Discussion

At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Two was located near latitude 28.7 North, longitude 85.8 West. The depression is moving erratically toward the northwest near 3 mph (6 km/h). A slow northwestward motion is expected through tonight and Tuesday morning, followed by a turn toward the west-northwest or west. On the forecast track, the depression will move near or along the northern Gulf coast during the next several days.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is expected for the next day or two, and the depression is expected to become a tropical storm later this afternoon or tonight.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).

Watches and Warnings

CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for, * Alabama/Florida Border to the Mouth of the Mississippi River

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for, * Ochlockonee River Florida westward to the Jefferson/Plaquemines Parish border in Louisiana.

A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life- threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours. For a depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov.

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

Additional watches or warnings may be required tonight or on Tuesday.

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

Land Hazards

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

WIND: Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area in the Florida Panhandle by late tonight into Tuesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the remainder of the watch area by late Tuesday night into Wednesday.

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

Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA to AL/FL Border, 2-4 ft Indian Pass, FL to Chassahowitzka, FL, 1-3 ft Morgan City, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA, 1-3 ft Lake Pontchartrain, 1-3 ft

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

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

RAINFALL: The tropical depression is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher totals around 8 inches through Friday along the Gulf Coast and adjacent inland locations from western Florida to the Middle Texas Coast, including southern portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. This rainfall may produce areas of flash flooding, especially in urban areas.

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

TORNADOES: An isolated tornado or two are possible over the Florida Big Bend region this afternoon and evening.

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

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

The move could unleash a new wave of economic chaos, with risks of higher inflation and further fraying of relations between two nations that had been closely woven together before Trump's return to the White House. The administration official previewing the action said that Canada was one of the only nations other than China that retaliated against Trump's previous tariffs and must be held accountable.

The official insisted on anonymity on a call with reporters to preview the president's actions and said that Trump signed three proclamations to launch the tariffs under Section 338 of the 1930 Trade Act. Several Democratic lawmakers last year proposed repealing the section because they said Trump could use it to destabilize the economy.

The 50% tariffs would exclude energy products, potash, fish and critical minerals, but they would include goods that had previously been protected from import taxes by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. That 2020 trade pact recently expired and triggered a new set of negotiations that could run until 2036.

The official said that Trump had also requested that his aides look into additional tariffs on Canada because its wildfires hurt air quality in the U.S.

At the World Cup final on Sunday, Trump watched the game with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has openly challenged the U.S. president and has sought to expand Canada's trade relations with other nations. The Trump administration official said their time together at the game was not a working visit to discuss trade and tariffs.

Trump claims in the proclamations that Canada discriminates against American autos, alcohol and cheese relative to other nations, but his argument rests in large part on retaliatory actions taken by Canada after the U.S. president imposed tariffs on Canada under the pretext that it should do more to stop fentanyl smuggling.

Trump noted in his autos proclamation that Canada maintained, starting in April 2025, a 25% tariff on the imports of U.S. motor vehicles that did not qualify for preferential treatment under the USMCA.

His proclamation on alcohol notes that Canadian provinces and territories halted the purchase and retailing of American alcoholic beverages last year, which was also a response to Trump's tariffs and taunts of making Canada the 51st state.

But Trump has long objected to Canada's treatment of U.S. cheese, saying in his proclamation that Canada discriminates against the U.S. compared to Europe on dairy products.

Expect scattered thunderstorms to live of thunderstorms through early evening, some locally heavy. The main concerns will be flooding, damaging wind and frequent lightning. These storms are heading generally to the north at 20-40 mph. Thunderstorms activity will decrease after sunset with showers possible overnight.

The summer heat continues with less storm coverage through Friday. Isolated activity will be possible as the sea breezes collide.

Rain chances increase this weekend as the southwest flow continues.

Tonight: Scattered showers with thunderstorms through around 11 p.m.

Tuesday: Breezy and hot with isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mainly dry with reduced storm coverage, 20-30 percent. Morning lows in the 70s to low 80s. Afternoon highs in the low to mid 90s inland, upper 80s to low 90s along the beaches. Wind: S 10-20 mph. Rain chance, 20-40 percent.

Wednesday - Friday: The summer pattern continues with hot and humid days and isolated afternoon showers and storms. Lows in the 70s to low 80s. Highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s.

Looking ahead: Scattered showers with thunderstorms return this weekend.

Tropics: Monitoring Tropical Depression #2. www.news4jax.com/weather/2026/07/20/tropical-depression-two-threatens-gulf-coast-early-this-week/

Sunrise: 6:38 p.m.

Sunset: 8:28 p.m.

The 26 players and their coaching staff met with the country's royals, and then with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, after arriving in the Spanish capital a day after beating Argentina 1-0 in the final in New Jersey.

“Thank you to the coaches and players for the style of play, the effort and the victory,” Sánchez said. “We have truly enjoyed watching you play.”

The squad then boarded an open-top bus for a raucous parade through central Madrid. “Stars shine together” was written on the bus, which also carried photos of the footballers.

Players — carrying the World Cup trophy and wearing shirts with the words Somos Campeones (We Are Champions) — danced and interacted with the fans along the route.

“It's been an emotional and proud experience to represent a wonderful country with such passionate and devoted fans," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said before the parade started. “We are filled with joy.”

The squad traveled down Madrid's historic avenues from near Moncloa Palace, the prime minister’s official residence, to Cibeles Square, where authorities told local media that some 120,000 people were on hand for a ceremony.

Groups of fans had begun securing their spots near Cibeles late Monday morning ahead of the team’s arrival, bringing umbrellas to protect against the sun and temperatures of up to 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit).

The square is where previous Spain teams and their supporters have typically gathered to celebrate. It's also the traditional celebration spot for Real Madrid when it wins titles.

Singers Aitana, Ana Mena and Lola Índigo were set to entertain the crowd at the ceremony at Cibeles.

Officials estimated a total of around 1.8 million people welcomed the team in Madrid.

Spain walked off with the trophy Sunday after Ferran Torres scored the winner in extra time to secure its second World Cup title — and first since 2010 in South Africa.

The team was congratulated by the leaders of the three countries that co-hosted the tournament — U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

After the final whistle, Madrid erupted into celebrations, with thousands of supporters pouring into the streets from bars and restaurants, many draped in Spanish flags or wearing the team's colors.

Crowds packed the capital's Puerta de Sol and other major squares — singing, dancing and setting off flares while car horns blared.

Many celebrated Sunday’s victory long into the wee hours of Monday morning.

“I’m very happy. I’ve slept three or four hours, but for the team, I’ll do whatever it takes,” 19-year-old Victor Álvarez said.

The men's victory, combined with the Women’s World Cup won by Spain in 2023, makes the European nation the first to hold both titles simultaneously.

“Honestly, it was very exciting. We preferred not to go to any bar or anything, to experience it at home, focused and very happy, very joyful,” 59-year-old civil servant Gema Rodero said.

Celebrations were dampened, however, after local authorities reported that a 13-year-old in Salamanca, northwest of Madrid, had died after a fountain he had climbed onto with friends to mark the victory had collapsed.

For many young supporters, the triumph is their first time witnessing the men's team lift the trophy — and the national delirium that has followed.

Spain now is markedly different from 2010, when the Iberian nation was beset by a debt crisis, 20% unemployment and nationalist regions fighting to win more autonomy.

The economy is expanding, the unemployment rate has halved and the country is forecast to again be among the Eurozone’s fastest-growing major economies. Nationalist and separatist tensions have considerably cooled.

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

U.S. Central Command said on social media that the strikes “are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The strikes have escalated as the U.S. and Iran vie for control of the crucial energy shipping route, with Tehran retaliating by launching attacks on American allies Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.

President Donald Trump earlier warned on social media that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!”

The U.S., early Monday, launched a ninth night of airstrikes on Iran after announcing the death of another American service member killed in Iraq during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. The U.S. military also identified two soldiers who were killed in Jordan on Friday while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Seventeen U.S. troops have been killed since the start of the war.

The Latest:

Trump 50% tariff targets Canadian autos, alcohol and cheese

The president has imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, declaring that Canada has unfairly discriminated against American autos, alcohol and dairy products.

The move, announced Monday, could unleash a new wave of economic chaos, with risks of higher inflation and further fraying of relations between two nations that had been closely woven together before Trump’s return to the White House.

The administration official previewing the action said that Canada was one of the only nations other than China that retaliated against Trump’s previous tariffs and must be held accountable. The official insisted on anonymity on a call with reporters to preview the president’s actions.

More US strikes start up against Iran

The U.S. military says it’s carrying out its 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran in a push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Central Command said on social media that the strikes “are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The strikes have escalated as the U.S. and Iran vie for control of the crucial energy shipping route, with Tehran retaliating by launching attacks on American allies Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain.

Two soldiers were killed in Iranian attacks on a base in Jordan on Friday that left a third service member missing. Separately, another died in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone.

President Trump earlier warned on social media that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!”

Trump signs executive order on supply chains for US military

Trump on Monday signed an executive order that would expand the Pentagon’s ability to track the raw materials and equipment used in software and gear — with the goal of strengthening domestic supply chains.

The order would require government contractors starting in 2027 to prove their need for waivers when domestic materials are not available, Peter Navarro, the president’s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, said during a call with reporters.

The Defense Department would also require contractors to map their critical supply chains from raw materials to the products delivered to the military.

Jordan says Iran launched another missile attack

Jordan’s armed forces said Monday evening they had shot down three Iranian missiles, adding that there had been no material damage or casualties.

There was no immediate word from Iran.

Trump will visit Delaware to honor service members killed in Iran war

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump will be at Dover Air Force Base on Tuesday evening for the dignified transfer of U.S. service members.

“The President and the entire White House are praying for their families,” Leavitt said on social media Monday.

Two service members were killed Friday in Jordan while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks, the U.S. military said. A third service member was missing after the attack.

Another American service member was killed Saturday in northern Iraq in what was described as a controlled detonation of an Iranian ordnance.

Trump, in apparent pushback on Mamdani, says Netanyahu won’t be arrested in US

The president offered the assurance to Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told the New York Times that the Israeli prime minister “belongs in The Hague” and that he was in “active conversation” with the city’s legal department about potentially arresting him if he comes to New York City for the U.N. General Assembly in September.

“Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,” Trump said in a social media post in which he made no direct mention of Mamdani.

During his mayoral campaign last year, Mamdani said he would order the city’s police to arrest Netanyahu under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over Netanyahu’s role in the war in Gaza.

Trump threatens harsh response against Iran for targeting of US troops going forward

The president took to social media on Monday to warn that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward “they will pay for that killing many times over.”

Trump offered no further details but said his directive has been relayed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other U.S. military leaders.

Trump’s warning came after the U.S. earlier Monday launched its ninth night of airstrikes on Iran after announcing the death of a U.S. service member, killed in Iraq during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. Seventeen American troops have been killed since the start of the war.

British military says a second ship was attacked off the coast of UAE

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Monday evening that a second ship had been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, this one off the coast of the United Arab Emirates

Earlier, a vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile near the coastline of Oman. The crew abandoned the vessel, which was adrift and still ablaze hours later, the UKMTO said.

The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control. The Guard later claimed it was targeting tankers in the strait.

Tehran also hit U.S.-allied countries throughout the Middle East. Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens Monday morning, while Kuwait said its air defenses were firing at an incoming Iranian barrage.

Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry condemned Iranian drone strikes targeting the country’s air traffic systems, saying they endanger travel for civilians.

Ontario’s premier says he’s frustrated with Trump’s wildfire comments

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told a news conference Monday he is frustrated with Trump’s threats to place tariffs on Canada over wildfire smoke.

Ford said Ontario has contributed to fighting fires in the U.S. and offered assistance when Georgia was struck with a hurricane in 2024.

“Rather than criticize and threaten Canada, your closest friend, maybe one day you’re going to need our help,” Ford said. “I get frustrated just listening (to) that bunch of rubbish.”

Ford noted one of the largest fires started in Minnesota.

“Maybe President Trump would offer his closest allies and friends some support rather than sit there and threaten tariffs.”

Nearly 200 wildfires are currently burning across Northern Ontario, with 57 out of control.

Trump talked about wildfires with Carney at World Cup

Trump said he told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney he needs to do more to stop wildfires when they talked during Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey.

“I told them you got to stop these fires from coming in and poisoning our air. Our air has been poisoned,” Trump told reporters on Sunday when he returned from the game.

“If we can help them, we’ll help them. But maybe they should pay us some damages or something, or we should do some tariffs.”

Trump last week accused Canada of neglecting forest management. It is unclear under what authority Trump would rely on to impose new tariffs on Canada.

Sen. Jon Ossoff fuels reelection campaign by accusing Trump of corruption

The Democrat from Georgia is making full-throated broadsides against Trump as he runs for reelection, calling the president a “national disgrace” leading a “Mar-a-Lago mafia” and “the most corrupt administration of all time.”

The 39-year-old senator’s approach is being noticed across the Democratic spectrum, from activists hungry for the right message in the 2026 midterms to those pining for viable presidential candidates.

And now he has a 20-1 fundraising advantage against Rep. Mike Collins, who won a Republican primary runoff after Trump’s last-minute endorsement. Collins argues that Ossoff is “weak” and “woke,” just another “out-of-touch, far-left liberal.”

“The senator is definitely having a moment,” Democratic strategist Lis Smith said, adding that tying Trump’s personal financial gain to his performance on the economy is a strategy “more Democrats should adopt.”

Justice Department activates untested ‘alien terrorist’ deportation court

The Justice Department has filed a first-ever petition to a secretive and dormant court created 30 years ago to weigh government requests to deport so-called “alien terrorists” from the United States.

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was established in 1996 but had never received a petition until the Justice Department filed an application last week seeking the removal of an individual whose name is withheld from the single-page document posted on the court’s website.

A written response from the chief judge of the five-member court — all appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts — indicates that a hearing was held and that the Justice Department was directed to provide more information on Wednesday.

The chief judge of wrote that “the Government could benefit from the opportunity for more thoughtful consideration.”

Trump urges review of climate change report used by judges

Trump complained that a report on climate change National Academy of Sciences included “discredited” information that created “huge losses” across the country. The report is used by the Federal Judicial Center as a resource to assist judges in considering scientific evidence.

Trump ordered “federal suspension and debarment officials” to review the research organization’s conduct, adding that taxpayers should not be funding ″climate fraud” and judges should not rely on the report.

It was not clear what officials Trump was referring to and what, exactly, he wants them to investigate.

Earlier this year, the judicial center withdrew a chapter on climate change from the newest reference manual on scientific evidence after Republican state attorneys general complained it was biased against fossil fuel companies.

The Vances are doing their part to reverse declining birth rates

Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, are celebrating the birth of their fourth child.

Born Sunday, Alec Neel Vance joins older siblings Ewan, 9; Vivek, 6; and Mirabel, 4. The Vances said Usha and the baby are happy and healthy. They also thanked the doctors and staff at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the White House medical team.

The Republican vice president has passionately advocated for Americans to have more children. He repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates as he launched his political career in 2021, and told the 2025 March for Life anti-abortion rally, “I want more babies in the United States of America.”

The story behind the Freedom Fuel Trump loves to promote

Trump and his White House have enthusiastically promoted the Freedom Fuel Network, a chain of star-spangled convenience stores selling gas at $3.47 per gallon to honor the 47th president.

Untangling exactly who is behind the Philadelphia-area venture has proven difficult. Records indicate the chain was launched last month by a collection of businessmen including an NFL kicking coach, a GOP fundraiser and a New Jersey entrepreneur who was ordered along with his brother to pay civil damages for unlawfully taking more than 200,000 gallons of fuel.

None of them want to talk about it. How the stations got Trump’s attention remains a mystery. Experts say they’re likely selling the gas for a loss.

What is clear: Trump has loved the idea of cheaper gas with average costs per gallon rising above $4 again as the war with Iran continues.

▶ Read more

Olympian accused of damaging Reflecting Pool gets a trial date

David Hearn, 67, has pleaded not guilty to deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool amid a troubled multimillion-dollar renovation project championed by Trump.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman set the date for Sept. 28 during a Monday hearing, Hearn’s second since a grand jury indicted him on a single felony count of property destruction.

Trump has claimed without providing evidence that damage to the pool’s lining was caused by vandals.

David Hearn, 67, a canoeist who competed in three Summer Olympics, told The Associated Press that he reached into the water to see what the peeling new coating felt like — “very rubbery” — and let go of it when a park worker told him to. At least three others have been charged in the same court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of the paint.

Tate brothers to appear in Miami court. UK wants them extradited

Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate are scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate in Miami on Monday after they were arrested to face rape and sex trafficking charges in the United Kingdom.

Their attorney Joseph McBride said the charges are “filth and slander” and that he’s confident the extradition request would be denied.

He also said he believed the arrests were “greenlighted by a low-level functionary” at the Justice Department, without input from leadership. But the Justice Department told The Associated Press that the arrests were approved by leadership of its Criminal Division.

The Tates’ social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny has made them among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities.

▶ Read more

Why Yemen seeks to close Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea access

There were few details, but the deputy head of the Houthi media office, Nasruddin Amer, said on X that the Bab al-Mandeb strait will be closed to Saudi vessels in response to what he called Saudi Arabia’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years.”

The Houthis are key to Iran’s regional influence and they have a large stockpile of drones, but several Houthi members previously told the AP that the group’s weapons stockpile is running low after its attacks during the Israel-Hamas war. The Iran war has further impeded the flow of weapons, said the officials, who at the time spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media.

Gulf nations warn of incoming Iranian fire

Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens Monday afternoon to warn of a possible Iranian fire, while Kuwait said its air defenses were responding to incoming Iranian missiles and drones. No damage was immediately reported in either country.

Senators want answers on ICE policies

Dozens of Democratic senators and Maine’s Independent Sen. Angus King want more details on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s vetting practices and vehicle pursuit policies following more deaths in ICE shootings.

In a letter spearheaded by King and sent to the Department of Homeland Security, the senators listed new measures to increase accountability at the agency tasked with carrying out immigration enforcement.

They said ICE should immediately start wearing uniforms or vests that clearly identify them as “ICE” instead of the more generic “POLICE” or “POLICE ICE.”

The senators also want to know whether ICE considers records of domestic violence or abuse when vetting new recruits. In Maine, the AP reported that the ICE officer who opened fire and killed a man from Colombia had a history of violent behavior detailed in family court records.

As student loan defaults surge, Trump is making borrowers pay more

Defaults are reaching record levels as borrowers struggle to pay.

The numbers have spiked since payments came due again following a lengthy pause intended to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, around 9.5 million people — 1 in 5 federal student loan borrowers — are in default, meaning their wages or Social Security payments could be garnished. The Trump administration has held off on such involuntary collections for now.

And still another wave of defaults could be coming. The Trump administration eliminated the most generous income-driven repayment plan, Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, as part of its overhaul of the federal student loan system. Millions who had been enrolled in SAVE now must pay more each month.

▶ Read more

Yemen’s Houthis announce a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia

A Houthi military spokesperson described the embargo on Monday, effective immediately, as an “eye for an eye” response.

Attacks by the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen last week damaged Sanaa International Airport and Abha airport in Saudi Arabia, threatening a truce that began in 2022.

Imposing an embargo could put new pressure on Saudi Arabia, which is sending oil through pipes to the Red Sea as a way of avoiding the chokehold in the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthis attacked more than 100 ships over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. It’s unclear whether the Houthis will keep up that level of attack now against Saudi Arabia.

The depression was centered Monday afternoon about 105 miles (165 kilometers) south of Panama City, Florida, and had top sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph). It was expected to gradually strengthen and reach tropical storm status in the coming hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The Miami-based center said the system was roughly moving to the northwest near 3 mph (6 kph) on a path that would take it near or along the northern Gulf Coast over several days/ A storm surge watch has been issued, extending from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Florida border on the Gulf Coast.

A tropical storm watch also is in effect from the Ochlockonee River in Florida westward to southeastern Louisiana at the Jefferson and Plaquemines parish line.

The National Weather Service office in New Orleans said storm conditions may set in from the Florida Panhandle westward into Louisiana by Tuesday. It warned of wind gusts of 40 mph (60 kph) and noted a possible “life threatening" storm surge watch for the Alabama, Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana coasts.

Storm surges of up to four feet (1.2 meters) could occur in portions of the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines, the hurricane center said, warning there also could be an isolated tornado or two possible over the Florida Big Bend region this week.

Areas of flash flooding will also be possible through Friday along the coast, from western Florida to middle Texas, the weather service said. It added that rainfall could reach 3 to 5 inches (7 to 12 centimeters) along the Louisiana coastline with higher amounts expected in some areas, notably south of Lake Pontchartrain.

Meanwhile, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Fausto strengthened Monday and was nearing hurricane status far out to sea from Mexico.

Fausto had top sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) on Monday and was located about 745 miles (1,205 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. The hurricane center said it was moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph) while posing no threat to land.

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the groups argued at the park, some left and then returned, and someone fired a gun. The boy was struck in the leg; police said the shooter, believed to be a young man in his late teens, ran from the scene.

The park was recently renovated to give children a safe place to play, but neighbors and community leaders said Sunday’s violence raises questions about how young people are getting access to guns and what it will take to keep parks safe.

“It was late night. It was a whole bunch of group of kids behind my business,” William Davis said, who owns a business across the street from the park. “They went fighting each other for about 20 minutes. It was like, about 40 kids.”

Davis said he and an associate usually try to intervene, but they held back when someone reached for a gun.

“Then probably about five minutes later, they [started] shooting.”

Davis said he has asked city officials for more nighttime patrols and better security but has seen little change.

“They come in the daytime, but at nighttime it’s nothing,” he said. “So it’s like a recipe for disaster.” He also urged better lighting: “If we can get some lights over there, it’d be better because when I say everybody around here knows each other, but we can’t run into a situation where we can’t see it.”

District Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman said one act of violence should not define the park or the neighborhood.

“I’m glad the young man is going to be alright. But that child who had that gun needs to be punished. You don’t shoot at somebody and think you’re going to get away with it,” she said. “I think we have everything that a park should have and more, and we’re looking forward to the kids still coming to this park and enjoying themselves.”

News4JAX visited the area and spoke with neighbors calling for changes as investigators continue their search for the shooter. Anyone with information is urged to call JSO or Crime Stoppers.

A motorist called 911 after spotting a frightened child who had been with the group and was running on a nearby road, Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer said at a news conference Monday.

Two children under age 10 have been placed in the care of family services, the sheriff said, including the child who ran for help.

The group had gathered Sunday along the Scioto River in the Columbus suburb of Powell when one of them went into the river to go swimming. “And that’s when the tragedy started to occur,” Balzer said, as the others who jumped in to help also began struggling.

Rescue crews searching the water on Sunday found two women, who were pronounced dead at a hospital, Balzer said. The bodies of three men were found in the river on Monday, said Tracy Whited, a spokesperson for the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department.

The tragedy occurred two days after five members of a family were killed in southern Utah after a flash flood swept through canyons during a hiking trip.

Quinn Brown had been eyeing a massive bin of clothes at a Goodwill store outside Portland in January when he saw someone toss a Lakers jacket with Chamberlain's name on it back on the pile. Brown, who resells used clothes online, quickly grabbed it.

The jacket is now on auction at Sotheby’s. Bidding closes on Monday.

Described on Sotheby’s website as an “extraordinary piece of memorabilia," the short-sleeved yellow warmup jacket was worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA finals, in which the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks.

“I didn’t even think that finding something like this was possible,” Brown said. “I got very, very lucky.”

Chamberlain, an NBA Hall of Famer viewed as one of the all-time greats, played in the league from 1959 to 1973. He won two championship rings — one with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967, and another with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972. He holds the record for most points scored by a player in a single game, netting 100 points in a 1962 match.

For the past three years, Brown has been reselling clothes online after finding them in thrift stores. The most expensive item he had sold previously was a T-shirt of Sub Pop Records, the indie label that signed Nirvana in 1989 and released the band’s first album. It went for $250.

After buying the Chamberlain jacket back in January, Brown searched online to see if it was worth something. He found a picture on Google of Chamberlain wearing such a jacket and compared it to the one he had.

In examining the Lakers patch on the front, he noticed certain small stitching details that matched the photo. He also looked up the measurements of a different jersey worn by Chamberlain, a towering figure at 7 feet, 1 inch (2.2 meters) tall, and discovered that they nearly aligned.

“I really just wanted to make sure, because it was so hard to believe at the time,” he said, adding that he had only ever read about such serendipitous thrift findings.

When he posted a photo of the jacket on social media, Sotheby’s contacted him about consigning the jacket to the auction house. Brown agreed, and an armored van came to pick it up.

Sotheby’s then did its own photo verification and determined that the jacket was worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 finals, in which he was named the finals MVP.

“Photomatching a piece of game-worn clothing to a specific Finals series, for a player of this era, is genuinely exceptional,” Sotheby’s website says. “As photomatched items worn by Chamberlain become exceedingly rare, this jacket is a piece of sports history.”

It is not the first Chamberlain item from the 1972 finals to fetch a hefty sum under the hammer: A game jersey he wore during the series sold for $4.9 million at Sotheby's in 2023, the fourth most expensive NBA jersey ever sold by the auction house.

Brown said he's excited to see how much the warmup jacket sells for.

“That was as good as it gets,” Brown said of his thrifted find.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, the center of Tropical Depression Two was about 105 miles southeast of Panama City, Florida.

Surface observations and data from the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters indicate that maximum sustained winds neared 35 mph with higher gusts.

The minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).

Tropical Depression Two is moving erratically toward the northwest around 3 mph.

A slow northwestward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a turn toward the west-northwest or west. On the forecast track, the depression will move near or along the northern Gulf Coast during the next several days.

The system could bring tropical storm conditions to portions of the Florida Panhandle, where a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the coasts of Mississippi and Louisiana from the Mississippi/Alabama border to the Jefferson/Plaquemines parish border.

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

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

The S&P 500 dipped 0.2%, coming off its first losing week in the last three and just its third since the end of March. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 307 points, or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite was basically flat after slipping by less than 0.1%.

Nvidia added 0.2% and held firmer following its drop on Friday, when it was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500. Sandisk climbed 2.7% after tumbling 29% last week.

Advanced Micro Devices rose 1.6% after announcing an expanded partnership where Microsoft will use its products for AI, including its new Helios product starting in the second half of the year.

Such stocks have been under pressure for weeks on worries that their prices shot too high in the euphoria around AI. On one hand, companies are making billions of dollars in revenue as customers pour money into AI chips and data centers. But all that spending may fizzle out if AI doesn’t produce as much profit and productivity as promised.

Wall Street may get some hints on that soon as some of the biggest spenders on AI report their latest quarterly results. On Wednesday, Alphabet will tell investors how much it made during the spring and give updates on its AI efforts.

All kinds of companies are under pressure to report strong growth in profit for the spring. They will need to in order to justify the big moves their stock prices have made. Indexes are near their records, even with the recent shakiness for AI stocks.

AMC Entertainment jumped 26.8% after the movie-theater operator reported stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also said some of its theaters in Los Angeles and other cities ran “The Odyssey” for more than 85 straight hours from Thursday through Sunday to meet demand.

Domino’s Pizza climbed 2.1% after delivering stronger revenue for the spring than expected. CEO Russell Weiner said the company saw growth in orders for both its carryout and delivery businesses, even with the broad industry continuing “to face pressure on consumer demand.”

Another restaurant chain, Jersey Mike’s, is beginning its roadshow to raise interest in its stock, which it’s planning to sell on the New York Stock Exchange for between $21 and $25 per share in an initial public offering.

It and other businesses are facing pressure in selling to U.S. households feeling crunched by still-high inflation, thanks in large part to high gasoline prices. The average cost for a gallon of gasoline in the United States has gotten back above $4 because of higher crude oil prices.

After dropping below $72 early this month, roughly back to where it was before the war with Iran began, the price for a barrel of Brent crude has been jumping recently as fighting continues in the Middle East.

On Monday, the price swung between roughly $86 and $91 before settling at $89.22, up 1.3%.

The war with Iran is keeping oil tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz to deliver crude from the Persian Gulf to customers, which pushes up oil’s price. S&P Global counted only 127 vessels crossing the strait during the week through Sunday, down nearly 50% from the week before.

Worries about expensive oil and high inflation have sent Treasury yields higher in the bond market, which threaten to slow the economy and undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.59% from 4.55% late Friday and from just 3.97% before the war with Iran. Higher yields have already sent the average 30-year mortgage rate to its highest level in nearly a year.

The higher yields weighed on the broad U.S. stock market, and the majority of stocks fell on Wall Street.

A 3.8% drop for Warner Bros. Discovery also helped erase a gain for the S&P 500 early in the day. A federal judge ordered it and Paramount to halt their $81 billion merger for at least two weeks, allowing states that are challenging the deal more time to see their case through in court.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 14.41 points to 7,443.28. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 307.16 to 51,839.26, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 12.17 to 25,508.07.

In stock markets abroad, indexes ended mixed in Europe.

The moves were sharper in Asia, where South Korea’s Kospi fell 4.5%. It’s been at the center of the huge swings for AI stocks because it’s dominated by two tech companies, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Stocks were stronger in China, where indexes rose 2.4% in Hong Kong and 0.9% in Shanghai.

___

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

Andrew Arrabaca, who was a mechanic on Patriot missile systems, is in custody and has been interviewed, said James Barnacle, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office. No charges have been announced yet against Arrabaca, and it was not immediately clear if he has a lawyer.

“Mr. Arrabaca was looking to injure people and harm people,” Barnacle said at a news conference.

Arrabaca was tackled by a security officer and taken into custody about 8:20 a.m. as flames erupted outside an entrance to the building at 26 Federal Plaza, which has become a focal point for demonstrations against the immigration policies of President Donald Trump’s administration.

Barnacle said Arrabaca, 43, “came armed with bad intentions” and had various weapons, including a pellet gun, knives, axes, a hammer and a machete. Arrabaca fired five to seven pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building, he said.

“He is an anti-American, anti-government extremist,” Barnacle said.

He said Arrabaca had a cart with “anti-ICE literature” on it and “yelled derogatory terms” toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement as he was being arrested. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Arrabaca had a sign affixed to his cart that read “ICE off our streets” and was wearing a military style helmet.

“In that post-arrest interview, he did say he was targeting the building and he was OK if he hurt or killed people going in and out of the building, whether they were federal employees or civilians,” Barnacle said.

Barnacle said three people had minor injuries: one civilian and two government employees. DHS said a bystander was grazed by the fireworks, and the security officer who tackled the person sustained minor injuries, the agency said. The New York Fire Department said one person was transported to the hospital, but their injuries weren’t life-threatening.

Barnacle said the civilian who was injured was an immigrant who had a hearing Monday.

“What occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza this morning was deeply disturbing,” New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on social media. “I’m relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody.”

Mamdani said his team was in touch with police and will support the federal investigation. The FBI said its New York Joint Terrorism Task Force was investigating.

The building houses several government offices — including the New York office of the FBI — and the immigration court where agents have carried out chaotic and sometimes violent arrests in the hallway as migrants leave hearings.

Videos and photos from the scene showed a fire with a plume of smoke on the sidewalk outside the building, as well as officers restraining a person and taking them away. ___

Stengle reported from Dallas. Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington.

Twelve states, led by California, sued to block Paramount’s pending buyout of Warner last week — alleging that such a combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly moviegoers and cable customers across the U.S.

The states’ top prosecutors called on Warner and Paramount to not close the transaction until after a court had time to fully evaluate their claims. And when the companies refused, they filed for a temporary restraining order — which is what District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín granted on Monday. That opens the door to a potential preliminary injunction that the states are also seeking to effectively block the deal.

“This is a critical first win in our case to ensure this megamerger never sees the light of day,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement Monday. “History tells the tale of what happens when a few people have great power over markets that are central to Americans’ lives: fewer opportunities for more people, worse products and services for all people.”

A Warner-Paramount tie-up would bring together two of the five last legacy studios in Hollywood — as well as a host of TV networks, titles filling streaming libraries and news operations. Warner’s HBO Max, fan favorites like “Harry Potter” and even CNN would come under the same roof of Paramount-owned CBS, movies like “Top Gun” and the Paramount+ streaming service.

Paramount, which was bought out by Skydance just last year, has vowed to vigorously defend its acquisition — and touts regulatory greenlights the deal has received elsewhere, including from President Donald Trump's administration last month.

On Monday, Paramount said the states' antitrust arguments “are without merit” or “any basis in modern market realities" — and maintained that its merger with Warner will benefit consumers and workers alike. Timing for next steps also falls in line with the company's previous requests.

Deal is paused for at least two weeks

The temporary restraining order granted Monday halts the deal from progressing for at least 14 days, although the pause could be extended for up to 28 days. The court has set Aug. 3 as a date for a hearing on the states' preliminary injunction motion, but that schedule could also be pushed back.

The clock is ticking. Ahead of Monday’s decision, the companies proposed wrapping up a preliminary injunction hearing by the end of August, leaving time to make a possible appeal by Sept. 30 — a date on the top of Paramount’s mind because it’s pledged to pay shareholders added “ticking fee” compensation amounting to about $7 million per day if the deal isn’t closed by then.

But the states called such a timeline unprecedented and unfair. They maintain that payments Paramount might have to incur after Sept. 30 were the risk of a decision the company made on its own — and argued in a hearing held Friday that commencing a trial in April 2027 would allow enough time for discovery and presenting proper evidence.

Including billions of dollars in debt, Paramount’s proposed purchase of Warner is currently valued at nearly $111 billion based on outstanding shares.

What the states are challenging

Paramount has repeatedly pointed to tech and streaming companies’ growing reach across the entertainment industry — and argues that merging with Warner would particularly help it compete with bigger rivals like Netflix. Last week, it said the states’ challenge would help shield Netflix and others “who have harmed the market for theatrical exhibition” from meaningful competition.

The states’ case doesn’t focus on streaming. It alleges that a combined Paramount-Warner merger violates federal antitrust law because of what the companies’ combined reach would become across three markets: theatrical movie distribution, theater releases of bigger blockbusters and the licensing of basic cable channels.

Their complaint says a combined Paramount-Warner could control nearly a third of both the theatrical film distribution market as well as basic cable programming. The states argued this would create a “media behemoth" with enough power to both raise prices for consumers and threaten workers’ wages, while reducing production and quality of content.

In terms of movie theater releases, Paramount’s lawyers have pointed to a growing list of blockbuster hits from studios that are not in Hollywood’s “big five,” such as A24 and Amazon’s MGM. The states maintain the core legacy studios — which beyond Warner and Paramount include Disney, Universal and Sony — still make up the vast majority of the market.

Beyond California, states challenging the deal include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington.

Other regulatory clearances

Outside of the U.S., Paramount has touted greenlights from regulators in countries like China, Canada and Australia. But regulatory reviews are also ongoing in the European Union and the U.K., which has separately suggested it may intervene.

Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America has filed its own lawsuit seeking to block the merger. And Paramount faces additional legal fights, including from a shareholder accusing CEO David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison (who is putting up tens of billions of dollars to back the deal for his son’s company) of promising “illegal, private benefits” to Trump in order to get the merger through.

Paramount has repeatedly dismissed such accusations, and the U.S. Justice Department maintained its review was not political.

Still, politics have come into question throughout Paramount's quest for Warner. Beyond Trump’s relationship with the Ellison family, critics of the deal also stress what new ownership could mean for Warner assets like CNN — a network that has long attracted ire from the Republican president — particularly in light of editorial turmoil at Paramount-owned CBS since Skydance’s takeover.

The contrast between the 12 states’ complaint, brought forth by all Democratic attorneys general, and the federal government’s blessing only underlines all of that further.

“It’s a political merger. It’s the product of the president’s engagement in private business affairs,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a webinar about the states' case last week. She maintained the states had been successful in challenging the Trump administration before and "we're not finished yet.”

The trial of Lindsay Clancy, which could take several weeks, is expected to explore the complicated and rare phenomenon of postpartum psychosis, which afflicts a very small percentage of women who develop delusions and sometimes hallucinations after childbirth.

Five jurors were selected Monday. A total of 18 jurors, including six alternates, will be chosen for the trial.

Clancy's lawyers — and her husband — say she was not responsible for her actions. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington doesn’t dispute that she killed the children, but plans to raise an insanity defense.

“This whole case is an extreme tragedy,” he said.

Prosecutors say the killings were intentional and well planned, not the work of someone who had lost control.

Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the deaths of her children Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, when they were killed on Jan. 24, 2023.

___

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.

___

On the day of the killings, Clancy, now 36, asked her husband Patrick Clancy to leave their home to get takeout food and to pick up something at a pharmacy. She strangled the children with exercise bands, then used multiple methods to try to end her own life.

She was paralyzed after falling from the home’s second-story window, and is being held at a state hospital.

Clancy’s husband is on the list of witnesses for both the prosecution and the defense. He has said in interviews that he forgives his wife.

Eighteen jurors, including six alternates, are expected to be chosen over several days for the trial in Plymouth, which is near the family’s home in Duxbury, an upscale coastal suburb about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Boston.

Clancy and her husband filed lawsuits earlier this year accusing her medical providers of failing to properly diagnose, treat and monitor her for a “severe postpartum psychiatric condition.” She spent several days at a psychiatric hospital weeks before the killings.

Lindsay Clancy’s lawsuit detailed how she was depressed, had trouble sleeping and repeatedly heard voices urging her to harm her children and herself.

“Lindsay Clancy did everything a mother in her situation could do,” the lawsuit said. “She recognized something was wrong with her. She sought medical treatment. She went to emergency rooms. She called crisis hotlines. She admitted herself to hospitals. She took the medication prescribed to her. She communicated her worsening symptoms to her providers. She told them the medications were making her worse.”

The day of the killings, Clancy said she heard voices saying, “This is your last chance. Kill the children so you can kill yourself.” A voice told her “that her children would suffer if she was gone,” according to the lawsuit filed by Patrick Clancy, citing medical records.

In a post on GoFundMe several days after the killings, Patrick Clancy wrote that the “shock and pain is excruciating and relentless,” but he urged the public to see Lindsay Clancy as he did before the killings.

“The real Lindsay was generously loving and caring toward everyone — me, our kids, family, friends, and her patients. The very fibers of her soul are loving. All I wish for her now is that she can somehow find peace,” it said.

The autopsy performed on the dismembered body found in a Tesla in the Hollywood Hills had been sealed by a court order in the investigation that led to murder charges for singer D4vd. Dr. Odey Ukpo's comment with the report was his most pointed effort yet to emphasize his office’s independence from police and prosecutors, as well as his desire to make as much death information public as soon as possible.

D4vd, who has pleaded not guilty, this week faces a crucial preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence for a trial. Ukpo's agency, which determined Rivas Hernandez died from stab wounds, plays a major role, as it has in other prominent cases, including following the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry and the killings of director Rob Reiner and his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner.

Ukpo, 46, sat for a recent interview with The Associated Press in the building where he performed autopsies for nearly a decade before getting the head role in 2023. He has always welcomed the celebrity cases that Los Angeles brings, saying the scrutiny they receive and the likelihood of misinformation spreading are strong incentives to do careful, irrefutable work. And they provide an opportunity to show what his office does and what kind of dangers the community may face.

“I should be able to anticipate the strongest arguments or the most interesting questions by the work that I’ve done,” he said. “If I haven’t, then something’s missing.”

“Life is complicated, but death is simple,” Ukpo said.

The medical examiner pushes back on police secrecy

Ukpo doesn't believe sealing autopsy reports helps police investigations, including in the killing of Celeste.

“That goes completely against our mission,” he said. “It’s so important for us to release the information that she did not die from something natural, she did not die from drugs, she was stabbed. And then we start to look back at what made her vulnerable to be in that situation.”

A court-ordered security hold still seals the Reiner autopsies. Authorities said immediately after their deaths that they had been stabbed by their son, who has pleaded not guilty, but little information has followed. Ukpo said he would discuss the findings — if he was allowed.

“The Reiners’ case is one that’s straightforward,” he said. “It’s unclear to me what sort of information we have that would ruin the case.”

Sometimes there is no good reason for secrecy, he said.

“People say: ‘Why would they get the information out there? Because then the case is just going to go awry.’ But awry? How? What information?” he said, adding: “The killer knows what they did.”

The LA County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that security holds “are rarely requested and are carefully reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether temporarily withholding the autopsy report is necessary to preserve sensitive investigative information.” It said the reports can contain details “that only the person responsible would know,” meaning detectives can use that knowledge to assess the credibility of witness statements and uncover false confessions.

The Los Angeles Police Department, which handled the D4vd and Reiner cases, did not respond to a request for comment, and the district attorney's office declined comment.

A change to his title underscores Ukpo's independence

Ukpo was appointed chief medical examiner-coroner in 2023, becoming the agency's first Black leader since it was founded in 1850. His staff responds to more than 12,000 sudden, unexpected and premature deaths per year.

The “coroner” part of his title was dropped soon after his appointment and Ukpo supported that change, saying a coroner is usually an elected official — often also the county sheriff — but not a doctor.

“'Coroner' just kind of confused our purpose and suggested that we were within a law enforcement agency,” Ukpo said. “It’s so important to establish our independence.”

Andrew Bernstein, a longtime New York criminal defense attorney who is not involved in any of Ukpo’s cases, said “buddy-buddy” relationships can easily develop between medical examiners and law enforcement.

“They’re dealing with the cops all the time,” he said. “They’re using the same language.”

That relationship can hurt a prosecutor's case, he said, because “jurors pick up on that all the time” and may perceive a testifying medical examiner as biased.

But, Bernstein said, “you don’t want so much independence” that the medical examiner makes decisions regardless of the wants and needs of police and prosecutors.

“You don’t want a rock star chief medical examiner,” he said.

Dr. Michelle A. Jordan, president of the National Association of Medical Examiners, told the AP in an email that the organization supports Ukpo’s “determination to maintain his office’s independence from law enforcement" and the authority of forensic pathologists to “provide transparent postmortem assessments and accurate death investigations” that are “free from undue influence.”

How he decided to make autopsies his life’s work

At age 6, Ukpo — who grew up in Anaheim not far from Disneyland — had wanted to be a homicide detective.

But when he met his family physician, he “thought it was really cool how he would work with his hands, do dirty work, work with blood” but “could be very professional in his office, in a suit, in a tie.”

“There you go, that’s the formula for a forensic pathologist,” he said.

Very few medical students want to make autopsies their life's work. He said with a laugh that declaring his intentions “made for interesting medical school interviews.”

His education included stints at Loyola University in Chicago, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and with the medical examiner in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Celebrity autopsies hold meaning beyond LA County

Ukpo performed autopsies on rapper Mac Miller, actor Tommy Lister Jr., and model and actor Kim Porter, the former longtime partner of Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Perry died within months of Ukpo getting the top job, and his office determined the primary cause of death was acute ketamine toxicity.

“Matthew Perry was really an important one to notify people that ketamine is not harmless,” he said.

He said this and all his work is driven by his desire to first and foremost serve the public.

“What I’m trying to shift during my leadership here is to try to focus on community first,” he said. “Death doesn’t just happen for the family, for the individual. When a death happens, it reverberates.”

U.S. Central Command said on social media that the latest strikes “are designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping" in the strait.

Even as the U.S. and Iran inch closer to all-out war again, glimmers of hope appeared on the diplomatic front, as Iran's interior minister traveled to Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, for talks.

The interim deal signed last month that was meant to end the fighting has crumbled. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital supply route for world energy supplies — has largely stalled. And as fighting intensifies, both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people.

A new potential threat to world energy markets emerged Monday after Iran-backed rebels in Yemen said they planned to prevent Saudi Arabia from shipping in the Red Sea, an alternate route for oil exports during the war.

The escalation has pushed oil prices higher in recent weeks. Benchmark Brent crude traded Monday above $88 a barrel and regular gasoline in the U.S. climbed to an average of $4 a gallon, keeping pressure on Americans' wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall.

The U.S. military identified two soldiers who were killed in Jordan in attacks that left a third person missing. Separately, the military confirmed another death in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday to warn that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!"

Trump was planning to attend a ceremony on Tuesday evening at Dover Air Force Base, where at least one service member's remains were due to arrive.

US launches ninth night of Iran strikes

The U.S. military’s Central Command said its ninth straight night of airstrikes targeted “Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and communications networks.” Last week, the U.S. struck bridges and a tower at an Iranian port.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the American strikes killed at least one person around Tabriz, a northwestern city about 520 kilometers (325 miles) from the capital, Tehran. Tabriz is believed to host underground missile bases run by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

U.S. strikes likely also hit Bandar Imam Khomeini in Khuzestan province, Sirik and Jask in Hormozgan province and Konarak and Chahbahar in Sistan and Baluchistan province, IRNA reported.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Monday evening that a second ship had been attacked a day earlier in the Strait of Hormuz, this one off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

The other vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile near the coastline of Oman. The crew abandoned the vessel, which was adrift and still ablaze hours later, the UKMTO said.

The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control. The Guard later claimed it was targeting tankers in the strait.

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

Kuwait said its air defenses fired at an incoming barrage, and Jordan's armed forces said Monday evening they had shot down three Iranian missiles, adding that there had been no material damage or casualties. There was no immediate word from Iran.

Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry condemned Iranian drone strikes targeting the country's air traffic systems, saying they endanger travel for civilians.

The Strait of Hormuz remains key to the conflict

A new pressure point could emerge for world energy markets as Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced on Monday a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, said they would block shipping between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in response to an attack on Sanaa International Airport last week that they blamed on Saudi Arabia.

With the Strait of Hormuz blocked up, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil out to market. The Houthis earlier demonstrated their ability to disrupt shipping there when they targeted ships for months over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with over 100 vessels attacked.

There was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia.

Trump has threatened to target Iran’s power stations and bridges to try to compel Tehran to loosen its hold on the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of world oil supplies were shipped before the war. Recent attacks suggest the U.S. military is carrying out that plan.

The U.S. in the past week reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt its shipments of crude oil. The military says it has redirected seven ships and disabled one since then.

A glimmer of hope for diplomacy

Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days to resuscitate the interim ceasefire reached last month that called for resolving remaining issues tied to the war within 60 days. The truce unraveled after both sides resumed attacks on each other’s military installations and other infrastructure.

Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday for two days of talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others. Momeni's counterpart, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, expressed optimism.

“God willing, We will have good news,” Naqvi said.

On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. is still open to negotiating with Iran but that “it has to be real.”

“If the door opens to diplomacy — if the guys that want to do something productive for Iran win and take control of that system, or take control of the negotiations — that’ll be a very positive development,” Rubio said. “That’s not where we are tonight, unfortunately.”

Iranian authorities on Sunday said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest rounds of U.S. strikes. Since the war began on Feb. 28, 17 U.S. service members have been killed.

___

Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

The Tates appeared in federal court Monday for the first time since their arrest on Saturday and are being held in federal detention. In the coming weeks, a U.S. district judge will consider whether they meet the conditions for extradition. U.S. Magistrate Lauren Louis set another hearing for Monday July 27.

The brothers, through their social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny, are among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities.

Normally photographed in tailored suits and fitted shirts, they wore tan jail uniforms and handcuffs during the brief hearing. Neither brother said a word.

Their attorney, Joseph McBride, insisted they should remain in the U.S.

“We are of course objecting to extradition because Andrew and Tristan are innocent," McBride said after the hearing. “They’ve never done nothing wrong. They shouldn’t be extradited for crimes they did not commit.”

The brothers were surprised when they were arrested, McBride said, adding that the attempt to have them extradited was politically motivated. “There’s no question about it,” he told reporters.

He suggested the Tates' case “had a lot to do with” former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's decision to step down, without providing any details, and said it was no coincidence that the brothers were arrested after meeting “friends in Washington, D.C.”

“We went to see our Congress people in D.C. and now we’re getting arrested. This feels political,” McBride said. He didn't specify who the pair met with or what was discussed.

On Sunday, McBride said he was confident the extradition request would be denied.

Prosecutors in Britain said the new charges relate to four new victims and were brought after authorities received evidence from Bedfordshire Police in southeastern England. The allegations, spanning 2010 to 2017, include rape, assault, trafficking and offenses relating to “indecent images of a child and extreme pornography.”

McBride said none of the latest accusers have been identified, adding “we'd like to know who’s accused Andrew and Tristan of what.”

The brothers are already charged with rape, bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain relating to three other alleged victims in the U.K. between 2012 and 2015.

Their lawyer said in a statement Saturday that he believed the arrests were “greenlighted by a low-level functionary” at the Justice Department without input from leadership. The Justice Department told The Associated Press that the arrests were approved by leadership of its Criminal Division.

The new allegations are the latest in a long-running international legal saga involving the Tates that has spanned the U.S., Britain and Romania. The brothers have repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

The dual U.S. and British citizens moved to Romania in 2016. They were arrested there in 2022, accused of participating in schemes to lure women for sexual exploitation. They denied those allegations and the Romanian case hasn't gone forward because of legal and procedural problems.

Last year, they were allowed to leave Romania and flew to Florida.

The former professional kickboxers have millions of followers on social media and are vocal supporters of President Donald Trump.

Andrew Tate, 39, first became known a decade ago when he was a contestant on the U.K. reality television show “Big Brother.” He was booted from the show when a video appeared to show him assaulting a woman.

He has amassed over 10 million followers on X but has been banned from other platforms for violating hate speech guidelines, including YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. He has made widely condemned comments, such as saying women who are sexually assaulted should bear some responsibility for the attacks and sharing graphic descriptions of how he might attack women.

The Tate brothers have consistently denied allegations of abuse and human trafficking, claiming their violent and misogynistic statements have been taken out of context or were intended as jokes.

___

Associated Press reporters Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington, D.C., and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.

Smart, 58, was a 22-year-old high school media coordinator when she began an affair with a 15-year-old boy who later fatally shot her husband, Gregory Smart, in Derry.

The shooter was freed in 2015 after serving a 25-year sentence. Though Smart denied knowledge of the plot, she was convicted of being an accomplice to first-degree murder and other crimes and was sentenced to life without parole after a trial that was one of the first in the nation to be broadcast live on television from start to finish.

Smart filed a petition for habeas corpus relief in January seeking to overturn her conviction over what her lawyers claim were several constitutional violations. The state responded with a motion to dismiss the petition, resulting in Monday's hearing, which Smart attended remotely from the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women in New York.

Merrimack County Superior Court Judge James Kennedy took the matter under advisement. He planned to rule in 30 to 60 days.

Smart's lawyers say transcripts of recordings during trial were inaccurate

Smart's lawyers argue that prosecutors misled the jury by providing them with inaccurate transcripts of surreptitiously recorded conversations of Smart that included words that were not audible on the recordings.

Among the words they claim weren’t audible but in the transcript were the word “killed” in the sentence “you had your husband killed,” the word “busted” in the sentence “I’m gonna be busted” and the word “murder” in the sentence “this would have been the perfect murder.”

“Modern science confirms what common sense has always told us: when people are handed a script, they inevitably hear the words they are shown,” Smart’s attorney, Matthew Zernhelt, said in a statement earlier this year. “Jurors were not evaluating the recordings independently — they were being directed toward a conclusion, and that direction decided the verdict.”

In court Monday, he described a forensic study that showed providing transcripts alongside muffled audio leads listeners to believe the written text even when inaccurate.

“Adding a transcript of language to the jurors changed their interpretation of what they believed they were hearing, how confident they were in what they believed they were hearing and how clear it was to them,” he said. “There's no absolute truth about what's on the tapes. Nothing decipherable is on the tapes. But when you tell someone what they're hearing, you set this expectation ... and they will hear it.”

Smart's lawyers also argued that the verdict was tainted by the media attention and due to faulty instructions to the jury. They argued jurors were told they must find that Smart acted with premeditation, and were not told they must consider only evidence presented at trial.

They also argued the trial court gave her a mandatory life sentence without parole for being an accomplice to first-degree murder, despite New Hampshire not mandating that sentence for the charge.

Lawyers for the state say Smart's petition should be dismissed

Lawyers for the state asked the judge to dismiss the petition, saying nearly all of the claims are barred because they already were raised on appeal and resolved by the New Hampshire Supreme Court, or could have been raised on appeal with the court but were not.

They noted that during Smart's trial, the defense only expressed concern that the recording transcripts allegedly failed to account for the “doubling” of voices when two people speak at once. The judge instructed jurors that if the tapes differed from what they were reading, they should use what they heard, instead. The state Supreme Court noted that Smart's lawyers did not make any “particularized showing of inaccuracies in the transcripts relative to the recordings or how she may have been prejudiced” by them.

Assistant Attorney General John Drennan said none of Smart's claims are supported by facts, and that she appears to be using the habeas corpus process as a substitute for an appeal. He likened the discrepancies with the transcripts to someone viewing text of a transcribed voicemail and then listening to the actual message.

“Maybe cognitive bias has set in, but it doesn't mean that I can't, when listening, say, ‘Hey, I’m not sure that's right,'” he said. “I know to review it. I know to be skeptical.”

Smart's team hasn't proven other claims, such as ineffective assistance of counsel and having the case argued in New York, rather than in New Hampshire, the lawyers for the state said.

Smart's legal options are limited. She has unsuccessfully sought a sentence reduction hearing several times with an elected state council in New Hampshire that approves contracts and appointees to the courts and state agencies. She appealed one rejection to the state Supreme Court, which dismissed her petition in 2023.

Her latest petition was filed after New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte rejected her request last year to put the matter before the council again. Ayotte said she reviewed the case and decided it was not deserving of a hearing.

Smart took full responsibility for husband's death in video

In 2024, Smart took full responsibility for her husband’s death. She said in a video she spent years deflecting blame “almost as if it was a coping mechanism.”

Smart’s trial was a media circus and one of America’s first high-profile cases about a sexual affair between a school employee and a student. The student, William Flynn, testified that Smart told him she needed her husband killed because she feared she would lose everything if they divorced and that she threatened to break up with him if he didn’t kill her husband. Flynn and three other teens cooperated with prosecutors and all have since been released.

Flynn and 17-year-old Patrick Randall entered the Smarts’ Derry condominium and forced Gregory Smart to his knees in the foyer. As Randall held a knife to the man’s throat, Flynn fired a hollow-point bullet into his head. Both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were sentenced to 28 years to life. They were granted parole in 2015. Two other teenagers served prison sentences and have been released.

The case inspired Joyce Maynard’s 1992 book “To Die For” and the 1995 film of the same name, starring Nicole Kidman and Joaquin Phoenix.

The U.S. has agreed since 2020 to send more than 20 people wanted in the U.K. on various criminal charges, according to the U.K. Parliament. With possible appeals, the process could last a few years — if the accused wants to fight it.

“The government holds all the cards in an extradition proceeding because the rules of evidence allow the government to submit any evidence they wish,” said Jacques Semmelman, a New York-based lawyer and expert in the procedure.

"It is very hard for the defense to defeat an extradition,” he said.

Process starts with a treaty

The U.S. has a treaty that allows it to honor a U.K. extradition request if the alleged crimes would also be considered illegal in the U.S. The Tate brothers are accused of rape, assault, trafficking and other offenses in southeastern England, from 2010 to 2017.

“They’ve never done nothing wrong. They shouldn’t be extradited for crimes they did not commit," defense attorney Joseph McBride said.

A federal judge will review arrest warrants, investigative documents and other information submitted by the U.S. government to show there was a “reasonable basis” to file charges against them in the U.K., according to the treaty.

The hearing would not be similar to a trial, said Semmelman of the Katten Muchin Rosenman law firm.

“A partial victory might mean a reduction in the charges to be extradited upon,” he said. “An across-the-board victory — no extradition — is very difficult to achieve.”

It's rare to reject extradition

If a judge finds that the U.K. government has met the threshold, and any appeals fail, the final decision to extradite would rest with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has wide discretion, or his successor.

“In most cases the secretary of state will sign the warrant of extradition,” Semmelman said.

Some extradition requests have failed in the U.S. In 2015, a judge said there was insufficient evidence to show that an art dealer knew that an 18th-century painting taken from a Polish museum by the Nazis during World War II was stolen property when he inherited it.

In 2020, during President Donald Trump's first administration, the government declined to turn over an American woman who fatally struck a young man while driving in eastern England. Anne Sacoolas, who was the wife of a U.S. intelligence officer, subsequently returned to the U.S. She later admitted responsibility in a U.K. court by video.

According to motor club AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now just above the $4 mark. That's about 13 cents more expensive than it was a week ago, and far higher than where prices at the pump stood at this time last year, when American drivers could fill up for about $3.14 a gallon on average.

The U.S. and Israel's war with Iran plunged the world into a global energy crisis, notably as the cost of crude oil — the main ingredient in gasoline — soared due to supply chain and production disruptions across the Middle East.

Energy prices cooled last month when Washington and Tehran reached an interim agreement aimed at permanently ending their fighting and reviving traffic in the key Strait of Hormuz. But that peace deal has now crumbled — with the U.S. on Monday only intensifying airstrikes against Iran, which has responded by launching its own attacks on American allies in the region. And oil flows are largely stalling again.

Many eyes are on the White House. Before co-launching the war in late February, President Donald Trump once bragged about keeping gas prices low — and expressed frustration about them not falling as quickly as the cost of crude oil last month. If prices continue to rebound, expensive gas will likely be at the top of voters' minds during the midterm elections this November.

Here's what we know.

Where gas prices stand today

Again, U.S. gas prices are now back at the $4 mark. But that figure is a national average, meaning drivers in some states have been paying well over $4 a gallon for a while now, while others pay less.

California on Monday continued to see the most expensive gas, with an average of nearly $5.50 a gallon — followed by almost $5.42 in Hawaii and $5.01 in Washington state, per AAA. Meanwhile, states like Indiana and Mississippi have averages closer to $3.35 and $3.57, respectively. Prices vary between due to factors ranging from nearby supply to differing tax rates.

Crude oil is the main ingredient in gasoline, and its cost makes up the bulk of what consumers pay at the pump. There's a bit of a delay because refineries buy crude in advance, and deliveries of that oil take time. But the latest gas prices follow an uptick in oil costs seen over recent weeks. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, swung between roughly $86 to $91 a barrel Monday — compared to closer to $72 at the start of July.

Oil has been volatile throughout the course of the war, with prices soaring more rapidly in the conflict's early days. In March, Brent climbed as high as nearly $120 per barrel. Meanwhile, U.S. gas prices hit a four-year record of more than $4.50 a gallon in May.

The national average fell to as low as $3.79 a gallon earlier this month. And the latest turnaround is bringing whiplash to some drivers.

“I am down to the last drops of gas,” said Litza Mavrothalasitis, a Chicago resident, when filling her tank on Monday, adding that she was shocked to see how high it had gone up again. “It was just unbelievable. I thought we were finally settling down.”

Jacob Fisher, another Chicago resident who was buying gas on Monday, added that thinking about what's behind these higher fuel costs “makes me angry.”

“Senseless war in Iran, and our current administration is fueling a lot of this — and it’s terrible,” Fisher said. “It is not serving the American people. Nor does it serve anywhere in the entire world.”

White House's response and the road ahead

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement Monday that “oil and gas prices will plummet back to pre-conflict levels” as the U.S. military degrades Iran’s ability to attack vessels and disrupt trade in the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world's oil sailed through during peacetime.

“President Trump remains committed to unleashing American energy dominance, cutting costs, and putting more money back in the pockets of hardworking American families,” Rogers added.

Still, the escalation of attacks and confusion over future control of Hormuz has fueled uncertainty. All the while, traffic in the key waterway has stalled — with analysts from S&P Global Energy noting Monday that vessel crossings fell 50% last week compared to the week prior.

“The continued predominance of Iran-linked and sanctioned vessels suggests mainstream shipowners remain cautious about transiting the waterway,” the analysts added.

Even if fighting ends, experts have repeatedly warned it could take months, if not longer, for supply chains to return to prewar levels. Last month, S&P Global Energy said it did not expect Persian Gulf oil production to rebound fully until at least the first quarter of 2027.

Gas isn't the only necessity getting more expensive

Beyond gasoline, fuel like diesel — which powers many freight and long-haul trucks — is also back on the rise. On Monday, diesel averaged at nearly $5.11 a gallon in the U.S., per AAA, up from $4.88 just a week ago.

American households have already collectively paid nearly $71.1 billion in extra costs for gas and diesel alone since the war began, according to an online tracker from Brown University’s Watson School of International and Public Affairs.

Beyond pain at the pump, higher fuel prices raise transportation costs across businesses. And shortages of other core necessities — like fertilizer — have also worsened amid the war. Groceries, airline tickets and even goods like condoms and shoes have gotten more expensive in recent months.

Supply shocks have been even starker in places that rely more heavily on imports from the Middle East — notably countries across Asia and Africa.

______

AP journalists Laura Bargfeld in Chicago and Matthew Daly in Washington contributed to this report.

The funeral opened with tearful remarks from Wells’ parents, who described their son as a warm and gentle presence, a role model to his younger siblings and a gifted athlete with NFL ambitions.

“He had a way of making people feel seen, welcomed and valued,” said his mother, Christine Wonsley. “He could lift your confidence with just a few words and make you feel like you belong.”

In a fiery eulogy, Sharpton then promised a $100,000 reward for any new information about the circumstances around Wells’ death, which came following a boat trip with friends to Horn Island, off the Gulf Coast.

Half of the sum will be covered by the actor and producer Tyler Perry, who also paid for the funeral, Sharpton noted.

“Somebody knows something,” Sharpton continued, drawing applause from the crowd that included the director Spike Lee, former NFL player Terrell Owens and many prominent Black clergy.

“Let every stone be rolled back and every veil be torn asunder and let truth pop out of the ground like a flower," he continued.

Wells, who was Black, had traveled to Horn Island — a popular Fourth of July destination — with a group of friends from high school, all of whom are white. He did not return with them to the mainland that evening, officials said. His body was found two days later off the island’s coast.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. The friends were cooperating with investigators, according to the sheriff.

But the still-unknown circumstances leading to Wells’ disappearance have fueled rampant online speculation and galvanized leaders in the Black community, including some who have expressed skepticism about the independence and transparency of the investigation.

In his eulogy, Sharpton urged those following the case to withhold judgement until more information becomes available. But he also questioned why Wells' phone and keys were found with his friends, why they had not immediately called police after realizing he was missing and why local officials appeared so quick to dismiss the possibility of foul play.

Invoking the history of racist violence in Mississippi, including the lynching of Emmett Till and assassination of Medgar Evers, Sharpton continued, addressing the state's law enforcement authorities: "Before we can medicate and heal today, we’ve got to look at your history.”

The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, then led the crowd in a chant of “Nolan’s life mattered,” as Wells’ mother sobbed into the shoulder of her husband, Elmore Wonsley.

At a news conference following the funeral, Crump said they were still waiting on the results of an independent autopsy. The official autopsy has also not been released.

Crump had said he is working alongside the local prosecutor to inspect Wells' phone. The prosecutor has agreed to present the results of the investigation to a grand jury once it is completed, according to Crump.

“They went out on the boat, the boat came back, and Nolan washed up on the shore two days later dead,” he said at the funeral Monday. “Wouldn’t you want answers?”

Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, played wide receiver on the football team at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Mississippi, and had aspirations of playing at a high-level Division I program.

At the funeral, Wells' father, Elmore Wonsley, recalled the hours the two spent studying game tape and running drills on the beach.

“I nicknamed you Mr. Cool Hands because it seemed like you were catching a touchdown every game,” the father said through tears.

“Our son meant a lot to a of people,” he concluded. “Today shows us how much he meant to the community, the country and the world.”

___

Associated Press video journalist Sophie Bates in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.

RELATED: Deegan proposes $2.03B budget preserving reserves, prioritizing roads and public safety

The balanced proposal includes a $2,026,502,015 general fund and a $586,110,854 capital improvement plan. City officials say the plan requires no draw from reserves for the second year in a row and increases spending on public safety, roads, stormwater, sidewalks and housing, among other priorities.

“Jacksonville is a city on the rise, and our proposed budget continues that momentum,” Deegan said in remarks included with a city press release. “Every spending decision we make is geared to deliver a positive return for our citizens and make Jacksonville more affordable.”

Town hall schedule (all events 6 to 7:30 p.m.)

• Aug. 5 — Jean Ribault High School, 3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville
• Aug. 13 — Julia Landon College Preparatory & Leadership Development School, 1819 Thacker Avenue
• Aug. 19 — Duncan U. Fletcher High School, 700 Seagate Ave., Neptune Beach
• Aug. 27 — Mandarin High School, 4831 Greenland Rd.
• Sept. 1 — Ortega Elementary School, 4010 Baltic St.
• Sept. 8 — Terry Parker High School, 7301 Parker School Rd.
• Sept. 21 — Edward H. White High School, 1700 Old Middleburg Rd. N.

The mayor’s office says the town halls are intended to “continue the conversation with citizens” about the budget and how it will fund public safety, infrastructure, health and housing programs. The proposal allocates roughly $1.07 billion for public safety — about 53% of the general fund — and boosts road resurfacing and a septic-tank phaseout program, among other capital projects.

City documents and local coverage note the budget grows about 1.1% from the prior year, preserves reserve funds and relies in part on expected property tax revenue increases. The proposal now will go through City Council hearings and committee review before a final vote.

“I've made a decision," Darline Graham told Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity, according to a clip released of an interview set to air later Monday. “I'm in.”

The entrance of Darline Graham — sworn in last week to fulfill the remaining months of her late brother's term, which expires in January — into the Republican scramble to select a new Senate nominee further complicates an already rushed process following Lindsey Graham 's death earlier this month.

A weeklong filing period opens Tuesday for the special Republican primary, which will be Aug. 11. On Friday, President Donald Trump said that Darline Graham had his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to seek the nomination, adding, “RUN, DARLINE, RUN!”

Last week, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve the remainder of her brother’s term, which ends in January. In his announcement, McMaster made no reference to Darline Graham as a placeholder or symbolic appointment, although a person familiar with McMaster’s thinking but unauthorized to speak publicly said the governor, in selecting Darline Graham, had never contemplated that she would run for the seat herself.

Before the emergence of Darline Graham — and their Oval Office meeting after she was sworn in — Trump had previously suggested he could back a potential candidacy from Rep. Russell Fry, who said Monday he would officially enter the special primary.

Several other noteworthy politicians, including Rep. Ralph Norman, have already gotten in, and others like Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette have been eyeing a run. Rep. Nancy Mace announced Monday she would not enter the contest.

Darline Graham told Hannity said she had been “praying a lot” about how to navigate her new role.

“It is a tremendous amount of pressure," she said.

“I know I’m a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsey,” Darline Graham said. "I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes.”

Funeral services for Lindsey Graham are scheduled to be held next week in Washington and South Carolina. A preliminary report from the medical examiner said he suffered a tear in his aorta.

The millions in Lindsey Graham's campaign account aren’t funds that Darline Graham could directly access in a run of her own, according to Bradley A. Smith, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission.

Under federal rules, Lindsey Graham’s campaign would be limited to transferring just $2,000 to a potential Darline Graham candidacy. However, Smith said there is no limit on how much it could transfer to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could — thanks to a Supreme Court decision last month — “spend an unlimited amount in coordination with Darline’s campaign.”

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said a 68-year-old woman was killed when her vehicle collided with a deputy’s patrol unit that was traveling westbound on SR 16 while responding to a call. The deputy was listed in serious condition.

The crash happened at the SR 16 and Stratton Boulevard intersection, where traffic moves at high speeds and drivers turning left must judge gaps in fast-moving vehicles without an active traffic light.

Local resident Billy Thurston said the intersection is dangerous for drivers and cyclists and believes a traffic light is needed. He said he has seen crashes at the intersection and said drivers often misjudge whether they can cross safely.

A county spokesperson said safety enhancements at the intersection are expected to be completed in late September as part of a project costing more than $4 million.

The improvements include new traffic signals at two intersections, new median openings designed to allow more controlled turns, signal-protected pedestrian crosswalks, new pavement markings and roadway adjustments.

Cyclist Tommy Stevens, who rides along SR 16, called the area dangerous and said the upgrades cannot come soon enough. He said his condolences are with the family of the woman killed in the crash.

Separately, the Florida Department of Transportation is evaluating a long-term reconstruction plan for a 5.9-mile stretch of SR 16 from International Golf Parkway to Interstate 95.

All the way to his $75 million, five-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

“I’ve said (it) so much and it’s not anything fake. Chicago’s really, you know, the only place I want to play,” Bedard said.

Bedard's new deal was announced on Saturday, a day after his 21st birthday. It provides a level of security for both Bedard and the rebuilding Blackhawks, even if it always seemed as if it was just a matter of the final numbers than any sort of question about the end result.

Some intrigue arrived when Leo Carlsson, another restricted free agent, signed a $90 million, five-year offer sheet with Philadelphia before going back to Anaheim when the Ducks decided to match the offer sheet. But Bedard stayed with his plans all along.

It was always Chicago.

“I’m very happy with the amount of money I’m making. You know, it’s a lot,” a chuckling Bedard said Monday in his first public comments since the deal was announced. “I think just with that, obviously the offer sheet is different as well. You know with a team trying to take a guy, it is going to be a different value. But for me, that didn’t change anything I was thinking.”

The final details were completed after Bedard had surgery on his left shoulder on July 8. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft is expected to miss the start of the season after he got hurt while skating with a group of NHL players in western Canada.

Bedard also missed 12 games last season after he hurt his right shoulder on a draw during a 3-2 loss at St. Louis on Dec. 12.

“You always do everything you can to try to prevent injury and stay healthy,” he said. “It’s a terrible part of the game but it’s something that you know I think for me to have this next little bit and go through that adversity and try to get stronger, you know, mentally in that way. That’s the way I’m trying to look at it and then come back.”

Bedard has been Chicago's most important player since he made his anticipated NHL debut in October 2023. He continued his steady improvement in his third season, setting career highs with 30 goals and 45 assists in 69 games.

But he hasn't experienced much winning since arriving in Chicago. The Blackhawks went 29-39-14 last season, an 11-point improvement on the previous season and still nowhere near playoff contention. The team has finished No. 31 in the NHL each of the past three years.

Chicago is looking for its first postseason appearance since the NHL used an expanded playoff format after the 2020 season was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Looking to get the team back in contention, general manager Kyle Davidson swung a trade for defenseman Bowen Byram on June 23. The Blackhawks also signed forward prospect Roman Kantserov in May, and then added forward Cole Smith and defenseman Ian Cole on the first day of free agency.

“I think we’ve had a great summer,” Bedard said.

But Chicago could use another top-six forward, possibly to play alongside Bedard, and, well, Patrick Kane remains on the market as a free agent. The 37-year-old Kane, who helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cup championships before he was traded to the New York Rangers in February 2023, is reportedly considering a return to his first NHL team.

“That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from him,” Bedard said. “So hopefully he decides to come back. ... You talk about kind of the legacy aspect of it, but just as a team, it would make us a way better team. He’s still an amazing player.”

With the contract completed, the next big moment for Bedard could be taking over as the 36th captain in franchise history. He became an alternate captain after the team traded away its entire leadership group in March.

“If I was able to get that honor, it would be so special and something that I know I wouldn’t take for granted for a second,” Bedard said. “But we got so many guys in the room that can lead.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Food and Drug Administration officials on Monday said a laboratory test incorrectly identified a positive result for cyclospora on a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms. The FDA posted the finding to its website on Saturday but then said Sunday that the result had been a false positive.

Federal and state authorities have been investigating a rise in cases of the parasite, initially linking the outbreak in five states to lettuce served at Taco Bell locations. On Saturday, Taylor Farms announced it was recalling 25 shredded lettuce and salad mix products sold under eight different brand codes. The products are used by a number of U.S. food chains and suppliers.

“FDA’s traceback investigation and the outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms’ locations in central Mexico,” FDA's acting food chief, Donald Prater, told reporters on Monday.

In addition to tracing the supply chain of lettuce, FDA staff have begun testing samples of produce coming across the U.S. border.

FDA officials on Monday said the false positive result came from a rapid test used to screen for traces of cyclospora. The sample that initially appeared positive for the parasite came from Taylor Farms but was not part of the company's lettuce recall. FDA officials said they felt compelled to alert the public to the finding.

But a subsequent quality control check showed the positive finding was an error. FDA officials notified Taylor Farms of that on Sunday.

The company touted the updated test results on social media and claimed “FDA apologized to us.” Agency officials said there was no official apology.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. When ingested, the parasite causes intestinal illness marked by “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC.

In 2026, cyclospora has sickened at least 1,645 people in the U.S. and hospitalized 141, according to the FDA and CDC. The agencies are investigating five separate clusters of illnesses, including the one traced to Taylor Farms.

FDA's acting commissioner, Kyle Diamantas, said health officials have continued to see new cases associated with the latest outbreak, including some as recent as last week.

“Which means it’s imperative for us to take action to ensure that contaminated product is not making its way to the market,” Diamantas explained.

As of Friday, foot traffic was down at a number of dining chains compared with the day-of-the-week averages between Jan. 1 and July 6, according to Placer.ai, which tracks people’s movements based on cellphone usage.

Taco Bell suffered the biggest drop — an 18.9% decline — after federal health officials named the chain in its investigation of the cyclosporiasis outbreak. Foot traffic fell 14.3% at Chopt, Placer.ai said. Both Chipotle and Panera Bread had close to a 7% drop in traffic, while Cava’s drop was less — at 4.2% — according to the firm.

Food safety investigators often cannot draw a direct biological connection between recalled produce and outbreaks of foodborne illness. Some common tests used to check for food poisoning have not been geared to detect cyclospora. Technicians aren’t able to grow the parasite in labs, making it hard to draw evidence from contaminated produce.

Instead, investigators draw conclusions based on accounts of what people ate, the proximity and timing of cases and other patterns.

___

AP Business Writer Anne D'Innocenzio contributed from New York.

___

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

Trump’s use of the new red, white and navy blue aircraft has faced much scrutiny not only because it was gifted by a foreign government, but also because it appears to not be equipped with some of the same missile detection and countermeasure systems as the older jets.

But it came under deeper scrutiny this month when he left the NATO summit in Turkey on the older, baby blue Air Force One and made a previously unscheduled stop at a base in the United Kingdom. Trump then swapped back onto the new Qatari-gifted plane at Royal Air Force Mildenhall.

“The new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the President’s travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday. “During that time, the President will fly on the old Air Force One.”

The statement from Leavitt elaborated on a comment from the president as he returned to Washington on Sunday night, when he told reporters that the new plane will be sent to be “maxed out.”

Trump claimed earlier this month that the stop in the United Kingdom was so U.S. troops at Mildenhall could look at the new plane. He denied to reporters that the jet switch was due to security concerns, although he also said that he has a threat against him “all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target.

The WTA updated its women’s eligibility policy to include gender screening “based on biological sex” this week “to preserve the integrity of women’s professional tennis and maintain fair competition conditions for all players.”

The new policy takes the organization in line with the eligibility policy introduced by the International Olympic Committee in March to align with U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order on sports ahead of the 2028 Games.

The WTA is complying with what is effectively an order from the IOC that Olympic sports bodies are following, though it remained unclear how many, if any, transgender women are competing at Games level.

Players are to be tested for the SRY gene, a segment of DNA typically found on the Y chromosome that initiates male sex development in utero and indicates the presence of testes.

“In this policy, ‘biological male’ means an individual who, regardless of their legal sex or gender identity, has an SRY gene and therefore has or previously had testes or streak testes; and ‘biological female’ means an individual who, regardless of their legal sex or gender identity, has no SRY gene and therefore has or previously had ovaries or streak ovaries.”

The WTA said the policy distinguishes between biological sex and gender identity, and that there is “no intent to disrespect or question the gender identity or the dignity of any person.”

The mandatory gender screening — already conducted by the governing bodies of track and field, skiing and boxing — has been criticized by human rights experts and activist groups.

___

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

The general fund budget is $2,026,502,015, a 1.1% increase from the prior year, or $22,583,868. For the second year in a row, the proposal does not draw from reserves, city documents show.

“The only reason for the rise is because we made a promise to do right by our first responders three years ago and we continue to keep that promise,” Deegan said in her budget address. She also said every spending decision is aimed at “making Jacksonville more affordable” and delivering measurable returns for taxpayers.

Key figures and priorities

• General fund: $2,026,502,015.
• Public safety allocation: $1,073,743,908 (about 53% of the general fund). That includes $673,613,389 for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and $400,130,519 for Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.
• Budget growth: 1.1% over last year (+$22.6 million).
• No reserve draw and no increase in non-public-safety city staffing.
• People investments: $148,271,055.
• Other expenses (including interlocal agreements, pension obligations and debt service): $502,886,873.
• FY26-27 Capital Improvement Plan: $586,110,854; five-year CIP: $1,227,913,805.

Infrastructure and capital projects

The budget increases funding for street and drainage work and other long‑deferred projects. Notable capital allocations include:

• Road resurfacing: $35,947,180 (a $13.2 million increase).
• Septic tank phaseout: $25,000,000 (a $16 million increase).
• Stormwater and drainage projects: $25,000,000.
• New and repaired sidewalks: $12,000,000.
• Museum of Science and History improvements: $27,000,000.
• Riverfront Plaza: $25,000,000.
• UF Health capital improvements: $24,000,000.

Deegan said the city has paved more miles in the last three years than in any comparable period over the last decade and argued the upgrades are necessary to avoid higher costs later from deferred maintenance.

Public safety and prevention

Public safety remains the top spending priority. The mayor’s proposal continues multi-year investments in pay and pensions for police and fire personnel and funds equipment, training and technology, she said. Deegan touted gains in recruitment and retention and credited local officials with reductions in homicides and gang activity.

The budget also preserves and expands prevention and community programs, including juvenile diversion, crisis response and outreach teams. Deegan emphasized that prevention — from after-school programs to mental health crisis intervention — reduces more costly emergency responses down the line.

Health, housing and social services

The proposal includes $56 million for UF Health indigent care and $7.7 million for direct health services. Housing and homelessness programs receive continued local support, with $6.3 million allocated for affordable housing initiatives and $4.7 million for homelessness programs.

Deegan noted the budget increases funding for programs shown to produce returns — for example, a city auditor’s review that the Healthlink Jax program produced nearly a five‑to‑one savings.

Fiscal health and ratings

City officials cited strong credit ratings and outside reviews to underscore fiscal discipline. Fitch upgraded Jacksonville two notches to double-A-plus last year; S&P Global and KBRA reaffirmed double-A ratings. The Government Finance Officers Association recognized the budget’s quality, officials said, and the mayor argued higher credit ratings lower borrowing costs for taxpayers.

Revenue

The budget relies on growth in property tax revenue, which is projected to increase about 6% because of rising values and new properties. But if the property tax cut proposal is passed by voters this November, Deegan said everything would be affected.

“Our job here over the next little while is to simply make people aware of the fact that when you have to cut a third of your budget, pretty much a third of everything is under scrutiny so we’re hopeful that we can continue to move the city forward in the ways that we outline today. And I think that’s what most people in the city want,” Deegan said.

Major revenue items listed in budget materials include:

• Property taxes: $1,291,662,837.
• JEA contribution: $151,481,319.
• State-shared revenue: $225,952,033.
• Utility service tax: $122,854,579.
• All other revenue: $234,551,247.

Next steps

Deegan said the budget reflects partnership with City Council and noted the administration is honoring a council request for a $10 million allocation for strategic planning priorities. The proposal will move through council hearings and committee review in the coming weeks before final adoption.

“Your money will build a safer, healthier and more affordable Jacksonville,” Deegan said. “That is the city you have earned. That is the city we will deliver.”

Deegan also announced that she will be hosting town hall meetings beginning Aug. 5 so residents can give their input.

• Aug. 5 — Jean Ribault High School, 3701 Winton Drive, Jacksonville
• Aug. 13 — Julia Landon College Preparatory & Leadership Development School, 1819 Thacker Avenue
• Aug. 19 — Duncan U. Fletcher High School, 700 Seagate Ave., Neptune Beach
• Aug. 27 — Mandarin High School, 4831 Greenland Rd.
• Sept. 1 — Ortega Elementary School, 4010 Baltic St.
• Sept. 8 — Terry Parker High School, 7301 Parker School Rd.
• Sept. 21 — Edward H. White High School, 1700 Old Middleburg Rd. N.

The Defense Department said in a statement that James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, were killed in Jordan in Friday’s attacks.

Feehan, a first lieutenant, will be posthumously promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge medals. The Army did not provide details about his commendations. He was assigned out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to the 32nd Army Air Missile Defense Command.

Gonzales was a private with the 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany. She graduated last year from Hebron High School in Carrollton, near Dallas, school officials said.

“She gave her life in that service, and our district is heartbroken by her loss,” the Lewisville Independent School District said in a statement. “Her decision to serve after graduation speaks volumes of her character.”

The military said Gonzales died on Friday and Feehan died the following day. It did not provide details.

A third service member was reported missing in the attacks that killed Feehan and Gonzales. U.S. Central Command said Sunday that “unidentified remains” have been found and were being examined.

The US military says 17 service members have been killed in the war with Iran

The deaths reflect the complicated reality that American soldiers don’t need to be on the ground in Iran for there to be lethal risks in a conflict that involves drones, missiles and airplanes. American forces are arrayed across the Middle East, making other nations targets of Iran and its allies as the fighting has escalated after a breakdown in peace talks.

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

Drones and missiles are claiming lives on both sides

An American service member was also killed in northern Iraq on Saturday during a “controlled detonation” of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone, U.S. Central Command said Sunday. A second service member was wounded and was receiving medical treatment for a minor injury.

The military said it was withholding additional information until 24 hours after families had been notified.

Iranian authorities said U.S. strikes in just the past three weeks have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500 others, including eight killed in a strike on a bridge Friday.

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

The first US military fatalities came soon after the war started

Shortly after the U.S. and Israel began the war on Feb. 28, an Iranian drone strike at a civilian port in Kuwait killed six American soldiers. The soldiers were part of a supply and logistics unit based in Iowa who were working at a shipping container-style building that had no defenses.

A seventh soldier died more than a week after being wounded during a March 1 attack by Iran on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Later in March, six service members were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft supporting U.S. military operations against Iran crashed in Iraq. The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft took place, according to U.S. Central Command.

Last week, the U.S. military said a Navy pilot died in a helicopter crash in the Arabian Sea. The Navy initially described the July 1 crash as an emergency landing and said there was “no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action.” The remaining three sailors aboard the helicopter were rescued.

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

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

Government has said reporters aren't the target

The phone records subpoenas come on top of grand jury subpoenas that were served July 10 on three journalists, seeking testimony about the identify of their sources. The Times has separately challenged those grand jury subpoenas, and a judge is scheduled to hear arguments on Thursday.

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

The Times said the phone records subpoenas should be spiked, arguing that each instance demonstrated “bad faith” by the government. The lawyers argued that the Justice Department ignored its own guidelines by not giving the journalists advance notice that records were being sought and had issued subpoenas “without first conducting any serious investigation.”

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

The Justice Department has justified the grand jury subpoenas by saying that “reporters are not the targets, those leaking classified information are.” Asked about the phone records subpoenas, the department said Monday: "Any subpoena issued by the Department of Justice is done so in full compliance with federal law and internal Department policy.”

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

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

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

It's part of an ongoing legal challenge

The Times revealed the government's actions as part of an ongoing legal challenge to quash subpoenas that the Justice Department served on three journalists who reported on security concerns involving the jet.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“It is with great sadness that we announce that the patriarch of our family, Billy ‘Bigga Rankin’ Plummer, passed away earlier this morning on July 20, 2026,” the family said in a statement.

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

Plummer was widely regarded as a godfather of Southern hip-hop and had spent more than three decades in the music business. In an interview with News4JAX, he reflected on his 30-year career, his Jacksonville roots and his role as A&R at Think It’s a Game Records and vice president of the Hittmenn DJs.

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

View this post on Instagram

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

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

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

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

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

The pilot, Kenneth Jouppi, sued to block his plane's seizure after he was convicted of an alcohol-related misdemeanor charge. The Alaska Supreme Court ruled in the state's favor that Jouppi's plane was subject to criminal forfeiture laws.

On Monday, however, the nation's highest court agreed to hear Jouppi's case. He argues that taking his 1969 Cessna would violate the Eighth Amendment's “Excessive Fines Clause." Arguments are expected in the fall.

“I’m in my 80s now, and I’ve been fighting this for over a decade because I see it as my duty to ensure that the Bill of Rights actually means something in protecting against government overreach,” Jouppi said in a statement released by his attorneys at the Institute for Justice.

In April 2012, Jouppi was preparing to fly a passenger from Fairbanks to a remote village, Beaver, where alcohol was banned. The passenger had packed beer with other groceries in her luggage. State Police troopers searched Jouppi's plane before it departed and spotted a six-pack of Budweiser in a shopping bag.

Jouppi, his company and the passenger were charged with a misdemeanor offense of knowingly transporting an alcoholic beverage into a dry community. The passenger pleaded guilty. A jury convicted Jouppi and the company after a trial. A judge sentenced him to three days in jail.

Jouppi's attorneys say Alaska's high court examined his conduct “purely in abstract terms” and didn't evaluate whether it was part of a broader pattern of criminal activity. And they say it wasn't.

“Few excessive fines cases will present the issue so sharply; a decision upholding the forfeiture of an airplane for a six-pack is a self-recommending candidate for review,” lawyers from the Institute for Justice wrote in their appeal.

In response, lawyers from the Alaska Attorney General's office argued that the state Supreme Court's “fact-bound decision” should be allowed to stand.

“Courts across the country apply a multi-factor test to determine whether a fine or forfeiture is grossly disproportional to the gravity of the offense,” they wrote. “Jouppi does not claim that the four-part standard applied by the Alaska Supreme Court is wrong, only that the court misapplied settled law by giving too much weight to some factors and not enough weight to others.”

Jouppi's attorneys argue that the ruling from the state's highest court conflicts with case law established in other courts, including U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

“The Excessive Fines Clause was built for cases like this,” they said.

Alaska's attorneys said Jouppi hasn't shown how punishing him with forfeiture of his plane is “grossly disproportional to the gravity of his offense.”

“Alcohol abuse is a serious problem in rural Alaska, and airplanes are sometimes the only realistic means to commit the crime of alcohol importation,” they wrote.

Video replays showed several players involved in a scuffle, including Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes.

He appeared to shove Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat. When Spain substitute Gavi jumped in to intervene, Paredes pushed him to the ground.

Spain captain Rodri also seemed to be hit in the stomach by Argentina defender Nahuel Molina as he ran past to join teammates celebrating the title win.

Molina later crowded Rodri, who was the target of a verbal confrontation by his former Manchester City teammate Nicolas Otamendi.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and other players rushed in to deescalate the situation.

FIFA said in a statement its “disciplinary committee has appointed a Disciplinary and Ethics Prosecutor to investigate potential breaches of the (FIFA disciplinary code) with regard to the post-match incidents.”

The brief statement gave no timetable for an investigation and did not name Paredes, who was not shown a red card after the game yet could face a suspension.

Spain needed extra time to win Sunday’s final 1-0 after Argentina was reduced to 10 men. Enzo Fernandez was sent off with a second yellow card in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes.

The Argentina players stood facing their fans, with their backs to the podium, when Spain’s squad lifted the trophy. It was an unusual show of disrespect to the new champions, who had given their opponents a guard of honor to collect their medals.

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Speaking outside 10 Downing St. minutes after being formally appointed by King Charles III, Burnham pledged to ease the cost of living for ordinary people, decentralize political power, revitalize industry and end street sleeping by homeless people. He said he would deliver a “circuit breaker” for a system that has taken wrong turns since the 1980s, when public services and utilities were privatized and local government eroded.

“We will take power out of here and carry it into every postcode in the land so that they can do more and in doing more, build a new economy where we put life’s essentials back under stronger public control to make them affordable to you again,” he said.

Burnham said he was “acutely conscious” of the political revolving door he was walking through.

“This is a moment for reflection and new resolution,” he said. “It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game and rise to the new challenge. Britain needs to show the world that we can regain our stability once again, and that is our challenge to make politics work, to make it work better.”

One of Burnham's biggest tasks on his first day was to appoint a Cabinet. The key post of chancellor of the exchequer went to John Healey, the former defense secretary who quit the previous government a few weeks ago over funding plans for his department. His appointment as Treasury chief was a surprise.

Healey replaces Rachel Reeves, the architect of much of the economic agenda of Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, as well as some of the missteps that ate away at his support. Others leaving the Cabinet included David Lammy, who was deputy prime minister.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband was given the role of foreign secretary. He replaces Yvette Cooper, who was appointed health secretary, a demotion but a hugely important post for the Labour Party's reelection prospects. Shabana Mahmood remains as home secretary. The full Cabinet meets Tuesday.

Party changed leaders in midterm

Burnham became the seventh U.K. prime minister since 2016 in a now well-rehearsed handover after replacing Starmer as leader of the center-left governing Labour Party on Friday. Starmer announced last month that he would resign.

Starmer left office just two years after winning a landslide election victory, forced out by his own party after a series of missteps and U-turns.

Britain’s parliamentary democracy allows governing parties to change leaders, and thus prime ministers, without the need for a general election. The next national poll does not have to be held until 2029, though Burnham can call one sooner if he wants.

Burnham was the only candidate in a contest to become the party’s new leader, securing nominations from 379 of the 403 Labour lawmakers in the House of Commons.

He will confront many of the same struggles as his predecessor: a sluggish economy, a cost-of-living crisis, overstretched public services, concerns about migration and foreign affairs that include wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

He will also try to navigate relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, who first warmed to, then soured on, Starmer. Burnham's office said the prime minister spoke to Trump on Monday afternoon and “underlined his commitment to defense and security.”

The new leader pledges a new style of politics

The former mayor of Greater Manchester previously pledged to make politics “less toxic,” improve living standards across the country and “bring back the hope we have all been missing.”

Burnham said he will set out a 10-year plan for Britain later this year. Before that, he will lay out first steps “to give people some breathing space now, some help with the cost of living.”

“And I will set out some of those measures starting tomorrow, including how we pay for them,” he said.

After his speech, he told reporters that he has “always taken a very prudent approach” to the economy in previous jobs, and will not take any economic risks now.

Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said Labour had backed Burnham “to inject a sense of positivity, of hope, of purpose, a sense of direction.”

Burnham says “he is going to mark a big break, not just with Keir Starmer, but also with what he regards as four decades of the country going in the wrong direction,” Bale said. “But quite what that means in terms of concrete policies, in terms how much he’s going to spend and on what, and how much is going to tax ... we’re not sure yet.”

Starmer exits early but says his job was done

In the rapid-fire world of British political transitions, Burnham entered Downing Street only minutes after Starmer left.

“I go with good grace. I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved,” Starmer said before heading to Buckingham Palace to offer his resignation to the king. It was an offer the king “was graciously pleased to accept,” the palace said in a statement.

Starmer became Labour leader in 2020 after one of the party's worst election defeats, and he led Labour to a landslide victory four years later. But he was soon defeated by the challenges of governing.

“It has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as prime minister,” Starmer said before leaving Downing Street, hand-in-hand with his wife, Victoria. “I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.”

___

Associated Press journalists Sylvia Hui, Pan Pylas and Danica Kirka contributed.

Goal of the tournament

Sidny Lopes Cabral stunned defending champion Argentina with a tying goal in extra time of their round of 32 match at Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 3. The Blue Sharks, who entered the tournament ranked 67th, trailed 2-1 in the 103rd minute when Cabral settled a long pass from Yannick Semedo near the left flank with his left foot. The 23-year-old, who plays in Turkey for Trabzonspor, cut past Alexis Mac Allister while playing the ball onto his right foot and from just inside the penalty area curled a shot past goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and into the upper corner at the far post for his fourth goal in 14 international appearances. Argentina went on to win on an own goal.

Upset of the tournament

Eliminated in consecutive group stages following its fourth World Cup title in 2014, Germany clinched its group title with wins over Curaçao and Ivory Coast before losing its first-round finale against Ecuador. Paraguay was in its first World Cup since 2010, began the tournament ranked 41st and advanced as a third-place team, opening with a 4-1 loss to the U.S., beating Turkey 1-0 and playing a 0-0 draw against Australia. Julio Enciso put Paraguay ahead in the 42nd minute of the round of 32 match at Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 29 but Kai Havertz tied the score 12 minutes later. Germany, which began the World Cup ranked No. 10, appeared to go ahead on Jonathan Tah’s header of a corner kick in the 102nd minute but a video review concluded the goal should be disallowed because of a foul by Waldemar Anton on goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Germany won all four of its previous World Cup penalty kick shootouts, succeeding on 17 of 18 kicks — including 15 in a row. Havertz's attempt on the opening kick was saved by Gill, who also batted away Nick Woltemade's effort on Germany's fourth kick. Tah skied Germany's sixth kick over the crossbar, José Canale beat Manuel Neuer and Paraguay won the shootout 4-3 after the 1-1 draw only to lose 1-0 to France in the round of 16.

Breakout player

Pau Cubarsí, a 19-year-old Barcelona defender, played every minute of every match as Spain won its second title and first since 2010. He had 668 successful passes in 690 attempts, a 96.8% rate that was the second best in the tournament among players with 400 or more attempts, just behind Norway's Sander Berge at 96.9%. Cubarsí's total was second to teammate Rodri's 747. Cubarsí's 750 minutes tied teammate Marc Cucurella and Mac Allister for the tournament high among outfield players. At 19 years, 178 days he became the seventh youngest to win a World Cup, trailing Pelé (17-249), Ronaldo (17-298), Giuseppe Bergomi (18-174), teammate Lamine Yamal and Coutinho (both 19-6) and Marco Antonio (19-135).

Save of the tournament

Vozinha, Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper, leapt to his left to slap away Lionel Messi's quick free kick in the 73rd minute that was headed to the upper corner, keeping the score 1-1.

Blunder of the tournament

Matt Freese had a howler in the United States' 4-1 loss to Belgium in the round of 16 that will long be replayed among goalkeeper lowlights. Brandon Mechele played a long ball from deep in his own end and when Charles De Ketelaere burst past American defender Chris Richards, Freese came off his line and about 5 yards outside the penalty area chested the ball, which had taken two hops. The 27-year-old, who became the No. 1 U.S. goalkeeper last year, was about to clear the ball with his left foot, hesitated and tried to pass to his left only for the ball to deflect off a leg of De Ketelaere toward midfield. Hans Vanaken scored from about 30 yards as defender Tim Ream missed his attempt to block the ball.

Worst foul

Qatari midfielder Assim Madibo broke the left tibia and fibula of Canadian midfielder Ismaël Koné with a tackle from behind in the 51st minute of a June 18 group stage match at Vancouver, British Columbia. Madibo received a red card and a five-game suspension. Koné had surgery and Madibo visited Koné at the hospital.

Fan base of the tournament

Norway's fans charmed fellow spectators and television viewers when they performed the Viking Ro, chanting “Ro!” while mimicking oarsmen in stadiums and even in the bleachers above the TKTS booth selling Broadway theater tickets in New York's Times Square. Martin Ødegaard and Erling Haaland led the row celebration on the field following wins. Scotland's Tartan Army also left indelible memories, depleting Boston's beer supply and taking an excursion to a baseball games at Fenway Park and in Miami.

Best photo

Raúl Jiménez scored Mexico's second goal in the tournament-opening 2-0 win over South Africa on June 11. An image from Associated Press photographer Natacha Pisarenko captured the joy of a player who scored on a header, six years after his career was endangered when he fractured his skull while playing for Wolverhampton in a clash of heads with Arsenal's David Luiz.

___

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

“They’re real,” Greg Sankey said Monday of talks with school presidents involving the SEC separating itself from the rest of the NCAA. “They’ve opined about the frustrations that bring them to the point of saying we should look at something significantly different.”

Sankey's 45-minute meeting with reporters to kick off SEC football media days detailed the several issues that college sports is trying to find solutions for: Congressional legislation, litigation stemming from the new five-year eligibility rule, the future of the College Football Playoff and an overall lack of transparency regarding name, image and likeness payments to players.

Sankey acknowledged the conference's unhappiness with the handling of all those issues, but also touted the league's 13 national championships won last season across a variety of sports as a key reason it's in no rush to move away from the current framework.

“There is meaning and value and I do think a national expectation that we participate in a national organization,” he said. “But that national organization must function in a healthy manner; otherwise, that simmering will continue”.

The SEC and Big Ten produced a 10-point paper about changes they would like to see to the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation in the Senate. The SEC and Big Ten are negotiating with lawmakers over potential tweaks.

Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman, the chair of the SEC presidents, released a statement saying conference leaders “have provided feedback from the perspective of university leaders who are trying to navigate the current state of college athletics.”

The SEC argues the bill does not go far enough in limiting the possibility of lawsuits against conferences and schools, and also needs better language to preempt state laws in favor of a national one regarding the tens of millions in NIL payments now so common at the top of college sports.

Sankey called the rollout of the recent NCAA rule that rewrote eligibility standards and has induced lawsuits — players mainly get five years to play five seasons — “magnifies frustration" among some in the SEC. Plowman said the SEC “applauded” how transfers and eligibility were addressed in the Senate bill.

“That means student-athletes would not be able to transfer every year, putting their educations and team dynamics at risk — or toggle back and forth between professional teams and university teams with no intention of getting a degree,” she said.

The SEC remains the Power Four's only holdout over expanding the 12-team playoff to 24. Sankey said more research is needed, especially regarding “media interest” — likely shorthand for media rights interest — in adding more games.

There is also the underlying issue of what an expanded playoff would do to conference title games. Symbolic of the wide range of opinions on that topic, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said in his own media session that he favored conference play-in games to determine CFP spots and he doesn't think title games should be put on the chopping block.

“Throwing those away so you can get a bad matchup between 24 and 18 doesn't make sense to me,” Drinkwitz said.

Sankey said he also wants more transparency about who pays players and for what. Among the SEC's proposed changes to the Senate bill would be clearer guidelines for paying players, including “NIL, pay-for-play (which is not allowed), revenue sharing and other forms of compensation.”

The commissioner conceded that the SEC is not bent on getting its way regarding every issue that college sports is trying to solve. But as one of the biggest, richest and most influential leagues in a quickly changing business, it does want to lead the way.

“I think we do a better job now than has ever been done in college athletics,” Sankey said. “But we haven't achieved that level of stability as we go through change that's needed at this point.”

___

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

Gang leaders in the troubled Caribbean country are prolific users of social media and have celebrated killings, issued threats and posted musings on various sites. Younger gang members also post music videos and wave cash they've earned in an effort to recruit children in the impoverished nation.

Mike Waltz, who recently visited Haiti, called the practice “incredibly disturbing” and warned the U.S. would “shut that down” in the near future. He didn’t provide further details while speaking at a U.N. Security Council meeting in New York.

He spoke as the U.S. prepares this week to strip the temporary protected status of some 350,000 Haitians who live in the United States, exposing them to deportation, a move largely criticized by lawyers and human rights experts.

Efforts to crack down on the gangs' use of social media are not new. In 2023, YouTube banned Johnson André, considered Haiti's most powerful gang leader and also known as Izo, following heavy criticism after he received an award for surpassing more than 100,000 subscribers.

The U.S. envoy also called on countries with aircraft capacity to help with the deployment of foreign troops joining the latest U.N.-backed mission in Haiti to fight gangs, including Sri Lanka and Ivory Coast. He said sea lifts take too long and that Haitians need help now.

Gang violence surges as Haitians in US brace for deportation

Gang violence has displaced a record almost 1.5 million people across Haiti, where more than half of the country's nearly 12 million inhabitants need humanitarian aid.

More than 2,300 people have been killed and more than 1,100 injured since January, according to the U.N. Earlier this year, clashes in the Cite Soleil slum in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, led to 542 killings and 355 injuries. In addition, at least 176 women and girls were raped, the U.N. found.

Waltz shared how gangs recently surrounded an armored vehicle that got stuck in a ditch and lit a fire underneath, forcing Haitian police officers to flee.

“They were flayed alive on the streets,” Waltz said, adding that their bodies were pinned to the side of the vehicle to send a message.

“I want everyone to understand the fight ahead,” he added.

Waltz noted that Haiti needs equipment including heavy bulldozers to clear streets and gang-controlled checkpoints, adding that armed men have taken over roads, ports, hospitals, prisons and other state infrastructure.

“Haiti’s just a few hundred miles from Florida,” he said. “In that regard, it’s a critical interest to the United States.”

Gangs control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince, and about half of gang members are children, according to the U.N. Poverty and hunger are deepening.

“The situation of children in Haiti is among the most alarming anywhere in the world,” said Vanessa Frazier, the U.N.’s special representative for children and armed conflict. “Children are being killed, maimed, abducted, recruited and used by armed gangs, displaced from their homes, denied access to education and deprived of basic protection and legal identity.”

Jack Christofides, special representative of the U.N.-backed gang suppression force operating in Haiti, said it has established its headquarters, deployed its first forward operating base and recently began cracking down on gang infrastructure.

“The political and humanitarian environment nevertheless remains extremely challenging,” he said. “Armed gangs are likely to adapt their tactics to stay in control.”

Haiti is under pressure to hold elections

The international community has been pressuring Haiti to hold general elections, which would be the first in more than a decade.

While the country is led by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who was appointed, it hasn’t had a president since President Jovenel Moïse was killed at his private residence in July 2021. Gang violence has surged since then.

Seven of Haiti’s 10 provinces are ready for electoral activities, while the gang suppression force is vital to restoring security in the remaining three, said Raina Forbin, Haiti’s foreign affairs minister.

The three provinces include Port-au-Prince, and overall they account for more than half of all voters, noted Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative for Haiti. He noted the displacement caused by gang violence and said the voter registration that began on Monday “will give us a new reality of where the voters are currently.”

Forbin said that by year’s end, an additional 4,000 officers are expected to join Haiti’s National Police, which remains understaffed and underfunded. Meanwhile, an additional 1,500 recruits are expected to join Haiti’s revived Armed Forces.

Joshua Kerry was charged after more than a week in custody on suspicion of murder and acts of terror. Police are continuing to investigate his motive, including a potential political or terrorist connection, prosecutors said.

The death of Widdecombe, 78, a former member of Parliament, shocked the British political world, where Widdecombe was a prominent voice for decades. She was a blunt-speaking character known for socially conservative views opposing abortion and the expansion of LGBTQ+ rights.

Police said they believe Widdecombe was attacked July 8. She failed to appear that afternoon for a scheduled TV interview and was found dead the next day in her isolated rural home in a southwest England village.

Police did not disclose a cause of death, saying only that she had sustained “serious injuries” in what they called a targeted and brutal attack.

“I want to make it very clear that our investigation into this individual, determining his motivations and any wider activity he may have been involved in is continuing," said Laurence Taylor, head of counter-terrorism policing.

“Given Ann Widdecombe’s profile and the targeted nature of the attack, determining the motivation, including any possible political motivation, remains an active avenue of investigation for our detectives," he said.

Taylor added that the investigation is intensive and complex, and detectives were working through more than 800 lines of inquiry.

Kerry was arrested July 11 in South Yorkshire county in northern England, more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the village of Haytor on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, where Widdecombe was found dead Thursday.

Kerry remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

He was originally arrested on suspicion of murder, but after finding new evidence while he was custody, he was rearrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

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

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

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

The killing has renewed concerns for politicians about security, which was tightened in the past decade after the murders of two serving members of Parliament. Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, and Conservative David Amess was stabbed in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the Islamic State group.

The demands came in a letter spearheaded by Maine's Independent Sen. Angus King, signed by 38 Democratic senators and sent to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE. The demands follow two deadly shootings in which ICE officers shot and killed immigrants in Houston and Maine.

The Associated Press reported last week that the ICE officer in Maine who opened fire and killed a man from Colombia had a history of violent behavior toward family members that was detailed in family court records.

His first ex-wife, Ashley Brouillette, told AP he was physically violent with her, including once throwing boiling water at her while she was holding their child.

His second ex-wife, Lucinda Brouillette, sent a statement over the weekend alleging “a persistent pattern of abuse, intimidation, manipulation, fear, and control.”

“Throughout our marriage and in the years that followed, I have feared for a long time that his anger, aggression, and escalating behavior would eventually result in severe, life threatening violence, and I often believed I would be the one on the receiving end of it,” she wrote.

Hundreds of pages of family court documents describe their turbulent marriage, and the years after. Lucinda Brouillette told the court he had stalked and harassed her and physically and verbally abused his daughter, according to multiple requests for temporary protection orders. Brouillette tackled his teenage daughter and smashed spaghetti in her hair, and during another outburst, he dragged his daughter around the house as she cried, she said.

“Dave needs counseling or something for his PTSD & depression,” she wrote in an application for a temporary protective order on behalf of his teenage daughter which a judge granted in 2021.

In court filings, David Brouillette said that his second ex-wife had slandered him.

Multiple family members told the AP the government should have never given him a gun, badge and the authority to patrol city streets as the Trump administration ramps up its mass deportation agenda.

The senators' letter on Monday listed new measures to increase accountability at the agency, including transparency about whether ICE considers records from family court of domestic violence or abuse when vetting new recruits.

"We remain supportive of removing dangerous convicted criminals from our communities, but this goal can and must be achieved without endangering these very communities in the process. By no stretch could either of the victims in Texas and Maine be characterized as ‘the worst of the worst,’ making these tragic deaths even more egregious," the senators wrote. “The American people deserve clarity and accountability.”

They said ICE should immediately start wearing uniforms or vests that clearly identify them as “ICE” instead of the more generic “POLICE” or “POLICE ICE.” Civil rights groups and advocates have often criticized ICE for not wearing uniforms or clear identification on their ballistics vests identifying them as deportation officers.

Senators also demanded to know what changes were being made to how officers conduct traffic stops and vehicle pursuits.

The shootings in Maine and Houston both involved ICE officers shooting at people who were in vehicles at the time. In the wake of the Maine shooting, Homeland Security temporarily stopped officers from conducting vehicle stops except in specific situations. But just a day later, after fierce criticism from some MAGA supporters, President Donald Trump said on social media that traffic stops should continue.

Homeland Security said last week that it was adding new training in crowd-control measures, high-risk vehicle stops, live-fire exercises and medical training, in response to what they called coordinated attacks against their officers and ICE facilities.

He was stopped about 8:54 a.m. after a deputy conducting traffic enforcement recorded his speed with radar, the report says.

The deputy activated emergency lights, made a U-turn and conducted a traffic stop. Leese was then taken to Clay County Jail, the report said.

He was issued a criminal citation for excessive speed.

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

Watch The Morning Show at 8 a.m. Tuesday to see the results and find out what you should never do with dish soap.

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

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

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

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

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

Alachua County

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

Clay County

• Clay County Back to School Bash (Thrasher-Horne Center): supplies/resources bash, 9–11 a.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — Thrasher-Horne Center, 283 College Dr., Orange Park, FL 32065.
• American Legion Post 250 Back to School Supply Giveaway: supply giveaway, 11 a.m.–noon, Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 — 2608 Black Creek Dr., Middleburg, FL 32068.
• Back to School Health and Wellness Event (Clay County Health Dept.): back-to-school health/wellness, 8 a.m.–2 p.m., Mon. Aug. 3–Fri. Aug. 7, 2026 — 1845 Town Center Blvd., Building 600, Fleming Island, FL 32003.
• American Academy of Cosmetology Back to School Bash: bash w/ free haircuts (per listing), 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Fri. Aug. 7, 2026 — 1330 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, FL.

Duval County

• Ready, Set, Learn: Back-to-School Supplies Giveaway (Wealth Empowerment initiative): supplies giveaway, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Fri. July 24, 2026 — Jacksonville Public Library (Main), 303 N. Laura St., Jacksonville, FL 32202.
• SERTOMA Free Hearing Screenings (Back-to-School Health): hearing screenings, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — 7535 Fort Caroline Hills Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32277.
• Ascension St. Vincent’s Emergency Care – Arlington Back-to-School Community Event: community back-to-school event, 10 a.m.–noon, Sat. July 25, 2026 — 9820 Hutchinson Park Dr., Jacksonville, FL 32225.
• Back-to-School Giveaway and Registration (Creating Executive Opportunities Foundation): free backpacks/supplies, 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat. July 25, 2026 — Sk8City Jacksonville, 9244 Arlington Expy, Jacksonville, FL 32225.

Flagler County

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

Nassau County

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

Putnam County

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

St. Johns County

• SEA Community Help Resource Center, Inc – Back 2 School Bash: backpacks/supplies + food/music (per flyer), 10 a.m.–(end time not listed), Fri. July 24, 2026 — 6284 Armstrong Rd., Elkton, FL 32033.
• OFFSITE: Community Focus Back to School Event (10th Annual Back to School Festival): resource fair + back-to-school physicals (UF Health St. Johns) + immunizations (FL Dept. of Health) + supplies giveaway (per listing), 9–11 a.m., Sat. Aug. 1, 2026 — W.E. Harris Community Center (Gym), 400 E Harris St., Hastings, FL 32145.

Union County

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

GEORGIA

Brantley County

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

Camden County

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

Charlton County

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

Glynn County

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

Pierce County

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

Ware County

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

The proposal, if passed by Congress, would require data centers to obtain all their electricity and water needs from private sources, rather than the power grid or public water systems. The idea aligns with an earlier, voluntary initiative from President Donald Trump.

“If you talk to these guys who are building these data centers, if it means that they have to pick up the utility costs, they’re more than willing to do it,” Donalds said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It’s in their interest to make sure that we can construct these centers, and I think the number one way you address and mitigate the concerns that people are having is to just ensure their utility bills aren’t going up in the process.”

Donalds' proposal is noteworthy coming from a candidate backed by pro-AI political action committees and Trump. The legislation comes during a rapid nationwide buildout of data centers to match growing demand for artificial intelligence systems. Major technology firms at the heart of the AI boom have quickly become some of the world’s most valuable and watched companies, while the Trump administration has aligned itself with the industry’s major players.

Several major tech companies developing AI infrastructure have committed to agreements with the Trump administration to cover the expenses of building new power sources rather than shifting the burden to residential households. But given the expected increase in demand, it’s unclear if the voluntary agreement is legally enforceable.

The furious pace of construction and high stakes of the technology have raised concerns among many Americans. In Florida, more than 20 counties and municipalities have voted to reject the construction of major data centers, while others have banned their construction for at least a year. Residents and local leaders often cite concerns over increased utility bills, disruption of local communities and environmental damage as major reasons for the pauses.

“These companies have been a step behind and didn’t realize how quickly the ground was shifting under their feet,” said Matt Gorman, a Republican strategist. Gorman said that progressive climate activists and conservative populists have both seized on the data center issue, requiring tech firms to “tell a better story” and address concerns from across the political spectrum.

“This is a full-court effort here,” Gorman said. “If you don’t tell that story, you’re going to have it mandated on you from lawmakers of both parties.”

Donalds is running to succeed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a fellow Republican who in May signed legislation that required large-scale data centers to pay their own energy and water costs entirely. Donalds, should he be elected governor, said he’d focus on improving efficiency among data centers and moving the facilities away from population centers.

“We just want to make sure that if they do get built, they’re being built efficiently while protecting ratepayers and protecting Florida’s water,” Donalds said. “The real public policy question for the country and for states is how are we going to generate baseload power for future energy demands, whether it’s for hyperscale data centers or for anything else.”

James Fishback, a far-right Republican candidate for governor, has made opposition to data centers a center of his primary challenge to Donalds. And David Jolly, a former congressman and the leading Democratic gubernatorial candidate, this month called for a moratorium on the construction of data centers.

Travis Fisher, a fellow at the Cato Institute, said public companies usually push for the best deals to access public utilities. He said any willingness to pick up a bigger tab for energy and water reflects the political pressure facing tech firms.

“They are very afraid that they’re going to, I'd say, lose their social license to operate, as if they’re basically going to get run out of town or banned,” said Fisher.

The three-time season champion had won at least one race in each of his previous 14 seasons racing in the NASCAR Cup Series entering this past weekend, the longest such streak among active drivers and just five behind the late Kyle Busch's record of 19.

He desperately wanted it to continue.

But as the weeks passed and the races came and went, Logano and the Team Penske No. 22 Ford team found themselves in search of speed — and their first victory of the 2026 season.

Twenty races, no wins.

Logano said doubt was beginning to creep in, as he found himself outside the cutline in the Chase for the Championship. (Only 16 drivers qualify for the playoffs, and he was 17th.)

As for winning a race? Well ...

“You start to wonder, am I going to have a chance this year to capitalize and (win) one?” Logano said.

Logano unstoppable at NWS

It turns out all Logano needed to regain his swagger was a trip to what he calls his “best track.”

Logano dominated the field Sunday night to extend his streak to 15 straight seasons with a win at North Wilkesboro Speedway, where he destroyed the competition in the All-Star race two years ago.

It ended a brutal drought of 45 starts without a win.

He was so unstoppable at the 0.625-mile track that all second-place finisher Denny Hamlin could do following the race was dab up Logano and congratulate him for masterfully navigating his way through lapped traffic.

Logano led 323 of 450 laps.

“It’s wildly impressive what he did,” Hamlin said.

Logano won every restart and simply pulled away from the pack, sometimes leading by more than five seconds. Hamlin offered a challenge late in the race, but the Cup points leader could never run Logano down.

Logano: It's been a tough year

Logano acknowledged it's been a tough year.

“Any time you kind of lack in speed, you start to question a lot of things around you, what the process is, what we’re doing, (even) yourself," Logano said. "All those things come to mind on why there’s not speed.”

But he has been around the pits long enough to know that stock car racing has its ebbs and flows given the changes to the cars and to the rules. Sometimes it feels like you're in a rocket ship and can't lose; other times you're stuck in the mud and can't buy a checkered flag.

This year — and for that matter, most of last year — it felt more like quicksand.

But Logano said his team never panicked and focused on finding a solution to its speed problem.

The strategy at North Wilkesboro: Don’t screw up

Logano was thrilled when NASCAR announced last year that North Wilkesboro would be added as a points race for first time in 30 years.

And why not? Nobody runs better here than him.

His crew seems to have mastered how to the set up the car through plenty of testing at the track, making things easier for him as a driver.

“I mean, when you have a car that fast, you kind of just make sure you don’t screw it up, right?” Logano said. “Don’t do anything dumb on pit road. Restarts, a little more conservative.”

Where does Logano go from here?

Now safely inside the playoff cutline, Logano hopes Sunday's win will serve as a springboard with five races left before the playoffs.

“The job’s not done,” Logano said. “We still want to win the championship. We got some great tracks coming up ahead of us, so there’s definitely a lot of confidence in that. That’s definitely real, that we feel like we can capitalize on it. We capitalized on it today.”

Logano isn't one to spend much time looking in the rearview mirror, reflecting on the trophies he's won.

His focus is always on the next race.

“You just keep grinding. I can’t say I’ve ever felt like, because of the things I did in the past, it’s going to guarantee success in the future," Logano said. "I don’t think that’s the right way to look at it.”

Logano's crew chief: Goal is to improve on 1 1/2-mile ovals

Crew chief Paul Wolfe knows the team's strength is short-track racing, and that's where Logano currently feels most comfortable in the No. 22.

Two of the next five races are at short tracks, so that's a bonus.

But in order to compete for a fourth championship, Wolfe acknowledged, he needs to figure out how to pick up speed at the mile-and-a-half ovals.

“We still have a lot of work to do to get the other style racetracks where they need to be, the ones we’ve obviously struggled on this year,” Wolfe said. “I think the first thing we need to do is make sure we execute on these weekends here leading up to the end of the regular season and score those points to at least give ourselves a shot.”

___

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

Police in Tredyffrin Township, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia, were called to the home early Saturday for a report of a burglary in progress. When they arrived, they said the suspects had fled. The home was occupied at the time and no one was hurt, police said.

“Mr. Barkley and his family were not harmed during this incident,” police said in a news release. They released a photo of a white SUV, saying it may be involved in the break-in.

Police said they did not receive any other reports about break-ins in the area. Police were investigating the possibility that Barkley’s home was targeted.

The Chester County District Attorney's office is assisting in the investigation.

“We are asking the public to help us identify those responsible by checking any home security cameras for suspicious activity in the area” from early Saturday, the office said in a statement.

Police and the district attorney's office did not immediately respond to email and phone messages seeking comment Monday.

Phone messages seeking comment also were left with representatives of the Eagles and Barkley.

In May, Argentine police arrested two Chilean citizens suspected of being part of a transnational gang that orchestrated burglaries at the homes of well-known athletes, including stars from the NBA and NFL.

According to local police, the two were part of a crime ring that targeted the homes of prominent athletes in the U.S. and Argentina, including NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and former tennis player Juan Martín del Potro.

Targets also included the homes of NBA players Luka Doncic and Mike Conley Jr.

In 2024, the NFL issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union following the burglaries involving the homes of Mahomes and Kelce.

Barkley took a step back from his record-setting 2024 season when his 2,504 yards rushing in the regular season and playoffs were the most ever, as Philadelphia’s offense was less potent last season. He still managed to rush for 1,140 yards and scored nine total touchdowns.

“No one wins in a war like this,” the 76-year-old Zambada said through a Spanish-language translator in Brooklyn federal court. He apologized “for the harm I caused and for the example I set.” He urged future generations to “choose a different path.”

“If there’s one thing I can say that has value today, it’s this: the violence must end,” the Sinaloa cartel co-founder said. “In Mexico and elsewhere affected by this type of crime, too many lives are lost, too many families are destroyed, and too many young people are trapped in a cycle that leads only to prison or death.”

Violence was Zambada’s “tool for more than three decades when it benefited him,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Amir said.

Zambada ordered torture and plotted murders — including his own nephew’s killing — as the cartel flooded the U.S. with tons of cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and other drugs, Amir said.

More than a million Americans died of overdoses during Zambada’s reign — many from drugs flowing from Mexico or the Sinaloa cartel, the prosecutor added.

Zambada’s punishment was guaranteed by his guilty plea last year to drug trafficking charges that carry a mandatory life sentence. He also faces $15 billion in financial penalties related to proceeds from the cartel’s crimes, but prosecutors said they haven’t been able to identify or recover any assets.

“The sentence here is kind of anticlimactic because I have no discretion,” Judge Brian M. Cogan said. “He is going to spend the rest of his days in prison. He accepts that.”

His sentencing was the culmination of the U.S. government’s yearslong fight to bring the long-elusive drug lord to justice. He was arrested in 2024 after he said he was kidnapped in Mexico and flown to Texas.

Zambada “spent nearly four decades poisoning American communities to make billions of dollars in profit and ordering the murders of anyone who stood in his way,” Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said. “Today, that chapter closes for good.”

Judge says Zambada should go to a prison hospital

Cogan, acting on a defense request, said he will recommend that Zambada serve his sentence at a federal prison hospital where he can be treated for what his lawyer described as a “complex of age-related health issues.”

The judge ordered Zambada’s medical records sealed from public view but said he suffers from a number of “progressive illnesses” and that his mental state is “drifting toward cognitively impaired,” Cogan said.

Judges often make recommendations about where inmates should serve time, but it’s up to the federal Bureau of Prisons to decide.

Zambada’s lawyer, Frank Perez, stressed in court on Monday that he wasn’t cooperating with prosecutors. But, in arguing to have him sent to a prison hospital, Perez contrasted Zambada’s guilty plea and Guzmán’s decision to go to trial — an 11-week ordeal that involved closing down the Brooklyn Bridge to shuttle him to and from court and jail.

In pleading guilty, Cogan said, Zambada “has spared us all an exercise that we all know would’ve been very difficult.”

Zambada, wearing a tan jail suit over an orange T-shirt, walked gingerly as deputy federal marshals escorted him to and from the courtroom, which was packed with drug enforcement agents and prosecution staff. The top federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, Miami and western Texas watched from the gallery.

At first, he said he had trouble hearing and understanding the courtroom translator and, through the translator, asked Cogan to speak slower. After an adjustment to his earpiece, Zambada indicated that he was able to follow along.

He read his remarks in Spanish from a piece of paper, coughed several times during the hearing and stared across the room, looking toward reporters and sketch artists in the jury box. He appeared to show no emotion as Cogan confirmed his sentence.

Zambada was the Sinaloa cartel’s strategist and dealmaker

Zambada was seen as the Sinaloa cartel’s strategist and dealmaker and was more involved in its day-to-day operations than his co-founder Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who was convicted in 2019 and is serving a life sentence at the federal Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.

Zambada was arrested in July 2024 after, according to Perez, he was beaten, tied up, abducted and driven to a private plane by one of Guzmán’s sons, Joaquín Guzmán López. Their arrests touched off deadly fighting in Sinaloa that pitted Zambada’s loyalists against backers of Guzmán’s sons, dubbed the Chapitos, or “little Chapos.”

Zambada pleaded guilty in August 2025 to charges of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise and racketeering conspiracy, acknowledging culpability for 85 underlying crimes, after prosecutors said they wouldn’t seek the death penalty.

In pleading guilty, Zambada said that from 1980 until last year, he and his cartel were responsible for transporting at least 1.5 million kilograms (3.3 million pounds) of cocaine, “most of which went to the United States.” Zambada, the father of 16 children ranging in age from 6 to 55, said he first got into the drug trade as a marijuana grower in 1969 after leaving school with a sixth-grade education.

He acknowledged the scope of the Sinaloa operation, including underlings who built relationships with Colombian cocaine producers, oversaw importing cocaine to Mexico by boat and plane and smuggling the drug across the U.S.-Mexico border. He said the cartel raked in hundreds of millions of dollars a year and admitted that people working for him paid hefty bribes to Mexican officials “so they could operate freely.”

Months before his arrest, prosecutors said, Zambada ordered the killing of his nephew Eliseo Imperial Castro, also known as “Cheyo Antrax,” after learning that Castro was claiming to be collecting debts for Zambada and pocketing the money without Zambada’s permission.

In 2023, at least three people were killed in retaliatory violence that Zambada directed after a large cache of fentanyl pills, methamphetamine and cocaine was stolen from the cartel, prosecutors said.

“I grew up in an environment where violence and crime seemed normal, but now I know that’s no excuse,” Zambada said in court on Monday. “There comes a time when every person must take responsibility for their decisions. I didn’t, and many people paid the price.”

Investigators say the dogs, 5-year-old Ava and 2-year-old Karma, had been confined without enough food, water, exercise, ventilation, or effective cooling, leading to two counts each of aggravated animal cruelty and confinement or abandonment of animals.

Police said that around 9:45 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to a storage facility on East Court Street in Bunnell after a tenant reported a strong, foul odor coming from one of the units.

The tenant told the officer dog noises could normally be heard from inside, but none were heard that morning.

The facility owner helped officers contact the unit’s renter, identified as the 21-year-old Palm Coast woman. She came to the facility, unlocked the unit and told officers she kept two dogs inside.

Officers found a floor covered with dog feces, trash, and debris when she opened the unit. A portable cooling unit appeared to be running but produced no cool air, and officers reported the unit’s interior felt no cooler than the outside temperature.

The heat index was approximately 96 degrees. Officers also found no water in the dogs’ dishes.

The officers found two dead female black Labrador retrievers: Ava, 5, and Karma, 2. Karma was found on the floor near a door, while Ava’s remains had been placed inside a black plastic bag.

The woman told officers she found Ava dead earlier in the week, placed her into a plastic bag, and left her remains inside the unit. She said she last checked on Karma on Friday and left food and water at that time.

Flagler Animal Services responded to assist and reported that an animal control officer previously contacted the woman on March 19 and warned her not to house animals overnight in the storage unit.

The woman’s bond was set at $6,000.00.

“This is a disgusting case of animal cruelty, and these dogs died in a condition no animal should ever face,” said Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon. “Animals depend entirely upon their owners for food, clean water, safe shelter, exercise, medical attention, and protection from dangerous conditions. Owning an animal carries a serious responsibility—one no person can ignore or set aside when providing care becomes difficult. Animal cruelty has no place in Bunnell, and our department maintains zero tolerance for anyone who abuses, neglects, or abandons an animal. When someone violates this fundamental duty and causes suffering or death, our officers will investigate thoroughly, follow the evidence, and relentlessly pursue full accountability under Florida law.”

Community Reminder

Anyone who witnesses an animal in immediate danger should call 911. Residents may report suspected animal cruelty or neglect to the Bunnell Police Department at (386) 437-7508.

Platner’s departure followed a sexual assault allegation that he denied but forced his exit anyway. It sparked a wave of potential candidates eager to prove to Mainers that they could take on longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

But by Sunday, the field had largely been cleared after Jackson supporters spent the weekend securing hundreds of delegates who promised to back him at the upcoming state convention. Under a never-before-used system to replace Platner, delegates will vote Saturday in Bangor on a new Senate nominee. Out of the 601 delegates who will gather this weekend, Jackson's campaign says they have 481 delegates committed to supporting him.

Top opponents — ranging from Secretary of State Shenna Bellows to Nirav Shah, former director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention — have since dropped out, while Jackson announced Monday that he was focusing his attention on ousting Collins.

"I’m grateful to Democrats across Maine for putting their faith in me and in what we’re fighting for,” Jackson said in a statement. “This didn’t happen because of one person. It happened because hundreds of volunteers put in the hours, knocked on doors, made phone calls, and believed we could build something bigger than ourselves.”

There are challenges ahead for Jackson in a race with Collins

Yet securing the nomination is only just the beginning of challenges facing Jackson. There's little more than 100 days until the general election, meaning Jackson faces an uphill battle raising campaign funds when Collins already has millions. Jackson also must implement a statewide campaign network and woo over the state's large independent base.

As former state Senate president, Jackson may be more politically vetted than Platner was running as a first-time candidate, but the logger's backing of progressive policies will leave him open to plenty of attacks by Republicans, said Nicholas Jacobs, a political scientist at Colby College in Maine.

“The guy does have some pretty interesting positions,” Jacobs said. “Positions that are pretty far to the left of the median voter.”

Jackson supports ‘Medicare for All' and eliminating ICE

Like Platner, Jackson has said he wants to “get rid of” Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has become top of mind for many Mainers after an ICE officer fatally shot a driver last week. Democrats have rushed to connect Collins to the embattled federal agency, while Jackson has reiterated his support of dissolving ICE altogether.

Jackson has also called for “Medicare for All,” which would replace job-based and individual private health insurance with a government-run plan that guarantees coverage for all with no premiums, no deductibles and only minimal copays for certain services.

Republicans were already criticizing Jackson as a “socialist” on Monday.

“This entire process is just as bad as Kamala’s rigged coronation,” said Republican National Committee spokesperson Kristen Cianci, nodding to former President Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the presidential race in July 2024, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris to head up the Democratic ticket and ultimately lose to Republican Donald Trump.

“Maine voters have had their voices stolen by party insiders," Cianci added.

Jackson first ran for office as a Republican

However, unlike the scrutiny Platner faced from a series of controversies, Jackson's background coming from “old Maine” and his decades of working in the logging industry will help him, Jacobs said.

“He's the real deal,” Jacobs said.

In 1998, Jackson helped lead a weeklong blockade along the Quebec border in an effort to protest the hiring of Canadian loggers who were coming into Maine and driving down pay rates. The standoff ended with Jackson being escorted away by police, but resulted in Jackson fighting for better logger and wood hauler protections as a state lawmaker.

Jackson initially ran as a Republican in 2000 when he sought a seat inside Maine's House of Representatives. He lost, but won two years later when he ran as an independent. He switched to the Democratic Party in 2004, and eventually became the Maine Senate president before leaving the Statehouse in 2024.

He came in third while running for governor in this year's Democratic primary election, but had the backing of Platner, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Our Revolution, the political organization founded by Sanders.

Democrats must net four Senate seats to gain control of the 100-member chamber, and party leaders viewed Maine as a critical piece of the puzzle, along with Alaska, Ohio and North Carolina.

Waters said JSO partnered with FHP for the deployment after learning Friday morning of a planned car meetup that night.

“Experience has taught us that these events are not merely gatherings of car enthusiasts. Rather, drivers descend at selected locations and engage in criminally reckless (driving) behavior,” Waters said of JSO’s decision to launch the operation. “We will never interfere with car enthusiasts who gather for safe and legal fun. I like cars myself. But street racing is illegal and dangerous.”

REPLAY: Press play above to watch Waters’ news conference

The operation spanned from Riverside to Mandarin to the Westside, Waters said.

“They’ll put out several different locations over social media and other forms of communication, and we try to track and follow,” the sheriff said.

Waters said eight drivers were arrested on street racing charges and two of them were also charged with driving under the influence. Five motorcycles and three cars were impounded.

The sheriff said 42 traffic citations were also issued during the operation, including some for people who were “just watching.”

“A cautionary note to those who choose to spectate at these meetups. Under Florida law, law enforcement can issue you very expensive civil citations for spectating street racing events,” Waters said.

Waters warned members of “rogue groups” causing “roadway chaos” that JSO will continue tracking these meetups.

“As long as these gatherings happen in Duval County, JSO will carefully monitor them and arrest anyone engaging in criminal behavior,” Waters said. “I hear you’re planning on doing it again this Saturday. We’ll see you there.”

A Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said in a video statement that the maritime ban against Saudi Arabia will be effective immediately, describing it as an “equation of ‘an eye for an eye.’”

There were few details on how the embargo might work, but the deputy head of the Houthi media office, Nasruddin Amer, said on X that the Bab al-Mandeb strait will be closed to the Saudis in response to what he called the kingdom's "unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years.”

Bab el-Mandeb, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is the gateway to the Red Sea through which around 12% of the world's trade usually passes. A fourth of global container trade transits through the 32-kilometer (20-mile)-wide strait to and from the Suez Canal.

The Houthis earlier demonstrated their ability to disrupt shipping there when they targeted ships for months over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with over 100 vessels attacked. It is unclear whether the Houthis will resume that level of attack against neighboring Saudi Arabia.

There was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia. The kingdom already faced pressure as it uses its East-West Pipeline to the Red Sea as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which remains in the grip that Iran imposed shortly after the U.S. and Israel attacked it on Feb. 28.

The Saudis have been sending millions of barrels of crude oil a day through the pipeline. Now, about 2.5 million barrels of oil per day could be at risk, Texas-based Rystad Energy wrote Monday.

Saudi Arabia leads a coalition against the Houthis and imposed an air and sea blockade on Yemen in 2015. Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen and forced the government into exile. A truce was reached in 2022.

That truce has been threatened in recent days after the Houthis said the Saudis struck the Sanaa airport in an attempt to affect a flight carrying Houthi leaders back from Iran, where they attended the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The plane landed safely at another airport.

The Houthis then launched missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia’s Abha International Airport in the most significant confrontation in years.

By allowing a direct international flight to land without the approval of the Saudi-led coalition, the Houthis sought to establish a new reality in which they could independently make decisions over Yemen’s airspace, experts told the AP.

“We affirm the right of our great people to respond to the blockade with a blockade,” Saree emphasized on Monday, adding that Houthis are prepared to confront “any foolish act committed by the reckless Saudi enemy ... with a comprehensive and decisive escalation."

Houthi-run Al Masirah TV broadcast footage of hundreds of supporters gathering in the city of Ibb, south of Sanaa, to back the embargo against Saudi Arabia. Similar rallies were held in the governorates of Saada, Marib, Hajjah and Taiz.

The Houthis are a crucial part of Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which also includes militant groups in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

The rebels have had a large stockpile of drones, but several Houthi members previously told the AP that the stockpile is running low after its attacks during the Israel-Hamas war. The Iran war has further impeded the flow of weapons, said the members, who at the time spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media.

The U.S. and Israel responded to the Houthis' earlier attacks on shipping with a punishing air campaign across Houthi-held areas in Yemen until a deal that saw the rebels stop their assaults.

Disrupting transit through the Bab al-Mandeb forces shipping firms to route vessels around the Cape of Good Hope off South Africa, significantly increasing costs. The U.S. government in the past has said going around the cape would add about 2,700 miles (4,345 kilometers) to the journey from Saudi Arabia to the U.S.

___

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.

On and off the court.

The spotlight that goes along with hosting one of the WNBA's marquee events is shining on a sputtering Chicago Sky franchise in the middle of another challenging season. The organization had no players selected for Saturday's game at the United Center.

Chicago is 5-5 in its past 10 games and 9-17 overall going into Wednesday's game at New York. The Sky have one of the league's worst records after they went 10-34 last year in their first season under coach Tyler Marsh. The franchise hasn't finished with a winning record since 2022, a year after it won the WNBA championship.

The big problem this year is finishing games. The Sky are 9-6 when they are leading or tied going into the fourth quarter. They blew a double-digit lead while losing each of their three games against Paige Bueckers and Dallas this season.

“It’s been a lot of the conversation in our locker room and in our team meetings and pinpointing the areas where we feel like we’ve come up short a little bit,” Marsh said, “but also highlighting areas where we feel like we’ve been doing pretty well to put us in position to win those games.”

Chicago was scheduled to move into a new practice facility ahead of this season, but it isn't expected to be finished until November now. That meant shifting some of this week's All-Star activities to the Obama Presidential Center.

Sky owner Michael Alter also is facing a lawsuit from a minority investor who alleges that he “breached his fiduciary duty to the minority investors ... and unfairly deprived them of the value of their investments." The suit also accuses Alter of running the team “with blatant disregard for the operating agreement and minimum standards of competence for business operations.”

Following a June 7 loss at Toronto, Sky guard Skylar Diggins called for more leadership and maturity from players and coaches. When Marsh made plans to use the seven-time All-Star as a reserve, Diggins posted on Instagram about her frustration with the decision.

The 35-year-old Diggins has missed the past six games with a right knee injury. She is averaging 14.2 points in her first season since signing with the team in free agency.

The addition of Diggins was part of a major offseason overhaul for the Sky. Angel Reese was traded to the Atlanta Dream in April, and the 6-foot-4 forward was selected for the All-Star Game for the third time. The Sky cut Hailey Van Lith in May, a year after the guard was the No. 11 pick in the draft.

Chicago acquired Rickea Jackson in an April trade with Los Angeles, and she got off to a fast start before tearing the ACL in her left knee in the fourth game of the season. The Sky have been hampered by several injuries this year.

“Honestly, with every team I’ve been on, we’ve dealt with that,” guard Jacy Sheldon said. “So I think that’s just something that comes with the game. ... We got to figure out ways to win, find ways to win, which you know we’re going to do with whoever we have out there.”

The return of DiJonai Carrington could help. Carrington, one of the league's top defensive players, is ramping up after missing the start of the season with a left foot injury. As she regains her form, she could be an option for Marsh for the final minutes of close games.

“I do think that we need to focus on closing games and playing to win as opposed to playing not to lose,” Carrington said. “Because in a lot of those games, we are up, and I feel like we stop playing the brand of basketball that got us to that point and try to switch it up in order to not lose. So I think we just need to focus on playing to win.”

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

His death was announced Monday by former club Newcastle, where he had been both a player and coach. Keegan revealed last month that he had stage four cancer.

“One of the most iconic, influential and deeply loved figures in our club’s history,” Newcastle said.

For a time in the 1970s, Keegan transcended the English game with his celebrity status.

Keegan, one of just four Englishmen to win the Ballon d’Or, wasn’t just a brilliant soccer player who dovetailed nimbleness and an eye for goal with a relentless hunger and work rate stemming from his working-class upbringing in northern England.

He was also a trendsetter off the field, through his haircut — a perm, which other footballers across Europe started to copy — and his move into celebrity culture that saw him release a single, appear in an after-shave ad with heavyweight boxing great Henry Cooper, and go on TV shows.

Keegan was also something of a trailblazer in his sport as one of the first English players to move to a continental team when he left Liverpool, where he’d just won the European Cup, for German club Hamburger SV in 1977.

“For Hamburg fans he will remain above all a crowd favorite, an exceptional player, and one of the best footballers ever to wear the rhombus (crest) on his chest,” the Bundesliga club said.

It was in Hamburg where Keegan won the Ballon d’Or — then called the European Footballer of the Year award — in 1978 and 1979 and featured in another European Cup final, a 1980 loss to Nottingham Forest.

Keegan scored 21 times in 63 games for England and played at the 1982 World Cup, his only appearance on soccer’s biggest stage after the country failed to qualify in 1974 and 1978.

Coaching career

His 16-year coaching career from 1992-2008 was memorable for almost leading Newcastle, the team where he retired as a player, to the Premier League title in 1995-96, only for a late-season collapse which included Keegan’s unforgettable outburst of “I’d love it if we beat them, love it” in a nod toward Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United — the eventual champion.

He then showed more vulnerability in a 20-month spell in charge of England in 1999 and 2000, during which the team failed to get out of its group at the 2000 European Championship before Keegan resigned after the first game of World Cup qualifying — a 1-0 home loss to Germany in the last game at the old Wembley Stadium.

He announced his departure to Football Association officials in an emotional chat in a toilet cubicle.

Born in Doncaster on Feb. 14, 1951, Keegan first played for fourth-tier Scunthorpe in the English league before joining Liverpool in 1971 and, under iconic manager Bill Shankly, immediately forging a strong on-field relationship with John Toshack in a “big man, little man” strike partnership.

Keegan, 5-feet-8 (1.73 meters) and affectionately nicknamed “Mighty Mouse,” fed off the knockdowns and presence of the tall and slender Toshack.

That combination propelled the Reds to an English league-UEFA Cup double in 1973, and Keegan won two more league titles (1976 and 1977), an FA Cup (1974), another UEFA Cup (1976) when he scored in both legs of the final against Club Brugge, and the big one — the European Cup in 1977 — in a trophy-laden stint at Anfield.

“His legacy at Liverpool will be forever etched in history,” the club said. “He was regarded as a hero wherever he went.”

In that 1977 final, Keegan won the penalty — given after he was fouled by Berti Vogts — that was converted by Phil Neal to seal a 3-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Hamburg heights

It was widely reported that Keegan then became European soccer’s highest-paid footballer when he joined Hamburg, whose players were initially resentful of the Englishman arriving on big money. He won them round and captured his first Ballon d’Or in 1978 — despite Hamburg only finishing 10th in the German league in his first season — and then helped the club win the title in 1979, with a reward being another Ballon d’Or.

“Hamburger SV will always cherish the memory of its former championship-winning player and two-time Ballon d’Or winner," the German club said.

Off the field, Keegan’s status soared. That year, he released “Head Over Heels in Love,” which finished higher in the singles’ charts in Germany (No. 10) than in England (No. 31), and opened up his home for a behind-the-scenes documentary following his life.

In his third season at Hamburg, the team lost the European Cup final and the Bundesliga to Bayern Munich, and Keegan returned to England with Southampton. There he was the English league’s top scorer with 30 goals in the 1981-82 season — his second and last at the club before moving to Newcastle, his father’s favorite team.

With his work rate and personality, Keegan was adored at St. James’ Park — setting the seed for his later coaching roles there — until he retired in the summer of 1984, though he did put his boots back on in 1985 for a couple of guest appearances for Australian team Blacktown in the Sydney suburbs.

England star

Keegan was a star player for England from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, an underwhelming period for the national team when it failed to reach back-to-back World Cups (1974 and 1978) and the 1976 European Championship.

He was the captain for Euro 1980 when England didn’t get out of its group. His sole World Cup appearance came in the 1982 tournament, when he had a back problem and only came on as a second-half substitute in what proved to be the team’s final game.

In a coaching career that began in 1992, Keegan was regarded as tactically limited but a good man-manager — nowhere more so than in his first job at Newcastle, which he led out of the second tier and then almost to the Premier League title in the 1995-96 season.

In February, Newcastle led the league by 12 points and had picked up the nickname of “The Entertainers” under Keegan, but it collapsed in the run-in and was reeled in by Ferguson’s Man United.

In a post-match interview in the final weeks of the season, an emotional Keegan became unhappy at some comments from Ferguson — a master of the so-called “mind games” — and unleashed a finger-pointing outburst that ended with the words: “You can tell him now, we’re still fighting for this title. And he’s got to go to Middlesbrough and get something. And I’ll tell you ... honestly ... I will love it if we beat them, love it.”

Newcastle didn’t, finishing four points behind United in second place.

Either side of the England job, Keegan coached Fulham (1997-99) and Manchester City (2001-05). He also had another brief spell in charge of Newcastle in 2008, resigning after nine months following a breakdown in his relationship with club owner Mike Ashley.

Keegan never coached again but kept in the public eye with TV commentary work.

In early 2026, his family said he had been diagnosed with cancer, and Keegan himself said on stage at a live event a few months later that it was discovered when he had a scan for an operation following his involvement in a car crash.

“They said we have a top doctor with this new way of fighting what you have got, which is stage four cancer,” Keegan said. “He was a Liverpool supporter so I went to meet him. I knew I wouldn’t be walking alone.”

___

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

Burnham replaced the unpopular Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation to end a tenure of just two years in office.

Speaking outside 10 Downing St. minutes after being formally appointed by King Charles III, Burnham, 56, pledged to ease the cost of living for ordinary people, decentralize political power, revitalize industry and end street sleeping by homeless people.

Here is the latest:

Burnham gets to work forming his government

Andy Burnham is digging into his overflowing in-tray on his first day as Britain’s prime minister.

In the coming hours he will appoint his new Cabinet, after sweeping away several senior figures from Keir Starmer’s administration, including Treasury chief Rachel Reeves and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

And he says that on Tuesday he will announce the first of his plans to help people with the cost of living.

Burnham says fixing the care system is a must

Burnham says he “would not want to leave office” without improving Britain’s patchy access to social care for those who need it because of age, illness or disability.

It’s a pressing issue in a country with an aging population, and one that has foxed previous Labour and Conservative governments.

Burnham, who has firsthand experience of the issue because his father has Alzheimer’s, says there needs to be a “conversation with the public” about how to pay for long-term care. At present many people must spend all their savings and sell their property to pay for care.

Burnham told reporters that the status who is “not defensible. How many people have lost their homes and their savings in that time? We need to face it and fix it.”

Treasury chief and deputy prime minister announce they are not in Burnham’s government

Some of the government’s top ministers have announced they will not be serving in Burnham’s Cabinet.

David Lammy, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, said on X that he “would have been proud to continue serving in Cabinet, but a new Prime Minister is entitled to build his own team.”

Rachel Reeves said it was the “privilege of my life” to serve as Treasury chief, and wished her successor luck.

Burnham is expected to announce his new Cabinet in coming hours.

Burnham says he won’t take economic risks

Andy Burnham says his top priority is easing the cost of living for ordinary people, but he won’t take any risks with the economy.

Britain’s new prime minister told reporters in the garden of 10 Downing St. that he will take economic measures “that people will feel and feel quite quickly” in their pocketbooks. He said “it won’t take all of the pressure off but it just shows the direction of travel and that we’re serious about helping them out.”

Burnham has said he’ll give more details on Tuesday.

He said that he has “always taken a very prudent approach” to the economy in previous jobs, and that will continue now he is leader. He says funding plans “will be clearly set out in our budget.”

Trump and Burnham have spoken

President Donald Trump has spoken to Burnham, the White House said Monday, without providing details.

It was one of Burnham’s first phone calls since he entered No.10 Downing Street.

Burnham, who has little foreign policy experience, has said that Britain will remain a firm United States ally.

Relations with the U.S. could depend on how he interacts with a Trump, who initially gave Starmer glowing reviews only to sour on him for not supporting his war with Iran.

Zelenskyy will have phone call with Burnham later Monday

Congratulating Burnham, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X that he was “looking forward to our conversation later today,” adding that the “foundation of our bilateral relations is stronger than ever, and we will continue to make each other stronger.”

Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, who stood down earlier, was a high-profile supporter of Ukraine in its war with Russia. He said he had provided the country with “political, defense, and values-based support.”

Burnham, who has very little foreign policy experience, has said he will continue to provide Ukraine with the support it needs.

Burnham says his father doesn’t know he is prime minister because of Alzheimer’s

In an interview with The Times published Sunday, Burnham revealed that his father’s illness meant he was not aware his son is taking the nation’s top job.

“That’s a sadness because he would be (proud),” Burnham was quoted as saying. “It’s a family achievement … although he doesn’t know it, it still makes me feel that we’ve kind of done something together.”

He added that he recently visited his dad in his care home, alongside his two brothers and his mother. Burnham’s father Roy was a longtime Labour supporter and was a big influence in setting him on the path to politics, according to the article.

Markets unfazed by orderly change in British prime minister

Financial markets, however, will assess Andy Burnham’s actions over the coming weeks and months to see if there is a marked change in economic direction.

There is growing speculation that Burnham will appoint the current home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, rather than Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. Many in the markets appear to have been spooked by the prospect of Miliband at the Treasury.

Any unease would likely be felt in the bond markets, where investors are already charging the U.K. higher interest rates than its peers for borrowing purposes. The U.K.’s public finances remain fragile and there’s not much room for higher spending unless Burnham raises taxes. However, Labour was elected on a manifesto pledge that it would not raise the key revenue-raising taxes, such as income tax.

Cabinet choices to reveal much about Burnham government

With Burnham now installed as prime minister, attention turns to his choices for Cabinet, particularly the key post of Treasury chief.

The appointment will be pivotal because the head of the Treasury Department, formally known as chancellor of the exchequer, controls tax and spending decisions.

Burnham’s choice will give clues about his plans as he faces the immense task of kick-starting a sluggish economy so that growing companies and increased output boost government revenue without raising taxes.

The decision has been considered finely balanced between Ed Miliband, the outgoing energy secretary, and Shabana Mahmood, the current home secretary.

While Miliband comes from the party’s left wing, Mahmoud is seen as more conservative and has the advantage of being something of a blank slate in terms of economic positions, allowing Burnham to fully take the lead on the economy.

The other top jobs are defense secretary, foreign secretary and home secretary, who controls immigration and policing.

Burnham says UK support for Ukraine is solid

Burnham says his first calls to foreign leaders will be to U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,

Burnham has spent a decade as mayor of Greater Manchester and has little experience of international affairs.

A big question is how he will get along with Trump, the unpredictable leader of the U.K.’s closest ally.

Burnham says he wants to reassure Ukraine that “I will be with him 100%” and “Britain’s support is steadfast, it is resolute.”

The prime minister faces facts

One of the most solemn moments of Burnham’s first day will be the realization that he has the power to launch Britain’s nuclear missiles.

That will become clear when the U.K.’s top civil servant asks him to write “last resort letters” to the captains of the country’s four nuclear-armed submarines telling them what to do if the civilian leadership is wiped out by a nuclear attack.

It is a duty unique to Britain, where there is no “nuclear football,” the briefcase containing targeting data and launch codes that accompanies U.S. presidents wherever they go.

The letters are placed on each submarine inside safes that are to be opened only if their captains are certain Britain’s civilian leaders are dead.

The letters are destroyed unread when a new prime minister takes office. But it is believed there are four options: retaliate, don’t retaliate, use your own judgment, or put your weapons under the command of the U.S. or Australia.

Burnham outlines his policy priorities

In his first speech as prime minister, Burnham sketched out some of his priorities, though he offered no details and said he would set out some of the measures on Tuesday.

Burnham said he would decentralize power and help make essentials affordable again under the cost of living squeeze.

Burnham said he would back British industry and “reindustrialize Britain.”

He pledged to bring the welfare bill down and build more social housing, as well as be more supportive of the underfunded education system.

He also vowed to “end rough sleeping in this country,” referring to homeless people sleeping in the open.

EU chief congratulates Burnham

European Council President Antonio Costa congratulated Burnham on his new job.

“In the last two years EU-UK relations gained a new, positive momentum. I look forward to continuing to further deepen our cooperation for the benefit of our citizens and businesses, he said in a message on X.

“The United Kingdom and the European Union are stronger together,” he added.

The U.K. left the European Union after a referendum a decade ago.

Clap for the leader

Prime Minister Andy Burnham entered Downing Street regaled by the applause traditional for a new leader.

The first time a prime minister walks through the uber-polished door of 10 Downing St., household staff and civil servants by custom line the entrance and clap for the new leader and his senior team.

It is Burnham’s introduction to the people he will live and work with, most of whom served his predecessor only a few hours earlier.

Burnham gives first speech as UK prime minister

Prime Minister Andy Burnham says politicians “need to be better” in his first speech as Britain’s leader.

He is promising to deliver a “circuit breaker” for a system he says has taken wrong turns since the 1980s.

Burnham spoke outside 10 Downing St. minutes after he was formally asked to form a government by King Charles III.

In a break with tradition, Burnham ditched using a lectern, speaking in front of two microphones outside the famous shiny black door of the prime minister’s residence.

Prime ministers typically speak from a lectern clad with the royal crest that features a lion and a unicorn, the national animals, respectively, of England and Scotland.

Burnham wasn't even in Parliament a month ago

In order to challenge Starmer for the Labour Party’s leadership position, Burnham had to take a big political gamble.

He first had to win a seat in Parliament and then amass the necessary support to launch a bid to topple Starmer.

As internal pressure mounted in May for Starmer to resign, Josh Simons, the Labour lawmaker for the seat of Makerfield near Manchester, stepped down, triggering a special election.

It was no shoe-in.

The anti-immigration Reform UK party had recently devastated Labour in local elections in the area, which had led to calls for Starmer’s resignation.

The bet paid off for Burnham, who is well-known and popular in the area, and he breezed to victory when the votes were tallied June 19.

Dozens of Labour lawmakers cheered as he was sworn in June 22.

Starmer ultimately stepped down and Burnham faced no opposition in running to become party leader.

Burnham, known as a casual dresser, opts for formal attire

Dark T-shirts and dark jeans are typically part of the work uniform for Burnham, who is seen as a more relaxed and natural communicator compared to the buttoned-up Starmer.

But he changed out of his usual casual wear on Monday, donning a dark suit, white dress shirt and blue tie as he met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace to get the formal go-ahead to become prime minister.

Andy Burnham is Britain’s new prime minister

Andy Burnham has formally accepted an invitation from King Charles III to form a government.

Buckingham Palace has released a photo of the two men shaking hands. The ceremony known as “kissing hands” marks the transfer of power from former leader Keir Starmer to Burnham.

Burnham replaced Starmer as leader of the center-left governing Labour Party last week.

Why there is a change of prime minister without a general election

Burnham was chosen as Labour Party leader by 379 fellow lawmakers after Starmer said he was resigning. Because Labour holds a majority in government, its leader also becomes the U.K. prime minister.

Under Britain’s parliamentary democracy system, governing parties can change leaders midterm, with the winner becoming prime minister without the need for a general election. Prime ministers can be replaced if one has resigned as leader of their party, or been forced out by a leadership challenge.

It’s not unusual for British prime ministers to come to power without a broad election. In fact, four of the six British prime ministers in the past decade took the top job by winning internal party leadership contests to replace their predecessors, not by public vote.

Andy Burnham arrives at Buckingham Palace

Andy Burnham has arrived at Buckingham Palace to be appointed Britain’s new prime minister.

Burnham is set to meet King Charles III, who will ask him to form a government.

It comes soon after Keir Starmer went to the palace and formally resigned.

The king’s role harkens back to a time when the monarch exercised supreme power and chose a prime minister to run the government.

Today, the king has no political power, but the monarch still officially offers the job to the leader of the party that can command a majority in the House of Commons.

Starmer leaves Buckingham Palace

Starmer and his family left the palace privately.

While he was seen arriving in a chauffeured black car, helicopter footage did not show Starmer leaving.

Changing of the guard outside and in

The change of British leadership happening inside Buckingham Palace coincided with the changing of the guard outside.

With King Charles III accepting Starmer’s resignation as prime minister in the Chinese drawing room, the guards who protect the palace were changing shift.

The heavily choreographed ceremony draws thousands of tourists several days a week.

A military band in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats marched from the palace to be replaced by a fresh detachment.

The economy is the first item on the agenda

One of the biggest challenges facing Britain’s new prime minister is finding a way to kickstart the U.K.’s sluggish economy so that growing companies and increased output boost government revenue without raising taxes.

It’s a problem that has bedeviled every prime minister since the financial crisis of 2008. And their failure to solve it is part of the reason that Burnham is the U.K.’s eighth prime minister in the past 16 years.

The British economy has grown an average of less than 1.5% annually since 2009, compared with an annual average of 3% in the 15 years before the financial crisis.

While devising his economic plan, Burnham will be constrained by promises to reduce government debt, which now equals more than 95% of gross domestic product, the highest since the early 1960s, while not raising taxes on working people.

King accepts Starmer’s resignation at palace

King Charles III has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Buckingham Palace said.

Starmer was accompanied by his wife, Victoria.

The palace said the king “was graciously pleased to accept” Starmer’s resignation.

Andy Burnham will soon head to the palace to get the king’s assent to become the next prime minister.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman scheduled the Sept. 28 trial date for David Hearn during a hearing on Monday. It was Hearn's second court appearance since a grand jury indicted him on a felony count of property destruction.

Hearn, who pleaded not guilty to the charge on July 9, has asked the court to dismiss the case. In a court filing, his attorneys argued the government has failed to properly preserve important physical evidence from the Reflecting Pool.

At least three other people have been charged in the same court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of paint from the Reflecting Pool. The felony charge against Hearn, which accuses him of causing at least $1,000 in damage to the pool, carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years upon conviction.

Trump ordered the pool's renovation work ahead of the country’s 250th independence celebrations, but the project has been plagued by problems. Trump initially suggested that pool renovations would cost $1.5 million, but the cost of the project has exceeded $16 million.

Trump, a Republican, has claimed that vandals have damaged the pool, but administration critics attribute the problems to shoddy repair work. Hearn and his supporters claim his prosecution is a politically motivated attempt by the Trump administration to deflect blame and scapegoat him and others for their own failures.

Workers recently drained the pool again, prompting Hearn's attorneys to argue that the government was destroying evidence of his innocence.

“The Constitution simply does not permit the government to charge a man with destroying an object, retain exclusive custody of that object, and then drain, disturb, and alter the object before the defense may examine it, despite a written demand for its preservation. And yet that is what has happened here,” they wrote in their dismissal request.

Hearn, 67, previously told The Associated Press that he was detained by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police for five hours after stopping by the pool during a bike ride on June 19. He said that he reached in to examine the pool's newly peeled coating and briefly touched a chunk attached to the side of the pool but that he obeyed a park worker who told him to let go of it.

Hearn, who's from Bethesda, Maryland, competed in three Summer Olympics, earning his best finish, ninth, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee says on its website.

This year, 66 men and 40 women attended the three-day competition in Hayward that ended Saturday. They represented 16 states and nine countries.

Competitors take their gear seriously with custom-built chain saws, carefully sharpened axes and single buck saws that can cost upward of $400 just to sharpen.

Karolina Urbanová from the Czech Republic set world records in two events. She earned first place in the Women's Underhand Chop, cutting through 11 inches (27.9 centimeters) of white pine in 21.28 seconds. She also came in first in the Women's Standing Chop, cutting through 9 inches (22.8 centimeters) of white pine in 19.38 seconds.

Meredith Ingbretson of Hayward set a world record in the Women's Boom Run, sprinting across the water and back over eight red cedar logs in 13.78 seconds.

While women have been competing since the inaugural competition in 1960, the events they participate in have expanded significantly, organizers said. They started just competing in logrolling, and now participate in more than 20 timber sports events.

“When I started chopping I was chopping with the men,” said Nancy Zalewski, a competitor for 27 years who has trained others, including fellow participant Kate Witkowski.

The tradition of competition among lumberjacks began in the 1890s, according to the organization. The competition is held in the Lumberjack Bowl on the shores of Lake Hayward. In the past, the area had been a holding pond for log drives down the Namekagon River.

The lumberjack theme is ever-present with children in lumberjack socks, flannels and suspenders, and brands handing out blow-up axes and toy chain saws. Outside the competition bowl, there are wood-carving demonstrations, logrolling practice for kids, live music, food trucks and axe-themed events.

“The culture of it I think is really wonderful,” Witkowski said. “I don’t know any other sports where the athletes support each other like we do here because it’s such a niche sport and because the gear is so hard to come by that we’re all just trying to get better.”

___

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

___

Associated Press reporter Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this story.

With Parliament’s summer recess looming, time is running out.

After the European Commission found that the latest version of the bill was not fully compatible with EU law, members of the National Assembly and the Senate held conclusive talks Monday, sealing a deal on an amended bill that will go before both chambers for a final vote on Tuesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly backed the ban, which could become one of the final major measures adopted under his leadership before he leaves office next year. The bill also bans the use of mobile phones in high schools.

The main point of divergence concerned the scope of the platforms to be banned. The National Assembly had voted to prohibit all online social networking services, whereas the senators wanted to establish a blacklist of platforms covered by the ban.

The bill had been devised to be compliant with the EU Digital Services Act, which imposes a set of strict requirements designed to keep internet users safe online. While sharing the goal of better protecting minors, the EU Commission however found that the proposed legislation overlapped with the EU act and asked French authorities to amend the draft.

Lawmakers ultimately agreed to propose a blanket ban, in line with the version initially approved by the National Assembly, leaving EU authorities in charge of ensuring that the platforms comply with the age restriction.

The ban won’t cover online encyclopedias, educational or scientific directories, or platforms for the development and sharing of open-source software.

If adopted Tuesday, the law can’t be passed before Aug. 10 because of the notification period required by EU law.

According to France’s health watchdog, one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. In a report published in December, it said that some 90% of children aged between 12 and 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, with 58% of them using their devices for social networks.

The report highlighted a range of harmful effects stemming from the use of social networks, including reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to content associated with risky behaviors such as self-harm, drug use and suicide. Several families in France have sued TikTok over teen suicides they say are linked to harmful content.

Setting a minimum age gains momentum worldwide

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month called for limits to be placed on children using social media. A special EU panel looking into the challenge recommended forbidding access for those under 13 until tech companies can prove their platforms are safe.

Growing awareness of the dangers social media poses for young, developing brains has shown up in a wave of new restrictions globally. Australia, the U.K., Turkey, Indonesia and others have passed bans on young people under 16 or 15 from using platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

Laying out a list of her concerns about the use of social media by children, Von der Leyen said that children under 3 should have no exposure to screens at all. She noted infinite scrolling as one of the “addictive” traits that tech companies must address.

The European Commission is likely to come up with a proposal for the 27 member countries to weigh in the near future.

JSO said it was notified on Sunday just after 8 p.m. that Christopher James Lumpkin, 40, had died.

Lumpkin was arrested on Friday on a Clay County issued Writ of Attachment and was being held on detainer in Duval County pending transfer to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

He was being monitored while on drug detox protocols while in the pretrial detention facility.

JSO said its investigation so far has revealed no use-of-force incidents.

The Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released it’s results.

The announcement on Monday followed investigations into former football coach Sherrone Moore's relationship with his executive assistant and a probe into the athletic department.

“The broader culture review has identified serious concerns that require immediate action," interim school president Domenico Grasso said.

Michigan won this year's men's basketball title and the 2023 national championship in football under Manuel, but that wasn't enough for him to keep his job. Grasso said he asked Manuel to remain in his role through the end of the year.

“I am happy President Grasso asked me to stay on to work with him to implement the recommendations for continuous improvement,” Manuel said in a statement released by the athletic department. “I promise everyone I will have more to say about my decision at the appropriate time.”

The storied athletic department has been in turmoil for years, with scandal-tinged headlines jarringly alongside general excellence across most of the school's 27 teams in Division I and the Wolverines annually among the best in the powerhouse Big Ten. It got worse last December, when Manuel fired Moore following a law firm's investigation into a relationship he had with a subordinate.

The school later chose to widen the look into the department. A law firm was paid about $12 million to do the work and it interviewed nearly 300 people, including coaches, staff members, athletes and other stakeholders. The school said more than 90 people shared information via a hotline and 20,000-plus documents were reviewed during the investigations.

The athletic department review found problems with leadership accountability, organizational structure and a culture that didn't make employees and athletes feel comfortable raising concerns.

“The culture assessment is sobering,” Grasso said. “As a great university, we simply must do better.”

The school said the investigation did not find widespread misconduct. It also said the investigations did not identify any current employee with direct evidence of Moore's relationship with his executive assistant.

The 58-year-old Manuel, who played football for the Wolverines under the late Bo Schembechler and was on the track team, was hired to lead the department in 2016. He signed a contract extension at Michigan in 2024 that was set to run through June 2030, paying him a base salary of $1.9 million a year with opportunities to make more with bonuses and merit.

He led a department with an annual budget of about $250 million, 29 teams, 950-plus athletes and about 400 staff members.

The Wolverines won the national championship in football under former coach Jim Harbaugh, who later left to lead the Los Angeles Chargers, as a sign-stealing scandal loomed over the program and Moore's tenure.

The program is on NCAA probation and has seen many former staffers have run-ins with the law, including Matt Weiss, who is charged with hacking into the computer accounts of thousands of college athletes to find intimate images.

Michigan won it all in men's basketball earlier this year with coach Dusty May, who left to lead the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Michigan also won men's and women's gymnastics national titles with Manuel as AD.

The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame gave Manuel the John L. Toner Award in 2024, honoring him for demonstrating superior administrative abilities and dedication to college athletics, especially football. He represented Michigan and the Big Ten as member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and was chair during the 2004 season when the 12-team playoff format kicked off.

Manuel, who is from New Orleans, previously served as athletic director at UConn and Buffalo after working in Michigan's athletic department in various roles from 1996 to 2005.

Grasso said the school will conduct a national search for a new athletic director.

Potential candidates include three former Michigan athletes: Iowa Deputy Athletic Director Joe Parker, Big Ten Deputy Commissioner Diane Dietz and Katie Fraumann, a senior vice president at DePaul. Parker and Fraumann previously worked for Michigan's athletic department.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

The convoy gathered at the Maxwell House lot at 750 E. Bay Street before pulling out at 3 p.m. and riding through the Eastside, Historic Springfield, Rail Yard, and Brooklyn neighborhoods, carrying a unified message of unity, peace, and change in honor of lives lost to violence.

The ride was organized by MOBB JEEP — Making Others Be Better is a Jacksonville-based Jeep organization that uses the Jeep community as a platform for fellowship, outreach, and positive action.

How It Started: One Grandmother, One Loss, One Ride

The Stop the Violence Jeep Ride traces its roots to Detroit, where a woman named Monica lost her granddaughter to domestic violence. Determined to turn her grief into action, she organized a ride with her local Jeep crew through the streets of Detroit, and a movement was born.

Organizer Linda Marsh — known in the community as “Big Mama” said the story of how the ride began is inseparable from why Jacksonville showed up Sunday.

“The originator, her name was Monica,” Marsh said. “She lost her granddaughter to domestic violence, and she started this ride out within her Jeep crew. They rode around Detroit, and they did the nationwide ride out last year; that was the first year. And we invited other Jeep clubs, and we had an awesome turnout. So this year, round two, we are doing another ride out, invited the other Jeep clubs, and just looking forward to making our presence felt and known here in Jax.”

Marsh said she hopes events like this raise awareness and spur real advocacy to stop the violence locally.

“We’re a vast variety of people, brown and white and all different shades of people, different backgrounds, but we have this one thing in common,” Marsh said. “We’re here unified, standing against violence. And that’s the message that we hope to bring: that we’re one, and we’re here to stop the violence.”

For many participants, the message was deeply personal.

MOBB JEEP member Mercedes Hill said she lost her cousin Tony to violence on Father’s Day, just one week before last year’s ride.

“When we did our ride last year, a week before that I lost a cousin Tony on Father’s Day, and so that was very hard for me at that time,” Hill said. “It’s made it all the more meaningful to be out here with my group to ride, because now I’m bringing awareness to my cousin and our family.”

Fellow member Craig Nelson said he joined the ride to honor his cousin, who was killed in Miami 19 years ago.

“Unfortunately, I have been affected by violence,” Nelson said. “I had a cousin who actually lived in Miami that was killed 19 years ago. And I’m doing it for him.”

A Message Beyond the Ride

Co-founder Marvin Simpson said he hopes the visibility of the convoy inspires people who may be struggling to find a different path.

“Hopefully people see the Jeeps and get a little inspired,” Simpson said. “Always try to keep a positive attitude, and if you need, we’re on social media. They can always hit us up, and we can have a talk. There are other ways versus going the wrong route.”

Hill’s fellow rider Marcella Hamilton echoed that message of hope.

“No matter what socioeconomic place you come from, you can survive and get through things,” Hamilton said. “You have to first stop all of the violence, stop thinking negatively, and just do things that will increase positivity in your life.”

What’s Next

MOBB JEEP is approaching its fifth anniversary next week and is actively looking for new members to join the organization.

For more information or to connect with the group, follow them on Instagram at @MOBBJEEPJAX and @BIGMAMA2K22.

Deputies identified the woman as 43-year-old Nicole Grayson, according to a report from News4JAX sister station WKMG in Orlando.

Investigators said the child was playing near a wooden fence at Ed Stone Park west of DeLand when he dropped something over the fence. Deputies said he fell into the river while trying to retrieve it.

Grayson jumped in after him.

Witnesses told deputies that Grayson and her son drifted with the current. The sheriff’s office said she became submerged while struggling to keep the child above water.

Someone at the park flagged down a boater, who threw two life preservers into the river. Deputies said the boater was able to get close enough to pull the child onboard unharmed.

Another witness then jumped into the river, swam to Grayson and helped lift her onto the boat. That person performed CPR until EMS arrived and took over.

Grayson was taken to the hospital. The sheriff’s office said she was reported to be breathing but unresponsive at one point. She died in the ICU around 10 p.m. Saturday.

At the park Sunday, the sheriff’s office directed WKMG to a section of fence in front of a bench where only the lower rows of fencing were in place. Deputies said that is where the child fell into the water.

WKMG has asked Volusia County whether the fence was already in that condition before the incident, whether the county was aware of it, and whether any repairs or temporary barriers are planned.

Chris Piercey was preparing to take his family boating at the park Sunday when WKMG told him what happened.

“I just can’t even imagine what happened to the family and what a sacrifice the mom made to save her child,” Piercey said. “Unbelievable.”

Piercey works in the swimming-pool industry and said the tragedy is another reminder of the importance of water safety in Florida.

“In Florida, obviously, it’s super important,” he said. “There’s so many bodies of water. If we can prevent an accidental drowning, it’s great.”

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office thanked the boater and witnesses who helped with the rescue and offered condolences to Grayson’s family and friends.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood described her death as the loss of a mother who gave her life to save her son.

During this River City Live segment, the host team will exclusively reveal this year’s theme, **Une Soirée Parisienne à La Cour Masquée**, while sharing what makes Dîner en Blanc one of Jacksonville’s most anticipated annual cultural experiences. Viewers will get a preview of the elegance, mystery, and traditions that define the event, along with information on how to join the Jacksonville Fan List for ticket access.

To learn more or sign up, visit **jacksonville.dinerenblanc.com**, or follow **@dinerenblancjacksonville** on Instagram and **Dîner en Blanc Jacksonville** on Facebook.

Police said they were called to West 35th Street, across the street from the park, around 9 p.m. and found the boy with a gunshot wound to his left leg.

Paramedics took him to the hospital for treatment, but JSO did not indicate the extent of his injuries.

Investigators said they learned a group of juveniles had gathered at the park Sunday night when a dispute broke out. It’s unclear what sparked the argument, but some of the kids left and then came back to confront the other group of juveniles.

That’s when the gun was fired, and the boy was hit in the leg.

Police said the suspected shooter is believed to be a young man, possibly in his late teens, who ran off north on Moncrief Road after the shooting.

Crime Scene detectives recovered multiple casings at the scene of the incident. Investigators said there are no indications that the shooting was gang-related, and they do not believe there is any threat to the community.

Anyone with any information about the shooting is asked to contact JSO at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS, or leave an online tip at JSOCrimetips@Jaxsheriff.org.

RELATED: Bills overwhelming you? How to negotiate monthly expenses to save you money | How one woman paid off $9K in credit card debt — and the steps experts say can help you break the cycle

A car wreck and other bills piled up, and over time, she says she found herself falling backward even with “good intentions.”

At the same time, new local research shows financial stress is widespread. A VyStar Credit Union analysis on financial stability in Jacksonville found that 40% of people said finances are their top life stressor—far ahead of job issues, politics, or health.

Read the entire VyStar analysis below:

VyStar financial educator Marc Streebel says a warning sign of “unmanageable debt” is when you’re only making minimum payments—or missing payments on multiple accounts.

The first step: A simple budget

Streebel says it often starts with writing down what’s coming in, versus what’s going out.

If your expenses are close to—or higher than—your income, he says that’s a long-term problem.

‘Pay yourself first’

Streebel also encourages people to build savings even while paying down debt. He says starting small is still a win.

Cavanaugh says that mindset helped her.

She started looking for small, realistic ways to save—like skipping lunch out and putting that money into savings instead.

She says those “little wins” helped her build her first few hundred dollars.

A four-step framework Streebel recommends:

1. Start an emergency fund (even a goal of $1,000 to begin).
2. List your debts and begin paying them down while still saving.
3. Grow savings to 3–6 months of expenses for emergencies or job loss.
4. Keep saving for retirement along the way (401(k) through your job, or an IRA).

Cavanaugh says she’s still working on it—but her progress has been real: From $17,000 in debt, down to less than $6,000 so far.

This Positively JAX initiative has helped collect tens of thousands of pairs of shoes for local children in need since 2014.

We are now collecting new shoes for this year’s giveaway.

Our drop-off locations this year are WJXT-Channel 4, Closets By Design, 1st Place Sports locations, Annie Lee’s Bakery & Diner, Fragrant Body Oilz, Meow and Barks Boutique, Bold City Wings, Allusion’s Restaurant & Lounge, The Icy Spot, and Bank of America branches.

Addresses for our drop-off locations are below.

Drop-off locations for new shoes:

WJXT Channel 4

• 4 Broadcast Place, 32207

Closets By Design of the First Coast

• 3728 Philips Highway, Suite 360, 32207

1st Place Sports

• Search for your local location

Annie Lee’s Bakery & Diner

• 203 West 48th St., Suite 4, 32208

Fragrant Body Oilz

• 231 Edgewood Ave. South 32254

Meow and Barks Boutique

• 1537 San Marco Blvd., 32207

Bold City Wings

• 2016 Hendricks Ave.

Allusion’s Restaurant & Lounge

• 5045 Soutel Dr. 

The Icy Spot

10584 Old St. Augustine Rd

Sears Dental Works

• 10365 Hood Rd STE 103 32257

Bank of America branches

• Normandy: 7770 Normandy Blvd. Jacksonville, Florida 32221
• North Jacksonville: 1055 Dunn Avenue Jacksonville, Florida 32218
• Regency: 9550 Regency Square Blvd. Jacksonville, Florida 32225 
• Baymeadows: 9225 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32256
• Beaches- Hodges: 13756 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida 32224

Spain’s World Cup victory on Sunday added to the nation’s long list of recent triumphs across men’s, women’s and youth competitions, highlighting the dominance of a system that has stuck to a tactical identity and the development of collective talent.

The men’s team is also the current European champion, the Olympic gold medalist and has reached the Nations League final twice — winning it once. The women’s squad is the defending World Cup champion and a two-time Women's Nations League winner. It also made it to the final of the 2025 European Championship.

Spain is the first nation to hold both the men’s and women’s World Cup titles at the same time and is the only country with two men’s World Cup triumphs this century. The nation also has won several youth tournaments in recent years with both the men’s and women’s teams.

The men’s senior squad has been racking up titles since it was gradually revamped after the demise of a golden generation that won the nation’s first World Cup in 2010 with the likes of Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Sergio Ramos and Gerard Piqué.

Players such as Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Rodri and Ferran Torres — the goal scorer in the 1-0 win over Argentina in Sunday’s final — now are the ones representing a new generation that has taken La Roja back to the top.

“I’m very emotional looking back,” Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. “We’ve talked about it with the players; we have won everything, it’s wonderful … It’s a generation of players that has been an example for Spanish sports, for young Spaniards, for Spain. Together we are stronger.”

Spain hadn’t gone past the last 16 of the men’s World Cup since winning the title in South Africa in 2010. It has been in contention in nearly every competition it has played since De la Fuente’s arrival in 2022 and it's 38-match unbeaten streak is the longest in men’s international soccer.

Collective talent

Despite a very talented group of players, it has been Spain's collective performance that has impressed the most and the team hasn't had to rely on star players. It also has been thriving defensively, with a solid backline and a relentless pursuit to regain possession.

“We played against the best national squads in the world, but we were the best team in the world,” De la Fuente said. “I’m very proud of this generation of players. They have grown with this idea, they’ve been loyal to this idea, they have given us an example of a group, of a team, of a family. I’m very proud of them. It’s been an honor.”

How can other teams possibly replicate the Spanish system?

“Go to work,” former France player Thierry Henry, a commentator for Fox Sports, said after the final. “Think about how you want to go about it at every level and play the same way. This is why they are dominating world football on every level, men and women, it doesn't really matter, they go about it the same way.”

Youth-system success

The recent wave of success can be tracked to the surprise hiring of De la Fuente to replace Luis Enrique following the team’s elimination against Morocco in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. De la Fuente was relatively unknown at the time, but the Spanish soccer federation knew him well.

By hiring him, Spain was actually betting on its youth system as De la Fuente had been coaching Spain’s younger national teams for some time.

He was well versed in the soccer federation’s process of instilling a tactical identity at all levels, from the bottom up and across men's and women's squads, allowing players from youth teams to go through a seamless transition to the main squads.

It was the case for players such as Yamal, Cubarsí, Nico Williams, Pedri and Gavi, who are among the youngsters set to keep Spain's men's team thriving for some time.

“When you look at everything that we've gone through, you realize how this process was important,” De la Fuente said. “Certainly, we wouldn't have been able to do what we did today if we hadn't gone through this process with these players. And it's not something that happened during this World Cup, it has been happening for several years.”

Tactical identity

Spain’s “tiki-taka” style of valuing ball-possession and focusing on quick passing, which led to the 2010 World Cup title and victories at Euro 2008 and Euro 2012, had come under attack after the national team began to struggle.

Some said the style lacked efficiency, and a few coaches made some changes to it over time. But Spain never fully abandoned the idea of controlling ball possession to dominate games.

Part of De la Fuente’s success stemmed from his ability to get his squad to successfully mix ball possession and efficiency. And it showed as Spain led this year’s World Cup in both passing and attempts on goal.

Coaching prowess

De la Fuente's recent success quickly put him in the group of Spanish coaches who have been leading national teams and helping clubs thrive across the globe.

Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery, Xabi Alonso and Roberto Martínez are among the successful coaches spreading Spanish tactics everywhere — another sign of the nation's prominence in global soccer.

“We are exactly where we want to be,” De la Fuente said. “We are privileged to represent a wonderful national team with exceptional players. But the real merit we have is to seek good travel companions, people with values and principles who make our lives easier and at the same time are very talented. We'll enjoy this now, because it’s historic, and then we will start thinking match by match again.”

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

State Attorney R.J. Larizza said Charles Legault pleaded no contest in May of this year to several charges, including making, possessing, throwing, projecting or discharging a destructive device resulting in bodily harm or property damage; carrying a concealed firearm during the commission of a felony; armed trafficking in meth; possession of meth with intent to sell; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Legault was pulled over on Mosely Avenue by a Putnam County Sheriff’s Office deputy on April 5, 2024, and body camera video shows the deputy first smelling marijuana and then asking Legault if he could search the truck.

Seconds later, the deputy finds what he believes are drugs and drug paraphernalia.

RELATED: Man charged with possessing explosives following traffic stop that rushed Putnam County deputy to hospital

Legault, then, is asked to get out of the truck. He is searched and then told to stand at the front of his truck while the deputy searches the rest of the vehicle.

The deputy finds a handgun on the seat and more drugs. About 8 minutes and 45 seconds into the video, the chemical pipe bomb explodes in the deputy’s face as he continues to search for drugs.

The deputy struggles to breathe but manages to call for backup and place Legault into handcuffs.

The deputy’s uniform can be seen covered in a white chemical powder as he takes off his body armor. The deputy was taken to the hospital and treated for respiratory injuries.

Investigators later learned the PVC pipe bomb was filled with chlorine and brake fluid.

The bomb squad was called to the scene to clear the area of any other explosives.

Detectives later learned the defendant had intentionally assembled the device and was also armed with a suppressor, loaded magazines, and ammunition. In addition, a large amount of methamphetamine was found in Legault’s vehicle.

The next day, deputies raided Lagault’s house. They did not find any other bombs, but did discover more illegal drugs.

“The defendant is a very dangerous individual who will be off our streets for a long time,” Larizza said about the case. “It is a troubling reality that there are people out there who engage in such activities. Our communities are safe with his absence from the streets!”

The state average rose 19 cents per gallon early in the week before easing slightly over the weekend. Friday’s average of $3.96 per gallon was the highest daily average since early June. Sunday’s state average was $3.94 per gallon — up 12 cents from a week earlier, 26 cents from a month earlier and 84 cents from a year ago.

“Geopolitical tensions can create volatility in energy markets, and that’s exactly what drivers saw last week,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA — The Auto Club Group. “While prices eased slightly by the weekend, motorists are still paying significantly more than they were just a month ago. Drivers should expect prices to remain sensitive to developments overseas and fluctuations in the oil market.”

Market context

• U.S. crude oil prices have surged nearly 20 percent over the past two weeks, including a 16 percent increase last week.
• Oil settled at $82.49 per barrel on Friday, up from $71.41 a week earlier.

Regional averages (metro markets)

• Most expensive: West Palm Beach–Boca Raton, $4.10; Fort Lauderdale, $4.00; Naples, $4.00.
• Least expensive: Panama City, $3.70; Pensacola, $3.74; Crestview–Fort Walton Beach, $3.76.

How to conserve gasoline

• Combine errands to limit driving time.
• Drive conservatively; avoid aggressive acceleration and speeding.
• Remove excess weight; every 100 pounds can reduce fuel economy 1–2 percent.
• Shop for the best local prices using the free AAA mobile app.
• Pay with cash where retailers offer lower per‑gallon prices than credit cards.

AAA resources

• Find state and local averages at GasPrices.AAA.com.
• Use AAA’s Gas Cost Calculator to estimate trip fuel costs.
• Members who enroll in Shell’s Fuel Rewards program can save 30 cents per gallon on their first fill-up and 5 cents per gallon on subsequent trips.
• For vehicle maintenance to improve fuel economy, visit AAA.com/AutoRepair.

AAA updates fuel price averages daily at GasPrices.AAA.com using credit card transactions and direct feeds in cooperation with the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express. All averages reflect a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

And the concern is that it will escalate even further.

Osamah Khalil, an expert on the Middle East and foreign policy, joined us on The Morning show to discuss the fact that it’s not just a fight over the control of a waterway.

The big questions are whether there will be a wider regional conflict and whether there is a way out for either side.

The deaths were recorded out of the 2,344 cases confirmed as of Saturday, the health ministry said.

The Ebola outbreak that was declared in eastern Congo on May 15 is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record. The Bundibugyo virus responsible for the outbreak is less common than others that cause Ebola disease, and there is no approved vaccine or treatment.

Ebola is highly contagious and can be transmitted to people from wild animals. It spreads in the human population through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen, and with contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding and clothing. The disease is rare but severe and often fatal.

The surge in deaths comes as safety fears have restricted the response in the worst-affected province of Ituri. A total of five provinces have been affected, all in the eastern region where rebel violence is rampant.

At least 12 attacks — mostly fueled by skepticism and rumors — have been recorded against health facilities and teams since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, authorities said Saturday. Many health workers meanwhile have walked off their jobs as they protest lack of payment.

At least 36 health workers infected with the virus have died.

The World Health Organization last week expressed concerns that 80% of new Ebola cases were emerging from unknown chains of transmission, a sign the outbreak is spreading faster than health officials can track despite an expanding response.

In the more than two months since the outbreak started, it recorded an average increase of about 272 cases and 111 deaths per week, according to data from Congo’s Health Ministry. The data also show that the weekly increases accelerated over time, particularly in July, when both reported cases and deaths rose more rapidly than in the earlier weeks.

The ministry's latest update said in its latest update that 724 patients are currently in isolation and in hospitals, and that it is intensifying response efforts in affected health zones.

“Patient care and support capacities are consolidating, with 22 new recoveries recorded in 24 hours,” the ministry said.

For decades, college has been presented as the primary path to success. But thousands of high-paying, in-demand careers are available through skilled trades, often with less student debt and faster paths to employment.

Trade Up aims to highlight those opportunities by showcasing local success stories, providing information about training programs and apprenticeships, and connecting job seekers with employers who are actively hiring.

From electricians and plumbers to HVAC technicians, welders, construction managers, linemen, and advanced manufacturing professionals, skilled trades are helping build Jacksonville’s future.

As our region continues to grow, the demand for qualified workers has never been greater.

Through on-air stories, digital content, community partnerships, and special events, Trade Up will:

• Highlight careers in the skilled trades.
• Showcase local companies and organizations training the next generation of workers.
• Connect viewers with apprenticeship and certification programs.
• Provide resources for students, career changers, veterans, and job seekers.
• Help employers find the talent they need to keep Northeast Florida growing.

Whether you’re a high school student exploring career options, a parent looking for information, or an adult considering a career change, Trade Up is here to help you discover opportunities that can lead to stable, meaningful, and well-paying careers.

Jacksonville is growing. The jobs are here. The opportunities are real.

It’s time to Trade Up.

Follow News4JAX in the weeks ahead as we spotlight the people, programs, and professions building the future of Northeast Florida.

We’ll be introducing viewers and readers to local students starting their journeys, employers investing in talent, and community leaders creating new pathways to economic opportunity.

This includes the partnership’s debut story: A behind-the-scenes tour of the WareWorks facility with founder Chris Ware.

Meet WareWorks

Launching alongside the initiative is News4JAX’s partnership with WareWorks, a Jacksonville-based workforce development organization dedicated to helping people discover careers in the skilled trades.

RELATED | From Venus Swimwear HQ to a new skilled trades hub: WareWorks opens doors for those looking to ‘Trade Up’

WareWorks was created by founder Chris Ware, chairman of Ware Capital, who grew The Ware Group from a single HVAC supply operation into a regional company with more than 40 locations.

WareWorks’ mission, he said, is focused on helping to build the next generation of skilled trades professionals through collaboration with community partners.

WareWorks, led by CEO Karen Bowling, serves as a central hub for individuals exploring trade careers by connecting them with apprenticeship programs, technical schools, employers and industry resources.

Rather than replacing existing training programs, WareWorks helps people navigate the many opportunities already available throughout Northeast Florida.

The organization believes students and families should understand that a successful career doesn’t always require a traditional four-year college degree.

“There are trade schools, there are companies that have apprenticeships, there are colleges,” WareWorks founder Chris Ware explained. “What WareWorks provides is a place where people can understand which trades are available, what certifications they need and how to begin their journey.”

Ware also believes career conversations should start well before graduation.

“It’s so clear that the path could be presented to the ninth-grade student and their parent,” Ware said. “Show them the opportunity that’s waiting after high school.”

For many skilled trades, that opportunity can begin immediately after graduation.

According to Ware, young adults entering apprenticeship programs can quickly begin earning competitive wages with benefits while gaining valuable experience. As their skills grow, so does their earning potential and opportunities for advancement.

Bowling is a longtime Jacksonville leader whose career includes serving as Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Jacksonville and as the University of North Florida’s first Vice President of Jobs, where she built partnerships aligning employer needs with student career pathways. Bowling also co-founded Solantic Urgent Care and previously worked as a journalist and TV news anchor.

Click here for more information surrounding WareWorks.

Other strategies

In addition to Trade Up, leaders announced two additional efforts designed to remove barriers and create clearer pathways into skilled trades:

• A partnership with the national Be Pro Be Proud movement to bring a state-of-the-art mobile “Try-A-Trade” experience to North Florida, giving youth and adults hands-on simulations to explore dozens of trades.
• The debut of the WareWorks Career Pathway Platform, an online resource connecting students, parents, educators and job seekers with training programs, opportunities and crystal-clear career pathways throughout the skilled trades ecosystem. Here’s a short video demonstrating the best way to utilize the website:

Together, organizers say, the initiatives represent a commitment to changing perceptions and increasing awareness of high-demand, high-wage skilled trades careers in the region.

The blitz came hours after Russia bombarded Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles in a relentless cycle of tit-for-tat strikes that make a settlement to end Moscow’s more than 4-year-old all-out invasion appear a distant possibility.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said he would hold “key talks” Monday as he tries to defuse a domestic political crisis, after last week’s government reshuffle exposed a deep split between the military’s old guard and young innovators over how to fight the war.

Zelenskyy needs to reassure Ukrainians that sacrificing 35-year-old Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister and keeping faith with 60-year-old Soviet-trained Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi as armed forces chief won’t derail the fight against Russia.

Days of street protests in favor of Fedorov and against Syrskyi followed Zelenskyy's move.

Ukraine hits another Russian oil depot

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said over 400 Ukrainian drones were sent toward the Russian capital from late Sunday until early Monday, with most downed far from the city and 85 intercepted near it.

Moscow regional Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said 10 people were wounded by Ukrainian drones, while several residential buildings and civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged.

The attack started a fire at the Yuzhnye Vrata industrial park, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Moscow, according to Yevgeniya Khrustaleva, the head of the Domodedovo area of the Moscow region.

The Astra news outlet reported the assault also caused a fire at an oil depot in Podolsk, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Moscow, but there was no official confirmation of the strike.

Ukrainian forces hit logistics facilities and an oil depot in the Moscow region, Zelenskyy said, adding that Kyiv's forces hit two vessels belonging to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet transporting sanctioned oil and four dry cargo ships in the Black Sea.

A drone struck a passenger bus in Shebekino in Russia’s Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, killing five people — four women and a boy — and injuring 23 others, according to acting Gov. Alexander Shuvayev.

It was not possible to independently verify either side's claims.

Ukraine’s long-range drone technology has evolved during the war, posing a problem for Russia, whose huge land mass is hard to protect fully. Kyiv’s forces have aimed especially at Russian oil facilities, causing fuel shortages and embarrassing Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In May, the Russian Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 1,054 Ukrainian drones in a 24-hour period.

Russia uses ballistic missiles more frequently

As Kyiv pleads with foreign partners to supply it with sophisticated interceptors that can counter Russian ballistic missiles, which are much harder to stop than drones or cruise missiles, Moscow’s forces have sought to take advantage of the weaknesses in Ukraine’s air defenses.

Ballistic missiles fly faster than the speed of sound and can reach Kyiv in minutes, giving air defenses little time to react and civilians to reach shelter.

Russia has stepped up its use of ballistic missiles recently. Ukrainian officials said Sunday that Moscow's bombardment killed at least six people and wounded dozens.

“Russian forces have launched more ballistic missiles against Ukraine thus far in July than Russia reportedly produces each month,” the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said late Sunday.

“Russia appears to be dipping into its stockpiles to continue increasing the number of ballistic missiles it launches against Ukraine, as these missiles have a higher success rate than drones and cruise missiles,” it noted.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired two missiles and 94 long-range drones at Ukraine overnight. It said air defenses jammed or intercepted 81 drones, while nine drones and a missile caused damage at nine locations.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Monday its forces struck fuel tanks in the southern Ukrainian port of Odesa overnight.

A Russian strike on Pavlohrad in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region injured 13 people, according to military administration head Oleksandr Hanzha. Eleven people were hospitalized, including a 13-year-old girl, he added.

A cargo ship attack killed 10 sailors off Odesa

Ukraine’s Sea Ports Authority said a cargo vessel under the flag of the West African country of Guinea Bissau was hit by Russian forces on Sunday shortly after it left the port of Odesa, killing 10 of its crew, including five sailors from Syria. Eight people were rescued from the ship, which was carrying Ukrainian corn, it added.

Syria’s General Authority for Borders and Customs said it “strongly condemns the repeated attacks targeting commercial vessels with Syrian sailors and crews aboard in Ukrainian ports and nearby maritime areas in the Black Sea, and the resulting deaths and injuries among Syrian sailors.”

The Syrian statement did not mention Russia. Moscow has built relations with the new Syrian government since former President Bashar Assad was ousted in December 2024 in a rebel offensive led by now-interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

——

AP reporter Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed.

___

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

But just as they move in to capture them, one of the football-size birds, with bright-orange bills and long legs, scampers into a coastal salt pond. The other briefly takes to the air, sending the team running across the mile-and-a-half-long (2.4-kilometer-long) beach in pursuit.

“There is a problem. They can fly,” Alan Kneidel, a senior conservation biologist with the environmental group Manomet Conservation Sciences, said as he watched the team go after the chicks.

Eventually, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists tracked down both birds. They bundled them each into white pillow cases and gingerly carried them to a sand dune where body measurements were taken and bands clipped onto their long, peach-colored legs.

Birds starting to recover

The banding in the 787-acre (318-hectare) Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge is part of a nationwide effort to restore the oystercatcher's population along the coasts of the Americas. The birds were largely wiped out in New England by the turn of the 20th century due to hunting and egg collecting but their numbers are rising.

About $10 million was raised over a decade and 35 coastal organizations in 16 states joined in the effort. Much of the campaign focused on educating beachgoers about the presence of the quirky birds known for their piercing calls and habit of using their razor sharp bills to crack open oysters and mussels. Measures were also implemented to protect their ground nesting sites from predators and pets on beaches, sand dunes, salt marshes or tide wrack deposits.

From 2008 to 2023, oystercatcher numbers increased by 45% along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Their recovery is especially significant, given a 2023 study found that most shorebird populations in North America were declining.

“It's amazing and it's a great conservation success story,” said Maureen Durkin, a federal wildlife biologist who led the banding effort and works at the Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

“It does really demonstrate how much you can accomplish when there is a dedicated group of partners that can come together and identify the needs of the species and implement conservation actions,” she said, adding that it also showed conserving imperiled species “is not easy and takes a sustained and committed effort.”

Targeting threats

Kneidel said a critical part of the conservation plan was determining that “chick survival was the big thing driving the declines.” Then, individually-tailored plans were drawn up from organizations in the American Oystercatcher Working Group, which was led by Manomet's Shiloh Schulte, a conservation biologist and field scientist who died last year in a helicopter crash in Alaska while on a mission to protect shorebirds. His initial aerial survey showed their numbers had declined by double-digits.

“At one site, it might be recreational disturbance, at another site it might be predators, at another site it might be sea level rise or loss of dune structure that’s causing overwash events that are causing nest failure,” Kneidel said as he walked along the rocky Moonstone Beach, the sky filled with squeaking, least terns.

On Martha’s Vineyard, a low-lying fence with chicken wire is installed seasonally at the entrance of a key breeding site for oystercatchers and other seabirds and shorebirds, which has kept skunks and raccoons that eat their eggs off the beach. Colorful signs have also been installed educating the public about oystercatchers.

Focused attention on oystercatchers

The birds also benefit from federal protections given to piping plovers, a threatened shorebird that nests in some of the same areas. During the nesting season of piping plovers, vehicles and dogs are limited or banned near beach nesting sites.

“With a little bit of focused effort and attention on this really charismatic bird, you can teach the public how to share the shore,” said Luanne Johnson, a wildlife biologist who founded the nonprofit BiodiversityWorks, one of the groups working on the oystercatcher's recovery. The island was the first place to have nesting oystercatchers in Massachusetts when they began to recover and has seen the numbers of breeding pairs increase 77% since 2009.

In South Carolina, nearly 30 breeding sites are roped off to protect nesting habitat. Georgia and North Carolina also rope off breeding sites along with trapping and euthanizing predators like foxes, raccoons and coyotes during breeding season.

“If you focus conservation efforts on a species, especially before it becomes endangered to the point that you’re considering listing, you can actually sort of head off trouble at the pass,” said Lindsay Addison, a coastal biologist with Audubon North Carolina, adding the state's breeding pairs have increased nearly 20% to 403. Some birds, like Dark Green 06 and Yellow 25, were banded as far back as 2004 and have become minor celebrities.

Ted Simons, a retired emeritus professor at North Carolina State University who began studying the birds on North Carolina’s Outer Banks in 1995, said their recovery was a testament to the species' resilience. He noted American oystercatchers have been found nesting on rooftops in the United States and other oystercatcher species in Europe are nesting in pastures and eating worms. One pair, he recalled, was found nesting in a bus station pothole in Iceland.

“If these were really highly specialized birds that needed an exact prescription for survival, that would have been harder,” Simons said. “But what we found is that these birds are incredibly adaptive.”

Climate change, weakened protections pose dangers

Despite their strong recovery, threats remain.

Chief among the dangers is climate change that has led to rising seas and erosion washing out oystercatcher nests. That has prompted states such as Georgia to build elevated nesting platforms of oystershells for the birds and use dredged material from shipping channels to create and maintain nesting islands. Along the Cape Fear River in North Carolina, Audubon is replenishing shell rakes — beds of old oyster shells where the oystercatchers nest.

“ Climate change, sea level rise, it’s a big challenge not only for oystercatchers but for all kinds of interests on the coast,” Addison said. “There’s going to be loss of habitat due to sea level rise so we have to make sure that we do what we can to provide the habitat that we can so they can get through this next bottleneck.”

There are also concerns that changes this month to the Endangered Species Act could impact nesting sites, especially where state protections are weak. Environmental groups, which sued Tuesday to block the changes, fear breeding grounds could be disturbed by everything from vehicle traffic to unchecked development.

The changes would allow oil and gas drilling, mining, logging and other development on critical wildlife habitats so long as the animals themselves aren’t killed or injured. Environmentalists warned the move could cause some species to go extinct by opening the door to habitat destruction.

“It's a direct attack on the protections that have allowed many of these shorebird species to recover,” Kneidel said.

___

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

“Cancel the deal hunt. We’ve got you covered,” the page states with links to laptops, desktops, computer accessories and calculators.

Representing the Florida Retail Federation, Amanda Bevis credited lawmakers with making the sales tax holiday a permanent fixture in state law.

“That allows retailers to plan ahead, not only in their sales, but in their marketing and promotions,” Bevis said.

The discount holiday, first offered as a seven-day period in 1998 when sales taxes were lifted on only certain clothing valued $50 or less, was firmly put into state statutes last year as a recurring event to run throughout August.

Previously, the discount period was annually approved at varying lengths from three to 14-days, and some years, most recently 2009, the holiday wasn’t offered.

For this year, lawmakers moved the discount dates to July 20 through Aug. 20.

The retail lobbying organization credits the change of dates with helping consumers facing affordability issues tie in the state holiday with annual back-to-school discounts offered by businesses.

“Now they can combine what offers are in retail stores with the additional tax savings made available through the tax holiday,” Bevis said.

During the upcoming holiday, sales taxes will be lifted on select clothes priced $100 or less, school supplies $50 or less, learning aids $30 or less, and personal computers and accessories priced $1,500 or less.

Legislative staff this year didn’t estimate the savings when the tax package was introduced in the regular session and later revived and approved in the special session in May.

In 2025, with the same discount benchmarks, legislative economists projected the savings would hit around $217 million.

The next tax holiday offered under the tax package (HB 7031E) is on hunting, fishing and camping equipment, beginning Sept. 1 and continuing until the end of the year.

Legislative staff projected that discount period will cut revenue to the state by $31.2 million and local governments collectively by $8.8 million.

July 20-Aug. 20 back-to-school “holiday” savings:

Exempt clothing valued at $100 or less:

• Aerobic and fitness clothing
• Aprons and clothing shields
• Athletic supporters
• Backpacks and book bags
• Bandanas
• Baseball cleats
• Bathing suits, caps, and cover-ups
• Belts
• Bibs
• Blouses
• Non ski or fishing boots
• Bowling shoes
• Bras
• Cleated and spiked shoes
• Coats
• Coin purses
• Dresses
• Fanny packs
• Graduation caps and gowns
• Gym suits and uniforms
• Hosiery and pantyhose (including support hosiery)
• Hunting vests
• Jackets
• Jeans
• Lab coats
• Leggings, tights, and leg warmers
• Leotards
• Lingerie
• Martial arts attire
• Raincoats, rain hats, and ponchos
• Scout uniforms
• Shoe inserts and insoles
• Shorts
• Ski suits (snow)
• Skirts
• Slippers
• Slips
• Socks
• Suits, slacks, and jackets
• Sweaters

Exempt computers and computer-related accessories valued $1,500 or less:

• Cables (for computers)
• Calculators
• Central processing units (CPU)
• Compact disk drives
• Computers for noncommercial home or personal use - Desktop - Laptop - Tablet
• Computer batteries
• Computer towers consisting of a central processing unit, random-access memory, and a storage drive
• Data storage
• Docking stations (for computers)
• Electronic book readers
• Hard drives
• Headphones (including “earbuds”)
• Ink cartridges (for computer printers)
• Keyboards (for computers)
• Mice (mouse devices)
• Microphones (for computers)
• Modems
• Monitors (except devices that include a television tuner)
• Motherboards
• Personal digital assistant devices (except cellular telephones)
• Port replicators
• Printer cartridges
• Printers (including “all-in-one” moldels)
• RAM (random access memory)
• Routers
• Scanners
• Software (nonrecreational) - Antivirus - Database - Educational - Financial - Word processing
• Speakers (for computers)
• Storage drives (for computers)
• Tablets
• Web camera

The “holiday” doesn’t cover:

• Briefcases, suitcases, or garment bags
• Watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, and handkerchiefs
• Skis, swim fins, roller blades, and skates
• Clothing items with a sales price of more than $100
• Any school supply item with a sales price of more than $50
• Books that are not otherwise exempt
• Computers and computer-related accessories with a sales price of more than $1,500
• Cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers, or devices that are not primarily designed to process data
• Computers and computer-related accessories purchased for commercial purposes
• Rentals of any eligible items
• Repairs or alterations of any eligible items
• Sales of any eligible items within a theme park or entertainment complex, public lodging establishment, or airport

*Source: Florida Department of Revenue.

Police said they were called around 8:45 p.m. to Buffalo Avenue after reports that a man had been shot.

Officers found a man in his early 20s with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was taken to a local hospital by his girlfriend. Police said he was shot eight times in the side, hand, lower back and thigh, but his injuries were not life-threatening.

Investigators said the man was at the Buffalo Food Store on Buffalo Avenue when two men, who were with a woman that the victim knows, came up to the victim and shot at him.

The shooters ran off and have not been caught.

Detectives with the Robbery and Violent Crime Unit were actively interviewing witnesses, canvassing for surveillance video, and following up on investigative leads.

The community’s assistance is critical in this investigation. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500, email JSOCRIMETIPS@JAXSHERIFF.ORG , or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

This could be the year of the algorithm.

The Belgian Grand Prix was more evidence of how code that the drivers don't fully understand is shaping — or distorting — the title fight.

Kimi Antonelli sped to his sixth win of the season and nearly doubled his lead, while his Mercedes teammate and title rival George Russell was left stuck in a gravel trap after colliding with Lewis Hamilton.

In an angry radio message to Mercedes, Russell demanded to know why he'd had an “unacceptable” loss of electrical power that dropped him back into a fight with Hamilton in the first place.

The big mystery

“The irony of the age; more knowledge than ever before in human history, yet even more mysteries,” 1996 champion Damon Hill commented on X over a video of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff blaming a software issue affecting all cars with Mercedes engines.

“Got to feel for (Russell). What does he have to do? All a bit weird how his car is different to Kimi’s. They should be identical, performance wise. We will no doubt hear more of this anon,” Hill also posted.

On Saturday, Russell had complained of driving with “one hand behind my back” in qualifying after dropping straight-line speed to Antonelli for no clear reason. The team’s trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin called it “a clear loss that we cannot explain by driving style.”

Why the algorithms matter

F1's embrace of electrical power for 2026 means the hardware that makes up the car — the turbocharged engine, the tires, even the battery — only tells half the story.

The rest often isn't fully clear even to the drivers themselves. It's a world of algorithms and deployment maps which can suddenly slow a car down for what can seem, to the driver in the cockpit, like no reason at all.

Except for the optional boost button for overtaking, most of the time, algorithms release the power in a way that isn’t directly related to the driver’s use of the gas pedal. So-called “deployment maps” set out how much energy to release based on where the car is on the track.

Without the battery, the car runs at barely half power on its engine alone, a feeling Max Verstappen likened to driving a Formula 3 car.

That's how Russell fell back so sharply into the chasing pack containing Hamilton on Sunday, and seems to be why Antonelli briefly lost — then regained — the lead to Max Verstappen just before.

Uneven impact

Mercedes isn't the only team affected by unexpected power use this season, just the one with the biggest impact on the title fight. Within teams, some drivers, like Russell, seem to be affected more than others.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri has become a prominent critic of how computerized decision-making is affecting the results.

His season began with a power-deployment puzzle when Piastri couldn't even start his home race in Australia. On what should have been a routine, fairly gentle run to the grid, a sudden spike of power sent him spinning into the barriers.

For now, Russell just has to hope he gets on better with the boost at this week's Hungarian Grand Prix.

“Knocked down, we get back up. No matter how many times,” he posted on social media Monday. “So many tough moments this year but I will not stop fighting.”

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The police action came after thousands of demonstrators tried to breach security barricades surrounding the protest site in central New Delhi, marking one of the most serious confrontations in the movement’s campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Despite the crackdown, many protesters continued marching toward Parliament in small groups.

Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das accused authorities of “brutally cracking down” on “peaceful protesters.” Delhi Police said the march had not been authorized and that restrictions were needed to maintain law and order around Parliament during the monsoon session, which began Monday.

The crowd at Jantar Mantar, a designated site for protests just a few kilometers (miles) from Parliament, included students, professionals and families with young children. As the day progressed, the gathering spilled beyond the protest site, with demonstrators filling surrounding streets and roads.

Many carried backpacks with water and food, expecting a long day. Others waved Indian flags as chants against the education minister and Modi rippled through the growing crowd.

A satirical movement grows into a youth-led campaign

The Cockroach Janta Party emerged in May, after the Supreme Court chief justice compared some unemployed young people to “cockroaches” during an unrelated hearing. Supporters embraced the remark, turning it into a satirical movement that has attracted millions of followers on social media.

The movement has gained momentum after repeated leaks of high-stakes entrance exams for medical colleges and government jobs sparked public anger. It drew wider attention after police forcibly moved hunger-striking activist Sonam Wangchuk to the hospital on Saturday.

Protesters calling themselves “cockroaches” have camped at Jantar Mantar for the past month, with members of several student groups joining Wangchuk’s hunger strike. Thousands of supporters have also turned out at universities and rallies in other cities. They are demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, reforms to the examination system and compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following paper leaks.

Government outreach emerges amid a tense standoff

Senior leaders in Modi’s government have taken a hard line against the movement. Pradhan has accused the protesters of acting against the nation, while other ministers have acknowledged students’ concerns but insisted there is no need for talks or negotiations with the movement.

Though that appeared to shift Monday, when representatives of the movement held talks with Health Minister J.P. Nadda. It was the first apparent sign of government outreach to protest leaders, who sought to bring their demands directly to lawmakers, prompting authorities to tighten security around the complex.

CJP spokesperson Das, who met Nadda, said he presented the protesters’ demands, including the immediate resignation or removal of the education minister.

Separately, activist Wangchuk appealed for permission to temporarily leave the hospital and join the march.

In a handwritten note, he also said he would end his nearly three-week hunger strike only if the government took responsibility for failures in the education system and exam paper leaks, or if protesters were allowed to reach Parliament and lawmakers pledged to raise the issues in both Houses.

Protests pose a challenge to Modi’s government

The protests have become a rare public challenge to Modi’s Hindu nationalist government in its third term, drawing support from opposition parties, rights activists and some Bollywood celebrities. Protesters say space for dissent has shrunk under Modi, whose government has been criticized for suppressing public protests by jailing activists and, in some cases, using forceful police crackdowns.

Jyoti Rajput, a yoga teacher, said she joined the protests because “this rotten system refuses to take action.”

“It cannot see the pain of students, and that’s why so many people have joined this movement,” she said.

For many others the campaign has expanded into a broader protest over government accountability. Some said they were driven by frustration with what they see as a lack of transparency and responsiveness from elected leaders.

Sneha Eppili, a 26-year-old protester, said she joined the demonstration because she believes the government has a responsibility to answer their questions.

“I voted for this government, so I think it’s accountable to answer our questions. That’s the basic human right that I deserve,” she said.

Troopers said a 38-year-old driver from Ponte Vedra Beach was headed north on A1A just before 5:30 p.m. when, for unknown reasons, he crossed the center line into the southbound lane, where his SUV collided head-on with another SUV.

The 20-year-old driver of the SUV that was headed south died in the crash, and his two passengers, ages 21 and 20, suffered serious injuries. All three men are from Clay County, according to the report.

St. Johns County District 4 Commissioner Krista Joseph told News4JAX that the stretch of A1A where the crash happened can be dangerous, pointing to drivers passing when they get impatient.

“People are not patient enough to stay behind the car that’s going the speed limit, and they’ll a lot of times pass over the double yellow line,” Joseph said. “I’m not sure what caused this accident … but it’s just so sad to hear people were killed.”

Joseph also said the county has repeatedly asked FDOT to lower the speed limit in the area as new development brings more traffic.

“FDOT … we have been asking over and over again to reduce the speed limit … because all the new houses that have been built have caused more traffic,” she said, adding that the decision ultimately rests with the state.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Iran and some of the world’s most intractable conflicts will be high in the agenda of the annual talks held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and hosted by the Philippines, the 11-nation bloc’s current chair.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are among the attendees. Ukraine’s top diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, has been invited to attend a Friday ceremony commemorating a 1976 nonaggression treaty of ASEAN, but will not be participating in the ASEAN meetings attended by Lavrov and Rubio.

Rubio and Lavrov have not announced any plans to meet each other or Sybiha while they are in Manila.

Iran war is among ASEAN's top concerns

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

ASEAN foreign ministers will first meet among themselves on Tuesday to discuss the renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran and threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway where roughly 20% of global oil supplies transited before the war.

“We underscored the importance of maintaining regional peace, stability and prosperity, upholding international law … including the need for a complete and immediate cessation of hostilities across all fronts in the Middle East,” the ministers said in a draft statement of concern, which was seen by The Associated Press.

“We acknowledged the further implications of the continued tensions in the Middle East on regional trade, energy and food security, including energy markets and supply chains, agricultural production," said the statement, which will be made public after their meeting.

The ministers “called for the restoration of the safe, unimpeded and continuous transit passage of vessels and aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Rubio meeting with ASEAN and Quad envoys

Rubio’s attendance in the ASEAN meetings was apparently aimed at dispelling concerns that the war in the Middle East would deter the U.S. from focusing on the Indo-Pacific, especially China’s actions in the disputed South China Sea and its pressure on Taiwan.

“The secretary’s visit advances a clear U.S. priority: a free and open Indo-Pacific that delivers safety, security and prosperity for the region and for the American people,” State Department spokesperson Thomas Pigott said in Washington.

Rubio is also expected to meet member of the Quad, which consists of the U.S., India, Japan and Australia, and is seen as a major component of the American strategy to counter China. It has been repeatedly criticized by Beijing as a U.S. scheme to contain its growing influence.

Myanmar's civil war and the South China Sea are among regional disputes

The foreign ministers have been under growing pressure to do more to help resolve the conflicts in their own region, primarily the civil war in Myanmar and the disputes in the South China Sea.

Since Myanmar's army wrested power from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, more than 8,100 people have been killed and nearly 22,500 remained in detention, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights-monitoring group.

A five-point peace plan issued by ASEAN leaders in 2021 has failed to end the violence, mainly due to non-compliance by its military-backed government. The bloc has banned the country’s leaders and foreign minister from attending its top-level meetings, including this week’s meetings in Manila.

In a bid to break the impasse, the foreign ministers, led by the Philippine' Theresa Lazaro, met their Myanmar counterpart for the first time in five years this month in Bangkok, where they renewed calls for an end to the violence and renewed efforts to foster dialogue.

Rights groups criticized the meeting, saying it effectively abandoned the bloc’s ban on engaging the country’s senior officials and rewarded the generals without extracting any concession.

“It was not and should not be mischaracterized as an abandonment of the five-point consensus,” Lazaro said, referring to the peace plan. “The path to peace can only be obtained through resolute diplomacy with all parties to the conflict.”

The ministers will meet Wang Yi in Manila to discuss the status of negotiations between China and the regional bloc on a proposed pact called a “code of conduct,” which aims to prevent territorial disputes in the South China Sea from spiraling out of control.

The territorial standoffs involve China, Taiwan and ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, but confrontations in the disputed waters have particularly spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and naval forces in recent years.

By the early afternoon, highs are expected to reach the mid-90s, but high humidity will make it feel more like 100 to 105 degrees in many neighborhoods.

Residents planning outdoor activities should take frequent breaks, drink plenty of water, and avoid prolonged exposure during the hottest part of the afternoon.

As the afternoon sea breeze develops, scattered thunderstorms are expected to become more numerous.

While not everyone will see rain, storms that do form could become briefly strong, producing torrential downpours, frequent cloud-to-ground lightning, wind gusts between 30 and 40 mph, and reduced visibility for motorists.

The heaviest rain may cause temporary street flooding in poor drainage areas before moving out quickly.

Most storms are expected to diminish after sunset, leaving behind warm and muggy conditions overnight.

Tropical Depression Two

Tropical Depression Two has officially formed over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, marking the Atlantic’s second tropical cyclone of the 2026 hurricane season.

Forecasters expect the system to strengthen into Tropical Storm Bertha while it tracks slowly along the northern Gulf Coast over the next couple of days.

Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for portions of the Florida Panhandle as residents prepare for heavy rain, gusty winds, and localized flooding.

The fine, the biggest ever imposed for breaches of the 27-nation European Union's Digital Services Act, comes just months after another online retailer, Temu, was fined 200 million euros for similar breaches. Last year, Brussels issued a $120 million penalty for Elon Musk’s social media site X.

“The spread of counterfeit clothing, unsafe toys, dangerous cosmetics and other illegal and harmful products is not an unavoidable cost of shopping online — it is a failure by AliExpress to comply with its obligations under the Digital Services Act,” Henna Virkkunen, the commission's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said in a statement.

“Scale is not an excuse; risks must be identified and addressed systematically to ensure consumers can safely shop online. Today, we are holding AliExpress to this standard and request it to take action,” she added.

In a comment emailed to The Associated Press, AliExpress said that since the DSA came into force the company “has been, and continues to be, firmly committed to meeting our obligations and we have invested substantial resources in risk assessment and mitigation, product safety and consumer protection.”

It said it disagreed with the "disproportionate fine, which does not adequately reflect our established framework and the significant, proactive enhancements we have made. We are carefully reviewing the decision and considering all available options.”

The fine was for conduct by the company until at least June 2025, when the commission issued a preliminary ruling that found AliExpress was not doing enough to tackle the sale of illegal products under the DSA, and when it accepted commitments by AliExpress to improve its systems.

The commission said that AliExpress now has until Oct. 20 to submit an action plan setting out measures to “remedy the breach of its obligations to assess and mitigate systemic risks.”

The Digital Services Act is designed to keep users safe online and stop the spread of harmful content that’s either illegal or violates a platform’s terms of service, such as promotion of genocide or anorexia. It also looks to protect Europeans’ fundamental rights like privacy and free speech.

Monday’s announcement in Brussels also comes less than three weeks after AliExpress' operator, Chinese tech giant Alibaba, said it will pay $600 million to resolve a dispute with the U.S. government over allegations that the Hangzhou-based firm sold and imported illegal pharmaceuticals, controlled substances, regulated chemicals and pill-making equipment into the U.S.

In the summer months, those twin imperatives can make parents anxious. How long should kids be out? How do I know they're OK? What should I avoid?

Human-caused climate change is making heat waves longer, stronger and more widespread. Much of the U.S. sweltered last week under a heat dome.

That shift makes questions about keeping babies safe more pressing, said Dr. Katherine Williamson, a pediatrician with Rady Children's Health in Orange, California.

“We talk about drowning and choking with toddlers, and now we’re starting to add in heat,” she said. “It’s become something that’s more commonplace as a potential injury.”

Here is why children are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, and some do's and don’ts to keep them safe:

Regulating body temperature is a challenge

Children sweat less than adults and have a higher metabolism that makes them hot faster. In extreme heat, their higher surface area-to-mass ratio increases heat absorption.

Kids also tend to spend more time outdoors.

On hot days, parents need to be vigilant about the signs of heat illness. A lack of tears or regular wet diapers could indicate your baby is dehydrated. Parents should feed infants in smaller quantities more frequently to make sure they are getting enough fluid.

Though not necessarily signs of illness, fatigue and flushed skin likely mean your child needs a break to cool off. Williamson said increased irritability could also indicate your child is too hot.

Tips for keeping them safe

Avoid going out during the hottest parts of the day, dress kids in loose, light-colored clothing, apply sunscreen and make sure they are getting enough fluids. Water-rich fruits such as watermelon and strawberries are great snacks in the heat.

“If you’re hot, your baby sure is going to be hot,” said Dr. Debra Langlois, a pediatrician at the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

Langlois said parents and other caregivers should limit the amount of time infants and toddlers are outside in hot weather, but she doesn’t advise remaining strictly indoors at any point.

Don't put blankets or other covers on a stroller

That advice seems counterintuitive. After all, doesn't it make sense to shield children from the sun?

But blankets and other coverings, even thin ones, prevent air from circulating and trap heat that can raise the temperature in the stroller. Instead, use a canopy for shade.

Williamson also advises parents to check metal parts that can heat up and burn children.

Don't leave kids in the car

Even in the shade and with open windows, car temperatures can rise dramatically in a short amount of time. In 2025, 31 children died of heat stroke in vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The agency recommends caregivers leave a purse or other personal item in the back seat, write a note or place a stuffed animal on the passenger seat to ensure they don't forget a child inside.

If you return to a parked car with your baby on a hot day, ensure the metal parts of the car seat are also not too hot. For extra comfort, use a sun shade to keep the interior cooler and turn on the air conditioning in advance.

To cool a hot car, experts recommend opening the windows for 10 to 20 seconds while running the air conditioning.

The Arizona governorship is a top takeover opportunity for Republicans in a midterm environment where voters historically have punished the party occupying the White House. The eventual winner, along with his or her statewide political organization, could play an important role in the 2028 presidential campaign, as Arizona is once again expected to be a critical battleground.

Of the seven Democratic governors in states Donald Trump carried in 2024 as the Republican presidential nominee, only two are up for reelection in 2026, and only Hobbs is expected to face a competitive general election.

Two Arizona congressmen and two businessmen are vying for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Five-term U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs is a former chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Eight-term U.S. Rep. David Schweikert is giving up his competitive swing district seat after narrowly prevailing against strong Democratic challenges in the last three elections. Businessmen Ken Miceli and Scott Neely have backgrounds in the construction industry.

Biggs has a key endorsement from Trump. The president had already endorsed another candidate, billionaire housing developer Karrin Taylor Robson, but he issued an additional endorsement for Biggs shortly after he entered the race in early 2025. Taylor Robson dropped out of the race in February. Trump has been known to occasionally endorse more than one candidate for the same race. Recently, he endorsed both candidates in the primary runoff for South Carolina governor.

In the race to replace Schweikert in the 1st Congressional District, the Republican field features state Rep. Joseph Chaplik, sportscaster and former Arizona Cardinals placekicker Jay Feely and technology and telecommunications executive John Trobough. Feely briefly ran in the 5th Congressional District, but Trump endorsed another candidate and nudged Feely to run in another district or for a different office. Feely switched to the 1st District, and Trump endorsed him and former state party chair Gina Swoboda for the nomination. Swoboda later dropped out to run for secretary of state.

The Democratic primary includes two candidates from the 2024 primary for this same seat: former state Rep. Amish Shah and former local news anchor Marlene Galán-Woods. Shah won the nomination two years ago, while Galán-Woods finished third out of six candidates. Shah received 48% of the vote against Schweikert in the general election. Publisher Rick McCartney and entrepreneur Jonathan Treble round out the Democratic field.

The 1st Congressional District is just northeast of Phoenix and includes Scottsdale. It is contained entirely within Maricopa County. Schweikert received 51.9% and 50.4% of the vote in his 2024 and 2022 reelection bids, respectively. In the 2024 presidential race, Trump received about 51% of the vote, compared with about 48% for then-Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

Another Republican-held seat that is key to Democratic hopes of retaking the U.S. House is in the 6th Congressional District, where Rep. Juan Ciscomani seeks a third term. He and his Democratic opponent, Marine Corps veteran JoAnna Mendoza, are unopposed in their primaries.

In the state Legislature, all 30 state Senate seats and all 60 state House seats are up for election. Republicans hold slim majorities in both chambers. Democrats have not controlled the state Senate since 1992 or the state House since 1966, the last time the party controlled the governorship and both chambers simultaneously.

Maricopa County is by far the most populous and most influential of the state’s 15 counties in both Democratic and Republican statewide primaries. It is home to Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa and contributed about 61% of the vote in the 2024 presidential general election. Pima County was a distant second with about 15% 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. local time, which is 10 p.m. ET in almost all of the state. No results will be released before 11 p.m. ET. Most of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation is an exception, and polls there close at 9 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. House, governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, state school superintendent, state Corporation Commission, state Senate and state House.

Who gets to vote?

Registered Democrats and Republicans may vote only in their own parties’ primaries. Independents may vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary.

How many voters are there?

As of July, there were about 4.3 million registered voters in Arizona, including about 1.5 million Republicans, about 1.2 million Democrats and about 1.5 million voters not registered with any party.

How many people actually vote?

About 596,000 Democratic primary votes and about 831,000 Republican primary votes were cast in the 2022 primaries for governor.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

Arizona conducts elections predominantly by mail. About 93% of the Democratic primary vote and about 79% of the Republican primary vote in the 2022 state primaries was cast early in person or by mail.

As of Thursday, about 755,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election, roughly 335,000 from Democrats and 347,000 from Republicans

When are early and absentee votes released?

Arizona counties tend to release all or almost all of their results from early in-person voting, as well as a significant amount of results from mail voting, in the first vote update of the night, usually before any in-person Election Day votes are reported.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2024 state primary, the AP first reported results at 11:02 p.m. ET, or 2 minutes after the state allowed votes to be released. About half of the total votes cast had been counted by 11:05 p.m. ET. The last vote update of the night was at about 5:35 a.m. ET with about 83% 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?

In Arizona, recounts are automatic if the vote margin is 0.5% of the total vote or less. 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 105 days until the 2026 midterm elections.

___

Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

At about 8:20 p.m. on Saturday, a 68-year-old woman from St. Augustine was turning left onto State Road 16 eastbound from the Stratton Boulevard intersection.

According to the report from the Florida Highway Patrol, she pulled out in front of the deputy, who was traveling west on State Road 16 in the left lane.

The front of the deputy’s SUV hit the driver’s side of the woman’s SUV, which spun out into the left turn lane of SR 16 eastbound. The deputy’s SUV crossed all eastbound lanes and hit a stop sign.

The sheriff’s office said the 30-year-old deputy was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the other vehicle died at the scene.

The driver who died was reportedly wearing a seat belt, while the deputy was not, according to FHP, which is investigating the crash.

Stratton Boulevard on State Road 16 was closed in all directions after the crash. It fully reopened at about 2 a.m. on Sunday.

St. Johns County Commissioner Clay Murphy, who spent 26 years as a Florida Highway Patrol trooper before entering public office, told News4JAX the intersection has been a growing concern as new commercial development brings more traffic to that curve.

“There’s been some commercial businesses come in there that’s caused a little bit more traffic,” Murphy said. “It is in a curve. There are some things to look at.”

Murphy said the Florida Department of Transportation has been focused on reducing dangerous cross-traffic situations like the one that occurred Saturday night — though he acknowledged the proposed road design changes have not been universally welcomed.

“I know that DOT has been working really hard to change the design of roads so that the number of cross-traffic situations like this is reduced,” Murphy said. “I know that there’s been a lot of public pushback when it comes to the designs that they’re looking to try to make our roads a little bit safer. So we’re really looking forward to the process working through and seeing if we can make our roads a little safer.”

Murphy also extended condolences to the victims and their families.

“I just want to extend my deepest condolences,” he said. “It’s never a good thing. And we’re just praying for the families.”

The development highlighted challenges faced by Chinese AI models in serving a growing user base at home and abroad at a time the U.S.-China tech race is heating up.

Chinese open-source, lower-cost advanced AI models, including DeepSeek’s latest V4, have been moving fast in gaining global attention. In early 2025, DeepSeek shook world markets and helped China to be recognized as a serious competitor to the U.S., where Chinese frontier AI models are largely open source, meaning they are made accessible for people to examine and build upon.

“Kimi K3 has received far more love than we expected,” Moonshot AI, which is Beijing-based, wrote in a X post late on Sunday. “Over the past 48 hours, demand has pushed close to the limits of our current capacity.”

Moonshot said that it’s prioritizing existing subscribers and would be temporarily pausing new ones. “We’re adding capacity as fast as we can and will reopen new subscription spots in batches," it added. The AI startup also posted a similar message on Chinese social media.

K3’s public rollout late last week, aiming at challenging more advanced AI models by Anthropic,OpenAI and others, has rattled U.S. rivals. At 2.8 trillion parameters, a measurement of an AI model’s capabilities, it's deemed as the world’s largest open-source AI model.

“New model releases generally trigger massive interest, which can strain existing compute infrastructure,” said Lian Jye Su, a chief analyst at the technology research and advisory group Omdia. “This does show Moonshot AI does not have sufficient compute chips to serve the current surge in demand.”

Su said that the key reason was more likely due to Moonshot not fully anticipating the surge in K3’s popularity. K3 is “very demanding” in terms of compute requirements, he said, making compute allocation challenging and expensive.

By measure of front-end coding capability, a metric for AI models’ performances, Kimi K3 topped the chart of the major advanced AI models in rankings on Arena — an AI model evaluation platform — after its public release.

K3’s release has also put pressure on stocks of American technology titans on worries that more affordable Chinese AI models may undercut the pricing power and demand at the U.S. AI companies, even as U.S.-led restrictions have already barred China from accessing some of the world’s advanced technologies, including the most cutting-edge chips.

K3 is one of the latest new Chinese AI models coming out that have drawn strong global reactions.

Over the weekend, China’s Alibaba also previewed its latest Qwen3.8 Max AI model, which the tech giant said had 2.4 trillion parameters as one of the world’s most powerful models and was second only to Anthropic’s Fable 5. Last month, Chinese startup Zhipu, or Z.ai, also rolled out its GLM-5.2 model, which saw rapid adoption across the world.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo talked to The Associated Press about how his office handles its work and reaches its headline-making conclusions.

Why the cause of death is not always the most obvious option

Perry was found unresponsive in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home in October 2023 and initial reports speculated that he had drowned.

Two months after his death, Ukpo's office determined the main cause of his death was acute toxicity of the surgical anesthetic ketamine and that drowning was a secondary cause.

Some advocates for ketamine, which is increasingly used to treat depression and chronic pain, said drowning should have been deemed the primary cause.

Ukpo said his staffers considered how anyone could drown in a hot tub and concluded Perry would have been able to climb out safely if he hadn't been incapacitated by the drug.

“But for the ketamine, would he have been out of it and unable to rescue himself?” Ukpo said. “That’s why ketamine is the cause of death primarily, and then the drowning contributed.”

Why ‘overdose’ never appears in an autopsy report

“A medical examiner never certifies a death as an overdose. If you look at death certificates, you’ll never see ‘methamphetamine overdose.’” Ukpo said.

“It’s just part of the culture and understanding about how drugs kill people. People can understand ‘overdose,’ but any level of methamphetamine can kill somebody. When you say overdose, it suggests that there’s an appropriate amount that someone can take. This one overdid it,” he said.

“That’s never the message that we give.”

Why toxicology reports take so long

Autopsies are generally performed and initial conclusions reached soon after a body is found, but a report revealing cause of death can take months if a toxicology test is required.

“We want to make sure that we get it right,” Ukpo said. “When someone dies, the blood specimens are different than when you’re at the hospital, so they’re harder to handle. And we also have to have certainty. In the hospital if you do a urine drug test, they tell you within a few hours. And that’s because they’re OK if it’s wrong. They’ll treat you because the treatment for cocaine, it doesn’t hurt. We’ll just assume it’s cocaine and that’s fine. But for us, it’s cause of death and has implications. And so it does take months to come back.”

In some cases, toxicology tests are needed to understand what substance may have killed the person. In others, they're more of a check to assure conclusions are correct.

When the autopsy was performed on Rivas Hernandez, who had been dead for months when her body was found, it was fairly clear she had been stabbed.

“We knew very early on what was going on, particularly defects in the clothing and on the body itself,” Ukpo said. “It’s then we have to do toxicology as due diligence to make sure drugs didn’t also play a role in the death.”

Alcohol was found in her system, but it was produced postmortem.

“When someone dies, the bacteria can then change the glucose into alcohol. And so therefore you have a presence of alcohol, which would appear that it was real, but it was actually produced by a bacteria,” he said. “There are also other interference things that can make things look like they’re positive at the beginning, but then at the later stage are negative. We do confirmation testing.”

Now they'll take on another streaking AL East team as the race for postseason spots begins to simmer.

The Red Sox completed a sweep of division-leading Tampa Bay on Sunday, extending their run to 13 games without a loss. The franchise record is 15 straight wins in 1946. Boston will have a chance to break that this week against a Baltimore team that arrives at Fenway Park on a seven-game winning streak of its own.

With the Aug. 3 trade deadline drawing ever closer, teams on the bubble between buying and selling might make their decisions based on what happens over the next week or so. The Red Sox (50-48) have crept above .500 and now occupy the American League's third wild card. Cleveland, which holds the second wild card, is only a game ahead of Boston.

Seattle is a game behind the Red Sox, and then it's another game back to the Orioles, who took three in a row in Houston. That sweep knocked the Astros to 4 1/2 games behind a playoff spot.

The good news for Houston is that it has more than one path to the postseason. The Astros are actually closer (four games) to the lead in the AL West than they are to a wild card.

Detroit is in a similar spot, and plenty of teams around the league will be watching how the Tigers approach the deadline with star pitcher Tarik Skubal. Detroit is 4 1/2 games out of a wild card, but also just 6 1/2 behind the AL Central-leading White Sox.

Trivia time

The American League beat the National League 4-0 on Tuesday night, and Cody Bellinger became the fourth member of the New York Yankees to win All-Star MVP honors. Who were the other three? (Hint: The All-Star MVP debuted in 1962.)

Performance of the week

Hunter Goodman homered three times in Colorado's 9-6 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. It was the second three-homer game for him in under a month. He also did it at Minnesota on June 27.

He's the first player in Rockies history — which includes plenty of homers — to hit three twice in the same season.

Comeback of the week

Arizona beat St. Louis 8-7 in 10 innings Sunday in a game the Diamondbacks trailed 7-0 in the sixth inning.

The Cardinals allowed two bases-loaded walks during Arizona's three-run sixth. Geraldo Perdomo hit a two-run inside-the-park home run an inning later. A two-run homer by Nolan Arenado tied it in the eighth.

Then St. Louis blundered its way to a scoreless top of the 10th. With men on first and third and nobody out, Jordan Walker hit a broken bat flare to Perdomo at shortstop, who charged the ball and caught it on the fly. Bryan Torres, apparently worried about the ball hitting the ground in front of Walker, was too far off first and got doubled off.

Max Kepler's hit in the bottom of the 10th won it. Arizona's win probability in the sixth was as low as 1.5% according to Baseball Savant. That makes the Diamondbacks' playoff chances — 27.4% according to FanGraphs — seem promising by comparison. Arizona is a half-game behind the Cardinals for the National League's final wild card.

Trivia answer

Giancarlo Stanton in 2022, Mariano Rivera in 2013 and Derek Jeter in 2000.

___

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

That’s according to a new study by home care agency 24 Hour Caregivers, which compared the best overall retirement conditions in all 50 states.

The study analyzed air quality, life expectancy, violent crime, environmental quality, Medicaid spending, the proportion of residents aged 65 and older, and nursing home quality across every state.

Each factor was given equal importance before the results were combined into an index score out of 100.

With all of the Snowbirds who come down to Florida, you might be surprised to learn the Sunshine State didn’t crack the top 10 for the best states to retire, according to the study.

Florida came in at No. 14 with a life expectancy average of 77.9 years, Medicaid spending at $4,948 per enrollee and the fourth-highest percentage of population aged 65 or older (21.8%).

Georgia, on the other hand, ranked ninth among the worst states for retirees, despite a stronger natural-environment rank of 20. The study found that nursing home quality placed 45th, Medicaid spending is just $5,015 per enrollee, and only 15.8% of residents are aged 65 or older.

After Hawaii, most of the rest of the top 10 states for retirees are in the New England area, according to the study:

1. Hawaii
2. Rhode Island
3. New Hampshire
4. Massachusetts
5. Maine
6. Vermont
7. Connecticut
8. New York
9. Minnesota
10. New Jersey

“What stands out about Hawaii is that it ranks first despite comparatively low Medicaid spending, because its life expectancy, natural environment and nursing home quality are all exceptionally strong,” said Allen Tahir, founder and CEO of 24 Hour Caregivers.

On the other hand, a majority of the worst 10 states for retirees, including Georgia, are in the South (ranked worst to best):

1. Oklahoma
2. Texas
3. Louisiana
4. Nevada
5. Arkansas
6. Tennessee
7. Illinois
8. Alabama
9. Georgia
10. New Mexico

“Weaker nursing home quality and lower Medicaid spending often appear alongside poor health or safety outcomes,” Tahir said of the bottom 10. “When several of those factors overlap, families may face fewer good care options and more pressure when support is eventually needed.”

According to the study, 24 Hour Caregivers’ home state of California ranked No. 30 overall.

Methodology & sources:

24 Hour Caregivers compared all 50 US states using seven factors linked to retirement:

• Air quality: Average AQI in 2023, sourced from World Population Review using EPA data. Lower scores were considered better.
• Life expectancy: Life expectancy at birth in 2022, sourced from the CDC and National Center for Health Statistics. Higher figures were considered better.
• Violent crime: Violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, sourced from USAFacts using FBI data. Lower rates were considered better.
• Natural environment: The 2025 U.S. News Natural Environment ranking, sourced from U.S. News & World Report. A lower rank was considered better.
• Medicaid spending: Annual spending per full-benefit enrollee in FY2023, sourced from KFF State Health Facts. Higher spending was treated as a stronger safety net.
• Population aged 65 and older: The share of each state’s population aged 65-plus in 2024, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. Higher percentages were treated as more retiree-friendly.
• Nursing home quality: The U.S. News nursing home quality ranking, sourced from U.S. News & World Report. A lower rank was considered better.

Cleaner air, lower crime and stronger U.S. News rankings were treated as better results. Higher life expectancy, Medicaid spending and 65-plus population figures were also scored more positively.

Each state was ranked from best to worst for every factor. The seven rankings were then weighted equally and combined to create the final order.

The results were converted into an index score out of 100, with a higher score representing better overall conditions for retirement.

The Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida surveyed 848 likely midterm voters from July 8–17.

Initially, 61% said they supported a proposed state constitutional amendment that would begin phasing out some homestead property taxes.

But when voters were told about the budget impact, they decisively rejected the proposal.

After respondents were told estimates indicate its passage could create a roughly $11.8 billion municipal budget shortfall over two years, support fell to 45%, and opposition rose to 47%.

“These numbers show how important the final ballot language will be in determining the outcome of this amendment,” said Sean Freeder, faculty director of the UNF Public Opinion Research Lab.

On other issues, Floridians were split about the general increase in use of artificial intelligence over the past year — 49% supported it and 49% opposed it — but opposed building AI data centers near them: 28% said they would support building a data center in their area and 68% opposed it.

The poll also found Republican Byron Donalds leading Democrat David Jolly by five points and Republican U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody holding double‑digit advantages in paired matchups.

When respondents were asked to choose between Donalds and Jolly as the next Florida governor, 46% said they would vote for Donalds and 41% for Jolly; 6% were undecided.

In U.S. Senate matchups, Moody led Alexander Vindman 50% to 40% and led Angie Nixon 50% to 42%.

President Donald Trump’s overall job approval in the poll was 48%, with 51% disapproving; 46% said they strongly disapproved. Respondents rated Trump’s speech, personality and demeanor less favorably: 39% approved and 60% disapproved.

The UNF PORL poll used a mixed‑mode design of telephone interviews and web surveys and weighted results by education, party registration, age, race and ethnicity, sex and geography. The overall margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. For full crosstabs and methodology, visit unf.edu/coas/porl.

The supersized tournament delivered thrilling action on the field, with upsets, dramatic comebacks, spectacular goals and standout performances by the biggest stars of the game.

It also generated controversy, from political tensions surrounding Iran’s participation to criticism against innovations such as hydration breaks, which were unpopular among many fans.

Here are some key takeaways from the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

More teams, more drama

A newly expanded 48-team format raised concerns about lopsided matches and a lack of jeopardy in the group stage.

Tell that to Cape Verde, Congo and even Curaçao, which all made history and won new fans.

Cape Verde held eventual champion Spain to a draw in its opening game, advanced to the round of 32 and gave Argentina a scare before losing 3-2 in extra time in a World Cup classic. Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha became a breakout star at the age of 40, gaining millions of followers on social media.

Congo also advanced beyond the group stage and pushed England before eventually losing, while Curaçao was still in with a chance of making the knockouts going into its final group match.

FIFA opened its door to more teams and they proved they could compete on soccer's biggest stage. Nonetheless, it was top-ranked nations Argentina, Spain, France and England — all former champions — that made it to the final four.

The big stars delivered

The race for the golden boot became a who's who of the world's top players with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham firing on all cylinders.

Mbappé led the way with 10 goals in the tournament and a record 22 career World Cup goals. Messi had eight at this World Cup and 21 in total.

Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't lead Portugal to success in what he said was his last World Cup, while Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal — the star of the Euros two years ago — had to work his way into the tournament after overcoming injury.

Big tech, big complaints

Video reviews known as VAR were at the center of a number of contentious decisions, ruling out huge goals for Germany, Croatia and Egypt.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan launched a furious tirade after Argentina staged a spectacular comeback from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the round of 16.

“We have suffered injustice,” he said after Egypt had a goal overturned when the score was still 1-0.

Fitted with sensors, the high-tech ball in use at the tournament cost Croatia a dramatic late equalizer against Portugal in the round of 32 when it detected the slightest of touches from Igor Mantanovic and ruled Josko Gvardiol's goal offside.

“All these decisions take the joy out of football,” said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić, who has since stepped down.

Exorbitant ticket prices, but fans still turned up

There were concerns going into the tournament that FIFA's introduction of dynamic pricing would make game tickets unaffordable for average fans. Some critics accused FIFA of a “monumental betrayal."

Official ticket prices on general sale ranged from $140 to $2,735 for group stage matches and up to $8,680 for the final, far beyond the prices at the previous World Cup in Qatar in 2022. After criticism FIFA said it would offer a selection of $60 tickets for every game to the 48 national federations participating.

FIFA's resale market place allowed sellers to list tickets for massively more than face value, including ones for the final for just under $2.3 million. FIFA didn't control resale pricing, but took a cut from sales.

For all the criticism, fans still turned up in big numbers, even for games that didn’t feature marquee teams or players.

After a shaky start when there were empty seats for the game between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, stadium after stadium reported full houses.

Many foreign visitors were impressed by the hospitality they experienced in the U.S.

Hydration breaks a turnoff

FIFA’s new hydration breaks midway through each half — a novelty for this World Cup — prompted loud jeers from fans inside the stadium, while former players were also critical.

"We’re in America, right? So, it’s like it is a timeout,” former Ireland international Roy Keane said on The Overlap podcast.

The breaks were introduced to help players deal with the summer heat, but FIFA stipulated they would occur regardless of the weather, venue or location.

Coaches used them like timeouts to pass on in-game tactical instructions. Broadcasters, meanwhile, used them as an opportunity to take commercial breaks.

It is unclear whether FIFA will implement hydration breaks at future World Cups, but the English Football Association said they were unlikely to be in place for the 2028 European Championship, co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Iran participated despite the war

It’s not unusual for politics and sport to intertwine at the World Cup. This time the biggest political tensions surrounded the national team of Iran.

The war in the Middle East raised doubts about whether the Iranian team would show up at all. It did, but only after moving its base camp from Arizona to Mexico.

Its participation was overshadowed by visa issues, with the U.S. refusing visas to several members of Iran's delegation. The Iranians also complained about travel restrictions, including having to leave the U.S. immediately after each match.

When Iran was eliminated at the group stage, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin made his feelings clear. “I’m just glad they’re done and they’re not coming back,” he said.

Trump's role in focus

While the Trump administration’s travel restrictions on a series of countries prevented some fans from traveling to the U.S., there were no reports of the aggressive immigration enforcement that some human rights groups had feared could take place around World Cup stadiums.

Besides the final, Trump didn't attend any World Cup games. However, his relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino came into sharp focus when U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's one game ban for a red card was suspended ahead of the team's round of 16 game against Belgium.

Trump said he had called Infantino to ask for the decision to be reviewed before FIFA made Balogun eligible to play. FIFA insisted its disciplinary bodies acted independently, but the incident raised question about political interference.

Ultimately, the decision didn't help the U.S. as it lost 4-1 to Belgium.

___

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

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

The Popillia japonica, or Japanese beetle, is a familiar pest in the United States, where it arrived more than a century ago.

But it is a relative newcomer to the European continent, first detected near Milan’s Malpensa airport in 2014. In Italy, it has already swarmed through the northeastern regions of Lombardy, Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, where it appeared last year in terraced vineyards above the town of Donnas.

“We’re seeing the popillia steadily advance from terrace to terrace across our historic vineyards," said Luciano Zoppo Ronzero, a winemaker who produces Nebbiolo from the terraced vines. “We’re now about the 10th terrace and can already see the popillia attacks. This means they’re consuming and gradually moving up the mountain.”

With no natural predators and an appetite covering over 300 plants and trees, the Japanese beetle has made the European Union's list of priority pests, meaning that efforts must be made to contain and eradicate outbreaks.

The beetle is already entrenched in Italy, Switzerland and Germany, where the focus is on managing and containing expansion, while the population levels in France and Spain still allow hopes of eradication, said Daniela Lupi, an entomologist at the University of Milan.

The Japanese beetle is voracious and travels en masse as it feeds. Adult beetles also hitch a ride on trains, cars and airplanes. After spending summer months feasting, the beetles mate and their larvae feed on grasses until reaching maturity, and launch the cycle anew.

The Coldiretti agricultural lobby says the pest poses a major threat to agriculture as it makes its way through the Po River Valley, Italy’s breadbasket. But damage so far has been hard to quantify because often the beetle’s pattern of eating away the pulp of leaves weakens the plant, lowering production, without necessarily killing healthy plants.

“In some areas, the beetle has destroyed the harvest,’’ said Lorenzo Bazzana, the head of economic affairs at Coldiretti. The larvae, known as grubs, also feed on grass roots, damaging lawns, golf courses and playing fields.

Zoppo Ronzero is concerned for both his historic terraced vineyards, carved into the mountainside and stabilized by centuries-old drystone walls, and for his production. By defoliating the vines, the beetles expose grape clusters to the sun while severely reducing the plants’ ability to photosynthesize.

“What scares me is the fact that in the end the grapes don’t ripen. If the grapes don’t ripen, it means we’re not bringing home a splendid harvest, as we had hoped, but something unusable,” Ronzero said.

The best hope for eradicating the pests is attacking the larvae, according to Bazzana. The beetles were recently detected near Verona’s Valerio Catullo airport, and experts are experimenting by introducing a microscopic parasite in the surrounding area to attack the grubs.

Pheromone traps are also widely used, while the wine producers in Donnas are relying on pesticide treatments, even though the effectiveness is short-lived and labor-intensive on the steep terrain.

“If we don’t counter it, the population will continue to rise and so there will be strong damage to the fruits plants, to the grasses, to the ornamental plants,” Lupi, the entomologist, said. “There are no problems for the human population, because they are not so dangerous, but the production is really, really lowered.”

____

Associated Press writer Colleen Barry in Milan contributed to this report.

After starting out as a teacher, she went back to school — and took out more loans — in hopes of landing a higher-paying job in the chemical processing industry. It never materialized, and then came Hurricane Harvey, a job loss and a car breakdown. By 2022, she was so broke she filed for bankruptcy.

She found work at a Texas prison and was rebuilding her life, saving up for weight-loss surgery, when this spring she heard from a credit-monitoring service. The student loans she thought had been discharged in bankruptcy had ballooned to $94,298 with interest, and she had to start making payments. She was in default.

“I absolutely broke down,” said Dreahn, 40.

Across the country, the number of borrowers with defaulted student loans jumped by more than 4.2 million from April 2025 to March 2026, according to an Associated Press analysis. The surge includes many who went off track in 2024, when loan payments started coming due again after a pandemic-era freeze.

Hundreds of thousands more are months behind on payments, and another surge in defaults could be on the way. Millions of borrowers are facing higher monthly payments as the government dismantles its most affordable income-driven repayment option, the SAVE plan, one of several changes the Education Department says are intended to simplify a fragmented system.

Borrowers enter default after missing payments for nine months, and the consequences can upend lives. It hurts credit ratings and can lead to the debt being sent to collections.

“I am seeing despair and outrage and despondency and just a very wide mix of pretty extreme emotions, the likes of which I have not seen before,” said Alan Collinge, the founder of Student Loan Justice and the author of “The Student Loan Scam.”

The federal government can garnish wages and Social Security payments from borrowers in default, but the Trump administration in January walked back plans to begin collections on their loans. A Moody’s Analytics report this spring said garnishments are likely to begin within the next year, warning of “an additional headwind in an increasingly fragile economy.”

Taking out student loans was all too easy

Dreahn enrolled at Texas Woman’s University in 2004 as the first in her family to go to college. She cobbled together jobs, babysitting and working at a call center and an automotive shop. But she still needed to borrow heavily.

“There was one point where they were like, ‘If you don’t come up with the money, we’re dropping you from your classes,’” said Dreahn, who earned a degree in history with an emphasis on education and social studies. “And it was, ‘OK, what do I need to sign?’”

She said no one explained what taking out loans truly meant.

“You just kind of trust these advisers and trust these financial aid people that this is what you’re supposed to do,” Dreahn said.

While teaching, she took out more student loans to earn a pair of associate degrees from a public community college in Texas. She received a job offer at a chemical refinery, but it was rescinded because she was over the weight limit for the company’s safety equipment.

She filed for bankruptcy in 2022 in hopes that it would “erase everything.” She checked her online credit report afterward. For each student loan, the report read: “Nice! You’ve paid off 100% of this loan.” The message is sometimes shared with borrowers when student loans are consolidated or transferred to new companies — even when the person still owes money.

Student loans are rarely discharged in bankruptcy. Borrowers must prove the loans pose an “undue hardship.” The process is cumbersome, and few qualify, advocates say.

But Dreahn didn’t know any of that.

“I was so relieved, like, ‘OK, now I can start life over,’” she said. “'I can save some money.'”

She started working last year as a supervisor at a prison in Huntsville, about 70 miles (115 kilometers) north of Houston, and was living in an RV park to save money when she received the default notice.

“I just feel like, where is that light at the end of the tunnel now that I thought I had?” Dreahn said.

The wave of defaults started after the pandemic

As a pandemic relief measure, the federal government allowed borrowers to suspend student loan payments until 2023, and President Joe Biden's administration then provided a one-year grace period. That ended in fall 2024, allowing loans to enter into default after nine months of missed payments.

A surge in defaults followed, and today around 9.5 million borrowers — over 1 in 5 — are in default, including those whose loans were well past due before the pandemic, according to the AP analysis. The previous record for borrowers in default had been 8 million in December 2019.

There are also 870,000 borrowers with loans between 181 and 270 days late, on the edge of default, according to federal data.

Meanwhile, 33% of borrowers at for-profit schools nationally were at least 90 days late on payments, more than twice the rate of borrowers at public schools, additional federal data shows.

Most private colleges that offer traditional degrees are nonprofit. For-profit colleges generally offer career-focused degrees and credentials and often serve students of color. Career Education Colleges and Universities, an association of private trade schools, has created a task force to reach out to students about the importance of loan repayment, said Jason Altmire, the group's president and CEO.

“We take it seriously,” he said.

Borrowers struggle to make sense of changes

Some borrowers are so overwhelmed by their debt and changes to the federal student loan system that they’ve stopped paying.

Barbara Howaniec, a 63-year-old psychiatric nurse practitioner from Auburn, Maine, already has defaulted. She borrowed around $62,000 for her master’s degree from New York University, graduating in 2001. But after two decades of payments, she still owes around $67,000 with interest. She had put her loans in deferment for short stints while her children were young, unaware that interest would continue to accumulate.

Howaniec had hoped to have her loan forgiven after 25 years under an income-based repayment plan. But then came a letter saying the repayment schedule had changed and she owed 355 more payments. By the time she finished paying, she would be 91.

She made call after call, but she said the advice varied by whoever picked up the phone. Last year, as she paid for her own children’s college, she quit paying her own loans.

“I had already paid what I had borrowed. I’m like, no, I’m not going to pay anymore,” Howaniec said. As a self-employed person, she said she doesn’t have to worry about the government garnishing her wages.

Shannon Khan, a 46-year-old mental health worker from Webster, Texas, hasn’t paid her student loan for two months as she investigates her options.

She did not have to pay anything while enrolled in SAVE, but she was moved last fall to another income-driven repayment plan, with a required monthly payment of $847. She thought she was close to having her remaining balance forgiven, but she recently learned her payment will jump to $1,683 a month — an amount her loan servicer said she will need to pay for nearly a decade.

She has spent hours on the phone trying to get answers.

“It’s just a bunch of chaos and confusion,” Khan said.

Some hunt pathways out of default

Dreahn had never been entirely clear how much she was borrowing when she was a student. As an adult, the process remained opaque. She had multiple loans transferred to different loan servicers. And then her loans were deferred when she went back to school.

“It’s a huge, huge mess,” Dreahn said. “It’s almost like it just gets sold off and you’re just lost in the system somewhere until you figure out that, 'Oh, they want $700 this month. What?'”

Now in default, she hopes she might one day qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. It requires borrowers to make 10 years of payments while working at a nonprofit or for the government.

“I’m trying to figure out: One, how I’m going to make it work. And two, what do I give up?" Dreahn said. "How do I manage buying groceries as well as making sure the bills are covered and this payment never gets missed?”

Lately, she thinks back on the chemical processing plant job she almost got.

“That was a six-figure career that I lost due to my weight,” she said, her voice breaking. “The money that I’m trying to save now that was going to be for surgery is going to be paid to student loans instead.”

___

Associated Press reporter Adriana Morga contributed to this report.

___

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

In most places, cash is king. But in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, having too much is gumming up the machinery of daily life. The Palestinian banking system has more Israeli shekels than it can manage. As a result, paper money has gotten harder for residents to spend and for businesses to put into their accounts.

The excess liquidity stems from a conflict between the Bank of Israel and the Palestinian Monetary Authority, which oversees Palestinian banks and financial institutions. Israel limits the amount of physical currency it takes back from the West Bank. Palestinian officials say the cap has not kept pace with growth and is one mechanism used to keep the territory in a state of economic crisis.

Unlike in Gaza, where years of an almost total blockade have caused cash shortages, banks in the West Bank are running out of vault space to store stacks of shekels. With Bank of Israel refusing to accept more notes and coins, commercial banks can’t convert the money into electronic balances to pay suppliers or process transfers on behalf of their customers.

“The banks have been shackled” in their ability to deal with the crisis, Mohammad Manasra, the deputy governor of the Palestinian Monetary Authority, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “What is being practiced in the West Bank is economic warfare.”

More cash enters the West Bank than Israel allows out

Central banks in most countries take back cash from commercial banks and credit them electronically so they can settle payments and meet customers’ needs. But in the occupied West Bank — where Palestinians have no say over monetary policies guiding the shekel — the economy runs differently.

The territory has relied predominantly on the Israeli shekel for decades and depends on Israel to facilitate trade, collect taxes and process payments for imported goods under agreements dating to the 1990s. A surfeit of cash accumulates because the Palestinian economy runs almost exclusively on physical currency, and more enters from Israel than can exit.

Why? Employers in Israel and its settlements pay Palestinian laborers in cash, and Palestinian citizens of Israel often purchase goods like cigarettes and fuel in the West Bank, bringing in even more shekels. As more cash flows in, the surplus trapped inside Palestinian banks grows, neither earning interest nor getting turned into loans, investments and bill payments.

Israel's cash transfer limit from the West Bank's banking system is 18 billion shekels ($5.9 billion) a year. Banks now accumulate an estimated 30 billion shekels a year, said Moayad Afaneh, an economist who has advised the Palestinian Authority.

In the past, Israeli officials expressed reluctance to accept more, citing concerns that returned money could be linked to laundering, tax evasion or terrorism.

Bank of Israel said in a statement that it follows the current government's policy on how many shekels to accept but that fewer Palestinians have worked in Israel since the war in Gaza started, thereby reducing the cash entering the West Bank.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich 's office did not respond to requests for comment but in September 2025 Smotrich threatened to “use all of the tools” at his disposal to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state, including “economic strangulation.”

Palestinians say Israel limits taking shekel as economic leverage

Israel has imposed a series of measures that have hobbled the West Bank’s economy since Hamas-led militants attacked in October 2023, starting the war in Gaza.

It revoked most work permits for Palestinians who used to work in Israel, cutting off a major source of income in the occupied territory. It has withheld tax and customs revenue collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, which in turn has been unable to fully pay public sector workers — including teachers and hospital staff — for more than a year.

With growing needs for vault space, banks are having to pay to store and insure cash they're unable to offload. They're accepting less from businesses and households, which in turn have to find alternative ways to store cash safely.

The excess shekel problem is “directly affecting the government’s ability and the private sector’s capacity to continue providing services to major industrial sectors and the Palestinian people,” Manasra said.

As an example, he noted most of the West Bank’s fuel and electricity is imported from Israel or purchased from Israeli utilities. When banks have too much of their assets tied up as physical cash, they don't have the funds when their clients — like the Palestinian Authority or West Bank cities — need to transfer payments to import fuel, water and electricity.

Fears of looting by Israeli soldiers conducting increasingly common home raids have made the problem worse, Afaneh, the economist, said. Palestinians are depositing more into banks because they fear soldiers will confiscate it, claiming suspiciously large sums could be used for illicit purposes or terrorism.

Having too much cash on hand also hurts the banks' bottom lines because they can't lend out money like most banks, which today do so electronically. A 2022 International Monetary Fund study estimated excess cash reduced Palestinian banks’ profits by about 20%, a figure Afaneh said is likely much higher today.

Cash-based businesses in the West Bank have money but can't pay suppliers

Inside the Ramallah headquarters of the Al-Huda Group, cigarette smoke and tea steam drift through an office where clerks feed banknotes into machines that spit out neat stacks of counted bills. The company operates filling stations, convenience, grocery and home improvement stores, car washes and other businesses that collect tens of millions of shekels each month.

Stockpiles of money that cash-based businesses can’t deposit because the banks are full has made routine operations and transactions more difficult and expensive, said Hussni Jaber, the executive manager of the Al-Huda Group.

To make electronic payments to Palestinian and foreign suppliers, for example, some businesses have resorted to taking out loans or buying other currencies while also paying more to keep their overabundance of cash on hand safely stored, Jaber said.

When they can't pay their suppliers, some gas stations have to stop filling their pumps. The Palestinian Authority in a statement pointed to the issue when gas stations temporarily closed on Saturday.

Last month, a number of gas station owners coordinated a 30-minute strike across the West Bank, including the 22 operated by Al-Huda, to draw attention to the cash crisis. It has done little to prompt a response.

With their earnings stuck outside the traditional banking system, business leaders fear the cash glut will eventually prevent West Bank companies from being able to import fuel, food and medical supplies from Israel or elsewhere abroad, Jaber said.

“All sectors will collapse if the cash problem is not resolved," he said.

___

Imad Isseid contributed reporting from Ramallah, West Bank.

Now, with the National Hurricane Center monitoring a system in the Gulf that carries a 30% chance of tropical development through Sunday, a local attorney says homeowners and renters across Northeast Florida need to act before the next storm arrives, not after.

“Most people do not think about their legal rights until after the damage is already done,” said Gene Nichols, an attorney with Nichols and Pina in Jacksonville.

Nichols says the first and most important step any homeowner can take right now has nothing to do with sandbags or shutters.

“The best thing that you can do as a homeowner from a legal standpoint is make sure, one, you’ve got your homeowner’s coverage and that it’s up to date,” Nichols said.

He says key things to look for in your policy include whether it covers the full replacement cost of your home, what your deductible is before coverage kicks in, and whether it covers additional living expenses if a storm forces you out of your home temporarily.

Nichols says one of the most common and costly mistakes he sees is homeowners waiting until after a storm to open that policy for the first time.

“You have to check your policy and make sure it covers what you want, or up your policy in case you need it,” he said. “Because while you may go an entire year and you didn’t even have a branch drop, it was worth every penny that you paid insurance in case this happens to be the year.”

Nichols says the next step is documentation. Before any storm moves in, walk your property and record a video of its current condition. And if a storm does hit, document the damage immediately after as well. That before and after footage, he says, becomes your evidence when you file an insurance claim.

What first-time homeowners need to know

That lesson is already hitting close to home for a Jacksonville couple. Olivia and Jon became first-time homeowners and had a tree destroy their house before they ever had the chance to move in. A GoFundMe campaign organized by a friend has raised nearly $2,000 toward their insurance deductible and repair costs.

Nichols says their situation raises a legal question many storm victims never think to ask.

“It’s going to be a question of whether or not there’s any liability on the prior homeowner, or whether it’s going to be an insurance issue,” he said. “The sad thing about it, of course, is they hadn’t even moved in yet.”

He says cases like theirs underscore why understanding your policy before signing closing documents is critical.

“Hopefully they’ve got an insurance company who is going to step up and do the right thing,” Nichols said.

And for anyone worried their coverage will fall short, he offered this.

“No insurance is going to cover all of your losses, but you do everything that you can to make sure you have a policy that is going to cover as much as you possibly can.”

For renters dealing with a broken air conditioner during this week’s dangerous heat, Nichols says your landlord’s legal deadline to respond may depend less on state law and more on what you signed.

“Unfortunately, most renters are in the position of fix it on your own,” he said. “Have documentation. Do not call your friend to come fix your AC. Call a company, call a reputable company, or call a licensed and insured company. And then if your landlord is unwilling to do something about it, number one, you have AC, and then number two, you end up calling a lawyer to go after the landlord.”

He says renters should not assume their landlord has a state mandated deadline to act.

“Any requirement for a landlord to respond appropriately is going to be based upon the lease agreement,” Nichols said.

His advice is to read that lease now, document every call and text with your landlord, and keep every receipt for any repairs you pay for out of pocket.

What’s forming in the Gulf

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a surface low in the northeastern Gulf that carries a 30% chance of tropical development through Sunday. If it develops, it would become the second named Atlantic tropical storm of the 2026 season. The next name on the list is Bertha.

Meteorologists at News4JAX say a dry pocket of air is limiting storm development across much of Northeast Florida today, but interior portions of Southeast Georgia and parts of North Central Florida could still see scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. Heat index values are expected to peak between 100 and 107 degrees.

Residents are urged to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity during peak heat hours, and monitor updates on the Gulf system through the weekend.

How to help

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Olivia and Jon cover their insurance deductible and out-of-pocket repair costs.

The two-way superstar received a lubricant injection just before the All-Star break last week and had been expected to pitch Wednesday in Philadelphia against the Phillies.

Ohtani, however, still didn’t feel 100% while playing catch this weekend, so he and the Dodgers decided not to even test the knee with a bullpen session.

The four-time MVP hasn't pitched since July 3, when he threw a season-high 110 pitches over six innings in a no-decision against San Diego. Now, it's unclear when he'll return to the mound.

“I would say that it’s going to be some time,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday before his team split a day-night doubleheader with the New York Yankees. “It's not going to be a day-to-day thing.”

Roberts reiterated that Ohtani feels no knee pain when hitting. The slugger went 2 for 5 with two RBIs and a run during an 8-2 victory in the opener Sunday, and was back in the leadoff spot as the designated hitter for the nightcap.

“We just want to continue to give it the best chance to kind of get in a good spot,” Roberts said. “As he said, as we feel, it’s the pitching and the torque on landing on that leg. That kind of gets it upset. So I think that hitting doesn’t do that. So I think that for us, we’re trying to give it as much time as possible.”

Ohtani went 1 for 4 with an infield single in the nightcap and struck out with two runners aboard in the eighth inning of a 2-1 loss. He also threw in the outfield between games and ended a long day at Yankee Stadium feeling fine.

“Overall, I think a good day for Shohei,” Roberts said.

The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers have the best record in the majors at 63-37 and an 11 1/2-game lead in the NL West. Roberts indicated that's playing into the team's approach with Ohtani, who skipped the All-Star Game last Tuesday in Philadelphia to treat and rest his balky knee.

The right-hander has been dealing with the ailment for more than a month. He had an outing cut short against Pittsburgh on June 11 because of inflammation in the knee.

“I think for us, it’s more like we’ve done many times over, erring on the side of caution,” Roberts explained. ”A lot of it is where we’re at and how we put ourselves in a good spot in the sense of, could he probably do it? Sure. But right now the benefits don’t seem to outweigh the cost of this time in the season. So I think that we still have plenty of time to kind of get him in a good spot.”

Roberts said he's sure Ohtani will return to the mound this year.

"If it’s two weeks or three weeks then that’s kind of why we’re trying to do this, so we don’t have to worry about it throughout the end of the season,” Roberts said.

Emmet Sheehan had been expected to start during the Yankees series, but his next outing was pushed back to Monday night in Philadelphia.

Los Angeles is off Thursday this week and Monday next week, providing some short-term flexibility in the rotation while left-hander Blake Snell works his way back from an injury.

Snell, sidelined since his season debut on May 9 because of loose bodies in his left elbow, made a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Oklahoma City and threw 32 pitches in 1 1/3 innings. He’s expected to pitch again Friday and will need to get up to about five innings and 75 pitches in the minors before returning to the big league rotation, Roberts said.

“I think that once we moved Emmet, the rotation can keep going forward without Shohei for the time being. I can’t speak for how long that’s going to be,” Roberts said.

“He was on the schedule when we broke for the All-Star break and then it was more of the training staff talking to him about, `Hey, coming out of the break, how does Wednesday look? How do you feel? If you don’t feel 100%, we have the opportunity to kick the can,'" Roberts added. "I think it’s more driven by the organization saying, hey, if you’re not 100% right, we don’t have to do this.”

Ohtani is batting .290 with 22 homers, 60 RBIs and a .938 OPS. He is 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings over 14 starts on the mound and has won his past six decisions.

“When he does swing the bat, it’s the back knee versus the land knee where you’re kind of driving off of it to create torque when you pitch,” Roberts said. "And so there’s no feeling of any sensation or any reason why we feel he's got to stop hitting.”

___

AP freelance writer Larry Fleisher contributed to this report.

___

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

Logano snapped a 45-race winless streak Sunday night with a dominant victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway in the first points race at the 0.625-mile track in 30 years.

After Logano wrapped up a lengthy on-track burnout, Denny Hamlin approached him and dabbed him up out of respect. Hamlin spent the second part of the race doing everything he could to catch Logano, but it proved fruitless.

The No. 22 Ford was too dominant. Logano led 323 of 450 laps.

“It’s wildly, wildly impressive what he did,” Hamlin said. “I thought it was a really impressive drive from him, how he maneuvered through (lapped) traffic and did everything we know Joey to do.”

It was Logano's 38th career Cup win, and his first since May 2025 at Texas.

The 36-year-old Logano also extended his streak of winning at least one race to 15 consecutive seasons, the longest among active drivers. The late Kyle Busch holds the record, winning in 19 straight seasons (2005-2023).

"A win anywhere at this point would have sounded great, but coming here and doing it at North Wilkesboro is awesome,” Logano said.

Hamlin finished second, followed by Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs and Shane Van Gisbergen.

It was a huge win for Logano, who entered the race outside of the top 16 in the Chase for the playoffs. He's now inside the cutline in 15th place.

“I feel like I know exactly what I need to go fast around this place,” said Logano, who won the 2024 All-Star race here in dominant fashion. “I knew coming this weekend that we’ve got to capitalize on the points.”

The track, built in 1947, sat mostly dormant for a quarter of a century following its last points race in on Sept. 29, 1996.

Speedway Motorsports undertook the monumental task of refurbishing it, including clearing the weeds and trees growing up through the middle of the racetrack. NWS hosted the All-Star race from 2023-25.

In-Season Challenge to be settled next week

Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland have reached the finals of the $1 million NASCAR In-Season Challenge. Blaney defeated Christopher Bell head-to-head in the semifinals on Sunday night, while Gilliland topped Chase Elliott.

The champion will be decided next Sunday in Indianapolis at the Brickyard 400 with the driver finishing higher in the race awarded the $1 million prize.

Bowman takes out Reddick while entering the pits

Tyler Reddick got caught up a wreck on lap 184 when Alex Bowman cut him off as he was attempting to go from the top row down into pit row, spinning out the No. 45.

Bowman told his crew chief, “I thought I had hole but maybe I didn’t.”

A tough night for pole-sitter Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney, who won last week at Atlanta, was set to start on the pole based on metrics after qualifying was rained out on Saturday. Instead, he was forced to start the race at the rear of the field after his No. 12 Ford Mustang had a power steering pump issue.

Things only got worst for the 2023 Cup Series champion after he received a speeding penalty on pit row on lap 365, dropping him out of the top five and costing him 15 positions.

Up next

The Cup Series heads to Indianapolis next week for the Brickyard 400. Bubba Wallace captured his first crown jewel event last year after Austin Cindric blew a tire.

___

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