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

Capital One wants the lawsuit dismissed.

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

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

Both banks have denied they severed their relationships with the president, his sons, and other related businesses for political reasons. The lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase is seeking damages of $5 billion. JPMorgan has said it does not close accounts for political reasons, but closes accounts “with or without cause” and also accounts that create “legal or regulatory risk.”

In July, after the original lawsuit had laid dormant for months, lawyers for the president filed an amended lawsuit that alleged the bank debanked him for political reasons. The bank says the new allegations are without merit, saying the complaint rests on “new theories are based on cherry-picked quotations."

President Trump's legal team dismissed that claim Monday, but did not address the internal findings by the bank.

“Capital One, along with other major banks, de-banked President Trump, his family, and his businesses for blatantly political reasons," a spokesperson for Trump's legal team said. "President Trump’s powerful lawsuit holds Capital One accountable for its disgraceful conduct, and we look forward to seeing this matter through to a just and proper conclusion.”

Conservatives have long alleged that banks debank them and their political allies. The allegations became louder after Operation Choke Point, an initiative during the Obama Administration when regulators pressed banks to cut off financial services to the firearm industry, tobacco, and payday lenders, among others. The cryptocurrency industry alleged it was also a victim of debanking during the Biden Administration.

Trump signed an executive order in August 2025 titled “Guaranteeing Fair Banking for All Americans” directing federal bank regulators to terminate examinations of banks over who they were doing business with. The Trump administration has also subpoenaed records of the biggest banks as part of an investigation into alleged debanking.

Trump had more than 300 bank accounts with Capital One before they were closed. The bank accounts were for a variety of Trump-branded businesses, ranging from a golf course to a winery. Trump had banked with Capital One for more than a decade before the accounts were closed.

In the court filing, Capital One said it had no reason to make a political statement with the closure of Trump’s accounts in 2021 and the move had everything to do with activity in the accounts being flagged by anti-money laundering experts with the bank.

“Capital One never publicized the termination decision nor its confidential internal process giving rise to the closure, and it permitted Plaintiffs several months (and granted several extensions) to find new banking services, which they did,” the bank said.

The S&P 500 jumped 1.5% and is just 0.1% below its record set earlier this summer. It was coming off a frenetic July, where it swung up and down as oil prices shot higher because of the war with Iran, before ultimately ending the month just about where it started.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which measures a narrower slice of the U.S. stock market, climbed 693 points, or 1.3%, to an all-time high, while the Nasdaq composite leaped 2.1%.

Stocks got a lift as the price for a barrel of Brent crude sank 4.7% to $83.77. It dropped after President Donald Trump said over the weekend that he decided to hold off on new strikes against Iran at the urging of allies in the region.

Brent’s price careened between $72 and $102 last month as worries rose and fell about when the war with Iran would allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again to deliver crude to customers worldwide. The latest acquiescence by Trump helped to ease worries about the global flow of crude, and Treasury yields correspondingly fell in the bond market.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury sank to 4.68% from 4.75% late Friday. It, though, remains well above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran.

Higher yields threaten to undercut prices for stocks and other investments, while slowing the economy by making borrowing more expensive for U.S. households and businesses. The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate has already leaped to its highest level in a year.

Monday’s ease in oil prices helped airlines and other companies with big fuel bills lead the market. United Airlines flew 5.8% higher, while American Airlines climbed 5%. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings steamed 6.6% higher.

Boeing jumped 8% after U.S. regulators certified its 737 MAX-7 planes, clearing them for commercial service.

Tyson Foods rose 2.8% after the meat company reported a slightly stronger profit for the spring than analysts expected. CEO Donnie King said strength is continuing in the company’s chicken business and its prepared foods, which include brands like Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm.

It joined a lengthening list of big U.S. companies to deliver a bigger profit for the spring than analysts expected. That’s imperative for Wall Street because stock prices tend to follow the path of corporate earnings over the long term, and worries were rising that U.S. stock prices may have broadly already shot too high.

Companies in the S&P 500 are on track to deliver earnings per share for the spring that are 47% higher than a year before, according to FactSet, with more than half of the companies in the index having already reported. If that ends up being the case, it would be the strongest growth since the spring of 2021, when the economy was roaring out of the COVID pandemic.

Also offering encouragement for profits was a report on Monday showing that growth for U.S. manufacturing accelerated to its strongest level since 2022.

Keeping Wall Street unsettled, though, were swings for stocks of companies that make computer chips. They’ve been veering up and down for weeks on worries about whether their surging revenues because of the artificial-intelligence boom are sustainable.

If AI ends up producing less profit and productivity than hoped, Big Tech companies could curtail their spending sprees on data centers that have helped chip stocks soar to tremendous heights.

Micron Technology went from a drop of 6.4% to a gain of 1.7% through the day before ending with a gain of 0.8%, for example. It’s up roughly 190% for the year so far.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 110.78 points to 7,600.50 and finished just shy of its all-time closing high of 7,609.78. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 693.38 to 53,178.41, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 540.04 to 25,913.90.

The manic swings for AI stocks have been most dramatic in South Korea, where the Kospi index is dominated by just two tech titans, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Seoul’s Kospi fell 5.1% Monday, coming off Friday’s 17.9% surge that was its best day in history.

In neighboring Japan, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.9% after the United States and Japan confirmed they had moved together to prop up the value of the Japanese yen against the dollar. A stronger yen would help to limit inflation in Japan, but it could also potentially hurt Japan’s exporters.

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AP Writers Matt Ott, Elaine Kurtenbach, Mayuko Ono and Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office says one person died and one person was taken into custody, but neither has been identified by investigators.

Crime scene tape replaced the usual quiet of the St. Augustine Shores neighborhood as detectives spent hours documenting evidence at the home.

Neighbors say Como Court was quickly filled with deputies and emergency vehicles, a jarring sight on what is typically a peaceful residential street.

According to records, a 91-year-old man and an 87-year-old woman lived in the home.

Neighbors who spoke with News4JAX described the couple, saying the woman was blind and may have been living with Alzheimer’s disease.

“Well, she was blind, and frail. And then he started getting even frailer. But they were a really nice couple, and everybody’s heart broke,” neighbor Bill Meyers said. “Everybody in the neighborhood’s heart broke because we all loved the guy and we’d do anything for him.”

One resident says they witnessed law enforcement take a man from the home into custody, describing a dramatic scene involving a drone and a large law enforcement presence.

“The police landed a drone right in front of the front door. It had, like, a speaker on it. And they were talking to him and telling him to come out with his hands up,” neighbor James Frazee said.

“Well, then he did, I guess agreed to come out because a bunch of guys swarmed up there with assault rifles around the house, and he came out and they pulled the car up real quick, and they put him in the back,” Frazee continued.

When News4JAX asked the sheriff’s office whether it could release the suspect’s name, age, or booking photo, investigators declined, saying no additional information will be released while the investigation is ongoing.

The brothers, longtime sport fishermen who live in Massachusetts, released a juvenile tiger shark in late July after catching it from a beach. The five-foot shark is far more common in warmer, southern waters such as the Caribbean Sea, and scientists said its appearance off Falmouth, Massachusetts, is an indicator of warming seas caused by climate change.

Nate and Nelson said the late-night catch was a thrill after hours of seeking far more common brown sharks.

“And I saw those horizontal lines, indicating it was a tiger shark, which was super cool,” said Nate, who is the social media manager for On The Water magazine. “Immediately I started yelling to my brother, ‘It’s a tiger, it's a tiger shark!' And he was in disbelief.”

The Rouette brothers caught a young specimen of a shark that can grow to more than 15 feet (4.6 meters) and 1,400 pounds (635 kilograms). Tiger sharks eat a wide array of other ocean life, including fish, crustaceans and birds, and are famous for sometimes eating man-made items such as old license plates and shoes that are later found in their stomachs. The adults are also more dangerous to humans than most shark species, though unprovoked fatal bites are rare.

Juvenile tiger sharks have been spotted more often in northern waters in recent years, said John Chisholm, adjunct scientist at the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life in Boston. Rising temperatures of global seas appear to have made the Atlantic Ocean off New England more hospitable to them, he said.

Young tiger sharks are historically less common than adults in northern waters, which makes the brothers' discovery even more surprising, Chisholm said.

“Maybe they are coming up here because conditions are right. There's food, there's warm waters,” he said. “Maybe it's becoming a nursery -- that's one of the issues that we will investigate.”

Tiger sharks are among many kinds of sea life that have been trending north in recent years as seas have warmed, and other sharks have done the same, scientists have said. Sightings of great whites off Cape Cod have been increasingly frequent, and the big sharks have also been seen off of New Hampshire and Maine. Scientists have attributed the shift in great white sightings to factors including a higher abundance of seals, which the great whites prey on.

Other sea animals, including black sea bass, appear to be moving north because of the warming of the ocean.

For the Rouette brothers, the encounter with a tiger shark provided a thrill they won't forget. Nate said the discovery was a reminder of that warming.

“People are definitely seeing more species that indicate that,” Nate said.

On Monday night, council members are scheduled to discuss “Flock Cameras” and consider Resolution No. 2026-094, which would put the issue on the November ballot — letting voters weigh in on whether Lake City should keep using automatic license plate reader cameras.

If approved, the measure would appear during a special election Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, held in conjunction with Florida’s 2026 general election.

What voters would be asked

According to the resolution, voters would be asked whether the City of Lake City or its contractors should continue installing and maintaining automatic license plate readers and cameras that collect and store license plate and other vehicular data.

The proposed ballot language states that a vote “YES” would support continued installation and maintenance, while a vote “NO” would oppose it.

City documents also stress the result would be nonbinding — meaning the vote would not automatically change city policy without further action by city leaders, but it would show where voters stand.

Why it’s on the agenda

The resolution says some residents have raised concerns about personal privacy when a public entity helps facilitate the presence of the cameras. City leaders say the vote is intended to gauge public opinion as the city considers next steps.

Prior agreements with Flock Safety

The agenda packet also includes previous agreements with Flock Safety, Inc. dating back to 2023, involving license plate readers and audio detection devices, providing additional context for Monday’s discussion.

Separately, Lake City has promoted the use of Flock technology in the past, including a 2025 social media post about the department implementing a Flock gunshot detection system.

What to watch for Monday night

Council members could vote to move the ballot item forward, delay action, or vote the proposal down. Public comment is also expected.

News4JAX will be at the meeting and will update this story with what council members decide and what residents have to say.

The pair of aggressive moves was part of more than a dozen swaps that have happened before Monday's 6 p.m. EDT deadline. Most of the biggest names are off the board, but some enticing options still remain, including Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho.

The Los Angeles Dodgers woke up already looking like the deadline’s biggest winners after adding two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to a loaded roster Sunday. The Dodgers are chasing a third straight World Series title.

Over in the American League, Tampa Bay was busy, beefing up its rotation Sunday by adding right-hander Freddy Peralta while the New York Yankees acquired young slugger Luis García Jr. to give their Aaron Judge-less lineup a little more pop. Also on Sunday, the Chicago Cubs added Kevin Gausman to their rotation in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Rutschman gives Red Sox young catching star

Rutschman was the No. 1 overall pick in 2019 out of Oregon State and has largely lived up to the high expectations with five quality seasons with the Baltimore Orioles.

Now he moves to the Red Sox, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade hadn't been announced.

Boston started slow this season but revitalized its playoff hopes with a franchise record-tying 15-game winning streak in July. The 28-year-old Rutschman — who is under team control for one more season in 2027 — has had a bounce-back season at the plate with a .762 OPS, which helped him earn his third All-Star nod.

Rutschman is currently on the injured list with left wrist inflammation. He’s also dealt with an ankle injury and a concussion this year.

Arraez an elite contact hitter

Arraez comes from the San Francisco Giants, and he'll be expected to create RBI opportunities for Phillies sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.

Arraez is hitting an NL-best .324 in a resurgent season after signing a $12 million, one-year deal with San Francisco early in spring training. The 29-year-old has his highest batting average since 2023, and he's played better defense at second base after questions about his glove hindered his market in free agency.

Schwarber is second in the majors with 33 home runs entering Monday yet ranks 31st with 63 RBIs, while Harper has driven in 66. The team's .304 on-base percentage is the second lowest in the majors.

Philly also got reliever Caleb Kilian back from the Giants in the trade for two minor leaguers, and it swung a separate deal for left-handed reliever Brooks Raley with the New York Mets.

Former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray goes to Padres

The San Diego Padres acquired veteran left-hander Robbie Ray from the San Francisco Giants on Monday in a trade for two prospects.

The Padres have won eight of nine to move one game back of the final wild-card playoff position, and this latest surge in their up-and-down season apparently prompted general manager A.J. Preller to trade yet another chunk of his severely depleted farm system for another chance to win now.

San Diego gave up right-hander Miguel Mendez and 17-year-old shortstop Joniel Hernandez for the 34-year-old Ray, a former Cy Young Award winner who will be an unrestricted free agent this winter. The Padres also got cash in the deal.

Ray is 10-6 with a 3.08 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings this season, his third with San Francisco.

Dodgers keep adding

The Dodgers added 2025 All-Star left-hander Kris Bubic from the Royals for minor league right-hander Carlos Duran, a person familiar with the deal told the AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade hadn't been announced.

Bubic is on the 60-day injured list with shoulder and elbow issues, but the Royals had expected him to return in late-August, which would put him in line to pitch out of the bullpen for Los Angeles during the playoffs. He was an All-Star last season and is 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA in nine starts this season. Duran is 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City.

Los Angeles also traded for backup catcher Ben Rortvedt for the second year in a row. This time, the Dodgers got Rortvedt from the New York Mets for right-hander Chayce McDermott. The 28-year-old Rortvedt hasn’t played in the big leagues this season and wasn’t on the Mets’ 40-man roster.

Other trades of note

— The Pittsburgh Pirates added veteran right-hander Luke Weaver from the New York Mets, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because it hadn't been announced. Weaver is in the first season of a two-year, $22-million deal. He had been one of the few bright spots this season for the last-place Mets, going 2-1 with a 1.84 ERA with one save in 42 appearances.

— The Seattle Mariners acquired outfielder Taylor Ward from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league right-handers Alex Hoppe, Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling. Ward, 32, is hitting .246 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs in 111 games. He adds to Seattle’s outfield depth and could make impending free agent and All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena expendable.

— The Blue Jays bolstered their rotation with an eye on 2027 by acquiring right-hander José Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels for three prospects. The 27-year-old is 9-6 with a 3.29 ERA and has a 3.72 ERA over four big league seasons. He's under team control through 2028. Infielder Arjun Nimmala, a 2023 first-round pick, headlined the minor leaguers going to Los Angeles, along with outfielder Eddie Micheletti Jr. and right-hander Angel Rivero.

— The Cleveland Guardians picked up a power bat and some outfield versatility by adding Jo Adell from the Los Angeles Angels, who received minor league catcher Jacob Cozart. The 27-year-old Adell has 16 homers and 62 RBIs this season, one year after hitting a career-best 37 homers with 98 RBIs. Adell has spent his entire career with the Angels after being the 10th overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft.

— The Tampa Bay Rays added catcher Liam Hicks in a trade with the Miami Marlins, a person familiar with the deal told the AP. The Marlins received prospects RHP Jacob Kisting, SS Adrian Santana and INF Brayden Taylor. Hicks, 27, is in his second big league season and batting .282 with 14 homers and 62 RBIs. He's under team control for the next four seasons.

— The Chicago White Sox acquired outfielder Brenton Doyle from the Colorado Rockies for a pair of prospects. Doyle, who recently came off the injured list due to a bruised oblique, is hitting .214 with a homer and nine stolen bases. He’s won two Gold Glove awards for his work in center field. The Rockies received right-hander Mason Adams and infielder Carlos Vielma.

— Toronto got utility player Josh Smith and minor league right-hander Josh Stephan from Texas for rookie left-hander Adam Macko. Smith, who in 2024 won a Silver Slugger as a utility player, was at Triple-A Round Rock. He went into this season with the chance to be the Rangers’ everyday second baseman, but he hit .213 in 45 games and missed 37 games because of injuries and a bout with viral meningitis.

— The Atlanta Braves acquired veteran left-handed reliever Brent Suter from the Angels for minor league infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. The 36-year-old Suter provides some bullpen depth for the NL East leaders. He was 1-2 with a 4.12 ERA over 63 1/3 innings in 41 appearances for Los Angeles, and threw at least two innings in 18 of those games.

— The Chicago White Sox added righty reliever Huascar Brazobán from the Mets for minor league right-handers Gabe Davis and Zach Franklin. The 36-year-old Brazobán is 5-2 with a 2.56 ERA over 46 games this season.

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AP Baseball Writer Noah Trister and AP Sports Writers Alanis Thames and Dave Skretta contributed to this story.

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

Meanwhile, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has issued a formal order terminating President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate his political allies. The move follows weeks of negotiations with two Republican senators who were blocking his nomination for the permanent job.

The order leaves in place a declaration — rejected by a judge as improper self-dealing — giving Trump and his family retroactive immunity for any tax audits.

Immigration remains a stronger issue for Trump than the economy or Iran, according to a new AP-NORC poll, even after three people were killed in encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement last month.

Here is the latest:

Trump Washington surge opponents file complaint

A group of activists opposing the continued law enforcement and National Guard presence in Washington submitted a letter Monday to the D.C. Superior Court chief judge asking that he assess the seriousness and racial aspect of cases being brought by prosecutors during the surge.

Frankie Seabron, of CourtWatch DC, said 100 people a day were being taken into custody for minor crimes that would not have been pursued as vigorously before.

“Judges are not defenseless,” she said, “especially when they know prosecutors are abusing their powers.”

Seabron’s organization was one of several at a protest at Superior Court led by FreeDC.

Ellen Hornstein with Lawyers Defending American Democracy also announced an ethics complaint had been filed last month against Jeanine Pirro with the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Supreme Court of the State of New York. The action cited her behavior in several cases, the reflecting pool vandalism case.

Trump says Pirro ‘folded like a cheap umbrella’

The president reiterated his disappointment with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for a court filing in which her office blamed a contractor’s shoddy work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool rather than vandalism.

“I guess she choked. I don’t know what the hell happened,” Trump said, later adding that the former Fox News host “folded like a cheap umbrella” in moving to drop criminal charges against the former Olympian accused of deliberately damaging the pool.

Trump refused to say whether he’d move to fire Pirro. But he also acknowledged that the contractor was “rushing” to finish the project before July 4 — which didn’t ultimately happen.

And he suggested he “didn’t know” the contactor working on it, contradicting his own comments from April when he said he chose the company involved since it had performed work at his golf course in Virginia.

Trump avoids answering whether he supports MLB salary cap

Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire Dec. 1 and there’s growing speculation that there could be a lockout that jeopardizes the 2027 season

The central point of contention is MLB owners push for a salary cap. Asked if he supported the owners push for a salary cap, Trump demurred.

“Well, we’re going to talk about that at a different time,” said Trump, a New York Yankees fan. “You know, it’s a complex situation, but not too complex for me.”

Trump says he looks forward to meeting DC’s new mayor

Trump said he’d welcome meeting with Janeese Lewis George, likely the next mayor of Washington, D.C., after he wrongly referred to her as a communist.

Lewis George is a self-described democratic socialist and a member of the D.C. Council who won the Democratic mayoral primary in June. In the overwhelmingly Democratic city, she is likely to take the top spot in November’s general election. She would succeed moderate Muriel Bowser, who decided to step down after three terms.

“I have not met her yet. I look forward to meeting her,” Trump said of Lewis George.

Trump says oil companies Chevron and Exxon Mobil made ‘too much money’

The U.S. president said major oil companies are earning excessive profits because of high oil prices.

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

Trump said he’s not happy with profits reported by Chevron and Exxon Mobil, even though the higher margins reflected energy prices that had increased after Trump launched a war with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed to oil and natural gas tankers.

Trump’s predecessor in the White House, Democrat Joe Biden, also attacked oil companies for their profits when inflation was a major problem with voters.

Trump says he doesn’t know what was agreed to on to advance Blanche’s nomination

The president said, “I understand there’s been a sign off” but that “I don’t know what they agreed” to.

“I think Todd Blanche agreed to reconfirm things that he’s already said. And what he said was OK,” Trump added.

Two Republican Senators who had blocked the confirmation of Blanche, the acting attorney general, to lead the Justice Department said they’d reached an agreement to end the impasse.

Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis said they struck a deal to formally rescind the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” that could have been used to compensate Trump supporters who overran the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Despite saying he didn’t know the details of the deal to advance Blanche’s nomination, Trump defended the fund, saying his supporters had been “treated very unfairly.”

Trump defends his exemption from IRS audits because government was ‘weaponized’ against him

The U.S. president defended an agreement to exempt him, his sons and his business from tax audits.

The IRS had until Trump audited presidents since 1977, but the administration struck a deal to avoid audits of Trump as part of what was an initial agreement to end a lawsuit over the leaking of his tax records.

Trump said that before he ran for president in 2016 that an IRS audit of him had been settled. He said the audit was then reopened and he used it during the campaign a decade ago to justify not releasing his tax returns as other candidates have done.

“They went after me illegally and they did a lot of bad things to me like they did to other people,” Trump said. “It was weaponized against me.”

Trump says he’s leaving the Rep. Max Miller situation to the families involved

A day after telling reporters that he’d look into the allegations against the Ohio congressman, Trump said he’ll let the families “figure that out.”

“It’s a very sad thing,” Trump told reporters Monday in the Oval Office. “I know Max. He’s a good person.”

Miller is accused of domestic violence by his former wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno, who is close to Trump. Miller denies the allegations.

The senator said Sunday that his former son-in-law should not serve in Congress.

“You know, those families, I know they’re working on it. It’s a very sad thing,” Trump said. “Especially when you know somebody so well to be going through that. But it’s accusations, and I’m going to let them figure that out.”

Trump says new talks are ‘last chance’ for Iran to forge deal and avoid escalation of US strikes

President Donald Trump said Monday that newly planned talks with Tehran are the “last chance” for Iran to forge a deal and avoid an escalation of U.S. strikes on the country.

Trump, speaking at the Oval Office, said he expects negotiations that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and create a pathway for Iran to address United States’ concerns about it’s nuclear program will begin in the next day or two.

The Republican president says, “The first phase is the opening of the straits. The second phase will be the denuclearization.” Trump says that ”will take a little while.”

While Trump has reveled in the U.S. military decimating layers of Tehran’s leadership and devastating its air force and navy, Iran is betting it can outlast Trump as he faces diminished stockpiles of munitions and the difficulty of executing a war that is unpopular with the American electorate ahead of November’s midterm election.

▶ Read more

Trump signs executive order on military spouses

The order creates the “Presidential Military Spouse Commission” to address issues facing troops and their families. Jennifer Hegseth, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife, will lead it, Trump said.

The president said the new commission would “develop suggestions to address particular challenges in housing, employment, health care, education, child childcare and just about everything else you can think of.”

Many of the issues have been tackled in various forms by multiple administrations.

Jennifer Hegseth’s role mirrors that of other defense secretary spouses who have advocated for families while their husbands ran the Pentagon. Charlene Austin, Lloyd Austin’s wife, sat on the advisory boards for the Purdue Military Family Research Institute, and Military Child Education Coalition.

Trump calls Iran ‘unbelievably duplicitous’ with regard to peace talks

Trump is venting about the status of peace talks with Iran.

He criticized Iran's leadership for claiming that its meetings with Oman on Monday were focused solely on establishing a temporary route for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The president previously said he held off on a massive weekend strike against Iran because there was another framework for a ceasefire and the full reopening of the strait to oil and natural gas tankers.

“Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous!” Trump posted on social media Monday. “They ask for a meeting, some would say “beg,” talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they’re not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they’re only dealing with ‘Oman.’”

Trump said whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking” about preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Breakneck pace in immigration courts is driving up deportation orders

The Trump administration is packing immigration courtrooms with speedier hearings to clear a decades-long backlog in asylum claims. New data shows a historic rise in missed court dates and immediate deportation orders as judges struggle to keep up the pace.

Hundreds of immigrants’ cases a day are being assigned to individual judges as the number of “mega” master hearings significantly increase. More than 1,300 were held in June alone, a nearly threefold jump from the previous June, according to Mobile Pathways, a nonprofit that tracks immigration court data.

The data also shows that courts have severely cut preparation time in complex immigration proceedings, so people are missing hearings and being told they’ve abandoned their asylum claims at unprecedented rates.

Those who favor limiting immigration see this as a course-correction for a longstanding problem. But the nonprofit’s chief operating officer says cases are being closed without being heard.

▶ Read more

GOP holdouts say they will vote to advance Blanche’s nomination for attorney general

Two Republican senators who threatened to block acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s bid to lead the Justice Department said Monday that they will vote to advance his nomination, ending an impasse over plans to create a fund to compensate the president’s allies.

The statement from Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis came after Blanche issued an order late Sunday formally rescinding the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who believe they were unfairly prosecuted by the Justice Department.

Cornyn and Tillis had said they would not support Blanche’s nomination without written confirmation that the fund is dead.

▶ Read more

Trump stands to profit off US policy announcements by selling fast access to his social media posts

The president knows the world hangs on his every word. Now he wants you to pay for it.

Trump’s Truth Social business began selling sneak peeks of his social media posts on Saturday, offering early access to market-moving news to Wall Street traders willing to pay up. The move raises the prospect of big profits for Trump’s company, and big questions about insider trading and using public office for private gain.

Similar fast-speed feeds are sold by other social media firms and media providers, but Truth Social doesn’t just distribute the news, it makes it as Trump announces changes on everything from war to central bank leadership to tariffs.

“If this was the CEO of a public company, this would be jail time,” said Irene Aldridge, head of Able Alpha Trading.

Initial sales details may be disclosed when Truth Social’s parent company announces quarterly earnings.

▶ Read more

Democrats’ future is at stake as El-Sayed and Stevens make final push in Michigan

Tuesday’s Senate primary in Michigan between congresswoman Haley Stevens and public health official Abdul El-Sayed is one of the clearest tests yet of where Democratic voters want their party to go.

El-Sayed is a progressive backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders who’s run against much of the Democratic establishment. Stevens is backed by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and has made electability and experience central to her case.

The winner faces Republican Mike Rogers in November for an open seat Democrats likely need to hold to take control of the Senate next year.

▶ Read more

Trump decries negative public polling and claims he’s never been more popular

The U.S. president said on social media that independent surveys showing low approval ratings are false — denying a clear trend of lower support for Trump because of inflation and the Iran war, among other issues.

“My REAL Polling Numbers, not those made up by the Fake News Media, are the best they have ever been,” Trump asserted, providing no data to back up his claim.

The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that just 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump. That survey from late July also showed a drop since the start of Trump’s second term in adults who “strongly approve” of him.

Contrary to the evidence of multiple surveys, Trump said his popularity is based on his income tax cuts, his job numbers, his efforts to secure the U.S. border with Mexico and his use of American military force in Venezuela and Iran.

Trump going to Los Angeles on Tuesday and speak in Las Vegas on Wednesday

The White House said the president will go to California and Nevada to talk up the economy and border security and slam Democrats ahead of the November elections.

Trump on Tuesday will attend a Republican National Committee dinner at the Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.

On Wednesday, the president is slated to talk about the economy at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas.

Falling oil prices help calm Wall Street’s inflation worries, while chip stocks get back to sinking

Oil prices are easing and helping to calm Wall Street’s worries that inflation could potentially get even worse. That has U.S. stock indexes rising early Monday, but several major chip stocks are falling again including Micron and AMD.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 625 points, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2%. The price of a barrel of Brent crude fell 5.1% to $83.42 after Trump said over the weekend he would hold off on ordering new strikes against Iran at the urging of allies in the region. Treasury yields fell.

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Trump overhaul could gut Head Start preschool quality standards

The Trump administration is planning a dramatic overhaul of Head Start that would gut its quality standards, two people familiar with the deliberations said.

Head Start, established in the 1960s to help fight poverty, has long been considered by experts to be a gold standard for early education. It has more than 100 pages of regulations that cover everything from child-to-teacher ratios and child health screenings to family engagement.

The Republicans would replace these with around a dozen pages of rules that leave most specifics to state and local law, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is not yet public and they feared reprisal.

The draft rules would require more documentation from homeless or unemployed parents, and an early version would have barred even the U.S. citizen children of parents who are in the United States illegally.

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US dollar weakens sharply against Japanese yen after Trump intervenes in market

The U.S. dollar weakened sharply against the Japanese yen on Monday after Trump and Japan’s finance minister confirmed that both sides had intervened in markets.

The yen’s prolonged weakness against the dollar has been a source of frustration for Tokyo. Since Japan imports so much of what it consumes, a weak currency pushes prices higher. High oil prices have amplified pressure on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to do more to address the rising cost of living.

Normally, foreign exchange markets determine the relative values of currencies, and officials usually stay mum on any interventions, but Trump confirmed it on Sunday.

A weaker dollar makes U.S.-made goods more competitive. Analysts are describing the intervention as a “low-cost” way for Washington to pay a favor to a key U.S. ally.

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Blanche order keeps Trump’s ‘self-dealing’ immunity for any past tax audits

The document released by Blanche on Sunday night keeps a provision of the IRS settlement that provided broad tax-audit immunity for Trump and family, while limiting its scope.

It clarifies that the immunity “applies by its terms only retroactively” to claims open at the time of the settlement, and does not protect the president from examination of future tax filings.

On Friday, Trump’s attorneys notified a court they would appeal a judge’s scathing ruling that characterized the settlement of the president’s lawsuit against the IRS as an improper exercise in self-dealing.

The judge said that because Trump manipulated the court system by suing an agency he controls, the government cannot claim in official proceedings that the agreement resulted from a legitimate legal process.

Trump says talks on Iran war will begin on Monday after he holds off on ‘massive’ strikes

Trump said new talks to wind down the war in Iran and revive traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will start Monday afternoon, after announcing he is holding off on new massive strikes he had threatened to unleash on the country. Iranian state media, however, quoted the country’s foreign ministry as saying Tehran was not currently holding negotiations with the United States.

Israel struck the Gaza Strip again over the weekend, after the U.S. and Hamas said a deal was reached for the militant group to disarm, a potential step toward ending the war in Gaza that depends on Israel stopping its attacks. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted militant operatives.

Hospitals in Gaza said at least 17 people were killed, including children. A strike on one residential apartment killed three family members including a 4-year-old child, according to Nasser hospital, where the bodies arrived.

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Why immigration remains strong for Trump among Republicans, according to a new AP-NORC poll

Immigration remains a stronger issue for Trump than the economy or Iran, according to a new AP-NORC poll, even after three people were killed in encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in July.

Trump is not getting a glowing endorsement on his immigration approach from Americans overall, the new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found: Only 39% of U.S. adults approve of his performance on immigration, a decline from 49% at the beginning of his second term.

Despite that, about 8 in 10 Republicans continue to approve of how Trump is handling immigration. That’s a slight decline from the beginning of Trump’s second term, when about 9 in 10 Republicans approved, but his support within his base has been mostly stable despite a chaotic year of immigration enforcement actions.

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Faggart was taken from the jail to the hospital on April 7, 2025, following an incident inside the facility. He died three days later.

Eight corrections officers and one sergeant involved in the incident were reassigned to positions in the courthouse, Records Unit, and Property and Evidence Unit as the investigation continues.

The lawsuit, filed against Sheriff T.K. Waters and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, seeks to compel the agency to comply with Florida’s Public Records Act.

According to the family’s attorney, JSO has failed to turn over records related to Faggart’s death — including surveillance video, incident reports, investigative records and other evidence — despite requests made more than a year ago.

JSO argued that those records should stay sealed because the FBI investigation is still active. On Monday, the judge said JSO didn’t have enough information to back up that claim.

“At some point I need some guidance on that, maybe it’s in camera, maybe it’s a closed-door hearing for that aspect of it, that’s something that’s sensitive, but at some point, what’s the court supposed to do without that information?” the judge said.

The judge also pointed out that neither the FBI nor the U.S. Attorney’s Office was in court to explain how releasing those records could hurt the investigation.

“Our position is that they don’t have standing to argue what the FBI or the Department of Justice is or is not doing,” Belkis Plata & James Slater, the family’s attorney, said. “They don’t know any of that information. The state attorney’s office has concluded their investigation; they handed it over to the FBI. The sheriff’s office has also concluded their investigation and were just sitting back waiting on the FBI, so the individuals who were present in the courtroom today have no active criminal investigation, and that’s what we were arguing. And the court found this case has been pending for over 16 months.”

They said that at the next hearing, they hope that the FBI could be at the next hearing to give the court more information so that the judge can decide.

“Their son was handed to them, chained to a bed, bloodied and beaten, and we have no answers, and it’s only just that they’d be able to have the information necessary to know what happened to their son,” the defense attorneys said.

Medical records obtained by News4JAX news partner The Florida Trib found that Faggart had multiple fractures on his face and ribs, bruises throughout his body, and serious damage to his kidneys and liver, along with a barb from a stun gun in his back, and had no fentanyl in his system, details that were not disclosed by JSO.

The judge did not decide on Monday; instead, he gave JSO more time to answer the court’s questions about the FBI’s investigation before deciding whether those records should be released.

Mother vows to keep fighting

Faggart’s mother, Tracey Karpas, has been vocal about the toll the unanswered questions have taken on her.

“I’m still waiting to hear anything about my son, so we’re just praying that we get the rest of the stuff,” Karpas said in April. “I will go to my grave fighting. I will. I don’t think there’s any harder fight.”

The Faggart family said it remains committed to pursuing every legal avenue available to uncover the truth about what happened to Charles and will continue seeking answers, transparency and accountability until justice is achieved.

“Do your job. Do your job. Tell the truth,” Karpas said. “That would be my only message: Tell the truth and do your job.”

Talks between the U.S. and Iran are critical to ending the monthslong conflict and reviving stalled cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway through which about a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed before the war.

Trump, who has made a habit of threatening strikes on Iran only to dangle the prospect of a last-minute diplomatic reprieve, said the negotiations would be the “last chance ” for Iran to forge a deal to reopen the strait and address his concerns about its nuclear program.

But Iran’s foreign ministry said it's negotiating with Oman, not the U.S., prompting Trump to criticize the country’s leadership, which has grown increasingly divided over the war’s endgame.

Whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking," Trump maintained.

Elsewhere, Israel bombed the Gaza Strip and the Syrian president met in Damascus with the Iraqi Kurdish regional leader over security concerns. In Iran, the government executed two men it claimed were Israeli spies.

Here is a look at the most important developments Monday in the Middle East.

Trump announces renewed talks

Trump said Sunday that he decided against carrying out major strikes against Iran at the urging of Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

He said a plan was in place for U.S. forces to carry out “the biggest attack since World War II,” but he decided to give diplomacy more time after hearing from key Gulf leaders and fielding requests from unnamed Iranian officials. He did not provide further details or say who would be involved in the talks.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry maintained that the country was not currently holding negotiations with the United States.

Esmail Baghaei, an agency spokesperson, said Monday that ongoing talks were with Oman, the country on the other side of the strait, and were focused only on establishing a temporary route for safe navigation through the channel.

Nine vessels transited through the strait Sunday, most of them using an Iranian-controlled route, according to trade data and analytics platform Kpler.

Trump voiced frustration at Iran's public posturing, suggesting the country's leaders begged for the discussions, despite their claims of only wanting to deal with Oman.

“Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous!” the U.S. president vented on Truth Social, his social media platform.

Iran's top delegates head to Iraq and Pakistan

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived Monday in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf to participate in the Arbaeen commemorations, an annual pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims, his office said on social media.

Araghchi’s trip comes as Iraq has been walking a tightrope between Iran and the U.S., an act that has only grown more fraught since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran in February.

Meanwhile Iran's Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, Mohammad Atabak, headed Monday to Pakistan for a two-day visit expected to focus in part on ways to ease transit bottlenecks and move more Iranian containers through Pakistani ports during the U.S. naval blockade.

Syrian and Iraqi leaders discuss security concerns

Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Iraq’s Kurdish regional president met Monday in Damascus to discuss ways of improving mutual cooperation and contributing to regional security.

The meeting between al-Sharaa and Nechirvan Barzani came amid regional tensions as Iranian-backed Iraqi militia groups carried out multiple drone strikes targeting American interests across Iraq, including the country’s Kurdish region.

Syrian state media reported last month that authorities at the country’s border with Iraq thwarted an attempt in June to smuggle weapons believed to have been headed to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Hezbollah denied the charges.

Iran executes 2 men it says spied for Israel

Iran’s judiciary said it executed two men Monday after convicting them of spying for Israel during both last year’s 12-day war and the ongoing conflict.

The judiciary’s Mizan news agency identified the two as Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat, who were accused of providing military coordinates, images and other intelligence used in attacks on Iranian targets. The agency did not specify where the executions took place.

Last week, Iran publicly hanged two men convicted of killing four police officers during nationwide anti-government protests in January.

Gaza official urges Israel to halt attacks

A top official overseeing Gaza’s postwar transition met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, in part to press him to halt military attacks on the territory.

Nikolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza on the Board of Peace, also discussed with Netanyahu the need to decommission all weapons in the enclave, the international body established by the U.S. said in a statement.

An Israeli strike Monday evening hit a car in Gaza City, killing two men, according to Shifa Hospital, where the casualties were taken. Over the weekend, Israeli attacks left at least 17 people dead, including children, according to hospitals in Gaza.

The Israeli military said the weekend strikes targeted militants. It confirmed Monday's strike and said it would release more information later.

Days earlier, the U.S. and Hamas reached a deal to disarm the militant group, a potential step toward ending the war in Gaza.

Gaza residents swelter in tents

Soaring temperatures in Gaza this summer have turned the makeshift tents sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians into suffocating ovens. Made of plastic sheets, the shelters trap heat during the day and offer little ventilation, forcing many families to spend hours outside.

The extreme weather compounds an already dire humanitarian crisis. With limited access to clean water, electricity and sanitation, residents of the overcrowded camps are at high risk of dehydration, heat-related illnesses and the spread of skin infections, diarrheal diseases and other communicable illnesses, humanitarian agencies warn.

“There is no breeze, nothing,” said Aida Abu Hadeesha, a woman displaced from the town of Rafah, near the border with Egypt. “Our kids are suffering."

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Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece and Boak from Washington. Associated Press reporters Julia Frankel in Jerusalem, Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Philip Marcelo in New York also contributed to this report.

The schools announced Monday they have agreed to a four-game home-and-home series. Notre Dame will play in Los Angeles on Aug. 31, 2030, and the Trojans will visit South Bend, Indiana, on Aug. 30, 2031. The meetings in 2032 and 2033 will be played in the first three weeks of the season.

The teams met each non-pandemic season from 1946-2025, typically in October or November, in what became known as “the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football." The exception was the 2020 season when most schools played a conference-only schedule.

The 2030 date opened up when defending national champion Indiana canceled a home-and-home series with the Irish that was scheduled for 2030 and 2031, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made.

Negotiations between Notre Dame and USC to continue the annual series became challenging after the Trojans joined the Big Ten in 2024. The Trojans expressed that they did not want to play nonconference games after September. Notre Dame beat the Trojans 34-24 in South Bend last Oct. 18, and the series officially went on hiatus in December when the Irish announced they had filled the last open spot on their 2026 schedule with a game at BYU.

Notre Dame and USC first played in 1926 and the Irish lead the series 53-38-5. The series also was put on hold from 1943-45, during World War II.

The two schools have combined to win 22 national championships and produce 15 Heisman Trophy winners, and the discontinuation prompted consternation on both sides. Navy is the only team Notre Dame has played more than USC, at 98 meetings.

Notre Dame and USC play for the Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy, a tradition which began in 1952. The Jeweled Shillelagh Trophy is presented by the Notre Dame Club of Los Angeles. Notre Dame victories are marked by green-jeweled shamrocks while USC victories are marked by ruby-jeweled Trojan heads.

“USC’s historic rivalry with Notre Dame holds a special place in the history of college football, and we are happy to resume a series that means so much to the entire Trojan Family,” USC athletic director Jen Cohen said. “It remains important for us to play this game early in the season, as it allows us to schedule competitively with our Big Ten peers and takes into account the health and best interests of our student-athletes and program. We are excited for our fans, and we look forward to more memorable matchups and unforgettable games between the Trojans and the Irish.”

The Hoosiers and Irish last met in the first CFP playoff to be held at a campus site in December 2024. Notre Dame won 27-17 in South Bend and reached the national championship game before losing to Ohio State 34-23.

In 2021, Indiana and Notre Dame agreed to what was supposed to be the first regular-season game between the two in-state schools since 1991. The Irish have won seven straight in the series with Indiana's last victory coming in 1950.

But since the arrival of coach Curt Cignetti in 2024, Indiana has not played any Power Four schools, or Notre Dame, outside the conference schedule or the playoffs. The Hoosiers drew some criticism last summer when they also canceled a scheduled home-and-home series with Virginia. Indiana responded by winning its first Big Ten title since 1967, the first national championship in school history and by becoming the first 16-0 team in major college football since the 1890s.

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AP Sports Writer Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

The sheriff said investigators spent hundreds of hours following leads after a May 20 report alleged several juveniles had abused and attempted to drown the puppy, known as Ghost. The allegation prompted extensive canvassing, witness interviews and searches for video evidence.

Cook said the couple who took possession of the puppy, identified as Zachery and Amber Manning, told investigators they had found the dog and accepted it when the owner offered to rehome it. Because their landlord did not allow pets, the couple concocted a false story about the dog’s abuse to gain sympathy and persuade the landlord to let them keep the dog, the sheriff said.

“We spent hundreds of hours canvassing the neighborhood, interviewing potential witnesses, looking for video evidence,” Sheriff Cook said. “When we confronted [the Mannings], they finally admitted that they had made up the story.”

News4JAX previously reported that Allen Belton and his wife took Ghost in and cared for him until he died days later. A necropsy by a veterinarian determined the dog died of natural causes and not by drowning, Cook said. The sheriff’s office said that the Beltons were told the false story by the Mannings.

The sheriff said the Mannings avoided interviews for weeks before admitting they had fabricated the account.

Detective Gary Winterstein, who led much of the probe, received heavy public criticism online as investigators worked the case, the sheriff said, and thanked residents who provided tips and information.

First Coast Crime Stoppers also offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the juveniles involved in the case.

“We would not be here today if it weren’t for all the people coming forward, trying to help,” she said.

Cook said they are working with the state attorney’s office to pursue charges related to making a false report and lying to investigators.

Further updates will be released as the case develops, she said.

The rainfall totals have been higher near and along I-75 as a Flood Watch continues through 8 p.m. The Flood Watch includes southwestern Columbia and western Alachua counties.

Scattered showers with storms will continue through around 7 - 8 p.m. Showers will be possible overnight.

Daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms will continue this week with locally heavy rainfall possible. Flooding, damaging wind and lightning remain as the main hazards.

Tonight: Cooler under cloudy skies with showers possible overnight.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy to mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms, 40-50 percent for NE FL, 20-40 percent for SE GA. Lows in the 70s. Afternoon highs in the low 90s inland, upper 80s to low 90s along the beaches. Wind: SW 5-15 mph.

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

Tropics: Models are hinting at potential development along the mid-Atlantic. The current forecast is no Tropical activity for the next 7 days.

Sunrise: 6:47 p.m.

Sunset: 8:19 p.m.

The fires in and around Spokane, the state’s second-largest city, had burned about 12.5 square miles (about 32 square kilometers) by Monday and filled the sky with smoke and haze. Light winds and lower temperatures arrived to help firefighters, but about 700 buildings had been destroyed and some 67,000 people were under evacuation orders.

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

Among those who returned were Miriam and Daniel Sim, both 76. Miriam held her hand over her mouth as she surveyed the ruins of the home where they had lived since 2005.

"It’s like a war zone,” Miriam said. “There’s nothing to save.”

“At our age, do we want to rebuild?” her husband asked.

No deaths or major injuries have been reported so far

Cpl. Mark Gregory, a spokesperson for the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, said the county initially received nearly 300 reports of missing people, but by Monday they had cleared all but 14.

Those outstanding reports more likely represented people who had not been in contact since evacuating than people who were truly missing or in danger, authorities said.

The Spokane-area wildfires were completely uncontained, said Courtney James, a spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

They were among dozens across the Western U.S. stretching the ability of federal, state and local agencies to fight them. At least 390 square miles (1,000 square kilometers) has burned across Washington.

Authorities warned people not to fly drones near the burned areas, saying it could force them to delay aerial firefighting operations.

Homes, cars, possessions lost in flames

Angela and Wayde Deatherage, both 49, evacuated shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday with a son, grabbing a few bins of family photos and heirloom rings but not much else. Roughly 30 minutes later, their security camera was sending fire notifications to Angela’s phone.

Wayde Deatherage took some back roads and returned by early evening. He stopped at the end of the street and called his wife: “Our house is done.”

Deatherage, however, wasn't done with his neighborhood. He propped a hose at another house so it sprayed the property. He called it simple prevention — and it worked. That home survived.

The couple returned to their property Sunday.

“It’s just ash,” Angela Deatherage said of the home where they had lived for nearly 22 years. ”It’s like our house sunk down in the basement. ... There’s just so much loss for so many people.”

Friends and relatives of fire victims posted online appeals for money, clothes and basic necessities. Kory and MacKensie Aspaas were away with their children when the disaster hit.

“They are coming back from being out of town to a life that’s been completely wiped out,” friend Kali Butler said.

Officials said Sunday that the evacuees in Spokane included patients at its U.S. Veterans Affairs hospital. Investigators had yet to determine how the blazes started.

Grassland burns in Idaho, Oregon and Utah

Spokane was hardly the only place struggling to contain fires.

Crews using bulldozers and helicopters continued for a 10th day to fight a fire that has burned nearly 525 square miles (about 1,360 square kilometers) of grassland in western Idaho and eastern Oregon. The area is home to cattle ranches, and authorities said the fire is threatening more than 600 homes and 800 other structures.

The weather in the area was expected to remain sunny and dry well into the week, with temperatures rising to more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) on Wednesday. Officials say the fire was caused by lightning.

In central Utah, a massive blaze more than doubled in size over the weekend and was nearly 57 square miles (147 square kilometers) by Monday morning. More than 100 cattle have been killed, according to law enforcement.

Heavy winds helped flames jump containment lines.

The fire was moving north toward Fillmore, a town of about 2,600 people and the seat of Millard County. Mandatory evacuations were ordered Sunday evening for the town's southern portion.

The National Weather Service issued warnings about the air quality across the northwest. It issued red flag fire warnings for parts of Utah and Montana and western Nebraska, and extreme heat warnings for the southern parts of Arizona, California and Nevada and northern Montana.

Spokane sets up shelter for impacted residents

In Spokane, about 400 people were staying at city's main convention center, which was turned into a shelter, officials said.

Spokane Public Schools opened a free emergency drop-in camp for children on Monday. Trials at the county court were pushed to Aug. 10.

Several larger fires continued to burn in less populated areas northwest of Spokane.

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Johnson reported from Seattle. Associated Press writers John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; Kathy McCormack in Concord, N.H.; Martha Bellisle in Seattle; and Ed White in Detroit contributed.

Monday's witnesses included doctors who tried to save two of the children and treated Clancy after she jumped from her home's second-floor window following the killings. She remains paralyzed from the waist down.

Two days later, when a forensic psychologist asked how she felt, Clancy responded: “horrified.” She also asked if she had a lawyer and whether her body and legs were broken. She was intubated and could only communicate through written messages on a whiteboard, the psychologist testified.

“She then asked, can she have visitors, and where her family is,” Dr. Jhilam Biswas of Brigham and Women’s Hospital recalled.

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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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Witnesses in ensuing days could shed more light on the mental health issues at the heart of the case. Clancy's defense says she was a loving mother who was overmastered by postpartum psychosis, a dangerous psychiatric condition that afflicts a small proportion of women after childbirth and affects their hold on reality.

Prosecutors contend that she acted intentionally and should be held criminally responsible for the deaths of Callan, Dawson and Cora Clancy, who ranged in age from 8 months to five years.

Father returns home to a shocking scene

Clancy, 35, wept at the defense table last week as ex-husband Patrick Clancy and other witnesses testified.

He told jurors about returning to a horrible scene at their house: a bloodied bedroom, an open window, his wife on the ground below it, the children in the basement, throttled with exercise bands.

“She killed the kids!” he told a 911 dispatcher on a call played in court.

Dr. Michael Snyder recalled Monday how Cora had no heartbeat and was declared dead soon after arriving at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center-Plymouth. Eight-month-old Callan was “cold on arrival,” “quite limp” and showed signs of brain swelling.

“When he arrived at Plymouth, he was in cardiac arrest,” said Dr. Andrew Capraro of Boston Children’s Hospital, where Callan was transferred. The baby needed a ventilator to help him breathe but did have a heartbeat. He died three days later.

Lindsay Clancy sought help for postpartum depression

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

In the three months before the killings, various clinicians prescribed Clancy a range of antidepressants, sleep aids, an antipsychotic and other medications while she reported increasingly profound insomnia, anxiety, despair and confusion about what was real, according to her lawsuit.

When she sought care at a postpartum depression program in late December 2022, providers noted that her symptoms might be due to medication, according to her lawsuit. It says those clinicians told her to taper off the antipsychotic drug and then discharged her after a day.

Clancy checked herself into a psychiatric hospital that New Year’s Eve and spent several days there. Once home, she resumed appointments with her psychiatrist, who last saw her for 17 minutes on Jan. 23, 2023, according to her lawsuit.

The next day, she believed a commanding voice was telling her to “kill the children so you can kill yourself,” according to her lawyers.

That evening, she asked her husband to run some errands, a request that prosecutors cast as a ploy to get him out of the house. In a rare site visit this past Friday, jurors passed the businesses to which he went, and then they were escorted through the Cape Cod-style home where the Clancys lived.

Prosecutors will try to keep the spotlight on Clancy

In separate lawsuits, Lindsay and Patrick Clancy allege that various providers failed her and should have recognized she was a risk to herself and the children. The providers, at least those who have responded to date, deny the allegations and dispute that she clearly told them she intended to harm the children.

Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham sought in an opening statement last week to keep jurors' focus on the defendant, not her doctors.

“This is not a public debate about women’s mental health and how the medical system treats women,” Buckingham said.

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.

The president on Monday said that new talks between Washington and Tehran are the “last chance” for Iran to forge a deal and avoid an escalation of U.S. strikes on the country.

Trump, speaking at the Oval Office, said he expects negotiations will focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and create a pathway for Iran to address the United States’ concerns about its nuclear program. He told reporters they would likely learn about the status of the negotiations “today or tomorrow.”

“The first phase is the opening of the straits. The second phase will be the denuclearization," the Republican president said. “And that will take a little while.”

While Trump has reveled in the U.S. military decimating layers of Tehran’s leadership and devastating its air force and navy, Iran is betting it can outlast Trump as he faces diminished stockpiles of munitions and the difficulty of executing a war that's unpopular with the American electorate ahead of November’s midterm election.

Trump said he decided to hold off on ordering American forces to carry out new massive strikes against Iran at the urging of Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

He said a plan was in place for U.S. forces to carry out “the biggest attack since World War II” on Sunday. But he decided to scrap the plan and give diplomacy more time to play out after hearing from key Gulf leaders — including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — as well as at the request of unnamed Iranian officials.

But Trump reiterated that he’s running out of patience with Iran.

“This the last chance for them to sign a good document,” Trump said.

Earlier Monday, Trump had criticized Iran on social media as being “unbelievably duplicitous.”

His ire was raised by Iran claiming that its meetings with Oman on Monday were focused solely on establishing a temporary route for safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the global oil trade.

“They ask for a meeting, some would say ‘beg,’ talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they’re not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they’re only dealing with Oman,” Trump grumbled.

Trump said whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking” about preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Trump has threatened to escalate attacks on Iran only to edge away from his threats several times since the start of U.S. and Israel strikes on Feb. 28.

Asked by a reporter how Americans view him repeatedly making grim threats on Tehran before backing away, Trump responded that he’s showing patience out of a consideration for Iranian life.

“I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” Trump said. He added, “Hopefully, they’ll come to their senses.”

Critics see Trump reaching for a reset button as a pattern

Trump may still come to the conclusion that a massive escalation in the conflict with Iran is necessary.

But critics say his hesitation also might reflect an unspoken understanding inside the administration that U.S. military might alone may not be enough to compel Iran to back down and bring an end to a now monthslong war that Trump had earlier downplayed as a weekslong excursion.

“I think what we’re seeing here is a president who has an approach that’s just rather erratic,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, on CBS News' “Face the Nation.” “At this point, he's trying to get us back to February. And I think if he could — if he had a big reset button he could hit — he would certainly take that option.”

There have been several moments over the course of the conflict when Trump has demonstrated his proclivity for the bellicose only to back off at the last minute, while declaring his threats spurred progress:

— In early April, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire in an announcement that came less than two hours before a deadline Trump had set for Tehran to capitulate or face attacks on bridges and power plants — strikes he said would mean “a whole civilization will die.”

— After days of dire threats against Iran, Trump announced on May 18 he was holding off on a major planned military strike because “serious negotiations” were underway, crediting Gulf allies for persuading him to show restraint.

— Then in June, Trump threatened on social media to hit Iran “VERY HARD” and seize Iran’s energy base on Kharg Island to "assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets,” only to call off the strikes in another post after claiming that peace negotiations had progressed with high-level Iranian leaders.

Call with Saudi crown prince affected Trump's decision

With this latest episode, Trump suggested that the Saudi crown prince played a particularly important role in him turning away from escalating the fight.

The U.S. president spoke by phone with the de facto leader of the kingdom on Saturday before announcing he was halting planned strikes.

The crown prince conveyed that an escalation in fighting could have a severe impact on the global economy if Tehran responded to a new U.S. bombardment by targeting some of the United States’ Gulf allies, according to a person briefed on the call who was not authorized to comment publicly and insisted on anonymity.

Saudi officials, the person added, have underscored in their engagements with the Trump administration that the kingdom is in a good position to defend itself against further potential Iranian strikes — as are fellow energy titans Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — but that Kuwait could be more vulnerable to attacks by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq.

As Trump threatens escalation, Republicans face tough polling

Trump has insisted that November’s midterm elections aren't shaping his approach to the conflict, which has spurred unease across the global economy.

But it's certainly on the minds of his fellow Republicans.

About two-thirds of U.S. adults say the war with Iran has not been worthwhile, according to polling from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research published last week. That includes the vast majority of Democrats and independents, as well as about 37% of Republicans.

One of Trump's most outspoken allies on Capitol Hill suggested on Sunday the administration needs to modulate its approach on Iran.

Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy said on NBC's “Meet the Press” that the debate in Washington has lost perspective on the devastation the U.S. military has inflicted on Iran since the start of the war.

Still, the Republican lawmaker acknowledged that further escalating the conflict could lead to another surge in already elevated energy prices and “a lot of inflation for the American people.”

Kennedy made the case that tightening sanctions and targeting Iran's nuclear program — rather than escalating the conflict — might be the best bet for the moment.

“They’re all hellish choices,” Kennedy said. “But for the moment I’d maintain the status quo.”

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AP writers Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Josh Boak in Washington contributed reporting.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because deadline deal hadn't been announced. The 28-year-old Rutschman is hitting .251 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs this season. He earned an All-Star nod for the third time but is currently on the injured list with left wrist inflammation. He's also dealt with an ankle injury and a concussion this year.

If he can return to the field soon, Rutschman is a significant addition for a Boston team that stormed back into the postseason picture with a 15-game winning streak last month. The Red Sox needed catching help, and their offense is also dealing with injuries to Triston Casas, Trevor Story, Roman Anthony and even the recently acquired Curtis Mead.

The Orioles drafted Rutschman with the No. 1 overall pick in 2019, but unlike Bobby Witt Jr., the second pick that year, he hasn't signed a long-term contract. Rutschman can become a free agent after next season.

Trading him to an AL East rival is a bitter pill for some Baltimore fans. In many ways, he represented both the success and failure of the past few years for the Orioles. He made his debut in 2022 and the team took off, finishing with a winning record that year and then storming to a 101-win campaign in 2023.

Baltimore made the playoffs in 2024, but Rutschman slumped down the stretch and was unable to rebound in 2025, when the Orioles collapsed to a last-place finish. He's been better this year but has played in only 67 games. Baltimore is 54-58 and entered Monday 2 1/2 games behind the final playoff spot in the American League.

Samuel Basallo, who has 16 homers this season, now becomes Baltimore's clear No. 1 catcher. However, the 21-year-old Basallo is currently on the injured list as well.

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

Under Florida law, the Second Chance Act, all rising ninth graders who intend to play a sport in school are required to have an ECG screening of their heart starting this school year.

The test can detect undiagnosed heart conditions that can cause sudden cardiac arrest.

Ashlen’s twin sister, Skyler, will be playing softball at Bartram and was required to take the test to play. Their mother took both girls to an event offered by Who We Play For, which offers free ECG screenings to Florida students.

“She asked me, ‘Why do I have to do it?’” explained Ashlen’s mom, Andrea Byrd. “I felt kind of a nudge in my side, like, ‘Let’s just do it, just in case.’”

She credits that “nudge,” a feeling in her gut, as a decision that saved her daughter’s life. Days after her daughters underwent the heart screening, her phone rang.

Ashlen’s ECG test revealed she had an undiagnosed heart condition known as Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which can cause the heart to beat out of rhythm and trigger sudden cardiac arrest.

“Fourteen years of living a healthy life, of undergoing normal physicals, participating in activities, going to overnight camp, running, swimming, playing with friends like nothing was wrong,” she explained about her seemingly perfectly healthy teenagers. “And suddenly we were facing potentially a life-threatening condition.”

Ashlen required heart surgery, a terrifying reality for the 14-year-old.

“I was just worried that something bad was going to happen during the procedure,” she said.

Doctors performed an ablation on her heart, which prevents it from skipping out of its normal rhythm.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is not as rare in young people as you might think. It is the leading cause of death on school campuses.

According to Who We Play For, an organization created to eliminate preventable SCA in young people, 96% of standard youth wellness checkups miss deadly heart conditions.

An ECG, which is a painless screening of the heart, is considered the most effective tool to identify youth at risk for SCA, yet the test is not part of a standard wellness visit performed at a pediatrician’s office.

There are often no symptoms; in fact, according to Who We Play For, sudden cardiac arrest is the first symptom for 80% of those who collapse, and 1 in 300 youth has a detectable and potentially life- threatening heart condition that has not been diagnosed.

Who We Play For was created by friends of Rafe Maccarone, who died in 2007 after collapsing on the field warming up for soccer practice at his school in Cocoa Beach.

After his death, doctors discovered he had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, even though his family says he had no symptoms until he collapsed.

Who We Play For has worked for years with state legislators to require ECG tests of student-athletes.

The Second Chance Act is named in honor of Chance Gainer, who collapsed and died of sudden cardiac arrest during a football game in Port St. Lucie in 2024.

Ashlen Tarzwell can now find comfort knowing her heart condition has been corrected.

“I can finally be a child again,” she said, “because of that ECG, I’m still alive to this day.”

Her mother’s message now to any parent who will listen: Get your child screened because “you just never truly know.”

You can find an ECG screening event near you by clicking here.

The Padres (58-54) have won eight of nine to move one game back of the final NL wild-card playoff position, and this latest surge in their up-and-down season prompted general manager A.J. Preller to trade yet another chunk of his severely depleted farm system for another chance to win now.

San Diego gave up right-hander Miguel Mendez and 17-year-old shortstop Joniel Hernandez for the 34-year-old Ray, a former Cy Young Award winner who will be an unrestricted free agent this winter.

The Padres, who desperately needed a veteran starter for a rotation with the majors' fourth-highest ERA, also got cash considerations to pay part of Ray's $25 million salary.

Ray is 10-6 with a 3.08 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings this season, his third with San Francisco. He has been largely outstanding over the past two months, posting a 1.65 ERA since the start of June while allowing one earned run or fewer in nine of his past 11 starts.

Ray is the only starting pitcher to beat the Padres in the past 10 days, throwing six innings of four-hit ball at Petco Park in the Giants' 4-1 win last Thursday. Ray has won seven consecutive decisions.

Ray made his name and earned his first All-Star selection while pitching for Arizona from 2015-20. The Padres visit the Diamondbacks starting Monday night for a key four-game series between NL West rivals separated by one game in the wild-card standings.

Ray won his Cy Young with Toronto in 2021. He had Tommy John surgery in early 2023 while with Seattle, but he has returned to be a dependable starter for the Giants, earning another All-Star nod last season.

The Padres' recent success has been driven by an offense that has awoken from its first-half slumber, but their starting rotation is perilously thin due to injuries.

San Diego's only regular starting pitchers are Michael King and Walker Buehler, forcing the team to throw three bullpen games per rotation turn with Griffin Canning, Randy Vasquez and German Marquez anchoring the outings. Even after a surprisingly strong start to the season, San Diego's rotation has posted an ugly 4.66 ERA this year.

Opening Day starter Nick Pivetta has been out since April with a right elbow injury, but he is on track to return in late August. Earl season acquisition Lucas Giolito has been out since late June with elbow soreness, while veteran Joe Musgrove has not pitched this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2024. Right-hander Yu Darvish is also out for the season.

The rotation woes contributed to a midseason slide that had the Padres looking like likely deadline sellers, with hard-selling closer Mason Miller possibly on the block. Ray's acquisitioned signaled that Preller is back in buyer mode.

Mendez and Hernandez were considered to be two of the top 10 prospects remaining in Preller's system, which has been decimated by years of deadline deals to chase this franchise's first championship with a roster built around sluggers Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.

The Padres have made the playoffs in four of the past six seasons, a first in franchise history, but have reached just one NL Championship Series.

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

As he battled an aggressive cancer that would eventually take his life last weekend, Thomas made it a point to tell his players at University Christian one very important thing.

“Make sure the team lived their life to the fullest,” said UC head coach David Penland III. “Everybody has an expiration date. We don’t know when it is or when it’s going to come. Coach Thomas wanted people to be good people and honor God.”

The popular and longtime assistant coach for the University Christian football team, died on Saturday after a battle with melanoma cancer.

Tributes to Thomas rolled in across social media and the family’s private Facebook group after his wife, Leanne, posted about his passing. Thomas was 50. He and Leanne celebrated their 28^th wedding anniversary on the day of his death.

Penland, now entering his 16^th season at his alma mater, had worked with Thomas from the moment he arrived to lead the program in 2011. Penland said that Thomas loved coaching his sons, Caleb and Luke, from youth football all the way through their UC days. After Luke graduated in 2024, Penland said Thomas elected to keep on coaching at UC because he loved the program. He was a certified gear head, and loved getting new sports hats and attire, and especially shoes.

“He’s been there in some way, shape or form ever since I’ve been there,” Penland said. “He just loved the program. And he was a gear guy. I knew I couldn’t give out gear until I got it to Matt first. When we saw him last week, all he wanted to talk about was football. He said, ‘you got my gear yet?’ I said ‘I’ll bring it to you, brother.’ He loved UC. He loved the kids. [I’ll miss] the non-football stuff, really. Football brought us close, but the friendship I’ll definitely miss the most.”

A 1994 graduate of University Christian, Thomas was a star in both baseball and football for the Christians. UC won football titles under legendary head coach Robby Pruitt in 1991 and ’92. Matt played alongside his twin brother, Jeremy, throughout his high school years.

UC retired Jeremy’s football jersey number (86) during a 2019 game against Bishop Kenny. Tragically, Jeremy died Oct. 22, 2020, after a 14-month battle with brain cancer. During that time, Matt and Jeremy were able to enjoy trips together and take advantage of the time that they had left. Matt said during Jeremy’s jersey retirement that he’d tried to make every memory he could during the face of such a challenging time. Matt wound up facing that challenging time of his own after being diagnosed with cancer last March.

UC will miss Matt, too.

Defensive lineman Julius LaRosa III said the team had missed his presence at camp as he battled the cancer, but he was never too far away from the squad. Thomas had coached LaRosa since his ninth grade season.

“Not only was he a coach he was also a great person off the field,” said LaRosa. “Coach Thomas loved us and we also love him. One thing that reached out to me that Coach Thomas said when we did our three-mile run to his house was ‘live each day and life to the fullest.’ Although it is a tough time right now we are still in high spirits to know he is in a great place now. We are playing this season for Coach Thomas.”

On July 15, News4JAX posted a video of the UC football team jogging from school to Matt and Leanne’s house roughly three miles away to encourage and pray for him. It was a special morning for both players, coaches and the Thomas family. The story about UC running to Coach Thomas’ house went viral and made it to NBC Nightly News.

Matt’s family said that visit gave him a much-needed boost in his fight. During treatment a week later, the family posted an update that the cancer had spread and that Matt would be entering palliative care but still continuing his fight.

Pittsburgh, looking to end a decade-long playoff drought, sent shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura to the Mets in exchange for the 32-year-old Weaver, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet official.

The addition of Weaver signals an unusually aggressive financial push by the typically frugal Pirates. Weaver is in the first season of a two-year, $22-million deal.

The move comes with Pittsburgh's bid for the National League's third wild-card spot flickering a bit following a 2-7 stretch in which the bullpen has faltered repeatedly.

The trade for Weaver is the second significant acquisition by the Pirates around the deadline. Pittsburgh brought in former All-Star reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees on Saturday. Doval allowed a run in one inning of work in his Pirates' debut in a loss to Cincinnati on Sunday.

Weaver had been one of the few bright spots this season for the last-place Mets, going 2-1 with a 1.84 ERA with one save in 42 appearances. A converted starting pitcher, Weaver has been excellent since moving to the bullpen full-time in 2024 with the New York Yankees. He has a 13-8 record with a 2.90 ERA in 168 games with 13 saves with the Mets and Yankees over the last two-plus seasons.

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

The endorsement from GOP Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis paves the way for the Senate Judiciary Committee to advance Blanche's nomination on Tuesday after the Justice Department and lawmakers reached a deal to formally rescind the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund" proposed to settle Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

Cornyn and Tillis had refused to back Blanche's bid for the permanent post without official confirmation killing the fund meant to compensate people who believe they were unfairly prosecuted by the Justice Department. Blanche's written order, issued late Sunday, came after the days of negotiations between the Justice Department and the Republican senators who are leaving Capitol Hill when their terms end in January.

“We want to express our gratitude to Mr. Blanche and his staff for working with us on this, and we look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon," Cornyn, of Texas, and Tillis, of North Carolina, said in a statement.

DOJ order says ‘beyond any doubt’ that fund is dead

Blanche has repeatedly said that the Justice Department was scrapping plans for the fund, which sparked bipartisan outcry over the possibility that violent rioters who attacked police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, could be considered for payments. But skeptical lawmakers said they were concerned that could be revived without a commitment in writing, especially because Trump has continued to defend the idea.

In his order posted on social media late Sunday, Blanche wrote that the department was confirming "beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund.”

Since the settlement of the president's lawsuit against the IRS was announced, “No Members were appointed; no funds were transferred; no process for receiving claims was established; no claims were paid,” the order said. “This order establishes, beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund.”

Cornyn and Tillis had also pressed the Justice Department to limit the scope of a separate piece of the settlement that provided broad immunity for Trump and members of his family from tax audits.

Under the deal, the Justice Department clarified in writing that the tax audit immunity agreement “applies by its terms only retroactively” to claims open at the time of the settlement and does not protect the president from examination of future tax filings. It also makes clear that only the parties that brought the lawsuit — Trump, two of his sons, and the Trump Organization — are covered by the tax agreement.

Cornyn and Tillis said in their statement that they were “pleased” with the concessions made by Blanche.

“From the outset, we were clear that we needed a written document addressing our concerns on the IRS audit agreement and the anti-weaponization fund that included constraining the scope of audit protection by limiting it to the parties of the Settlement Agreement and legally ending the anti-weaponization fund," they wrote.

Democrats, however, noted that the order rescinding the fund doesn't stop the Trump administration from compensating Jan. 6 rioters through a previously established process that allows people to file claims for damages if they believed they were wronged by the government.

“This supposed ‘deal’ doesn’t prevent payouts to violent insurrectionists in the future,” Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff said in a social media post. Schiff added that it also “leaves in place a tax-immunity deal that could help Trump skip taxes on the $2.3 billion he made last year, and still leaves it vague who and what is covered.”

Cornyn, Tillis echo GOP colleagues' concerns as they b

locked Blanche nomination

Blanche’s nomination was thrown into doubt last week after the Judiciary Committee postponed a vote that had been scheduled for Thursday morning as Tillis and Cornyn said they needed more from the administration before they could provide the necessary votes.

After the Thursday vote was delayed, Trump said in a social media post that he might pull Blanche’s nomination and resubmit it after Cornyn and Tillis leave office next year. And on Saturday the president threatened to push forward with the fund if the two Republicans blocked Blanche's nomination.

On Sunday evening, Trump said that people who had faced charges from the Jan. 6, attack on the Capitol and could have benefited from the fund had “their lives destroyed.”

“This would be a reimbursement for the pain that they suffered,” Trump said. “A lot of people like it.”

Blanche, who served as Trump’s defense lawyer in his criminal cases, entered the Justice Department last year as deputy attorney general. He was elevated to the top post after Pam Bondi was fired in April by Trump, who was frustrated by her failure to successfully prosecute his political enemies.

Though Blanche insisted he wasn’t auditioning for the permanent job, he has moved quickly since taking the reins of the department to promote the Trump administration’s agenda and accelerate investigations into the president’s perceived foes.

A censure registers the House’s deep disapproval of a lawmaker's conduct that does not meet the threshold for expulsion.

Edward has denied that any of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, but the committee said his behavior would “lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such.”

The committee highlighted numerous examples of actions it considered inappropriate, including Edwards providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations and sending notes regarding his affection. It found no evidence Edwards explicitly propositioned any person under his employ or engaged in any sexual activity with them.

"Both women were uncomfortable with his behavior (which they attempted to communicate) but were put in an untenable position by virtue of his status as their boss and a Member of Congress," the Ethics Committee said in its report. “Representative Edwards was at minimum blind to that reality, and at worst, dismissive of the impact his inappropriate conduct had on the careers and well-being of two women on his staff.”

Members are prohibited from engaging in sexual harassment or making unwanted advances toward their subordinates. The committee said Edwards acknowledged at least some of the behavior at issue could be viewed as inappropriate. The committee said he also cooperated with the investigation. However, he has not acknowledged or taken responsibility for the harm he caused, the committee said.

The full House will have to vote before any censure would occur. Lawmakers are back in their home districts for almost the rest of the month, so that vote won't occur for a few weeks at the earliest. The congressman's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Ethics Committee's findings.

If you take a walk along RiversEdge, you may wonder what’s currently under construction in Central Park.

The city of Jacksonville confirmed to News4JAX that the large structure currently being built will be a fully equipped outdoor entertainment amphitheater for public use. It will also include a restroom facility.

New renderings posted at the site showed a crowd of people sitting in the grass around a small covered stage.

The city said the amphitheater is expected to be finished by the end of the year and will be used for performances and other programming. City officials will also manage events, including reservations for groups interested in using the space.

As for capacity limits, attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs since the facility will not include fixed seating.

News4JAX also spoke with Preston Hollow Community Capital, which is developing the project with the Downtown Investment Authority.

Developers confirmed that the amphitheater marks the final public development at RiversEdge, and remaining vacant parcels are expected to be used for future vertical development, such as apartments or hotels, with public parking accessible to parkgoers.

The case is the latest legal action between states and the federal government over the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which like other public programs have come under scrutiny from the Trump administration as sources of potential fraud.

The coalition of states sued in federal court in Washington to stop the agency that controls the program from moving ahead with a rule that would allow it to share recipients' immigration status, Social Security numbers and additional personal information with other parts of government or potentially with private entities, according to the lawsuit.

“Instead of helping families struggling with the rising cost of living, this administration is trying to turn antipoverty programs against the people they’re supposed to serve,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.

Earlier this year, a judge prevented the Trump administration from withholding Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and other subsidy program funding from a handful of Democratic-controlled states, after the federal government said there was “reason to believe” the states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally. A federal government lawyer later said the move was largely in response to news reports about possible fraud.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program provides more than $16 billion to states, D.C. and tribal governments in the form of grants that the local governments then have broad discretion to use to help low-income families through cash assistance, job training or other programs.

Along with New York and the District of Columbia, joining the lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania have also signed onto the suit.

The federal Administration for Children and Families declined to comment Monday.

Nikolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza, held “constructive and detailed” talks with the prime minister and his team, the Board of Peace said in a statement.

“The goal is clear and is not in question: the complete decommissioning of weapons in the Strip and the transition away from rule by the gun to civilian governance,” it said.

According to two people familiar with the meeting, Mladenov also pressed Netanyahu to halt Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip. Mladenov and his team, including senior adviser Aryeh Lightstone, are pressuring Israel to stop striking Gaza as they push ahead with the agreement to decommission the weapons held by Hamas.

President Donald Trump announced the agreement, which is part of a broader ceasefire deal reached last year, late Thursday. It called 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 decommission 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 United States.

It also ramped up its strikes in Gaza, killing 17 people overnight Saturday and into Sunday, according to local health officials. There were no recorded airstrikes in Gaza on Monday.

Israeli attacks have killed 1,250 people since the ceasefire deal was reached in October, an agreement that ended major fighting in a war that had raged for two years.

The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.

Israel's military offensive in Gaza has since killed 73,375 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants but they are considered generally reliable by the United Nations and other international organizations.

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Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed.

But a sweeping audit immunity plan conferred on the president, his sons and the Trump Organization remains in place — given new parameters to appease the senators but still with the potential to wipe away millions of dollars of Trump's back taxes.

In a document Blanche sent to the lawmakers Sunday, he said the audit immunity, struck as part of a deal to resolve the president's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, would not protect the president from the examination of future tax filings. Instead, he noted, it “applies by its terms only retroactively” to claims open at the time of the lawsuit's settlement.

For the holdout GOP lawmakers who opposed both the fund and the audit deal, those assurances were enough and are expected to clear the way for Blanche's confirmation to serve as attorney general.

But the political accommodation leaves in place a highly unusual agreement over the president's taxes that has spurred bipartisan outrage and tested confidence in the fairness of the tax system.

The original audit deal promised broad protections for Trump

Trump’s audit immunity came as part of the controversial settlement crafted to resolve Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit filed earlier this year against the IRS over his leaked tax returns. The deal drew furor from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, largely over the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund.”

According to the initial outline of the audit deal, spelled out in a one-page document signed by Blanche, the U.S. was “forever barred and precluded” from examining or prosecuting any of the plaintiffs — Trump, his sons and the Trump Organization’s — current tax filings, as well as other “related or affiliated" individuals.

The document sent to Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis Sunday limits both the time frame for investigations and the scope of people who would receive audit protection to Trump, his sons Eric Trump and Donald Jr. and the Trump Organization.

It's unclear how much Trump owes the federal government in back taxes, but the latest details of the deal could wipe away what could be more than $100 million in back taxes, according to previous New York Times and ProPublica reporting.

Lawmakers and legal experts questioned the lawfulness of such protections.

“The good news is that Todd Blanche confirmed in writing that the anti-weaponization slush fund is dead. The bad news is that tax immunity for the president, his sons, and his family business is still alive," said Dan Greenberg, a senior legal fellow at the Cato Institute, calling the immunity deal "the product of an illegal settlement.”

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ruled in July that Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS was filed for an “improper purpose.” Williams did not void the deal shielding Trump from tax scrutiny but said the government cannot claim in official proceedings that the agreement was the result of a legitimate legal process. Trump has appealed the ruling.

Representatives from the White House, IRS, Treasury and Trump’s personal attorneys did not immediately respond to Associated Press requests for comment.

Concerns that Blanche's assurances aren't enough to stop the fund

Some legal and tax experts say the immunity agreement could violate an IRS statute barring executive branch interference in taxpayer audits and investigations.

The statute says it’s against the law for the president or the president’s employees to start or stop an audit or some other investigation of a taxpayer. But the attorney general is allowed to do so, leaving the door open for Blanche to step in to halt an audit against the president, once he is confirmed. Whether he has legal authority to do so is a separate question not resolved by the statute itself.

The rule barring executive influence over directing tax audits comes after the Watergate scandal, when then-President Richard Nixon discussed using the IRS against political opponents and groups on the administration’s “enemies list.” Congress moved to tighten taxpayer privacy protections in 1976.

Nina Olson, founder of the Center for Taxpayer Rights, which has sued the Trump administration over IRS disclosures to immigration enforcement, called the settlement “the lowest point for the IRS since the 1970s."

Concerns over the future of government payouts to Trump allies have also not been entirely eased after Blanche's assurances.

Blanche has maintained under oath in Congress and in his latest writing to lawmakers that the Trump administration is not pursuing the fund.

However, Trump has been less clear about its demise. On Saturday he posted on his Truth Social platform that he would “push hard" for the fund if Blanche were not confirmed. "It will immediately be back on the table, and I will get it done," Trump wrote.

NYU Tax Law Center Policy Director Brandon DeBot questioned whether the fund was actually dead and said “it’s abundantly clear we need congressional action” to ensure it cannot be resurrected.

Democrats say Blanche’s order doesn’t go far enough to prevent the administration from reviving plans for the fund after the acting attorney general’s confirmation and have called for legislation to permanently bar it.

The order also doesn’t stop the administration from compensating Trump allies -- including people who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 -- through a previously established process that allows people to file claims for damages if they believed they were wronged by the government.

Greenberg said he believes Blanche's assurances are "a way for the senators to demonstrate that they’re driving a hard bargain.

“But once you become familiar with the particulars of this situation, it doesn’t really look like they’re driving much of a bargain at all,” he said.

Arraez is batting a National League-best .324 with four homers and 47 RBIs with an .801 OPS. He’s a four-time All-Star and, of importance in the free-swinging Phillies lineup, is a contact hitter who rarely strikes out.

He has struck out just 236 times over his eight-year career.

Arraez has 25 walks to 21 strikeouts this season. The Phillies .304 on-base is second worst in the majors, only ahead of the New York Mets.

The Phillies also acquired right-hander reliever Caleb Kilian in the trade in exchange for minor league right-handed pitchers Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair.

The Giants are 47-65 and have been of baseball’s bigger disappointments.

The Phillies also struck a separate deal for Mets left-hander Brooks Raley in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Luke Gabrysh and minor league outfielder John Spikerman.

Raley has a 5-5 record with a 1.96 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 45 games. His 1.96 ERA is tied for the fourth-lowest mark in the majors among left-handed relievers and 35 appearances this season have been scoreless.

Arraez's arrival means a major shift in the defensive core lineup

Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said Arraez will play second base, triggering a defensive shuffle that will move Bryce Harper back to right field.

Bryson Stott will move from second base to third, and third baseman Alec Bohm will shift to first, where Harper has played since returning from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2023.

Arraez is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, so Harper's move to right could be a temporary change and one that allows for the Phillies to put out their best offensive lineup.

Philly has a big gap to catch the Braves in the NL East

The Phillies entered Monday’s game against Washington at 59-53 and hold one of the final NL wild-card spots. They are eight games back of Atlanta in the NL East.

Arreaz led the National League in hits the past two seasons and had signed a $12 million, one-year contract this season with the Giants. He spent his first five major league seasons with the Minnesota Twins before they traded him to the Miami Marlins in January 2023. San Diego acquired him in May 2024.

Harper challenged team president Dave Dombrowski to upgrade the roster, and he came out swinging with deals that — while not at the level of the Dodgers trading for Tarik Skubal — showed the Phillies are serious about staying in the playoff hunt and making a World Series push in October.

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

The Jaguars need to run the ball better than they did at the end of last season and got a chance to see how Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr. hit the hole and delivered contact on Monday.

Brian Thomas Jr. continued to stack good days, coming up with the catch of training camp on Monday morning. For the Jaguars, a consistent Trevor Lawrence and productive Thomas are the keys to unlocking the full potential of Jacksonville’s offense. The deep ball remains a work in progress, but Thomas has looked excellent in camp.

“When you can throw the ball over somebody’s head, it’s a threat, man. And it’s something that we need. We need not just him to be able to do that but win on some of the other reps,” said head coach Liam Coen. “He’s run a lot of routes out here that maybe weren’t getting targeted to him that he’s won as well that I’ve been pleased with. So, I think it brings everybody up. It elevates everybody’s game when BT is playing at his highest level.”

Thomas playing at his rookie level alongside Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter and Parker Washington would give Lawrence the best set of pass catching weapons in his NFL career. Washington has been rock solid and Meyers has started to click after dropping a few balls early in camp. Add in a healthy Brenton Strange and rookie tight ends Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol, and the Jaguars are poised to make a huge leap.

“I thought we got some good quality work. Good to see some of those guys make some plays one-on-one in those situations,” Coen said. “Have to go back and look at the protection, but it felt somewhat clean. That’ll ramp up more. We’ll continue to get more of that good-on-good work, as we get the pads on and are in pads more consistently.”

QB tracker:

• Trevor Lawrence: 5 for 7.
• Nick Mullens: 3 for 4.
• Carter Bradley: 1 for 3.
• Joey Aguilar: 2 for 2.

RB tracker:

• Bhayshul Tuten: Three carries all with Trevor Lawrence.
• Chris Rodriguez: Three carries all with Lawrence.
• LeQuint Allen: One carry with Lawrence.
• DeeJay Dallas: Four carries all with Nick Mullens.
• Ameer Abdullah: Four carries all with Nick Mullens.
• J’Mari Taylor: Two carries. One with Carter Bradley and one with Joey Aguilar.

Player of the day: Brian Thomas Jr. Tuesday will henceforth be known as BTJ day because WOW. This is the type of practice that reminds people that the sky is the limit for BTJ. During the WR vs DB 1-on-1, he cooked Buster Brown. I mean, had him stumbling off the line. It was a little return route, so Brown had a chance to recover, but BTJ made him stumble again. Just absolutely nasty work in the best way from BTJ. Then a few reps later, he had Jourdan Lewis losing his footing on just a little hitch route. Doing it in 1-on-1’s is one thing, but he made by far the play of the day during 11-on-11. It was good on good. Brown had BTJ on the outside, and it was an absolutely beautiful throw from Trevor Lawrence, but an even better catch from BTJ. One hand was all he needed. The hype is real.

• Defensive Standout: Ruke Orhorhoro was a force on the D-line. He applied consistent pressure from the interior and had 1 clear sack on the day! Before camp, I was asked who could be a sleeper to explode this season, and I said Ruke, and seeing him with the pads on, I stand by that. The Jaguars’ D-line has needed some interior pass rush juice for years, and Ruke is going to be a big part of the solution.
• Maybe the running back battle isn’t as clear-cut as we thought it was. Chris Rodriguez had the same amount of carries as Tuten on Monday. C Rod shined with the pads going on; he ran over one defender and broke another tackle as the coaches let the guys get after it a little bit. Maybe we were sleeping on C Rod.
• Chandler Brayboy got loose during WR vs. DB 1-on-1s. It was a good rep from him. He spent last season on the Jaguars’ practice squad and is facing some stiff competition this year to keep that spot.
• Another day, another play from Zach Durfee. The late-round draft pick has a knack for getting to the QB. He just seems to keep stacking days where he got to the QB.
• Anton Harrison spent his third day in a row at left tackle. Liam Coen said this about it after practice: “I think he’s done a nice job. It’s part of what we’ve done, moving those guys around and seeing what sticks, and if that ends up sticking, hopefully, that’s a good thing for us.” I think this is passed experiment status now. Let’s call it what it is: Walker Little struggled through the early days of camp, where Harrison looked great. I’d bet when it is all said and done, Harrison is the left tackle, and Cole Van Lanen is the right tackle when he is healthy.
• Caleb Ransaw had a nice rep in S vs. TE 1-on-1s; he was matched against Tanner Koziol. It looked like Koziol had beaten him, but Ransaw was able to use his speed to recover and make a nice play on the football; it should have been an interception.

The Jaguars are thrilled to see Travis Hunter back on the field.

It’s been nine long months since Hunter, the unicorn of a football player who won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado in 2024, last saw the field as a fully-functioning Jaguars player.

“It’s been great to be back,” Hunter said.

Jacksonville made the biggest draft dray trade in franchise history last year when it moved up from No. 5 to No. 2 to select Hunter. The Jaguars envisioned Hunter possessing the skills on both sides of the ball to elevate the game itself.

The results were mixed. Hunter had flickers on offense, including a career-best 101 yards and a touchdown in a Week 7 game against the Rams. But he suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice the following week and missed the rest of the season. He was cleared to resume full speed practicing before training camp.

“Just get the rust off right now,” Hunter said. “I’ve been gone for nine months, not able to be out here with my teammates for nine months, so finally being able to hit the grass, knock the rust off and just continue to click with the quarterbacks and click with the defense.”

Jacksonville has said throughout the offseason that it expected to keep playing Hunter on both sides of the ball.

Hunter has gotten more work on the defensive side during the first three days of training camp. He’s expected to start opposite Buster Brown at cornerback. Jacksonville has continued to keep Hunter on a tight schedule as it tries to maximize his reps between corner and receiver. He flips from his white defensive jersey to his teal offensive jersey throughout camp days.

“They’re so crucial to have the time, and you have to be extremely intentional with that time when we have him because it is limited,” said head coach Liam Coen. “I mean, just per side of the ball, especially right now offensively, it’s just over here a little bit less when you’re doing some of the individual work, and it’s showing a little bit with some of the timing that we need to continue to work on, and that’s why those guys get some more extra work after practice.”

QB tracker:

Trevor Lawrence: 11 for 19, five TDs (BTJ 3, Meyers 1, Washington 1; 1 interception (Jarrian Jones)

Nick Mullens: 8 for 20, 3 TDs (Austin Trammell 2, Tanner Koziol 1); 2 interceptions (Jarrian Jones and Branson Combs)

Carter Bradley: 1 for 2.

Joey Aguilar: 1 for 2, TD (J’Mari Taylor).

RB tracker:

Bhayshul Tuten: Four carries all with Trevor Lawrence.

LeQuint Allen: Three carries all with Lawrence.

Ameer Abdullah: Five carries all with Nick Mullens.

DeeJay Dallas: Two carries. One with Lawrence and one with Mullens.

J’Mari Taylor: Two carries, TD.

Arik Armstead had a veterans day off.

Player of the day:

This one was a no-brainer. Jarrian Jones was on one! He wrecked shop! Jones came up with two interceptions but a nice PBU. One of his interceptions came off of Lawrence in the red zone. Lawrence was looking for Parker Washington on as little out route but Jones read it and jumped it. This may be the single most dominant defensive practice I have seen from a Jaguars player in my time covering the team.

The big note from this practice is that Anton Harrison spent the day at left tackle, and Walker Little spent the day at right tackle. The coaching staff loves versatility along the O-line and to try out different combos, so seeing this is a surprise. But this isn’t just a test-it-out type of look right now; the question is who should start at left tackle if Cole Van Lanen isn’t ready Week 1. It wouldn’t surprise me if that person ends up being Anton Harrison. He has spent his entire NFL career up until now at right tackle, but he played left tackle in college.

The linebacker battle between Branson Combs and Ventrell Miller is absolute cinema. These two have been throwing haymakers back and forth each day. Combs made a jumping interception off a pass from Nick Mullens. Miller responded by getting a diving pass breakup a few plays later. These two have both been making plays; this will be a tough battle to judge.

Two photographs published with the announcement showed Suu Kyi shaking hands with Arnaud de Baecque, the ICRC’s representative to Myanmar, and meeting with him in a wood-paneled room.

The Presidential Press and Information Bureau, which released the photographs, said the meeting was held Monday morning but did not disclose the location or provide details about what was discussed.

The ICRC confirmed in a statement on Monday that one of its delegates visited Suu Kyi under its standards and procedures for visiting people deprived of liberty, and spoke with her in private, but it did not disclose details of the discussion.

The organization said it continues to engage with all relevant actors to maintain and expand its access to places of detention in Myanmar.

Two other photographs showed Suu Kyi cutting a pink birthday cake bearing the inscription, “Happy Birthday Aunty Suu,” suggesting they may have been taken during a celebration for her 81st birthday in June.

In the photos, Suu Kyi appeared relaxed and was smiling. She did not show any obvious signs of ill health, although her physical condition could not be independently assessed from the images.

The release came as calls are growing from other countries, including Myanmar's fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, for access to or engagement with Suu Kyi as part of efforts to resolve the country's political crisis.

Kim Aris, her younger son living in London, and Myanmar democracy activists have been waging an online campaign to demand evidence that his mother is alive and well.

In a statement sent to the AP, Aris welcomed the reported ICRC visit, saying it could mark the first positive development concerning his mother in more than five years.

“This may be a first step, but it must not be the last,” Aris said.

He thanked governments, the international community and supporters for standing with his family and backing his campaign to seek proof of his mother’s well-being, while stressing that he had not yet received independent confirmation of her condition.

He said he hoped the visit would lead to direct family contact and her eventual release together with all political prisoners.

Suu Kyi was detained Feb. 1, 2021, when the army seized power from her elected government. She has not been seen publicly since then, and the last official photo of her released was in April, when she was moved from prison to house arrest and her sentence was reduced as part of a prisoner amnesty for a Buddhist holiday.

The country's military leaders, who have faced sanctions and widespread international isolation since seizing power in 2021, have sought to project a return to normalcy by holding a 2025 election and increased engagement with regional neighbors.

However, critics say the transition to a nominally elected government largely composed of former generals and holdovers from the previous military-led government has done little to change the military’s grip on power.

Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the opposition National Unity Government, said the ICRC’s meeting with Suu Kyi shouldn’t be taken as a real move to address human rights or democracy issues.

“Since, from the outset, a country’s leader was wrongfully arrested and imprisoned by finding faults where there were none, she must be released without any conditions,” he said.

The United Nations welcomed the ICRC visit and reiterated its call “for the swift and unconditional release of all those arbitrarily detained as a fundamental step toward conditions conducive to a credible and transparent political process."

U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said Secretary-General António Guterres stresses the importance of a dialogue between all Myanmar parties and his special envoy Julie Bishop on how the U.N., the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and other key players can help peacefully resolve the current conflict.

Police who responded to the shooting found the body of the suspected gunman in an area near the restaurant, Twin Falls city public information officer Josh Palmer said. He did not know if the suspect was included in the fatality count.

Officials were still working on notifying the family members of victims and so were not yet releasing the names, ages or other details about the people hurt in the shooting, Palmer said. Some of the people injured are in critical condition, Palmer said.

Police were still trying to determine the shooter's identity and motive, Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said in a news conference earlier Saturday.

“We believe the threat to the community is over,” Hicks said. “It was a very chaotic scene.”

Palmer said investigators were still interviewing witnesses to the shooting. The restaurant is in a busy shopping plaza, and hundreds of people were in the area when it happened around 2 p.m.

Lane Koehn, 34, said he was at a stoplight near the In-N-Out when he saw a person with an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru. A man with a pistol started firing at the shooter.

He then saw someone in an In-N-Out uniform drag a person, also uniformed, bleeding from a gunshot wound in her chest across the parking lot. The employee, Koehn and the man with the pistol stayed until paramedics arrived for her.

“She was pretty bad off, but I don’t know. I hope she made it,” Koehn said.

Koehn said he was told by police to evacuate because the shooting was still active.

He also said the shooter fired at least three or four rounds and it was not clear whether or not anyone in particular was targeted.

Video taken by a driver from across the street captured a shooter, who appeared to be dressed in black, walking up to a white car carrying a long rifle, opening the driver-side door and popping the trunk. The person then walked to the trunk and reached inside. At that point the driver who shot the video left quickly, fearing that the man might be getting more weapons.

Twin Falls resident Haley Dodaro, 43, and her mother went to In-N-Out for lunch Saturday afternoon. While waiting in the drive-thru line, they saw people running across the road and workers bolting out of the restaurant. At first Dodaro thought there might have been a fire, but then a man directing traffic in a reflective vest said there was a shooter.

“So that’s when we knew there was a shooting. People were running out crying and screaming. It was very scary,” Dodaro said in a text message to The Associated Press.

Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, of Burley, was inside waiting for food with her daughters when she heard shots from the kitchen. An employee said it was a shooting and told people to get down. Rodriguez said an older man tried to protect her and her daughters, and they were among the last to run outside.

“We were trying to get as far as we could and some angels let us in their car,” Rodriguez said, also via text message. “I left my car there in the parking lot.”

The In-N-Out opened just about a week earlier, on July 24, as part of the company’s recent expansion to Idaho.

Police said multiple people were taken to St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center. Hospital spokesperson Taylor Marschner said in a statement that it was “working closely with law enforcement and emergency responders as they manage the situation.”

Twin Falls, a city of about 56,000 people, is about 130 miles (205 kilometers) southeast of Boise and about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of the Nevada border.

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Bellisle reported from Seattle and Raza from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

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This story was first published on Aug. 1. It was updated on Aug. 3 to correct that Twin Falls is about 40 miles, not 75 miles, north of the Nevada border.

Investigators are confident that the gunman, identified as 24-year-old Chad Williams, acted alone during the shooting Saturday at an In-N-Out location in Twin Falls, Police Chief Matthew Hicks said at a news conference.

In all, four people died, including Williams, and seven others were injured at the recently opened restaurant in the southern Idaho city of about 56,000 people. Authorities said Sunday that two of the injured were treated at a hospital and released, three were listed as stable, and two were in critical condition.

Hicks said an off-duty state trooper and an armed citizen — whose identities weren't immediately disclosed — both fired back and diverted the gunman from the restaurant.

“We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties,” the chief said. “We want to take a moment and commend the actions of the off-duty officer and the citizen, and their heroic action to stop this incident.”

Hicks said detectives are working to determine Williams' motives, and said the suspect's family was cooperating fully with law enforcement. Officials asked potential witnesses or anyone with information to contact police.

The chief also warned of misinformation spreading online identifying a different man as the shooter, saying that person had “no involvement in this incident whatsoever.”

In-N-Out worker among the victims

One of those killed was an employee, the fast-food chain’s owner said.

“My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, my eyes burn from the tears I've shed. We lost one of our beautiful Associates tonight,” In-N-Out owner Lynsi Snyder said in a statement released early Sunday on social media. “In-N-Out will be mourning with the families and praying for them as they tread through a very painful season.”

The FBI on Sunday encouraged the public to submit images and videos related to the shooting Saturday in Twin Falls that left seven other people wounded, some critically.

The In-N-Out had opened just about a week earlier, on July 24, as part of the California-based company’s recent expansion to Idaho.

Snyder did not identify the worker. Officials were still trying to notify relatives of victims and so were not yet releasing the names, ages or other details about the people hurt in the shooting, Twin Falls spokesperson Josh Palmer said Saturday.

Police who responded to the shooting found the body of the suspected gunman in an area near the restaurant, Palmer said.

Palmer said investigators were interviewing witnesses to the shooting. The restaurant is in a busy shopping plaza, and hundreds of people were in the area when it happened around 2 p.m.

Witnesses describe chaotic scene

Lane Koehn, 34, said he was at a stoplight near the In-N-Out when he saw a person with an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru. A man with a pistol started firing at the shooter.

He then saw someone in an In-N-Out uniform drag a person, also wearing a uniform, bleeding from a gunshot wound to her chest across the parking lot. The employee, Koehn and the man with the pistol stayed until paramedics arrived for her.

“She was pretty bad off, but I don’t know. I hope she made it,” Koehn said.

He said the shooter fired at least three or four rounds and it was not clear whether or not anyone in particular was targeted.

Video taken by a driver from across the street captured a shooter, who appeared to be dressed in black, walking up to a white car carrying a long rifle, opening the driver-side door and popping the trunk. The person then walked to the trunk and reached inside. At that point the driver who shot the video left quickly, fearing that the man might be getting more weapons.

Twin Falls resident Haley Dodaro, 43, and her mother went to In-N-Out for lunch Saturday afternoon. While waiting in the drive-thru line, they saw people running across the road and workers bolting out of the restaurant. At first, Dodaro thought there might have been a fire, but then a man directing traffic in a reflective vest said there was a shooter.

“So that’s when we knew there was a shooting. People were running out crying and screaming. It was very scary,” Dodaro said in a text message to The Associated Press.

Employee told people to get down

Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, of Burley, was inside waiting for food with her daughters when she heard shots from the kitchen. An employee said it was a shooting and told people to get down. Rodriguez said an older man tried to protect her and her daughters, and they were among the last to run outside.

“We were trying to get as far as we could and some angels let us in their car,” Rodriguez said, also via text message. “I left my car there in the parking lot.”

Twin Falls is about 130 miles (205 kilometers) southeast of Boise and about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of the Nevada border.

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This story was first published on Aug. 2. It was updated on Aug. 3 to correct that Twin Falls is about 40 miles, not 75 miles, north of the Nevada border.

Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis said Monday he felt Young “ascended” to a new level last season, while adding that the 25-year-old’s ceiling is still “unknown.”

After being benched early in his second season, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 responded by throwing for 3,011 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last year while going 8-8 as a starter and leading the Panthers to an NFC South championship.

Still, Young appears ready to enter the season without a long-term contract in place.

He is under contract this season for slightly more than $12 million. The team can pick up the fifth-year option on Young at anytime, which would mean paying him a projected $25.9 million in 2027.

But three years in, this is normally the time when NFL teams consider locking up a quarterback they drafted high — or one they consider a franchise-type player — with a long-term deal.

“I would say he ascended last year and there is still room for him to ascend," said Tilis, who was the lead negotiator for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020 when they locked up Patrick Mahomes with a 10-year, $477 million deal. “His ceiling is currently unknown and I think that is exciting for us. He's working hard to get himself there.”

When asked if the Panthers should have a better idea of where Young's ceiling is by now, Tilis responded, "not necessarily. The team is growing, too. He's going to ascend as the team ascends, and vice versa. The team is going to get better. So it's all good."

Tilis said Young is well-positioned to continue developing this season.

“The team is better, the coaches are good — Bryce is putting in the work, too. So it's all there,” Tilis said. "We will just see how the year plays out. I think we are all really excited for what Bryce is going to show and how the team is going to do."

When asked if that's an indication the team may wait until after the season to consider a contract extension for Young, Tilis remained coy, saying those a discussions that will remain inside the organization and be discussed privately among himself, general manager Dan Morgan, head coach Dave Canales and team owner David Tepper.

“I want what is best for the organization so that is not for me (solely) to decide,” Tilis said. “It's collaborative.”

Canales: Young is playing faster, making quicker decisions

Canales said he’s “really excited” to see what Young will do entering his third year in the current offensive system after watching him at training camp.

“The special plays still show up every day, moving up the spot, pushing up in the pocket, layering balls, all the accuracy — but the part that I’ve been really impressed with this camp is just his chemistry with our receivers," Canales said.

Canales added Young is “playing so much faster” and making quicker decisions.

“It just seems like he’s eliminating things before the snap,” Canales said. “On his drop, he’s starting to eliminate and evaluate things and throwing really anticipatory throws. ... So I love where he’s headed. I love that he’s all in. He seems to be really enjoying it and so we just keep taking it a day at a time and try to challenge ourselves that way.”

Kenny Pickett to start at QB in Hall of Fame game

Young is firmly entrenched as Carolina’s starting quarterback, but he won't play in Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame game, Canales said.

Canales said most of the team's starters will sit out.

Kenny Pickett will start under center with Haynes King also expected to see action.

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

Certification of the Boeing 737 Max 7 represents a milestone in the company's work to overcome years of safety, quality and production challenges. The long-delayed Max 7 is part of Boeing’s 737 family of commercial jets, which is the company's bestseller and has been at the center of its troubles.

The FAA said it cleared the new plane after years of additional testing, design changes and an extensive review of its design and safety systems. The certification was delayed as Boeing addressed technical issues and heightened regulatory scrutiny following two crashes involving the larger Max 8 that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019.

Since the crashes off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia, the FAA overhauled how it certifies Boeing aircraft. It said its oversight of the company would continue beyond the Max 7's approval.

Before signing off on the aircraft, the FAA said, it required Boeing to make several safety changes, including updating flight-control software, improving cockpit alerts for pilots and redesigning the engine anti-ice system to prevent overheating.

“Our team of dedicated engineers and test experts worked through challenges, an extended pandemic, and the transition to new certification processes,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Safety inspectors will remain at Boeing production facilities to monitor manufacturing, including observing the company’s Safety Management System and overall safety culture, the agency said.

The Max 7 is expected to be used primarily on short- and medium-haul routes. Several carriers, including Southwest Airlines, have outstanding orders for the plane.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said both people had underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by the intestinal illness and dehydration. The department said it would not provide additional information about the deaths.

Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea “with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreaks tend to occur most often in the late spring and summer.

The CDC says the illness, called cyclosporiasis, is rarely deadly.

The heat-loving parasite infects the bowels and spreads through feces. In the past, people have been infected by consuming fruits or vegetables that were exposed to feces-contaminated irrigation water.

Cyclosporiasis is less common than other foodborne illnesses, including salmonella and E. coli. Many cases are never linked to a specific food or other source and, for years, few U.S. cyclospora outbreaks were reported. But the number started rising about a decade ago, with a particularly notable spike in 2018 and 2019.

Previously, 2019 saw the most reported U.S. cyclosporiasis cases, with about 4,700.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is aware of more than 18,000 confirmed or suspected cases in the current surge. But CDC numbers can lag state reports, which suggest the number is more than 20,000 nationwide

Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served at Taco Bell locations in nine states as a source of the widespread outbreak. As of late July, the number of cases linked to the lettuce was 1,947, including at least 98 people who had to be hospitalized, according to the CDC.

The agency has said other “brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels” could be tied to the outbreak as the investigation continues.

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Associated Press reporter Mike Stobbe in New York City contributed.

Sáenz, who produced a story collection that won the PEN/Faulkner prize and a young adult novel that received acclaim from readers and reviewers and condemnation from censors, died last week in El Paso, Texas after a lengthy illness, according to a spokesperson for Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. Additional details were not immediately available.

Sáenz, born in Old Picacho, New Mexico, was an ordained Catholic priest who eventually left the order and came out as gay. His “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,” the story of two Mexican American boys falling in love, was published in 2012 and received a pair of citations for outstanding LGBTQ+ literature: a Stonewall Honors Book Award and the Lambda Literary Award.

“Hamilton” playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, who narrated the audio edition and helped produce a 2023 film adaptation, wrote in an Instagram post that he was “heartbroken” over Sáenz's death.

“Rest easy, maestro,” Miranda wrote. The movie starred Max Pelayo and Reese Gonzales as the title characters and also featured Eva Longoria.

The novel's love story led to its being removed temporarily from a school district in Granbury, Texas, and to bans in Russia and in Belarus.

Saenz's other books included the sequel “Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World,” the poetry collection “The Book of What Remains” and such adult novels as “In Perfect Light” and “Names on a Map.”

He received the PEN/Faulkner award in 2013 for “Everything Begins & Ends at the Kentucky Club,” a story collection set in El Paso, and across the border in Juarez, Mexico. Starting in the 1990s, he taught for decades at the University of Texas at El Paso, where he had received a master's degree in creative writing. He served as chair of the school's creative writing department before retiring in 2016.

Next month, Simon & Schuster will publish “When the World Was Happy,” which draws in part upon the loss of his niece in 1990 in a Las Cruces, New Mexico, bowling alley shooting. He was reminded of that tragedy by the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

“That was when I decided that this was not gonna leave me alone until I wrote about it,” he wrote in an author’s note shared by the publisher. “I wanted to write a book about how people survive and live through something as senseless as this.”

Incident reports released by the sheriff’s office identified the suspect as Uyleses Servin and the victims as Cecilia, 47, and Miguel Servin, 51. The reports say the violence began during an argument between Uyleses Servin and his father, when he “withdrew a black semi-automatic handgun from his waist and shot at his father.”

The report says Uyleses Servin also shot at his mother as she and his father ran. According to witnesses quoted in the report, they heard the mother tell Uyleses Servin, “Don’t do it,” before he fired a shot that struck her in the head. The report added that Uyleses Servin’s sister and uncle feared for their lives.

Authorities also say a 2-year-old child was involved. The report said Uyleses Servin picked up the child and exited the home; when confronted by law enforcement, he was holding the child while still holding the handgun.

A bullet hole was visible near the front door of the home, neighbors and News4JAX observed.

Neighbors described frequent disturbances at the property and said many people and children were often at the house.

“It would get so rough, I would come in the house because I didn’t want to hear them crying,” neighbor Henrietta Browning said.

Her husband, Gary Browning, said he was not surprised by the violence. Neighbors estimated more than a dozen people lived or stayed there at times, though Putnam County deputies said they could not comment on residency as the matter remains under investigation.

News4JAX went to the home on Monday, and no one was home as detectives continued to examine the property and piece together the events of the shooting.

The sheriff’s office said the case remains under investigation.

The 30-year-old construction worker ended up curling up with other Cubans on the city's sea wall, the Malecón, in a desperate attempt to escape the suffocating summer heat during yet another islandwide blackout.

Sunday night marked the sixth islandwide blackout since Trump administration effectively cut Cuba off from oil — its main energy source — in January. The move plunged the endemically crisis-stricken country into free-fall. While authorities on Monday said they were working to get the power back on, much of the island still had no electricity.

The energy grid collapses have left people like Ríos García with fewer options to get by as the U.S. maintains its pressure campaign against the communist-led government.

"Things are only getting worse. Tomorrow it’ll collapse again ... and we’ll be back to sleeping on the Malecón,” said Ríos García, who used a piece of yellow foam as a pillow to cushion his head from the tough concrete.

The recurring power outages combined with the stifling heat have created collective insomnia on the island as residents struggle to get through the night. While some like Ríos García have slept on the boulevard, others struggle to get some rest on balconies and front porches.

The day of the latest blackout on Sunday, the temperature hit 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 Celsius), but ended up feeling like 106 F when combined with the Caribbean's 80% humidity levels.

It marks just one of a growing number of struggles on the Caribbean island where day-to-day life has grown increasingly difficult since the U.S. threatened to impose a tariff on any goods from countries that sell or provide it with oil. That was a debilitating blow after decades of U.S. economic sanctions, with the island's infrastructure crumbling and a surge in migration.

Multiple outages since March

Sunday's latest total blackout confirmed by the state-run energy company came after sweeping outages across western Cuba, including the cities of Pinar del Río, Matanzas and Havana the day before.

Energy authorities reported two nationwide grid collapses in March and three in July, along with several partial outages.

Rolling blackouts now last more than 20 hours a day. Obtaining gas and basic goods have become daylong endeavors. Cubans worry about precious food like frozen chicken rotting in their fridges without power. The island’s once bustling tourism industry has bottomed out, leaving even fewer with a source of income allowing them to get by. With little fuel, public transportation in Havana has effectively collapsed. Hospitals have been left reeling and have sought to install solar panels to keep the lights on.

Cubans have long displayed a characteristic resilience to hardship, adapting to twists and turns and unexpected shortages after decades of living under a U.S. trade embargo. But in recent months and years, a sense of hopelessness has increasingly gripped those still remaining on the island.

Among them was 30-year-old physical education teacher Elaine Delis Ramos, who curled up next to loved ones on the boardwalk on top of a thick blanket in search of a breeze.

“Just when we start hoping (the energy grid) wouldn't collapse again, there it goes again," she said. “We don’t have any solution.”

Sony on Sunday projected that “Spider-Man” would net an estimated $355 million in its first weekend playing in 4,487 theaters, just barely missing the 2019 “Avengers: Endgame” record of $357 million. But the fourth Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland had a stronger than expected Sunday and ultimately came in ahead.

Tom Rothman, the chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group said in a statement, “records are made to be broken, but we will take great pride in this one, for as long as we hold it.”

Before “Avengers: Endgame,” no movie had opened over $300 million domestically. The previous record holders were “Avengers: Infinity War,” which launched with $257 million in 2018, and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ($247 million in 2015). In December 2021, during the pandemic, the third Holland Spider-Man movie “No Way Home,” earned a place on the list with a $260 million debut on its way to $1.9 billion globally.

The high-earning combination of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The Odyssey,” which share actors Holland, Zendaya and Jon Bernthal, also propelled a record weekend overall for movie theaters in the U.S. and Canada.

According to Rentrak, the domestic box office overall is up over 15% from last year with over $6.2 billion in ticket sales to date.

Sheriff Staly says he was traveling south on I-95 in his agency vehicle just south of the State Road 100 exit shortly before 5 p.m. Friday when a white 2016 Dodge Challenger with black racing stripes blew past him at a high rate of speed.

Using his vehicle’s certified speedometer, Staly says he paced the Challenger between 115 and 125 mph for nearly six miles. During that stretch, the driver repeatedly weaved across all three lanes of traffic, passing within three to four feet of the rear bumpers of slower-moving vehicles.

Staly activated his lights and siren, and the 22-year-old driver eventually pulled over on I-95 just south of Old Dixie Highway — in neighboring Volusia County.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the driver, who has no prior criminal history, told Sheriff Staly he had a final pilot’s exam scheduled for Saturday and hoped he would be released from jail in time.

“Driving 125 miles per hour and weaving through three lanes of traffic isn’t a mistake, it’s a decision to gamble with everyone else’s life, including the three passengers sitting in his own car,” Sheriff Staly said. “This wanna-be pilot was flying fast and low, but he wasn’t in an airplane and this wasn’t his final exam.”

The driver was arrested on charges of willful and wanton reckless driving and violation of Florida’s super speeder law.

The tragic story of a 17-year-old from Tangier is representative of the plight of many of the more than 800 minors who four days after the collective push by migrants into Ceuta face a scary present and an uncertain future.

She told an Associated Press photojournalist how she and her family joined the massive crowd that tried to swim around a border fence to reach the Spanish territory on Thursday. Like many, she said they did so seeking better opportunities. The AP is withholding her identity because she is a minor in a vulnerable situation.

She described how she saw Spanish police pull the body of her 8-year-old brother from the water.

She made it to the shore but became separated from her mother, and has spent the last four days on her own. She said some locals gave her food and some clothing, with one woman taking her into her home so she could bathe. She then went to a center for youths run by the government for some help, but found it was full.

“I saw people stepping on the dead,” she said through a translator since she doesn't speak Spanish. “Now we are children begging on the street.”

She is one of some 860 minors who remained in Ceuta on Monday after crossing over, according to local officials. AP journalists saw other minors asking for food.

Those minors now make up a large part of the 3,000-5,000 migrants who have avoided expulsion from Ceuta of the original 60,000 who came across. Spanish authorities confirmed 72 people died, mostly in the water, during the crossing. Morocco reported 11 deaths which are not included in the Spanish total, the Spanish interior ministry said.

Minors must be cared for under Spanish law

Spanish law says that adult migrants can apply for asylum. If rejected, they will face expulsion procedures. The bar is normally very high for Moroccans to be granted humanitarian protection.

Migrant minors who are unaccompanied by adults, however, are supposed to be granted protection and taken care of by Spanish authorities.

An AP journalist witnessed Spanish soldiers escorting an unaccompanied Moroccan boy who was crying and begging not to be sent back to Morocco. A few meters before reaching the border, and due to pressure from local residents who insisted he was a minor, as well as the presence of the media, a lieutenant colonel in the Spanish Army stopped the repatriation and transferred the boy to the Spanish Civil Guard.

Most of the Moroccan adults have either voluntarily gone home or were pushed back by Spanish police. Among those who remain in Ceuta are significant numbers of people from other countries, including Sudanese fleeing their war-torn country, Palestinians from Gaza and Afghans, as well as people from several African nations.

The city’s migrant center with a capacity for 600 people is completely full. Food is scarce among the migrants, according to reporting by AP journalists.

“The strategy is that hunger, thirst and exhaustion forces these people to finally decide to voluntarily return to Morocco,” said local migration activist Ramsés Mohamed Azumik of Asociación Elín.

Many migrants sleep or rest on the beach or hills surrounding the speck of Spain. In the hazy distance, mainland Europe, their ultimate goal, lies across the sea.

___

Associated Press writer Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain.

Ordinance No. 2026-8239, introduced by City Attorney David Migut, would amend Chapter 20, Section 20-15 of the city’s Code of Ordinances — the section that governs Paws Dog Park — to add new language specifically targeting animal cruelty offenders.

How it started

The proposal came after an incident at an Atlantic Beach dog park was brought to the Jacksonville Beach City Council’s attention during an April council briefing.

Council Member Sandy Golding raised the issue after learning that an alleged animal cruelty offender’s membership at the Atlantic Beach park had been revoked. She then reviewed Jacksonville Beach’s own Code of Ordinances and found there was no provision allowing the city to do the same at Paws Dog Park.

The council reached a consensus directing Migut to draft updated language for the code.

What the ordinance would do

Under the proposed ordinance, the city manager — or a designee — would have the authority to immediately deny, suspend or revoke a person’s membership and park access if that person has been convicted of an animal cruelty offense or is being investigated for one.

The ordinance defines “animal cruelty offense” as any violation of Chapter 828 of Florida Statutes, or any substantially similar offense under the laws of another state or the United States federal government.

The ordinance also outlines a reinstatement process. Anyone whose membership is suspended or revoked could apply in writing to the city manager for reinstatement. If approved, reinstatement would require proof that the person completed an animal cruelty prevention and education course.

Consequences for violations

The proposed ordinance includes an enforcement provision. Any person who enters or remains at Paws Dog Park after their membership or access has been denied, suspended or revoked could be removed and may face arrest or prosecution for criminal trespass.

The Jacksonville Beach City Council is scheduled to hold a first reading of the ordinance on Aug. 3, with a second reading set for Aug. 17. The ordinance would take effect immediately upon adoption.

UPDATED INFORMATION: Clay County sheriff says couple lied about abused dog found at Middleburg boat ramp

“I keep asking why,” Belton said. “Why would you ever want to do something like that to this poor animal?”

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened May 17 at the Main Street boat dock in Middleburg. Investigators said a group of children — described only as between 9 and 13 years old — were seen throwing the dog and holding it underwater.

A family rescued the chihuahua and reached out to Belton, who took Ghost in and cared for him. The dog died a few days later.

Ghost showed signs of recovery before his condition declined

In the days after Belton took Ghost in, the dog appeared to bounce back.

“He slept for about two or three hours and then he caught up and played like a normal puppy,” Belton said. “That Monday and Tuesday, he was like nothing had ever happened.”

But Ghost’s condition worsened at the end of that Tuesday.

“You could hear a lot of breathing — water in his lungs — from where the children tried to drown this poor dog,” Belton said. “That was very traumatizing for me. Just listening to him and having him going through this.”

Belton and his wife took Ghost to the vet multiple times over two days. Despite their efforts, Ghost did not survive.

“I cried every single day for well over a week because of how this poor, poor animal was just treated,” Belton said. “We gave him as much love as we possibly could before he passed.”

Belton said Ghost left a lasting mark on his family despite the short time they had together.

“He was certainly very special to us, and we really wish we could have gotten to keep him,” he said. “Very, very smart dog, and we were having lots of fun with him.”

Crime Stoppers offering up to $5,000 reward

First Coast Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case. Tips have already started coming in since the reward was announced.

Chase Robinson, executive director of First Coast Crime Stoppers, said all types of information — even secondhand — could help investigators.

“What we’d like to tell people is if you overheard someone talking about something that they did, whether they were physically there when it happened or they’ve been speaking with someone, that information can be vital and give investigators a head start,” Robinson said.

Belton said he hopes those responsible are held accountable — and get help.

“If these kids do not get help now, they won’t make it,” Belton said. “They’re going to be juveniles, they’re going to be criminals for the rest of their lives. Someone needs to be held accountable.”

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 866-845-TIPS.

It can play a part in helping America break the chokehold China has on processing critical minerals, but it will take up to a year and a half to build a new factory as the Trump administration pushes to expand domestic production. The company, Phoenix Tailings, recently got a $500 million loan from the Pentagon to ramp up its work, after starting out eight years ago as a backyard lab seeking a cleaner metal-refining method. It's just the latest critical minerals company the government has backed.

The task that workers carry out in heat-resistant suits and sealed face masks has become more urgent as the Iran conflict draws down key munitions such as Tomahawk cruise missiles and THAAD interceptors. While the White House is demanding military contractors speed up production, it’s also imposing stricter rules banning them from sourcing critical minerals from China.

“It will be a tall order and a challenge to replenish these stocks and scale up in the timeframe needed to meet defense demand and regulations,” said Anthony Balladon, chief commercial officer and a co-founder of Phoenix Tailings. He said the company is working hard to boost capacity.

Although the U.S. is quickening its pace to build domestic supplies of critical minerals free of control from its most formidable rival, it will likely take years for companies across the industry to build new mines and boost production of the high-powered magnets essential in many high-tech applications. Extracting some of the hard-to-pronounce elements from existing mine waste can help satisfy the growing demand in the meantime, but it will likely take several companies to do that.

Critical minerals industry has big plans, but it will take time to ramp up

Phoenix Tailings taps waste from traditional mining as well as recycled magnets and disk drives as raw materials, working to counter China in processing where it has the strongest hold on the supply chain.

The company based in the Boston-area city of Woburn, Massachusetts, plans to build a bigger facility to extract and produce critical metals needed in not only defense but also the aerospace and automotive industries.

“We call it the freedom facility because, ultimately, the purpose of this is to ensure that the entire Western Hemisphere, the United States and its allies are free of Chinese influence within the rare-earth space,” Balladon said.

On a recent afternoon, two technicians in heat-resistant hazmat suits were operating an apparatus of cylinders, tubes, funnels and control panels set up on a platform with bright yellow railings. A chemical process involving electricity removes oxygen and turns the material into a grayish metal that can be used to make the extremely strong permanent magnets used in fighter jets, missiles, radar systems and drones.

The metals that Phoenix Tailings refines and other critical minerals play “an outsized role” in defense systems, Balladon said. A $150 million weapons system won’t work if it's missing critical minerals that may be worth only $20,000 to $30,000, he said.

The defense sector is particularly reliant on the metal samarium and needs 50 to 100 tons each year, but U.S. capacity is very limited, he said.

Phoenix Tailings is among the few companies capable of producing the final metal, according to Balladon, but its capacity is only about 200 kilograms (440 pounds) a year. He said the company will scale up to about 5 tons in the next three months but that it will be next year or 2028 before it reaches its goal of 120-ton capacity.

Another US magnet maker looks to France for raw materials

Arnold Magnetic Technologies for years relied on China for samarium to produce the extremely strong, stable-in-high-temperatures magnet that goes into precision-guided missiles such as Tomahawks.

That doesn’t work anymore. For Arnold, the solution to getting the critical minerals it needs has come from a relic of Europe’s past rare-earth industry — abandoned mining dirt in the French city of La Rochelle.

Solvay, a Belgium-headquartered chemical company, stopped separating and processing rare earths from the mined dirt in the 2000s. That was when China was building up most of the world’s processing capacity with a determination to dominate the industry.

China weaponized that near-monopoly last year by choking off its flow of processed critical materials and forcing the U.S. government to back off during a trade war. Solvay then restarted work and has added other rare earths this year, including samarium.

“This ramp‑up is driven by several factors: rapidly growing demand for permanent magnets, increased geopolitical focus on supply chain security, and strong customer demand in Europe and the United States for more diversified, resilient and traceable sources of supply,” a Solvay spokesperson said.

For Arnold Magnetic Technologies, paying more to get its supply from Solvay instead of China has not been a deal-breaker, because the samarium-cobalt magnets it makes account for only a small cost in a weapon system, said Matt Blake, Arnold's CEO.

“They are not the absolute cost drivers,” he said.

Plus, the company says the surge in demand for magnets has worked in its favor.

Some concerns remain. The U.S. is dependent on imports of the critical mineral tungsten, with China controlling roughly 80% of the global mine supply and an even larger share of processing, according to Brodie Sutherland, CEO of Patriot Critical Minerals Corp.

Sutherland, whose company seeks to explore and mine tungsten in the U.S., is concerned that America will not be able to get by without China-sourced tungsten after a Pentagon-imposed deadline of Jan. 1, 2027.

Efforts to ramp up U.S. production will take years, he said, and in the meantime, the Pentagon and its defense contractors will need to rely on existing inventories, expanded recycling and limited non-China sources.

The Iran war and Trump's China order create pressure and opportunity

The need to increase production has become more urgent as renewed fighting with Iran digs into the U.S. military’s already diminished stockpiles of advanced missile interceptors, including Patriots and THAADs, according to a recent analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

It also has raised concerns that the military would have diminished firepower in any potential future conflict with China. CSIS warned in May that it could take at least three years to replenish stockpiles of Tomahawks, Patriots and THAADs, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors.

At the same time, President Donald Trump has announced stricter controls on defense contractors sourcing critical materials from China.

“It is the policy of the United States that not only the finished equipment deployed by our military, but also the critical materials and components necessary to manufacture, maintain, sustain, and repair that equipment, are sourced domestically or from allied nations,” the July 20 executive order says.

Lockheed Martin, which makes THAADs and many other weapons systems, said “we continuously assess the global rare earth supply chain to ensure access to critical materials that support our customers’ missions.” Several other major U.S. defense contractors, including Raytheon Technologies and Northrop Grumman, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Balladon, of Phoenix Tailings, was confident in U.S. companies.

“Ultimately, with the right support and partners across the industry, we think we can make it happen,” he said.

___

Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska.

Frederick Hughes was found fatally shot around 4:30 a.m. Monday morning near the parking lot of a club on Soutel Drive near New Kings Road, his family said.

Hughes’ aunt, Maria Hughes, told News4JAX that she had a bad feeling last night about her nephew going out. She said he typically will call her to let her know he made it home safe.

“I got a call this morning. But it wasn’t a call from him,” said a distraught Maria Hughes, who helped raise her nephew after his mother was killed in 1999. She was also 38 when she died.

Maria said Frederick was parked near the club, where a large crowd was gathered early Monday morning. She said witnesses told them someone down the street just started shooting, and Frederick was hit.

She said people were telling her he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“He was a good boy. It’s just too much,” she said. “These young folks got to learn to put these guns down. It’s just too senseless. Life is precious.”

Police have not released any information about the shooter, and they’re asking the public for help to understand what happened Monday morning.

Anyone with information about the deadly shooting is asked to call JSO at 904-630-0500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

In the meantime, Maria Hughes said she wants to see change in Florida’s gun laws.

“I walk the street, I see young folks toting guns like they’re babies, bigger than them under their clothes. It’s not right. It’s not good,” she said.

She and neighborhood Pastor Sheldon Creighton, who is also a relative of Frederick Hughes, said they’re tired of the ongoing violence in the area around Soutel Drive and New Kings Road.

“What can we do to clean up this corner, because if it was your child, you would try to find out how we can fix it,” Creighton said. “That’s my question to our City Council people: Where are you? Y’all are talking, but we don’t see nothing. We just hear you talking. … Anything can be fixed if we work at it."

Persistent drought and successive extreme heat waves have deprived one of Europe's largest rivers of water, pushing the Danube's levels in Hungary's capital Budapest to around 10 centimeters (4 inches) on Monday, well below the previous all-time low of 33 centimeters (13 inches) set in 2018.

Water levels are not expected to rise on the Danube in the coming days or even weeks as no significant rainfall is forecast, and as a renewed extreme heat wave bears down on the region with daytime highs topping 38 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit), electricity and water use are on the rise.

Hungary's Paks nuclear plant on brink of shutdown

The Danube's record low levels have pushed Hungary's only nuclear power plant, the Soviet-built, four-reactor plant at Paks, to the brink of powering down entirely for the first time in its 44 years in service.

The Paks plant, which uses water from the Danube to cool its reactors, on Monday was producing only 240 megawatts of power rather than the usual 2,000. In video posted to Facebook on Monday, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said engineers had managed to keep the plant’s final operating turbine temporarily running, averting an expected shutdown on the weekend.

“This is very good news, because the complete shutdown of the Paks power plant can still be avoided, at least temporarily, on one of the biggest consumption days,” he said, adding that a full power-down was likely on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Paks plant, located around 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Budapest, accounts for nearly half of Hungary’s electricity production and around a third of its consumption. Hungary has relied on regional electricity imports as well as renewable sources to try to make up for the deficit from the Paks plant.

Hungary’s government last week asked major industrial users to curb their electricity consumption and sought voluntary savings from households in order to conserve supply, particularly in peak demand hours between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.

It also announced that electric-powered freight trains would not be permitted to run during peak hours beginning on Monday in order to conserve an estimated 70 to 90 megawatt-hours of electricity per day.

While conservation measures were initially voluntary, Magyar’s government on Saturday issued a decree allowing for them to be made mandatory for large industrial or commercial consumers.

He said Monday that the conservation push had resulted in 700 fewer megawatts of electricity being used the previous day, and thanked Hungarians for their efforts.

Serbia and Romania grapple with low Danube levels

Meanwhile, plants in neighboring countries have also seen dramatic drops in power generation, as well as disruptions to shipping and agriculture.

Romania’s military on Monday used 180 kilograms (397 pounds) of explosives to blast rock near the Danube’s Bala Canal in order to redirect water into the river’s main channel and toward the state-owned Cernavoda nuclear power plant.

The Danube's water flow has fallen to 1,500 cubic meters per second in Romania, less than a third of its July average. Authorities have already shut down one reactor unit at the Cernavoda plant, which is operating at about half its normal capacity.

Acting Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced a nationwide state of alert in the energy sector on Friday, and warned that the Danube’s low water levels threatened the shutdown of Cernavoda’s second reactor. He appealed to citizens to voluntarily limit electricity usage in peak evening hours.

After meeting with major industrial consumers on Monday, Bolojan said carmakers Dacia and Ford had gone into maintenance and halted auto production until Aug. 19, while other companies agreed to reduce their energy usage during peak hours.

In Serbia, record-low Danube levels have pushed the country’s key hydroelectric plant to operate with only 20% of its capacity, prompting Prime Minister Djuro Macut to preside over an emergency meeting on Monday focusing on energy problems.

Macut appealed to residents to “minimize the use of big consumers of electricity in their homes, such as air conditioners.” He described the situation in a statement late on Sunday as “serious and demanding.”

___

Associated Press writers Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, and Stephen McGrath in Leamington Spa, England, contributed to this report.

Charley Hull of England easily earned one of the two automatic spots from the Ladies European Tour points list. The other went to Esther Henseleit of Germany, who surged to No. 2 in the final two events.

Henseleit finished fourth in the Women's Scottish Open and then lost in a playoff at the Women's British Open (points are double in a major) to narrowly beat Chiara Tamburlini of Switzerland for the second spot.

Henseleit's 40-foot birdie putt to force a playoff with AIG Women's Open winner Shiho Kuwaki wound up costing Tamburlini a spot. Even without making it on points, Henseleit would have made her second straight team as one of the leading six players in the world ranking.

Those six spots instead fell to Solheim rookie Lottie Woad of England, Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Sweden, Carlota Ciganda of Spain, Celine Boutier of France and Nanna Koertz Madsen of Denmark.

Nordqvist added Maguire and rookies Julia Lopez Ramirez of Spain, Nastasia Nadaud of France and Mimi Rhodes of England. Rhodes is No. 91 in the world ranking. Tamburlini is at No. 109.

Missing from Team Europe is Dewi Weber of The Netherlands, who is ranked ahead of three of the captain's picks. She was ineligible, however, because the Dutch player did not realize she had to be an LET member. Weber finished third at the KPMG Women's PGA.

The 31-year-old Maguire's record is 8-3-1 in her three Solheim Cup appearances but she missed the cut in four of the five majors this year and has not won in two years.

Europe will try to win back the Solheim Cup after a three-point loss in Virginia two years ago. Team USA, which has yet to fill out its team, hasn't won on European soil since 2015.

___

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

Licaj was found unresponsive in a retention pond at Coquina Bay Apartments off San Pablo Road on July 29. Bystanders pulled him from the water, but he did not survive.

On Saturday, his sister Blerta Gurguri and close family friend Tammy Wilson spoke with News4JAX at that same pond, throwing flowers into the water as they grieved.

“I had got a call from the homicide unit and they confirmed that was him, and it was terrible news,” Gurguri said, fighting back tears.

The family’s grief runs deep. Gurguri is mourning not only the loss of her brother, but also the loss of her father, who died from colon cancer less than six months ago.

Licaj had recently moved to the United States from Albania on a visa, in part to care for his father in his final months. His family says starting a new life here was his goal — a life they say was cut tragically short.

Those who knew him describe a man defined by his love for the people around him.

“He loved his nephews. He used to play basketball, swim in the pool, take them to the pool. Pick them up from school and from their bus. He always put others before himself,” Gurguri said.

“He was so polite, kind. He was an angel in our house,” she added.

According to the family, Licaj was at the complex that day to celebrate a friend’s birthday near the apartment pool. He later left the gathering because he was not feeling well. The family says he would typically call a relative or friend whenever he needed a ride. That call never came.

“We were looking for him. We looked,” Wilson said. “He’s not that type of person. He always lets you know where he was.”

Gurguri says the friend who was with Licaj that day never contacted the family to let them know he had left or that he was not feeling well.

“They said that he was going home and the pool is right there. Why would they walk this way?” Gurguri said. “Even when he decided to go home, they were supposed to let us know that he is coming home by himself.”

What makes the loss even harder to process is Licaj’s ability to swim, according to his family.

“We have so many questions. We still don’t know,” Gurguri said.

Wilson echoed that sentiment. “I mean, now that I see it, it doesn’t make sense,” she said.

As they wait for answers, the family is also asking the community for support as they prepare for funeral services and currently have a GoFundMe set up to help alleviate funeral costs

“Anyone that can help so we can give our brother the deserved funeral,” Gurguri said. “He will never be forgotten. We will always remember his memories.”

The family says they are in communication with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and are waiting for lab results. News4JAX has requested the full incident report from JSO and will update this story as more information becomes available.

Police Chief Matthew Hicks said Sunday detectives are confident that the gunman, identified as Chad Williams, acted alone in the shooting Saturday at an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, a southern Idaho city of about 56,000 people.

He said Williams’ family is cooperating fully with the investigation.

An off-duty state trooper and a civilian fired on the attacker and diverted him from the restaurant, the chief said. Police haven't disclosed their names or those of the victims. Twin Falls spokesperson Josh Palmer said Monday that police are still trying to identify next of kin.

Two of the wounded were treated at a hospital and released, three were listed as stable, and two others were in critical condition, police said Sunday.

An In-N-Out employee was among those killed, the fast-food chain’s owner, Lynsi Snyder, said in a statement. She didn't identify the worker.

The restaurant, which opened July 24 as part of the California chain's Idaho expansion, is in a busy shopping plaza, and hundreds of people were in the area when the shooting happened.

Lane Koehn, 34, said he was at a nearby stoplight when he saw someone with an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru. A man with a pistol started firing at the shooter.

He then saw someone in an In-N-Out uniform drag a person, also wearing a uniform, bleeding from a gunshot wound to her chest across the parking lot. The employee, Koehn and the man with the pistol stayed until paramedics arrived for her.

“She was pretty bad off, but I don’t know. I hope she made it,” Koehn said.

He said the man holding the rifle fired at least three or four rounds, though it wasn't clear if anyone in particular was targeted.

Video taken by a driver from across the street captured a shooter, who appeared to be dressed in black, walking up to a white car carrying a long rifle, opening the driver-side door and popping the trunk. The person then walked to the trunk and reached inside. At that point, the driver who shot the video left quickly, fearing that the man might be getting more weapons.

Nayeli Rodriguez, 40, of Burley, was inside waiting for food with her daughters when she heard shots from the kitchen. An employee said it was a shooting and told people to get down. Rodriguez said an older man tried to protect her and her daughters, and they were among the last to run outside.

“We were trying to get as far as we could and some angels let us in their car,” Rodriguez said via text message. “I left my car there in the parking lot.”

Consumer Reports tested rotisserie chickens from 10 retailers, including Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Whole Foods, Wegmans, and several other regional grocery stores.

CR evaluated the chickens for taste and nutrition, and also tested both the packaging and the meat for chemicals associated with plastics, including phthalates and bisphenol A.

In CR’s taste tests, Sam’s Club took the top spot for flavor. Consumer Reports nutritionist Amy Keating says the Sam’s Club chicken was consistent from bird to bird, with moist, juicy meat and a deep roasted flavor.

CONSUMER REPORTS: Is Rotisserie Chicken Healthy? CR Tested 10 Brands to Find the Best

Costco, Stop & Shop, Walmart, Wegmans, and Whole Foods also made Consumer Reports’ “best overall” list.

Consumer Reports also looked at potential chemical exposure from the packaging. Tests did not find PFAS in any of the chicken or packaging. However, CR did find phthalates in every chicken tested except ShopRite.

For most brands, the levels weren’t concerning. But Costco and Walmart had the highest levels, and CR’s experts say adults should have no more than 6 ounces and children no more than about 2 ounces a day of these chickens.

For food safety, Consumer Reports recommends eating rotisserie chicken within two hours of bringing it home or removing it from the plastic packaging and refrigerating it. Do not reheat the chicken in its original container.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. After that, toss them—or freeze the chicken within four days and use it within four months for the best taste and texture.

A rotisserie chicken can still be a convenient dinner option, but Consumer Reports says choosing carefully and handling it safely can help you get the most out of this quick meal solution.

Sunday’s camp coverage

Full interview: Robert Hainsey on the ground game and OL continuity

Full interview: RB Bhayshul Tuten on his comfort in the system and his Madden rating

News4JAGs podcast: Travis Hunter with a huge day at practice

Training camp notebook: Travis Hunter shines on Sunday

Head Start, established in the 1960s to help fight poverty, has long been considered by experts to be a gold standard early learning program. Its regulations, which stretch more than 100 pages, outline requirements on everything from child-to-teacher ratios and child health screenings to family engagement.

Trump's Republican administration would replace those regulations with around a dozen pages of rules, leaving most of the specifics up to state and local law, said the people familiar with the deliberations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss information that was not yet public and because they feared reprisal.

In a post on X on Saturday night, the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees Head Start, said to expect a rule to be published this week. The administration “remains committed to strengthening Head Start by preserving federal investment in the program while advancing reforms that expand access, increase local flexibility, reduce unnecessary administrative burden, and ensure services are delivered effectively to children and families in need," department spokesperson Emily Hilliard said Monday in an email.

The draft rules would require more documentation from parents who are homeless or unemployed, the people familiar with the deliberations told The Associated Press. An early version of the proposal also would have barred parents who are in the United States illegally from enrolling their children, even if the children are U.S. citizens. It's unclear whether those provisions will make the final draft.

Head Start, which operates in all 50 states, has long enjoyed robust bipartisan support. But some prominent conservatives in recent years have called for its elimination, saying the federal government should get out of the education business at every level. Deregulating the program would deliver a win for them and aligns with the Trump administration's goals of scrapping rules it views as onerous or unnecessary.

Head Start is designed to target poverty, experts say

Head Start serves more than half a million low-income babies, toddlers and preschoolers nationwide. For families that qualify, it offers free preschool and screenings to identify developmental delays. It also offers supports for families.

If the changes take effect, they could make Head Start unrecognizable, said Khari Garvin, who ran the Office of Head Start under President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

“We'd have the carcass of Head Start,” Garvin said. “You might have a program that's called Head Start, but in substance it will not be.”

The proposed rules were originally reported in The Bulwark.

Tommy Sheridan, deputy director of the National Head Start Association, said the organization has yet to see the proposed rules. But he said the potential for a massive overhaul has left the organization on edge.

“We're very anxious,” Sheridan said. “When it does come out ... we’ll be ready to fight back where we need to fight back.”

Still, he emphasized that Head Start centers might not be impacted for months, if the rules get on the books at all. Once the proposal is made public, federal law requires the administration to give at least a month for the public to weigh in on it. Then, once finalized, it may take more time for the rules to take effect. There's also the potential for a lawsuit to halt implementation.

Current rules cover dental screenings and staff-to-student ratios

Head Start was created as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty and targets the myriad challenges that low-income households face. It serves children and adults alike, coaching parents on reaching their goals, connecting them with services and even employing them.

Head Start operators, which include school districts and nonprofit organizations, are required to provide medical, dental and vision screenings for children and to monitor them for developmental delays. There's also a curriculum framework and prohibitions on physical and emotional abuse of children.

Many of the features that make Head Start distinct from mainstream preschools are spelled out in 122 pages of performance standards. The Trump administration's proposal would toss most of that rule book and replace it with a much shorter version that eliminates or loosens many requirements, the people familiar with the proposal said. But the proposal also calls for some new regulations, such as requiring all instruction in English.

Requirements around staff-to-student ratios and safety standards would be erased. Operators instead would be instructed to follow local and state laws, which are often far more permissive. And the new proposal also says nothing about suspensions and expulsions, the people said, making it easier for programs to kick out kids with disabilities who are difficult to educate.

Head Start is under threat

Head Start, which has enjoyed robust bipartisan support for decades, has faced several threats since Trump took office last year. Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint authored by the official who is now Trump's budget chief, called for the federal government to get rid of the program altogether. Last year, in a draft budget, the administration proposed exactly that, saying: “The federal government should not be in the business of mandating curriculum, locations, and performance standards for any form of education.” After public outcry, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose department oversees Head Start, told Congress the program's funding was safe.

Funding for the program was disrupted not long after Trump took office, leading some programs to have to shutter temporarily. It was once again halted after a government shutdown in October that led some centers briefly to close their doors.

Earlier this year, Trump officials also erased a Biden-era rule that mandated raises and greater benefits for Head Start employees. When the rule went in to effect in 2024, Head Start teachers, the majority of whom have bachelor's degrees, earned less than $40,000 a year on average.

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Associated Press writer Ali Swenson contributed reporting.

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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.

According to the ballot question, the proposed changes would conform the charter with current law and present standards of municipal governance, and make changes to the organization, powers, and procedures of city government.

Ballot question:

Shall the Charter of the City of Starke, Florida be amended and restated in its entirety to update its provisions, to conform with current law and present standards of municipal governance, and to incorporate revisions relating to the organization, powers, and procedures of City government, as set forth in the proposed revised Charter available for public inspection?

Yes/No

As county’s sample ballot states the proposed revised charter has been made available for public inspection, we obtained a copy, which you can see below:

Expect numerous showers and thunderstorms today, with rain developing as early as the morning and becoming widespread through the afternoon.

Some locations could pick up between a quarter and a half inch of rain, with locally higher amounts where storms repeatedly move over the same areas.

Despite the clouds and rain, it will remain warm with highs in the upper 80s throughout the course of the afternoon. Southwest winds will be breezy at times, with gusts over 20 mph.

By Tuesday, sunshine returns for part of the day, allowing temperatures to climb back into the lower 90s with heat index values topping 100 degrees before scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms develop.

The rest of the week follows a familiar August pattern, featuring partly sunny skies, highs in the lower 90s, and daily afternoon and evening storms.

Rain chances generally hover around 50 to 60 percent through the weekend, with the greatest coverage during the hottest part of the day before activity tapers off each evening.

The government says the company, which manages affiliated provider groups in Florida, Alabama and Colorado, pushed coders and doctors to add diagnosis codes for conditions in Hierarchical Condition Category 55 (drug and alcohol dependence) and HCC 59 (major depressive, bipolar and paranoid disorders) from 2020 to 2023.

Prosecutors allege many of those codes weren’t clinically valid, weren’t supported by medical records and weren’t part of the patients’ care.

The DOJ said Complete Health had contracts that let it receive a share of the money Medicare Advantage plans got from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. That “risk-sharing” setup gave the company a financial incentive to increase patients’ risk scores — and the payments tied to them — by adding diagnosis codes.

Here’s how Medicare Advantage payments work in plain terms: private plans get a fixed monthly amount for each enrollee, but that payment is adjusted based on a risk model that uses diagnoses reported by providers. Sicker patients typically generate higher payments. The government says the added codes raised risk scores and led to bigger payments, some of which were passed on to Complete Health.

U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said the settlement shows the office remains focused on health care fraud enforcement.

“This settlement sends a strong message to our district, its residents, and medical providers doing business here, that our focus on this vital practice area has not wavered,” he said.

Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said the agreement reflects the department’s commitment to protect taxpayer money and ensure Medicare payments are based on accurate information. A senior official at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General added that companies that improperly boost profits by reporting bogus conditions will be held responsible.

The settlement resolves a whistleblower suit brought under the False Claims Act by a former risk-adjustment official at VIVA Health. Under that qui tam provision, a private party can sue on behalf of the government and receive a portion of any recovery.

The suit is captioned United States ex rel. Karen Bowers v. Complete Health Partners, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 3:22-cv-463 (M.D. Fla.). Karen Bowers will receive about $2,467,500 as her share of the federal recovery, the Justice Department said.

Kuwaki closed with a 1-under 70 and looked like a winner as she waited nearly 30 minutes in the scoring room. Henseleit, in the final group, holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at Royal Lytham & St. Annes for a 70 to join Kuwaki at 5-under 279.

Henseleit then had the advantage in the playoff when the 23-year-old from Japan was in deep grass short of a bunker and had to lay up short of the green. Kuwaki hit wedge to 3 feet to save par and got another chance when Henseleit missed a 15-foot birdie putt for the win.

The tables turned on the second extra hole. Henseleit's tee shot on the 18th drifted far enough to the right that it was beneath a gorse bush. She did well to get that back to the fairway, and hit wedge to about 12 feet. But her par putt stayed left of the cup, and that left Kuwaki to tap in for par.

“Very happy with how I gave myself the opportunity to win today and how I handled myself. Just got a bit unlucky on the second playoff hole there,” Henseleit said. “I tried really hard and I guess it just wasn’t meant to be today.”

This is the second straight AIG Women's Open title for Japan, following Miyu Yamashita's victory last year at Royal Porthcawl. Kuwaki, often known for her fashion, becomes the fifth player from Japan to have won an LPGA major over the last three years.

“I can’t believe it,” Kuwaki said through a translator and the trophy presentation.

She had planned on going to the LPGA qualifying tournament this fall, but her victory gives her a five-year exemption.

“So I don't have to worry about that anymore,” Kuwaki said.

She had until midnight local time to accept LPGA membership. Because there are only four months left in the season, the LPGA said Kuwaki chose to defer her membership until 2027.

Tough round for Noh

The disappointment belonged to third-placed Yealimi Noh (74), the 25-year-old Californian who began the final round with a three-shot lead until it slowly went away with bogeys. She fell out of a share of the lead with a bogey on the 14th hole. Noh was one shot behind and had two reasonable looks at birdie — with Kuwaki already in the clubhouse at 279 — but failed to convert.

“It stings being one short,” said Noh, who had missed three straight cuts before this week. “I told myself this morning, no matter what happens I'm happy to be in this position again. A couple of weeks ago, I was losing a lot of motivation. This week has helped me feel so much better about my game.”

Haeran Ryu fell short in her bid to become the first player since Inbee Park to win three straight majors in one year. Ryu, who won the KPMG Women's PGA and Evian Championship, was still in the mix on the back nine. She needed birdies and instead closed with two straight bogeys for a 74 to tie for sixth.

Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player in women's golf and winner of the year's first two majors, started eight shots behind and closed with a 68. She was the leader in the clubhouse for the longest time at 2 under until Kuwaki finished.

Korda tied for fourth along with Jeeno Thitikul (73).

Eyes covered

Kuwaki, at No. 46 in the women's world ranking, played bogey-free over the last 13 holes as everyone around her made mistakes. She was in the scoring room after signing and stayed there, even as Henseleit and Noh had birdie chances on the final two holes to force a playoff.

Henseleit delivered with a most unlikely putt, 40 feet across the 18th green. The 27-year-old German raised her right arm as the golf ball still had a few feet to go and punched the air when it dropped for birdie.

It was only the second playoff since the Women’s British Open became a major in 2001.

Kuwaki covered her eyes when she watched the putt go in on TV, then broke into a smile. And moments later, she was in a cart and off to the 18th tee for a playoff and immediately in trouble. Her tee shot stayed short of a bunker but in the slope of thick grass. She smartly tried to get it back in play, and her wedge to 3 feet was as important a shot as any.

It gave her another chance, and the final mistake belonged to Henseleit with the tee shot on the 18th for the second playoff hole.

Kuwaki already has won twice this year and is fourth on the money list on the Japan LPGA, the tour that has produced five recent major champions, including Yamashita, Mao Saigo, Yuka Saso and Ayaka Furue. Kuwaki is now on that list.

“Just to be on a stage like this is just an honor, and every hole I was just focused shot-by-shot and just tried to enjoy it out there as much as I could,” she said.

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

Superintendent Dr. Brennan Asplen said during an interview on The Morning Show that the district operates 325 buses but currently has only about 275 drivers, forcing some drivers to run double — or even triple — pickups each morning and afternoon.

About 40 double runs are currently in place across the district’s roughly 3,600 bus stops. Asplen said families should expect some delays, particularly in the first couple of weeks.

“We have the students scheduled to be picked up at certain times, and then we come back to another neighborhood with the same bus and grab another 50, 70 kids, take them to the school as well, and try to get everybody there before school starts,” Asplen explained.

Tracking your bus, staying patient

To help families keep tabs on their bus, the district offers an app called Chipmunk that allows parents to track routes in real time.

Asplen encouraged families to use it and to remain flexible as routes and pick-up times are adjusted.

“Be patient with that,” he said. “That seems to change somewhat because we do change some of our routes to try to be as efficient as possible once we know what the routines look like over the next couple of weeks.”

Asplen said he expects things to settle down within two to three weeks as drivers and students get into a rhythm.

Recruiting drivers with bonuses

To attract new drivers, the district is offering a $5,000 signing bonus.

Asplen also pointed to a community-approved referendum that has helped the district retain current drivers — though ongoing growth continues to strain capacity.

“We have a great signing bonus of $5,000, and then we have the referendum that the community voted upon to retain our bus drivers,” he said. “We have retained them — we just continue growing.”

Enrollment growth slows

After years of roughly 4% to 4.5% annual growth, St. Johns County is seeing that pace ease. Asplen said growth this past year came in around 1.5% and is expected to hold at a similar rate going forward.

“This past year was right around one and a half percent growth, and it looks like we’re going to be right around that again,” he said. “So it would continue to grow, just not as quickly.”

The district opened two new schools this year — one in Silverleaf and one in Nocatee — both of which were planned based on earlier, faster growth projections.

With the slowdown, Asplen said the district does not anticipate building another K-8 or elementary-middle school in the near term, but a new high school in Silverleaf is in the pipeline.

“We are going to need a high school, and we’re going to build a high school in Silverleaf, and that’ll be open in about three years,” Asplen said.

Safety: E-bikes, deputies, emergency buttons

Asplen said the district is continuing to coordinate closely with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office on school safety. Students who ride e-bikes or traditional bikes are required to dismount before entering school property.

“Our students know that they need to disembark from their bike before they actually enter onto school property,” he said.

Sheriff’s deputies assigned to each school have been educating middle schoolers on e-bike safety, a program that began last year. Asplen praised the partnership with Sheriff Rob Hardwick and the department.

“St. Johns County is really the safest county, I think, in the state,” Asplen said. “Sheriff Hardwick and the Sheriff’s Department does such a great job across the district, but also prioritizing our schools.”

The district also continues using an emergency alert button system introduced last year. Each employee carries a small device that, when clicked a certain number of times, immediately dispatches the Sheriff’s Office to the school.

“With everything raining down on the schools, within a minute it seems like they’re just all over the place everywhere,” Asplen said.

Deputies who are parked to write reports or make stops are also being asked to do so in school parking lots to increase visible presence throughout the day.

Asplen’s message to families

With more than 51,000 students returning to class, Asplen’s top ask for families is simple: patience.

“Just be patient with us on that, especially with our school buses over the next two to three weeks,” he said. “Once everybody gets their routines and we work things out, it becomes more efficient, and then we move forward.”

U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney responded to an NCAA request for clarity about her Friday ruling that granted a fifth year to athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and were not included in the new NCAA rule that allows five seasons of eligibility for Division I players.

She said the decision still stands. But the clarification said her ruling had no impact on other NCAA rules, which would include its prohibition on players signing pro contracts, then coming back to college.

The NCAA filed its intention to appeal the case later Sunday night.

The ruling, as first written, had the potential to upend the upcoming college football season, where teams are starting camp planning on the “five for five” rule to take effect beginning next fall.

Extending it to players this fall granted hundreds a chance to return to school. In the direct aftermath of the decision, some media reports were listing players on NFL and CFL rosters who were signaling they’d be open to returning to school.

But that appears to be off the table after Sweeney's clarification that said it was strictly about the players whose eligibility ended last school year. It did not extend beyond that — neither to rules regarding when athletes can enter the transfer portal nor to elements of the landmark House lawsuit settlement, which dictates how many players teams can put on rosters and how much schools can pay them.

The rulings out of U.S. District Court in Denver figures to impact sports differently. Football teams, for instance, have already started practice for this season, while baseball doesn't start for a while.

In making decisions, teams figure to factor the NCAA's appeal of Sweeney's order and whether to risk bringing back players who could then be declared ineligible if her decision is overturned.

NCAA President Charlie Baker issued a statement after Sweeney's initial ruling came out Friday, saying the ruling was potentially chaos-inducing and a reason Congress needs to pass the Protect College Sports Act. That bill, being considered in the Senate, includes lawsuit protection for the NCAA over eligibility rules, the likes of which they are defending in several courts around the country.

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

Infantino’s secretive proposal to raise $4.2 billion from investors including the New York investment firm of Joshua Kushner was dropped early Saturday, days after the revelation in media reports provoked a global furor.

UEFA led the backlash and on Thursday its 55 member federations met to agree boycotting all FIFA events and competitions while the proposal was active.

Now lawyers for UEFA have informed FIFA that the European body is “actively considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints ... arising out of and in connection with the FFE (FIFA Forward Enterprise) plan proposed by FIFA and all related matters.”

The letter dated Friday from the legal firm Dechert in New York was seen Monday by The Associated Press.

The letter named 18 FIFA executives who it said should retain data, documents and electronic messages as potential evidence. They include Infantino, Zurich-based chief finance officer Thomas Peyer and Arsène Wenger, the coaching great who is FIFA's head of global soccer development.

“UEFA puts you on formal notice that any destruction, deletion, alteration, concealment, or loss of relevant materials following receipt of this notice — or following any earlier date on which you were, or reasonably should have been, aware that proceedings were anticipated — may constitute spoliation of evidence,” the letter said.

Europe seeks rival candidate to lead FIFA

The Swedish soccer federation confirmed Monday that UEFA is actively looking "to come up with an alternative candidate” as FIFA president. The next election is scheduled in March.

On Saturday, UEFA signaled it wants to end Infantino’s decade-long presidency, saying he had lost the confidence of world soccer and that “no option should be off the table.”

Hours earlier, Infantino had withdrawn the divisive proposal that offered FIFA’s 211 member federations one-off payments of $20 million each with a mid-September deadline to accept.

The FFE spin-off valued by FIFA at $20 billion would have taken control of the soccer body’s money-making commercial and tournament operations through at least 2038. It promised to more than double development money over that time for the 211 members who already effectively own the Zurich-based not-for-profit governing body.

It was the project of just one man, FIFA’s chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said in a stinging statement Friday to the AP which said staff felt deceived by their boss Infantino.

Legal proceedings are “reasonably anticipated,” UEFA’s lawyer Andrew J. Levander wrote, citing the belief of soccer stakeholders that the plan was “fundamentally incompatible with the proper governance of football.”

Opposition to Infantino

UEFA has been most outspoken against its former employee Infantino while the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, the North and Central American and Caribbean soccer body, also have made strong statements to oppose Infantino’s plan.

Infantino has most support from his traditional base in Africa, while South America’s CONMEBOL is relying on him to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams from 48. That would give more hosting games to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, the home country of CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez.

Infantino's path to stabilizing the presidency he has held for 10 1/2 years was unclear Monday which began in New York with a report he was seeking support from the administration of his close ally U.S. President Donald Trump, possibly in a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“There are no plans for @SecRubio to speak with Infantino and there is no call this morning,” Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, posted on social media.

A week is a long time in politics

The private equity plan has provoked a stunning turnaround in fortunes for Infantino since it was revealed last Tuesday by The Times of London.

The 56-year-old FIFA leader left New York after the World Cup final two weeks ago seemingly a lock to be re-elected unopposed next March for a fourth and final term in office through 2031.

The spin-off operation could have created a commissioner-like role for him beyond 2031 paying much more than his current $6 million annual salary and bonus deal as president.

FIFA briefed at the World Cup that Infantino had got pledged letters of support from about 200 of the 211 member federations.

Those letters are now likely being withdrawn across Europe with the Wales federation the first to announce its reversal.

The candidate deadline is Nov. 18 for an election exactly four months later in Morocco, one of Infantino's strongest allies and a co-host of the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and AP World Cup coverage

Bill targets food deserts, food-insecure communities

The legislation would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish the Fresh Bucks Pilot Program, awarding grants to states to fund the monthly payments. States applying for grants would be required to submit a plan for reaching low-access areas — including through mobile markets, delivery models and partnerships with community organizations or clinics.

Priority would be given to states targeting food-insecure communities, and the USDA would be required to ensure geographic diversity by awarding at least one grant to states in the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, Western, Midwest and Southern regions.

Who qualifies — eligibility requirements

To receive payments, households would need to earn 80% or less of the area median income, as determined by the USDA in consultation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Households already enrolled in SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — would automatically meet the income requirement and could be auto-enrolled with minimal additional paperwork.

The bill defines a household as one or more individuals living together who customarily purchase and prepare food at home. It also includes a special provision for college students under 18, who would be considered part of their parents’ or caregivers’ household for eligibility purposes.

How payments would work

Each eligible household would receive $60 per month, loaded onto an electronic benefits transfer card. Payments could only be spent within a 30-day window and must supplement — not replace — other benefits the household already receives.

Qualifying purchases would include fresh, frozen or dried fruits and vegetables with no added fat, sugar or salt; herbs; and plant starts that grow qualifying foods.

Eligible retailers would include farmers markets, independent grocers, farm stands, supermarkets and any other retailers the USDA deems appropriate.

What states could spend grant money on

States receiving grants could use the funds for administrative costs, including hiring staff, coordinating with community organizations, contracting with electronic benefits transfer card providers and producing culturally relevant, plain-language materials in multiple languages. Funds could also go toward technical and financial assistance for eligible retailers.

Study to track program’s impact

The USDA would be required to study the program’s effectiveness, collecting data from participating states on household demographics, food security levels before and after participation, daily fruit and vegetable consumption and barriers to access — including distance to retailers, transportation constraints and the availability and pricing of qualifying foods.

An initial report to Congress would be due between six months and one year after the bill’s enactment. A final report, due five years after enactment, would include a recommendation on whether to continue or expand the program.

Program set to expire after five years

The Fresh Bucks Pilot Program would terminate five years after the date of enactment unless Congress acts to extend it.

Who introduced the bill

Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington introduced the bill, joined by Reps. Alma Adams, Nanette Barragán, Chris Deluzio, Shomari Figures, Jahana Hayes, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Andrea Salinas, Adam Smith of Washington and Shri Thanedar. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Varsity 4 top 25 player countdown

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).

The General Assembly was set to begin debate on a proposed constitutional amendment intended to give Democrats greater latitude to draw congressional maps favoring their party, which currently represents seven of the state's eight House districts. The proposal would have to be approved by voters before lawmakers could begin considering new district lines.

Deep blue Maryland’s move, which the state's minority Republicans have called a blatant power grab, is the latest turn in the national battle over redistricting, which kicked off a year ago and has reshaped the U.S. House map ahead of this year’s midterms.

Democratic state Senate President Bill Ferguson blocked a different redistricting initiative earlier this year that could have put new maps in place before the fall elections, worried the move could backfire upon judicial review. But he has said his views shifted after the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act in late April. That decision offered new grounds for Republicans to swiftly reconfigure districts in Southern states with large minority populations that have elected Democrats, moves that Ferguson called “painful” to watch.

“It felt like the unwinding of any type of democratic norms in the blink of an eye,” Ferguson said in an interview.

Deep blue Maryland could gain one seat

Maryland's lone Republican representative in Congress is Rep. Andy Harris, chairperson of the House Freedom Caucus. Harris' 1st District is centered on the mostly rural Eastern Shore, part of a scenic peninsula separated from the rest of the state by the Chesapeake Bay.

In 2021, lawmakers tried to remake the maps in a way that made Harris' district more competitive for a Democrat to win, drawing in communities across the bay. But a judge struck down those districts in 2022, calling them a “product of extreme partisan gerrymandering.”

In light of that decision and in hopes of avoiding future adverse legal rulings, lawmakers will consider legislation to amend the state constitution to make clear that the parameters the judge cited — including that districts be compact in form and have regard given to “natural boundaries” — apply only to General Assembly districts, not congressional ones.

If approved by a three-fifths vote of both chambers, the amendment would go before voters in the Nov. 3 general election. If approved there, lawmakers could revisit the congressional maps for the 2028 election cycle under the constitution’s new guidance.

Ferguson told reporters Monday that future changes to the maps could depend on the outcome of the November midterms.

Republicans say the move sets up a gerrymander

In advance of the special session, Republicans criticized the move by Democrats and raised concerns about limits set on testimony for the special session.

“We are very concerned with the significant limitations on witnesses, and the reality that any bill hearing is obviously intended to be a brief and meaningless formality,” House Minority Leader Jason Buckel said in a statement.

Harris, in an interview, said the “gerrymandering that this constitutional amendment sets up” would break up areas of common interest into districts predominated by urban and suburban areas, disenfranchising rural voters. Such a move would “of course” face a court challenge, he said.

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat who has expressed frustration over lawmakers' refusal to redistrict earlier this year, cast the move as an urgent necessity in light of Republican moves elsewhere. The proposal currently before lawmakers will ultimately give voters, not “party bosses,” the final say, he said.

“And if the people determine that there’s nothing to do, then there’s nothing to do. But if the people determine that we move, we move,” he said in an interview as he became chair of the National Governors Association.

Redistricting reverberates around the country

Maryland’s special session is part of a new phase in a national redistricting battle that began a year ago, when President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw congressional districts to help the party hold on to its slim House majority in the midterm elections. Republicans think they could win as many as 16 additional seats from new House maps enacted in eight states — Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana and Alabama. Democrats, whose counterattack faced several setbacks, think they could win up to six additional seats from new districts in California and Utah.

Now some states, such as Maryland and New York, are taking steps to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2028 elections. New York’s Democratic-led Legislature has approved a proposed constitutional amendment to authorize mid-decade redistricting, repeal prohibitions on partisan gerrymandering and make it easier for lawmakers to bypass an independent redistricting commission in the future. The measure needs another round of legislative approval next year before it can appear on a statewide ballot.

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Associated Press reporters David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, and Steven Sloan in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

Meanwhile, Congress has reintroduced legislation that the advocacy group says could reshape the program for decades to come.

Social Security 2100 Act returns to Congress

The Social Security 2100 Act is back on Capitol Hill, offering what supporters say is a sweeping package of long-term improvements for older Americans. The bill would raise benefits by 2%, lift the minimum benefit to 125% of the Federal poverty line, switch the COLA calculation to the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E), and update the program’s benefits formula.

To keep the program solvent, the legislation would increase the Social Security payroll tax and extend it to cover income above $400,000 — moves TSCL says would shore up the program’s trust fund for an additional 32 years.

Bill addresses seniors’ top priorities

TSCL says its research has consistently found that large majorities of seniors want Congress to enact a general benefits increase and adopt an inflation index that more accurately reflects their day-to-day costs. It says the 2100 Act would do both.

Among the bill’s provisions, TSCL says the most impactful in the near term would be raising the minimum benefit to 125% of the Federal poverty line. In 2026, the Federal poverty line for a single-person household is $15,650 per year, or $1,304 per month. According to TSCL research, roughly 1 in 10 seniors — approximately 5.6 million people — currently survive on less than $1,000 per month.

TSCL Executive Director Shannon Benton called the legislation the benchmark for what meaningful reform should look like.

“Although the Social Security 2100 Act is unlikely to pass in the current Congress, it should,” Benton said. “The bill is the gold standard for Social Security reform and accomplishes the majority of changes older Americans want to see for the program.”

Benton pointed to rising senior poverty as a driving urgency behind the push for reform.

“The reality is that poverty is increasing rapidly among American seniors, who make up the fastest-growing portion of the homeless population,” she said. “Adjusting the minimum benefit to above the Federal poverty line would almost certainly slow this trend, although more holistic efforts may be required to stop it entirely.”

Window of opportunity — and a gap in relief

Benton also pointed to a narrow legislative window that could make action more likely in the coming years.

“Right now, we have a golden opportunity to act,” she said. “The 2026 Social Security Trustees Report projects that the program’s trust fund will reach insolvency in Q4 2032, forcing an automatic benefits cut. Congress will almost certainly have to pass a bill to address the program’s finances in the next few years, which provides a perfect chance to simultaneously shore up benefits for the next 100 years and continue the program’s legacy.”

Still, TSCL says the bill falls short in one critical area: immediate relief. The organization has long advocated for a one-time $1,400 stimulus payment for all American seniors to offset years of eroding buying power — something the 2100 Act does not include.

A separate measure, the Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act, introduced this year, would address that gap more directly. That bill would increase benefits by $200 per month over six months, totaling $1,200.

Passage remains unlikely

Despite broad support from senior advocacy groups, the bill faces steep odds. The Social Security 2100 Act was first introduced in 2017, and the legislative tracking platform GovTrack gives the 2026 version a 0% chance of passing.

For most people, mosquito bites are more of a nuisance than a serious health concern. But some individuals develop a stronger allergic reaction known as skeeter syndrome, which can lead to more severe symptoms.

Understanding how mosquito bites affect the body -- and how to recognize skeeter syndrome -- can help you better protect yourself and manage symptoms.

Why do mosquito bites itch?

Female mosquitoes bite humans and animals because they need blood to produce eggs. During their short lifespan of just a few weeks, they require multiple blood meals.

When a mosquito pierces the skin, it injects saliva that contains proteins. These proteins can trigger an allergic reaction in the body.

For most people, this results in a small bump that appears within minutes and causes itching for a day or two.

Skeeter syndrome vs. normal bites

While most mosquito bites typically cause only mild irritation, some people are hypersensitive to the proteins in mosquito saliva.

Skeeter syndrome can cause more intense symptoms, including:

• Severe itching.
• Significant swelling.
• Blistering.
• Soreness beyond the bite area.
• Flu-like symptoms that include fatigue.
• Fever.
• Swollen lymph nodes.

If symptoms become severe or do not improve with home treatment, it’s important to contact your doctor or visit an urgent care center.

In rare cases, mosquito bites can trigger a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms like throat swelling, wheezing, difficulty breathing or fainting after a bite mean you should go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

Severe reactions are more common in children and people with weakened immune systems. Some people might also react more strongly when bitten by a mosquito species they have not encountered before. Skeeter syndrome and anaphylaxis can also happen if you are bitten by many mosquitoes in a short time.

At-home treatments

Even a single mosquito bite can be uncomfortable -- and multiple bites can be unbearable. The following tips can help reduce itching and swelling:

• Wash the bite area with soap and water.
• Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and relieve discomfort.
• Avoid scratching, which can increase the risk of infection.
• To reduce itching, use oatmeal, calamine-based lotions, over-the-counter cortisone or other anti-itch cream.
• Make a paste with baking soda and water and apply it to the bite.
• Consider over-the-counter antihistamines to help reduce the allergic response.

If symptoms persist longer than expected or worsen despite home treatment, contact your health care provider or visit urgent care.

How to prevent skeeter syndrome

The most effective way to prevent skeeter syndrome and mosquito-borne illnesses is to avoid mosquito bites altogether.

If you spend most of your time indoors, make sure window and door screens are properly installed and in good condition.

When heading outside, these strategies can help reduce exposure:

1. Know when mosquitoes are active. Mosquitoes thrive in warm, humid conditions and are typically most active from dawn to dusk. However, some species are active in the evening and at night as well.
2. Avoid areas with standing water. Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water, so you’re more likely to encounter them near puddles, ponds, marshes and lakes. Around your home, reduce standing water by emptying items like flowerpots, buckets, birdbaths, trash containers, wading pools and clogged gutters.
3. Cover up and treat clothing. Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs when outdoors. Dark and bright colors may attract mosquitoes. You can also treat clothing with permethrin, an insecticide that repels and kills mosquitoes and ticks. It is safe for use on clothing and remains effective even after washing. Mosquito netting can provide added protection for babies and small children in strollers.
4. Use repellents as directed. Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent that contains ingredients like DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535. Always follow label instructions. Always apply as directed, as some repellents are not recommended for children under 3 years old. Avoid applying repellent to your hands, eyes, mouth or broken skin. If you are also using sunscreen, apply it before insect repellent.

Taking these precautions can help reduce the risk of mosquito bites -- and the more serious reactions associated with skeeter syndrome -- so you can safely enjoy time outdoors.

So far we’ve been able to confirm seven adults and one pet are displaced following the fire. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported in the fire.

Initial reports say it was only one building at the complex near the intersection of Firestone Road and Wheat Road.

Crews say the fire is contained.

Counties are required to offer early voting Aug. 8-15 but can offer additional days before and after that window (see the schedule by county below). Some counties will offer an additional day of early voting on Sunday, Aug. 16.

Voters can also vote by mail, if they request a mail-in ballot by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6.

Florida is a closed primary state, meaning that in most cases, you must already be registered with a specific party to vote in one of that party’s primary contests.

However, the primary also includes numerous races that will be open to all voters, regardless of party affiliation. That includes school board and judicial contests, as well as races for certain local offices.

In addition, in races where all of the candidates are of one party, with no unaffiliated or write-in candidates, the party primary will be open to all voters, since the primary will decide the office-holder.

To find your sample ballot so you can see what races you’re eligible to vote in, go to your county’s supervisor of elections page (linked below).

Eligible voters can vote at any early voting location within their county. You must bring one or two forms of valid and current identification that include your signature and photo.

Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Florida Driver License
• Florida ID Card (issued by DHSMV)
• U.S. Passport
• Debit or Credit Card
• Military ID
• Student ID
• Retirement Center ID
• Neighborhood Association ID
• Public Assistance ID
• Veteran Health ID (issued by the US Department of Veterans Affairs)
• Concealed Weapon License (issued pursuant to F.S. 790.06)
• Employee ID card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality.

If you show up without an ID, you can cast a “provisional” ballot, which is then evaluated by a canvassing board that decides if the ballot is eligible.

Each county’s planned early voting dates are listed below. For locations and hours, click the link for each county, or use the map below.

• Alachua County: August 7-15
• Baker County: August 8-15
• Bradford County: August 3-16
• Clay County: August 8-15
• Columbia County: August 8-15
• Duval County: August 7-16
• Flagler County: August 8-15
• Nassau County: August 6-15
• Putnam County: August 3-15
• St. Johns County: August 8-15
• Union County: August 8-15

The decision late Sunday marks a victory for the Trump administration as it races ahead with efforts to build a $46 billion wall along the U.S.-Mexico border from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

The town of Presidio, with a population of about 3,200 people, argued the wall could cause flooding and that the administration isn’t following the law as it rushes forward with its plans. The town’s development district sued earlier this year to stop the department from going forward with construction.

But the judge said in his ruling Sunday that they were unlikely to succeed on the merits of the case.

“For the foregoing reasons, despite the understandable concerns expressed by the plaintiff regarding the harms it and the plaintiff’s residents might sustain by the potential construction of the Smart Wall, the Court is compelled to deny the plaintiff’s motion for a stay,” wrote Judge Reggie B. Walton.

DHS has been charging forward with its wall-building plan with senior administration officials saying a first layer of the structure will be done by next year. In its push, the Secretary of Homeland Security has waived numerous regulations designed to protect the environment, wildlife, archaeological and Native American sites.

But the department has been running into opposition by landowners, environmental groups, Native American tribes and others who argue that the government’s rapid construction endangers environmental and religious sites and a way of life along the border. Opponents also question the urgency to finish the wall when migrant crossings from Mexico are already at extreme lows.

Lawyers for Presidio's development district argued in a court hearing that the government’s plans could compromise the levee system protecting the town from flash flooding and that the government flouted a key act that requires it to seek permission from the Army Corps of Engineers before building on or near the levees.

“We are very disappointed that the court will allow this potentially disastrous construction to continue, but we remain committed to protecting the Big Bend area and those who rely on the threatened levees," said the town's development district in a statement Monday.

Presidio is protected by a series of berms and levees built in the 1970s and 1980s along the Rio Grande and tributaries to combat flooding.

In court documents, Presidio’s development district said Customs and Border Protection plans to “replace the earthen slope of the existing levee with a concrete wall, with 30-foot steel bollard panels installed on top.” The district said it asked the agency for more details but was told they can’t be shared due to “national security.”

The government has argued that there is no final plan for where the border wall will go or how it will be built. And the administration has maintained that it has the authority given to it by Congress to waive a vast swath of regulations to build the wall as it seeks to get the number of people crossing the border every day to zero.

In his ruling, the judge bolstered that argument, saying that it was clear "that Congress did not intend to limit the Secretary of DHS’s waiver authority."

The government is also facing another lawsuit in Texas where an environmental group and a church preservation group have teamed up to oppose DHS’s plans.

The 54-year-old Pochettino, who took over the national team in October 2024, led the U.S. to the round of 16 at this year's World Cup, where the tournament co-hosts were eliminated in a 4-1 loss to Belgium.

Still, he helped the seeded U.S. team to a pair of firsts in the expanded 48-nation tournament, clinching advancement from the group stage with a game to spare and winning three games in a single World Cup. The team captivated American fans with excited audiences in stadiums and record television viewers.

“The magic thing that happened during the World Cup, the connection with the people, of course with the whole organization and everything was a key point,” Pochettino said during a Zoom news conference from his home in Barcelona, Spain.

Since reaching the quarterfinals at the 2002 World Cup, the U.S. has lost four round-of-16 games.

“What we learn(ed) is that we can compete, that we have the quality and we have the talent,” Pochettino said. “We were so close. That gap with the best teams in the world is not too big.”

Pochettino said there is potential to make soccer in the U.S. “grow and grow and grow and be one of the important sport(s) in America, like it is in the rest of the world.”

“We have players and organization that can compete with the best organization in the world in that sport,” he said. “We learned that the fans are amazing and when they were so excited to discover a sport that made our fans become crazy, no? The connection was amazing.”

Pochettino views the next cycle as a new start for a program lacking quality depth at goalkeeper and central defender.

“It is going to be important to provide the young kids that we really believe (in) that they have the potential to arrive in 2030, in four years,” he said.

Before taking the U.S. job, Pochettino coached Espanyol (2009-12), Southampton (2013-14), Tottenham (2014-19), Paris Saint-Germain (2021-22) and Chelsea (2023-24).

When Pochettino replaced Gregg Berhalter two years ago, he signed an initial contract through the 2026 World Cup. Pochettino said ahead of the tournament that he had discussed a possible new deal with the USSF. He also said in May that his agent had spoken with AC Milan, a club that then hired Rúben Amorim.

Pochettino, who has homes in Spain and London, said he may move to the U.S. He intends to stay with the American team until 2030 but left himself an out.

“Four years time is a really long period. You never know what can happen in soccer,” he said. “Today people really love you. In eight weeks time, maybe that change(s), that feeling."

He has led the U.S. to 17 wins (including a penalty-kick victory), 13 losses and one draw. Twenty-three of 62 players to appear under Pochettino have accounted for the team’s 57 goals.

“We know we have a lot of work to do to achieve our clear ambitions, including competing to win Men’s World Cups and having soccer become the most played sport in every community,” USSF CEO JT Batson said in a statement.

Hedge fund manager Ken Griffin is again the lead philanthropic funder supporting Pochettino’s contract with additional support by Scott Goodwin, Adam Freede and commercial partners. Pochettino earned just over $5 million in his first seven months as coach, according to the U.S. Soccer Federation tax return.

U.S. coaches have not been successful when they remained for a second World Cup cycle.

After leading the Americans to the 2002 quarterfinals, Bruce Arena was unable to get his team past the group stage in 2006.

Bob Bradley helped the U.S. reach the round of 16 in 2010, then was fired a year later after the team lost the CONCACAF Gold Cup final.

Jurgen Klinsmann took over and in December 2013 was given an extension through the 2018 World Cup. The Americans reached the round of 16 in 2014 but Klinsmann was fired in late 2016 after the U.S. lost its first two games in the final round of qualifying. Arena returned but the U.S. failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Berhalter was hired in late 2018 and led the Americans to the round of 16 in 2022. Given a new contract in 2023, he was fired a year later after the U.S. failed to advance past the group stage at Copa America.

“We are going to demand more from them," he said of the players. “We are not going to be in some situation(s) not flexible like we were because before it was (for) the benefit of players, benefit of structures that were already built. But now it’s about to start the house from zero.”

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

Wildfires west of Athens jumped containment lines, a day after a midair collision between two helicopters killed two crew members.

A Greek and a Danish national died and two others were hospitalized in the helicopter collision. All four were private operators chartered by the Greek firefighting service.

In France, firefighters in the region around Bordeaux guarded against potential flare-ups inside a still-burning scar four times the size of Paris.

A prolonged heat wave and lack of rainfall led to the driest July in England and Wales in nearly 200 years of recordkeeping, according to provisional statistics, the U.K.’s weather service said Monday.

All of Wales and more than half of England are officially in drought, the Met Office said. The dry spell was accompanied by sweltering temperatures across much of the U.K., following heat waves in May and June.

Wales tied its record for its warmest mean temperature for July while England and the U.K. recorded their second-warmest July.

Athens area remains at high risk with hundreds evacuated

Strong winds returned to southern Greece late Monday, pushing flames into mountain home clusters, destroying farms and property, and closing a highway.

Areas surrounding Athens remain at high risk through the week with temperatures set to rise further. More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from around the seaside resort of Porto Germeno and other areas west of the capital – including more than 250 rescued by boats from beaches in the area.

“This is a difficult fire that has troubled us,” Fire Service spokesman Yiannis Artopios said, adding that 12 water-dropping planes and 11 helicopters were operating in the area Monday.

The blaze was blamed on a faulty power line from a wind farm and led to the arrests of two contractors on charges of negligent arson.

Despite improved detection methods and expanded cooperation among European Union members, Greece and other countries along Europe's Mediterranean coast suffer devastating wildfires every summer as spells of heat wave temperatures grow longer.

Europe is Earth’s fastest-warming continent, heating at more than twice the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus climate service. Rising temperatures and prolonged drought leave vegetation drier and more combustible, allowing fires to spread faster and burn more intensely.

Massive blaze in France contained as evacuees return home

In France, thousands of evacuees were allowed to return home or to holiday accommodation Monday after a massive wildfire remained contained. More than 224,000 people had fled in what officials said was the country’s largest civilian evacuation outside wartime.

The wildfire burned about 420 square kilometers (162 square miles), making it France’s largest wildfire on record. Monday's return includes Cap Ferret peninsula, a tourist hot spot along the Atlantic coast, and Le Porge, the municipality hardest hit by the fire, where 183 homes were destroyed. Campsites remain closed.

A second wildfire in Provence did not flare up overnight, but was still not contained Monday as stronger winds were expected, firefighters and authorities said. About 1,500 firefighters, supported by water-dropping helicopters, continued reinforcing fire lines along the blaze that tore through about 18 square kilometers (7 square miles).

The European Forest Fire Information System said the risk of wildfire remains high across parts of the continent through Aug. 5, including in traditionally cooler northern countries.

Firefighters in the Netherlands were battling a large blaze Monday in a forest in the southern province of Limburg, authorities said, as the country sweltered through another day of hot, dry summer weather. The national railway operator halted trains between two towns in the area due to the fire.

The Dutch air force sent two Chinook helicopters equipped with large water containers to help firefighters tackle the blaze in the Netherlands. Media reported that a campsite in the area was evacuated due to poor air quality caused by a large plume of smoke.

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Corbet reported from Paris. Elena Becatoros in Athens, Thomas Adamson in Paris, Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands and Brian Melley in London contributed.

The office replaces the former Kernan location, which closed July 24, and will replace the Hogan branch when that location closes Sept. 2. The St. Johns Square branch offers a larger, modern facility intended to improve convenience and accessibility for customers, the office said.

The full-service branch will provide:

• Driver license and ID card services, including road tests
• Vehicle registration and title services
• Property tax payments
• Local business tax services
• Animal licenses
• Hunting and fishing licenses
• Parking citation payments

“Our new St. Johns Square Branch represents our continued investment in providing exceptional service to the residents of Duval County,” Overton said. “This modern facility gives our customers more space, improved accessibility, and the same outstanding service they have come to expect from our team.”

The branch will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Customers are encouraged to schedule appointments online or use the Tax Collector’s “Join the Line” feature for same-day service; the tool sends text updates so visitors can wait wherever is convenient.

Many services are also available 24 hours a day at www.duvaltc.com. Vehicle registrations can also be renewed at self-service kiosks in select Publix stores around Duval County. For more information, call (904) 255-5700.

Meanwhile, six people were killed by Ukrainian drone debris in Arkhipo-Osipovka, a small town on Russia’s Black Sea coast in the Krasnodar region, regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said, adding that 40 others were wounded.

Three other people were killed and two were wounded in Ukraine's overnight attack on the illegally annexed Crimea, said the peninsula’s Russian-installed head, Sergei Aksyonov. He gave no details.

Neither side’s claims could be independently verified.

Zelenskyy outlines Ukraine's war strategy

Ukraine’s innovative long-range drone technology developed during the war has enabled Kyiv to sign military cooperation agreements with nine countries, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday.

Under the deals, Ukraine receives long-term funding for its defense industry while partner countries get new defense capabilities, he said, adding that agreements with 15 other countries are being negotiated.

Ukraine is using its long-range strike drones to hit targets deep inside Russia in an effort to push Russian President Vladimir Putin into seeking a peace settlement, Zelenskyy said in a speech to Ukrainian diplomats.

“We will work very hard to make that happen this fall,” he said.

Ukraine wants countries to adopt heavier international sanctions on Moscow, but existing sanctions also need tightening to prevent Russian companies from exploiting loopholes, he said.

Zelenskyy also announced he is appointing Rustem Umerov, who has been involved in U.S. diplomatic efforts to stop the war, as head of the Foreign Intelligence Service.

Russia's glide bombs are big and hard to stop

Russia has used glide bombs against Ukrainian towns and cities since it invaded its neighbor more than four years ago. The Soviet-era bombs are retrofitted with guidance systems and can carry up to 3,000 kilograms (6,600 pounds) of explosives, leaving huge craters. Ukraine has no effective countermeasures.

The Sunday evening onslaught on Zaporizhzhia killed a 71-year-old woman and wounded 31 people, including a 16-year-old girl, as the glide bombs damaged 22 apartment buildings in four districts of the city, Fedorov said.

While Moscow’s forces have captured the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and hold other parts of the region, its capital city of the same name remains in Ukrainian hands. It is one of the four regions, along with Donetsk, Kherson and Luhansk, that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 even though its forces do not completely control them.

Other large-scale damage of civilian areas has resulted from Russian ballistic missiles, and late Sunday Zelenskyy made another urgent plea for countries to send Ukraine more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems.

Only Patriot interceptors can reliably stop ballistic missiles, but they are in short supply due to the Iran war.

“The United States knows what we need. Europe knows what we need. Anti-ballistic missiles must protect people — not sit in stockpiles," Zelenskyy said on social media.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week appeared to back off from his earlier commitment to give Ukraine a license to make Patriots itself. He said Friday that he hasn’t made a final decision.

Zelenskyy has suggested an alternative to Trump whereby Elon Musk allows Ukraine to use Starlink satellites to target ballistic missile launch sites inside Russia. Officials haven't publicly said whether that is being considered.

Russia attacked Ukraine with 181 long-range strike drones overnight from Sunday to Monday, according to the Ukrainian air force. It said air defenses jammed and intercepted 163 drones, but 14 caused damage at 13 locations.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces struck four bulk carriers carrying cargo for the Ukrainian armed forces, including three in waters of the Black Sea and one in the port of Mykolaiv, but provided no further information.

Ukraine's long-range drone strikes cause more damage

Ukrainian drones also struck another major warehouse belonging to Wildberries, Russia’s biggest online shopping company. The strike was part of a campaign that has hit more than a dozen of the retailer’s distribution hubs and severely disrupted its business.

A Wildberries warehouse in the Vladimir region east of Moscow caught fire in the latest attack, the company said Monday. Three people were injured, Vladimir Gov. Alexander Avdeyev said.

Ukrainian drones also struck the Saratov oil refinery in southwestern Russia, Zelenskyy said. Kyiv has repeatedly targeted that refinery, and many others, since last year as it tries to choke fuel supplies to the Russian army and deny Moscow income from oil exports.

Zelenskyy said the Engels military air base near Saratov, the main base for Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers, and other places inside Russia, including fuel storage tanks at the Lyudinovskaya oil depot in Russia’s Kaluga region, were targeted.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday reported that its air defenses overnight intercepted 131 Ukrainian drones over a number of Russian regions, as well as Crimea and the Black Sea.

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

Democratic incumbent Kimberly Daniels drew one challenger, Rhian Tutson, also a Democrat. As no other candidates qualified in this race, the August primary will be a Universal Primary Contest, open to all voters in the district.

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

Kimberly Daniels

Occupation: International speaker and author

Age: 65

Family: Four beautiful children

Education: Florida State University, Bachelor’s Degree, Criminology; MA, Christian Education; DCC, Christian Counseling

Political experience: 15 years as an elected official.

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

Affordable housing, job security, and public health and safety.

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

Through experience, results, and passion for my constituents, I have been able to pass bills and raise millions of dollars for my community. I also thank God for the opportunity to visit our prison system and to spearhead services for those incarcerated and their families. My unique background as a war veteran also gives me insight on how to meet the needs of Floridian veterans, who have greatly benefited from disability workshops that I have sponsored with the veterans’ administration.

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

I hope to be remembered as an elected official that my constituents can trust.

Campaign website: (None given)

Campaign social media: (None given)

Rhian Tutson

Occupation: Duval County Public Schools - Investigator

Age: 35

Family: Husband - Kris

Sons - Kennedy (11 years) and Zaccai (2 years)

Daughters - Amaya (15 years) and Zoey (11 months)

Education: Master of Science in Criminal Justice

Political experience: None

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

Public safety reform, affordability, and government accountability. On public safety, I’m bringing 15+ years of frontline experience as a former Florida Highway Patrol Trooper and Traffic Homicide Investigator and DCF Child Protective Investigator — my Come Home Act would end mandatory minimums statewide, eliminate cash bail, and properly staff FHP. On affordability, my Reclaim and Restore Act directs real investment into historically redlined Northside and Westside communities, and my Families First Act tackles childcare costs and paid parental leave. On accountability, I’m pushing the Nothing But the Truth Act to protect educators from misuse of state statutes and the Citizen Legislator Amendment to end career politicians clinging to power instead of serving people.

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

I’ve lived the systems I’m asking to fix from the inside. I’ve investigated child welfare cases, worked traffic fatalities as a state trooper, and now investigate misconduct allegations for Duval County Public Schools — I’m not theorizing about broken systems, I’ve worked inside them and seen exactly where they fail families. I also sit on the Jacksonville Housing and Community Development Commission, so I understand how local and state policy connect on the ground in District 14.

I’m also running this campaign accountable to the people of District 14, not to PAC money. My fundraising is built around “$14 for District 14″ — small, grassroots contributions from the people I’ll actually answer to in Tallahassee. That means my votes won’t be for sale to whoever writes the biggest check. My loyalty is to my constituents, period.

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

Igniting real, lasting change for the people of District 14 — not just passing bills, but rebuilding trust between government and the communities it’s supposed to serve. I’d want to be remembered for proving that someone who spent her career protecting people in crisis could go to Tallahassee and actually deliver for Northside, Westside, and Downtown Jacksonville — safer streets, stronger schools, and a government that finally invests in its people instead of overlooking them.

Campaign website: www.ratutson.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

News4JAX sent a questionnaire to each party 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 published exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4Jax staff.

DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

LaShonda “L.J.” Holloway

Occupation: Supreme Court Mediator and Arbitrator

Age: 56

Family: Fourth of six generations in Duval County.

Education: Juris Doctorate-University of Florida Levin College of Law

Post graduate studies at Harvard University School of Public Health (Epidemiology and Biostatistics)

Political experience: (No answer)

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

(No answer)

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

I am the ONLY CANDIDATE who has FEDERAL EXPERIENCE and the work and scope of the U. S. House of Representatives from Member to Constituent Services to make laws and control spending.

I not only worked for Congresswoman Carrie Meek who was on the Appropriations Committee. I also worked for the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in both the Clinton and Reagan administration(s).

Further, I negotiated the largest deal in history at U. S. Customs (at the time) as an Account Executive at Lexis Nexis and served as a Director in the Executive Office of the Mayor in Washington, D. C. during the Fenty Administration further enhancing my skills and abilities in Government.

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

I hope to be remembered as the Representative who served the will of the PEOPLE and did NOT accept PAC money.

As the Member of Congress who made the lives of Americans better and more affordable for working families.

Campaign website: www.hollowayforcongress.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Michael Kirwan

Occupation: Attorney (retired to run)

Age: 63

Family: Married 37 years with two adult sons

Education: Duke University, B.A.

Harvard Law School, J.D.

Political experience: Chairman of the Jacksonville Ethics Commission

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

First is affordability. Far too many families across the district, and across the country, are struggling to afford basic necessities like housing, groceries, healthcare, transportation, and childcare. Rising costs have been driven by inconsistent economic policies, including tariffs that increase prices for consumers, as well as decades of policies that have weakened the middle class and concentrated wealth and political influence in fewer hands. I will fight for policies that lower everyday costs, expand affordable housing, strengthen workers’ bargaining power, support small businesses, and make healthcare more accessible and affordable.

Second is restoring trust in our government. People deserve a government that is transparent, ethical, and accountable. Having helped draft Jacksonville’s ethics code and later serving as chairman of the Jacksonville Ethics Commission, I know that public confidence must be earned. In Congress, I will work to strengthen ethics laws, reduce the influence of special interests, protect voting rights, and ensure the government serves real people rather than powerful insiders.

Third is protecting our freedoms and constitutional rights. That means defending the rule of law, protecting voting rights and civil rights, protecting women’s health and reproductive freedom, safeguarding Social Security and Medicare, supporting public education, and ensuring every American is treated equally under the law. Congress should focus on solving problems and expanding opportunity instead of dividing Americans for political gain.

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

I’ve spent my career solving difficult problems as an attorney, but I’ve also spent decades serving Northeast Florida as a civic leader. I helped draft Jacksonville’s ethics code and later served as chairman of the Jacksonville Ethics Commission, where I worked to make government more transparent, accountable, and worthy of the public’s trust.

My commitment to this community has never been limited to politics. As president of Scenic Jacksonville and a leader in the Riverfront Parks Now coalition, I’ve worked with business leaders, neighborhood organizations, environmental advocates, and local government to improve our community and build consensus around projects that will benefit future generations. Those experiences taught me how to bring people with different viewpoints together to solve real problems.

I’m not running to become a career politician. I’m running because I believe this community deserves experienced, independent leadership focused on results rather than partisan rhetoric. I’ll bring a lifetime of professional experience, civic engagement, and ethical leadership to Congress, and I’ll always put the people of Florida’s Fourth District first.

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

I hope to be remembered as someone who helped restore people’s confidence that our government can work for real people. If I leave office having made life more affordable for working families, strengthened ethical standards in government, protected our democratic institutions and constitutional freedoms, and treated every constituent with honesty, respect, and fairness, I will consider my service a success.

Campaign website: votekirwan.com

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

Brit Robinson

Occupation: I am an interior designer and tailor by trade. The Department of Veterans Affairs hired me in 2024 to be a GS-11 Interior Designer, but with the new Trump administration, my offer was rescinded. I’ve worked since the age of 14 in a variety of fields, including food service, retail, legal & tax services, fine arts and interior design. Now, my only job is to fight for the people of District 4 to ensure the needs and desires of the district are properly represented in Congress, and create the desperately needed changes to make life not just comfortable, but joyful too. The People deserve stability and happiness.

Age: 31

Family: Husband

Education: BA in Textile Arts, Maryland Institute College of Art - focused on garment-making & costuming and earned through my dad’s GI Bill benefits. A lot of my studies were about social justice and advocacy and gave me the foundation of knowledge of the systems of exploitation and cruelty in our country that we desperately need to fix.

Political experience: None.

I got into this race as a military spouse and working-class candidate because I saw a small window of opportunity rapidly closing to protect our communities and resist an authoritarian government. The majority of Americans can’t afford their basic needs while the rich get richer, the Trump administration is dismantling our government for it’s own financial gain, and our Representative, Aaron Bean, is not working for his constituents considering his primary donor is AIPAC, followed by various corporate interests. Our district deserves to have a Representative who prioritizes its people – not greed and foreign interests.

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

1) Free Universal Healthcare - Healthcare is a human right. No one should struggle to see a doctor. We must expand Medicare for All to provide free universal healthcare for all Americans, including dental, hearing & vision care; Protect reproductive freedom & bodily autonomy for all; Expand social programs like SNAP & universal free school meals to ensure healthy food is available for all.

2) Get Money Out of Politics / Hold Trump Administration Accountable - We must work to overturn Citizens United, curbing corporate financial influence in our elections and throughout the government; strengthen anti-corruption laws & ban stock trading for lawmakers; Abolish & prosecute ICE; release the Epstein files; and prosecute all of Trump administration for their crimes.

3) End the Iran War & Israel’s Genocide in Gaza - Reclaim Congress’s power to instigate military action; Reduce military budget, force DOD to pass their audit to limit military industrial complex, & end American imperialism; Stop sending all aid to Israel & label AIPAC as a foreign agent unable to donate in American elections.

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

We need representatives who are not career politicians and will not prioritize corporate interests over constituents. When only 2% of our Representatives in Congress come from working-class backgrounds, it’s time for serious change.

I have the personal experience to have seen both the best and worst part of the American government and its systems. I have experienced firsthand the catastrophic effects of a family member not having health insurance. But I also have utilized socialized programs throughout my life through military family benefits and understand how essential it is to have quality healthcare, education, and housing, and am fighting for everyone to have the same access.

A huge focus of my campaign thus far has been coalition building with people and organizations within Jacksonville, throughout Florida, and across the country. We are stronger together and we can create monumental positive change if we focus on uplifting the voices of the People.

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

That the needs of the People are my sole priority and that I can’t be bought or intimidated to be quiet – even by our own Democratic Party. That I call out all hypocrisy and prejudice, and that I am fully dedicated to improving everyday people’s lives through systemic change.

Campaign website: www.brit4congress.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | TikTok

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE

Aaron Bean

Occupation: U.S. Representative, Florida Congressional District 4

Age: 59

Family: Wife, Abby, who is a fifth-generation Clay Countian, along with three now-grown sons, and one grandchild with a second grandchild expected in November.

Education: Jacksonville University, B.S. Finance

Political experience: I was elected to Congress on November 8, 2022. Prior to being elected to Congress, I spent 10 years in the Florida Senate after serving eight years in the Florida House of Representatives. Early on, I also served my hometown, while raising a family and running a small business, as a city commissioner and mayor of Fernandina Beach.

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

Inflation and the cost of living; patient access, affordability, and transparency in health care; and securing our borders and keeping our communities safe.

I’ll continue working to lower costs and make life more affordable for American families. That means getting government spending under control, promoting policies that help our economy grow, and making sure Washington lives within its means. We’ve already delivered real relief for working families through the Working Families Tax Cut – the largest tax cut in American history – so workers can keep more of what they earn, including no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security benefits. We also took another important step by passing the Rescissions Act of 2025, which was signed into law and rescinds $9 billion in unnecessary and wasteful federal spending. I’ll continue fighting for commonsense, fiscally responsible policies that strengthen our economy, protect taxpayers, and help ensure every dollar goes further for hardworking Americans.

Our health care system is too costly, too complicated, and too often leaves patients waiting longer and paying more for the care they need. If we’re serious about improving health care, we need to put patients first by expanding access to doctors, increasing price transparency, and making care more affordable. That starts with strengthening our health care workforce by expanding medical residency opportunities so more physicians can serve communities across the country. We also need to do a better job of promoting preventive care, because helping people stay healthy is better for patients and helps lower costs over the long run. I’ll keep fighting for commonsense solutions that improve access to care – like the HSAs For All Act that I introduced to expand access to Health Savings Accounts and give hardworking Americans more control over their healthcare dollars – increase affordability, empower patients with greater transparency, and deliver better outcomes for the American people.

Keeping our border secure is essential to our national security and helps protect communities here at home. I’ll continue working to strengthen border security while ensuring law enforcement has the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. That commitment also extends to the officers who serve in our own communities, as well as their four-legged partners, which is why I introduced the LEO K9 Protection Act to strengthen protections for the police dogs and horses that work alongside law enforcement every day. I’ll also continue fighting for our veterans and ensuring they receive the benefits they’ve earned. Whether it’s supporting those who protect our border, keeping our neighborhoods safe, or standing up for those who have served our nation, I’ll continue fighting for commonsense policies that put the safety and well-being of Americans first.

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

Serving Northeast Florida has always been about people, not politics. I have a servant’s heart, and I believe the best way to represent this community is to show up, listen, and be accessible to the people who sent me to Washington. That’s why I’m constantly meeting with families, small business owners, veterans, law enforcement, seniors, and community leaders to hear what’s on their minds, so that I can take those priorities with me to Congress. My job is to be your voice, to fight for the issues that matter most to Northeast Florida, and to deliver results. I’ll continue working every day to listen, stay engaged, and be a strong voice for the people of Northeast Florida—because serving this community is the greatest honor of my life.

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

I hope I’m remembered as a representative who was present, accessible, and never forgot who I worked for. From day one, my goal has been to listen, stay engaged, and fight for the people of Northeast Florida, regardless of party affiliation. I also hope our office is remembered for providing outstanding constituent service—because helping people navigate the federal government and solve problems is one of the most important parts of this job. Most of all, I hope people remember that when I made a promise, I worked hard to keep it. Whether it’s delivering results on issues like addressing patient access, affordability, and transparency in health care, promoting fiscal responsibility, or strengthening our nation’s security, I’ve always believed that public service is about earning people’s trust through action.

Campaign website: aaronbean.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X

FLORIDA FORWARD CANDIDATE

Mike Sell

Occupation: Mike is a certified operational excellence professional with more than two decades spent fixing complex, broken systems, most of that work inside the U.S. healthcare industry. He built his expertise through rigorous professional certification, earning master’s-level credentials including his Six Sigma Black Belt and Shingo Operational Excellence Assessor designations.

Over his career, Mike has led projects that generated more than a quarter of a billion dollars in documented savings for major organizations in healthcare and human resources. He did it not by cutting services, but by cutting the waste, redundancy, and dysfunction that drain those systems. He has sat at the executive tables where decisions affecting millions of people get made, and he has seen firsthand how complexity gets used to hide fraud, waste, and extraction from the people who can least afford it.

Alongside that work, Mike spent fifteen years building and leading organizations focused on bringing people together and widening opportunity, well before he ever considered public office. He is also the founder of a not-for-profit built on the belief that access to information is a right, and that technology should open doors rather than close them.

Age: 42

Family: Mike is a devoted husband and father. He and his partner have been together for more than two decades and raised three children, now grown and setting out on their own paths. Family is at the center of why he is running. He often says he is doing this for his own kids and for everyone else’s, so the next generation inherits a country that still works for them.

Service runs three generations deep in Mike’s family. His grandfather served 26 years in the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander, completing four submarine tours. His father served 20 years and retired from Naval Air Station Jacksonville as an Instructor Flight Engineer on the P-3 Orion. Both of Mike’s brothers served as well, one as a Marine and one in military law enforcement and security. Mike grew up inside that culture of duty and sacrifice, and it shaped everything he understands about what military families carry and what this country owes the people who serve it.

Education: Mike originally went to school for political science, but he found his real calling in operational excellence, the work of fixing broken systems and making them serve people better. He built master’s-level expertise in that field through rigorous professional certification, earning his Six Sigma Black Belt and Shingo Operational Excellence Assessor credentials, along with years of continuing training in leadership and continuous improvement. In a way, this run for office brings both halves of that path back together.

Political experience: Mike has not held elected office, and he sees that as part of what he offers. His experience is on the organizing side of politics rather than the career-politician side. Over the past year he has helped lead a local Indivisible chapter, where part of his work has been finding and supporting good candidates who will fight for their communities. He has spent two decades in community and civic organizing, building coalitions and bringing people together across differences, and he completed formal training as a community organizer. His approach to politics comes from that grounding: start with the people closest to the problem, listen first, and build the solution around them rather than around the interests already in power.

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

Cost of living. Families here are squeezed by housing, insurance, healthcare, and grocery prices rising faster than paychecks, and homeowner insurance in particular is pricing people out of homes they already own. Mike would fight to raise wages, take on price gouging, and treat the insurance crisis as the federal problem it is.

Healthcare access and cost. Too many families in this district are choosing between a prescription and groceries, and the Northside and Westside carry the highest concentration of uninsured and Medicaid-dependent residents. Mike would fully fund the community health centers that serve as the front door to care, protect Medicaid, and let Medicare negotiate the price of every covered drug.

A government that has stopped listening. This district has changed, and its representation has not kept pace with the people who live here now. Mike takes no corporate money, so he answers to this district and no one else, and he would measure success by whether life actually got better for the people he serves.

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

Mike takes no corporate money and answers to no party machine, so he is free to represent this district and no one else. He brings 20 years of fixing broken systems, the exact skill this job actually requires, and he is demonstrating a new way to run: a fraction of a normal budget, reaching voters directly, proving a qualified person can win without selling access first. Voters get a representative whose time and loyalty already belong to them, not to donors he owes before taking office.

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

Mike hopes to be remembered as someone who helped shift the trajectory of our nation back toward something future generations can be proud of. Not one bill or one term, but a turning point, where we started fixing broken systems instead of managing their decline, and where government began answering to people again instead of money. He wants his kids and everyone else’s to inherit a country that works, and to know it bent back in the right direction because ordinary people decided it had to.

Campaign website: www.mikesell.org

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

NO PARTY AFFILIATION CANDIDATE

Todd Schaefer

Occupation: Retired USN

Age: 47

Family: Son-24

Education: (No answer)

Political experience: None

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

1. We can argue until we are blue in the face that we need to get money out of politics, but in light of the most recent SCOTUS decision giving more power to donors through parties, that isn’t going to happen overnight. For now we need to get back to the basics and understand that politics IS money, as Congress controls the purse. My bill, the American Prosperity Card Act, will bring transparency back to the creation of money and how we benefit from or pay for it.

2. Housing prices are out of control. The bipartisan housing bill, 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, that is sitting on Trump’s desk is a good step in the right direction, however it still has loopholes so that it just addresses some symptoms of the larger problem. Bean even voted against that mild fix. I’d propose legislation to close the straight line depreciation loophole that landlords use to enjoy tax benefits on appreciating assets. Another angle I’d approach is reigning in the lax lending standards that allow mortgages for investment properties as opposed to small business loans. A small business would kill for a 30yr fixed rate loan. This subsidizes and provides an explicit guarantee which has inflated home prices over decades.

3. We need healthcare reform. Obama ran on a public option and instead we got the ACA. This has put us in a position where health costs can continue to rise and our government is simply forced to continue to raise subsidies to pay for it. The industry understands they can continue to raise costs unimpeded, because it has become political suicide to take away healthcare. Even Republicans agree that a larger healthcare pool reduces risk and therefore costs. The logic of that leads to a national public option, since the largest possible pool is the whole country. Any legislation to continue subsidies has to include language to expand Medicare to a public option.

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

You cannot apply to a party first and then tell voters you are going to serve them. Anyone who doesn’t fall in line in recent years has been cast aside by their party. The Republicans were just as happy to rid themselves of Massie and MTG as the Democrats were to ditch Bush and Bowman in ’24. The SCOTUS ruling this week unleashed the parties in their ability to spend unlimited money for loyalty. That isn’t governance. That is control by two for-profit private corporations that call themselves ‘parties’. I’m running to represent the people of FL-04 first and only.

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

My APCA bill getting passed. We have the tools in place to reverse five decades of failed fiscal policy. We just need the will to utilize them. That will give Americans a little breathing room and clarity on spending so that we can have honest conversations about what we demand of our government. Not big or small, but exactly the size we collectively agree to pay for.

Campaign website: toddforfl4.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X

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 and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.

DISTRICT 2 CANDIDATES

Antonio “Tony” Amaral Jr

Campaign website: votesfortony.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | Instagram

This 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.

Jeani Duarte

Occupation: Retired Bakery Owner, Dabbled in Short term and Long term rentals, Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist.

Age: 59

Family: Married to a Retired Marine, Grandma

Education: Some college, Certified through National Academy Of Sports Medicine.

Political experience: Attend City Council meetings and researching the issues.

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

1. Transparency concerning issues and how we got to where we are. Open communication and placing the facts of various issues in front of the electors for proper approvals or denials.

2. Budget, Fiscal Accountability. All Salaries starting at the Top and budgets in every department need reviewing for accountability, cuts or trims to ensure fiscal responsibility. This includes cutting the unapproved portions of the Mayor and Council compensations.

3. Infrastructure must be addressed before any growth can move forward. This includes the Data Center, Westward Expansion, and all other Mass Community Developments. With Full Transparencies. Impact Fees need to be collected up front. The Ad Valorem needs revisited.

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

I am the only candidate that is not compromised. I have no conflicts of interest. I am not a builder nor do I live across the street from the Mayor. I have done the research and found many issues on my own. I have a history of stepping up to the podium to defend the citizens of Palm Coast regardless of the backlash I have received. I stand firm on the issues, I am fully self funded, so I am nobodies puppet.

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

Setting Palm Coast Straight with it’s Budget Accountability, Charter Restoration, Strong, Healthy and Transparent Water Infrastructure, a Stable Community Planning System that includes assets that incorporate Stop and Go Revenue without destroying our natural resources. Plus Transparent, Easy Public Access of Information.

Campaign website: jeani4palmcoast.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Jimmy Hengy

Occupation: Retired

Age: 64

Family: 5 children and 5 Grandchildren

Education: Right from graduating High School, into 40 years of business development and ownership.

Political experience: 1st time running for office.

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

#1. Our lacking infrastructure from overdevelopment! Putting the breaks on development and redirecting our efforts towards our streets, water, wastewater and storm water capacities. Once our infrastructure is capable, planning new residential developments focused on low density residential communities with abundant green spaces.

#2. Economic Development. Developing an incubator program to nurture upcoming entrepreneurs in mentoring best business practices and helping with startup cost financing. Re enter an EDC division to attract higher paying light industrial manufacturing, focusing on Space Coast opportunities.

#3. Protecting our environment, saving our existing green spaces to protect our abundant wildlife population. Retaining the beauty of Palm Coast that attracted our residents, and future residents, to live here.

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

I am retired from 40 years of business experience. I can devote my total attention to our council in representing the needs of our community. I know how to build teams, develop budgets and work within budget constraints. I have no agenda, I’m not affiliated with any builders, developers or large land owners. I have no political aspirations; if elected, I will serve my term, or at the most, 2 terms in representing the wants and needs of our community, with communication, transparency and fiscal responsibility.

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

That I have helped in preserving the beauty of Palm Coast. That I helped in developing real economic opportunities.

That I helped in creating balanced budgets, reduced debt and helped make our city more affordable for our residence.

Campaign website: www.jimmyhengy.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

DISTRICT 4 CANDIDATES

Dylana “Dee” Galery

Occupation: National Field Support Manager and Residential Instructor at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

Age: 32

Family: Born at Fort Hood, Texas, into a military family, I moved to Florida at a young age and was raised in Hastings. Palm Coast has been my home for a total of 10 years, and I am proud to be running to serve the community that has given me so much.

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, University of Central Florida. Graduate of the Palm Coast Citizens Academy.

Political experience: This is my first campaign for public office. For about a year, I have followed City Council meetings online, and over the past several months I have attended City Council and Planning Board meetings in person to better understand the issues facing Palm Coast. I have also spent countless hours talking with residents throughout our community to hear their concerns firsthand. I completed the Palm Coast Citizens Academy, earned the Outstanding Senator Award at Stetson University’s Model Senate, and bring professional leadership experience managing multimillion dollar budgets, leading teams, and making fiscally responsible decisions.

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

The biggest issues are infrastructure, responsible growth, and transparency.

First, infrastructure. Our roads, drainage, and utilities need to catch up before we approve more residential growth. I will work to prioritize infrastructure improvements and hold developers accountable for paying their fair share of the costs that growth creates.

Second, responsible growth. Growth should benefit the people who already live here. I will support attracting businesses that create quality jobs while making sure new development matches the capacity of our roads, utilities, and public services.

Finally, transparency. Residents deserve to be part of the conversation before major decisions are made. I will prioritize open communication, community engagement, and making City Hall more accessible so residents always know what is happening and have the opportunity to be heard.

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

I bring real world leadership experience and a fresh perspective. Throughout my career, I have managed people, budgets, and complex projects where every decision affects employees, clients, and the bottom line. I know how to ask questions, bring people together, and make informed decisions instead of rushing to conclusions.

What makes me different is that I genuinely want to hear from residents before decisions are made. I believe the best solutions come from listening, being transparent, and following through. Palm Coast deserves leadership that plans ahead, communicates openly, and always puts residents first.

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

I hope people remember that Palm Coast became stronger because we started planning ahead instead of reacting to problems. I want to be remembered for improving infrastructure, protecting our water, managing growth responsibly, attracting better jobs, and restoring trust in local government. Most of all, I hope people remember that they had a council member who listened, showed up, and followed through.

Campaign website: dylanagalery.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

John Kvederis

Occupation: Junk Removal business owner

Age: 34

Family: Single

Education: High school

Political experience: 1st time running

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

Economic Development & Local Affordability

​The Issue is Inflation, rising property taxes, and the increasing cost of living are putting pressure on local families and small businesses.

​The plan I will advocate for fiscal responsibility by streamlining municipal spending, cutting unnecessary red tape for small business growth, and supporting targeted tax relief initiatives to keep our community affordable for working families and seniors.

Public Safety & Community Infrastructure

​The Issue: Aging infrastructure, traffic congestion, and ensuring public safety departments have adequate resources to serve a growing population.

​Plan: I will prioritize funding for critical road, utility, and drainage projects while ensuring our first responders (police, fire, and EMS) have the modern equipment, competitive compensation, and community support necessary to keep our neighborhoods safe.

Transparency & Local Government Accountability

​The Issue: Voters often feel disconnected from local decision-making and desire more transparency regarding how public funds are spent.

​Plan: I will implement regular town hall meetings, push for fully accessible digital streaming of public workshops/meetings, and mandate clearer reporting on municipal budgets and project timelines so residents always know where their tax dollars go.

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

What sets me apart in this race is my extensive real world experience as a business owner and my executive background in casino financial management.

​Managing complex financial operations in the casino and gaming industry requires strict regulatory compliance, rigorous oversight of multi million dollar budgets, and absolute precision in accounting. I know how to audit operations, eliminate fiscal waste, identify revenue opportunities, and stretch every dollar without sacrificing quality or service.

​Combined with the grit and practical problem solving that comes with owning and operating a business, I bring a level of financial discipline and operational expertise that traditional political candidates simply do not have. I won’t need a learning curve when it comes to analyzing complex public budgets, holding departments accountable, or making smart, business minded decisions for our community.

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

Having grown up in Palm Coast, I want to be remembered as the leader who brought true fiscal responsibility and operational efficiency back to city government.

​Above all, I hope to leave a legacy of solving long overdue infrastructure issues specifically fixing our stormwater management, swales, and drainage systems by prioritizing what we already have before taking on unnecessary new costs. I want residents to remember my tenure as a time when taxpayers finally got a City Council that scrutinized every dollar, protected local property owners, and ensured that government served the community with total transparency and business minded accountability.

Campaign website: votekvederis.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Ramon Marrero

Occupation: At the moment, I am retired but operating a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, but I come from a Military, law enforcement, and mortgage underwriting background.

Age: 66

Family: I have three daughters and two grandsons. I have 9 siblings, and my mother, who, thank God, is still with us.

Education: BA in Business Administration.

Political experience: None. This is my first time running for a position, but I have 19 years of service to this community, working with other charitable and religious organizations.

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

The top three issues are managing growth, improving infrastructure, and strengthening our local economy. We need to make sure growth pays for itself, invest in roads and utilities before they become problems, and attract businesses that create good-paying jobs. My focus will be on practical solutions that protect our quality of life.

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

I bring real-world leadership from the military, law enforcement, business, and the nonprofit sector. I’ve managed budgets, solved problems, and built consensus. I’ll bring that same practical experience, integrity, and common-sense approach to every decision on the City Council.

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

I want to be remembered for putting Palm Coast first—making smart decisions, improving our infrastructure, protecting our quality of life, and leaving the city stronger and better prepared for the future.

Campaign website: vote4ramon.com

Campaign social media: Facebook | X | Instagram | LinkedIn

Darlene Shelley

Occupation: Retired

Age: 57

Family: Bryan Shelley- Husband of 35 years, daughter Brandy and husband Garret, son Bryan and wife Lauren, and three precious grandchildren ages 11, 3, and 3 and my mom, Mary Alice. Brandy and her family and momma also live in Palm Coast. My mom and dad moved to Palm Coast 30 years ago and visiting them on vacations is how we came to love the beautiful coastal city of Palm Coast. In 2012, we moved here for good.

Education: Associate’s degree in human resource management, Rutgers Garden Certification, multiple Continued Education Certificates.

Political experience: Not a politician

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

Overdevelopment- My solution- Demand infrastructure, compatibility, public benefit, and concurrency are met before approving development proposals.

Water- My solution- Protect wetlands, fragile ecosystems and the environment. Consider capacity limitations, potential for pollution and contamination, and increased flooding possibilities before approving any development project, additional density or added intensity. Ensure wells and aquifer are protected from contamination, depletion, and damage due to development, saltwater intrusion, or wastewater injection.

Affordability and Quality of Life- Local neighbors are being forced to have to move through increases in utility and electric costs, excessive nuisance noise, and increased traffic and safety concerns. My solution- Ensure rule of law is enforced and rules and regulations are upheld. I would strive to bring quality jobs, tax base diversity through light industrial uses that are compatible with surrounding communities and discuss methods for insuring development pays for its infrastructure, traffic prevention, and utility upgrades do not let those cost burdens fall upon the shoulders of the residents.

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

I have over 35 years of experience in leadership, operations management, and delivering results. I am the only candidate in my district race that owns a home and has zero debt. My proven track record of dedication to fiscal responsibility, advocating for the safety, health, and welfare of my Palm Coast family, and working hard to prevent poorly planned overdevelopment in our city speak volumes. My work with Concerned Citizens of Palm Coast, PeaceforPalm.com , and Palm Coast Connect have delivered measurable results in quality of life, health and safety improvements, and in the beautification of the city that we love. More trees and flowers- Hard work and dedication -Less wasteful spending- Better Quality of Life and Increased Home Values, this is how I have achieved my American Dream and with these experiences and attributes I believe can help Palm Coast remain a great city in which to live and work.

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

I would like to be remembered as a local resident who cared enough to step outside my comfort zone to stand up for the things I hold near and dear. These things include the peaceful enjoyment of our homes, our Constitutional Rights, the health and safety of our friends and family, affordability of utility bills for seniors, renters, and homeowners, and most importantly- LISTENING to the residents and taking action to SOLVE the problems they are facing. Not pointing fingers, not saying it is out of my control, not kicking the can down the road, and not saying “Thank you for your comment” and then doing nothing to fix the issue.

Campaign website: darleneforpalmcoast.com

Campaign social media: Facebook

Officers were called around 11:40 p.m. Saturday to Ortega Woods Drive in the Duclay Forest area of the Westside because of reports that someone had been shot.

Officers found three men, ages 18-20, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. All three were taken to local hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening.

JSO said that around the same time, officers received another call from Ortega Park Boulevard, just a couple of minutes away.

They found the fourth victim, a 17-year-old boy who was treated for a gunshot wound at the scene and released.

Police have not identified a suspect but said they do not believe the four victims knew the shooter.

Anyone with information can call JSO at 904-630-0500, email JSOCRIMETIPS@JAXSHERIFF.ORG or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

Avant Construction Group Inc. of Jacksonville is the contractor for the hotel and restaurant project at 420 N. Julia St. Downtown.

Gateway Jax intends to renovate the long-closed hotel into a 109-unit property that will operate as Hotel Merrydelle to be part of the Marriott Tribute Portfolio.

The city issued a permit June 8 for Gateway Jax to start selective interior demolition in preparation to renovate it.

Avant Construction Group also is the contractor for that $221,000 project to remove unusable interior construction materials in the building in Downtown’s North Core.

Campo Architecture & Interior Design of New Orleans is the architect and interior designer of record for the project. Universal Engineering Sciences in Jacksonville is providing private plan review.

The project description says the hotel was constructed in 1924.

It says the six-story building is composed of ribbed cast-in-place concrete slabs with interior and perimeter cast-in-place columns.

The scope of work says existing interior elements will be removed. Exterior facade materials will be repaired and cleaned, windows will be installed and roofing will be replaced to “core and shell” condition. The stairs and vacant elevator shaft will be undisturbed.

There will be additional demolition required in later phases for structural slab work.

The contractor will coordinate the demolition of heating, ventilation and air conditioning units to maintain the interior temperature and humidity conditions suitable for existing and new building materials.

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

The embassy said “Kyiv terrorists” wanted to “scare the Italians working in Russia and to show them that they too are in the crosshairs and could become the scoundrels' next victims.”

It said the Saturday night attack on the Balzi Rossi restaurant killed five and injured 19, adding that its Italian chef and his staff were unhurt only thanks to a Russian security guard's “vigilance and selfless dedication to his professional duty.”

There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities.

The National Anti-Terrorism Committee, which coordinates various security agencies, initially reported a lower death toll in a statement issued shortly after the attack. It said the bomb killed three people, including a woman who carried the explosive device into the restaurant, a guard who stopped her, and a guest inside. It said 21 others were injured when the bomb detonated near the restaurant's entrance.

The committee didn’t say who was the target or name the mastermind.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Sunday described the bombing as a “brutal terrorist act,” but did not say who was responsible for the blast at the upscale restaurant, which is located on the ground floor of a high-rise apartment building that is one of seven skyscrapers in the city that date to the era of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reposted the embassy statement without comment. It did not respond to a request for comment or explain the higher death toll.

Several Russian media outlets claimed the bombing targeted a Russian general who was celebrating his birthday at the restaurant. Some claimed that the general was Col.-Gen. Alexander Chaiko, who led the troops that made a botched attempt to storm the Ukrainian capital in 2022 and recently was appointed the chief of Russia's aerospace forces. The claims could not be independently verified.

The business daily Kommersant reported that the bomb, hidden in a gift box, was probably detonated remotely and the woman carrying it could have been unaware of the content. Kommersant said the bomb contained about 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of explosives and contained metal balls for lethality.

Russia blamed Ukraine for past attacks on military officials

Russian authorities have blamed Kyiv for a series of bombings and other attacks against senior military officials after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Earlier this year, Russia’s Federal Security Service said authorities would tighten security around senior military and government officials following the attacks.

In February, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alexeyev, ​the deputy head of the GRU ‌military ⁠intelligence service, was shot three times at a Moscow apartment building, but survived. Ukraine denied its involvement.

In December, a car bomb killed Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, in southern Moscow. Ukraine refrained from comment.

In April 2025, another car bomb that Moscow blamed on Kyiv killed Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, a deputy head of the main operational department in Russia’s General Staff. Ukraine didn't claim the attack but hinted at its involvement.

And in December 2024, a bomb hidden in a scooter killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, who headed the Russian military’s nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, one of the few attacks Ukraine openly acknowledged.

Among other prominent victims of bombing attacks in Russia were Daria Dugina, the daughter of influential nationalist thinker Aleksandr Dugin, and Vladlen Tatarsky, a well-known pro-Kremlin military blogger. Kyiv denied involvement in the attack on Dugina, and remained coy about the attack on Tatarsky.

Nadezhdin, 63, shared a video on Telegram, showing him standing in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

“Good news: I'm alive and free. Unfortunately, not in Russia for the time being," he said, adding that he needs “to look around and figure out life going forward.”

In July, a Russian court fined Nadezhdin about $13 for displaying “extremist symbols," charges that he rejected as absurd. The accusations stemmed from a 2023 online video that briefly showed a picture of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, convicted of extremism in a case widely seen as politically motivated.

Earlier that month, Nadezhdin also was designated a “foreign agent" — a label that brings additional government scrutiny as well as stigmatizing connotations in Russia.

That and a fine on an extremism-related charge barred him from running in September’s parliamentary vote, which is expected to be tightly controlled by the Kremlin.

The ruling United Russia party is seeking to preserve its dominance in the lower house of parliament in a race against the Communist Party and a couple of other parties that vote in sync with the Kremlin on key issues. The campaign comes amid signs of growing public fatigue with the war in Ukraine as fuel shortages and economic pain increase, an environment that reduces the authorities' tolerance for even token opposition.

In January 2024, Nadezhdin collected thousands of signatures in his run for president as he openly called for an end to the war in Ukraine. But he was kept off the March 2024 ballot after Russia’s Supreme Court ruled that more than 9,000 signatures submitted by his campaign were invalid — enough to disqualify him. Putin faced only token opposition in the election and easily gained a fifth term.

A veteran politician, Nadezhdin worked in the government in the 1990s when he was an adviser to Sergei Kiriyenko, now a top Putin aide. He also served as a lawmaker and more recently became a member of a municipal council. He was one of the few high-profile Putin critics still living in Russia.

Earlier this year, Nadezhdin declared his bid to run for the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, and vowed to continue his symbolic campaign even after the Justice Ministry branded him with the “foreign agent” designation.

Another blow came when police briefly detained Nadezhdin and charged him with displaying “extremist symbols.” The politician said he was considering a move abroad but was barred from leaving Russia. It wasn't clear from his Monday video statement whether the ban has since been lifted, or if he left the country despite it.

After the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, authorities ramped up their crackdown on dissent and free speech, relentlessly targeting rights organizations, independent media, members of civil society organizations and Kremlin critics. Hundreds of people have been jailed and thousands of others fled the country.

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But the big question remains: Will it really bear fruit?

It’s still dependent on both sides fulfilling their part of the deal to make the phased timetable work.

Jaser AbuMoussa, senior fellow with the Middle East Institute, joined us on The Morning Show to discuss whether the deal is realistic.

Die Pretty is in the business of curating confidence in its clients. MJ is a lash expert and has incredible training programs for individuals looking to learn.

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The congressional primaries will take place using the commonwealth’s existing district boundaries. Voters approved a more Democratic-friendly map in April, but Virginia’s highest court invalidated the new boundaries less than three weeks later.

The failed effort to enact a new Virginia map was in response to a largely successful push by President Donald Trump and state lawmakers in several Republican-controlled states like Texas and Missouri to redraw their congressional maps ahead of schedule and boost their party’s chances of maintaining their fragile U.S. House majority.

Under the current map, Virginia’s most competitive U.S. House seat is likely in the 2nd Congressional District, where a rematch may be in the works between two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans and the Democrat she unseated in 2022, former U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria.

Luria is among four Democrats seeking the nomination, but the retired Navy commander and former House Select Jan. 6 Committee member dwarfs the rest of the combined field in terms of fundraising and available cash as of mid-July. Kiggans, also a former Naval officer, is unopposed in the Republican primary.

A contested primary is also underway in the neighboring 1st Congressional District, where seven Democratic hopefuls are running to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman. That field includes Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor, retired Navy Commander and former corporate government affairs executive Jason Knapp, and attorneys Salaam Bhatti and Mel Tull. Wittman, who is seeking a 10th full term, is unopposed for renomination.

In the 7th Congressional District, which straddles Northern and Central Virginia, freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Eugene Vindman faces no primary challengers in his bid for a second term. In November, he’ll face the winner of a three-way primary between Republicans Philip Harding, Doug Ollivant and Rick Smithers.

The Democratic primary in the 5th Congressional District also features a comeback attempt by a former member of Congress. Tom Perriello served one term from 2009 to 2011 in the Charlottesville-area district. If he wins the three-way primary, he would likely face Republican U.S. Rep. John McGuire in a district that Trump won with about 56% of the vote.

Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has endorsed Luria, Taylor and Perriello in their congressional primaries.

At the top of the ballot, Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner is unopposed in his bid for a fourth term. Running to challenge him in November are Republicans Kim Farington, Bert Mizusawa and David Williams. Warner has held the seat since 2009 and won his last reelection with 56% of the vote.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 7 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House and the Arlington County Board.

Who gets to vote?

Any eligible voter may participate in any party’s primary.

How many voters are there?

There were about 6,387,000 registered voters as of March 1. Virginia voters do not register by party.

How many people actually vote?

About 273,000 votes were cast in the last Republican U.S. Senate primary in 2024. That year, the Democratic primaries for the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts had about 23,000 and about 29,000 total votes, respectively, while the Republican primary in the 7th Congressional District had about 36,000 total votes.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

Advance voting tends to make up a larger share of the vote in Democratic primaries than in Republican primaries. In 2024, about 55% of the vote in the 1st District Democratic primary and about 47% of the 2nd District Democratic primary vote were mail or early in-person votes. In comparison, about 27% of the vote was cast early in person or by mail in the Republican primaries for the U.S. Senate and for the 7th Congressional District.

As of Friday, about 139,000 ballots had been cast in Tuesday’s election, about 84,000 from Democrats and about 55,000 from Republicans.

When are early and absentee votes released?

Virginia counties and independent cities vary in terms of how and when they release results, but the first vote updates of the night tend to include results from all vote types: early in person, mail and in person on Election Day.

Roughly a third of jurisdictions release all or almost all of their early and absentee voting results in their first vote update of the night, often along with results from in-person Election Day voting. Most counties and cities begin releasing at least some results from in-person Election Day voting in the first update and over the course of the night.

Nearly half the jurisdictions release no early or absentee voting results in the first vote update.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2025 general election for Virginia governor, the AP first reported results at 7:10 p.m. ET, or 10 minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 1:52 a.m. ET, with more than 99% of total votes counted.

When will the AP declare a winner?

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

How do recounts work?

Virginia does not conduct automatic recounts. Candidates may request and pay for recounts if the margin between the top two candidates is 1 percentage point or less. No payment is required if the recount results in a margin of less than 0.5 percentage points or if the outcome has changed. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Are we there yet?

As of Tuesday, there will be 91 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.