Herbert Wayne Smith, 65, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the blaze that has destroyed seven structures and scorched more than 15 square miles (39 square km) of forest in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Calaveras County.

Smith is suspected of “recklessly causing" the blaze on Monday while “operating equipment capable of producing sparks” without clearing flammable vegetation as required, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Prosecutors will determine whether to file criminal charges.

An apologetic Smith told KCRA-TV that he was using a chain saw to cut some scrap wood when it ignited.

“I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened,” Smith told the news station. “This is going to destroy my life, one way or another."

Investigators will determine whether the fire contributed to the death of the person found in a burned home near the town of Angels Camp, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office said.

In eastern Washington state, three major fires continued to burn around the city of Spokane. Officials said Thursday that cooler temperatures and calmer winds have allowed firefighters to make progress against the blazes. No deaths have been reported, though at least 800 buildings have been destroyed.

Miller is facing a congressional ethics investigation related to domestic abuse allegations leveled against him by his ex-wife, and anxiety over his electability this fall is growing within his party. But the second-term, Cleveland-area congressman has continued to insist that he will hold the course.

In a post on X, Husted said he knows Miller, his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, and their daughter, and “I do not see how a campaign for Congress benefits any of them.”

“I believe Max would be making the right decision to step aside as a candidate and resign from Congress to focus on what is in the best interest of his daughter,” he wrote. “Years from now, I believe he will look back and know it was the right choice for her.”

Another Republican senator, Tim Sheehy of Montana, also urged Miller on Thursday to “step aside and seek help.”

“Staying in this race makes it far more likely we lose this seat and hand Democrats a majority to impeach President Trump,” he said on X.

Miller faces Democrat Brian Poindexter, a union ironworker and local councilman, for Ohio’s 7th Congressional District.

A message seeking comment was left with Miller's spokesperson. The congressman has vehemently denied all allegations of domestic abuse leveled against him by his former spouse.

Husted’s and Sheehy's comments added to the increasing pressure on Miller from both Democrats and fellow Republicans. Sen. Bernie Moreno, the state's senior senator, reacted to Miller's livestream on X Sunday by saying that Miller is unfit to serve — though he never specifically urged Miller to resign or end his November campaign.

Under Ohio law, Miller would need to withdraw by Saturday to allow enough time for the replacement process to play out before the 4 p.m. Monday deadline.

Donovan O'Neil, state director of Americans for Prosperity-Ohio, an influential conservative organization, also labeled Miller “unfit to serve” in an X post Thursday.

O'Neil said Republicans just a month ago called out Graham Platner, a now-former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, over a sexual assault claim he denied and they “should be just as willing to call out Max Miller and exorcise our own demons from the GOP.”

President Donald Trump, for whom Miller was a senior aide during the first term, has cautioned Miller that he may face an uphill battle this fall — but he continued to stop short on Thursday of weighing in on whether Miller should resign or withdraw.

The president was asked about the embattled congressman while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office at a Thursday signing event.

“Well, I’m not going to get involved in that,” Trump said. He echoed his earlier comments that it was a “very sad situation.”

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.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

Joey Mendoza Atkins

Occupation: Miami and Tampa trial attorney with experience in Legal Aid for farmworkers and DACA recipients, family law, and business litigation. Policy experience with UN Global Compact, which works with CEOs and businesses to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, including on labour, the environment and anti-corruption.

Age: 41

Family: My mom, Erika, and her husband, Gary, live in Loxahatchee, Palm Beach County close to where I grew up. She is a real estate agent and firearms specialist and trainer, while Gary is a veteran and retired law-enforcement. I have three older step siblings and a younger sister in Dunnellon, Marion County, and two adopted shelter dogs - Maria and Eleanor.

Education: M.A. at the Milano School of Policy, Management and Environment, New School NY.

J.D. and Certificate of International Law at the University of Toledo College of Law, Ohio.

B.A. Cum Laude (Major in Political Science, Minor in Criminal Justice), Florida Atlantic University.

Political experience: Democratic Nominee for CD 26 in 2024, a R+41.8 deep red seat. The district stretched across the Everglades and included Everglades City, Immokalee, and Ave Maria, alongside parts of Collier and Monroe counties. Active with the Miami-Dade Democrats last year when we flipped the Miami Mayor’s Office for the first time in nearly 30 years in a stunning upset.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

I believe the top three issues are: 1) To protect and preserve our water and farmland from the data centers and overdevelopment that hike our energy bills and destroy our water quality. 2) To make Florida more affordable by fighting for Florida consumers against the Tariff Tax and support farmers, families and small businesses who have been hardest hit, including with the Tariff Checks that were promised. 3) To modernize guest worker programs to help farmers address labor shortages, cut costs for small businesses, and lower our grocery prices.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

My work providing legal aid to farm workers gives me unique insights and experience directly supporting the workers that pick our produce, to help Florida farmers and ranchers address labor shortages and lower food prices. This is in stark contrast to my primary opponent and the incumbent, who both support expanding E-Verify to hurt small businesses which will also pass costs onto consumers, and have been willing pawns in the federal weaponization of FL local law enforcement to force them to integrate with ICE while the national government agency was killing American citizens. Another issue I will fight for Florida families on, that Simpson and Prichard will not, is stopping Flock surveillance cameras as an invasion of privacy and illegal data collection. I will also fight to stop AI data centers in Florida and push for cannabis legalization to support our veterans and help tackle the opioid crisis. All of this is in direct contrast with Wilt Simpson, who endorsed Data Center Donalds, and Donald Prichard, who is on the record pushing for increased surveillance of US citizens (including being investigated by Broward Sheriff’s Office for alleged comments praising the S.S – a paramilitary organization in Nazi Germany led by Heinrich Himmler – while using surveillance technology to “track” a Congresswoman in South Florida).

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

Making farming and food affordable again, protecting and preserving our natural resources for future generations, and reinvigorating our ag industry by restoring integrity and transparency, and rooting out the corruption and fraud that has seen our cost of living soar. Food is too damn expensive. Yet farmers aren’t the ones getting rich: The monopolies in the middle are squeezing family farms, price gouging working families, and rigging the system from the field to the grocery store. We can lower food prices, pay farmers fairly, and make food affordable again if we stop Wilt’s corruption. During Wilt’s tenure as Chairman of the Florida Senate and then in charge of the state government’s fraud watchdog, home insurance rates and rents have skyrocketed to the worst in the country, and FL is a national epicenter for healthcare fraud. Wilt is weak and corrupt, and will never stand up to the special interests trying to overdevelop our state, build hyperscale data centers and drive up our costs. He’s of course endorsed by Senator Rick Scott, another multimillionaire medicare fraudster who voted for healthcare cuts that will force rural hospitals to close, and recently said that paying higher gas prices was “worth it” for endless wars.

Campaign website: www.joeyforflorida.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube

Donald “Don” Prichard

Occupation: Law Enforcement Captain with 25+ years of experience.

Age: 44

Family: I have been married to my husband, Skylar, since 2017. We share our home with three beloved dogs, a toy Australian Shephard, a Jack Russel Terrier, and a Yorkshire Terrier, who are very much a part of our family.

Education: MBA - Western Governor’s University

Bachelors in Intelligence Studies - American Military University

Certified Law Enforcement Officer - Police Academy at Broward College.

Political experience: Although I have not previously held elected office, my career has been dedicated to public service, leadership, and working with government at every level. Throughout my career, I have led teams, managed complex operations, worked with elected officials and community leaders, and helped address issues affecting Floridians. I have also served as the president of a law enforcement union representing more than 1200 deputies and sergeants, where I negotiated with government officials, advocated for employees, and worked on issues impacting public safety and local governments.

What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?

1. Provide innovative leadership that will ensure food safety and promote a strong and sustainable Florida agriculture industry by building partnerships, programs, and developing further education of the industry.

2. Increase Consumer protection by Strengthening the Consumer Services Division to provide aggressive protection for Florida consumers against fraud, scams, and other illicit business activities.

3. As one of only four members of the Florida Cabinet with an equal vote on statewide issues, I will assert the independent authority of my office and not act as a rubber stamp for the governor.

How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?

As a native Floridian who has served this state and nation as a soldier, law enforcement professional, a union president, and a community volunteer, I believe that I have the skills, knowledge, and ability to lead this agency and work to improve the lives of all Floridians. And am prepared to do so from Day 1. I have spent my life making tough decisions, solving real problems, and standing up for people who are forgotten or overlooked.

What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?

If I have the privilege of serving, I hope to be remembered as the commissioner who restored confidence in the office by putting Floridians first and leaving the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stronger, more transparent, and more accountable to the people, providing an office that has integrity, accessibility, and effective leadership.

Campaign website: In Progress

Campaign social media: In Progress

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

Wilton Simpson

The Republican incumbent has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Campaign website: wiltonsimpson.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X

Matt Taylor

The Republican candidate has not responded to email and telephone invitations to complete the News4JAX candidate questionnaire. If responses are received, they will be promptly posted in this space.

Campaign website: treadback.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

A write-in candidate, Kyle KC Gibson, qualified for the general election. The names of write-in candidates do not appear on the ballot, though there will be a line for a write-in.

The president said he was signing two executive actions on immigration.

He said one will limit the number of people eligible for U.S. citizenship after being born in the United States.

A second order seeks to curb what Trump called “birth tourism” by increasing restrictions on visitors to the U.S. who want to obtain visas to give birth while in the country.

Additional details weren’t provided, but Trump said he thought his latest actions would be constitutional.

In June, the Supreme Court upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump’s previous efforts to declare that children born to people in the U.S. illegally or temporarily aren’t American citizens.

The storms — called haboobs — occur throughout the U.S. Southwest when strong downdrafts from thunderstorms stir up loose dust and dirt that get blown along in front of the approaching storm cell.

They can produce massive walls of dust and debris that blind drivers and make people sick.

The latest storm rolled in during the early morning hours Thursday, three days after the other one struck. There were no reports of any significant impacts, though both storms reduced visibility to half a mile (0.8 kilometers).

“Luckily, they both happened when it was later at night, so there was less traffic on the roads,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Salerno in Phoenix.

Both storms were extreme, Category 5 events on a scale of dust storm severity, with huge concentrations of dust and wind speeds of about 50 mph (80 kph), according to researchers at Arizona State University, which helped develop the scale.

The scale — unveiled this year — was developed using data going back to 2010.

“To have Class 5 dust storms occur one right after another a few days apart is unprecedented in our records,” said Randall Cerveny, a professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State. “We don't see that.”

They were only the fifth and sixth dust storms in the last 16 years to reach Category 5, Cerveny told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

He noted the Phoenix region has been drier than normal, which can increase the amount of dust that is kicked up. Scientists have said human-caused climate change increases the odds of both severe drought and heavier storms that could set the stage for more intense dust storms in the future.

Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times at the hearing.

Also, Iran said Wednesday it's in the “final stage” of drafting an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. President Donald Trump has said a deal could be announced this week. The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports.

Here's the latest:

Trump says some US munitions supplies are ‘a little bit tighter’

The president was asked by a reporter why his administration’s budget request includes $21 million for munitions stockpiles while disputing on social media reports of munitions shortages.

Trump said, “We need more all the time” and said there are some types of munitions of which the U.S. has a “virtually unlimited supply.”

But, he said, “We have others where it’s a little bit tighter.”

He did not specify which.

Trump won’t say whether Rep. Max Miller should step aside

Trump is declining to say whether Rep. Max Miller of Ohio should withdraw his reelection bid following domestic abuse allegations leveled against him by his ex-wife.

Trump was asked about the embattled Republican congressman while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office at a Thursday signing event.

“Well, I’m not going to get involved in that,” Trump said. He echoed his earlier comments, calling it a “very sad situation.” Miller was a senior adviser to Trump during the president’s first term.

Miller’s ex-wife is the daughter of Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, who has said Miller should not be serving in the House. Ohio’s other Republican senator, Jon Husted, on Thursday called for Miller to resign and not seek reelection.

Under Ohio law, Miller would need to withdraw by Saturday to allow enough time for the replacement process to play out before the 4 p.m. Monday deadline.

Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is ‘sort of open’

Asked if a deal has been reached with Iran to reopen the vital waterway, Trump said he didn’t want to say.

“It has been sort of open right now,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.

Trump signs immigration orders on ‘birthright citizenship’

The president says he’s signing two executive actions on immigration.

Trump signed an executive action that he says will limit the number of people eligible for U.S. citizenship after being born in the United States.

A second order seeks to curb what Trump called “birth tourism” by increasing restrictions on visitors to the U.S. obtaining visas if they want to give birth while in the country.

Details weren’t provided, but Trump said he thought his latest actions would be constitutional.

In June, the Supreme Court upheld a broad conception of birthright citizenship, rejecting Trump’s previous efforts to declare that children born to people in the U.S. illegally or temporarily aren’t American citizens.

Trump says it’s way too early to think about endorsing Vance in 2028

The president told reporters at the White House that he heard about a report in the Washington Post on Thursday that he has privately told donors they need to back Vance for president in 2028.

Trump didn’t deny the report but said, “No, no,” when asked if that was his official endorsement of his vice president.

“I think he’s great, but we’re way too early to even be thinking about that,” Trump said.

Trump says he’s taking action to boost US polysilicon industry

Trump says he’s ready to impose tariffs and minimum prices on imports of polysilicon to help increase domestic production of the material.

Polysilicon is important to the chip-making industry and to manufacturing solar panels.

Trump discussed his plan during an appearance in the Oval Office but didn’t immediately provide details.

Republican Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio says Rep. Max Miller should leave House and fall campaign

Sen. Jon Husted is calling on Rep. Max Miller of Ohio to resign his House seat and abandon his fall reelection bid.

Husted’s comments on the social platform X on Thursday pile onto pressure from Ohio’s senior senator, Republican Bernie Moreno, Miller’s former father-in-law, who Sunday said Miller is unfit to serve.

Miller is facing a congressional ethics investigation related to domestic abuse allegations leveled against him by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, but is insisting he won’t withdraw.

Miller has vigorously defended himself against the allegations made in a custody fight over their 2-year-old daughter.

Husted said stepping aside as a candidate and legislator is in the best interest of the child.

Miller’s determination to push ahead comes as a Monday deadline looms for replacing him on the November ballot should he change his mind. The second-term congressman’s actions in a parade of public appearances — beginning with a livestream from his X account on Sunday — are heightening concerns among Republicans that his reelection chances are vanishing.

Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Sen. Mitch McConnell says he’s been discharged from rehabilitation center

The Kentucky Republican and former Senate leader was first admitted to the hospital on June 14. He disclosed weeks later that his hospitalization was the result of a fall and said he was undergoing physical therapy.

McConnell in a statement Thursday, gave no specific date for his return to the Senate.

“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business,” McConnell said.

McConnell’s absence was felt in the Senate as Republicans were unable on Thursday to advance a farm bill out of committee without his vote.

Last week, Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear urged McConnell to either prove that he is fit to continue serving in office or resign.

Brazil’s president to call Trump after his ambassador to Washington had visa revoked

Two days after the U.S. government revoked the visa of Brazil’s ambassador in Washington, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said late Wednesday he intends to call Trump.

Lula’s comments came during a podcast in which he discussed the war in Ukraine and the United Nations’ inaction. In the same interview, he said the latest move by the U.S. government against his administration is “irresponsible.”

“Last week, I called (Chinese President) Xi Jinping to speak about the need for the (U.N.) Security Council to meet. Yesterday (Tuesday), I spoke with my friend (Russian President Vladimir) Putin so they would meet, and I am going to speak with Trump as well,” said Lula, who is bidding for reelection in October.

The Trump administration revoked the visa of ambassador Maria Luiza Viotti in retaliation for Brazil’s denial of visas last month for two American diplomats who sought to visit ahead of the elections.

Trump administration will buy back company’s offshore wind leases off 3 states in $1.2B deal

An offshore wind company says it’s reached a $1.2 billion deal with the Trump administration to walk away from projects under development off New York, California and Louisiana.

RWE U.S. Offshore says its leases represented years of planning, investment and partnership with federal agencies.

But the company determined there was no path forward to permit the projects for the foreseeable future. In exchange for $1.22 billion, RWE is relinquishing the wind power leases.

The president often talks about his hatred of wind power. His administration has been buying back offshore wind leases to discourage the expansion of wind energy in favor of fossil fuel development.

States that are losing offshore wind energy are suing. California intends to sue.

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Vance to meet with Senate Republicans on Thursday

The vice president is joining the Senate GOP’s lunch, where he’s expected to discuss a government funding bill and a proof-of-citizenship voting bill Trump is pushing to pass, according to a person familiar with the plans who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The person said the vice president wants to ensure that Republicans are working to get as much of the SAVE America Act passed through the budget reconciliation process. That would allow grant money tied to voting rules to pass the Senate by a simple majority.

Vance also planned to thank Senate Republicans for working to try to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general.

Trump denies report that he is upset with Hegseth

The president’s post on social media was a response to a Washington Post report that Trump angrily confronted the defense secretary last week at Camp David over the U.S.’s depleted defense stockpiles in the wake of the Iran war.

“The Fake News, as usual, is spreading false and completely unfounded rumors. I am extremely happy with the job that Pete Hegseth is doing,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He added that the war with Iran “is going very well!” and said he believed the newspaper’s reporting of the alleged disagreement was “treasonous.

Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet’ of battleships to cost $275 billion, CBO says

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the first ship in the Navy’s new nuclear-powered battleship program would cost about $23 billion. The other 15 ships that would be purchased through 2056 would average slightly more than $18 billion each, it said.

“Congress cannot throw hundreds of billions of dollars at Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet,’ including plastering his name across a new battleship,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Budget Committee, who requested the assessment.

The White House had requested $1 billion for early work on a new “Trump-class” battleship as part of a government funding package that the Senate is considering this week to prevent a government shutdown this fall. Democrats blocked that provision from the package.

For contrast, the last of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers cost around $11 billion to build, while the newer Ford-class carriers will cost the Navy between $13 billion and $15 billion.

Trump’s IndyCar race: Doing 200 in a 25 mph zone with manhole cover-displacing torque

The president is hosting an IndyCar street race in Washington, D.C., as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix, set for Aug. 22 and 23, will see cars speeding down Pennsylvania Avenue at up to eight times the usual 25 mph speed limit.

It is the latest — and the fastest — of the major events Trump has hosted against the backdrop of America’s birthday.

The IndyCar event will be 250 miles over 147 laps on a 1.66-mile track featuring seven turns. Race chair Bud Denker says Penske Corporation is paying for the “vast majority” of the race, while the city handles “very limited” repaving.

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Democrat says Paul would upend long-standing congressional respect for Fifth Amendment protections

Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the committee’s top Democrat, also questioned whether the referral would be valid if Paul bypassed the entire Senate, where the 60 votes needed to pass the resolution are seen as unlikely.

“If this committee now seeks to punish a witness for asserting their constitutionally protected Fifth Amendment rights, future witnesses will argue that appearing before Congress exposes them to punishment regardless of whether they comply with a subpoena and invoke a constitutional protection,” he said.

Fauci’s lawyer accuses Paul of abusing his power by trying to ‘weaponize the Justice Department’

“Today’s partisan committee vote is a crude political stunt intended to punish Dr. Fauci for exercising his constitutional rights,” Fauci’s lawyer, David Schertler, said in a statement. “The Senate should reject Senator Paul’s meritless and politically-motivated contempt resolution. For years, Senator Paul has proclaimed to anyone who would listen that Dr. Fauci should be prosecuted and put in prison. Dr. Fauci has committed no crime — and Senator Paul knows it.”

Iran war renews concerns about the lasting toll of traumatic brain injuries to US troops

The lasting effects of traumatic brain injuries are raising fresh concerns about the toll of the Iran war on American troops who are suffering those wounds during a conflict without a clear end. Nearly 700 U.S. service members have been wounded by drone and missile attacks on bases in the Middle East and other fighting. Most have experienced traumatic brain injuries and returned to duty, according to public statements from military officials.

The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, last month called the vast majority of injuries over a two-week period “minor concussions.”

Concussions often are termed “mild” TBIs, and many people recover within weeks. But sometimes those with seemingly mild initial symptoms go on to have problems persisting for months or years, such as headaches, dizziness or difficulties with memory or attention that’s sometimes called “brain fog.”

Doctors have no way to predict who will suffer lasting problems, a vexing enough question that there’s medical debate over whether to retire the term “mild TBI.”

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Kennedy Center board to vote on closure next week

The board for the performing arts venue will meet Aug. 13 to consider whether to move forward with a two-year closure to allow for renovations, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting hasn’t been made public.

A federal judge blocked a closure that was slated to take effect July 5, saying the board vote authorizing it was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained.” The judge also ruled that President Trump’s name was illegally added to the building, ordering its removal.

As the board, which is largely composed of Trump allies, moves toward another vote, management is expected to provide several options for consideration. They include a complete closure, a partial closure with the resumption of some programming or “phased closures” that would allow the full return of programming.

— Steven Sloan

Trump to welcome Winter Olympians to the White House

The president is hosting dozens of Winter Olympians and Paralympians for a Rose Garden reception later Thursday to honor their accomplishments in the 2026 Milano Cortina games.

Nearly half of the Team USA athletes who competed in Italy earlier this year will be at the reception, according to the White House, along with coaches, staff and other representatives.

Three hundred U.S. athletes participated in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics this year, winning 57 medals in all.

“President Trump will proudly celebrate Team USA’s historic achievements at the Winter Olympics with a special reception at the People’s House,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said. “Our patriotic athletes showed the world American excellence, and their extraordinary performances united us all in our love of country.”

Trump administration moves forward with Head Start overhaul, proposing to eliminate regulations

President Donald Trump’s administration said it plans to overhaul Head Start, tossing out many of the regulations that are the hallmark of the early education program for the nation’s poorest children.

Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the federally funded preschool program, said the proposed changes would encourage more local decision-making. Early childhood policy experts argue the deregulation could undermine Head Start’s position as the gold standard in early education.

Head Start centers serve around 700,000 of the nation’s most vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care or disabled. That wouldn’t change under the overhaul.

But Alex J. Adams, an assistant secretary at Health and Human Service, said the department is hoping to give Head Start centers the flexibility to change the way they operate. That means eliminating most of Head Start’s regulations, such as standards for low staff-to-student ratios or requirements to provide services to preschoolers’ families.

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Pirro’s office is the next stop for Fauci’s contempt charge

The Senate has typically considered contempt charges even when they originate with a committee. But Paul is sending the matter directly to the Justice Department, bypassing the full Senate in a move Democrats decried as illegitimate.

That means the referral will land in the office of Washington’s U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

That’s notable given how Pirro has drawn fire recently from President Donald Trump over her effectively disputing the president’s false claims that vandals damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Pirro dropped charges against a man accused of damaging the pool’s new lining, saying it was instead the result of shoddy contractor work.

So, now, Pirro could end up deciding whether to prosecute Fauci.

Senate committee votes to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress

The Senate committee on Thursday voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week focused on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held the vote one week after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the panel.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chairman, has said that constitutional protection did not apply since Fauci last year received a pardon from Democratic President Joe Biden and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution. Fauci and Democrats who opposed the contempt resolution say he had a well-founded fear of self-incrimination given a public desire by Republicans to seek his prosecution.

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Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Thursday. Full coverage can be found here.

Iran says a deal with Oman is close

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has said an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz with Oman, which lies on the other side of the waterway, is in the “final stage” of drafting. Speaking Wednesday, he said a joint statement will be issued “if certain parties do not obstruct this process,” apparently referring to the U.S.

The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports.

A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly said Thursday that any temporary routes through the Strait of Hormuz will not have impediments such as approvals, permissions, tolls or charges.

Asked Thursday if a deal has been reached with Iran to reopen the vital waterway, U.S. President Donald Trump said he didn’t want to say.

“It has been sort of open right now,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.

The strait is crucial to global shipping and energy supplies. Before the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas passed through the waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

— Michelle Price in Washington

Ships struck over the past week in the Strait of Hormuz

At least two ships were hit in the Strait of Hormuz in the past week, while several others reported near misses or warnings from entities claiming to represent Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, according to maritime data company Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

The company added that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels continued to claim attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The claims could not be independently verified.

Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increased to 84 transits during the week of July 27 to Aug. 2, up from 45 the previous week. But traffic is still far below the more than 700 transits seen in a typical week before the crisis, Lloyd's List said.

Yemen's Houthis kill 30 government forces in major attack

Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked government forces in two provinces, killing at least 30 troops and wounding 50 others, government officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

The attacks mark a major escalation since a truce in 2022 largely halted fighting. The civil war pits the Iran-backed Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition allied with Yemen's internationally recognized government.

Yemen has been embroiled in a civil war since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year.

— Samy Magdy in Cairo

Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon as negotiators meet in Rome

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and another four were seriously wounded in an explosion in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said Thursday. The deaths are Israel's first since a shaky truce was implemented in June between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The Israeli army launched strikes Wednesday in southern Lebanon in response to what it described as Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire and issued a call for residents of another village to flee — the first such warning Israel has issued in weeks.

The escalation came as Lebanese and Israeli negotiators met in Rome to discuss implementation of the June deal under which Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw from areas they occupy in southern Lebanon, in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Uganda approves sending troops for international force in Gaza

Ugandan authorities won parliamentary approval Thursday to deploy troops as part of the International Stabilization Force for Gaza.

The 20,000-strong force, proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in February to ensure “future prosperity and enduring peace,” has not yet materialized.

Several other countries pledged troops to the mission, including Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Albania and Indonesia, which has since put its commitment of troops on indefinite hold.

The Gaza ceasefire has stalled, as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this week that Israel will not withdraw from its current lines in Gaza until Hamas has completely disarmed.

Israeli settler charged in West Bank killing of Palestinian activist

Israeli prosecutors have charged a settler with the killing of a Palestinian community leader last year in the occupied West Bank.

Prosecutors accuse Yinon Levi of reckless manslaughter in the death of prominent Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in July 2025. The charge holds a lesser punishment than murder under Israeli law. The indictment also charges Levi with armed trespassing and malicious property damage.

It is extremely rare for Israel to charge settlers with violence against Palestinians. Israeli rights group B’Tselem said the charges against Levi mark the first time since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that an Israeli has been indicted for the death of a Palestinian in the West Bank.

In that time, the group said, Israeli settlers and soldiers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians in the territory.

Iraq moves to crack down on armed militia groups

Iraq said Thursday that any armed activity outside of state authority after Sept. 30 will be prosecuted under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Law, the latest move in a push to bring all weapons under government control.

Several powerful, Iran-backed armed factions have rejected calls to surrender weapons or dissolve their organizations, saying they remain committed to the “option of resistance.”

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. launched strikes on Iraq last week after Riyadh accused Iraqi militias of using drones to attack its oil facilities.

The retaliatory strikes in Iraq hit bases of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a collection of armed groups close to Iran that are officially part of Iraq’s security forces but often operate outside of state control.

Investors in SpaceX have pushed the shares down sharply in recent days in anticipation of insiders possibly selling in the first of several so-called lockup expirations that free them up to trade. More than 900 million shares became newly available to buy or sell with Thursday's release, doubling what was available previously.

SpaceX shares rose 6.1% to close at $114.92. A day earlier they had one of their biggest routs in SpaceX's short history as a public company, dropping nearly 14%.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas said the expiration of lockup provisions that bar employees and others from selling was an opportunity for others to get into the stock cheaply. He believes the stock could rise to $300 by the middle of next year, nearly triple its current level.

Morgan Stanley was one of the investment banks that earned big fees helping take SpaceX public last month.

Earlier this week, SpaceX reported it had lost $541 million, or 9 cents per share, in the three months through June, less than half what financial analysts had forecast. Revenue jumped to $7.8 billion, up more than 90% from the year-earlier period.

The company also posted a massive increase in spending on R&D and infrastructure, particularly involving artificial intelligence, and other major projects. Investors are growing increasingly nervous with big capital spending figures in technology companies, triggering sell-offs.

In June, Musk sold SpaceX shares to the public for the first time in the biggest initial public offering ever. Shares jumped as high as $225 a share, briefly making Musk a trillionaire.

The plunge in the stock since has wiped out hundreds of billions of dollars in market value, leaving the shares trading at even less than its initial $135 offering price.

“This criminal enterprise systematically stole from Florida retailers and exploited homeless people from shelters to convert stolen merchandise into gift cards,” Uthmeier said.

“Organized retail theft is not a victimless crime — it raises prices for every consumer and harms honest businesses. Thanks to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their leadership on the investigation. Through our Organized Retail Theft Task Force, we will dismantle these rings and hold the participants accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Six defendants named in alleged scheme

The six defendants — Ethel McCaskill, 58; Rochelle Jarrett, 39; Sharon Thomas, 57; Drianna Thomas, 31; Tawanda Ellison, 37; and Taccara Gillyard, 37 — are accused of conspiring in a continuous pattern of racketeering activity involving theft and dealing in stolen property between May of 2020, and April of 2022.

How the scheme allegedly worked

According to the charges, the group targeted well-known retailers including HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Michaels, Burlington Coat Factory, Ross, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Golf Galaxy.

Members of the group allegedly stole high-value merchandise and then recruited homeless individuals to return the stolen items without receipts in exchange for store gift cards. Those recruits were reportedly paid only a small amount of money or offered food before the gift cards were collected by the defendants.

Online fencing operation generated millions, according to investigators

The gift cards were then sold for cash to defendant Taccara Gillyard, who allegedly uploaded and resold them online. According to investigators, records revealed Gillyard obtained more than $3.1 million in gift card sales through Raise.com between 2014 and June 2021, along with more than $140,000 from GiftCash and eBay.

Investigators noted that during the charged period of the scheme, Gillyard had no traditional source of income, made frequent large cash ATM withdrawals consistent with payments to co-conspirators, and frequently visited a casino. Investigators also linked specific gift cards from the thefts and fraudulent returns directly to her accounts.

Alleged scheme spanned more than a dozen Florida counties

The alleged thefts and fraudulent returns occurred across 10 judicial circuits and at least 15 Florida counties, including Lake, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Alachua, Orange, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Hillsborough, Palm Beach, Brevard, Seminole, St. Lucie, and Martin.

Charges, potential sentences

All six defendants face charges of conspiracy to engage in racketeering, a first-degree felony.

McCaskill, Jarrett, Sharon Thomas, Drianna Thomas, and Gillyard each face additional charges of organized scheme to defraud (involving $50,000 or more), a first-degree felony, as well as dealing in stolen property, a second-degree felony.

Ellison faces a charge of dealing in stolen property, a second-degree felony.

If convicted as charged, McCaskill, Jarrett, Sharon Thomas, and Drianna Thomas each face up to 90 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. Gillyard faces up to 75 years, and Ellison faces up to 45 years.

The investigation was led by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, with support from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Office of Statewide Prosecution.

The truck dumped the ducks from one side of a half-raised bridge. After forming a yellow pool in the river, the ducks floated for around 15 minutes before a winner and runner-up were plucked from the water.

The annual event, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Illinois, draws thousands of participants. At an accompanying festival, participants snapped pictures with inflatable ducks and doodled on a chalkboard under the prompt, “I adopt a duck because …” Some sported rubber duck-printed shirts.

Becky Cavanagh, the Ducky Derby ambassador and a 13-year Special Olympics athlete, held up the winning duck to the cheers of crowds packed on both sides of the river.

Cavanagh said her favorite part about the Special Olympics was “making new friends.” Asked before the race how she felt about picking the winning duck, she cheered. “Woo!”

Special Olympics Illinois organizes competitions across the state for people with disabilities and special needs. It costs $10 to sponsor a “lone duck,” which will feed an athlete lunch at a competition, and $30 for a “quack pack” of six ducks, which supplies gold medals for a team. The competition has raised more than $480,000.

The sponsor of the fastest duck wins an SUV, and the runner-up will win $2,500 in cash, said Pete Beale-DelVecchio, president of Special Olympics Illinois.

“It really is a fantastic day for our athletes,” he said ahead of the race at an area next to the river, where derby attendees posed with inflatable rubber ducks and bopped along to a live DJ.

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Mayes-Osterman is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

In recent weeks OpenAI and Anthropic also have described instances of AI models going beyond humans' instructions to access the web and find ways around other companies' digital security.

Meta said in a statement that a “misconfiguration" during cybersecurity testing by Irregular, an independent company hired by Meta, inadvertently allowed one of its models to access the internet.

“The model subsequently exploited a security vulnerability in a third-party service, in a manner similar to previously-reported instances with other companies,” the company said. Meta said it is investigating the incident and will issue a report when that's complete.

The disclosure has added to worries about AI models acting autonomously.

Separately this week, the United Kingdom's AI Security Institute announced it had found “unsanctioned agent behavior” during cyber testing. In one case, an agent created fake online identities to pressure a person to approve use of malicious code.

“On investigation, we found that some of the agents being tested had engaged in sustained, potentially harmful activity directed at real people and organizations,” AISI said Tuesday. “We declared a security incident and, within roughly one hour of discovery, had contained it and begun a full investigation.”

During the agency's testing, Anthropic and OpenAI models took “autonomous, unsanctioned action” on the internet. Some guardrails to prevent misuse had been disabled, the agency said.

“As was standard in our cyber testing, we had intentionally permitted internet access, and model-provider cyber classifiers were deliberately disabled — conditions that do not reflect how frontier models are made available to the public,” AISI said. “We do this to best assess the maximum capability of models.”

Anthropic said it is “grateful” for AISI's work and added that it underscores the need for a broader conversation about how to safely evaluate AI agents as their capabilities grow.

OpenAI said the AISI incidents took place “in testing environments with reduced safeguards, under conditions that do not reflect ordinary use." It added it will continue working with others across the industry to "strengthen shared practices for conducting evaluations safely as models become more capable.”

The first company to disclose a hack late last month, OpenAI said it had tasked the AI models involved with pursuing “advanced exploitation using complex attack paths” to test cyber capabilities, but the technology went to unexpected lengths. It apparently decided on its own to target Hugging Face, a well-known AI development hub and marketplace, to obtain information it needed to carry out a task.

A spokesperson for Irregular, the San Francisco-based AI security company, said the Meta episode involves a test-environment issue that was disclosed last week by Anthropic.

Irregular said it's writing a paper to share “best practices for containment” to prevent such incidents in the future and securely run cyber tests.

The former Senate leader was first admitted to the hospital on June 14. He disclosed weeks later that his hospitalization was the result of a fall and said he was undergoing physical therapy.

McConnell, 84, gave no specific date for his return to the Capitol, but senators are expected to soon leave Washington for the traditional August recess. Votes are unlikely for the next five weeks once they adjourn.

“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business," McConnell said in a statement released by his office.

McConnell had polio in his early childhood and has long acknowledged some difficulty walking and climbing stairs as an adult. The Office of the Attending Physician has said McConnell was undergoing a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation since he left the hospital, which includes multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls.

The senator is determined to finish out his seventh term, which concludes in January.

McConnell’s absence is being felt in the Senate as Republicans were unable to advance a farm bill out of committee Thursday. The committee's chairman, Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas, said he spoke with McConnell this week about the bill.

“I know how much he would have wanted to be here to advocate for Kentucky’s farmers and rural communities,” Boozman said in kicking off the committee's meeting Thursday.

But there has also been criticism that McConnell has not been transparent enough about his health. The state's Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, recently called on the senator to either prove that he is fit to continue serving after his lengthy hospital stay or resign from office.

In the second week of her Massachusetts murder trial, prosecutors brought more friends, a former work colleague and her former father-in-law to testify about Clancy's mental and emotional state. For the most part, they said she was open about her postpregnancy mental health struggles but seemed like a loving mother who cared for her kids.

The prosecution wants to show the 35-year-old former labor and delivery nurse acted intentionally and should be held criminally responsible, while Clancy's defense says she had postpartum psychosis, a rare and dangerous psychiatric condition that affects women's hold on reality after childbirth.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

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Clancy has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the deaths of Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, who she killed on Jan. 24, 2023 after sending her husband out on errands. Prosecutors say this was a ruse to get her husband out of the house. She remains paralyzed from the waist down after jumping from the home's second-story window that night.

A friend recalls a difficult reunion after the killings

None of the witnesses Thursday testified they heard Clancy express suicidal or homicidal thoughts. However, after the birth of her third child, she told them of trouble sleeping and harmful side effects from medications. She text-messaged one childhood friend to say medication had “caused her to have some dark thoughts.”

Amy Bevins visited Clancy in a rehabilitation facility after the killings. The two made small talk, she said, and played a game. When asked by prosecutors if Clancy brought up her children or cried about them, she said she had not.

But on cross-examination by Clancy's defense attorney, Bevins acknowledged the meeting was “awkward” and that Clancy's sister had said not to bring up the kids.

Lindsay Clancy's former father-in-law takes the stand

Christopher Clancy testified that he knew his then-daughter-in-law was having issues. At one point, he suggested the grandchildren stay with him and his wife, but his son declined.

“I knew she was having a hard time sleeping,” Christopher Clancy said. “I knew she just didn’t feel well. I knew she went to the emergency room where my wife was working. Those types of struggles.”

Clancy’s lawyers don’t dispute that she killed the children. But in the criminal trial and a medical malpractice lawsuit, her attorneys say she had bipolar disorder that wasn’t fully diagnosed until after the killings. Her attorneys say her condition seemed to worsen on the psychiatric medications, some of them problematic for bipolar patients.

If convicted of murder, Lindsay Clancy faces life in prison without parole. If found not guilty due to a lack of criminal responsibility, she would be committed to a state mental health facility.

Another case that echoes Clancy’s is going back to court

Meanwhile, the judge and the district attorney learned Thursday that they face a retrial in another case involving a mother’s mental state when she killed her two school-age children in 2018.

Massachusetts’ top court threw out Latarsha Sanders’ murder conviction in the stabbings of sons Edson “Marlon” Brito, 8, and La’son Brito, 5.

Sanders told police in a recorded interview that she stabbed the boys because “bad people” text-messaged her commands to carry out a “ritual” connected to “Voodoo stuff” and the Illuminati. The latter is a purported powerful secret society at the center of various conspiracy theories, and Sanders’ family said she had become obsessively fearful of it.

Like Clancy’s lawyers, Sanders’ defense argued she was mentally ill and shouldn’t be held criminally responsible, while prosecutors said she acted deliberately. Prosecutors noted that Sanders tried to clean up the bloody crime scene, initially denied killing the children, and had written, in a disjointed personal notebook, about wanting to write books and become famous.

A defense neuropsychologist diagnosed Sanders with schizophrenia spectrum disorder, among other conditions, and testified that she was “grossly psychotic” when she killed the children.

The appeal turns on psychiatric evidence

The neuropsychologist was allowed to mention that he’d reviewed her medical records. But the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court faulted the judge for not letting jurors hear many specifics from the records, in which clinicians at a prison and a psychiatric hospital suggested similar diagnoses after Sanders’ arrest.

The doctors also noted that Sanders said she’d heard voices for decades, reported ongoing delusional and paranoid thoughts, and displayed odd behavior, such as licking windows.

Withholding the records from jurors “impermissibly stripped” the defense of its medical foundation, Justice Frank M. Gaziano wrote in a unanimous decision.

A message seeking comment was sent to a spokesperson for Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz, and messages were left for the judge, Superior Court Justice William Sullivan, through the court system.

Sanders’ lawyer, Robert F. Shaw Jr., welcomed the opinion and said he looked forward to retrying the case.

“The hope is that those records and that evidence will be able to be viewed by a jury with fresh eyes,” he said by phone. Sanders is in prison, and he hadn’t yet been able to meet with her to discuss the court ruling.

Her relatives told the Boston Globe last year that they hoped Clancy’s trial would generate more public scrutiny of Sanders’ case.

The Atlantic sea breeze is back!

The sea breeze is on the move, pushing showers and thunderstorms inland. These are heading west and will continue to develop near and along Highway 301 and US 1 for northeast Florida and southeast Georgia through around sunset. Locally heavy rainfall, lightning and strong wind gusts will be possible.

The pattern continues Friday as the wind shifts to the east-northeast. Rain chances along our beaches will start around 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. The sea breeze will push west of I-95 around 1 - 2 p.m. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will ride the breeze inland as they wind down after sunset.

The unsettled pattern, along with the onshore wind, continues this weekend. Showers and thunderstorms will be widespread on Saturday with reduced coverage expected on Sunday. Locally heavy rain with flooding and damaging wind from stronger storms remain the main hazards through Sunday.

Looking ahead, the heat will build next week with possible heat advisories.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms through sunset.

Friday: Partly cloudy skies will become cloudy as the sea breeze moves inland. Showers and thunderstorms, 30-50 percent for NE FL, 20 - 30 percent for SE GA. Lows in the 70s. Afternoon highs in the low 90s inland, upper 80s to low 90s along the beaches. Wind: NE 10 - 15 mph.

Weekend: 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 onshore wind continues through the weekend. This will bring rounds of showers and thunderstorms across the area, mainly between I-95 and Highway 301. Heavier rain is expected on Saturday.

Tropics: A look at the NHC August update. www.news4jax.com/weather/2026/08/06/noaas-updated-predictions-show-even-lower-chances-for-named-storms-major-hurricanes-in-2026/

Sunrise: 6:49 p.m.

Sunset: 8:16 p.m.

Wall Street opened the week soaring higher and notching records, but has calmed over the last two days. Markets are dealing with uncertainties over the ongoing U.S. war with Iran and its impact on inflation. Companies from a variety of sectors reported their latest financial results, adding to an already busy round of corporate earnings.

The S&P 500 fell 13.59 points, or 0.2%, to 7,709.96. It pulled further away from its record set on Tuesday, though the index is still solidly on track to notch weekly gains.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 464.02 points, or 0.9%, to 53,885.10. The Nasdaq composite fell 15.09 points, or 0.1%, to 26,348.35.

Both the Dow and Nasdaq are also heading into Friday on track for solid weekly gains.

“August is off to an extremely strong start, but there is still plenty of August left to go, and August is typically a volatile month for stocks,” said Clark Bellin, president and chief investment officer at Bellwether Wealth, in a research note.

Warner Bros. Discovery rose 1.7% after reporting earnings that came in ahead of what investors were expecting. Molson Coors rose 1.3% after also reporting encouraging financial results.

On the losing end, Honeywell Aerospace fell 23.2% after turning in results that fell well short of forecasts. AppLovin slumped 19.7% after the digital ad company reported mixed financial results for its most recent quarter.

Strong overall profits from companies has helped allay concerns on Wall Street about the market being overpriced. Roughly 85% of companies in the S&P 500 have reported their results and overall earnings growth for the period is shaping up to be the strongest since 2021.

Outside of earnings, SpaceX rose 6.1%. More than 911 million SpaceX shares held by early investors and employees became eligible for sale on Thursday as a lockup period for the stock expired. That is more than double the shares that were initially offered to the public for sale during the initial public offering for Elon Musk’s company. SpaceX jumped as high as $225 a share following its market debut in June, but has since slumped below its initial $135 offering price. The stock is currently trading around $115.

Oil prices gained ground as uncertainty remains over the U.S. war with Iran that has stifled the global flow of oil. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 3.8% to $82.49.

Iran has said that it is close to a deal with Oman for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump has also previously said a deal is close, but the conflict has had many starts and stops over the last five months.

A fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas once passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices surged as high as $113 during the conflict and higher prices have added more heat to inflation by raising the price of gasoline and raising costs for shipping.

The rate of inflation is stuck above 3% and higher costs have been squeezing businesses and households, while threatening to crimp broader economic growth. The U.S. economy expanded at a sluggish 1.5% pace during the second quarter. Households are still spending and the jobs market remains resilient, but worries linger for both areas of the economy.

Higher gas prices and added costs for shipping goods could prompt households to shift more spending toward necessities. That could hurt businesses focusing on nonessential items and services for many people, such as travel and entertainment.

Employment remains strong, but growth has been easing. A weekly report on Thursday showed that the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week, though layoffs remain in the historically healthy range of the past few years. Employers pulled back on hiring in June, adding only 57,000 jobs. The latest monthly jobs report, for July, will be released on Friday.

Worries about inflation and the jobs market have prompted the Federal Reserve to hold its benchmark interest rate steady. Stubborn inflation, though, is nudging the central bank toward raising interest rates before the end of the year in order to help tame inflation. Raising rates could also slow economic growth while weighing down prices for stocks and other investments.

Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.67% from 4.63% late Wednesday.

European markets mostly rose.

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Associated Press writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this report.

A 2026 national ranking by KURU Footwear placed Jacksonville 34th out of 35 major U.S. cities in pedestrian safety, using pedestrian fatality rates and walkability data. The report lists Jacksonville’s pedestrian fatality rate at 3.05 deaths per 100,000 people and a Walk Score of 26.

In Duval County Public Schools, leaders say they’re trying to reach kids early — before they’re navigating traffic around campuses on their own.

At what looks like a playground, students are learning in what DCPS calls a “traffic garden,” where children can practice real-world traffic situations — including intersections, crosswalks and turns — in a controlled setting.

Heather Albritton, DCPS director of health and physical education, said traffic gardens are expanding across the district.

“Currently, we have eight traffic gardens around the district, and we have easily eight more schools who are interested this year in putting them in,” Albritton said.

Some of the newest traffic gardens, including the ones at San Mateo Elementary and Ed White, are also open to the public outside school hours, giving families a place to practice together.

DCPS said the gardens are part of a broader push to reduce incidents involving pedestrians and students near schools.

While more families are walking and biking, Albritton said she’s also seeing more children riding e-bikes, e-scooters and electric dirt bikes — devices that can move at speeds far faster than traditional bicycles.

She said families often treat them like toys, even though they function more like motorized vehicles.

“It’s twofold. So think about it when your kid turns 15, they go through a whole year of practicing with you in the car driving, but when we give kids an e-bike or an e-scooter, which is also a motorized vehicle, we are not taking that extra time,” Albritton said.

“That constant reminder and companion of learning… is absent with e-bikes. So it’s very important, and it’s education for not only the kids, but also the parents,” she said.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has also warned families that many kids are riding vehicles that do not meet Florida’s legal definition of an e-bike.

A bike without pedals is treated like a motorcycle under Florida law and may require registration, lights, a license plate and a motorcycle endorsement — even if a parent purchased it for a child, the SJSO said in a recent News4JAX report.

For some families, the dangers are no longer theoretical.

In Clay County, 14-year-old Carson Farias was killed after he was hit by a teen driver while riding an electric dirt bike. Eight weeks later, his mother, Megan Farias Schrampf, said she hopes Carson’s story makes other families slow down and take safety seriously.

“Just pay attention because my Carson should be here right now,” she said.

She also urged drivers to watch for kids on bikes and e-bikes.

“I just hope that people can be aware and respectful of the bicycles and e-bikes. Whether you like bicyclists and e-bikes or not, still respect them, and please be cautious,” she said.

As students head back to school, DCPS is encouraging families to remember three words: plan, practice and protect.

• Plan your route: Choose the safest way to school.
• Practice the route with your child: Walk or ride it together so kids know what to expect.
• Protect your child with safety gear: Use a properly fitted helmet and consider added visibility like reflective gear. For some riders, pads may also be appropriate.

DCPS leaders say having a plan in place helps keep students and everyone sharing the road safer as the school year begins.

Congo has been battling an Ebola outbreak since May that has been deemed the fastest in history in terms of transmission, with confirmed cases reaching 4,000, including over 1,800 deaths, according to Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC.

The passenger had become sick and disembarked nearly three weeks ago in Pimu, in the province of Mongala, more than 1,000 kilometers (more than 600 miles) from Kinshasa along the Congo River, Kaseya said Thursday, adding that the capital has no confirmed Ebola case. The passenger later died.

Authorities did not give the current location of the boat other than to say that it was near the capital. They did not say if the nearly 200 remaining passengers were being held aboard the ship or in some location on land, nor how long they would be held. But they said they were awaiting test results.

“We decided to do that even if some of them didn’t have symptoms because we want to make sure that we don’t miss anything,” Kaseya added.

Ebola is highly contagious and spreads in the human population through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen, and with contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding and clothing.

News of the passenger’s death caused panic in Kinshasa, which is far from the eastern region hit by the outbreak, the second-largest outbreak on record, behind the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that recorded more than 28,000 cases, including over 11,000 deaths.

Authorities say 60-70% of new cases in the current outbreak are recorded outside of contacts being monitored, and that the outbreak is spreading at an “alarming” rate faster than efforts to track it.

Health workers strike disrupts response

Dozens of Congolese health workers at the epicenter in Ituri province, meanwhile, staged protests Thursday to demand payment for their wages, abandoning several health facilities and further disrupting critical care.

The health workers were protesting at the governor’s office in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 90% of the Ebola cases in the country. They are the latest group to walk off their jobs since protests over pay issues began weeks ago.

The health workers, including nurses providing critical care to Ebola patients, said they haven't received wages and bonuses for their work fighting Ebola since the outbreak was declared in mid-May in one of Congo’s most remote and vulnerable areas ravaged by rebel conflict.

“With this way of managing things, Ebola will not end in this province. We ask the authorities to get involved at all levels so that a solution is found quickly,” said Edouige Makosi, one of the protesters.

Officials have in the past blamed logistical issues for the payment delays. Congolese authorities did not immediately respond to an inquiry for comments on Thursday.

Poor welfare for front-line workers has been a key source of concern in the outbreak. Apart from the payment issues, many health workers and facilities have been attacked by rebels and angry mobs.

During his visit to Congo on Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged authorities to prioritize care and support for the responders.

Ebola is spreading at an ‘alarming’ rate in Congo

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders said this week that the outbreak is still “spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate” and that the response, which has been expanding, “is still not reaching communities quickly enough to break transmission chains.”

Government data shows 674 patients are currently in isolation, most of them in Ituri.

At least 75% of contacts are being traced after their exposure to patients, the data showed. A bigger concern, though, according to officials, is that contact tracing has not been effective as most new cases are coming from sources not being monitored and from remote localities where rebel conflict and mining-related movements are limiting access.

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McMakin reported from Dakar, Senegal.

At least 345 people in 27 states have been reported getting sick from the salmonella strain linked to the jalapeños. Most have been in Minnesota and Colorado. No deaths have been reported, but officials say 36 people have been hospitalized.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the chili peppers were moved into the U.S. by Coast Citrus Distributors. The company has recalled the peppers and is notifying its customers, which include some prominent Mexican food restaurant chains, officials said.

Coast Citrus Distributors didn't immediately respond to a Thursday voicemail seeking comment.

The Food and Drug Administration said that of the 191 people interviewed in the outbreak investigation, 177 — or 93% — reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba, from June 14 to July 14.

Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants. Qdoba on Wednesday said the company had proactively removed jalapenos from all of its restaurants.

“Given their actions to remove product from their stores, neither of these establishments are considered a current ongoing risk to consumers in this outbreak,” CDC officials said in a statement.

The FDA is investigating whether any of the jalapeños went to grocery stores. The agency may announce additional actions on its recalls webpage, health officials said.

Mexico health officials said they opened an investigation and made a field visit Thursday to a packing plant in the northern state of Nuevo Leon.

Salmonella bacteria cause about 1.35 million infections in the United States every year, and outbreaks have been tied to sources such as cucumbers, eggs, unpasteurized milk, fresh basil, geckos and pet bearded dragons.

Within hours or days of being exposed to the bacteria, infected people can suffer from diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.

Young children, retirement-age adults and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for more severe illness, according to the CDC.

Shares of Chipotle, based in Newport Beach, California, tumbled nearly 10% on Tuesday and have not recovered. A number of fast-casual chains like Chipotle have seen less foot traffic from middle- and lower-income customers due to broader inflation in the U.S., and recent headlines about foodborne illnesses may be another negative.

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Associated Press reporter Fabiola Sanchez in Mexico City contributed to this story.

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

No, it's not quite rose-colored glasses. But the veteran quarterback is wearing red contact lenses during training camp this summer in his return to the team that drafted him in 2013.

Fashionable? Maybe. Functional? Definitely.

“It’s something that we’ve been doing,” said the 35-year-old Smith, acquired in the offseason from Las Vegas. “It blocks out the sunlight and all that, so it’s actually pretty cool. It keeps the glare from the sun out of your eyes.”

Smith was still wearing the UV protection lenses while speaking to reporters after practice Thursday, giving the quarterback's eyes an almost sinister look. One reporter joked that he was scared, causing Smith to break into a not-so-evil grin.

“As I got back here, I spoke to some eye specialists," Smith said, “and they suggested it and then we started doing it.”

The quarterback was asked if he was having eye issues or simply opted for the contacts over wearing a tinted visor on his helmet so there was less squinting and more seeing.

“It’s just something we’re trying out, just to see what it was like,” he said. “I like it, so we’ve been sticking with it.”

Several players around the league have tried wearing the glare-reducing contacts, including Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert last summer. Smith said he first saw them when then-Jets teammate Santonio Holmes wore them during the 2013 season.

Oh, and by the way, Smith isn't seeing red these days.

“The entire room is yellow, so it’s a yellow tint to everything,” he said. “But yeah, it’s pretty cool. You guys should try it.”

They seem to be working for Smith, who is off to a solid start to camp. He played his first four NFL seasons for the franchise before stints with the Giants, Chargers, Seahawks and Raiders. New York, looking for a veteran signal caller in the offseason, acquired Smith and a seventh-round draft pick in March from Las Vegas for a sixth-rounder.

He'll enter the season as the unquestioned starter and is feeling comfortable in new offensive coordinator Frank Reich's system.

“I’m excited about the schematic advantages that he’s able to create, but also the ways that he allows players to go out there and make plays and to have freedom to take ownership of the offense,” Smith said. “I think there’s a fine balance with X’s and O’s and also having great players and allowing those guys to be themselves. Coach Reich, he’s played in the league, so he understands that dynamic and that balance.”

The Jets play their first preseason game next Friday night at home against Tampa Bay and former coach Todd Bowles. It wasn't yet known if New York coach Aaron Glenn will play his starters, including Smith, at all in that game. Smith, who has played in the preseason the last several years, sounded open to the possibility.

“I love playing football.” Smith said. “Whenever coach tells me to go out there, I go play.”

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

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri spacecraft flew over the impact site soon after the Falcon 9 upper stage inadvertently plowed into the moon on Wednesday. Danuri made multiple passes, snapping photos from lunar orbit that were released by the space agency Thursday.

The terrain is noticeably darker where the rocket hit and carved out a crater, sending dust and rock everywhere. Korean space officials said Danuri gathered before and after shots.

NASA expects its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to fly over the crash site next week to view the aftermath.

Elon Musk's SpaceX launched Danuri from Cape Canaveral in 2022.

The company also sent a pair of private lunar landers to the moon last year. The upper stage from that launch is what crashed into the moon this week at 5,400 mph (8,700 kph), placed on an accidental collision course by solar activity and gravity, according to SpaceX.

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

RWE U.S. Offshore said its leases represented years of planning, investment and partnership with federal agencies, but it determined there was no path forward to permit the projects for the foreseeable future. In exchange for $1.22 billion, RWE is relinquishing the wind power leases that could have provided about seven gigawatts of power, enough for more than 5 million homes. It does not have any remaining U.S. offshore wind leases.

President Donald Trump, who often talks about his hatred of wind power, has said his goal is to not let any “windmills” be built. The Republican administration has been buying back offshore wind leases from energy companies as it seeks to discourage the expansion of wind energy in favor of fossil fuels. Offshore wind produces electricity cleanly. Oil, coal and natural gas emit carbon pollution when burned.

RWE announced it is investing $900 million in a liquefied natural gas project in Louisiana and spending $300 million on natural gas turbines. The company is developing 15 natural gas projects across the United States. RWE is headquartered in Germany.

The administration adopted this strategy after federal courts thwarted Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action. Roughly $3.9 billion has been spent. States that are losing offshore wind energy are suing. California intends to sue.

Separately, a coalition of renewable energy groups sued Pentagon officials over their failure to complete national security reviews for new onshore wind farms on private lands. A federal judge in Oregon ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on Thursday, ordering the Defense Department to resume its review process and provide status reports on the progress.

Commenting on the RWE agreement, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Thursday that Americans “deserve an energy system built on common sense, not one dependent on costly subsidies or technologies that can’t meet our country’s current demand.” He said he welcomes RWE’s agreement and voluntary investment in projects that strengthen the nation’s energy security, provide dependable baseload power and help keep electricity affordable.

But Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said the lease buybacks are effectively bribing companies to step away from clean energy that can displace more expensive fossil fuel plants, which in turn will raise costs for consumers.

“They are creating this enormous money pump, pulling billions of dollars out of consumers’ pockets,” he said. “That’s the real story of what is going on here. And that is both a cost story because of the billions in extra costs consumers pay, and it’s a corruption story because it’s Trump’s sneaky way of getting regular families to pay off his big fossil fuel donors. There’s method here, and it’s a real scam.”

Under the first agreement announced in March, French company TotalEnergies is getting nearly $1 billion — essentially a refund of its two offshore wind leases — if it invests the money in fossil fuels instead. Golden State Wind and Bluepoint Wind agreed in April to end their leases in exchange for reimbursements totaling nearly $900 million, provided it invests equally in fossil fuels. Chicago-based Invenergy agreed in June to end its four offshore wind leases that were very early in development in exchange for reimbursements of lease fees totaling $765 million.

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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.

Professor Jason Arday, who was 37 when he became a Cambridge professor in 2023, announced his decision late Wednesday following weeks of allegations about plagiarism in his academic work and questions surrounding claims about his athletic and fundraising accomplishments.

“While criticism is an inevitable part of academic life, what I have experienced has gone far beyond scholarly disagreement,” Arday said in a statement. “The relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love.”

The statement was distributed by the Good Law Project, a campaign group that has supported Arday since the criticism spilled into the media last month. An earlier letter circulated by the group and signed by more than two dozen academics and politicians described the plagiarism allegations as a “smear campaign” designed to undermine Arday and other Black people who hold “positions of influence.”

Arday’s appointment at Cambridge highlighted his personal story of overcoming dyslexia, developmental delays and autism that he said left him non-verbal until the age of 11 and illiterate until his late teens. Arday tells his story in the memoir “Great and Unfortunate Things,” which comes out next week. Publisher Simon & Schuster issued a statement Thursday saying that it would release the book “as planned.”

Questions about his qualifications were raised publicly last month by Nathan Cofnas, a one-time Cambridge philosophy researcher who left the university after his critique of diversity, equity and inclusion programs sparked widespread protests.

On July 24, the Times of London published an analysis of Arday’s 2015 Ph.D. thesis highlighting what it said were multiple examples of passages that were “identical or near-identical” to an earlier paper written by another researcher.

The British media also raised questions about Arday’s claims that he had raised 5.5 million pounds ($7.4 million) for charity through feats such as running 30 marathons in 35 days and 600 miles in six days.

Arday told the Guardian news website that the money was raised with the help of others over a 20-year period. He said non-disclosure agreements prevented him from naming the others.

Cambridge initially stood by Arday, saying that the plagiarism allegations had been investigated by Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded Arday’s doctorate.

That changed Wednesday when Cambridge opened its inquiry.

“The University of Cambridge has begun an investigation following new information about Professor Arday’s qualifications and honorary appointments,” the university said in a statement. “In order to ensure a fair process, we will not comment further until this has concluded.”

The Times of London said Cambridge decided to investigate after it presented new evidence that some of Arday’s research was “fabricated” and contained “impossible” evidence.

In an interview with the newspaper published last week, Arday denied plagiarism but admitted to some mistakes that he said were partly due to a lack of supervision when he was working on his doctorate.

Arday continued to defend himself in his resignation statement, saying his decision “should not be interpreted as a loss of faith in scholarship.”

“Nor should it be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me’” he said. “It is simply the decision of someone who has reached the limits of what any person should reasonably be expected to endure.”

Family, friends and members of the music industry gathered Saturday to celebrate the life of the Jacksonville music executive and mentor during a homegoing service that drew about a thousand attendees from across Florida and beyond.

One week after he was laid to rest, Plummer will receive the key to the city on Saturday, Aug. 8, at 1 p.m. at A. Randolph Park during the K.I.N.G. Foundation’s Back to School Community Day.

Mayor Donna Deegan proclaimed Aug. 2, Rankin’s birthday, as Bigga Rankin Day, recognizing his contributions to the music industry and the lasting impact he made on Jacksonville and beyond.

Bigga Rankin’s influence stretched well beyond the music industry, touching the lives of fans, artists and community members alike. His legacy is expected to inspire generations to come.

You might think it's 2020 again.

Six years after COVID-19 thrust the world into the fear and uncertainty of a global pandemic, Republicans in power aren’t leaving it in the past. Instead, they’ve returned its familiar political arguments to center stage for new scrutiny, demanding accountability for the scientists and media figures whom they feel deceived and mistreated Americans years ago.

The efforts ramped up last week, when a Republican-led Senate committee chaired by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul subpoenaed the now-retired, 85-year-old Fauci to testify about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former National Institutes of Health immunologist repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment, after accusing the lawmakers of trying to coerce him to perjure himself to justify criminal charges. In response to his choice, on Thursday, the committee passed a vote to hold Fauci in contempt, a stunning move that could motivate the Justice Department to initiate an investigation.

Separately, Kennedy, a politically independent former anti-vaccine activist who now serves as the Republican President Donald Trump’s health secretary, spent part of his weekend in a combative live debate with CNN host Dana Bash about the pandemic's management and the media’s role.

Political scientists and historians say the focus on COVID grievances half a decade after the virus’ peak demonstrates how some wounds it opened have never been closed. Democrats, meanwhile, have slammed the federal government’s blaming of Fauci as a performative distraction that’s not based in facts.

While both Paul and Kennedy have spent years airing their frustrations about COVID, the Republican takeover of Congress and the White House last year created a new platform for them to steer how America remembers the pandemic, and who is held responsible for it, according to Matt Dallek, a political scientist at George Washington University.

It’s also allowed them to use the administration’s resources to surface new information.

“The response to COVID has become a touchstone for Trump’s Republican Party,” Dallek said. “They’re using their power now to argue they were right all along.”

Pandemic grievances have simmered for years

When the coronavirus began spreading widely in 2020, under Trump's first administration, groups of Americans revolted against requirements imposed by local authorities and businesses telling people to wear masks and stay at home to control the spread of the virus.

Vaccines supercharged those sentiments. Figures like Kennedy, then a leader of the anti-vaccine movement, accused the federal government of trampling on personal liberties by supporting vaccine mandates and social media takedowns of dissenting ideas.

While Trump has long expressed pride in his first-term Operation Warp Speed effort to disseminate COVID-19 vaccines quickly, saving millions of lives, his second administration has taken a different tone.

Under Kennedy's leadership, U.S. regulators have limited the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for Americans. Kennedy on CNN on Sunday questioned whether the COVID-19 vaccines protected children, even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on its website that they “help keep children from getting really sick from COVID-19.”

Frances Lee, a Princeton University political scientist, said debates over COVID-19 have erupted on the fringes for years. Now that some of the leaders of those debates are in power, they're hashing it out on the national stage — something she said needed to happen eventually.

“There are aggrieved parties, people who have a sense that they were done wrong during the pandemic and that there’s never been an accounting for that,” Lee said. “Most people don’t want to think about this topic, but nevertheless there are constituencies – so Congress is speaking to those constituencies.”

Lee said Kennedy’s decision to surface numerous diary entries that Fauci had made on a government computer – and Paul’s decision to publicize them last week – created an opening for “the first real showdown” in years around the pandemic’s handling.

While some of the entries – including Fauci’s uncertainty in the pandemic’s earliest days about how best to curb the virus – already were reflected in a 2024 memoir and in interviews at the time, they have nonetheless drawn attention from people who blame Fauci for policies they believe infringed on their rights as hundreds of thousands of people were dying.

Also discussed at Fauci's hearing last week was whether NIH-funded research in China played a role in how the pandemic started. The day of the hearing, Trump's White House also directed social media followers to a federal website that used to feature information on COVID vaccines, testing and treatment that now promotes the theory that the pandemic originated with a lab leak.

Many scientists believe the virus most likely emerged in nature and jumped from animals to people, coming to light when it spread at a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. There’s no new scientific evidence supporting the theory that the virus might instead have leaked from a laboratory, a theory Paul champions. A GOP-led subcommittee that studied the question in 2024 found no evidence linking Fauci to wrongdoing.

Fauci has long said publicly that he was open to both theories but that there’s more evidence supporting COVID-19’s natural origins.

Republican lawmakers aren't stopping at the contempt vote. Sen. Ron Johnson said Thursday that Kennedy's department had given a subcommittee he chairs a copy of Fauci's cellphone from his time in government. Johnson indicated he intended to investigate it.

“Hopefully, this device will address many of the questions he refused to answer at last week’s hearing,” he wrote on social media.

Many dismiss the idea that Republicans’ COVID fact-finding is genuine

As Republicans hold up scrutiny of Fauci as important accountability, Democrats have called it disingenuous. Paul said Thursday he'd invited Fauci to appear for a private, transcribed interview, but Democrats accused him of not allowing the full, bipartisan committee to be present for it.

Paul also referred the committee's contempt vote directly to the Justice Department, instead of to the full Senate. He said he did not “want to waste time” with that route, while Democrats insisted all senators should get a chance to vote.

Last week’s hearing, at which Fauci pleaded the Fifth, came after the immunologist had repeatedly appeared before Congress over the years and talked about his thinking in the beginning of the pandemic and how it changed over time. Critics have raised concerns that the ordeal surrounding him will deter scientists from taking government jobs for fear of being similarly targeted.

Paul has long argued that Fauci should be criminally investigated, based on his belief that the scientist has been dishonest to Congress about National Institutes of Health-funded research and COVID's origins. Fauci's attorney last week called Paul's accusations about the scientist “false and disgraceful.” More than 150 infectious-disease experts also came to Fauci's defense, writing that “no credible evidence has been produced to support these absurd charges."

Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute said the hearing didn't represent legitimate truth seeking.

“They were looking for a platform in which they could attack him, and he would not respond, and he would say ‘plead the Fifth’ over and over again,” Ornstein said.

He said while some Republicans are likely true believers that Fauci committed crimes, bringing him to the forefront serves a dual purpose in a midterm election year — distracting voters from less favorable headlines, including on the economy and foreign conflicts.

Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, said there are real lessons to learn from the pandemic, including more deeply examining which efforts to contain the virus worked and didn’t work. But he said Republicans in Congress aren’t chasing those.

“A review of revisionist history will accomplish nothing,” he said. “We won’t be any better prepared for the next pandemic.”

Speier is appealing the ban, according to the MLB Players Association.

Additionally, Mariners manager Dan Wilson was also suspended one-game and will serve his suspension in the series finale Thursday against the Tigers. Managers cannot appeal a suspension. Manny Acta will serve as the manager for the Mariners.

Speier had relieved Bryan Woo in the eighth inning of Seattle’s 4-2 win. After getting the first two outs, Speier threw two inside fastballs to Torres, with the latter pegging him on the upper left leg on a 96.3 mph pitch.

Torres and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh proceeded to have words with each other before the benches and bullpens cleared. There were no punches thrown, and Wilson was ejected in the aftermath after Speier was tossed from the game. It was the second time this season Wilson was removed from a game.

“It’s always frustrating when your guy’s the guy that gets thrown out,” Wilson said Wednesday. “I think, you know, their guy hits somebody and there’s no consequences.”

Torres was the fourth Tigers batter plunked after Woo hit three batters for only the second time in his career. Tigers rookie Max Clark took a pitch off his elbow guard leading off the third, Riley Green was hit by a pitch in the fourth, and Zach McKinstry in the fifth — both breaking balls on the back foot. McKinstry got first base only after a replay review showed that the ball grazed the front of his foot.

Raleigh had been plunked as well in the bottom half of the seventh by Detroit left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus with a 95-mph fastball in the bottom of the seventh.

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

Chaffee Trail Middle School reported 117 fights, the highest total in Florida at any grade level, according to the Florida Department of Education’s School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting System.  It defines fighting as when two or more persons mutually participate in use of force or physical violence that requires either physical intervention or results in injury requiring first aid or medical attention.  The most recent data available were from the 2024-25 school year.

Two other Jacksonville schools also ranked high in reported fights: Westside Middle School with 92 (5th statewide) and Highlands Middle School with 89 (6th statewide).

The News4JAX I-TEAM took the data to Duval County Public Schools to get answers about how the district is handling the issue of fighting in its schools.

Chaffee Trail Principal Dr. Cicely Tyson-White said the numbers reflect a rough first year for a new school that opened in fall 2024 and quickly became overwhelmed by the number of students packing hallways during class changes.

“We were incredibly overcrowded,” Tyson-White said, adding that bringing together students from different communities also contributed to conflicts.

Tyson-White said district boundary changes reduced enrollment from more than 1,200 students to just over 1,000, giving administrators space to reorganize.

Sixth graders were moved to the first floor, additional security guards were hired, and more adults were placed in high-traffic areas.

Tyson-White said the changes have led to a major improvement.

“We have seen like a 50% reduction in incidents at our school,” she said.

Duval County Regional Superintendent for Middle Schools Dr. Jenifer Boatright said Westside and Highlands also experienced shifts tied to boundary and attendance zone changes.

“When you have students that come in from different neighborhoods, then sometimes problems arise because they’re getting used to each other,” Boatright said. “So there’s a cultural shift.”

Boatright said schools have studied student movement patterns and adjusted supervision and schedules. Strategies include adding staffing in high-traffic areas, adjusting class transition times based on building design, and imposing penalties for students who encourage fights or gather around altercations.

Administrators said the goal of the penalties for spectators is to change the culture around fights. They’re warning students not to run toward altercations, form crowds or record videos, because those actions could lead to discipline.

Boatright said reported fighting at Westside and Highlands has dropped between 20% and 40% with the new strategies in place.

District leaders said counselors, social workers and staff are also focusing on building relationships with students to identify conflicts early, including encouraging tips through Fortify Florida or direct reports to administrators.

The district hopes smaller enrollments, redesigned boundaries and more adult supervision will keep fight numbers down as the new school year begins next week.

The I-TEAM also analyzed fights per 1,000 students to compare schools by enrollment. Using that measure, Chaffee Trail ranked 18th statewide, Westside ranked 15th and Highlands ranked third.

Use the interactive map below to explore data on fights in schools across Northeast Florida.

On July 21, JSO reviewed the incident after the News4JAX I-TEAM began asking questions about the case, which gained widespread attention after Jacksonville resident Rhiannon Alvarez shared her experience in a TikTok video viewed tens of thousands of times.

Alvarez told News4JAX she was shopping for home decor when she noticed a man following her through the store. She said she later realized he was sexually gratifying himself while watching her.

After alerting store employees, Alvarez recorded the man’s license plate and called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

She said officers arrived about three hours later and told her there was nothing they could do. Although she said the responding officer reviewed the store’s surveillance video, she was told no charges could be filed.

When the I-TEAM initially requested a copy of the incident report, JSO responded that no records existed but confirmed the agency had received a call about the incident.

After News4JAX began asking questions about the case, JSO said detectives were taking another look.

The sheriff’s office has now closed the investigation.

“Obviously it’s pretty disappointing that nothing can be done about it,” Alvarez said. “He will continue to keep doing it especially now that he knows there’s no repercussions.”

Why was the case difficult to prosecute?

The I-TEAM spoke with Jacksonville attorney Gene Nichols to better understand why the alleged conduct did not result in criminal charges.

“These type of cases can be very hard to pursue charges on,” Nichols said. “What happened here, while it is something that clearly has affected the victim in this case, it’s actually not a crime.”

Nichols said Florida’s indecent exposure statute creates a significant hurdle in a case where there is an allegation of sexual conduct but no exposure.

Florida law makes it a crime to expose or exhibit sexual organs in public or on private property in a vulgar or indecent manner.

“In this there was never a time when this individual removed his clothing, exposed any form of his body parts or anything to that extent,” Nichols said. “That took it away from that Florida statute.”

Nichols said the lack of physical contact between the man and Alvarez also makes it difficult to apply other criminal statutes.

“There not being any contact with the victim in this case, only something the victim saw this person doing, it doesn’t fall underneath this statute,” Nichols said. “So there’s really not a Florida statute on point that would allow for the sheriff’s office to have an arrest and then the state attorney’s office to subsequently prosecute.”

The explanation may be surprising to people who hear the allegations, Nichols said.

Could the law be changed?

Alvarez’s original TikTok video generated hundreds of comments, many from women who said they had experienced stalking, harassment or other unwanted behavior.

Alvarez previously told News4JAX she believes lawmakers should consider changing the law if conduct like what she described cannot currently be prosecuted.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Alvarez said.

Nichols said the potential solution would have to come from the Florida Legislature.

“The only real solution at this point in time is to go to the legislature and see if there’s a way to criminalize it,” Nichols said.

But Nichols said writing a law broad enough to address the conduct while still clearly defining a crime could be difficult.

“You run into real sort of intent issues as to what this person was doing if there’s no exposure of sexual organ,” Nichols said. “If there’s not touching of the other person, was the person actually doing what they were doing?”

He said creating a law based on conduct that could be difficult to prove could lead to conflicting accounts between an accused person and an alleged victim.

“He’s going to say, ‘I wasn’t doing that,’ she’s going to say he was,” Nichols said. “That law is hard to create.”

What JSO says

The sheriff’s office has not said whether investigators found evidence that could support a criminal charge or specifically what led to the decision to close the case.

HomeGoods previously told News4JAX it cooperated with law enforcement.

“At HomeGoods, we take the security of our customers and Associates very seriously. We are aware of this matter and have cooperated with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. We will continue to assist law enforcement as appropriate and respectfully defer further comment to the authorities,” the company said.

The News4JAX I-TEAM has reached out to lawmakers for their reaction to whether Florida law should be changed to address conduct like the allegations in this case.

In the original interview with News4JAX, Alvarez questioned why the alleged conduct did not violate Florida law.

“I just hope that other woman use this story as a reminder to be safe and vigilant while out and about,” Alvarez said.

Kevin Hoffman is accused of traveling 90 mph in a posted 45 mph zone when he struck the back of a scooter in the right lane. The scooter’s rider, Delinda Heinrich, of St. Augustine, died as a result of the crash.

After the collision, investigators say Hoffman fled the scene and later crashed at the intersection of U.S. 1 and State Road 16. Investigators say they determined his blood alcohol concentration was .212 at the time of the crash — nearly three times the legal limit of .08.

Hoffman was released from a rehabilitation center and taken into custody at his home.

He faces three charges: leaving the scene of a traffic crash involving death, driving under the influence causing death to a human, and vehicular homicide.

Heinrich’s family said they are still searching for answers and want someone held accountable.

Heinrich’s mother, Betty Moore, said the family is trying to process the loss while pushing for a full accounting of what happened.

“I lost my daughter, my friend. I lost a piece of me that I’ll never get back,” Moore said.

She described Heinrich as lively and always smiling, and she said Heinrich was wearing a helmet and following the law when the crash happened.

The sheriff’s office released dash-cam video showing a black Tesla passing a deputy at high speed on SR‑16 moments before the vehicle struck the scooter rider and then crashed.

The Tesla’s 59‑year‑old driver was taken to a hospital with serious injuries; officials said another person also was hospitalized with serious injuries. Intersections in the area were temporarily closed while emergency crews responded.

Moore said she wants the investigation to lead to accountability.

“I hope that someone’s held accountable for my daughter’s death because she did not cause any of this,” she said.

Hoffman’s arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 14 at 9 a.m.

Patrol officers and detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division launched an immediate investigation after receiving multiple reports of vehicles being entered. Within a day, detectives say they developed leads identifying suspects.

First suspect taken into custody near Exit 36

The first suspect, a 21-year-old man, was located near Exit 36 and taken into custody without incident. He faces 13 felony counts of entering auto and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Detectives also say the suspect had outstanding warrants related to previous entering auto cases in Glynn County. He was transported to the Glynn County Police Department for an interview before being booked into the Glynn County Detention Center.

SWAT team assists in second arrest on Goodyear Avenue

As the investigation continued, detectives identified a second suspect — a 22-year-old man. Because he was believed to be in possession of multiple stolen firearms, the Glynn County SWAT Team assisted with his arrest.

At approximately 11:05 p.m. on Aug. 4, the suspect was taken into custody without incident at a residence on Goodyear Avenue. He faces 12 felony counts of entering auto.

Following his arrest, detectives and crime scene personnel executed a search warrant at the residence, where they recovered multiple stolen firearms and other stolen property. The suspect was transported to the Glynn County Police Department for an interview before being booked into jail.

Investigation ongoing; owners of stolen property sought

The investigation remains active. Detectives are continuing efforts to recover additional outstanding stolen firearms and identify the rightful owners of all recovered property.

The Glynn County Police Department credited collaboration between multiple divisions and surrounding agencies as key to the case’s swift resolution, specifically thanking the Brunswick Police Department for its assistance when the investigation extended into their jurisdiction.

“We would like to extend sincere thanks to the Brunswick Police Department for their willingness to assist when this investigation led to their jurisdiction,” the department said in a statement. “As always, we greatly appreciate their professionalism, teamwork, and support.”

Authorities are also reminding residents to lock their vehicles and avoid leaving valuables inside — especially firearms.

The repeated strikes have caused fuel shortages and rattled Russians. Ukrainians, meanwhile, are enduring regular barrages that Kyiv's depleted air defenses are struggling to counter amid Moscow's 4-year-old full-scale invasion.

The Kyiv region observed an official day of mourning Thursday after a Russian missile and drone blitz killed 17 people the previous day, prompting an increasingly urgent scramble by Ukraine and its allies to find new air defense supplies.

In the first six months of this year, 1,396 civilians were killed and 7,978 injured in Ukraine, the United Nations office in Kyiv said Wednesday. That was a 37% increase from the same period last year and a 114% jump over 2024, it said, attributing the rise to more long-range aerial attacks by Russia.

Zelenskyy said he met with senior officials on how to accelerate the development of Ukraine’s own ballistic weaponry, similar to its swift wartime innovation in drone technology.

"Developing one’s own ballistic capabilities and creating a new anti-ballistic system is a task that only a tiny minority of countries worldwide have managed to accomplish,” he said in a social media post. “Ukraine has this capability.”

Zelenskyy said he expects the program to produce results this year and next after it overcomes “key challenges,” including procuring critical components, technological cooperation with partner countries, and choosing where to build the armaments.

Ukraine says it hit Russian refineries and vessels at sea

Ukrainian forces hit a refinery in Russia's Bashkortostan region, more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the front line, as well as a refinery in the Yaroslavl region, almost 700 kilometers (400 miles) from the border, Zelenskyy said on social media.

Yaroslavl Gov. Mikhail Yevrayev confirmed an attack on a refinery, saying in a Telegram post that drone debris hit the facility’s oil reservoirs, sparking a fire. Three private houses also caught fire, and several residential buildings were damaged, he added.

Ukrainian forces hit two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea, Zelenskyy said, along with vessels belonging to Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet, which Russia uses to evade Western restrictions on its oil exports. He did not give any details.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses overnight shot down 605 Ukrainian drones over its territory.

Ukraine seeks more interceptor missiles to bolster air defenses

Drone and glide bomb attacks across Ukraine overnight killed at least three civilians and wounded 22 others, authorities said Thursday, as countries helping Kyiv resist the invasion scrambled to find more vital air defenses for its fight.

Moscow’s forces have in recent weeks pummeled Ukraine with ballistic missiles that Kyiv officials say only the U.S.-made Patriot air defense system can stop. But the Iran war has drained stocks of Patriot interceptor missiles, leaving Ukraine at the mercy of Russian bombardments that seek to exploit the weakened air defenses.

“We are working as hard as possible with all partners who can assist with the supply of interceptor missiles to protect against such insane Russian strikes targeting life, people, and civilian facilities,” Zelenskyy said on social media late Wednesday.

He said he had spoken to NATO chief Mark Rutte and Finnish President Alexander Stubb about urgently procuring interceptors from stockpiles. Zelenskyy said he and Rutte “coordinated our efforts regarding countries that have the necessary missiles and the capacity to help.”

Rutte said on X that he was discussing with allies "how we can continue to get Ukraine the air defenses they urgently need.”

Russian glide bombs wound 12 in Sumy region

Russia appears determined to exhaust Ukraine through sheer weight of numbers in terms of soldiers, armor and weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin believes time is on his side, that Western support will fade and that Ukraine’s resistance will eventually collapse under pressure, Western analysts and officials say.

Ukraine's air force said Russia fired four missiles and 101 long-range strike drones overnight, with air defenses shooting down or jamming 66 drones.

Three people were killed in Balakliia in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine, said Vitalii Karabanov, head of the city’s military administration.

In the neighboring Sumy region, Russian glide bombs wounded 12 people, the National Police said. Apartment buildings and infrastructure were damaged, with hundreds of windows shattered, said regional military administration chief Oleh Hryhorov.

In the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, a Russian drone struck a bus carrying farmworkers, injuring six people, regional authorities said.

A Russian drone also struck a residential area in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, injuring four, said regional administration head Ivan Fedorov.

UN chief condemns escalating attacks

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned both sides for their attacks, his spokesman said.

“These latest series of attacks follow an alarming pattern of escalating strikes against populated areas, reportedly resulting in a record-level increase in numbers of civilian casualties and widespread destruction of residential and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, as well as increasingly in the Russian Federation,” said Farhan Haq, Guterres’ deputy spokesman.

The U.N. chief also called for freedom of navigation in the Black and Azov seas, expressing concern at the risks to shipping, the spokesman said.

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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 first thing that went through my mind was that I probably looked like I was trying way too hard and maybe seemed too uptight," McEwen, a student at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio, said.

With virtual interviews and casual work environments proliferating, job candidates are having a hard time figuring out what to wear when they meet potential employers online or in person. Polished suits and other types of professional business attire — the typical recommendation of career advisers in years past — no longer are the default option when interviewers may show up in hoodies and shorts.

The disconnect between long-established conventions and the less-rigid workplace settings of a post-pandemic world is confusing many job applicants who want to dress to impress.

“If the last six years has proven anything, it’s that everyone and everything has become slightly more relaxed,” said Christina Adamo, a personal stylist at the Neiman Marcus store in Paramus, New Jersey. “That especially goes for dress codes, in great part because of the transition a lot of companies have had to hybrid and remote work.”

Wearing a well-tailored suit is still frequently prescribed when interviewing for executive positions and jobs in fields such as law and finance, stylists and staffing recruiters said. But it's worth exploring an organization in advance to get a sense of the culture, or asking the hiring manager or recruiter directly about the dress code. Getting it right, or wrong, may impact your performance, especially during a face-to-face meeting.

“If you walk in and you’re already feeling out of place in the atmosphere, your answers just aren’t as good,” said McEwen, 20, who manages a student career closet of donated suits and work attire at her university. “Most of what matters about your interview outfit is that you feel confident about it. It puts you in the mindset that you’re going to succeed.”

Research the way people dress at the company and then take it up a notch

One way to scope out an organization's style vibe is to check its social media accounts or website to see what employees wear. For example, the career section of The Walt Disney Co.’s website features photos of an attorney, a writer and a maintenance technician employed by the company. After learning how employees in your line of work typically dress, prepare to look a little more polished than that for your interview, experts advised.

“If you were to look at a company’s LinkedIn page and they’re using words like ‘We’re fresh, we’re innovative, we’re the new kids on the block, we’re here to shock the industry,’ then you know that the dress code is going to be more casual than if they’re saying ‘We are a traditional historic brand with traditional values,’” said Samantha Harman, a London-based personal stylist and author of “Just Get Dressed,” a personal style guide for women.

If you're going for a more senior role, think about refreshing your style so you don't look dated, Harman, 37, said. “You don’t want anyone to think that you have a dated skill set because you want to be seen as someone who’s innovative, who’s going to have lots of new ideas.”

Sometimes, even after doing the research, candidates find they're dressing up more than their interviewers. Molly Tyndale, 22, wore a blouse and suit jacket to an online interview for a business development position after she was told by the company that the dress code was “business professional.” She was surprised when one of her interviewers showed up wearing an athletic T-shirt.

“If I, as the candidate, had joined in a T-shirt, that would almost certainly be an automatic no,” she said. “It’s frustrating.”

Create a first impression that conveys accomplishment

A wardrobe can be a personal branding tool for your career, Harman said. Hiring managers for senior positions are increasingly asking, “Does this person look like somebody we can send out if there’s a crisis and we need somebody to talk to the media? Or does this person look like they could host our next internal conference? Do they look like we could put them on a stage?” she said.

To convey quiet confidence as a publicist in Los Angeles, Dylan Thomas Cotter wears a dark blue tailored suit to job interviews or meetings where he's trying to land a new client. In public relations, “if something goes south, we need to immediately look like we’re capable to handle that,” Cotter, 43, said. "But also, when we make our first impression on behalf of our clients, we can make or break their business if we’re not good at what we do.”

If you want to be perceived as a leader, think about watching fall fashion shows to see what colors will likely be trendy in the spring, and wear those colors before that season, Harman suggested. Browsing through Vogue magazine can show you what colors or silhouettes are popping. “Always look at shoes and bags, because they have interesting updates that could look quite cool,” she said.

People on a budget can explore thrift stores or community organizations that offer donated career clothing.

Wear clean clothes that fit well for any job interview

While formality levels vary from one workplace to the next, some interview-dressing guidelines almost always are worth following.

“Make sure everything is nice and clean and presentable," to convey that you're taking the opportunity seriously, said Jamie Close, a Charleston, South Carolina-based corporate recruiter at HireQuest, a national staffing and recruiting firm. "Then you’ll feel more confident about yourself as well because you’re not worried about ill-fitting clothes.”

Don't buy something new and wear it for the first time to an interview, Close advised. “Make sure you’ve worn it somewhere before so you know how it feels when you’re sitting down or standing up and you’re not constantly fidgeting with your clothes,” she said.

If you're interviewing for a job in the skilled trades, “wear what you wear to work, but wear that nice, clean version,” Close suggested. “Clean boots, a nice collared shirt, ready to work. But not like you just walked off of a work site.”

Make as much effort for online interviews as in-person meetings

Dress for a virtual interview the same way you would for an in-person meeting, experts said. Even if the camera will only show your head and torso, Harman suggests wearing shoes because they can signal to your brain to behave in a different way.

For virtual interviews, wearing solid colors is a good choice, because those tend to look better on camera than busy patterns, Adamo said.

"You want to show up as the best version of yourself and that includes dressing the part," Adamo said. “While many would suggest ‘waist up’ dressing since your top half is doing most of the work, I recommend treating it as if you were going in person. It helps put you in the right headspace, and feeling confident in what you’re wearing is the most important part.”

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Share your stories and questions about workplace wellness at cbussewitz@ap.org. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at https://apnews.com/hub/be-well

UEFA blasted Infantino and his organization again over his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup, declaring it wants assurances that “attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.”

The reaction revealed the depths of animosity toward Infantino as he attempts to run for re-election next year while trying to quell outrage over the equity plan. FIFA issued an apology on Wednesday over the plan, and senior staff members at a crisis meeting in Rabat “reaffirmed their full support” for his presidency.

The UEFA response shows how the apology will not be enough to satisfy his fiercest detractors, who want a change at the top of FIFA.

That process will play out in the coming months with a vote in March among the 211 national member federations. Each nation gets a vote, and he needs a simple majority to retain his presidency.

Infantino left New York with around 200 letters of support from those federations. That number is likely to be depleted now, but it is not clear how many of those individual federations would turn against him when it comes to the vote.

Continental soccer bodies in Europe, Asia and North and South America have voiced varying degrees of opposition to Infantino's plans. Crucially, however, confederations are not obliged to vote collectively and there are no guarantees of reaching the 106 votes needed to ensure a majority in a contested election.

The English FA has withdrawn its support, as have Serbia, Sweden and Wales. Many, many others have been noncommittal.

Infantino, whose expansion of the World Cup has opened it up to more countries, has a traditional support base in Africa, which has 54 voting members. Even among the tumultuous fallout from the plan, he has received pockets of support from individual federations including 2022 World Cup host Qatar.

UEFA maintained its threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions and reiterated that it had lost confidence in Infantino.

"Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA President (and whose careers depend on his favor) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.

Infantino is fighting on

Wednesday's summit in Rabat was dubbed a crisis meeting after an internal backlash against Infantino's controversial plan.

His secretary general Mattias Grafström said it created “turmoil which is difficult to comprehend and accept.” Chief of global football development Arsène Wenger distanced himself from the plans, while Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned last week and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said staff were “deceived” by the president’s lack of openness.

Infantino emerged from the meeting with a unified response from those in attendance — notably Grafström — confirming support for his presidency.

That was evidence of the Swiss-Italian's determination to resist the pressure on his position and win a fourth and final term in office through 2031.

The wording of FIFA's statement, however, was open to interpretation, saying “members of the FIFA Management Board in attendance” reaffirmed their support for him.

FIFA has not published a list of attendees, but it is reported Wenger, Lamour and chief football officer Jill Ellis were among those absent.

It would take at least 19 of FIFA's 37 council members to trigger an extraordinary general meeting where Infantino could be called on to explain his actions.

Finding a challenger

It's one thing wanting Infantino out, it's another finding someone who can drum up the support to take him on.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari president Nasser al-Khelaïfi is widely seen as a good fit. He is the chairman of association of European Football Clubs, which represents the top teams on the continent including Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Manchester United.

He was unifying force in the wake of the failed European Super League project and may be seen as the type of candidate capable bringing national federations back together following Infantino's similarly divisive plan.

There's one catch — he doesn't want the job.

A spokesperson told The Associated Press Al-Khelaifi had “absolutely no ambition, no intention and no interest in the FIFA role."

Canadian FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani is another name to throw into the mix. The president of Norwegian soccer Lise Klaveness has been outspoken in her criticism of Infantino, and the president of the Asian soccer confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, also came out strongly in opposition of FFE.

Nov. 18 is the deadline for candidates to enter the next presidential contest, exactly four months ahead of the vote.

Pressure is growing

FIFA said it hoped Wednesday's meeting would “help restore confidence” in the organization after the turbulence created by Infantino’s project.

Infantino's detractors had other ideas.

UEFA's response was scathing, saying it had made it “abundantly clear” that it had lost confidence in Infantino’s presidency.

"That position holds,” it said.

Key dates

As well as the Nov. 18 deadline for candidates, the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland from Sept. 5. would be the first potential target for UEFA's threatened boycott.

A potential boycott also raises uncertainty over the staging for the 2035 Women’s World Cup. The four British federations comprise FIFA’s only bidder to host the tournament and the decision is due Nov. 23.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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

Varsity 4 top 25 player countdown

7. Adrian Williams

Position/school: OL/DL/Trinity Christian.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-3, 295.

Recruiting: Committed to Georgia Tech.

Why he’s here: A consensus three-star prospect by the four major recruiting services. All-News4JAX first-team selection last year at offensive line. Played significant amount on both offensive line and defensive line for the Conquerors during their run to the state semifinals. Williams fits the Trinity mold to a T. He’s a player with positional versatility. On defense, he had 28 tackles, eight for loss and three sacks. But his future at the next level is as an offensive lineman.

8. Desmond Malpress

Position/school: Edge/Atlantic Coast.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-3, 205.

Recruiting: Committed to Clemson.

Why he’s here: A consensus four-star recruit, Malpress is the top local player by industry rankings in the Class of 2027. He’s a top 155 player nationally by ESPN, On 3 and Rivals and will thrive once he gets into the system at Death Valley. He may have the highest college ceiling among local 2027 players. Malpress is very effective off the edge and gets into the backfield to change plays better than many edges locally. He had 10 tackles for loss last season. Malpress is poised for a far greater statistical output this year for the Stingrays, especially while being coached up by former Jaguars players Reggie Hayward and Tony Gilbert at Atlantic Coast.

9. Za’khari Greene

Position/school: CB/Trinity Christian.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-0, 160.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why he’s here: A consensus three-star recruit, he’s ranked No. 274 nationally in a blockbuster Class of 2028. Greene is sticky in coverage and a true lockdown player in the secondary. He led Trinity with four interceptions and seven passes defensed during the team’s run to the state semifinals. Added 20 tackles. Expect a greater presence in the secondary this year from Greene and the young and hungry Conquerors. They’ve reached the state semifinals the last three seasons, two of those with very young teams. This could be the payoff season.

10. Caleb Mattison

Position/school: RB/Bishop Kenny.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 5-10, 200.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why he’s here: A three-star recruit by two of the four major recruiting outlets (247 Sports, Rivals), Mattison has produced from the moment he set foot on Bishop Kenny’s campus. Has rushed for 3,863 yards, 51 TDs in three seasons. Should be able to reach the 5,000-yard career rushing mark, a level reserved for the best backs in area history. Has nearly doubled rushing TD total by the season (from 7 to 16 to 28). Added 225 receiving yards, three TDs. First-team All-News4JAX selection last year and a third-teamer as a sophomore. Kenny will use his skills on defense this year, too.

11. Troy Butler

Position/school: Edge/Raines.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-2, 250.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why he’s here: A Rivals three-star prospect who comes in ranked as the state’s No. 119 overall player. Had 69 tackles and 25 tackles for loss during the Vikings 14-0 season. Had five tackles, two for loss and a sack in that championship game win, 23-22 over Miami Northwestern. That sack was his 10th of the season. Forced five fumbles and recovered one to earn All-News4JAX first-team honors. Early commitment to Liberty but decommitted.

12. JC Wessel

Position/school: TE/Bolles.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-6, 227.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why he’s here: A bit of a projection here. Wessel transferred to Bolles from Frederica Academy in Saint Simons Island. Had 18 catches for 338 yards, three touchdowns last year. Made 16 tackles on defense and picked up a sack. Consensus four-star prospect by the major recruiting services. In top seven consensus of national tight end rankings. As Bolles breaks in a largely new offensive line, Wessel will lend some much-needed size and blocking in the ground game. Former first-round pick Hayden Hurst is coaching tight ends at Bolles now, so expect Wessel to take a major step forward at the position.

13. Terrell Pinkney II

Position/school: ATH/Trinity Christian.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-4, 196.

Recruiting: Committed to USF.

Why he’s here: A three-star prospect by Rivals and 247 Sports, Pinkney’s recruiting picked up major steam after the 2025 season. He’s a safety/linebacker/corner hybrid for the Conquerors but can line up anywhere, even on offense, if needed. Pinkney showcased in a playoff win over University Christian last year that he can play corner very well, too. Pinkney intercepted a pass in the end zone to thwart a UC drive and added a pick-six in that game as well.

14. Zion Green

Position/school: ATH/Raines.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-4, 170.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why he’s here: A major recruit in the Class of 2028 who has excellent size for a player in the secondary. Likely a cornerback or safety at the next level. He’s an On3 and 247 Sports four-star recruit and a three-star by ESPN and Rivals. Green is a top 160 national recruit by 247 Sports. He was a spot receiver last year and produced. Had just 12 catches for 269 yards and turned four of those grabs into TDs. Had four tackles last year. Really picked up recruiting steam after the Vikings’ 14-0 season that ended with a Class 3A state championship. Will be counted on to deliver far greater on both sides of the ball as a junior.

15. Knox Annis

Position/school: QB/Mandarin.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-3/210.

Recruiting: Committed to Miami.

Why he’s here: Annis was thrown to the fire as he unexpectedly began his varsity career just six quarters into his freshman season due to an injury to starter Tramell Jones Jr. The results were difficult. But Annis took a greater step forward last season, boosting his completion percentage by nearly 20 points. He’s coming off a 22-TD passing season. This is a huge growing season for Annis. He committed to Miami, and a school like that creates its own set of expectations. But he is poised to take another step in his journey.

16. Marcus Small

Position/school: OL/First Coast.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-7, 290.

Recruiting: Committed to Syracuse.

Why he’s here: A consensus three-star recruit, Small is ranked between the 51st (ESPN) and 120th (Rivals/On3) player in Florida this year. He’s not only big but he’s very versatile for the Buccaneers and head coach Jarvis Parker. Small can flip to left or right tackle and earned All-Gateway and first-team All-News4JAX honors last year. As Small goes, so will the First Coast offense.

17. Omari Lawson

Position/school: Zarephath Academy.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-6, 260.

Recruiting: Committed to Syracuse.

Why he’s here: Zarephath is a younger program, so seeing a player listed may be a bit of a shock. But Lawson is a talent who can’t be looked over just because of school size. Power Four programs across the country have zeroed in on Lawson. He’s a four-star prospect at tackle and may wind up being the area’s fifth-best recruit in a blockbuster 2028 class. Come next year, this ranking could seem laughably low.

18. Camden Tietze

Position/school: WR/Bolles.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-1, 180.

Recruiting: Committed to Marshall.

Why he’s here: A Rivals/On3 three-star prospect who came on strong during his first season with the Bulldogs. Had 35 catches for 689 yards and 11 TDs playing alongside electric playmaker Naeem Burroughs. Will open this season as the No. 1 target for QB Luke Toland. As a sophomore at Ponte Vedra, had 599 yards receiving and seven TDs.

19. Aiden Phifer

Position/school: QB/Nease.

Class: Jr.

Height/weight: 6-0, 190.

Recruiting: Committed to Northwestern.

Why he’s here: Phifer burst on the scene last year by passing for 2,003 yards and 20 TDs. He was a threat to break off a run, too. Phifer scored nine rushing TDs. He did it by going 9-3 against a tough schedule that included powerhouse Buchholz (twice), St. Augustine and Oakleaf. A Rivals/On3 three-star recruit, Phifer should continue to ascend as a dual-threat QB.

19. Julius LaRosa III

Position/school: DL/ University Christian.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-2, 260.

Recruiting: Committed to NC State.

Why he’s here: A multiyear force on the defensive line for the Christians, he’s got 24 career sacks and 43.5 tackles for loss. Recovered two fumbles and blocked a punt last year. Had 59 tackles last season and is up to 171 for his career. A consensus three-star recruit by the four major recruiting services and a top 140 player in Florida by those outlets.

21. Kindrid Outland

Position/school: DL/Mandarin.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-2, 270.

Recruiting: Committed to USF.

Why he’s here: He was all over the field last year for the Mustangs, earning a second-team All-News4JAX selection after racking up 62 tackles, 21 for loss, and 5.5 sacks. A three-star recruit by 247 Sports and Rivals/On3, Outland has serious muscle and pocket-busting interior presence.

22. Kyree Wilson

Position/school: ATH/University Christian.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 6-0, 190.

Recruiting: Committed to Toledo.

Why he’s here: Wilson has thrived as the No. 1 player at a small school (Christ’s Church) where he racked up 3,019 rushing yards and 32 TDs and added 74 combined tackles during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Wilson, a Rivals three-star prospect, spent his junior year at Mandarin in a two-back system and absolutely scorched teams when given the opportunity (9.1 yards per carry). He’s got 3,807 career rushing yards and 38 rushing TDs, and could join the exclusive 5,000-yard rushing club with a strong season. Factor in his work on defense in the secondary and he’s going to put up numbers all over the field for the Christians.

23. Kash Kolbow

Position/school: S/WR/Nease.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 6-1, 180.

Recruiting: Committed to UCF.

Why he’s here: He was a little bit of a do-it-all player on Nease’s defense in 2025. Kolbow had 68 total tackles and a couple of interceptions. He was sticky in coverage (23 passes defensed) and forced two fumbles. With as big graduation losses as the Panthers had on defense, Kolbow’s production is no doubt bound to keep ticking up.

24. King Boylston

Position/school: QB/Ed White.

Class: Sr.

Height/weight: 6-1, 195.

Recruiting: Uncommitted.

Why he’s here: Boylston isn’t rated by any of the major recruiting services, but he’s a player who should see his stock rise over the course of the year. He accounted for 38 TDs last season, passing for 25 and scampering for 13 more. Boylston passed for 2,091 yards and rushed for 712 more to help lead the Commanders to the mantle as the highest-scoring regular season team in state history.

25. Noah Ash

Position/school: Kicker, Ponte Vedra.

Class: Senior.

Height/weight: 5-11, 190.

Recruiting: Committed to Auburn.

Why he’s here: A placekicker among the area’s top players? You got that right. Ash is the area’s best player at his position, and one of the top recruits in the nation. He booted 11 field goals for the state semifinalist Sharks last year and had 74 touchbacks in 85 chances. Depending on the recruiting outlet, Ash ranks between fourth (247 Sports Composite) to sixth (Rivals/On3).

Washington knows that he’s in line to join some of those wideouts who are getting paid.

Now in his fourth year, Washington has been one of the best draft picks by ex-general manager Trent Baalke. He played sparingly as a rookie in 2023 but started seven games in his second season. Last year, Washington became Trevor Lawrence’s No. 1 target and turned in a career year. It may sound odd that a sixth-round pick was more dependable than first-rounders (Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter) and second-rounder Brenton Strange.

More training camp content

• Full interview: Jaguars LT Anton Harrison on entering fourth season in the league
• Full interview: Jaguars RB LeQuint Jr. on running back room, not being a rookie anymore
• News4JAGs podcast: Balanced day for offense, defense at training camp

Thomas struggled with injuries and inconsistencies. Hunter was lost for the year after Week 7 with a knee injury. And Strange missed a chunk of the year on injured reserve. Fellow receiver Jakobi Meyers added stability after coming over in a deal at the trade deadline.

Washington’s steady play not only endeared him to Jacksonville fans, but it gave him a spot as Lawrence’s top receiver. He picked the ideal season to emerge. This is the final year of Washington’s contract.

“That’s not my focus. I mean yes, it’s there and it’s a conversation, but my focus is just coming out here and I need to make plays for Trevor. So that’s my mindset, and that’s how I’m going to attack it. I’m not going to step on my agent’s toes. They can have those conversations. I’m just going to come out here and do my job.

Baltimore’s Zay Flowers was the latest receiver to sign a massive extension, agreeing to a four-year, $140 million deal this week. Flowers had 86 catches for 1,211 yards and five touchdowns last season, his third in the league. Washington had 58 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns in his third season. Flowers started 17 games last season and Washington started just seven. His production has nearly doubled in all categories each of his three seasons (16 catches to 32 to 58; 132 yards to 390 to 847).

“I mean, I be excited for guys. And like I said, the receiver market is a little crazy. And you see guys getting their opportunities and getting paid,” Washington said. “I mean, that’s cool. But like I said, for me, I just want to go out here and be my best self and just attack it.”

QB tracker:

Trevor Lawrence: 12 for 14.

Nick Mullens: 3 for 9.

Carter Bradley: 0 for 1.

Joey Aguilar: 3 for 5, INT (Preston Hodge).

RB tracker:

Bhayshul Tuten: Two carries, both with Trevor Lawrence.

Chris Rodriguez: Four carries, all with Lawrence.

LeQuint Allen: Two carries, both with Lawrence.

Ameer Abdullah: Three carries, all with Nick Mullens.

DeeJay Dallas: Four carries, all with Nick Mullens.

J’Mari Taylor: Five carries. Two with Mullens. Two with Bradley. One with Joey Aguilar.

Notebook

• Emmanuel Pregnon left practice with the trainers and did not return.
• It was a good day for Trevor Lawrence. He made some nice throws and found his rhythm again with Parker Washington after a few practices where their duo seemed just a step off.
• Anton Harrison said playing left tackle is “like riding a bike.” Harrison says he changed his diet and shed some of the “baby fat” this offseason and feels the best he has going into a season. The Jags staff will say it’s all a competition, but I’ll tell you right now, Anton will be the Jags left tackle this season.
• Zach Durfee continues to feast. He put a nasty move on Walker Little and would have hit Lawrence hard. Durfee is one of the young players that day in and day out keeps making plays.
• Durfee is one of the guys that Jaguars special teams coordinator Heath Farwell spotlighted that are kicking in door day in and day out about special teams opportunities. The other guys that he spotlighted are Josh Cameron and Bryan Thomas Jr. That’s interesting because Bryan isn’t a guy that anyone has talked much about, but if he can make his mark on special teams, he can find his way onto the roster.
• Farwell said that Parker Washington wants to be the Jags punt returner.
• For Cameron, getting the shoutout from Farwell is just another feather in his cap. Farwell also said that Cameron is in the running to be one of the Jags kick returners. It’s not just special teams for him. He made another great catch on the field on Thursday. Cameron has been a consistent performer throughout camp and is a lock for the roster and has some really star potential.
• Jalen Huskey dropped an INT. For Huskey, that is a good sign; his calling card in college was getting his hands on the football.
• Antonio Johnson was all over the field. He is in for a big season for the Jags; he might quietly be the most important player on the Jags D because there is no one else that can do what he does.
• Jabar Muhammad had a nice PBU in coverage against Brian Thomas Jr.
• CJ Williams had what would have been the play of the day. He got loose deep, but he couldn’t haul it in. Jarrian Jones was in coverage; I couldn’t tell if he got a hand in there or if Williams dropped it.
• Chris Rodriguez has some lethal footwork. C-Rod is going to be tough to keep off the field. He has looked good in the short glimpses we have seen of him so far.

Under the new rules, when a natural caution occurs with 10 or fewer laps remaining in Stage 1 or Stage 2, it will be deemed complete at the time of caution — with that same caution period serving as the scheduled stage break.

NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell said Thursday on social media the change stems from the July 26 race at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis, where he said fans were unhappy about too many back-to-back laps run under caution near stage breaks.

“Long periods of caution laps and not enough green-flag racing,” O'Donnell said. “We heard you, and we want to make a change. ... No more back-to-back cautions. No more elongated cautions laps. More green flag racing. More action for you the fans.”

When the field returns to the start/finish line under yellow, the leader will receive the green-and-white checkered flag along with the yellow, according to NASCAR. At the time of the caution, the top-10 stage finishing order will be determined using all available resources, including scoring loops and video replay — similar to how stage points are awarded.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing

A video shows Hoffman’s car crashing after investigators say he was driving 90 miles per hour on a 45-mph road while drunk.

Before that crash, Hoffman had been arrested on March 29, 2025, according to court records.

Deputies said they saw Hoffman, “in the Wawa parking lot sitting in their vehicle chugging an alcoholic beverage.”

When deputies arrived in March of 2025, Hoffman was standing next to his Tesla, stumbling and attempting to stand up.

When Hoffman saw police, the report says he: “Entered the driver seat of his car and activated the vehicle...deputies could smell alcohol on Hoffman.”

There was a half-emptied bottle of Tito’s 750 ML in the passenger seat, according to the report.

The deputy had to stop Hoffman from leaving. Hoffman was arrested for DUI with a breath sample of .280 and .270

In court, Hoffman entered no contest, and the DUI first offense was reduced to reckless driving. He was on probation for 364 days.

He had a series of special conditions, including completing an Alcohol Safety Education Course and Victim Impact Panel Program.

Hoffman completed the requirements of his probation and qualified for his probation to be dropped early. He and his probation officer entered the request on May 28th, 2026.

Court records show his probation was dropped early on June 1, 2026.

When a roadside bomb struck his Humvee convoy months later, the explosion’s shock wave swept through his body before headaches and sleeplessness set in for days.

“As long as you got back up and could go back on patrol, that’s kind of what you did,” he said.

Shearer, 40, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, links both events in 2005 to traumatic brain injuries, which were only recently diagnosed. He's still plagued with symptoms ranging from dizziness and migraines to forgetting daily tasks and responsibilities to his wife and children.

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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.

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The lasting effects of traumatic brain injuries are raising fresh concerns about the toll of the Iran war on American troops who are suffering those wounds during a conflict without a clear end. Nearly 700 U.S. service members have been wounded by drone and missile attacks on bases in the Middle East and other fighting. Most have experienced traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, and returned to duty, according to public statements from military officials.

The Pentagon's chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, last month called the vast majority of injuries over a two-week period "minor concussions.”

Doctors can't predict who may have lasting effects from a TBI

Concussions often are termed “mild” TBIs, and many people recover within weeks. But sometimes those with seemingly mild initial symptoms go on to have problems persisting for months or years, such as headaches, dizziness or difficulties with memory or attention that's sometimes called “brain fog.”

Doctors have no way to predict who will suffer lasting problems, a vexing enough question that there’s medical debate over whether to retire the term “mild TBI.” Repeated blows are known to increase the chances of lasting problems, including a degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. It has gained attention for links to deaths in the National Football League and other sports.

It’s imperative that people recover from a concussion before doing activities that put them at increased risk of another, said Dr. David Okonkwo, a University of Pittsburgh brain trauma specialist.

Doctors also are still learning how explosive blasts injure the brain versus a physical blow.

“The blast wave itself can be injurious,” said Dr. James Kelly, an emeritus professor of neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and chief medical scientist at the Invisible Wounds Foundation, which is focused on military brain injuries. “It’s a different cellular injury. Blast is a different thing than a blunt injury to the head.”

Troops have been facing a new type of warfare with Iran in which drones may explode closer to their heads, as opposed to the ground-level roadside bombs and improvised explosives that were more common in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the care that wounded troops received following an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait that killed six U.S. soldiers early in the war. Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin pressed the military in a letter on Wednesday to release the findings of its investigation into the March 1 attack.

“I spoke directly with Wisconsinites who sustained traumatic brain injuries from (President Donald) Trump’s war in Iran and went weeks without so much as a screening, let alone specialized care, for their injuries,” Baldwin said in a statement.

Defense Health Agency spokesman Peter Graves said in an email that “it is policy that service members are screened for TBI.”

Experts say the military has made strides in screening and treating TBIs, a signature injury in Afghanistan and Iraq. More than 500,000 service members were diagnosed between 2000 and 2025, with 82% of cases considered mild and not all of them related to combat. But advocates say the injuries could still be undercounted because symptoms often overlap with post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions.

A TBI diagnosis can emerge years later

Neither of the two blasts Shearer experienced in Iraq produced obvious injuries, and medics prioritized Marines who were more badly hurt.

“You don’t want to be the guy who goes to sick call or says, ‘Oh, I’m hurt,’ because you’re away from your team,” Shearer said. “There’s this culture of you don’t want to be seen as lesser or weak, so you hide injuries inherently.”

When he came home at age 19, he denied he had PTSD and didn't know what a TBI was. Plagued by nightmares, sleeplessness and headaches, he initially turned to drugs to self-medicate and considered suicide.

Shearer eventually got help for PTSD, but it took years for him to consider that he suffered traumatic brain injuries. He was working for the Wounded Warrior Project and screening fellow vets for TBIs when he realized he checked many of the same boxes.

He's since been diagnosed and received treatment. But challenges remain, including vertigo and light sensitivity. He also forgets important conversations with his family.

“I know that some of that stuff is stereotypical, but for me, it's got a different ring to it,” Shearer said. “There will be no memory of the conversation happening.”

The brain can adapt with treatments and therapies

Memory loss is something Army veteran Frank Sonntag also experienced following a TBI from a mortar blast in Iraq in 2004.

He was in his 50s and training reservists when he felt a blast of wind against his ear from an explosion 70 feet (21 meters) away. He didn’t know he was hurt and didn't seek treatment for two years, ignoring intensifying headaches and brain fog.

It got to the point where it took 30 minutes to write an email, while colleagues told him he spoke one word every 10 seconds. He considered suicide and was diagnosed only after he got lost driving home. Neurologists prescribed medication for his migraines, among other treatments.

“Speech therapy was one of the greatest things I had,” added Sonntag, 75, of Queen Creek, Arizona. “They taught me how to practice the words I was speaking and how to put sentences together again.”

Kelly Parker, director of independent services at the Wounded Warrior Project, said it's hard to predict an injury's trajectory.

“If you've seen one TBI, you've seen one TBI," she said.

Screening, early treatment and support can be crucial to returning to a more normal life. Physical, speech and art therapies can lead to improvements, she said.

“There’s still so much we don’t know about the brain, but one thing that we do know is it can heal itself,” Parker said. “We know that new neural pathways can be created, and we absolutely believe that the brain can adapt. We've seen it happen.”

Army veteran Spencer Milo said some people struggle to understand why he's still dealing with migraines, seizures and forgetfulness after so many years out of uniform.

His first TBI occurred in Iraq in 2008, when his Humvee smashed into a wall to evade fire. His second came from the blast of a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2011.

“I’ve had fellow service members that were even with me on those days, and they’re like, ‘Dude, why can’t you just kick it?’” said Milo, 41, of Parker, Colorado. “I really wish it was that simple. It’s tough because when you can’t see something, it’s hard to believe that it’s really there.”

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

The primaries were upended just three months before the vote when the Republican-led Legislature redrew congressional districts following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened federal Voting Rights Act protection for minorities. President Donald Trump cheered the redistricting as part of a national plan to try to help Republicans hold on to their slim House majority.

Trump has endorsed state Sen. Brent Taylor in the four-person Republican primary for the significantly reshaped 9th Congressional District, which now stretches about 200 miles (320 kilometers) east from Memphis before reaching north toward the Nashville area. The district, which previously favored Democrats, now tilts toward Republicans, and some Memphis voters have raised concerns that their representation has been diminished.

After the redistricting, longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen announced that he would no longer seek reelection in the 9th District. Cohen's primary challenger, Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson, then was joined by state Sen. London Lamar in what became a four-person contest.

Pearson gained national attention in 2023 when he was expelled by the Republican-led state House for protesting in support of gun control measures following a deadly school shooting in Nashville. Memphis voters later reelected him.

Republicans currently hold eight of the state's nine congressional seats.

Memphis voters voice their dismay over redistricting

For decades Memphis, the most populous city in Shelby County, formed the base of its own congressional district. Now the county is split among three districts that extend outward like spokes into rural areas.

Lonzo Taylor, a retired postal worker and military veteran, said Black voters like himself have had their voices diluted.

“We only had one district in the whole state of Tennessee, and you don’t even want that to be fair? It’s just terrible,” said Taylor, 72. “I love this state, but I am very disappointed in our governor,” who called lawmakers into a special session for the redistricting.

Milla Meiman, 23, who voted early in the Democratic primary, said she did not realize the congressional map had changed until receiving a letter about it in the mail.

“It’s a drastic change to have your district sort of switched around like that,” said Meiman, who works part time at an ice cream shop and public library. Meiman added: “I think it’s a voter suppression tactic.”

Terrice Thomas, 45, an educator who votes for Democrats, had to learn a lot more about the candidates when she got switched from District 9 to District 8. She is concerned Memphis constituents could get overlooked.

“Is everybody going to have an equal say on what’s happening in their communities or even the people that you’re voting for?” Thomas said. “Are they going to really take into account the different areas and what makes us unique?”

Republican Rep. Ogles is facing a GOP challenger in the 5th District

The cracking apart of Memphis sent ripples throughout the state, also significantly reshaping the 5th Congressional District held by Republican Rep. Andy Ogles, a conservative Freedom Caucus member who is seeking reelection and was endorsed by Trump.

He faces a primary challenge from Charlie Hatcher, a former state agriculture commissioner under Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who has endorsed Hatcher for Congress.

Previously centered on Nashville and central Tennessee, the district now extends to the northwest corner of the state before snaking south along the Mississippi River to Memphis. Along the way it touches the borders of Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi.

Ogles has faced controversy. His cellphone was seized by the FBI in 2024 as part of an investigation into his campaign finance reporting. But the Justice Department recently agreed to return the device, signaling that it was abandoning the probe, which began under the Biden administration.

On the Democratic side, the five-way primary features Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, who has continued to run in the reshaped district despite being drawn out of it.

Candidates vie for an open Republican House seat in the 6th District

Republican U.S. Rep. John Rose is forgoing reelection in the 6th District to run for governor instead. That created a contentious primary for the Republican-leaning district, which stretches east from Nashville.

The four Republican candidates include state Rep. Johnny Garrett and Rose’s recent chief of staff, former U.S. Rep. Van Hilleary, who served eight years in Congress before losing a gubernatorial bid in 2002. Five Democrats also are seeking the seat.

Voters also pick candidates for governor and Senate

Rose and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn are among three Republicans and five Democrats running to succeed Republican Gov. Bill Lee, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection. Blackburn, who won her second six-year Senate term in 2024, would have to give the seat up if elected.

Republicans have held the governor's office since 2011 and won every U.S. Senate election since 1994. Sen. Bill Hagerty is unopposed in this year's Republican primary, though numerous Democrats and independents are battling for the chance to challenge him.

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The story has been updated to correct the day of the primary election to Thursday, from Tuesday.

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Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri.

In an opinion issued in July but released this week, the Florida Supreme Court upheld the death sentence for McDowell, who shot and killed Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers during a traffic stop in 2021.

McDowell tried to argue that state law allowing for non-unanimous death penalty recommendations changed after he committed his crime, but the court said that didn’t matter because the new law was in place before McDowell was sentenced.

During his sentencing trial, McDowell, who pleaded guilty to gunning down Moyers, encouraged jurors to recommend the death penalty for him.

“I can’t take away the pain I’ve caused, but I can pay for it. So make me pay for it,” McDowell told the jurors before their near-unanimous vote.

They voted 11 to 1 in April 2024 to recommend a death sentence.

RELATED: High and driving a stolen van, he nodded at a deputy at a Callahan gas station. Minutes later, the deputy was murdered

The sentencing hearing included emotional testimony from Moyers’ family, including his fiancée, brother and mother, about what it was like for them when Moyers died at the hospital days after the shooting.

But McDowell’s attorney, Robert Pearce, who presented his case before the Supreme Court of Florida, argued that juries shouldn’t hear such emotional victim impact statements because they unfairly push jurors toward recommending death.

The justices rejected that argument, saying the statements from victims’ families are limited to explaining who the person was and the loss to the community.

Watch McDowell’s full statement in the video below:

RELATED | Drug use, PTSD, military service influenced Patrick McDowell’s state-of-mind on night he killed deputy, expert testifies

Breiana Tole, who pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact for trying to help McDowell escape capture, was previously sentenced to three years in prison, followed by three years of probation.

McDowell pleaded guilty to first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, injuring a police dog and eight counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

Visit Jacksonville and Mayor Donna Deegan will present Michelin recognition placards to the owners and chefs of Eggboy, Rue Saint Marc and The Bearded Pig at Jacksonville City Hall.

This is a really big deal," Mayor Deegan said at the ceremony. “For the first time, Jacksonville is represented.”

The recognition carries particular weight given Jacksonville’s recent reputation. A June 2025 study by financial advisory company FinanceBuzz ranked Jacksonville as the most boring city in America out of 75 major cities, citing its culinary scene as one of its weakest categories. The study found that 54% of all restaurants in Jacksonville are chains — tied for the fourth-highest rate in the country.

Michael Corrigan, President and CEO of Visit Jacksonville, said the recognition changes how the world sees Jacksonville’s restaurant scene.

“They were doing great things, but now they’re going to have international notoriety of being a great place to go see when you’re in Jacksonville,” Corrigan said.

For the restaurant owners, the recognition was both a surprise and a validation of years of work.

Nicholas and Zachary Presti, co-founders of Eggboy, said the news arrived in an email they almost didn’t believe.

“It was in an email, and I didn’t really believe it at first. I was like, literally replied like, ha ha ha, scam, like no way. But just ecstatic and grateful that we got the recognition,” the Prestis said.

Chad Munsey and Michael Schmidt, co-founders of The Bearded Pig, said the honor reflects a decade of commitment.

“I think for us, it’s 10 years of hard work,” Munsey said. “I wrote a quote that everybody wants Michelin recognition but nobody wants Michelin dedication.”

“We don’t do this for the awards, but the awards are certainly validation,” Schmidt added.

Jacksonville residents who visited The Bearded Pig on Wednesday said the Michelin recognition reflects a local dining scene that often goes unnoticed by national rankings.

“For local restaurants I would probably give it a pretty high score. I do tend to avoid a lot of chain restaurants and I really do like more locally owned restaurants. I just feel like there’s just a different feel and environment with them,” said Elizabeth Lee, a Jacksonville resident.

Michael McNeely, who recently relocated to Jacksonville from St. Petersburg, said the city has exceeded his expectations.

“My wife and I moved here in December from St. Petersburg, downtown St. Petersburg, which is probably considered one of the hottest places in Florida, and we love Jacksonville. It’s everything we wanted,” McNeely said.

Dr. Keisling, a longtime Bearded Pig regular, said the San Marco neighborhood alone makes the case against the boring label.

“San Marco is a very good example of varieties of foods that people can eat with good quality and good prices,” Keisling said.

Eggboy is co-founded by Nicholas Presti and Zachary Presti, with Raymond Johnston serving as head chef. Rue Saint Marc is led by Executive Chef and Proprietor Scott Alters and Beverage Director Gaby Alters. The Bearded Pig is co-founded by Chad Munsey and Michael Schmidt.

The Michelin Guide, originally published in France in 1900, is considered one of the most prestigious restaurant rating systems in the world.

Eggboy is co-founded by Nicholas Presti and Zachary Presti, with Raymond Johnston serving as head chef. Rue Saint Marc is led by Executive Chef and Proprietor Scott Alters and Beverage Director Gaby Alters. The Bearded Pig is co-founded by Chad Munsey and Michael Schmidt.

That's part of what makes it all so sweet.

The 26-year-old knows she could have walked away following her final season at Oregon State in the spring of 2025, with a resume stuffed with Olympic and world championship medals and her place in the history of the storied U.S. women's program secure.

She tried, kind of. The athlete who had been going nonstop for the better part of 20 years gave her body a bit of a break after her NCAA career ended. It lasted a handful of weeks.

Then one day, she popped into the gym and, in the words of her father and longtime coach Brian, “started playing again.”

Emphasis on “playing.”

If there's anything the two-time Olympic gold medalist has learned, it's that taking this too seriously can quickly rob you of the joy that brought you to it in the first place.

Asked if she feels the weight of living up to the standard she's set for herself as the Phoenix native prepares to salute the judges at the national championships for a seventh time when the women's competition begins at Mortgage Matchup Center, Carey shrugs.

“I just feel like right now I have one more opportunity to just have fun with it,” she said. “No expectations, no pressure."

Maturing means understanding who she was in 2021 is not who she is in 2026. There have been times she'll randomly come across a video of her gold medal-winning floor exercise routine at the Tokyo Olympics five years ago and think “that was pretty hard.”

Whether she can get back to that level as she makes a bid for a third trip to the Olympics is anyone's guess, Carey's included. Her body has held up remarkably well through the years, thanks in large part to the pragmatic approach she and Brian Carey have taken toward her training.

“I don’t know if that’s coming back,” she said. “But you never know. And I feel like training, getting back into it this year, was really hard. But I’ve kind of hit my stride, and it’s getting a little easier and feeling a little more familiar.”

Sticking with the plan

Carey finished second in the all-around to 17-year-old Reese Esponda at the U.S. Classic a few weeks ago in her first elite competition since leaving the 2024 Paris Games with a pair of Olympic medals. She did it with routines that are designed to serve as a foundation as she methodically builds toward the summer of 2028.

The plan is to add difficulty as she goes along, but only when she's ready. In her mid-20s, Carey is not the same gymnast who took a circuitous path to the Tokyo Olympics that ended with the floor routine of a lifetime and the most precious of medals around her neck.

The amount of time she spends in the gym on a given day depends on how she's feeling. She and her father have an understanding that as long as she hits her numbers — meaning, how many times she works on an assignment — it doesn't matter how long she's there.

Some days she can knock it out in three hours. Some days, it's more like eight. On the days she's not feeling it at all, they'll work on a plan that spreads the workload out over a longer period of time, though that remains a rarity.

“Normally, it’s like she’s so fine-tuned with her skill, she just gets up and knocks it out,” Brian Carey said.

That's kind of what she does. What's perhaps the most remarkable thing about Carey's career is the way she simply keeps going. While some of her Olympic teammates have opted to take time off and recover after a triumphant performance — Tokyo Olympic champion Suni Lee announced last month she is preparing for a return after a two-year hiatus — Carey largely has not.

The internal desire to excel still burns bright

Her father credits an internal “fire” that doesn't need much to be stoked. He ordered her to take a vacation after her senior year at Oregon State. It lasted a month. There was never any formal discussion about pushing toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. It just sort of happened.

That doesn't mean slipping back into her routine was easy.

“I could tell my body was like, ‘What are you doing? You haven’t gone upside down in a while, like we don’t do this anymore,’” she said with a laugh. “But I’m like, ‘No, we’re going to, trust me.’”

She's well aware some of the skills she once mastered may never come back, so she'll need to evolve. That could mean opting for slightly easier (at least by gymnastics standards) elements and combinations, hoping to make up for in execution what she might lack in difficulty.

Brian Carey's job is to make sure she isn't in a rush to find out. Sometimes he still has to tell his daughter to “pump the brakes a little bit." There are days when Carey feels she's ahead of schedule. That doesn't mean the schedule is going to be adjusted. The short-term goal is to build toward earning a spot on the world championship team in October.

Yes, she understands the prospect of competing in a home Olympics is out there in the ether. And sure, it played a factor in her decision to give it a shot. The reality is, she probably would be here anyway, no matter if the Olympics were in Los Angeles or London or somebody's backyard.

The fire inside continues to burn brightly. She learned to respect it long ago. She has the rest of her life to not do gymnastics. Why douse the flames before she's ready?

“I’ve done so much that I just, I don’t know,” she said. "I just want to do this round again for fun and see how far I can push myself.”

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

RELATED: 4,000 acres near Nocatee could be developed under Florida’s new agricultural enclave law

Commissioners engaged in a lengthy discussion about the legislation, with several raising concerns that it could limit local control over land-use decisions and how future growth is managed.

Chair Clay Murphy said he believes the county should determine whether it has standing to challenge the law before committing taxpayer dollars to litigation.

“We do need to have some kind of response to this,” Murphy said.

Commissioner Krista Joseph agreed the county should pursue its legal options even suggesting outside counsel, saying she believes the legislation raises questions about local home rule.

“Basically, it’s an erosion of home rule. We’ve had black cloud over our head,” Joseph said.

The discussion also centered on a proposed agricultural enclave development spanning more than 4,400 acres. Some commissioners referenced the potential for thousands of homes under the proposal.

However, the attorney representing the applicant pushed back on those figures, telling commissioners the proposal is based on one residential unit per acre, not the higher numbers discussed during the meeting.

“I realize you are having a hearing about the injunction. We are not here to talk about any specific agricultural enclave applications that have been filed. but I want to correct the record, because there was a misstatement of fact made about the application that our firm filed. The requested application is for one unit per acre, not six units per acre,” Ellen Avery Smith said.

We reached out to the firm and they sent us this statement:

“On behalf of the Davis Family, The PARC Group is seeking Agricultural Enclave certification for 4,462 acres in St. Johns County. Agricultural Enclave is a state designation that allows for a streamlined review process for single-family development that is consistent with surrounding land uses. Our application provides for a maximum density of 1 unit per acre. This process supports responsible long-range planning in areas near existing infrastructure and population centers that can efficiently accommodate future community needs. The PARC Group, working in partnership with the Davis Family, has a long history of creating high-quality, master-planned communities in Northeast Florida, including Nocatee, eTown, and EverRange. These communities reflect a continued commitment to thoughtful planning, meaningful infrastructure investment, preservation of natural areas, and the creation of connected neighborhoods with parks, trails, amenities, and community gathering places.”

Rather than immediately pursuing a lawsuit, commissioners directed the County Attorney’s Office to find out a cost analysis and viability of an injunction going forward. That passed 5-0.

“A motion was made and seconded to move forward to ask our legal department to do two things. We wanted to get a consultation with an outside consultant to find out the viability of getting an injunction. The second thing is we wanted to find out how much it was going to cost,” Murphy said.

A public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19 to discuss the agricultural enclave applications.

Below are the six applications being heard at that hearing in August.

Knox, now 39, said Thursday in a post on Instagram that her comedy show “honors Meredith Kercher’s memory and calls out the violence that was done to her and to me.”

The show is called “Cartwheel,” a reference to a story that claimed Knox did cartwheels in the police station after her Meredith's death. It is debuting Friday evening and is due to run for 11 straight nights at the annual August mish-mash of standup, theater and musical offerings in the Scottish capital.

The show is being marketed as a woman “approaching forty, juggling motherhood and finally getting around to being furious about the whole wrongful-imprisonment thing. Especially when half the world is telling her to get over it, while the other half still thinks she’s guilty.”

Knox was a 20-year-old student in Perugia when Kercher was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007, in her bedroom in the apartment they shared with two Italian women.

The case made global headlines as suspicion quickly fell on Knox and her boyfriend of just days, Raffaele Sollecito. She served nearly four years in prison during the investigation, initial murder trial and when she was freed by an appeals court in Perugia. The couple were acquitted by Italy’s highest court in 2015.

Another man, Rudy Hermann Guede, from the Ivory Coast, was eventually convicted of murder after his DNA was found at the crime scene. He was freed in 2021, after serving most of his 16-year sentence.

Knox returned to the United States in 2011, after being freed by the appeals court in Perugia, and has since established herself as a global campaigner for the wrongly convicted. She has a podcast with her husband and last year published a memoir titled, “Free: My Search for Meaning.”

Knox's post follows an interview that Meredith Kercher's sister, Stephanie Kercher, gave to the BBC during which she said the show “normalizes and trivializes violence against women.”

While insisting that Knox is “naturally free to continue with her life as she wishes,” she said “the problem with this particular project is that it is comedy.”

“It’s not about whether people think she’s guilty or innocent, if someone else was doing the show specifically against Meredith, I would still feel the same, it is obviously an added wound that it’s coming from her at the same time, but I do feel very strongly that it should be something that’s not given a platform," she said.

An online petition calling for the show to be canceled has been launched and so far has more than 4,400 signatories. It states that the show “mocks the horrific events surrounding Meredith’s murder and aims to somehow turn this tragedy into entertainment.”

Knox said "a petition to cancel a show no one has seen, on the grounds of false accusations intended to shame and vilify a wronged woman into silence, is not an argument against Cartwheel.”

The Edinburgh Fringe, she added, “is the perfect place for a show like this.”

DeSantis, joined by Florida Department of Education Commissioner Dr. Henry Mack and local school officials, said the state’s education reforms are producing measurable results and giving parents more choices.

“We have been ranked number one in education freedom,” DeSantis said.

He pointed to a record 92.2% high school graduation rate, said more than 60% of students are performing at or above grade level in both English language arts and mathematics for the first time, and noted that 76% of schools earned an A or B in the 2025-26 school year.

DeSantis credited a shift to periodic “progress monitoring” assessments rather than a single end-of-year test. He said the share of students at or above grade level on ELA progress checks rose from 49% to 61%, and math performance climbed from 53% to 62%.

DeSantis said the state has put roughly $7 billion into teacher pay since he took office, raising the average minimum salary from about $39,000 to nearly $51,000 and lifting the state average toward $58,000. He also cited a new budget provision that includes $1.56 billion for a teacher-pay categorical and $200 million earmarked for salary increases for teachers with 10 or more years of experience.

“We wanted to make sure if we’re putting more money into this, that it’s actually going into teachers’ pockets,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis used the event to promote a renewed focus on civics education, including a Civics Seal of Excellence that offers teachers a $3,000 bonus for completing 50 hours of coursework on the American Republic and Western civilization. He also touted infrastructure and environmental projects such as a reservoir intended to reduce harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River.

Newly sworn Education Commissioner Dr. Henry Mack said he returned to Florida after serving in federal roles to build on the state’s momentum. Mack emphasized the link between education and the labor market, and he promoted apprenticeships and short-term workforce certification programs as pathways to well-paying jobs.

“Where Florida goes, so goes the nation,” Dr. Henry Mack said, adding that the state has led in registered apprenticeships and work-based learning. He pointed to federal and state initiatives that expand short-term workforce Pell aid and help people gain industry-recognized credentials.

“We know we have more jobs looking for people than people looking for jobs,” Mack said, urging schools to couple academic instruction with career and technical education to ready students for the workplace.

Lee County Superintendent Denise Karlin praised local progress, noting the district posted its highest point total in a decade, 29 schools improved a letter grade and the district posted its highest-ever graduation rate.

“We won’t stop until we get to 100,” Karlin said.

Karlin said nearly two-thirds of traditional public schools in Lee County are rated B or higher and set a goal to become a top-ranked district by 2028.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, increased numbers of cyclosporiasis cases during the spring and summer are fairly typical. The CDC considers May 1-Aug. 31 the annual cyclosporiasis “season.”

But the current nationwide outbreak means Florida’s cases are up about 34% from the same time last year.

Through July and early August of 2025, Florida reported 99 cases of cyclosporiasis statewide. In the same period this year, 321 cases have been reported statewide, increasing the summer average by about 40%.

The diarrhea-causing parasite has now spread to 42 counties in Florida, with reported illnesses spiking by more than 180 cases in just the last two weeks.

The Cyclospora parasite causes extreme diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite, according to the CDC.

The Florida Department of Health’s Reportable Diseases Frequency Report showed 167 cases from Jan. 1 to July 18, but one week later, that number jumped to 264 on July 25, and spiked again to 352 by Aug. 1, the last date that data is available.

By this time last year, the state had only reported 119 cases total.

This year’s cases include 27 in Northeast Florida counties:

• St. Johns: 9
• Duval: 8
• Alachua: 4
• Flagler: 3
• Nassau: 1
• Baker: 1
• Columbia: 1

Other counties outside Northeast Florida with cases include: Bay, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Escambia, Gadsden, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jackson, Lake, Lee, Leon, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter, Volusia, Wakulla and Walton.

In most scenarios, people who get cyclosporiasis will recover on their own. But in some cases, people can have persistent symptoms and relapsing infections over time, so any suspected cases should be tested, officials urge.

Once a case is confirmed through testing, a report is sent to the state department of health.

Direct human-to-human transmission is rare, officials say, but if infected, people could shed the parasite into the environment, where it could become infectious again within a week or two, contributing to another outbreak.

The outbreak was first reported in Michigan on July 1, with other outbreaks later reported in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, according to the CDC.

While all 50 states have now reported cases, the source of the outbreak is still unknown.

But the CDC is investigating multiple clusters of Cyclospora cases, including one multistate outbreak now affecting 15 states linked to iceberg lettuce.

Signs, symptoms, and treatment

Cyclosporiasis has a one-week incubation period, meaning symptoms do not appear immediately after eating contaminated food. Watch for:

• Explosive diarrhea
• Abdominal bloating and cramping
• Low-grade fever
• Fatigue

Without treatment, symptoms can come and go.

If you think you have cyclosporiasis, see your doctor and ask to be tested.

Again, cases are expected to continue through the end of August. Check the FDA and CDC for the latest warnings on affected produce and restaurants.

UEFA on Thursday reiterated that it had lost confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino and said conditions to withdraw its boycott threat had not been met.

“UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non participation in FIFA competitions," it said in a statement. "First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.

“These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.”

It was another bruising day for Infantino, with global soccer players union FIFPRO accusing him of "a profound abuse of presidential power.”

The English Football Association has also withdrawn its support for Infantino's re-election.

Even Amnesty International said the “current crisis spotlights the need for governance reforms."

FIFA and Infantino tried to present a united front following a high-level summit in Morocco on Wednesday when it announced the president had the full support of top staff in attendance.

The world governing body also apologized for errors made over its controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary and committed to “ensure they do not happen again.”

FIFA said it hoped its meeting would “help restore confidence” in the organization after the turbulence created by Infantino’s now abandoned project, which provoked widespread condemnation.

UEFA voted to abandon FIFA competitions if it went ahead. And even after Infantino’s hasty climbdown, Europe’s governing body said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership — paving the way for a challenge to his presidency.

In its defiant statement, UEFA made it clear its position still held.

"Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA president (and whose careers depend on his favor) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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

The extreme weather has pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in several countries, prompting health warnings for millions of people.

Across Europe, authorities are grappling with the consequences of extreme heat: health alerts for millions in Italy, record temperatures in Austria, drought-related disruptions to energy and shipping in Central Europe, and wildfires stretching from France to the Balkans.

Scientists and officials warn that such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms.

Climate change drives more extreme summers

The current heat wave has exposed vulnerabilities in public health systems, power generation, transportation networks and tourism infrastructure, forcing governments and businesses to adapt to more frequent periods of extreme weather.

Italy’s Health Ministry placed all 27 cities monitored under its national heat surveillance system on red alert Thursday — the first time this year the entire network has been under the highest warning level simultaneously.

The alerts stretch from Trieste in the northeast to Palermo in Sicily and signal a health risk for the entire population, not only vulnerable groups such as older adults and people with chronic illnesses.

Authorities urged residents and tourists to avoid direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day, remain indoors where possible and drink plenty of water.

The heat has also forced adjustments at major tourist attractions. The ministries of tourism and culture extended evening opening hours at landmarks including Rome’s Colosseum and Pantheon.

Cooling mist fans have been installed at the Colosseum’s entrances and additional medical stations have been made available.

Rome has also introduced another unusual response to the heat emergency: a free municipal “urban beach” along the Tiber River in the Marconi neighborhood, where residents can cool off in swimming pools, water fountains and shaded areas.

The site, known as Tiberis, has become a refuge for families and children seeking relief from record temperatures. Residents praised the initiative, saying it allowed them to better cope with the heat and offered a rare opportunity to escape the city’s scorching asphalt and concrete.

“It is excellent, it is a great initiative. They did the right thing, specially with such hot days it is important to cool down with water, specially for children," said Claudio Rocchi, a Roman resident.

Austria and Slovakia break national temperature records

Later on Thursday, Slovakia recorded another all-time high temperature. The new record set at Dolne Plachtince in the south was 42.2 C (108 F), the Slovak Meteorological Institute said.

In Slovakia, the low levels of water in the Danube forced the country’s biggest hydroelectric power plant in Gabčíkovo to shut down seven of its eight turbines, the TASR news agency said.

So far this year, the power plant produced 15% less electricity than a year ago due to a lack of water in the river.

The authorities recorded the lowest flow of water in the Danube for July on record, the Academy of Sciences said.

An all-time high temperature of 41.2 C (106.2 F) was also recorded in Austria on Wednesday in the village of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg near the Slovak border, according to GeoSphere Austria.

Austria is also facing severe drought. Rainfall from Jan. 1 through June 30 was 27% below the long-term average nationwide, while some eastern regions received only half their normal precipitation.

Climatologist Alexander Orlik said some parts of the country had not experienced such dry conditions since 1885.

Hungary cuts power use as drought hits nuclear plant

In Hungary, prolonged drought and record-low water levels on the Danube River have severely affected the country’s only nuclear power plant, which relies on river water to cool its reactors.

Plant operators have reduced output to about 10% of normal production, prompting the government to introduce emergency conservation measures as a record-breaking heat wave grips the country.

Authorities have asked major industrial users and households to cut electricity consumption, particularly during peak demand hours between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Freight trains have been barred from operating during those hours, while decorative lighting on landmarks in Budapest has been switched off.

Several major companies, including energy company Mol, pharmaceutical maker Gedeon Richter and automakers Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW have announced plans to curb electricity use.

The government also canceled parliamentary sessions this week in an effort to conserve power.

The heat wave has shattered temperature records across the country. On Wednesday night, Budapest recorded its warmest overnight temperature on record, with temperatures falling only to 28 C (82 F), underscoring the persistence of the extreme heat.

Germany worries about shrinking rivers

Germany faced growing concerns over the impact of drought on transportation and industry as water levels on the Rhine and other rivers continued to fall.

Transport Minister Steffen Bilger met affected organizations Thursday and warned that low water levels posed major challenges for inland waterway shipping, industry and the broader logistics chain.

Environmental group BUND urged authorities to focus not only on the economic impacts but also on making rivers more resilient to climate change by retaining more water in landscapes and reducing withdrawals during periods of drought.

France remains on high wildfire alert

In southeastern France, firefighters maintained a large presence in the Var region after authorities said a major wildfire there was no longer spreading but remained capable of reigniting.

The blaze, which began July 20, has burned more than 60 square kilometers (23 square miles), making it the largest recorded in the region in recent decades.

Authorities warned that strong winds and extremely dry conditions left southeastern France at very high risk for additional wildfires.

Balkans battle fires and drought

The heat wave reached its peak across the Balkans on Thursday as temperatures neared 40 C (104 F) and authorities battled drought and wildfires.

In Serbia, firefighters struggled to contain several blazes after days of dry weather. One major fire burned through pine forests west of Belgrade, while another spread near the central town of Kraljevo, where difficult terrain complicated firefighting efforts.

In neighboring Croatia, tourists in Dubrovnik sought refuge in shade and avoided beaches during the hottest hours of the day as temperatures soared along the Adriatic coast.

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Associated Press journalists Paolo Santalucia in Rome, Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.

Fitch assigned the AA+ rating to Jacksonville’s $400 million Series 2026A special revenue and refunding bonds and $53 million Series 2026B special revenue refunding bonds, and affirmed the city’s issuer default rating and outstanding special revenue obligation bonds at AA+. The outlook is stable.

Fitch said the rating reflects Jacksonville’s very strong financial resilience, including an expectation that available reserves will remain above 10% of spending and a 2025 fund‑balance‑to‑expenditure ratio of about 41%.

The agency cited the city’s solid operating record and its role as an economic anchor for northeast Florida, and applied a one‑notch positive adjustment for that regional significance.

The special revenue bonds are secured by a covenant requiring the city to budget and appropriate sufficient non‑ad valorem revenue to cover debt service; those revenues are rated on par with the issuer default rating. Fitch adjusted the city’s debt metrics to reflect principal amortization through Dec. 31, 2026, and the pro forma effect of the new Series 2026 issuance.

Fitch flagged weaknesses in Jacksonville’s long‑term liability profile, calling it “weak” relative to peers. Key metrics cited include liabilities to personal income near 11.1%, liabilities to governmental revenue around 256.7% and carrying costs of roughly 17.0%, reflecting elevated pension liabilities and moderately rising direct debt. Revenue volatility was described as “midrange.”

The agency said the rating could be lowered if reserves fall below 10% of general fund spending, if economic and demographic performance weakens materially, or if long‑term liabilities increase substantially relative to resources. A positive rating action would likely require a sustained reduction of about 15% in long‑term liabilities or improved economic and demographic metrics.

Fitch noted its Climate.VS screener did not indicate elevated climate risk for Jacksonville and assigned an ESG relevance score of 3, meaning ESG factors are credit‑neutral or have only minimal credit impact. The rating action and analysis were published by Fitch Ratings.

Click here to see more information on the Fitch Ratings website.

The vote approving the contempt resolution came a week after Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, an episode that raised fresh legal questions about the ability of Congress to compel testimony from a previously pardoned witness.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the committee chairman who pressed for the contempt finding, said that constitutional protection did not apply because Fauci last year received a pardon from Democratic President Joe Biden and thus did not have to worry about the threat of prosecution. He has said he intends to send the referral directly to the Justice Department, rather than first to the full Senate, despite Democratic questions over the legal validity of such a maneuver.

“Dr. Fauci faced no risk of federal prosecution," Paul said at the outset of Thursday's hearing. "All he had to do was tell the truth.”

Fauci, in a statement last week explaining his decision to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights, said he had good reason to fear the possibility of criminal charges given what he said was Paul's determination “to get me to say something, anything, that could vindicate his repeated public pledges that I end up, in his words, quote, behind bars, unquote."

Fauci's lawyer, David Schertler, said in a statement that the contempt resolution was "a continuation of Senator Paul’s personal vendetta against Dr. Fauci, who spent 50 years in public health and has saved countless lives.” Schertler accused Paul of abusing his power by trying to “weaponize the Justice Department.”

“Today’s partisan committee vote is a crude political stunt intended to punish Dr. Fauci for exercising his constitutional rights," Schertler said. “The Senate should reject Senator Paul’s meritless and politically-motivated contempt resolution. For years, Senator Paul has proclaimed to anyone who would listen that Dr. Fauci should be prosecuted and put in prison. Dr. Fauci has committed no crime – and Senator Paul knows it.”

The pardon from Biden covered acts from 2014 through the January 2025 day it was issued but does not shield him from state-level prosecutions or for federal investigations into any testimony he did give that lawmakers deemed false.

Democrats who unanimously opposed the contempt resolution agreed with Fauci that he had a well-founded fear of self-incrimination given a publicly stated desire by Republicans to see him prosecuted in connection with COVID. The Trump administration has also raised questions about whether the Biden pardons were valid given Biden's frequent use of an autopen to conduct official business.

“The goal was to wait for Dr. Fauci to make any kind of misstatement and then have a weaponized Department of Justice file criminal charges for that new statement that would not have been covered by the pardon, leaving Dr. Fauci little choice but to invoke his constitutional right to not walk directly into a trap,” said Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., before the vote.

Paul's intention to send the referral directly to the Justice Department would leave it up to the U.S. attorney in Washington to decide whether to investigate or potentially attempt to prosecute Fauci for contempt. A referral from Congress does not compel prosecutors to act.

The committee's top Democrat, Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, questioned whether the referral would be legally valid if Paul transmitted it to the Justice Department without the approval of the entire Senate, where the 60 votes needed to pass the resolution are seen as unlikely. He said punishing a witness for exercising a constitutional right against self-incrimination would complicate future efforts by Congress to conduct oversight and compel appearances and testimony.

“If this committee now seeks to punish a witness for asserting their (constitutionally) protected Fifth Amendment rights, future witnesses will argue that appearing before Congress exposes them to punishment regardless of whether they comply with a subpoena and invoke a constitutional protection,” he said. “They will point directly to this vote — this vote — as a justification for refusing to appear at all.”

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AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

Click here for more Addressing A4dability coverage.

JWB Real Estate Capital is starting construction on three affordable housing developments that will create a total of 108 apartments in Arlington and on the Westside. The projects represent the company’s first multifamily affordable housing developments.

Construction is already underway at Parkwood Commons South on Tracy Road in Arlington, where a nearly 2-acre site will become a 35-unit apartment community.

“It’s actually known as a national best practice to take these leftover pieces, remnant pieces, and turn them into productive uses like affordable housing, where a lot of times they’ll sit and they’re blighted,” JWB President Alex Sifakis said.

Rather than building one large apartment complex, JWB is developing three smaller communities of 35 to 38 units each on land the company already owned.

“So this is kind of an innovative project where instead of taking one big piece and putting one big apartment complex, we’re doing three smaller 35- to 38-unit complexes using the leftover land and turning it into a productive use of affordable housing,” Sifakis said.

The other developments are planned on Justina Court in Arlington and on Ricker Road on Jacksonville’s Westside.

Sifakis said the locations were selected because JWB is already familiar with the neighborhoods and local leaders supported bringing affordable housing to the areas.

“They’re neighborhoods that we know really well. The council people were really excited to get affordable housing in those districts and land that JWB has owned for a couple of years,” he said. “So it made sense to take those pieces and turn them into affordable housing.”

The three projects received a combined $28.59 million in financing to help keep rents affordable. The funding includes a $10 million award through the federal 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, $9.8 million in bond financing and a $3.8 million loan from the City of Jacksonville.

“It takes a village,” Sifakis said. “You use the federal tax credits combined with local participation, and that’s how you make them work.”

The apartments will be reserved for households earning no more than 60% of the area median income. That’s about $45,000 annually for a single person and about $65,000 for a family of four.

Sifakis said he expects monthly rents to be about $800 for one-bedroom apartments and about $1,400 for three-bedroom units.

The projects come as affordable housing has become a growing concern across Jacksonville.

“If you look at the polling, affordable housing is the number one issue in Jacksonville now,” Sifakis said. “We think it’s kind of in JWB’s DNA to help solve this affordable housing crisis. We’ve been doing it in single-family for a while, and this is just taking the next step into larger-scale affordable housing developments.”

Construction is expected to be completed early next year.

Amir Buie, 21, was taken into custody July 23, 2026, after JSO’s Community Problem Response Unit located him near his apartment on Olevia Street. He faces four charges stemming from an incident on July 5, 2026.

What happened at the Wawa

Just after midnight on July 5, JSO officers were already staged near the Wawa at 1331 University Blvd. N., anticipating a street takeover — a pre-planned event where vehicles and spectators gather to perform dangerous stunts such as doughnuts, burnouts and street racing.

Officers say they observed a large group of more than 10 vehicles — mostly heavily modified Dodge Challengers, Chargers and other muscle cars — blocking fuel pumps and impeding traffic in the parking lot, according to the affidavit. Between 10 and 20 people were gathered outside the vehicles, playing loud music and loitering inside the business.

Just before 12:30 a.m., an officer observed a green Dodge Challenger with a distinctive white hood and front bumper, as well as heavy rear damage, begin to maneuver away from the gathering. Police say Buie was identified as the driver, with a passenger in the vehicle.

Wild chase through downtown Jacksonville

Police say the Challenger rapidly accelerated through the parking lot, nearly causing a head-on collision with an unmarked JSO vehicle, according to the affidavit. Officers began following the vehicle as it exited onto University Boulevard, then merged west onto the Arlington Expressway toward the Mathews Bridge.

JSO’s air unit, Florida Highway Patrol troopers and marked JSO units were called in to assist as the chase continued west over the bridge and through downtown Jacksonville. The Challenger eventually crossed the Hart Bridge before pulling into a gated parking garage at the Barlow Apartments on Kings Ave., where it parked on the third floor before officers could make contact with the driver.

When officers arrived at the garage, they say they could still smell burnt rubber and burnt brake pads coming from the vehicle — nearly 30 minutes after the incident, according to the affidavit.

Investigators piece together the case

In the weeks that followed, investigators used law enforcement databases, social media and physical evidence to build their case against Buie.

Detectives linked the apartment address to the passenger in the Challenger. Officers also identified Buie through his Instagram and TikTok account, where photos and videos matched the suspect’s tattoos and hairstyle.

JSO says an inspection of the Challenger at the JSO vehicle warehouse revealed the car’s front and driver and passenger side windows had 4% tint — well below legal limits — as well as an illegal dark tint across the entire front windshield. The vehicle was also equipped with a loud aftermarket exhaust system.

A driver history check revealed Buie’s license had been revoked since Sept. 16, 2025 — stemming from a previous citation for racing on a public trafficway.

Arrest

On the afternoon of July 23, a JSO Sgt. observed Buie leave his apartment on Olevia Street and walk north to a nearby Daily’s gas station. As Buie returned south toward his apartment, CPRU detectives in police-marked tactical vests moved in.

Buie reportedly tensed and attempted to flee north on foot before spotting additional detectives approaching from that direction with conducted energy weapons drawn. He then surrendered and laid on the ground.

Buie faces the following charges:

• Violate street race law/operate motor vehicle in street takeover (Third-degree felony) — bond set at $25,003
• Dangerous excessive speeding (First-degree misdemeanor) — bond set at $10,003
• Reckless driving (Second-degree misdemeanor) — bond set at $2,503
• Driving while license suspended or revoked (Second-degree misdemeanor) — bond set at $1,503

He won the starting job protecting the blind side of Patrick Mahomes in the offseason, and the former Ohio State standout held fast to it throughout training camp. He was a stalwart through the first five weeks of the season, not only living up to the expectations placed upon him but, at least to those watching from afar, exceeding every one of them.

Then things went haywire, much as they did for the team as a whole.

Simmons was gone for about a month for what the team would only call “personal reasons.” When he returned, he managed to play just a few more weeks before a fractured wrist in Week 13 landed him on season-ending injured reserve.

Well, the wrist is healed now. The ACL injury that ended his final season with the Buckeyes has long since healed. Simmons has put on weight, gone through an entire offseason at full speed, and he seems ready to finally step into a starring role on the offensive line.

“Yeah, I mean, I'm just trying to add off of last year,” Simmons said following a recent training camp practice on the steamy fields at Missouri Western State University. “Obviously I went against a lot of good defensive ends, and I have one year of familiarity with the playbook. So it was really just kind of stacking up on that, that way I can come into training camp ready.”

For the Chiefs to bounce back this season, there are few players more critical to their success.

The first reason is this: Simmons has the most important job in protecting Mahomes, who is coming off season-ending surgery of his own, albeit to torn ligaments in his left knee. Mahomes sped through his rehab, and has participated fully in camp, where his mobility seems to be unaffected — though he's also wearing the comfort of a yellow no-contact jersey.

If Mahomes is to feel safe back on the field, Simmons will be providing his security blanket.

“He's trying to work on all the small things right now. He's got all the tools and he knows that,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “He got his weight up a little bit, and he's got strength, and now it's just a matter of being consistent with assignments and footwork and all that, which is so important on the offensive line. But he's working like crazy to make sure he homes in on all that stuff.”

Simmons is listed at 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, but that's on the lower side of the NFL average, and may even be a bit generous. But the Chiefs would rather have an athletic Simmons than the alternative — “You don't want cheeseburger weight,” Reid said.

That ability to move in space funnels into the second reason the Chiefs have such high expectations for Simmons: They signed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to a big free-agent contract in the hopes of revamping their running attack.

The Chiefs averaged just over 106 yards rushing last season, putting them squarely in the bottom third of the league. It also put more pressure on Mahomes and a young group of wide receivers that struggled to break through. The result was an offense that barely resembled the high-flying, high-scoring groups that propelled Kansas City to five of the past seven Super Bowls.

But judging by training camp, the Chiefs fully intend to run the ball more. And when they do pass, Walker's ability to catch the ball out of the backfield — coupled with Rashee Rice's explosiveness in the screen game — is tantamount to a running play as well.

Making it all work? That falls on the shoulders of Simmons and the rest of the offensive line.

Notes: The Chiefs held a shortened practice without full pads on Thursday. They'll be back in pads for two more days before getting Sunday off. ... WRs Cyrus Allen (bone bruise) and Xavier Worthy (shoulder), LBs Drue Tranquill (back) and Jeff Bassa (groin), CBs Kristian Fulton (hip flexor) and L'Jarius Sneed (knee) and DL Ashton Gillotte (hamstring) were held out of practice. CB Mansoor Delane (shoulder) continued to wear a yellow jersey.

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

The shot, named mFlusiva, is intended for adults age 50 or older. Other brands of flu shots already have begun arriving in pharmacies ahead of fall vaccination season, and Moderna said late Wednesday that it expects some of its new version to be available soon at select retailers.

While there already are multiple flu vaccine options in the U.S., including three specifically recommended for people age 65 or older, tens of thousands of Americans die from influenza every year and older adults are among the most vulnerable.

Flu vaccines must be updated annually to best match circulating strains of the virus. Vaccines made with the Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology are faster to manufacturer than other types, and experts say this additional option might help if the shape-shifting flu virus mutates in a way that requires suddenly brewing new doses.

Moderna said the FDA granted full approval for mFlusiva’s use in people ages 50 to 64, based on a study of 40,000 people that found 27% fewer flu cases among people who got the new shot compared with those who got a different common flu vaccine brand. For people 65 or older, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based manufacturer said the FDA granted what’s called accelerated approval for the shot -- based on a smaller study showing it generated a strong immune response compared with an existing high-dose vaccine for seniors – while it conducts an additional study.

Moderna’s data showed no major safety issues although the shot did cause some temporary reactions including injection site pain, fever, headache, tiredness and aches that occurred somewhat more than with today’s flu shots.

The FDA action comes after a highly unusual public dispute over mFlusiva earlier this year. A then-top FDA official blocked the company’s application, a sign of the agency’s heightened vaccine scrutiny under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Days later, the agency changed course after Moderna publicly challenged the ruling — and in June a panel of independent advisers to the FDA unanimously recommended the vaccine's approval.

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Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at https://apnews.com/hub/us-food-and-drug-administration.

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

The change comes a year ahead of schedule. Kellogg said last August that it would remove synthetic dyes from its cereals by the end of 2027.

But the company said Thursday it has identified fruit- and vegetable-based juices that will give cereals like Froot Loops and Apple Jacks their distinctive colors. The Battle Creek, Michigan-based company said it has also invested in equipment that will allow it to transition to natural colors.

The company said it is also removing BHT, an artificial preservative, from the small number of cereals that still contain it.

“More and more consumers are looking for foods made with simple, recognizable ingredients and we are proud to meet those expectations even sooner than planned,” Kellogg’s Chief Growth Officer Doug VanDeVelde said in a statement.

Kellogg has faced pressure for years to remove artificial ingredients from its cereals, which it has already done in other countries like Canada. In 2024, dozens of people rallied outside Kellogg's headquarters and delivered petitions with 400,000 signatures asking the company to remove artificial dyes and BHT.

That pressure has grown under President Donald Trump's health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has urged food companies to phase out petroleum-based artificial dyes. Last August, Kellogg also signed an agreement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton saying it would “permanently remove toxic dyes” from its cereals by the end of 2027.

Retailers are also forcing companies to act. Earlier this year, Target said it would stop selling cereals that contain artificial colors by the end of May. Walmart has also said it will remove artificial colors from its store brands by January 2027.

A little more than a week after reiterating he wanted to stay with Indy for the rest of his career, Taylor took a big step toward fulfilling that pledge by signing a two-year, $44 million contract extension, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person requested anonymity because the team had not yet made an official announcement and does not release contract terms.

The move keeps the 2021 NFL rushing champ off the free agent market next spring and comes two days after the Atlanta Falcons re-signed Bijan Robinson to a record-breaking three-year deal worth up to $75 million.

Taylor never doubted the deal would get done before Indy's season opener Sept. 13 against Baltimore.

“I have faith. I mean, there’ve been some good conversations, and I have faith between my agent and the front office,” Taylor said last week when he arrived at training camp. "Like I said, I’ve already said I would love to be a Colt for life. So, I have faith that things are moving in the right direction.”

This deal follows two other big payouts this spring, to quarterback Daniel Jones and top receiver Alec Pierce, and keeps Indy's primary offensive players together long term.

Taylor is now under contract through 2028 and won't celebrate his 30th birthday until January 2029. Teams tend to devalue running backs after they turn 30.

By then, though, perhaps the conventional wisdom among teams will change. Taylor already has seen a notable difference in how teams value running backs since signing his last extension in 2023 when he didn't participate in camp as his agent and late team owner Jim Irsay engaged in a nasty public back-and-forth that resulted in Taylor requesting a trade.

Taylor struggled with injuries in 2022 and missed the first four games in 2023 with a lingering ankle injury. Since signing a three-year deal worth $42 million in early October 2023, he has missed just six of 41 games and has shown no signs of decline.

Reliability pays off

Taylor led the league in rushing most of last season while quarterback Daniel Jones played through a broken bone in his left leg before suffering a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon in early December. Taylor still finished third in the league with 1,585 yards and led the NFL with 18 touchdown runs.

Now he's seeing the payoff — and not just for himself.

“I think it’s a testament to how hard not only myself, but guys like Bijan, like a lot of the other top backs, they work really hard to put a great product on the field in order to reflect that value," Taylor said Wednesday before signing his new deal. "So obviously, still more work to be done. But man, that’s awesome for Bijan man. Shout out to Bijan, man. You earned it. You deserve it.”

The Colts also have made it clear how much they value Taylor.

From Jones and receiver Alec Pierce to coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard, the consensus is that the threat of Taylor — as a both a runner and pass catcher — changes the way defenses must contend with the Colts.

Contract status

The only real question was how quickly a deal could get done. Ballard is entering the final year of his contract as are left guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Taylor, Nelson and Buckner have all been selected to multiple Pro Bowls.

On July 28, report day at camp, Ballard said his contract status would have no impact on players' contract extensions.

“We always are working toward trying to keep our own players here, and I think you know my thoughts on both of them,” Ballard said when asked about Nelson and Taylor. "Quenton Nelson is a pillar, stands for all the right stuff, and Jonathan Taylor has been an excellent, excellent player for the Colts. I would love to have them long term. We’ll see.”

Now Taylor is in the fold for three more seasons.

The New Jersey prep star burst onto the scene with two 1,000-yard seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers. Leading up to the 2020 draft, critics contended Taylor was a risky early-round pick because of his college workload and questioned his pass-catching ability.

But the Colts selected Taylor in the second round, No. 41 overall, and an early-season injury to Marlon Mack forced Taylor into the starting lineup. He impressed right from the start, rushing for 1,169 yards and 11 TDs while catching 36 of 39 passes for 299 yards and another TD.

Taylor enters this season with 1,551 career carries, 7,598 yards, 69 TDs, 187 receptions, 1,469 yards and seven scores. He already owns the franchise record for touchdown runs and needs 1,629 yards rushing to surpass two-time NFL rushing champ Edgerrin James as the Colts career leader in that category, too.

Taylor also has the top two single-game rushing totals in franchise history, 253 against Jacksonville in January 2021 and 244 last season against Atlanta in Berlin.

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

Deputies said in a release to News4JAX sister station WKMG in Orlando that Jorge Vazquez-Escutia, 71, had last been seen shortly after midnight on Tuesday, and that there were concerns for his well-being because he suffers from memory loss.

But later Wednesday, detectives announced that Vazquez-Escutia had been murdered.

His stepson, 44-year-old Jose L. Proano, is now facing a charge of first-degree murder.

“In the course of their investigation, deputies uncovered evidence that Proano, 44, killed and dismembered Mr. Vazquez-Escutia and attempted to conceal that murder by disposing of his body,” the release reads. “There are no outstanding suspects, and there is no threat to the community.”

In an affidavit, investigators said that Proano had detailed a “negative relationship” with Vazquez-Escutia, even saying that his stepfather had restricted his ability to see his own mother.

“He has had ongoing problems with Jorge Vazquez-Escutia and thoughts that Jorge Vazquez-Escutia abandoned his mother, leaving her alone in the residence even though she had dementia, and preventing him from accessing his mother,” the affidavit states. “He placed numerous calls for service to check on his family members, nearing the level of obsession.”

Detectives said Proano had traveled from his home in Northport up to Orlando on July 31 out of apparent concern for his mother and daughter.

The affidavit also shows that Proano had stalked Vazquez-Escutia, dismembered his body, stuffed the remains in three separate suitcases, and left the suitcases along the nearby White Road.

Detectives said as part of their missing persons investigation, surveillance video showed a man entering the property and then leaving with large suitcases.

Investigators also said cellphone records placed Proano’s phone in the same area at the same time

“Friends of Jose Proano reached out to family and detailed that Jose Proano admitted to killing his father/taking care of his father, beating up his father, with the reasoning behind [REDACTED],” the affidavit continues. “A second witness detailed he was called by Jose Proano requesting help in regard to this incident.”

Neighbors described Vazquez-Escutia as helpful and kind.

“It’s very disturbing,” said Merle Billings, who lives across the street. “He was a good man… Anything I need to be done in the yard or anything with my equipment… he helped me.”

The trio will try to help the U.S. win its fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup title. The young stars will be joined by Olympic medalists A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper and Kelsey Plum.

“It’s always good when you compete for a gold medal, it's a big honor,” said Wilson, a four-time WNBA MVP. “It's something I don’t take lightly. Time to go there and have some fun and also win.”

Rhyne Howard and Aliyah Boston will also be making their World Cup debuts to round out the team.

“I’m so excited to announce the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s National Team,” USA Basketball national team managing director Sue Bird said. “This is an incredibly talented group that has earned the opportunity to compete in Berlin. Wearing a USA jersey is a privilege, and I know these 12 players will embrace that responsibility as we go after another gold medal. I can’t wait to see what this team accomplishes together.”

This is the first time that USA Basketball had a managing director choose the team. In the past it was a committee. Kara Lawson will coach the squad.

Stewart is the third player in USA Basketball history to appear in four World Cup tournaments, joining Bird, who played in five, and Diana Taurasi, who also played in four.

The Americans will face China, Italy and the Czech Republic in pool play at the World Cup, which will be held from Sept. 4-13 in Berlin. The WNBA will take a nearly three-week break in its season to accommodate the event.

Clark, Bueckers and Reese helped the Americans win a World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico in March.

Sabrina Ionescu has been a big part of the U.S. roster the last few years, but was left off this season's team.

Bird said she called many of the players who didn't make the team this time, including Ionescu.

“I think we can all agree the hardest part, which is a problem I would never trade, is that we have so much talent,” Bird said. “The beauty of that is it means almost all players are wanting to be on this team, willing to be on this team. It is a sacrifice. It is a time commitment.”

Alyssa Thomas helped the U.S. win gold at the Paris Olympics, but didn't take part in any USA Basketball camps since. Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles also hadn't taken part in any USA camps yet either.

“Tremendous player. So much fun to watch,” Bird said of Miles, who is the front-runner for the WNBA Rookie of the Year. “It’s been amazing watching her grow in this league. ... She’s played with USA basketball before. She will undoubtedly be in the mix for teams in the future.”

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

Jeff Hetsel, the president of Cicis Pizza, said that Jacksonville has been an important market for Cicis for many years and they believe there’s an opportunity to continue growing across Northeast Florida.

“The region continues to attract families and experience strong population and economic growth, making it a natural fit for our neighborhood-focused, value-driven concept,” Hetsel said in a statement sent to News4JAX. “As we expand, we’re also investing heavily in the guest experience through improved food quality, technology and restaurant operations, ensuring every new location delivers the variety, quality and value that have made Cicis a family favorite for more than 40 years.”

The family-oriented pizza buffet chain currently has two locations in the Jacksonville area, with one on Atlantic Boulevard and another in Orange Park.

She wanted to savor every moment.

“Back in high school I was on my speech team and my informative speech was on women in baseball,” said Hodel, a 43-year-old athletic trainer from Duluth, Minnesota. “So as soon as I saw this happening a couple years ago it was my goal to come.”

That moment finally arrived on Saturday night, when Mo’ne Davis and the Los Angeles Queens rallied for a 10-8 victory over Denae Benites and the New York Heights in a rainy debut for the first women's professional baseball league in the United States in almost 30 years.

“Growing up I played softball,” said Koehler, 33, of St. Paul, Minnesota. “I wanted to play baseball because going professional was always like the dream, but there (were) no opportunities. ... So now that that’s actually an opportunity and something that girls can look up to I think is amazing.”

Maggie Foxx picked up the league's first hit on a two-run single for Los Angeles in the first inning. Benites connected for the WPBL's first homer, a solo drive to center in the bottom of the fourth.

The Queens trailed 8-4 before scoring two runs in the sixth and four more in wet and windy conditions for the final frame of the seven-inning contest.

“When I walked on the field I started crying because of how much this moment meant, and how much it meant to everybody,” Foxx said. “It means everything to us.”

A steady rain fell for much of the day, soaking the 101-year-old home of the WPBL's inaugural season. But much of the crowd of more than 4,000 started lining up hours before the game, hoping to grab a Davis bobblehead on the way to the metal bleachers.

The line for the main merchandise booth stretched all the way to the outfield along one side of the ballpark.

“Having a daughter, it’s really exciting to give her exposure to female professional athletes,” said Antonietta Mabry, 47, an accountant from Columbus, Ohio. “It’s such a rare thing, so it’s really cool to give her some really positive female role models and examples.”

Mabry was accompanied by her husband, Jason, a 48-year-old auditor, and their daughter, Rosalee. The 9-year-old Mabry got her glove autographed by San Francisco second baseman Amanda Gianelloni.

The Firebells and Boston Hunters — the league's other two teams — play on Sunday. A couple players from each team helped the grounds crew pull the tarp off the field after the rain subsided.

“I’m excited to be here because I play softball and I really like it and it’s really cool that I get to see professional women play,” Rosalee Mabry said.

The WPBL paid tribute to the past, present and future of women's baseball during a rain-delayed pregame ceremony. The crowd cheered as the lineups for the Queens and Heights were announced.

But the biggest ovation of the night was for 99-year-old Maybelle Blair, who threw a ceremonial first pitch to San Francisco's Kelsie Whitmore, one of the biggest stars of the WPBL. Blair, who serves on a WPBL advisory board, played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which ran from 1943-54 and inspired the 1992 movie, “A League of Their Own.”

“I think that's pretty incredible,” Benites said. “Maybelle's been sticking with us since the beginning of this journey. She's paved a path for us, really. ... She's a special person and I'm so happy that she got to make it out here and do that today."

Lindsey Keirsey, 42, a high school history teacher in Fenton, Missouri, said she is obsessed with the AAGPBL and “A League of Their Own.” She attended the game with her husband, Drew, 43, and their four children, Hadley, 17, Nolan, 15, Elam, 11, and Abbott, 10.

“We go to St. Louis Cardinals games all the time,” Hadley Keirsey said. “As much as I love baseball, I think it’s an amazing opportunity to see so many women be able to play and just break ground like that. Even though it’s just a sport, I think that if we can do things like this and let women play in sports like this, women can do so many more things.”

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This story was first published on Aug. 1, 2026. It was updated on Aug. 6, 2026 to correct that Denae Benites’ home run was a solo shot.

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

The successful motion, brought by the defense minister, is Uganda’s first public indication of its willingness to join the International Stabilization Force for Gaza. Morocco also has pledged troops for the mission.

It was not immediately clear why Uganda agreed to deploy in Gaza, or if there was a quid pro quo involved, and some opposition lawmakers immediately questioned Uganda’s motive in the decision. Lawmaker Hassan Kirumira said the deployment would raise “diplomatic concerns” for a country that is a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The “big question” for supporters of the deployment to clarify is: "On which side is our army going to fight?” he said in parliament.

Defense Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka, seeking the support of lawmakers, cited Uganda’s military capabilities stemming from its peacekeeping deployments in countries such as Somalia.

The force, proposed by Trump’s Board of Peace in February, would be led by American Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, who said in May that the 20,000-strong force would ensure “future prosperity and enduring peace."

Last week Trump announced a deal for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza. According to that deal, the International Stabilization Force would be deployed to Gaza after the completion of a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The agreement, part of a broader ceasefire deal reached last year, calls for Israel to cease its military operations and for Hamas and its allies in Gaza to halt all militant activity. The agreement also laid out in general terms what the decommissioning process would look like.

After the text of the agreement was released, Israel said it had “serious security concerns” and that it shared those with the U.S.

Israeli attacks have killed 1,250 people since the ceasefire deal was reached in October, an agreement that ended major fighting in the Israel-Hamas war that had raged for two years.

Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the federally funded preschool program, said the proposed changes would encourage more local decision-making. Early childhood policy experts argue the deregulation could undermine Head Start's position as the gold standard in early education.

The Associated Press previously reported on the overhaul proposal, which became public Thursday when it was posted online. The public will have 60 days to weigh in on it before it goes into effect, though it could face legal challenges that would delay implementation.

Head Start centers serve around 700,000 of the nation’s most vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care or disabled. That wouldn't change under the overhaul.

But Alex J. Adams, an assistant secretary at Health and Human Services, said the department is hoping to give Head Start centers the flexibility to change the way they operate. That means eliminating most of Head Start's regulations, such as standards for low staff-to-student ratios or requirements to provide services to preschoolers' families.

"Federal mandates can certainly hinder local decision-making, drive up costs and limit the program’s reach,” Adams said on a call with reporters. He highlighted a decade-long decline in Head Start enrollment. “If we get this proposed rule right, we will grow the number of Head Start slots.”

On a call previewing the proposed changes, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy spoke reverently about Head Start, which was started by his uncle Sargent Shriver during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.

“It’s a program that works for the most vulnerable of the poorest kids in our society, and it’s really important we protect it,” Kennedy said.

But the changes would undermine many of the things that make Head Start distinct from other early education programs, policy experts say.

“This version of Head Start is a shell of the program,” said Khari Garvin, who oversaw Head Start under Democratic President Joe Biden. “This is a deeply diluted version of the program which in my view will cause child and community outcomes to wane.”

What makes Head Start different

Head Start, which began in the 1960s as part of Johnson's War on Poverty, is currently governed by more than 100 pages of regulations. Those regulations require centers to have low staff-to-student ratios and a research-backed curriculum, among other things, and they ensure centers are providing wraparound services that are critical to children in poverty, including medical and dental screenings and parent coaching.

The proposal would toss out nearly all of that rule book. Instead, Head Start’s 1,600 operators — which include nonprofits and school districts — would look to state and local childcare licensing requirements for guidance on many aspects of the program.

While the proposed rules largely loosen requirements, Adams emphasized that centers have the option to continue to operate as they had in the past. He estimated the new rules could generate more than $2 billion in savings and potentially allow Head Start to serve more children.

The proposal adds some new requirements. Staffers would have to deliver all instruction in English, except in tribal communities that run immersion programs in native languages. There would be a 5% cap on administrative expenses, down from 15%. The proposal also includes new nutrition standards, championed by Kennedy, and a requirement for 30 minutes of physical activity — outside if the weather permits — for every three and a half hours of the program.

State rules are more lenient

Overall, experts emphasize, state childcare licensing requirements are far more lax than Head Start's current regulations. State rules are largely focused on ensuring children are healthy and safe. Generally speaking, they do not require centers to provide things like medical or dental screenings, they don't specify ways to engage with parents, and they don't speak to what — if anything — should be taught in childcare settings.

Shantel Meek, who heads the Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University, co-authored an analysis that compared state licensing requirements with Head Start standards and found massive gaps.

“Whereas licensing is, like, the bare minimum to keep kids safe, Head Start includes keeping kids safe but also ensuring that kids are developing, growing, learning well,” Meek said. “It’s a totally different purpose.”

Critically, states allow adults to care for far more children than is allowed under Head Start standards. In Mississippi, for example, one Head Start teacher is only allowed to teach up to four 2-year-olds. State childcare regulations would permit up to a dozen 2-year-olds to be supervised by one adult.

Head Start, which operates in all 50 states, has long had support from both Democrats and Republicans. But it has faced repeated threats under the Trump administration, whose budget chief, Russell Vought, had previously called for it to be eliminated. Not long after Trump, a Republican, took office again in early 2025, some Head Start programs had to briefly shutter because they had problems accessing their federal money. Later, a budget draft eliminated Head Start's funding, but it was restored after widespread backlash.

In a call with reporters, Kennedy said he believes Head Start is effective. He cited research showing its graduates have fewer law enforcement encounters, do better in school and have better jobs than their peers. He added that he tried to shield Head Start from many of the cuts that hit the rest of his agency.

Still, the Trump administration succeeded last year in laying off much of Head Start's support staff and closing half of its regional offices.

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

We’re talking about Debra McMichael. The former pro wrestling star has now moved on to a totally different career in the criminal justice system.

This comes after two high-profile marriages to the late Steve “Mongo” McMichael (the NFL Hall of Famer & wrestler who recently passed away from ALS) and pro wrestling icon “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

Don’t miss this new exclusive interview.

And with over 60 rest areas across the state, along with eight turnpike plazas and four welcome centers, it might be tempting to catch a few winks on longer routes.

But News4JAX sister station WKMG in Orlando wanted to know: Are you actually allowed to do that?

What the law says

Nearly every rest area in Florida is open 24 hours a day, making them a great spot to take a nap.

However, Florida Administrative Code only allows drivers to park for up to three hours. As such, drivers might be able to take a short snooze, but it’s no substitute for a full night’s sleep.

For commercial drivers, though, that figure is hiked up to 10 hours, which can help with their often longer drives.

Either way, FDOT officials assure residents that Florida’s rest areas feature overnight security, so drivers can feel safer if they decide to use these spots to drift off for a bit.

That being said, picnic areas at these rest stops are not open at night, so you’ll be limited to other activities during this time.

(We know. We used the “q” word. Imagine us knocking on wood.)

But based on the activity (or lack of it) that we’ve seen so far, forecasters from NOAA’s National Weather Service shared an updated prediction for the season, and it’s even lower than it was before June 1.

NOAA now expects only 7-13 named storms (with winds of 39 mph or greater), of which 2-6 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater), including 0-2 major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater).

So NOAA is saying there’s a chance we could see only a handful of hurricanes, and it’s possible none of them will reach Category 3 or greater.

Also, those numbers include the two tropical storms (Arthur and Bertha) that already formed this season.

Breaking it down pie-chart style, NOAA forecasters predict a 75% chance for below-normal activity, with a 20% chance of a near-normal season, and just a 5% chance of above-normal activity.

This updated prediction is similar to the initial outlook issued in May.

In the Atlantic basin, a typical hurricane season will yield 14 named storms, of which seven become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.

Only Gulf storms so far

Tropical Storm Arthur was the first named storm of the Atlantic season.

Forming in mid-June in the warm Gulf waters off the Texas coast, Arthur brought record rainfall to portions of Louisiana and spawned tornadoes along the Gulf coast.

Bertha also formed in the Gulf, originating south of the Florida panhandle before making landfall in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.

“Inland rainfall is a major cause of damage from tropical storms and hurricanes, as Arthur demonstrated,” said NOAA’s National Weather Service Director Ken Graham. “That’s why it’s important to prepare for every storm that’s projected to impact your area, even if it never reaches hurricane strength.”

Factors influencing the season outlook

For the remainder of the season, tropical storm activity in the Atlantic basin is expected to be tempered by El Niño conditions, which first emerged in the equatorial Pacific in June.

El Niño increases wind shear, which tends to prevent tropical storms from forming or from getting stronger once formed.

Other less influential factors include temperatures near average in the Atlantic Ocean and a neutral west African monsoon.

“When El Niño emerges, it usually becomes the dominant factor in total hurricane season activity, and this El Niño continues to get stronger every month,” said Matt Rosencrans, lead hurricane season forecaster with NOAA’s National Weather Service. “Compared to a mature El Niño, other mechanisms play a smaller role in determining the number and intensity of tropical storms in the Atlantic basin.”

Durian lovers prize the Malaysian premium varieties such as Musang King and Black Thorn, but their growers face a harsher reality. Climate change, caused by the burning of oil, gas and coal, is making it costlier for growers like Chow to produce quality durians, adding pressure as they compete with Thailand and Vietnam, which dominate a booming export market to China.

Extreme weather has dealt repeated blows to Chow’s orchard, which is in Karak, a small town about an hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. In 2021, heavy rainfall triggered flooding that damaged about 100 of his durian trees and his machinery. Over the following three years, persistent rain during flowering season caused pollination failure, cutting into his yield. And now, Chow is facing other challenges.

“Breaking even would already be very good. Most likely there’ll be a loss this year,” Chow said.

Between February and April, afternoon temperatures hit 33 to 35 degrees Celsius (91 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit), and rain fell mostly at night, he said. Such weather favored flowering, and Chow responded by pruning to prevent deformed or small fruit while stepping up watering and fertilization because of the heat. A rise in fuel and fertilizer prices because of the Iran war, however, meant those extra efforts came at a higher cost.

An oversupply of durians in Malaysia — driven by hot and dry weather and more orchards reaching maturity — also pushed prices down. Grade A Musang King durians from his orchard sold for the equivalent of $8.6 per kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) in local currency in early July, about half compared to the same period last year and roughly one-third of the peak price in 2024.

China's love for durians fueled boom

Durians' overpowering smell is fragrant to those who love it and foul to those who don't. Beneath a spiky shell, their flesh offers a rich, creamy texture with varying flavors. Some taste like sweet custard with fruity flourishes, others carry a hint of bitterness, an alcohol tinge or even a peanut butter-like flavor.

Official data showed Malaysia's durian crop covered 92,100 hectares (227,600 acres) in 2024, up almost 40% from 2016, a size even larger than the total land area of Singapore, the city-state island just south of Malaysia. During that period, Malaysia's production grew nearly 90% to 568,800 tonnes.

The boom was fueled by China beginning to import whole frozen Malaysian durians in 2019. Fresh durians followed in 2024, as Beijing expanded what has been dubbed “durian diplomacy” by welcoming more Southeast Asian countries to export the fruit.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations said China procured about 95% of global durian exports between 2020 and 2022. It imported 1.87 million tonnes of fresh durians worth $7.5 billion in 2025, with the volume jumping six times in the past decade, according to China's customs data.

Consumers there can find the fruit in supermarkets, grocery stores and durian specialty shops. Shanghai resident Song Xiaohua, in her 30s, said she would eat durians once a week instead of once a month if it weren’t for the high calorie count. To her, durians taste creamy and are like both fruit and dessert.

“It feels like celebrating Lunar New Year every time I have a durian,” Song said.

Malaysia lags far behind Thailand and Vietnam in exports to China. But the Malaysian industry touts its durians as higher quality. Unlike their counterparts, Malaysian growers typically do not harvest early, instead collecting only naturally ripened fruit.

Delivering quality durians requires resilience

As global average temperatures rise, extreme weather events like heat waves, floods and droughts are becoming more frequent and intense worldwide, often forcing farmers to scramble to adapt.

Peninsular Malaysia recorded a significant jump in average temperature from 1969 to 2025, with an increase of 0.24 degrees Celsius (about 0.43 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade, according to the country's meteorological department.

Ooi Teik Hock, whose orchard in Perak state is near the border with Thailand, said there were fewer fruit quality problems when temperatures were lower two decades ago. Concerned about the heat, he moved his orchard from the plains to the highlands about 10 years ago, where nights are cooler and air is more humid.

Still, global warming remains a threat, fueling the proliferation of once-rare pests and forcing Ooi to use pesticides more frequently, which he said have jumped some 30% in price from three years ago.

For the first time, Ooi didn't see fruit bats, a main pollinator, at his orchard during this year's flowering season. He said it could be a result of extreme heat or the widespread use of pesticides for pest and disease control.

The weather changes also affect overall quality, especially for the Musang King variety, which is sensitive to weather conditions, said Lim Chin Khee, an adviser to the Durian Academy, which trains durian growers in Malaysia.

Too much rain during the fruit's rapid development period can cause white and grayish patches on golden yellow flesh, while water shortages during that time can cause some black spots around the flesh, he said.

Some growers turn to technology

With expectations that El Nino, a periodic warming of Pacific Ocean that leads to warmer temperatures, could bring Malaysia record-high temperatures between March and May, Lim advised farmers to expand water reservoirs or prepare to install tube wells as a backup if their ponds dried up.

He said producing good fruit depends equally on the weather and the farmer’s effort. Extreme weather events would reduce supply while simultaneously driving up prices, he said.

“So for those farmers (who) are well prepared, actually when any disaster strikes, that is an opportunity,” he said.

Grower Kie Kim Hwa learned how to farm durians from his grandfather at a young age. When he took charge of the orchard in Penang Island off Malaysia's western coast, he chose to do things slightly differently than previous generations.

He installed sensors and instruments to track rainfall, humidity and wind speed, among other data, which was sent to a cloud drive for him to review anywhere and keep a record. Some were placed among the trees and grass, and others deep in the soil. Not everything required high technology: he also checked the surface of a bucket of water for insects to gauge pest levels.

The data allowed Kie to intervene early before problems arose and ultimately control fruit quality and quantity to match market demand.

“We live and die by the weather,” he said. “But we can still prepare.”

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Associated Press writer Fu Ting in Washington contributed to this report.

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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.

It's the first time since Oct. 7, 2023, that an Israeli has been indicted for killing a Palestinian in the West Bank, said Israeli rights group B'Tselem.

In the document, state attorneys accuse Yinon Levi, a settler who lives in an outpost in the southern West Bank, of reckless manslaughter in the death of prominent Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen in July 2025. Under Israeli law, reckless manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.

Levi is also accused of armed trespassing and malicious property damage.

Hathaleen was a prominent community leader who advocated against settler violence in the southern West Bank. He was involved in the 2025 Oscar-winning film “No Other Land,” which chronicled the fight by Palestinian residents to protect their homes and villages.

Activist's family, lawyer hope for change as settler vows to fight back

“I hope that it will be a turning point for more severe enforcement of the law in the West Bank against Jewish terrorists,” said Eitan Peleg, the lawyer for Hathaleen’s family.

Tariq Hathaleen, Awdah’s cousin and lifelong friend, said that while the indictment won’t bring his relative back, the family “still believes this is something really, really big. It’s good for the settlers to learn that they shouldn’t shoot at us.”

Levi on Thursday wrote back to prosecutors saying he would fight for his innocence in court, according to a letter he shared with The Associated Press. He wrote that prosecutors should not penalize acts of self-defense, accusing them of providing “de facto support for terrorism.”

When reached by phone, Avichay Hajbi, Levi's lawyer, said the prosecution had made a “mistaken decision.” He said the defense would respond to the accusations in court.

A spokesperson for the prosecutors’ office confirmed that the indictment had been filed in the city of Beersheba and that Levi is not currently under arrest. She said a meeting will be scheduled in the coming weeks where prosecutors will read Levi the charges against him.

Israeli settlers and soldiers have killed at least 1,100 Palestinians in the West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, says B’Tselem.

“The decision to indict Yinon Levi is the exception that proves the rule. The impunity Israel grants to soldiers and settlers who harm Palestinians is not a failure of the system — it is a central component of a policy designed to allow the violence to continue and escalate,” wrote Yair Dvir, spokesperson for B’Tselem.

Footage of the attack shows settler firing shots

The indictment comes just over a year after Hathaleen’s death.

Video from the day showed Levi shooting in the direction of buildings and a group of Palestinians in Hathaleen’s village, Umm al-Khair, on the day the activist was killed.

One video showed Levi firing two shots, while another, which family members say was taken by Hathaleen himself, showed Levi firing toward the person holding the camera. The footage cuts, but the person can still be heard moaning in pain.

The indictment, issued by Israel's Southern District Prosecutor’s Office, says that the first shot Levi fired struck Hathaleen, who was standing in a courtyard 20 meters (about 65 feet) away, documenting the scene. The bullet punctured Hathaleen’s lung and chest, and he collapsed to the floor and started bleeding.

He was already dead when he arrived at the hospital, the indictment says, after going into hypovolemic shock and respiratory failure.

Hathaleen was a teacher and father who often hosted international activists and visitors in his home.

Levi was among the Israeli settlers sanctioned by the United States and other Western countries over allegations of violence toward Palestinians in 2024. U.S. President Donald Trump lifted the U.S. sanctions after taking office the following year.

Levi has been seen roaming lands near the village of Umm Al-Khair multiple times since the shooting, residents told the AP. They said they continue to experience near-daily intrusions by settlers living in outposts and settlements nearby.

Peleg, lawyer for the Hathaleen family, credited the indictment to the strength of the video evidence against Levi and perseverance.

“We were in my office, applying constant pressure on the police and the district attorney,” he said. “We didn’t leave them to do what they wanted.”

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Associated Press writer Koral Saeed contributed to this report from Herzliya, Israel.

The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority cleared the pending acquisition, ruling that a Paramount-Warner tie up does not pose a “substantial lessening of competition” in the country. Meanwhile, Britain's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said it also wouldn't intervene — on the basis of several “legally-binding commitments” from Paramount related to its footprint in U.K. broadcasting and on-demand entertainment.

Paramount welcomed Thursday's decisions. The company, which was bought by Skydance just one year ago, called the U.K.'s clearance “an important milestone” towards completing its Warner purchase.

A Paramount-Warner combo would mean putting HBO Max, cult-favorite titles like “Harry Potter” and even CNN under the same roof with CBS, “Top Gun” and the Paramount+ streaming service. Both companies carry notable reach in production and television specific to the U.K., too — with assets also including Paramount-owned Channel 5 in London, localized Nickelodeon programming and Warner’s British arm of TNT Sports.

Citing competition concerns specifically for news, TV and streaming platforms available to U.K. consumers, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy previously said she was “minded to intervene” in the merger. But on Thursday, her office said Paramount later agreed to “provide a set of protections” to safeguard the “continued availability of a diverse range of broadcasting and on-demand services in the UK,” as well their editorial independence.

DCMS said that includes maintaining independence at Channel 5, with an “entirely separate” editorial direction from CBS and CNN. Paramount also agreed to not combine its linear channels with on-demand services in the U.K., DCMS said, and that children's channels like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network will remain distinct from each other.

Under their agreement, DCMS said it will monitor Paramount's implementation of these commitments and that the company will provide annual statements of compliance.

Critics of the Paramount-Warner merger have repeatedly asked regulators to challenge the deal. And just last month, Hollywood stars Alan Cumming, Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong published a joint op-ed in The Guardian calling on Nandy to intervene.

The merger “threatens to inflict immense harm on the British public,” the actors wrote on July 27. “As actors and public figures who have spent our careers in the arts in Britain — working with British crews, on British stages and sets — we have a responsibility to the public who support, enjoy and consume the art we make.”

While Paramount and Warner no longer face an imminent roadblock to their deal in the U.K., the companies have already agreed to delay closing their transaction well into next year as a challenge from 12 U.S. states makes its way through court.

Led by California, the coalition of states sued to block the deal last month — alleging that a Paramount-Warner combo would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly U.S. moviegoers and cable customers. Groups like the Writers Guild of America have also filed suit.

The court has scheduled a 12-day antitrust trial to start in early March. Paramount has vowed to “vigorously defend” its transaction.

The companies argue that merging will be good for growth in the industry and give consumers access to more content. But critics have decried what further consolidation could mean in an industry already controlled by just a few major players — and in the U.S., questions of political influence have piled up around President Donald Trump’s close relationship with the billionaire family of Paramount CEO David Ellison.

In contrast to the states' case, the Trump administration’s U.S. Department of Justice announced in June that it also wouldn’t block the deal and instead released a lengthy statement in support of a Paramount-Warner combo. Meanwhile, Paramount has touted other regulatory clearances from the European Union, as well as countries like China, Canada and Australia.

Including billions in debt, Paramount’s proposed purchase of Warner is valued at nearly $111 billion (or over 82 billion English pounds) based on outstanding shares.

They will have a silent auction & raffle followed by a live band at 9:00. It will be a great night! Don’t miss this opportunity to win some great prizes and help giveback to more kids. #givingback

FB: Tim Callahan - Inspiration Foundation

As the only comedian to receive a residency in the city, catch him headlining at the Comedy Zone Sunday, August 16. Doors open at 6:00 PM. Show starts at 7:00 PM.

Tickets are available at comedianatrain.com or comedyzone.com. Or call 904-292-4242.

Comedy Zone Jacksonville is located at 3130 Hartley Road, Jacksonville FL 32257.

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But when he arrived Tuesday at a mobile clinic in the West Bank village of Iktaba, pulling the tattered prescription from his pocket, a local aid group finally gave him the medication he needs.

Musleh, who has a pacemaker, is one of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians struggling to get healthcare in the West Bank, where a report released Thursday by Physicians for Human Rights Israel warns that Israeli policies have pushed the territory's health system to the brink of collapse.

Since the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began nearly three years ago, Israel has withheld billions of dollars of tax and customs revenues collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, the government body that administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Without those funds, the PA has struggled to pay health workers, buy medications and support public hospitals, pharmacies and clinics, 75% of which have reduced operations and are functioning just once or twice a week.

At the same time, Israeli military raids and a surge in new checkpoints are also impeding the ability of Palestinians to get adequate medical care, with life-threatening consequences.

“If this continues, it is patients — not institutions — who will pay the price,” said Milena Ansari, PHRI's director of the Occupied Palestinian Territory Department, who wrote the report.

Israel has withheld at least $2.5 billion in revenues from the West Bank

Because Palestinians don't control their own borders, the PA relies on Israel to collect taxes on goods that enter the West Bank through Israeli ports. But rights groups for decades have accused Israel of weaponizing the funds as a means of political pressure.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stopped sending monthly clearance revenues to the PA last year and, as of June, Israel had cumulatively withheld at least $2.5 billion from the PA since 2023, according to the International Crisis Group.

Smotrich's office and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Associated Press.

In an interview with the AP, Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said that unpaid staff aren't showing up to work, creating a backlog of cases and delaying routine surgeries. Earlier this year, Palestinian doctors went on strike and some primary healthcare centers closed.

Some of the most impacted are those with cancer, kidney and heart problems, older people and those who have been displaced, health officials said.

At PHRI's mobile clinic in Iktaba, hundreds of people streamed in seeking treatment.

Mohammed Sarris said it's been weeks since he's been able to get the eye drops he needs for irritation caused by his diabetes.

The 64-year-old has been relying on the mobile clinic since he was forced from his home last year in the Nur Shams refugee camp, where he had easier access to healthcare provided by UNRWA, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees.

A retired government worker, he earns a meager pension, often rationing medicine so he can afford food.

"It's degrading. ... All of this has affected us a lot,” he said.

The UN and other aid agencies say more patients are coming to their clinics

Physicians for Human Rights Israel said the number of patients at its mobile clinics has doubled in the last two years, from about 250 a day to around 500.

Roland Friedrich, UNRWA's West Bank director, said there's been a marked increase in patients at its health centers across the territory. The agency is trying to bridge the gap, but lacks funds to scale up health services and faces Israeli restrictions on imports of medications, he said.

Earlier this year, Israel revoked the licenses of more than three dozen humanitarian organizations, among them Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF.

Last year, MSF had 12 mobile clinics operating in the South Hebron Hills. But because they could no longer coordinate their movements with the Israeli military, the group reduced the number of clinics it runs by half, impacting more than 40,000 people, said Joan Tubau, head of mission for Doctors Without Borders in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

More Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks prevent Palestinians from accessing care

The lack of medicine, staff shortages and reduced services are being compounded by harsher Israeli restrictions on freedom of movement in the West Bank.

In recent years, the military has erected new barriers, checkpoints and roadblocks, closing off towns and cities, sometimes with little warning.

In July, at least two women gave birth in ambulances because checkpoints were closed, said Aseel Baidoun, deputy director of advocacy and campaigns for Medical Aid for Palestinians, or MAP, an international organization. One of the babies was stillborn.

She said three others also died trying to get to hospitals this year, including two more infants and a 30-year-old woman who died of a heart attack after an ambulance was stopped at a checkpoint near Sinjil, outside Ramallah.

The Israeli military has denied that it prevents medical treatment for civilians and said there is no intention to delay treatment or medical evacuations.

In response to questions about the stillborn infant, who was delivered in an ambulance near Nablus, the army said the emergency vehicle hadn’t completed “required coordination” prior to arriving at the checkpoint. It said the military conducted a security check, which only lasted a few minutes.

Dr. Leen Ibrahim, who works with MAP, said one of the consequences of this crisis is the impact on mental health.

“People here feel suffocated by everything they’re going through," she said.

At the clinic Tuesday, some Palestinians broke down waiting for hours to be seen.

“The line is so long,” said Asala Wawi, 65, wiping tears from her face as she got her eyes checked. “I'm tired."

———-

Associated Press journalists Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Koral Saeed in Herzliya, Israel, contributed.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said it has received the U.S. government request for Apollo Carreon Quiboloy's extradition and endorsed it to the Department of Justice. That confirmed earlier separate statements to The Associated Press by two high-ranking Philippine officials, who said the U.S. request was transmitted in July.

The request needs the approval of two Philippine courts, which have been trying the detained former televangelist for human trafficking and child abuse charges, according to the two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to publicly discuss the issues.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment.

Criminal suspects in the Philippines must finish their trials and serve their sentences if convicted prior to extradition. Philippine justice officials, however, can ask a domestic court to allow the temporary surrender of a suspect to a foreign court to face trial prior to the resolution of their Philippine cases under the 1994 extradition treaty of Washington and Manila.

Quiboloy, 76, leads the Kingdom of Jesus Christ church, which was founded in 1985 in southern Davao city and claims to have a wide following in the Philippines and abroad, including in the U.S.

In his heyday, Quiboloy was one of the most influential religious leaders in the Philippines and regarded as a political kingmaker. He served as spiritual adviser to the equally controversial Duterte, who took office in June 2016.

Duterte was arrested in Manila last year under a warrant from the International Criminal Court and has since been detained in the Netherlands, where he will face trial for alleged crimes against humanity. The charges stem from the killings of large numbers of mostly poor drug suspects under his anti-drugs crackdowns, which alarmed Western governments and rights groups.

Quiboloy claims to be “the appointed son of God” and has made outrageous claims that sparked questions about his character but endeared him to his followers. He once claimed to have stopped a major earthquake from hitting the southern Philippines.

In 2024, Quiboloy went into hiding after a Philippine court ordered his arrest along with several others for alleged child and sexual abuse and human trafficking, police said. The Philippine Senate separately ordered Quiboloy’s arrest at the time for refusing to appear in public hearings about his alleged crimes.

The preacher denied the allegations, saying they were fabricated by critics and former members who were removed from his religious group.

Quiboloy and four others facing accusations surrendered in September 2024 after about 2,000 police raided a 30-hectare (75-acre) compound of his religious group, which included a cathedral, stadium, hangar and taxiway leading to Davao's international airport. He has been jailed since then.

U.S. federal prosecutors in 2021 separately announced an indictment of Quiboloy for allegedly having sex with women and underage girls who faced threats of abuse and “eternal damnation” unless they catered to the self-proclaimed “son of God.”

Quiboloy was among nine people named in a superseding indictment returned by a U.S. federal grand jury and unsealed in November 2021. It contained a raft of charges including conspiracy, sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, marriage fraud, money laundering, cash smuggling and visa fraud.

After that indictment he was placed on the list of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives.

Everglades National Park returned as a partner and one of eight official competition locations. Tom Rahill won the $10,000 ultimate grand prize after removing 96 pythons — all taken from Everglades National Park. The longest python in the competition, measuring 16 feet, 5 inches, was removed from Everglades National Park by Rahm Levinson.

FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto called the results “a major victory for Florida’s native wildlife,” noting the challenge’s role in broader removal efforts. He said more than 1,600 pythons have been removed through Florida Python Challenge events to date and that FWC and South Florida Water Management District contractors have removed more than 19,000 pythons since 2017.

South Florida Water Management District Governing Board member “Alligator Ron” Bergeron and Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida executive director Nick Wiley praised the public participation and partnerships that supported the event. FWC Executive Director Roger Young thanked staff, volunteers, sponsors and partner agencies for their work.

2026 Florida Python Challenge prize winners

Ultimate grand prize

• Tom Rahill — $10,000; 96 pythons

Professional

• Most pythons, $2,500: Christina Kraus — 36 pythons
• Runner-up, $1,500: Taylor Stanberry — 34 pythons
• Longest python, $1,000: Rahm Levinson — 16 feet, 5 inches

Novice

• Most pythons, $2,500: Bart Shreve — 9 pythons
• Runner-up, $1,500: Michael Marousky — 4 pythons
• Longest python, $1,000: Vincent Poole — 8 feet, 2 inches

Military (active duty and veteran)

• Most pythons, $2,500: Stephen Payton, U.S. Army — 3 pythons
• Runner-up, $1,500: Jonathan Miller, U.S. Air Force — 2 pythons
• Longest python, $1,000: Jeffery “Heath” Roser, U.S. Army — 8 feet, 7 inches

The event was hosted by the FWC and the South Florida Water Management District, with support from the National Park Service and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida.

Biggest threats:

• Heavy downpours
• Gusty winds
• Frequent lightning
• Localized flooding

Mostly cloudy skies will develop across the area. Beaches will stay on the dry side of the rain. There’s a moderate rip current risk throughout Thursday along the Southeast Georgia and Northeast Florida coast.

The speed specialist from Switzerland won the Olympic super-G gold medal in the 2022 Beijing Games among three career Olympic medals, and the 2021 world titles in super-G and giant slalom.

Her 48 World Cup wins — 24 in super-G — are the fifth most all-time for women. She was the overall World Cup champion in 2016 and 2024.

“I have been fortunate and honored to enjoy such a long career, to express my dreams and ambitions through skiing, and to experience this journey alongside extraordinary people,” Gut-Behrami said in statement.

The 35-year-old was planning to retire at the end of last season in March but was not able to compete due to a severe knee injury from crashing in training at Copper Mountain, Colorado, in November. She ruptured ligaments in her left knee and damaged the meniscus.

The Milan Cortina Olympics was due to be her fourth Winter Games, with skiing on the Cortina d’Ampezzo course where she took the two world golds in 2021, along with a bronze in downhill.

“I consider that a knee injury, as complex as it is, cannot be considered a tragedy,” Gut-Behrami said then in a statement that noted recent deaths of young skiers who crashed in training.

“After almost 20 years in elite sport, and despite the crashes and injuries I have experienced, I am fortunate not to suffer from recurring pain — and I want to keep it that way,” she said about her retirement.

“This is another reason why I feel the right time has come: The moment when I no longer need to push myself to reach and exceed my limits at all costs.”

She also missed the 2010 Vancouver Olympics because of a serious hip injury and tore her left ACL at the 2017 worlds on Swiss snow in St. Moritz when she crashed in warmups for the slalom run in the combined event after placing third in the downhill that morning.

Since her 2008 opening season, Gut-Behrami reached 101 podiums in 395 World Cup races. Her 48 victories were second for a Swiss woman to Vreni Schneider, a slalom specialist in the 1980s-1990s

Gut-Behrami previously said she intended to move to England where her husband, former Switzerland midfielder Valon Behrami, works in the front office at second-tier club Watford.

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AP Alpine skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

JSO said Chace Brown, who was non-verbal, was last seen leaving his Northside Jacksonville home off Broward Road near I-95 around 7 a.m.

Police, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, and volunteers searched through the neighborhood, nearby woods and around the water. JSO also used its helicopter in the search.

The agency later shared an update saying, “We are heartbroken to announce Chace has passed away.”

He was found in a nearby pond just behind Seaside Charter School.

According to the CDC, Florida ranks among states with the highest drowning rates, specifically for children.  

Research shows that some children with autism may wander toward water. The Autism Society says water can feel calming during sensory overload.

JSO thanked those who helped spread the word about the missing boy and expressed sorrow for his family.

“Thank you to all who shared this post during our search. Our hearts are with Chace’s family,” JSO wrote.

People said that they did not know Chace or his family, but they wanted to help in some way.

“I have grandchildren at 6 and 8 [years old], and it just touched my heart. I said I wouldn’t want that to be my child, so let me at least try to go out and walk...,” volunteer searcher Trena Gaines said.

Others are asking what more needs to be done to make the area safer for children. One neighbor said she noticed the search while she was heading out to run errands.

“I just had a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I said, when she said he was autistic and nonverbal, I said, ‘It’s that water. They need to go check that water immediately, that marsh and that water.’ When I came back home, it was devastating to find out that he, he passed away,” Kia Hudson said.

She said that she tells her kids to stay away from it.

“We would like for it to be completely gated off as well as the retention pond in the back of our homes, but they haven’t done it,” Hudson said. “My heart just goes out to the family, and I just feel terrible for Chace. I mean, I’m sad it happened.”

Neighbors are also asking about Florida’s new Spectrum Alert program for children with autism. It went into effect on July 1. We’re asking JSO and FDLE why no alert was issued in this case.

And fire and climate scientists said Trump, who has talked about punishing Canada for poor fire management and sending days of choking smoke across the border, should look more in the mirror than up north when it comes to blame. They point to the United States' huge historical emissions of heat-trapping gases from the burning of coal, oil and gas.

The fire weather conditions in the Northwest Territories and northwestern Ontario, while unusual but not that rare, were still made twice as likely by global warming, said Thursday's study by World Weather Attribution, a group of international scientists who examine extreme weather conditions to see if there are climate change fingerprints. It's about the same as the team found for summer fires in France, but not nearly as clear a climate fingerprint as they calculated in Spanish fires, which the scientists said were 20 times more likely because of climate change.

The study, which was done so quickly it has not been peer reviewed yet, looked at the weather conditions that are connected to large wildfires and the Canadian index for those conditions, which are heat, lack of rain, humidity and wind. The researchers found the doubling of frequency when — using scientifically accepted techniques to search for climate fingerprints — they compared current conditions to a world without the 2.5 degrees (1.4 degrees Celsius) of warming that's occurred since the industrial age and burning of fossil fuels started. The weeklong weather conditions that led to the fires in Ontario are now the type that can happen every six years or so, the report said.

“In a pre-industrial climate this would have been much less likely to occur, maybe once in a lifespan. So climate change has made those events more likely,” said study co-author Jonathan Boucher, a fire scientist at Canada's Forest Service.

Hotter, drier conditions connected to burning

Outside climate and fire scientists said the flash study made sense and reflects a world where hotter and drier conditions are making fires burn more often and more intensely.

“Mother Nature's been burning. Now she's on amphetamines and she burns more and more,” said Thompson Rivers University fire scientist Mike Flannigan, a Canadian expert who wasn't part of the study.

Hazardous smoke spread across both the United States and Canada, choking large cities such as New York.

By burning more and more fossil fuels, “we're putting nails in our coffins,” Flannigan said.

In the larger and remote Northwest Territories fires, where more than 5,000 square miles (12,950 square kilometers) burned, it's clear the spark was from lightning but it was the climate conditions that took that initial ignition and made the fire burn intensely and spread too fast to control, said Boucher and report lead author Theodore Keeping, a climate scientist at Imperial College in London.

While people start about half of Canada's wildfires — accidentally or on purpose — fires sparked by lightning are responsible for more than 90% of the land area burned in Canada, Flannigan said.

“What we're facing here is more of a climate related problem than a forest management problem,” Boucher said.

That's not how Trump sees it.

Trump blames mismanagement, but scientists point to carbon

“A lot of damage has been done. They’re not managing their forests properly,” Trump said July 21. “And the wind has a tendency to blow right over New York City, right over, you saw Detroit, they had to close the whole place. Michigan was really affected. They had to close businesses for four days. It’s very serious what they’re doing, and they don’t seem to be able to do anything about it. If they managed their forests, they wouldn’t have the fires.”

When asked Sunday about punishing Canada, Trump on Air Force One told reporters he has decided on a punishment, adding “you'll find out about it soon.”

Canadian climate and fire scientists said Trump doesn't understand the root causes.

“Smoke does not carry a passport, but carbon pollution does have a history. That history shows that the United States contributed more than any other country,” said University of Victoria climate scientist Andrew Weaver. “President Trump is pointing at the smoke while ignoring America's fingerprints on the climate conditions behind it.”

Study co-author Friederike Otto, an Imperial College London climate scientist, said, “if you care about anyone but the super rich, you have to stop burning fossil fuels because the impacts are here and they’re now and have huge consequences.”

Canada has warmed 65% more than the United States in recent decades. In the past 30 years, the amount of land annually burned by Canadian wildfires has gone up by about 50% while the amount in the United States has more than doubled.

A big problem that Trump doesn't appear to understand is that much of Canada's forests are remote, northerly and full of spruce and pine that burns hard and fast, all making it difficult to get a handle on, Boucher and Flannigan said.

“In Canada, when things are extreme, you have about a 30-minute window to put that fire out,” Flannigan said. “If you don't get there in 30 minutes, you're out of luck. And many of the fires that start in Canada are northern remote areas that are more than 30 minutes away from an airport. So even with perfect detection systems, we would get there too late and these fires are going to burn.''

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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.

U.S. filings for jobless aid in the week ending August 1 rose by 1,000 to 199,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s figure was revised up by 1,000 to 198,000.

Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered representative of layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the U.S. job market.

Last week, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric, PCE, came in at 3.7% for June, still well above the U.S. central bank’s 2% target. If inflation remains elevated, Fed officials say they are ready to raise interest rates to combat higher prices, raising costs for businesses and making them less likely to hire.

Last month, the government reported that employers pulled back on hiring in June, adding only 57,000 jobs. That’s less than half the previous month’s total and a sign that companies remain cautious about adding to their head counts. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.2% from 4.3% in May, though that decline is mostly because many out-of-work people gave up looking for jobs and were no longer counted as unemployed.

June’s tepid hiring comes after a relative surge in job gains the previous three months, countering concerns that the conflict in Iran could trip up an already wobbly labor market. The government’s July jobs report is due out Friday.

Weekly jobless aid applications have stabilized in a range mostly between 200,000 and 250,000 since the U.S. economy emerged from the pandemic recession. However, hiring began slowing about two years ago and tapered further in 2025 due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, his purge of the federal workforce and the lingering effects of high interest rates meant to control inflation.

Among the companies that have trimmed their workforce recently are Verizon, UPS, Amazon, Disney, Starbucks, Walmart and Microsoft.

The Labor Department’s report Thursday also showed that the four-week moving average of weekly jobless claims, which balances out some of the weekly volatility, fell by 4,500 to 198,750.

The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending July 25 was 1.8 million, an increase of 24,000 from the week before.

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

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

And community groups and local governments across the area are hosting back-to-school bashes, giveaways and more. Many have already taken place, but there are still a few opportunities for families to take advantage of these back-to-school events.

We’ve compiled a county-by-county list.

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

Clay County

• Back to School Health and Wellness Event (Clay County Health Dept.): back-to-school health/wellness, 8 a.m.–2 p.m., Monday, Aug. 3–Friday, Aug. 7, 2026 — 1845 Town Center Blvd., Building 600, Fleming Island, FL 32003.
• American Academy of Cosmetology Back to School Bash: bash w/ free haircuts (per listing), 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 7, 2026 — 1330 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, FL.
• Super Squad: The Ultimate Back-to-School Hero Mission (Orange Park Mall): Kids can suit up and join the Super Squad for a series of superhero-themed mission stations, earning stamps on their mission card as they complete challenges such as the Kindness Mission Station, Super Reader Challenge, and Hero Homework Challenge. This free, family-friendly event runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Orange Park Mall, 1910 Wells Road, Orange Park, FL, 32073

Duval County

• Back to School Free School Supplies (The Rashaud Fields Foundation & Extraordinary Men): All are welcome at this event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 8, at 6912 Buffalo Ave. in Panama Park, Jacksonville.
• Back to School Bash (Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church): All are welcome as this free community event with supplies for students and teachers. 11 a.m. until supplies are gone, Saturday, Aug. 8, at 10325 Interstate Center Dr., Jacksonville.
• Back to School Giveaway Festival (DJ Squally & Rai): Vendors, games, prizes, food trucks, music, supplies. 1 p.m. until supplies are gone, Saturday, Aug. 8, 555 West 25th St., Jacksonville, FL 32206
• Back-to-School Spirit Event (St. Johns Town Center): In collaboration with the University of North Florida, the event features family-friendly activities to celebrate the start of the school year. 12-4 p.m., Friday, Aug. 15, Park Green, 4663 River City Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32246.

Flagler County

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

GEORGIA

Charlton County

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

Glynn County

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

Ware County

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

Four other soldiers were seriously wounded, the military said. An Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with the army's policy, said that “an explosion was detonated” when the soldiers entered a site in the village of Majdal Zoun and that the nature of the explosive was under review.

Israeli media reported the two deaths a day earlier.

The Israeli army launched strikes Wednesday in southern Lebanon in response to what it described as Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire and called on residents of the village of Mansouri to flee — the first such warning Israel has issued in Lebanon for weeks.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said one person was killed and 12 wounded in an Israeli strike in the town of Tebnine Wednesday and another eight wounded in overnight strikes on the village of Burj al-Shemali. Artillery shelling also targeted the areas of Mansouri and Majdal Zoun, the state-run National News Agency said.

There was no statement from the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The latest Israel-Hezbollah war erupted on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets across the border two days after the U.S. and Israel launched their attacks on Iran. More than 4,000 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since then, including hundreds of civilians. About 40 soldiers and three civilians — including a military contractor — have been killed on the Israeli side.

A precarious truce between Israel and Hezbollah has largely held since June 20, but Israeli forces have continued to occupy swaths of southern Lebanon and to carry out periodic airstrikes and shelling.

The U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon known as UNIFIL said it had recorded 113 projectiles launched by the Israeli military on Wednesday, the highest number recorded since June 21.

The latest escalation came as Lebanese and Israeli negotiators met in Rome to discuss implementation of a June 26 deal reached between Israel and the Lebanese government under which Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw from areas they occupy in southern Lebanon and allow the Lebanese army to take control, in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Hezbollah has refused to disarm and opposed the direct Lebanon-Israel talks. It was not a party to the deal. The group has accused the Lebanese government of making too many concessions without guaranteeing an Israeli withdrawal.

Wednesday’s talks ended early due to the escalation on the ground, but resumed on Thursday.

The talks in Rome have focused on implementation of “pilot zones” where Israeli forces would withdraw and the Lebanese army would take control. Implementation began last month with an initial pilot zone in an area that wasn’t occupied by Israeli forces but had previously sustained Israeli fire.

The Lebanese army entered the town of Zawtar al-Gharbieh and some civilians returned, although many came only to find their homes destroyed and left again.

A diplomat familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly said earlier this week that Lebanon had asked for the next pilot zone 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.”

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Saeed reported from Herzliya, Israel. Associated Press writer Maria Grazia Murru in Rome contributed to this report.

The launch from North Korea's eastern coastal Wonsan area was detected around 5 p.m., South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, adding that South Korea's military has bolstered its surveillance posture and is closely coordinating with the U.S. and Japan.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters the missile landed in the waters off North Korea's east coast and that there were no reports that the weapon reached Japanese territory.

Koizumi said North Korea's repeated missile launches pose a threat to Japan and the region and that Tokyo lodged a protest to Pyongyang through their embassies in Beijing. South Korea's presidential national security council called the North Korean ballistic launch “a provocation” that violates U.N. Security Council resolutions and urged the North to stop it.

It was North Korea's first ballistic missile launch since late June, when it tested a tactical ballistic missile with a “special mission” warhead and other weapons. After watching the testing activities, leader Kim Jong Un said at the time that the military needed to bolster its “deadly and destructive offensive posture.”

Thursday's launch came ahead of large-scale, annual exercises to be conducted by the U.S. and South Korean militaries later this month. U.S. and South Korean officials say the training is defensive in nature, but North Korea says the maneuvers are a practice invasion and often responds with missile tests.

South Korean and U.S. officials haven't yet released details about this year's joint exercise, but the drills are typically held in the latter half of August.

Kim has been focusing on enlarging his country's nuclear arsenal since his high-stakes diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. Experts say Kim wants international recognition as a nuclear state so that he can demand the lifting of international economic sanctions on North Korea.

U.N. Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from launches involving its huge stockpile of ballistic missiles. Tests of other weapons including cruise missiles and artillery systems are not banned, but experts say they still pose a security challenge to South Korea and the U.S.

In early July, Kim supervised tests of a nuclear-capable cruise missile aboard a destroyer. After years of prioritizing ballistic missile development, Kim has increasingly turned his focus to naval capabilities, including the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine.

In recent years, Kim has boosted his diplomatic credentials by expanding cooperation with Russia. North Korea has supplied conventional weapons and troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

Kim also has pushed to deepen cooperation with China, the North's economic pipeline. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the North Korean capital Pyongyang in June for the first time in seven years.

In response to Trump’s repeated outreach to restart diplomacy, Kim has suggested talks can resume if the U.S. drops its demand for North Korean denuclearization as a precondition.

___

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

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.

But the 74-year-old retired nurse from Tucson said she feels the heat has been impacting more of her day-to-day: summer plans with family members across the region, meetups with friends, road trips and her daily morning walk routine.

"I’ve noticed at least a 10 degree difference in the weather," Bracamonte said. “Every summer, it seems to be getting hotter and hotter.”

Like Bracamonte, Americans are increasingly feeling a personal impact from extreme heat, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

According to the survey, U.S. adults are more likely to say extreme heat has had either a “major impact” or “minor impact” on their travel or vacation plans, electricity bills, their sleep, their family’s outdoor activities and more parts of their day-to-day life than in July 2024.

Much of that shift was among people who live in the West or Midwest.

Democrats are also more likely than Republicans to say that extreme heat has had a “major” impact on each item asked about.

Warming has endangered the globe especially in recent years; scientists calculated that Earth’s average temperature in 2025 hovered among one of the three hottest on record, along with 2024 and 2023. The U.S. has sweltered under dangerous heat domes over the past few years, and unusually high temperatures even early in the year.

The recent scorching weather has played a role in thousands of heat-related deaths — killing more people every year than all other weather-related events. It impacts wildfire risk, strains public infrastructure, devastates agriculture and wreaks havoc on gatherings such as sporting events.

Now, the poll shows how extreme heat is reshaping Americans' daily lives.

“I have to get up at 5 in the morning to walk before 6, because by 7 it’s already in the 80s ... I lose a couple hours of sleep because I’m having to wake up earlier,” added Bracamonte, who said she identifies as a very liberal Democrat. “You can’t stay outside without being sick unless you’re guzzling water the whole time — it’s just so, so hot.”

Electricity bills going up

About 8 in 10 Americans say their electricity bills have seen a “major” or “minor” impact from extreme heat over the last year, compared with 69% in July 2024, according to the survey.

Just under half of Americans living in the Midwest, 44%, say extreme heat has had a “major” impact on their electricity bills, up from 29% two years ago.

Rising household electricity prices have turned into an increasingly prominent political issue over the past few years. Extreme weather is just one factor that affects electricity bills, but it means that people are using more energy for air conditioning — or in the colder months, heat.

“I feel like my utility costs probably doubled in the last three or four years,” said Daemien Williams, a 50-year-old bridge inspector living in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, who identifies as a Democrat. “I do look at my bills pretty in detail and see that the kilowatts and the usage is actually up, not just the price that they’re charging for it."

Travel and vacation plans impacted, along with family outdoor activities

Extreme heat is affecting Americans' lives in other ways, the survey found.

Around 4 in 10 Americans say extreme heat has had either a major impact or a minor impact on their travel or vacation plans, up from about one-quarter in 2024.

“It has affected my entire family because we usually get together a lot during the summer," Bracamonte said. "We have family in Texas and we have family in upper Arizona. And we’ve seen that there’s been a lot more fires, a lot of more flooding, all that. So that kind of inhibits our plans to travel.”

Extreme heat waves increase wildfire risk, and a warmer world supercharges storms that could ultimately send more rainfall.

Around 7 in 10 Americans say extreme heat has had either a major impact or a minor impact on their family's outdoor activities, compared with about 6 in 10 in 2024.

Sean Conway, a 41-year-old direct marketer in North Shore, Massachusetts, said his kids' soccer practice might either be postponed or canceled due to extreme temperatures, for example.

But to Conway, who considers himself a moderate independent, leaning Republican, this is minor. “Sometimes, you’ve got to just be out in the bad weather.”

It’s not surprising many Americans say they are feeling the impacts, said Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center who was not involved with the polling.

“Brutal, life-threatening heat waves have become more frequent, more intense, and more persistent in many parts of the globe, including our Western and Midwestern states," Francis said. "Extreme heat compounded with long dry spells have affected our health directly, along with indirect effects on our wallets.”

Climate change belief remains largely stable

Even as more Americans say they feel a personal impact from extreme heat, that does not mean an increasing number believe in climate change.

About two-thirds, 66%, of Americans believe climate change is happening, a slight decline from 73% in September 2025. About 17% say they are not sure if climate change is happening, and about 15% say it is not happening.

Williams, the Illinois resident, attributes his belief in climate change in part to extreme shifts in weather including very high and very cold temperatures.

“My biggest indicator of the change in the climate is just the flooding is a lot more often," Williams said, noting that he believes in both natural and human causes.

John Hazel, a 33-year-old in Waco, Texas, says he’s noticed changes from when he was younger.

“When I was a kid, that seemed like a very rare thing when it did hit 100, everybody was like, whoa. And now it’s just every day,” said Hazel, a crime scene investigator. “Seasons felt a little more balanced. Now it feels like summer’s a bit lingering, it starts earlier and lasts longer.”

Hazel, who identifies as a conservative Republican and believes in climate change, said he plans around the heat.

“As soon as you walk outside, you’re already sweating even if you’re not doing much of anything. I’ve definitely noticed you’re having to take breaks from being outside, you have to bathe, shower more often,” Hazel said. “It’s definitely a bigger consideration.”

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The poll of 1,165 adults was conducted July 23-27, 2026, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

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Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

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Read more of AP’s climate coverage.

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

“One of the common misconceptions is when we think about arts and culture funding, people may think of it as like a painting on a wall,” Donovan said on This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition. “And… it’s easy to say, well, that’s a nice thing, but it’s not an essential thing.”

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Donovan argues the impact is broader—touching service workers, small businesses, public safety staffing, and downtown activity. She walked listeners through what a single night out can mean economically, describing everything from babysitters and ride-shares to restaurant staff and theater crews.

“When we think about it that way, it truly is an ecosystem,” she said.

At the center of the debate is the city-supported Cultural Service Grant Program, which Donovan says represents $143 million in economic impact tied to arts and culture spending. She framed it as a return-on-investment argument, telling Kent Justice the program is part of a broader Northeast Florida arts and culture impact figure of $319 million.

“That’s $143 million going back into the city with a $6 million plus investment,” Donovan said. “That… makes sense on multiple levels.”

Donovan also said the Council is pushing for transparency and merit-based grants, describing a process that includes committee review and auditing.

“We have a third party auditor that comes in,” she said. “So this is not the taxpayer’s dollars being spent willy-nilly.”

Looking ahead to City Council’s August finance committee meetings, Donovan said the request is straightforward: keep funding steady for now.

“In Mayor Deegan’s budget, she proposed us that sustained funding… about that 6 million,” Donovan said. “So we’re just asking to hold the line.”

The Cultural Council plans a public outreach push, including an email campaign beginning Aug. 3, encouraging residents to contact lawmakers.

Melissa Camp, a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and executive director of Behavioral Health Services at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, has spent years working alongside police agencies from South Carolina to Jacksonville, preparing officers for the realities of responding to behavioral health emergencies.

“Law enforcement are called to serve our communities in so many different ways,” Camp said.

One growing tool in the field is Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, training — a program designed to educate officers on how to recognize and respond to mental health crises.

“There is a lot of education about different disorders, how they present, also some medical conditions that might present similarly to a mental health crisis,” Camp said.

Across the country, police agencies and mental health professionals have partnered through what are known as co-responder programs — where officers and clinicians respond together to 911 calls involving behavioral health, substance use or psychiatric situations.

Camp says the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office uses the model as part of its daily operations.

A high-profile example came in April, when JSO officer Antonio Richardson talked a young man out of jumping from the Dames Point Bridge, a moment that drew national attention. Camp said the officer did an “exceptional job.”

“A huge part of what he did was connect with that individual and say, ‘Hey, I’m here,’” she said.

Camp says one of the most important de-escalation techniques taught in CIT training is slowing the situation down, giving everyone involved time to breathe, relax and, most importantly, listen.

Asking the right questions also matters.

While asking someone “Are you OK?” is a reasonable instinct, Camp says a more open-ended approach tends to be more effective.

“Finding a way to open it up and say, ‘How have you been doing lately?’ To where that person gets like, ‘Hey, I actually want an answer from you,’” Camp said.

When it comes to getting people the help they need, Camp says treatment options vary widely. Inpatient and outpatient care can both be beneficial depending on the individual’s situation — ranging from therapy for depression or anxiety to more intensive programs.

“We’ve got an intensive outpatient program, a partial hospitalization program where the person comes for three to four hours a day for three to five days a week,” Camp said.

Camp says if there are any doubts or concerns about yourself, a family member or a friend, the best first step is making a call.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by call or text.

Other available resources:

• City of Jacksonville
• HCA Florida Memorial Hospital
• Florida Health Department

You can also find a list of local suicide prevention resources at this link.

Egypt international Salah was a free agent after leaving Liverpool at the end of last season. He flew to Istanbul on Wednesday to complete his move to Trabzonspor and was greeted by throngs of fans on his arrival.

His official signing ceremony was taking place later Thursday.

The 34-year-old Salah established himself as a Premier League great with Liverpool where he won two league titles and the Champions League among eight major honors.

He scored 257 goals in 442 appearances for the Merseyside club and is regarded as one of its greatest players of all time.

He still had a year to run on his contract at Liverpool, but in March he announced he would leave the club after a disappointing campaign, in which he scored only 12 goals and had a public falling out with then-coach Arne Slot.

Trabzonspor is a seven-time Turkish champion and finished third last season.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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

Speaking after a report that FIFA allegedly awarded the final to co-host Morocco, sports minister Milagros Tolón said Spain “deserved” to host the title game.

“We are the reigning men’s and women’s World Cup champions, and Spain and Portugal spearheaded the bid for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco later joined,” Tolón told Cadena Ser late Wednesday. “We have many advantages and strengths as a country.”

Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the main 2030 co-hosts. Morocco hopes to host the final at the planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca. Spain has at least two contenders — Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and Barcelona's Camp Nou.

FIFA on Tuesday denied a British media report suggesting President Gianni Infantino, in seeking support for his presidency, offered Morocco the hosting of the final in 2030.

A FIFA spokesperson said it’s “false and misleading to claim the FIFA president has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final. A decision will be made by FIFA in due course.”

Tolón said the Spanish government was “surprised” about the report that FIFA gave the final to Morocco.

“The most important thing is that FIFA has already denied it,” she said. "We are working with FIFA, and we have our next meeting in September. They have been very clear and emphatic in denying this news. We will continue working because we want, and it has to be, that the World Cup final is in Spain.”

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

The Houston doctor is among an estimated 1 million Americans who have Lynch syndrome, a faulty gene passed from a parent that puts them at extremely high risk of colorectal cancer and more vulnerable to certain other cancers, too. They’re often urged to get yearly colonoscopies — far more often than usual — that can spot and remove precancerous growths called polyps.

Now scientists are creating vaccines that aim to go further, teaching the immune system to intercept this type of brewing colon cancer before it turns into a full-fledged tumor. At least three potential Lynch syndrome vaccines are in development, including two in early clinical trials in the U.S. and a third beginning in Britain.

The shot that Norton helped test appears promising enough that its lead researcher, Dr. Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, expects a larger study to begin early next year.

“It gives me hope,” said Norton, 59, of Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. She had already survived a different Lynch-caused cancer and has two children in their 20s who inherited her mutation. If a vaccine pans out, “perhaps they won’t have to have a colonoscopy every single year for the rest of their lives.”

Lynch syndrome is caused by an inherited genetic mutation

Everyone has what are called mismatch-repair genes, which are essentially spellcheckers to help fix DNA mistakes that can occur when our cells multiply. With Lynch syndrome, one of those genes can’t do its job properly, making it harder for the body to stop a buildup of abnormalities that can lead to tumors, often before age 50.

Colorectal cancer is the most common consequence. The average person has a 5% risk of developing it during their lifetime. A Lynch carrier’s risk can reach as high as 80% depending on which faulty gene they inherit, Vilar-Sanchez said.

Another big risk is endometrial, or uterine, cancer. Lynch carriers also are more likely to get other cancers including pancreatic, stomach, ovarian and certain skin cancers — and a kind of brain tumor that killed Norton’s sister at age 25.

Norton knew some of her mother’s relatives had also experienced colon cancer, but she was in her 40s before a gene test confirmed she has Lynch syndrome. She switched from every-so-often to yearly colonoscopies. As an obstetrician/gynecologist familiar with other Lynch risks, Norton also decided to have a precautionary hysterectomy. Surgeons discovered early-stage cancer in her removed uterus.

Possible vaccines to stop gene-caused cancer

Today there are two cancer-preventing vaccines, the HPV and hepatitis B shots that block infection from those tumor-causing viruses. But developing vaccines to prevent gene-caused cancer is more challenging than alerting the body to foreign intruders like a virus.

Lynch-fueled growths “tend to accumulate hundreds of mutations that are going to generate proteins that are novel, not made by our normal cells,” Vilar-Sanchez said. “You can train the immune system to recognize those proteins.”

In a first-step study, Norton and 44 other Lynch carriers tested a vaccine made by Swiss biotech Nouscom that teaches the immune system to spot 209 of those abnormalities in Lynch-caused precancers. That revved up tumor-eliminating T cells and a year later, colonoscopies showed fewer precancerous growths and no advanced polyps, the MD Anderson team reported in Nature Medicine.

“Can we even further stimulate the immune system” to keep up with Lynch syndrome-spurred tumor formation, asked Dr. John Marshall, a Georgetown University oncologist and adviser to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance who wasn’t involved with the study. “This early paper suggests that yeah, maybe we can.”

For the first time since 2014, Norton’s own colonoscopies one and two years after vaccination were polyp-free. She’s also part of a subset of study participants given a booster shot a year later; more data on that is expected this fall.

Oxford University researchers are beginning initial testing of a similar approach to attack Lynch-spurred precancers, a vaccine made by Massachusetts-based Moderna using the mRNA technology behind its COVID-19 shot.

And scientists are awaiting results from a slightly larger study comparing California-based ImmunityBio’s Tri-Ad5 vaccine, which flags some different cancer markers, to a placebo.

Is Lynch syndrome tied to the rise in young adult colon cancer?

About 158,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the U.S. each year, most of them over 50. Cases in younger adults are increasing, though it isn't clear why.

Lynch syndrome affects about 1 in 279 people. While most don’t know it, more may be learning they have the inherited disorder, Vilar-Sanchez said, as genetic testing is increasingly discussed with people with Lynch-related cancer in the family or who get certain tumors at young ages. That in turn can show if close relatives might also be at risk.

For the average person, U.S. guidelines call for routine colorectal cancer screening — with a colonoscopy or other kinds of tests — to begin at age 45. But at any age, get a checkup for symptoms such as blood in stool or rectal bleeding; changes in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stool that lasts more than a few days; unintended weight loss; and cramps or abdominal pain.

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

Forever Vet’s believes veterinary care should feel personal, connected, and centered around trust. That’s why they focus on building meaningful relationships between pets, their people, and their dedicated veterinary team. The mission is simple: connect hearts, deliver exceptional care, and help pets live longer, healthier lives.

With locations in Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Augustine, St. Johns, and Orlando, you’ll always have a trusted Forever Vet nearby. Whether you’re scheduling a wellness exam, managing a chronic condition, or setting up daycare play sessions, you’ll experience the care and compassion that sets us apart

Leon County Circuit Court Judge David Frank ruled the title and ballot summary for Amendment 3 were “clearly and conclusively defective.”

The judge found the slogan “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes” wasn’t fair or neutral. It was more like a political slogan.

Jeffrey Brandes, founder of the Florida Policy Project, joined us on The Morning Show to talk about ways the initiative needs to be reworded so people know exactly what they are voting for.

The event is expected to boost tourism to Spain as eclipse enthusiasts flock to a swath of the country's north that will be in the path of total darkness on Aug. 12. Parts of Greenland, western Iceland and a corner of Portugal are also in the shadow's path.

Eclipse chasers may also join eclipse cruises in the north Atlantic. Much of the rest of the northern hemisphere will see a partial eclipse.

Interest surged for 2024 's total eclipse over North America, with many people using their smartphones to document it. This year's event is expected to be no different.

But an eclipse poses unique challenges for photos, such as drastic changes in lighting. Here are pointers on how smartphone shooters can get the best shot.

Find the best place to view and capture the eclipse

Location is key. If you're travelling to view the eclipse, you’ll want to be as close as possible to the path of totality.

The European Space Agency has posted a map of Spain on its website showing how many minutes of totality there will be for different parts of the country.

For more detail, eclipse expert Xavier Jubier’s website overlays the eclipse’s path on Google Maps, which allows zooming down to the street level.

Be aware that for most places in Europe the eclipse won’t happen until close to sunset, and the sun and moon will get closer to the horizon as it continues. So try to find a high point with clear views of the western horizon.

Use apps to help with advance planning

Weather conditions can change so consult forecast and cloud coverage apps like Astrospheric ahead of time to find locations with clearer skies.

The American Astronomical Society has a list of recommended iOS and Android apps, which can do helpful things like play an audio countdown to the moment of totality, and simulate how the eclipse will look from your position so you can set up a shot in advance.

You can take a good photo even if you don't have a manual camera

A digital SLR camera is your best bet for dramatic close-up photos of the moon passing in front of the sun.

But you can still take a good photo with a smartphone.

Be aware that iPhones and Android devices aren't really designed for photographing objects in the sky. Their lenses are great for wide-angle shots but not so good for capturing close-up detail from faraway.

But newer phones have sophisticated sensors, multiple lenses and image stabilization software that give you a better chance. Many also have exposure controls, so you can darken or lighten the image amid tricky eclipse lighting.

“The main challenge with using smartphone cameras for astronomical photography is that they tend to overexpose bright objects” such as the moon or the inner solar corona, the American Astronomical Society says in its online guide to photographing eclipses. At the same time, smartphones have trouble focusing on dim objects, which is “almost everything else in the sky,” the group says.

“Zooming in to make the subject bigger often helps.”

Just don’t use flash. It won't be effective and can spoil the moment for anyone around you whose eyes have adapted to darkness.

And don't just focus on the sky. Look at the scene around you. As the moon passes in front of the sun, the landscape will be “bathed in eerie lighting and shadows," NASA says in photo tips it posted for the 2024 eclipse.

“As light filters through the overlapping leaves of trees, it creates natural pinholes that project miniature eclipse replicas on the ground,” NASA says. “Anywhere you can point your camera can yield exceptional imagery, so be sure to compose some wide-angle photos that can capture your eclipse experience.”

Protect your eyes and your lens

If you're photographing the sun during the partial phases of the eclipse, the lens must be protected by a special-purpose solar filter, said Antonio Garcia Fernandez of Volunteer Astronomy Observers of Spain, a group of astronomers and professors that set up a website, Eclipse Seguro, to share safety information ahead of this year's eclipse.

The group recommends the Solar Snap filter, the only one designed for smartphones that's certified to the international ISO 12312-2 standard for solar filters.

Or just use a pair of eclipse glasses, which are more widely available, over the lens.

“This makeshift method is a great low-cost DIY alternative and was widely and successfully practiced by millions of observers during the recent 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses in the Americas,” Garcia Fernandez said.

Don't forget to also wear a pair of eclipse glasses if you're looking at the sun while lining up a shot.

Watch out for fake glasses. Eclipse Seguro and the American Astronomical Society list models that they've vetted for compliance with the ISO standard.

“Online marketplaces are currently flooded with uncertified or counterfeit glasses” with fake ISO labels, which can cause permanent blind spots in seconds, Garcia Fernandez said.

Steady your shot

Use a tripod for steady shots or if you plan to shoot for an extended time. To keep your gear from overheating as you wait for the big moment, grab a white towel to cover it up.

To prevent jostling your device when hitting the shutter, use a smartwatch shutter button app or set a timer to take the photo.

Can I take a selfie with the eclipse?

It’s tempting to make a TikTok or Instagram-friendly eclipse video. Perhaps you want a selfie video, narrating into the camera while the cosmic ballet between sun and moon plays out over your shoulder.

While you might think your vision isn’t at risk because you’re not looking at the sun, your phone’s screen could reflect harmful ultraviolet light, eye experts have warned.

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Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip.

Irfan Arshad Khan, president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, said the remains of the climbers killed in the July 31 avalanche were being transferred to a military hospital in the northern city of Skardu.

Three bodies were brought off the mountain on Aug. 1. Thursday's airlift raised the number of recovered bodies to eight, including renowned British-Nepali climber Nirmal Purja. Two climbers remain missing and the search is ongoing following what the Alpine Club described as one of Pakistan’s deadliest mountaineering disasters.

The bodies of Purja, Chinese climber Zhong Wang, Nepali climbers Nima Sherpa, Gyalu Sherpa and Kilu Sherpa were flown from the base camp of Broad Peak to the air base in Skardu before being transported to the hospital, regional authorities said.

The international team of climbers came from Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, China, Britain and the United States. The bodies will be flown to Pakistan's capital Islamabad after coordination with the embassies of the climbers’ home countries, officials said.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar this week expressed condolences to the victims’ families, saying he was deeply saddened by the tragedy and that Pakistan remained committed to the recovery operation in coordination with the Nepal, Oman, U.K. and U.S. embassies.

Mountaineering accidents are common in northern Pakistan, where climbers face hazards including avalanches, falling ice and rock, extreme altitude and rapidly changing weather.

A Chinese climber died last year after being struck by falling rocks while descending K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.

The bodies of foreign climbers who die attempting to summit Pakistan’s mountains are typically recovered only at the request of their families and governments. If relatives decline recovery efforts, the remains are usually left on the mountain where the climbers died.

On Wednesday, the Alpine Club thanked the Pakistani and Nepali recovery teams, including Pakistani mountaineers Sirbaz Khan, Abid Beg and Sherzad and Nepali climbers Dipen Gurung and Pemba Chhewang Sherpa for their roles in the difficult recovery operation.

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Khan reported from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Urban Tech and Repair on Beach Boulevard is a trusted partner of Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), offering refurbished laptops and devices to students at steep discounts — sometimes for as little as $35 to $40.

“Old IT is the largest waste stream into landfills today, so our goal was really to try and address that and take end-of-life equipment and make it available for reuse and resale,” said Steven Kaufman, CEO of Urban Technologies.

The company works directly with DCPS to collect end-of-life school technology, refurbish it, and resell it through a special e-commerce site. All computers come with a 90-day warranty.

DCPS students registered with a OneView account receive a 50% discount, while DCPS employees are eligible for a 25% discount on a one-time purchase per year. Purchases must be made online through a parent or employee OneView account.

Buyers have the option of shipping or pickup at their new location on 11840 Beach Blvd.

Kaufman said the partnership fills a critical gap for families who can’t afford new devices.

“It’s really wonderful. I mean, if you think about what’s happened since the pandemic with at-home learning and the drive toward technology in the classroom,” he said.

Inside the company’s warehouse, Director of Operations Byron Simmons walked through the step-by-step process of how discarded devices get a second life.

The first step is receiving the technology in the warehouse from corporate clients.

“Everything is weighed here, and then once it’s weighed, our sort team determines what’s good from bad from a visual inspection,” Simmons said.

After passing inspection, devices move through the refurbishing process before landing in the finished goods section — right next to the shipping area, where the company fulfills orders across multiple e-commerce platforms.

Simmons said the team ships out dozens of devices each day, anywhere from 80 to 100 laptops on average.

Beyond laptops, Urban Tech and Repair also handles cellphone repairs — a service that hits close to home for many students.

“If you have your own computers that you need repairs done on, you’re able to bring them in here to us. We have a section for that and also cellphone repairs,” Simmons said. “A lot of our students use cellphones, and they keep them with them at all times, and they break.”

A local scholarship fund is helping dozens of students take that next step, awarding a record amount this year to help ease the financial burden of higher education.

The ILA Scholarship Fund awarded $82,000 in scholarships to 24 students this year as part of its 31st anniversary celebration.

For Selena Robinson, the support has helped make a college dream feel possible.

“I’m first-generation, so I didn’t know about the cost or how much it really costs to attend college,” Robinson said.

Robinson, a biology and pre-med student at Florida A&M University, said navigating college costs can be overwhelming, especially for students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education.

“Just because someone in your family didn’t seek out what you are seeking out in life doesn’t mean you are not capable of doing it,” Robinson said.

Robinson is now a four-time recipient of the ILA Scholarship and plans to attend medical school to become a pediatrician.

The scholarship fund says more than 60% of its recipients are first-generation college students, opening doors for families who have not previously had someone pursue a college degree.

Receiving an ILA Scholarship is not automatic. Students are evaluated through a scoring system the fund created to make the process fair and consistent.

Executive Director Jadene Newborn Whaley said the selection process considers a student’s GPA, community service and an essay, which makes up the largest portion of the application.

“We wanted to make sure our grading criteria was fair across the board and very inclusive, so we created a matrix,” Whaley said.

The scoring system is based on 100 points. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA, but Whaley said many students applying have much higher grades.

This year’s applicant pool was especially competitive. Whaley said some students scored above 90 points, and the minimum qualifying score for a scholarship was 88.

The fund awarded larger scholarships to its top-scoring applicants this year, including one $10,000 award and three $8,000 awards.

“People are hurting, and college students are feeling the brunt of a lot of executive orders that have come down,” Whaley said. “We’ve felt it was really important that we reduce the number of students that we award and make sure the students we do award get a little more.”

For Ayden Glover, the scholarship meant starting college with less financial stress.

Glover graduated as valedictorian from Riverside High School in 2025 and is entering her sophomore year at Florida A&M University, where she studies political science. She is also a fourth-generation FAMU student continuing her family’s legacy.

“My first year of college was fully funded, so that really took the financial strain off of my family,” Glover said.

Glover said students should not let the cost of college stop them from pursuing their goals.

“I will always encourage everyone to go to school. Of course, it is scary thinking, how are you going to get there? There are resources out there,” she said.

The fund says its goal is to continue investing in students and helping them pursue opportunities through higher education.

The famed director of seminal horror films like “The Thing” and “Halloween” says the movie business is all “corporate” nowadays. So the 78-year-old prefers to find alternative, less expensive ways to stay creatively fulfilled.

After a dream about an abandoned downtown Los Angeles church with an elevator that goes to hell, Carpenter, who is also a prolific composer, enlisted his godson, Daniel Davies, and his son, Cody, to collaborate on the album. It’s comprised of spooky instrumental tracks evocative of some of his iconic classics, like the theme from “Halloween.” He then turned to his wife, Sandy King, who is a comic book publisher, for help with the graphic novel.

Carpenter, his son and Davies spoke with The Associated Press about their artistic process, concerns over artificial intelligence and having nightmares about Boston Celtics great Larry Bird. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

AP: Tell me where the idea for this project came from?

JOHN CARPENTER: I thought, I’m a movie director by profession in the old days, and this album would be a great score for a movie. However, this movie would cost several hundred million dollars, so why not do a graphic novel? My wife owns a comic book company, so let’s write the novel and illustrate it, and we can score that.

AP: Has that been your process in the past? To come up with the music first and then the film?

JOHN CARPENTER: No, the other way around. I direct the movie, cut it together the way I want it, and then I look at it for music. So, the music is simply functional. It supports the story and the characters and so forth.

The movie business has changed since I was in it full-time. It’s all corporate now. I came from student filmmaking, where we didn’t have any money, so we couldn’t hire a composer. I had to do it myself. But now I got these bums to do it with me, and so I don’t have to work as hard.

AP: The idea for this came to you in a dream. Do you often draw inspiration from dreams?

JOHN CARPENTER: Never. This is the first time. Most of my dreams are pretty similar, and they’re not made for movies. They’re always about me being lost in a city and trying to find my way home, but the streets change on me, and I can’t find my way home. Or I’m looking for the movie theater district, and when I get there, they’re all closed.

CODY CARPENTER: I’ve been keeping a dream journal since college. I have these psychotic dreams. I just like to remember them, you know?

JOHN CARPENTER: The basketball dream? Didn’t you see somebody start dribbling?

CODY CARPENTER: It was Larry Bird. But it turned out that he was dead and I was interacting with his ghost.

AP: John, as someone who has worked with low budgets and who likes to experiment, have you played around with AI at all?

JOHN CARPENTER: Well, people tell me it’s dangerous. I don’t — what does that mean? Does that mean it’s starting to learn on its own?

AP: I think it depends on who you talk to.

DAVIES: We like to make music. I would like it to help do more task-kind of things, like predict new tracks and know my workflow. But we like to make stuff, so why would we use it?

CODY CARPENTER: I don’t know. I know someone who does AI music stuff a lot, and he sends me all this stuff that he does and, I mean, I think at some point we won’t have a job anymore. I really think it’s amazing, just how fast it’s progressing. But I don’t know. Nobody knows.

JOHN CARPENTER: Music, I think, is the greatest art form. I hate to say it. But it doesn’t require anything. We can all listen to it in different countries. Great music moves us. And you’re telling me a machine can do that? I don’t believe it. That bothers me. This is a human thing. I want it to come from us. I really do.

AP: I recently watched “Prince of Darkness” for the first time. I really liked it. It seems under-appreciated.

JOHN CARPENTER: Why is it that you just saw it?

AP: You're right. I wish I had seen it sooner. Are there films of yours that you feel like maybe have been under-appreciated?

JOHN CARPENTER: I’m glad you liked it. I am happy with almost every movie I made.

AP: What are you not happy with?

JOHN CARPENTER: I'm not going to tell you.

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, or unpaved median over 5 feet wide, 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, either raised or over 5 feet wide 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.

The career fair brought 63 companies to the trade school, giving students in programs such as diesel technology a chance to meet hiring managers and apply for jobs before graduation. News4Jax video crews were on site covering the event.

“I’m in the diesel program here at J-Tech and that’s what I’m looking to do — work in diesel shops, wherever it may be,” said Alex Licul, a diesel student. “At least here at J-Tech, the companies come out to you. You tell them what you’re doing, what you are looking to do, and they really help place you. You’ve got a job right out of school.”

Elronrico Washington, another diesel student, said the program teaches diagnostics and repairs and that employers encouraged him to apply when he finishes his course. “Honestly, it makes me feel great,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to just find a job you want and meet the right people. When these people come out here and show love like they do, it makes it easier to apply or to see which way you want to go.”

Employers said bringing recruiting to campus helps them find and train workers for multiple roles. Jim Moyer, campus director for the St. Augustine Porsche and Mercedes service centers, said he began as an apprentice mechanic and worked his way up, and he sees the industry offering long-term career opportunities. “You can have a lifelong career and grow,” he said.

Jeff Roberson, vice president of service operations for Vanguard Truck Center, said the dealer group — which represents Volvo and Mack trucks across 39 locations nationwide — is looking to hire and develop technicians and other dealership staff. “If we grab them now, we have a chance to actually help train them and mold them into great technicians,” he said.

Jones Technical Institute holds four career fairs a year. Find more from our TradeUp series in the features section of News4Jax.com. Video and photos from the career fair were captured by News4Jax photojournalist Matt Garcia.

The annual Huang Kuang drills kicked off on Wednesday and are set to extend through Aug. 14 in various locations around the island. The live-fire exercises will test the Taiwanese army’s ability to sustain 24-hour defense operations as well as counter China’s “gray-zone tactics,” which stop just short of open warfare.

China claims the self-ruled democracy as its own territory, and has not renounced the use of force to bring it under its control. Taiwan dismisses China’s claims and insists it is a sovereign state.

The United States, while not recognizing Taiwan as a country, sees all threats to the island as a matter of great concern. Washington is bound by its own laws to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

The drills show closer ties with the U.S. military

While there has long been speculation that the U.S. military has been quietly training Taiwanese troops, the collaboration between the two sides has been more visible in recent weeks. A key component of the Han Kuang drills, for example, is the practice of a U.S.-inspired military communications method called backbriefing, where subordinates explain to commanders how they plan to carry out assigned missions.

The communication drills are intended to encourage first-line fighters to be more self-reliant and effective in battle, experts say.

“The most important new development in this year’s Han Kuang is the incorporation of American-style military training methods, which are aimed at enhancing the coordination and combat readiness of the Taiwanese military,” said William Yang, a senior Northeast Asia analyst for the International Crisis Group.

The drills thus “stay away from the mostly performative tasks of firepower display” of past years and instead focus on building real combat capabilities, Yang added.

Emphasis on reservists and urban resilience

Another focus of this year’s drills is that they will mobilize one of the largest numbers yet of reservists, of around 20,000 personnel, according to local media. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry did not say how many reservists will be involved in the drills.

The emphasis on reserves illustrates Taiwan’s efforts to address the military power asymmetry between itself and China, Yang said. China maintains the world’s largest army, of more than 2 million active-duty personnel, almost nine times the size of Taiwan’s active-duty armed forces.

Another focus of the military drills, reflecting Taiwan’s longstanding emphasis on civil defense, are urban resilience drills. These will take place on different days in the major cities of Kaohsiung, Taichung and the capital, Taipei. During the drills, mobile internet speed will be reduced for about 30 minutes to simulate telecommunications interference in case of an attack.

The emphasis on combat readiness and civilian preparedness reflect Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s priorities amid political constraints, said Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Taiwan University. Lai has sought to pass a $40 billion special defense budget for U.S. arms purchases and local defense manufacturing. A much smaller version of the budget, of $24.8 billion, was eventually approved by the opposition-controlled parliament.

“Given that Lai has been constrained on his ability to pass a budget that could even supply the kinds of weapons he would want to test, he has had to look to what he is able to do given the domestic political gridlock,” Nachman said.

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan remain in question

Despite closer informal ties between the U.S. and Taiwan militaries, questions remain around a massive $14 billion arms sales package to Taiwan that U.S. President Donald Trump has yet to approve. After traveling to China in May, Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with Beijing, raising anxieties on the island about continued U.S. support.

Trump also said after his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping that he does not want to “travel 9,500 miles (15,300 kilometers) to fight a war” over Taiwan.

In that context, seeing the U.S. influence on Taiwan’s military drills offers a “silver lining” in terms of Washington's commitment to Taiwan, Nachman said.

“Even though Trump and those close to him have flip-flopped on supporting Taiwan, the connection between the two militaries remains strong, enough to at least ensure that Taiwan is still able to learn at a high level from the U.S.,” he said.

A full-blown power outage might have been more fitting.

Missing a trio of injured sluggers in the middle of their fizzling lineup, the New York Yankees were limited to four hits in a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the latest empty performance for a punchless Bronx Bombers offense that's mustered two runs or fewer in six of the past seven games.

“We've got to give ourselves more margin for error," manager Aaron Boone said. "The pitching staff did a good job, the defense for the most part was there, and we've got to come through when we get opportunities. Especially when we create a lot of opportunities, which was something we did well tonight.”

New York drew eight walks against starter Andre Pallante and four Cardinals relievers, but went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position while stranding 11 overall.

The pitching-dependent Yankees (64-51) lost two of three to St. Louis (57-58) in the series and dropped 4 1/2 games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East. They hold the league's top wild card by one game over rival Boston, which has won seven in a row and 25 of 28.

“I thought Pallante was good, but we've got to get it done. We've got to come through in those situations," Boone said. “I like the opportunities tonight, had a lot of chances, felt like baserunners every inning. But we've got to be able to deliver and we haven’t done that enough.”

New York scored without a hit in a rainy sixth inning when Cardinals reliever George Soriano walked Jazz Chisholm Jr. with the bases loaded. Soriano, a first cousin of former Yankees All-Star Alfonso Soriano, then struck out Ryan McMahon to end the inning and preserve a 3-1 lead.

McMahon tossed his bat and helmet in frustration. The Yankees stranded two more in the seventh when newcomer Luis García Jr. grounded out, and touted rookie George Lombard Jr. whiffed on three pitches against a pumped-up Ryne Stanek with two aboard to end the eighth — the last a 100 mph fastball.

With power hitters Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger on the injured list, New York tried to reinforce its lineup by acquiring García and outfielder Heliot Ramos ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.

But the Yankees went 1 for 18 with runners in scoring position during the series against St. Louis and are 3 for 43 in those situations over the past seven games. They are 15 for 89 (.169) in 11 games since losing Bellinger.

“I think we’re really good," center fielder Trent Grisham said. “This year’s been a little ups and downs, but that’s baseball. It comes with it. But we have the right guys in this clubhouse to really steer everybody straight.”

Making his Yankee Stadium debut, Pallante (12-6) was charged with one run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings after the first pitch was delayed 68 minutes by rain.

Lights flickered and some banks went out with the second batter of the game at the plate, Cardinals catcher Iván Herrera. Play was stopped for about two minutes before they came back on and the crowd cheered.

New York starter Will Warren (8-6) was given a warmup pitch, and the game resumed.

In the bottom of the first, it happened again. Grisham was leading off for the Yankees when some lights went out once more. Play was halted for about a minute, all the lights came back on and Pallante threw a warmup pitch before the game resumed.

“I’m more than willing to pitch in the dark — hitters can’t see it,” Pallante said. “But yeah, I mean, with the delay and all that stuff, it’s just adversity, right? Nobody cares. You go out there and be aggressive and pitch the best you can regardless of the situation.

“It just stinks because you want to be out there and you want to get in the flow, but that just breaks it up. But, you know, it’s just part of the game.”

Cardinals rookie left fielder Bryan Torres was a little more concerned about how the holdup might affect his teammate on the mound.

“Shouldn’t happen," Torres said. "Things happen, but at the same time, rain delay, they put the tarp on after the pitcher was already hot and after that the lights came off. So it’s getting a little tough for the starter. For me as a position player in the outfield, it’s nothing. I can manage that. But it’s just, kind of for the pitcher, it’s tough.”

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AP freelance writer Larry Fleisher contributed to this report.

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