The Rosario-based Club Atlético Newell’s Old Boys announced his death in a social media post that said he had undergone treatment in recent months for an unspecified illness. The post described him as “the pillar and the person who, with vision, rigor and affection, supported the career of the best player of all time, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini.”

The South American Football Confederation, CONMEBOL, in a statement also offered its condolences “with respect and affection for Lionel.”

Lionel Messi led Argentina to a runner-up finish in this year's World Cup. In the team's first match, against Algeria, he was visibly emotional after scoring the first of his three goals. He said later that he wept for “a reason unrelated to sports.”

“I went through some difficult, complicated days,” he said. “I am grateful to the delegation, to all my teammates, because they were always by my side wishing me strength so that I would be OK.”

Media reports at the time outraged the Messi family, which days later released a statement confirming that “Jorge is experiencing a health issue,” without specifying the nature of his condition.

“A person’s health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media interest,” according to the statement, which also expressed “discomfort at the lack of sensitivity, respect and scruples with which some people have treated a strictly private and family matter.”

Jorge Messi was a chemical technician and worked as a steelworker. He played soccer as a midfielder and reached the youth ranks of Newell’s Old Boys but had to abandon the sport to complete his mandatory military service in Argentina.

He played a fundamental role in his third son’s career, serving as his agent and managing his business affairs. He was the one who traveled with a young Messi to Barcelona in the early 2000s for the trial that would open the doors to La Masia, the Catalan club’s youth academy. Lionel Messi made his professional debut in 2005 and went on to win eight Ballon d’Or awards. He led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title.

“My dad was always by my side,” Lionel Messi said in a 2007 interview with Radio del Plata. “Sometimes I would lock myself in my room to cry when we arrived in Barcelona, or my dad would do the same without me seeing him, or thinking I didn’t see him. We pretended we were both OK, but we weren’t. My dad even asked me what I wanted to do when we were feeling down, if I wanted to stay or go back, and I wanted to stay, and he stayed with me.”

His father negotiated the contracts with Barça and later his transfers to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, while also managing the use of his famous son’s image rights and his numerous investments in real estate, hotels, and restaurants.

In 2016, father and son were convicted in the Spanish courts on tax evasion charges, but avoided prison because the sentence was less than two years.

Here’s a look at developments across the Middle East on Saturday. Full coverage can be found here.

Iran attacks a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, UAE says

A vessel owned by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned ADNOC oil and gas company was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, Emirati authorities said. The Foreign Ministry said Iran fired the missile as part of attacks on commercial shipping.

ADNOC said in a statement that there were no casualties following the attack early Saturday. The company said over a dozen of its vessels have been attacked by missiles and drones while passing through the strait since the United States and Israel launched the war on Iran in February. One crew member has been killed and 20 others wounded, it said.

ADNOC didn’t elaborate on where the attack took place nor on any damage.

Later, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said a vessel east of the town of Khasab, Oman, had been struck by a projectile that caused a fire that was put out, with the vessel and crew safe. It was not immediately clear whether this was the ADNOC incident.

Iran and Oman, on the other side of the strait, have been discussing a deal to manage the waterway, which had been considered an international one before the war.

Yemen's military attacks Iran-backed Houthis

The attacks were in response to the Houthis’ recent strikes in central and eastern Yemen. Col. Majed al-Nazili, spokesperson for Yemen’s military, said the attacks targeted the rebels’ “sites and capabilities” on multiple front lines, without elaborating.

The escalation between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognized government and its backer, a Saudi-supported coalition, threatens to reignite Yemen’s civil war following a 2022 truce.

On Friday, United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg urged the parties to exercise restraint, saying that “Yemen today faces a greater risk of renewed large-scale conflict than at any point since the U.N.-brokered truce of April 2022."

Turkey’s Kurdish peace bill wins approval in parliament

A Turkish draft law aimed at advancing a peace effort with the country's Kurdish insurgents passed its first hurdle in parliament on Saturday, with a committee approving the measure that includes a conditional, pardon-like mechanism for thousands of former fighters.

Last year, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, declared its decision to disarm and disband as part of the peace initiative aimed at ending the decades-long conflict with the Turkish state.

The draft legislation, expected to be approved in the general assembly next week, defines the procedures for the group’s disarmament and the rehabilitation of some PKK members. It would suspend some prison sentences for people convicted of membership and postpone the prosecution of others.

The measures would come into effect once Turkey’s National Security Council confirms that the group has disbanded and surrendered all weapons.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people since it began in the 1980s and has spilled into neighboring Iraq and Syria. Turkey and its Western allies consider the group a terrorist organization.

Water levels at Lake Mead hit 1,040.4 feet (317.1 meters) above sea level on Friday, according to federal data. That’s just below the elevation of 1,040.58 feet (317.27 meters) recorded on July 28, 2022 at the reservoir that straddles the Arizona-Nevada border outside Las Vegas.

The record follows a winter that produced the worst snowpack on record in the Colorado River Basin. Melting snow feeds the river, which is relied upon by farmers, industries, wildlife, hydropower producers and more than 40 million people across seven U.S. states, tribal nations and Mexico.

It comes a week after federal officials announced a short-term proposal to stave off a crisis in the beleaguered waterway. Federal officials stepped in after states that rely on the river — California, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming and Utah — failed to reach an agreement on how to share the dwindling resource long-term. Under the proposal, California, Nevada and Arizona would share water cuts.

Years of overuse combined with drought and rising temperatures have been depleting Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest reservoir. Together, the two bodies of Colorado River water are the lowest they’ve been in nearly seven decades.

To protect the strained system's ability to produce hydropower, federal officials said Thursday that they will not release cool Lake Powell water from Glen Canyon Dam in northern Arizona to protect a threatened native fish whose habitat is between the reservoirs.

Severe drought in 2022 on Lake Mead, which is held back by the Hoover Dam, exposed human remains and forced water officials in Las Vegas to pump water from deeper within the reservoir to continue to supply water to millions of people.

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

Four people, including a child, were killed in the overnight strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region. Ukrainian forces hit Russian oil facilities.

Zelenskyy arrived in Belgrade on Friday for his first official visit to Serbia.

Speaking at a press conference in Belgrade with Zelenskyy, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic described Ukraine as a “friendly nation” and said he was honored to welcome the Ukrainian leader — the first visit by a Ukrainian president in eight years.

The two leaders discussed their countries’ efforts toward joining the European Union, bilateral ties and ways to expand cooperation.

Kyiv’s residents face regular drone and missile barrages that Ukraine’s depleted air defenses are struggling to counter amid Moscow’s 4-year-old full-scale invasion, while repeated Ukrainian strikes on oil facilities have caused fuel shortages and rattled Russians.

Paperwork holds up missile production licenses

Vucic, who has maintained close ties with Moscow and refused to sanction Russia over the invasion — drawing pressure from the EU to change course — reiterated that Serbia respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and said that position would not change.

“The situation in Ukraine is difficult,” Zelenskyy said at the press conference. “There was another missile strike last night — ballistic missiles targeting our infrastructure. There were also attack drones.”

Zelenskyy said that deliveries of Patriot air defense interceptors — the sole air defense weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles — have slowed compared with a year ago.

“There are fewer of these missiles in 2026. In 2025 there were more, I’ll tell you honestly, in terms of monthly supplies,” he said.

Zelenskyy said Washington has agreed to let Ukraine manufacture its own Patriot air defense interceptors, but that they are “stuck dealing with paperwork.”

“The process for some of these licenses is also taking a long time,” he said.

Boy killed with grandparents in Kyiv region

The talks in Belgrade came after multiple Russian drones destroyed the home of a family in the Brovary district, northeast of Kyiv, killing a 3-year-old child and his grandparents, local officials said.

Three other members of the same family and a neighbor who came to their aid were hospitalized, local authorities said. The attack reduced the house to rubble and wrecked outbuildings and cars.

Zelenskyy said at least one other person died in a “strike involving six ballistic missiles against civilian infrastructure” in the capital.

In its daily report, Ukraine’s air force said it had downed or intercepted 135 of 151 drones launched by Russia overnight. The attack also involved six ballistic missiles and other guided missiles.

Russia has relentlessly pounded civilian areas of Ukraine, even though Moscow insists its forces target only military facilities.

Ukraine’s air defenses shot down around 5,300 drones and missiles last month, Ukraine’s defense ministry said Friday, just under 60% of the around 9,000 attack drones and missiles Russia fired in the same period.

Moscow is exploiting Ukraine’s critical shortage of interceptors for the U.S.-made Patriot systems, the sole air defense weapon in its arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles.

Zelenskyy has pleaded with other countries, especially the U.S., to send more of the ammunition made scarcer by the Iran war. Failing that, he wants to make Patriot ammunition in Ukraine or win permission from Elon Musk to use his Starlink satellite communications system to guide strikes inside Russia that can hit its missile launchers.

Following the latest attacks, Zelenskyy appealed on X for more sanctions to “prevent the production of these ballistic missiles,” along with “anti-ballistic capabilities” and “interceptor missiles.”

Ukraine strikes Russian oil facilities

In Russia, six people were wounded when a fire broke out at the Ilsky Oil Refinery, in the southern Krasnodar region, due to debris from a falling drone, local officials said.

Ukraine's General Staff said Ukrainian forces struck the refinery in Krasnodar, along with the Syzran Oil Refinery in the Samara region, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) inside Russia.

Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, governor of Russia’s Samara region, said drones hit an “industrial enterprise,” but he did not mention the refinery.

Ukraine’s almost daily long-range drone and missile strikes using domestically developed weapons have battered Russian oil facilities for months. The operation has brought a fuel crisis that is embarrassing the Kremlin.

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Yurchuk reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Associated Press writer Elise Morton in London contributed to this report.

The measure has been touted as one that would put guardrails around an escalating spending spree in college sports as the industry struggles to adapt to a new model in which teams can pay players.

“College sports is something that needs to be fixed, they have a good solution,” said Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “We got it teed up for next month."

The bill has been on a roller coaster since it was introduced in late May but quickly failed to gain support of the two biggest conferences: the Big Ten and SEC.

Those conferences signed on and saved it from near death late last month after a flurry of negotiations. But as quickly as it was revived, it faced a reality check in the Senate, where lawmakers from SEC states, including Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., were among its biggest skeptics.

Then, as the bill neared closer to a vote, the Congressional Black Caucus and AFL-CIO also came out against it. Amendments dealing with issues that were never part of the bill also started coming up.

All that, combined with a packed list of votes including on a short-term funding bill and the narrow confirmation of Todd Blanche for Attorney General, pushed the PCSA toward the back of the Senate's agenda.

Bill co-sponsor Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said “my colleagues and I have worked hard to end the chaos” that surrounds college sports and predicted the bill would receive support of 60 or more Senators to keep it on path to becoming law.

Co-sponsor, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said she was grateful Thune put it on the calendar.

“This bipartisan bill is how we protect women's and Olympic sports,” she said. “I look forward to its passage in September.”

If it passes the Senate, the bill still figures to face a steep climb in the House, which is more narrowly divided and tried for months to bring the less athlete-friendly SCORE Act to a vote and failed repeatedly.

A rethinking of third-party NIL

Among the bill's biggest features would be a redefinition of “third-party” NIL — the name, image, likeness sponsorship deals that most blame for spiraling costs. Under current rules, schools can share revenue of up to $21.3 million among all players across their athletic program.

But there’s an uncapped amount of extra money to be made via these third-party deals, which are often brokered through multimedia rights companies labeled “associated entities” that sell a school’s promotional assets and move some of that cash to the players in exchange for their NIL.

The law would presumably shift some of those arrangements under a newly expanded revenue share of up to $48.8 million while leaving open the possibility of “organic” third-party deals that don’t come from an existing arrangement with the school. A good example: Caitlin Clark got her sponsorship deal with State Farm because she was Caitlin Clark, not because she played for Iowa, which happened to have a deal with State Farm. (The Hawkeyes don't have such a deal.)

Sports leaders hope this new “retention pool” of money curtails runaway costs. The MMR groups aren’t promising it will.

“It’s going to continue to grow,” Christy Hedgpeth, the president Playfly Sports Properties, said in an interview this week with The Associated Press. “We have a lot of data that proves that they don’t have to be nationally recognizable. On an average roster, you’re going to have far more than 20 (players) who are going to have several NIL deals.”

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AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed from Washington.

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

The conglomerate that legendary investor Warren Buffett built reported its second-quarter earnings Saturday morning and disclosed that its cash holdings had shrunk to $365.5 billion from nearly $400 billion at the end of March.

Berkshire's report suggested that it had added more than $24 billion worth of commercial, industrial and other stocks to its portfolio, but the earnings report doesn't name the stocks it bought. That won't be revealed until a separate filing later this month.

Abel took over as CEO in January when Buffett retired after six decades leading the company. But Buffett remains chairman.

Abel announced in March that Berkshire had resumed buying back its own shares for the first time in more than two years, but investors were underwhelmed when the company only repurchased about $234 million worth of Berkshire stock in the first quarter.

The purchases in the second quarter that were disclosed Saturday demonstrate that Berkshire is serious about buybacks, but it is on the low end of the range that investors were expecting. Buffett watchers had been predicting repurchases somewhere between $5 billion and $11 billion based on a filing Buffett made when he announced his annual charitably donations in July.

The company’s standard is that it only repurchases shares when Abel and Buffett believes they are selling for less than they are worth. They do not plan to spend a specific amount like many companies do. Most of Berkshire's repurchases were made in June. They may not be buying much now as the stock just hit a new 52-week high on Thursday.

Berkshire previously repurchased $78 billion worth of its own stock between 2018 and 2024.

In addition to the Google stock Berkshire bought this spring, the Omaha, Nebraska-based company also completed a $6.8 billion acquisition of homebuilder Taylor Morrison but that didn't close until July so it's not reflected in these quarterly figures.

Berkshire's bottom line profit more than doubled to $25.667 billion, or $17,868.44 per Class A share, on a big paper gain in the value of its investments as the company lapped last year's $3.8 billion writedown in the value of its Kraft Foods stake. A year ago Berkshire reported earning $12.37 billion, or $8,600.89 per Class A share,

But Buffett has long urged investors to pay more attention to Berkshire's operating earnings to get a better sense of how its dozens of companies are performing because those numbers exclude investments. By that measure, Berkshire's operating profit grew to $12.983 billion, or $9,038.30 per A share, from $11.16 billion, or $7,759.58 per Class A share.

Berkshire owns several major insurers, including Geico, a collection of big utilities, BNSF railroad and a varied assortment of manufacturing and retail companies, including Precision Castparts and See's Candy.

Keyan Rundell faced a judge in juvenile court in Volusia County following his arrest earlier this week at a hotel in Manatee County.

The hearing was brief with the judge ordering Rundell to stay in custody for 21 days and that the case would be addressed again at future hearings.

The court appearance followed the arrest of a second suspect in connection with the double homicide of two men found shot to death in downtown DeLand last month.

Daytron W. Etkins, 41, of Eustis, was taken into custody just before 7 a.m. Friday at his Bates Avenue residence on a charge of felony accessory after the fact. Investigators also executed a search warrant at the home as part of the ongoing investigation.

According to police, Etkins is the father of Keyan Rundell, the 17-year-old previously arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Dustin Rose and Samson Campbell.

What Etkins is accused of

Per the charging affidavit, investigators say Etkins helped his son by helping conceal evidence and retrieve the gun after the shooting.

These alleged actions included:

• A witness said the teen called Etkins after the shootings, told him he “left the gun there,” and Etkins arrived about 10 minutes later; the two then left together in Etkins’ vehicle, and the teen told the witness his dad was coming to “take him to get the gun.”
• Surveillance reviewed by detectives shows Etkins and the teen burning items behind the residence using a charcoal grill and an accelerant (a small red gas can was used to pour fuel onto the fire), consistent with destroying clothing and evidence.
• Detectives also describe Etkins’ movements on video and travel patterns as consistent with helping the teen avoid investigators after the homicides.

DeLand police allege he “knowingly assisted his son following the homicides” and took actions intended to help him avoid law enforcement, according to Capt. Prurince Dice.

“We want to be clear, assisting or concealing a person wanted in connection with a homicide is a serious matter that we will not ignore or tolerate,” Dice said. “Family relationships do not place anyone above the law or excuse conduct that interferes with a criminal investigation. Anyone who knowingly helps a wanted person evade law enforcement should understand that those actions can carry serious legal consequences.”

[RELATED: DeLand police arrest father of teen suspect in double homicide case]

What else the witness claimed

A 13-year-old witness became a key part of the investigation after detectives linked her to surveillance video from the suspect’s residence and then brought her in for a recorded interview with her mother present.

This witness claimed she learned from Rundell that he was selling marijuana to Campbell and Rose behind the Athens Theatre, though the pair tried to rob him, the affidavit states.

According to the girl, one was armed with a firearm, and the other had pepper spray, leading Rundell to panic and shoot them in self-defense.

“When asked why he did not call police and give him his version of events if he was acting in self-defense, she claimed (Rundell) told her he did not think anyone would want to hear it because ‘he’s Black and they’re White.’” the affidavit reads.

Rundell’s arrest

Rundell was arrested Wednesday when deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office located him at a Super 8 Motel in Ellenton. He was taken into custody without incident at 8:30 a.m. on an out-of-county warrant.

U.S. Marshals announced the arrest, and DeLand Police Chief Jason Umberger confirmed it at a news conference Wednesday afternoon, where he also hinted that more arrests were likely in the case.

In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC broadcast late Friday, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father’s condition, describing it as very sad to watch.

“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further," he said. "It’s very painful and it's very debilitating in many respects.”

Biden, 83, was the oldest man to serve as U.S. president and his age was a source of concern for much of his four years in office. He and his White House advisers have faced intense criticism for allegedly concealing the extent of his problems, especially after he was forced to abandon his bid for re-election after a disastrous debate with his eventual successor, Donald Trump.

The former president revealed his cancer diagnosis in May of last year, less than four months after he left the White House.

Hunter Biden said the diagnosis had been tough on the family.

“It's really sad to watch," Biden said. “The only thing that I'd say about my dad, about his health right now, is I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good.”

But Biden said his father remains “out there," speaking publicly about the issues that are important to him.

“He’s still doing his thing," he said. “He so believes in this country."

Biden will publish a memoir, “Promise Me, America,” after the mid-term elections.

The lumberjacks had used their trucks to block access to the Quebec border in protest of Canadian loggers who were stealing their jobs by working for less. The blockade, which took place nearly 30 years ago, failed to stop the problem, leading Jackson to decide that he needed to try another way.

“He realized that the only way to change, to change it from the inside, was to be involved,” said Hilton Hafford, a logger who stood with Jackson at the blockade.

That moment set the fifth-generation lumberjack on a path into politics, eventually making him Maine's unlikely Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. He faces longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in one of a handful of races that could determine control of the chamber in November.

Jackson’s campaign has focused on his ties to Aroostook County, a sprawling, wooded region known as “The County” to Mainers. It's where Jackson, 58, says he watched hard-working people struggle to get ahead, fueling his fight against billionaires and corporations. It also is the place that has elected Jackson to the Legislature while supporting Republican Donald Trump for president.

Defeating Collins, a five-term incumbent who has survived other efforts by Democrats to unseat her, will not be easy.

Jackson is a last-minute replacement for Graham Platner, the initial nominee who exited the race after a sexual assault allegation that he denied. Jackson has accused Collins of looking out for herself instead of Maine and he criticized her vote that paved the way for the U.S. Supreme Court to end the nationwide right to an abortion. Collins, 73, who is also from Aroostook County, has accused Jackson of being too liberal for the state.

Speaking to Maine Democrats while he accepted the party nomination last month, Jackson pointed to his logging background and humble upbringing in a rural county as critical to shaping his desire to fight for the working class.

"What I am is a guy from northern Maine that’s a logger," Jackson said.

The evolution of a liberal lumberjack

Aroostook County, among the poorest in the state, is thinly populated but so large that it could easily contain both Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Tucked in the northern tip of the county is Jackson's hometown of Allagash, where pavement turns into the logging roads and where Jackson went to work as a lumberjack at 19.

Jackson said he worked long, dangerous hours. It was not unusual to wake up at 2:30 a.m. for a 12-hour shift on a job that often did not offer health insurance.

“Everyone in that profession works hard for our families. We did follow the rules. But the harder we worked, the more that companies took from us,” Jackson said during his nomination acceptance speech at a party convention in Bangor. “And further behind we would fall.”

The town saw a steady drop in population as job opportunities dried up. Officials shuttered the school in the mid-1990s, crushing those who remembered the glory days of the school’s prominent basketball team, which won a handful of state championships in the 1970s.

Jackson's disappointment with the logger blockade and other labor demonstrations in the late 1990s further cemented his feeling that something had to change.

He turned his attention to running for state office. Jackson first ran as a Republican but failed to collect enough support in a region that was heavily Democratic at the time. Eventually he won running as an independent and then became a Democrat in 2004. He went on to serve as president of the state Senate.

His political positions evolved over time, particularly on social issues. Early in his political career, Jackson opposed abortion and same-sex marriage. He has since reversed those stances.

“The logging industry is a very, very red industry,” said Louie Pelletier, the brother of Jackson's longtime partner, Lana Pelletier. “That’s the kind of mindset he was in."

Once in office, Jackson started to think he was on the wrong side of those social issues, added Louie Pelletier, who was a logger before taking over his family’s wood shop in Allagash.

“Then he never looked back,” he said.

Allagash is divided on the crucial Senate race

There is just one restaurant in Allagash, while a modest museum alongside the banks of the St. John River displays key moments in the town's history, including a framed photo of Jackson shaking hands with former Democratic President Joe Biden.

As of late July, only one campaign sign for Jackson could be seen from the main road that goes through Allagash. Several Republican gubernatorial and congressional candidates’ signs were prominently displayed.

Taking a break from slinging hamburgers during the weekend lunch rush, Darlene Dumond acknowledged that Allagash remains divided on Jackson. She supports him.

With a population of about 230 people, Allagash is defined by the handful of families who have lived for decades in “Moosetown,” where divisions can fall not only between Republicans and Democrats, but Catholics and Baptists.

Dumond said Collins’ long tenure as senator has been a disappointment even if she helped bring in resources and money to the state. She pointed to Collins’ role in confirming Brett Kavanaugh for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, where he helped overturn the ruling that had legalized abortion nationwide.

“Why would our girl from Aroostook County be the deciding vote for the justice that overthrew Roe v. Wade?” Dumond said, shaking her head.

Collins has said she disagrees with the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, but she does not regret her vote to confirm Kavanaugh.

Jackson has repeatedly argued that he will be a strong Senate candidate because he has kept his legislative seat as a Democrat while the region steadily became more Republican, including when Aroostook County swung for Trump.

Still, Jackson has struggled to compete outside Allagash. He failed to secure the Democratic nomination for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District in 2014 and came in third place in the June 9 primary for governor. In 2023, he lost a local race in Allagash — a seat for first selectman position — by six votes.

He has butted heads with both Republican and Democratic lawmakers while in the Legislature, including Democratic Gov. Janet Mills. She ran against Platner for the Senate nomination but dropped out, citing a lack of campaign money. Mills has since declined to endorse Jackson.

Some lawmakers who worked with Jackson have criticized him as having a temper, including once throwing a plastic water bottle on the ground in frustration while disagreeing with a female lawmaker. His inner circle is quick to deny he has anger issues, instead describing him as “passionate” and “competitive.”

Asked by reporters about the confrontations, Jackson said “I wear my heart on my sleeve," saying that he took responsibility for his outburst and apologized to those he had confrontations with at the time.

Hafford, who worked alongside Jackson as a logger, has seen that fiery side but chalked it up to strong feelings. He remembers being in meetings with Jackson in the 1990s where loggers were debating what to do to improve working conditions, and encouraging Jackson not to fly off the handle — even though he wanted to.

“Troy would look over at me and he’d say, ‘Is it time yet?’” Hafford said.

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Associated Press writer Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.

When Howard administrators informed Clark — and hundreds of others — that she was permanently unenrolled for missing a tuition fee deadline, she rode a bus from Cleveland, Ohio, to plea with administrators. She left in tears.

“I didn’t just lose my dream. I lost my way out,” said the 17-year-old, who had pinned her hopes on Howard as a peaceful environment and a path to financial freedom after years of growing up in “survival mode.”

Shortly after that, the university notified Clark she was once again welcome to enroll. But as she moved into the Washington, D.C., campus on Thursday, she remained uneasy. She worries that the university might reverse its decision yet again, and hopes Howard will make changes so that other students aren't wrongfully unenrolled.

“I’m definitely not really over that,” Clark said.

While administrators prefer that students, faculty and alumni focus on the school's new academic year, much of the community's attention is still trained on the unenrollment debacle. More than 500 incoming first-year students were unenrolled for missing a July tuition payment deadline, the university said. About 200 students have had their enrollment restored.

It was also reported Friday that Howard unenrolled the students about a month after offering voluntary early retirement buyouts to 600 eligible employees. But Howard University said in a statement that the employee buyouts were unrelated and part of a plan for “long-term financial sustainability.”

For some in the Howard community, the bitter experience has raised questions about the legacy of one of the country's most revered historically Black colleges and universities. Others say such administrative matters won't lessen the career impact a Howard diploma can have.

The loss of HBCU luster

Zy’Aira Blackmon had her heart set on attending Howard, seen as the preeminent Black university in the nation.

But, after her enrollment status was revoked and then reinstated within days, the 18-year-old from Grand Rapids, Michigan, doesn’t feel the same way. The luster Howard once held has been dulled.

“After this situation, most people are going to ignore all the good things Howard has to offer,” said Blackmon, who now will study at Western Michigan University.

When Howard took away 17-year-old Yuisa Davis’ enrollment, her mother hopped on a plane July 28 from the family’s Puerto Rico home to get answers. An administrative official told Karina Polen-Davis and her husband, who was on speakerphone, that she couldn’t answer their questions. Then the official called security.

The Davises say they paid what they thought they owed but the university rescinded enrollment without explanation or recourse.

The school never budged.

“It’s very disheartening just because there’s so many opportunities that’s kind of just been taken from me without me being able to" find a resolution, said Yuisa Davis, who often visited Howard as a child.

Now, Davis is working with The New School in New York City on possible financial aid.

“The difference in how we've been treated has been night and day,” Kenneth Davis said.

Families and university officials blame miscommunication

Interim President Wayne A. I. Frederick told The Associated Press last month that Howard simply followed its payment policy, noting that 2,200 students did meet payment requirements.

Unenrolled students and their parents did not properly read school communications about a July 10 deadline for half their unpaid balance, with financial aid factored in, Frederick said.

Those students who did everything correctly “deserve to show up on Aug. 17, the first day of class and meet their professors in class, have their housing assignments taken care of,” Frederick said. Previously, the school had to scramble to find enough student housing and adjunct professors to fill classrooms.

Some students assert they followed the school’s payment requirements.

Blackmon said her scholarship had not been included in her balance owed. After being unenrolled, she constantly called and emailed the school.

“They reinstated me. They really didn’t explain much,” she added.

Ashley Christopher, an attorney and Howard alumna whose son is a sophomore there, thinks Howard shoulders some blame. She is the founder of HBCU Week, a foundation that awards scholarships, and believes students received “bad information" from the school.

“There’s a way to take accountability for a misstep, and also explain that there’s joint responsibility here,” said Christopher, an attorney. “It is not just the parents. It’s not just the students."

Frederick said that how Howard has handled unenrollment and reenrollment can contribute positively to the school’s image.

“All this does is strengthen our legacy and helps us perform as a high-performing institution on the administrative side, as we have been doing in the past,” he said.

A storied and pree

minent HBCU

The nearly 160-year-old Howard is one of about 100 HBCUs in the U.S., with famous alumni including former Vice President Kamala Harris and actor Chadwick Boseman.

Howard has a 6-year graduation rate of 70% and a retention rate of 90%, according to the U.S. Department of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. The school consistently ranks among the most prestigious private HBCUs, including as the top-ranked HBCU by Forbes.

The university costs more than $66,000 each year to attend. The median income for four-year graduates is about $73,000, according to the Education Department. Frederick said Howard has graduated more Black doctors than any other school in the country.

The “scandal,” as Christopher calls the unenrollment issue, likely will not impact Howard’s reputation as “The Mecca” of Black education in the long run.

“Howard has been the blueprint for HBCUs, graduated the best and the brightest — not saying they’re the only one who does that," she said. "When it comes to overall impact of HBCU institutions, Howard stands at the top of that list.”

___ Tang reported from Sunnyvale, California. Williams reported from Detroit.

So did Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The three ex-presidents joined a roster of historians and authors in contributing to the In Pursuit project, a 250th-anniversary series that had each writer produce an essay about a president or first lady.

Though the project was explicitly designed to transcend today’s politics, some of its essays nevertheless reflect anxieties that are flaring in the era of President Donald Trump over the use of power, the health of the democracy and the integrity of the presidency.

The project is being curated by Colleen Shogan, the U.S. archivist who was fired without explanation by Trump last year. She instructed contributors not to be partisan or ideological. “Everybody took those instructions and that guidance very seriously,” she told The Associated Press. The goal was for all Americans to “feel welcome to be able to read these lessons and essays and learn something from them.”

The mission, Shogan said, “is to surface the lessons from the past 250 years of American history, so that we can learn from those lessons, from both our successes and our failures, so we can plan for the present and the future. It’s what has been described as debriefing the American story.”

The essays cover 43 presidents — all but Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Trump — and 30 first ladies. They are being published chronologically and weekly into December.

Trump and Biden were judged too fresh to be appraised by history, a call that may have also set aside passions of the moment.

Without naming Trump, Bush’s essay is difficult to read without thinking of Trump’s reluctance to cede power after his 2020 election defeat and his musings about a third term in defiance of the Constitution’s two-term limit.

Bush hails the heroism of humility

Bush's essay celebrates George Washington, the original “No Kings” guy. Bush, a Republican, hails a man whose legacy only grew larger because he modeled the limits of the presidency for centuries to come.

“Our first president could have remained all-powerful,” Bush writes, “but twice he chose not to. In so doing, he set a standard for all presidents to live up to.” First, Washington resigned as commander in chief of the Continental Army, then set the precedent of serving only two presidential terms before that limit was enshrined in the Constitution.

Bush went on: "George Washington’s humility in giving up power willingly remains among the most consequential decisions and important examples in American politics.” Bush's essay, released Presidents Day as the first in the series on Substack, drove heavy engagement.

Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who led U.S. and international forces in the Afghanistan War, sized up a fellow general, Ulysses S. Grant, in another essay that drew much attention for its parallels with today.

History offers lessons on ‘law over loyalty’

McChrystal presents the Union general and post-Civil War president as a leader who displayed “an absolute commitment to principles larger than personal ambition" and who, before his presidency, resisted pressure on military leaders to “align with political factions and be loyal to a person rather than the Constitution.”

The emphasis on personal loyalty resonates in a time when Trump has repeatedly demanded fealty from officials in his administration.

The “temptation to bend institutions toward personal power is not unique to Grant’s era,” McChrystal writes. “Our future still depends on whether our leaders choose law over loyalty.”

This month, in the latest In Pursuit installment, Democrat Clinton writes about Theodore Roosevelt, focusing on that president's drive to expand the universe of “we the people” at the expense of powerful corporate interests, while also emphasizing Roosevelt's exclusionary views on Black and Indigenous people.

The essays frequently address presidents’ failures alongside their accomplishments, a contrast with Trump’s calls for federal cultural institutions to stick to patriotic interpretations of American history.

Presidents, the chief justice and first ladies contribute

Among the In Pursuit contributors are Chief Justice John Roberts (writing about William Howard Taft, the only president who also served on the Supreme Court); Hillary Clinton ( Eleanor Roosevelt ); Michelle Obama ( Jacqueline Kennedy ); GOP operative Karl Rove ( William McKinley ); documentarian Ken Burns ( Franklin D. Roosevelt ); and historian Michael Beschloss ( Lyndon Johnson ). Democrat Barack Obama presents Abraham Lincoln.

The project is being staged by More Perfect, a nonpartisan alliance of dozens of presidential centers along with academics and organizations dedicated to advancing democracy. It is where Shogan now practices her archivist craft that Trump shut down by firing her in February 2025.

She still has not been told why. Nor has Congress apparently been notified of the reason. The law requires Congress to be told but does not specify a deadline. The National Archives is the central repository of federal documents both precious and routine, and its leader has discretion over which records to preserve and display, and how.

“That is a position that used to be a nonpartisan position, much like the Librarian of Congress, the secretary of the Smithsonian,” she said. “And I took that very seriously and acted the entire time when I was archivist in a nonpartisan way.”

The White House did not respond when asked why Trump fired the archivist and whether the administration will tell Congress the reason.

Trump has long begrudged the archives for notifying the Department of Justice of his alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left office following his first term, though Shogan was not working for the agency then.

Shogan sees hunger for history without a slant

Shogan said she has been overwhelmed with the public response to the series so far and figures that speaks to a hunger for history shorn of partisanship. The essays have received more than 1 million cumulative views on Substack and her podcast of the same name registered 160,000 audio downloads and nearly 64,000 YouTube views at last count. A documentary about the series is scheduled to air on PBS in October.

In the essays, readers learn something new not just about the giants, but about presidents such as Millard Fillmore — “a historic punchline — best remembered, ironically, for being so forgotten,” in the words of his essayist, former New York congressman Steve Israel.

Then there was Franklin Pierce, presented by his essayist as a pro-slavery president and “permanent victim” of Washington's alcohol-soaked culture.

Yale history professor David W. Blight recounts how Pierce won the presidency for the Democrats in 1852 despite vicious trolling by the Whigs. Fielding Mexican War veteran Gen. Winfield Scott in that election, they labeled Pierce, who also served in the war, the “hero of many a well-fought bottle.”

The 14-year-old opened fire at around 10 a.m. Friday at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province northwest of the Thai capital before apparently taking his own life. He also appeared to have killed his two grandparents at his family home earlier in the morning, officials said.

The girl, 12, died after hospitalization, the Health Ministry said. The school had posted a message on Facebook Friday seeking blood donations for two students, including the girl, who was in seventh grade.

Fourteen people remain hospitalized, of whom seven remain in critical condition Saturday, according to Thailand’s Health Ministry. Most of those wounded were between 12 and 14 years old.

Relatives claimed the bodies of eight people from Bangkok’s Institute of Forensic Medicine: five school staff, the accused shooter, and his grandparents. Emergency workers brought out a coffin and loaded it onto an ambulance, which will transport the bodies to their hometowns for funeral rites.

The young girl’s body is still to be released.

Wiroon Supasingsiripreecha, head of the institute, said most of the victims suffered a single fatal gunshot wound to a vital area, including the chest or head.

He said the gunshot wound found on the alleged shooter was consistent with the weapon he had used. More detailed forensic findings, including toxicology results, are expected later, he said.

Officials said the gun, described as small and compact, was legally registered to the boy’s grandfather.

There were reports that the boy, who lived with his grandparents, had shown signs of stress connected to school, although some of his relatives told Thai media that they were unaware of any troubles he might have been facing.

The co-educational state school, which has about 3,000 students enrolled aged 12 to 18, said all classes would be suspended between Aug. 10-14 and school staff were instructed to work from home during that time.

A few mourners laid flowers Saturday morning at the school's gate, where a few police officers could be seen.

Charin Siriananchai brought his two sons, ages 9 and 6, to pay their respects. He said while his sons do not study here, he lives in the neighborhood and drives past this school almost every day, often stopping to allow students to cross the road.

“Everyone was saddened and shocked, because it was unexpected that this would happen in Thailand, and also it’s quite a great loss,” he said.

Some parents also came with their children to collect their belongings left behind after the shooting. A father, who declined to identify himself, said his son, who was at the school during the shooting, was still in shock and could not sleep alone.

Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan and far surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Data collected in 2017 by the groups Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org in their last extensive international study found civilian gun ownership in Thailand was about 15.1 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 in neighboring Malaysia.

Thailand had 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, according to 2023 statistics published by World Population Review. That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, but relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.

While shootings involving indiscriminate killings are not common, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile shooting deaths in recent years.

In February, a 17-year-old stole a gun from police and opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, briefly taking people hostage in a two-hour attack that killed one person and wounded two others.

A 14-year-old boy was accused of a 2023 shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall.

“Traveling with kids is a whole new world," said Dr. Shannon Thompson, a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children's, adding that it's important to “enjoy your kiddo on your trip” as much as you can.

Here are some tips and tricks for parents to travel safely with young children — and have fun with them, too.

Look for amenities like cribs and high chairs before you book

Before you decide where to stay, consider your options for baby-proofing.

Check whether items like portable playpens, cribs and high chairs are offered to guests. If you are staying somewhere with stairs, a balcony or a pool, inquire about baby gates; if they are not provided, see if they are available for rent nearby or consider bringing travel-friendly foldable mesh gates. Pack electrical outlet covers and wipes to clean any dirty surfaces your kiddo might touch.

For babies, safe sleeping is still essential on vacation. Children younger than 1 should sleep on their back on a flat, firm surface such as a mattress in a bassinet, crib or playpen with nothing more than a fitted sheet, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The organization also recommends babies sleep in the parents' room — but not in the parents' bed — for at least the first six months.

You should also consider how you will get to your lodging: Will you fly in and rent a car or take a taxi, or take public transit from the airport? Will you mostly be driving or walking? For parents, these factors can determine whether you want to bring a stroller and a car seat, both of which you can gate check for free when you fly, or rely on using a sling or baby carrier.

Plan for snacks and diaper changes on the plane

“Flying with kids is one of those big, intimidating things,” said Thompson, the pediatrician. “I think the biggest thing to think about is always safety and then of course their comfort.”

While children under two can fly in their parents’ lap, the Federal Aviation Administration recommends securing them in their own safety seat, such as a car seat certified for use on planes. This requires buying a seat for your child.

For long-haul or international flights, ask the airline if they have bassinets available.

Food and drink for babies and toddlers, including breast milk, formula and puree pouches, are considered medically necessary liquids by the Transportation Security Administration. That means they are not subject to the standard 3.4-ounce (100-milliliter) limit for carry-on liquids. The same goes for ice packs used to keep such liquids cool. Let the TSA officer know if you have these in your carry on when you go through security screening.

In addition to snacks, don't forget to carry on diapers, wipes, a portable changing pad and sealable plastic bags for disposal. Bring extra clothes to layer or change in case of accidents or messy spills.

Swallowing and chewing can help with ear pressure, so nursing little ones or giving them a bottle or pacifier can ease discomfort during take-off and landing.

Speak with your pediatrician beforehand if your kiddo is prone to ear infections, and before traveling abroad, ask them what vaccines may be recommended.

Keep kids entertained on and off the plane

For flights with young kids, Christy Slavik, owner of the travel agency Mom Approved Travel, recommends “having little surprises that you can distract them with” — such as sticky mats for travel-sized play doh, suction cup toys and other games that are small and light to pack.

If sightseeing once at your destination, think about ways to make activities more fun and interactive. For art museums, bring notebooks that kids can draw in, or ask them what types of animals they can find in the paintings, Slavik said.

“Kids need a mission. They need games,” she said. “You have to get creative sometimes when you're traveling."

Exposing children to other cultures, foods and languages can also be fun. Some may enjoy picking out snacks at markets, for example, or learning foreign words for their favorite dishes and activities.

There are options for places to stay that are family friendly, with amenities such as pools or games. For those traveling abroad on a budget, many hostels offer private rooms for families so they don’t have to share a dorm-style room with bunk beds. Hotels and hostels provide the opportunity to meet other travelers, including fellow children who can become playmates.

The perks of traveling with extended family

Helping moms actually enjoy their vacation — and relax amid the stress that can come with planning and traveling — is a core goal of Slavik's travel agency.

One way parents can get a break is by planning trips with grandparents or other family members. This helps with babysitting duties, while also allowing loved ones to have special bonding time with kiddos. Just make sure they also have their own down time and aren't wearing themselves out, Slavik said.

“When you bring grandparents to a vacation, you're giving them the opportunity to experience those moments together,” she said.

The freed captives, mostly women and children, were among over 300 kidnap victims freed by Nigerian forces this week.

They were handed over to the authorities by security forces in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara state, on Friday for medical attention and routine checks, and were anticipating their return home to reunite with their families.

Mary Ishaya recalled days without food, and being asked alongside others to bury other hostages who died in captivity.

The 44-year-old, who had never touched a dead body or buried one before, said: “I still cannot find the right words to describe what has happened to us. We saw death and suffering.”

The Nigerians were abducted on Feb. 3 when jihadi militants stormed the village of Woro, killing over 160 others.

In the hospital where they were receiving medical attention, the freed captives looked emaciated with many laying on the floor, barely able to stand, while others had injuries and emotional scars from their ordeal. Some of the women were informed that their husbands had been among those killed during the February attack.

Some told The Associated Press how they had given up on any hope of returning home. Others recounted people falling sick, being beaten by the rain, and told to hide whenever Nigerian military helicopters flew over the forest hideouts where the captors held them.

Amira Saliu, a nurse who was among those freed, said she helped about 10 pregnant women deliver their babies in the forests.

“I had no choice but to use my bare hands,” she said.

Locals in Woro said they suspected the killings and kidnapping were a punishment for their resistance to the preachings of the jihadis.

Hauwa Saliu recalled how the captors constantly asked the abductees if they had accepted those preachings. Saliu, whose husband was killed in the attack, said she refused to accept them.

“We prayed to God to help us go back home, but it never really crossed our minds that we were going to go back home,” the 30-year-old said.

‘Largest rescue operation ever’

February's attack was one of the deadliest in Nigeria in recent years, and showed how militants who had previously focused their activities in the north are moving south through Africa’s most populous nation, where gangs compete for territory and control of natural resources in villages where they outnumber the country’s overstretched security forces.

The U.S. is providing military support to Nigeria under an agreement it says aims to protect Nigerian Christians, though much of that support is restricted to logistics and intelligence-gathering at the heart of the violence in the north.

Mass kidnappings have come to define Nigeria's security issues, with schoolchildren also targeted.

The victims in the Muslim-majority Woro were rescued this week alongside 145 other victims who had been kidnapped, mostly from the neighboring Niger state.

Local authorities did not say how the captives were rescued from the dense, expansive forest of the Kainji Lake National Park.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu described it as the “largest rescue operation ever” undertaken on a single day, and promised to intensify operations against armed gangs.

Recruitment drive and pay rises for the military

Some of the jihadi militants in Nigeria have presented themselves as an alternative to the government in areas with limited government and security presence.

A key issue in Nigeria is the poor welfare of the country's overstretched and underpaid security forces, which Tinubu has sought to address by recently announcing pay rises and mass recruitment for the military.

The government must find ways to act on intelligence and prevent militant attacks, rather than simply responding to them, according to Sekinat Ojeniyi, a senior analyst at global risk consultancy Africa Practice.

“It is time for us to recheck how much our security apparatus does to prevent” attacks, said Ojeniyi.

Saturday

With tropical moisture from a wave sticking around over Central Florida, we will have one more afternoon of higher than normal rain chances. Thanks to our onshore flow and instability from this wave, spotty showers are expected on and around the coastline to start off our Saturday. Our sea breeze will use this moisture to its advantage to generate showers and thunderstorms. Rain will begin to push into areas around and just east of I-4 around 11am. Scattered storms will continue to push west of I-4 into the early afternoon. The west coast sea breeze will push inland at the same time and collide with the east coast breeze around and just east of I-75, helping to develop stronger thunderstorms mid-afternoon. As we slip into late afternoon and early evening, the east coast sea breeze will begin to retreat eastward, bringing a line of showers and storms back towards the I-4 corridor around 6pm.

Sunday

Drier air returns starting on Sunday, allowing our rain chances to begin to lower. Sunday will feature a “typical” sea breeze rain pattern with storms developing around 11am-12pm just east of I-4 and pushing westward throughout the afternoon. Coverage will be around 40% in the afternoon. Highs will hit the low-mid 90s. Any last day of summer outdoor BBQs or beach plans will be fine, just plan for a brief rain break before sunshine returns.

Next Week

Dry air will continue to funnel in from the east as a ridge of high pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere builds over the state. This will allow for a drier and more stable atmosphere for Central Florida. These ingredients are the recipe needed to lower rain chances down to 20-30% for much of the week ahead with highs returning to the mid-upper 90s for the first week of school.

While they wrapped up many key priorities in the overnight votes, advancing Trump's SAVE America Act was not among them.

Instead, Republican senators who had brought the chamber to a standstill spoke to Trump late in the evening about an alternative plan: They would try again to approve elements of the voting bill as part of a broader GOP budget package to fund the Iran war and replenish the Pentagon when they return to work in September.

“Obviously, with the president at his direction, this is what he wants to do,” said Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, the GOP budget committee chairman, flanked by Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Rick Scott, R-Fla., after their phone call with the president.

The sudden wind-down after weeks of Trump ramping up his demands shows just how deeply the president is able to reach into the halls of Congress to set the agenda or disrupt it, the executive directing the affairs of the legislative branch. While Trump is often seen as a de facto speaker of the House, he is invariably trying his hand at mastering the Senate.

Trump had poked and prodded Senate Majority Leader John Thune for weeks to pass the SAVE America Act, a bill that does not have enough support from the Republicans who hold majority power, let alone the Democrats whose votes would be needed to advance it in the Senate.

The president has gone so far as to insist the Senate abandon its filibuster rules to jam the SAVE America Act past the 60-vote threshold that is typically needed to advance legislation in the chamber — something Thune and most senators have no interest in doing.

“John’s trying. He’s trying hard. I really believe that. But if he doesn’t get there, it would be unfortunate,” Trump said in an interview with Punchbowl News that posted Friday.

Trump's pressure couldn't overcome Thune's reality

Thune himself has worked to carefully balance the often unusual demands of the president with the political reality of his slim GOP majority. Republicans are down one vote with the prolonged absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the former leader, who said this week he was released from a rehabilitation center and is recovering at home.

“I think everybody’s, for the most part, on the same page,” Thune, R-S.D., said about the trio's call with Trump, adding that eventually the Senate would have to tackle another budget bill.

During a daylong session that dragged for nearly 20 hours, Thune successfully powered through a lengthy list of other Trump priorities. Senators confirmed the president's pick of Todd Blanche as the attorney general, passed a sweeping Russian sanctions package to aid Ukraine, and approved a bipartisan package to fund the government into December in an early step toward avoiding a government shutdown.

The Republicans also tried to push forward a slimmer voting bill that would require people to show IDs before casting ballots for federal elections. It failed to advance, largely on a party-line vote with Democrats opposed.

But the failure to make progress on the SAVE America Act had erupted as an online crusade for Trump's allies in Congress, amplified by activists urging them on.

Led by Lee, a growing group of senators was refusing to adjourn for the summer break without passing Trump's priority voting bill.

At dinnertime, Thune gathered all the Republican senators for a meeting as the standoff deepened at the Capitol. There was no immediate way forward for the SAVE America Act or the broader budget bill. Thune encouraged the trio of senators to talk to the president, which they did, before regrouping back at Thune's office.

"We had about a two-hour conference meeting trying to figure out, you know, what we need to do to, to come to an agreement, to accomplish what the president wanted,” Johnson said. “Then we had discussion with the president, he agrees.”

Lee acknowledged he was disappointed by the outcome, but said he understood the political reality of the situation.

“We are not in a position right now where we have the wherewithal to pass it,” Lee told reporters at the Capitol, after the three senators emerged from Thune's office following their call with Trump.

Near daybreak, when the Senate did call for the vote to adjourn, Lee and others objected with hearty nos.

On the simple voice vote, the ayes had it, and the motion to adjourn was adopted.

The Republican-led Senate voted 50-49 to make Blanche the second confirmed attorney general since Trump returned to the White House last year with a stated desire to use the law enforcement agency to investigate his political enemies. While Blanche has already been leading the department in an acting capacity, his confirmation could free him to pursue the Trump administration’s agenda even more aggressively.

Blanche said on social media that he was “deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me,” adding that he was “grateful” to senators for working late to confirm him.

The vote followed a tumultuous confirmation fight that exposed deep concerns — from some Republicans as well as Democrats — about installing Trump’s close ally atop a Justice Department that historically prided itself on its independence from the White House.

In the end, Blanche was confirmed by the narrowest of margins, opposed by two Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — and by every Democrat.

The path to confirmation for Blanche was unusually rocky, due in large part to Republican concerns about a controversial settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

Under pressure, Blanche publicly promised in writing that the department would abandon Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for the president’s allies, including those who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and rein in another piece of the settlement designed to shield Trump and his family from IRS tax audits.

His appeals were enough to win over Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, the decisive vote who threw his support behind Blanche Friday morning. Cassidy said no other nominee may be able to run the department better under Trump and suggested Blanche’s role as Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer can make him more effective at pushing back on the president’s demands.

“This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances,” said Cassidy, who lost his primary this year to a Trump-backed challenger.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said confirming Blanche would be a “serious mistake.” He begged his colleagues not to be on the “wrong side” of history.

“If there is ever a moment in history when we need an Attorney General above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption, even at the highest level of our government, it’s right now,” Durbin said.

Blanche’s loyalty to Trump left senators skeptical

The vote capped off a bruising confirmation fight, with Blanche’s loyalty to Trump at the center of the stalemate.

Blanche was elevated to the top Justice Department post in an acting capacity after Trump fired Pam Bondi in April. Blanche moved swiftly to advance the president’s interests, accelerating investigations into Trump’s perceived foes and announcing the settlement that created the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits.

The controversial settlement threatened to torpedo Blanche’s nomination until he formally rescinded the fund in writing under pressure from Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The deal reached between the senators and the department unlocked a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which advanced Blanche’s nomination earlier this week

Even after the deal, Blanche faced opposition from some Republican senators concerned with the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and the tax audit immunity deal.

Murkowski announced early Friday that she would join Collins in opposing Blanche’s nomination, saying the country needs an attorney general “who will check the worst impulses of this administration.”

Former prosecutor rises as Trump’s defender

A former federal prosecutor in New York, Blanche rose to public prominence as a lead attorney on Trump’s defense team, including during the Republican’s hush money trial in New York. He also defended Trump against criminal charges in the two federal cases brought by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice — an experience Blanche has said provided him a firsthand look at what he contends was the weaponization of the criminal justice system against Trump.

Blanche entered the Justice Department last year as deputy attorney general under Bondi, overseeing the agency’s day-to-day operations and serving as the public face for high-profile and controversial matters, like the release of millions of investigative files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Democrats have accused Blanche of prioritizing his loyalty to Trump above all else through investigations against Trump foes such as former FBI Director James Comey and a radical reshaping of the department. Under Bondi and Blanche’s leadership, the department has lost thousands of employees through firings, resignations or voluntary departures.

Blanche’s supporters say his experience as a federal prosecutor and the trust he earned from Trump in the courtroom make him better equipped than Bondi to explain to the White House the legal constraints of its demands. Republicans have also touted his efforts to bring down violent crime, tackle illegal immigration and combat violent cartels and drug trafficking.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, gave a full-throated endorsement of Blanche ahead of voting, saying he’s led the Justice Department with distinction. “Mr. Blanche is the right choice,” he said.

But it remains unclear whether Blanche will fare any better in delivering on Trump’s desire for retribution than Bondi, whom Trump fired amid resistance from judges, grand jurors and the department’s own workforce as prosecutors sought to establish criminal conduct by one Trump foe after another.

Shortly after Blanche took the top post, the Justice Department moved to indict Comey on charges of threatening the 47th president by posting a social media photograph of seashells in the numerical arrangement of “86 47.” Comey’s lawyers are pressing to have the case dismissed, accusing the department of misleading judges, submitting documents containing false statements and withholding key facts.

Blanche has also appointed Joseph diGenova, a former Justice Department prosecutor from the Reagan administration, to oversee a Florida-based investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired over the last decade to undermine Trump. But it remains uncertain whether that probe will result in any criminal charges.

__

Associated Press writers Bill Barrow, Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

Fishback made the announcement on Thursday via social media, touching on a similar alleged investigation involving U.S. Rep. Cory Mills.

According to Fishback — who referenced an anonymous “government whistleblower” — the investigation surrounding Mills expanded to include Donalds.

On July 21st, 2026, NBC News reported that Republican Florida Congressman Cory Mills was under criminal investigation by the Department of Justice.

Like virtually every federal investigation, this one began with a single suspect before expanding to include others.

A government… pic.twitter.com/JQNVFtOkmT

— James Fishback (@j_fishback) August 6, 2026

“Federal prosecutors are looking at two dates in question: May 17th, 2024, and November 19th, 2024,” his post reads. “Dates when Congressmen Mills and Donalds are said to have traveled to the MGM National Harbor — a luxury hotel resort in Oxon Hill, Maryland, where they solicited, procured, and paid women for explicit sexual acts.”

[RELATED: US Rep. Cory Mills faces DOJ criminal investigation, sources say]

Fishback said his legal team managed to “independently verify this investigation,” claiming that a third party revealed messages from Rep. Mills confirming that he and Donalds were at the MGM Harbor on both of those dates.

Per Fishback’s post, a federal prosecutor asked the DOJ whether Donalds was under investigation, though the agency reportedly refused to comment.

“They refused to do so despite clearing Florida Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna of any criminal conduct in a letter just two weeks ago,” the post continues.

Fishback has had a contentious relationship with Donalds as the primary season has progressed, with both vying for the Republican candidacy.

After Fishback made the claims publicly, News 6 reached out to the U.S. Department of Justice and Donalds’ campaign for more details.

On Friday, News 6 received the following response from Donalds’ campaign.

“Completely false. We will not be distracted by this baseless and defamatory sideshow, and neither should you.”

Byron Donalds for Governor

On Friday afternoon, the DOJ also released a statement, further stating that Fishback’s accusation is not true.

Falsely accusing someone of being under investigation is a dangerous form of weaponization. This claim is not true. Congressman Byron Donalds is not under investigation. https://t.co/QW26cT7b4d

— DOJ Rapid Response (@DOJRR47) August 7, 2026

That parasite — Cyclospora cayetanensis — is responsible for an intestinal illness called “cyclosporiasis,” which can cause watery diarrhea with potentially explosive bowel movements.

Health officials explained that Cyclospora spreads when people eat or drink water that was contaminated with feces.

However, the CDC noted that in the U.S., cyclosporiasis outbreaks have been linked to various types of fresh produce.

Outbreak season for cyclosporiasis kicked off on May 1 and runs through Aug. 31.

Reported incidents ramped up significantly last month, though, with nearly 300 cases being reported statewide.

“The true number of people sick with cyclosporiasis was likely higher than the number reported,” the CDC’s website reads. “This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Cyclospora.”

Anyone who experiences symptoms of Cyclospora infection is urged to contact their healthcare provider, though health officials have assured that most people with healthy immune symptoms will eventually recover from cyclosporiasis even without treatment.

For more information on cyclosporiasis and its symptoms, visit the CDC’s website here.

The reports help give investors and economists a better sense of where prices are moving on a wide range of goods and services, while also providing a clearer picture on the impact to businesses and households.

On Wednesday, the U.S. will release its consumer price index, or CPI, for July. It is a detailed report on prices for a wide range of goods and services. Economists expect it to show that the rate of inflation remains above 3%.

On Thursday, the U.S. will release its producer price index, or PPI, for July. It shows costs for businesses before they’ve passed them along to consumers. That helps give a more detailed view of some of the inflation pressures facing companies.

On Friday, the U.S. will release its retail sales report for July. It gives details on monthly sales for a wide range of businesses. The data in the report can also give clues as to how much people are spending and where they are focusing their spending.

Inflation remains a key focus for Wall Street and the Federal Reserve. Stubborn inflation could hurt consumer spending, and in turn, the broader economy. The Fed has been closely watching inflation’s direction and is expected to raise interest rates in order to help tame rising costs before the end of the year.

The late-summer action on a funding fix is unusual. Normally, Congress waits until the final days or hours of a funding deadline to pass short-term patches, but this time senators acted nearly two months before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

The 90-6 vote showed lawmakers are still smarting from the two historic shutdowns that occurred this past year and want to avoid another before voters go to the polls.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune wanted the funding dealt with before senators went home for the next five weeks to focus on their reelection campaigns and other matters. It got caught up with other issues that pushed votes into the night, but the bill had broad bipartisan support. The House will also have to approve the measure when members return from their August recess before it can go to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.

The bill generally funds the federal government at current levels though Dec. 11, but includes a variety of exceptions that senators negotiated with the White House.

Democrats secured language to ensure no money could be transferred to the Border Patrol. They also rejected the White House's request of $1 billion for early work on a new “Trump-class” battleship that the administration announced on Dec. 22.

“The only person who wants these golden ships is Donald Trump so he can slap his name on them,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said.

Hemp provision became a point of contention

The bill also includes language delaying a national ban on most intoxicating hemp products. That one-month delay prompted outrage from some Senate Republicans who say that too many such products are falling into the hands of often unsuspecting children. The packaging of the products often relies on bright colors and intentionally mimics popular snack brands to attract consumers.

Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., said that since 2017 there has been nearly a 10-fold increase in cannabis-related emergency room visits by minors in his home state.

“This is a public health crisis that deserves this Senate’s immediate attention,” Budd said. “Our children should never be the testing ground for an industry willing to exploit a loophole in federal law for profit.”

But the hemp industry said the delay buys time for Congress to craft legislation that protects hemp farmers and businesses while also putting in place safeguards to protect children.

Trump himself has called Budd to discuss the issue, though the president did not specifically ask the senator to drop his effort, Budd’s spokesman said.

“Senator Budd had a friendly phone call with President Trump discussing the legislative efforts regarding THC,” said spokesman Christian McMullen. He said the senator outlined his concerns about “any delay to closing the hemp loophole.”

Budd tried to strip the hemp delay from the bill, but the Senate turned aside his effort.

The bill delays a Trump administration rule on grants

Democratic lawmakers, along with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also got language in the bill that would block, for the duration of the funding patch, new regulations on federal grants. The regulations would require a senior political appointee to review grants before they are awarded to ensure, among other things, that they advance the president's policy priorities. Democrats worry it's an effort to kill grants destined for Democratic-leaning states.

“They are not interested in making our tax dollars work better — they just want them to work for Donald Trump,” said Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The White House Office of Management and Budget says its effort is about improving accountability to ensure taxpayer dollars aren’t wasted or misused. The issue is sure to be a topic of future negotiations on a full-year spending measure.

But Collins said the vast majority of the nearly 500,000 people and groups weighing in on the rule are opposed to it.

“I don't think in my time that I've been privileged to serve in the Senate that I have ever seen a proposed rule generate that many negative comments," Collins said.

The 14-year-old shooter took his own life at the school, officials said.

Five school staff members, including teachers and administrators, died in the shooting around 10 a.m. at Debsirin Nonthaburi School in Nonthaburi province northwest of Bangkok, Deputy Interior Minister Polapee Suwunchwee said at the scene.

The boy also killed his grandparents at the home he shared with them prior to the school shooting, Polapee said.

Bangyai Hospital, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the school, said 23 people were wounded, of whom 10 were in critical condition, with most suffering gunshot wounds. Earlier reports gave conflicting casualty numbers.

A witness said students hid inside a classroom while they heard gunshots from another building before police officers knocked on the door and cleared a way for them to leave the building.

Amporn Niamfuang, who owns a restaurant 50 meters (160 feet) from the school, said there was the sound of a single gunshot and then a pause.

“And then there were multiple continuous shots,” Amporn said, recalling the narrow road outside the restaurant filling with fleeing students. “Students were running scared and pouring onto the street. Young girls were holding each other’s hands and crying. I went inside to hide.”

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, speaking after touring the school, confirmed reports that the shooter was 14 and had killed himself. He said the student had shown signs of stress connected to school.

The gun, described by police as small and compact, was legally registered to his grandfather, he said.

About an hour after the shooting, people stood outside comforting one another as police and first responders walked around the co-educational state school, which has an enrollment of about 3,000 students ranging from 12 to 18 years old.

All classes will be suspended between Aug. 10 and Aug. 14 and school staff have been instructed to work from home during that time, the school said.

Police find grandparents dead at family home

After the shooting, police went to his home and found both grandparents dead of apparent gunshot wounds, regional police Commander Wattana Yeejeen said.

The student appeared to have shot them before attending school as normal. He waited until classes started and began shooting inside his classroom before walking out and firing more shots, Police spokesperson Trairong Piwpan said.

The boy fired more than 20 shots and police found he still had 30 rounds after shooting himself, he said.

Several family members, including his uncle and sisters of the grandfather who were at the family home while police investigated, said he usually kept to himself and was a good student.

The family members said they were unaware of any troubles he faced at home or school.

Thailand has high rate of gun owners

Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan and far surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Data collected in 2017 by the groups Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org in their last extensive international study found civilian gun ownership in Thailand was about 15.1 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 in neighboring Malaysia.

Thailand had 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, according to 2023 statistics published by World Population Review. That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, but relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.

In February, a 17-year-old stole a gun from police and opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, briefly taking people hostage in a two-hour attack that killed one person and injured two others.

A 14-year-old boy was accused of a 2023 shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall.

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Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok and Kaweewit Kaewjinda in Nonthaburi, Thailand, contributed to this report.

The event on the Bir-Hakeim Bridge has also exposed the fragility of that ambition: Organizers suspended training Thursday when traces of hydrocarbons were detected upstream. By Friday, the French Swimming Federation said the affected area had been treated, allowing athletes to return to the water and the event to proceed as planned.

High diving concludes Saturday with the final two rounds and medal events, while the broader European Aquatics Championships run through Aug. 16.

“There are things that are within our control, and there are uncertainties that are inevitably linked to any outdoor activity,” said Maxime Sauvage, Paris deputy mayor in charge of sports, sports facilities and equal access to sport.

Among the things within the city’s control, he said, are the massive investments made before the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to make the river safe for swimming, from work to prevent sewage from flowing directly into the Seine to improvements in stormwater management.

“There is always a small risk, but that is also part of what makes outdoor events special,” Sauvage said. “When they work, it is magical.”

Hundreds of people gathered along the riverbanks Friday to watch the divers. Some stopped during their lunch break, while others stumbled across the competition by chance.

Among them was Rebecca Kapogiannis, a 45-year-old visitor from London, Ontario, who was visiting Paris with her daughter to celebrate her graduation. Her daughter had even packed a bathing suit in case she got the chance to swim in the Seine.

“We just headed down to the (Eiffel) Tower today and thought we would walk along the Seine and stumbled upon this and thought it was a really cool activity to watch,” she told The Associated Press.

“I was not expecting a competition to take place in the Seine, but I think it’s such a cool use of this water that runs right through the city.”

For Cynthia Matz, who was visiting Paris with her husband, Sean, the setting itself was part of the draw. She said they probably would not have sought out the competition had it been held inside an aquatics center.

“Anybody can go. I don’t have to know anything about diving. I can just say, ‘This is really cool to see,’” Matz said.

“Having it out in public, people will just stop and go, ‘Huh, what’s going on?’ and stop and spend some time and enjoy it.”

That ability to stumble across elite sport in the middle of the city reflects a broader transformation Paris officials have been pushing for years: turning the Seine from a river associated largely with commerce, transport and tourism into a place where people can also swim, play and compete.

The 38th European Aquatics Championships, from July 31 to Aug. 16, mark the centenary of the inaugural championships, held in Budapest in 1926. For Paris, they are a return of another kind: The French capital last hosted the event in 1931.

More than 1,000 athletes are competing across five disciplines: swimming, diving, artistic swimming, open-water swimming and high diving.

The Seine is hosting both open-water swimming and high diving, placing the river back at the center of a major international sporting event two years after the Paris Olympics.

Swimming in the Seine was officially banned in 1923 amid pollution and the dangers of river traffic. Public swimming returned only in 2025, after Paris and its partners mobilized 1.4 billion euros to make the river swimmable, an effort accelerated by the Olympics.

For many French people, former President Jacques Chirac’s 1988 pledge, when he was mayor of Paris, to make the Seine clean enough for swimming again seemed like a distant dream.

But since the 2024 Olympics, images of athletes competing — and now residents swimming — in the river have become almost familiar.

Around 70,000 people used the city’s designated Seine swimming areas in July, according to Paris City Hall, compared with nearly 100,000 during the entire summer last year, suggesting growing public interest in reclaiming the river for recreation.

Bringing sport into daily Parisian life has been an objective across successive city administrations. Under Emmanuel Grégoire, elected mayor in March, Sauvage said the mission is to “make the entire city increasingly favorable to physical activity and sport.”

“For decades, the Seine was limited to economic purposes, tourism with sightseeing boats, and logistics with ships loading and unloading goods in Paris,” Sauvage said. “It was a river with high levels of pollution that also had a significant impact on its biodiversity.”

Now, he says, the aim is to add another identity to the river without erasing the others.

“Paris is not just a postcard image, it is also a magnificent sporting venue,” Sauvage said. “It is a city that people come to visit, but it is also a city to be experienced by bike, through running, through sport, through play and through swimming.”

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Associated Press writer Thomas Adamson in Paris contributed

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost their season-high seventh game in a row in a stunning collapse on Friday night after the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for a 4-3 win when rookie Ryan Waldschmidt hit a two-run, walk-off homer against closer Edwin Diaz.

“A loss is a loss but to get walked off never feels good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We didn't play a clean game, a great game, on either side of the baseball, but we did enough to put ourselves in position to win a game.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't finish it.”

It was another rough outing for Diaz, who has an 11.00 ERA over 11 outings this season. The 32-year-old is a three-time All-Star, but hasn't been able to help the Dodgers much after signing a $69 million, three-year deal during the offseason.

Waldschmidt connected on Diaz's hanging slider, hitting it into the left-center field seats for his second career homer and first big league walk-off.

“It's the slider,” Diaz said. “The fastball was great today, but I missed the slider right in the middle. I think I was trying to be perfect with the pitch and I'm missing right in the middle — I've got to be better. I'm a big league pitcher so I've got to make pitches.”

The Dodgers were swept by the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs coming into Friday night's game. They still have a comfortable lead in the NL West — 7 1/2 games in front of the Diamondbacks — despite a 10-16 record since July 5.

Roberts acknowledged that Diaz has been struggling since his return from the injured list on July 29, but the manager wasn't necessarily ready to try a new closer. His reasoning was simple: there's no clear-cut alternative.

“Honestly, you've got to look at the options,” Roberts said. “The way some of these guys are throwing, they're not throwing great, either."

The Dodgers still look like a formidable team, particularly after adding ace left-hander Tarik Skubal in a trade-deadline deal with the Detroit Tigers last week. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is also slated to return on Tuesday after missing most of the season with injuries.

And the lineup still has plenty of star power with Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker.

Roberts said before Friday's game that the remedy for the recent troubles was simple.

“We've just got to play better,” Roberts said. “I don't think the standings — I mean they're important, they matter — but I just feel like with the talent we have, we've just got to play good baseball and it'll take care of itself. It always does.”

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

The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at about 162 kilometers per hour (101 mph). It will bring heavy rains, creating a risk of severe flooding as well as landslides and is expected to hit Zhejiang province and northern parts of neighboring Fujian province late Sunday. Shanghai is also in the path of the storm.

Forecasters predicted that areas could see 200-400 mm (7.9–15.7 inches) of rainfall over the next few days.

National authorities declared a level III emergency response, the second lowest level.

Many tourist destinations in Zhejiang are shut Saturday and Sunday, as well as all water-based activities, including ferries and cruises.

Authorities in the city of Ningbo, one of the province's largest, ordered schools and other educational facilities shut this weekend and all water-related activities to halt. Some 800 ships are docked at the port.

New York improved to 2-8 in extra-inning games, halting an eight-game winning streak overall for the NL East leaders.

Yankees left-hander Max Fried pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings in his first outing against his former team, but Tyler Mahle matched him with six shutout innings in his Atlanta debut.

Austin Riley homered in the eighth and Matt Olson went deep in the ninth to give the Braves a 2-0 lead. With the Yankees down to their final out, slumping Austin Wells doubled home a run off All-Star closer Raisel Iglesias.

Amed Rosario walked before Rice singled on a 1-0 changeup.

Heliot Ramos was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Dylan Dodd entered and retired Luis García Jr. on a groundout to send the game to extra innings.

New York's rally began when rookie George Lombard Jr. reached on an infield single with one out and advanced to third on Iglesias' throwing error.

David Bednar (5-3) pitched a scoreless 10th, helped by Lombard's off-balance throw from shortstop on Sean Murphy’s grounder and García's over-the-shoulder catch at first base on Ronald Acuña Jr.'s popup to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom half, rookie Spencer Jones was intentionally walked and Lombard worked a walk from Tyler Kinley (6-5) that loaded the bases. García, the automatic runner, scored easily on McMahon's sac fly to deep right field on a full-count pitch as the Yankees improved to 5-42 when trailing through eight innings.

The start was delayed by heavy rain and thunderstorms for 1 hour, 55 minutes.

It was the eighth time in 10 games a Yankees starter permitted no more than one run.

Fried spent his first eight major league seasons with the Braves before leaving as a free agent to sign a $218 million, eight-year contract with New York in December 2024.

Up next

In a marquee matchup of Cy Young Award winners, Atlanta LHP Chris Sale (12-6, 2.08 ERA) pitches Saturday for the first time since July 29 when he faces New York RHP Gerrit Cole (5-5, 3.42) on Old Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium.

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

Waldschmidt connected on a slider, hitting a shot to left center that barely cleared the wall. Diaz walked Max Kepler to start the ninth before striking out Tim Tawa, but Waldschmidt followed with the biggest hit of his young career.

Diaz — a three-time All-Star — has given up 11 earned runs in nine innings this season.

The Dodgers trailed 2-0 early in the game but rallied. Andy Pages' solo homer to lead off the eighth gave them a 3-2 lead.

D-backs right-hander Merrill Kelly took a no-hitter into the sixth before Tommy Edman led off with an infield single. Freddie Freeman brought home a run later in the inning on a fielder's choice, cutting Arizona's lead to 2-1, and Kelly had to leave the game with cramping in his right leg.

The Dodgers tied it at 2 in the seventh on Edman's RBI single and had the bases loaded before Shohei Ohtani grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Roki Sasaki gave up two runs on five hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out five.

Nolan Arenado gave the D-backs a 1-0 lead in the second with a solo homer that barely cleared the left field fence and the glove of Teoscar Hernandez. It was Arenado's 17th homer of the season.

In the third, Corbin Carroll robbed Edman of a ying homer, leaping high above the right field fence to make the grab.

Up next

The Diamondbacks were set to start RHP Brandon Pfaadt (6-1, 3.66 ERA) vs. Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7, 2.76) on Saturday.

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

Judge Bryan Biedscheid fined the company $567 million in his ruling Thursday, but he also prescribed steps to clean up what he described as its byproducts. He ordered new safety measures, including a time limit of 90 hours per month for users under 18, AI chatbot restrictions, and mandatory warnings on the platforms.

How easily those features can be implemented, and how effective they could be at protecting young users from mental health harms, are unresolved questions. They also would apply only to children in New Mexico, Meta has no deadline to introduce them, and the company has said it will appeal the ruling.

But the judge’s order showed a possible path forward for other court fights around the country as Meta faces mounting legal, regulatory and public pressure to do more to protect young people.

The ruling came in the second phase of a trial in a lawsuit the state of New Mexico filed against the social media giant. The new financial penalty is in addition to the $375 million in civil penalties that jurors ordered against Meta in March after determining the company knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.

Meta said in a statement Thursday that it works to keep people safe on its platforms and has been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content.

“We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts,” the company said.

Implementation of court-ordered measures poses challenges

Many of the changes ordered by Biedscheid hinge on strong age-verification measures. The ruling says Meta must improve its age assurance models and tools in New Mexico and proactively request proof of age for users they know or estimate to be under 13.

What that proof of age could look like, however, is unclear.

Age verification “can be done well in a privacy-protective way, but it is not easy,” said Peter Ormerod, an associate professor of law at Villanova University.

Federal children’s privacy laws prevent Meta from applying age-verification tools to children under 13. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act means the court cannot order Meta to request children to submit personal data or be passively tracked online, even for age verification purposes.

Identifying which users are in New Mexico, and subject to the court-ordered protections, could also pose a challenge. Ormerod said Meta could likely check if a user is accessing the platform from an IP address associated with New Mexico, a solution “that works reasonably well enough.”

Meta has several safety tools already in place. Instagram Teen Accounts, for one, have built-in protections to limit who can contact teens and what content they can see, and give parents the ability to set time limits.

Brooke Istook, the president and chief strategy officer at the advocacy organization Heat Initiative, said she was glad to see the judge's reforms will be court-supervised.

“Now, we will have someone in an official capacity checking the homework of these companies,” she said. “The fact that we have the court now involved, they’re able to evaluate how they’re implemented, whether or not they’re effective and whether or not they are actually working to keep kids safe online.”

Experts say the ruling leaves out some of the most harmful features

Meta's critics say some of the most recognizable and potentially harmful aspects of Instagram and Facebook's designs are untouched by the ruling.

Features like autoplay, infinite scroll and algorithmic content recommendations have been the prime targets of legal arguments that social media platforms are designed to be addictive. But Biedscheid wrote in his ruling that these features are used across the social media industry on other platforms, so restricting Meta's features but not those of its competitors would harm the company.

That was disappointing to see for Sophia Choukas-Bradley, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh.

“Those design features have played a very important role in what leads to problematic use of social media by adolescents and, in turn, mental health problems,” Choukas-Bradley said.

Still, Choukas-Bradley said she was in favor of several safety measures in the ruling, especially one that orders the “like counts” on the apps be hidden by default on minors' accounts, a setting that could only be overridden by a parent or guardian. She also supports a measure that would create a stronger separation between children and “unconnected” adults on the platforms. Meta would not be able to recommend a child's account to an adult's account, and adults who are not “friends” or followers of a minor's account would be barred from messaging the child.

“There are just too many documented cases of sextortion, sexploitation and sex trafficking that start in the online context for us to ignore this any longer,” Choukas-Bradley said.

It is unclear which features on social media platforms are most harmful for children's mental health, said Sonia Livingstone, a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. There is ample evidence, however, that more vulnerable children are more susceptible to the companies' design features, she said.

“Tested one by one, the evidence for each design feature will be weaker, as it is the combination of features that really will make the difference for children’s outcomes,” said Livingstone, who leads the Digital Futures for Children research center.

Some hope New Mexico's actions lead to further regulations

Because the measures in the judge's order are specific to users in New Mexico, experts say piecemeal rulings and inconsistent legislation at the state level could create a new crop of issues.

“It really needs to be uniform at the congressional level, it causes all sorts of problems,” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and president of West Coast Trial Lawyers. “It just doesn’t make sense in today’s era of technology.”

Some advocates say they hope similar rulings in other states could stir action in Congress, and spur new efforts to pass federal legislation.

For parents in New Mexico, the ruling could change the conversations with their teens about social media use. Heather Statum, an Albuquerque mother of a 13-year-old girl, says her daughter is constantly requesting access to various social media platforms.

Statum has heard horror-stories about predators lurking on Instagram or Snapchat. She's also aware that among her daughter’s peers, discussions of suicide and other mental health issues are prominent online and worries about her daughter being exposed to disturbing content.

“The stuff (social media companies) have in place to protect them, I don’t think any of it actually works,” Statum said. “It does cause major problems between us because she thinks that I’m too strict.”

Statum says the platform-level changes from the ruling could promote safe usage, but said it will be hard to balance safety with freedom. She believes educating kids on dangers is the best path forward.

A Supreme Court decision in June struck down a previous attempt at restricting birthright citizenship, but Thursday’s orders were made with “adjustments” keeping the decision in mind, President Donald Trump said.

Still, some of the restrictions announced by the White House are expected to face legal challenges.

The 14th Amendment, which makes a citizen of anyone born in the country, and two subsequent Supreme Court decisions interpreting it provide guidelines that already exclude certain births from receiving the citizenship benefit.

Trump's new attempt to restrict birthright citizenship even after the Supreme Court loss highlights the administration's drive to limit who can become an American.

New categories of restricted citizenship benefits

Birthright citizenship is guaranteed under current law for anyone who is born on U.S. soil, with a few exceptions.

The executive order released Thursday was narrower in scope than the previous one shot down by the Supreme Court and appeared to focus on restricting automatic citizenship to specific categories of people, including children born to adults with connections to foreign embassies or organizations as well as anyone considered an “alien enemy” of the United States.

U.S. immigration law says babies born to a “foreign diplomatic officer accredited to the United States” are not entitled to birthright citizenship under the Constitution, including ambassadors, ministers, chargés d’affaires, counselors, secretaries and attachés of embassies and legations, and members of the Delegation of the Commission of the European Communities.

Trump’s orders Thursday would sharply expand those exemptions.

One order disqualifies babies who are products of “birth tourism.” The other applies to children of anyone working in a foreign embassy or representing a foreign government and employees of the United Nations or other international organizations. Children of parents tied to groups that are deemed terrorist organizations, like Antifa or Tren de Aragua, are also excluded.

“How is the federal government going to decide that a child is born to a member of a designated terrorist organization?” said César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, a law professor at Ohio State University. “These are not organizations that are sharing the membership lists if they even have them.”

Citizenship through surrogacy has become a concern for Republican members of Congress, some of whom proposed a bill this year that would restrict citizenship for children of noncitizen parents born to surrogates in the U.S.

García Hernández said he believes the new executive order addressing surrogacy could raise new legal questions. “Neither the 14th Amendment nor any of the Supreme Court’s decisions about how to interpret the 14th Amendment mentions or hints at surrogates,” the law professor said.

Questions over the scope of birth tourism

Trump’s executive order defines birth tourism as someone who enters the United States on a “nonimmigrant visa for the purpose of giving birth on American soil.”

Birth tourism is already considered fraud and grounds to restrict a visa if someone seeks one specifically to come to the U.S. and obtain citizenship for a child.

Advocates said the executive order would give immigration officers discretion to deny entry to pregnant women suspected of wanting to give birth in the U.S. without providing clearly defined guidelines.

The president did not offer data indicating the scope of the problem, but said Thursday: “I’ll tell you right now, hundreds of thousands, OK? Hundreds of thousands."

Although there's no official estimate of how many births can be considered “birth tourism” cases, experts say Trump’s approximation is exaggerated.

“The hundreds of thousands just seems like an overestimate based on the sort of limited data that we have available,” said Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, an associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in 2024 nearly 9,600 children were born to foreign mothers with an official address outside the country. Another estimate from the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that advocates for lower immigration, estimated that 20,000 to 26,000 birth tourists come to the U.S. each year.

Facilitators of birth tourism targeted

The order provides a sweeping indictment of “birth tourism operators” with no evidence of how widespread they are or how or why anyone accused of using their services would be exempt from constitutional protection.

Those efforts are not new either. Previous administrations have also sought to prosecute so-called “birth tourism” schemes that helped women hide their pregnancies while traveling to the United States to give birth.

“Birth tourism operators use deceptive advertisements and inducements to entice foreign nationals to travel to the United States for the purpose of giving birth on American soil,” the order says.

“They promise citizenship; access to public benefits; and short-term stays in specialized facilities, hotels, or rentals, but often fail to deliver on these promises. These operators coach their clients to misrepresent the purpose and duration of their travel to consular and border officials to obtain visas authorizing entry into the United States.”

The Republican Party has embraced the mission. In late July, the office of the attorney general in Texas announced a “sweeping investigation” into potentially unlawful birth tourism schemes after some south Texas hospitals advertised birthing services in Mexico.

Legal challenges expected

Asked Thursday how his orders would survive Supreme Court scrutiny when his last attempt failed, Trump deferred to White House staff secretary Will Scharf, who, like his boss, sounded alarms about “birth tourism.” He emphasized consular discretion to grant visas.

“What we’re doing is taking legally validated means that are clearly within our disposal and targeting them to this birth tourism industry. There’s absolutely nothing here that runs afoul of any of the Supreme Court rulings on the subject,” Sharf said.

Advocates against the proposed changes said they believe the constitutional amendment and Supreme Court decisions will again stop the administration's efforts to restrict birthright citizenship.

“The bottom line is that the Supreme Court already considered the Trump administration’s plea to rewrite the Constitution and rejected it,” said Cody Wofsy, deputy director at the American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants’ Rights Project.

“Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment, and no amount of executive orders is going to change that.”

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Associated Press writer Melissa Goldin contributed.

“Healthcare shouldn't bankrupt you, housing should not feel impossible, polluters shouldn't pass their bill to us and artists should not be replaced by AI," Smith said. "That’s why I’m supporting Tom Steyer for governor.”

But Smith started the video with a disclaimer: “This is an ad, and honestly, I wish more political content said that first." His caption specified that he was paid by Steyer's campaign.

California is one of two states, along with Texas, that have passed policies requiring content creators to say if they've been paid by a political campaign to post, and the Golden State is considering cracking down by fining people who don't.

Campaigns have long worked with celebrities and major influencers to win over voters, but now they are teaming up with smaller creators — sometimes with fewer than 100,000 followers — to reach more tailored audiences. That has sparked debates about whether disclosure rules for political advertisements should apply to content creators, who are expected to play prominent roles in the upcoming midterms and the 2028 presidential election.

“If you’re running for president and you are not currently trying to court some of these people or lining up your own people to act as surrogates for you, you’re already behind,” said Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist who worked for Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

Campaigns tap creators to spread their message

Questions about transparency have been fueled by high-profile instances of influencers making content intended to change minds or votes without disclosing they were paid for it.

In 2022, the campaign of then-Senate candidate John Fetterman paid Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of “Jersey Shore” to record a video teasing his GOP rival for leaving New Jersey before announcing his run in Pennsylvania. In 2023, content creators were paid by an influencer marketing agency with conservative ties to defend Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, after he was impeached for alleged bribery and other accusations of misconduct, according to the Texas Tribune. The payments weren’t clearly disclosed in either case.

Steyer, a Democratic billionaire who spent more than $215 million of his own money in his unsuccessful bid for governor, took fire from rivals for paying content creators. He wasn’t the only hopeful in the race paying influencers, but he faced much of the blowback since he’d already been accused of trying to buy the election. Many of the creators who worked with Steyer’s campaign disclosed that they were paid, but the state’s campaign finance watchdog is investigating several other instances in which creators allegedly didn't.

There are no federal disclosure rules

California Sen. Adam Schiff introduced federal legislation last month, but it hasn't received a vote yet. Some outside groups are urging the Federal Election Commission to pass its own rule.

California's law requiring disclosure, passed in 2023, is difficult to enforce. The state’s campaign watchdog can seek a court order compelling an influencer to disclose that they were paid, but that can take months.

That prompted Democratic Assemblymember Marc Berman to write a new bill to penalize content creators and political committees if the creator fails to state they were compensated. The bill would give the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission the power to fine influencers and committees if they are found to have violated the law, allowing the commission to bypass the court process. They could face fines of up to $5,000 per violation, according to the commission.

“Voters should have a right to know whether or not campaigns are paying for the messaging that they’re seeing,” Berman said.

Texas’ campaign watchdog passed a rule in 2024 requiring content creators to include disclaimers when they are paid for political advertisements, and the New York Legislature is considering a similar requirement. Other disclosure bills failed in recent years in Utah and Georgia.

Influencer says his ad had an impact

Smith, the L.A. influencer, hadn’t committed to a candidate for governor when a trusted friend told him to look into Steyer. That friend had been paid to post about Steyer.

Smith liked Steyer’s promise to increase taxes on billionaires and his refusal to accept donations from corporate political action committees.

He ended up doing two paid ads, both of which included compensation disclaimers that the Steyer campaign told him were a requirement.

Smith wouldn't say exactly how much the campaign paid him, but he said it was in the thousands of dollars. He thinks the posts had an impact on his followers, with only a few detractors pushing back.

“They kind of trust my voice,” he said of his audience. “They knew that if I’m saying it, it’s at least something they should look into.”

Creators respond to proposed policy changes

Dustin Torreverde, a content creator in Southern California who hasn’t been paid by a political campaign for social media posts, said it's important for influencers to be transparent with their audiences. But the bill could pose an unfair burden on creators who are just trying to make a living, he said.

“A lot of us are very small creators,” he said. “So if we were to get penalized and we have to get lawyers, stuff like that, it’s going to be very difficult for us.”

Adina Flores, a libertarian content creator in Northern California who votes for both parties, said influencers should have to disclose if they are paid and she generally supports penalties. She worries that some people may take money to post political content without doing a “deep dive into the candidate to make sure that’s somebody they should support.”

Saurav Ghosh, a lawyer with the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit focused on protecting U.S. democracy, hopes disclosure requirements passed by states will lead to federal rules.

“Transparency is one of the most important pillars of our election system,” he said.

That would be All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

“You can’t tell me the guys that have to block that guy aren't important too,” Skoronski said Friday night after a scrimmage at Nissan Stadium.

Now Skoronski has done his part to reset the pay scale for interior linemen with the Tennessee Titans announcing Friday signing him to a multi-year extension making him the NFL's highest-paid guard.

“That's always a good thing to help the market along and help other guys along too,” Skoronski said. “I think that's a positive thing. But yeah, there's a reason because we have a tough job, and I think defenses now key on that too that the interior line is where the pocket starts.”

The Titans did not publicly announce details of the extension for the 11th overall pick of the 2023 draft. A person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press the four-year deal is worth $100 million with $88 million of that guaranteed and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity.

ESPN and the NFL Network first reported the terms of the contract making Skoronski the league's highest-paid guard.

Skoronski called the extension a tremendous blessing. He thanked controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, general manager Mike Borgonzi and new coach Robert Saleh for believing in him.

The Titans were the NFL's biggest spenders in free agency in March and continued the spending with the two stars they wanted to keep on this roster.

Simmons signed his own extension making him the league's highest-paid at his position in late June. This contract wraps up a lineman who finished fourth in the All Pro voting at left guard for the 2025 season.

Simmons said his teammate deserved this payday seeing how hard Skoronski works.

“To be able to battle against Pete these last couple years at practice have helped me,” said Simmons, who had a career-high 11 sacks last season.

The contract for Skoronski is a nice change for Tennessee, which didn't draft a player deemed not deserving of a second contract here from its draft classes of 2020, 2021 or 2022. This franchise had only one player from any of those draft classes still on the roster last season, and tight end Chig Okonkwo left in free agency.

Borgonzi said they couldn't be happier to keep Skoronski in Nashville with the goal of keeping players and people who are “cornerstones” for this team.

"Peter is certainly that for us,” Borgonzi said. “He has the work ethic to match his talent and a perpetual desire to win that we want permeating throughout our building. We’re excited to enter the season knowing he and his family will remain Titans for years to come.”

Skoronski missed three of his first four games as a rookie after being drafted out of Northwestern. He has started 47 straight games, not missing an offensive snap in either of the past two seasons.

His 48 starts are a franchise best for a player under the age of 25 since the beginning of the 1999 season. Skoronski just turned 25, and nobody on the roster has started more consecutive games than his 47 straight.

___

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

The district is giving more details into new rules for students who ride e-bikes and e-scooters to school.

Only high school students with a driver’s license or learner’s permit along with a school decal will be allowed to bring the devices onto campus. Middle and elementary school students will not be permitted to have them at school.

Students who are approved to bring an e-bike or e-scooter must also walk the device once they enter campus.

Superintendent Maria Vazquez said violations will be handled through the district’s code of conduct, starting with a warning and parent contact.

“Starting with a warning, contacting the parents, it could result and ultimately removal of the privilege of riding an e-bike or e-scooter,” Vazquez said.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said its role is separate from the district’s enforcement. Deputies do not enforce school rules, but they do enforce state laws and county ordinances.

The Sheriff’s Office also has helped draft language for a possible countywide ordinance addressing e-bike and e-scooter safety.

“This ordinance will be at a level where we will begiving warnings, talking to parents and possibly confiscating the e-bikes in the worse case scenario,” said Sheriff Mina.

Meanwhile, teacher contract negotiations remain another major issue for the district.

Vazquez said the district and the Classroom Teachers Association have reached an agreement on salary increases, but the two sides remain at an impasse over health insurance.

A magistrate is expected to issue a recommendation within several days. Both sides will then have the option to accept or reject it. If either side rejects the recommendation, the matter could go before the school board for a hearing.

District leaders also acknowledged ongoing financial challenges and declining enrollment, following the closure of seven schools.

The district expects just over 197,000 students this year, and Vazquez said the focus is now on rebuilding trust and bringing more families back to Orange County Public Schools.

A slate of nominees and other notable Democrats emphasized unity to a crowd of more than 1,000, who cheered loudest for Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official. He narrowly beat establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens in a contentious, closely watched primary for an open U.S. Senate seat.

“Michigan, we will fight to build the America that we are proud to hand off to our kids and our grandkids,” El-Sayed said at a podium beneath a scoreboard in a Detroit high school gym.

With less than three months before the general election where El-Sayed will face Republican Mike Rogers, the Democratic Party is under pressure to close ranks in a race that will help determine control of the Senate.

“In the spirit of coming together, I want to thank both of my colleagues who ran, Haley Stevens and Mallory McMorrow, for an incredible race,” El-Sayed said. McMorrow, a state senator, suspended her campaign in July and appeared alongside El-Sayed at a Wednesday event after his victory.

Current Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ decision to not seek reelection left the seat open. Michigan is a perennial battleground state, having voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump again in 2024.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a potential 2028 presidential contender and Michigan resident, referenced the seat’s national implications, prompting cheers from the crowd.

“The stakes are high, and people from around the country, people from around the world, are watching the state of Michigan right now to see if we have the capability to put together that coalition to win,” he said. “And we will win.”

Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s secretary of state who is running for governor, referenced an attempt by the Trump administration to access Michigan voters’ personal information. A federal judge ruled in June that the state does not have to share voters’ information with the federal government. Benson won her primary easily and will face Trump-backed Rep. John James in the general election.

“You all know who I work for. All of you and every Michigander in this state — not the highest bidder, not corporate interests, not Donald Trump,” Benson said.

Other statewide candidates who spoke included Eli Savit, who is running for attorney general, and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, who is running for secretary of state. The crowd cheered and stomped their feet on the gym bleachers when speakers talked about reproductive rights, protection for voters and opposing the Trump administration.

Before the rally started, attendee Tom Moran carried a banner that read “Unite behind the winner.” The school bus driver from Fenton, Michigan, voted for Stevens in the primary.

“Now I’m saying, take the pledge. Unite behind our nominee,” Moran, 71, said.

The messy primary between El-Sayed and Stevens occasionally got personal. El-Sayed told Semafor in early July that Stevens couldn’t “string together two coherent sentences.” In a separate interview, he called Stevens “the least capable candidate in America.”

Stevens, in turn, accused El-Sayed of chasing publicity.

“I’m the only one on this stage who doesn’t have a talent agent trying to pitch me for paid speeches,” she said during a debate against El-Sayed. “And unlike my opponent, I’m not running at the first mic or camera I see.”

Stevens, who lost the primary by just under 1 percentage point, told CBS News on Thursday that she was willing to campaign with El-Sayed.

“Whatever he wants me to do,” she said. Stevens appeared Thursday with El-Sayed at a breakfast hosted by the Michigan Democratic Party.

___

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

Saturday

With tropical moisture from a wave sticking around over Central Florida, we will have one more afternoon of higher than normal rain chances. Thanks to our onshore flow and instability from this wave, spotty showers are expected on and around the coastline to start off our Saturday. Our sea breeze will use this moisture to its advantage to generate showers and thunderstorms. Rain will begin to push into areas around and just east of I-4 around 11am. Scattered storms will continue to push west of I-4 into the early afternoon. The west coast sea breeze will push inland at the same time and collide with the east coast breeze around and just east of I-75, helping to develop stronger thunderstorms mid-afternoon. As we slip into late afternoon and early evening, the east coast sea breeze will begin to retreat eastward, bringing a line of showers and storms back towards the I-4 corridor around 6pm.

Sunday

Drier air returns starting on Sunday, allowing our rain chances to begin to lower. Sunday will feature a “typical” sea breeze rain pattern with storms developing around 11am-12pm just east of I-4 and pushing westward throughout the afternoon. Coverage will be around 40% in the afternoon. Highs will hit the low-mid 90s. Any last day of summer outdoor BBQs or beach plans will be fine, just plan for a brief rain break before sunshine returns.

Next Week

Dry air will continue to funnel in from the east as a ridge of high pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere builds over the state. This will allow for a drier and more stable atmosphere for Central Florida. These ingredients are the recipe needed to lower rain chances down to 20-30% for much of the week ahead with highs returning to the mid-upper 90s for the first week of school.

It follows reporting last month, including from The New York Times, on security concerns over the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, including that it lacked the advanced antimissile capabilities of its predecessor.

Kendall told The Associated Press late Friday that he was “completely mystified” by the revocation.

“I’ve always been extremely careful to not say anything classified, and as far as I know I have not,” Kendall said. “No one has said anything to me about what I’m asserted to have revealed and I can’t imagine what it could be.”

The plane underwent a $400 million retrofit and upgrade. It has been put into service domestically and President Donald Trump also flew on it to Turkey last month. But he used an older model Air Force One jet to leave the NATO summit, as the U.S. launched airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacked three Gulf Arab states.

The Times reported that the president made the switch at the urging of the Secret Service and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older Air Force One aircraft. Trump denied to reporters that the swap was due to security concerns, although he also said he is under threat "all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target.

In the Times article, Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, is quoted as saying that the time for upgrades to the plane would not have been enough for “all the normal Air Force One modifications” and he was surprised that the plane was used outside the U.S.

Kendall said Friday, “I’ve been comfortable being on the record with reporters and on national television about the Qatari 747 because I’m confident that I haven’t said anything classified.”

In response to the reporting, the Justice Department subpoenaed the Times' reporters to try to compel them to out their sources, which stirred fears over press freedoms. The department, after criticism from the judge for sloppy legal work, grudgingly withdrew the subpoenas last month.

The Air Force has argued that the rapid conversion of the jet was done “without accepting any risk regarding security, safety, or secure communications,” but it also has acknowledged the different capabilities. It said “several highly complex engineering modifications” required for the new U.S.-made Air Force One aircraft were intentionally excluded in the modifications to the plane from Qatar. The Air Force acknowledged it did not widen the doors leading out of the aircraft or include multiple stairs built into the hull of the plane.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell didn't specify in a post on X which media outlet Kendall was accused of sharing classified information with.

“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” he wrote. “Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it.”

It’s not the first time the Trump administration has revoked security clearances, including of 37 then-current and former national security officials last year. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also pulled security protections and clearance for Gen. Mark Milley, retired Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, soon after the administration took office.

Parnell didn't say if Kendall was being referred for prosecution, and the Pentagon declined to provide more information. Typically, such accusations are partnered with referrals for prosecution over violations of the Espionage Act.

A well-known example was when the Obama administration filed charges against Edward Snowden, a former intelligence agency contractor who publicly disclosed a massive trove of secret documents about U.S. surveillance operations before fleeing to Russia.

More recently, a federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air National Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine. That was the most consequential national security breach in years.

The Louisiana senator announced his support on the Senate floor after Blanche's confirmation was thrown into doubt over opposition from two other Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.

Cassidy said Blanche “is not perfect," citing concerns over a proposed $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies, a tax audit immunity deal for the Republican president and investigations targeting the president's political opponents.

But Cassidy said no other nominee may be able to run the department better under Trump, and he added that Blanche's role as Trump's former criminal defense lawyer can make him more effective at pushing back on the president's demands.

“This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances," Cassidy said. The senator, who lost his Republican primary after Trump endorsed his rival, appeared to choke up as he described the criticism he expected to face for his Blanche vote, adding, “What’s new?”

Blanche's nomination came after Bondi was ousted

Blanche would become Trump’s second confirmed attorney general since the president returned to the White House last year with a stated desire to use the law enforcement agency to investigate his perceived enemies. He has been serving as acting attorney general since Trump fired Pam Bondi in April after she failed to deliver on criminal cases against Trump's foes.

Blanche's path to confirmation has been complicated over a settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service that has drawn intense scrutiny by Republicans and Democrats alike. The settlement called for the creation of the $1.8 billion fund to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits.

Republican senator cites concerns about Blanche

Murkowski, in announcing her opposition to Blanche, cited concerns over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, the sweeping tax audit immunity deal and the proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” The Alaska senator said she is worried the Trump administration could proceed with the fund despite the administration's promises that it is dead, noting that the Senate has leverage over the fund only because Blanche’s nomination is pending.

“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration," Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Blanche's nomination only after a deal reached last weekend with two other Republican senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — who had been threatening to block his confirmation over aspects of the settlement.

Under the deal, Blanche formally rescinded the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” writing in an order that “there is no Fund.”

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

Democrats accuse Blanche of prioritizing his allegiance to Trump

But Democrats say Blanche's order doesn't stop the Trump administration from reviving the fund after his confirmation and have called for legislation to permanently bar it. Trump has repeatedly defended the fund and has threatened to push forward with it if Republicans don't support Blanche's nomination.

Lawmakers and legal experts have also questioned the lawfulness of the tax protections for Trump. A federal judge who oversaw the IRS case has described Trump’s lawsuit as an improper exercise in self-dealing, and on Thursday the union representing IRS workers asked another judge to block the immunity agreement.

Democrats have accused Blanche of prioritizing his loyalty to Trump above all else through investigations against Trump foes such as former FBI Director James Comey and a radical reshaping of a department that historically prided itself on its independence from the White House. Under Bondi and Blanche’s leadership, the department has lost thousands of employees through firings, resignations or voluntary departures.

Blanche’s supporters say his experience as a federal prosecutor and the trust he earned from Trump in the courtroom makes him better equipped than Bondi to explain to the White House the legal constraints of its demands. Republicans have also touted his efforts to bring down violent crime, tackle illegal immigration and combat violent cartels and drug trafficking.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said it would be a “serious mistake” to confirm Blanche, begging his colleagues not to be on the “wrong side” of history.

“If there is ever a moment in history when we need an attorney general above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption, even at the highest level of our government, it’s right now,” Durbin said.

There was no word on the conditions of the people aboard the helicopter as officials said they couldn't immediately reach the crash site.

During firefighting operations in Oregon, 47-year-old Jason Ensign died Thursday while operating a dozer for a timber company. The Wrights Spring fire escalated with “unexpected and rapid growth” and cut off Ensign's escape route, the local sheriff's department said.

The fire started on Wednesday in south-central Oregon east of the town of Chiloquin. It had burned almost 14 square miles (36 square kilometers) by Friday with no containment, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Extremely hot and dry weather has caused erratic fire behavior, officials said.

The downed helicopter was one of seven working a fire in central Utah that was caused by lightning on July 27. It crashed near Richfield, which is about 160 miles (258 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Conditions were good enough for aircraft to fly when the helicopter crashed, said Tyler Hecht with the Great Basin Incident Management Team.

The Sikorsky S-64 helicopter had been working in an area with steep terrain. It ignited another fire when it crashed. Hecht said at an afternoon press conference he did not know how long the helicopter was flying before it crashed.

Response teams had not been able to get to the scene of the accident by Friday evening because of the flames, but hoped to get there in the next 24 hours, officials said.

“We didn't want to put them at bigger risk,” Sevier County Sheriff Nathan Curtis said. “We'll get them in there as soon as we can."

It was unknown if fire had overrun the crash scene, Hecht said.

Firefighting efforts were paused after the accident but later resumed, they said.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will investigate, but they may not be able to safely reach the scene immediately if the wildfire is burning nearby.

Sikorsky S-64 “Skycrane” helicopters are used commercially and by government agencies for fire fighting and other purposes. They can be equipped with tanks to drop water or fire retardant onto blazes.

Fire crews were warned Friday morning that there would be erratic winds, dry fuels and hot temperatures as well as the potential for dry thunderstorms and lightning. Red flag warnings were in effect.

The fire on the Fishlake National Forest near small community of Kanosh, Utah had grown to 165 square miles (427 square kilometers) and was 19% contained by Friday morning. More than 600 firefighting personnel are battling the blaze, which has triggered evacuations and destroyed at least six structures as it burns through timber, brush and grass.

Months of dry weather, a record lack of snow in some areas, hot spells and erratic winds have contributed to blazes in Utah and other parts of the West.

Four firefighters were killed and a fifth was injured after they were overcome by a fast-moving wildfire in Colorado in June. The firefighters tried to shield themselves by deploying tentlike emergency shelters as flames overran their position.

In a release, deputies said that the man — identified as Jorge Vazquez-Escutia, 71 — was last seen shortly after midnight on Tuesday near the 8600 block of Hal Court.

The sheriff’s office explained that there were concerns for his well-being due to the fact that he suffers from memory loss.

But on Wednesday, detectives announced that Vazquez-Escutia had been murdered, with his stepson — identified as 44-year-old Jose L. Proano — now facing a charge of first-degree murder.

Proano appeared before a judge Thursday wearing an Orange County Corrections jail uniform following his arrest, a judge previously determined there was probable cause for the arrest, and Proano was ordered held without bond.

[RELATED: Watch footage of Proano’s arrest below]

“In the course of their investigation, deputies uncovered evidence that Proano, 44, killed and dismembered Mr. Vazquez-Escutia and attempted to conceal that murder by disposing of his body,” the release reads. “There are no outstanding suspects, and there is no threat to the community.”

In an affidavit, investigators said that Proano had detailed a “negative relationship” with Vazquez-Escutia, even discussing thoughts that he’d restricted Proana’s ability to see his own mother.

“He has had ongoing problems with Jorge Vazquez-Escutia and thoughts that Jorge Vazquez-Escutia abandoning his mother, leaving her alone in the residence even though she had dementia, and preventing him from accessing his mother,” the affidavit states. “He placed numerous calls for service to check on his family members, nearing the level of obsession.”

Detectives said Proano had traveled from his home in Northport up to Orlando on July 31 out of apparent concern for his mother and daughter.

The affidavit also shows that Proano had stalked Vazquez-Escutia, dismembered his body, stuffed the remains in three separate suitcases, and left the suitcases along the nearby White Road.

“Friends of Jose Proano reached out to family and detailed that Jose Proano admitted to killing his father/taking care of his father, beating up his father, with the reasoning behind [REDACTED],” the affidavit continues. “A second witness detailed he was called by Jose Proano requesting help in regard to this incident.”

Court records show Proano was already on probation through 2027 following a plea agreement in 2022 for two felony charges. As part of that agreement, he was also supposed to receive treatment for a mental health disorder after serving a reduced jail sentence, according to court records.

We reached out to the State Attorney’s Office with questions about whether Proano completed the entirety of his jail sentence under that agreement, which they responded saying he was credited all of his time served. We also asked whether he was in compliance with the conditions of his probation at the time of his arrest. In a part statement they say, “we do not have records responsive to your request regarding the defendant’s compliance, violations, or modifications to the probation order.”

WHAT NEIGHBORS SAID

A neighbor who lives down the street said the situation has left the neighborhood stunned.

“It’s very shocking. Especially that that happened right across the street,” the neighbor said. “Such an extreme case — I’m still at a loss for words.”

The neighbor said he became suspicious of Proano’s behavior when his family asked Proano what was happening at the home during the missing persons investigation.

“Maybe it was him,” the neighbor said when referring to Proano, who he said appeared uncomfortable when responding. The neighbor also says Proano tried to suggest someone else was responsible.

Detectives said as part of their missing persons investigation, surveillance video later showed a man entering the property and then leaving with large suitcases. Investigators also said cell phone records placed Proano’s phone in the same area at the same time.

Neighbors described Vazquez-Escutia as helpful and kind.

“It’s very disturbing,” said Merle Billings, who lives across the street. “He was a good man… Anything I need to be done in the yard or anything with my equipment… he helped me.”

The other nearby resident said the neighborhood is typically quiet, despite Pine Hills’ reputation.

“Around here, it’s usually pretty quiet,” the neighbor said. “But, this neighborhood hasn’t had much activity like this.”

Ahead of the primaries later this month, Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback has launched accusations that competitor Byron Donalds is under federal investigation for sex trafficking.

Fishback made the announcement on Thursday via social media, touching on a similar alleged investigation involving U.S. Rep. Cory Mills.

According to Fishback — who referenced an anonymous “government whistleblower” — the investigation surrounding Mills expanded to include Donalds.

On July 21st, 2026, NBC News reported that Republican Florida Congressman Cory Mills was under criminal investigation by the Department of Justice.

Like virtually every federal investigation, this one began with a single suspect before expanding to include others.

A government… pic.twitter.com/JQNVFtOkmT

— James Fishback (@j_fishback) August 6, 2026

“Federal prosecutors are looking at two dates in question: May 17th, 2024, and November 19th, 2024,” his post reads. “Dates when Congressmen Mills and Donalds are said to have traveled to the MGM National Harbor — a luxury hotel resort in Oxon Hill, Maryland, where they solicited, procured, and paid women for explicit sexual acts.”

[RELATED: US Rep. Cory Mills faces DOJ criminal investigation, sources say]

Fishback said his legal team managed to “independently verify this investigation,” claiming that a third party revealed messages from Rep. Mills confirming that he and Donalds were at the MGM Harbor on both of those dates.

Per Fishback’s post, a federal prosecutor asked the DOJ whether Donalds was under investigation, though the agency reportedly refused to comment.

“They refused to do so despite clearing Florida Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna of any criminal conduct in a letter just two weeks ago,” the post continues.

Fishback has had a contentious relationship with Donalds as the primary season has progressed, with both vying for the Republican candidacy.

News 6 reached out to the U.S. Department of Justice and Donalds’ campaign for more details about these accusations.

On Friday, News 6 received a response from Donalds’ campaign.

“Completely false. We will not be distracted by this baseless and defamatory sideshow, and neither should you.”

Byron Donalds for Governor

Friday afternoon, the DOJ also released a statement, claiming that Fishback’s accusation is not true.

Falsely accusing someone of being under investigation is a dangerous form of weaponization. This claim is not true. Congressman Byron Donalds is not under investigation. https://t.co/QW26cT7b4d

— DOJ Rapid Response (@DOJRR47) August 7, 2026

Trump doesn’t have the unilateral authority to build a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom where the White House’s East Wing stood before he ordered its demolition last fall, according to the decision by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The Republican president said on social media that the administration will immediately appeal what he called an “unjust decision” to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Friday's ruling marked the second time this week that the Trump administration has made headlines for construction plans that have been called into question. An assessment by the National Park Service found that a 250-foot-tall (76-meter-tall) triumphal arch that Trump has proposed building could compromise the historical significance of dozens of sites near its planned location on a traffic circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

In a 2-1 decision on the ballroom, the appeals court sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction of the massive structure, which has begun to rise above ground on the east side of the White House, according to the most recent aerial photos of the site. The court said it would stay its ruling for two weeks to give the administration time to appeal to the Supreme Court.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court wrote.

“This holding has nothing at all to do with whether the proposed ballroom is desirable, or not, as a matter of policy. This ruling does not even necessarily mean that the Defendants may not ultimately construct the ballroom.

“What it does mean,” the court continued, “is that the Defendants may not do so during the district court’s expeditious litigation without securing Congress’s authorization, as the Constitution and laws require.”

Trump insists Congress' approval is unnecessary

The president reacted to the ruling with a lengthy post on social media in which he quoted from a dissenting opinion issued by Judge Neomi Rao, whom he nominated. He also described the plans for the facility to include bomb shelters, a hospital and medical facilities, “Top Secret Military Facilities” and other security features.

“The Military and Secret Service are viewing this horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful ruling as a National Security threat to our Nation in that the entire Complex is being built for the protection of our Country and, additionally, all future Presidents,” Trump wrote.

After the lower court earlier this year ordered a halt to aboveground construction, the president argued that permission from Congress was unnecessary because public money was not being used to pay for it.

Trump has said he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from corporations and wealthy people, including himself, to cover the construction costs.

But the Trump administration had requested $1 billion for the ballroom, which Congress refused in May. In June, Democrats warned that $350 million in funds from a tax cuts law appeared to have been redirected to the White House for security, including the ballroom.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the nonprofit organization that brought the lawsuit against the Trump administration, said Friday's decision affirmed “the American people's right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish,” including the White House.

“From the beginning, our position has been clear and consistent: the law states that only Congress can authorize the construction of a ballroom at the White House,” Brent Leggs, the group's president and CEO, said in a statement. "We are pleased with the DC Circuit Court’s decision to uphold the District Court’s preliminary injunction, which although stayed for 14 days will block any above-ground ballroom construction unless and until Congress takes action.”

The divided appeals court panel upheld an April 16 order from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon for the Trump administration to halt aboveground work on the ballroom. Leon, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush, allowed construction to continue on underground work on a bunker and other “national security facilities” at the site.

The appeals court case was assigned to Judges Rao, Patricia Millett and Bradley Garcia. Millett was nominated to the court by Democratic President Barack Obama. Garcia was nominated by Democratic President Joe Biden. Both Millett and Garcia backed the decision, while Rao opposed it.

Preservationists challenge Trump in court

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued over the project in December 2025, a week after completion of the East Wing demolition to make way for a ballroom that Trump says would hold 999 people.

Government lawyers have argued that the project — the biggest structural change to the White House in more than 70 years — must move forward because it includes critical security features to guard against a range of threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards.

“These upgrades, alterations, and improvements are essential to protecting the President, his family, and his staff, as well as the White House itself, and the entire project flows from them,” government attorneys wrote in a court filing.

Attorneys for the preservation group countered that the lack of a White House ballroom doesn’t constitute a national security emergency.

“That commonsense conclusion is not clearly erroneous, and there is no basis to disturb it,” they wrote.

In an initial ruling that the government also appealed, Leon barred aboveground work on the ballroom from proceeding without congressional approval. In response, the appeals court instructed the judge to reconsider the national security implications of stopping construction.

In his most recent decision, Leon ordered a stop only to the aboveground construction of the planned ballroom. The judge stressed that the White House is free to proceed with underground work, including the construction of any bunkers, military installations and medical facilities.

On April 2, Trump’s ballroom won final approval from the 12-member National Capital Planning Commission, which is charged with approving construction on federal property in the Washington region.

___

Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Gary Fields and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

Blanche’s prospective confirmation appeared threatened earlier Friday, when Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced her opposition. Murkowski cited concern that the administration could proceed with a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies, despite Blanche formally terminating it.

Also, an appeals court has ruled Trump must seek approval from Congress to build his proposed White House ballroom, saying construction must stop. The U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction. The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Here's the latest:

Department of Defense didn’t say if former US Air Force secretary would be referred for prosecution

The department alleged on X that former Secretary Frank Kendall had disclosed classified information to the media, and that they had consequently revoked his eligibility to access classified information. But the statement didn’t specify if federal law enforcement would be following up,and the Pentagon didn’t immediately respond to questions on the topic.

Typically such accusations are partnered with referrals for prosecution over violations of the Espionage Act.

A well-known example was when the Obama administration filed charges against Edward Snowden, a former intelligence agency contractor who publicly disclosed a massive trove of secret documents about U.S. surveillance operations before fleeing to Russia.

More recently, a federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air National Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine. That was the most consequential national security breach in years.

Trump administration revokes former US Air Force secretary’s ‘eligibility’ to access classified information

Sean Parnell, a spokesperson for the Department of Defense, wrote on X that Biden-era secretary, Frank Kendall, has been barred from holding “any sensitive position,” citing “his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet.”

Media outlets, including The New York Times, reported last month on security concerns over the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One. In response to the reporting, the Justice Department subpoenaed the newspaper’s reporters to try to compel them to out their sources. The department, after criticism from the judge, grudgingly withdrew the subpoenas.

On X, Parnell wrote that “safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” though he did not specify which outlet Kendall allegedly shared information with.

The former secretary did not respond to a call and text seeking comment.

Brazil’s Lula says Rubio ignores Trump in relationship with Latin America

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Friday he maintains a respectful relationship with Trump, placing the blame for recent U.S.-Brazil frictions on Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“He is either anti-Latin America or a frustrated Latin American,” Lula said during a visit to São José dos Campos, accusing Rubio of hating Brazil, Cuba, and Colombia, while supporting former President Jair Bolsonaro and undermining agreements made with Trump.

“He does things differently from what we discuss with Trump,” the Brazilian president added.

This week, the U.S. revoked Brazil’s U.S. ambassador ’s visa after Brazil denied visas to two State Department officials ahead of October’s elections, where Lula faces Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro.

Washington also cited delays in approving U.S. Ambassador nominee Daniel Perez, who cleared the Senate earlier, but awaits Brazilian authorization.

US would end blockade if an acceptable Strait of Hormuz deal emerges, official says

If an acceptable deal is reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump would end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports as long as the terms of the agreement are respected, a U.S. official said Friday.

The administration has been told by regional mediators that a deal between Iran and Oman on the crucial waterway could be finalized in the coming days, the official said. The U.S. would study whatever comes from the Iran-Oman talks before taking a position.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, reiterated that the U.S. would not accept any agreement that allows Iran to charge tolls or service fees or otherwise interfere with ships.

— By Matthew Lee

Trump announces more than $2B for critical minerals project and investment in mining schools

The funding is for a variety of critical minerals projects to help produce the key elements needed for all kinds of high-tech products and weapons.

The biggest share of that is a $1.4 billion loan from the Department of War to help Sila Nanotechnologies build a new lithium battery plant. Other investments include $150 million for Niron Magnetics to boost production of powerful magnets that don’t require any rare earth elements and $400 million to help Sunrise Energy Metals build a scandium mine in Australia.

In addition, Trump said his administration will invest $180 million in the schools that train miners.

Colorado School of Mines President Paul Johnson said that over the past few decades “our expertise has atrophied over time -- particularly in the processing space.”

Trump has made it a priority to develop a supply of critical minerals outside of China, which dominates the mining and processing of the hard-to-pronounce elements that are crucial for missiles, nuclear subs, fighter jets and a variety of high-tech products.

Zelenskyy grateful to Senate for passing sanctions bill

The Ukrainian president said the measure would help increase pressure on Russia to bring an end to the over four-year war.

“Ukraine values ALL the support the United States provides to Ukraine — from both parties and from the American people as a whole,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on social media.

Zelenskyy said as Ukraine works to secure more air defense systems to help stop Russia’s campaign to hit the country with large-scale ballistic missile attacks every signal of support for bringing a swift end to the war was extremely important.

“Real, strong American pressure and sanctions against Russia are what will help most. Diplomacy comes closer with every step that increases pressure on the aggressor. Thank you to everyone who understands this and is advancing PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Zelenskyy wrote.

US hits Iranian digital asset exchanges with sanctions

The Trump administration has hit two Iranian-linked digital asset exchanges with sanctions, alleging that the government in Tehran uses them to launder billions of dollars to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Treasury announced on Friday that it had imposed sanctions on SHPS Shelbit and the Shelbit Exchange, both Georgia-based companies, as well as their top executive, Siavash Kayvanpour, an Iranian-born businessman who lives outside of Iran.

Treasury said the companies were also involved in a Persian-language gambling website network that is illegal inside of Iran but is still connected to the country’s financial system.

Senate confirms 74 Trump nominations, including TSA leader and ambassador to Brazil

The Senate also confirmed David Cummins as head of the Transportation Security Administration, an agency facing persistent challenges, particularly after this year’s record partial government shutdown left TSA employees working for weeks without pay.

He is taking over as the Trump administration seeks to expand private airport screening and cut thousands of TSA jobs.

Daniel Perez, a close friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives, was confirmed to be the next U.S. ambassador to Brazil. Perez has been central to an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the Trump administration and the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Earlier this week, the State Department said the Brazilian government’s refusal to accept Perez’s appointment was a main reason for its decision to revoke the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States.

Senate confirms Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA

The Senate on Friday confirmed Cameron Hamilton as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, returning the former Navy SEAL to the embattled agency he led temporarily last year only to be fired after he publicly opposed eliminating it.

He will take over an agency whose future has been uncertain since Trump threatened to get rid of it days into his second term. Hamilton’s nomination signaled that Trump may be moving on from that idea, but his Republican administration is still promising drastic changes in how the government handles disasters.

Hamilton will have to shepherd that overhaul while stabilizing an agency of more than 20,000 employees recovering from a slew of chaotic policies enacted during Kristi Noem’s tenure leading the Department of Homeland Security.

He was among a group of 74 nominations approved by the Senate 51-47.

Ukraine’s foreign minister commends Senate for passing Russia sanctions bill

Andrii Sybiha called it “an important step” to further strengthening the sanctions regime against Russia.

“This landmark legislation is a powerful demonstration of America’s global leadership. I extend my sincere gratitude to the members of the U.S. Senate for their leadership, their principled bipartisan support, and their enduring solidarity with Ukraine. Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer,” Sybiha said in a post on X.

Senate passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill negotiated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham

Passage of the bill Friday signals renewed bipartisan support for Ukraine as the war drags on.

The legislation would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Capitol late last month and watched from the gallery as the Senate took the first procedural votes on the legislation.

The legislation allows the president to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, including China and India. The package next goes to the House.

Army secretary gets inspiration from Ukraine’s weapons advancements

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told The Associated Press that policy changes like making test ranges more accessible to private companies developing drones and missiles have been driven in part by his observations of the war in Ukraine and how quickly that country has moved to produce new weapon systems.

He had been a key interlocutor during talks between Russia and Ukraine last year before those negotiations stalled.

Hillary Clinton blasts Trump’s White House changes

The former first lady and secretary of state said the president’s changes to the White House, such as gold trims added through the building, recall the decor of Saddam Hussein’s palaces.

“I had meetings in some of his palaces and they were quite reminiscent of what we are seeing in our own White House,” Clinton said in a podcast with Kara Swisher posted on Friday.

Clinton said she wasn’t opposed to the idea of a ballroom, noting the need during her White House days to hold events in a tent if there were too many guests. But she said she was opposed to Trump’s lack of process.

“The next president is going to have a big decision,” she said. “What do you do with a half-finished ballroom?”

Graham gives closing argument for her brother’s Russia sanctions bill

Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina has given the closing arguments for a bill that aims to penalize countries that purchase Russian oil and gas, depriving President Vladimir Putin of resources for his war against Ukraine.

The bill is named after her late brother, Lindsey Graham, who spent more than a year trying to win support for the measure before he died.

Darline Graham said the legislation her brother helped craft “hits Putin where it hurts.”

She says lawmakers had a choice to stand up to evil or continue with the status quo.

“It’s time for a show of strength,” she said.

Colleagues from both parties applauded as she closed, something they rarely do after Senate speeches, an acknowledgment of just how personal the bill was for her brother.

Trump says he will appeal ruling on ballroom, which he calls a 'desperately needed Military Center'

The president reacted to the ruling with a lengthy post on social media.

In it, he said he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, quoted from a dissenting opinion issued by one of the judges and described the plans for the facility to include bomb shelters, a hospital and medical facilities, “Top Secret Military Facilities” and other security features.

“The Military and Secret Service are viewing this horrendous, politically motivated, and unlawful ruling as a National Security threat to our Nation in that the entire Complex is being built for the protection of our Country and, additionally, all future Presidents,” Trump wrote.

He also repeated his false claims that it will not cost taxpayer money. Congress refused the Trump administration’s request for $1 billion for the ballroom in May. In June, Democrats warned that $350 million in funds appeared to have been redirected for the ballroom.

Trump administration pledges $2B for humanitarian assistance to faith-based organizations

The State Department announced the commitment with little fanfare on Thursday. The money will primarily find Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision and Compassion International, it said.

The move “underscores the Trump administration’s commitment to partnering with organizations that demonstrate faith in action and have proven their ability to deliver health and humanitarian assistance in the world’s most difficult environments.”

The three groups are all Christian charities and have been active in combatting the recent Ebola virus outbreak in Africa as well as delivering assistance in the Middle East and Latin America.

National Trust for Historic Preservation reacts to ballroom ruling

Brent Leggs, the nonprofit organization’s president and CEO, said the appeals court ruling affirmed “the American people’s right to voice their opinions about the historic places they cherish,” including the White House.

“This is a great day for our country,” Leggs said. “From the beginning, our position has been clear and consistent: the law states that only Congress can authorize the construction of a ballroom at the White House. We are pleased with the DC Circuit Court’s decision to uphold the District Court’s preliminary injunction, which although stayed for 14 days will block any above-ground ballroom construction unless and until Congress takes action.”

Army pushes for faster weapons development under new test range initiative

The U.S. Army says it’s opening up test ranges to private companies developing missiles, drones and other weapons in hopes of buying them more quickly for use on the battlefield.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told reporters Friday at a range in Michigan that the effort will cut the red tape that can stifle military contractors. He pledged to grant companies access to ranges within 30 days of making a request through an online marketplace.

The announcement comes as warfare is rapidly changing around the globe, particularly with the use of cheap drones in Ukraine and Iran. The Pentagon also is grappling with the costs of the Iran war, which has diminished the nation’s stockpiles of advanced weapons.

Trump says he kept Ogles endorsement out of loyalty

The president tried to explain away why Rep. Andy Ogles, one of his handpicked endorsements, lost his primary in Tennessee on Thursday night.

“Last night was another good night for Endorsements, 8-1, and the 1 was a person who I remained loyal to even though he had virtually no chance of winning,” Trump wrote on social media on Friday, referring to Ogles.

Trump takes great pride in his endorsements and the mostly winning record he has in Republican primaries.

Ogles was defeated by former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. The president said Friday that Hatcher is a “Great ‘Trump’ Candidate” and that he now has his “Complete and Total Endorsement!”

Cassidy acknowledges political tightrope on Blanche vote

The senator nodded to the realities of being a Republican who doesn’t reflexively align with Trump.

“Mr. Blanche has become a referendum on how people feel about President Trump,” he said. “This process should be about Mr. Blanche.” He added, with emotion, “I’ll be criticized for this vote, but what’s new.”

Cassidy criticized Blanche for initially approving a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Jan. 6 rioters, among others, and for endorsing a tax immunity deal for Trump.

“Mr. Blanche is not perfect,” Cassidy said, before arguing essentially that Blanche is likely better than anyone else Trump could nominate.

Cassidy didn’t acknowledge Trump’s saying in an interview released Friday that he’d keep Blanche as acting attorney general if the Senate rejected him.

In either instance — Blanche’s confirmation or continuing as acting chief — the president could fire him at any point, a legal reality Cassidy glossed over in his stated reasoning.

Cassidy says confirming Blanche is better than Trump picking someone else

The Louisiana senator seemingly secured confirmation for the president’s acting attorney general after weeks of Senate wrangling.

Cassidy affirmed on the Senate floor that he still worries about Trump’s influence over the Justice Department, especially the prospects of a $1.8 billion fund for possible payouts to the president’s supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But Cassidy said, essentially, that confirming Blanche is better than allowing Trump to pick another potential Justice Department chief.

“This is not a referendum on President Trump, it is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances,” Cassidy said.

Republicans Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine had already said they wouldn’t support Blanche’s confirmation, effectively leaving his confirmation up to Cassidy.

Cassidy voted to convict Trump on impeachment charges in 2021. He lost a Republican primary earlier this year after the president endorsed his opponent.

Appeals court orders halt to White House ballroom construction

An appeals court has ruled President Trump must seek approval from Congress to build his proposed White House ballroom, saying construction must stop.

The U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction. The court said it would stay its own ruling for two weeks to allow the administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help,” the court wrote.

▶ Read more

Sen. Cassidy supports Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday he’ll back Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, likely paving the way for Blanche to be confirmed to lead President Trump’s Justice Department.

The Louisiana senator announced his support on the Senate floor after Blanche’s confirmation was thrown into doubt over opposition from two other Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.

Blanche’s path to confirmation has been complicated over a settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service that’s drawn intense scrutiny by Republicans and Democrats alike.

The settlement called for the creation of a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits.

▶ Read more

Illinois state officials, meanwhile, suspended the license of one of the funeral home's directors, alleging bodies were being kept in an unrefrigerated area in “deplorable conditions."

The discovery came months after neighborhood residents began noticing a “stench” emanating from the funeral home, which led some to complain to the city.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said it was notified by state and local officials that bodies were being stored improperly at South Chicago Chapel, and investigators and forensic pathologists were dispatched Thursday. The remains were in various states of decomposition, officials said.

“Staff is assessing the conditions of the remains, searching for documentation regarding identification of the decedents as well as death certificates. This process could take several days to ensure proper disposition,” the medical examiner's office said in a statement, adding that family notifications will be made following the identifications.

Police said Friday that their preliminary statement on the case incorrectly said that fire department officials declared the scene a hazardous materials incident.

No arrests have been announced, but city police said detectives are investigating.

Messages for the funeral home were left by phone and through its website Friday.

Funeral home client, community advocate express dismay, frustration

Later Friday, a small number of residents and people seeking information about their deceased loved ones gathered in front of the brick-walled funeral home, which is on a South Chicago street lined with trees, homes and businesses.

Latasha Johnson, 55, said her mother's funeral was held at South Chicago Chapel on Thursday before authorities arrived and she later heard of their gruesome discovery. She said authorities told her that her mother's body would have to undergo an autopsy and she would have to identify the remains in a day or two.

“I’m discombobulated,” she said. “My heart is broken.”

Blaise Von Bruchhaeuser, who described herself as a community advocate for the neighborhood, said it was upsetting that complaints about a terrible odor had been made for months before the decomposing bodies were found.

State business records show that funeral director Johanna Morgan incorporated South Chicago Chapel Inc. in 2022 and her funeral director's license was temporarily suspended on Wednesday.

The state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said the license suspension was due to “a finding that Respondent’s continued practice is a danger to the public safety, interest and welfare due to Respondent allowing multiple decedents to be kept in an unrefrigerated area with deplorable conditions including rodent infestation, causing decomposition and maggot infestation of the bodies.”

The state business records also list Clark Morgan, who state officials say is Johanna Morgan's husband, as the funeral home's president. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said Clark Morgan's funeral director license was revoked in 2024 for practicing with an expired license and “unprofessional conduct” that it did not specify.

Funeral home owners also ran crematory that was shut down by the state

State Comptroller Susana Mendoza said Friday that Johanna and Clark Morgan previously ran a crematory in Chicago Heights, south of Chicago, which had its license revoked last year after authorities discovered improperly stored bodies and hundreds of cremated remains that had never been returned to their families.

“Horrified. Again,” Mendoza said in a statement. “The discovery of decomposing remains waiting to be laid to rest this week at a South Side funeral home is heartbreaking and an abomination. These are people – someone’s mother, father, sister, brother, child or friend, and they deserve better.”

Both Johanna and Clark Morgan are listed in Cook County court records as defendants in connection with lawsuits involving Heights Crematory in Chicago Heights, south of Chicago.

Messages were left Friday at phone listings for the Clarks and an attorney listed in records as their business agent. Public records indicate the Clarks live in the Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park.

The case is the latest in a series of incidents involving mishandled remains over the past three years.

Last month, police arrested two men in Pueblo, Colorado, for allegedly mishandling at least two dozen decomposing bodies and other remains found behind a hidden door in a funeral home.

That followed the discovery of 18 bodies in various stages of decomposition at a funeral home in Georgia in 2024. In 2023, nearly 200 decomposing bodies were found in a building in Colorado, and another 31 decomposing bodies were discovered at an Indiana funeral home.

____

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

In that virtual visit on Jan. 23, 2023, the Massachusetts mother appeared depressed, said she felt no motivation and reported bouts of heart-racing anxiety, psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Tufts told jurors. But she said Clancy gave no indication of hearing voices that, according her defense, commanded her the next day to take her children's lives so she could end her own.

“Did she tell you that she was planning to kill the children?” prosecutor Jennifer Sprague asked.

“No,” Tufts replied. “Absolutely not.”

Clancy's psychiatric treatment is a key chapter in both the prosecution and defense narratives about her mental state when she strangled the children in their suburban home and then jumped out a second-story window.

___

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

___

In questioning Tufts and a different psychiatrist who treated Clancy during a five-day hospital stay in early January 2023, prosecutors underscored that the defendant denied wanting to hurt anyone else or planning to kill herself. Clancy's lawyer, meanwhile, aimed to flesh out the defense's claim that various providers didn't properly diagnose her and put her on a series of medications that left her worse off.

Clancy has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the strangling deaths of Callan, Dawson and Cora Clancy, who ranged from 8 months to 5 years old. They were found in the basement of the family's home in coastal Duxbury, Massachusetts, and their mother was lying, badly injured, in the yard. She remains paralyzed from the waist down.

Prosecutors argue that Lindsay Clancy, a 35-year-old former labor and delivery nurse, was an intentional killer who attacked her children after getting her husband out of the house by asking him to run errands. The defense doesn't dispute that she killed the children but says she was so mentally ill that she shouldn't be held criminally responsible.

In the criminal trial and a medical malpractice lawsuit, Clancy's attorneys say she had bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis — a break with reality that a small fraction of women have after childbirth.

When Clancy first sought care

Tufts first saw Clancy in September 2022. Consulting her notes on the witness stand Friday, she recalled that Clancy reported feeling anxious, “overwhelmed” by caring for the three children and worried about infant Callan's refusal to bottle-feed. Her maternity leave was set to end, though she would go on to extend it.

Tufts diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder and an adjustment disorder with depressed mood, and she recommended therapy and an antidepressant. It became the first in a constantly-remixed cocktail of drugs that Tufts and others prescribed as Clancy reported increasing symptoms, complained of side effects and questioned whether the pills were making her worse.

Clancy's malpractice suit argues that her mounting anxiety and sleeplessness after that first antidepressant were a reaction that signaled bipolar illness. Tufts said she considered such a diagnosis in December 2022 but that Clancy didn't meet the criteria.

Another provider, a nurse-practitioner, did consider bipolar disorder and prescribed an antipsychotic that's often used to treat it, as well as insomnia. Clancy's condition continued declining.

Clancy's stay in a psychiatric hospital

By New Year's Day 2023, Clancy checked herself into McLean Hospital, a prominent psychiatric facility. Clancy said she felt numb and expressed concerns about depending on the antipsychotic to sleep, hospital psychiatrist Dr. Alia Goodheart testified Friday. She diagnosed Clancy with insomnia with a mental health condition and tapered down the drug.

Clancy then reported she could sleep, was eager to go home in time for a long-planned belated birthday party for Cora, and booked herself follow-up outpatient care, the psychiatrist testified. The hospital discharged her that Jan. 5 with prescriptions for an antianxiety drug and a sleep aid.

“She had never stated that she had any thoughts of harming anybody else,” Goodheart told jurors. And although Clancy said she'd had suicidal thoughts, she denied having them in the moment and indeed said she had reasons not to take her own life: “her children and her family, her mother,” Goodheart recalled.

Clancy saw Tufts, her original outpatient psychiatrist, by video four more times that January. At their last appointment, Tufts adjusted her medication dosages. She saw no reason to order Clancy to be hospitalized, she said.

Defense lawyer Kevin Reddington hasn't yet had his turn to question Tufts. But in questioning Goodheart, he emphasized that the hospital care team didn't do various tests — Goodheart said they weren't necessary — or learn that Clancy had called a suicide hotline that fall. Nor did the providers talk to her outpatient clinicians.

“She was very sick, wasn’t she?” Reddington asked at one point.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Goodheart responded.

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

Lake Mary staves off elimination and advances to Saturday’s Bracket Championship game, also known as the semifinals. Lake Mary put together a 4-run 4^th inning to seize the momentum in today’s game with pitchers Brynn Fieser and Chloe Cheek combining to throw a shutout.

Lake Mary will face North Carolina Saturday at 6 p.m. in Greenville, North Carolina, for the right to play in Sunday’s World Series Championship. Lake Mary is the first team from Florida to advance to the Bracket Championship game since 2012.

The justices in a 5-4 decision in June said Cook, who was nominated to the Fed’s Board of Governors by President Joe Biden, could remain in her post at least as long as her lawsuit challenging her firing goes on. The Trump administration is appealing a lower-court ruling in Cook’s favor.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in a footnote in his opinion that nothing forbids President Donald Trump from “trying again” to fire Cook provided she is given proper notice and a chance to contest it. Trump indicated after the opinion that he would do just that, vowing to “take appropriate action immediately.”

In a letter this week obtained by The Associated Press, White House aide Dan Scavino told Cook that Trump was “considering removing you from your position” but cited the Supreme Court's requirement of proper notice in giving her until August 26 to challenge it.

The attempt to fire Cook is rooted in a criminal referral made last August by Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, that accused her of committing mortgage fraud by declaring two different homes – one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and one in Atlanta – as “primary residence.’’ Homebuyers can get lower mortgage rates or smaller down payments on their primary homes compared to second or vacation homes.

Cook has aggressively defended herself against the allegations, saying the president had attempted to oust her “on a manufactured pretext because I refused to bow to political pressure and continued to set interest rates based only on what would best serve the American people.’’

Her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, argued in a November letter that Cook has mostly lived in the Ann Arbor property since first purchasing it in 2005. As a result, it was accurate for her to refer to it as her “primary residence” in a June 2021 application to refinance its mortgage, the letter said.

A month later, she purchased a condominium in Atlanta and, in a July 2021 document, also referred to it as her “primary residence.” Lowell said that it was an “isolated notation” that did not reflect an intent to defraud. An earlier mortgage application to the same lender in May 2021 had referred to the Atlanta condo as a “vacation home,” Lowell said. Cook also referred to it as a second home in federal filings during her confirmation process to become a Fed governor.

The latest White House letter largely rehashes the year-old allegations.

“These allegations are as baseless now as they were a year ago when President Trump tried to remove Governor Cook and interfere with the independence of the Federal Reserve,” Lowell said in a statement.

“No matter what President Trump tries to do next, this much is clear under the facts and Supreme Court precedent — there is no valid cause for removing Governor Cook. As we did before, we will challenge this latest pretext and preserve her position and the historic role of the Fed,” he added.

Here’s a look at developments across the Middle East on Friday. Full coverage can be found here.

Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign a mutual defense agreement

Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear power Pakistan and Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry, signed a mutual defense agreement on Friday.

The deal stipulates that an armed attack on either of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against them all. It was signed during a meeting in Saudi Arabia between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan's foreign ministry said.

“The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression,” the ministry said in a statement.

The deal comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships.

US would end blockade if an acceptable Strait of Hormuz deal emerges, official says

If an acceptable deal is reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump would end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports as long as the terms of the agreement are respected, a U.S. official said Friday.

The administration has been told by regional mediators that a deal between Iran and Oman on the crucial waterway could be finalized in the coming days, the official said. The U.S. would study whatever comes from the Iran-Oman talks before taking a position.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, reiterated that the U.S. would not accept any agreement that allows Iran to charge tolls or service fees or otherwise interfere with ships.

— By Matthew Lee in Washington

Houthi rebels blamed for attack on eastern Yemen

Iran-backed Houthis launched attacks on Marib province in eastern Yemen on Friday morning, in the latest escalation with Saudi-backed forces, a military official with the forces in Marib said.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media, said the missiles were fired from west of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

Qassem Bahaibah, health minister in Yemen’s internationally recognized government, said in a statement on social media that the attacks targeted a refugee camp and residential areas, killing at least two people and injuring 14 others.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement late Friday that the rebel group targeted a Saudi-backed military camp in Marib, using drones and missiles to destroy storage facilities and military equipment. He added that the rebel group will target any Saudi-supported troop buildup or allied groups meant to keep the Saudi blockade on Yemen.

Separately, the rebel group struck the Najran region in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border on Thursday, the official spokesperson of the Saudi-led Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, confirmed in a statement on X overnight.

He said the attack wounded 11 civilians, including a woman and a child who suffered second-degree burns, and accused the rebels of carrying out “indiscriminate shelling against civilian objects.”

The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack on Najran in Saudi Arabia.

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

— By Ahmed Al-Haj in Aden, Yemen and Fatma Khaled in Cairo

Israeli strike wounds Lebanese soldier

The Lebanese army said the soldier was lightly wounded on Friday while he was in a bulldozer opening roads in the southern village of Mansouri.

Mansouri was subjected to Israeli shelling earlier this week, according to Lebanon’s state news agency.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

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

Residents at the St. Cloud Mobile Home Park told News 6 on Friday that part of the community had been without electricity for a third day. Several said they have been forced to find other places to sleep, throw away groceries and spend money they did not plan to spend.

Hector Willems, who has lived in the community for about five years, said the timing of the outage made the financial hit even harder.

“This is the third day,” Willems said. “Everybody already bought their groceries, and all their groceries are ruined.”

Willems said he relies on a CPAP machine while he sleeps, meaning a home without electricity is not an option for him. He said he has been paying for a hotel and estimates that lodging and eating out are costing him at least $150 a day.

“It’s a financial burden for sure,” he said.

Residents show News 6 the impact

A few doors down, Alfredo Sanchez showed News 6 an almost-empty refrigerator after he said he was forced to throw away his groceries.

Sanchez said he had recently spent $259 on groceries and showed News 6 a receipt for part of that purchase. He said the food spoiled after the electricity went out.

Sanchez also said medication he normally keeps refrigerated became too warm to use.

“I lost my insulin ’cause it got too hot. I lost all my grocery food,” Sanchez said.

With his home too hot to comfortably sleep in, Sanchez said he has been sleeping in his car. He said a hotel is financially out of reach.

“I don’t have the money to stay in a hotel,” he said.

OUC: Failed line belongs to customer

The Orlando Utilities Commission told News 6 it became aware of the outage on Aug. 5.

According to OUC, the problem was caused by “a failure on a customer-owned line within the community.”

OUC said the St. Cloud fire chief and local building officials directed the utility to disconnect power to a portion of the park because of safety concerns.

The utility said electricity cannot be restored until repairs are made by the property.

“Service will be restored as soon as the property’s management makes the repairs needed to ensure safety,” OUC said in its statement to News 6.

That distinction is important: OUC says the failed line is not part of its own system and that the property’s management must complete the necessary repairs before the utility can safely turn the electricity back on.

Resident says cable came down near his home

Tony Caban told News 6 a cable came down near his home and that a small portion of his roof caught fire.

Caban said he had previously raised concerns with the property office about the cable months before this week’s outage. News 6 has not independently verified those previous complaints.

He showed News 6 damage near the back of his home and pointed to wires and tree limbs he believes have been an ongoing concern.

Repair requires specially ordered cable

News 6 also reviewed an email sent to one of the residents Thursday explaining why repairs could take additional time.

The message said:

“The specific cable required for this job must be specially ordered. We are making every attempt to get the cable by tomorrow and make this repair.”

But by Friday, residents told News 6 they were still without power.

Sanchez said management had told him repairs could take another three to four days.

News 6 also went to the property’s management office during its posted operating hours seeking additional answers, but no one answered the door.

‘People are just disgusted’

Without a firm restoration time, residents said frustration is growing.

Some have left to stay with relatives. Others are paying for hotels. Sanchez said he is sleeping in his car. Willems said people throughout the community are trying to determine what they can afford to do next.

“People are just disgusted,” Willems said. “People are … trying to figure out what they can do.”

Willems said residents ultimately want two things: the current problem fixed and steps taken to keep it from happening again.

“Get this thing fixed,” he said, “and try and take measures that it doesn’t happen again.”

OUC says it will restore service once property management completes the repairs required to make the system safe.

That's not necessarily a surprise given Mahomes underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee in December.

Mahomes has been ahead of schedule in his rehab work ever since the injury, though, participating in the entire offseason program before reporting to training camp on time. He was given the all-clear late last month by Dallas-based surgeon Dr. Dan Cooper, who performed the procedure, to participate in practices without any restrictions.

“There's a pretty good chance I don't play him,” Reid said. “Percentages are leaning that way. I don't know if I will play him the second or third game — I don't know that — but percentages probably lean against doing that.”

On one hand, Mahomes hardly needs the work given his experience. On the other hand, the competitive nature of the quarterback may be enough to convince Reid to put him on the field at least for a couple of snaps in the second game against Tampa Bay.

Mahomes has said he's looking forward to taking his first real hit to feel fully back to football.

The Chiefs have no shortage of quarterbacks in need of preseason work. They traded with the Jets for veteran Justin Fields to serve as their primary backup, and he could use some game experience in the new offense. So could Garrett Nussmeier, the once-heralded LSU quarterback, whom they chose in the seventh round of the draft as a project.

“We've got new people ... behind (Mahomes) that need some work,” Reid said. “The more reps they get, the better.”

The Chiefs, who have another practice Saturday before taking Sunday off, have a number of players missing due to injuries.

The latest to join the list was two-time Pro Bowl offensive guard Trey Smith, who was examined by a hip specialist as a precaution after it started to bother him this week. Reid downplayed the severity of the injury, saying “he's going to be OK.”

In fact, none of the other injuries appear to be long-term problems. Defensive end Ashton Gillotte has a hamstring strain, linebacker Jeffrey Bassa a groin injury, linebacker Drue Tranquill some back pain and wide receiver Xavier Worthy a shoulder issue, while defensive back L'Jarius Sneed continues to manage a knee problem and cornerback Mansoor Delane a shoulder injury.

Wide receiver Cyrus Allen, the Chiefs' fifth-round pick who had been turning some heads, was back at practice for the first time since bruising his shin during Monday's workout. But he was held out of drills that involved contact with the defense.

“He did a good job when he was back in there, so that's a positive,” Reid said. “He's at all the meetings. He's focused in. He wants to get out there. He doesn't want to miss. He's been working hard. We'll just ease him back in, like I said.”

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

After years of delays, ICE said its field officers nationwide will have body-worn cameras by the end of September. The rollout comes after recent fatal shootings by officers enforcing President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown have intensified pressure for accountability that the cameras could provide.

But the agency's body-worn camera policy could mean taxpayers who are pitching in tens of millions of dollars to pay for the cameras may be kept in the dark about some high-profile confrontations, at least in their immediate aftermath.

The policy says ICE will promptly release video of shootings and other encounters in which its agents cause death or serious injury only after determining “it is in the best interests of the agency” to do so. That gives its director discretion to release recordings that reflect well on the agency’s image while working to keep others secret, experts on body camera policies said.

Such selective releases are routine in some law enforcement agencies but usually not so clearly contemplated in policy, according to professor Christopher Schneider of Brandon University in Canada, a co-author of the book “Police Body-Worn Cameras: Media and the New Discourse of Police Reform.”

“In some ways, ICE is saying the quiet part out loud,” he said. “Body-worn cameras are being used as contemporary image-work tools to present the police to the public in the most favorable way possible.”

Body camera policy allows withholding some video

ICE's policy requires officers to activate cameras during routine enforcement activities, including while making arrests, executing search warrants and responding to emergencies.

After shootings or other serious confrontations, a committee that includes top ICE officials and lawyers will review footage and recommend whether to release it promptly, according to the policy issued in February 2025.

If the answer is yes, the recording could be released within 72 hours. But if ICE's director finds “specific and compelling circumstances” justify withholding the video, they have the authority to block or indefinitely delay the release, the policy says.

The policy does not elaborate on such circumstances, and ICE did not respond to a question from The Associated Press about how it would make such decisions.

Practices vary widely in the U.S. In Chicago, a police watchdog agency routinely releases video of shootings and other serious use-of-force incidents within 60 days. In Philadelphia, the police department very rarely uses its discretion to release video and has no policy for when to do so.

Even when footage is released, ICE’s policy will require redacting all officers’ identifying features such as faces, names and badge numbers to preserve their privacy.

Schneider, who has studied body cameras since their use began spreading a decade ago, said he does not expect ICE to release footage of fatal shootings like those last month.

He noted ICE’s sister agency, Customs and Border Protection, has not released footage of the January shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis even though it was captured on agents’ cameras. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott told lawmakers in February that the video and other materials were under investigation and would be made public “when it’s appropriate.”

Katherine Hawkins, senior legal analyst at the nonprofit Project On Government Oversight, said that while it’s better to have body-worn camera footage than not — because courts could demand it for review — ICE's policy makes such recordings “virtually useless.”

“Without any clear way for the public to get access to it, it doesn’t do much good,” she said Friday. “It’s not unheard of for agencies to delay or withhold or selectively edit footage at all, but to say that explicitly just really gives the game away.”

ICE says all officers are getting cameras

ICE spent $30.9 million in July to purchase body camera equipment from Axon, the Arizona-based company that also manufactures Tasers, federal records show.

The spending began one day after the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old motorist in Maine by an ICE officer with a history of violent behavior. Days earlier, another ICE officer shot and killed a Houston homebuilder driving to work.

Neither shooting was recorded with body cameras. That angered members of Congress, who had given ICE $20 million to purchase body cameras in a bill passed to end a partial government shutdown on April 30.

ICE said body cameras have been sent to more than half its field officers and the rest will receive them by the end of September. That timeline pushes back estimates from earlier public statements.

ICE officers working in the Houston area, where the agency sent more than 800 cameras, are among those who have started training, said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat and member of the House Appropriations Committee.

At least one member of every arrest team will be required to have a camera, the agency said.

“I think the American people need to see what that officer sees and hears,” White House border czar Tom Homan said July 19 on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “And if you look at the data, body cameras actually exonerate agents more than they, you know, provide evidence of wrongdoing.”

Releasing body-worn camera footage is in the interest of both officers and the community because it can provide context for officers’ actions, said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based think tank.

“The community has a right to know, and very often it helps put the actions of the agents in some perspective,” he said Friday, adding that ICE could "go a long way in building credibility with the larger community by being more transparent.”

Schneider said he expects ICE to release recordings that promote the agency’s mass deportation program by portraying officers as brave and immigrants as criminals.

“Much of what law enforcement does is convince the public that we need them and feel safe and they do all this good stuff for us,” he said. “The more bad stuff the public sees, the more angry the public gets.”

ICE has taken years to adopt cameras

ICE began testing body cameras in 2021 during President Joe Biden's administration and distributed 1,400 devices three years later, saying use would expand as funding became available.

After returning to office in 2025, President Donald Trump rescinded a Biden order requiring federal law enforcement agencies to use body cameras.

ICE did not buy body cameras even after it received a historic $75 billion infusion in 2025 and began hiring thousands of new officers. The July purchases from Axon were made through an existing government contract that began in 2023, records show.

“This is not hard to deploy, but they’ve slow-rolled it,” said Jason Houser, who was ICE chief of staff under Biden and helped implement the agency’s pilot program.

Houser said the Trump administration should have equipped officers with body cameras when it expanded mass arrests and traffic stops. Doing so only after several shootings and pressure from Congress “is clearly a political response” that will not make officers or the public safer, he said.

“This doesn’t fix the problem of putting officers in a place where they’re not trained or equipped to carry out the style of operations that the administration is asking them to do,” he said.

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AP reporter Valerie Gonzalez contributed to this report.

The plan calls for 23 single-family homes on 10 acres near Leesburg, behind the Silver Lake Springs neighborhood. Residents are expected to share their concerns with the developer during a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Umatilla.

Neighbors say County Road 44, a two-lane roadway, already sees heavy traffic and drainage issues during routine rainstorms. Some residents said water pools on the road and runoff from nearby development washes clay and debris onto the roadway.

“You can still see even the clay from the development that gets washed over,” William Josh said. “So CR 44, when it rains, it’s very dangerous because literally the water pools on CR 44.”

Residents also pointed to another development already taking shape across County Road 44. They said additional homes could add more runoff to nearby streets and properties, including areas along Silver Lake Drive.

Rita DaSilva Collado, a Leesburg resident, spoke against the proposal during a May planning and zoning meeting. She said even typical afternoon showers are causing water to rise close to homes.

“In the normal just afternoon shower and the weekend — no, not a storm — the water almost reaches out to their front doors now,” DaSilva Collado said. “And so we’re very worried, of course, about hurricane season.”

DaSilva Collado said residents were told when they bought their homes that flood insurance was not required because the area is not in a flood zone. She said nearby development has changed how water moves through the area.

“Except now, the amount of development that’s happening around us is actually altering that landscape,” she said.

The planning and zoning committee voted against the project in May after hearing from residents.

The developer said in a statement that he plans to be transparent and informative and will answer residents’ questions directly in person at Friday’s meeting.

City leaders are expected to consider the proposed housing development Monday.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said the 29-year-old basketball player's death was accidental.

Clarke was found dead inside a home near Los Angeles on May 11. A person familiar with the terms of the investigation told The Associated Press after the Grizzlies announced Clarke’s passing that drug paraphernalia was found at the residence. The person had spoken on condition of anonymity because those details had not been released publicly.

Clarke was under contract to be with the Grizzlies through the 2026-27 season.

About six weeks before he died, Clarke was arrested in Arkansas on charges of speeding, reckless driving and possessing a controlled substance. He was with Memphis for all seven of his pro seasons after finishing his college career at Gonzaga.

In a release, FWC officials said the investigation began on Aug. 3 after an officer found a large pile of illegally dumped debris in the in the management area.

“The debris consisted of concrete, metal roofing and household trash,” the release reads. “Marion County Waste Management removed the debris, which weighed 26,040 pounds.”

The investigation ultimately led officers to Eusebio Ramon, 32, who had been hired to haul away and dispose of the demolition debris, detectives noted.

The FWC reported that Ramon admitted to being solely responsible for dumping the debris, and he was taken into custody.

Ramon now faces a felony charge of littering over 500 pounds. He was released on Friday on a bond of $2,500.

“I would like to thank FWC for their dedication and professionalism throughout this investigation,” said Lacey Larramore, Resource Liaison for Marion County Solid Waste. “This is the largest illegal dumping case to result in an arrest since the Marion County Litter Task Force was established. This successful investigation demonstrates our commitment to protecting our community and holding those who illegally dump waste accountable.”

And yes—those cows are kind of judgy.

What makes Joe Overstreet Road special?

Joe Overstreet Road is a really great example of old Florida and an even older Florida living side by side. It’s open pasture, scattered trees, fence lines, and big sky—the kind of habitat that makes it easier to spot wildlife because there’s nowhere to hide… except, apparently, for the animal everyone comes here to see.

At the end of the road, you’re rewarded with a pier and a view of Lake Kissimmee. The landing can be as rewarding as the road itself, with a totally different set of birds tied to the water—so even if your “target species” is being difficult, there’s usually something worth scanning for.

The “dinosaur” that brings bird nerds to the yard

But there’s one dinosaur out here that brings all the birdwatchers to the yard: the burrowing owl.

Burrowing owls are small, long-legged owls found in open, treeless grasslands. Instead of nesting in trees like most owls, they live underground, using burrows (often ones originally made by other animals). That’s part of what makes seeing them feel so random: you can be staring at a perfect-looking patch of habitat… and the owl is basically a surprise feature popping up out of the ground.

They hunt insects, reptiles, and small mammals, and one of the coolest things about them—especially for photographers—is that they can be active during the day. Daylight owls. Florida stays weird.

Why open pasture matters

Burrowing owls like wide open areas like this because they want a clear view to spot predators. They’ll pop up near the burrow entrance and watch everything like tiny, feathery security guards. If you’re lucky, you’ll even see that signature head-bob behavior—part of how they judge distance and track movement.

Other wildlife you can find out here

Even when the owls are playing hard to get, Joe Overstreet Road is still a greatest-hits album for open-country Florida wildlife.

Here are a few species that make this road worth the drive:

• Eastern meadowlark: A classic grassland songbird that loves open fields and fence posts. If you’re learning birding, this is one of those “okay, now I’m in Florida” birds.
• Loggerhead shrike (the “butcher bird”): Famous for impaling prey on thorns and barbed wire. Cute and hardcore is the correct description, unfortunately.
• Alligators: Especially closer to water. Keep your distance and don’t be the person who turns a wildlife outing into a cautionary tale.
• Green anoles and grackles: The supporting cast that makes the whole place feel alive, even when the “main character” isn’t on set.

(And depending on the day and season, birding resources note this area can also be good for additional specialties—including occasional reports of larger, rarer birds out in the pastures.)

How to bird Joe Overstreet Road without being “that person”

Quick disclaimer if you do decide to come out here: please be respectful of private property. Much of what you’re looking at is working ranchland. Birding here is typically done from the road/shoulder where legal and safe—no hopping fences, no wandering into fields, no blocking traffic because your dream bird chose the worst possible perch.

A few practical tips:

• Drive slow and stay aware of traffic.
• Pull off only where it’s safe and fully out of the way.
• Bring binoculars and a long lens (or spotting scope if you’re serious).
• Give wildlife space—especially burrowing owls near burrows.

The real reason this road works for wildlife photography

Joe Overstreet is basically a masterclass in wildlife photography expectations: you can come for one species, and the road might hand you ten others first. When your subject doesn’t show up, you don’t just go home. You look for opportunities everywhere—light, behavior, compositions, and the moments you didn’t plan for.

And if you’re chasing burrowing owls specifically, that patience pays off. Sometimes the “hole in the ground” stays a hole… until it doesn’t.

“We can win here, and we're going to,” said Colom, the Democratic nominee who's trying to unseat Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith as she seeks her second full term.

That could be typical candidate bravado, and Republicans say he has little chance. But Colom is drawing attention for a potentially competitive campaign, a reflection of a wider Senate map than either party envisioned at the midpoint of Donald Trump's second presidency.

That means the list of notable races now goes beyond obvious battlegrounds like Maine, New Hampshire, Michigan and Georgia and even the once-surprising contests like Ohio and Texas.

Democrats must pick up at least four new seats to win the majority — and more than that if they lose any they currently hold. That includes Michigan, where Republicans are feeling more confident since progressive Abdul El-Sayed won the Democratic nomination this week.

“We can’t spare a single seat,” Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks said in an interview while she was in Mississippi on Colom's behalf.

She said Democrats have an opportunity to be competitive in more places because of voter angst over an uneven, inflationary economy.

“They cannot afford their groceries," she said. "They cannot afford the cost of gas. They cannot afford housing. It’s all over the country.”

Republicans remain confident they can hold power, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune even said in a recent fundraising email that an expanded map could backfire on Democrats.

“By scrambling the Democrats, we’ll spread their resources thin, making it nearly impossible for them to flip the seats they need to take the majority,” he wrote to donors.

Here's a look at four wildcard contests could make headlines in November and help flip Senate control.

Mississippi

Colom would be his state's first Black senator since Reconstruction — the 12-year period after the U.S. Civil War when the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments were adopted. He'd also be Mississippi's first new Democratic senator since the 1940s. (Those lawmakers were Jim Crow segregationists who were first elected before white Southerners shifted to the Republican Party.)

Now a district attorney, Colom needs a fundraising uptick to introduce himself to voters and attack Hyde-Smith on the airwaves. Mississippi remains small enough that retail campaigning still matters, while television ads remain much less expensive than in places like Texas, where James Talarico is running against Ken Paxton.

The Mississippi governor’s 2023 race was decided by 3 percentage points. To close the gap, Colom would need to increase Mississippi's usual Black turnout by a few percentage points and get a larger share of the white vote than Democrats typically do. He insists he can do both in part because of Hyde-Smith's unfailing loyalty to Trump and policies that have saddled Mississippi farmers with tariffs, consumers with higher gas prices and made it harder for Mississippians to have health insurance.

Hyde-Smith, first appointed and then elected in 2018, is using a familiar playbook of portraying her Democratic opponent as too liberal for Mississippi.

Notably, Mississippi requires a majority to win a statewide election. With minor candidates on the ballot, there's a scenario where Colom pulls an upset or at least forces a runoff.

Iowa

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst opted against a reelection bid, and it's always easier to flip an open seat than defeat an incumbent.

Democrats nominated state lawmaker and wheelchair basketball star Josh Turek, 47, while Republicans opted for U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, 43, who has Trump's endorsement.

Iowa has moved rightward in the Trump era, especially in small towns and rural areas. But it wasn't that long ago that voters here sent Barack Obama on his way to the presidency and elected a bipartisan congressional delegation that included liberal stalwart Tom Harkin in the Senate. Even in the 2018 midterms, during Trump's first presidency, Democrats won three out of four U.S. House seats.

They've since flipped to Republicans. But now the most conservative areas in Iowa — those centered around the agricultural economy — feel the pinch of the president's tariff rollercoaster. Combined with Trump's unpopularity with college-educated voters and the liberal tilt of urban places like Des Moines and Iowa City, the electoral math could look more like 2008 or 2018 than 2024.

And Obama, who's been sparing in his endorsements so far this year, has endorsed Turek — on the basketball court.

Kansas

This is a famously Republican state in federal elections. It hasn't had a Democratic senator since the New Deal era of the 1930s. But the state has elected a Democratic governor four times since 2002.

Democratic Senate nominee Adam Hamilton hopes that voters' struggles during Trump's presidency will be enough to help him unseat Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. Hamilton has a notable biography: He's a high-profile United Methodist megachurch minister and author who has avoided partisan politics and is running for office for the first time.

“I didn’t plan to run for office. I’ve spent my life as a pastor, and I try to care for people,” the 62-year-old said in his primary victory speech.

Marshall has the state's fundamentals on his side. But the 65-year-old also is seeking reelection for the first time after winning in 2020 with Trump at the top of the ticket.

Nebraska

There is no Democrat in this race, at least officially. But national Democrats back independent Dan Osborn, a former labor union chief, as their choice to unseat Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts.

It's the second time Osborn and Democrats have tried this approach. Osborn lost to Republican Sen. Deb Fischer by 7 points in 2024. She won all 89 Nebraska counties. But she also finished well short of Trump's 21-point gap in the presidential contest.

The thinking is that voters have experienced enough of Trump and the Capitol Hill Republicans who’ve mostly facilitated his agenda. Osborn’s labor background also stands in stark contrast to that of the megamillionaire Ricketts, whose billionaire father founded TD Ameritrade and whose family owns Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

To be sure, Osborn has not said he’d caucus with Senate Democrats. But he could at least deny Republicans a seat. And like other middle America states that have moved rightward, plenty of Nebraskans remember electing moderate senators: Democrat Ben Nelson retired in 2013.

“Obviously, I’m here for another term,” Alito, 76, said in an interview published in The Wall Street Journal’s editorial section.

Discussion of Alito's future hit a fever pitch in June, when a mistake by a veteran Supreme Court reporter at National Public Radio resulted in the erroneous publication of a previously prepared retirement story.

The story was quickly retracted and the court confirmed it was inaccurate, but that did not stop the talk about what Alito might do. A retirement would likely have given Republican President Donald Trump a chance to name a fourth Supreme Court justice.

In a rare interview in his chambers, Alito also discussed the state of the court, rejecting the idea that political partisanship affects his decisions.

“I vote in every case the way I think the case should be decided,” he said. “If that means a high correlation with what Trump wants, fine. If it means zero correlation with what Trump wants, fine as well.”

Every major index notched a second straight week of gains, which included several fresh records. It marks a strong start to August following several weak months.

The S&P 500 rose 47.68 points, or 0.6%, to 7,757.64. That topped the all-time high it set on Tuesday. The benchmark index has been on a record run throughout the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 151.83 points, or 0.3%, to 54,036.93. That put it just short of the record it set on Wednesday. The Nasdaq composite rose 342.26 points, or 1.3%, to 26,690.62.

Technology stocks, with their big market values, did much of the heavy lifting for the broader market. They are often the heaviest weights determining the market’s direction. Nvidia jumped 2.3% and Broadcom rose 1.7%.

The bond market reacted more strongly to the weaker signal on the jobs market, which can be seen as allowing the Federal Reserve more time before raising interest rates to fight inflation.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.64% from 4.67% just prior to the jobs update. It was as low as 4.60% before recovering a bit.

The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action on interest rates, fell to 4.20% from 4.22% prior to the report's release. It was as low as 4.15% before edging back up.

“Although the stock market is likely to welcome the dovish implications of the report, investors should be wary of the future growth potential of an economy where fewer people are working,” said Peter Graf, chief investment officer at Amova Asset Management Americas, in a research note.

Overall, the report paints a dimmer picture of the jobs market, which has been one of the brighter areas of the economy amid rising inflation and worries about household spending. It included a revision to the figures for June and May that involved slashing a combined 103,000 jobs from payrolls for those months.

Eyes on the Fed's next move

The Fed has been holding interest rates steady amid worries about hotter inflation, fueled by a rise in oil prices because of the U.S. war with Iran. Wall Street expects at least one rate increase by the end of the year, with forecasts shifting for the next meeting. Expectations for a rate cut in September are down to 42%, from 55% on Thursday and from 67% a week ago, according to CME FedWatch.

A weakening jobs market could make matters more complicated for the Fed, which has to balance supporting job growth with fighting inflation. Raising interest rates can help tame inflation by slowing economic growth. A weaker jobs market, though, could become even shakier under higher interest rates as businesses find it more difficult to expand under increased borrowing rates.

Businesses, and Wall Street, prefer lower interest rates because it can help boost investments. That might bolster a weakened jobs market, but it could worsen already stubborn inflation.

Wall Street will get several important inflation updates next week. The most closely watched will be the consumer price index, or CPI, which measures costs for consumers. Wall Street expects it to show that inflation in July rose at a 3.4% rate, which would be a slight easing from the 3.5% rise in June. Inflation has held stubbornly above 3% for most of the year.

“Today’s weak payrolls print may ease the pressure on the Fed to raise rates at its September meeting, but next week’s inflation data will still likely be the deciding factor,” said Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, in a research note.

The earnings picture

The jobs report caps a week dominated mostly by corporate earnings and concerns about the ongoing U.S. war with Iran.

Corporate earnings for the second quarter are on track for the strongest growth since 2021. Nearly 90% of companies in the S&P 500 have reported their results and analysts expect profit growth of 50% overall. That has helped allay some concerns on Wall Street about whether big gains for stocks in 2026 are justified. Strong profits help support those gains in stock values.

It was a light day for earnings as companies near the close of the latest round of reports.

Airbnb jumped 17.4% following the vacation-rental company's report late Thursday that showed stronger profit and revenue for its most recent quarter than analysts expected.

Oil prices gained ground. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 1.3% to $83.55 a barrel.

Rising oil prices have been behind hotter inflation. Prices were as high as $113 per barrel at one point during the now five-month U.S. war with Iran. That raised prices for gasoline and shipping for a wide range of products. The U.S. and Iran have both said they are working on deals that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas once passed through.

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Associated Press Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

It was Shavuot, the Jewish holiday commemorating God giving the Torah to Moses. Hallegua reached the 458-year-old Paradesi Synagogue where he knew he would pray alone — without a minyan, the quorum of 10 males required for a communal service there.

Hallegua is the synagogue's last local congregant — the only Jew left in Jew Town.

Across the city at the centuries-old Kadavumbagam Synagogue, Elias “Babu” Josephai remembered the “chukkunda" — fried dough balls his grandmother used to make for Shavuot.

“It wasn’t much,” he said, wiping away tears. “But at that time, it was everything."

They ache for what’s already gone and work to preserve what's left.

In the 1950s, much of the Jewish community in Kochi (historically known as Cochin), a seaport on India’s southwestern coast, immigrated to Israel. They left behind their homes, synagogues and cemeteries, including those in Jew Town, which has long-been the official name of the neighborhood.

The burden of being the last Jews

Hallegua and Josephai stayed. Now they represent the final chapter for the Cochin Jews who have lived peacefully — and without fear of antisemitism — for centuries alongside Hindu, Muslim and Christian neighbors. There are now fewer than 5,000 Jews in all of India, the world's most populous country.

But the Cochin Jewish community's complex history includes both religious freedom and internal divisions over class and colorism. Hallegua is a Paradesi Jew, the once-dominant group whose fair-skinned, Sephardic ancestors from Spain and Portugal fled the Spanish Inquisition in the 16th century. They brought enslaved people with them, and their freed descendants, known as the Meshuchrarim Jews, were relegated to a lower social status and had to fight for religious equality.

Josephai is a Malabari Jew. The group's darker-skinned ancestors trace their roots back more than 2,000 years, to King Solomon’s time. They also faced past discrimination from the Paradesi community. While these divisions didn't survive after the Cochin Jews migrated to Israel and elsewhere, the bitter remnants still haunt the community's legacy.

Though Hallegua and Josephai rarely meet, both are intensely proud of their ancient heritage.

Josephai spent years resurrecting Kadavumbagam Synagogue, the last functioning Malabari house of worship. Services are rare; it's up to Josephai to light the lamps and keep the prayers going, often alone. He weeps for the past, when the synagogue was filled with people, prayers and songs.

“That will never come back,” he said.

Hallegua is the last local member of Paradesi Synagogue, which now relies on tourists and visitors to have a quorum for services.

“Quite often, I walk to the synagogue and I ask HaShem (God), why have you done this?” Hallegua said. “I never hear a response.”

Locals and global community strive to preserve history

On a recent morning, tourists crowded the Paradesi Synagogue and Synagogue Lane, the street it anchors. Former homes are now occupied by spice warehouses and stores selling antiques and handicrafts. Historically, the Jewish community played a major role in the spice trade in Kochi, a hub for black pepper, cardamom and nutmeg.

The synagogue’s entryway leads to a main hall with blue and white Chinese porcelain tile floors. Nineteenth century Belgian crystal chandeliers and colorful glass lanterns adorn the sanctuary. A carved teakwood Torah ark stands at the western wall facing Jerusalem. As in other Kochi synagogues, the women’s section is upstairs. Visitors slip off their shoes, in keeping with regional etiquette.

Synagogue trustee M.C. Praveen says his life's mission is protecting Cochin Jewish history. Praveen, a Hindu, spent his childhood in Jew Town, attending school with Hallegua's family members, eating Shabbat dinners, playing cricket near the synagogue.

“I want to make sure future generations know the history of this town and the people who lived here,” said Praveen, who seeks guidance from the community's former residents and their far-flung children.

The connections transcend geography. Trustee Shulamit Kotzer, 55, was born in Jew Town and spent vacations there after moving to Israel at age 2. She dreams of opening a hotel in the neighborhood.

“I consider Cochin not a second home, but my home,” she said.

Earlier this year, synagogue leaders opened a museum showcasing Kochi's Jewish history. It features the settlement's original deed: two copper plates bearing a Hindu king's charter from 1000 CE granting the community religious freedom.

Preservation efforts transcend religious ties

Praveen is not the only non-Jew trying to ensure the community's culture survives.

Thaha Ibrahim, a Muslim, forged a profound connection with the late Sarah Cohen, one of the neighborhood's Jewish matriarchs. He now runs her embroidery shop on Synagogue Lane. Cohen, or “Sarah aunty” as he calls her, taught him how to do Cochin Jewish embroidery.

“I'm teaching my son to do this embroidery so he can continue Sarah aunty's legacy,” he said.

Ibrahim lights Shabbat candles on Fridays and closes his shop on Saturdays. Muslim-Jewish tensions elsewhere in the world are not a deterrent, he says.

“This is not about religion, it's about human connection."

Across the city in Ernakulam, Josephai shoulders the preservation of Malabari Jewish heritage. The 12th century Kadavumbagam Synagogue, which he saved after vandals destroyed it, is tucked behind the store where he sells aquarium fish and plants. The renovated interior features hand-crafted tile and a red-and-gold Torah ark.

Josephai is proud that people of different faiths helped him rebuild. A Muslim donated the lamps, a Christian gave a Ten Commandments plaque, a Hindu foundation paid for the chandeliers.

An oil lamp hangs in front of the ark, its flame kept burning by Josephai. He also keeps the synagogue prayers going, a promise made to his grandmother after his siblings moved to Israel in 1972.

“Every Jew has a dream that his last breath should be in Israel," he said. “I believe my last breath should be inside this synagogue.”

Josephai, 70, hopes a Jewish organization will take over the synagogue, along with the library and museum he is building.

“Once I’m gone, there is no one who can tell these stories,” he said. “But this is our fate and that’s how it is.”

Thapan Dubayehudi, a Malabari Jew who moved to Vienna in 2022, called Josephai “a one-man army” keeping the history alive. He remembers sitting with Josephai as they assembled and lit hundreds of lamps in the sanctuary during Hanukkah.

“I’d carry that memory with me if God gives me 90 years of life,” he said.

A strong identity that is both Indian and Jewish

Keith Hallegua also stayed to fulfill family responsibilities.

“Never did I ever think that I would be the last Jew in Jew Town,” said Hallegua, who remained to care for his brother and mother.

His mind teems with memories. Singing the Paradesi Jewish tunes that blended Sephardic chants with local folk elements. The aroma of his mother's chili chicken. His grandmother's frantic cleaning ahead of Passover, Hallegua’s favorite season. The new clothes for Rosh Hashanah.

“That’s never going to come back,” Hallegua said.

He realizes his memories will vanish with him. It's deeply painful, and some days he wants to leave Jew Town. But he is grounded by his homeland and its history.

As he once explained, “I was born a Jew in India and I shall die in India, a Jew.”

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Hamilton was among a group of 74 nominations approved by the Senate, including President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Transportation Security Administration, David Cummins, and his choice for ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Perez.

Upon his swearing in, Hamilton will take over an agency whose future has been uncertain since Trump threatened to get rid of it days into his second term. Hamilton’s nomination signaled that Trump may be moving on from that idea, but his Republican administration is still promising drastic changes in how the government handles disasters.

Hamilton will have to shepherd that overhaul while stabilizing an agency of more than 20,000 employees recovering from Kristi Noem’s chaotic tenure as Department of Homeland Security secretary, during which FEMA saw mass staff departures, disruptions to grant programs and delays of disaster aid.

While her successor, former Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, has worked to reverse some of the upheaval, Democrats are accusing Trump of politicizing disaster relief. Trump has approved 80% of disaster requests from Republican governors but only about 60% from Democratic governors, a July analysis by The Associated Press found.

In his June hearing before a Senate committee, Hamilton pledged to advocate for FEMA and its workforce while promising to ensure FEMA is “objective, is fair and reasonable, follows the law, and is consistent in the approach to how we adjudicate and process claims and requests for disasters.”

He also maintained that the agency is burdened by bureaucracy and cannot be expected to respond to every disaster. “We would need to strike a new balance to encourage cost reasonableness and cost savings,” he said.

Hamilton was fired from a temporary role leading FEMA

Hamilton had limited emergency management experience before Trump named him FEMA’s temporary leader in January 2025. Formerly a critic of the agency, Hamilton has said he came to appreciate FEMA’s mission. His tenure proved short after he broke with Noem and other DHS officials over FEMA’s future.

“I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Hamilton told a House panel in May 2025. He was fired the next day.

His stand drew admiration among some emergency management professionals.

“It tells you exactly who he is and how he will lead when the pressure is highest and the easy answer is the wrong one,” Pete Gaynor, FEMA administrator in Trump’s first term, said in a statement supporting Hamilton’s confirmation.

The National Emergency Management Association said it welcomes Hamilton as the FEMA administrator.

Still, some FEMA staffers have remained wary of Hamilton’s role in controversial decisions last year like canceling a multibillion-dollar resilience grant program.

FEMA has been an agency under siege

Hamilton will take over in the middle of a busy summer disaster season that has already brought destructive wildfires and dangerous flooding and as FEMA manages more than 1,000 open disaster declarations. He will be FEMA’s first permanent administrator in Trump’s second term, overseeing an agency eager for stability.

More than 4,300 employees separated from FEMA in the 2025 budget year, more than 1,500 through voluntary reductions, resulting in a “loss of institutional knowledge and experienced personnel,” according to a Government Accountability Office report.

Since replacing Noem in March, Mullin has rehired for some eliminated positions and rescinded a rule that any expense greater than $100,000 needed to be approved by the secretary’s office — a requirement that backlogged billions of dollars in disaster aid.

But DHS has also introduced policies stirring up new controversy. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration last month over new election security requirements in FEMA counterterrorism grants to states.

The Trump administration and lawmakers are advocating for sweeping changes to federal disaster response. At a meeting of governors last weekend, Mullin called FEMA “bloated.”

“The biggest reform you’re going to see is more responsibility is going to go back to your states,” Mullin said, with “FEMA there for worst of the worst, not every storm.”

In May, a Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council recommended major changes to how the federal government supports states, tribes and territories during disasters. That could speed assistance but might reduce how much and how often FEMA helps. Many of the suggested changes require congressional action.

Gaynor told the AP he expects that Hamilton will work quickly to make changes within his authority. “I think his biggest priority in general is making the whole recovery system simpler for disaster survivors, for states and locals to navigate, to make it less of mystery, and cut out red tape,” Gaynor said.

Senate approves 74 nominations, including for airport security

Other nominees confirmed included Cummins as head of the Transportation Security Administration, an agency also facing persistent challenges, particularly after this year’s record partial government shutdown left TSA employees working for weeks without pay. The funding lapse prompted thousands of officers to call out of work and about 1,100 to quit.

Cummins is a former senior vice president at the government contractor Serco, which runs air traffic control towers at 60 American airports. He is taking over as the Trump administration seeks to expand private airport screening and cut thousands of TSA jobs.

The Senate also confirmed Perez, a close friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Brazil.

Perez has been central to an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the Trump administration and the government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Earlier this week, the State Department said the Brazilian government’s refusal to accept Perez’s appointment was a main reason for its decision to revoke the visa of Brazil’s ambassador to the United States. International diplomatic protocols demand that host countries approve any foreign ambassadors before they can take their posts.

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Associated Press writers Rio Yamat in Las Vegas; Josh Funk in Omaha, Neb.; and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., introduced a resolution during a meeting Thursday recognizing the Tigers for a claim to the national title. The measure was passed with no objections; resolutions don’t have the force of law and by the chamber’s definition reflect the Senate’s “sentiments,” according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Still, it adds another odd wrinkle to college football history for a sport decided by polls and rankings decades ago before the arrival of the Bowl Championship Series or today’s College Football Playoff. Missouri hadn’t previously claimed the 1960 team as a national champion.

In an email to The Associated Press on Friday, Missouri team spokesman Dave Matter said the school is “aware" of the resolution but offered no additional comment.

Missouri went 10-1 on the field after beating Navy and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino in the Orange Bowl. The lone loss had come to “Border War” rival Kansas in a game to decide the then-Big Eight Conference title, though the league ordered the Jayhawks to forfeit for using an ineligible player because of recruiting violations.

In a past interview with the The Post-Dispatch, author Brendon Steenbergen — who wrote a book detailing that season — said: “I’ve been beating the drum to try to get the university to recognize it because I think they have as much a right as anyone in the country to be national champions in 1960.”

Minnesota was crowed champion by the AP and United Press International polls, though that took place before the Gophers lost to Washington in the Rose Bowl. The Football Writers Association of America voted Mississippi its post-bowl champion.

The Helms Athletic Foundation, created in 1936 to promote amateur athletics until dissolving in 1983, recognized Washington as its champion. Meanwhile, the Litkenhous Rating system chose Iowa with its mathematical formula utilizing scoring margins and opponent strength, according to The Athletic.

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

Will Rosenzweig was two weeks away from trying a multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud case when a blog he had written years earlier covering a broad range of topics was publicized online by a conservative political commentator who also included a screenshot of Rosenzweig's LinkedIn account and tagged senior Justice Department officials for their awareness.

Less than three hours after the post, the lawsuit says, Rosenzweig received an email signed by then- Attorney General Pam Bondi informing him that he had been fired. The news came as Rosenzweig was out of town with his family observing the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana.

The September 2025 termination was part of a sweeping personnel purge over the last year and a half inside the Justice Department, which has fired prosecutors who worked on investigations into Trump and others seen as being against the administration's efforts.

A lawsuit filed in federal court in Miami, where Rosenzweig worked as a federal prosecutor for five years, seeks reinstatement to the job as well as backpay and a court order declaring his firing unlawful. The complaint says Rosenzweig was a highly respected prosecutor who received “consistent praise and awards" and was so highly valued in his office that he was told just weeks before his firing that he would be getting a special parking spot due to his performance.

“Will Rosenzweig was an excellent prosecutor who returned millions of dollars to the taxpayers by prosecuting healthcare fraud cases,” said a statement from his lawyers, Margaret Donovan, Daniel Fridman and Adam Fels. “Yet the Department of Justice fired him on the eve of trial because, years ago as a private citizen, he published criticisms of President Trump. Since the current Department of Justice will not stand up for the First Amendment and the American people, we will. We look forward to vindicating Will’s rights in court.”

The blog Rosenzweig had maintained had been defunct for over six years at the time of his firing and included his thoughts on travel, sports and other “apolitical, anodyne topics,” in addition to critical observations about Trump and other political candidates, the lawsuit says. The conservative commentator, Natalie Winters, who has a large online following, characterized Rosenzweig as “a rogue Trump hater” as she posted screenshots of some of his political musings, according to the complaint, which characterizes the firing as a direct assault on Rosenzweig's free speech rights.

“The Department’s conduct rests on a single premise: a citizen must forever refrain from criticizing the government and its leaders to remain eligible to serve it,” the lawsuit says. “That rule would force every American who might one day serve to choose between speaking freely now and working for the government later. Conditioning public employment on political loyalty, where a party card rather than merit opens the door to a government job, is a way of life in Havana and Caracas. It has no place here.”

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

The story of heroism told by police for the first time adds to the list of at least three more people who confronted the gunman with their own weapons as well as numerous others who rushed to comfort victims.

“What happened here was violent, frightening and deeply traumatic,” Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said during a news conference.

The video revealed more details of the chaotic scene last weekend. The gunman walked up to the drive-thru window four times and opened fire, killing an In-N-Out employee, police said.

Ten people were shot — inside the restaurant, directly outside, on an adjacent busy road and at a car charging station in a Twin Falls visitors center lot, Hicks said.

He said investigators still don’t have a motive for the shooting. The gunman, Chad Williams, 24, killed himself.

It should have been a “normal Saturday afternoon,” Hicks said. “Employees showing up for work. Visitors coming to see our beautiful city. Instead they were confronted with chaos, fear and now loss.”

A man who encountered the gunman is a ‘hero’

As the shooting unfolded, employees from nearby stores fled to a walking trail. When the gunman headed to the trail, he came across two people, including one with his hands in the air talking to him, according to the video.

That man distracted the gunman from possibly pursuing others on the trail. Williams subsequently killed himself as police closed in. His body was found near a canyon.

“To that young man, you are a hero,” Hicks said. “Your courage, your composure, your selflessness in that moment likely gave others the time they needed to escape harm. This community is grateful for you, and we will never forget what you did that day.”

Hicks also praised the work of an off-duty state trooper, who shot at Williams from inside the restaurant, and former police officer A.J. James, who was wounded while confronting him. Authorities previously credited an armed civilian who fired back and diverted Williams from the restaurant.

An off-duty officer helps the wounded

James ran toward the sound of gunfire from the drive-thru window, while the off-duty officer inside the In-N-Out exchanged gunfire with Williams through the window and directed workers out of the building, Hicks said.

He acted “heroically and unbelievably” to try to slow down the shooter, the police chief said, declining to release the off-duty officer's name.

Braxton Steube said he was the person who encountered Williams on the trail after fleeing a Dick's Sporting Good store.

“I said, ‘I have a family.’ I said, ‘You don’t have to do this. I’ll tell you whatever you want. I’ll do anything,'” Steube told KMVT-TV. “He started to like tear up a bit, it seemed. And he said to me, ‘Just get away from me, man.’”

Steube said the gunman shot at him and missed.

The Twin Falls In-N-Out, 130 miles (210 kilometers) southeast of Boise, the state capital, had opened in July as part of the chain’s expansion into Idaho.

Police identified those killed as Ashley Garibay, 23, of Stockton, California; Dale Schultz, 66, of Salt Lake City; and Christopher Claunch, 59, of Hagerman, Idaho.

Williams had briefly attended the College of Southern Idaho and previously lived in Arizona.

Tiny portions? Probably. Ingredients I’d never heard of? Almost certainly. A dining room so formal I’d be afraid to put my fork down too loudly? That was a possibility, too.

But my dinner at ÔMO by Jônt wasn’t quite the experience I had built up in my head — and I mean that in the best possible way.

The Winter Park restaurant describes its philosophy as an effort to “dissolve the barrier between kitchen and guest,” with food influenced by Japanese and French cuisine. After experiencing its Magical Dining menu, that idea makes a lot more sense to me.

ÔMO is unquestionably fine dining. The service is meticulous, the food is beautifully presented and there is an obvious level of precision behind every course. But the experience itself was much more relaxed and approachable than I expected.

And during Magical Dining, so is the price.

ÔMO’s regular tasting experiences start at $195 per person and can reach $375 per person. The restaurant also offers à la carte dining in The Salon, but its Magical Dining offering gives guests three courses for $60, making it one of the most accessible ways to get a taste of what the Michelin-starred restaurant does.

For me, that made it an opportunity to answer a question I imagine plenty of diners have had: What is it actually like to eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant?

The answer was far less intimidating than I expected.

The music was trendy and upbeat. The dining room felt polished without feeling stuffy. And when a menu featuring ingredients and dishes like chawanmushi, Nanatsuboshi and shio kombu landed in front of me, our server explained everything in a way that made the food exciting rather than confusing.

Starting with the appetizers

For the first course, the Magical Dining menu offers a choice of scallop with almond, cucumber and stone fruit; chawanmushi with leek, potato and truffle; or hiramasa with green onion, tomato and gochujang.

The hiramasa — yellowtail — was my favorite of the appetizers I tried.

It had a slight citrus flavor, while the tomato paired particularly well with the fish. The yellowtail itself had a great mouthfeel, and the gochujang was balanced enough that it added flavor without overwhelming the dish with spice. It was easily a 10 out of 10 for me.

The scallop was much more delicate. It was buttery and soft, with almond adding a welcome crunch and the cucumber and other accompaniments keeping the flavors mild and fresh.

Even the service between courses reinforced just how much attention goes into the experience. Fresh cutlery arrived between courses, and at one point, my dining companion dropped his napkin. Within roughly 20 seconds, someone had already replaced it.

Those are tiny details, but they’re the kind you start noticing when a restaurant operates at this level.

The main course

For the entrée, diners choose between black cod with sake, clam and turnip; Nanatsuboshi with Comté, maitake and shio kombu; or wagyu with stout jus, sweet potato and cipollini.

The wagyu was exceptionally tender without being overly fatty, accompanied by a slightly sweet sauce and stout jus. I wasn’t particularly sold on the sweet potato by itself, but eaten together with the beef and sauce, the flavors made sense.

The black cod offered something completely different. The fish was flaky with a nicely developed exterior, while the sauce was surprisingly delicate. The sake component reminded me almost of a white wine sauce rather than something aggressively boozy or overpowering.

This was also where one of my biggest misconceptions about tasting-menu-style dining disappeared: I wasn’t leaving hungry.

Yes, each individual plate is smaller than what you’d expect from a traditional restaurant entrée. But by the time you move through multiple courses at a measured pace, the meal adds up. By the end of dinner, I was genuinely full.

And then, dessert

Dessert choices include kakigori with hazelnut, kinako and chocolate; dark cocoa choux with chocolate, brown butter and cherry; and stone fruit purin with granola, crème fraîche and peach.

The kakigori was a standout. Despite being a shaved ice dessert, the combination of hazelnut, kinako and chocolate reminded me of a Ferrero Rocher. It was rich and nutty while still having that light, refreshing texture you’d expect from kakigori.

The Dark Cocoa Choux was incredibly creamy with chocolate that was rich but not overwhelmingly decadent. A subtle cherry flavor helped balance everything out.

At $60 for three courses, Magical Dining offers a much more accessible introduction to ÔMO compared with its regular tasting experiences, which start at $195 per person.

The meal still delivers the thoughtful food, meticulous service and attention to detail you’d expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant, but in an experience that felt surprisingly relaxed and approachable.

Magical Dining runs Aug. 15 through Sept. 30, giving diners a limited-time opportunity to experience ÔMO at a more approachable price point.

The bipartisan legislation, which passed 86-11, would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports seeking to deprive Putin of revenues fueling the war. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Capitol last week following Graham’s funeral, met with senators from both parties and watched from the gallery as the Senate took the first procedural votes.

“Today, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine — and Putin is watching from Moscow,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who had worked with the late South Carolina senator on the package.

“I would like to think Lindsey Graham is watching, too,” he said. “Today we say to the people of Ukraine: You are not alone. And today we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine.”

The sweeping show of force from the Senate is the most substantial move yet during President Donald Trump’s second term to shift the dynamic of the four-year war, which has now churned longer than World War I. Congress has struggled to ensure the flow of U.S. funding and munitions to Ukraine, but Trump has given a nod to the package, which includes his push for sanctions on Iran, pressuring the House to pass and send it for his signature.

Graham and Blumenthal had announced a deal with the White House on the sanctions legislation on July 10 after more than a year of negotiations with the White House. Graham, who had just returned from Ukraine, died suddenly the next day, likely from an aortic tear.

The bipartisan package allows the president to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, including China and India. It provides exceptions for countries that import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce those imports.

The legislation also includes sanctions on Putin, senior Russian political and military leaders, Russian financial institutions and Russian energy projects. It would expand U.S. sanctions to target older, reflagged oil tankers that Russia uses to circumvent existing U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and energy revenues. The bill also allows the White House to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that it's in the national interest.

Democrats and some Republicans have been wary of giving Trump broad authority to slap tariffs on imports that have spiked prices for goods, worried about inflationary costs for Americans. Those voting against the final package were mostly progressive Democrats.

Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed by the state’s governor to fill her brother’s seat, said she was honored to carry on his work. “This legislation hits Putin where it hurts,” she said.

Bill sends ‘a moral signal’ to Ukraine and its allies

Zelenskyy told senators during last week’s private meeting at the Capitol that Ukraine is making gains in the war, but still needs more help from the U.S. He publicly thanked them for the sanctions package.

Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who attended the meeting, said the sanctions legislation “is important as a moral signal to a country that is weary and tired, though holding its own.”

New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said advancing the legislation now, ahead of Russia’s own elections, will put pressure on Putin to seriously revisit prospects for a peace deal. And she warned that every time the U.S. backs away from tough actions, Russia ramps up its attacks.

“If we can’t shut down the funding for the war machine that Russia is using against Ukraine, then they’re going to keep at it,” she said.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha expressed gratitude to the Senate in a post, and said that with U.S. support, "Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer.”

Some say the bill would give Trump too much tariff power

The Senate defeated an amendment by Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon that would have removed the new tariff authority for Trump. Paul says it would be too costly for taxpayers, while Wyden and other Democrats say they don’t want to give Trump any new authority to impose tariffs.

“We’ve got folks who are walking an economic tightrope here in America,” Wyden said.

Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who had held up passage of the package over the tariff authority, said he received a written commitment from the Trump administration through U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that ensures guardrails. The tariffs would be lifted once the countries are no longer on the lists of those purchasing Russian oil and gas, or helping to evade sanctions, he said.

“We should not have to choose between putting a check on Putin’s aggression and putting a check on this president’s tariffs regime,” Warnock said. If Trump “oversteps his power, we will see him in court.”

Package next goes to the House

While the Senate momentum puts pressure on the House to act as soon as lawmakers return to session at the end of August, top Democrats still warn against handing Trump too much power in the Russia sanctions package.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the bill as is gives Trump too much authority to “weaponize” tariffs in ways that do little to deter Russia, but hurt Americans back home.

“It would allow President Trump to dodge holding Russia accountable and impose yet more tariffs in his destructive trade wars, leaving Americans to foot the bill," Meeks said.

He said the tally on the Paul-Wyden amendment, 32-64, demonstrates the demand among lawmakers to make changes to the package.

The House had already passed a separate measure in June that would provide aid to Ukraine and sanction key segments of the Russian economy. That Meeks-led package from Democrats drew bipartisan support from Republicans, overriding objections from GOP leaders.

Employers cut 23,000 jobs in July. And Labor Department revisions slashed 103,000 jobs from May and June payrolls.

The unemployment rate fell but for the wrong reason: Thousands of people dropped out of the labor market so fewer people were competing for work.

The July jobs numbers from the Labor Department Friday marked a sharp setback for the American labor market and for Trump less than three months before his Republican party seeks to keep full control of Congress in the midterm election.

Forecasters had expected job creation to approach 100,000 last month.

Local public schools cut 50,000 jobs in July, restaurants and bars 26,000, retailers 19,000.

The 4.1% unemployment rate was the lowest since June 2025 – but it only fell because 264,000 people dropped out of the labor market last month. The share of those working or looking for work fell to 61.4%, the lowest since February 2021.

“We can't really put lipstick on a pig here,'' said Daniel Zhao, chief economist at the jobs website Glassdoor. ”This is not a great report for July.''

Manufacturing up, but public schools down

The Trump administration, which has imposed massive tariffs in an attempt to protect American industry and create manufacturing jobs, noted that jobs were up 22,000 at construction companies and 5,000 at factories.

“The Trump industrial resurgence is on schedule," said White House spokesman Kush Desai. "Manufacturing and factory construction jobs grew again in July even as government payrolls continued to significantly shrink.’’

Trump has long bragged that jobs have been increasing for native-born citizens in his economy, but that talking point was undermined by the July numbers. The White House declined to comment on why Friday's report showed that employment for native-born Americans dropped by 720,000 over the past 12 months. Those numbers can be quirky. They’re not adjusted for seasonal changes and are not seen as a reliable measure of total native-born employment. But the administration had latched onto them as evidence that Trump's immigration crackdown was benefiting people born in the United States.

To raise or not to raise

Policymakers at the Federal Reserve have been divided over whether to start raising interest to combat inflation that has exceeded their 2% target for more than five years. The Fed kept rates unchanged at its meeting last week — but three officials dissented from that decision in favor of a rate hike. Wall Street traders were expecting rate hikes later this year. Friday’s report may at least delay higher rates.

“The Fed has to consider the health of the job market as they debate whether a hike is justified,″ said Glassdoor’s Zhao. ”The softness in today’s report is going to have to give the Fed a little bit of pause.″

July wage gains were modest. Average hourly pay was up 3.2% last month from July 2025, the smallest year-over-year increase since May 2021. The smaller wage gains are coming at a time when American families are squeezed by the high cost of living.

“This is a bleak jobs report," said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union. "The U.S. labor market is stalling again and that is going to make the Federal Reserve’s job harder and life for job seekers rough.''

Women lost 32,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reports, accounting for all the job losses in July. But that marked a reversal in women’s fortunes: They still gained 321,000 jobs over the past 12 months; men lost 5,000 over that period.

Economists noted that private payrolls continued to grow in July and that the big drop in public school payrolls might have been a statistical glitch caused by seasonal adjustments.

Rebounding from a miserable 2025

Hiring had rebounded this year from a lackluster 2025 in the face of the conflict in the Persian Gulf that has sent energy prices surging and put a strain on family budgets. Job growth had been solid, if unspectacular. Some businesses are having trouble filling vacancies. Others are using technology to do the work humans used to do.

Americans who have jobs are enjoying unusual job security. Layoffs are low by historical standards. Companies, scarred by the surprise labor shortages that followed COVID-19 lockdowns a few years ago, don’t want to risk giving up the staff they have.

One week in July the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits dropped to the lowest level in more than 50 years. The jobless rate tumbled to 4.2% in June, the lowest in a year, and is expected to have stayed there last month, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.

But Americans who have lost their jobs – or are seeking to bust into the job market for the first time – are struggling to catch a break.

Economists have used the term "no hire, no fire'' to describe the unusual job market conditions.

Hiring in the year to date remains weak

So far this year, employers are adding 61,000 jobs a month, up from 9,700 in 2025, the weakest hiring outside a recession since 2002. But job creation this year is well below the 2023-2024 average of 166,000 jobs a month — and it had been even higher during the 2021-2022 hiring boom that followed the end of COVID-19 lockdowns.

At least the United States doesn’t need as many jobs as it used to to keep the unemployment rate from rising. Trump’s immigration crackdown and the ongoing retirement of baby boomers mean fewer people are competing for work. So the “break-even’’ rate of monthly hiring, 155,000 in 2023-2024, has dropped, perhaps to nearly zero, according to a Federal Reserve study.

The jobs outlook is clouded by the ongoing fighting in the Persian Gulf, which has pushed up energy prices and squeezed family budgets, and by the rise of artificial intelligence, which could either make workers more efficient and better-paid -- or take their jobs.

In a report out this week, researchers Ingrid Chen, Marianna Kudlyak and Riva Mikhlin of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco found that landing a job has gotten tougher in the past couple of years – surprisingly so.

Normally, this deep into an economic expansion – it's been more than six years since the last recession – employers would need workers so badly that they’d be taking chances on young people and on those with less education. Not this time. “Instead of being pulled in, the pipeline into employment is shrinking such that the recovery is no longer reaching workers at the margins,’’ Chen, Kudlyak and Mikhlin write.

Moreover, the unemployed people who normally get back to work the fastest – those in their prime working years (25 to 54) and with college educations – are struggling to find new jobs. The San Francisco Fed researchers aren’t sure what’s making the job search so tough. They suspect it might have to do with the immigration crackdown, hiring slowdowns specifically at tech companies and government contractors, uncertainty over the direction of government policy or “early signals of broader labor market deterioration.’’

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AP Business Writer Claire Savage in Chicago contributed to this story.

The Bills announced the signing, while a person with knowledge of the deal provided the monetary terms of the contract to The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team did not reveal the contract's value.

For Beane, the agreement represented his latest major investment in keeping much of Buffalo's offensive line intact for the long term.

“We want to protect No. 17 and that’s where it all starts,” Beane said, referring to Allen’s jersey number. “Obviously there is going to be turnover, but we’ve tried to keep a stable group. I think that’s helped our offense be as successful as it has.”

Torrence’s new contract follows the the Bills re-signing center Connor McGovern to a four-year, $52 million contract to prevent him from entering free agency in March.

Buffalo’s line has stayed mostly intact since 2024. And the unit’s four returning starters from last season, including left tackle Dion Dawkins, are now under contract through at least 2027.

The 26-year-old Torrence was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft out of the University of Florida, and was entering the final season of his rookie contract.

He has 57 career starts, including playoffs, and was part of a line that allowed the NFL’s fewest sacks in both 2023 and 2024, and last season played a role in James Cook leading the league in yards rushing.

“He deserves every penny,” Allen said, of the player nicknamed ‘CyBo.’ “He’s been so steady for us the last few years. He’s going to continue to get better. CyBo’s just that guy on the team where you ask anybody, I don’t think anybody could say a bad thing about O’Cyrus Torrence. He’s the ultimate teammate.”

The only change along Buffalo's line entering this season is at left guard, with Alec Anderson and Austin Corbett competing for the starting job left open following David Edwards’ free-agent departure to New Orleans in March.

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

The Cyclones are picked last in the Big 12 preseason media poll, return no starters and had 55 players transfer after Rogers was hired to replace Matt Campbell, who took 24 of the best with him to Penn State.

Rogers admitted to reporters in Ames, Iowa this week that he was the one who picked the Cyclones, in an On3.com anonymous coaches poll, to make it to the Big 12 championship game in his first season.

“What would you think if I didn’t vote on us? You’d wonder why I’m the head coach at Iowa State,” Rogers said. "I was brought in to win. Very self-aware. They didn’t hire me to come here and not be competitive. I wasn’t hired for my disposition. I was hired to create a program that competes and wins and that’s the goal. We’re not signing up for second place.

“So I know that’s a bold statement, and they’ll print it everywhere. But the reality is this: the players have to believe in what you say, and you have to act on how you believe. I believe that we can win.”

Rogers is replacing the all-time wins leader at Iowa State, which went 8-4 overall and 5-4 in the Big 12 in Campbell's final season. The Cyclones played in seven bowls in Campbell's 10 years — they opted out of a bowl last season — and appeared in the Big 12 championship game in 2020. The program hasn't won a conference championship since 1912.

Tight end Tyler Fortenberry said Rogers' prediction surprises no one on the team. He said Rogers' abundance of confidence comes from the success he was part of as an assistant and head coach at South Dakota State of the Football Championship Subdivision. In his only year at Washington State, he led a team with 75 newcomers to a 6-6 record and a bowl bid.

“Coach Rogers does a good job in team meetings making sure we're not focused on what Twitter says, what Instagram says or what the media says about what we're going to finish,” Fortenberry said. “They all have us 16th. If you buy into that and believe what the media has to say, you're not going to get anywhere in life.”

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

As his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC proceeds, a federal judge in Florida granted the president a temporary reprieve on Thursday from an order that he begin divulging details of his business empire’s financial performance — something he is clearly loath to do.

U.S. District Judge Roy Altman agreed to put that order on hold while he considers an amended complaint from Trump that would narrow his claim that he suffered damage to both business and reputation. By focusing only on the latter, Trump’s lawyers hope to avoid the need for the financial disclosures. That updated complaint has not been made public.

Trump filed the lawsuit in December over the way the British broadcaster, in a 2024 documentary, edited a speech he gave on Jan. 6, 2021, before protesters attacked the Capitol in Washington. It is one of many actions he has taken in his second term against media coverage that displeases him — in the courts, with executive action and in the overall presidential bully pulpit.

Trump contends that the BBC's editing was misleading because it cut out, among other parts, a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully. The claim seeks $5 billion in damages for defamation and $5 billion for unfair trade practices.

The publicly funded broadcaster has apologized to Trump over the edit but rejects claims it defamed him. The furor produced the resignations of the BBC’s top executive and its head of news.

Judge finds new Trump argument noteworthy

In Thursday’s order, Altman said he found “compelling” Trump’s argument that an amended complaint might remove the need for financial disclosures, an argument the BBC disagrees with. Under the order from a Miami-based magistrate judge, Enjoliqué Lett, Trump had been required to start releasing financial records by Thursday from businesses held by his family trust.

“If the plaintiff’s amendment obviates the need to compel a non-party to disclose confidential financial information,” wrote Altman, a 2019 Trump appointee, “we think it’s prudent to enter a brief stay of the Order until the amendment request is resolved.”

But where will the case go from here. And did the Trump legal team overreach in this case?

Seth Stern, advocacy director at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, notes that the president can simply drop the lawsuit if the BBC proves successful in arguing that disclosure of financial data is also relevant to reputational harm.

“Trump has a history of filing lawsuits and then just dismissing them before they get to discovery,” Stern said. “So there’s a chance he’ll do that and I’m sure it’ll give him a day or an hour of embarrassing headlines. But as we’ve seen countless times with Trump’s administration ... no one headline seems to stick for very long, and I suspect that one would be no different.”

Stern thinks the BBC would be correct in arguing that financial data would still be relevant in the case. After all, the president is contending he suffered $10 billion worth of reputational harm.

“You cannot claim $10 billion in reputational damages when you’re the president of the United States and you won the presidential election after the reporting that you’re complaining about," he said. “That makes no sense.”

He added: “For him to say that discovery into his economic damages is intrusive or in any way problematic, after he placed such an outrageous damages number on his lawsuit, is absurd."

For now, the BBC trial is set for February

How long the legal maneuvering will take remains unclear. A trial is provisionally set for February in the case, which is just one of a host of legal actions Trump has initiated against media organizations whose coverage draws his ire.

The president is also seeking $10 billion in an ongoing defamation case against The Wall Street Journal over a sexually suggestive letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that the newspaper said bore Trump’s signature. His Justice Department recently issued and then withdrew subpoenas to several New York Times journalists who reported on security concerns about his new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet.

Trump and his administration is also engaged in a battle with ABC, whose coverage he often objects to. His Federal Communications Commission has launched an early review of eight ABC local broadcast licenses well before they expire. Its chairman, Brendan Carr, also appears to be seeking to penalize ABC’s “The View,” where some hosts speak out against Trump, by revoking its exemption from equal-time rules.

The Associated Press has also sued Trump over access to the White House press pool, from which the news organization was curtailed for sticking with the name “Gulf of Mexico” after the administration ordered it rechristened the “Gulf of America.” The AP said it was retaining the term because the body of water crossed borders, but that it would would also note Trump's renaming.

Stern, at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, feels that Trump will continue to press lawsuits — even those he may have no expectation of winning — unless courts suddenly decide to sanction his attorneys for filing frivolous lawsuits.

“Trump doesn’t care about losing a lawsuit or about spending a little bit of money on legal fees,” Stern says. “He understands full well that these aren’t cases he’s going to win. (But) he’s counting on them costing the defendants more than they cost him, in money, time and distraction. He’s counting on the initial headlines when he files a $10 billion lawsuit, making a big splash, and then his subsequent losses being an afterthought."

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Jocelyn Noveck covers the intersection of media and entertainment for The Associated Press.

The 2024 champion was in tears as she put on the yellow jersey and now leads 2023 champion Demi Vollering by 15 seconds and Reusser by 39 with two stages left.

"I’m just so tired and so blown away with what just happened," Niewiadoma-Phinney said. “When I started climbing I looked to the right and I saw my parents standing on the roadside. They came today by surprise. I saw my father yelling for me and I thought I had to make him proud.”

Reusser and Vollering could not follow Niewiadoma-Phinney when she broke away about nine kilometers (six miles) from the top of Ventoux, one of the most iconic climbs in cycling with its barren, lunar aspect.

It was a first Tour stage win for Niewiadoma-Phinney, who won the 2024 edition without claiming a stage win. Gritting her teeth in the final few hundred meters, the Polish rider dug deep and with the sun gleaming behind her, raised her arms after crossing the line.

She then almost lost balance through fatigue and had to be helped off her bike. Moments later, she was all smiles as she sat on the road and poured cooling water over her head.

“I never chase victories for the sake of winning, I target them because I like this beautiful feeling I have right now," said Niewiadoma-Phinney, who is married to former men's Tour sprinter Taylor Phinney.

“I came here (before) to Mont Ventoux with my friends and my husband, and we rode up the climb three times,” she recalled. "The feeling of reaching the top of this mountain was amazing. From that moment, I just wanted to experience that feeling again. The pure joy of riding, as if I was a kid.”

Vollering dropped Reusser in the closing stages of the 15.7-kilometer ascent of Ventoux, which has featured several time on the men's Tour. In one of the darkest days in Tour history, British rider Tom Simpson died after collapsing during a tortuous ascent in 1967.

Reusser struggles at the end

World time trial champion Reusser battled gamely but lost valuable time in the title fight. The Swiss rider finished the stage fourth as Vollering and two-time Giro d’Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy both placed ahead of her.

There were three smaller climbs heading to Ventoux, which was ranked as a Hors Catégorie ascent — the hardest category — and had a gradient of nearly 9%.

Vollering moved ahead first, and Reusser and Niewiadoma-Phinney joined her as others lagged behind. Niewiadoma-Phinney then attacked and, although Vollering stood up in her saddle to chase her the new race leader was riding a brilliant tempo and proved too strong.

“My idea was that I had to make it to Chalet Reynard (six kilometers from the end) on my own,” Niewiadoma-Phinney said. “Because from then on the headwind would be quite strong and the chasers would try to stay on each other’s wheel for as long as possible.”

Weekend finale

Saturday's eighth stage is a flat 172-kilometer route for sprinters finishing in Nice, where the race ends after another mountain stage on Sunday.

Stage 9 features four sharp climbs of Col d'Èze, nestled in the hills overlooking the tiny Principality of Monaco.

Two years ago, Niewiadoma-Phinney beat Vollering on the final stage to win the race by just four seconds.

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

The agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to statements from all three countries.

The so-called “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” between the three Sunni Muslim-majority states brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia and nuclear power Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a rapidly growing defense industry. It would increase cooperation and deterrence at a time of increased regional uncertainty and threats from the war in Iran.

Commitment to joint deterrence

"The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all," the statements read.

“It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three States,” the statements said.

Saudi Arabia, whose critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships.

In September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact that also defines any attack on either nation as an attack on both.

The agreement also comes amid rising tensions between Turkey and Israel over Gaza and other regional conflicts, including the war in Iran and Lebanon.

The deal highlights how far relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey have shifted toward alignment and partnership, after being highly strained just a few years ago, including over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul by Saudi operatives.

Iran criticizes the deal

In Iran, Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, criticized the deal on X, saying it would not bring security to Saudi Arabia.

“The Saudis should know that a paper agreement with Turkey and Pakistan will not bring them security, just as years of one-sided ‘milking’ by the Americans did not bring them security. Change your policies so that you do not have to #BegForSecurity from others,” he wrote.

Saudi Arabia says deal is not a military axis or religious bloc

A statement from Saudi Arabia insisted that the agreement does not amount to a military pact and would not affect the kingdom's existing partnerships.

“The agreement does not represent any orientation toward building a military axis or sectarian/religious bloc, and it is not linked to nuclear endeavors or an arms race, but rather to building sustainable self-reliant capabilities,” the statement read. "The agreement does not come at the expense of the Kingdom’s strategic and strong relations at the Gulf, Arab, and international levels."

Erdogan said the agreement was based on “collective deterrence” and would deepen cooperation in defense, support joint defense industry projects and bolster efforts to combat terrorism.

“The agreement, which also reaffirms the right of defense as defined in Article 51 of the UN Charter, targets no country and is open to the participation of all brotherly countries that aim for the peace, prosperity, and stability of our region,” the Turkish president said on X.

A Turkish government official described the agreement as “purely defensive in nature” and “not against any specific actor.” The deal does not annul or replace any bilateral or multilateral agreements between these states or with other states and organizations, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

Long‑standing security ties

Sharif described the agreement as a “historic pact” that would serve as a “shield of peace” for the three countries and the wider Muslim community.

In a post on X, he also praised Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying his “untiring efforts and utmost dedication” had contributed significantly to the agreement.

In Islamabad, defense analyst Abdullah Khan described the agreement as a natural evolution and formalization of decades of strategic ties among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, saying a changing regional security environment and the evolving nature of warfare had increased the need for closer cooperation.

Khan said the pact was “purely defensive” and not directed against any country, with collective deterrence intended to raise the cost of aggression and prevent conflict.

The analyst said the three countries bring complementary strengths to the arrangement: Pakistan’s military experience and expertise in managing escalation, Saudi Arabia’s economic strength and regional influence, and Turkey’s advanced defense technology and industrial capabilities.

Abdolreza Davari, an Iranian analyst and former politician, downplayed the risks the new defense pact poses to Tehran as it seeks to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has already shown it can stand up to two of the world’s leading military powers – the U.S. and its ally Israel, he said.

“What difference does it make? Will it be more difficult than the pressure the U.S. and Israel have created on Iran? Is the power of the U.S. and Israel greater or these three countries?” he said in a phone call from Tehran.

Turkey and Pakistan unlikely to engage in large troop deployment

Hamish Kinnear, a Middle East analyst for the risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, said Turkey and Pakistan were unlikely to send large numbers of troops to assist Saudi Arabia. The deal was expected to allow deeper coordination in diplomacy, defense production, and technology transfer.

“Token deployments are possible, but it is doubtful that Ankara and Islamabad want to become heavily involved in an anti-Houthi military operation. Pakistan, which already held a bilateral collective defense pact with Saudi Arabia, has not been a significant partner in anti-Houthi operations so far,” Kinnear said in an emailed note.

“More likely is increased Ankara-Islamabad-Riyadh coordination on diplomacy, weapons development and technological transfer, with Saudi capital boosting the defense sectors of Turkey and Pakistan,” he added.

Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, director of the Ankara office for The German Marshall Fund think tank, said the agreement was the culmination of the countries’ shared concerns over regional fragmentation, civil conflict, and armed non-state groups.

“This is a reflection of their growing desire for greater regional stability,” Unluhisarcikli said.

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Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Amir-Hussein Radjy contributed from Washington.

Rosa Zayas, an OCPS bus driver, recently ran through part of her route with News 6 as the district works to fill vacancies ahead of the first day of school.

Zayas has driven for Orange County Public Schools for 11 years and said she still enjoys the job — especially working with students.

“I love this job,” Zayas said. “I just love it and working with the kids.”

Zayas takes pride in her bus and the safety equipment on board, including air conditioning and 10 cameras. She said the cameras can help if staff members need to review video.

But district leaders said Orange County is still short on drivers, an issue that can affect families when the district is understaffed.

“Being a bus driver can be challenging at times,” said Jason Mendoza, OCPS senior director of transportation. “You’re transporting children — it’s high safety.”

More than 52,000 students ride the bus each day in Orange County, the district said. When routes are short-staffed, drivers may have to “double back” to pick up students who could not be picked up on the first run — sometimes causing delays and making students late to school.

“We’re doing double backs,” Mendoza said. “We’re having to go back and pick up students that weren’t able to get on the bus the first time around.”

The district said it needs about 50 more drivers to be fully staffed.

For Zayas, it is work she can’t imagine leaving behind.

“If students are missing the bus, I will be the first one to jump, and I will retrieve them,” she said.

If you’re interested in becoming a bus driver for Orange County Public Schools, click here.

Harris County Criminal Court Judge Alex Salgado in Houston dismissed the criminal charge Thursday at the request of the Harris County district attorney's office following Harden's completion of an alternative resolution program. Such programs allow defendants to avoid a criminal conviction by doing community service. Court documents don't detail the terms of Harden's agreement.

Harden was arrested June 13 in Houston after police found that he had a handgun in his vehicle. Texas law makes it a misdemeanor to have a gun “in plain view” in a vehicle without a license, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.

Neither the district attorney's office nor Harden's attorney in Houston immediately responded to email and phone messages Friday seeking comment. The Cavaliers also did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Harden, 36, finished his 17th NBA season in May when the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks swept the Cavs in four games in the Eastern Conference finals. He averaged 23.6 points per game during the regular season, playing in 70 of 82 games.

He has said he'd like to remain with the Cavaliers, but he declined to exercise a $42.3 million option to return next season in favor of a longer contract. A deal has not been finalized.

Harden is an 11-time All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA selection. He earned MVP honors in the 2017-18 season while playing for the Houston Rockets, averaging 30.4 points per game. Harden led the Rockets to the Western Conference finals where they lost to the Golden State Warriors.

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This story has been corrected to show that the Rockets reached the Western Conference finals in the 2017-18 season, and didn’t win the Eastern Conference.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The nonprofit hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning to celebrate the start of construction on two new affordable homes in the Parramore community.

Habitat Orlando & Osceola President & CEO Catherine Steck McManus was joined by District 5 City Commissioner Shan Rose to ceremoniously break ground on the new homes. The properties will be sold to local families with affordable mortgages.

“We’re able to continue to bring amazing families to Parramore, and so many of them have already lived in the community for so many years,” McManus said. “It’s very meaningful. Everyone deserves to have a mortgage that is affordable to them.”

The groundbreaking was more than a construction milestone — it reflected four decades of commitment to the Parramore neighborhood.

Since its founding 40 years ago, Habitat Orlando & Osceola has built more than 70 homes in Parramore, including 10 last year.

The sustained investment has not gone unnoticed. In May, the Downtown Orlando Partnership honored the nonprofit with a Golden Brick Award in the Sustainability & Resiliency category, recognizing how thoughtful housing investment creates lasting impact in the community.

The effort is also a collaborative one. Habitat Orlando & Osceola partners with the City of Orlando, which provides grant funds through its Community Investment Program, as well as down payment assistance for many Habitat homebuyers.

For more details about Habitat for Humanity’s programs, click here.

In an opinion filed Thursday in U.S. District Court of Virginia, Judge Michael F. Urbanski said the school board in Shenandoah County violated Black students’ rights under the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, which forbids racial discrimination in state-supported institutions. The decision also violates the Equal Educational Opportunities Act, the court found.

Confederate army officers' names are “vestiges” of Shenandoah County's segregationist history that required separate schools for Black and white students.

“The Confederate names were restored with complete awareness of their historic legacy and ongoing discriminatory impact,” Urbanski wrote. “In the court’s view, the affirmative act of reinstating these vestiges of segregation is far more problematic than a passive failure to remove a long-standing name or symbol.”

The judge ordered the board to settle on new school names “on a racially nondiscriminatory basis with all deliberate speed.”

Unlike memorials named after Confederate figures, schools are places where children should have an “educational environment free of vestiges of racial discrimination,” Urbanski added.

Jim Guynn, the attorney representing Shenandoah County, did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment.

In a statement Friday, the NAACP Virginia State Conference called the ruling “a decisive victory" for students.

“For decades, the practice of honoring Confederate leaders in Virginia schools has been steeped in a history of racial discrimination,” said its president, the Rev. Cozy Bailey. “The school board’s 2024 renaming decision is impossible to explain except through the lens of race."

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs represented the NAACP.

“The court acknowledged that such names inflict real, racially disproportionate harm," said Kaitlin Banner, deputy legal director.

The Virginia NAACP filed the suit on behalf of six students and their parents in June 2024 after the school board voted 5-1 to change Mountain View High School back to Stonewall Jackson High School and Honey Run Elementary back to Ashby-Lee Elementary, which combines the names of Gen. Robert E. Lee and Turner Ashby, a Confederate cavalry officer. The board reversed a 2020 decision to remove the original names against a backdrop of nationwide protests over racial injustice.

The NAACP argued in its lawsuit that Black students, who make up less than 3% of the school system’s population, would be “required against their will to endorse the violent defense of slavery pursued by the Confederacy and the symbolism that these images have in the modern White supremacist movement.”

Under President Donald Trump's second administration, some statues honoring Confederate figures have been restored after being removed in 2020. It is part of Trump's ongoing efforts to control how American history is framed at Smithsonian museums, monuments in national parks and in classrooms.

Board members who voted to restore the Confederate names said they were honoring popular community sentiment. They said the previous board members who voted to remove the names in 2020 had ignored constituents and due process on the matter.

A record-setting contract brought financial security, but for Gibbs, it also ended an anxious wait that had kept him off the practice field.

“This process has been extremely stressful,” Gibbs said Friday, one day after signing a three-year contract extension that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. “I just wanted to play ball. I missed being out there with my teammates and coaches and it’s just fun being out there now.”

The extension, agreed to Thursday, is worth $67.5 million over three years and could reach $75.75 million with incentives. It includes $51.5 million in guaranteed money, according to multiple reports, surpassing the deal Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson signed earlier this week.

After signing the contract, Gibbs participated only in individual drills Friday, but said the biggest relief was putting the negotiations behind him.

Three years ago, many questioned whether the Lions had reached by selecting a running back with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Gibbs said the criticism never bothered him.

“For me, I didn’t really care, because I knew what I could do, and I was confident in myself,” he said.

Three seasons into his career, Gibbs has put together one of the most productive starts by a running back in NFL history.

Despite sharing the backfield with David Montgomery, Gibbs has scored 49 total touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons, the most by any player during that span. He broke the previous record of 47 set by Hall of Famer and former Lion Barry Sanders.

Last season, Gibbs totaled 1,839 yards from scrimmage, including 1,223 rushing yards and 616 receiving yards, while scoring 18 touchdowns. He also set career highs with 77 receptions, 616 receiving yards and five touchdown catches.

Since entering the league, Gibbs has rushed for 3,580 yards — seventh-most in the NFL during that span — while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He has topped 1,200 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons and caught at least 50 passes in all three years.

Lions Associate Head Coach Scottie Montgomery said Gibbs earned the extension through both his production and his professionalism.

“He has came in from day one and did everything we asked him to do,” Montgomery said. “He is what a pro should be.”

Montgomery said Gibbs has continued to improve each season while maintaining the same approach that made him the 12th overall pick.

“I hope a lot of kids, a lot of people are watching the way that he went about the process,” Montgomery said. “Going from year one to year two to year three and continually getting better.”

Montgomery also pointed to Gibbs’ versatility as one of the reasons he has become such an important part of Detroit’s offense.

“When you got a guy like Jah, you can be a bell cow and touch it 10 times and have 200 total yards,” Montgomery said. “He can play at the receiver position. He can play at the wing position. He can play at the back.”

Gibbs said he heard from several fellow NFL running backs after agreeing to the extension, including Robinson, Montgomery, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, James Cook and De’Von Achane.

Gibbs said signing the extension also means he gets to remain in a city he has embraced since arriving in 2023.

“Before I got here, everything you hear about Detroit is negative," Gibbs said. "Since I’ve been here, all I can say is positive things. The people, there’s a lot of good food, the culture.

“I love being here. I’m so glad I get to be here for the next five years.”

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

But the state attorney who runs the Ninth Judicial Circuit, Monique Worrell, says the real problem is the juvenile justice system in Florida.

“We have a juvenile justice system that is wholly inadequate to deal with violent offense committed by children, and unless we stop throwing political daggers back and forth with each other and come together to talk about a real solution that could help to make our community safer, then we are going to be on the other end of these cameras on a continuing basis, talking about the next event that took place,” Worrell told News 6 at a news conference Thursday.

Keyan Rundell, 17, was arrested Wednesday on homicide charges in the deaths of Dustin Rose and Samson Campbell last week.

On Thursday, Chitwood said Rundell was “the recipient of years of second chances, dropped charges, and lack of prosecution in the 9th Judicial Circuit of Orange & Osceola counties.”

“We’re talking about aggravated battery and assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, multiple counts of battery, criminal mischief, vehicle theft, trespassing, drug possession, another aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resisting an officer, all dating back to 2021,” Chitwood wrote. “Charges that were either dropped, non-filed, dismissed, or at best, resolved with probation.”

You might be interested to know that the 17-year-old arrested in the DeLand double homicide of 2 teenagers has been the recipient of years of second chances, dropped charges, and lack of prosecution in the 9th Judicial Circuit of Orange & Osceola counties.

We're talking about… pic.twitter.com/G8aRiomAcS

— Mike Chitwood (@SheriffChitwood) August 6, 2026

Because Rundell is a juvenile, information on his previous cases is limited. News 6 found records of several cases between 2022 and 2025 in Orange and Volusia counties.

Chitwood mentions the 2025 case we found in his post. It took place in Volusia County.

“Before his latest and worst criminal act, Keyan Rundell was in a diversion program for drug possession and disturbing a school function,” Chitwood wrote.

Worrell issued a statement responding to Chitwood, in part:

“The most recent case referenced by Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood that involves this juvenile did not occur within the Ninth Judicial Circuit, but rather his own Seventh Circuit and is therefore outside the jurisdiction of this office to speak to,” Worrell wrote.

Chitwood’s post also put him in the middle of the ongoing feud between Worrell and Florida State Attorney James Uthmeier, who used the case to once again attack her and her office.

Responding to Chitwood on X.com, Uthmeier posted, “State Attorney Worrell’s neglect of duty and incompetence are a danger to the 9th Judicial Circuit, and her failures cause bloodshed in surrounding counties. Soft on crime policies do not work!”

State Attorney Worrell's neglect of duty and incompetence are a danger to the 9th Judicial Circuit, and her failures cause bloodshed in surrounding counties.

Soft on crime policies do not work! https://t.co/mTgz1mZSO0

— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) August 6, 2026

Worrell, in her statement, also responded to Uthmeier, accusing him of being more interested in scoring political points. The rest of her statement is below.

“Because juvenile proceedings are confidential under Florida law, the State Attorney’s Office is limited in what it can publicly discuss regarding individual juvenile cases. However, since our circuit’s name has been invoked in an effort to inject election year politics into a tragedy, it is important to clarify several points.

• Prosecutors do not determine sentencing outcomes in juvenile cases. Dispositions are ultimately determined by the Court, with recommendations and involvement from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
• As State Attorney, I have consistently advocated for a more effective, data-driven juvenile justice system that identifies high-risk youth early and provides meaningful interventions to reduce violence. As part of that effort, I have repeatedly sought collaboration with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice to discuss opportunities to strengthen coordination, identify gaps in intervention, and improve outcomes for young people before they commit more serious offenses. Despite those repeated outreach efforts, the Department has not responded. In fact, most recently, they’ve outright declined to participate in these conversations.
• Prosecutors make charging decisions based on the evidence legally available to them. When a case cannot be prosecuted, that may be the result of evidentiary limitations, including circumstances in which necessary victims or witnesses are unable or unwilling to participate. The State Attorney’s Office cannot ethically or lawfully pursue charges when the available evidence is insufficient to support prosecution. We cannot manufacture outcomes to fit a political agenda.

“Accountability matters, but so does intervention before a child’s behavior escalates to the point that lives are lost. This tragedy involves an individual whose interactions with the criminal justice system began at just 12-years-old. That fact underscores why early intervention matters and why the entire system must be reformed.

“Protecting our communities requires every part of the juvenile justice system to work together. My office remains committed to that work and putting partisan politics aside to protect residents.”

On Friday, the Department of Juvenile Justice released the following statement following Worrell’s claims

“Monique Worrell is the best Public Defender in Florida. Unfortunately for her, that’s not her job. Her job is to aggressively prosecute and hold individuals accountable for their actions to protect public safety. Protecting public safety requires every part of the juvenile justice system to fulfill its responsibilities. While the Department plays a critical role in supervision, rehabilitation, and intervention, prosecutorial decisions remain within the authority of the state attorney, and courts determine the final disposition of cases. No single agency can effectively protect the public when others decline to acknowledge the responsibilities entrusted to them. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice remains committed to partnering with law enforcement, prosecutors, the courts, and community partners to strengthen Florida’s juvenile justice system, improve outcomes for young offenders, and, above all, keep Florida’s communities safe.”

Dept. of Juvenile Justice

Cousins, who is operating the first-team offense in training camp, remained on the field to finish the drive. Crosby, however, was sent to the sideline.

“Those are two leaders of our team going at it, so that is part of camp,” coach Klint Kubiak said. “Obviously, if you fight in a game and throw a punch in game, then you're out of the game. So we've got to be smart and treat it like a game.”

Cousins appeared upset that Crosby tipped his pass, forcing an incompletion, and then charged the 6-foot-5, 256-pound defensive end who is three inches taller and 42 pounds heavier.

“We don't want to be throwing punches, but I think on any padded day of camp, there's going to be some tussles,” tight end Michael Mayer said. "That's our starting quarterback right now, and you want him to defend your team and you want him to have some edge to him, which he does. He's always had since the first day I met him when he came in here.

“I don't want him getting thrown out. I don't want him getting a flag. Nothing like that, but you've got to be able to defend yourself.”

___

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

Greetings, In the Loop subscribers, it’s Haley.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party kicks off Friday, bringing the earliest start in the event’s history — running select nights through Oct. 31.

Click here for a roundup of the highlights.

Not to be outdone, Universal Orlando Resort announced this week it’s launching its destination-wide holiday celebration earlier than years past, bringing Christmas to Epic Universe, Universal Studios Florida, and Islands of Adventure.

Parks pop 💸

Walt Disney World’s summer promotions and new attractions paid off, drawing in crowds and cash.

Overall, domestic Disney parks delivered big this quarter, drawing more American visitors and passholders even as overseas tourism to the U.S. continued to cool.

Click here for a full report on the earnings.

SeaWorld Orlando

Familiar promotion 🐬

SeaWorld Orlando has a new leader — Brad Gilmour, a familiar face who was already serving as the president of Discovery Cove and Aquatica, is taking the helm as president of all three Orlando parks.

Previous conversations with Gilmour at past events left a strong impression. He appears engaged, attentive and genuinely invested in guest feedback.

ICON Park

Fins & Flights 🍺

SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium is taking date night to the deep end.

Fins & Flights is an adults-only evening of craft beer tastings and up-close encounters with some of the ocean’s most fascinating creatures.

Click here for tickets and more information.

If you’re taking in fall theme park decorations around Central Florida, don’t forget our PinIt! page. There is an In The Loop channel.

As always, keep me in the loop through my email or reach out to me on X or Instagram.

See you next week!

- Haley

Whataburger is officially back in Orlando — and fans proved they’ve been ready for this moment since the chain closed its Orlando-area locations in 2009.

The grand opening on East Colonial Drive drew a crowd that started lining up the day before, with some people hoping to score one of the biggest perks of the morning: free Whataburger for a year, awarded to the first two customers in line and the first two customers through the drive-thru.

Serina Parke, who said she was first in line, arrived at 5 a.m. the day before after trying Whataburger on a trip to Texas and finding out the chain was returning to Central Florida. “I visited Texas for my very first Whataburger… and I said, I’m going to be the first one in line,” Parke said.

Nick, who said he was among those waiting early in the drive-thru line, described turning the long wait into a hangout. “We watched a lot of movies… we brought, like, our laptops, iPads, phones,” he said.

Beyond the crowds and giveaways, company leadership framed the opening as a milestone moment for the brand — and part of its broader Florida expansion. Debbie Stroud, president and CEO of Whataburger, noted the timing lines up with a major anniversary. “It’s an incredible milestone for the Whataburger brand… it’s our 76th birthday,” Stroud said, adding that Whataburger has seen strong support as it reenters the region.

The regional marketing manager said the turnout matched what the company expected from its fanbase. “The reception from the community has been outstanding… our fans have shown out,” Juan Valenzuela, Senior Manager of Field Marketing and Events, said.

What also stood out to customers was the promise that the Orlando location is open 24/7 — a move that’s become increasingly rare as many major retailers and restaurants across the country step away from round-the-clock hours. For Whataburger fans, it means late-night patty melts, early-morning breakfast, and the chain’s well-known “just like you like it” customization any time of day.

The grand opening also included a community component. Whataburger partnered with local charity Blessings in a Backpack, presenting the organization with a $2,500 check — a nod to the company’s emphasis on being involved locally as it grows in Central Florida.

From longtime loyalists wearing orange-and-white stripes to newcomers trying Whataburger for the first time, the return felt like more than a restaurant opening — it was a homecoming, fueled by nostalgia, nonstop hours, and a fanbase that showed up early to prove it.

Cassandra Barksdale and her attorneys filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Kaiser Permanente alleging the mix-up led to the surgery and months of physical and emotional pain.

According to the lawsuit, another patient's tissue sample was mistakenly labeled as belonging to Barksdale, who at age 43 then underwent a full hysterectomy on May 15, 2025, and was told she would get instructions about chemotherapy.

It's unclear how the mix-up occurred. In September, Barksdale was informed that a DNA analysis found the tissue sample showing an aggressive form of endometrial uterine cancer belonged to a different patient and not to her, the lawsuit says.

“She came into Kaiser Permanente looking for answers, and she left with a diagnosis that did not belong to her. And every step that was taken after that was based off of misinformation,” her attorney Shannan Young said.

Barksdale went to Kaiser Permanente Southwood Medical Center in Jonesboro, Georgia, in early 2025 to seek treatment for heavy bleeding and fibroids, which are noncancerous growths in and around the uterus. She underwent a biopsy on March 10, 2025.

Barksdale said that after she got the biopsy results on March 17, 2025, she lived for months believing she had an aggressive type of cancer, sending her and her sons into a deep depression.

“I even started making funeral plans with them to let them know, you know, if I don’t make it out, this is what I want done,” Barksdale said.

Representatives for Kaiser Permanente wrote in a statement that, “Ms. Barksdale should not have experienced this.”

“We have highly trained staff and very thorough processes in place to prevent errors like this from taking place. After this occurred last year, we took immediate steps to ensure it could not happen again. We realize the impact of this incident and are committed to working with Ms. Barksdale and her counsel to resolve this in the most fair and accountable way we can.”

Because of privacy laws, information about the other patient — including what happened to her and whether cancer treatment was delayed — isn’t publicly available.

It is not clear just how often pathology samples are mislabeled or mixed-up during medical testing. An Ohio woman filed a similar lawsuit saying a 2019 error on a biopsy led to a misdiagnosis of lung cancer and unneeded surgery. Researchers studying prostate cancer discovered three cases of biopsy sample misidentification over two years, according to a 2011 research paper.

Labs have turned to a number of best practices to try and prevent errors, including barcode systems for specimen labeling and point-of-care testing.

The Georgia lawsuit asks for unspecified damages.

“There’s no amount of money that’s going to return back to her, her healthy organs, or erase the experiences and the pain that she’s had. But our justice system recognizes that when somebody’s negligence harms another person, accountability requires more than ‘I’m sorry,'” Young said.

___

Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama.

Annelise Camp “is now with Jesus,” her parents Johnston and Joy Camp said in a statement, weeks after a judge granted a temporary injunction in their favor. “While our hearts are broken, we trust in His perfect love, His faithfulness, and His promises.”

The family had long said she still showed signs of life and wanted more time for her to recover and explore treatment.

Breathing tubes were removed from Annelise on Monday, her grandfather Steve Camp posted online. “When this procedure was done, she passed very quickly.”

A church service for Annelise is scheduled for next Wednesday in Houston.

The Texas Right to Life organization supported the family's case.

“This victory gave the Camp family two extra months with Annelise and provided her a chance to recover from her injury,” the organization posted online.

Annelise was discovered unconscious in the hotel pool and was brought to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. Several days later, her parents petitioned the judge, requesting that she not be tested for brain death as advised by doctors.

Court documents said Annelise’s heart was beating, although she was dependent on a ventilator, The Texas Tribune reported.

The Camps also asked that Annelise be transferred to another hospital to explore other treatment options. However, Texas Children’s stated it wanted to conduct testing to determine next steps in her medical care and that it had no imminent plans to end care for Annelise.

Texas Children’s officials said in court documents they had contacted medical facilities to ask about accepting Annelise, but 35 of the 36 have declined and the one pending hospital said it needed her to undergo brain death testing to consider transfer, the Tribune reported.

The Camps eventually were able to transfer Annelise to a hospital in Louisiana.

A state legislator, Rep. Steve Toth, told The New York Times that Annelise was brought back to Texas about a week ago and had been treated at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler. Messages seeking comment were sent to Roth and the hospital.

The Camps did not say why Annelise was removed from life support. Messages seeking comment were sent to the family.

Texas law defines brain death as the irreversible cessation of brain function. Under the law, once a patient is declared brain-dead, a hospital can withdraw life-sustaining measures.

“The big common denominator is time,” Johnston Camp told KRIV-TV in June. “And so when you have time, I know scientifically you can see a certain reading, but she is showing progressive results from her body or complexions, her vitals.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also supported the family.

“Annelise Camp is fighting for her life and deserves a medical team that will fight just as hard,” he posted on X in June.

In July, the Camps had posted on a GoFundMe site that Annelise continued to show “encouraging signs” at the Louisiana hospital.

“We are pursuing every available option, including specialized and exploratory treatments that show promise,” they added.

According to a news release, City Manager Matthew Morton says FLOCK Safety, the system vendor, may not have properly permitted or installed the cameras around the city.

The system will be taken offline, and the cameras will be hooded, so the public knows they are not operating while the city conducts its review.

Morton said the move is meant to show the public that the city is being transparent about the issue and holding the company accountable.

“When questions are raised about a system that affects public safety and public confidence, we have an obligation to stop, examine the facts and make sure everything has been done properly,” Morton said in the news release.

[WATCH: Hundreds of license plate readers deployed in Central Florida, online maps show]

As News 6 demonstrated last month, FLOCK has installed dozens, if not hundreds of cameras across Central Florida. Many are run by governments and law enforcement agencies, but private entities like retailers and apartment complexes are also using the cameras.

However, a growing number of communities are also dealing with angry residents who say the cameras are an invasion of privacy and subject to misuse. For instance, the Sumter County sheriff suspended its camera system in July after a detective was caught using the camera system for personal reasons involving her ex-husband.

In recent weeks, FLOCK cameras have been found damaged across Central Florida, including in Lake and Volusia counties. Law enforcement believes the cameras were vandalized.

Catholicos Karekin II and six other senior clergymen are accused of defying a court order to reinstate a defrocked bishop. The case is widely seen as a part of long-simmering tensions between Pashinyan, who was reelected earlier this year, and the church, which has called for his ouster.

If convicted, Karekin and the other clerics could face up to two years in prison.

Relations between the powerful church and Pashinyan’s government have deteriorated rapidly since 2024, when tens of thousands of demonstrators, led by a high-ranking cleric, called for his ouster. They were angered by Armenia's agreement to hand over control of several border villages to Azerbaijan and normalize relations with its neighbor after being locked for decades in territorial disputes.

Many clergy bitterly opposed the handover of the villages and criticized Pashinyan, who came to power in the South Caucasus nation amid a wave of hopeful, pro-democracy protests that swept Armenia in 2018. Some senior clerics have since faced a crackdown by the government.

The judge in the trial recuses himself

The first court hearing took place Friday in the central city of Vagharshapat, also known as Etchmiadzin, which is Armenia's spiritual capital and the headquarters of the church.

Shortly after the hearing, Karekin's lawyer Ara Zograbyan told reporters the judge in the case has recused himself.

“I welcome this move by the judge, because in effect he refused to become a part of this shameful proceeding,”Zograbyan said, adding that the case will be assigned to a new judge.

Hundreds of Karekin's supporters gathered outside the courthouse in Vagharshapat, which is located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) west of Armenia's capital, Yerevan. Members of opposition parties, clergy leaders and representatives of nongovernmental organizations also came for the hearing.

Samvel Karapetyan, head of the pro-Russian opposition party Strong Armenia, called the case against Karekin a “national disgrace.”

“It seemed that maybe the authorities would come to their senses and stop their attacks on the church, but they're keeping at it,” local media quoted him as saying.

The case of a defrocked bishop led to the charges

The charges arose after the church in January defrocked Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, who had previously called for Karekin's ouster. The church accused Saroyan of abuse of power. Saroyan contested the move in court, which sided with him and ordered his reinstatement.

The church refused, and Armenia's Prosecutor General's office launched the case against Karekin and the other clerics in February, accusing them of defying a court order and barring them from leaving the country.

Two other top clergymen were arrested last year. Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan was convicted of calling for the overthrow of the government, and Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, who led the anti-government protests in 2024, is currently under house arrest awaiting trial on charges of attempting a coup, fomenting mass unrest and preparing a terrorist attack.

Earlier this year, an appellate court overturned Ajapahyan's conviction and ordered a new trial.

Clerics denounce the case as an assault on church autonomy

During an evening service at the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Karekin denounced the case against him.

“These days the authorities take steps to undermine the church's authority, restrict its autonomy and subjugate it to their will,” he said, adding that the institution's autonomy is at the core of Armenia's prosperity.

Archbishop Natan Hovhannisyan, head of the Department of External Relations and Protocol of the church and one of the defendants, said the church is not an entity that can be “nationalized, expropriated and have a manager appointed.”

—-

Karmanau reported from Tallinn, Estonia.

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told reporters at a military testing range in Michigan that the effort will cut months and sometimes years of the red tape that typically stifles military contractors. He pledged to grant companies access to ranges in the U.S. or those belonging to allies abroad within 30 days of them making a request through an online marketplace that went live Friday.

“It can take 12 to 18 months for a company that wants to go test the thing that can make a soldier’s life better, that can increase their lethality and that can keep them safer," Driscoll said. "That is not sufficient.”

The announcement comes as warfare rapidly changes around the globe, from the swarms of Shahed drones that Iran launched against American forces in the Middle East to Ukraine's innovations in drone technology while defending against Russia's invasion. But the Army is also opening its ranges as the Pentagon grapples with the costs of the Iran war, which has diminished the nation's stockpiles of advanced weapons that sometimes cost millions of dollars for a single missile or interceptor.

Driscoll told The Associated Press that policy changes such as making test ranges more accessible were driven in part by his observations of the war in Ukraine and how quickly that country has moved to produce new weapon systems. The Army secretary had been a key interlocutor during talks between Russia and Ukraine last year before those negotiations stalled.

Pentagon leaders have been trying to increase the tempo of production by incentivizing smaller companies to enter the market to build cheap and effective weapons. Driscoll told reporters that the Army aims to “break down every single barrier that we have put up over the last 20 or 30 years.”

“We are inviting industry to get in the mud with our soldiers, to innovate, to invest behind them,” Driscoll said in a roundtable call. “And then our commitment as an Army is we will purchase the things that will make our soldiers more lethal, more safe, and keep our country safer.”

The first company to take advantage of the new program has tested a new cruise missile at the Army’s missile test range in Morocco.

Abby Denburg, an executive with Covenant Industries, said the company “demonstrated not only the performance of the Anthem missile but also a repeatable pathway now available to every company.”

The program allows drone and missile companies to use five Army ranges to test new rockets, drones and anti-drone weapons even if that company does not have a military contract.

The effort to get weapons faster to the battlefield comes as a recent think tank analysis found that the conflict with Iran has used up more of the U.S. military’s already diminished stockpiles of advanced interceptors such as Patriot and THAAD missiles that are used to defend against air threats such as missiles and drones.

The analysis, conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, also noted that this shortfall could force the U.S. and its Middle Eastern allies to take more risks to conserve those air defenses.

President Donald Trump has pushed back on media coverage about the issue, telling reporters Thursday that “we need more all the time.” He claimed that certain kinds of munitions are in “virtually unlimited supply” and others are “a little bit tighter.” He didn’t offer more specifics.

Driscoll deflected questions about the nation's munitions stockpiles. He said that “we have a larger arsenal than any nation in the history of the world, and we will have an even larger arsenal with new and different and layered defenses.”

___

Associated Press writer Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.

“I don't know how old he is. Isn't he past 35?,” the offensive coordinator asked Friday before being told Smith is actually 35. “It feels like he's 28. I'm telling you, it feels like physically, I see no ... like, he is in his prime, physically.”

Not bad for a quarterback entering his 14th NFL season, a journey that began as a second-round draft pick of the Jets in 2013 and has included several ups and downs on the field along the way.

“Like his arm, the way he moves, his feet in the pocket, he’s physically in his prime,” said Reich, in his first season running the Jets' offense. “So he takes great care of himself and that’s going to help this team.”

New York certainly hopes so. The Jets acquired Smith in the offseason from Las Vegas to add a veteran quarterback to an offense that struggled mightily during a 3-14 season. The Jets ranked last or near the bottom in several offensive categories as the likes of Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook took turns calling the signals for then-coordinator Tanner Engstrand. Their 8 yards per completion was the lowest mark in the NFL, and that's something that's expected to improve significantly.

Smith has always been able to stretch the field, especially during three straight seasons of at least 3,500 yards passing in Seattle from 2022-24. He threw for 3,025 last year in a down season with Las Vegas that included an NFL-leading 17 interceptions.

Back with the Jets, Smith has had a mostly good training camp. And he has thoroughly impressed Reich, who said during minicamp that the quarterback has an “elite” football mind. Reich was back gushing about Smith on Friday.

“Geno’s the leader,” Reich said. "He’s the leader of the offense, make no mistake about it, in every way, shape and form. And to me, what has become crystal clear in this early time in training camp, the attribute that sticks out to me is his laser focus. This man is laser focused like people don’t understand. Like, he comes to work and he is locked in.

“And I feel like the whole offense plays off of that. That’s a really big deal.”

Reich has seen what leadership looks like from a quarterback. He was a longtime backup to Jim Kelly as a player and has coached Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Andrew Luck and Matt Ryan.

The offensive coordinator also knows what good quarterback play looks like. And he sees all of that in Smith, granted, still in the protected, no-contact confines of training camp.

“I remember when he was coming out (of college), I had a high grade on him,” Reich said. “His throwing mechanics, if I'm just talking pure upper-body mechanics, they're pure. There's only a couple guys in the league that I would say are pure. Geno's one of them.”

Smith has also been drawing positive reviews from his teammates, who have praised his leadership since re-joining the Jets.

“Geno is a legend to guys like me,” fifth-year tight end Jelani Woods said. “He’s been in the league for a long time. You look up to him, just the professionalism he has, it’s something that you look into and he’s one of those guys that you go up to and talk to him at any time. He sits with you at the lunch table, he sits with anybody at the lunch table and you just have a simple conversation with him and just talk about life outside of football.

"And, you know, stuff like that goes a long way.”

—

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

“That’s my hometown team, them and the Baltimore Ravens,” Diggs said Friday. "I always played with a chip on my shoulder, but the chip got really big when I’d go home because I felt like they passed up on me, didn’t give me a chance, and I was right in their backyard.”

Washington, and every NFL franchise, passed on Diggs multiple times in the 2015 draft before Minnesota selected him in the fifth round. After stints with the Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and New England Patriots, and four Pro Bowl selections later, Diggs signed with his hometown Commanders earlier this week.

It's a full-circle moment for Diggs, a Gaithersburg, Maryland, native who played for youth programs in the area growing up. A five-star recruit with scholarship offers practically anywhere in the country, Diggs chose to stay home and play for the University of Maryland.

“I can’t write a better story,” Diggs said. “At this point in my career, being healthy, coming off an ACL (injury), having success, going to your hometown team and wanting to shine for them. ... I want to put on for my city.”

His homecoming is more than just a feel-good story. The Commanders entered training camp with a massive hole at No. 2 wide receiver opposite Terry McLaurin, and Diggs figures to fill it as an instant upgrade.

Stylistically, Diggs is an excellent fit opposite McLaurin, who is a more traditional “X” receiver. Diggs has experience playing on the perimeter and in the slot and was one of the league's best chain-movers in 2025 — 51 of his 85 receptions went for first downs.

“When you see him work inside as a slot player, he’s got great feel,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “He’s a great competitor. … He’s somebody certainly that can move the chains, and you know how important that is — to have somebody that has the detail of option routes and specifics.”

Diggs said he didn’t have a personal relationship with McLaurin before his arrival, but admired his new teammate's game and intensity from afar and called it “real similar to myself.” Diggs praised the rest of the Commanders’ receivers, specifically rookie Antonio Williams, who he said "can hoop a little bit.”

Quinn said the plan for Diggs was to ramp up over the next two days, but the 32-year-old arrived in great shape and participated in individual and team drills on Friday. His immediate focus is in the classroom, hoping to learn new offensive coordinator David Blough’s system quickly.

Throughout his career, Diggs has earned the reputation of helping elevate young quarterbacks. After a so-so rookie year, New England’s Drake Maye finished second in MVP voting last season with Diggs as his top target. Josh Allen took a major step forward in 2020, Diggs’ first year in Buffalo.

“Quarterbacks got a lot on their plate, so I bring it down a notch and talk to them brother to brother,” Diggs said. “With young quarterbacks, making plays for them gives them confidence. That puts a battery in their back to feel like, ‘Man, I can do anything out here.’ That’s how I try to help them: just by playing well.”

With Washington, Diggs joins Jayden Daniels, who proved himself as AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024. The duo started building their chemistry on Friday.

“They got a great young quarterback,” Diggs said. “He’s a star. He’s a superstar. I’m excited for him, excited for this team.”

In Buffalo and Houston, Diggs was selected as a team captain. Quinn said the receiver’s leadership skills have already stood out in their brief time together.

For now, Diggs’ goal is to earn the respect of his teammates and coaches through his play and experience.

“I always try to push the guys around me to be the best version of themselves,” Diggs said. “At the same time, more show than tell. I can say a bunch of hoopla, but I’d rather just go out there and hoop and show you why I did what I did or communicate through the actions.”

___

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

The now-finalized rule, which was unveiled Thursday and kicks in Sept. 10, applies to certain aircraft under three Boeing 737 Max models: the 737-8, 737-9 and 737-8200. The FAA estimates this covers 471 planes — and said it is using this directive to address “the unsafe condition" tied to prior reports.

So far, no cracks have been found in these specific Max models. But when proposing the rule back in November, the FAA noted it had received reports of cracks in a forward bear strap for several older, “Next-Generation” 737 planes. Bear straps are metal sheets that reinforce areas on planes like doorways and emergency exits.

The Max jets have “a similar design and build process” to the older models, “making those airplanes susceptible to the same crack condition,” the FAA wrote in November. The agency warned that the issue could “adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane" if not addressed.

In a statement, Boeing said that it previously identified and reported this issue — and “has been working with operators on it over the past six years.”

The Virginia-based aircraft maker said it sent operators inspection instructions for the affected Next Generation 737s back in 2019, and the FAA later mandated those checks in 2021. The company added that it had already expanded those inspections to Max jets — and the FAA's latest directive now similarly mandates that process.

“We support both directives and continue to support our airline customers,” Boeing said in a statement.

The FAA noted Thursday that its directive also requires inspections of the fuselage skin of planes with existing repairs.

Boeing has been battered by years of safety, quality and production challenges — notably in the aftermath of two deadly crashes involving the larger Max 8 that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, as well as a 2024 incident in which a panel flew off one its Max 9 planes operated by Alaska Airlines midflight.

Just last month, the FAA said Boeing would again be allowed to take responsibility for certifying all of its 737 Max and 787 planes.

AAA reports the average price for a gallon of gas in Florida is $3.92 — up 80 cents from $3.12 this time last year. That increase is pushing more riders onto the commuter rail line connecting DeBary to Orlando.

Lisette Valentin is one commuter who regularly chooses the rail over the road. She drops her fiancé off at the DeBary station every day so he can travel to work in Orlando.

“I like it. It saves a lot of people money. Gas prices are ridiculous,” Valentin said.

The savings are a simple calculation for many riders.

“It gets you where you need to go,” she added.

SunRail is not just for the daily grind, either. Nikki Kress and her friends have spent the summer riding between Winter Springs and DeBary just to spend time together.

“She jumps on. I picked her up. From here we go straight up to the beach, and then at the end of the day, we just watch the schedule, drop her off, and then [her husband] picks her up when she gets back over there,” Kress said.

During its most recent meeting, the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission discussed gas prices and their impact on ridership numbers.

“With $4.00 a gallon for gas, there’s an incentive to take SunRail,” one presenter said during the meeting.

The numbers back that up. In March, SunRail recorded 136,754 riders, its highest March total in more than five years.

For Kress, the math is straightforward.

“Well, the gas alone, I mean, of course, gas prices right now are super high. So, I mean, we don’t have to worry about transporting. It would be two rides getting her up here or me going out there. And then at the end of the day, doing it all over again so we wouldn’t be able to do it,” she said.

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office said about 75 sea turtle hatchlings were seen trying to crawl up a beach approach toward Atlantic Avenue. The deputies helped collect the babies, who were turned over to county officials and redirected to the Atlantic Ocean.

Now hopefully this bale of sea turtles will become a flotilla.

When sea turtles hatch from their nests, they crawl toward the brightest light, which needs to be the ocean. This is why Florida requires beach properties to turn off lights or use turtle-safe lighting, particularly during sea turtle nesting season, which is happening now through Oct. 31.

News 6 Community Correspondent Molly Reed reported last month that nesting season was smashing records in Volusia County.

[WATCH: Volusia County sea turtle nests surpass all-time record, conservation efforts credited]

According to the county’s Sea Turtle Nest Dashboard, 1,654 nests have been recorded so far this year. Nearly 700 of those nests have been found in the New Smyrna Beach area.

Volusia County is not the only place where sea turtle nesting is happening. Hundreds of nests can be found along Florida’s coast.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says people should leave sea turtles and their nests alone and not disturb hatchlings crawling to the ocean.

However, if you see hatchlings wandering away from the water, they need to be taken to a dark part of the beach so they can walk into the water on their own.

You should also call the local officials or wildlife officials.

In Volusia County, if you see a stranded sea turtle during the day, call Beach Safety at 386-239-6414.

During nights and weekends, call the sheriff’s office at 386-248-1777.

For any other turtle strandings, call FWC at 1-888-404-3922.

Judges in the northern Moroccan city of Tetouan found the taxi drivers guilty of “facilitating the illegal exit of Moroccans and foreigners through unauthorized border points” and “transporting passengers without a license,” after they drove clients to the Moroccan border town of Fnideq, according to excerpts of the ruling on the Justice Ministry website.

The drivers were sentenced Monday after appearing before prosecutors without defense representation due to a nationwide lawyers’ strike. They retain the right to appeal. One vehicle was confiscated by authorities.

Dozens in pre-trial detention

The Moroccan Association of Human Rights said on Friday that 111 people are in pretrial detention following the recent Ceuta events. Charges include mass rebellion, assaulting public officials and obstruction of traffic, it said.

Morocco’s Justice Ministry and the public prosecutor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Labor unions, including the national taxi union, condemned the sentences as “shocking and harsh,” noting in a statement that “no official decision was issued imposing restrictions on passenger transport.”

“Taxi drivers cannot be held responsible for what happened,” Ali Younes, secretary general of the Tetouan branch of the national taxi union told The Associated Press. “They were punished simply for providing a public service.”

Fueled by false social media rumors that the border was open and economic hardship, tens of thousands of Moroccans crossed or swam into Ceuta, a Spanish city that sits on the North African coast, triggering a crisis resonating across Europe.

More than 80 people died on both sides of the border. Nearly all of the migrants who survived were expelled by Spanish authorities or returned voluntarily after seeing they were unwelcome. An estimated 1,000 minors remain, their future uncertain.

Officials in Spain take apart a major trafficking network

Meanwhile, European Union police agency Europol on Friday announced that an international police operation led by Spanish authorities dismantled a major criminal network involved in trafficking migrants, drugs and weapons across the Western Mediterranean. The operation resulted in 78 arrests in Spain and Algeria in June, weeks before the migrant surge into Ceuta.

The change comes a year ahead of schedule. Kellogg said last August that it would remove synthetic dyes from its cereals by the end of 2027.

But the company said Thursday it has identified fruit- and vegetable-based juices that will give cereals like Froot Loops and Apple Jacks their distinctive colors. The Battle Creek, Michigan-based company said it has also invested in equipment that will allow it to transition to natural colors.

The company said it is also removing BHT, an artificial preservative, from the small number of cereals that still contain it.

“More and more consumers are looking for foods made with simple, recognizable ingredients and we are proud to meet those expectations even sooner than planned,” Kellogg’s Chief Growth Officer Doug VanDeVelde said in a statement.

Kellogg has faced pressure for years to remove artificial ingredients from its cereals, which it has already done in other countries like Canada. In 2024, dozens of people rallied outside Kellogg's headquarters and delivered petitions with 400,000 signatures asking the company to remove artificial dyes and BHT.

That pressure has grown under President Donald Trump's health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has urged food companies to phase out petroleum-based artificial dyes. Last August, Kellogg also signed an agreement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton saying it would “permanently remove toxic dyes” from its cereals by the end of 2027.

Retailers are also forcing companies to act. Earlier this year, Target said it would stop selling cereals that contain artificial colors by the end of May. Walmart has also said it will remove artificial colors from its store brands by January 2027.

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

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

Six defendants named in alleged scheme

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

How the scheme allegedly worked

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

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

Online fencing operation generated millions, according to investigators

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

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

Alleged scheme spanned more than a dozen Florida counties

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

Charges, potential sentences

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

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

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

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

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

The defense attorneys filed a motion for release in Miami federal court, where a judge will next week determine if the brothers should stay in jail or be released during what could be a monthslong extradition process.

The brothers have repeatedly denied wrongdoing. Prosecutors must file a response to the motion by Monday.

The detention hearing is likely to be the first time the Tates leave the Federal Detention Center in Miami since making a brief court appearance two days after their July 18 arrest. The Tates have become among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities with their promotion of wealth, male dominance and misogyny through their social media empire. The new allegations are the latest in the Tates' long-running international legal saga spanning the U.S., Britain and Romania.

The brothers claim special circumstances for their release

The defense motion acknowledges there is a presumption against bond in extradition proceedings but argues that release can be granted in special circumstances. It says the Tates’ high profile makes it nearly impossible for them to flee, and that they regularly post updates about their locations on social media.

Prosecutors call the brothers a flight risk but their attorneys said they have proved they are not, by complying with all pretrial restrictions in Romania, where they are accused of luring women for sexual exploitation.

“Every prediction the government now asks this Court to make about the brothers’ future conduct — that they will flee if released — has already been made and answered by three years of data showing that they do not flee,” the motion says.

The U.K. has until mid-September to provide evidence to the State Department to support extradition, meaning the brothers could spend months in FDC Miami before the proceedings are resolved, the motion says. No date has been set for an extradition hearing. They are being held in a special unit for their own protection.

“The Tates have limited contact with their families, no television, no radio, and no commissary access,” the motion says. “They sleep without pillows, on bunks shorter than they are tall.”

It says holding a detainee who hasn't been convicted of a crime under such conditions violates due process.

They have a history of legal troubles

The brothers have long claimed that their violent and misogynistic statements have been taken out of context or were intended as jokes.

The former professional kickboxers, who have dual U.S. and U.K. citizenship, have millions of social media followers and are vocal supporters of President Donald Trump. The White House has said the brothers shouldn't expect any help from the president.

British prosecutors said the new charges relate to four new accusers and were brought after authorities received evidence from police in Bedfordshire, in southeastern England. The allegations, which span from 2010 to 2017, include rape, assault, trafficking and offenses relating to “indecent images of a child and extreme pornography.”

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

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

The Tates' attorneys have said the Romanian court has granted a U.K. request for extradition that will take effect after Romanian proceedings conclude.

“What the United Kingdom seeks now is to shop for a second forum and a second judge in order to jump ahead of the Romanian proceedings and bypass the Romanian order that deferred surrender of the brothers,” the motion said. “The Court should decline and release the brothers on conditions.”

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

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

Tristan Tate, 38, has worked with his brother on multiple businesses, including the production of online webcam pornography.

The Orlando Vocal Collective is bringing an intimate concert experience through expanded vocal arrangements, thrilling harmonies, and world-class lead vocals.

“People can expect to experience Orlando Vocal Collective in a much more intimate, honest and personal way,” said founder, Chris Keough.

“At IMMERSE, our performances are built to fill the city streets. They’re large, high-energy experiences celebrating some of the most iconic artists in music. This show gives us the opportunity to bring the audience closer and focus on the heart of what makes OVC special: the voices, the arrangements and the connection between the performers.”

The show will feature an ensemble of 11 singers and a four-piece band. They will reimagine beloved songs from the iconic sounds of Janet Jackson and Earth, Wind & Fire to Beyoncé and Michael Jackson.

Keough gave a closer look at what it takes to put together a show like this.

“Before we choose a song or step into rehearsal, there are weeks of conversations covering budgets, venue agreements, schedules and all the less glamorous, but completely necessary pieces,” Keough explained.

“Once we know the when and the where, we can begin defining the what. We start narrowing down a stage design that doesn’t simply hold the performance, but feels like part of the show itself. Every visual choice helps us understand the world a little more clearly,” said Keough.

Performances are 75 minutes and take place at a venue in the heart of downtown Orlando.

“I hope people leave believing a little more deeply in what can happen when artists are given the space to fully become themselves. OVC began as an idea for one performance, and now we are stepping into a room of our own, building a world around these voices and asking audiences to meet us there. To me, that says something powerful about what is possible when people believe in an idea, nurture it, and allow it to grow.”

The show runs Aug. 6-8. Tickets are $38 per person. Click here for more information.

Here’s what you need to know.

What’s on the ballot?

Registered Democrats and Republicans will be choosing candidates to be on the ballot in the November general election. They include races for governor and other Florida cabinet seats, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Florida House and Senate, and in some counties, county commission seats that are partisan.

If you are not a Democrat or a Republican, though, there are still lots of races on the ballot for you -- school board races, judicial races, and any nonpartisan county commission seats. Three Florida House seats are also holding universal primaries. That’s when candidates from only one party qualify for an election. The race is then open to all voters.

You can look up your sample ballot on the county election supervisors’ websites below.

• BREVARD COUNTY: View your sample ballot
• FLAGLER COUNTY: View Your Sample Ballot
• LAKE COUNTY: View Your Sample Ballot
• MARION COUNTY: View Your sample ballot
• ORANGE COUNTY: View your sample ballot
• OSCEOLA COUNTY: View your sample ballot
• SEMINOLE COUNTY: View your sample ballot
• SUMTER COUNTY: View your sample ballot
• VOLUSIA COUNTY: View Your sample ballot

What you need to vote in person

In Florida, voting in person is not just for Election Day — you can also vote early.

To vote, you need to be registered. When you go to your polling place, you need to bring a current and valid photo and signature ID.

The following forms of picture identification are allowed if they are current:

• Florida driver’s license
• Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• United States passport
• Military identification
• Student identification
• Retirement center identification
• Neighborhood association identification
• Public assistance identification

If you do not have a proper photo ID, you will be given a provisional ballot, which will allow you to vote and then later provide documents to prove your identity to the supervisor of elections office.

Also, if your ID does not have a signature on it, you may be asked to provide more forms of identification.

NOTE: The Florida Legislature passed a law that will make changes to this, but it will not take effect until January of 2027.

Have questions about voting at the polls? We have an in-depth guide to voting in the 2026 Election HERE.

Early Voting

Early voting will take place over several days in August ahead of the primary on Aug. 18.

Election supervisors set up early voting sites at libraries, recreation centers, and other community centers throughout the county. Unlike on Election Day, when you must vote in your assigned polling precinct, voters can go to any early voting site in their county and vote.

Different counties have different early voting periods. The list of dates is below by county. Click on the links to find an early voting site near you.

• Brevard County: Aug. 8-15
• Flagler County: Aug. 8-15
• Lake County: Aug. 6-15
• Marion County: Aug. 8-15
• Orange County: Aug. 3-16
• Osceola County: Aug. 7-16
• Seminole County: Aug. 8-15
• Sumter County: Aug. 8-15
• Volusia County: Aug. 8-15

[WATCH: Election Security, Voter Fraud and Vote by Mail: Central Florida supervisors answer tough questions]

Firefighters used helicopters to drop water on the blaze sweeping through pine forests near Deliblatska Pescara, a protected nature reserve about 65 kilometers (40 miles) from the capital, Belgrade. Another major fire raged near the central town of Kraljevo.

The blistering heat wave bearing down on Europe in recent weeks has set national temperature records in multiple countries, led to droughts that have strained national energy systems and fueled wildfires from Western Europe to the Balkans.

Fires in Serbia rage close to settlements

Fires in Serbia rage close to the settlements of Cardak and Sumarak in the Deliblatska Pescara area. Regional television reported that villagers from Sumarak have been asked to leave their homes as a precaution. Authorities said that no houses had caught fire and no casualties had been reported.

Days of dry weather and scorching heat reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104F) have worsened the wildfire risk. Strong winds across the Balkan nation on Friday complicated firefighters’ efforts to contain the blazes.

After an emergency meeting Friday, Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said the army had been brought in to help emergency efforts. The government urged all state companies to provide any equipment and human resources they can spare to help tackle the blazes. Dacic added that despite nine wildfires affecting various parts of the country, the situation was “not critical.”

Firefighters were also tackling blazes on Friday in neighboring Montenegro near the town of Cetinje, and other locations in the Adriatic Sea nation.

Heat wave breaks records in Europe

The extreme weather across Europe has pushed temperatures above 40 C in many countries, prompting health warnings for millions of people. Scientists and officials warn that such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms.

In Central Europe, Slovakia and Austria both recorded all-time high temperatures this week.

In Dolne Plachtince in southern Slovakia, temperatures soared to 42.2 C (108 F), while the Austrian village of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg near the Slovak border recorded 41.2 C (106.2 F). Hungary also recorded its warmest overnight temperature on record, with temperatures falling only to 28 C (82 F) in the capital, Budapest.

In Italy, officials placed all its major cities under the highest heat alert on Thursday, signaling a health risk for the entire population, not only vulnerable groups.

Severe droughts hit major European rivers

Prolonged droughts have left major European rivers such as the Danube River and Rhine River at significantly low water levels, and multiple Central and Eastern European governments are facing energy emergencies as a result.

On Friday, Romania continued an operation to sink four rock-laden barges into the Danube near the Bala Canal to redirect water downstream toward its state-owned Cernavoda nuclear plant, which relies on river water to cool its reactors. The aim is to buy more time before the second reactor is likely forced offline after its first reactor was shut down last week.

In neighboring Hungary, operators of the country’s only nuclear power plant were also forced to reduce output to about 10% of normal production due to the Danube’s low levels, prompting the government to ask businesses and the general public to cut down on their electricity use, particularly during peak hours.

On Friday, Hungary’s Prime Minister Péter Magyar told a news conference that slightly cooler weather and water level increases of around 20 to 30 centimeters (8 to 12 inches) on the Danube meant that energy-saving measures could be suspended. He praised Hungarians for successfully reducing the burden on the electrical grid.

“We would like to thank everyone who, during the difficult week that’s behind us, joined in this unprecedented national cooperation,” he said. “We have preserved Hungary’s energy and water security.”

Magyar said some rainfall could raise water levels on the Danube further and bring “temporary respite” in the coming days, but warned that more hot and dry weather in the forecast would likely lead to levels dropping again.

Over the past week, Slovakia’s biggest hydroelectric power plant in Gabčíkovo was forced to shut down seven of its eight turbines, and Germany also faced growing concerns over the impact of drought on transportation and industry as water levels on the Rhine and other rivers continued to fall.

In Moldova, which relies heavily on imported electricity, including from Romania, authorities have urged citizens to voluntarily reduce usage during peak hours.

—

McGrath reported from Leamington Spa, England. Justin Spike reported from Budapest, Hungary.

To help families navigate the transition, the Mental Health Association of Central Florida has released a free, 20-page Back-to-School Mental Health and Wellness Guide.

The guide is packed with practical tools, conversation starters, planning tips and even games designed to help parents support their children’s emotional well-being.

“There’s a lot of unknown for a child going to school for the first time or moving into another grade or another school,” said Lisseth Russa, MHA’s VP of Operations.

Russa and the team of licensed, clinical professionals with MHA say they understand many parents don’t have the time to sit for family dinners and talk, nor do they have many chances to make meaningful observations of changes in their kids’ behavior.

And there’s a wide range of reasons Russa highlights that create the distance between guardians and children, including the economy, forcing many parents to work multiple jobs, forfeiting quality time; or she adds that for others, immigration concerns can prevent families from seeking mental wellness help for their kids.

Whatever the reason may be, licensed therapists, clinicians and other mental health professionals warn that change in routine and lack of preparation are driving factors for mental health fatigue.

Worries about new teachers, or increased schoolwork load, and social pressures - all according to experts - can be exacerbated by access to social media and, more recently, artificial intelligence.

MHA creates a back-to-school guide each year, carefully designing and updating it with a team of licensed professionals and parents to get ahead of the aforementioned factors.

The 2026 guide tackles the entire family, ensuring parents know what paperwork to have filled out ahead of the first day, to word searches of key phrases related to ‘mental health’ as a way to gamify the experience and keep youth interested.

The hope is that this guide will prevent any lingering mental health issues from snowballing and offer a place for families to not only broach conversations, but get ahead of confusing or stressful preparations that can lead to overwhelm and even depression.

Here’s what’s included in the back-to-school guide:

• Back-to-school checklist for parents
• Mental wellness habits
• Warning signs of depression
• Tips for tackling homework
• Homework planning guide
• Braving the unknown
• Anti-bullying word search
• Anti-bullying support groups
• Cyber bullying
• Vaping
• Lunchbox affirmations
• Local mental health resources

The Back to School Guide is one of many resources offered by MHA of Central Florida.

Their MHACF Outlook Clinic is one of their most widely used tools, offering free, outpatient mental health care for uninsured and underinsured families experiencing symptoms of mental health disorders.

“We don’t answer the phone; we answer the call, said Russa, who explained that even if people don’t need their services or may be ineligible, their clinical interns will point them in the right direction and work with them to explain their coverage.

For more details on MHACF’s back-to-school material, click here.

Zendaya’s angelic strapless gown with feathered white wings was the work of Matières Fécales — yes, in English, Fecal Matter — the Paris-based, high-end fashion house founded in Montreal over a decade ago that’s, seemingly suddenly, everywhere.

Why Matières Fécales is called ... that

The design duo behind Matières Fécales, Steven Raj Bhaskaran and Hannah Rose Dalton, have aimed to subvert beauty with their own alien-like personal style, including dramatic white makeup, shaved heads and eyebrows, and skin boots made to look like realistic feet.

Bhaskaran and Dalton started the brand as students at Collège LaSalle Montréal, going from selling designs on the secondhand shopping platform Depop to showcasing collections at Paris Fashion Week. The designers have said the name reflects their view of the fashion industry, a perspective they initially summed up with a more vulgar word.

“There’s no other word for it, but how can we say it in a glamorous way? So we’re like, ‘fecal matter’ is the scientific word for it,” Dalton recalled to Vogue last year, adding they translated it into French, which “sounds way more glamorous.” Bhaskaran told the “Fashion Neurosis” podcast in March that the name was also intended to “challenge the wasteful side of fashion.”

A representative for Matières Fécales said the designers were not available for comment.

Despite the visceral name, tastemakers from Lady Gaga to Kylie Jenner are embracing their designs.

“There is this beautiful tension in their work between the finesse and the decaying, and the strong and the soft,” celebrity stylist Brad Goreski told The Associated Press.

And after years of building a cult following, they were taken under the wings of Dover Street Market in 2024, after first meeting its president, Adrian Joffe, backstage at a Madonna show. The global retail and concept stores offer emerging brands development support, from production and distribution to sales.

Kristen Bateman, a longtime fashion and culture writer who has attended all three of the designers’ Paris Fashion Week shows, said their rise is driven by the industry’s desire to see something new.

“If you’re looking at the high-fashion brands like Chanel and Dior, it all sort of starts to blend together,” she said. “And this feels like it’s in its own category. ... You can’t replicate it.”

From cult status to Paris Fashion Week

Milan Tanedjikov, a Collège LaSalle Montréal design teacher, had a front-row seat to Dalton and Bhaskaran's rise and says they have finally found the balance between their art and fashion.

“They have created this, like, very interesting organism together,” he said.

The designers were invited onto the official calendar for Paris Fashion Week last year, debuting “The Other,” a collection they described as an ode to being fearless with identity. It featured a collaboration pairing their striking curved-heel design with Christian Louboutin’s signature red sole.

“At their very core, what drives them is absolute freedom of expression, and they want to push the boundaries of what is human,” Tanedjikov said.

In March, during Paris Fashion Week, the duo unveiled “The One Percent,” with models theatrically strutting with red paint on white opera gloves and wearing eye masks made of dollar bills. The collection showcased how “power affects us all,” they wrote on Instagram.

“What they were able to build in such a small amount of time is really insane in terms of world building and creating their world,” Augustin Maunier, Dover Street Market's director of brand development, said. “There’s real storytelling behind it.”

The show's theme was a stark contrast to the billionaires who had been sitting front row at other fashion week shows. At this year’s Met Gala, where Jeff Bezos was an honorary chair, actor Sarah Paulson wore a voluminous, gray, distressed ball gown from the collection, paired with the eye-covering money mask.

Goreski pulled from “The One Percent” for Demi Moore's wardrobe as a Cannes Film Festival jury member, telling the AP he wanted something new for Moore. Moore's frayed, full-volume, Barbie-pink ball gown with a distressed bow was a break from her usual structured looks. In 20 years of dressing Moore, Goreski said she hardly ever chooses a full-skirt “cupcake” shape, but that she fell for the designers’ artistic vision and storytelling.

“They’re designing clothes for themselves,” he said. “That’s authentically them, but they’re bringing it to like a whole other audience.”

Find their clothes on Lady Gaga and a Dunkin’ ad

Early supporters of the brand fittingly included boundary-breaking performers Madonna and Lady Gaga. Madonna even invited them to DJ on her tour in 2023 and they've designed custom looks for Gaga’s live performances, including Coachella. At this year's Grammys, Gaga wore a high-neck, feathered, black gown from the designers, a dark angel to Zendaya’s heavenly “Odyssey” look.

Now, though, their bold designs are going beyond red carpets. In a television ad for Dunkin’, Kylie Jenner wore a blush-pink, satin, structured blazer with over-the-top shoulder pads, a designer choice that generated some amusement online from those previously unfamiliar with the brand's name.

The designers created a distressed Victorian-style dress for model Gabbriette Bechtel's wedding to musician Matty Healy, a first for the brand. With their next Paris Fashion Week show set for September, fashion connoisseurs are eagerly waiting to see what’s next.

“We’re rooting for them because they’re younger designers who have something to say,” fashion commentator Hanan Besovic, who posts online as @Ideservecouture, said.

The latest incident happened Tuesday in Port Orange, where a Flock camera was found cut down along Taylor Road.

Roberto Sabatino said he noticed the damaged camera while driving Tuesday morning and recorded a video that has since gone viral on social media.

“I think I had about 50 followers,” Sabatino said. “Since then, now I have 2,000 followers, and it’s up to 980,000 views.”

The video shows the camera lying in the grass near the roadway while a Port Orange police officer was at the scene.

“The pole is very recognizable if you pay attention to Flock at all,” Sabatino said. “It has that solar panel on it, so when I drove past, I was like, ‘Oh, someone cut a Flock down,’ because I know Flocks have been getting cut down.”

The Port Orange incident is one of several recent cases involving damaged license plate readers in Central Florida.

According to a Volusia Sheriff’s Office report, deputies responded July 20 to Bill Keller Park in DeBary after receiving a report that a Flock camera had been damaged. Investigators found the black camera and its pole lying on the ground. The criminal mischief report does not list any arrests.

Two days later, on July 22, sheriff’s dispatch records show deputies responded after a license plate reader in Osteen went offline. Investigators found the camera destroyed, with pieces scattered on the ground. Deputies reported the damage appeared to have been caused by a blunt object.

More recently, on July 31, the Clermont Police Department responded to reports of vandalized Flock cameras in the Ivey Ridge subdivision. Police said two camera poles had been intentionally cut in half, causing an estimated $10,000 in damage to the system.

The recent incidents come as Flock cameras continue to generate debate among residents. Supporters argue the automated license plate readers help law enforcement solve crimes and locate stolen vehicles, while critics say the technology raises privacy concerns.

Sabatino said opinions on his viral social media post reflect that divide.

“For the most part, most of the people that are commenting are against Flock cameras,” he said. “There are a few people that are for it. Everyone has their own point of view when it comes to that.”

News 6 reached out to the Port Orange Police Department for information about Tuesday’s incident, including whether any suspects have been identified, but had not received a response as of publication. The investigation remains ongoing.

Infantino is facing a revolt after his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.

The Norwegian federation held a meeting on Thursday and president Lise Klaveness said the decision had been made to ask Infantino to resign.

“When trust is gone, leadership must also be assessed. We therefore believe that Gianni Infantino’s time as FIFA President should be over, and ask him to resign," Klaveness said via translation.

The announcement is the latest blow for Infantino as the fallout continues over his controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

European soccer's governing body UEFA said Thursday its threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions remained in place despite FIFA abandoning and apologizing for its failed plan.

It reiterated its stance that it had lost confidence in Infantino.

Earlier this week Infantino appeared to have held off the potential of an internal revolt during a summit meeting with top staff in Rabat, Morocco.

FIFA said the president had been given the full support of those in attendance.

But UEFA's response, followed by Norway's direct call for him to resign shows the sense of anger from Europe, in particular, remains strong.

The English Football Association has also withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election next March.

He did, however, receive backing from Mexico’s federation.

The Norwegian federation said it would raise concerns with FIFA regarding FFE, the peace prize awarded to Donald Trump and the suspension of Folarin Balogun's one-match ban at the World Cup.

“FIFA needs new leadership to rebuild trust, strengthen good governance and ensure that the organization’s own reforms are actually implemented," Klaveness said.

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

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

During the first week of school in 2025, Orange County deputies made nearly 700 traffic stops in school zones and cited 249 drivers for speeding, according to figures cited by officials. Video posted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office shows drivers stopped at speeds well above posted limits.

The cameras will begin issuing mailed warnings on Aug. 11 for drivers recorded going more than 10 mph over the school-zone speed limit. The warning period runs through Sept. 24. Starting Sept. 25, violations carry a $100 ticket.

The city said the camera locations were chosen after a speed study identified schools with higher pedestrian safety risks, considering roadway conditions, crash history and speeding.

[WATCH: Speed cameras coming to Rock Springs Elementary in Orange County]

Neighbors near the schools told News 6 they support the cameras.

Some residents who live near the schools said they believe the cameras will make drivers slow down.

“It should if it just makes people aware that kids are out and about,” said Janice Junkin, who lives in the area.

“It’s good for the residents of the town so that there’s no dispute … and that’s the safety of the children,” Sattler said.

“All the time,” Sattler said when asked whether he sees people speeding in front of schools. “Major distractions with people on the roadway today.”