The strong shaking sent people fleeing into open areas in and around Palu, a city of about 400,000 people and the capital of Central Sulawesi province. Several hospitals evacuated patients, some with IV drips, outdoors as a safety measure.

Images from the area showed heavily damaged structures with partially collapsed roofs, shattered walls and debris scattered across the streets. The National Disaster Management Agency said information on the damage, possible casualties and displaced people was still being gathered.

“We have evacuated all guests from the hotel, including several guests who remained in their rooms,” said Effendi Natali, a general manager of a four-star hotel in Palu.

“They all panicked, which is a natural reaction during an earthquake, but everyone is safe,” Natali said, adding that the hotel sustained only minor damage.

The initial quake was centered 43 kilometers (27 miles) east-southeast of Palu, and the U.S. Geological Survey said it was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep. Several aftershocks followed, the strongest being 5.2 magnitude.

People also moved away from coastal areas as a precaution if the quake set off a tsunami. Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami but warned aftershocks could continue.

“The earthquake shaking was extremely strong,” Palu resident Muhtar Ahmad said. “We are still traumatized by the previous earthquake, so we chose to remain outside because we are afraid that aftershocks may continue.”

Indonesia is crossed by several seismic faults, and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common.

Many Sulawesi residents are haunted by the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that devastated Palu in 2018, setting off 3-meter (10-foot) high tsunami and a phenomenon called liquefaction in which soil collapses into itself. More than 4,000 people were killed, including many who were buried when whole neighborhoods were swallowed in the falling ground.

In January 2021, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake near the city of Mamuju on Sulawesi island left at least 100 people dead, with thousands sleeping outdoors for days out of fear of aftershocks.

Trump said he would focus again on Ukraine following a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron shortly after arriving late Monday in the lakeside spa town.

“Now that this (Iran) is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that,” Trump said.

Macron said he will seek to persuade Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to help reach a peace agreement more than four years after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the war. Trump said he had good conversations on Sunday with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is attending the summit at France’s invitation.

The leaders also will have a working session focused on ending crises and ensuring stability in the Middle East. They are expected to discuss the global economic crisis resulting from the war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will join the talks.

Shortly before his arrival, Trump announced an agreement to end the 3 1/2-month-old U.S. war against Iran.

The G7 includes France, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. Guest nations at this summit include Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, South Korea, Qatar, Ukraine and the UAE.

Here is the latest:

Zelenskyy arrives at summit venue

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the morning working session with G7 leaders to discuss the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.

Crow-Armstrong completed the first cycle by a major leaguer this season with a seventh-inning single Monday night, then was promptly picked off first base by Colorado Rockies reliever Brennan Bernardino in a one-run game.

“My excitement was a little short-lived,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell quipped after his team scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 win.

Crow-Armstrong, who was a single short of the cycle Saturday in San Francisco, hit a leadoff home run in the first inning, tripled off the wall on almost the same trajectory in the third and doubled down the right-field line in the fifth.

When he came up again to lead off the seventh, the 24-year-old said he was more prepared for the moment than he might have been earlier in his career, or even earlier this season.

“Earlier, it probably made me a little nervous," Crow-Armstrong said. "I felt like I ‘had to’ instead of ‘I get to' hit in this really cool moment with this crowd of 40,000 pulling for me. I think I'm learning to use that to my advantage instead of me shaking in my boots when I'm up there and wanting to get the job done so badly. It's also a regular thing at Wrigley. That happens a lot."

With both Crow-Armstrong and the crowd fully aware of what was at stake, Crow-Armstrong lined a 1-1 fastball from Bernardino to right to finish the 13th cycle in Cubs history and only the second since 1993.

Just two Cubs center fielders have hit for the cycle since 1901: Crow-Armstrong on Monday and Wilson on June 23, 1930.

Crow-Armstrong was asked what that sort of history means to him.

“I know it’s a rare feat," he said. “It’s hard to answer questions like those when the game just ended and I’m processing a lot. Maybe I’ll have a better answer tomorrow.”

Crow-Armstrong also added a key sacrifice fly in the eighth to cut the Rockies' lead to 4-3.

“I absolutely put up great at-bats tonight and I’m proud of the production that I’ve helped have over the past few weeks,” he said. “But you saw it tonight: The game’s not over until it’s over. I did everything I could to help the team. But I also had a real lapse in focus and that really could have hurt us tonight. That’s what I’m talking about. Not going to dwell on that. Something so simple as someone gets in your ear and says that can’t ever happen again, and it can’t ever happen again.”

Crow-Armstrong has a 19-game on-base streak dating to May 26, hitting safely in 18 of those games. He's batting .402 with seven doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 12 RBIs during that span.

“Watching him every day, he's a player who overcomes your imagination,” Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga said through an interpreter.

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

Jimmy Crooks had a two-run double and Alec Burleson added an RBI double for the Cardinals, who won for the eighth time in 11 games.

May (5-6) struck out nine and walked one. He threw 69 of his 101 pitches for strikes during his first complete game in 71 major league starts.

The 28-year-old right-hander didn’t allow a baserunner until he walked Fernando Tatis Jr. to begin the seventh. Manny Machado singled one out later, putting runners at the corners, but Gold Glove shortstop Masyn Winn turned a nifty double play on Gavin Sheets’ grounder up the middle to keep it 3-0.

May struck out the side in the sixth and eighth. He became the first Cardinals starter to get an out in the eighth inning this year and the first to go the distance since Sonny Gray threw a one-hitter against the Guardians on June 27 last season.

It was the ninth complete game and sixth individual shutout in the majors this season.

Center fielder Jackson Merrill robbed Burleson of a home run against Lucas Giolito leading off the fourth. Giolito retired eight in a row before Lars Nootbaar and Winn had two-out singles. Crooks followed with a double to left-center for a 2-0 lead.

Iván Herrera walked with two outs in the fifth and advanced on a wild pitch before scoring on Burleson's double.

Giolito (2-2) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings of relief after opener Wandy Peralta pitched a scoreless first. Kyle Hart gave up one hit over two innings.

Hart was recalled from Triple-A El Paso when the Padres placed closer Mason Miller on the bereavement list. Miller, who leads the majors with 19 saves, will miss the series.

Padres manager Craig Stammen served a one-game suspension after Major League Baseball ruled that reliever Ron Marinaccio intentionally hit Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson with a pitch on Saturday. Marinaccio received a three-game suspension, but he appealed and remains eligible to pitch.

Up next

Padres RHP Michael King (4-5, 3.46 ERA) starts Tuesday opposite Cardinals RHP Andre Pallante (7-4, 3.88).

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

Chicago trailed 4-3 in the ninth inning before Pedro Ramírez hit an RBI single off Seth Halvorsen with the bases loaded and nobody out. Matt Shaw then walked on five pitches to force home the winning run.

Cole Carrigg's three-run homer off Caleb Thielbar in the eighth, his third home run in seven big league games, gave the Rockies a 4-2 lead. Crow-Armstrong's sacrifice fly in the bottom half pulled Chicago within one.

Crow-Armstrong extended his on-base streak to 19 games with his second leadoff home run in three games, a 434-foot shot center field off Michael Lorenzen.

Crow-Armstrong led off the third with a triple to center. He doubled in the fifth and singled leading off the seventh for the 13th cycle in Cubs history and second since 1993.

A triple short of a cycle on Saturday, Crow-Armstrong joined Hack Wilson (1930) as the only Cubs center fielders to hit for the cycle since 1901.

Crow-Armstrong finished 4 for 4 with two RBIs but only scored once as the Cubs went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position until the ninth. He was picked off first base by Brennan Bernardino after his single.

Daniel Palencia (2-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the Cubs (38-35).

Juan Mejia (1-6) took the loss for the Rockies (27-46).

Chicago starter Shota Imanaga allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings. He was lifted with two on before reliever Phil Maton walked Carrigg to force home Colrado's first run.

With the score tied 1-all in the sixth, Shaw tripled into the right-field corner to score Moises Ballesteros from first.

Ramírez entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth.

Up next

Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (2-2, 5.20 ERA) starts Tuesday against Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (4-3, 4.86).

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

The sheriff's office in Grand County, Utah, confirmed one of the dead was Andy Lewis, an extreme athlete known for feats in BASE jumping, a dangerous sport that involves parachuting to the ground after jumping from a tall fixed object such as a building, a bridge or a desert cliff overlooking a deep canyon.

The victims had been conducting a tandem jump in which two people are harnessed together, according to a social media post by Aerial Arts Moab, an acrobatics company that described Lewis as “co-owner and best friend.”

Lewis also owned BASE Jump Moab, a business that offered tandem jumps to inexperienced customers who would be harnessed to a guide wearing the parachute. Promotional videos on the company’s website show pairs of people stepping off the edges of towering cliffs and briefly plummeting before their parachutes open.

In BASE jumping circles, Lewis had a huge following and a reputation for pushing the envelope — leaping into tighter spaces or deploying his parachute later than his peers would dare, said John McEvoy, a BASE jumping instructor in Twin Falls, Idaho, who has jumped with Lewis.

“He had an incredible level of athleticism and skill that was developed over years of practice,” McEvoy said. “But then he would take an incredible amount of risk.”

Grand County Sheriff Jamison Wiggins confirmed the other person who was killed was Danny Joe Kregle, a 68-year-old father and grandfather who was described by a family member as an accomplished businessman.

“Danny had a wonderful sense of humor and was always looking for ways to make people laugh,” relative Sydney Laverty told The Times-Independent. “One of his greatest joys was performing magic tricks alongside his granddaughter.”

Lewis' other sport made him an overnight celebrity, thanks to Madonna

Lewis was also a prominent figure in the niche sports of slacklining and tricklining, which combine elements of high-wire walking with aerial acrobatics — sometimes at perilous heights.

He went from obscure athlete to overnight celebrity when he appeared onstage in Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl halftime show. Dressed in a Roman toga, Lewis bounced and executed tricks on his inch-wide line like it was a trampoline while Madonna sang behind him.

“My phone actually rang itself to death three days in a row,” Lewis said soon afterward in an appearance on Conan O’Brien’s late night show.

Emergency responders were dispatched Sunday to a report of people injured in a BASE jumping attempt at Mineral Bottom, a remote desert area near the Utah-Colorado line, according to the sheriff's office.

BASE jumping is far more dangerous than skydiving

Though there's no official tally of BASE jumping deaths, a list compiled by the website BASEaddict.com shows 540 total fatalities worldwide since 1981 — including 30 people killed last year. Prominent deaths include BASE jumper Dean Potter and his climbing partner, Graham Hunt, who were killed in 2015 while attempting a wingsuit flight in California's Yosemite National Park.

A study focused on BASE jumping in Norway, published in a medical journal in 2007, estimated that BASE jumping carried risks of injury or death five to eight times greater than skydiving.

Lewis openly acknowledged the sport’s inherent danger.

“It’s weird to think about how many people are dead, because it’s like a normal thing,” Lewis told documentary filmmaker Ella Warnick in an interview published last year.

Tandem BASE jumping carries additional risk because it straps together two people, one of whom generally lacks experience, under a single parachute, McEvoy said. But because they involve novices, they also tend to be the most low-risk, basic types of jumps.

“Within BASE, it’s a very controversial topic,” McEvoy said. “There’s a lot of people who say it's the stupidest thing in the world and others arguing: `No, we’re giving people the experience of their lives.'”

No one immediately returned phone, text and Facebook messages left Monday for BASE Jump Moab.

Lewis won four straight world championships in competitive slacklining from 2008 through 2011. Lewis set a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing, swaying his feet side to side in a rocking motion that mimics surfing, while keeping his balance above China's Diaoshuilou waterfall in 2011.

In 2014, he walked a slackline suspended between two hot air balloons more than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above the Nevada desert.

Cody Campbell, the billionaire booster who is chairman of the Texas Tech regents, wrote in an open letter Monday night that Sorsby will not be part of the team.

“This decision was made with Brendan and his family and is purely an output of practical analysis of the situation,” Campbell wrote. “Brendan and Texas Tech stand on very solid and legitimate legal ground, but he faces a June 22nd deadline to be eligible to enter the NFL’s supplemental draft, and there is no practical way to resolve all the various pending legal disputes and ensure his eligibility prior to this date. This is the only viable and fair path for Brendan and his future, as well as for his teammates, and our university.”

That came exactly one week before the deadline for Sorsby to apply for the NFL supplemental draft.

And it was also one week after Sorsby was granted a temporary injunction against the NCAA, an order that sent shockwaves through college sports because one of the NCAA’s foundational rules, and one found in many professional sports as well, is the ability to ban players for gambling — especially those wagering on games involving their own team.

All the legal wrangling had raised the stakes in the fight over whether Sorsby could play and who would decide that.

Sorsby's decision came on the same day the NCAA and Big 12 had filings in separate courts challenging a temporary injunction that had cleared the way for the 22-year-old quarterback to play despite being declared ineligible after he admitted making thousands of bets worth at least $90,000 while in college. Those included at least 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman there in 2022, though none on the game in which he played for the Hoosiers that season.

Sorsby didn't play a down for the defending Big 12 champion Red Raiders. He transferred to Texas Tech in January for a reported multimillion-dollar deal after playing the past two seasons at Cincinnati, another Big 12 school. The Texas native was at Indiana in 2022 and 2023.

Campbell, while not revealing any figures, said Texas Tech will not seek the return of any payments already made to Sorsby through his NIL agreements with the university.

While it was Sorsby and not Texas Tech who filed the suit against the NCAA that resulted in the injunction, school officials had repeatedly said he would be better off on the team for his mental health and well being.

“I am grateful for the support from my family, my Tech coaching staff, teammates, the community, and so many others who have encouraged me to address and learn more about this important issue,” Sorsby wrote in a social media post Monday night. “As my journey continues, I remain fully committed to and focused on being the best I can be, both on and off the field.”

Court testimony revealed Sorsby has a diagnosed addiction and anxiety-driven compulsion. He recently completed a monthlong stay in a residential treatment program in Arizona that he entered after Texas Tech was notified in April about an NCAA investigation into his gambling activity.

“I pray that he can stay on his path to recovery,” Campbell wrote. “Texas Tech will continue to provide the support and recovery resources Brendan requires on this journey.”

In a joint statement, Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec and Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt also said the school would still extend all available resources to Sorsby that he had while on the Lubbock campus.

“When Brendan’s lawsuit resulted in the granting of a temporary injunction, we found ourselves in a difficult situation. With his health and wellness as our top priority, we supported him in spite of very different perspectives and opinions. Our position was challenged by many but our support for him never changed," they wrote.

The ruling last week by Judge Ken Curry prevented the NCAA from being able to block the quarterback's eligibility for what would have been his final college season with a team among the favorites to win the Big 12 Conference and return to the College Football Playoff for a second consecutive season.

The NCAA's appeal

In documents filed Monday with the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas at Amarillo, the NCAA asked for an emergency motion to stay the June 8 injunction. The NCAA had also asked for a resolution of the case by Aug. 28, which it said would spare the potential disruption of a ruling after Texas Tech begins its season on Sept. 5. The trial was scheduled for February, well after the season ends.

“The trial court’s temporary injunction sweeps beyond anything Texas law permits,” attorneys for the NCAA wrote. “It undermines the integrity of college sports, rewrites member-adopted rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, immunizes Brendan Sorsby from discipline for admitted and serial violations of NCAA anti-gambling rules, incentivizes a run on courthouses across the country to challenge even the most obvious and straightforward student-athlete eligibility decisions and demolishes the status quo.”

Big 12 goes to federal court

The Big 12, meanwhile, filed its complaint in U.S. District Court in Dallas seeking a court order backing its ability to use its bylaws for possible sanctions against Texas Tech if Sorsby had played this season. Last week, the Texas attorney general’s office warned the league of potential legal action from Texas Tech for any such sanctions.

The Big 12 filing names Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee in the U.S. Senate race this fall, as well as Texas Tech leadership, including its president, chancellor and athletic director. It accused them of trying to prevent the Big 12 from exercising its own rules the school itself agreed to long ago. Sorsby wasn’t named as a defendant.

“An athlete with an extensive, documented history of wagering on intercollegiate athletic contests — especially his own team’s games — presents a reputational and integrity risk to the conference and its championship competition that the conference has both the right and the responsibility to address,” attorneys for the Big 12 wrote. “The conference is not required to accept that risk on behalf of its 15 other member Institutions, their student-athletes, their fans and its commercial partners. And no government official has the power to compel it to do so.”

That came before a meeting Monday of the Big 12 board of directors, which is made up of presidents and chancellors from the league’s 16 schools.

In a statement by the board after that meeting, the Big 12 said it “has long spoken out about the dangers of sports wagering by student-athletes and remains committed to protecting the competitive integrity of conference competition. Universities should not field players who have bet on their own team’s games in college athletics.”

Big 12 athletic directors in a conference call with Commissioner Brett Yormark last week expressed opposition to Sorsby playing for the Red Raiders this season, and some even suggested maybe not playing Texas Tech if he had.

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

Coach Amir Ghalenoei didn't say who ordered the Iranians to leave earlier than planned. The team had expected to spend the night in California to maximize the normal recovery process after its opening game, only to be told after the match that everyone must immediately get on a plane for the 140-mile trip back to Tijuana.

“They didn’t even give us time to recover,” Ghalenoei said through an interpreter. “After the game today, they said to us, ‘You have to leave immediately.’ It’s very important for us to have time for recovery, (but) we are asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana, and we are really troubled by that.”

The Iranians’ World Cup cycle has been in upheaval since the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran on Feb. 28. Iran ultimately decided to compete even after FIFA rejected its request to move its three group-stage matches out of the U.S.

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi said the team endured five hours of travel and security checks during what's normally a very short trip from Tijuana to the Los Angeles area on Sunday.

“We don’t know why they are returning us, to be honest,” Ghalenoei said. “I think it’s very strange. It seems like others are doing the planning for us. The decision-making for us is being made elsewhere. We were supposed to come two nights before the game, and we were supposed to stay tonight to recover and return tomorrow at lunchtime. We have no idea why.

"I think our team is perhaps the most oppressed in the World Cup.”

Taremi and Ghalenoei both decried the team's lack of many important staff members — including the president of Iran's football federation, coaching support personnel and media officials — who were denied visas by the U.S., amplifying the team's difficult preparations.

“We have to leave Los Angeles right now, and it’s not good for us,” Taremi said about an hour after the match. “I think FIFA have to help us more than this. ... Everything is like a disaster, actually, for us.”

Ghalenoei said several players developed cramps during the game, which was played in mild conditions. He attributed the injury problems to the lack of proper preparation time caused by Iran's bureaucratic and diplomatic obstacles.

“Before the game, I said we haven’t had time to adjust because of the travel,” Ghalenoei said. “Many of our players, they had cramps, and that’s why we had to substitute them. So it wasn’t for technical reasons that we made substitutions. It was because of the injury and because of the cramp. They will be examined (Tuesday) by our technical staff, but the fact they delayed our arrivals and they are forcing us to go back early without time for recovery, they are making the situation more difficult."

The Iranians’ remaining two games in group stage play are against Belgium in Inglewood on Sunday, followed by a trip to Seattle to face Egypt next week.

Iran opened its World Cup with a disappointing draw to a team ranked 65 places lower in FIFA's rankings. Yet the Iranians also overcame two deficits in an exciting match, getting the tying goal from Mohammad Mohebi in the 64th minute before a strongly pro-Iranian crowd at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, which has the world’s largest population of Iranians outside Iran.

The game was played in a crackling atmosphere created in part by a conflicted, diasporic fan base which remains furious with the current Iranian government, but is still largely supportive of Team Melli.

While several hundred Iranian Americans protested the government outside, many fans from the diaspora jeered and turned their backs on the field during the national anthem. Dozens of Lion and Sun emblems — the centerpiece of Iran’s official flag before 1979 — were displayed in the crowd despite FIFA’s attempts to keep them away, while dozens more fans wore the Lion and Sun emblems on T-shirts.

Yet the vast majority of the crowd vocally supported the Iranian players once the match kicked off.

“It was an incredible atmosphere in the game, all 90 minutes,” Taremi said. “It was like at home for us.”

Elijah Just scored early in each half for New Zealand, but Iran responded twice with a pair of beautiful goals, including Mohebi’s header off a perfect pass from Ramin Rezaeian, who had scored off the side of his boot in the first half.

Mohebi appeared to mime the shooting of a gun after his goal, setting off criticism online. He also made the now-ubiquitous “ice in my veins” gesture originated 10 miles away from SoFi Stadium by Los Angeles Lakers rookie D’Angelo Russell a decade ago, before he held up a heart to the cheering fans.

“The Iranians who live in Los Angeles, they make a great atmosphere,” Mohebi said. “That celebration, it comes in the mind, and I did like this" — motioning to his arm — "for all the fans. Just a celebration.”

Players from both teams embraced and shook hands after the final whistle, with at least one jersey swap occurring. While Ghalenoei sat by himself in the dugout, his players gathered together and walked around the field applauding their remaining thousands of flag-shaking, roaring fans.

Both of Iran’s next two matches are tougher on paper, endangering their chances of getting out of the World Cup group stage for the first time. Iran, Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand have one point apiece after the opening round.

“We’re facing more hurdles, but we’re not going to let that stop us from doing our best,” Ghalenoei said. “I think today was one of the best games in the World Cup so far, and I think the fans really enjoyed it inside the stadium and outside the stadium.”

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Associated Press writer Amy Taxin and AP Sports Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report.

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

Iran's participation in the World Cup has been beset by challenges since the war's outbreak, dividing the community in the United States. Fans cheered and booed loudly while Iran's national anthem was played at the game against New Zealand, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Some spectators held large lion-and-sun flags in the front rows just hours after a court upheld FIFA's ban on the flags.

Outside the stadium, demonstrators contended the team is synonymous with Tehran's government, while fans, their cheeks striped with red-and-green face paint, filed past, saying they were separating soccer from politics. At one point, protesters snatched an official Iran flag from a fan and stomped on it and ripped it.

Southern California is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran, many who arrived after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Rameileh Jaffrey, 46, of Los Angeles, left Iran a dozen years ago and said she feels the team’s players are aligned with the current government in Iran.

“They are not my team. They are a government team,” she said.

When soccer and geopolitics collide

Event security broke up shouting matches between protesters and fans before and after the match, and were joined by sheriff’s deputies shortly before kickoff. A woman protesting jeered Kia Keanh and his family as they walked by wearing T-shirts supporting the team.

“I’m just here to watch the sport, it’s not about the regime,” he said. “I’m just here for a World Cup game, to enjoy it with my family.”

Some of the demonstrators also went inside the stadium to see the team play, like 42-year-old Ella Bah, who brought extra clothing to conceal the lion-and-sun flag she wore tied around her like a dress.

“We’re not here to cheer them on,” she said. “We’re here to be the voice for the people inside Iran.”

Iran's participation in the tournament has been fraught with conflict because of the country's war with U.S. and Israeli forces. Late Sunday, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. had reached a deal with Iran to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz. The war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28 has rattled the region and virtually shut down oil and natural gas shipments from the Persian Gulf.

After the war's outbreak, the team moved its training base to Mexico from Tucson, Arizona, and some of the country's soccer officials were not granted visas to enter the United States. Many in the diaspora have mixed feelings over how to show their support of the Iranian people, but not the government.

After the game, Iran captain Mehdi Taremi said the support from Iranian fans in the stadium made it feel like a home game.

“It was an incredible atmosphere in the game, all 90 minutes,” he said. “It was like at home for us.”

He said he preferred to talk about soccer, not politics, and wants to see the Iranian people united in Iran and outside of Iran.

Iran's coach, Amir Ghalenoei, said the team was ordered to leave the U.S. and return to its training base in Mexico only a few hours after the game ended. The team had expected to spend the night in California to recover, and Ghalenoei didn’t say who ordered the Iranians to leave earlier than planned.

A wide range of views

Kourosh Safavi, 42, traveled to see Iran play from Dallas with his 11-year-old son Jibreel. While he was born in the U.S, Safavi said he wanted to cheer on the country of his ancestors, where soccer means so much.

“They’re playing for the people, and I just hope and pray that they have success, that they can bring the people in Iran happiness,” he said.

Still in their street clothes, many of the Iranian players walked onto the field nearly two hours before kickoff. Thousands of fans already in the building greeted them with loud cheers and whistles.

Some fans said the large Iranian American crowd in Los Angeles made it feel like Iran had the support of a home team. New Zealand fans were also in attendance, and other spectators wore soccer jerseys from countries spanning from Mexico to Croatia.

Some Iranian American soccer fans said they don't support the squad because they believe it is tied up in politics. In the past, Iranian athletes have faced serious consequences for speaking out. In 2022, a prominent former member of the national team was arrested for allegedly protesting against the country’s leadership, and star striker Sardar Azmoun wasn’t selected for this year's World Cup squad, reportedly because of a social media post that angered authorities.

The flag question

The controversy also has been playing out in a push by Iranian Americans to be allowed to carry the lion-and-sun flag at World Cup games. The Iranian American Institute for Voices for Liberty filed a lawsuit last week to try to circumvent FIFA's ban on the pre-revolutionary flag at matches.

Despite a judge upholding the ban, fans held up large lion-and-sun flags in the front rows of the stadium during Monday's game. Others carried the official flag of Iran.

Parsa Ezati, 21, and his mother brought the official Iranian flag to the protest outside the stadium so people could stomp on it. Many passersby took the opportunity to walk over it, some giving it an extra scuff or taking a minute to spit on it.

“It represents the ayatollahs that killed so many Iranians and have massacred people in my generation,” Ezati said. “FIFA only accepts this flag on the floor.”

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AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham contributed to this report.

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

This time Hilton was speaking in support of two families who filed lawsuits Monday alleging that their children were mistreated at Provo Canyon School, the same facility where Hilton spent almost a year in the late 1990s. The hotel heiress and media personality alleges staff members beat her, watched her shower, fed her unknown pills and locked her in solitary confinement without clothing.

“I dreamed of becoming strong enough, successful enough and powerful enough to come back and be the hero that I needed when I was a little girl locked inside,” Hilton said. “Today is that day, and I am not backing down.”

The school is now under new ownership, and the administration has said it can’t comment on anything that came before the change, including Hilton’s time there.

Hilton, 45, called on Utah licensors to shut down the school. She has testified about her experiences there in Congress and state legislatures around the U.S., helping pass laws to protect teens in Utah and 15 other states. Utah has long played an outsized role in the troubled teen industry, a network of private, for-profit residential centers for children with behavioral issues.

State health officials imposed temporary restrictions on Provo Canyon School in May, saying the staff did not seek immediate medical care for a student with serious injuries. The restrictions, which include a prohibition on accepting new clients, are set to end Thursday.

Aleah Corona, the mother of the injured student, alleged in Monday's lawsuit that the school did not immediately help the 13-year-old after another resident slammed his head on the ground. The boy ended up with a fractured jaw and a traumatic brain injury, she said. Another family alleged their daughter had severe stomach pain and nausea for more than a week before the school sought proper medical attention. She then experienced kidney failure, their lawsuit alleges.

The school said it could not comment on specific cases due to patient privacy laws.

“At Provo Canyon School, the safety, dignity, and well-being of those entrusted to our care are our highest priorities,” the school said in a statement.

Hilton strutted toward the campus in Springville with her middle fingers raised, telling The Associated Press she refused to be intimidated by a place where she once feared for her life every day.

She warned that parents, like her own, can fall victim to misleading marketing tactics that portray teen facilities as safe.

“These places really just pray on parents who are just looking for help for their children,” Hilton said. “I wasn't a bad kid, I was just sneaking out at night, getting bad grades. I had ADHD, so I wasn't doing well in school, but this was definitely not the place that I should've been sent. My parents had no idea.”

The quarter percentage point hike took the benchmark rate to its highest level in three decades.

By early afternoon, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.6% at 69,713.05, while South Korea's Kospi moved further into record territory, gaining 2.1% to 8,721.64.

The Shanghai Composite gained less than 0.1% to 4,100.53.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.3% to 8,892.10 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 1.3% to 24,533.35.

In Taiwan, the Taiex was up 0.6%, while India's Sensex picked up 0.5%.

On Monday, stock markets rallied worldwide and oil prices eased after the United States and Iran reached a tentative deal to get the global flow of crude going again. The S&P 500 rose 1.7% and the Dow climbed 0.9% to a record. The Nasdaq composite jumped 3.1%.

Brent crude fell 4.8% on expectations that the agreement might reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where much of Asia gets its oil supply. But some analysts urged caution, noting many issues remain uncertain. Negotiations with Iran are expected to continue over the next 60 days. Even after Hormuz reopens on Friday as expected, it will likely take months for the energy industry to get back to full speed.

Oil prices have declined recently on hopes for an extension of the ceasefire in the war, falling from the $100 plus levels they were at a few weeks ago. Before the war, oil was trading at about $70 a barrel.

Early Tuesday, benchmark U.S. crude was down 9 cents at $80.66 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, declined 24 cents to $82.93 a barrel.

In share trading Monday, U.S. stocks related to the artificial-intelligence industry soared. Micron Technology rallied 10.8%, and Advanced Micro Devices rose 7%.

Nvidia’s climb of 3.5% was the strongest force pushing the S&P 500 upward because the AI chip company is Wall Street’s most valuable company, giving it more weight on the index than any other. SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket company that also owns the AI company xAI, rose 19.6% in its second day of trading on Wall Street.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased on hopes that lower oil prices will remove pressure on central banks to raise interest rates. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.47% from 4.48% late Friday.

In currency trading early Tuesday, the U.S. dollar was nearly unchanged at 160.33 Japanese yen. The euro cost $1.1580, down from $1.1592.

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AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed to this report.

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

You see, Scaloni has watched Lionel Messi for much of his life. Both hail from the Argentine province of Santa Fe, Scaloni from the small town of Pujato and Messi from the much larger Rosario. Both of their paths passed through Newell's Old Boys, the historic club that has produced the likes of Maxi Rodriguez, Gabriel Batistuta and the current U.S. coach, Mauricio Pochettino.

So when Scaloni speaks about Messi's legacy, it bears listening.

“Not only the Argentinian population but everybody — the whole planet — wants to see him play,” Scaloni explained. “Everybody wants to see him on the pitch, because he has an effect not only on Argentina fans but supporters all over the world.”

Those supporters will likely get their last chance to see Messi wearing his light blue striped shirt at the World Cup beginning Tuesday night, when the defending champions open their tournament against Algeria at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.

Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring issue in the lead-up to the World Cup, but he's looked comfortable in the rare chances reporters have witnessed training. And in last week's final tuneup against Iceland at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium, he came into the game as a second-half substitute, scored moments later on a penalty kick and played 20 minutes without any problems.

So barring an unforeseen event, Messi — who has yet to speak publicly since the national team congregated for the World Cup about two weeks ago — will earn his 200th cap during its match against Les Fennecs.

“There's nothing negative to say,” Scaloni said. “He's always been there, and he's essential for us. He's going to remain that way.”

Everybody wants to be part of Messi mania

Tapash Chakraborty, the 57-year-old owner of an engineering design company, posted up Monday inside a Kansas City bar, hoping to catch a glimpse of an Argentina player at a meet-and-greet held roughly 24 hours before the match.

He had one in particular he wanted to see.

“Messi is Messi,” said Chakraborty, who will be in the stands Tuesday. “He is the god of football.”

He wasn’t alone, either. The room teemed with Messi shirts, just as the streets have in the early days of the World Cup. His famous No. 10 is ubiquitous, whether it be on his old Barcelona jersey, his current Inter Miami kit or that of the national team.

“We’re all Messi fans. He’s the best player in the world,” said Michelle Lemmon, who made the 160-mile (257.50-kilometer) drive with her four children from her home in Kirksville, Missouri, to Union Station in Kansas City on Monday to celebrate her 42nd birthday.

Lemmon, who played college soccer at a Catholic school after captaining the boys' team at her high school, will be cheering for the U.S. throughout the tournament. But her dream matchup, Lemmon said, would be for the Americans to face Argentina in the final.

“It’s hard. You've got to like him,” Lemmon said. “I’m nervous that this might be his last World Cup, so we’re very excited. Honored that they chose Kansas City as their home base. To have the World Cup champions here, you know, from 2022 is amazing.”

Messi seeks to join Pele as repeat World Cup champion

The list of greatest soccer players in history often begins with Messi and ends with Pele, the Brazilian star who not only took Brazil to World Cup glory but was instrumental in growing the game in the U.S. during his time with the New York Cosmos.

What would tie the two even tighter? Argentina successfully defending its title.

Only twice before has a nation been a repeat winner of the World Cup. Italy did it in the 1930s and Brazil did it in 1962, when despite an injury to Pele in the group stage, the Canarinho went on to beat Czechoslovakia in the final in Chile.

France nearly made it three repeat winners, but Argentina denied that four years ago in a shootout in Qatar.

“What happened back in Qatar was just amazing. The whole country united,” recalled Messi's longtime national teammate, Nicolas Otamendi. “We have that engraved in our minds, and it's just injected us with the strength to keep trying. There's no relaxing. We need to keep working with that level of humility that is required in these types of competitions.”

There are few more humble superstars than Messi, whom Otamendi described as “simple man that just focuses on training.”

“He's also a competitive animal,” Otamendi said. “You want to be there with him, supporting him, serving him, and laughing our hearts out all the time. As I've said, when the ball is rolling, that's when you need to press, unite and come together as a family on the pitch.”

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Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth contributed to this report.

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

FIFA’s discrimination monitor had called for Shaun Evans to be removed from the tournament.

Evans worked Germany’s opening 7-1 win over Curaçao on Sunday as an assistant to the video assistant referee, based at the World Cup broadcast center in Dallas. When the official broadcast cut before the game to show the video review officials, Evans made an “OK” symbol with his right hand in front of his right leg.

“I did not intentionally make a hand gesture or symbol to communicate a message, affiliation, game or belief of any kind,” Evans said in a statement released Monday by FIFA. “The only explanation I can offer is that the movement was an involuntary, subconscious twitch and I was unaware I had done it at the time. Images taken later during the match showed that I repeated this movement many times while holding a pen between my fingers.”

In 2019, the gesture — with thumb and forefinger touching in a circle and other fingers outstretched — was designated a hate symbol by the New York-based Anti-Defamation League.

“Advice from our experts is that the gesture used clearly resembles an upside down ‘OK’ hand symbol used as a ‘white power’ symbol in global far-right circles,” said the Fare network, a long-time partner of FIFA and European soccer body UEFA that monitors racist and discriminatory chants, flags and symbols at international games.

“Clearly this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup,” Fare said in its statement, describing the gesture as “neo-Nazi.”

Evans is working at his second World Cup, and it was his first game of this year’s tournament.

“FIFA’s independent disciplinary committee can confirm that, after looking into the matter involving support video assistant referee Shaun Evans, it has found no evidence of breaches of the FIFA disciplinary code,” the FIFA panel said in a statement. “The disciplinary committee has also taken note of Mr. Evans’ statement.”

The gesture was appropriated a decade ago as a signal for white supremacy that started as a hoax on the far-right online message board 4chan.

“Why is a VAR supervisor using this symbol at a global football event at the very moment he knows the cameras are on him?” Fare said. “We note that in the two subsequent games it appears TV directors have stopped introducing the VAR panel to the TV audience.”

The sign sparked global attention in March 2019 in New Zealand after it was made during the first court appearance by the white supremacist shooter who killed 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch.

Later in 2019 when the sign was designated as a hate symbol, Oren Segal, director of the ADL’s Center on Extremism, said context is key to interpreting whether an “OK” symbol is hateful or harmless.

At the time, he said: “There is enough of a volume of use for hateful purposes that we felt it was important to add.”

Evans is among 30 video review analysts selected by FIFA to work at this year’s World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“The coverage following this incident simply does not reflect who I am,” Evans said. “Of course, I understand how the gesture has been interpreted and I regret this, however I want to be very clear and categorically say that I did not knowingly or deliberately make the hand symbol suggested. Officiating at the World Cup is the biggest honor of my career and I look forward to supporting my colleagues for the rest of the tournament.”

Australia's Professional Football Referees Association said it welcomed the outcome of FIFA's review.

Evans, a referee in Australia's top-flight competition since 2012, “has consistently represented the values expected of football officials: professionalism, respect and integrity,” the PRFA said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.

“The PFRA celebrates diversity across football and unequivocally rejects racism, discrimination and extremist ideology in all forms,” the statement said. “We acknowledge Shaun’s public statement, in which he addressed the matter directly, and we recognize the importance of fairness, context and due process when concerns are raised.”

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AP Sports Writer John Pye in Brisbane, Australia, contributed to this report.

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

“This is about as good as I’ve felt in a long time,” May said after pitching a one-hitter Monday night in a 3-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.

The 28-year-old righty threw 69 strikes during his 101-pitch masterpiece, which he capped off with his ninth strikeout of the night.

May issued only one walk during his first complete game in 71 major league starts. Fernando Tatis Jr. drew a free pass leading off the seventh inning, followed two batters later by Manny Machado's single to left field that broke up the bid for a no-hitter.

May, however, wasn't flustered. He retired the last seven batters he faced, and his final pitch broke low and away so sharply that Tatis was unable to check his swing as the ball skipped off the dirt and into catcher Jimmy Crooks' glove for strike three.

May (5-6) let out a triumphant roar and clenched his right fist as he skipped off the mound. He hugged Crooks and tipped his cap to the crowd before approaching teammates and coaches who'd lined up in front of the dugout to exchange high-fives.

One teammate dumped a chest of ice on him.

“After all the stuff I’ve been through in my career,” May said, “that was fantastic.”

May (5-6) became the first Cardinals starter this season to get an out in the eighth inning, something even he failed to do during a seven-inning, no-hit bid against Milwaukee last month.

May left that game in the eighth and took the loss after the Brewers rallied for a 2-1 victory on May 27. This time, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol left May in.

The pitcher was plagued by multiple arm injuries — and a life-threatening esophagus tear — early in his career. He accumulated just 101 innings pitched between 2021 and 2024, missing the entire 2024 season.

His first team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, traded him to Boston last season, and this season is his first with St. Louis.

May's outing on Monday night marked the ninth complete game and sixth individual shutout in the majors this season.

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

Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of the aircraft that went down around 11:20 a.m. during a routine test mission at Edwards Air Force Base, which is north of Los Angeles. Black smoke rose from a large swath of charred desert near the runway on the base, with emergency vehicles nearby.

Those on the B-52 included government contractors and uniformed military. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing confirmed Monday evening that two of its employees were on board.

After reviewing footage of the crash, it was determined that no one could have survived, Col. James Hayes, the deputy commander for the 412 test wing at Edwards, said at a news conference.

“We lost eight great Americans,” Hayes said, adding that officials were working to notify their families.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, and it could take up to six months to complete an investigation, Hayes said, but shared that the B-52 was supporting the “radar modernization program.”

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range bomber that entered service in 1955. Designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, it has been used in conflicts involving the U.S. military from Vietnam to Iran.

In 2025, Boeing sent a B-52 to Edwards with a new, modernized radar system. A test team planned to conduct ground and flight test activities on the aircraft throughout 2026 to feed a production decision, the air force said in a 2025 news release. The modern Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system replaced the aircraft’s antiquated radar for efficacy. It was unclear if that was the same aircraft involved in Monday’s crash.

Edwards Air Force Base is home to a large portion of the U.S. Air Force’s aircraft test and development efforts and is about 100 miles (161 km) north of Los Angeles. The 412th Test Wing, which runs the base, also conducts developmental testing of all Air Force aircraft, weapons systems, software and components before purchase by the service as well as throughout their lifespan.

The vast desert base is where Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager reached a speed of Mach 1.05 and broke the sound barrier in 1947.

The airfield was closed most of Monday and all inbound aircraft were being diverted, but it reopened to people coming onto the base by late afternoon. Non-commercial visitor passes for the base were suspended as emergency crews doused the flames.

It’s too soon to say what might have happened.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said he is deeply saddened by the lives lost.

“We mourn this loss and honor the service of our Airmen, civilians, and contractors who work every day to advance our mission,” he said in a post on X.

The way the B-52 crashed so quickly after takeoff without getting very high or going far makes aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti suspect some kind of flight control malfunction.

It’s possible the controls were rigged wrong after maintenance, he said, or a catastrophic engine problem or a failure of a piece of equipment that was being tested.

“I think it was definitely a controllability issue. Now, whether that was tied to an engine failure, a flight control failure, or some new testing device failure, I’m not sure,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Although the Air Force has been flying B-52 bombers for more than 70 years, testing out new equipment on a plane can create new challenges.

“A flight test is always riskier than normal operations, so that’s why you have specially trained test pilots, and you should have other safety protocols,” Guzzetti said.

In recent years, fatal Air Force training accidents in the U.S. have included an instructor pilot who was killed in 2024 when the ejection seat activated while the aircraft was still on the ground in Texas and an Air Force ROTC cadet's death in a 2022 accident involving a Humvee during a training exercise in Idaho. Two Air Force pilots were killed when a trainer jet crashed near an Alabama airport in 2021.

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Toropin reported from Washington, D.C. AP Transportation Writer Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, and AP reporters Hallie Golden in Seattle and Jennifer Kelleher in Honolulu contributed to this report.

Griffin’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in Nevada, says that in 2025 her former middle school classmate “told The New York Times — and through it, the world — that Amy Griffin is a fraud and a thief.”

The lawsuit says that in the woman's telling, “Mrs. Griffin stole the rape of another woman and built a bestseller on it.”

A Times spokesperson said the lawsuit misrepresents its story and reporting. The former classmate said her account will prove true in court.

In “The Tell,” a hit that became an Oprah's Book Club selection, Griffin, a venture capitalist and memoirist, recounts being sexually abused as a child by a teacher at her middle school in Amarillo, Texas, and writes that years later she recovered memories of the experience by undergoing therapy using the psychedelic drug MDMA.

The Times story published six months after the book included stories from a classmate who said some of Griffin's experiences were eerily similar to her own. Then in March the woman filed a lawsuit in California state court, which Griffin is fighting and seeking to have dismissed.

The Associated Press doesn’t typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly or otherwise consent. The woman who sued Griffin filed her lawsuit as Jane Doe, and her name did not appear in the Times story.

Griffin says documentation backs her in every aspect

Griffin's lawsuit says the most essential fact is that she put her account of her abuse in writing in 2020, and in 2021 she provided another detailed and documented account in an interview with the Amarillo Police Department. Both accounts match up with the book, and both came before Griffin is alleged to have extracted the woman's abuse story by having someone posing as a talent agent call her in 2022, according to the lawsuit. The statute of limitations prevented the criminal investigation from moving forward.

Griffin's lawsuit says the woman falsely claimed to be another middle school classmate who appears in “The Tell” under the pseudonym “Claudia,” whose meeting with the author is recounted in the book. The lawsuit Griffin had not talked to the woman in more than 35 years, had never been part of the same church youth group as alleged, and was demonstrably not in the Palm Springs area in 2019 — or the years before or after — when the woman claims the two of them met for coffee.

Griffin's lawsuit says the coffee shop conversation with “Claudia” took place thousands of miles away in the presence of a collaborator, and that the woman in the Times story had been unable to produce any evidence the meeting with her had taken place.

Accuser says this is an attempt to silence her

In an email to The Associated Press sent through her lawyers, the woman said the shame and humiliation from her sexual assault were unimaginable and she was “violated all over again after reading about my own experiences in Amy’s book.”

“Despite trying to remain anonymous, Amy has now chosen to use her immense wealth and influence to try and silence me,” the email said. “She has had her lawyers identify me publicly as well as sue me. I am shocked and disappointed that she would choose to take this route, especially since she herself knows the truth.”

Griffin's lawsuit seeks a declaration that the allegations that she stole the woman's abuse stories are false, along with financial damages to be determined at trial.

New York Times stands by its reporting and story

Griffin's lawsuit, while not naming the Times as a defendant, is harshly critical of the paper, saying it "deemed the story too good to scrutinize” despite Griffin's lawyers making it clear the woman's account was “demonstrably false.”

Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha said in an email to the AP that the lawsuit and related filings “repeatedly misrepresent The New York Times story and its reporting,” and that the article “is markedly different in key aspects put forth” in both women's lawsuits.

Rhoades points out that many of the allegations Griffin is pushing back against did not appear in the Times' story, including that the woman they spoke to was “Claudia,” or that a person posing as a talent agent on Griffin's behalf called to get her stories of abuse.

And Rhoades said the Times story did not say Griffin “misappropriated” the woman's story, and she said claims that the reporters did not vet their story are false, and that they “engaged extensively with Ms. Griffin’s legal representatives prior to publication including meticulous fact checking.”

“Our story was about a publishing phenomenon, the reliability of memories recovered while under the influence of MDMA and the impact of a bestselling memoir on the author’s hometown,” Rhoades said. “Our reporters’ only agenda was to pursue the facts, including corroboration of accounts from all sources.”

The primary marks the first time in a generation that D.C. residents will vote for a new mayor and delegate in the same election. And in an overwhelmingly Democratic city, that party's winner is expected to come out on top in the general election in November.

The most prominent race is for mayor after Muriel Bowser, who was first elected in 2014, decided not to seek a fourth term. Democratic front-runners Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie are hoping to replace her.

The district's long-serving congressional delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is also stepping down, with top candidates council member Brooke Pinto and at-large council member Robert White Jr. vying for the role. Republican Denise Rosado, an immigration lawyer, is running unopposed.

The primary will include rank choice voting for the first time, which D.C. election officials have warned could delay results for days.

Trump looms large over the vote

Central to all the campaigns has been the city's fraught relationship with the Trump administration and the federal government. The city has limited autonomy and federal leaders retain significant control over local affairs, including the approval of the budget and laws passed by the D.C. Council.

That autonomy has been further squeezed under Trump, who launched a federal law enforcement surge last summer and sent in the National Guard for an ongoing, open-ended deployment. Trump's efforts to downsize the federal government also roiled the capital region, costing thousands of people their jobs. He has also been reshaping the city by removing or renovating storied landmarks and putting his name or image on buildings.

Trump just last week threatened a new federal takeover of Washington, when asked about his response to a potential victory by Lewis George, a democratic socialist.

“Maybe we’d take back Washington, run it on the federal basis," he said.

Bowser found herself walking a fine line between staying in Trump’s good graces and responding to the concerns of constituents, many of whom said she didn't push back hard enough on Trump's actions.

Republicans in Congress meanwhile have used their oversight authority to challenge the local government’s limited autonomy.

"We are the capital of the United States, and it’s an incredibly symbolic place, this city,” said Amanda Huron, a professor at the University of the District of Columbia who teaches courses on D.C. history and politics.

She said it's important to remind the public that what the federal government does to its capital city is a harbinger of “how it’s going to treat the rest of the country as well."

Federal intervention, affordability among candidates' top priorities

Lewis George, in responding to questions sent by The Associated Press, said her top priority is addressing “the affordability crisis here in DC, which the Trump administration has only made worse by unjustly firing federal employees en masse and militarizing our streets.”

McDuffie said his top priority is public safety. He would add 1,000 police officers over four years and take a public health approach to violence reduction that would include a focus on mental health.

Other candidates for mayor include former council member Vincent Orange and Hope Solomon, a former federal contractor who lost her job because of cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency.

Some residents have expressed concern on how Trump will react to pushback. Pat Wheeler, who lives in Washington, said candidates must be realistic. Trump still has enormous power over the Republican Congress and could easily order members to take steps against the city's home rule authority, she said.

Five people are seeking to replace Norton, who is finishing her 18th term representing D.C. in Congress. Norton, 89, faced heavy pressure to stand down by critics, including her former chief of staff, who said she was diminished and not capable of mounting the defense the moment called for against Trump.

Pinto and White both say their top priority for the city is self-governance along with affordability for middle and working class residents.

Other candidates seeking the Democratic spot on the ticket include Trent Holbrook, a former Norton staffer; Kenney Zalesne, the former Deputy National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee; and Gregory Jaczko, former chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Not so fast, experts say.

Even after oil starts flowing again from the Middle East, it could take a while for consumers to see a difference at local fuel pumps, supermarkets and other places they shop, according to economists and industry analysts.

Fighting over the Strait of Hormuz disrupted not only supplies of crude and refined fuel but also the supply chains for fertilizer, food and even footwear. Businesses expect higher costs to linger, which means their customers might need to prepare for that too.

“It is not clear, despite three months of war, that anything has been achieved that makes the American consumer better off,” Brett House, an economist who teaches at Columbia Business School, said. “In fact, by almost any measure, not just the American consumer, but the world, is worse off as a result of this attack.”

If the deal between the U.S. and Iran holds, here’s how experts see the war's effects receding — or not — in the weeks ahead:

US motorists can expect some gas price relief

Following news of the tentative agreement, oil prices fell Monday to about $80 for a barrel of U.S. benchmark crude. That compares to $67-per-barrel before the war and the price of over $120 a barrel reached earlier in the conflict.

Refineries typically pay for crude oil a month or more in advance, so even after oil prices drop, they won’t immediately be processing cheaper products.

“The tendency of gasoline prices to fall slowly is partly because the raw material takes weeks to work through the system until it’s delivered to consumers,” said Michael Lynch, a distinguished fellow at the nonpartisan Energy Policy Research Foundation.

In places without enough refining capacity to meet their needs, such as the West Coast of the U.S., gas prices will take longer to drop, said Mark Barteau, a professor of chemical engineering and chemistry at Texas A&M University.

In some Asian and African countries that rely more on oil from the Middle East, the supply shock led to school and government office closures and instructions to work from home, according to the International Energy Agency.

“The bottom line is that getting back to ‘normal’ will be a lengthy process involving many parties and countries,” Barteau said. “Getting an agreement between the U.S. and Iran to open the strait is just the beginning.”

Flights won't get cheaper right away

Industry experts have spent months warning that even if the war ended, travelers should not expect airfares to go down immediately.

Airlines typically buy fuel in advance, adjust their schedules gradually and price tickets based heavily on demand, meaning lower oil and jet fuel prices can take weeks or months to get factored into the cost of commercial flights.

“I think it’s unlikely that we’re going to see a retreat or reduction in the cost of flying at any point this summer,” Columbia's House said.

Fuel surcharges that some airlines outside the U.S. added are one of the first areas where passengers might get a reprieve, said Gordon Ho, a professor at the University of Southern California’s business school.

“Consumers are going to say, ‘Wait a minute, why are you still charging me a fuel surcharge?’” Ho said.

Pressure on grocery prices will likely continue

Reopening the strait is unlikely to deliver instant relief at the grocery store, according to David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University.

Fuel accounts for roughly 15% to 30% of the total cost of food, according to the Independent Grocers Alliance, a grouping of 7,500 global supermarkets.

But it can take months for an energy shock like the one caused by the Iran war to wind through the food supply chain and raise grocery prices. And once prices go up, it takes them a long time to come back down, especially when the future is unpredictable, Ortega said.

“We’re likely still looking at inflationary pressure on food in the coming months,” Ortega said. “There’s still a good deal of uncertainty about how the reopening will unfold, and it will take time for fuel, diesel and retail fertilizer prices to come back down.”

Rabobank, which is based in the Netherlands, said it expected war-related food price inflation to peak sometime next year in Europe. In the U.S., grocery prices are expected to rise 3.2% this year, which compares to a historical average of 2.6%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Farmers remain strapped for fertilizer

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz would also be a welcome change for farmers and the production of food globally. Roughly 30% of the world’s fertilizer passed through the waterway before the war began. Prices soared as the supply was effectively cut off, and shipments probably will take a long time to return to pre-war levels.

The consequences of the shortage facing farmers now may only intensify down the road, regardless.

Many farmers around the world are going through planting seasons without the fertilizer they need or paying sky-high prices for both fertilizer and fuel needed to produce and transport their products. The World Food Program of the United Nations expects this to have a “devastating impact” on crop yields — and consequently, food prices and the availability of food — for months to come.

Retailers don't anticipate a cost reprieve

U.S. retailers that sell shoes were encouraged to see falling gasoline prices, hoping they would mean Americans have more money to spend on back-to-school shopping, said Andy Polk, senior vice president of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America trade group.

However, shoe companies anticipate their own costs staying higher for the foreseeable future, Polk said. The group's members keep a two- to three-month inventory of finished products, but their next orders may include suppliers charging more for materials, he said.

Most of the footwear sold in the U.S. is imported, and Polk said he expects shipping costs to remain higher for the rest of 2026 and 2027.

U.S. tariffs imposed last year have made it more difficult for shoe sellers to absorb higher costs or pass them on customers, he said. In May, footwear prices were 5.2% higher than the same month a year earlier, according to government figures.

Shipping industry costs ers expect a slow recovery

Judah Levine, head of research at the freight booking platform Freightos, said the Straight of Hormuz closure has affected about 2% to 3 % of the total volume of container ships that are used for global shipping, but higher oil prices and disruption have impacted the shipping industry more broadly.

Josh Steinitz, chief strategy officer of the business logistics platform ShipStation Global, said consumers might notice higher shipping costs and more out-of-stock items online until the end of the year.

“I think fuel surcharges, which then flow into shipping costs, which then get passed along to consumers, are still going to be with us for quite sometime from many of the major carriers,” Steinitz said.

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Associated Press writers Cathy Bussewitz, Anne D’Innocenzio, and Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

The Ukraine talks come on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of an agreement to end the 3 1/2-month-old U.S. war against Iran. In recent weeks, the Iran conflict has overshadowed the war in Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched more than four years ago.

Trump said he had good conversations on Sunday with both Zelenskyy and Putin. “Now that this (Iran) is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that,” he said, speaking during a bilateral meeting Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron said he’ll seek to persuade Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to help reach a peace agreement. Hours before the start of the G7 summit, Russia fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest cities in a barrage that killed 11 people and set fire to a religious landmark.

Tuesday’s discussions in the French spa town of Evian-les-Bains also include a work session focused on “ending crises and ensuring stability in the Middle East.” Leaders of Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are to join the talks.

Trump has been frustrated by a lack of movement toward Ukraine-Russia resolution

The attacks on Ukraine's biggest cities came after Zelenskyy and Putin spoke separately by phone with Trump on Sunday, the U.S. leader's 80th birthday. The exchange suggests Washington hasn’t given up on its diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that followed Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbor in 2022.

“The right negotiation is one in which Ukraine and Russia are at the table, but with Europeans and Americans present as well,” Macron said on French television.

While campaigning for a return to the White House, Trump claimed he could end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. He has since acknowledged it has proved much harder than he initially thought it would be.

Ukraine on Monday officially started European Union membership negotiations, launching a process that will require its government to commit to years of political reforms even as it fights a Russian invasion.

Ukraine sees EU membership as a security guarantee for a stable future once the war ends. Its best guarantee would be membership in the NATO military alliance, but the Trump administration insists that cannot happen, and others are wary of it joining while the war continues.

Iran war has been a flashpoint between Trump and European leaders

In recent months, Trump has had sharp disagreements with Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over his failure to consult them before the decision to go to war in Iran. Trump has threatened reprisals, including drawing down U.S. troops in all four countries, all members of the NATO military alliance, for their lack of support.

Despite those disagreements, the tone in Evian should be rather measured, as U.S. allies seek rapid progress that could ease the economic impact of rising oil prices caused by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

“I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now, and very importantly the oil is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” Trump said.

Ahead of their meeting at the G7, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement congratulating the United States, the Iranian government and the mediators on what they called a “diplomatic breakthrough.” Canada also signed the statement. The leaders said it was vital for detailed negotiations to take place and for the deal to be quickly implemented so the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened to tanker traffic.

Macron later said France and other Western partners are “ready to take action very quickly” to help reopen the strait peacefully. France and Britain have championed a mission to restore maritime security in the strait as soon as conditions allow.

Trump, however, appeared to downplay the need for a large international military deployment. “I don’t think we’re gonna need much help," he said during his meeting with Macron. “But I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a ship or two up here from a few countries. You’d be a great country to do it."

What's next on the agenda

On Tuesday, in addition to a working session that includes Zelenskyy, Trump will participate in meetings that include sit-downs with the emir of Qatar and the president of the UAE before attending a cultural performance and a dinner with the other G7 leaders.

The G7 includes France, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. Other guest nations at this summit including Brazil, India, Kenya and South Korea were invited to participate in some discussions as partner countries alongside G7 members.

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Petrequin reported from London.

Trump has been at the center of this year's midterm campaigns, and his influence will be tested in different ways on Tuesday as four states and the District of Columbia hold primaries.

Among Democrats, the primaries will hinge on longstanding divides between progressives and moderates as the party tries to chart the best path forward to November.

Here are a few things to watch as voters go to the polls in Alabama, California, the District of Columbia, Georgia and Oklahoma.

How much is a Trump endorsement worth?

Nothing is certain in politics, but a “complete and total endorsement” from Trump is about the surest path possible to winning a Republican primary.

Rick Jackson is testing that truism in his campaign for Georgia governor. The health care tycoon, who faces Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in a runoff, has given his campaign more than $100 million to try and convince Republican primary voters to overlook Trump's advice.

Trump endorsed Jones more than a year ago and reiterated his support last week, praising Jones' “Courage and Wisdom” in a social media post on June 8. Rarely has the power of Trump's endorsement been tested against such a lopsided spending disparity.

Jones finished first with 38% and Jackson second with 33% in the May 19 primary. Now the election to lead one of the nation's pre-eminent battleground states will be decided by the voters who didn't back either of them.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma's Republican primary for governor will test Trump's endorsement in a different way. There, the president weighed in late, throwing his support two weeks ago to former state Sen. Mike Mazzei among a crowded field without a clear front-runner. The race will go to a runoff if no candidate gets a majority.

Trump is used to getting his way, but earlier this month his choice for governor of Iowa, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, lost to Zach Lahn in the state's primary.

MAGA becomes the insider movement, and faces an outsider

Trump rose to power as an outsider, the head of a “Make America Great Again” movement keen to bulldoze the old political order.

But now the onetime insurgent sits atop a sprawling establishment. What happens when he endorses an insider candidate?

That question is at the heart of the Republican primary runoff for Alabama's open Senate seat.

Trump is backing U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, a three-term congressman who has promised to be “a warrior for President Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda" if elected.

He faces former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson, who is presenting himself as a Washington outsider, trying to harness the same anti-establishment fervor that propelled Trump to power in order to defeat Trump’s preferred candidate.

Alabama is a Republican stronghold, so whoever wins the primary will be heavily favored to prevail in November over either candidate in Tuesday's Democratic runoff, business owner Dakarai Larriett and lawyer Everett Wess.

The seat is being vacated by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Republican nominee in the race for Alabama governor.

DC mayor’s race features a democratic socialist and a new voting system

One of the leading Democratic contenders in the District of Columbia mayor's race, Janeese Lewis George, describes herself as a democratic socialist, a political denomination that became more prominent with Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns.

George’s bid for the party’s nomination is not so far removed from democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani ’s upset victory for New York City mayor last year. And, as in New York, the race has drawn national attention, including the president's.

Trump indicated days before the mayoral primary election that he might take over the city if George eventually wins, saying “we won’t put up with it.” George called Trump’s threat “an attack on democracy itself.”

The city’s relationship to the president is a focal point of the campaigns as Trump has exercised broad power over Washington, D.C. That’s included an open-ended deployment of National Guard troops in the streets and his culling of the federal workforce, a chunk of the city’s jobs.

Some residents were frustrated that the current mayor, Muriel Bowser, didn’t push back enough on the administration. Part of George’s platform on her website, which heavily focuses on affordability, is to “protect Home Rule” with “leaders that stand up and fight back, not shrink in the face of injustice.”

George and another Democrat, Kenyan McDuffie, who’s focused on public safety, are two of the seven candidates whose race will be the first decided with D.C.’s new ranked choice voting system.

Like a handful of other places, D.C. voters will rank the candidates on a ballot, and if none cross 50% of the popular vote, then residents' second choices come into play. That happened in Maine, where election officials started counting ranked-choice votes for governor and a key House race three days after election night.

In D.C., election officials have warned the new system could delay results by days.

Election denial looms over race for Georgia secretary of state

Six years ago, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger resisted Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud and his request to “find 11,800 votes” to overtake Democrat Joe Biden.

Now, in the first open election for the seat since Raffensperger’s defiance, the two Republicans in the runoff echo Trump’s falsehoods to varying degrees.

Candidate Vernon Jones, who was previously elected to the statehouse as a Democrat but switched parties and aligned himself with Trump, has said he believes there were “irregularities” and “violations” and that he stands “with those who believe there was election fraud.”

Of four key points on Jones’ campaign platform, three have to do with election management, including stronger voter identification rules and requiring voting in person with limited exceptions.

Jones’ runoff opponent, State Rep. Tim Fleming, has tiptoed around the topic, saying there were “irregularities” in 2020 but adding that he’s “not running on conspiracy theories.”

Still, of the seven platform points on his campaign website, four are focused on election management and one says that the state should "make it impossible for the Left to cheat in our elections.”

Skepticism of elections flared up recently in California after Trump made a baseless claim that Democrats were somehow cheating to defeat a Republican candidate for governor and another for Los Angeles mayor.

Soon after, the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles, led by Trump appointee Bill Essayli, said it was opening fraud investigations related to the elections.

A special election to fill Eric Swalwell’s seat after sexual assault allegations

Eric Swalwell resigned from the U.S. House in April after a woman alleged that he had sexually assaulted her twice, saying she was too intoxicated to consent to sex in both cases.

The Democrat has denied the accusations, but he dropped out of the race for California governor and resigned from Congress.

That’s what prompted a special primary election Tuesday, where both Republican and Democratic candidates will compete to serve out Swalwell’s term until January. If a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote Tuesday they’ll win outright, otherwise the top two contenders will go to a runoff election on Aug. 18.

The Democratic candidates, who are favored to win in the blue district covering several East Bay cities, include Aisha Wahab, a state senator, and Melissa Hernandez, a Bay Area Rapid Transit director.

It's a competition between the more progressive Wahab, who is established in California politics, and Hernandez, a local politician who sits closer to the political center. To lower costs, Wahab takes aim at “corporate profiteering” and argues for an expansion to social safety nets; Hernandez focuses on local job growth and supporting small businesses.

Both candidates also ran in the regular primary election for Swalwell’s seat and will face off in the general election in November. Whoever wins that race will take over next year.

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Cooper reported from Phoenix and Bedayn from Austin, Texas.

On Wednesday, Warsh may provide the first hints of an answer when he oversees his first Fed policy meeting as chair and holds a news conference afterward. Bond markets, which can swing sharply on a chair's pronouncements, will be watching particularly closely for any signs of which way he leans.

“We expect the press conference to be pivotal,” Jonathan Pingle, an economist at investment bank UBS, wrote in a note. “This will be Kevin Warsh’s first public appearance as Chair. ...We do not really know what his policy views are.”

Economists say Warsh will likely aim for a neutral approach, largely because he is taking over the Fed at a challenging time. Rising inflation has made it all but impossible for the Fed to cut interest rates anytime soon, which could stimulate growth and further raise prices. Hiring has improved noticeably since the beginning of the year, removing another key rationale for rate cuts. And the other 11 policymakers on the Fed's rate-setting committee — including Warsh's predecessor, former chair Jerome Powell — are split on whether an increase in the Fed's key rate will be needed or if it can stay unchanged.

High inflation puts Fed in tough spot

Oil prices have fallen sharply on news that the U.S. and Iran have reached an initial deal to end their war, which could eventually cool inflation. Yet it's unclear whether a permanent agreement can be reached.

“The right thing to do now is wait and see,” said William English, an economist at the Yale School of Management and a former top Fed economist.

Inflation has jumped to a three-year high of 4.2%, the government said last week, mostly because of higher gas prices. Even Trump has backed off a bit from his relentless demands for lower rates, and instead has argued that rate hikes — which the Fed undertakes to cool the economy and slow inflation -- aren't necessary.

In an interview earlier this month on NBC's “Meet the Press,” Trump said, “Kevin is fantastic and I want him to do whatever he wants," but added, “there's no reason to raise rates."

On Wednesday the Fed is widely expected to keep its key rate at about 3.6%, where it has remained since last December. When the Fed reduces its rate, over time it can lower other borrowing costs for things like mortgages, auto loans, and business loans.

Changes likely to dash hopes for those seeking lower rates

Still, some changes are expected, which will disappoint those hoping for lower borrowing costs: The Fed is likely to drop language that suggests its next move will be a rate cut, and instead adopt wording that is more neutral. Several Fed policymakers in recent weeks have said that the Fed's most likely next move is a hike, rather than a cut.

The central bank is also scheduled to release its quarterly economic projections on Wednesday, which include forecasts for how the Fed's key rate will change over the next three years. In March, those projections suggested the Fed would cut its rate once this year. Yet on Wednesday they will likely show no change in 2026, with maybe one or two cuts next year, economists say.

Warsh has criticized the projections for providing too much “forward guidance” to financial markets and leading Fed officials to stand by their forecasts for too long, even as the economy changes. Fed watchers will look closely to see if Warsh participates in the quarterly projections. If he doesn't submit his own forecasts, it could be a sign he will seek to get rid of them entirely in the coming months.

Warsh to bring a new approach to Fed leadership

Outside of policy, Warsh is expected to bring a different style to the Fed than Powell, people who've worked with him say. He wants Fed policymakers to give fewer speeches, have more debates behind closed doors, and will likely avoid commenting on the daily ups and downs of the economy. Powell was relatively plainspoken and straightforward, while Warsh has suggested he sees the famously oracular Alan Greenspan, the Fed's chair from 1987 to 2005, as a model.

“He's just going to say less, because he doesn't find that stuff very helpful," said Robert Tetlow, a former senior policy advisor at the Fed.

Randall Kroszner, an economist at the University of Chicago who served on the Fed's governing board from 2006 to 2009, when Warsh was also a governor, said the new chair would likely focus on bigger-picture questions, such as how AI will impact the economy. He will avoid thornier issues, such as whether tariffs raise inflation, which Powell was willing to address.

By avoiding such hot-button issues, the Fed could attract less negative attention from the White House, Kroszner said.

“He’s going to stay away from those,” Kroszner added. “If the Fed is to maintain its independence, it needs to maintain its focus.”

While seeking Trump's nomination, Warsh called for “regime change” at the Fed and criticized the central bank for not preventing the 2021-22 inflation surge, when prices jumped 9.1% in a year, the biggest spike in four decades.

Yet Kroszner said that Warsh will likely to seek to build consensus around changing things like the Fed's communications policies, rather than imposing them. So far, former Fed officials say he hasn't sought to fire top staff.

“He's not there to break things,” Kroszner said.

During his Senate confirmation hearing in April, Warsh said he would focus on quelling inflation.

“Inflation is a choice, and the Fed must take responsibility for it,” he said then.

If he acts on that sentiment by keeping rates unchanged — or even raising them — Trump could end up disappointed in another Fed chair. He often threatened to fire Powell, whom he also appointed, for not cutting rates deeply enough.

“There's at least a risk here that six months down the road, Trump is fulminating about how he didn’t get what he wanted from Warsh, and he'd like to fire Warsh,” English said.

But the campaign hasn’t dented China’s industrial prowess.

The world’s second biggest economy is exporting more products than ever. It’s just redirecting them away from the U.S. tariff wall and toward more open markets in Europe and elsewhere in Asia.

The shift in Chinese trade risks creating a European sequel to the China Shock that wiped out hundreds of thousands of factory jobs in the American heartland in the 2000s and contributed to the political upheaval that put Donald Trump in the White House twice.

Despite U.S. sanctions, China last year notched a record global trade surplus — an astonishing $1.2 trillion.

Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Chinese exports are “literally killing a large part of the European industry’’ and admitted that Europe was “slow to see that.’’

The Europeans are clear-eyed now. China’s trade practices will be near the top of the agenda this week as leaders of the G7 rich democracies gather in Évian-les-Bains, France. In briefings last week, French officials indicated that they hope to come out of the summit with a plan to tackle the China threat.

One possibility is that the European Union and others will build a higher tariff wall of their own against Chinese imports. Currently, the EU imposes relatively low tariffs on China under World Trade Organization rules — though it hits specific Chinese products with higher ones (up to 35% on electric vehicles, for example).

“China’s export surge, unless its leaders rein it in, will provoke a protectionist wave against Chinese imports worldwide,’’ said Maurice Obstfeld, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund. “All the more so if the current disruptions around the Iran war persist and cause a sharper global slowdown.’’

Economist Taylor Wang at HSBC warned this month that a China-EU trade dispute could threaten Chinese exports; Europe accounted for a big share of China’s exports of electric vehicles, solar panels and lithium-ion batteries.

The Europeans also hope to persuade Trump to stop targeting U.S. allies like the European Union and Canada with punitive tariffs and to start working with them instead to counter China.

China Shock 2.0 is different — and more disruptive

The first China Shock started around 2001 when the Chinese joined the World Trade Organization and gained low-tariff access to the lucrative markets of the United States and Europe. In the United States, many factories couldn’t compete with low-cost Chinese textiles, furniture, electronics and other manufactured goods.

Economists David Autor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, David Dorn of the University of Zurich and Gordon Hanson, now at Harvard, found that competition from China had led to the loss of 2.4 million American jobs.

China Shock 2.0, as it’s come to be known, is playing out differently.

The first time around China was still emerging as a major player in global commerce. Now it dominates world trade and manufacturing.

China accounted for just 4% of global goods exports in 2000. Now its share is 16% — the highest in the world — making Beijing’s trade policies far more consequential.

China has also upped its game, exporting sophisticated products like EVs and batteries, advanced machinery, software, scientific instruments and putting it in direct competition with the richest countries in the world. For example, Chinese exports now compete with nearly 58% of the exports from the 21 European countries that share the euro currency, up from 46% in 2000, according to a paper last month by researchers at the Federal Reserve and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

“The second China shock is characterized by its companies running the board on manufacturing exports -- from low-tech, low-wage to high-tech high value-added industries,” said economist Eswar Prasad of Cornell University. “This is directly hitting advanced economies where it now hurts the most″ — high tech industries such as EVs and high-end robotics that many countries “had been counting on for a manufacturing revival.’’

Germany has taken a hit from Chinese exports

Germany has been hit hard. German companies once grew fat on exports to China but the situation has reversed: China now sells more goods to Germany than it buys. And German companies are struggling to compete with the Chinese rivals in industrial machinery, construction equipment, cars and chemicals – all mainstays of Germany’s export-oriented economy.

Partly because of the competition from China, Germany’s economy has stagnated, shrinking in 2023 and 2024 and growing just 0.2% last year.

The United States is less vulnerable than it was in the 2000s. Trump’s tariffs have kept out a lot of Chinese products. Exports of Chinese goods to the United States dropped 37% from January through April this year, versus the same period of 2025, the U.S. Commerce Department reports.

The United States is also in a stronger economic position because it produces its own energy — unlike the EU and Japan — and is enjoying a boom in productivity and investment in artificial intelligence.

Despite Trump’s tariffs and diminished sales to the United States, China is benefiting from soaring demand for its low-cost EVs and from AI investment, which generates sales of Chinese electrical components and machinery for data centers.

Exports from China to the 27-nation EU climbed 16.4% in January to May from a year earlier. For France, that meant that its trade deficit with China, according to Beijing’s customs statistics, rose to $5.3 billion from $3.3 billion a year earlier.

Chinese policies contribute to the problem

Economists say China’s policies encourage factories to overproduce and consumers to underspend. For example, state-run Chinese banks pay low interest rates to savers but offer cheap loans to government-owned manufacturers. A flimsy social safety net pressures Chinese families to save, not spend, to build a financial buffer against old age and medical problems.

Obstfeld said the policies are partly meant to keep factories busy and workers employed. “The result is an excess domestic supply of manufactured products, which must be exported abroad,’’ he said. So low-priced Chinese products flood world markets and threaten to put European and other factories out of business.

Beijing also has encouraged companies to compete ruthlessly against each other at home. “The rest of the world is ill prepared to compete with these apex predators,’’ Autor and Hanson wrote in a New York Times column last year.

China has repeatedly promised to rein in overproduction and encourage consumer spending – as the United States and other countries have urged for decades. That would make its economy less reliant on exports and its consumers better off. It would also give U.S. and European an expanding market to sell into. “The leadership has long said this is a goal,’’ Obstfeld said, “but they have been slow to act as if they mean it.’’

“Beijing has been relying on the rest of the world to address its overcapacity problem,” said former U.S. trade negotiator Wendy Cutler, now senior vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. “However, this unsustainable situation may soon change if the EU and others take steps to halt Chinese imports, following the U.S. lead.’’

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AP Business Writer Chan Ho-him in Hong Kong, AP Chief Correspondent John Leicester and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.

Kurtenbach reported from Bangkok and McHugh from Frankfurt, Germany

Construction began Monday and will be completed in phases, with a targeted finish date of fall 2027. Most of the work will take place on a barge, meaning the majority of construction equipment will be on the water rather than along the road.

Why the seawall is being replaced

FDOT Public Information Officer Renata Di Gregorio said the current seawall has reached the end of its service life.

“The fact that we’re going to be able to bring these upgrades to St. Augustine is pretty exciting because we are expecting it to enhance pedestrian safety and mobility,” Di Gregorio said. “It will also further protect the roadway right there from King Tides.”

What to expect during construction

Pedestrian detours will be limited and phased throughout the project.

“The pedestrian detours that will be in place will only be bit by bit,” Di Gregorio said. “The whole seawall is not being worked on at the same time. And most of them are just going right around where the project limits are on the sidewalk.”

How residents and visitors are reacting

Reactions among those who frequent the seawall area are mixed. St. Augustine resident Steve Motzel walks his dogs along the seawall regularly and said the changes give him pause.

“As a local, I don’t really care for it too much. It’s very traditional, and they’re making a lot of changes,” Motzel said. “But it might be necessary.”

He added that he expects to work through the disruption. “It will certainly be an issue for us, but we’ll get through it.”

Brittney Pugh, who visits her in-laws in St. Augustine about once a year, said she supports the project.

“I think it’s a good idea to keep it if it helps the city not flood as much,” Pugh said. “It’s probably a good thing.”

Project resources

FDOT has published a simulation showing how the project will be completed and what the finished seawall will look like. Maps of planned pedestrian detours are also available as construction phases progress. You can find those resources here.

As detectives work to figure out what led up to the gunfire, a local violence-prevention group is offering a reminder as summer gatherings ramp up: plan ahead so events stay safe.

“It’s very important that it stay safe and stay fun,” AJ Jordan, president of MAD DADS Northeast Florida, said.

MAD DADS is a nonprofit that works with parents and young people to prevent violence.

Jordan said safety planning can include coordinating with officials ahead of time and being proactive when a gathering starts to grow.

“If one of these parties pop up and you don’t see security or anything before shootings happen be proactive,” Jordan said. “Before it happens JSO can come and see engage... So when you see something happening be proactive and stop it before it starts. We can’t always just be reactive.”

He also urged anyone who knows what happened Saturday night to come forward.

“My message to the community just speak up,” he said. “Tell what you know. We’ve got a shooter out there that don’t care about anybody. They shot four people. He or she shot four people and they’re still on the loose and we need them off the streets.”

JSO said officers were called to the area around 9:15 p.m. Saturday. Police said officers found one victim at the scene with a gunshot wound, and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department took that person to a nearby hospital. A short time later, investigators said three other gunshot victims arrived at a hospital on their own.

JSO identified the victims as a 24-year-old woman, a 25-year-old woman, a 41-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy. Police said all four were in non-life-threatening condition.

On Monday, JSO told News4JAX the case remains active and ongoing, with no additional updates released.

Anyone with information is asked to call JSO at 904-630-0500, contact Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS, or email JSOCrimetips@Jaxsheriff.org.

Patchy fog is possible tomorrow morning with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing along the sea breezes.

From brown and parched to green and happy, our plants are loving this rain.

My little garden produces about a handful of tomatoes every other day and most of those actually make it to the kitchen. They’re so good. The rain in southeast Georgia is making very happy tomatoes. I was in Fitzgerald, GA on Sunday for a family reunion for my mother-in-law’s side of the family. A big thank you to Beth and Randy for the delicious tomatoes!

The southwest flow continues Tuesday and Wednesday with ample water in the atmosphere. The summer pattern continues with strong to isolated storms possible during the afternoon and evening, with gusty winds and localized flooding being the primary hazards.

The additional cloud cover and increasing rain chances will allow for slightly cooler temperatures over inland southeast Georgia. Elsewhere, high temperatures will reach the lower to mid 90s, with heat indices peaking around 100-105 degrees on Tuesday.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms through around 10 p.m.

Tuesday: Scattered showers with thunderstorms will develop along the Gulf and Atlantic sea breezes. Strong to isolated severe storms will be possible. Lows in the 70s with highs in the 80s and 90s. Rain chance 50-60 percent, mainly from around noon through 10 p.m. Wind: WSW 10-15 mph.

Wednesday: Showers with afternoon thunderstorms, 30-50 percent for NE FL, 50 to 60 percent for SE GA. Lows in the 70s. Highs in the 80s to low 90s. Wind: SW 10-15 mph.

Looking ahead: Fewer showers and storms Thursday and Friday. Scattered showers with storms expected Saturday with drier weather expected for the first day of summer and Father’s day.

Tropics: We are watching an area in the southern Gulf where a broad area of low pressure has developed and moved over Mexico. The low could further develop on Wednesday and Thursday. Formation chances have increased to 40 and 50 percent. https://www.news4jax.com/weather/2026/06/15/tropical-threat-looms-as-gulf-showers-move-toward-texas/

Sunrise: 6:24 p.m.

Sunset: 8:31 p.m.

New York has reached the WNBA Finals in each of those seasons, winning once and losing once. The Liberty players didn't want to think that far ahead after clinching their spot Sunday in the mid-season tournament title game. Still it's hard to ignore the success considering New York has won seven straight games and finally had their entire roster healthy for the victory over Washington.

The Commissioner's Cup first started being played in 2021 and one or both teams have gone to play for the WNBA championship three times — in 2022-24. New York beat Las Vegas in 2023 before losing to Minnesota the next season in the Commissioner's Cup finale. The Liberty avenged that loss by beating the Lynx for their first WNBA championship later that season.

“It’s a pretty high number of teams that go to the Commissioner’s Cup championship that play in the (WNBA) finals,” Liberty center Jonquel Jones said.

New York is still waiting to see who and where it will play. Las Vegas was routed by Dallas on Monday night and is tied with Minnesota atop the Western Conference. The Aces have the tiebreaker with the Lynx after beating them the other day. Las Vegas plays Phoenix on Wednesday and Minnesota vists Los Angeles.

The first tiebreaker for determining who would host the championship game is regular-season winning percentage through Wednesday night. The second one is point-differential in Commissioner Cup games.

Behind the scenes

ESPN will show a four-part series on the Toronto Tempo and how the first WNBA team outside of the United States was built from the ground up.

“With the incredible growth of the WNBA and women’s basketball, this is the perfect time to showcase the launch of Canada’s first WNBA franchise,” said Lindsay Rovegno, Vice President & Executive Producer, ESPN Originals. “Setting the Tempo presents a rare opportunity for fans to see what it truly takes to build a successful organization, shining a spotlight on the female executives whose decisions and vision are laying the foundation for the future.”

Power poll rankings

Las Vegas takes over the top spot after edging Minnesota 100-97 on Saturday night. The Aces were followed by the Lynx, New York, Atlanta and Dallas. Golden State, Indiana and Los Angeles were next. Expansion teams Portland and Toronto were ninth and 10th. Washington, Chicago and Phoenix followed the Tempo. Seattle and Connecticut rounded out the poll.

Player of the week

A'ja Wilson of Las Vegas was the AP player of the week. She averaged 30 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks to help the Aces win all three of their games last week. Other players receiving votes included Kelsey Plum of Los Angeles, Breanna Stewart of New York and Caitlin Clark of Indiana.

30-year anniversary

The Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty will play each other on Sunday for the official 30th anniversary rematch of the WNBA's first-ever game in 1997. Penny Toler scored the first points in league history, making a baseline jumper 59 seconds into the game.

Game of the week

Atlanta vs Indiana, Thursday and Saturday. The Dream and Fever play a home-and-home matchup this week with third-year stars Angel Reese and Clark facing off for the second and third time in a two week stretch. Indiana won the first matchup on June 4.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The events of June 16, 1976 — now commemorated annually as Youth Day — are considered a turning point in South Africa's liberation struggle against white minority rule.

They ignited more demonstrations in various parts of the country, fueled more resistance against the apartheid and brought international attention to the racial oppression faced by Black people in South Africa.

Fifty years after the uprising, however, there are still concerns about the plight of young people in the country.

Survivors of the violent protests, experts and young South Africans have lamented the challenges facing the country's youth including inequality, high unemployment, poverty and social problems such as drug and alcohol abuse.

Soweto, one of the oldest townships in South Africa, bears symbols of the historic day which are frequently visited by local and international tourists.

These include a memorial named after Hector Pieterson, the 13-year-old whose lifeless body appears being carried away by another student in an iconic photograph that came to symbolize the 1976 uprising after it was published around the world.

Murals and billboards depicting protesting students can be found throughout the township, which is also home to the June 16 Memorial commemorating the uprising.

But for those who survived the protests, the symbols are a painful remembrance of the day that changed their lives forever.

Seth Mazibuko, a survivor of the deadly protests, remembers vividly how students fought back against the police, who were using tear gas to try and disperse the defiant demonstrators.

“They struggled with the tear gas because when they threw it our way, the wind would blow the gas back to them, so it was also affecting them,” said Mazibuko. “They then started sending the police dogs to us, we used stones to chase the dogs back to them.”

Mazibuko was detained for 18 months after his arrest and later imprisoned in Robben Island, where he served 7 years alongside other political prisoners.

Fifty years after the uprising, South Africa has undergone significant changes but inequality, unemployment and poverty are among the most pressing challenges facing its “born free” generation — those born after the end of apartheid.

“I would say the issues of poverty and crime are the most pressing ones,” said Sima Poto, a 19-year-old visiting the June 16 Memorial. “It is poverty that is leading many of them into crime.”

Zola Mguli, a 29-year-old who works with the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance, an organization campaigning against alcohol and substance abuse, said he is grateful to belong to a generation that has grown up in freedom, even as significant challenges remain. "Things are not going as well as our forefathers hoped, there is still racism, alcoholism and other things we are battling with,” he said. “But if we, the youth, rise up, we can do better.”

Historian Noor Nieftagodien said the 1976 student protest movement was a traumatic and transformative moment that reshaped the anti-apartheid struggle, placing young people at the forefront of liberation politics.

“This was a generation that was young, gifted, and Black,” he said. “They wanted education.”

“The idea of Black power resonated with this new generation of young people,” Nieftagodien said. “Black consciousness was kind of electrifying; it inspired university students and then increasingly also students in high schools.”

He said that since June 16 was declared a public holiday after the end of apartheid, the significance of the historic event has diminished, overshadowed by celebratory events that, in his view, water down its political meaning.

“It has lost its meaning,” he said. “What has happened is that we’ve had the day marked with concerts, etc. I’m all for concerts. But, in fact, in so doing, the kind of celebrations that have been organized have been disinvested from politics, from a critical understanding of what happened.”

Russia fired the barrage of hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at the capital of Kyiv, and the second-largest city of Kharkiv, after Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke separately by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday.

Arriving in France, Trump said he had a good conversation with Zelenskyy and Putin. “Now that this (Iran) is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that,” he said, referring to diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that followed Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

The war in Ukraine is also set to feature in talks Tuesday by Group of Seven leaders at a summit in France. Zelenskyy also is due to attend to pushing his country's plight.

“This is how Russia shows the world its intention to continue the war,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X, referring to the overnight attack on civilian sites that included the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century monastery complex.

“It is very important that there be a response from the G7 countries ... and that this response be decisive and substantive; more pressure on the aggressor and more support for Ukraine’s air defense, especially anti-ballistic capabilities,” he said.

Zelenskyy offered to meet Putin with Trump and European leaders at the G7 gathering in France but the Kremlin didn’t reply, a Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about it. The Kremlin has said repeatedly that if Zelenskyy wants to meet Putin, he can come to Moscow.

Putin is wanted by the court on a warrant dating to March 2023 for alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine during the conflict. France would be obliged as an ICC member to arrest him. The United States and Russia both oppose the court.

Children among the wounded in Kyiv

Zelenskyy said the Russian strikes killed 11 civilians and emergency workers and wounded 53 across Ukraine.

Five were killed in Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, where at least 30 others were also wounded, including two children aged 5 and 6, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's Military Administration.

A series of powerful explosions were heard across Kyiv, with a wave of ballistic missiles followed by Shahed drones as many people sought shelter underground. Clouds of black smoke drifted over the city.

Five strikes hit civilian sites in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district in under 30 minutes, Tkachenko said, including a 25-story apartment building, while a market and a grocery store caught fire. In the Obolonskyi district, a nine-story residential building took a direct hit.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted defense and industrial facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro, including enterprises and workshops producing components for long-range drones and cruise missiles. It said that a workshop producing medium- and long-range drones located on the premises of the Dovzhenko film studios in Kyiv was among the targets hit.

Russia also claimed to have hit Kyiv’s Radar plant, which it said makes drone components, and the Mayak plant that it said makes Ukraine's Flamingo long-range cruise missiles. Military conscription offices in Kyiv were also struck, it said.

There was no immediate information about the 11th person killed in the attacks.

Religious site damaged in attack

In Kyiv, smoke billowed around the golden domes of the Dormition Cathedral inside the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a revered religious landmark.

Its roof caught fire during the attack, said Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. He condemned the strike as another Russian crime “against humanity, against history, against Christianity,” and appealed for prayers to save the site.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Monastery of the Caves, is a sprawling complex of monasteries and churches, including some underground, built between the 11th and 19th centuries. Some of the churches at the UNESCO-listed World Heritage site are connected by a labyrinthine complex of caves spanning more than 600 meters (2,000 feet).

In a statement, UNESCO condemned the attack, which it said reportedly caused significant damage to the exterior and interior of the Dormition Cathedral.

Zelenskyy said the damage was caused by two Russian drones and called the attack Moscow’s “biggest crime yet against Christian culture.” He visited the scene with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and other government officials.

The cathedral, churches and other buildings overlook the Dnieper River and have been a pilgrimage site for centuries.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the attack was the “equivalent, for us French, of a bombing of Notre Dame” in Paris.

Ukraine’s National Commission for UNESCO, which coordinates the country's cooperation with the U.N. educational, scientific and cultural body, urged the international community to step up pressure on Moscow to stop its invasion and to throw it out of the organization.

“By destroying Ukraine’s cultural heritage, (Russia) seeks to erase historical memory and inflicts damage upon the heritage of all humankind,” the commission said in a statement.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed, without offering evidence, that the complex was hit by one of Ukraine’s U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles, saying that it might have veered off course due to its age.

Russia fires more than 600 drones at Ukraine

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 70 missiles and 611 drones overnight, primarily targeting Kyiv, while also striking the cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv.

The military said air defenses intercepted or electronically suppressed 632 aerial targets, including 50 missiles and 582 drones.

Preliminary data showed 20 ballistic missiles and 27 attack drones hit 42 locations across the country, while debris from intercepted drones fell at 12 sites.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 123 Ukrainian drones overnight.

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Associated Press writers Samuel Petrequin in London and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

La Celeste salvaged a point, but they were not thrilled with the result.

“We gave it away. We have to be honest,” midfielder Federico Valverde said in Spanish after his side played to a 1-1 draw, making up for a flat first half by controlling the second.

“We gave away the first half,” Valverde added. “We didn’t play the way we had trained. It wasn’t what we were aiming for. We rushed things too much. We wanted to win the game in the very first minute. Sometimes you need a bit more patience and just play our game. We improved a lot in the second half.”

Abdulelah Al-Amri scored on a rebound in the 41st minute for Saudi Arabia, and Araújo got the equalizer in the 80th, firing a rebound past goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais from close range.

La Celeste dominated possession and had 29 attempts on goal to Saudi Arabia's seven but trailed until late in the second half.

It was the fourth international goal for Araújo and second at Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

Al-Amri, who had a shot denied by Uruguay's Fernando Muslera earlier in the first half, put his squad ahead with a quick tap-in after Muslera palmed away a header.

Al-Amri fell to his knees after the goal and placed his head down on the pitch as he was showered with cheers from Saudi Arabia fans, who were greatly outnumbered in South Florida but loud enough to make up the difference.

Four years ago, they watched their team deliver one of the most memorable moments of the 2022 World Cup, coming back to stun Lionel Messi and eventual champion Argentina 2-1 in Saudi Arabia's opening match.

Monday's result was much less dramatic, but Saudi Arabia — behind a mostly solid performance by Al-Owais — was able to shut out Uruguay, a two-time World Cup champion, until late.

The Green Falcons were more pleased with the outcome than their opponents.

“Uruguay is a team that is very energetic,” Saudi Arabia coach Georgios Donis said through an interpreter. “The players are well experienced, and there is depth on the bench. ... When you’re faced with such an opponent, getting one point is a positive.”

Donis replaced the fired Hervé Renard only two months ago. He said he's still learning the squad, though he was hopeful after Monday's performance.

“I need to get to know my team better,” Donis said. “I need to create a team that is competitive, and it only makes sense that we need time to do this. Today’s outcome gives us an advantage.”

La Celeste had plenty of chances. Al-Owais denied a point-blank header from Federico Vinas in the first half, then got his fingertips on an attempt by Manuel Ugarte in the 61st. He also denied Valverde's attempt a couple of minutes into stoppage time.

“When a team that is supposed to make a difference cannot do it, in terms of being dangerous or dominating the ball,” Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa said through an interpreter, “then the weaker team actually dares to do something.”

The result capped a surprising day for Group H — made up of Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Spain and Cape Verde.

Cape Verde, making its World Cup debut, held heavily favored Spain to a scoreless draw in Atlanta.

“The draw involving Spain may be the biggest surprise in this World Cup,” Donis said. “Cape Verde was very competitive, very strong. It’s not like the (group) favorites changed. It’s Spain and Uruguay.”

It was also a matchup of the past, present and future in World Cup history. Uruguay hosted the first World Cup in 1930 and will host a match commemorating the tournament’s centennial in 2030, and Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 2034.

Among those at the match: FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, former NFL star Chad Ochocinco and longtime Uruguay standout Luis Suárez -- Messi’s teammate with Inter Miami who was not picked to represent his country at this tournament.

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

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse said at a news conference that mainland China kicked off its 15th five-year plan for 2026 to 2030 this year. Hong Kong has long prided itself on minimal government intervention in the economy, even while referencing Beijing’s vision for the city.

The city's blueprint will help Hong Kong synchronize with and serve the national development plan while upholding a free-market economy, Tse said.

“Aligning with the national 15th five-year plan does not replace the free market,” she said. “Rather, it channels a clear vision and strategic planning through major policies, and that allows the market to develop more stably and clearly.”

The public consultation will last two months. Residents can submit opinions about the plan via a website, email or letters. The government also will hold activities to hear opinions from residents, politicians and industries. Officials aim to announce a finalized plan in the third quarter.

Officials say it will help residents and businesses

Under the plan, Hong Kong will strengthen its position as an international financial, maritime and trade center, Tse said.

Hong Kong officials have proposed accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis, an ongoing project that envisions building a new IT hub and a university town near the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen just across the border.

They also hope to deepen development of the Greater Bay Area, which is Beijing's plan to form an integrated business and economic hub including Hong Kong, Macao and nine other mainland Chinese cities.

Hong Kong leader John Lee said on June 9 that the five-year plan would better integrate a “capable government” with “an efficient market” as the government plays a leading role in stimulating the market's competitiveness.

The plan also will help residents understand their personal development opportunities and ease business planning, Lee said.

A Beijing official on Hong Kong and Macao affairs was expected to arrive in the city Tuesday for a two-day trip to study the financial hub’s alignment with the national plan for 2026 to 2030 and promotion of the Northern Metropolis development.

Since returning to Chinese rule in 1997, the former British colony has become more closely linked to mainland China through economic and cultural ties, as well as border checkpoints and transport infrastructure.

While Hong Kong has its own government, legislature and legal system under Beijing’s “one country, two systems” governing principle, China’s influence over the city has increased.

Following anti-government protests in 2019, Beijing imposed a national security law that has virtually silenced all dissent. Many leading activists have been jailed under the law. The city’s legislature is filled with Beijing loyalists after an electoral overhaul.

Potential greater role for the government

Gary Ng, a senior economist at Natixis Corporate and Investment Banking, said more governments have stepped up industrial policies, so it's probably time for Hong Kong to act similarly in order to stay competitive. With the five-year plan, Ng said it is likely that the city will see a more consistent policy in the future, but it is also a test of the government's ability to choose the direction for Hong Kong.

While he doesn’t see the city changing its market-driven economic model at any point in time, he said the government may play a greater role in steering the economy's direction.

"A lot of things that we’re seeing may not be fully as market-driven as before."

John Burns, a University of Hong Kong politics and public administration professor, said the city had previously disadvantaged itself without strategic planning. But public consultation in Hong Kong has long been discredited because authorities do not commit to changing course after receiving the public's views, he said.

“This is the government selling its notion of a local five-year plan to the community that dovetails with central government priorities,” he said, adding that the consultation document mostly lacks specific targets and timelines.

The agreement announced Sunday to end the war in Iran, set for a ceremonial signing Friday in Geneva, is centered around reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the United States’ naval blockade in the region, along with financial incentives for Iran if it meets certain benchmarks. But Senate Republicans and Democrats who returned to Washington on Monday said there were still many unanswered questions about the deal and they need thorough briefings before it is finalized.

“I just don’t know enough about it,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters in the Capitol. “Even the people who follow this stuff closely up here don’t know that much about it.”

Congressional leaders and intelligence committees generally receive higher-level intelligence briefings before rank-and-file members, and they are notified of major developments before they are announced. But Thune said he had not been personally briefed on the deal.

“I think that my understanding of what it entails — and, again, not having seen anything — it would require, I think the issues are going to be compliance, and how are you going to enforce that,” Thune said.

Thune’s concerns were echoed by several other GOP senators.

“If it’s a secret deal then how can I take it seriously?” asked Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

Vice President JD Vance told ABC News on Monday that the White House would release the text this week, “and what everybody will see is that Iran doesn’t get a dime of money unless they perform their obligations.”

Senators have questions about details

Trump has not yet explained how his agreement will address Iran’s nuclear program, including who will be in charge of verifying that Iran is in compliance and who will destroy or remove highly enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were badly damaged by U.S. strikes last summer.

A memorandum of understanding also includes the possibility of releasing Iran’s frozen funds, sanctions relief and a $300 billion fund to help rebuild Iran if Tehran meets certain benchmarks, senior U.S. officials told reporters Monday. But the document has not been released.

Thune said he wants to know more about the conditions on the financial incentives for Iran. He said the deal would be a “good one” if the incentives are conditioned upon Iran winding down its nuclear program and getting rid of the enriched uranium, “preventing them from having a nuclear capability in the future.”

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he is hopeful but “until you see the final document, it’s hard to make an assessment.”

“I go into it very skeptical of the government of Iran,” Kennedy said. “They learn to lie before they learn to talk. So any agreement we make with them has to have guardrails. It has to have a way to judge through independent inspection if they’re doing what they say they’re doing.”

Senate could have a vote

Under the Iran nuclear agreement review act passed by Congress during the Obama era, any deal the U.S. reaches concerning Iran’s nuclear material must be submitted within a certain amount of time to Congress for review. But it is up to Congress whether that happens — it is not required.

President Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA, was submitted for what’s called a vote of disapproval in the Senate. The outcome did not roll back the agreement, but put the senators on record with their support or opposition.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump and a longtime hawk on Iran, has appeared skeptical over the emerging agreement. He said he is “pulling for a deal” but Congress will need to review and vote on it, and he wants to see the memorandum that the two countries have agreed on.

“The way Iran describes it, it’s awful. The way we describe it, it makes sense to me,” Graham, R-S.C., said. “Let’s look at it and see what it actually is.”

Graham has said he wants Vance, whom he called “the architect of the deal,” to present it to lawmakers.

Vance responded to Graham on Monday, saying in the interview with ABC that he would “caution Lindsey Graham and anybody else not to believe the hard-liner propaganda in Iran, but to believe what’s actually in the agreement.”

Even though Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is the son of the last supreme leader, and Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard still has significant authority in Iran, Vance told CNN in a separate interview that “fundamentally, it is a much different group of people.” He insisted that the conflict had unlocked much more direct communication with high-level Iranian officials and that the relationship was “fundamentally transformed.”

Next steps in Congress unclear

Most Senate Republicans said they want to review the deal, but it was still unclear whether they would have a vote, or if Congress could pass it.

Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri said he doesn’t think an up-or-down vote is necessary.

“You have the camp that wants us to lose and then you have a camp that wants a forever war,” Schmitt said. “President Trump’s not in either one of those camps, and neither am I.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he expects the Senate will get the final say. But he praised Trump for making “the single most consequential decision of his presidency” by attacking Iran.

“I think he made America safer,” Cruz said. “The president as commander in chief acted decisively to stop that ayatollah from getting nuclear weapons.”

Sen. James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican who serves on the Intelligence Committee, said he expects there are still many more steps to the process before any package would come to Congress for review.

“Seems like early reports are showing that this is kind of the first step,” he said. “Once we have a final agreement, we need to take it up and pass it. … If you want a long-term agreement it’s got to be law.”

Democrats ask what has changed

Democrats questioned how the deal will improve upon the U.S. position before the war — and how it differs from Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal.

“For all his critique of JCPOA, we had international observers, we actually had an alliance there that included the Europeans, and Russia and China were all signatories,” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said there are more questions than answers, including what happens to the Iranian nuclear program and sanctions on Iranian oil.

Trump has spent “tens of billions of dollars” and service members and Iranians have died, “and he still cannot explain how one family in Massachusetts is better off,” Warren said.

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said an end to what has been a costly and unpopular war would be a good resolution, but he wants to hear more details.

“An off ramp is good because it was a war that should have never been started,” he said.

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Associated Press writers Michelle Price in Washington and Bill Barrow in Alpharetta, Georgia, contributed to this report.

The trough will drift northward during the next couple of days. It is then forecast to move northeastward along the Texas coast, and possibly re-emerge over the NW Gulf late Tuesday or Wednesday. Expect scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms over the NW Gulf during this time. Some of this activity may produce wind gusts to near gale force.

If the system re-emerges over the northwestern Gulf, a short-lived tropical storm may develop. Regardless of tropical cyclone formation, interests across southern and eastern Texas and portions of Louisiana and Mississippi should prepare for periods of intense rainfall over the next several days. Gusty winds and coastal flooding are also possible along portions of the northwestern Gulf Coast, and Tropical Storm Watches or Warnings could be required on Tuesday.

Formation chance through 48 hours is 50 percent and the formation chance through 7 days is 50 percent.

Envioscuba.com announced it has stopped taking orders as round after round of U.S. sanctions aim to choke off international support for businesses in Cuba. The latest target Cuba’s state-owned oil and gas company, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and GAESA, a business conglomerate run by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba that owns a wide range of businesses, from car rentals and retail stores to transportation companies.

Increasingly, it's the most vulnerable who are being punished as Cubans endure shortages of food and medicine, nearly constant blackouts and stifling heat. Many have received help from family and friends in the U.S., who send money and packages from Miami containing appliances, food, and clothing, or purchase products online for delivery in Cuba.

Envioscuba.com said it no longer accepting new orders, but all those previously approved and in process will be delivered.

“Due to reasons beyond our control, our platform can no longer provide services,” the website said, without elaborating. It is not clear exactly when new orders stopped being received.

The AP was unable to contact the company. Its website does not list a phone number to call or an email address to send a message.

Platforms like envioscuba.com were operating directly with Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. said Emilio Morales, president at Havana Consulting Group, a Miami-based consulting firm specializing in market strategies for doing business in Cuba.

Most such portals, including envioscuba.com, do not ship products from the United States to Cuba, but rather sell and deliver products stored in GAESA warehouses on the island, Morales said. “The trend is for all of this to disappear, because GAESA is behind it all,” said Morales, who expects other similar portals to shut down as well to avoid being sanctioned for doing business with the Cuban government.

The administration's sanctions threaten to freeze U.S. assets of foreign companies and even prohibit travel by their investors, employees and shareholders — virtually eliminating their activity in the U.S. financial system.

Spanish hotel chain Meliá recently announced it will cease operations at 15 of the 34 hotels it manages on the island, joining a growing list of companies with a long-standing presence in Cuba that are withdrawing or limiting their operations on the island.

It took only 23 seconds to turn those hopeful cheers into raptures of euphoria.

Lukaku's presence sparked an immediate attack that led to Belgium’s lone goal against Egypt on Monday, helping to earn a 1-1 draw in the team's opening World Cup match.

“He’s a target man,” Belgium captain Youri Tielemans said. “He needs to build up his fitness, which is understandable after being out for the season. But, he helps us in this way.”

Lukaku, a Napoli striker who leads his nation in goals scored, withdrew from Belgium’s friendlies in the United States in the spring to get fitter as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. That injury didn't look too bothersome in the 66th minute when he ran down the middle of the field moments after entering the game and lurched to tap a cross from the right into the net. Egypt defender Mohamed Hany got there first, however, and scored an own-goal to even the score.

With 66,775 spectators watching, the Egyptians took the lead early in the Group G match. Emam Ashour scored his first international goal in the 19th minute.

If not for Lukaku's impact in the second half, Belgium easily could have dug itself into quite a hole in a group it is heavily favored to win, much as it did when failing to advance past the group stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Despite out-possessing Egypt, the Red Devils struggled to score all afternoon.

Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne came the closest for Belgium, pushing a shot wide left in the seventh minute before clanking another off the left post in the 53rd. Lukaku could have put Belgium in front late, too, but his header sailed far above the goal.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said because only 20% of his team’s shots were on target, netting one goal was a fair representation of their efforts. Still, Garcia would have preferred a faster start.

“We weren’t really in the groove,” Garcia said in French. “Technically, we left a lot to be desired.”

Egypt, meanwhile, were the more aggressive side in the first 45 minutes. Ashour, a midfielder who was playing in his 30th game for his country, took advantage of a defensive breakdown to give his team only its second lead in a World Cup match.

The Egyptians, who are playing in their fourth World Cup, have still never won a game at the tournament.

“The match shows we were closer to earning the win,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said in Arabic.

Belgium demonstrated it is still quite reliant on national team stalwarts like De Bruyne, Lukaku and goalkeeper Thibault Courtois, each of whom is playing in their fourth World Cup.

Winger Jérémy Doku, 24, kept his squad competitive in the first half, but the Red Devils were fortunate to only trail by one entering halftime.

“Our biggest challenge was about us. We lost too many balls, we weren’t quick enough in transition, and when we had the ball, we didn’t find the solutions,” Tielemans said. “We were too static, especially in the first half. In the second half, we created some chances, which — we could have won the game, but they had some chances as well.”

In Garcia’s opinion, Egypt and Belgium are the two best teams in Group G, which also features New Zealand and Iran.

“We have to win against Iran,” Garcia said of his team's next match on Sunday. “There’s no two ways around it.”

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

Division of Elections Director Carol Beecher, in a letter sent to the challenger Sullivan, said she concluded that his declaration of candidacy “was not filed in order to declare an actual good-faith candidacy for the office of United States Senator, but was instead filed with a purpose to confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballot’s fairness or neutrality.”

The challenger can appeal the ruling, she said, while noting ballots are due to be printed June 28.

A text message seeking comment from Sullivan, the challenger, was not immediately returned. He previously said he anticipated making a decision on whether to pursue an appeal by early this week.

In a social media post Sunday, he said he “met the qualification and I entered this race because I am unhappy with the 12 year record of the current Senator and I feel we need a change. It’s that simple.”

It’s been a whirlwind chain of events in one of the nation’s most prominent U.S. Senate races, one both parties consider crucial to controlling the chamber.

The kerfuffle was set off by the challenger Sullivan filing days before the June 1 candidate deadline. Sen. Sullivan and Republicans called him a “sham” candidate and alleged he was working with Democrats to boost Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola’s chances in the race. Both the challenger Sullivan and Peltola’s campaign have denied the allegation.

Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom a week ago announced an investigation into the challenger Sullivan’s run, citing “credible allegations” that he declared his candidacy “in coordination with another candidate and campaign” with an intent to confuse and “manipulate” voters. The announcement followed a letter that had been sent to her and Beecher by an attorney with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, outlining those claims.

Later, two complaints seeking to disqualify the challenger were filed by Alaska Republican Party Chair Carmela Warfield.

Sullivan, a 69-year-old retired teacher from the small, southeast Alaska fishing community of Petersburg, has said he’s done nothing wrong and insisted that Dahlstrom lacked a legal basis to exclude him from the ballot. He said in a recent interview he has been weighing a run for years and called sharing a name with Sullivan a “matter of fate.”

“The Lieutenant Governor’s job is to oversee elections fairly and impartially,” he said in a statement last week. “Instead, her actions create the impression that the state government is being used to protect an incumbent senator from facing competition at the ballot box.”

In her letter, the election director did not mention finding any evidence of alleged coordination with Peltola or Democratic Party officials. But she outlined details she said led her to conclude that the challenger is ineligible.

They include that he had registered to vote as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. and in conjunction with his candidacy changed his party affiliation to Republican, an affiliation he had not had previously. She also cited similarities between his campaign website and the senator’s and his work with a consultant whose clients have included some Democrats.

The work on his behalf by the consultant “is, in isolation, innocuous.” But she said that, taken with the other details, it “suggests a determined effort and a deliberate attempt to use the similarity of your name to confuse Alaska voters."

The form candidates fill out asks them how they'd like to be referred to on the ballot — including any nicknames — and the party affiliation they want on the ballot. In the earlier interview, the challenger told The Associated Press he was motivated to register with the GOP in part by his late father, whom he described as a “true, compassionate, conservative Republican.”

Sen. Sullivan's campaign manager, Billy Mackey, lauded the lieutenant governor, who oversees elections in Alaska, as upholding the right to “a free and fair election.”

Sen. Sullivan, who is seeking a third term, and Peltola are the highest-profile candidates in the crowded race and the only ones so far to report raising any money.

Democrats have targeted the seat in their push to regain the majority in the chamber.

On Friday, protesters gathered outside the Division of Elections office in Juneau, opposing efforts to remove the challenger Sullivan from the ballot. Among them was Ben Muse of Juneau. He said he felt the issue could have been addressed using middle initials to distinguish between the candidates but had been “blown way out of proportion.”

“This has nothing to do with whether you support this guy as a candidate,” he said. “It’s supporting his right to be on the ballot.”

Then it was their players donning authentic Viking attire, complete with weapons, shields and long boats, to the backdrop of a fjord for a moody, dramatic photo shoot.

“A dream 28 years in the making... let’s do this!” Norway star Erling Haaland wrote on the X platform Monday, reposting the photo of the team along with one of his father, Alfie Haaland, competing for the national team in the 1994 World Cup.

Norway is leaning into the country’s centuries-old history as its star-studded men’s team, containing Haaland and Martin Odegaard, heads into a first World Cup in 28 years.

It has created plenty of excitement and debate.

“It was an ask or a question from the (photographers),” Norway manager Stale Solbakken said Monday in advance of his team's World Cup opener against Iraq. “The players wanted me to do it. They were positive. The federation was positive. And I was average positive. And then we did it."

It could be the new “thunder clap”

The Norway fan routine sees lines of supporters, wearing Viking helmets and the team’s red-and-blue jerseys, rowing in unison, forward and backward, to the steady beat of a drum.

Expect it to catch the eye at the World Cup in Norway’s group games at Foxborough, Massachusetts (against Iraq and France) and in New Jersey (against Senegal).

It could potentially have a similar impact to the “thunder clap” performed by Iceland’s fans at the European Championship in 2016 that resonated around the world and has since been used by many other sports teams.

One critic says the photo is “chauvinistic”

The Norwegian soccer federation commissioned British photographer David Yarrow to take the Viking snap, and he said in an interview with The Athletic he knew “it might get some criticism.”

Yarrow was right.

As well as sparking wonder for its breathtaking backdrop and creativity, it also is regarded by some as controversial for harking back to a time — in the 800s and 900s — when Norwegian Vikings conducted raids featuring looting and pillaging.

One commentator, Markus Slettholm from daily paper Morgenbladet, said the photo was chauvinistic and “a bit reminiscent of what neo-Nazis were concerned with 10 years ago.”

Solbakken doesn’t see the fuss.

“There are many bigger and more difficult topics,” he said before the World Cup. “I can’t afford to waste time on that.”

Yarrow previously worked with Haaland in a solo photo shoot.

The BBC reported that sales of the Viking-themed team photo will raise funds for Norwegian charities.

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Douglas reported from Sundsvall, Sweden.

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

Newsom, a longtime political rival of the Republican president, said in a video posted on X that federal agents have knocked on the doors of his friends and former employees, and have asked for records. Newsom didn't provide specifics on the nature of the probe, but his office said the inquiry appears to have recently expanded into “increasingly personal matters involving the Governor's family and professional network.”

“Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets,” Newsom said, referencing his use of social media to mock Trump. “He’s coming after me because I’m considering running for president, because he hates that I’ve consistently called him out over and over again for his lies and deceit.”

The full details of any Justice Department inquires related to Newsom were not immediately clear. But the revelations were likely to escalate accusations from critics that the Trump administration is using the law enforcement agency as a weapon to go after the president's political opponents.

A person familiar with the matter denied the existence of an investigation specifically targeting the governor, but said there are multiple federal probes into people around him, including one related to his wife’s taxes. That probe began last year, and political leadership in Washington was not involved in the decision to open it, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss ongoing investigations.

Another probe is related to Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, who was indicted on federal charges that she was involved in a scheme to steal campaign money from former federal Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. Williamson in May pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud. That investigation, which was launched by President Joe Biden's Justice Department, has expanded to include other staff, the person familiar with the matter said.

Newsom hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing related to Williamson’s case.

The Justice Department declined to comment Monday. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to answer questions about Newsom during a brief photo opportunity with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Capitol Hill Monday afternoon. Blanche had a scheduled meeting with Grassley to discuss his nomination to become attorney general.

Trump's Justice Department pursues his critics

They are the latest Justice Department investigations surrounding one of Trump’s political foes.

The Justice Department has also opened investigations into or brought prosecutions against former FBI Director James Comey,New York Attorney General Letitia James, former CIA director John Brennan and former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, among other perceived political enemies of the president.

“One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list, and today I proudly join that list,” Newsom said in the video.

Investigators have subpoenaed records, and agents have reached out to organizations and people connected to the governor and his wife, according to Newsom's office. The governor's office accused the Justice Department of “searching for a crime that does not exist.”

Newsom's office said it heard last week that federal agents had ramped up their efforts and were asking people tied to the governor and his wife about a range of issues, including their businesses, finances and personal matters. His office said it filed a public records request Monday seeking messages to or from Justice Department leaders mentioning Newsom or his wife during Trump's second term.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the governor’s wife, said the investigation showed that Trump is unfit for office.

“There are clearly no boundaries to what Donald Trump will do to get his way or to challenge those who get in his way,” she said in a statement.

The president has repeatedly gone after the Democrat-dominated state during his second term including by curbing a signature plan to reduce planet-warning emissions from cars, withholding aid for wildfire recovery and suing over state policies supporting transgender student-athletes. The state has pushed back by suing the federal government dozens of times.

Newsom also led a push to counteract a Trump-backed effort in Texas to redraw congressional districts to favor Republicans by championing a successful redistricting measure in California designed to win Democrats five additional House seats.

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Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.

Federal investigators were at the crash site, about an hour south of Kansas City, on Monday, a day after the plane carrying a pilot and 11 skydivers slammed into a field and burst into flames, killing all on board, authorities said.

Some family members of those who died were at the airport to watch the jump and witnessed the crash, said Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson.

Authorities have not released the victims’ names, but friends and colleagues began paying tribute.

The United States Parachute Association, skydiving's governing body, said its technology director, Jen Sharp, was among those killed.

“Jen was a remarkable force whose passion for the skies was matched only by her dedication to the people in our sport,” said Albert Berchtold, the organization’s executive director.

Sharp taught skydiving instructors, wrote educational materials and made 6,800 jumps since her first one in 1989, according to her website.

She once jumped into Denver's Coors Field ballpark while dressed as the queen of England and was part of the Everest Skydive in the Himalayas, her site said.

Kevin Payne, who had jumped with seven of the skydivers on the plane, said they were all different in nearly every way, except that they were all brought together as a “sky family.”

“There is a joy and peace and freedom to what we do. That’s what most people never understand,” Payne, of Parkville, Missouri, wrote in an email. “It’s not about the adrenaline. It’s about really flying together with your family in that brief, exquisite instant that people who live their lives on the ground will never understand.”

It will be about a month before the National Transportation Safety Board issues a preliminary report, but weather did not appear to be a factor.

Investigators had interviewed some witnesses by Monday afternoon but not the company's owner, NTSB Vice Chairman Michael Graham said. The plane didn’t have a “black box” like those that record flight data on commercial planes, but investigators will examine the wreckage for other clues, he said.

Skydiving plane went down soon after taking off

Witnesses say the plane was roughly 100 feet (30 meters) from the ground when it made an abrupt left turn before crashing.

It appeared to be losing power, and the pilot may have been trying to reach a highway to land when the plane stalled and went down nose first, said Dennis Jacobs, acting airport manager of Butler Memorial Airport. On Monday, Graham said investigators are only beginning to interview all those witnesses and gather photos and videos of the crash, so it's too early to say definitively what happened.

The plane was operated by Skydive Kansas City, he said. The crash site in the small town of Butler is roughly 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Kansas City.

Skydive Kansas City said in a statement that its team and the skydiving community were in shock.

“This is a devastating loss for everyone connected to Skydive Kansas City and for the wider skydiving community,” the company said. “Our deepest sympathies are with the families, friends, and loved ones of all who were lost.”

Plane made multiple flights over the weekend

The Pacific Aerospace 750XL — a single-engine turboprop plane — is a popular model in skydiving because it’s designed for the sport and can quickly take parachutists to jumping altitudes while using short runways.

This particular aircraft, built in 2010, made nine successful flights in the days before the crash, including two on Sunday morning, according to FlightAware, a digital flight tracking company.

Red flags raised about skydiving oversight

The NTSB has voiced concerns in past crash investigations about whether skydiving operators get enough oversight and inspections to ensure their planes are safe and their pilots are well trained.

The Federal Aviation Administration has yet to adopt the NTSB's recommendations, but said Monday it established a committee in April that will recommend ways to increase skydiving safety and will consider the safety board's proposals.

“It’s always frustrating when we see things the FAA hasn’t acted on,” said Graham, of the NTSB. “And then we continue to see accidents in those arenas.”

The FAA said its inspectors are required to examine certain aspects of skydiving businesses every year, including several safety items related to the aircraft and pilots. But the NTSB said previously that those inspections failed to identify a twisted wing on a skydiving plane that later crashed in Hawaii in 2019 and killed 11 people.

Skydiving businesses can operate under the same FAA rules that apply to any small plane owner as long as their flights don’t venture more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) away. Those rules also cover tourist helicopters and other local flights because the FAA considers those operations less complicated than a charter company or airline.

But all aircraft owners are expected to follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule and recommendations.

The United States Parachute Association said in a statement that Skydive Kansas City adheres to the safety standards set by the largest skydiving organization in the world, including all FAA maintenance requirements.

The skydiving industry says it has a strong safety record. The association said that last year nearly 3.5 million jumps were completed and that 16 civilians died, the majority from human error.

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Associated Press reporters Kristen M. Hall in Kansas City, Missouri; Cathy Bussewitz in New York; Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho; and Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami confirmed that Timothy Hudson is in custody. U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres filed the order to revoke Hudson’s pretrial release last Wednesday, but the order was sealed until Monday afternoon. The order stated that Hudson should surrender to U.S. Marshals at the federal courthouse in Tampa Monday morning.

The judge had ruled in February that the 16-year-old could live with an uncle and be electronically monitored. But after the case was transferred to adult court in April, prosecutors wanted Hudson in custody.

The judge ultimately agreed that the issue of Hudson's pretrial detention should be treated as if he was an adult, though Hudson will be held in an approved juvenile facility.

“The Government has established, by clear and convincing evidence, that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of the community going forward,” Torres wrote in his order.

Hudson has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of Anna Kepner. His federal public defenders have declined to comment on the charges.

Minors are rarely prosecuted in federal court, and this case landed there because Kepner apparently died in international waters, outside any state’s jurisdiction.

Kepner had been traveling on the Carnival Horizon ship in November with her family, including Hudson. Before the ship was scheduled to return to Florida, her body was found concealed under a bed in a room she was sharing with Hudson and another teen, a criminal complaint said.

The cause of Kepner’s Nov. 6 death was determined to be mechanical asphyxia, which is when an object or physical force stops someone from breathing.

Attorneys for the prosecution and the defense made arguments for and against Hudson being jailed until his trial during a May 27 hearing, but Torres said he wanted to speak with the Marshals Service about the logistics of detaining Hudson in central Florida, closer to his family, rather than South Florida, where the trial is taking place. Hudson walked out of the courthouse after that hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra Lopez argued at the hearing that the crimes Hudson is accused of are so serious that the court shouldn’t risk another violent attack. An autopsy determined that Kepner had been pinned down and forcibly raped, the prosecutors said. She also noted that it likely took 3-5 minutes for Hudson to allegedly strangle Kepner until she was dead.

The prosecutor also argued that Hudson was a much greater flight risk because he now faces a possible life sentence if convicted of the adult charges. As a juvenile, he would have been released at age 21, regardless of what counts he was found delinquent on.

Evan Kuhl, with the Federal Public Defender’s office, told the judge during the hearing that Hudson has abided by the conditions of his release for months without issue.

Kepner's father, Christopher Kepner, previously released a statement, saying the family was placing “trust in the justice system to pursue the truth with care and integrity.”

“The situation is deeply painful and complex for the entire family,” Kepner said.

Anna Kepner was a high school cheerleader at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Orlando. At her memorial service in November, family members encouraged people to wear bright colors instead of the traditional black “in honor of Anna’s bright and beautiful soul.”

Strider, who had been placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday, had a consultation with Dr. Keith Meister before they decided on four weeks. Strider will have another MRI at the end of that period and would begin “throwing progression” if tests showed the inflammation had cleared, the team said.

Strider left Friday's 7-5 loss at the New York Mets in the fourth inning due to right shoulder and elbow soreness. Braves manager Walt Weiss said the team also was concerned about a dramatic decline in Strider's velocity.

Strider has a history of arm problems. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 and had the UCL in his right elbow repaired with an internal brace in April 2024.

Rookie right-hander JR Ritchie, who pitched in relief behind Strider on Friday, will move into the rotation and has been scheduled to start Wednesday night's game against San Francisco.

Strider allowed six hits, including three homers, and a season-worst seven earned runs in three innings on Friday.

Strider was making his eighth start of the season for the first-place Braves after missing the first 34 games recovering from a strained left oblique. He is 4-2 with a 5.31 ERA this season.

Strider led the major leagues with 20 wins and an Atlanta-record 281 strikeouts in 2023.

The Braves activated catcher Drake Baldwin from the injured list on Monday. Baldwin was placed on the IL on May 19 with an oblique injury. Catcher Austin Wynns was sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett.

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

Pastor Granardo Felix of Trinity United Methodist Church said he and his family were asleep when the limb struck about 5:20 a.m. Sunday. The branch hit his son’s room, tore off part of the porch and shook the house, Felix said. No one was seriously injured.

“It sounded like thunder, but it wasn’t raining,” Felix said. He called the impact “devastating” and added that the timing could have been far worse if it had fallen during a busy event. Church members are helping the family find temporary housing.

David Neville, the city arborist, said three arborists examined the tree within 24 hours. From ground level, they found signs of white rot inside the trunk that would have been difficult to detect externally. Neville said prolonged drought followed by heavy rains likely increased stress on the tree, and the added weight contributed to the limb’s failure.

“This tree is kind of the symbol of our city,” Neville said. “When something happened to it, we jumped on it as soon as we could.”

The oak stands at the corner of Ash and 7th streets beside the historic Bailey House, where Katherine Bailey lived about a century ago.

Local lore holds that Bailey fiercely protected the tree — at times chaining herself to it and threatening workers with a shotgun — and the road was built around the tree to preserve it, Diana Herman of the Amelia Tree Conservancy said.

“We’re all almost emotionally tied to her, to this tree,” Herman said, noting an outpouring of messages after the limb fell.

Neville said crews removed the broken limb and that the tree appears stable for now. He added that officials do not consider it a danger to drivers and expect to have a plan of action in a few days.

“It was an amazing, experience, this was a one-of-one,” UFC CEO Dana White said.

“It will never happen again.”

Oh, not because the show dubbed Freedom 250 and ostensibly held to celebrate Trump's 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing wasn't by White's accounts a smashing success. He crowed about merchandise sales and streaming service subscriptions and how UFC surpassed its goals in every metric he could list at a news conference that stretched well into the dawn's early light Monday.

And the setting?

Forget it, almost impossible to top on a night when fighters essentially treated their walkouts like they were kids on a class trip. The all-male lineup toured the West Wing, the Oval Office, walked past presidential portraits, through the Roosevelt Room, the Cabinet Room — and the winners even got a meet-and-greet with Trump.

Gaethje skimmed the copy of the Declaration of Independence that hangs in the Oval Office and said a prayer before he made the unusually long walk to the cage. Gaethje battered Spanish-Georgian fighter Ilia Topuria in the main event and won the UFC lightweight title.

“Usually, I kind of blank out when it comes to getting ready to walk to the cage,” Gaethje said. “It was pretty crazy, looking at the Declaration of Independence. The original one. Their language was different. I'm not smart enough to read that.”

Gaethje also banked a whopping $825,000 in bonus money for winning “Performance of the Night” and “Fight of the Night” honors.

Trump stayed until the end of the seven-card show and generally seemed engaged with the fights — at one point he put on a white “USA” baseball cap — and certainly was all smiles each time a fighter who had a hand raised in victory then used it on a handshake with the president.

Trump boasted on Truth Social the night was “PERFECT!”

There were few blips on the big night and the blemishes that did happen were at the expense of UFC's two more problematic fighters.

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was escorted out of the Ellipse watch party attended by thousands more fans by a group of police officers. Heavyweight Josh Hokit took it further with an extraordinary and unfounded attack based on a right-wing conspiracy theory about former first lady Michelle Obama.

For all the hand-wringing ahead of the card, the show delivered on the star-spangled smackdown that featured pulsating patriotism from the Marine Band, tributes to first responders, active military and other White House-designated heroes. Gaethje and Ciryl Gane were crowned champions inside a blood-splattered eight-sided cage plopped in the open air right in the people's house backyard on the South Lawn.

Blood and guts were a mandate before an American fighter wrapped himself in the flag.

“Hopefully tonight created some unity,” White said as he put on his hyperbolic promoter's hat. “Even for the people that thought this was going to be some big political statement or something, this wasn't. This was Americans, all Americans celebrating the birthday. For people who tuned in for the first time, because it was at the White House, hopefully they liked the sport. They liked some of the guys' stories.”

So maybe some new fans stick around.

After all, International Fight Week is right around the corner, with UFC 329 set to mark the return after a five-year break of the company's biggest box office draw, Conor McGregor.

That fight will be held in a more traditional arena back on UFC's home turf in Las Vegas, just as they will for years to come.

But despite all the pomp and pageantry, the eyerolls and angst, White stands by his claim that UFC is one-and-done in D.C.

The constant headaches over weather concerns in the rare outdoors show, the logistics of construction of the cage and staging events at federal landmarks and the soaring cost — UFC said it was footing the $60 million tab — made Freedom 250 a one-off for a company once dubbed “human cockfighting."

“I can’t afford it," White said. "I’ll never do the Sphere again and we’ll never do this again.”

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AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts

The woman was lying in the road by a passing patrol officer.

The officer called for help, but the woman died at the scene, which was near the intersection of Illinois Street, near UF Health.

JSO Sgt. Robert Hungerford said the crash likely occurred around 3 a.m., and the woman, who was in her mid-50s, was spotted by the officer just before 4 a.m. She had visible injuries consistent with being hit by a vehicle.

Investigators are looking for any witnesses or surveillance video as they work to identify the vehicle that struck the woman.

Hungerford said investigators will likely have that vehicle identified soon through surveillance video and urged the person involved to turn themselves in.

" I don’t know who you are but I wish you got caught," Annette Muff, a resident, said.

Anyone with information can call JSO at 9054-630-0500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

A Democratic hold in the heavily Democratic district would further tighten an already thin Republican majority in the U.S. House.

Swalwell resigned from Congress in April following sexual-assault allegations he has denied. He also withdrew from the California governor's race, in which he was a top contender.

There are two campaigns underway for Swalwell's former seat. One is a regularly scheduled election to serve in the next Congress for a term that starts in January 2027. The other is Tuesday's special primary to serve out the remaining 15 weeks of Swalwell’s term.

Among the Democrats running in the special primary for the abbreviated term in the 14th District are former Dublin mayor and Bay Area Rapid Transit board member Melissa Hernandez, state Sen. Aisha Wahab and attorney and education entrepreneur Rakhi Israni Singh. Republican candidates include real estate investor Wendy Huang and small business owner Dena Maldonado. Unless a candidate wins the seat outright by receiving a majority of the vote, the top two finishers regardless of party will advance to a special general election on Aug. 18. California has a top-two primary system in which all candidates run on the same ballot.

These five candidates also ran in the June 2 primary for the full-term seat in a slightly smaller field of nine. Wahab and Hernandez placed first and second, guaranteeing the seat will remain in Democratic hands next year.

The boundaries of the 14th Congressional District were redrawn as part of a new congressional map approved by voters in a 2025 statewide ballot measure known as Proposition 50. The map goes into effect for the full-term seat in January, while the winner of the special election will serve under the current boundaries for the remainder of the year.

Proposition 50 was placed on the ballot in response to mid-decade redistricting efforts led by President Donald Trump in several Republican-controlled states. While the plan created a congressional map more favorable to Democrats, no dramatic changes were made to the 14th District. Under the current boundaries, Democrats made up 50.4% of registered voters in October, compared with 17.6% for Republicans. Under the new boundaries, Democrats comprised about 49.7% of registered voters as of mid-May, compared with about 17.4% for Republicans.

In 2024, Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris carried the current 14th District with 65.8% of the vote. If the election had been held under the new boundaries, she would have received 65.4% of the vote.

Both versions of the district are contained entirely within Alameda County in the East Bay. The current district includes Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton and Union City, as well as parts of San Leandro, Fremont and Dublin.

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 8 p.m. PT, which is 11 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in the 14th Congressional District special primary.

Who gets to vote?

Any registered voter in the pre-redistricting, pre-Proposition 50 version of California’s 14th Congressional District may participate in the special primary.

How many voters are there?

As of October 2025, there were about 429,000 registered voters in California’s current 14th Congressional District, including about 216,000 Democrats, about 76,000 Republicans and about 114,000 voters with no party preference.

How many people actually vote?

About 214,000 voters in the current iteration of the 14th Congressional District cast ballots in the statewide Proposition 50 ballot measure in November 2025.

About 126,000 14th District voters cast ballots in March 2024, the last time the district held a primary under these boundaries.

How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 93% of Alameda County voters in the March 2024 primary and about 87% of 2024 general election voters cast their ballots either early in person or by mail.

As of Sunday, about 110,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election, including about 57% from Democrats, about 19% from Republicans and about 20% from unaffiliated voters.

When are early and absentee votes released?

In Alameda County, the first vote update of the night usually includes only results from mail voting, but the county typically still has a sizable number of mail ballots left to tally by the next morning.

Since mail voting tends to favor Democrats and in-person Election Day voting tends to favor Republicans, the release of only mail voting results at the start of the night could result in an early lead for Democratic candidates, while Republican candidates may narrow the gap as more Election Day results are counted. It also means that Democratic candidates could see additional gains later on because of the number of mail ballots tabulated after election night.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the statewide special election for Proposition 50 on Nov. 4, 2025, the AP first reported results from Alameda County at 11:14 p.m. ET, or 14 minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 1:33 a.m. ET, with about 57% of total votes counted. The county completed about 99% of the vote county by Nov. 10.

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?

There are no automatic recounts in California. Any registered voter may request and pay for a recount. 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 63 days until the Aug. 18 special general election for Congressional District 14 and 140 days until the Nov. 3 midterm general election.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

Tiny Cape Verde, making its debut at the World Cup, pulled off a stunner, holding heavily favored Spain scoreless in a 0-0 draw on Monday.

“This means everything for our country," Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito said. “We have always said that we wanted everybody to see our country, our team and we have shown organization and braveness and this is proof of what our country is about — resilience and to try to overcome hardships.”

European champion Spain is one of the favorites to win the tournament and was -1200 to beat Cape Verde. But it could not find a way past a 40-year-old goalkeeper and a stubborn defense that had an answer to everything Spain’s superstars threw at them.

Not even sensational teenager Lamine Yamal, who came in off the bench in the second half, could turn a game that ended with wild and emotional celebrations inside the stadium.

“A dream" was how Cape Verde defender Steven Moreira described it.

Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha broke down in tears after the final whistle following his impressive performance to keep Spain at bay.

He was the player of the match, pulling off a string of saves at the end of the first half to deny Ferran Torres, Pedri and Aymeric Laporte.

The closest Spain came to finding a breakthrough was when Torres struck the bar shortly before halftime.

“We should have won today’s match with everything that happened, with all the favorable situations we created, but we lacked freshness and a clinical edge," said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who had warned before the match that Cape Verde could be one of the surprise teams of the World Cup.

Spain could have been the victim of an even bigger upset when Diney Borges had a late chance to score, but saw his header saved by Spain keeper Unai Simon.

Add Cape Verde to Cameroon, Senegal and Saudi Arabia on the list of teams that have pulled off shocking results against soccer's giants in the World Cup.

Cameroon beat defending champion Argentina in 1990 and Senegal beat defending champion France in 2002. Four years ago, Saudi Arabia triumphed against Lionel Messi's Argentina, which went on to win the tournament in Qatar.

Cape Verde didn't win, but its performance rebuked some of the criticisms that the expansion of the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 would weaken the tournament.

The group of islands off Africa's West coast have about 4,000 square meters (about 2.5 miles) of landmass and approximately half a million inhabitants, making Cape Verde the third-smallest nation by population to qualify for the World Cup. And even against a loaded Spain roster, Cape Verde proved its worth on soccer's biggest stage.

Despite the majority of the 67,640 crowd inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium appearing to be Spain fans, it was the Cape Verde supporters who cheered loudest. They continued their celebrations after the final whistle, singing and dancing in the concourses.

“All of us, we are happy because we work a lot to be here. We deserve to be here," Vozinha said.

The 2010 champion Spain is aiming to win the World Cup for a second time and is coming into the tournament after winning the Euros in 2024. But a disappointing start echoes its performances in recent World Cups. Spain has failed to advance beyond the round of 16 in each of the last three editions.

“What doubts do you think my team is going to have? Zero doubts," De la Fuente said. “We know how difficult this competition is. The idea we need to follow is what took us here and what made us European champions.”

Spain plays Saudi Arabia on Sunday and Cape Verde faces Uruguay.

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

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

The Republican U.S. president sought to make clear that he arrived in Evian-les-Bains with the wind at his back for talks with G7 leaders, including some who have been sharply critical of his managing of the 15-week-old conflict, which has led to a surge in global energy prices — though he did not immediately seem willing to lay out the details of what was in the emerging deal.

Some of those details are still to be negotiated in talks over the next 60 days, though Trump said the memorandum of understanding would likely be released after it’s signed on Friday.

“I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now, and very importantly the oil (price) is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” Trump said at a meeting with the summit’s host, French President Emmanuel Macron, before they joined a working dinner with other leaders.

“The Iran deal that we made is going to bring a lot of success to the world,” he said.

Deal could change G7 dynamic

Trump has had friction with Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over failing to consult them before the decision to go to war. But sealing an agreement before jetting off to the summit might change the dynamic of the three-day gathering.

Macron at the start of Monday's meeting congratulated Trump for finding a way to an agreement.

"It’s a very important matter for peace of the whole world,” Macron said.

Trump has pushed back on the four European leaders — members of the NATO military alliance — for their lack of support for the U.S. in the conflict.

He's expected to discuss with leaders the demining of the Strait of Hormuz. Britain and France have expressed interest in assisting with the demining once the conflict is paused. Fear of potential mines is among the reasons tanker traffic has come to a halt during the war, and quickly clearing them will be crucial to regaining the confidence of commercial vessels.

Macron on Monday said France was ready to move within days to deploy assets, including mine-clearing vessels, to the region to help.

Senior U.S. officials told reporters that the while the agreement provides for the immediate opening of the strait and lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, it will take weeks for traffic to return to previous levels.

Macron invited the leaders of three nations that aren’t part of the G7 — Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — to take part in a session on the Middle East on Tuesday, when Iran is expected to be a central focus.

Trump faces questions about financial incentives for Tehran

Trump had fiercely criticized President Barack Obama for the 2015 nuclear agreement, which Trump argued failed to stop Tehran from advancing toward a weapon and funneled billions of dollars into the Islamic Republic’s coffers.

In 2018, Trump exited the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union were also signatories to the pact.

Trump in an interview on Sunday with The New York Times pushed back on comparisons to the Obama-era nuclear deal. “We negotiated from strength,” Trump said. “He was basically paying them off.”

But Trump hasn't explained how his agreement will address some key issues about Iran's nuclear program, including who will be in charge of verifying that Iran is complying with the agreement and who will destroy or remove 972 pounds (441 kilograms) of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were badly damaged by U.S. strikes last summer.

The memorandum of understanding includes the possibility of releasing Iran's frozen funds, sanctions relief and a $300 billion fund to help rebuild Iran — all of which would be tied to Tehran meeting certain benchmarks aimed at assuaging White House concerns, senior U.S. officials told reporters on Monday.

Some Democrats and hawkish critics say Trump has failed to explain how the financial relief in his agreement will differ from what Obama did in the 2015 nuclear deal.

“For all his critique of JCPOA, we had international observers, we actually had an alliance there that included the Europeans, and Russia and China were all signatories,” Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CBS' “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump and an Iran hawk, expressed skepticism, saying that Congress will need to review and vote on any nuclear deal with Iran, and said he expects Vance — “the architect of the deal” — to present it.

“I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming,” Graham said on social media.

Trade irritants and the war in Ukraine are also a focus

Leaders are expected to discuss a range of economic and trade issues. Trump told the New York Post he’s warned Macron the U.S. will “have no choice” but to slap 100% tariffs on French wines unless ​Paris eliminates its digital tax on American tech companies, renewing a long-running threat from him that dates to his first administration.

Wines and ​spirits exported to the U.S. from the European Union currently face ​a 15% ⁠tariff.

In an interview with broadcaster TF1, Macron said Monday that it’s not “for the United States to decide what European or French law should be.”

Macron also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a working session with G7 leaders on Tuesday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war.

At the moment, Zelenskyy is not scheduled to hold one-on-one talks with Trump while they're both in France, but Trump on Sunday held separate phone calls with Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Trump emphasized the need to end hostilities with Ukraine and stated his readiness to influence European allies and Kyiv toward that goal, including at the G7.

Zelenskyy had offered to meet Putin with Trump and European leaders at the G7 gathering, but the Kremlin didn’t reply, a Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, and France would be obliged as an ICC member to arrest him. The United States and Russia both oppose the court.

Trump suggested that, after an Iran deal, he'll now have greater bandwidth to focus on the Russia-Ukraine war.

"Now that this is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that,” he said, referring to diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that followed Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

___

Madhani reported from Geneva, AP writers Samuel Petrequin and John Leicester in Paris; Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv, Ukraine; Michelle L. Price and Collin Binkley in Washington; and Tom Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa contributed reporting.

The melee, including last-minute endorsements from President Donald Trump and outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp, was on full display Monday ahead of Tuesday’s runoff. Rep. Mike Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley are competing for the party's nomination for U.S. Senate, while Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire businessman Rick Jackson are running for governor.

Trump and Kemp are aligned behind Jones but split in the Senate race. Top grassroots organizers are divided too. Even Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a former rival to Trump, stepped into the mix on Jackson’s behalf, putting him at odds with the president and governor.

“There’s a lot of division in the MAGA world and across the Republican Party,” said Debbie Dooley, an original national tea party organizer who is backing Jones for governor but Dooley for Senate. (She's not related to the candidate.) “We better get it together after Tuesday.”

Kemp insisted there is a common denominator.

“Everything I’m doing is to win in November,” he said Monday after campaigning for Jones and Derek Dooley at separate events in metro Atlanta.

Kemp has backed Derek Dooley for months in the Senate race, arguing it will take an outsider to defeat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. Yet Kemp campaigned for the first time Monday with Jones, a day after he endorsed the lieutenant governor despite Jackson's outsider campaign. In the governor's race, Kemp reasoned that Jones is the right man to defeat Democratic nominee and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Trump, meanwhile, has backed Jones since last August, rewarding him for his loyalty as part of Trump’s alternate Electoral College slate in the 2020 scheme to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential victory. But the president waited until the final weekend to choose Collins over Dooley, with a social media post that noted Dooley has backed Trump’s falsehoods about his loss to Biden.

Kemp’s and Trump’s differing courses highlight their complicated relationship — Kemp certified Biden’s electors in 2020 over Trump’s objections — and the results Tuesday will tests both men’s internal party influence as their final terms play out.

“I’m not worried about any political equations or keeping score,” Kemp said Monday after campaigning alongside Jones and Dooley at separate morning events. “It’s making sure we have the right people at the top of the ticket.”

He also rejected any notion that he was being inconsistent by pushing the Washington outsider in one race and the Georgia statehouse insider in another. The reason, he said, was that Georgia has been controlled by Republicans for more than two decades and, in Kemp’s estimation, is doing well enough that Jones would be “really building off the great legacy” of multiple state administrations. Congress, meanwhile, is a mess of “inaction” with abysmal approval ratings, he said.

Dooley, for his part, embraced Kemp’s influence and downplayed Trump’s.

“It’s very simple,” he said. “A vote for Mike Collins is a vote for Jon Ossoff. A vote for me is a vote for the people of Georgia.”

Jackson likewise downplayed Kemp’s last-minute nod for Jones.

“I respect Gov. Kemp very much, and I think people are ready for an outsider,” he said.

Cruz was more animated, with an implicit comparison of Jackson to Trump.

“He’s rich,” Cruz told Jackson supporters with a smile. And he’s a first-time candidate, the senator continued. “I don’t know anybody like that in politics,” Cruz deadpanned.

Debbie Dooley, the conservative activist, noted that erstwhile tea party leaders in the state aren’t on the same page anymore either. While she’s campaigning with Derek Dooley, the founder of Tea Party Patriots, Jenny Beth Martin, has appeared with Collins.

“It’s just not as simple as blindly following Trump anymore,” Debbie Dooley said. “I don’t want the most conservative candidate. I want the most conservative candidate who can win.”

The survival rate for children with cancer has fallen to 65% from 85% before the energy restrictions began in January, according to the report released by Cubadebate. It also said 100,000 children younger than 7 are no longer receiving the daily liter of milk previously provided by the state and that the country’s 16-vaccine immunization program for infants is “at risk.”

Additionally, it said, another 100,000 Cubans are on waiting lists for surgery and the treatment schedules of nearly 3,000 patients requiring kidney dialysis have been disrupted. Regarding medication, 300 of the 395 essential medicines produced on the island are unavailable due to a lack of chemical components required to manufacture medications.

Cuba provides free, universal healthcare, but the system has been pushed to the brink as a result of resource shortages, fuel scarcity and power outages that can last more than 20 hours.

Cuba spent three months without a fuel shipment after the U.S. in January attacked Venezuela, a key supplier, and threatened tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba.

The island was already suffocating under a sharp increase in longtime U.S. sanctions, which prevent it from importing certain goods. The Trump administration demands that Cuba’s socialist government release political prisoners, implement major economic reforms and change its way of governance to avoid becoming a national security threat. Cuba has repeatedly said it poses no threat to the U.S.

As tensions escalate between the countries, United Nations officials have warned of a looming humanitarian crisis. In March, the organization launched an emergency appeal to raise funds for the island, but on Monday said several of its agencies involved with the plan were facing “significant logistical challenges.”

The U.N. said the regional Pan American Health Organization reported delays in shipments of antibiotics and laboratory reagents because of flight cancellations. UNICEF said seven critical shipments of supplies for newborns, valued at $630,000, were stalled in transit, while the World Food Program said 2,900 metric tons of contracted food aid could not be shipped to Cuba because of limitations imposed by shipping lines.

“What we are experiencing now is a unique situation," said Paolo Spadoni, an associate professor at Augusta University in Georgia. “There is no doubt that there were problems with healthcare and basic services in Cuba, but there is also no doubt that these recent events have vastly amplified what was already happening, and that we are now in a different dimension.”

Spadoni acknowledged that Cuba needs reforms and is suffering from systemic failures, but said "it is impossible to deny” that the United States bears responsibility for the “acute humanitarian crisis” unfolding on the island.

Monday's Cubadebate report also stated that about 1,400 megawatts of generating capacity are offline because of shortages of diesel and fuel oil for smaller power plants. It added that larger thermoelectric plants need spare parts that cannot currently be transported.

Additionally, the report said that “logistical and payment hurdles” in wheat purchases have reduced bread supplies to about half of what was available before the energy restrictions and that the lack of fuel has prevented the distribution of 170 containers of essential goods.

“Beyond numbers and coercive measures, the blockade amounts to an extreme and unjustifiable form of collective punishment inflicted on the Cuban people,” the report concluded. ___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

As Mexico celebrated its World Cup-opening victory over South Africa on Thursday, Merlin, a 2-year-old duck dressed in the national team’s colors, became an unlikely internet sensation and the tournament’s first unofficial mascot.

Images of Merlin parading through Mexico City, wearing a Mexican national team jersey — and socks — as thousands of fans celebrated, quickly went viral, racking up millions of views across social media. Overnight, and as if by the magic of the famous wizard who inspired his name, Merlin had captivated the internet.

“We want to see Merlin in the stadium,” one user wrote. “This duck is already a national treasure,” said another. “The best thing about the World Cup so far,” declared a third.

In Mexico City, however, Merlin was already something of a local celebrity.

A familiar sight at fairs and events in the historic city center, the duck regularly accompanies his owner, Carla Gómez, who sells water and soft drinks from a little cart each weekend. Along the way, the animal attracts plenty of delighted squeals, affectionate greetings and eager requests from passersby for a photo together.

“We don’t like to leave him alone at home; we like him to be with us. He’s our baby,” Gómez said. “He’s the baby, the sole heir to all my possessions and now an idol.”

Rain or shine, Merlin follows Gómez and her young son Cristian through some of the capital’s best-known landmarks, including Alameda Central, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Zócalo square. The duck shares a particularly close bond with Cristian, for whom he was originally a gift, becoming what Gómez describes as the boy's inseparable companion.

“Merlin had already become famous for selling bottled water,” Gómez said, recalling her surprise at her pet’s sudden rise to fame.

“He is always with us; we never imagined he’d become such a sensation,” she added. “We weren’t expecting it.”

On Monday, Gómez — and Merlin — met with FIFA representatives to shoot photos and a commercial. Now, the family hopes Mexico’s famous feathered supporter can continue bringing luck to the host nation, which is staging the World Cup for the third time after hosting the tournament in 1970 and 1986 — this time a co-host alongside Canada and the United States.

“Mexico, we are with you,” Gómez said. “And Merlin is your No. 1 fan.”

___

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

Trump had been touting the emerging deal for weeks and the continuing conflict threatened to overshadow the UFC mixed martial arts extravaganza, where combatants inside a wire-mesh Octagon tried to punch, kick, chop and pummel each other into submission.

Ahead of the event, however, the president said an agreement to end the conflict “is now complete." He declared that the U.S. will end its blockade of Iran, and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen. Crucial details still need negotiating over the coming weeks, however.

Top administration officials and Republican leaders attended the fights, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Polish President Karol Nawrocki was also at the White House.

It started with Trump and UFC chief Dana White walking together from the Oval Office to the Blue Room Balcony to survey the Octagon, standing for the national anthem as fighter jets thundered overhead.

Thousands of spectators crowded into the temporary arena under “ The Claw,” a spaceship-like metal arch fitted with lights, sound equipment and large screens. Thousands more watched on big screens from the nearby Ellipse.

“This event is a one of one event, incredible event,” said White, a close friend of the president's, during a Friday night hype session at the Lincoln Memorial, where pairs of fighters shoved and scuffled for the cameras under the stoic gaze of Honest Abe’s marble likeness.

Before Sunday's final fight, lightweight fighters Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, who wrapped himself in an American flag, each stepped out of the Oval Office and walked to the Octagon — meaning Trump even ceded his workspace as part of the show.

The American Gaethje then stunned Spanish-Georgian Topuria to win after four rounds that left copious blood on the cage floor. Trump later headed inside the cage to shake hands and watch a fireworks display that launched well after 1 a.m.

That capped a night where many of the winning fighters thanked Trump and God. Heavyweight Josh Hokit took it further with an extraordinary and unfounded attack based on a right-wing conspiracy theory about a former first lady: “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”

Hokit also headed over to Trump and placed a chain around the president's neck.

Rain didn't mar fights

Wearing a suit and tie despite the summer heat, Trump a lot of time was sitting stoned-faced, watching the action through wire-mesh cage. At one point he spoke briefly with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

When American Sean O’Malley fought Canadian Aiemann Zahabi, Trump donned a white USA hat. After O'Malley won, he shook Trump’s hand and saluted the president.

Earlier, as Diego Lopes was defeating American Steve Garcia in the opening fight, the president could be seen speaking to first lady Melania Trump. After Bo Nickal knocked out Kyle Daukaus in the second fight, Nickal went over to Trump and kneeled down, chatting briefly.

“I gotta thank President Trump for making this happen,” Nickal said in a subsequent interview, as Trump grinned. Nickal added that the president is a “special person,” before Trump-favorite “YMCA" played.

The president sought to tie the fights to larger celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But it was so geared toward himself that the G7 summit for leaders of industrialized nations pushed back their get-together so Trump was able to attend his party, then fly to Europe for the meetings.

The weekend wasn't all smiles for Trump, though. Crews pried Trump’s name off the Kennedy Center near the White House after a judge ruled naming it after the president had gone too far. And, before the fight began, UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland — an outspoken critic of Israel — was escorted out of the Ellipse by a crowd of law enforcement officers.

Still, predicted thunderstorms that delayed the UFC event briefly, never produced rain. Trump posted online later, that the weather was “perfect” and, “The White House has never looked more beautiful. The setting was unsurpassed!”

A dramatic departure from how the last president marked his 80th

The crowd repeatedly chanted, “USA! USA!” when an American fighter faced a foreign opponent. Until the finale, that didn’t always help the American fighter prevail. After winning his fight, Brazil's Mauricio Ruffy proposed to his girlfriend who — in Trumpian fashion — flashed a thumb's up from the crowd.

It was all a very long way from when Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, turned 80 in November 2022. Biden celebrated with a private family brunch at the White House, laying bare just how much and how quickly things have changed.

Asked about the contrast, White House spokesperson Allison Schuster in a statement called the UFC event “one of the most entertaining nights in American history.”

When he turned 80, Biden was the oldest president in U.S. history, and was months away from launching a reelection bid that he would ultimately abandon after a disastrous debate against Trump and mutiny among Democrats.

Trump has now supplanted Biden as the oldest person to be elected U.S. president. He’s constitutionally barred from running again, yet constantly toys with the notion. That’s despite polls showing rising public skepticism about Trump’s mental and physical health.

A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted in April found that less than half of U.S. adults think Trump has the mental sharpness or physical health to serve effectively as president.

The White House countered with a statement from Trump's former White House physician, Texas Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson, saying Trump's “stamina, focus, and strength are exceptional and on display every day." Jackson added that polling concerns were “being propagated by the same biased, liberal, Trump-hating press that completely ignored the absolute cognitive and physical disaster that was President Biden.”

‘Bread and circuses’ — Trump-style

The UFC was an apt metaphor for Trump's pugilistic political style. He is as big a fan of cage-match-style politics as he is of cage-fighting itself.

But Trump has also long been a master of political misdirection, purposely presenting people with something other than his presidency to focus on when things aren’t going well.

With the war in Iran having kept gas prices high and renewing concerns about inflation while Trump's job approval ratings fall, a White House birthday party unlike anything America has ever seen can certainly qualify as a diversion.

“This is all distraction,” said Mike Fontaine, a classics professor at Cornell University, who likened it to the gladiatorial games of Imperial Rome, when combatants brutalized each other for public entertainment meant to bolster rulers’ popularity and quell potential unrest.

“This is a classic strategy," Fontaine said. “In ancient Rome, the phrase would be, ‘bread and circuses.’”

Trump says the UFC is paying for the event and while its full costs haven't been divulged, the National Park Service said in a court filing that $60-plus million and tens of thousands of hours of labor went into it, while seven government agencies have “allocated significant resources and manpower.”

UFC also announced that it was adding as an official partner for the event World Liberty Financial to create a special $250,000 athlete bonus pool for Sunday night’s winners. The cryptocurrency company is co-owned by the Trump family, founded with the president’s special diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff and run by his son, Zach.

The arrangement further blurs lines between the Trump family's financial interests and the events and construction projects the president has prioritized and used government resources to pull off.

Still, Fontaine said that when it comes to a personal flair for pageantry, the president’s second-term tendency to lean into “hardcore masculinity and brute fighting” is marrying the UFC's blood sport with Trump's trademark humor and enduring sense of showmanship.

“President Trump has a once-in-a-generation talent for this stuff,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein contributed to this report.

That’s the biggest product of having been in the same offensive system for two offseasons now. Instead of having to think and analyze things in real time, Lawrence knows Liam Coen’s scheme in detail now. That means a far “calmer” Lawrence running the offense.

The Jaguars are winding down their offseason program, with organized team activities slated to end on Wednesday. After that, players will scatter until returning for training camp in late July.

Lawrence took a major step forward under Coen and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski last year, leading the Jaguars to the AFC South title and a 13-4 record. Lawrence reached the 4,000-yard passing mark for the third time and was responsible for 38 total touchdowns (29 passing, 9 rushing). He was also a finalist for the MVP award.

“Yeah, it’s just a lot calmer, a lot more confident in my progressions and what I know about the system and stepping out so when I get on the grass it’s a lot less thinking,” Lawrence said.

“I think that’s the biggest thing is I can react, play faster, can work on some different things of my game because the focus isn’t as much on what to do and what’s the play call and what are all the adjustments, I know all that stuff and still study that and work on it because it’s easy to forget little details.”

OTAs coverage

• Full interview: RB Bhayshul Tuten
• Full interview: Rookie S Jaylen Huskey
• Full interview: K Cam Little
• Viewer mailbag No. 1
• News4JAGs podcast: Jaguars wind down offseason program

Lawrence was learning the third offensive system of his NFL career last season, as well as rehabbing from surgery on his shoulder. This year, he’s healthy and has a far better grasp of what Coen and Udinski want to do. Coen said that Lawrence “can kind of just go play.”

“Look, we’re still coaching it, absolutely, but he’s got such a grasp for it that you’re hopeful that it allows the him to just go be him and go be the best version of himself as we saw so much towards the back half of the last year and taking growth from that,” Coen said. “We should only be taking a lot of growth from that time.”

Notebook

• The Jaguars welcomed quite a few notable names to practice on Monday. The McCourty twins, Devin and Jason, former receiver A.J. Green and former Jaguars star running back Maurice Jones-Drew were all out at OTAs. Coen said that ex-Jags stars Fred Taylor and Marcedes Lewis were planning to come in later this week. “… And really to get our guys around players that did it at a high level whether it was here or elsewhere, man, if they can take any nugget from them over the next three days, we got better,” Coen said.
• Long list of players not at practice: Jakobi Meyers, Chris Rodriguez, Jalen McCloud, Ameer Abdullah, Zach Durfee, Quinton Bohanna, Robert Hainsey, Anton Harrison, Hunter Long, Brenton Strange, and Nate Boerkircher.
• QB rotation shake-up? Could be something, could be nothing. Last week of OTAs, but Carter Bradley getting a few extra reps. Bradley, a Providence School graduate, spent most of last season on the Jaguars practice squad.
• Bhayshul Tuten said he has always taken pride in him being hard to tackle. He says he played a lot of streetball as a kid, and you know you never want to get tackled out there.
• Parker Washington wrapping things up with a nice day. Washington caught a touchdown and made a nice diving catch. Washington has been as involved as anyone in the Jags offense. He will play a big role for the Jags this year.
• Not something that we have had to say before this offseason, but all day there were drops, drops, and more drops. Multiple receivers let the ball go off and through their hands. In a vacuum, one day is nothing to worry about, especially since the group has been sure-handed almost every other day, but the Jags did lead the league in drops last year, so it is at least a point worth watching.
• Maybe no player has grown more over the last year than Antonio Johnson. He is a leader in that safety room. His success on the field during last season was a result of the work he did behind closed doors. Now, he goes into a contract season with a chance to play a huge role on the Jaguars’ defense.
• Caleb Ransaw is a football junkie. He may have missed time on the field last season, but he didn’t miss the time in the meeting rooms. Ransaw impressed the staff with how locked in he was last season. Now nothing can make up for missed reps on the grass, but he knows where to be when he is on the field.
• Don’t sleep on Branson Combs. He converted from WR to LB in college, so he really hasn’t been at the position for very long. That isn’t a normal type of position switch, but that athleticism shows up when he is on the field.
• Foyesade Oluokun is still underrated. The impact Oluokun has on the Jaguars’ defense on the grass and off the field is way more valuable than he gets credit for.
• The running back battle is wide open. Chris Rodriguez’s superpower is being efficient. Will that be enough to earn him the bell cow back role? That is a question that can’t get answered until he gets on the field. The pads will be the time for these guys to separate themselves. The running back group is extremely physical. J’Mari Taylor is a guy worth watching to see if his running style shows up when things get cranked up.

Sanders, a progressive from Vermont who has been an outspoken advocate for workers’ rights, wrote a letter to the President and CEO of BAE Systems, Tom Arseneault, urging the company to improve working conditions and allow the shipyard workers in Jacksonville to exercise their constitutional right to unionize with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers.

The call comes after the death of a worker last month and the layoff of nearly 200 Jacksonville workers last week.

Read my full letter here: pic.twitter.com/ZR575Xko3S

— Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) June 12, 2026

“It is understandable that these workers feel their only option to improve their working conditions is to exercise their constitutional right to form a union and collectively bargain for better working conditions. It is deeply disturbing to me that BAE has chosen to turn to union-busting tactics, including hiring out-of-state consultants and trying to buy out union supporters—forcing the remaining workers to do the same amount of work with half the workers, or even less. Unions are not new to BAE shipyards—your workers in Jacksonville deserve the same respect as your union workers in Norfolk, Virginia,” Sanders wrote in the letter.

Sanders noted that last year, BAE made more than $2.7 billion in profit.

“If BAE could afford to pay you, Mr. Arseneault, more than $17 million in total compensation, it can afford to treat all of its workers with the respect and dignity they deserve,” Sanders wrote. “As you know, BAE received at least $12.6 billion in federal funds last year alone and more than $170 billion total in federal contracts since 2007. The American people do not want their taxpayer dollars going to large corporations that abuse and disrespect their workers while spending obscene amounts of money on stock buybacks and dividends.”

Sanders said that he spoke to multiple workers at the Jacksonville facility and they said the man who died in May, identified as Anthony Elrod, died in a “preventable workplace disaster.”

Sanders also said he was told workers regularly work in dangerous and unsafe conditions, including temperatures of up to 115 degrees with no ventilation.

“That is inhumane and unacceptable,” he wrote.

In a response to Sanders obtained by News4JAX, Arseneault said the company fully supports employees’ right to engage in collective bargaining. BAE said the layoffs “are in no way connected to our employees’ interest in organizing.”

“As you noted, many of our employees are union members, and we have longstanding, positive relationships with our unions and their leadership across our company. We value our union relationships, and we will continue to work closely with them in the best interest of our shared goals,” he said.

Arseneault said the “tragic loss” of Elrod has caused much grief within the company, but Arseneault said he took exception to several of Sanders’ accusations.

“A number of the claims you made are inaccurate, and we are concerned that drawing conclusions at this stage, while the investigation continues, does a disservice to the people involved with this tragic accident. We are conducting a thorough investigation and are fully cooperating with the appropriate regulatory and investigatory authorities,” Arseneault wrote in a response to Sanders.

The job cuts in Jacksonville represent close to a quarter of the company’s local workforce of 900 employees. BAE Systems performs ship repairs, maintenance, and overhaul work for the U.S. Navy, the cruise industry, and others.

In a statement, Senior Communications Manager Laura Clifford said the company decided to scale back its local headcount to match the expected workload.

“We made the difficult decision to right-size the Jacksonville workforce to efficiently execute the workload expected through the end of the year,” Clifford said. “As the workforce reduction unfolds, we will keep the appropriate level of skills and capability to deliver high-quality ship maintenance services to the U.S. Navy and customers.”

BAE Systems opened a new $200 million ship lift on the St. Johns River in June 2025, expanding the shipyard’s docking capacity by 300%. The system can accommodate a Flight III U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer and move dry-docked ships to repair berths inside the yard.

JSO Homicide Detective Sgt. Steve Rudlaff said the man had run nearly a mile down Atlantic Boulevard from the place he was stabbed and was able to call 911 around 2 a.m. for help.

Once the man, who was in his 50s, was taken to the hospital, where he later died, investigators were able to follow a blood trail east to where they believe the man was stabbed, east of Kernan Boulevard.

Rudlaff said it appears there was some kind of fight, during which the man was fatally injured.

He said investigators are still working to identify the man who was stabbed, but that before he died, the man said he was stabbed by a stranger.

Rudlaff said that based on items found at the scene, investigators believe there were multiple witnesses to the fight.

“It was a little alarming for the fact that stuff like this normally doesn’t happen, if it does, it’s usually a car accident,” a resident who didn’t want to be identified said.

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

The S&P 500 rose 1.7% on hopes that this time, the announcement of an Iran-U.S. agreement will mean a long-term fix to a conflict that has worsened inflation around the world. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 468 points, or 0.9%, to a record, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 3.1%.

Stocks got a lift after the price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 4.8% to $83.17, back to where it was in early March. While that’s still above its price of roughly $70 from before the war, it’s lower than the $100 plus it cost just a few weeks ago. The hope is that lower oil prices will take pressure off households and businesses, which have had to pay higher prices for everything from food to fuel to fertilizer because of the war with Iran.

Iran confirmed the deal, but it does not include a final agreement on issues like Iran’s nuclear program. Negotiations on that are expected to continue over the next 60 days, which leaves opportunity for hiccups that could derail the agreement. And even if the Strait of Hormuz does fully reopen on Friday as expected, it will likely take months for the energy industry to get back to full speed.

For now, though, relief swept through financial markets worldwide.

On Wall Street, stocks of companies with big fuel bills were instant winners. United Airlines flew 3.9% higher, and cruise operator Royal Caribbean Group rose 6.6%.

Stocks of companies enmeshed in the artificial-intelligence industry also jumped. These stocks have yo-yoed in recent weeks, going from roaring to records to suddenly turning lower. The concern is whether such stocks shot too high, too fast because of AI mania, and their careening moves have sometimes reversed direction by the hour.

Micron Technology rallied 10.8%, and Advanced Micro Devices rose 7%. Nvidia’s climb of 3.5% was the strongest force pushing the S&P 500 upward because the AI chip company is Wall Street’s most valuable company, giving it more weight on the index than any other.

SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket company that also owns the AI company xAI, rose 19.6% in its second day of trading on Wall Street. Its successful debut on the Nasdaq suggested plenty of demand still exists among investors for AI. The market has given SpaceX a total value of more than $2.1 trillion, making it bigger than Exxon Mobil, Bank of America and Coca-Cola combined.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased on hopes that lower oil prices will remove pressure on central banks to raise interest rates.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.47% from 4.48% late Friday.

Europe’s central bank last week became the first major one in the world to raise interest rates because of the war with Iran. High interest rates can keep a lid on inflation, but they also slow economies and undercut prices for all kinds of investments, including stocks and cryptocurrencies. They hit investments seen as the most expensive in particular, and some critics are calling the AI industry a bubble where investment inflated too far.

The Fed will announce its latest decision on interest rates later this week, which will be the first under its new chair, Kevin Warsh. Traders see it as a near certainty that the Fed will leave its main interest rate steady after its two-day meeting ends Wednesday.

Traders had been raising bets that the Fed may have to raise interest rates this year because of how much inflation has accelerated and how solid the U.S. job market remains. But the tentative deal between the United States and Iran means traders are now betting on only a 57% chance of a hike this year, down from 71% a week ago, according to data from CME Group.

Elsewhere on Wall Street, Roku fell 1.9% after the company announced that Fox Corp. is buying the streaming pioneer in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $22 billion.

Roku’s stock had already soared 20% Friday, when media reports emerged about a deal, which will give Fox access to the Roku channel, first-party data and more than 100 million global streaming households. Fox’s stock fell 16.8%.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 122.83 points to 7,554.29. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 468.77 to 51,671.03, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 795.10 to 26,683.94.

In stock markets abroad, indexes climbed in Asia and Europe. Japan’s Nikkei 225 leaped 5% for one of the world’s biggest gains and finished at a record.

“This is great news,” said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at Monex. “Buying by foreign investors is leading the market with expectations of easing tensions around the situation in the Middle East.”

South Korea’s Kospi soared even more, 5.2%, thanks in part to continued rallies for AI winners like Samsung Electronics.

London’s FTSE 100 was an outlier and slipped 0.4%.

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AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach and Senior Producer Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.

More players are coming early, not so much to avoid the rush but to avoid the wait.

“It's gotten terrible,” Justin Thomas said leading into the third major of the year. “You have to sign up for tee times at the (British) Open and U.S. Open, and then people sign up with you and play in a foursomes. You can't play nine holes in less than three hours.”

The way around that is to follow a script from Jack Nicklaus back in his prime — see the course early before it becomes populated with pros and amateurs, contenders and dreamers.

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy took a detour on their way to Ohio two weeks ago to play Shinnecock Hills, the first time seeing it for the No. 1 player, a refresher course for McIlroy.

Jon Rahm arrived last Friday to see what he should expect for the U.S. Open. Patrick Reed, who hasn't played since the PGA Championship last month, is said to have played the course more often than some of the Shinnecock members.

This is one of the most energy-draining weeks of the year, a product of the mental stress a course like Shinnecock — and a major like the U.S. Open — tends to elicit.

Thomas and Jordan Spieth arrived over the weekend and played practice rounds two days before the official start of practice rounds. They didn't have the course all to themselves, but it felt like it. And it beat the alternative of long rounds when players hit different clubs off the tee, dozens of shots from the rough and closely mown area around the green, putting to all four corners of the green.

Their preparation largely done, official practice days are now light work. That's the Nicklaus way.

“That's why I never wanted to practice then,” Nicklaus said of the early part of the week at the majors. “I got my practice in the week before so I knew what I wanted to do, instead of waiting for everybody else. I didn't like that. So I tried to get my practice in, and go back on Tuesday (of major week). I didn't want to get stuck in that six hours.

“If I had been there the week before, why did I need to get there on Monday?”

McIlroy had limited practice time at the PGA Championship because of a nagging blister on his right toe. But then, he had come to Aronimink two weeks earlier for serious practice.

But there was one image during his practice round when McIlroy had a small army tagging along inside the ropes, from television personalities to equipment staff and photographers. It didn't feel very productive to him.

“Too many people inside the ropes I think is the big part of it,” he said of the long practice rounds at the majors. “I think as well, guys are resigned to the fact that they're going to play nine holes, so it's OK to be out there for three hours. No one plays 18-hole practice rounds anymore the week of (a major). I guess it gives everyone the ability to play slow and hit as many balls as they like.”

Tiger Woods used to have his own routine, playing first to have at least nine holes to himself.

One year at the Masters, he walked out of the clubhouse at 7:25 a.m. toward the first tee unaware of a wooden clock at the tee box indicating the course would open at 8 a.m. Not to worry. His caddie, Steve Williams, moved the hands back a half-hour.

Woods stepped onto the tee at 7:28 a.m., saw the clock and moved the big hand back two more minutes and fired away. He was on the links courses of the British Open around 6 a.m. Anything much later than that meant he had overslept.

Scheffler had a dream day of practice at the PGA Championship before he won at Quail Hollow last year. He was the only PGA Tour player on the course the Sunday before official practice because most everyone else was at two PGA Tour events that day.

Monday through Wednesday can be as slow.

“I don't remember it being as bad as it is,” Thomas said. “The U.S. Open and PGA Championship to me are the worst. It's getting treated more like the range and chipping green. I get that you need to get used it — I totally understand that. But it's gotten to be a lot.”

The wind ushered away overnight rain clouds and bathed Shinnecock in bright sunshine on Monday. Wind and the greens are the greatest defense on this century-old course, and it was a preview of the test that awaits. Wyndham Clark already knew that.

“The one thing today is I actually didn’t do a practice round,” he said. “I came in earlier and did some work. This wind is not the normal wind, so if there’s any time to take a day off, it was today."

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

The agreement signed electronically Sunday is meant to provide a meaningful truce in a monthslong war that has killed thousands across the Middle East, including the top leaders of Iran's theocracy, and raised the prices of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the region. But logistical and military challenges underscored the fragile nature of the deal, which was set for a ceremonial signing Friday in Geneva.

At the core of the pact is a planned reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway whose blockage has choked the supply of the world's oil and natural gas. Yet even a full reopening would not immediately alleviate the global energy crisis its closure created.

Another potential obstacle concerns Israel, which joined the U.S. in launching the war on Feb. 28, but it is not party to the deal. The Israeli military launched airstrikes Sunday in southern Lebanon, where it is fighting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, and the Israeli defense minister said Monday that the country would not withdraw from land seized in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said the agreement between the U.S. and Iran was Trump's decision. Netanyahu said Israel has its own interests, primarily protecting against a potential nuclear threat from Iran. He said Iran wanted Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, but he stood firm, saying Israel would remain in the buffer zone “as long as necessary.”

“I tell you, citizens of Israel, the struggle is not over. We will need to continue to be vigilant, to remain strong and determined, to defend ourselves as necessary,” he said.

Other uncertainties center on Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which the U.S. and Israel worry could be used to build an atomic weapon despite Tehran's insistence for years that it has no aspirations to do so. The deal gives Iran just 60 days to decide what to do with its supply. It took years for Iran and world powers to negotiate a 2015 agreement to rein in Tehran’s nuclear program.

President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from that accord in his first term, setting the stage for the tensions that culminated in the current war.

The Strait of Hormuz won't open until the deal is signed

Early in the war, Iranian attacks on ships brought traffic in the Strait of Hormuz — through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas passed before the conflict — to a near standstill. Trump implemented a blockade in response.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Iran would not start implementing the agreement until after the signing ceremony. The U.S. military said the blockade will remain in place “pending execution” of the deal.

“Do not attempt to cross until explicit direction is given,” it said Monday in an advisory to merchant ships.

Trump, who faced pressure to end the war ahead of congressional midterm elections in November, said that “a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now.”

“Very importantly, the oil is plummeting down, and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” he said Monday at the G7 summit in France.

While the agreement provides for the “immediate” opening of the strait and lifting of the blockade, the process will take time because there are mines in the strait, and ships are unwilling to risk traversing it, according to a senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss outlines of the agreement.

Details remain scant but expected soon

A second senior U.S. official told reporters that details of the agreement would be released within the next two days.

The memorandum of understanding includes the possibility of releasing Iran’s frozen funds, easing sanctions and creating a $300 billion fund to rebuild Iran — all of which would be tied to Iran meeting benchmarks, the official said.

The officials said technical talks would begin Friday after the signing ceremony and that Vice President JD Vance would lead negotiations for the U.S.

Israel says it won't withdraw from Lebanon

The success of the deal rests at least partially on what happens between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel’s bombing of Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday nearly derailed the negotiations, and a previous attack led Iran to fire on Israel and Israel to fire back.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel plans to stay “indefinitely” in land it holds in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip. He also threatened that if Iran attacks Israel over its strikes in Lebanon, Israel will strike Iran with “great force.”

Asked where Israel stands on the deal, David Mencer, a spokesman in Netanyahu’s office, told The Associated Press that Israel and the U.S. remain fully aligned on preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. But he added that Israel will not tolerate attacks from Hezbollah on its territory.

Israel and the U.S. began the war apparently in lockstep, but the war has created deep fractures in that close relationship, with Trump eager to end a conflict that is deeply unpopular with the American public and Netanyahu intent on destroying Hezbollah. Trump appears to have grown increasingly frustrated with the Israeli leader, even occasionally publicly insulting him, including telling The New York Times on Sunday that he was a “very difficult guy.”

Many Lebanese travel to check on homes

In a sign of the deal's fragility, the Lebanese army called on residents not to rush to return to border villages, saying they should follow military instructions because of the danger of “Israeli violations and aggression.”

Many Lebanese who had fled following Israeli evacuation orders and intense fighting were heading south, however, to check on their homes. Celine Fayad, driving south, said she will test how far she could go. Her village, Aitaroun, is along the border with Israel. It was among the first to be occupied and lies in ruins.

“We were expecting to return,” she said. “Thanks to Iran.”

Ali Haidar was among the first to return to Nabatiyeh, the southern city at the heart of the latest Israeli military operations, where many central buildings have been reduced to dust.

“This used to be our home, our childhood home where we have all of our memories. This is where we grew up. Now it’s gone,” Haidar said. “We will return to rubble and sand. It’s better than being displaced.”

Hezbollah, meanwhile, credited Iran with a “major achievement” in reaching the agreement, which it said could lead to “the full liberation of our land, the return of our prisoners to their homeland and families," and reconstruction of war-devastated areas.

Along with praising the deal, the militant group said it was committed to resisting Israel “until full withdrawal is achieved.”

___

Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Price reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad; Will Weissert and Aamer Madhani in Washington; Julia Frankel in Jerusalem; Abby Sewell and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut; Najib Jobain in Doha, Qatar; Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel; and Sylvie Corbet in Evian-les-Bains, France, contributed to this report.

Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, the owners of Jet Set nightclub, could face up to 2 years in prison if found guilty.

The April 8, 2025 collapse reverberated across the Dominican Republic, with authorities working frantically for days to reach people under the rubble.

The ruling Monday by Magistrate Reymundo Mejía Zorrilla of the First Court of Instruction of the National District in Santo Domingo drew frustration from victims' relatives who were hoping for homicide charges that carry stiffer penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

The ruling said that the case did not warrant a homicide charge because that would indicate the defendants knew that their negligence would cause the deaths of the victims. But if they could have foreseen the roof collapse, “logic and reason" suggest they would not have endangered their own lives in addition to those of the victims, the ruling said.

About 30 relatives of the victims had gathered at the courthouse ahead of the hearing, holding hands and praying.

Prosecutors have previously accused the Espaillats of trying to intimidate or manipulate employees. Antonio Espaillat is considered a powerful business person, owning upscale entertainment centers and dozens of local radio stations. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has asserted that it has hundreds of pieces of evidence tying the siblings to the collapse.

Hundreds of people including athletes and politicians were at Jet Set when the roof collapsed, attending a concert by singer Rubby Pérez, who was among the victims. Others included former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel, who was pulled from the debris but died in a hospital.

The Espaillats will be tried together. No date has been set for the trial.

Anthropic said Friday it has taken its latest artificial intelligence models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5, offline to comply with the directive. The AI giant said it did not believe the steps taken by the government were warranted by the concern it flagged about a potential security issue.

Anthropic has said it was limiting use of some its latest technology to select customers because of its ability to surpass human cybersecurity experts in finding and exploiting computer vulnerabilities. The San Francisco-based company has had discussions with the White House previously about the latest models' capabilities.

In the letter Sunday, more than 100 cybersecurity experts and leaders from companies including Adobe and Nvidia asked the U.S. government to lift the export control directives on the Anthropic models and “commit to an open, scientific and transparent process of handling AI risk assessments in the future.”

The letter said that while Anthropic’s Mythos models are “quite good" at finding flaws in software and weaponizing exploits, they are ”not uniquely good at these tasks" and many of the letter's signatories regularly use other foundation and open-source models for security audits and training.

The letter said it is dangerous to take away the best cyber defense capabilities “without a good reason” when America's adversaries are rapidly advancing.

China's models, the letter said, are “only months behind the best American models,” and it is even likely that China's government has access to private capabilities beyond what's been made public.

The export controls marked the U.S. government’s most significant step yet to restrict access to the most advanced AI models. Anthropic released Fable widely last week. That model is a limited version of the more advanced Mythos, to which the company has tightly limited access due to cybersecurity fears.

The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Friday's directive came 10 days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release. Participation by AI developers would be voluntary, the order said.

Tensions have been running high between the Trump administration and the safety-conscious Anthropic, which has sought to put guardrails on the development of AI to minimize any potential risks and maximize its economic and national security benefits for the U.S.

After a contract dispute with the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to declare Anthropic a supply chain risk, an unprecedented move against a U.S. company that Anthropic has challenged in two federal courts. The company said it wanted assurance the Pentagon would not use its technology in fully autonomous weapons and the surveillance of Americans. Hegseth said the company must allow for any uses the Pentagon deemed lawful.

Roku will continue to be run as an open, partner-friendly platform, the companies said Monday, and there appears to be no immediate changes that customers will see. Fox and Roku said that the combined company will become the third-largest player in U.S. television by share of viewing.

Media reports had surfaced on Friday that Roku was looking at its strategic options, including a possible sale. Speculation was rampant as to which companies might be interested in an acquisition. Aside from Fox, names being tossed about as potential buyers included Netflix, Amazon, Comcast and Disney.

The deal will give Fox access to more than 100 million global households, along with the Roku channel and its first-party data. Fox oversees a massive sports, news and entertainment network, as well as Tubi, which it acquired in 2020.

Roku founder Anthony Wood had initially worked within Netflix in the early 2000s as that company attempted to make the seismic shift from renting DVDs, to streaming.

Roku was spun off by Netflix, however, and the company released its first set-top box in 2008.

Wood, who is Roku's chairman and CEO, said his motivation in pursuing the technology was his desire to record and play his favorite show, “Star Trek.”

Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch said in a statement that combining the businesses will bring together Fox's live news and sports content with a streaming platform with large viewership. It will also give Fox more exposure to advertising and streaming subscriptions.

“The combination with FOX is an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate our vision, scale faster and innovate more aggressively for viewers, partners and advertisers,” Wood said in prepared remarks.

Mike Proulx, research director at Forrester, said in an emailed statement that advertising revenue is a critical component of the deal.

“The bigger play here is advertising revenue, something all the major streamers are now jockeying for," he said. "This deal accelerates Fox into that shift with built-in audience scale. With 2026 shaping up as a defining year of streaming consolidation, the market shift is that streaming is no longer just about quality content slates. It’s about controlling the full stack. If this deal closes, Fox will control more of what viewers watch, how they discover it, and how it gets monetized.”

Wood will have an ongoing role at the company and will join the Fox board of directors after the transaction closes.

Murdoch said during a conference call that the combined company will be better positioned for the next decade of video than either company would've been alone.

“We are confident this is the right transaction, at the right moment, for all the right reasons,” he said.

Fox will pay $96 in cash and 0.9693 shares of its Class A common stock for each Roku Class A and Class B share outstanding. The transaction is valued at $160 per Roku share.

Existing Fox shareholders are expected to own approximately 73% of the combined company and Roku shareholders will own about 27%, once the deal closes.

The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year. It still needs approval from Fox and Roku shareholders and also regulatory approval.

Fox's shares tumbled 15% on Monday and Roku declined nearly 2%.

It also received a positive credit action from Fitch Ratings for both its Electric Enterprise and Water and Sewer System, which are rated separately.

“JEA’s mission is to provide essential services to our customers every day, and these rating actions recognize the progress our team has made to strengthen our financial position, invest responsibly and serve our customers well,” JEA Managing Director and CEO Vickie Cavey said in a news release.

But Moody’s report also included a warning.

The ongoing turmoil at the city-owned utility could send the rating in the other direction.

What these ratings mean for customers

Credit ratings help determine how much public utilities pay to borrow money for major infrastructure projects.

For customers, stronger ratings can mean lower borrowing costs over time, which can reduce pressure on future rates. Ratings do not determine bills by themselves, and a rating upgrade does not automatically lower monthly charges.

But the same principles that allow bills to potentially go down when JEA receives higher ratings also mean they could go up if the utility’s bond rating is downgraded.

For public utilities, bond investors are betting on more than today’s balance sheet. They also watch whether leaders can make decisions consistently, follow rules, respond to oversight and maintain public confidence — especially when a utility needs rate adjustments, large capital projects or complex contracts.

Moody’s explicitly listed governance stability and continued progress rebuilding stakeholder trust as key credit considerations for JEA.

If that progress reverses — for example, through prolonged political conflict, leadership churn, or weakened oversight — the agency said it could become a factor in a future downgrade.

So how might that happen?

According to Moody’s, a future downgrade could be triggered not only by financial stress — such as higher-than-expected payments or a bigger capital plan — but also by “deterioration in governance stability or a reversal of progress in rebuilding stakeholder trust.”

That caution from Moody’s seems particularly pointed as JEA leadership faces renewed scrutiny amid ongoing public drama.

For months, tensions between the Republican-controlled Jacksonville City Council; Mayor Donna Deegan, a Democrat; and JEA have mushroomed into a convoluted, revolving series of controversies that have generated three parallel investigations.

The State Attorney’s Office has issued at least three subpoenas amid swirling questions about JEA, Council President Kevin Carrico and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, where Carrico is a vice president.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office also recently sent JEA a subpoena of its own seeking to learn more about a canceled contract between JEA and Ballard Partners, a high-powered lobbying firm that employs Curry, the city’s former Republican mayor and a critic of Deegan’s administration.

In addition to the subpoenas, Jacksonville City Council’s Special Investigative Committee on JEA continues to follow a mandate from Carrico to investigate claims of a toxic workplace culture and racism at JEA and questions about water/sewer capacity fees.

Capacity fees are one-time charges billed to new customers based on projected water and electric usage; some accounts may not have been adjusted after businesses expanded beyond initial projections.

Why Moody’s upgraded JEA

For now, Moody’s said JEA has delivered consistently strong results over the past three fiscal years and has made a long-term effort to reduce debt, including more than $2.3 billion in debt from fiscal years 2013 through 2025.

The agency said JEA has shown it can implement base rate increases when needed to support debt paydown.

Moody’s also said the utility has made progress in strengthening governance under a reconstituted board and management team.

JEA argued that Moody’s actions underscore the importance of organizational stability, including consistent leadership and Board oversight, as JEA continues executing its long-term strategy.

For a municipal utility, bond ratings can directly influence the interest rate it pays when borrowing money for large projects such as power plants, grid upgrades, storm hardening and technology replacements.

Moody’s uses letter grades to signal credit strength:

• Aaa is the highest rating.
• Aa ratings (including Aa3) are high quality and indicate very low credit risk.
• A ratings (including A1) are still strong but carry somewhat higher risk than Aa.

The number ranks strength within a category: 1 is strongest, then 2, then 3. In simple terms, Aa3 is stronger than A1.

Moody’s now rates the JEA Electric Enterprise at Aa3, and the Water and Sewer System is rated at Aa1.

“That’s a political statement in and of itself because if you change the rating on a municipality from say AA plus down to double B plus, they’re gonna have to pay a full percent more to borrow money in the marketplace. And when you’re talking about borrowing a billion dollars, that’s $10 million that has to be absorbed by your company and ultimately your community in this case,” financial expert Joe Krier of Trading Flow LLC said.

JEA pointed out that it is among the largest community-owned utilities in the United States, serving more than 540,000 electric customers and providing water, wastewater and reclaimed water services to Jacksonville and portions of neighboring counties.

Ibrahim, formerly known as Dollar Brand, passed away peacefully in Germany following a short illness, surrounded by loved ones, the statement issued on behalf of his family said.

Born in Cape Town, Ibrahim rose to international prominence as a pianist, composer and bandleader. With a career spanning more than seven decades, he forged a unique blend of jazz and South African musical traditions, making him a cultural ambassador whose music struck a chord with listeners worldwide.

As one of South Africa’s most respected jazz figures, he famously played at Nelson Mandela ’s 1994 presidential inauguration.

His final public concert in South Africa took place at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in March, when he once again captivated audiences with the musical skill that defined his career.

Paying tribute to her partner, Dr. Marina Umari said he “passed away peacefully with South Africa and its people in his heart.”

“His love for his country never wavered, no matter where in the world he found himself,” she said.

His family said that even though his life is over, his influence and voice would continue to resonate around the world.

President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to the musician, praising his contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle and acknowledging his lasting impact through music.

“Today our nation mourns the passing of an international icon and global citizen whose profound creations honored the South Africa that shaped his political commitment and musical brilliance,” said Ramaphosa.

In 2009, Ibrahim received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Wits University and the Order of Ikhamanga, a prestigious civilian award, from former President Jacob Zuma in the same year.

Alan Winde, the mayor of the Western Cape, where Ibrahim’s hometown is located, honored the performer and commended him for capturing South Africa’s cultural richness and history in his music.

“South Africa has lost a legend,” Winde said. “Abdullah Ibrahim represented everything that makes South Africa and the Western Cape so remarkable. His music told the story of our unique cultural diversity and past.”

According to his family, Ibrahim will be laid to rest in the German state of Bavaria, where he lived.

___

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

Garris, who currently serves as a city commissioner for District 4, filed for a seat after Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline said she would not seek another term.

Vice Mayor Barbara Blonder filed for the seat, but eventually withdrew, leaving Garris unopposed and the race will not appear on the ballot.

“She is considered elected and her race will not appear on the ballot,” Vicky Oakes, the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections, said. “She will take office at the first meeting of the City Commission in December.”

According to the City of St. Augustine website, Garris has spent her life and 23-year career in local government focused on empowering people in the community and inspiring future generations by leading by example.

Click here to see the full list of candidates who qualified.

Trump arrived in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Monday for talks with G7 leaders, including some who have been sharply critical of his managing of the roughly 15-week conflict that has led to a surge in global energy prices.

Trump has had sharp disagreement with host French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over failing to consult them before the decision to go to war. Trump has threatened reprisals, including drawing down U.S. troops in all four countries, all members of the NATO military alliance, for their lack of support.

The G7 includes France, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. Guest nations at this summit include Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, South Korea, Qatar, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates.

Here's the latest:

UN chief’s message after US-Iran deal: Israel and Hezbollah must stop fighting

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Hezbollah to allow Lebanon’s government “to have the primacy of arms and authority throughout its territory,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday.

Guterres also called on Israel to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and withdraw its troops, he said.

The U,N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL reports that from midnight until 4 p.m. local time Monday, it observed a decrease in violence and exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, Dujarric said.

UNIFIL recorded 133 trajectories of projectiles and two airstrikes attributed to Israeli forces during that time period and none from Hezbollah or other armed groups, he said. It also recorded 25 violations of Lebanese airspace.

Before the agreement was announced on Sunday, UNIFIL recorded 1,374 trajectories of projectiles over the weekend, with 1,328 attributed to Israeli forces and the rest “presumably” to Hezbollah, Dujarric said. It also recorded 135 Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says Trump’s Justice Department is investigating him and his wife

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and longtime political rival of Republican President Donald Trump, said Monday the president ordered the Justice Department to investigate him and his wife.

The nature of the alleged investigation was unclear Monday morning. Newsom, said in a video posted on X that federal agents in recent days have knocked on the doors of his friends and former employees, and have asked for records “not because they found a crime, but because they’re simply trying to find one.”

The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the alleged investigation.

▶ Read more

G7 leaders are meeting over dinner

The leaders of the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan were dining outdoors at a large round table at Hotel Royal Évian with views of Lake Geneva.

Canadian firm wins first contract under major EU defense fund as Carney looks beyond US

Prime Minister Mark Carney says a Canadian company has become the first to land a contract under a major European Union defense fund.

Carney made the announcement after meeting with the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at the G7 summit.

His office says Montreal-based Marconi Technologies won a contract worth more than $7 million to supply tactical radios made in Canada to Poland’s military.

Canada joined the fund last year as Ottawa looks to diversify away from the United States. The fund allows Canadian defense companies access to a $174 billion (150 billion euros) EU loan program, known as Security Action for Europe, or SAFE. Canadians firms can secure cheap, EU-backed loans

France’s Macron tells Trump that European forces are ready to deploy in Strait of Hormuz

Speaking at a meeting with the U.S. president, the French leader said France could dispatch fighter aircraft as early as Tuesday to fly observation flights over the vital waterway and that France’s nuclear powered aircraft carrier, already in the Middle East, could help out quickly, too.

It is part of a pitch that France and other G7 allies are making at their summit in Evian-les-Bains to reopen the strait as soon as possible so energy supplies flow freely again to world markets, in the wake of the tentative U.S.-Iran deal to end the war.

“Within 48 hours, frigates could also be deployed. And within two to three days, the aircraft carrier,” Macron said.

Trump said: “I don’t think we’re gonna need much help” because the strait is ”going to be open.”

“But I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a ship or two up here from a few countries. You’d be a great country to do it,” Trump said, addressing Macron.

Trump scheduled greet world leaders before heading to working dinner

After his bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump is scheduled to participate in an official greeting with other G7 leaders.

He is then expected to head to a working dinner for leaders at 7:30 p.m. local time. That’s the last thing on Trump’s public schedule for Monday after he arrived in Evian-les-Bains for the three-day summit.

Trump unsure if he’ll attend Iran deal signing

Trump says he isn’t sure whether he’ll attend the signing of the agreement to end the war in Iran on Friday.

“Well, it depends,” Trump says, during a joint appearance with French President Emmanuel Macron. “I may be involved. I may not.”

“JD was coming in for that,” Trump said, referring to Vice President JD Vance.

Trump is hailing the Iran deal as promising, but not a guarantee.

“Hopefully we get along,” he says. “If we don’t, we go back to where we started.”

Trump says ‘great things are going to happen’ as he discusses Iran deal

Speaking in a hoarse voice at the G7 alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump discussed an agreement he says was reached between the U.S. and Iran.

“I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now, and very importantly the oil is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” Trump said.

Trump added that he “felt badly that we had to go back on the attack for two nights” and said “hopefully it’s going to be a good relationship, and we get along.”

Trump arrived for the summit after celebrating his 80th birthday at a UFC event hosted at the White House on Sunday.

Anti-G7 march organizers lash out at police “provocation and violence”

Activists behind Sunday’s “No G7” protest demanded an apology from Geneva security and judicial officials after police operations that included the use of tear gas and water cannons to disperse stone-throwing youths.

They said police surrounded about 300 people overnight Sunday to Monday, including minors, tourists and passers-by.

“The No G7 demonstration of June 14 surpassed all our expectations,” they said in a statement Monday, adding “30,000 took part despite the climate of anxiety created by the Geneva State Council (and sometimes by the media).”

Police put the turnout at 20,000, including some 600 “black bloc” militants.

Police give details on their response to anti-G7 protests

Geneva police hauled more than two dozen people to police stations and arrested three in connection with violence that marked anti-G7 protests in the city Sunday.

Monica Bonfanti, the Geneva police chief, said in a statement Monday that officers checked the identities of nearly 550 people as part of police operations that included firing tear gas and water cannons against stone-throwing youths at the “No G7” march.

Two demonstrators who fired pyrotechnic devices and another who damaged a police vehicle were arrested and later released, she said.

Bonfanti said the operational tactics of so-called “black bloc” militants complicated the identity checks. She said some had mixed in with peaceful protesters and changed their clothes during the demonstration.

US military says Iran blockade is still in effect

The blockade of shipping to Iranian ports will remain in place “pending execution” of the ceasefire deal scheduled for Friday, the U.S. military said in an advisory to merchant ships.

“Do not attempt to cross until explicit direction is given,” Monday’s notice said.

The advisory went on to tell ship captains to consider “the health and safety of their crews” and to not try to sail to or from Iranian ports “until direction is given.”

It warned ships that they should follow directions from those enforcing the blockade and “failure to immediately comply may result in rapid escalation to disabling or destructive fire.”

Ambassador Charles Kushner, the father of Trump’s son-in-law, greeted president upon arrival at G7

Kushner is Trump’s chief envoy to France, a plum diplomatic assignment, and was there to welcome Trump after Marine One landed in Evian-les-Bains.

His son, Jared Kushner, serves as an envoy in the negotiations with Iran and is also assisting ongoing efforts by the administration to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Charles Kushner, a real estate developer, was pardoned by Trump at the end of his first term after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations.

Vance says deal has been ‘digitally’ signed

The U.S. vice president disclosed that an interim deal to end the conflict in Iran was electronically signed Sunday ahead of a formal signing ceremony in Switzerland.

The signing ceremony is slated for Friday in Geneva, where Trump landed on his way to attend the Group of 7 summit in France.

“We already signed the deal digitally yesterday, and there’s been no money released, and that won’t change,” Vance said on “Good Morning America.” “Again, this is a performance-based thing.”

Critics of the agreement, as well as reports in Iranian media, have said assets would be released once the deal was signed. But Vance said that’s “not true.”

“We’ll be releasing the text this week, and what everybody will see is that Iran doesn’t get a dime of money unless they perform their obligations,” he added.

Trump to helicopter to the G7 site

The U.S. president is now headed to Evian-Les-Bains, France, where he’ll meet with French President Emmanuel Macron. Trump and Macron will then join the other G7 leaders for a working dinner.

Among those who greeted Trump at the airport in Geneva were Ambassador Callista Gingrich, the U.S. envoy to Switzerland, and her husband, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Trump has landed in Geneva

The president did not talk to reporters during the trip across the Atlantic, though he did send off a few social media posts.

The first item on his agenda once he gets to Evian-les-Bains is to meet with G7 host Macron.

Vance: White House in coming days hopes to release memo of understanding to be signed by US, Iran

“I think when people see this deal—we hope to release the text this week—they’re going to realize that this is going to make the whole region safer,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance said in a Monday appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box.

Vance added that the White House’s expectation is that the Strait of Hormuz “is going to be opened in a toll free way for the long term” but acknowledged much needs to be sorted through in the 60-day technical talks period. Another important issue that will be decided during the technical talk period is the two sides coming to an understanding on how Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium will be disposed of.

Vance signaled that the White House is ready to loosen the economic stranglehold placed on Iran by years of sanctions, but it will “require a long-term commitment” by Iran “to the inspection and verification regime” of the country’s nuclear program.

Macron seeks Trump’s backing for Ukraine and more pressure on Russia

The French president says he’ll seek to persuade President Trump to continue supporting Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia to help reach a peace agreement.

Macron is to meet later Monday with Trump at a G7 summit in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to join Tuesday for talks.

Macron said he wants the United States to say: “We are with you, we will continue to support Ukraine, and we will increase the pressure on Russia to achieve a meaningful negotiation,” speaking in an interview with French broadcaster TF1.

“The right negotiation is one in which Ukraine and Russia are at the table, but with Europeans and Americans present as well,” Macron said.

Macron rejects Trump tariff threats

French president Emmanuel Macron says he will not back down in the face of threats from President Trump to impose 100% tariffs on French wines unless Paris removes its digital tax on U.S. tech companies.

In an interview with broadcaster TF1, Macron said Monday that the tax was decided by Europeans and that it is not “for the United States to decide what European or French law should be.” He added that this position is “normal” and will not change “as long as I am here.”

Wines and spirits exported from the European Union to the U.S. currently face a 15% tariff. Macron said he intends to address the issue in a “respectful but firm” manner during the G7.

“What is important to understand is why the G7 was created,” he said. “To resolve many of our international imbalances, it is better to coordinate and consult with one another, especially when we are among the world’s major democracies.”

Trump has a track record of insults and awkward moments with the G7 leaders

Sometimes it’s over foreign policy issues like Iran or Ukraine. Other times, it’s been over tariffs.

And two of the leaders have endured sitting through clumsy asides by Trump about dark moments in their countries’ histories.

It makes the G7 not unlike a family holiday gathering where “there’s an uncle you don’t quite like,” said Max Bergmann, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

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Macron says France is ready to act quickly to help securing the Strait of Hormuz

Macron said France and other Western partners are “ready to take action very quickly” to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz peacefully.

France and Britain have championed a mission to restore maritime security in the strait as soon as conditions allow.

“We already have forces in the area,” including France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, Macron said in an interview Monday on French television TF1.

“We are ready to take action very quickly ... to send aircraft, deploy a frigate, send mine-clearing vessels. We also have our aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, along with its accompanying strike group, which remains in the region and could be deployed within two or three days following confirmation” of the tentative deal between the U.S. and Iran, he said.

G7 leaders call the Iran deal a ‘diplomatic breakthrough’

Trump has sparred with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom over the Iran war.

Ahead of their meeting at the G7, they issued a joint statement congratulating the United States, the Iranian government and the mediators on what they called a “diplomatic breakthrough.” Canada also signed the statement.

The leaders said it was vital for detailed negotiations to take place and for the deal to be quickly implemented so the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened to tanker traffic.

They say they are committed to playing their part. including the possibility of mine clearance operations.

Macron praises the security bubble placed over the G7 summit

With world leaders flying in, the G7 summit venue in Evian-les-Bains is being transformed from a placid lakeside French town to something of a security fortress, with police patrols on many streets and corners, checking passes and watching crowds.

Macron, the summit host, dropped by a temporary headquarters for the security operation in Evian on Monday morning, to thank officers for their work.

He called the 3-day summit on the Middle East, Ukraine, trade and other issues “a big source of pride for France, a big responsibility.”

“We’ll try to make maximum progress on all the issues that are important for our country, our continent and also for global peace and prosperity,” Macron told assembled police officers, gendarmes, firefighters, health workers and other personnel.

Macron said nearly 13,800 officers were deployed for the security operation.

“Only your collective mobilization makes this possible,” he said. “Good luck for the coming days. Keep up the work.”

Japanese PM says Japan will participate in joint statement with G7’s European nations

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan will participate in a joint statement issued by the Group of Seven’s four European nations calling for cooperation in efforts to quickly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and to end Iran’s nuclear program.

Takaichi, asked about the joint statement, said Japan was requested to be part of it and that “We will join.”

In the statement issued Monday in response to the U.S.-Iran peace deal, France, Britain, Italy and Germany said the rapid and comprehensive implementation of the agreement is vital, and that they are ready to provide support such as ensuring safe commercial shipping and mine clearance in the key waterway, in accordance with respective constitutional requirements.

Takaichi did not give details about a possible Japanese contribution, but said that she planned to thoroughly discuss at the G7 summit ways to achieve peace and stability in the entire Middle East region.

Trump announces plans for July 4 rally in Washington

The president may be on his way to France for the G7 summit, but he continues to lay out details for celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.

“On July 4th, at The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, in beautiful and safe Washington D.C., we are going to host the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all, a “TRIBUTE TO AMERICA,” Trump posted on social media.

Trump said the event will include military flyovers, his personally curated music playlist, and “the LARGEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN HISTORY.”

Trump, in late May, also announced that he would headline “The Great American State Fair,” part of the America 250 celebration, after several musical guests backed out partly over the event’s ties to Trump. Organizers had said that the president’s appearance is slated for June 24 to kick off the state fair.

Macron drinks from spring that gave Evian its name

French President Emmanuel Macron drank a glass of water Monday from the spring that gave the town of Evian-les-Bains its international reputation.

Macron visited the Cachat Spring, named after the owner of the garden through which the water flowed in the late 18th century.

The water was first analyzed in 1807 and was recommended for treating kidney and bladder ailments. It gained popularity as a table water beginning in the 1860s and is now sold worldwide under the Evian brand.

Brazil’s president and head of UN health agency call on world leaders to help fight pandemics

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the head of the U.N. health agency are calling on world leaders to strengthen an accord passed last year to help fight pandemics like COVID-19.

“Humanity promised itself, in the rawness of that grief, that it would not face such a day again unprepared,” they wrote in a joint statement.

Negotiations on a crucial annex to the accord have been stuck over differences about sharing disease-causing pathogens, which often erupt in tropical developing countries, in exchange for access to technologies like vaccines, usually developed in rich nations.

They called on the leaders of the G7 and other international groupings to “instruct your negotiators to come to the July session ready to conclude” the annex.

Trump declares White House UFC fight night ‘incredible’

On his way to the G7 summit, Trump, in a Truth Social post from Air Force One, called the fighters “outstanding“ and the South Lawn setting “unsurpassed.”

“The White House has never looked more beautiful,” Trump added.

Brazil’s Lula first foreign leader to arrive for G7 summit

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was the first foreign leader to arrive Monday at the Hotel Royal in the French resort town of Evian-les-Bains ahead of the G7 summit.

Brazil, Egypt, Kenya, India and South Korea have been invited to participate in some discussions as partner countries alongside G7 members.

World leaders, including Trump, are scheduled to be formally welcomed later Monday by French President Emmanuel Macron at the start of the summit.

The Hotel Royal, a five-star property overlooking Lake Geneva and the foothills of the Alps, will host leaders through Wednesday. The hotel is set amid expansive gardens with flowerbeds, water features and English- and Japanese-inspired landscaping.

Before the war, the strait carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil. Now, it will take time for hundreds of ships trapped in the Persian Gulf to exit through the narrow strait. And Gulf oil producers that throttled back production will need time to get the oil moving again. Analysts also say ship captains may take their time to decide if passage is safe and that the threat of attack from Iran has truly receded.

All told, oil prices, inflation and energy flows simply won’t see an immediate return to what they were before the war — not for weeks or even months. And that's assuming the deal, set to be signed Friday, proves durable. Details hadn't been released.

When will oil start moving again?

Even if the Strait is completely open, it will take time for tankers to enter, load, and make the journey to Asian countries — the chief customers for Gulf oil from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman. A trip to Japan and back can take 45 to 50 days.

Captains, insurers and owners may take their time in attempting passage, given the volatile situation.

“Operationally, the sector is not rushing back,” wrote Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of shipping data and analysis company Lloyd's List, noting that many warn mine clearance and a return to use of the internationally recognized transit lanes “are prerequisites for safe navigation. ”

Ships have been trickling out through an Iranian-run vetting lane in the north of the strait, while others have slipped out with lights and location systems turned off under U.S. forces' guidance in a southern passage along the coast of Oman. Iran had threatened to attack ships using the internationally established mid-strait transit lanes that keep inbound and outbound ships out of each other's way.

Some 500 commercial vessels remain in the Persian Gulf, according to maritime and energy intelligence firm Kpler, and they can't all leave through the narrow strait at once.

Amena Bakr, head of Middle East energy and OPEC+ insights at Kpler, estimated that clearing mines would take six months, vessels leaving and returning to reload two to three months, and restarting production in some countries to prewar levels another three months.

What does an ‘open’ strait mean? It's not clear that the US and Iran have agreed

Iran has demanded the right to collect money from ships using the strait, and in some cases has already exacted payment to let ships leave. Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social that the deal involved a “toll free opening," but there's been no confirmation from Iran.

The period between the deal's announcement and signing "gives both sides scope for issuing conflicting statements on the agreement, especially on the extent to which Iran will manage traffic and demand fees,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

Paying tolls would present a quandary for ship owners, since the U.S. and EU have designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization, and the U.S. Treasury has sanctioned the entity Iran has announced to run its collections. Unless those sanctions are modified, paying exposes shippers and banks to sanctions.

Legal experts say allowing Iran to control passage would violate international law on freedom of navigation as set down in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which requires countries to permit peaceful passage through territorial waters. The strait's waters are shared by Iran to the north and Oman to the south.

Oil producers need time to get operations underway again, too

Some producers in the Middle East paused extracting oil from the ground, known as a shut-in, when they ran out of storage space. Restarting those operations can be a slow process.

Countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which were able to export some oil through alternate pipelines or routes besides the Strait of Hormuz, may be among the quickest to resume production, said Alan Gelder, senior vice president of refining, chemicals and oil markets at Wood Mackenzie, an analytics firm.

"Places like Iraq could be much more challenged because they’ve had a much bigger shut-in, their fields are more difficult ... it may well take about a year before they get back,” he said.

Claudio Galimberti, chief economist at Rystad Energy, noted in an emailed comment that “sentiment has clearly improved. But sentiment is not the same as supply.”

“It will take time for production to ramp back up, for logistics to normalize, and for the risk premium embedded in crude prices to dissipate,” he said.

Countries won’t restart until they know there is a durably open strait and that a ceasefire will last more than 30 or 60 days, said Daniel Sternoff, senior fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.

Economists at Capital Economics estimate that energy flows would reach 80% of prewar levels by September.

Inflation will not drop immediately

Even if the deal reopens the strait immediately, that will not immediately send inflation lower, economists say.

Inflation is ”set to stay above target in most major economies throughout this year and the first half of next, even as growth remains relatively weak,” said Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics.

Inflation could even rise when government measures aimed at easing the energy shock expire, Joachim Nagel, the head of Germany's Bundesbank central bank said in a speech Monday.

That includes Germany's temporary lowering of fuel taxes by 17 euro cents per liter, which runs through June 30.

“It will take months for the oil supply to return to normal,” Nagel said.

The Israeli leader said at a news conference Monday that “with an agreement, without an agreement,” he would continue fighting to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, which Tehran has long maintained it isn't trying to do, saying its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.

"As long as I am the prime minister of Israel, it will not happen,” Netanyahu said, emphasizing that the deal was struck by the United States, not Israel, and that he didn't budge on Iran's request that Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon be part of the pact.

“Iran wanted us to withdraw from there, but that did not happen. Do you know why it didn’t happen, among other reasons? Because I stood very, very firm,” he said.

But other Israeli government officials, rivals, politicians and commentators were quick to criticize the preliminary deal, marking a sort of informal referendum on the premier’s tenure ahead of elections this fall and underscoring his deepening isolation at home, in the region and, increasingly, from the United States.

Critics say Netanyahu led President Donald Trump into the war with Iran while overpromising what it could achieve, and Trump now might be dragging Israel out of the conflict before it feels ready. They say the prime minister misjudged Trump's appetite for a protracted conflict, was outflanked by Iran in negotiations and grew increasingly sidelined by the region's other major players.

“Israel is paying the price of Netanyahu’s hubris and blindness, and the price of the manipulations that he tried to pull on Trump," former Prime Minister and Netanyahu rival Ehud Barak said in an interview with Israel's public broadcaster Monday. “Iran emerged stronger; Israel emerged weaker. That is Netanyahu’s strategic responsibility. He failed.”

Yair Lapid, who will challenge Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, wrote Sunday that the deal, which would extend the tenuous ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran and lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, was shaping up to be “one of the most shocking failures in Israel’s foreign and security policy ... entirely registered in Netanyahu’s name.”

“It can be fixed, it must be fixed,” he wrote. “Netanyahu can no longer fix it, we will do it.”

Iran deal could hamper Israel's operation in Lebanon

Even though Israel isn't party to the deal, it finds itself in something of a quagmire, in part because it invaded southern Lebanon after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired missiles at northern Israeli towns during the first week of the war.

Since negotiations began, Iran has insisted that any deal to wind down the U.S.-Iran front include a cessation of Israeli hostilities in Lebanon. But on Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to keep troops in Lebanon.

As negotiations progressed and Trump increasingly sought a way out of war, he grew furious over Israel’s strikes in Beirut, warning they could jeopardize an agreement. In the end, the president decided to end the Iran conflict, even if it curtailed Israel's options in Lebanon.

That has left Netanyahu in a precarious situation. His relationship with Trump may require downscaling a military campaign in Lebanon that is widely popular in Israel.

“All Hezbollah has to do is get one rocket across into an Israeli town in northern Israel, and then the pressure on Netanyahu — which he’s already hearing from his own base and from the opposition ... will ramp up," said Daniel Shapiro, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel and a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council.

“It’s going to be very hard to resist that," Shapiro said. "And that gives a lot of power to control this dynamic to Hezbollah, and essentially to Iran.”

Indeed, some of the more hawkish members of Netanyahu’s ruling coalition have slammed the new deal and urged the prime minister to continue the Lebanon campaign, even if it upsets the U.S. and risks scuttling the agreement.

“We must not compromise on anything less than the dismantling of Hezbollah,” Israel’s ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, wrote on X.

Israelis say Netanyahu did not meet his war goals in Iran

In Lebanon, the deal left the future of Israel's campaign uncertain. But in Iran, the deal tied Netanyahu's hands before he met his war goals.

Netanyahu and the U.S. launched the war on Feb. 28 with the aim of destroying Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But nearly four months later, after Iran withstood a withering aerial campaign, Tehran is in a much stronger position, analysts and critics say. It's proxy network survives and is still able to fire missiles into Israel.

Tehran has been able to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important waterways, choking global trade and driving up prices for basic needs worldwide. It is also unclear how much damage was done to Iran's nuclear infrastructure and ballistic missile program.

“Israel believes that the war delayed the Iranian nuclear program, but did not change its objectives,” political commentator Anna Barsky wrote for Ma'ariv, a major Hebrew daily newspaper. She said Israeli officials are also worried that under its deal with the U.S., Iran could receive a major influx of cash.

According to three regional officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, the agreement is expected to include the phased lifting of sanctions and a release of frozen Iranian assets.

“Trump signs an agreement that funnels billions to the Ayatollahs’ regime, leaves the nuclear infrastructure intact, preserves the ballistic threat as is, and throws a lifeline to the murderous regime in Tehran,” Yair Golan, center-left party leader and former general, posted on X.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka took part in an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg to open talks that will help Kyiv align with the 27-member bloc's laws, standards and values.

“Aggression against Ukraine and threats against Europe is a permanent policy of Russia, so that’s why we need to be united," Kachka told journalists. "That’s why we need faster and very comprehensive accession to the European Union.”

Ukraine sees EU membership as a security guarantee for a stable future once the war ends. Its best guarantee would be membership in the NATO military alliance, but the Trump administration insists that cannot happen, and others are wary of it joining while the war continues.

Moldova also officially launched its membership talks. Russia has long tried to keep the country within its orbit, and last year Moscow was accused of waging a disinformation campaign driven by artificial intelligence during elections.

EU values and principles are first up

Countries hoping to join the EU must complete negotiations in 35 policy areas, or chapters, from agriculture to taxation and energy to trade, a process which can take years.

Monday’s meeting saw the opening of five key chapters — grouped as “clusters” — that underpin the values and principles on which the bloc was founded, notably the rule of law, fundamental rights and the functioning of democratic institutions.

The chapters are judiciary and fundamental rights, justice, freedom and security, public procurement, and statistics and financial control. The cluster is important for some EU countries that worry about Ukraine’s ability and willingness to fight corruption.

Last month, two national agencies fighting corruption named Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's former chief of staff as an official suspect in a major graft investigation, but they said the Ukrainian leader was not under suspicion.

Some countries want Ukraine to join quickly

Some European countries have pushed to get Ukraine in the bloc as quickly as possible. They see Ukraine as vital to Europe's security and have helped bolster its armed forces.

Last month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged his EU partners to consider offering Ukraine “associate membership” to help breathe new life into talks aimed at ending more than four years of war with Russia.

Other countries — France and the Netherlands among them — have suggested work-arounds to bring Ukraine into the fold more quickly but without the rights of full membership.

But EU officials, and other countries waiting in line to join the bloc, insist that it should be a merits-based process that leads to nothing less than full membership.

Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that completing the full reform process is vital, and that membership is not simply about securing a “club card for the EU.”

What Ukrainians “truly are after is freedom, democracy and a transparent market economy without any corruption,” she told journalists in Luxembourg.

Hungary had long blocked Ukraine's prospects

Ukraine’s accession process was long stymied by Hungary under stridently nationalist former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was considered Russia’s strongest ally in Europe and a possible threat to the EU project. He lost an election this year.

Orbán routinely exploited voting rules that require all 27 member countries to agree on certain rules, sanctions and even political statements. Indeed, unanimous agreement is required for each negotiating chapter to be opened, and then again for it to be closed.

The European Commission froze billions of euros in funds for Hungary in response to democratic backsliding led by Orbán, and concern lingers about the damage that can be done when one unhappy government insists on wielding its veto.

“We need to be very cautious in the future and make sure that these are countries that really want to be a part of Europe, and a part of the European Union, and are willing to work with us,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said.

“In order for the EU to be really strong, we need to make sure that this doesn’t happen again,” she said.

Christie’s auction house said Monday that it's the first copy of the novel in the publisher’s original cloth binding to be auctioned since 1908. Only about 250 copies of the first edition were printed, and this one has been in a private library since shortly after its publication in 1847.

“The vast majority of surviving copies were rebound for collectors or libraries, meaning original cloth examples are now extremely scarce,” said Christie’s books and manuscripts specialist Mark Wiltshire.

Being sold along with a copy of sister Anne Brontë’s “Agnes Grey,” it’s expected to sell for between 400,000 pounds and 600,000 pounds ($540,000 and $800,000) at a June 30 auction in London. Both books carry the male pen names the sisters adopted to get published: Ellis Bell for Emily and Acton Bell for Anne.

“Wuthering Heights” was rushed to publication after the success of Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre,” and the first edition is notorious for its typographical errors including, Wiltshire noted, the occasional misspelling of the word “heights.”

Emerald Fennell ’s recent movie with Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as mismatched pair Cathy and Heathcliff is the latest work to be inspired by — and take liberties with — Brontë’s brooding, Gothic tale.

The novel shocked some critics when it was published, with one in 1848 decrying its “vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors.”

Since then, Wiltshire said, it has “moved beyond literature to become a cultural touchstone,” inspiring art, music — notably Kate Bush’s pop-operatic 1978 song — and multiple film adaptations.

“It remains a work that artists return to again and again because of its emotional force, its atmosphere, and its psychological intensity, ensuring its place not only in literary history but in wider cultural imagination,” Wiltshire said.

American singer Oliver Tree was among those listed on the passenger list filed with aviation authorities for one of the helicopters that crashed into the parking lot of a car dealership, although police did not yet confirm his body was found in the crash.

Police confirmed the death of Gaspar Prim Díaz — an Argentine content creator known as Gaspi with more than 2.8 million followers on YouTube — another Argentine Lucas Vignale and three Brazilians — Lucas Brito, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza. The body of one foreigner was not yet identified.

Human error might have led to the collision between the two helicopters, Rio de Janeiro police investigator Alan Luxardo told reporters Monday at the crash site. He added that authorities were investigating whether air traffic controllers or one of the pilots was responsible for the crash.

Tree, 32, was visiting Rio as part of a world tour that included stops in Argentina, Brazil, Portugal and Spain. On Saturday, the singer and comedian had published a comical video where Tree was seen playing soccer in a Brazilian neighborhood.

Some celebrities began to publish tributes to Tree on Sunday, including Jake Paul, a promoter known for taking on professional boxers in highly publicized fights, who called the singer “one of the most kind and funny people in the world.”

Drew Binsky, a content creator known for visiting every country in the world, wrote on Instagram that Tree had come to him for travel advice because the singer also wanted to visit every country.

“We just spoke a few days ago and I was planning to show him around Prague in three weeks,” Binsky wrote. “He has become a great friend of mine and is genuinely one of the kindest and most positive people I've ever met.”

Argentine streaming channel Blender thanked Gaspi for his art in a post on X.

“Every one of us will miss you,” Blender said.

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Sara Carter, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, sent an open letter Monday to WADA and its stakeholders. It comes a day before an “extraordinary meeting” of the WADA executive committee at which it will discuss recommendations from a “working group” put together in the wake of a doping case involving Chinese swimmers.

Carter derided what she said was the “unjustifiable exclusion” of U.S. authorities from the meeting. WADA spokesman James Fitzgerald said the U.S. wasn't invited due to its government's refusal to pay its WADA dues, which is part of a bigger feud between the U.S. and the global anti-doping regulator stemming from the China doping saga and a long-running scandal involving Russia.

“The working group’s objective and recommendations are designed to strengthen the independence and credibility of the anti-doping process, including at major events,” Fitzgerald said.

Among the group's recommendations would be to transfer some testing responsibilities to an independent agency and away from the hands of a host-country anti-doping agency. For the LA Olympics in two years, that could weaken the role of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which has fought WADA hard over its handling of the Russian and Chinese affairs.

"The robust and vigorous participation of NADOs in the anti-doping ecosystem is of particular importance to the United States as we strive to ensure the cleanest Olympic and Paralympic Games ever,” Carter wrote.

Fitzgerald said Tuesday's meeting is only to discuss the recommendations and no action is planned.

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The investment includes a new distribution facility near Jacksonville International Airport and advanced manufacturing and packaging technologies intended to scale the company’s Vision operations, strengthen supply-chain resilience and meet growing demand. Construction is underway, and the company said the site is expected to be fully operational in 2028.

“This investment reinforces our long-standing conviction that advanced manufacturing in the United States is essential to delivering innovative, high-quality health care solutions to patients at home and around the world,” Joaquin Duato, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson, said in a statement.

He said the expansion will help the company serve more than 40 million patients in the U.S. and globally.

The move is part of a previously announced commitment by Johnson & Johnson to invest $55 billion in U.S. manufacturing, research and development and technology through early 2029, the company said.

Johnson & Johnson has operated in Jacksonville since 1981 and now employs about 3,500 people in the area. The company said its operations support roughly $6 billion in annual economic impact across Florida and encompass more than 1.5 million square feet of manufacturing, research, distribution and operations facilities. Johnson & Johnson also said it manufactures more than 1.7 billion ACUVUE contact lenses annually for U.S. patients.

“Johnson & Johnson’s commitment is a strong vote of confidence in Jacksonville, our workforce, and our future,” Mayor Donna Deegan said. “This expansion strengthens our high-tech footprint while creating quality jobs and long-term opportunities for our community.”

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and several other federal and state officials praised the investment, saying it would bolster domestic health care production and create jobs in Northeast Florida.

The Peacock series that stars Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson as widows of CIA operatives who become intelligence assets in the 1970s Soviet Union has real stakes, and real blood. But its tone is comic first and foremost. And it has been submitted for the forthcoming Emmy nominations as a comedy, despite its hourlong episodes that on television usually mean drama.

The tone-mashing comes naturally to its co-creators, Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, a couple of veterans of film and TV writing. “Ponies” — intelligence-speak for “persons of no interest” — is the first show they have worked on that they originated.

“We understand that we’re not a pure comedy and we’re not a pure drama, which is nothing that we wanted, and we were happy with that. But it was always also part of the calculus that when our characters are in peril, we should feel like they could die,” Iserson told The Associated Press in a joint interview with Fogel. “These characters are experiencing grief. These characters are experiencing peril and also they’re funny people, and that is just the way that we both see the world.”

Fogel puts it a little more succinctly: “Funny people in serious situation is our thing.”

Their two stars have youthful vibes but mature acting skills and they seamlessly handle the show's swerves. Clarke's character, Bea, begins as an innocent in a dangerous world the same way her Daenerys Targaryen began on “Game of Thrones.” Richardson's Twila starts as the same sort of worldly, savvy character she has played on “The White Lotus” and elsewhere.

Then both go on major arcs.

“We wanted to give these actresses something new that they hadn’t done, but that didn’t feel like they were fighting some essential part of who they were,” Fogel said.

She and Iserson have what she calls “an open creative marriage.”

Separately, Fogel was a writer on the 2019 film “Booksmart” and the HBO series “The Flight Attendant.” Iserson has written for series including “Mad Men” and “Mr. Robot.”

Together, their work includes the 2018 film “The Spy Who Dumped Me,” which stars Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon as women thrust into espionage. In retrospect, it feels like a dress rehearsal for “Ponies.”

“That was more on the comedic side of the spectrum for both of us and we were more excited to do something that was more grounded but had the same friendship story to it,” Iserson said. “So we took the things we loved about that experience and then used some of our other skills to make something that felt a little bit more in the dramedy sphere.”

The show felt grounded enough to some viewers that if you Google it, a question that pops up on search: “Is the TV series Ponies a true story?”

“I think good comedy is like a high-wire act. In a way it feels like a high-risk, high-reward thing to be able to do anything that’s doing that,” Fogel said. “I’m not sure how you can stand out with things that are just 100% serious.”

The half-hour comedy vs. hourlong drama split, which the overwhelming majority of historic TV series follow, really seems to matter where Emmys are concerned.

It is probably the reason the half-hour “The Bear” has been able to pass as a comedy and dominate those categories at the Emmys, to the chagrin of some makers of more purely funny stuff.

Though the hourlong comedy isn't unheard of and the Emmys have recognized that before. “Ally McBeal” would get an annual raft of nominations in the late 1990s and once won best comedy series. “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” did the same in the 2010s.

Many of the Emmys' technical and craft awards, including cinematography and sound, are broken into half-hour and hour categories instead of comedy and drama.

Another Emmy contender, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” HBO's latest “Game of Thrones” spinoff, is the flip side of “Ponies,” since it's a drama with episodes that land at just over 30 minutes.

Showrunner Ira Parker says the old distinctions maybe ought to be scrapped.

“Look at all your favorite dramas of all time, like ‘The Sopranos’ and even like, ‘The Wire,’ how funny those were,” Parker said. “I actually think the difference should be 30 minutes and an hour versus comedy and drama.”

“Ponies” has not yet been renewed for a second season, but a few Emmy nominations could change that.

___ This story has been corrected to reflect that Fogel and Iserson are co-creators but only Iserson is showrunner of “Ponies.”

The justices will hear arguments in the fall in the case of Hamed Kian, who argues that a six-person jury violates his constitutional rights.

Florida uses six-person juries for all criminal cases that don’t involve the death penalty. Five other states, Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts and Utah, also conduct some criminal trials with six-member juries.

The 45-year-old Kian’s license was suspended after three women who were his patients complained he either kissed or touched them inappropriately, according to court records.

Prosecutors sought an indictment after amassing evidence that Kian, who had an office in Jupiter, continued to see patients even after the suspension. He was convicted by a six-person jury.

Kian's lawyers argue that the smaller jury violates the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees “a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state.”

The amendment does not explicitly set the size of the jury, but Kian's lawyers contend that the word jury could only have meant a body of 12 people at the time the amendment was adopted in 1791. Just over 100 years later, the Supreme Court ruled that juries had to have 12 people.

But in 1970, the justices changed course and ruled by a 7-1 vote that the number 12 was not sacrosanct, also in a case from Florida. Justice Thurgood Marshall was the only dissenter.

More recently, the court has placed renewed emphasis on the original understanding of the Constitution. In another Sixth Amendment case, the court ruled in 2020 that juries must be unanimous in criminal cases, effectively overturning a 1972 decision that had allowed for non-unanimous convictions in criminal cases in Louisiana and Oregon.

“The same reasoning applies to the historical right to a jury of twelve,” Kian's lawyers wrote in their appeal to the court to step in. “When the People enshrined the jury trial right in the Constitution, they did not attach a rider that future judges could adapt it based on latter-day social science views.”

In trying to persuade the Supreme Court to leave Kian's conviction in place, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote that the 1970 case was correctly decided and “overruling it also would imperil thousands of criminal convictions in Florida and five other states that for more than 50 years have relied on its rule.”

Those numbers come from a national group that tracks pediatric heatstroke deaths in vehicles.

No parent thinks they would forget their child in a hot car. But the unfortunate truth is that it can happen to anyone.

Research shows that stress, sleep deprivation, and a change in routine can make people more forgetful, and those are conditions many parents and caregivers know all too well.

Watch The Morning Show at 7:40 a.m. as Consumer Reports shares important safety information every parent and caregiver needs to know.

Newcomer Curacao is expected to travel some 5,300 miles (8,600 kilometers) back-and-forth from its base in Florida to games in Houston, Kansas City and Philadelphia. Bosnia-Herzegovina will rack up nearly 5,200 miles (8,400 kilometers) across Canada and the U.S. while going from its base in Utah to games in Toronto, Los Angeles and Seattle.

The biggest World Cup ever has brought some logistics challenges to the 48 teams in the tournament being played across three countries and four time zones.

“We just have to live with it because that’s what others planned for us,” Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek said through a translator after a 2-1 loss to South Korea in Guadalajara last Thursday. “We're happy to be here and we want to have the best possible results. Our logistics behind the scenes is good, but of course it’s not ideal that we have to travel that much.”

Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella said “this is the reality, we have to adapt.”

His squad trains in Arizona, about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) from Vancouver, where it opened with a 2-0 loss to Australia.

“Of course after the match we’ll be back at 5 o’clock in the morning, and it’s not easy to recover, especially for people my age,” the 51-year-old Montella said through a translator ahead of the match. “After a night out you know it takes a few days to recover. America is big, Canada is very big. Mexico is big. We have to adapt. I know these things you can’t change. You can’t choose. You just have to adapt so you don’t have any excuses.”

Host teams on the move

Canada's squad had to fly nearly five hours to cover the more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) between Toronto and Vancouver after its opener. The U.S. team will travel nearly that distance in total while going back-and-forth between its training camp in Irvine, California, and its games in the Los Angeles area and Seattle. Mexico is expected to travel less than 600 miles (965 kilometers) within the country.

The England team is set to travel the most among the main title contenders, having its camp in Kansas City and playing games in Dallas, Boston and New York. Spain will have to fly nearly four hours from its base in Atlanta to a match in Guadalajara.

Argentina and France, the finalists at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, face fewer travel challenges. Argentina is based in Kansas City, where it will open its title defense before playing two matches in Dallas. France has its camp in Boston. It will play one game there and the other two in Philadelphia and New York.

FIFA has long recognized the logistic challenges for the World Cup scattered across North America. It tried to separate teams in geographical clusters where they are based and where they will play most of their matches.

Lengthy traveling was a non-issue at the previous World Cup in Qatar, which is roughly the size of Connecticut and is smaller than Switzerland. But teams faced similar travel challenges in 2018 in Russia and 2014 in Brazil.

High altitude also a factor

South Korea's squad doesn’t have to leave Mexico for its group matches, but does have to deal with the high altitude both in Mexico City (about 2,200 meters, 7,200 feet) and Guadalajara (about 1,500 meters, 4,900 feet).

The South Koreans did specific training to adjust to the altitude, and coach Hong Myung-bo said it “helped a lot” but still wasn’t enough.

“In the second half, I think we could see that everyone was very tired,” Hong said after his team’s come-from-behind win over the Czech Republic.

Heat and humidity could also become an issue for many teams training and playing in U.S. cities such as Houston, Dallas, New York and Miami.

Brazil forward Vinícius Júnior complained of the conditions after the 1-1 draw with Morocco on Saturday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“Because of the weather, the heat, the field dries up too quickly and the game gets really stuck and we can’t have game rhythm. That makes it difficult for us because we want to play, we want to move the ball from side to side, and that gets in the way of our game,” he said. “But we’re going to have to adapt because I believe it’s going to be like that for the whole competition where everyone is going to have the same field of play.”

___

AP Sports Writer Anne M. Peterson contributed from Vancouver.

___

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

Judge Andrew Fishkin’s ruling likely ends a monthslong ordeal for the California woman, one of thousands adopted from abroad who were never granted citizenship because of bureaucratic loopholes between adoption and immigration law.

The woman has lived in the United States since she was adopted by American parents as a toddler and has no criminal record. The Associated Press is not naming her because she worries her legal situation remains tenuous as the administration has time to appeal. A federal judge has allowed her to use a pseudonym, “Ms. S,” in her challenge to the government’s determination of her immigration status.

The woman received a letter from the Department of Homeland Security in February that ordered her to appear for removal proceedings, saying she is eligible for deportation because she overstayed her visa in March 1974 at 4 years old.

The woman, 56, described what came next as a terrifying and humiliating few months.

She grew up in a Christian, military family on a farm in Wisconsin and was taught to be patriotic. But the documents she received from the government described her as an “alien;” some said she did not understand English, which is the only language she speaks.

Immigration officials told her she was being arrested, but released and tracked with an ankle monitor. She bought new pants to try to hide it and taught herself not to cross her legs in work meetings, terrified it would threaten the corporate job in healthcare she’s held for almost two decades.

They fingerprinted her and took her DNA. She said she was obviously weeping in the mug shot they snapped of her.

She prepared herself to be detained: she put her bills on autopay and gave her friends a key to her home.

Her lawyer, Emily Howe, said the government had the power to agree she is an American citizen.

“Instead they treated her like a terrorist, like she was the worst of the worst criminals," Howe said. "It felt very Big Brother, very Orwellian."

The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the record on an individual case.

The Associated Press profiled the woman in 2024 as part of a story about how many international adoptees were left without citizenship because their American adoptive parents failed to naturalize them.

The woman's parents were living in Iran, where her father was working for a U.S. government contractor, in the 1970s. He was retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel. He'd been held for years a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II.

The couple found the toddler at an orphanage and returned to the U.S. with her in 1973 and soon completed the adoption. At that time, parents had to separately naturalize adopted children. The woman’s parents have since died.

She didn’t learn she hadn’t been naturalized until she applied for a passport at 38 years old. She still doesn’t know how the oversight happened. She searched her father’s papers and found a letter from a lawyer, dated 1975, that said he was working with immigration officials, “it appears this matter is concluded,” and billed her father for his services.

She filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month, trying to prohibit the government from removing her, and forcing it to grant her citizenship.

She has long believed she should be considered a U.S. citizen: she has a social security card, a driver’s license and has been legally allowed to work and pay taxes for decades. It’s only the immigration agency that denies she is a citizen. She suspects her paperwork was lost, likely when militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.

Fishkin seemed to agree: he wrote in his ruling that documents from that embassy are not available to her or to the U.S. government. He declared her a refugee, entitled to work in the U.S. His ruling puts the woman on a pathway to being recognized as a citizen.

She’d felt hopeful, she said, when she learned her court date before Fishkin was scheduled for her late father’s birthday. She always felt like she needed to protect not only herself, but also her father's legacy. He was a conscientious military official, she said, who would not have knowingly allowed such a glaring oversight that left his daughter in legal limbo.

“I love you and I look up to you,” the note reads, addressed to Pedri and Lamine Yamal. “Thanks for coming to my city. I hope you win the World Cup.”

As the players run onto the field, his eyes grow wide.

“Dad,” he whispers, “they’re real.”

The scene was equally incredible to his father, Jaxon McClure, a Marine Corps veteran who grew up in Chattanooga playing soccer with trash cans for goalposts, now coaches hundreds of local children and named his first child after one of the sport’s greatest stars.

This summer — 32 years since the United States first hosted the world’s biggest sporting competition — Chattanooga is among several cities established as World Cup base camps, where visiting teams live and train between matches.

Spain — among the favorites to win the tournament — has set up camp at a boarding school on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga; Iraq is in a mountain resort town in West Virginia with fewer than 3,000 residents; and Germany is in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where cobblestone streets and tobacco warehouses share space with German flags and television crews.

Southern hospitality on display

A 144-foot (44-meter) underground waterfall beneath Lookout Mountain is lit up red and the Embassy Suites in downtown Chattanooga, where the Spanish team is staying, is adorned with la Rojigualda — Spain’s red and yellow flag. Giant banners featuring Spanish players and declaring, “Bienvenidos a Chattanooga” greeted La Roja as the team arrived at Chattanooga Airport.

Native Chattanoogan Skip Schwartz said so many people are wearing Spanish jerseys that “you don’t know if they’re from Spain, hoping to get a glimpse, or they are locals who have bought into the La Roja bandwagon.”

Around 25,000 people entered a lottery for 1,000 tickets to watch Spain practice at Baylor School, a 600-acre (240-hectare) private academy for students grade 6 through 12.

Meanwhile, tickets to watch Germany practice at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem sold out in four minutes.

“It’s just fun to see everyone start to care about something they didn’t care about before,” said Savannah Lahey, who manages soccer bar Small Batch Beer Co. in downtown Winston-Salem. The bar has extended its hours for watch parties and created a German-inspired menu featuring schnitzel sandwiches and sauerbraten for Germany’s opening match.

“It’s getting to make people feel at home, even when they’re not at home,” Lahey said.

At the Greenbrier in West Virginia, a historic resort that has hosted presidents and foreign leaders, Iraqi flags flew alongside the Stars and Stripes as the national team arrived for its World Cup training camp.

Baylor provides outstanding soccer facilities

Teams chose from FIFA-approved base camps across North America, with higher-ranked nations getting the earliest picks. Spain selected Chattanooga over larger cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, then worked with Baylor to create an expansive headquarters around its training fields and media facilities.

FIFA inspectors graded Baylor’s facilities, including the condition of the grass and its drainage and irrigation systems, the school’s operations and systems director Sam Green said. To preserve the pitches for Spain, Baylor’s players trained this spring on artificial turf, a sacrifice Green said seniors accepted without complaint.

Hidden behind a tree line, two grass pitches form the center of Spain’s daily training. The airport and their downtown hotel are minutes away and Atlanta — where Spain will play two group-stage matches — is within easy reach. After Spain’s first official practice, players headed straight to the campus pool, where they “swam and laid out and had a good time” before returning to training.

For Schwartz, who now serves on Baylor’s board of trustees, Spain’s choice is meaningful because he and his teammates helped to lay Bermuda sod for their new soccer field when he played soccer at Baylor in the late 1980s and early 1990s. That field has since been replaced by an indoor tennis facility — which serves as Spain’s media center — but the school now has three soccer pitches and one of the region’s premier soccer programs.

“If somebody had told me then that 40 years later Spain would be using this campus as the foundation for a World Cup, I wouldn’t even have tried to fathom it,” he said.

‘Without a doubt, I’m cheering for Spain’

Tina Ankar, a first generation Palestinian American, said she became a soccer fan because of the World Cup and her boyfriend, who grew up watching games with his Mexican family. At Spain’s open practice, hundreds of fans shouted “¡Vamos, España!” after nearly every touch. Ankar found herself swept up in the energy.

“I’ve got to watch these guys all the way to the end,” she said. “Now we really have someone to cheer on besides America.”

Before Spain’s first public practice, Baylor students slipped into the locker room and snapped photos of stalls freshly labeled with the names of Spain’s stars, debating which player had inherited “their” locker.

“I sat in that locker room almost every single day this spring,” said 17-year-old midfielder and graduating senior Heath Techasiriwan.

Techasiriwan, a Filipino American and lifelong Lionel Messi fan who rooted for Argentina in 2022, said there was no question who he will support this summer.

“Without a doubt, I’m cheering for Spain,” he said. “I can’t see players like Pedri, Gavi and Lamine Yamal literally right in front of me and not cheer for them.”

Goalkeeper Mathew Ramirez commutes an hour each way to Baylor from Calhoun, Georgia. He grew up watching Barcelona with his father, who immigrated from Guatemala, and plans to watch Spain’s World Cup matches over carne asada with family and friends.

After practice, Yamal, who is 18, signed the 16-year-old goalie’s custom Barcelona jersey. Ramirez told the star in Spanish: “Watching you play gives me happiness.”

A young fan takes selfies and dreams of superheroes

Back in Chattanooga, Beckham collects signatures and takes selfies with players before heading home in the Spain jersey his father says he slept in the night before.

His father says Beckham kept repeating: “Wait, Dad. They’re real. Lamine Yamal is a real person. I just thought they were like superheroes. They’re on TV.”

Chattanooga has come a long way since the neighborhood games McClure remembers. He is now a soccer coach to about 850 children, and the city has professional men’s and women’s teams.

“They could have gone anywhere in this country,” McClure says of Spain, “and they chose us.”

___

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

The company said in a post on social media that its lease is ending for its downtown location on East Bay Street, and June 27 will be the microbrewery‘s last day.

In the meantime, Bold City’s production facility and taproom at 2670 Rosselle Street will remain open.

“We’ll be relocating our brewing equipment to our production facility and will continue brewing the beers you know and love,” the post said.

According to our news partners at the Jacksonville Daily Record, Bold City’s Downtown taproom opened in 2017.

“We want to thank everyone who has supported us, shared a pint with us, and helped make this location such a special place,” the company wrote.

For more on the history of the brewery and what could be coming to downtown, visit JaxDailyRecord.com.

Republican Governor Brian Kemp is term-limited. Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic primary for governor on May 19, with Rick Jackson and Burt Jones finishing at the top of the Republican primary and advancing to the June 16 runoff. But the race for governor is far from the only statewide race gaining attention: Republicans are lining up for the chance to run for the U.S. Senate in November, and challenge Democrat Jon Ossoff.

While many primaries were decided on May 19, there were some races where no candidate got more than 50% of the vote, forcing a runoff on June 16 between the top two candidates.

In Brantley County, one Republican primary for county commission will be on the ballot for the June 16 runoff. A non-partisan board of education race that was not decided in the primary is also on the runoff election ballot.

Brantley County Commission - Post 4

The incumbent in Post 4, Brian Hendrix, is not seeking re-election. No Democrats qualified for this race.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

• Justin Bowers - Sales engineer
• Ray Griffin - Driver

Brantley County Commission - Post 5

The incumbent, Republican Harry Andrew Riggins, is seeking re-election. No Democrats qualified for this race.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

• Harry Andrew Riggins - Retired

Brantley County Board of Education - Post 2

Incumbent Kathy Hendrix was defeated in the primary by Lynn Daniels. This is a non-partisan race that has now been decided.

Brantley County Board of Education - Post 4

There is no incumbent in this election. This is a non-partisan race.

NON-PARTISAN CANDIDATES

• Teri Gibson - Retired
• Richard Gill - Teacher

Read about the rest of the races in the primary in our 2026 Georgia Voter’s Guide.

What does this mean, and how will it influence our weather through the rest of the year?

Sea surface temperatures in the ENSO region (off the coast of South America) are above normal, which is an indication that El Niño is present.

Notice the deep red over that region.

In fact, the official NOAA CPC ENSO probabilities forecast a high chance of El Niño conditions through early next year.

Diving deeper into the data, there’s a high probability of very strong El Niño conditions (greater than or equal to a 2-degree Celsius sea surface temperature anomaly) starting later this summer through the end of the year.

Looking at the strength probabilities, there’s roughly a 50% chance of a very strong El Niño within the September, October and November timeframe.

There’s roughly a 60% chance of a very strong El Niño later in the fall through the winter months.

Looking at one of the forecast models, several ensemble members indicate a sea surface anomaly temperature of around 4 degrees Celsius later this year, which would indicate a very strong El Niño.

El Niño, which is the warm phase of ENSO characterized by higher-than-normal temperatures in the eastern Pacific, often leads to more vertical wind shear in the Atlantic hurricane development zone.

The higher wind shear typically suppresses development.

Remember, there are several other factors we look at as well to determine if tropical development will occur. This is one piece of the puzzle, but it gives us a good idea of the general activity.

The good news is that in an El Niño pattern, the Southeast typically sees wetter-than-normal conditions. This would bring needed rainfall to our region, which remains in a drought.

Above normal rainfall will be possible later this summer into the fall.

Regarding temperatures in an El Niño pattern, the Southeast typically sees cooler-than-normal temperatures.

To conclude, it appears likely that we will see a stronger El Niño develop later this summer into the fall. We will be sure to keep you updated as we head through the next few months.

The ban, which is expected to take effect early next year, makes the U.K. part of a growing global movement to tighten online safety for children. Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are among others studying or developing similar approaches.

“Every parent can see it with their own eyes. Social media is making children unhappy,” said Starmer, who has two teenage children. “I’ve heard first hand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them.”

The plan was met with mixed reaction, with some praising Starmer for taking action and others questioning the effectiveness of a blanket ban.

YouTube and Meta — the parent company of Facebook and Instagram — warned Monday that a blanket social media restriction could push kids into unregulated spaces.

“Blanket bans push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less-safe services,” a YouTube spokesperson said. Meta said a ban could drive teens to online alternatives without any parental controls.

Starmer acknowledged the challenges and said some teens would try to find their way around a ban, but said: “I do believe we can enforce it.”

He added: “Teenagers drink before they should, but we do not then say, ‘in which case let us abandon any attempt to stop them buying alcohol.’”

The prime minister — who is under pressure to step down from members of his own party over what they see as poor leadership and could face a challenge from within his Labour Party in the coming days or weeks — said he is “not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.”

Starmer says the UK will go further than Australia

The U.K. plans to follow the same model for a social media ban as Australia, which last year became the first country to bar under-16s from holding social media accounts. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to exclude children younger than 16 could be punished with multimillion-dollar fines.

The U.K. said its ban will apply to platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, but not YouTube Kids or messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal. Starmer stressed that enforcement action will target tech companies, not children.

He said the move was a “big moment for our country,” adding that he will go further than Australia's measures.

The government will also act to prevent strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms, Starmer said. AI chatbots designed to simulate romantic or sexual relationships with users will be restricted to over-18s only, and authorities are also considering additional measures including overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for those under 18.

More details are expected next month.

Some skepticism over whether a ban will work

The decision follows a public comment period in which the government received 116,000 responses from parents, the tech industry and children. More than 90% of respondents wanted an under-16 ban, the government said.

Ellen Roome, a children's online safety campaigner whose son took his own life at 14 years old, welcomed the move. She believes her son died after an online challenge went wrong and has campaigned for legal reforms to give parents access to children’s social media accounts after their death.

“The tech companies, if they wanted to make changes, they could have done that by now. They’ve chosen not to do it,” she said. “We need to come down hard on them. If they’re not going to do it, we need to be very strict.”

But others say research in Australia has shown that age verification is difficult to enforce, and that a blanket ban fails to address a deeper problem — the way social media algorithms push harmful content to young people.

“This is far too easy to work around. It is based on age verification tools that have been shown to be ineffective to date,” said Kate Edwards, head of education at the Molly Rose Foundation, which was set up in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life after being exposed to self-harm content online.

“It does nothing to address the actual problem itself, the harmful algorithms, the harmful content that is existing on those platforms,” Edwards added.

A Meta statement said it shares “the goal of keeping teens safe online," and that it now features teen accounts to automatically limit who can contact them and the content they see.

“Like others, we don’t think bans will achieve this goal,” Meta said, adding that Australia had shown how “bans risk isolating teens from online communities and information.”

Jon Crowcroft, a communications systems professor at the University of Cambridge, said people supporting social bans are well-meaning but probably misguided, and changes could prevent children from accessing sites they need.

“There is a real risk this will drive some users to worse sites, and policing devices is close to impossible technically,” Crowcroft said.

Other critics including the Open Rights Group have expressed concerns about age verification companies and how users’ private data is protected.

U.S. opposes the move

The ban could further inflame tensions with the U.S., which has warned that regulations should be narrow and not violate free speech protections, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in London. It said it was also concerned that regulations would place greater burdens on American technology companies.

Starmer said he expected to discuss the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders at a Group of Seven summit in France that starts Monday.

“I honestly think that across world leaders, there has always been a recognition that leaders have to take steps to protect children,” he said. “I don’t think that’s controversial.”

___

Associated Press writer Jill Lawless contributed to this story.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not announce the deal, which was first reported by ESPN.

Splitter, 41, joined Chauncey Billups’ staff in Portland last June. He was elevated from assistant to interim coach when Billups was arrested in October in a federal takedown of a sprawling gambling operation. Billups has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering.

Splitter coached Portland to a 42-40 record and a five-game loss to San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs. It was the first playoff appearance and first time the Trail Blazers finished with a winning record since the 2020-21 season.

Splitter played for San Antonio, Atlanta and Philadelphia during his seven seasons as an NBA player. The 6-foot-11 center from Brazil was selected by the Spurs in the first round of the 2007 draft, and he helped the team win an NBA title in 2014.

He worked for Brooklyn for five seasons from 2018-23, first as a pro scout and then as an assistant coach. He was an assistant for Houston for one year before coaching Paris Basketball Club to a French Cup championship during the 2024-25 season.

Splitter would replace Billy Donovan, who resigned after six seasons. The Bulls had conversations with Donovan about returning, but he decided to step aside rather than work with a new front office.

Chicago allowed 121.5 points per game this season, ranking 28th overall in the NBA. The Bulls finished with a 31-51 record while missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year.

Bryson Graham was hired as Chicago’s executive vice president of basketball operations on May 4. Stephen Mervis and Acie Law IV joined the team’s revamped front office on May 19.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

In this panel from River City Wrestling Con, Mysterio discusses the project that has received massive success in Latin America and is now coming to the U.S. Its first stop...here on Going Ringside!

Watch the full interview with Sweet below.

Sweet, who began piano at 6 and studied jazz at LaVilla School of the Arts before attending Douglas Anderson School of the Arts and graduating from Juilliard, said the instrument shaped his approach to making records.

“Piano really is an accompanying instrument,” he said. “That instrument was made to help other musicians sound good…My mentality is always go in the room and help them do whatever they want to do.”

He said that whatever they’re trying to convey musically, translates to production, which is then translated to songwriting.

Sweet credited his first teacher, Cynthia Blaylock, with recognizing his talent and keeping him at the piano.

“She saw something in me that my parents didn’t see,” he said. “I wasn’t even really that into it, but she was just like, ‘Hey, he’s really good at this.’”

His parents wouldn’t let him quit either. He wanted to play sports, though he wasn’t good at them.

“I was like, ‘Yo, I don’t want to do this, I want to play sports, whatever I was in was the excuse,” he said. “I wasn’t the most gifted in sports at that age, but my parents were like, ‘yo you’re not quitting.’”

He joined a jazz band program in the 6th grade and played with some older musicians and learned to love piano.

“That helped shape me as a musician and that’s when I fell in love with piano so when I started playing jazz and see how I could be around my friends and collaborate with them, because jazz is a collaborative music so that kind of just shaped my whole identity,” he said.

He then learned that he could make money through this foundation of collaboratively creating music. That was when he took music seriously as an art form.

He started playing in his church, St. Paul AME and they paid him at 12 years old to play in the band.

“I got paid to do something I love to do,” Sweet said. “At that point I was like, oh, I can make money now.”

‘I had to shape up’: Juilliard and the grind

He graduated from Douglas Anderson School of Arts and going to Juilliard was something that he said offhand as a child, not knowing that it could be a reality.

“I was just trying to shock people,” he said of wanting to go to Juilliard. “But the idea didn’t really become a reality until I fell in love with jazz...then I realized, ‘Oh shoot, like this may really happen.’”

He said he was ready to leave Jacksonville after Douglas Anderson. He felt the best move he could make to progress his career was to move to New York in Juilliard’s jazz program.

Sweet said Juilliard tested him. “I was ready to drop out,” he admitted, recalling a low point during his first year. He told his cousin, comedian Lil Duval, he was thinking of quitting.

“He called my dad and said, ‘Yo, let me tell you what your son said,’” Sweet recalled. “My dad called me, cursed me out. My mom called and cursed me out…you drop out, you ain’t getting nothing from us.”

The reprimand helped him refocus.

“I had to shape up,” Sweet said. He improved his grades, completed his coursework and graduated. “It’s a different level of detail that I had to give to the music, but once I got it, it was easy,” he said.

After adjusting to Juilliard’s rigorous training, he said, he found a routine that worked for him.

Breakthroughs and collaborations

While still a student, Sweet began getting placements and meeting collaborators. He said he met R&B singer Kehlani through local New York producers Jeff Robinson and David Harris, also known as Swagg R’Celious, and worked on her “Cloud 19″ EP, including the breakout song “Get Away.”

“[Nick Cannon] sent [Kehlani] to work with Swagg and I met her there,” he said. “She [said] ‘I like Jahaan’ and we were both young so it was just like hey let’s make more music and that kept happening.”

Just one year after graduating from Juilliard, Sweet earned a Grammy nomination for his collaboration on Kehlani’s acclaimed mixtape “You Should Be Here” while they were on tour together.

“It was crazy,” he said. “It was cool. It was cool. Great moments for sure.”

He relocated to Los Angeles to make more music with Kehlani and for the tour, but after a while, he realized he wanted to spend more time in the studio rather than the road.

While in L.A., he met Matthew Jehu Samuels, professionally known as Boi-1da, whose collaborations include Drake, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna and more. Sweet credited a lot of his professional success and connections he’s made to Samuels.

“Boi‑1da forever is a big, big, big, big, big reason why I’m successful with production,” he said. “He just wanted me to be next to him. I learned a lot just watching him.”

In 2022, he won a Grammy Award for his contributions to Jon Batiste’s Album of the Year, “We Are.” He received the award in the mail and shared the moment with his mother.

Sweet has contributed to projects for Beyoncé — including work on “Renaissance” — Jay‑Z and Drake, and he was part of sessions with Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Travis Scott on the song “Father.”

“It was a humbling experience,” he said of working with Ye and Travis. “I’m just here to help whatever is going on.”

Jacksonville native André Troutman is also credited on Ye’s album “Bully." Troutman is also sharing the stage with Ye on his international tour, providing vocals using a talkbox instrument. To have two musicians from the River City on an artist of Ye’s magnitude is no small accomplishment.

“Two people doing things on that scale...I was like, man, this is so great and so great for the city.” Sweet said of he and Troutman representing Jacksonville on the world stage.

With all the accomplishments, credits and accolades, there’s still at least one thing that Sweet desires: a No. 1 record.

“I’m always just trying to be better every day. That’s just a checklist thing. It’s something that I just want to be like, ‘OK, I finally did it,’” he said.

He said he isn’t chasing it, but he knows it will happen when it’s supposed to happen.

“Just staying diligent in the process,” Sweet said.

Sweet said he hopes to collaborate with artists Bruno Mars, Frank Ocean and SZA.

‘It means so much’: Riverfront Music Garden, giving back

Sweet said being honored in Jacksonville with his name on the Riverfront Music Garden Walk of Fame felt deeply meaningful.

“To be honored by the city I grew up in…it means so much,” he said.

Through his company, The Sweet Life, Sweet said he prefers hands‑on mentorship.

“I try to get very direct with people — meeting them in person, exchanging texts. That’s my way of truly giving back,” he said.

Sweet urged aspiring musicians to think beyond their hometowns.

“Dream the biggest dream you can dream, and then go chase that,” he said. “There’s a way bigger world out there.”

Behind the board I am...

“I’m a collaborator.” He added, “That’s what the synergy for me is: collaboration, even if it’s not music, just being with people you want to be around or doing things with people you respect, admire, love, whatever it is, life is collaboration to me.”

Collaboration is a word that Sweet often said when talking about how he originally fell in love with piano, the beginning of his taking music seriously as an art form.

That desire for collaboration has led him into rooms with the world’s biggest artists.

“I use my skill to help me be better at collaborating...with other people...train my brain to be able to walk into any room and we have some kind of common understanding,” Sweet said.

We’re starting the week off with some of the highest heat and humidity of the season. Even in the early morning, temperatures are climbing fast, with Jacksonville and Mayport already close to 80 degrees.

By this afternoon, we’re forecast to be about 5 degrees above our seasonal average of 90, pushing up to 95 degrees on Monday and 93 on Tuesday.

What you’ll actually feel is even higher. We’re looking at heat index values between 100 and 107 degrees, especially during the peak times from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

If you have to be outdoors, remember how quickly that blacktop heats up—keep an eye on your pets’ paws and take care of yourself.

This heat and humidity pattern is expected to continue for much of the week. The stickiness isn’t going anywhere soon, so keep the Exact Track 4D radar handy and check News4JAX for real-time updates and alerts.

Scattered rain and storms increase

With all this heat fueling our atmosphere, it’s no surprise that showers and general thunderstorms are expected to pop up earlier in the afternoon and grow heavier into the evening.

While there are some showers already west of Jacksonville today, they’re likely to be very scattered, giving way to our classic summer pattern.

Here’s one bright side: We are still in a drought, so every bit of rain helps. Over the next seven days, we’re forecasting about 2 to 3 inches of rain, which will be a big benefit for lawns and gardens.

If you’re a gardener, Mother Nature is expected to do some of the hard work for you.

Rain chances start around 60% at the beginning of the week, dipping to 40% or 50% midweek and holding steady through Friday. Most of these showers should dissipate before causing any severe issues, though gusty winds and bursts of heavy rainfall are possible.

Tropical outlook: Keeping an eye on the Gulf

We’re also watching the tropics. Right now, there’s an area of low pressure in the Gulf with a low potential to develop over the next seven days.

In the next 48 hours, chances are near zero, but by the end of the week, there’s about a 30% possibility it could organize.

Whether it develops or not, this system is likely to bring extra rain to Texas and Louisiana—at this point, it doesn’t look like a threat to us in Jacksonville.

Rest assured, we’re staying on top of it and will bring you updates on News4JAX as needed.

Stay alert and share your view

As always, stay weather-aware by checking Exact Track 4D and updates from The Weather Authority. Have an amazing sky shot or wild weather scene? Share your photos with the News4JAX team at SnapJAX!

Heads lowered in quiet prayer. Boxes of pizza passed from people in jerseys to people in suits. And Matos — a retired correctional officer with a strictly enforced policy against premature celebration — waited until the final buzzer before leading the shrieking, weeping, chest-thumping crowd through the frenzied streets.

“The camaraderie and craziness is something I’ve never seen in my whole life,” Matos marveled. “These Knicks really got everyone outside.”

The team’s victory Saturday night over the San Antonio Spurs saw moments of mayhem, with dozens of arrests and property damage mostly clustered around Madison Square Garden.

But scenes like the one on Matos’ block were far more common: neighbors and strangers of every age and background, clustered around a TV or projector as their collective stress gave way to an unusual moment of citywide euphoria.

Impromptu dance parties raged until dawn — then continued Sunday, as delirious New Yorkers flocked to the Puerto Rican Day parade, also attended by multiple Knicks players, including Brooklyn native Jose Alvarado.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Knicks fan himself who has popped up at watch parties around the city, announced the team would be honored Thursday by a ticker-tape parade.

By Sunday night, many New Yorkers were struggling to find a historical comparison to what they were experiencing.

“I was there for the Giants’ Super Bowls, the Yankees dynasty, the Mets in ’86, which was really special. None of that comes even close to this,” said Marlon Rice, a 51-year-old community advocate. “The entire city is on tilt because of the Knicks. I just hope this stays and we can enjoy an entire summer off this vibe.”

That joy had been building for weeks, as the Knicks embarked on a historic playoff run marked by one stunning comeback after another. For fans long accustomed to last-minute heartbreak, processing this new reality seemed to grow into a communal endeavor — requiring a new sort of viewing experience.

To meet that need, unofficial watch parties cropped up across the city streets and parks, gas stations and delis, synagogues, mosques and at least one funeral home — giving residents the chance to watch shoulder to shoulder with fellow fans, without shelling out a month’s rent or more for a ticket.

Hours before tipoff on Saturday, lawn chairs and sound systems were already set up on a street corner facing the facade of a building where a Cuban restaurant’s projection of each game had reliably drawn thousands of people. By then, the phrase “Knicks in 5” had become both standard greeting and farewell among New Yorkers.

The ensuing delirium has upended schedules, added to milestones and bred a strange sense of civic pride. Newborns at Lenox Hill Hospital received Knicks-embroidered hats. The cast of Hamilton ended their performance Sunday with a rendition of Frank Sinatra's “New York, New York.” Bus drivers, firefighters and subway workers are greeted as celebrities, sometimes breaking from their duties to join the celebration.

In one of many viral videos, a pair of sanitation workers allow private citizens to toss bags of trash into their truck, prompting cheers from bystanders.

Rabbi Yakov Bankhalter, the leader of an Orthodox Jewish community space near Madison Square Garden, said his own hastily-scheduled watch party had ended with fans of every faith spinning joyously in the Manhattan streets.

“Wherever you are in New York, it feels like there is nothing but the Knicks,” Bankhalter said on Monday morning. “We’re still in the euphoria. It’s unbelievable. It’s still unbelievable.”

But the Qatar edition went poorly for Portugal’s all-time leading goal scorer. After scoring just once, from the penalty spot, in the group stage, he reacted angrily to being subbed off against South Korea and was promptly dropped to the bench for his team's first knockout-stage match against Switzerland.

Then, he didn’t score at all in the 2024 European Championship. It was the first time he had failed to find the net at a major international tournament.

Now, in the buildup to what may be Ronaldo’s World Cup swan song, concerns over what the 41-year-old can still bring to the national team are at the forefront of many fans’ minds. Portugal opens play Wednesday against Congo DR in Houston.

“I think in some instances they play better without him,” fan Zach Mallias said at the team’s first open World Cup practice at its Florida base camp. “There are other players that fit the system better.”

Other fans are worried about the superstar’s ego and whether he would accept relinquishing the spotlight for the good of the team.

“He’s a very big player, he’s very loved by a lot of his fans,” Beatrice Mitankin said. “It might get to his head.”

There is some recent evidence, however, of Ronaldo still being able to positively influence games. During Portugal’s 2025 UEFA Nations League run, its second title triumph in that competition, he scored eight goals, including an equalizer in the final against Spain.

Ronaldo also recently won his first Saudi Pro League title with Al-Nassr, leading his club with 28 goals on the season.

His abundant experience and leadership are qualities some supporters say cannot be replicated.

“He’s not going to shy away from those moments when it’s the World Cup on the line,” Rob Stickle said. “He’s one of those guys you want kicking the penalty kicks for you, being on the pitch at the end of the game.”

Ronaldo, playing in a record-extending sixth World Cup, is the oldest outfield player in the tournament but still projects as Portugal’s starting striker.

Although his age has repeatedly been called into question, fan Ernesto Vilar pointed to other examples of older players, like Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Croatia’s Luka Modrić, as veterans who still play significant roles for their team.

“Age is just a number,” Vilar said. “He’s still in very peak physical condition.”

His teammates and manager would concur.

Midfielder Vitinha is still in awe over Ronaldo’s physique.

“He’s 41. I’m 26, and I’m not like that,” the Paris Saint-Germain player said through a translator. “It’s something incredible.”

Team manager Roberto Martínez has suggested Ronaldo could even appear at the 2030 World Cup, when he would be 45.

Removed from the conversation about Ronaldo’s production and effectiveness, however, are a group of fans that will always idolize him: young children. Many showed up to watch Portugal practice.

Elizabeth Stiebel, 10, says she admires how Ronaldo has always been there when his team needs a big moment.

And 13-year-old Christian Loureiro, whose favorite Ronaldo moment is his overhead-kick goal against Juventus in 2018 while playing for Real Madrid, agrees the superstar forward is still a steadying voice.

“A lot of young players on this team need an older figure to help guide them,” Loureiro said.

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Zach Pascuzzi is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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

“Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith” comes out Tuesday from Harper, and The Associated Press obtained a copy ahead of its release. The HarperCollins imprint also put out “Hillbilly Elegy,” the best-selling memoir from 2016 that helped make Vance a national figure.

Vance has been working on and off on his new book since then, a tumultuous decade that included a Hollywood movie about his youth, a short stint as a U.S. senator from Ohio and now vice president to Donald Trump.

There's not a lot about Trump or other insider stories from Vance's political years, although he does express regret for criticizing the Democratic Party's “childless cat ladies,” a comment that came back to haunt him while Trump's running mate.

Instead, “Communion” serves as a sort of manifesto for the role of religion in public life. Vance writes about transitioning from Protestant Christianity to atheism to Catholicism, and he credits his faith with giving him a sense of purpose he didn’t get through his education at Yale University or working in the financial industry.

The book hits shelves less than five months before the midterm elections that will shape the final two years of Trump's second presidency. The midterms will also mark the unofficial start of the next presidential campaign, in which Vance is expected to be a contender.

Vance recalled ‘fusion’ between religion and politics

Vance wrote how he witnessed “the fusion between Republican politics and the Christianity of my youth.” At that time, Vance wrote, “I heard a fair amount about the evils of abortion and homosexuality,” as well as then-President Bill Clinton's “rumored moral failings.”

Alongside these religious observations, Vance said he felt he was “starting to witness the beginning of a fissure in the Republican Party: between its business elites and its religious rank and file.” That's something, Vance went on, that would “eventually lead to my election as vice president.”

Vance's grandmother — his mamaw, as he calls her — was a central figure in his life, and her death led to an atrophying of his Christianity.

“With her gone, no one really cared about my faith, and soon I stopped caring, too,” he wrote. Christianity became “completely irrelevant" to him, including when he served in Iraq in the Marine Corps.

At the end of his service in 2006, Vance wrote that he “was no longer, in any real sense, a Christian.”

A near-death experience helped shape Vance's faith

Returning to his military base after his grandmother’s funeral, Vance wrote that he lost control of his car on a rain-slicked road, but inexplicably stopped before hurtling into a guardrail and potentially over the side of a mountain.

He said it was “the closest I've ever come to a supernatural experience," and the feeling remained “even during my later years as a strident atheist.”

As his military service wrapped up, a colleague introduced Vance to the work of author Ayn Rand, whose notion of the virtuousness of selfishness stood "in as stark opposition to Christian morality as anything I'd ever read.” This notion appealed to Vance, he wrote, noting that Rand's philosophy “filled a void left by the faith I'd discarded” and that he became a “self-professed atheist and meritocrat.”

“I didn't care about God's will,” he wrote. “I cared about my own.”

‘I will marry this girl’

Immediately struck by his now-wife Usha Vance, the vice president wrote that he told a friend he thought he was “obsessed” with her while they were in law school together. He praised her intensity, intelligence and curiosity.

“I will marry this girl,” he wrote. “Or I will be a lifelong bachelor.”

He also wrote how their discussion about death, sparked by Joan Didion's “The Year of Magical Thinking,” highlighted their different views on the afterlife — she was worried by it and he wasn't, even in his atheist years.

“Usha, like Didion, dreaded neither the ‘loss of heaven' nor 'the pains of hell’ for the most logical of reasons: She simply didn’t think they exist. I came to believe in both, but I still didn’t find either particularly motivating,” he wrote.

Peter Thiel was a turning point

In the midst of this, Vance wrote that he attended a talk by Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley investor who would become one of Vance's early political backers. He was impressed by Thiel's discussion of hypercompetition among professionals, accompanied by “technological stagnation.”

“Possibly the smartest person I'd ever met, he identified very openly as a Christian," Vance wrote, adding that Thiel “defied the simple social template I had constructed — that dumb people were religious and smart people were atheists.”

‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ Trump and fame

Initially skeptical his first book would be successful, Vance described how an interview he gave in the summer of 2016 about “the sense that the hillbillies had been left behind by the leaders of a country” caught fire, dovetailing with Trump's campaign that year.

“I became a controversial figure in my own right, and I tasted my first bit of heated public criticism," he wrote.

Vance said he was “tempted by the flexibility” of “being a public intellectual," although he would choose a different path.

Vance converted to Catholicism

The future vice president recalled visiting a French cathedral in 2018 with his wife, Usha, and young son, Ewan.

Reflecting on how the Catholic Church had endured over the years, his ambivalence about religion began to fade. He writes that he felt “a distinct sense of belonging and presence.”

He was baptized a year later, writing that he enjoyed the “work” required to become Catholic — readings and discussion.

The vetting process for vice president was intense

Vance wrote that he figured it was a “long shot” for Trump to choose him as vice president.

“When his staff told me I was on the short list, I almost thought it was a prank call," Vance wrote.

He recalled the in-person interview the most fascinating part of the vetting process, which included being asked if he had ever cheated on his wife.

“I haven't, but I assume people who have don't just admit it to a stranger?” he responded.

The transition to the ticket was difficult for his family, he wrote, particularly his eldest child.

He told Charlie Kirk, the young conservative activist who founded Turning Point USA and was assassinated last year, about the struggle.

“Don't try to convince your son it's not a sacrifice,” Kirk said.

Regretting the ‘cat ladies’ comment

Vance's penchant for stirring controversy came up again during the campaign.

Critics resurfaced his 2021 remarks that the Democratic Party was run by “childless cat ladies.”

Vance now concedes that his comment was “boneheaded” and “one of the dumbest things I ever said.”

“Aside from enraging a great number of people,” Vance added, “it had the added benefit of distracting from the actual point I wanted to make, which was that our society is becoming pathologically hostile to having kids.”

Is this Vance's pre-2028 presidential campaign memoir?

The book's release likely serves to ramp up speculation that Vance will seek the presidency in 2028. That's a possibility the Republican vice president has said he’s not focused on right now, indicating he’d wait until after the 2026 midterm elections to decide on a campaign.

Presidential hopefuls often release books before launching a campaign, giving them a moment in the spotlight before new audiences and a chance to crystallize their message before embarking on a campaign.

Already, potential 2028 candidates on the Democratic side have recently published books or will do so soon, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

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

“TikTok’s success hinges on its ability to addict children and teenagers to the platform,” Attorney General James Uthmeier said. “TikTok knowingly deceives parents and allows children to be exposed to harmful and inappropriate content in direct violation of Florida law. We have zero tolerance for companies that prioritize profit over children’s safety. TikTok should expect to be held accountable.”

The complaint alleges TikTok violated House Bill 3, Florida’s online child protections law that took effect Jan. 1, 2025. It says the company allowed children under 14 to create accounts and permitted 15- and 16-year-olds to do the same without parental consent — practices the suit says are barred by the law, which prohibits children under 14 from using social media platforms and requires parental consent for 15- and 16-year-olds.

The lawsuit also accuses TikTok of violating the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by misleading parents about the safety and appropriateness of content available to children.

Read the full complaint below.

The complaint points to TikTok’s app store listing, which it says labels the service as suitable for users 13 and older and describes mature themes including sex, drugs, profanity, self-harm and eating disorders as “mild” and “infrequent.”

The suit alleges those themes appear frequently on the platform and are often shown or discussed in graphic detail.

Beyond content concerns, the complaint alleges TikTok deliberately targets children and that its business model is designed to exploit addictive behaviors to keep young users engaged.

It further alleges the company has been aware of the risks to children for years and has knowingly ignored them.

“The State of Florida stands with families in protecting our children from the abuses of addictive social media apps,” Rep. Chip LaMarca said. “Thank you to the AG for pursuing the fight against these bad actors.”

Work is scheduled to finish in Fall 2027, weather and unforeseen circumstances permitting. Vecellio and Grogan Inc. was selected to complete the $19.9 million project.

Construction will take place mainly by barge to minimize traffic impacts, and pedestrian detours will be installed during work, FDOT said. Traffic will be maintained in accordance with FDOT design standards throughout the project.

Planned improvements include replacing the seawall, reconstructing the promenade, removing and rebuilding timber pergolas, removing an event platform and replacing the post-and-chain barrier with a solid 3.5-foot coquina concrete wall, along with other incidental construction.

For information about lane closures, visit www.nflroads.com. Lane closures for the upcoming week are posted every Friday afternoon at www.nflroads.com/trafficreport

The project includes milling and resurfacing, base work, drainage improvements, curb and gutters, traffic signals, lighting, highway signing, pavement markings, sidewalks and bicycle paths, bridge and MSE wall spall repair, cleaning and coating, and other incidental construction.

Traffic will be maintained in accordance with FDOT design standards. No lane closures on Mayport Road will be allowed from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Work will typically occur at night Sunday through Thursday, with some activities during the daytime Monday through Friday.

J.B. Coxwell Contracting Inc. was awarded the $9.6 million contract.

The project is estimated to be complete by fall 2027, weather and unforeseen circumstances permitting, FDOT said.

A new poll released Monday from AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows about half of AAPI adults say they — or someone they know — have been detained or deported within the last year, started carrying proof of immigration status or U.S. citizenship, upended travel plans or significantly changed their routines because of immigration status.

The findings come after more than a year of immigration crackdowns. The poll indicates that the Trump administration’s aggressive approach, which has resulted in multiple clashes between protesters and enforcement officers and led to the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year, may be changing the way some people in immigrant-heavy communities see the U.S. itself.

AAPI adults are one of the country's fastest-growing demographic, and most AAPI adults in the U.S. were born outside the country. The survey found a majority of AAPI adults — about 6 in 10 — believe the U.S. used to be a great country for immigrants but is not anymore. Only about 3 in 10 AAPI adults say America is a great place for immigrants, while a few, 5%, say it was never a great place for immigrants.

At the same time, AAPI adults are more likely than Americans overall to see the mixing of culture and values from around the world as central to the country's identity.

“America’s success story has depended critically on the role of Asian Americans, but also immigrants in general,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and executive director of AAPI Data. “When you have people who are already in this country, have been here for decades saying, ‘I’m not really sure that this is the best country anymore,' that’s a warning sign.”

'Better safe than sorry’ approach

Even some immigrants with legal status have been affected by the Trump administration’s policies. One policy that would have hiked fees for certain types of visas was shot down in federal court this month. Another judge struck down a policy that “categorically barred” immigrants from 39 Asian, African, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries from receiving final decisions on asylum, work permit, green card and citizenship applications.

Khoa Tran, 27, of San Antonio, Texas, came to the U.S. from Vietnam in 2015 at age 15. He gained citizenship four years later. In 2023, he sponsored his wife from Vietnam.

Last year, Tran became concerned when his social media feed kept bringing up posts about how essential it was that even legal immigrants carry documentation. It had not occurred to the couple that his wife should have her green card with her at all times.

“It seemed like we needed to do it. It's literally become like a second form of identification in addition to the driver's license,” Tran said.

He has also seen how international students in his community have put off trips to visit family in Asia due to concerns about student visas.

“They're just scared. They don't know the law around that,” Tran said. “Better safe than sorry.”

About half of South Asian adults — compared to about 4 in 10 AAPI adults overall — know someone who started carrying proof of legal status or citizenship over the last year. South Asian adults are much more likely than East Asian or Southeast Asian American adults to have been born outside the U.S., according to the survey. Many of those immigrants may have green cards or be naturalized citizens, Ramakrishnan said, yet feel “like their presence and their status in this country is under question.”

Cultural identity matters as much as American identity

AAPI adults are likelier to say their family's ancestry or country of origin is “extremely” or “very” important to their personal identity, compared to being an American.

Just over half of AAPI adults say their family's ancestry or country of origin is important to who they are, while 44% say this about their American identity. That extends to AAPI adults who were born in the U.S. About 6 in 10, 59%, U.S.-born AAPI adults say their family's heritage is important to their personal identity, while 47% say this about being an American.

A separate AP-NORC survey conducted in April found that 55% of U.S. adults say being an American is important to who they are, while only 37% said that about their family's ancestry.

Abigail Jeyaraj, 22, of South Hadley, Massachusetts, was born in Texas. Her Indian parents' decision to build a new life in the U.S. is something she never takes for granted. When she describes her nationality, she identifies herself as not just “American” but South Asian American.

“Especially as a South Asian woman, I'm very sensitive to the fact that I have opportunities that my mother and my grandmother, all the women before that didn't," Jeyaraj said. "I really try to honor that culture. I try to maintain really strong connections to my family in India.”

Soonho Kwon, 30, of La Mirada, California, was born in Korea. His family settled in New Jersey when he was 8 years old.

"I think I still feel more Korean. I came right around the age where I had very solid memories from growing up in Korea. My immediate family’s back there now,” Kwon said. “I’m a naturalized citizen. I’m committed to living here, but identity is a different question.”

Ambivalence around America's 250th anniversary

The vast majority, 73%, of AAPI adults say the mixing of cultures and values from around the world is “extremely” or “very” important to the U.S.'s identity as a nation, compared to only 55% of U.S. adults in the April AP-NORC poll.

Jeyaraj grew up around Dallas and Houston — cities where she was “able to interact with people of so many different races and different cultures that weren’t my own.” She credits that experience with making her more empathetic.

Restrictions on immigration and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives leave her feeling conflicted about celebrating the country's 250th anniversary this year.

“I'm proud we made it this far as a country,” Jeyaraj said. “You have recent actors who are trying to undo that progress. They maybe view it as restoring an ideal, but it’s removing so much work that powerful and influential people made to bring us toward an ideal of equality and justice.”

The anniversary feels arbitrary to Tran, a math teacher.

“I don't think this country is ‘founded’ at some point in time. It just changes from one form to another,” Tran said. “Even the Native Americans (were) a long time here. I'm pretty sure that was more than 250 years.”

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The poll of 1,075 U.S. adults who are Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders was conducted April 20-28, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based Amplify AAPI Panel, designed to be representative of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. This poll is part of an ongoing project exploring the views of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, which are usually not highlighted in other surveys because of small sample sizes and lack of linguistic representation.

Research shows, though, that everyday chores may play a big role in how kids grow up, whether they like them or not.

An 85-year Harvard study found that children who do chores are more likely to develop confidence, responsibility, and even empathy.

The study found that chores can teach kids how to work with others, take responsibility and follow through on tasks.

The key? Start small and start early. Toddlers can begin with simple tasks like putting toys away or helping with groceries

Four to five-year-olds can help feed pets, make their beds, and as kids grow, so can their responsibilities.

From 6 to 7, kids can wipe tables and counters, put laundry away, and sweep floors.

Experts also say consistency matters. Making chores part of a routine, not a punishment, helps kids see them as a normal part of life.

And what about paying kids for chores? Some families do; some don’t.

Experts say it depends on age. On average, for kids ages 5 to 10, 50 cents to $5. For middle schoolers, $1 to $10, and for high schoolers, $5 to $15.

So, while chores may feel like a struggle now, they may be building something much bigger.

Experts agree that it can be a way to teach the value of money.

Research from GoHenry says that 84% of parents feel they would have made better financial decisions if they had received financial education before the age of 18.

Here’s another benefit: Chores help build what experts call “executive function.” Those are the skills kids use to plan, follow directions and get things done.

Even simple tasks, like “put your toys away, then have a snack,” help teach sequencing and self-control. And over time those skills can make school and life a lot easier.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Trump brushed off a bleak inflation report, which found that America’s annual inflation rate had reached its highest levels in three years.

Here’s what he said: “The numbers were great. You know what I really love? I love the inflation.”

Alex Jacquez, Chief of Policy & Advocacy at Groundwork Collaborative and former Special Assistant to the President for Economic Development and Industrial Strategy, joined us on The Morning Show to discuss the inflation outlook and the president’s interesting take.

Guests are invited to enjoy food, music, games, and vendors.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets and relax on the Lifted Lawn.

Featured Activities and Entertainment

Music by Mr. Al Pete and DJ Nate

History Tour with Yollie of Explore Jax Core

Line Dancing with Sean B.

Culture Games hosted by Molding Minds, including Spades and UNO

Food vendors and local businesses

The event is free and open to the public.

As the historic homesite of brothers James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson, creators of Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing, the park serves as a premier cultural destination in Jacksonville.

Juneteenth in the Park is organized by the Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park Collective, a dedicated group of community leaders and cultural stewards working to activate the park. The Collective includes Carol Alexander, Lloyd Washington, Mariano Mendez, Carla Jones, Erin Kendrick, Charmion Thrasher, and Terrance Patterson.

The Ritz Theatre and Museum serves as the event’s lead sponsor. Community partners include Jax Parks, Molding Minds, and Post FX Visuals.

History:

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Today, Juneteenth is recognized as a federal holiday and a celebration of freedom, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality, making it a time for communities to reflect, learn, and come together.

As a special acknowledgment during Caribbean American Heritage Month, the event will also recognize the Bahamian roots of James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson.

About Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park:

Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park is a City of Jacksonville public park that incorporates elements of the Johnson brothers’ and LaVilla’s cultural and built history while making space for a more inclusive future. The park was designed by world-renowned MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” recipient Walter Hood and officially rededicated to the community in summer 2024. Visit levsparkjax.org and follow us on Instagram, X and Facebook to learn more.

Congo’s Ministry of Health on Sunday said 72 new cases were reported in a 24-hour period, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 782. Those include 181 confirmed deaths, with 29 new ones.

“One month on, the Ebola disease outbreak is outpacing the response effort,” Kate White, emergency medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in Congo, said Monday. “No one knows the true scale or exactly where the disease is spreading in Congo.”

The medical charity said treatment centers in the epicenter of the outbreak are overwhelmed, many patients arrive in advanced stages of illness and most were not identified as contacts of infected people before seeking care.

Congo's health ministry said that while the numbers show the outbreak is spreading rapidly, it also reflects more active surveillance. “Community members are reporting suspected cases, and response teams are investigating them,” it said on X.

The number of cases in what could become history’s worst Ebola outbreak is believed to be higher because the outbreak was confirmed on May 15, weeks after it is suspected to have begun.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which was not tested for in the early days. The more common Zaire virus, which now has a vaccine, was responsible for most of Congo’s past 16 outbreaks of the disease.

The outbreak is concentrated in Congo’s eastern province of Ituri, which accounts for more than 90% of the cases. Cases have also been recorded in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and have spread across the border to Uganda.

Congo said the contact tracing coverage rate is 56%, a sharp decrease from last week, as authorities hurry to find people who may have been exposed.

There was no immediate explanation for the drop. Congolese health authorities previously said contact tracing has been hampered by community resistance in some areas and by the rapid expansion of the outbreak into new health zones, increasing the workload for surveillance teams.

Nearly a million people have been displaced by years of conflict in Ituri, according to the U.N. humanitarian office, making contact tracing difficult as people flee attacks or move frequently in the vast province with dense forests, poor roads and remote villages that can take days to reach.

Tracing is also difficult among the thousands of miners who regularly move among remote sites in the mineral-rich region.

The health ministry said Sunday 40 people have recovered since the start of the outbreak, and the current fatality rate of the outbreak is 23%.

Life goes on, including nightlife, as the population adjusts.

The World Health Organization said Sunday it is intensifying testing and contact tracing and treatment. Tons of supplies from the WHO have arrived in Congo.

And Africa’s top health body said it is deploying technical expertise and supporting laboratory systems, case finding and community engagement efforts to accelerate the response.

“We remain committed to supporting affected countries until transmission is stopped. We call on partners and donors to urgently mobilize resources to strengthen the response and save lives,” said the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jean Kaseya.

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Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.

Candles in hand and poster boards filled with handwritten messages for his mother, the community came together to grieve, share memories, and support one another.

Carson’s mother, Megan Farias, confirmed her son’s identity in a Facebook post, writing: “There are no words that can truly express the pain our family is feeling right now. Carson was deeply loved and will forever remain in our hearts.”

Courtney Bailey, a parent whose daughter attends Lake Asbury Junior High, helped organize the vigil after reaching out to some of Carson’s friends.

“Whether you knew him or knew his family — just seeing all the rest of the kids grieve, it’s definitely tough,” Bailey said. “It’s been an emotional week for everybody.”

Bailey said she did not know Carson personally but felt compelled to create a space for his closest friends to come together.

“I didn’t know Carson personally, but my daughter goes to the junior high and they have a lot of mutual friends,” she said. “I just wanted to set something up for his close friends to write a message on a poster board to his mom.”

Two days after Carson’s death, a neighbor posted in a local Facebook group asking the community to show up at Lake Asbury Junior High to light candles, share memories, and support one another. The response online translated directly into the crowd that gathered Saturday evening.

“It just started as something for all his friends to come together — to show each other that they’re supported and that they’re loved,” Bailey said. “And it just grew within the community.”

The poster boards filled with messages will be delivered to Carson’s mother, Megan.

The gathering also became a rallying point for neighbors who have long raised concerns about safety along Sandridge Road — the dark, unlit stretch where Carson was killed.

“More than half the kids here are on e-bikes and e-scooters,” Bailey said. “So I feel like it’s really important to raise awareness.”

Bailey pointed to rapid residential growth in the area as a factor that has outpaced road infrastructure.

“A lot of people are constantly talking about the lights — we don’t have lights on this road,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of new communities and a lot of new houses going in. I don’t think anybody was fully prepared for the traffic that was about to hit Sandridge.”

With schools out for the summer and more families on the road, Bailey had a direct message for drivers.

“Slow down. Get off your phones. Be aware of your surroundings. Watch out for these kids,” she said.

What Happened

The Florida Highway Patrol says Carson had stopped his e-bike — described as a small electric dirt bike — in a westbound travel lane on an unlit stretch of Sandridge Road when a 16-year-old driver coming up behind him never saw him in time. The e-bike had no lights. Carson was not wearing a helmet.

The 16-year-old’s sedan struck the e-bike. Seconds later, a 17-year-old girl in an SUV rear-ended that sedan. Carson was thrown from the bike and died at the scene. The two other teen drivers were not injured.

The crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.

Funeral Services

Funeral services for Carson Farias are scheduled for Friday at 2:00 p.m. at Russell Funeral Home in Green Cove Springs.

For a president who revels in winners, Trump had to enjoy crowning two champions on a big fight night staged closer to the Rose Garden than Madison Square Garden in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250.

American lightweight Justin Gaethje capped his unification championship victory in the main event over Ilia Topuria with a backflip off the top of the cage. He crouched near Trump for a celebratory chat and the betting underdog draped the American flag over one shoulder — and the 155-pound title belt over another. Trump later stepped into the cage to congratulate Gaethje.

“Hey, I'm from America, 250 years ago we were way more than 6-1 underdogs,” Gaethje said. “I know that was absolutely legendary because I cannot even believe it.”

Topuria and Gaethje made their walkouts from the Oval Office as fireworks exploded overhead during Bruce Buffer’s introductions. Gaethje — who appeared to skim the copy of the Declaration of Independence on his way out — mustered some scattered “USA!” chants against the Spanish-Georgian Topuria, though not even the main event could stop the trend of mostly quiet fights.

It took the gory sight of a bloodied Topuria — his back to Trump in a white “USA” hat as he peered through the wire-mesh cage — nearly having the fight waved off to get a “let them fight!” chant going. The fight continued, and the 37-year-old Gaethje won eventually via corner stoppage in the fourth round.

“Hard work, baby,” Gaethje said. “I am made for these moments. This sport is made for me.”

Earlier, Ciryl Gane hammered Alex Pereira with a series of elbows and fists to the head and won via TKO in 1:27 of the second round to claim the interim heavyweight belt for a second time and set up a rematch with heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall.

Like the bulk of the fighters who had their hands raised in victory, Gane thanked Trump.

The White House was a most improbable all-American setting for a fight promotion that long ago shed the “human cockfighting” tag and decades later became entwined with the emboldened right-wing “ manosphere ” that soaks up UFC fights and threw its support behind Trump in two elections.

Trump and UFC boss Dana White, the tempestuous tag-team that rallied the fight company to the nation's capital, walked from the Oval Office to the Blue Room Balcony to chants of “USA! USA!” to kick off the fight card jacked up by a dose of high-octane patriotism on a blustery night for cage fighting.

This was no Easter egg roll.

UFC ramped up the patriotism for White House debut

The Marine Band jazzed up the festivities and played fighter entrance music in front of the White House and Zac Brown sang the national anthem — never performed before normal UFC fight cards because of the mix of nationalities fighting inside the Octagon. The Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds zipped overhead as part of a flyover to celebrate Trump’s birthday and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing.

The 4,000-plus fans — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison among them — on the South Lawn who sat under the claw, the flying saucer-like, open-air structure that housed the cage, mostly sat on their hands until the fighters used theirs to deliver punishing blows and a true fighting spirit that got everyone on their feet.

Bo Nickal delivered the red, white and boom when the three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Penn State earned the TKO win over middleweight Kyle Daukaus and immediately bolted the Octagon for a cage-side chat with Trump. Nickal met Trump in 2019 during a ceremony at the White House for collegiate national champions.

The first blight of the night for Trump came when American heavyweight Derrick Lewis lost his fight after he got a personal invitation from the president. Trump proclaimed himself a fan of Lewis and his unconventional celebrations and asked White to add him to the card. Josh Hokit instead improved to 10-0 when he flattened Lewis by TKO.

Sean O'Malley celebrated his walk-off KO win with a salute, and Mauricio Ruffy and Diego Lopes won their fights earlier in the night.

“That was sexy,” O'Malley said to cheers. “I felt the energy in here. I truly felt the energy in here.”

UFC says it's only running one card at the White House

More than $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor were poured into building the arena, according to a court filing from the National Park Service, which oversees the South Lawn, and the looming threat of rain that threw White into a tizzy each time a miserable forecast was raised never materialized over the early portions of the card.

The constant headaches over the weather, the site and the cost — UFC said it was footing the $60 million tab — made the Freedom 250 a one-time show.

“It will never happen again,” White said. “I can't afford it. I'll never do the Sphere again and we'll never do this again.”

White said he and Trump discussed the possibility of holding a “fight for the troops card” at an unspecified site at some point next season.

“He wanted it this year,” White said. “I said, ‘Sir, I need a year to recover financially for the White House fight, so give me a year.’”

Fight night came hours after the United States and Iran reached an agreement to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz, offering relief to the global economy more than three months after the war began.

The rare UFC outdoors event marked the pinnacle of the relationship between White and Trump that has yielded personal, political and financial dividends for both parties. White's first card as UFC president came in 2001 at an event held at Trump Taj Mahal.

Trump attended fights throughout the decades from New York to New Jersey to Florida while White introduced Trump at two Republican National Conventions.

Trump got a home game for this one, making the short walk from the Oval Office to the Octagon, much like the fighters who made the walk down West Wing halls covered with presidential portraits and were flanked by first responders and medal of honor recipients, among other individuals who served.

Strickland causes trouble at the fan zone at the Ellipse

Thousands more outside the White House lawn watched the fights on big screens from the nearby Ellipse, though not everyone was able to get tickets.

Even one of UFC's champions.

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was escorted out of the Ellipse event by a group of police officers.

U.S. Park Police said in a statement that Strickland’s presence drew enough attention from attendees that it resulted in disorder. He wasn’t cited or arrested, they said. Instead, he was taken to his hotel and told not to come back to the venue.

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AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts

The seven-time champion's breakthrough first win with Ferrari on Sunday, his first since 2024, left him second in the standings and cut into the overall lead of Kimi Antonelli, the driver who replaced Hamilton when he left Mercedes.

Getting back to the front has been a long and painful process and Hamilton shed some light on his journey after the win in Spain.

Mental wellbeing takes priority

Hamilton said he'd trained harder than ever ahead of this season to keep up with younger rivals like the 19-year-old Antonelli, after an injury dogged him through 2025 and he started to doubt his abilities.

That paid off as Hamilton became, at 41 years, 5 months, the oldest F1 winner since 1970, but it wasn't all about physical fitness. Mental wellbeing has been central to his recovery.

“I’ve rebuilt my mind to this point, to get myself back to where I was,” he said Sunday, adding he'd focused on a message of “never second-guess yourself, never doubt yourself.”

That meant a social media detox and valuable real-world time with family and friends.

“I’m only human. So, you know, there’s moments where I see the stuff (on social media) and for sure there’s moments where I allowed it to get to me and penetrate deeply,” he said.

“I went through a sequence of unplugging from that matrix. I spent lots of time with family, lots of time with friends, real people that know me, that have never doubted me, have stuck to and by me my whole life.”

At the track, Hamilton's had support from Kim Kardashian, while he and his new race engineer Carlo Santi have been exchanging warm words of support over the radio after often-awkward exchanges with Riccardo Adami last year.

Ferrari's newfound innovation

Signing Hamilton in 2024 was something of a risk for Ferrari, too, given that when the move was announced, his most recent win had been more than two years before.

With plenty of runner-up finishes but no constructors' title since 2008, under team principal Fred Vasseur's leadership, Ferrari seems keener to take risks in a push to speed clear of the field rather than just be among the leading pack.

Hamilton talked up his meetings with senior Ferrari staff last year to plan out 2026, and the collaborative approach seems to be working.

“These guys have really listened and really worked hard to add performance and be innovative. This year is all about innovation,” Hamilton said, singling out the “Macarena” rear wing, which turns upside-down for better straight-line speed.

“This is what I was asking for last year. This team has to be the leaders in that, and they’ve shown that they can and they will.”

Reliability

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff brought out an old F1 cliche Sunday after watching Antonelli break down on track, the second Mercedes non-finish in three races.

“To finish first, first you have to finish,” he told Sky Sports.

Hamilton is the only driver to finish in the top 10 of every race this season while Mercedes seeks to sort out its issues. That streak of results might not last for Hamilton, though. Teammate Charles Leclerc had to retire Sunday with an issue affecting his brakes and steering.

Mercedes still has the edge

Hamilton says an historic eighth title hasn't been on his mind, and Antonelli's lead still stands at a formidable 41 points. Still, there are grounds for optimism for Hamilton.

F1 is heading into a run of European tracks which Hamilton knows well — including his home race in Britain next month — and where Antonelli largely underperformed last year.

In terms of car development, Wolff has suggested spending limits could restrict Mercedes' response to the package of new parts Ferrari used so effectively in Barcelona.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was called to Norfolk Boulevard late Saturday night because of reports that someone had been shot.

Investigators said officers found one victim at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound.

That victim was transported to a nearby hospital in unknown condition.

Shortly after, it was determined that three other gunshot victims had self-transported to a nearby hospital for medical care.

The four victims shot were a 24-year-old woman, a 25-year-old woman, a 41-year-old man, and a 16-year-old boy.

All four sustained gunshot wounds and are in non-life-threatening condition.

While RVCU detectives determined there was a large pop-up party at the location prior to the shooting, it’s unknown at this time what caused the dispute that resulted in gunfire.

Detectives are working to determine a suspect description, motive for the incident and if it was gang related. It’s currently believed to be an isolated incident.

Anyone with more information is asked to call JSO at 904-630-0500, call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS, or email JSOCrimetips@Jaxsheriff.org.