder-for-hire plot included practice run along Jared Bridegan’s normal route home: prosecutors

Bridegan was left lying in the street next to the SUV with the door wide open, and the shooter seemed to melt into the shadows just as quickly as he had launched his ambush attack.

None of the 911 callers that night mentioned seeing a shooter or a vehicle leaving the scene.

LISTEN: Press play below to hear 911 calls from night of Jared Bridegan’s murder (WARNING: May include graphic content)

But eventually, detectives tracked down the man they say pulled the trigger.

Investigators say that it was all part of a murder-for-hire plot set in motion by Gardner and her second husband, Mario Fernandez. It was a conspiracy that began in November of 2021, according to court documents.

Interactive Timeline

Alleged murder-for-hire scheme

According to detectives, Gardner was tired of sharing custody of her twin children with Bridegan.

Fernandez, she knew, could “take care of him” because of his military background, Gardner told a friend. At least that’s what the friend told investigators as she detailed the strained marriage between Gardner and Fernandez and the contentious ongoing custody battle between Gardner and Bridegan.

RELATED: A friend of Shanna Gardner said she could help in Jared Bridegan’s murder case. Here’s what she told investigators | How investigators say they untangled conspiracy to kill Jared Bridegan

Investigators say that’s exactly what Fernandez did, hiring Henry Tenon, a tenant at one of his properties, to kill Bridegan.

In his initial interview with police in July 2022, Tenon told investigators that he had been renting a home from Fernandez in Jacksonville’s Biltmore neighborhood for several years.

Tenon’s original court records said he became involved in the conspiracy on Jan. 4, 2022 -- just over a month before Bridegan was killed.

Investigators said when Tenon was arrested on an unrelated felony driving charge in August 2022, they questioned him about Bridegan’s murder and a Ford F-150 truck they had been searching for since the shooting.

RELATED | Follow the money: Checks written to Jared Bridegan’s admitted killer connect him to 2 accused in ‘murder-for-hire plot’ | Jared Bridegan’s wife files wrongful death lawsuit against 3 accused in his murder

Tenon was later arrested in Bridegan’s murder, and investigators said the single link between Tenon and Bridegan was Fernandez.

Again, Tenon initially pleaded guilty, but has since withdrawn his guilty plea.

He is now under indictment for some of the same charges as Gardner and Fernandez.

Gardner is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse.

Tenon is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse, possession of a firearm by a felon and accessory after the fact.

State prosecutors initially said they would be seeking the death penalty against Gardner and Fernandez if they were convicted, but they have since taken the death penalty off the table, with the support of Bridegan’s widow, Kirsten, and his family.

That kind of ambience is what you'll find on comic Jenny Yang's unique nationwide summer comedy tour, where she has been turning cultural grocery stores into comedy clubs for a night. And she's been leaning into her unconventional venue choice.

“I got to buy a bunch of small snacks and shrimp chips and throw it into the audience every time I felt like a joke didn’t land,” Yang said. “I mean this is my dream.”

A stand-up and sketch comedy veteran whose acting credits include the Netflix show “The Brothers Sun,” Yang is living a dream of “the most politically and creatively fulfilling project” she's ever done. The Good Egg Immigrant Grocery Store Standup Comedy Tour is partly her reaction to the immigration crackdowns by President Donald Trump's administration impacting Asian, Latino and Black communities. She wanted to entertain in cities with immigrant enclaves where she could give back. So, Yang and her team chose grocery store stops and nonprofits to donate to based on recommendations from local organizations.

The unorthodox tour has grown from five performances to nearly 20, far beyond her expectations. It started June 5 in Los Angeles, where Yang lives, and has taken her to Minneapolis, Phoenix and other cities. After stops in New York and San Francisco, the tour will wrap Sept. 26 back in L.A. with Yang filming a performance for a proposed comedy special.

She touches on topics ranging from infertility to awareness of immigrant experiences in the U.S. While comedians are divided on whether stand-up should stand down on politics, Yang has always spoken on it.

“People come into this art form as a stand-up comedian for different reasons. I am of the mind that my stand-up comedy is just an extension of my values and I believe in punching up, not down,” Yang said.

Being inspired to be a ‘good egg’

Last December, Yang, who immigrated from Taiwan, was back there to receive what was a failed round of in vitro fertilization treatment. Heartbroken and sitting in front of an omelet breakfast, she lamented not having “one good egg" to start a family. As she mulled a new endeavor to focus on, her mind drifted toward the “non-stop barrage” of headlines about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

That's when the idea for a tour weaving her past as a labor organizer with her passion for stand-up sparked.

”The ability to do and bring a show together, and bring people together inside of the immigrant grocery store, to me, reaffirms our ability to take up space and to own the space that matters to us," Yang said.

After emceeing a gala for the Asian Law Caucus in April, Yang shared her outside-the-box idea with the San Francisco-based group. The Caucus works pro bono in immigrant communities and on high-profile cases like the recent birthright citizenship case. They hired Yang not just for her comedic touch but as “somebody who culturally could relate to the communities that we serve,” said executive director Aarti Kohli. The Caucus offered its vast network of Asian American community leaders and immigrant-centered nonprofits nationwide.

“Although we are a legal civil rights organization, we understand that so much of how we reach community is through, especially for Asian communities, food and culture,” Kohli said. “I think comedy is healing and unifying.”

How a grocery store becomes a stage

At Shuang Hur Supermarket in Minneapolis — half a block from where ICE agents fatally shot Alex Pretti — Yang put on a show in July, said manager Henry Zhou.

They reconfigured shelves near the checkout lanes to fit 150 chairs, he said.

“Everybody got in line to buy some snacks and some drinks. A few people even did a bit of grocery shopping,” Zhou said.

He then dimmed the lights for Yang.

“Just renting a spotlight makes a show,” Yang said. “How fun is it that I’m literally doing stand-up comedy next to an aisle that sells fungus and five pounds of rice?”

Zhou found it a “unique experience” that he'd do again.

“We enjoyed every minute. Even after the show, everyone stayed and chatted,” Zhou said. “I’m pretty sure it helped us promote the store.”

The value of cultural grocery stores in the US

"Ethnic food” is no longer just a supermarket aisle. Chains like H Mart and 99 Ranch Market, as well as smaller stores, generate $55.8 billion in revenue, according to a 2025 report from market research firm IBISWorld.

These stores are also “cross-cultural meeting grounds,” said Willow Lung, founding director of the Small Business Anti-Displacement Network. They provide jobs for locals and attract other businesses such as restaurants, beauty counters, and even tax preparers. They can be anchors where there is no Chinatown or Japantown.

“They act as kind of a ‘main street,’ if you will, for communities,” Lung said. “There's just so many ways in which we underestimate the value of a grocery store as just being like, ‘Oh, it just sells these products and services.’”

For over a year, international grocers have struggled with tariffs and the absence of immigrant customers fearful of venturing out. Some stores had to close temporarily or long-term, Lung added.

Grocery workers like Zhou try to “just help as much as we can.” For a few customers, he took a shopping list via text and delivered it.

Yang hopes bringing a dose of humor will momentarily distract from the angst so many of these communities continue to feel.

“It’s just a way to remind people, yes, there’s a lot of doom and gloom,” she said. “But, we got to make room for joy.”

After the frenzy of Monday’s trade deadline, Burleson hit a trio of two-run homers off three different pitchers, including a drive into the second deck in right field that capped a seven-run eighth inning as St. Louis outslugged the New York Yankees for a 13-7 victory despite blowing a six-run lead.

“He’s human and there’s a lot of conversations around it, but he was able to kind of stay focused on the things he could control,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “I’d give him credit for prepping the way he did today, knowing that his name was still being thrown around and having the type of night that he did.”

Burleson had the biggest night of his five-year career after the Cardinals traded outfielder Lars Nootbaar to Arizona and pitchers Dustin May and JoJo Romero to Milwaukee. About an hour before the first pitch, Burleson met with Marmol in his office and learned he was staying with the young Cardinals (56-57), who were nine games over .500 on June 16.

“He kind of messed with me a little bit,” Burleson said. “He kind of brought me in like I was being traded and just said, ‘Hey, you’re staying here’ and just shook my hand. He just kind of messed with me a little, and he just told me to be myself.”

Burleson had the first three-homer game by a Cardinals player since catcher Iván Herrera did it April 2, 2025, against the Angels. The 27-year-old became the first Cardinals first baseman with a three-homer game since current Yankees slugger Paul Goldschmidt on May 7, 2023.

On a muggy night when the teams combined for 10 homers and 18 of the 20 runs were scored via longballs, the left-handed-hitting Burleson used the short porch in right field to his advantage.

Three batters into the game, he pulled a 1-2 fastball from hard-throwing Yankees starter Cam Schlittler into right-field seats for a 350-foot drive. In the fourth, Burleson sent an 0-1 sinker 15 feet further into the right-field seats off reliever Tim Hill.

After the Yankees took a 7-6 lead on a two-run homer by newcomer Luis García Jr. in the seventh, the Cardinals scored seven times in the eighth for their second-biggest inning this season. Following a go-ahead, three-run homer by Nathan Church and a two-run drive by fellow rookie Jimmie Crooks, Burleson fouled off three straight pitches before connecting on a 2-2 slider from Angel Chivilli and launching it 418 feet to right for a 13-7 advantage.

Burleson became the 15th player in St. Louis history with a three-homer game. He also became the eighth visiting player to do it at the current Yankee Stadium, which opened in 2009. The previous one was Jordan Diaz for the Athletics on May 9, 2023.

___

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

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci was arrested and booked on suspicion of arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire. He is being held on $1 million bond. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

The fire that sparked Saturday is one of several burning around Spokane, the state's second-largest city. They are among the most destructive blazes in state history, together destroying at least 700 structures and forcing roughly 67,000 people to evacuate.

Earlier Monday, some residents returned to find their homes leveled by wildfires that erupted across a parched landscape over the weekend, covering yards in charred debris. In some cases, only chimneys were left standing.

“There’s nothing to save,” Miriam Sim, 76, said Monday as she and her husband, Daniel Sim, surveyed the ruins of the home where they had lived since 2005.

“At our age, do we want to rebuild?” her husband asked.

The fires jumped roads and rivers and had burned about 12.5 square miles (about 32 square kilometers) by Monday. The sky filled with smoke and haze. Calmer winds and lower temperatures arrived to help firefighters, but it was expected to be hot and dry again by midweek.

In one Spokane neighborhood, blackened vehicles, a boat twisted by the heat and melted plastic recycling bins remained. Across the street, lawns were still green and houses were spared, as residents continued to run hoses or sprinklers to water their properties.

“Hundreds of people have completely lost their homes and farms, and many are prohibited from returning to their homes or neighborhoods as crews continue to extinguish smoldering embers,” the state's entire congressional delegation wrote Monday in asking President Donald Trump to approve an expedited emergency declaration.

No deaths or major injuries have been reported so far

Cpl. Mark Gregory, a spokesperson for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, said the county initially received nearly 300 reports of missing people, but by Monday they had cleared all but 14.

Those outstanding reports more likely represented people who had not been in contact since evacuating than people who were truly missing or in danger, authorities said.

The Spokane-area wildfires were completely uncontained, fire officials said. More than 1,000 firefighters, many from out of state, had arrived by Monday, and that number was expected to double in the next few days.

The fires were among dozens across the Western U.S. stretching the ability of federal, state and local agencies to fight them. At least 390 square miles (1,000 square kilometers) has burned across Washington, which has contended with severe drought and a paltry snowpack.

Authorities warned people not to fly drones near the burned areas, saying it could force them to delay aerial firefighting operations.

Homes, cars and possessions have been lost in flames

Angela and Wayde Deatherage, both 49, evacuated shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday with a son, grabbing a few bins of family photos and heirloom rings but not much else. Roughly 30 minutes later, their security camera was sending fire notifications to Angela’s phone.

Wayde Deatherage took some back roads and returned by early evening. He stopped at the end of the street and called his wife: “Our house is done.”

Deatherage, however, wasn't done with his neighborhood. He propped a hose at another house so it sprayed the property. That home survived.

The couple returned to their property Sunday.

“It’s just ash,” Angela Deatherage said of the home where they had lived for nearly 22 years. ”It’s like our house sunk down in the basement. ... There’s just so much loss for so many people.”

Karen Faggioli, 61, figured she would be returning to her home. She recalled how other recent fires had been brought under control. But a relative texted her the bad news: Her house and three vehicles were destroyed. A daughter lost her nearby house, too.

“Why cry? What’s crying going to do? I’ve been through so many tragedies myself,” said Faggioli, who is recovering from breast cancer. “This is nothing. Like I told my granddaughter, ‘We’re strong — and now we get all new things.’ I’m emotionally numb.”

Friends and relatives of fire victims posted online appeals for money, clothes and basic necessities.

Grassland burns in Idaho, Oregon and Utah

Spokane was hardly the only place struggling to contain fires.

A lightning-caused fire that has burned over 530 square miles (about 1,370 square kilometers) of grassland in western Idaho and eastern Oregon continued to grow Monday. The area is home to cattle ranches, and authorities said the fire is threatening more than 600 homes and 800 other structures.

In central Utah, a blaze quadrupled in size over the weekend to nearly 109 square miles (282 square kilometers) by Monday afternoon. More than 100 cattle have been killed, according to law enforcement.

Heavy winds helped flames jump containment lines, but forward progression was slowed toward Fillmore, a town of about 2,600 people and the seat of Millard County, officials said. Mandatory evacuations were ordered Sunday evening for the town's southern portion, and inmates at the county jail were transferred.

Spokane sets up shelter for impacted residents

In Spokane, about 400 people were staying at city's main convention center, which was turned into a shelter, officials said.

Spokane Public Schools opened a free emergency drop-in camp for children on Monday. Trials at the county court were pushed to Aug. 10.

Several larger fires continued to burn in less populated areas northwest of Spokane.

___

Johnson reported from Seattle, and White from Detroit. Associated Press writers Manuel Valdes in Spokane; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Kathy McCormack in Concord, N.H.; and Martha Bellisle in Seattle contributed.